Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 28/05) - A recent trip by two MLAs to the South Pacific island nation of Fiji cost territorial taxpayers $10,836.

Most of the expenses for Speaker Paul Delorey's portion of the trip were covered by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association - an organization that hosts networking conferences for legislative members from 51 British Commonwealth countries.

Great Slave MLA Bill Braden's visit, however, was paid for entirely by taxpayers.

Delorey and Braden were in Fiji to attend the association's annual international conference, which is held in various Commonwealth countries around the world. The meeting lasted from Sept. 1-10.

The MLAs took their wives to the conference. After it wrapped up, the couples stayed on to vacation in the South Pacific for several days. The MLAs covered their wives' travel expenses.

Delorey, who picked Braden to attend, said he realizes the trip may sound expensive but it's important that NWT be present for discussions on issues such as climate change.

"We are probably as affected as anybody, if not more, on global warming issues," said Delorey.

"We spoke on that issue on how it's affecting especially the North, and what devastation it is having on our infrastructure."

Braden said Canadian politicians attending the conference are generally viewed as leaders, particularly among developing nations.

"There's not so much in it for the NWT to gain or bring back but there is a lot we can contribute," said Braden.

"Canada is so well-established in areas of governance and political systems that we're seen as leaders in a lot of these areas."

Both MLAs missed the government's business plan review last week, something Braden said couldn't be helped.

"Right now I'm pedalling very fast to try and catch up," said Braden.

About 300 representatives from 172 legislative bodies attended the conference. Delorey said the Yukon sent two MLAs and Nunavut sent three.

Canada sent 42 delegates altogether. Braden said B.C. was the only province that didn't send an MLA.

According to Braden, the territorial government pays $14,169 a year to belong to the Commonwealth association.

The latest conference is the second in two years for Braden. He was among six MLAs, including Delorey, who attended last year's conference in Quebec City. MLAs Henry Zoe, David Krutko, Sandy Lee, and Dave Ramsay also went on that trip. The jaunt cost taxpayers $30,000.

According to legislative assembly clerk Tim Mercer, no MLAs went to the 2003 conference in Bangladesh because the timing was too close to the territorial election.

He said the speaker and a second MLA otherwise usually attend each of the annual conferences.

Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay said the meetings provide a great opportunity to learn more about parliamentary politics in general.

Ramsay likened the conference to the Canadian Federation of Municipalities meetings he attended while serving as a Yellowknife city councillor.

"On a grander scale, of course," said Ramsay.

He said MLA attendance at the international conferences has never been an issue before.

"Politicians have been travelling since time immemorial," said Ramsay. "It's just the nature of the beast."

- with files from Paul Bickford