Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 13/99) - Five native groups are applying for intervenor status in the electoral boundaries court challenge.

The Dene Nation, Metis Nation, North Slave Metis Alliance, Lutsel K'e Dene Band and Sahtu Secretariat have given notice they want their voices heard in the case.

On Friday the organizations will ask NWT Supreme Court Justice John Vertes to grant them intervenor status in the court challenge of a territorial government decision to have the new western territory inherit existing electoral boundaries.

The challenge was launched Dec. 9 by Friends of Democracy, a group of municipal politicians and city residents. The group is arguing boundaries should be redrawn to provide more equal representation in the new western assembly.

If granted intervenor status -- essentially a voice in the case -- the native groups will argue in support of the territorial government's decision.

On Friday Justice Vertes is also scheduled to arrange a date for the case to be heard. It is anticipated it will be heard sometime next month.

Intervenors were an issue that arose at a Friends meeting yesterday, but the focus of the gathering was fund-raising.

"We'll be putting on the big push over the next two weeks ... because we need to feed the lawyers," said the group's president, Robert Slaven. "It's nice that you can go to the courts to get your rights protected, but you do need the money for it."

Slaven said so far the group has raised between $3,000 and $4,000 from individuals, plus the $25,000 the city has provided. The estimated cost of mounting the challenge is $100,000.

Council's support for the challenge is not unanimous. Coun. Kevin O'Reilly has consistently opposed the city's involvement, saying it is not a municipal matter and questioning whether the city has the authority to give $25,000 to the cause.

"My position hasn't changed," said O'Reilly yesterday.

In response to his questions and those of lawyer Charles McGee, who is representing at least one of the groups applying for intervenor status, the city has sought a legal opinion on the grant.

Clerk Tim Mercer said city lawyers believe the city was well within its authority to make the grant.

In a Jan. 12 letter to McGee, Mayor Dave Lovell wrote, "I have no doubt it was the intent of city council to act in the best interests of its citizens in making the grant."