Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 13/00) - One of the original founders of the Grollier Hall Healing Circle has been "constructively dismissed" as chief executive officer.

Lawrence Norbert says he was suspended and dismissed without just cause and he's taking legal action.

He said he believes he was effectively driven out of the job because of his outspokenness regarding board member accountability.

"They didn't like the fact that I was pointing out this inappropriate spending," Norbert said.

Grollier Hall is a former residential school in Inuvik and the Healing Circle was formed to help victims of residential school abuse.

One of Norbert's complaints stemmed from an incident when a board member allegedly took an unauthorized flight at the expense of GHHC.

"We put that to the board and they said they were going to handle it and they didn't," he said.

Norbert also openly complained about a perceived conflict of interest with one of the board members bidding and winning a contract tendered by the board.

"There were several secret meetings of the board and on the fourth of November, I was given notice that I would be suspended without pay, for 30 days," he said. "At that time I informed the chairperson, Norman Yakeleya, that might give cause to legal action."

Following his suspension, Norbert said he was offered a lower position with GHHC, but turned it down.

"They have to give reasons -- they just can't suspend someone and say you're suspended for 30 days," he added. "There is a thing called progressive discipline, in other words, you give a verbal warning, followed by a written warning and then a reprimand and then any number of suspensions or termination."

Norbert says the board met again Nov. 12 and told Norbert he was to be suspended for 30 days with pay.

"They said it (the suspension) was for professional misconduct and insubordination," Norbert said. "And when I asked for specifics, they wouldn't give me any -- and they have not given me any specifics to date, despite numerous letters and requests to the board."

"As of December, I think they said they consider the matter closed," he added. "Although they said there was no need for a CEO position, they've said the chairperson would be performing those duties -- at $150 a day."

Chairperson Norman Yakeleya said despite Norbert's claims, the board acted properly.

"That's between him and the board," Yakeleya said of Norbert's allegations. "The board felt that it was handled in a satisfactory manner and we closed the door on it."

Norbert has hired a lawyer and plans to hear his case in front of a judge.

"Right now I'm consulting with legal counsel as to getting a judicial review of my suspension, as well as an action for constructive dismissal," Norbert said. "I'd like to have a court decide what they (the board) did was right."