SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Venomambo Usurua said he wants to make sure that Education, Culture and Employment Minister Alfred Moses takes his concerns about fellow Namibians living in Yellowknife seriously.

Venomambo Usurua. left, speaks with Education, Culture and Employment Minister Alfred Moses at Tuesday night's open house inside the great hall at the legislative assembly. About 50 citizens used the forum for some one-on-one face-time with cabinet ministers and the premier. - John McFadden/NNSL photo

So when he heard that Moses and other cabinet ministers as well as the premier were holding an open house at the legislative assembly Tuesday night, he dropped everything to meet the leader face-to-face.

Handling immigration issues is part of Moses' responsibility, as the Immigration and Nominee Program is part of the Education, Culture and Development portfolio.

Usurua was one of about 50 residents who turned out for the meet-and-greet.

"This is the best idea - where I can go shake hands with MLAs," Usurua said. "This is an opportunity for me representing my community - I can go back to them and say, 'Yes I spoke to him, face-to-face.' This will ease our hearts and make us feel more confident that we are being heard rather than me sending an e-mail that I don't know is being read."

Usurua said he speaks on behalf of about 45 Namibian expats who call Yellowknife home.

He said the problem is several of them have come here as refugees and even after four years have been unable to gain permanent residency status. That means they have to check in with a federal immigration officer every week - something that he said is hampering their pursuit of good jobs.

"Some of them are still conventional refugees and have been denied. They've been reporting every Tuesday for over four years," Usurua said.

"They can't do anything because every Tuesday they have to report in. They can't go on vacation. They can't work at the camps because they won't let them leave every Tuesday to report in. They can't call in. They have to be there in person. They have to work jobs where they have to be in the city."

Usurua said the mines provide better income and would allow his fellow Namibians to better support their families.

"We have kids and we feel it is unfair for us because we are contributing to the economy," Usurua said. "We feel it's unfair that are cases are moving so slowly."

Usurua said Moses seemed very receptive to his plight. He said Moses told him he would bring the issue to the attention of the federal immigration minister and see if he can get things moving along a little quicker.

Namibians have been fleeing their African homeland for years due to threat of persecution, conflict and violence.

Yellowknife resident Marie Adams made a last-ditch appeal to the premier and minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) to preserve the Robertson Headframe.

"The (federal) minister of heritage, ahead of Canada's 150th birthday next year, is going around telling everyone that it is our duty to preserve heritage. And what are we doing to our heritage - we are tearing it down," Adams said. "Places like Fort McMurray are going to start pulling our visitors away if we don't have something unique to offer. The headframe is unique."

Adams said Premier Bob McLeod and ITI Minister Wally Schumann told her the biggest issue for the GNWT is the liability for the structure. She said she understands that, but added if Newmont, owners of the headframe, were to turn over the money it will spend to demolish the headframe to the GNWT, that would help alleviate the financial burden to the taxpayer - something she said she is concerned about as well.

Adams went on to say she supports the open-house format for public forums.

"I'm missing choir to be here. I think this is a great opportunity to be informal and I'm glad they did it," Adams said.

Alex Debogorski said he came to the meeting out of sheer curiosity.

"I want to see what all our representatives look like in the flesh partway through their mandate," Debogorski said.

"I don't have any specific questions. I'm just going around and seeing how everybody is doing - more on a personal level."

Debogorski suggested part of the exercise could have included members of the public asking their questions in front of other citizens and get the answers on the record - more of a question period for the public-type format, he said.

This was the fifth such open house meeting across the territory. Others were held in Norman Wells, Hay River, Inuvik and Fort Simpson. The premier said the next one is to be held in Behchoko.

McLeod said he's heard from citizens about the economy, business and mining among other issues. He said it gives an opportunity for those who may not be comfortable speaking in public to get their questions answered.

"This gives them the opportunity to talk in privacy. They can raise any issue that they want and we can follow up on it and try to resolve their issues," McLeod said.

"It is also a good chance to get reacquainted with people you don't always see."

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