Throunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 19/01) - A record number of territorial members were accepted to join the ranks of Certified General Accountants but the Canadian association won't allow Northern delegates voting rights at a national board table.

"All 10 provinces have voting rights. The territories do not," said president of the Northwest Territories Nunavut Certified General Accountants, Laurie Oullette.

"We have a member who sits at the board table but we can't vote," she said.

On Sept. 28 certified general accountants from across the country will meet in Winnipeg for the association's annual general meeting.

"If we have signed on then we should have some voting rights and we do not."

About 30 people sit at the national board, including members from the Yukon and one delegation that includes both the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Provinces like Ontario have more voting board members than less-populated provinces like Saskatchewan.

The Northwest Territories/Nunavut contingent has 100 members while Ontario has 10,000 belonging to the national association. Oullette has been lobbying members of the national board to give the territories voting rights. The issue will come up in Winnipeg.

"They are trying to re-do the whole governance structure," said Oullette. "They are looking at a reduction in board size."

Last weekend 12 members were accepted into the national association of certified general accountants.

Seven of the graduates picked up certificates at a ceremony on Saturday.

Kent Ferguson was one of only 21 people nationally to receive a fellowship award.