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City of Iqaluit denies wrongful dismissal Jeanne Gagnon Northern News Services Published Monday, January 16, 2012
Michele Bertol has launched a wrongful dismissal suit against the city, stating in her claim filed this past October she was "subjected to harassment and a hostile work environment." The former planning and lands director, fired from the city on Jan. 26, 2011 after seven years of service, is seeking $700,000 in damages. The City of Iqaluit denies the allegations in a statement of defence filed at the Nunavut Court of Justice on Jan. 9 by Teresa Haykowsky and David Risling, lawyers for the city from McLennan Ross in Edmonton. It reads, in part, the City of Iqaluit, "specifically denies that there was a campaign or conspiracy to undermine and mistreat" Bertol and further "expressly denies" the allegations made in relation to chief administrative officer John Hussey. "At all times John Hussey acted properly" towards Bertol, reads the statement of defence. Bertol claimed her working relationship with Hussey went sour after the city hired a new director of corporate services in 2008. The statement of claim alleges, with the new director in place, Hussey tried to "bully" and "undermine" Bertol's authority by giving the corporate services director and another, less experienced director, preference in covering for him in chief administrative officer positions. Bertol also claimed Hussey created a culture of mistrust against her among city councillors and other senior directors. The city is also refuting these allegations in its statement of defence, stating it "denies that any of its employees or councillors, including John Hussey ... acted inappropriately in any fashion towards the plaintiff (Bertol) as alleged or at all." The statement also reads the city is denying the allegation Bertol was "entitled at any time" to be appointed, to hold or function as acting chief administrative officer for the city. The city also denies it engaged in "bad faith or underhanded conduct" with Bertol, stating it acted in "reasonable fashion" in relation to her employment, according to the statement of defence. Bertol is seeking 30 months salary - or $456,540 - as well as benefits worth $91,308, some $60,000 for losses incurred in the rush to sell her house, removal assistance of $9,696 and $100,000 for moral damages.
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