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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is home to the tallest twin buildings in the world, a warm, sunny climate - and for nine days this past August it hosted Speaker Paul Delorey and Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko on government business.

The two MLAs spent Aug. 2 to 10 in the Southeast Asian city to attend the 54th annual Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference with taxpayers footing the bill. The trip came in at a cost of $28,971.76 and took place mere weeks before the government released its revenue options paper that included implementing new taxes to recover $40 million over the next two years.

Clerk of the legislative assembly, Tim Mercer, said all legislatures in Canada are members of the association and typically send elected members to the conference.

"We sent two," said Mercer. "The Speaker has his way paid and normally one other person goes."

Membership to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association cost $14,044.78 last year. Included in the membership is an expenses-paid trip to the conference for the Speaker.

Krutko's costs were not covered by the membership. His trip cost $14,926.98, including airfare, meals, taxis and registration fees, said Mercer.

Following last year's territorial election, Krutko threw his name out to attend the conference.

"They sort of picked from all the members," said Krutko.

"You pick what conference you are interested in for the next four years. I just happened to put my name in for that one."

In 1999, Krutko made a trip to Trinidad and Tobago for the conference as deputy Speaker.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is an international organization consisting of all legislatures that grew out of the British parliamentary system.

Morning and afternoon workshops were held over the nine days. On Aug. 6, attendees were given a day-long historical and cultural tour of Kuala Lumpur.

Those who take part in the parliamentary conference do not have to submit a report to the legislative assembly on what they did and what was accomplished.

"They don't as a matter of course," said Mercer. "It's not required."

Delorey said they tell other MLAs what was discussed at the conference.

Mercer said the NWT does not send a delegation every year, because sometimes the legislative assembly is in session or because elections don't allow.

"We try to," he said. "We pay for membership so we try to take advantage of the benefits."

Delorey said he believes there is value to attending the conference.

"I think it would be kind of shortsighted to think that we don't have anything to learn from other jurisdictions or parts of the world," he said. "I've always come away from the conference feeling that it was well worth the while being there."

The government, he added, has cut the number of MLAs it sends to the conference - and other conferences - over the years and said it could look at adjustments to save money from travelling to events. Still, the MLA does not believe the GNWT should stop sending representatives to this conference.

"I don't know if it will never come to that," he said. "I'm hoping it doesn't because of the value that I think these conferences have."

Delorey's wife accompanied him on the trip. No additional costs were burdened because Delorey exchanged his business-class ticket for two economy seats, which cost less than his original business-class ticket. Krutko flew business-class.

Under government policy, MLAs are allowed a business-class ticket for any flight over four hours long, although it is generally not used for flights within Canada, said Mercer.

Both Delorey and Krutko said the first two days of the conference, which concerned small countries and jurisdictions, were the most interesting.

Krutko said discussions centred around how small jurisdictions deal with not getting swallowed up by larger ones. "Although it's not an exact comparison," said Delorey, similarities were to be seen in "how we are so dependent on Ottawa and how it's tough to get anything when we deal with the feds."

One of the big issues addressed was global warming. Krutko said this discussion gave him a broader view of the issue.

Taxpayer value for the trip was well warranted, said Krutko, particularly since the Northwest Territories were one of only two democratic consensus-style governments to attend.