SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Though the legislative assembly shot down a motion proposing to ban cell phone use while driving last November, Yellowknife city council is trying another route to get the territorial government to enact a ban.

The city voted unanimously Monday night to present a resolution to the NWT Association of Communities on April 15. If the association adopts it, the group of municipal politicians will demand the legislative assembly takes a second look at the issue.

"It's something that over the years I've had a few people bring it up," said city councillor Paul Falvo.

Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Robert McLeod argued last fall that cell phone use while driving was a problem primarily in Yellowknife and suggested the city enforce the ban itself - a situation which Falvo said is not practical.

"If the city did it, it wouldn't apply to the highway which goes around the city, and it would only be MED (municipal enforcement) who could enforce it, rather than RCMP," said Falvo.

Falvo said a territory-wide ban would be more effective, as many other NWT communities now have cell phone service.

The wording of the resolution was discussed during Priorities, Policies and Budget committee meetings on March 15 and 22.

On the afternoon of March 22, councillors discussed the wording of the resolution's name. It was called the "Use of Hand-held communications devices while driving" resolution. Falvo suggested it be called the "distracted driving" resolution, or that the original title be kept with the words "hand-held" removed, as hands-free phones distract drivers just as much.

"It's your brain that's impaired, not your hands," Falvo told Yellowknifer on March 22.

Falvo said that while conversation between a driver and passengers may ebb and flow as obstacles come up in traffic that all occupants can see, a person talking on the phone while driving may get distracted by the conversation which continues despite any obstacles that come up on the road.

Coun. Lydia Bardak took issue with the resolution being named the "distracted driving" resolution.

"Distracted driving encompasses way more - this is a cell phone resolution," said Bardak, listing off a number of possible distractions not included in the resolution, such as kids screaming in the backseat.

Coun. Mark Heyck suggested removing "hand-held" from the title would solve any problems with the resolution.

The title was amended that night to read: "Use of communications devices while driving" at the regular city council meeting that evening, where city council voted unanimously send it off to the NWT Association of Communities.

Two-way radios are exempt from the resolution.