Mike W.Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 30/05) - Two Yellowknife Metis organizations have a say on how the city spends its $7.25 million share of Northern Strategy funding.

The federal money was announced by Premier Joe Handley in August. The total amount going to NWT communities is $35 million, with each community getting at least $606,000, depending on its size.

Handley told communities he "wasn't going to ask too many questions" on how the money is spent, but one stipulation was the decision on how to spend it had to be shared among the various local governments within communities, whether they be First Nation bands or hamlet councils.

For Yellowknife's share, the territorial cabinet decided the Metis Nation Local 66 and Yellowknife Metis Council had to be involved. The Yellowknives Dene aren't included because they have their own pot of money - $772,400 - for Ndilo and Dettah.

Facilities for Kids would like to see some of the fund used to pay for construction of a multi-sport fieldhouse in time for the 2008 Arctic Winter Games, but Metis local president Bill Enge said he won't be supporting that.

"I can't speak for what the mayor and council are saying, but I informed Mayor (Gord) Van Tighem that I was not in support of construction of a fieldhouse," said Enge.

A fieldhouse, which would include an indoor soccer pitch, is expected to cost between $8-12 million.

Enge said he has an agreement with Van Tighem to use the "lion's share of the fund" for seniors' housing needs.

Enge also supports using some of the money for a homeless shelter on 44th Street and beautifying the grounds of Mildred Hall school.

Enge's group numbers around 1,000 members. Clem Paul, president of the Yellowknife Metis Council, could not be reached for comment.

City council talked about the strategy fund for the first time during a recent in-camera meeting.

Coun. Bob Brooks said the fieldhouse is high up on his list, but he isn't opposed to spending the money on seniors' housing or a homeless shelter.

The fieldhouse doesn't have to be built for $12 million, Brooks said, so there should be money left over from the fund.

"If you're looking at building a fieldhouse, it could be as simple as a Wal-Mart building, which is a shell with a couple soccer pitches in it and a running track," said Brooks.

"That could go anywhere from $4 million to whatever else you add in there."

Mayor Gord Van Tighem called his discussions with Enge "preliminary."

The fieldhouse is a top priority, the mayor said, but he realized the Metis groups may have other priorities. "This is community capacity building funds, which requires consultation and there's a process that needs to be gone through."

The city has three years to identify where it wants to spend the fund.

According to the territorial government, if the three groups can't come to an agreement on where to spend it, cabinet may make the decision themselves.