Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 22/99) - The board of directors of the Grollier Hall Healing Circle has suspended its chief executive officer with pay.

Lawrence Norbert has been suspended for 30 days pending a performance evaluation by the board of directors.

Documents delivered to News/North show Norbert had recently pointed out verbally abusive behaviour by board members to staff and their families, potential conflicts of interest by board members and unauthorized board or contractor spending amounting to mismanagement and misappropriation of public funds.

Despite Norbert pointing out these concerns, board members involved maintain their actions are all above board.

News of Norbert's suspension first came in the form of a press release on Grollier Hall Healing Circle stationery.

That press release said the suspension was without notice and without pay.

Though Yakeleya was listed as a contact at the bottom of the press release, he said he did not know who put out the release.

Yakeleya then sent a second release that said Norbert was suspended with pay, instead of without pay, and that Norbert was not authorized to talk to the media during his suspension.

"The board has passed a motion restricting me from talking to the media," Norbert said Nov. 16.

"I can say, though, that I have not yet received a letter from the board advising me as to why I've been suspended, so it's without notice that I've been suspended."

Norbert later received a letter that was dated Nov. 16.

Norbert said the board did not follow proper process for the suspension since the first step is supposed to be a verbal warning followed by a written warning and then a suspension.

"It's not anything that he did wrong," said board chair Norman Yakeleya.

"I don't know if it's routine (to suspend employees pending a performance review), but the board oversees the whole operation of the healing society and they want to look at the whole operation to see if we're on track or not on track because we answer to a membership."

Though the healing circle has other staff, only Norbert is suspended pending a performance review, according to Yakeleya.

Wayne Reindeer, who is a former board member on contract as the alternative dispute resolution project co-ordinator, is overseeing the operations of the society in Norbert's absence.

Norbert's suspension has no bearing on either the upcoming Nechi Institute 25th anniversary medal of distinction that Norbert is set to receive or to a recent letter of commendation from the aboriginal healing foundation to Norbert.