Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 07/98) - Organizers and delegates hailed the Nov. 23-27 youth and elders conference a success, but counted First Air service to and from it a dismal failure.

The flight up from Yellowknife, where delegates gathered, was to stop in Gjoa Haven before arriving in Cambridge Bay, said assistant deputy minister of the department of culture, language, elders and youth George Qualaut.

After the half hour stop in Gjoa Haven, elders and youth reboarded the plane.

"Once everybody was on board and the door was closed ... the first officer informed us of the new route," said Qualaut.

Instead of a short flight to Cambridge Bay, Qualuat said it was announced the plane would be going on a seven-hour tour of the east Kitikmeot -- from Gjoa Haven to Taloyoak to Pelly Bay back to Gjoa Haven and, finally, to Cambridge Bay.

Qualuat said his request to leave the elders in Gjoa Haven to be picked up on the way back was turned down because the door was shut and an engine was fired up.

Qualuat said the elders, though they did not complain, were extremely tired by the time they arrived in Cambridge Bay.

Things got worse, not better, on the flight back.

Less than four hours before the flight was to depart, Qualaut said he got a call from the First Air agent in Cambridge Bay saying they needed to leave one person behind to open a seat for a sick child being flown from Pelly Bay to Yellowknife.

Qualaut found one person willing to stay. Five minutes before the group left the hotel for the airport, First Air called again, this time asking if five more people from the conference would be willing to give up their seats.

At the airport, the request was reduced to four. Qaluat asked around again and found four more people willing to stay. Another delegate, the sixth bumped, was left behind when a First Air representative informed him there was no record of his booking, which was made through First Air.

At least one other person, a winner in the RCMP's Onside program, headed to Edmonton to see the Oilers play the Chicago Black Hawks the next night, was bumped off the flight.

First Air was unable to respond to questions from News/North by press time.