by Alison Blackduck
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 21/97) - Long-time Northerner Al Menard's appointment last week as public administrator for the new Yellowknife Health and Social Services is being praised by community and government leaders.

As part of the Community Empowerment initiative, which began a couple of years ago, NWT municipalities are taking over the administration of health and social services from the GNWT.

"A lot of people didn't feel the Mackenzie Regional Health Board adequately represented the region it was supposed to serve," said assistant deputy minister Don Ellis.

"With this new system the needs of Yellowknife, Ndilo and Dettah residents will be better and more efficiently served."

Menard's appointment comes after the Yellowknives Dene First Nations approached Yellowknife City Council last November and told council they expected to be participants in the process -- not just observers, Ellis said.

Since 1963, Menard has called the North home -- one of the reasons Chief Darryl Beaulieu supported the appointment.

"He's been with the government for a long time, so he knows how the system works," Beaulieu said.

He added that this is the first time he knows of that the Yellowknives Dene have been consulted on such a matter.

Alderman Bob Brooks said the input from the Yellowknives Dene was important because 25 per cent of Yellowknife's population is aboriginal, though not all are members of the first nations.

Menard said he is excited and looking forward to the challenges of the upcoming year. He's expecting to help set up the new Yellowknife Health and Social Services agency, but doesn't expect to be there for "more than a year."

His primary concern is making sure "the quality of services now offered don't deteriorate" before the appointment of a proper governing board sometime next year.