Yellowknife (Feb 26/03) - Despite some hopeful words from some Caribou Carnival supporters, this year's event -- at least in any recognizable form -- will likely remained cancelled.

At press time, the carnival association was due to hold a meeting at 5:15 p.m. yesterday to hear a proposition for a scaled-back event that would include a fireworks show and a barbecue at City Hall, March 28.

"Basically, we are going to look at a proposal but as it sits right now Caribou Carnival is still cancelled," said the association's president, Ellie Sasseville.

The proposal basically amounts to a fundraiser to be held for the carnival's 50th anniversary next year.

"This would not necessarily be called Caribou Carnival but it would be a fundraiser for Caribou Carnival 2004," said Sasseville.

The NMI Mobility Canadian Championship Dog Derby, at least, will continue as planned.

"The race is still on," said derby president Kevin Rowe. "It looks like we're going to have at least 12 teams running.

"The majority of our sponsors are online, there's a couple that've pulled out this year. I'm trying to get funding for that but beyond that the race is a go."

The race will kick off March 27 on Franklin Avenue with a Ford F-51 drag race at 1 p.m., where dog teams compete against each other in a truck-pull challenge.

The actual race begins the next day: 50 miles a day of racing for three days, from Yellowknife to Great Slave Lake's North Arm and back again.

Rowe said he thinks the main problem with Caribou Carnival -- a sentiment expressed by many -- is that the local volunteer base can no longer keep up.

"Every year we go through this cycle," said Rowe.

"People are starting to get volunteered-out. They helping with Boy Scouts, they're helping with this, they're helping with that."

Some Yellowknife city councillors feel it is time to establish a position for an events co-ordinator to take over the carnival, funded in part by the city, and possibly the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce and GNWT as well.

"There's a volunteer element to it and community commitment to it, but it may well be that the carnival is at a scale, and the city's reached a size where we can't hope to do this with volunteers," said Coun. Ben McDonald.

Coun. Alan Woytuik, however, doesn't think the city should have to subsidize the carnival, even if it means the carnival disappears forever.

"It's up to the people," said Woytuik. "If they can get behind it and support it then it will go on. If it doesn't (happen) then I guess we'll just have to let it die."