SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Premier Floyd Roland's conflict of interest hearing is generating a little public debate. However, whether people believe his affair should be investigated or not most believe the inquiry is taking too much time away from government business.

The issue stems from premiers extramarital affair with former legislative clerk Patricia Russell, residents and the mayor from his home town as well as residents of Hay River and Fort Smith are weighing in on his predicament.

"I wish the rest of the MLA members would do some real work and quit this fighting all the time," said Mayor Derek Lindsay.

"It's getting to be like a soap opera. If they continue to act like children we'll never get devolution. Ottawa is looking at us and saying, 'would you grow up.' "

The current inquiry was spearheaded by six MLAs who believed Russell was feeding the premier sensitive information discussed in MLA assembly sessions involving strategy and ministerial performance, which Roland shouldn't be privy too. During the second day of the inquiry, on Sept. 10, Roland admitted he was told about what was discussed in some of those meetings, but argued the leak came from an MLA, although he wouldn't reveal the member's identity.

Though Lindsay thinks Roland's affair wasn't morally right, he doesn't believe the premier is guilty of a conflict of interest. He said the inquiry is largely the result of "disgruntled" MLAs who weren't picked among Roland's cabinet.

"Now you have all these other MLAs who don't have a cabinet post, those are the disgruntled ones. Now they're out gunning for the premier."

"It proves that consensus government is designed to fall apart. How many of these premiers have been investigated in the last five years?"

Grace Blake, a constituent of Roland's, said she wonders how the Inuvik resident is finding time to fulfil his day to day duties as premier while he's consumed with the inquiry. Blake, who served as chief of Tsiigehtchic for 11 years, wants to know how much of tax payers' money is being spent on the inquiry.

"It's squandering of money," she said. "The money that we pay to our government to run the NWT intelligently shouldn't be spent this way."

Patricia Macauley said that money is well spent if it shows whether Roland's extramarital affair with Patricia Russell had put him in a conflict of interest.

"If there was some concern over his private life, it's worth the time and money to investigate," she said. "It's worth it for him for his political future to clear his name, if that's the case. He deserves that opportunity."

She's also not ready to cast any stones just yet, but admits she's keeping a close eye on the hearing.

"I'm only interested in a politicians private life when those private lives cross into the public interest. If in this situation that did occur, than that's a political issue.

"It's about trust between the elector and the politician. If the elector has a feeling that there representative has breached their protocols ... then I think the elector should be granted the truth."

The inquiry is also being watched with interest elsewhere in the NWT, not just Inuvik.

"It probably should be investigated for sure," said Laura Rose, president of the Hay River Soup Kitchen.

Rose said private lives should remain private lives, but considering who is involved in the inquiry the matter may affect the public.

However, Rose said no one in government should get too carried away with investigating the matter.

"I think there are more important things that should be dealt with," she said.

In Fort Smith, Don Jaque, the president of the community's chamber of commerce, said he is very concerned the matter is being discussed publicly and how it may influence people.

"The whole thing is very troubling," he said.

Jaque worries such a discussion may affect public morality since discussing such a matter makes it appear normal.

However, he added, "At the same time, leaders have to be accountable for their conduct."