Yellowknife (Feb 28/03) - A city hall tradition will likely carry on now that Caribou Carnival will continue this year, if only for one day.

Every year, city and territorial employees have been granted the afternoon off on the Friday the carnival begins.

"What they (Caribou Carnival) have done is to front load the weekend event all onto Friday afternoon," said Mayor Gord Van Tighem.

"In that way it still potentially justifies having a civic holiday."

Van Tighem said once the city obtains a letter of confirmation from the carnival association the matter of granting the half day off will be brought before city council.

The carnival itself will be held on city hall grounds this year.

The picture is a little less clearer for GNWT staff in Yellowknife. Although there is a provision within the GNWT collective agreement that gives staff a half day off for community carnivals, they have to actually take place for it to be granted.

Director of labour relations for the GNWT Sylvia Haener said she will have to check into it.

"I don't know what we're going to do," said Haener. "We got to take a look at it actually."