Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 30/02) - Yellowknifers will get a half-day off for Caribou Carnival after all.

City council overruled a committee recommendation in declaring March 28 a half-day civic holiday.

Last week, the city's priorities, policies and budget committee voted on a resolution to deny the carnival's request for a civic holiday for the Thursday afternoon before Good Friday.

Organizers wanted the holiday to give downtown businesses a boost -- which they would otherwise lose, since Friday is a statutory holiday.

It would also give government employees a chance to participate in the corporate challenge.

But some new information and a personal plea from carnival president Bernie Bauhaus were enough for council to flip its thinking on Monday night.

Bauhaus told councillors that he had word from Finance Minister Joe Handley that the territorial government would give employees time off if the city declared the holiday.

Bauhaus said that without the holiday, the carnival would have to reschedule Thursday events to Friday, which might have raised concerns of the Yellowknife ministerial society over activities on Good Friday.

Bauhaus' argument convinced councillors to unanimously support a bylaw declaring the civic holiday. Second and third readings will take place at council's next meeting.