Yellowknife (Apr 25/03) - MLAs won't be checking e-mail on the floor of the legislative assembly any time soon.

Members of Parliament in Ottawa may be getting permission to use the Internet while sitting in the House of Commons, but don't expect the same setup at the NWT legislature.

The idea of giving MLA laptops for use in the house during session has been brought to the GNWT's board of management twice in the last six years.

Their desks in the house, after all, are wired just for that purpose.

But the idea has been shot down both times.

According to David Inch at the office of the clerk, it was decided while the clerks could continue to use laptops for operational purposes in the house -- including checking e-mail -- it was deemed "distracting" for MLAs.

Inch said the clerk "certainly wouldn't want members to be referring to notes or reading from a computer when they make speeches or in debate."

Laptops are allowed in committee meetings.

Currently members can carry cell phones into the house, as long as they are set to vibrate mode.

"No noise that could disrupt proceedings," said Inch.

Palms and other handheld computers can also be used with permission.

While the topic may come up again, clerks continue to be the only ones using computers in the house.

"Because we're special," Inch said with a laugh.

Yellowknife South MLA Brendan Bell thinks wiring members for the internet is a great idea.

Only the cost is holding the idea back.

"Often when you're in the house you'd love to have a letter that a constituent has written to you with some concerns and you want to question the minister on some of those details, and they may not come up until you're in the midst of a line of questioning," said Bell. "If you had quick fingerpoint access to that it could be very helpful."

Tu Nedhe MLA Steven Nitah said the NWT isn't ready for such a setup.

"With our small population and our familiarity with our constituents, we have pretty close contact with our constituency already."

"We have Internet and e-mail in our offices and in our communities," added Nitah. "And I have to worry about cost."

Frame Lake MLA Charles Dent couldn't help joking about surfing ministers.

"The ministers could play videogames online

instead of ignoring our questions," he said laughing. "They don't answer them anyway, what difference would it make?"

On a more serious note, Dent said Question Period is one of the few times members get to have ministers on public review "to see whether or not they actually know any answers. How would we ever know what they really did know?

"I want to know who is giving me the answer," Dent added. "If a minister is able to have an answer delivered to him by e-mail, that's not right."