SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Canadian Heritage Department says it is not purposely withholding funding from Yellowknife-based aboriginal radio station CKLB.

Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington said the delay in funding for Yellowknife-based aboriginal radio station CKLB – and others like it across the country – is a play by the ruling Conservatives to make themselves “look good to the taxpayer.” - NNSL file photo

The director of the station in Old Town said last week that almost a dozen employees are facing layoffs because of a lack of funding.

Deneze Nakehk'o says without the money, CKLB is looking at eliminating live programming and running with a skeleton staff as early as Aug. 1.

In an e-mail to Yellowknifer, Canadian Heritage said it has received the proper request for almost all the funding for the last fiscal year.

Len Westerberg, spokesperson with the Canadian Heritage Department, said the remaining eligible expenses are to be paid upon receiving the required final report.

Westerberg said organizations that receive funding under Northern Aboriginal Broadcasting are required to submit audited financial statements as part of their contribution agreement for the final payment to be released – those statements are due by Aug. 31.

Westerberg added that funding for the current fiscal year is still under review.

Last year, the station received $627,000 in funding from the department, Nakehk'o said last week.

He said the feds are well aware of the important role radio programming plays in the promotion of aboriginal languages and cultures, and it continues to support culturally-relevant aboriginal programming in the North.

Delay follows a pattern

Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington said the delay in funding follows a pattern that the federal government seems to be holding to.

“(The Conservatives) paid a private consultant some $70 million to show them how to reduce the deficit” Bevington said.

“The Conservatives seem to think that by delaying funding to CKLB and other similar organizations, it will make them look good to the taxpayer.”

Bevington said that it's very difficult to run an operation such as CKLB and not know when, or if, your funding is coming.

“How can you budget, even for this fiscal year -- never mind long term -- if you can't rely on the money that you need or even predict when it might arrive,” said Bevington.

“CKLB binds together aboriginal people in the North. It's critical to the aboriginal culture in the Northwest Territories. It's absolutely not fair to the station, its staff and listeners to leave them in limbo and withhold or delay funding for something people rely on.”

Canadian Heritage Minister Shelly Glover declined Yellowknifer's request for an interview.