Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 21/99) - Despite a close call, the GNWT's three-legged polar bear seems to be safe for now.

A poll conducted for the April edition of the GNWT employee newsletter asked government workers whether the well-known three-legged polar bear logo that adorns GNWT letterheads and vehicles should be changed in favour of a more modern design. The results were fairly close.

According to GNWT press secretary Judy Langford, who conducted the survey, the results of the poll showed that 49 per cent of government employees preferred the old three-legged bear design, as opposed to 40 per cent of respondents who wanted a new logo.

"The GNWT is currently in the process of updating our Visual Identity Program," Langford said. "We want to keep up with existing technology regarding fax machines and Web sites.

"The policy that dictates how to use the bear hasn't been updated since 1980, and the bear logo itself has been around since 1969."

One of the updated designs that drew positive reaction from GNWT staff depicts a bear that looks like it is walking forward, simulating more body movement as opposed to the stationary, two-dimensional, outline profile that is currently being used by the GNWT.

"I thought that it was important to get their (GNWT staff) opinion," Langford said. "There were two issues at hand: the Visual Identity Program, which is just a little booklet that has become outdated. It gives technical information for printer templates, but not for fax machines and Web site.

"The other issue is that there is no guideline for where to put the polar bear logo and where to put the departmental logos."

Several GNWT departments, like the Department of Transportation, have their own logos.

"I've written up an options paper to the premier, laying out the pros and cons of changing it, or changing it a little bit or keeping it the same," Langford said. "Once the premier has a chance to take a look at the paper, he may discuss it with cabinet, or just change it himself.

"Of course, the old logo is so well-known, and that will influence the outcome of whether it changes or not. There is also the issue of cost in changing the logo."