SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli, who is charged with assault causing bodily harm, has given up his position as chairman of the Standing Committee of Government Operations at the legislative assembly.

Michael Nadli: Deh Cho MLA was granted bail April 8 in Yellowknife. Nadli, 50, was charged April 5 with assault causing bodily harm after an incident in Fort Providence. -

The committee is responsible for reviewing territorial government business, including budgets, bills, reports and financial statements.

He was granted bail on April 8 with a number of conditions.

Nadli, 50, had been in custody since being charged in connection with an incident in Fort Providence on April 5.

The allegation has not been proven in court. Nadli has not entered a plea.

Wearing a grey dress shirt, blue jeans and sock feet, Nadli appeared in Justice of the Peace Court in Yellowknife on April 8. He was allowed to leave the prisoner's box to sit with Jeremy Walsh, the lawyer representing him.

Kevin Dennis, the justice of the peace, granted Nadli bail with a $1,500 cash deposit.

He also placed a publication ban on evidence from the case.

According to an RCMP news release issued on April 7, police in Fort Providence arrested Nadli after investigating an assault in the community.

Police received a call for assistance at about 3 p.m. April 5 after receiving information that an individual had been assaulted at a residence. Police attended and transported the victim to the health centre for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Police stated that the suspect had left the residence but turned himself in to police a short time later.

Out of respect for privacy RCMP have declined to name the victim or say what the nature of the injuries were.

Among the bail conditions agreed to by Walsh and Crown prosecutor Evan Fane were that Nadli live at his Yellowknife residence, that he have no contact with the victim except through legal council, that he inform the RCMP and his bail supervisor ahead of time if he attends to be in Fort Providence and that he not possess any firearms.

Court documents reveal that Nadli was convicted of assault and received a suspended sentence in 2004.

Nadli will be able to run for re-election if he is still before the courts on the current charge. If the case goes to trial it is unlikely it will be resolved before the Nov. 23 territorial election.

Tim Mercer, the clerk of the legislative assembly, told News/North earlier this week that until if and when there is a conviction, the legislative assembly isn't required to take any action on Nadli, although MLAs have the ability to pass a motion to suspend or remove a colleague.

"The legislative assembly can expel or suspend a member," he said. "Legislatures have the power to expel or suspend a member through a motion on the floor during the sitting."

News/North contacted a number of MLAs after Nadli was charged but all of them declined comment on the case or didn't return calls.

Nadli is scheduled to appear back in court on April 21.

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