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Sunshine staffers file wrongful dismissal suit

Four long-time Sunshine Village employees are claiming in a lawsuit that they lost their jobs over an incident involving the ski hill owner’s son who was busted for being in a closed area.

Four long-time Sunshine Village employees are claiming in a lawsuit that they lost their jobs over an incident involving the ski hill owner’s son who was busted for being in a closed area.

Chris Chevalier, Ben Chevalier, Rowan Harper and Christopher Conway are suing Sunshine Village Corporation and Thomas Taylor Scurfield, the son of owner Ralph D. Scurfield.

None of the allegations in the wrongful dismissal suit have been proven in court. Their statement of claim was filed in Court of Queen’s Bench in Calgary last Wednesday (Jan. 26).

The four former employees are seeking more than $400,000 in combined damages.

The statement of claim alleges Taylor Scurfield and four friends were caught by Sunshine ski patroller Charlie Hitchman in a closed area near Boundary Bowl Dec. 17 and asked to leave.

According to the statement, the skiers voluntarily handed over their passes and ID initially, but then demanded them back when asked to go to ski patrol headquarters as part of Sunshine’s standard procedure.

Scurfield then suddenly began to “act aggressively and threaten ski patrolmen”, according to the statement. He demanded to speak with Chris Chevalier as “Chevy would let him go”.

He said he would “jump” the patrollers on the way to ski patrol headquarters. At one point, the claim alleges Scurfield also indicated the ski patrollers would “pay” for refusing to let him ski.

In response, Doug Firby, associate director of communications for Sunshine Village, issued the following press statement regarding the entire incident, Wednesday (Feb. 2).

“Four employees dismissed from Sunshine Village for good and just cause have filed a statement of claim.

“While the full story will come out at trial, we are at liberty to say that all four were fired for good and just cause. The claims against Taylor are frivolous and malicious, and designed to deflect attention from the real issues surrounding the plaintiffs’ dismissal.

“We will vigorously defend this unwarranted, untruthful attack on the integrity of a respected professional organization and its 700 valued employees.”

The statement of claim by the patrollers also alleges young Scurfield said he had the right to ski powder and go where he liked, and the closures did not apply to him because he was the owner’s son.

The four say their employment was terminated Dec. 29 as a result of this incident.

On-hill troubles at Sunshine have sparked a massive wave of support for the four patrollers, including a protest on Jan. 19 which involved about a dozen of the operation’s 25 ski patrol and snow safety staff members calling in sick.

Their protest forced Sunshine to close several runs. Since then, more people have lost their jobs.

Chris Chevalier worked at Sunshine for almost 30 years and most recently held the position of mountain and risk manager. Last year, he was presented with an award for 29 years of service, dedication and contribution to Sunshine Village.

Rowan Harper, snow safety supervisor, worked at Sunshine for 26 years; senior patroller Chris Conway worked there on and off since 1986, while Ben Chevalier, lift operations supervisor, was employed for eight years.


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