Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 12/98) - The mayor of Newfoundland's largest city says his Yellowknife counterpart needs to relax.

Andy Wells, mayor of St. John's said Tuesday he had two messages to pass on after being told of Mayor Dave Lovell's comments about Newfoundland published last week in the Yellowknifer. His first was directed to transplanted Newfoundlanders in Yellowknife and the second was for Lovell himself.

"Tell them not to take the mayor too seriously," he said to Northern Newfoundlanders. "(And) tell the mayor to lighten up and enjoy the summer."

However, Wells said he didn't necessarily believe Lovell had said anything wrong.

"Unfortunately, our greatest export is people and a lot of them have ended up in Yellowknife," he said. "We haven't generated enough industry and work... I think the mayor's comments were perhaps insensitive but not necessarily inaccurate."

Yellowknife Coun. Dave Ramsay attacked Lovell twice Monday in public council session over the comments.

Saying he had heard complaints from numerous local residents and that upwards of 30 per cent of local residents have East Coast routes -- with a majority of them being from Newfoundland -- Ramsay wanted Lovell to apologize.

The mayor said he felt he had nothing to apologize about. He was quoted saying: "It's not Newfoundland. You don't have to leave here for a future," when questioned about this week's Aboriginal Youth Conference.

He said he in no way meant to offend Yellowknife's Newfoundland population.

"I'm really pleased with the Newfoundland population," he said. "My point was that so many (Newfoundland residents) had to leave the province for work... I wouldn't want that to happen here (in the North)."

As to Wells, who has spent more than 20 years in St. John's politics, he said he himself is no stranger to putting his foot in his mouth.

"I'm pretty good at it," he said with a laugh and with a thick Newfoundland accent.

However, he wasn't giving away any examples to a reporter from afar.

"I can't tell you off the top of my head boy," he said.