Former DM seeks financial compensation from territory

KIRSTEN MURPHY

Katherine Trumper, former deputy minister of the department of sustainable development, is suing the Government of Nunavut for close to $1 million for wrongful dismissal.

Trumper vacated her job with the GN in September 2001 after four years as DM. She left after the GN announced a high-level bureaucratic shuffle that would have made her deputy minister of intergovernmental affairs.

Alex Campbell became the deputy minister of sustainable development on Sept. 1, 2001.

Trumper’s dismissal violates employment standards, court records say.

“The [GN’s] conduct in removing [Trumper] from her position to a substantially smaller department demonstrably inconsistent with her interests and experience amounted to a breach of contract and termination of the plaintiffs employment,” a statement of claim filed with the Nunavut Court of Justice says.

“At no time did [Trumper] voluntarily resign or agree to retire from her employment.”

The claim says the GN failed to provide Trumper with a written performance review until March 28, 2002 – 10 months after officials raised serious job performance concerns with Trumper in a face-to-face meeting.

“At no time prior to the Aug. 21, 2001 [meeting] was the plaintiff informed of any concern about her performance. Nor was she afforded any opportunity to respond to any concerns,” the statement says.

Trumper is seeking $270,000 in severance pay, $71,000 in performance pay benefits, $250,000 for damage to her career prospects, $250,000 in aggravated damages and a yet to be determined amount for loss of her supplementary retirement benefit.

Statements of claim often contain unproven allegations. The GN had yet to file a statement of defence by Nunatsiaq News’ press time.