Pubdate: Tue, 25 Nov 2003 Source: Whitehorse Star (CN YK) Copyright: 2003 Whitehorse Star Contact: http://www.whitehorsestar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1493 Author: Jason Small SUPPORT 'VERY HUMBLING,' FENTIE SAYS The Yukon's premier admits his past conviction for dealing heroin is an embarrassment. In a press conference Monday afternoon, Dennis Fentie addressed the issue of his 1976 conviction of being part of a heroin trafficking ring in Edmonton. Fentie told the Star during the 2002 election campaign about his conviction for narcotics trafficking. However, the Yukon Party leader refused to say, at the time, what drug he had been pushing. It was revealed recently that Fentie had spent 17 months of a four-year sentence in prison for peddling smack, also known as heroin. "I think it's an unfortunate situation and it's not easy to deal with," a solemn Fentie said Monday outside the cabinet offices in the main government building. During the interview, a number of cabinet staffers and MLAs gathered around to support the premier. "I'm quite embarrassed about my past, to be honest with you." Yesterday, prior to Fentie's statement, both opposition parties questioned why the premier didn't just come clean during the election campaign about what type of drug he was busted for dealing. Fentie was asked if he regrets not telling the whole story during the election and whether the type of drug he sold matters. "The charge is the charge; it's the contravention of the Narcotics Act. I'm very, very embarrassed about that," said Fentie. "It was brought (up) in the election and I responded during the election that I served time for the contravention of the Narcotics Act." Fentie pointed out that Canada gives people the opportunity for a second chance in their lives to do something for society. "I'm trying to put something back into a system that afforded me such a wonderful opportunity," the premier said. "I'm not proud of what happened to me in the past but I took responsibility for those actions and now I'm trying to put back into society, something useful and good." He said there are only two ways his past conviction could keep him from becoming premier - legally and morally. Legally, Fentie said, there is no law that prevents someone who has been pardoned of a previous conviction from running for office in the Yukon. "Morally, I say to you that considering what's been achieved here in being given a full pardon, that should absolve me from any moral issue to run for public office." In 1996, before first running for the Watson Lake seat, Fentie received a full pardon for all past criminal convictions. Therefore, Fentie indicated the conviction does not keep him from doing his job. "I want to assure people that my past does not in any way, shape or form reflect on my ability." There was no sitting of the legislature Monday because the public address system failed to work. The system is necessary for officials to tape the proceedings and to record the daily transcripts. But if the house had sat, Fentie would have been supported by more than 30 people who had made the trip to the legislature to get behind the premier. A number of the people had come to Whitehorse from Watson Lake for the day. At one point, while the crowd sat in the gallery waiting to see if the sitting would eventually proceed, Fentie came out and spoke to the people, thanking them for their support. "(It's) very humbling," Fentie said of that support during the press conference. "I think it shows that Yukoners are prepared to express their tolerance and allow people to better themselves. That's, to me, a very good sign of our society." Among those in attendance were Fentie's partner, Lorraine Nixon, and John Devries, a former Yukon Party MLA for Watson Lake. The contingent were upset with the media members who broke the story about the type of drug Fentie had been involved with. Fentie was asked what kind of toll the issue had taken on him over the weekend. "These things aren't easy; it's a big hit," he said. NDP house leader Gary McRobb said after the day's sitting was cancelled that there are probably valid questions to be asked of Fentie about "how the Yukon will be treated by other jurisdictions and other politicians in the future, because of this." A Liberal strategist from Toronto, Warren Kinsella, said yesterday the national attention this issue is drawing may upset some Yukoners who don't want the territory known for the heroin issue. "It most certainly could be a concern," McRobb said. "Judging from the people in attendance today at the gallery, certainly they didn't have too much concerns about it. "I don't know how other Yukoners feel. I think we should hear from them to figure that out." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake