Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 10/98) - The management services board has yet to formally comply with a ruling that MLA Jane Groenewegen's legal expenses should be covered by the government.

In February, the management services board refused to pay for a lawyer to advise Groenewegen in her conflict of interest complaint against Premier Don Morin.

Since then, and in spite of a March 18 ruling by conflict commissioner Anne Crawford, the board has not discussed the issue.

Chaired by Speaker Sam Gargan, the board is composed of MLAs Kelvin Ng, Kevin O'Brien, Vince Steen, and Floyd Roland.

Steen said the issue has not arisen "at the board level" since Crawford handed down her ruling.

Board secretary and clerk of the assembly David Hamilton said he was not aware of any discussion of Crawford's decision and could not confirm the government had agreed to pay Groenewegen's legal bill.

"She (Crawford) gave an opinion on it, that's her opinion and it's not binding on the management services board," said Hamilton.

Likening the board to the executive council of the assembly, Hamilton said all internal decisions and discussions of the board are confidential. The management services board is responsible for the operation of the legislative assembly, including services to members and personnel.

In her written ruling on the matter, Crawford referred to, and argued against, a legal opinion she solicited from the law clerk of the legislative assembly.

The clerk argued the law allows requires the government to pay for Groenewegen's legal counsel only during the public hearing.

That, said Hamilton, was all the government paid for during Thebacha MLA Jeannie Marie-Jewell's 1995 conflict of interest complaint against Morin. The commission ruled Morin was not in a conflict.

Crawford said the matter now rests in the hands of the lawyers for each side.

"Having exercised my authority and rendered a decision, it's up to the parties to require that it be enforced," said Crawford.

"I'm not here to give Ms. Groenewegen or any of the other parties legal advice. I'm here to exercise my authority under the (NWT Legislative Assembly and Executive Council) Act."

Crawford said no date has been set for the hearing. She is also working on how the hearing will be conducted, explaining, "The process is specific to each complaint."

Groenewegen's lawyer, A. Barry Chivers, refused to comment on the issue. Groenewegen herself, said she has already been advised she can not comment on management services board decisions with the media.

"Because of previous conversations I've had with the media, I've been asked not to discuss decisions of the management services board," said Groenewegen.

Groenewegen would not say who asked her to keep quiet.