A judge has awarded compensation to a former employee of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations who was dismissed in 2016.
In a decision from last week, a Saskatoon Court of King’s Bench Judge found Danette Starblanket was “constructively dismissed without cause” from her contract with the organization.
This means the judge believes Starblanket effectively resigned because she felt she was in a hostile work environment.
Starblanket brought the matter to court last year.
The judge made his decision after hearing from several witnesses during the court proceedings including FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron and other members of the FSIN executive, along with former FSIN Vice-Chief Kimberly Jonathan and former chief of staff Dawn Walker.
In his decision, the judge awarded Starblanket 9.5 months of salary, which would have taken her to the end of her contract term, and along with additional compensation Starblanket’s total payout was over $70,000.
Starblanket was also seeking aggravated damages, which the judge did not award as his decision was that the FSIN was within their right to not renew her contract.
The FSIN has not yet commented on the matter.