Canada's 45th general election is less than two weeks away. SA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½ has asked more questions of all four candidates. First to get back this time is the NDP's Kelvin Kotchilea.

Below are his answers.

What are your views for having semi-automatic firearms for hunting? Should they be protected or banned in the NWT?

The NDP acknowledges that the Government of the Northwest Territories is one of the primary governing bodies responsible for hunting and trapping regulations in the NWT.

The NDP fully recognizes that residents in the Northwest Territories rely on hunting rifles to feed their families. For Indigenous peoples, hunting is not only a right but a way of life. In rural and Northern communities, it remains a vital cultural tradition and a practical means of putting country food on the table.

The NDP will never take away Indigenous, hunting or sport firearms. We voted against the Liberal bill targeting long rifles. 

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has cut the NWT nominee allotment for 2025 to just 150, a 50 per cent drop from last yearSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s figure of 300. The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce has urged Ottawa and the GNWT to increase immigration allocations to address what it calls a workforce crisis across the territory. Are you in support of raising the cap for the NWTSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s Nominee Program? Why/why not?

Yes SA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½” New Democrats support raising the cap for the NWT. We believe that our immigration system should be fair and compassionate and reflect the needs of each region across Canada.

If elected, I would push to increase the NWTSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s Nominee Program so we can strengthen healthcare, education and the essential services people rely on. Immigration is also vital to supporting small and local businesses throughout the NWT. 

WhatSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s your plan for reducing energy costs and moving to greener sources of energy?

New Democrats will eliminate public subsidies and tax breaks for oil and gas companies and use that money to provide free retrofits for low-income households SA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½” helping thousands of people in the territories.  

As the NWT MP, I would push to ensure our communities have the support they need to transition to cleaner sources of energy, gain access to renewable resources like hydro, and secure capital funding to address aging infrastructure such as the Taltson hydro dam. Not only would this help eliminate diesel power plants, but it would also significantly reduce our carbon footprint. There are also other solutions and technologies SA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½” like heat pumps, solar panels and wind turbines SA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½” that can help people save thousands of dollars each year. 

A Yellowknife MLA recently told me the federal government needs to provide more funding for the early learning and childcare sector. He says Ottawa is not funding the GNWT adequately to implement $10/day daycare effectively. Do you agree? How can the NWT implement $10-a-daycare effectively? 

Yes SA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½” the NWT urgently needs more federal funding and support for childcare. As your MP, I would fight hard to secure both the resources and long-term solutions our territory needs. I will push for a strong early learning and childcare workforce strategy, alongside increased funding, to ensure we have more spaces for our children and more educators in the system.

ItSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s crucial that families, especially in Indigenous communities, have access to quality, culturally-relevant childcare in their own communities. Every child, no matter where they live, deserves the best start in life, and this will also ensure a bright future for generations to come.