Christine Grimard
Northern News Services
Published Friday, September 14, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - The chair of the Yellowknife Education District No. 1 resigned Tuesday after being told by his employer that the position was a "conflict of interest" with his day job.

Terry Brookes

"It's a decision I have to accept," said Terry Brookes, who works as manager of lands administration assessment services for the department of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Brookes said he wasn't given a clear explanation as to where that conflict lies.

"I deal with property, not taxation ... the actual mechanics of it, the innuendo, I don't know the details," said Brookes.

The longtime Yellowknifer has sat on the board for 14 years. He has served as chairperson twice during that time, including the most recent term that began last November. There have been no changes in his job in the last six years.

"I think it's unfortunate that decision had to be made the way it was," said board member Mary-Lou Cherwaty.

Cherwaty put forward a motion that vice-chair Duff Spence serve as the interim chair until a new chairperson can be appointed. Reanna Erasmus was appointed interim vice-chair.

Brookes steps down from after a trying year for the school board.

The district faced losing one of their schools after Charles Dent, the minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE), pressured for the board close one and hand it over to space-crunched Yellowknife Catholic Schools.

Dent threatened to cut $200,000 of their funding if they continued to keep open under-utilized schools.

Lynn Elkin, deputy minister for the department of Human Resources would not comment on the specifics of Brookes' case, or why Brookes was asked to resign after serving so long as chairperson.

Elkin said that all government workers sign codes of conduct saying any political activity has to be approved by the department. She said that any worker can be asked to step down from a position if there is an actual or a perceived conflict.