Former worker's lawsuit wraps up against Qulliq Energy Corp

Lawyers have wrapped up their final submissions in a civil lawsuit against Nunavuts Qulliq Energy Corporation.

Former employee Sarah Kucera is suing QEC for $440,000 in damages.

Kucera worked as the executive assistant to QEC's president and chief executive officer Peter Mackey for about 14 months. Her contract was terminated in August 2010.

She is suing the power utility for mismanagement, breach of contract and wrongful dismissal.

Kucera's lawyer Phillip Hunt told the court that in August 2010 he sent a letter to QEC asking to negotiate a severance package for his client because of her troubles with the corporation.

The next day, the corporation sent a termination letter to Kucera.

The two had attempted mediation earlier that year but Hunt said it was "doomed to fail at best" because he alleges the mediator had a conflict of interest because the mediator reported to the director of human resources Catherine Cronin, someone Kucera was having problems with.

Hunt said that prior to mediation, Cronin sent a six-page letter of complaints against his client to Mackey denying Kucera's allegations that she was making derogatory comments about her, and was upset that Kucera had complained to Mackey.

In the letter, Cronin threatened to pursue a harassment charge against Kucera, saying she was hurt, upset and feared the allegations would affect her career.

Hunt said Kucera never saw this letter, nor was a copy put in her human resources file. He alleges Cronin kept a secret file with other documents to try and build a case against his client.

Qulliq Energy denies all the allegations.

The corporation's lawyer Richard Beamish said the power utility tried to support Kucera and resolve her issues.

He said she even received a $9,000 raise but Beamish said nothing seemed to help. He said in the end, the letter from Kucera's lawyer was seen as an ultimatum.

The court heard from Mackey on Thursday.

He started at the corporation in April 2009, and described the workplace as always being "in a state of flux."

He said Kucera fulfilled all her duties and was a good employee during the length of her employment. When asked about why Kucera was fired, Mackey said "in my perspective there were no other options."

Justice Sue Cooper will issue a written decision but didn't say when.