Cindy MacDougall
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 12/00) - The city will pay part of the tab for councillors to attend a Liberal fund-raising dinner next week so councillors can meet with DIAND minister Bob Nault.

City council members voted seven to one Monday night to pay for the meal of any member who chooses to attend the dinner. However, councillors must pay the political donation, included in the $150 ticket price, out of their own pockets.

The political donation is about $120, while the meal's cost is about $30.

Indian Affairs and Northern Development minister Nault is the dinner's special guest, and Coun. Bob Brooks was adamant the city must be represented at the event.

"I think it's naive to think it's wrong for members of council to attend this event," he said. "You often get as much done in an informal event such as this than a formal meeting.

"That's the facts of life."

Coun. Kevin O'Reilly, the only one to vote against the motion, said it was unethical for the city to be involved in a political fund-raiser.

"It bothers me that city funds will possibly be used to pay for a blatantly political dinner," O'Reilly said. "I don't care what party it is. I don't think it's an appropriate use of taxpayers' money."

Coun. Robert Slaven, who put forward the motion, said he shared O'Reilly's misgivings. He said having the councillors pay the political donation themselves, rather then the city, was a good compromise.

"It's appropriate to attend such an event, but disappointing the party chose to charge $150 a plate and make it into a fund-raiser."

Nault's trip, on the tab of the Liberal party, is an informal one. However, he has promised to meet with several different groups, including the NWT Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Mines.

The city has requested a meeting, but has not received a response.

Coun. Cheryl Best said Nault's lack of response to a formal meeting forces the councillors to go to the dinner.

"We didn't get a phone call from Minister Nault. If he wanted to meet with us, he'd be here," she said.

"So we should be lobbying at this dinner so that next time he will want to meet with us."

Mayor Dave Lovell brought the situation to council even though he had the authority to make the decision himself.

He said he was pleased with the compromise, but had not decided whether to attend the dinner.