Yellowknife (Sep 13/04) - A liquor board member from Yellowknife was fired Sept. 3 after a report criticized his role in a controversy surrounding two city bars.

Finance Minister Floyd Roland said he terminated David Connelly's appointment to the NWT Liquor Licensing Board because the board "needed a clean start."

Connelly was appointed last August.

"I felt that after what had happened, we needed to move forward," Roland said Friday.

Connelly was criticized by ethics counsellor Ted Hughes in a report released last month. Hughes was investigating allegations that senior government officials interfered in a series of cases brought before the liquor board in February. The report cleared all officials of wrongdoing.

Connelly was openly critical of a discussion he witnessed in the Black Knight Pub between Deputy Minister of Justice Don Cooper and former MLA and current Top Knight owner Gordon Wray, the report said.

At the time of the February conversation, the Top Knight faced a charge under the Liquor Act, which was being prosecuted by lawyers in Cooper's office. The charge was later withdrawn.

In his report, Hughes wrote that "Connelly's criticism of Cooper is entirely without substance." Hughes also agreed with an assessment in an intergovernmental e-mail that described Connelly as a "shit disturber."

"To be a contributor to the board that Connelly's ability and competence would allow him to be, there will have to be an adjustment on his part," wrote Hughes.

Roland said Friday he was also concerned the board was moving away from its mandate as a judiciary body and into the realm of social advocacy.

"Some businesses may be concerned they are not getting a fair hearing," he said.

In a statement sent to News/North Saturday, Connelly dismissed questions about his objectivity.

"The concerns expressed by Mr. Hughes in his report have nothing to do with my ability to make impartial and good decisions on the cases brought before me. I have never been subject to any allegations of bias. I believe I always acted according to my conscience and in accordance with the Act."

Liquor Board Chair Don Kindt declined to comment on Connelly's removal.

"It was the minister's decision," Kindt said.

Connelly's removal leaves the board drastically different from the one that began this year.

Former chair John Simpson resigned in March and vice chair Liz Danielsen quit this summer. Hay River board member Ross Ullathorne also gave up his seat, citing health concerns. Still on the board are Albert Monchuk and Wayne Smith.

Hay River's Stanley Jones was appointed to replace Ullathorne in early September and Roland said the department was close to hiring a Sahtu representative. There was no word on who will replace Connelly.