Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 24/99) - Despite a Supreme Court ruling and support from the Western Caucus, opposition is building against a proposal to add seats to the legislative assembly.

In the house Monday, Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko was the first of several members to voice dissent to the caucus-proposed Bill 15, adding five seats to the legislature -- including three for Yellowknife and one each for Hay River and Inuvik.

"Yes, Yellowknife may have the largest population," said Krutko, "but increasing it to seven seats...it is unaccountable to anyone in the West to allow that type of power to be brokered."

MLA James Rabesca appeared more open to the idea of adding MLAs to the house but said the proposed solution would leave his North Slave riding under-represented.

But the boldest move of the day came from former premier Don Morin, who gave a notice of motion that the house, "take all steps necessary that the decision of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories is stayed pending the hearing of an appeal."

In essence, Morin called for a reversal of the Western Caucus' decision and a suspension of Justice Mark de Weerdt's March 5 ruling, which gives the legislature until the end of the month to fix what he described as unconstitutional under-representation in some NWT ridings.

Speaking afterward, Morin said that while he respects de Weerdt as a judge, the issue shouldn't have been brought before the courts.

"This is a political issue that has to be solved by political people," he said.

"The ruling the judge gave has given us no time, so by putting the motion on the floor, and hopefully winning it, and winning the appeal, we will buy the time to come up with a political decision."

Morin repeated the arguments voiced by aboriginal groups over the ruling, saying it alienates them and tramples on their treaty rights and their hopes for land-claim settlement and self-government.

"This house is divided," he said.

"If people want to vote to keep the western territory together, to work, together, they'll vote in favour of that motion -- if they want to break it apart, and have more divisions like we're having April 1, then vote against that motion."

Yellowknife Centre MLA Jake Ootes agreed that a debate Wednesday would reveal the extent of the members' division on the issue.

"I can't really say which way it is going to go," he said, "but I feel confident that the Western Caucus' decision to not appeal the ruling will hold up."