by Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

ENTERPRISE (Apr 17/98) - It could be a long time, and possibly never, before the citizens of Enterprise learn why their municipal government was dismissed by the GNWT.

While confirming that the appointment of a municipal administrator last Thursday -- and the dismissal of Enterprise council and municipal staffer -- was the result of an inspection conducted by the GNWT in March, a senior official said other information wouldn't be released.

"The Minister (of Municipal and Community Affairs, Manitok Thompson) feels it is not in the community's best interest to provide these details," MACA deputy minister Penny Ballantyne said in an interview Tuesday. "She feels Enterprise should look forward."

However, Ballantyne did say that the inspection did find violation of the GNWT's Settlement Act but would not provide further details about what may or may not have occurred.

She did say that she had provided examples of violations during a meeting with the former council held Tuesday.

"I did a de-briefing with them this morning," she said. "We did provide details of what we meant."

Not so, is how former Enterprise councillor and member of the group Coalition for Democracy in Enterprise, Winnie Cadieux, is describing her version of the meeting.

"They didn't tell us anything," she said. "Basically, all they said was that previous councils had breached the Settlement Act 23 times (but) we weren't aware of them (violations) or how to fix them... She said our (current council) actions were too little, too late."

"She said the minister felt that this (information) could blow the community apart and that the community couldn't handle it. The community takes great exception to that."

Ballantyne also said that it would be MACA's hope that an Enterprise advisory committee -- appointed by Thompson -- could soon be up and running to advise Ian McCrea, Enterprise's administrator under the MACA order.