Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 18/04) - The legislative assembly held a moment of silence Wednesday, to remember the four hunters from Tuktoyaktuk, now considered lost.

Frank Steen, his son Paul, Ronald Rufus and his son, Kyle, went missing more than three weeks ago while out caribou hunting near Tuktoyaktuk. The search for the four was called off Oct. 3.

Nunakput MLA Calvin Pokiak began reading a statement offering his condolences to their families, but was overcome with emotion before he could finish it.

Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay, seated next to him, rose to finish Pokiak's statement, while Pokiak sat and wept. Frank and Paul Steen were his neighbours.

"It's been really tough the last few weeks," said Pokiak later.

"In terms of not seeing anything, that's the hard part."

Where are the cops?

Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche wants to know why the number of RCMP officers in the territory is going up, while the number is going down in Fort Simpson.

"We still have not received a full and comprehensive explanation from the RCMP as to why the staff complement had to be reduced," said Menicoche on Thursday.

The number of RCMP officers working out of the Fort Simpson detachment was dropped from seven to six last April, while the number of RCMP officers was increased across the territory to 177 overall.

Justice Minister Charles Dent said the RCMP base their staffing resources mainly on crime statistics, and crime is apparently down in Nahendeh. The bulk of the staffing increases went to Yellowknife, Hay River and Inuvik.

The RCMP are a federal entity, but are under contract for police services to the territorial government.

Menicoche said he is worried that loosened restrictions on alcohol sales from the liquor outlet in Fort Simpson will create policing problems further down the road.

"People are accessing more booze, and bringing it into the communities and Fort Simpson itself," said Menicoche.

Dent told Menicoche that he ought to be happy that crime is down in Nahendeh.

"I would argue that this is a good news story," said Dent.

"I don't think Mr. Menicoche would want to see the statistics change so that his region needed another RCMP officer."

Mackenzie -- never been before

Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen admitted in the legislative assembly Wednesday that, despite growing up in the North, she doesn't have much use for the great outdoors.

"I don't think I've ever been camping, I hate to admit," said Groenewegen.

"There always seemed a very good reason to stay indoors."

Last summer, however, Groenewegen and her husband embarked on a trip down the Mackenzie River in a jet boat for the first time and said it was an experience of a lifetime. They made it back safely despite predictions from residents back home who thought otherwise.

"People in Hay River were taking bets as to which community I'd fly back from, but I loved every minute on the river," said Groenewegen.