Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 03/98) - Premier Don Morin's defenders Monday easily defeated a motion demanding he step down until a conflict of interest complaint against him is resolved.

Yellowknife Centre MLA Jake Ootes made the motion but received support only from Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko and Kivallivik MLA Kevin O'Brien.

Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen, who laid the complaint, abstained.

Two underlying themes united the 19 ordinary members and cabinet ministers as they argued against the motion: a lack of precedence and a belief that asking the premier to step aside would be tantamount to saying he is guilty of the allegations.

"I cannot support this motion. Just because the premier is held in high regard is no reason to step down when someone makes unsubstantiated allegations," said Yellowknife North MLA Roy Erasmus.

"A person is innocent until they're proven guilty. I believe we should let the process to the next stage of the inquiry and at that point if the claims are substantiated then action would be taken in this House," he said.

Yellowknife South MLA Seamus Henry also voted against the motion.

"I have concerns about the precedence that it would set if the premier was forced to step aside. I think it would open up the potential for accusations to be brought against someone knowing that a precedence has been set and they will have to step aside," said Henry.

Iqaluit MLA Ed Picco said similar allegations were brought against southern premiers but none ever stepped down.

"Over the last couple of years there's been at least two cases of premier's who have been involved in investigations of conflict. One involving the premier of Alberta, Mr. Klein, who did not step down and also Mr. Vander Zalm of British Columbia, who also did not step down," said Picco.

Baffin Central MLA Tommy Enuaraq showed his support for Morin. Enuaraq said the premier is innocent until proven guilty.

Kivallivik's Kevin O'Brien said the motion is not about innocence or guilt, but process.

"It's difficult at the best of times to look at somebody across the floor and question their integrity or the allegations that are being directed toward them.

"Having said that, I do not want to feel intimidated, I don't want to feel any type of legal threat. Also, I do not want to make the premier or his family think they have been treated unfairly," he said.

Before the motion went to a recorded vote, Ootes made closing remarks.

"This is, I gather, a difficult question for a lot of members and not easy to address but I felt it needed to be brought forward in the House today," he said.

"Precedence is an odd thing. Every case that's in court is an individual case and it's difficult to come up with precedents," he added.

"In our case we elected the premier. I had a vote on that.... In the event of an allegation, the premier can make that judgment call on the ministers. In this case it is only us that can make that decision as to whether to address this issue of asking the premier to step down."