Yellowknife (Apr 30/03) - North Douglas shouldn't run in the North Slave Metis Alliance election because of recent convictions for spousal assault, said the Centre for Northern Families executive director at a press conference Monday.

Arlene Hache: says Metis women won't talk on the record about Douglas because they are afraid of retribution. - NNSL photo

"Women are not prepared to put up with leaders who can be in jail one day and running for office the next day," said Arlene Hache.

Douglas was released from jail in November after serving 90 days for two counts of spousal assault stemming from the same incident. He is still on probation.

She told reporters that women from the NSMA asked her to speak on their behalf.

They chose to raise the issue after acting president Bob Turner stepped aside Friday and publicly threw his support behind a candidate with a history of violence, she said.

A small group of women attended but refused to comment on the record, saying they fear retribution by Douglas. According to Hache, they are the man's relatives.

The same women want Turner to step down as acting president, even though the election is just days away, she said.

When asked, Hache said the number of women behind this effort and whether they are politically motivated is irrelevant.

One woman, Denise Mazur, was quoted in a Centre for Northern Families press release: "It is downright humiliating to think we have a leader who condones this type of behaviour," she said. "We just can't have people in office who have no respect for women."

Mazur did not attend the press conference.

Douglas held his own press conference half an hour later with campaign manager Garth Walbridge, his 19-year-old daughter, and a few other female backers.

Walbridge said Douglas pleaded guilty to his crime, accepted responsibility and "has started the healing process."

He accused the women of "politicking."

At first Walbridge said Douglas was not on probation, but backtracked after Douglas whispered to him he is.

Douglas said he will not step aside and blamed Clem Paul for initiating a "smear campaign."

"This is really dirty man," he said. Earlier the same day, Bob Turner defended his choice to endorse Douglas.

"If I withdraw my name and say I'm going to support North Douglas, I'm not saying that as acting president, I'm saying that as Bob Turner."