Arthur Milnes
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 04/98) - The former NWT premier, who resigned last week, has promised to deliver a 90-minute speech in the legislature today defending himself in light of Conflict of Interest Commissioner's Anne Crawford's damning report on his activities while premier.

Looking relaxed, Morin said in an interview Wednesday he has been unable to take his case to the public through the media or directly since the complaint was laid against him earlier this year.

Now, out of office, the gloves are off and Crawford is his target.

"I've never been able to speak on this since it was laid against me in February," Morin said. "...I've said from the very beginning -- go over to the courthouse you'll see my documents -- I spoke against the appointment of Anne Crawford three years ago, as commissioner, right from day one...I believed it would create problems. It has. I laid out all the problems and concerns I had with the process, how flawed it was and I will speak to that in the legislative assembly and go through the report."

Morin's lawyers attempted to stop the release of Crawford's report last week in NWT Supreme Court. They argued Crawford has acted in a way to suggest a real or perceived bias against Morin during her handling of the inquiry process.

Morin filed an affidavit before the court arguing the fact Crawford had acted as a lawyer for Nunavut Tungavik Incorporated -- a body sometimes critical of Morin's government -- threw her impartiality into question.

Vera Morin, the former premier's sister, said in another affidavit she had once ran into Crawford at a Yellowknife restaurant in 1995. This was the time Morin was involved in another conflict of interest inquiry examining his conduct as minister of Public Works.

"Don may not be guilty, but he certainly isn't innocent," Vera Morin alleges Crawford said to her.

Morin, who now sits in the assembly only as MLA for Tu Nudhe, said his court injunction will continue.

Legislative assembly clerk David Hamilton said as far as the former premier's legal fees are concerned, public funding has now ended. If Morin wants more funding to continue his action, he'll have to reapply to the legislature's Management Services Board.

"I don't know how that works," Morin said about his future legal fees. "I hadn't even asked."

Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen, who lodged the complaint against Morin which lead to his downfall, said she expects to speak for at least 45 minutes when MLAs begin debating the report today.