Barnabas breaks silence

by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Feb 27/98) - MLA Levi Barnabas broke his silence over a controversial anonymous note he says he wrote.

Responding to a request from Yellowknifer, Barnabas yesterday rewrote the note sent to MLA Jane Groenewegen last month.

Asked why he remained silent for 20 days after the note was tabled, Barnabas said, "I thought it was going to die right there and then."

The High Arctic MLA said his silence was fuelled by the fear he would be booted out of the assembly if it was discovered he wrote the note.

Barnabas said that fear was based on his recollection of a similar incident in which a cabinet minister, Tagak Curley, lost his seat for sending a threatening note to another member.

"I never had any pressure from cabinet," he added.

Barnabas said he learned of Groenewegen's government loan from confidential documents he got from committee meetings. "I just want this over," the High Arctic MLA repeated several times during the meeting.