Yellowknife (Aug 03/01) - A 77-year-old elder, presently hospitalized with pneumonia in his lungs, has been refused housing in the Dettah elders home.

John Frise has lived in Dettah since 1979. He stays in a tiny shack with no power, heat or running water.

Last year, after spending the winter in his shack, he fell ill with pneumonia.

Frise now has fluid in his lungs and has been hospitalized and sedated in the Stanton Regional Hospital since last Saturday.

On June 28, the Yellowknives Dene First Nation Housing Division sent a letter to Frise's daughter stating he can't stay in the recently-built elders home in Dettah because he isn't a member of the band. Frise is originally from Fort Resolution.

In other communities, including Fort Resolution, bands allow non-natives and members of other bands to stay in their senior's homes.

The letter wrote: "The elders committee has made a decision that the community of Dettah cannot assist Johnny Frise."

The reason cited for the decision is that "he's not a Yellowknives Dene First Nation member (and) has created many disturbances when drinking in the community. The community of Dettah is concerned about the safety of its people."

"He's a very rowdy senior," said housing manager Gerry Cheezie, who issued the letter.

"He has carried axes around the community and has brought people here we don't want."

The elders committee declined to comment.

Valerie Frise said her father probably won't live much longer but wants to live out his days in Dettah. She added that he is too old and sick now to drink much or cause trouble.

""Every time I try to make them (the band) understand that he needs better accommodations, I've been told he's not a member of the Yellowknives band," Frise said. "It shouldn't matter."

"What I am trying to get out is that this is elder abuse," said his daughter. "They are always stating how important elders are, but they don't stand by their word."

John Frise's doctor has also written a letter stating that Frise needs to live where there is heating and power after he is discharged from the hospital.

Frise inquired about subsidized housing from the Yellowknife Housing Authority in 1998 and was told her father is considered a Dettah community member and would be eligible for housing only after living in Yellowknife for nine months. Eventually, he was put on a waiting list, but his daughter didn't hear from the office for three years. However, this Thursday the Yellowknife housing office offered her father a place in Mary Murphy Seniors Home.

Still, Frise believes her father would be happier in Dettah. "All I know is that when he was up and about, he wanted to live in Dettah."