"They (the figures) are all based on their old census from 2001, so I don't give them a lot of time because I think that census was pretty weak," said Joe Handley.

Earlier this week, Statistics Canada reported the NWT incurred a net loss of 3,200 people between 1996 and 2001, the two most recent census years -- the largest population downturn in a quarter century.

The bulk of those people -- 2,505 -- ended up in Alberta.

In fact, the Statistics Canada report says the NWT only saw positive influxes from five areas: 345 from Newfoundland and Labrador, 35 from Nova Scotia, five from New Brunswick, 75 from Quebec and 120 from Nunavut.

The numbers are based on preliminary figures from the 2001 census, which territorial politicians have stridently protested as unbelievable.

"Just common sense would tell you that (the census is wrong). People can't come here to take jobs because you can't get housing," said Handley.

The GNWT is spending $200,000 toward a recount on the territory's terms. So far, Handley said, counters have discovered upwards of 500 homes that Statistics Canada called vacant yet actually were actually inhabited.

"In some communities it's fairly large where quite a few houses were missed," said Handley.

NWT Bureau of Statistics director David Stewart said the survey is finding significant discrepancies in some communities.

For example, he said, the Statistics Canada number for Inuvik was about 750 people too small.

Although he doesn't plan to release results until January, Stewart said he's confident the resurvey will show an increase in NWT population figures, rather than the decrease calculated by Statistics Canada.

And, he said, putting territorial money into the count is hardly a waste of money.

"This is worth tens of millions of dollars for us," he said, because of federal funding based on population.

"So spending an extra $200,000 doing our own review of the results Stats Canada got is not a bad investment."