Yellowknife (Oct 15/03) - Incumbent trustee Maureen Miller has filed a complaint, saying the husband of the public school district's superintendent is campaigning for some candidates but not others.

Incumbent public school board trustee Maureen Miller questions advertising tactics that have been employed in this year's election for district board Yellowknife No. 1 trustees. - Jason Unrau/NNSL photo

She outlined her grievances in a letter to returning officer Debbie Euchner Tuesday.

Miller said that Wolfgang Pauli, husband of Yellowknife Education District No. 1 Superintendent Judith Knapp, paid for advertising appearing on cable television channel 6 for a select group of trustee candidates. She was not among them.

She also said Pauli posted signs promoting certain candidates at his place of work, Miramar Con Mine Ltd.

"I'm really bothered by this," she said. "Why does the superintendent's husband want to get rid of us?"

On both the television spots and the signs posted at the mine, no incumbent candidates were mentioned.

Pauli denied any involvement in campaign advertising.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," he said. "It's got nothing to do with me."

This is contrary to trustee candidate Debbie Weir's story, who said a man identifying himself as Wolfgang Pauli telephoned her and asked if she would add her name to a television advertisement promoting certain trustee candidates.

Weir added that at the time she was not aware of Pauli's relationship to the superintendent and that Pauli turned down her offers to pay a portion of the ad costs.

Yellowknifer was unable to contact Pauli after speaking with Weir.

No politicking at Yellowknife No.1

Contacted Tuesday, Knapp said that to her knowledge her husband had stayed "far away" from the campaign, adding that she had made it clear to her colleagues that she would not condone campaigning in the workplace. "I've seen no evidence of politicking in (my) workplace and that is what I can control," she said. "I can't control what people do outside the workplace."

This included the actions of a board employee's spouse, who placed an ad in Yellowknifer urging voters not to re-elect Rob Meckling, Dan Schofield, Roy Desjarlais and Maureen Miller to the board.

Jim Elliot, the person who paid for the ad and whose wife Petra works at the district office, called the four named in his ad "bullies" and sees no conflict of interest with his involvement.

"This country has freedom of speech and if somebody wants to take me to task on that, bring them on," he said.

Euchner confirmed she received Miller's complaint, but said she had no power to investigate. She said there are no provisions in the Local Authorities Elections Act governing campaign advertising.