Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 12/99) - Caribou Carnival's general manager John Clark was at Monday's city council meeting to ask for $6,000.

The money represents unpaid bills from last year's carnival, which was subtracted from the $17,000 grant they were awarded.

The vote to award the extra money passed by a five to two margin, with councillors Peggy Near and Bob Brooks opposing the motion.

Clark said he considers the $6,000 "seed money" to prepare a five-year Caribou Carnival business plan. "We want to turn Yellowknife into a tourist destination. We want to raise the purses of the dog derby and snowmobile races to make them the largest events of their kind," Clark said.

"To do that, we need to attract sponsors, and to do that, we have to keep the office open year round. I think $6,000 is a reasonable investment to ensure the future of the Caribou Carnival."

City and Union reach agreement

Bylaw 4046, authorizing the city to enter into a collective agreement with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), passed third reading Monday.

The agreement affects 96 PSAC members in all city departments except the fire and by-law divisions.

"I believe both sides are reasonably happy with the agreement although we would have liked a longer term contract," city administrator Max Hall said.

The one-year contract includes a three per cent employee raise.

Council rebukes international speculators

Councillor Ben McDonald tabled a motion at council Monday requesting the city support an international tax on financial transactions "in concert with the international community."

Called the Tobin Tax (after the Nobel economist, James Tobin), it's designed to discourage speculative investors from rapidly withdrawing cash, stocks and bonds from volatile economies like Mexico or Indonesia.

McDonald's motion was to direct the mayor to express Yellowknife's support of the bill to Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew, who will be voting on the Tobin Tax March 23.

"I think that as a representative voice of Yellowknife, council has to participate in affairs that go beyond sewers and water," McDonald said.

"Currency speculation has meant people are no longer using gold as a standard which is something that directly affects Yellowknife."

He said the tax can't be imposed without an international cooperative effort. An international tax of less than one percent, like the one proposed, could generate $150 million worldwide annually. The motion passed by a five/two margin.