Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Jun 08/01) - David Krutko says the issue of his out-of-town residency expenses is a tempest in a teapot, but both he and another MLA whose claim is also being questioned refuse to discuss the issue publicly.
The legislative assembly's board of management officially turned the issue of Nitah's eligibility for out-of-town housing expenses over to the conflict of interest commissioner in a fax sent out Monday.
Krutko said the issue of his residency has been "blown out of proportion" by television news casts about it.
"It's part of doing your business," he said of his claim to the up to $17,000 allowed to cover the cost of maintaining a residence in the capital.
The Mackenzie-Delta MLA said he responded at the beginning of the week to 17 questions posed by the board of management.
Nitah, who said last week he would be issuing a statement Monday, said Tuesday he will not be commenting on the issue until conflict commissioner Carol Roberts' investigation has concluded.
A package of information, including sworn affidavits, Nitah provided the board in response to the same questions later posed to Krutko was delivered to the commissioner Wednesday.
The board of management is refusing to release the information Nitah provided.
Legislative law clerk Katherine Peterson said the board does not want to risk prejudicing Roberts' investigation.
Nitah, who is claiming Lutsel K'e is his primary place of residence, fails to meet several of the criteria the board uses to determine residence.
He is not listed in the Lutsel K'e phone directory. The only listing for a constituency office is a Yellowknife number.
Four of the five campaign contributions Nitah received when he ran in the last election came from businesses and individuals in Yellowknife. The fifth came from a business in Hay River.
