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Mayoral candidates Mark Heyck, left, Tim Doyle and Paul Falvo exchanged frank words over communication at city hall during Wednesday night's mayoral candidates forum, hosted by the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce. - Laura Busch/NNSL photo

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
A perceived lack of communication between city hall and residents again dominated discussion Wednesday night, this time during the mayoral candidates forum organized by the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce.

Many tough questions were asked and answered, but none were tougher than the question posed by mayoral candidate Tim Doyle to opponent Mark Heyck.

Just past the midway point during the forum, candidates had an opportunity to put one question to each of their opponents, so Doyle chose to push the issue of what he called "zero co-operation" between city administration and residents and community groups. He named the city's senior administrative officer, Bob Long, saying Long was responsible for closing communication between the public and city hall.

"You were a big part of hiring this man and bringing him to Yellowknife," he told Heyck, before addressing Long's previous employment as the chief administrative officer in Tofino, B.C.

"We know what happened in Tofino, B.C. and I want to see what your response is on what you plan to do to rein this man in, who doesn't work with anybody in the community."

Heyck was visibly upset by the question, and broke from his usual calm demeanor in his response.

"With all due respect Ms. moderator, this is totally inappropriate," said Heyck. "If we want to talk about city issues, let's talk about those issues but I'm not going to sit and have the name of a city employee dragged through the room at a public forum. That's inappropriate at a council meeting."

A portion of Heyck's following statement was drowned out as the 100 to 150 people in attendance broke out into applause, before Heyck could be heard saying, "There may be issues with administration, and we can talk about those issues, but let's do it like adults rather than resorting to dragging people's names through the mud."

Earlier in the evening, one of the questions prepared by the business chamber and put to the candidates by moderator Elizabeth McMillan asked how candidates planned to improve communication between city hall and the public.

Candidate Paul Falvo took the opportunity to point out that, while he has sat on council during a time when civic transparency seems to have gotten worse, he has personally worked hard at keeping lines of communication open through his weekly newsletter, social media and by being readily accessible to constituents.

"It doesn't matter what your position is on an issue, if the communication is bad you're going to be angry," said Falvo.

Doyle pointed to city administration this time as well, arguing that it has just been one official - though at that point he did not name any names - who was responsible for essentially shutting down communication at the city and "locking the place up like Fort Knox." He said that residents and media alike have been shut out and disagreed with the city's current policy to have the mayor's office answer all questions posed to the city by media.

"This isn't a new problem, it's something that has been getting progressively worse over the last few years," said Doyle.

Heyck said at that point that, if he is elected as Yellowknife's next mayor, he will maintain an open-door policy.

"I think it's important that we engage all sectors of this community on an open and transparent basis," he said.

"But it takes two to tango."

Heyck also vowed that he would work to ensure that there is a constant channel open between city hall and the Yellowknife business community in particular.

- To read about more issues discussed by the mayoral candidates at Wednesday's forum, and to catch up on all candidates forums to date, see Yellowknifer's online election coverage at www.nnsl.yellowknifer.

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