Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 27/00) - The long standing feud between the many little Davids of the North and the one Goliath flared up last week.

MLAs from communities complained in the legislative assembly Yellowknife was being favoured by the government at the expense of smaller communities.

Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger said the number of jobs in Yellowknife is increasing while at the same time jobs were being cut in the communities.

"It was never the intent of this government to talk on the one hand about decentralization and moving into the communities and have the hard numbers show that, in fact, the trend is the other way," Miltenberger told the assembly.

He referred to two sets of numbers provided by the government. The first, he said, showed a dramatic increase in jobs in the capital and a decrease in jobs in the communities since 1997.

A second set, which he said the government "massaged and worked over," showed a five per cent decrease in jobs in Yellowknife and a 10 per cent decrease outside of Yellowknife.

"When it comes down to the question of need, we find out its more greed than need," said Mackenzie-Delta MLA David Krutko.

Krutko noted spending in his communities was cut by $50,000 in a mini-budget the government introduced last week.

"Yet, half the transportation budget is in one jurisdiction," said Krutko, referring to Yellowknife.

Premier Stephen Kakfwi said the government would not make any wholesale changes without at least informing the regular MLAs first.

"It's not proper for me to suggest that there's going to be wholesale changes because then the members would be very upset and I would be in full retreat by now."

Kakfwi said there may be a reorganization of regions for the sake of efficiency and to acknowledge the progress of land claims and self-government negotiations.

He assured Krutko if such a reorganization took place, MLAs would be consulted.

Krutko went one step further, suggesting that while projects elsewhere were being cut, new capital projects were being approved for cabinet ministers' ridings.

"I don't believe that is true," responded Kakfwi. "I do not accept the allegation the member is making."