Tara Kearsey
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 30/02) - The lawyer for Carol Roberts, ousted NWT Conflict of Interest Commissioner, said she is delighted with the Supreme Court decision acknowledging she was unjustly fired.

Carol Roberts: Court says she was unjustly fired by the Legislative Assembly. -

"We consider it a complete exoneration of her position before the legislative assembly," said Joseph Arvay.

Roberts was fired based upon recommendations last October by a special committee of MLAs appointed to investigate allegations of bias against her and the secret recording of phone calls to her by Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen.

Justice John Vertes handed down his decision last week, sending the matter right back into the lap of speaker Tony Whitford and MLAs. Vertes ordered Whitford, in his capacity as speaker, to compensate Roberts for legal costs and award damages for lost income as a result of unfair treatment leading to her dismissal. Vertes didn't specify damages, but ruled the legislative assembly as a whole must decide how to compensate Roberts.

Arvay said he and Roberts have not decided on a dollar amount for compensation, but they will file a request with the speaker's office in the near future.

"We will be submitting our requests that Ms. Roberts' economic losses and all her costs are paid to her by the speaker's office and we're hoping that that will end the matter," said Arvay.

When contacted by Yellowknifer, Whitford said the ruling is being considered by his office.

"It will have to be reviewed and that's what we're doing to see what the next course of action is," he said, refusing to comment any further on the ruling.

David Hamilton, clerk for the legislative assembly, said once the Vertes' decision is reviewed by Whitford's office, and his lawyer Katherine Peterson, the matter will eventually go before the Board of Management for discussion.

"Without having the review completed yet, we don't know who is going to take action first -- would Carol Roberts' lawyer submit something to the speaker, or would the speaker go and offer something?" said Hamilton.