Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 20/02) - The controversial bid to establish a new name for the NWT has stalled before it started.

Yesterday morning the caucus met to review a process to deal with establishing a new identity for the territory, including a new name, flag and coat of arms.

"The response to the idea when it was rolled out in the premier's New Year's address was very clear," said caucus chair Bill Braden.

"There is no appetite to consider this issue now ... so it's just not going to be something that this assembly is going to look at."

The Great Slave MLA and Jim Antoine, deputy premier, were charged with developing the process.

Braden said the considerable media focus on the name change created perceptions and ideas in the public psyche that made a "measured, considered debate" of the issue difficult.