Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Nov 09/01) - Floyd Roland says he respects the fact a majority of MLAs voted in favour of a motion reaffirming support for Stephen Kakfwi.

Floyd Roland: "It's time for members to move on."

Roland, MLA for Inuvik Boot Lake, cast the lone vote against the Oct. 29 motion. Thirteen MLAs voted in favour, with four abstaining.

"The house has accepted what's happened," Roland said in an interview with The Drum. Monday.

"I staked out where I was coming from and stuck with it," he said. "He's still lacking enough there for my support."

Kakfwi had called for a show of support, and raised the possibility of resigning, the week before, after saying he would not take further disciplinary action against his two most senior advisers -- principal secretary John Bayly and chief of staff Lynda Sorensen.

Bayly made a phone call on March 26 to conflict of interest commissioner Carol Roberts, and did not tell Roberts that Sorensen, cabinet minister Jane Groenewegen and other staffers were listening in on his end.

Groenewegen was also recording the call to bolster an allegation of bias she levelled against the commissioner.

Groenewegen resigned from cabinet, and Bayly also resigned, the week before the Oct. 29 vote of confidence in the premier. An hour before the vote, Kakfwi informed members he would demote Sorensen, and later it was announced Sorensen will end her employment with the government on Jan. 2.

Roland said Kakfwi could have avoided the motion of support if he had showed more respect for government process and been willing to take action beyond his advisers.

"There was a number of us that were very concerned with what had gone on to date and felt we needed to address the issue, and when he made such a negative comment towards, 'I've done my thing and that's it,' that set off a lot of other members," Roland said.

He said the reference by Range Lake MLA Sandy Lee to a 'palace coup' by members was inaccurate, and that by raising the possibility of resigning, and calling for support among MLAs and NWT residents, Kakfwi took the issue to a higher level than was necessary.

"All recommendations were fully enacted," Roland said.

"To bring the government almost to its knees in this situation, to stand your ground and then end up following it, that was not a good move, not good for government -- and talking about stability, that sure doesn't help it."

Hurt image

Roland said it's time for members to move on, but that it won't be easy.

"As much claim that was being made that we're going to significantly shake up the government if anything changed, well, with all that has happened, I think we've already given ourselves a pretty bad black eye," Roland said.

"We want credibility out there. Well, to bring the government to its knees for the sake of political posturing is not a good move," he said.

"I still don't believe it had to go as far as it did," the MLA said.

"It surfaced in a manner that was very inappropriate, I feel, and he (Kakfwi) has had as much to do with that as any member of the house. So that's where my concerns come up with, tying onto other concerns I've had since we started."

Roland said he will continue to represent his constituents.

"If I see something happening within government that's not within our own rules, I'm going to draw attention to it."

Contract issue

Roland said he still wants to find out more about Sorensen's contract, and that he suspects it rests outside the public service act amendment.

"You're not able to do that," Roland said.

"Either it's a private sector contract, a consultant contract -- which could be very different -- or it's an employee of the government. You can't have them both intertwined, giving an employee of the government an ability to do things as though they were not."