by Ian Elliot and Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Oct 29/97) - A Yellowknife collection agency is suing the Speaker of the legislative assembly for libel.

Excalibur Services Ltd. co-owner Darrell Portz launched the action Friday against Sam Gargan, who is also the MLA for Deh Cho. The suit names the office of the Speaker of the legislative assembly and the commissioner of the NWT.

The collection agency is seeking $150,000 in damages.

It is probably the first time the office of the Speaker has ever been sued, a legislature clerk said.

Portz, in documents filed in Supreme Court, says Gargan wrote a letter to the premier on MLA stationery in which he complained about how Excalibur was trying to collect a debt from an aboriginal woman.

The letter, copies of which were sent to the NWT Fair Practices Office, the Dene Nation, the Metis Nation and the Yellowknife Dene Band, complained that company representatives verbally abused the woman while collecting a debt and that the agency treats non-whites worse than whites when it comes to collecting debts.

It concludes calling on the government to investigate the company.

The company denies that its representatives verbally abused anyone and issued a blanket denial of any racism in its statement of claim.

"The statements are incorrect and the innuendo flowing from them that the plaintiffs condone bullying business practices and lack respect from human dignity is similarly incorrect," the document reads in part.

The company and Portz are claiming that the letter has damaged their business and personal reputations and are seeking $100,000 for libel and $50,000 in punitive damages.

Gargan has a month to file a statement of defence.

An executive assistant with Gargan's office at the legislature said the official response was "no comment" on an issue before the courts.

Clerk of the legislature David Hamilton said he could not comment.

Asked if the office of the Speaker had ever been sued before, Hamilton said: "This is the first time I can recall."