Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (Sep 26/05) - If what's happening in Fort Smith is any indication, battles may be brewing across the Northwest Territories over how to spend the $35 million Community Capacity Building Fund.

Fort Smith's share is $1.5-million, but disagreements over who should have a say in how it's spent are raging among the town's main political groups - the municipality, the Fort Smith Metis Council and Salt River First Nation.

At a public meeting on Sept. 20, Mayor Peter Martselos said it's like a family winning a Lotto 6/49 jackpot and fighting about what to do with the windfall.

"I, for one, wish the money had never been given because of the fights," Deputy Mayor Pat Burke said at the meeting attended by Premier Joe Handley.

Contacted late last week, Fort Smith Metis Council president Ken Hudson said he believes town council misunderstood the territorial government's intentions.

Hudson, who was out of town for the public meeting, said the dispute has damaged years of good co-operation between town council, the Metis and Salt River First Nation.

"All of a sudden they throw a little money on the table and we get off track," he said, noting the municipality originally wanted $1 million, with the rest going to various proposals.

Salt River Chief Jim Schaefer was out of town and unavailable for comment.

The premier said the money, which originated with the federal government as part of the Northern Strategy, was distributed to all communities because that's what they want.

The territorial government has been "continually beat up" by leaders who want more control of what happens in their communities, he said. "You want to be leaders. You told us that loud and clear."

Yellowknife Mayor Gordon Van Tighem, president of the NWT Association of Communities, said he isn't aware of disagreements over how to spend the fund.

Van Tighem said the fund is in its early stages and disagreements would emerge elsewhere. "It's only human."

Van Tighem also said municipalities are concerned with the "nuts and bolts" of facilities and services, while aboriginal groups often look at education and health as being more important.

Chief Robert Sayine of Deninu Ku'e First Nation said no decision has been made about how to spend Fort Resolution's $791,000 share of the fund, although a public meeting is set for Sept. 26.

Like Fort Smith, Fort Resolution also has Metis and municipal councils.

"Once in a while, the government will throw some money on the table and we'll fight like dogs for it," Sayine said.

In fact, the chief said he sometimes thinks the government plans it like that. "It seems that way."

Sayine hopes all three Fort Resolution councils will come up with a way to spend the money that's best for the whole community, listing spending on youth as one of his priorities.

Danny Beck, the president of the Hay River Metis Council, said he has met with the Town of Hay River about the fund.

"They had the attitude they were representing everyone," he said, adding the town felt there was no need to consult with the Metis or West Point First Nation.

Mayor Diana Ehman is on vacation and unavailable for comment.

"The attitude was bad to start with, but we're waiting for the mayor to come back and see how it plays out," Beck said.

He would like a committee representing the town, the Metis and West Point to decide out to spend Hay River's $1.9 million from the fund.

In Inuvik, Assistant Deputy Mayor Gayle Gruben is optimistic the municipality can work with organizations representing the Inuvialuit, Gwich'in and Metis.

"I don't see anything negative coming out of this," she said. "It can only be positive."

Inuvik is getting just over $1.8 million.

At the Fort Smith public meeting, Mayor Martselos said he is willing to work with the other groups, but stressed town council is the only political body representing everyone in the community.

Handley said, if the community can't come to an agreement, a list of projects could be submitted to the territorial government and it will decide.

People at the Fort Smith public meeting had various priorities - youth and cultural projects, tourism promotion and expansion of Northern Life Museum.

Hudson hopes the public meeting clarified the situation for town council and the spending will be agreed upon by the three parties.

"I really hope we get on the same page on this issue," he said.

Hudson said the Metis have not been greedy in their proposals. They originally suggested spending $200,000 to renovate to their Roaring Rapids Hall, and suggested $500,000 go to Northern Life Museum.

Martselos said the town plans to poll residents for their ideas on spending the cash.

Thebacha MLA and cabinet minister Michael Miltenberger, who has been involved in several meetings on the fund by Fort Smith's three political groups, said he is optimistic a consensus can be reached.y disagreements

Handley said there are many disagreements on how to spend the money.

However, he said the government wants each community as a whole to agree on projects, rather than dividing up the money between various groups and creating "little Palestines."