The city and federal government are arguing over whether there was any approval to give cigarettes to homeless people during a recent Point-in-Time (PiT) count, the project that helps measure homelessness in Yellowknife.

The city previously said it was giving out cigarettes as a culturally-appropriate incentive, but later apologized for that comment, as much of Yellowknife's homeless population is Indigenous. Dettah Chief Ernest Betsina argued it had racist undertones.

What hasn't been settled is whether the federal government gave the city approval to hand out cigarettes in the first place and it all depends on who you ask. The city claimed it was following federal guidelines when doing so but, if you ask Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, that's not the case.

"The incentives provided SA国际影视传媒� gift cards and cigarettes SA国际影视传媒� were used in accordance with guidance from federal government staff, who advised that such items could be offered as gifts or honoraria," stated city spokesperson Abby Schelew to SA国际影视传媒 on Nov. 15.

Following a series of stories published by SA国际影视传媒 regarding the whole thing, a spokesperson with Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada provided a letter on Dec. 12 that contradicted what the city has claimed. 

"The department has never suggested or supported cigarettes as gifts for participants," the letter reads in part. It added that the federal government provides communities with funding to support counts through its Reaching Home: CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 Homelessness Strategy fund.

"Under that funding, purchase of alcoholic beverages, tobacco for personal use (e.g., cigarettes), cannabis, and illicit substances are all ineligible expenses," the letter also stated. 

According to an online guide on conducting a point-in-time count, governments can provide honoraria as part of what it calls 'ice breakers.'

"Ice breakers are a means to engage the person, whereas honoraria may be seen as a recognition of the time for participating in the survey," the guide reads. 

Examples of an ice breaker would be something like a transit ticket or granola bar, reads the guide, while an honoraria would be something such as gift cards, which the city did also hand out.

The city has remained steadfast that it received federal approval to hand out cigarettes, according to on Dec. 3. In the article, Schelew said that members from a federal team trained representatives from participating communities across Canada on how to execute the count. 

SA国际影视传媒淒uring this training, those collecting survey responses were advised to offer items to be used as conversation starters and honoraria as a form of engaging potential respondents and showing appreciation to those who voluntarily participated,SA国际影视传媒� she was quoted as saying.

SA国际影视传媒 attempted to speak with Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada, for comment. A spokesperson from his office said Fraser had nothing else to add.

SA国际影视传媒 also reached out to the city for comment, but did not receive a reply by press time.