Yellowknife (Oct 06/06) - Yellowknife Catholic Schools superintendent Kern Von Hagen believes that the territorial government has a hidden agenda to get rid of the YCS board.

Von Hagen expressed this view after proceedings were adjourned Friday, in the board's legal challenge of GNWT legislation that permits non-Catholics to seek trustees positions.

"There are forces working to undermine our board."

He told Yellowknifer of government officials who have suggested the end is near for the YCS board "(And) there's been the intonation that dissolution of the board may be a result of the court challenge."

When asked to elaborate with names and specifics, Von Hagen could not, except to insist it did happen.

"I won't get into details as these are individual experiences shared in camera (at board meetings)," Von Hagen said. "We're not trying to create conspiracy theories here but we did have one trustee approached by a government official and was told that, so it raises a lot of questions."

Charles Dent, minister of Education, Culture and Employment, denies any move on the government's part to eliminate the YCS board.

"I don't think I've ever given them reason to believe we're planning to dissolve (the YCS board)," Dent said. "Amalgamating the school boards was something discussed by the facility committee and the fact it was discussed came up in their letter to me. My response was if it's something people wanted we would consider it, but my opinion was there wasn't public support for it; it's not something we've proposed and not on my agenda."

Von Hagen and YCS incumbent board chair Shannon Gullberg explained their legal challenge is motivated by a desire to protect the Catholic school board's right to exist; a right they insist is on par with those of aboriginal and francophone rights.

However, Dent said the government has a different opinion.

"I don't think it's a relevant comparison as aboriginal governments, those with treaty rights, is a totally different thing than the rights of a denominational school and that's the reason we're in court," he said. "The issue right now is legislation doesn't allow candidates elected to the board to be only Catholic."

During a CBC North interview last week, Dent referred to the board's desire to have their Catholics-only policy recognized by the GNWT as discriminatory.

Of his radio remarks, Dent said he was calling things as he saw them.

"It was nothing more than a descriptor. Whenever you limit membership to one group or another it's the sort of thing that would be discriminatory," he said. "If you have a promotion at a club and only let people in who are wearing red, you're discriminating against people not wearing red. My comments were nothing more than that."