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City sued for $770,000 Bylaw officer claims wrongful dismissal
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, July 17, 2013
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Former city bylaw officer Doug Norrad is suing the City of Yellowknife for approximately $770,000, after he said he was wrongfully dismissed by the city on Nov. 26, 2012.
Norrad alleges his dismissal came after months of being subjected to harassment and mistreatment by his direct supervisor, Doug Gillard.
As a result, Norrad is claiming 20-months salary from the city, along with general damages for mental distress, and punitive and aggravated damages arising from working in a hostile environment.
At the time of termination, Norrad was earning $101,508 and was entitled to a full benefits package that included dental, health and disability coverage.
"There is a new mayor and council and a new administrator that I have respect for and they're going to have to look into everything and we'll deal with it through the legal recourse," Norrad said after being contacted by Yellowknifer, before declining further comment.
In a statement of claim filed with the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories on June 26, Norrad stated tensions between himself and Gillard began in January of 2011, when Gillard filed an allegation of theft with the RCMP against Norrad.
According to the statement, the city authorized the complaint with the RCMP without either conducting the necessary internal investigation or advising Norrad of its intentions to refer the matter to the RCMP.
The RCMP concluded the theft complaint was unfounded. However, in the statement Norrad claims after the incident Gillard proceeded to create a hostile work environment in which he was submitted to tactics of bullying and humiliation.
The subsequent working conditions, according to Norrad's statement, led to Norrad being placed on stress leave in April 2012, without allowing him the opportunity to determine whether he was medically required to do so.
Norrad returned from medical leave in July 2012. However, the harassment and bullying continued until he was eventually fired via memo in November 2012 according to the statement.
In his statement of claim, Norrad stated the reasons for his firing, laid out in the memo, did not provide just cause for his dismissal.
Yellowknifer was unable to obtain a copy of the memorandum by press time.
Yellowknifer tried to reach the City of Yellowknife and Gillard for comment, however communications and economic development officer Richard McIntosh said, "because it is pending we cannot comment on the case."
Norrad was dismissed weeks after he was accused of an assault following last year's Santa Claus Parade. During that incident, Norrad allegedly tried to pull an elderly driver out her car after she was pulled over near 51 Avenue and 49 Street.
After two investigations into the case by the RCMP, the crown determined it could not lay charges in the case.
At the time of the alleged assault, the city said Norrad's dismissal was unrelated to the incident.
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