"I called this meeting because I wanted to discuss with council what's going on and avoid it being turned into a media circus."

Lovell was referring to Ald. David Ramsay's pursuit and interpretation of a 1995 legal opinion commissioned by the city.

Ramsay has said it calls into question the mayor's claim he and the previous council did not know secret meetings were illegal before last month's NWT Supreme Court ruling outlawed the practice.

It also raises questions about the decision to fight the case in court, a decision which cost taxpayers about $100,000.

Last week, Ramsay said the opinion, which has not been made public, showed council of the day knew the meetings were "on shaky ground at best."

"I've been subject to trial by innuendo," Lovell told council Saturday.

"I've been very, very personally damaged by this," said the mayor. Looking at Ramsay, he added, "If anyone thinks I've done anything unethical, immoral or illegal, they should come out and say so."

Ramsay said he was not asking for anyone's resignation and has no regrets about how he handled the issue.

"I think I'm entirely right to bring this up, and to bring it up this way," said the rookie alderman.

"If I step on a few toes, well, that's going to happen.... The more open this council can be, the better it is for the people of Yellowknife."

Until Ramsay raised the issue, none of the aldermen were aware city hall had requested a legal opinion on secret meetings. Ald. Cheryl Best said the information contained in it, if known at the time, could have had an impact on council's decision to reject an 11th-hour move to settle out of court.

Best added that she had spoken to a lawyer on Friday. The discussion left doubts in her mind about the city's ability to release the opinion. Best said she understood the city needed the permission of the law firm that prepared it.

Though all agreed Ramsay's uncovering of the legal opinion was important, some questioned his handling of the issue.

"It seems to me some people are trying to make their career on this," Ald. Ben McDonald said.

Ald. Robert Slaven agreed with the mayor, saying he was "sick and tired," of the innuendo.

"Some people have said so-and-so should resign because of their part in it," said Slaven. "If anyone here thinks Blake Lyons or Dave Lovell should quit, say it and stop pussy-footing around."

Slaven added that getting the facts surrounding the legal opinion and the decision to push ahead with the unsuccessful defence of secret meetings was crucial to gaining public trust.

"I do recognize this will have political and other implications for some people," said Slaven. "But it's a consequence and there's not a whole lot we can do about it."

Aldermen ordered staff to assemble transcripts of the closing arguments and the judge's verbal decision, as well as the minutes of secret meetings where the opinion was discussed.

The release or continued withholding of the legal opinion will be dealt with at Monday's committee of the whole meeting.