Darren Campbell
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 17/99) - Will fraud charges against the president of the NWT Amateur Hockey Association give new life to a money dispute between the association and the Great Slave Helicopters hockey team?

The Helicopters are angry about being denied a $10,000 travel subsidy they won in March 1998 because Association President Denis Bedard said they had missed a July 1998 deadline.

The Helicopters disputed that, saying they were never told, either verbally or in writing, about a July deadline. The spat has been in limbo because the association considered the matter closed.

With unconnected charges of fraud, breach of trust and theft laid against Bedard on May 9, one team member is hoping those charges give new credence to their claims.

Tom Williams, a member of Helicopters that won the $10,000, said the team lodged a complaint with the RCMP Commercial Crimes Section in February over the $10,000. With the May 9 charges, Williams hopes the RCMP will look into their complaint some more.

Williams hopes may not pan out, though. Cst. Scott MacPherson of the Commercial Crimes Section, who is working on the Bedard case, said charges against Bedard over the Helicopters complaint are "unlikely" at this point.

As for Bedard's fate as president of the association, Sport North Federation Executive Director Chris Bergman said that organization has no say in whether Bedard stays as president or goes.

"That's for the hockey association to get into."