Yellowknife (May 26/03) - Three years after resigning the top job at CBC North, Marie Wilson, wife of Premier Stephen Kakfwi, has landed another senior management position -- this time at the NWT/Nunavut Workers' Compensation Board.

Wilson won the post of director of executive services at the arm's-length government agency, beating out 18 other applicants in March.

The job pays between $79,000 and $120,000 a year.

WCB president Penny Ballantyne was unavailable for comment, but acting president Louise Dundas Matthews said Wilson was the best candidate for the position.

"She wouldn't have the job if she wasn't qualified," said Dundas Matthews.

Wilson was in the spotlight in 2002 after criticism from some MLAs about how the Living History Society received funding from the territorial government.

Joe Handley, minister responsible for WBC, said Ballantyne approached him before hiring Wilson. She was concerned about the possibility of perceived conflict of interest.

"Only to be doubly sure that it wasn't an issue," said Handley. "But she wasn't asking me for my permission, she was just letting me know she had her application, and how should she handle it.

"She has a right to work for sure... The important thing to me is that neither I nor the premier or any other minister interfered with the process, that she's got rights like anybody else."