Yellowknife (Dec 24/04) - Christmas morning might have been a frozen one for four mentally handicapped adults who were in danger of running out of heating oil this week.

The YWCA came to the rescue with a $600 cheque to Bassett Petroleum Distributors for a tank fill-up Wednesday, after the company informed them the tenants of the 50th-A Avenue home no longer had an account with them, according to Lyda Fuller, executive director.

Fuller was surprised by the news after making a routine call to the company to make sure the income support clients had heat over Christmas.

Fuller says those late payments are supposed to come from the income support office of Education, Culture and Employment. The three men and one woman have 24-hour care at the house they've lived in for five years, allowing them to have some independence.

"This is an ongoing problem," said Fuller.

The dilemma isn't restricted to the heating bill, she said. It ranges from rent, to phone bills, to electricity.

Fuller and Pat Doke, also with the YWCA, understand where the oil company is coming from, since they have to deal with the problem of late payments from the GNWT regularly.

"One of the companies finally said we're not going to accept this as an excuse anymore," said Doke.

What they want is for the GNWT to fix a system that isn't working.

Fuller - who says she's been dealing with the problem for the entire eight years she has worked for the YWCA - is proposing the organization take over the bill payments and wait for reimbursement from the government.

"They don't fix the underlying problem. If they won't, I will," she said.

"I'm not about to let the fuel run out."

When Fuller contacted the oil company this week, it told her it was refusing fills to 13 other income support clients as well. She's worried that seniors and other disabled people may be among those affected.

Bassett Petroleum suggested Yellowknifer contact its national office in Calgary when asked about the issue. Denita Davis, public affairs officer with Shell Canada, confirmed that the 14 homes were occupied by GNWT clients.

She said they would receive their oil and the company would work with the government to resolve the problem.

At the office of Education, Culture and Employment Minister Charles Dent, Yellowknifer was assured everyone on income support would have heat for Christmas.

That assurance came too late for the YWCA, who were out of pocket for the oil as of Wednesday.

Dent said this was the first time the problem of late payments was brought to his attention. It was also possible that it stemmed from the one supplier, Bassett Petroleum, as well, he said.

"The supplier believes there is an outstanding bill and the (ECE) staff aren't convinced that there is," he said.

"We have made sure that fuel will be supplied to all who need it," said Dent.

He plans to meet with Fuller in the new year to resolve any problems with the income support system.

For now, Ullulaq, Kuliktana, Oogaaq and another unnamed tenant will have a warm Christmas after all, but they are left looking for a new oil company to set up an account with in the new year.