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Over 300 people - parents, students and community members alike showed up to a meeting at Weledeh Catholic School to discuss the government's plan to merge the city school boards into a regional superboard with health and housing. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Gwen Keith told fellow Catholics on Monday night that in death, sometimes you don't get to say goodbye. Other times, you see the signals all the way through to the end.

The Yellowknife Catholic Schools superintendent's words echoed the fears of more than 400 parents, students and community members who packed into the Weledeh Catholic school gymnasium Monday night.

St. Patrick high school students Shannon Michel, left, Becca McCarthy and Jacqueline Brasseur show off their sign indicating what they think should be done with deputy premier Michael Miltenberger. They were among some 400 people attending a public meeting Monday, expressing their displeasure with government plans to merge school boards. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo

The crowd turned out to show their support for the city's Catholic school district and vent their frustration with the territorial government's plan to merge the city's two school boards into one regional board, including boards responsible for health and housing.

They're worried the merger will effectively end the Catholic school board's 57 years of existence in Yellowknife.

"We have significant signals that we will see the death of this school district," Keith told the crowd.

One by one, residents got up and spoke about the proposed board reform and the passion for faith-based education was made loud and clear.

Much anger was directed at deputy premier Michael Miltenberger, the cabinet minister heading the "refocusing" committee tasked with merging approximately 70 public service boards, including school boards, into six regional boards.

"God is more powerful than Michael Miltenberger," announced Jim Lynn to the cheering crowd.

The goal of the evening was to inform people about the proposed changes and to seek ideas to develop a plan of action to oppose the board reform.

"I pray to God this doesn't happen because I wouldn't want to wake up and go to school anymore," said St. Patrick high school student Jacqueline Brasseur. "I value my Catholic education dearly."

John Dalton, a community resident since 1972, said his children went through the Yellowknife Catholic school system and now his grandkids too. He said the community should be proud of the upstanding citizens the school system produces.

"There is no way I will let this school board disappear without one helluva fight," said Dalton.

"As a taxpayer I want direct input into who governs our schools."

Dalton also said pressure needs to be put on regular Yellowknife MLAs to ensure the Catholic system survives. He encouraged people to attend a protest at the legislative assembly building on Feb. 18 at 1:30 pm to show how important the Catholic school system is to the people of Yellowknife.

"We have to jump on our MLAs," he said. "We can't let them off without finding out if they will support us. We have to show we are serious and committed to our Catholic education."

Dalton added it's a pathetic cop-out for Yellowknife cabinet ministers Sandy Lee and Bob McLeod to support the plan.

"They should be able to fight for us in cabinet and we wouldn't be here tonight if they had," said Dalton.

St. Pat's teacher Michele Thoms said if the board merger goes ahead she will seek employment elsewhere, a choice other teachers might make as well.

"I will not teach in a public school," she said. "If this happens I'm gone from Yellowknife."

Mike Byrne said his father Norm founded the Catholic school board in 1952 on the basis of freedom of choice.

"We need to drive home to a few hard-headed politicians the God-given right to freedom of choice," he said.

Keith spoke of deficiencies regarding the governments argument, stating it has yet to show its research or identify what the key problems are with the current system in Yellowknife. She pointed to a recently released report from the government that proposes how the merger will take place.

"It makes no reference to students and Catholic education," she said. "The lack of understanding as to how this would affect students amazes me.

"We are saying it cannot work in our world," she added. "We have 23 days to make a serious impact on this merger. We have to convince our government that we have something unique and special here and we want to preserve it and grow it."