Legislative assembly clerk Tim Mercer will be returning to work next week.
An email circulated to members of the legislative assembly on Oct. 7 informed them that Mercer is to be reinstated on Thursday, Oct. 14. The email was shared with SA国际影视传媒.
Acting clerk Glen Rutland SA国际影视传媒渨ill spend the next month or two working with Mr. Mercer on some special projects in the Office of the Clerk,SA国际影视传媒� states the correspondence, sent by Corinne Kruse, assistant to the Office of Speaker Frederick Blake.
The email doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 elaborate on the SA国际影视传媒渟pecial projects.SA国际影视传媒�
MercerSA国际影视传媒檚 reinstatement follows a months-long workplace review and investigation by Quintet Consulting Corporation into allegations against the Office of the Clerk.
SA国际影视传媒 asked Nicole Bonnell, manager of public affairs and communications, to confirm MercerSA国际影视传媒檚 return but she refused to SA国际影视传媒渃omment on personnel matters.SA国际影视传媒�
In an email on Oct. 6, however, she said he was on leave.
The Oct. 7 message to MLAs follows an in-camera meeting with the legislatureSA国际影视传媒檚 Board of Management that was held on Oct. 4 concerning a personnel matter.
SA国际影视传媒 was unable to get confirmation from the legislative assembly whether the personnel matter pertained to Mercer.
SA国际影视传媒淭hat matter was dealt with in-camera pursuant to Board of Management policy. All members of the board were present for the meeting,SA国际影视传媒� Bonnell stated.
She added that regular Board of Management member Jackie Jacobson, MLA for Nunakput, declared a conflict of interest to the matter on the agenda.
Bonnell would not say why the conflict of interest was declared.
SA国际影视传媒 reached out to some MLAs by phone on Thursday afternoon seeking confirmation that the message about MercerSA国际影视传媒檚 return was received.
Only Kevin OSA国际影视传媒橰eilly could be reached by phone.
SA国际影视传媒淪orry, ISA国际影视传媒檓 not gonna speak to you, Simon,SA国际影视传媒� he said before abruptly hanging up.
Motion to suspend a member
SA国际影视传媒 was also provided with a Sept. 16 email that Rutland sent to a clerks-on-the-table listserv, with a subject line SA国际影视传媒淢otion to suspend a member,SA国际影视传媒� which asked clerks from jurisdictions across the country for a draft motion to suspend an MLA.
SA国际影视传媒淚f your institution has within the last five years debated a motion to suspend a member (or some of their privileges), could you please let us know, and if possible provide a copy of the motion or direct us to where we can find it,SA国际影视传媒� Rutland wrote.
Bonnell was asked about the correspondence between Rutland and clerks and whether a draft motion to suspend a member had been received by the clerkSA国际影视传媒檚 office.
She said the clerkSA国际影视传媒檚 office doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 comment on advice that may or may not be provided to MLAs and doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 comment on procedural advice that might be provided to members.
SA国际影视传媒淭he legislative assembly has the inherent right to discipline members, and this includes suspension, the details of which would be set by the House,SA国际影视传媒� she stated in a Sept. 17 email.
She added that the assembly is not aware of any sitting member that has been suspended before at the NWT Legislative Assembly.
Mercer did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Oct. 7, prior to press deadline.
The Oct. 7 email also indicated that Michael Ball is to continue as deputy clerk of house procedures and committees, while Jennifer Franki-Smith will continue as manager of committees and clerk of journals when Rutland returns to his regular duties.
SA国际影视传媒淚 want to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Rutland for his work over the last eight months and all of the employees (of) the Office of the Clerk who have continued their professional support and service to members during these challenging times,SA国际影视传媒� Kruse writes.
