Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 26/98) - Canada's western premiers will descend on Yellowknife next Thursday for two days of meetings in Yellowknife followed by two days of fishing at Plumbers' Lodge.

Elizabeth Snider, the GNWT's assistant deputy minister of intergovernmental affairs, is helping to plan the conference, which promises to raise the profile of Yellowknife and the NWT to the rest of the nation.

"Since this is our first time to host, we're very excited about it," said Snider.

"If there are messages we would like to provide to southern Canada about some of the opportunities in the North, having that done through the support of the other premiers lends some weight to it," she added.

This conference is also important in that it allows the NWT to become an active player in the federal-provincial scene and gives Premier Don Morin the chance to direct the other premiers' attentions to the positive things happening in Yellowknife and in the NWT as well.

Besides the 50 to 70 members of the delegations expected to attend the conference, a good selection of media has registered to cover the event and spread the news.

GNWT's executive press secretary Judy Langford is in charge of making sure all media is accommodated.

Somewhere between 20 and 25 reporters have registered for accreditation including representatives from the Globe and Mail, Canadian Press, Broadcast News, Edmonton Journal, Calgary Herald and CBC Newsworld.

Langford is organizing a media briefing session next Thursday night at the second floor of the Unicorn Pub. Premier Don Morin will be popping in to answer general questions from the media.

Media will be able to meet with the premiers over the first two days following the delegates morning and afternoon sessions.

"They don't have a lot of free time. It may certainly be possible to arrange an interview. You're not going to find them just hanging out in the halls. They're going to be busy from the minute they arrive 'til they go," said Langford.

If there are going to be any announcements during the conference they will probably be centred around strengthening the Northern and western economies and social policies, she added.

In addition to the meetings the premiers and delegates will be out and about the city.

A barbecue is scheduled at Fred Henne Park on Friday night but at 8:30 p.m. there will be a show of local talent put on for the public at the park.

On Friday at noon, Finance Minister John Todd is hosting a lunch for the reporters at the Yellowknife Inn. Todd will be making a keynote speech at the gathering about the Northern economy.

Following meetings on Saturday, the premiers will be whisked away to Plumbers Lodge on the East Arm of Great Slave Lake for two days, returning to the city on Monday for their flights back home.