Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask, in view of the numerous comments that Mr. Handley has made with respect to the nature of the resignation and it being deemed to be involuntary, how that could be reconciled to the press conference and media reports that were made by Ms. Sorensen at the time of her resignation?
Debates of March 11th, 2002
This is page numbers 507 - 546 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.
Topics
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Joe Handley Weledeh
Mr. Chairman, I cannot speak to the press conference or what was said there. I was not there. I did not take part in it at all. The only thing I can say is that on October 29th the chief of staff position was eliminated and no longer existed after that. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Paul Delorey
Thank you, Mr. Handley. I would like to remind Members that the Chair will allow a fair bit of latitude, but you should try to stick to the supp. Mrs. Groenewegen.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Jane Groenewegen Hay River South
I do not have any further questions at this time, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you. Following up on one of the comments that Ms. Snider made when discussing these termination contracts, I asked the question about whether either of the individuals indicated they were leaving their employment unwillingly. She answered in the affirmative and I believe she said that they both indicated they were leaving unwillingly and they felt that they had no other choice. I believe we are all aware, as is the public and I believe it is a matter of public record from the Special Committee on Conflict Process, that Mr. Bayly had offered his resignation to the Premier quite a few months earlier - at least a couple of months earlier. Is that not the case?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Snider
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe that Mr. Bayly did offer to resign and that offer was not accepted.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you. Were either or both of these individuals requested to assume other or different employment duties by the government prior to offering their resignation?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Snider
Sorry, maybe I misunderstood the question, I believe we have indicated that the chief of staff position was eliminated and there was an offer of a different kind of a position and it was not accepted.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you. I am wondering if that was a formal offer or if, in fact, that was an offer in writing?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Snider
I do not know. It was not an offer in writing. The individual in the chief of staff position actually offered her resignation after it was announced that her position as chief of staff would be eliminated. The offer was to assume a position of an executive assistant, which was not of the same status as she was formerly in, had less responsibility and prestige than the chief of staff position. Even if the salary was to remain the same, it would still have been considered to be constructive dismissal.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 543
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you. So I can assume then that we have a legal opinion, even if this was a present incumbent situation only, whereby the former chief of staff would have been paid exactly the same amount of money, our legal opinion tells us that it would still constitute constructive dismissal. Is that correct?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Snider
Sorry, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we have labour relations advice, but it is consistent with the kind of advice we have received in other similar situations.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you. I am wondering if the Minister could tell us whether or not the former principal secretary or the former chief of staff ever officially threatened to take legal action against the Government of the Northwest Territories for wrongful dismissal or anything of that sort?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 544