According to several published reports, Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to call a snap election on Sunday. For Kelvin Kotchilea, the NDP's candidate in the NWT, that's just fine with him.
"It would give us an opportunity for parliament to resume," said Kotchilea.
Parliament has been prorogued since Jan. 6 and MPs are scheduled to return on March 24.
If an election is called, voting day is expected to be April 28, resulting in a 36-day campaign, the minimum duration allowed under federal election law.
"It's uncertain times right now for Canadians and the shorter the election period, the better we will be to provide the necessary support that is needed," said Kotchilea.
He added that he was taken aback when Justin Trudeau announced his resignation in January but when it comes to the Liberals now gaining in popularity under Carney, that isn't exactly shocking.
"I'm not really surprised," he said. "It's a new name (and) people want to jump on that bandwagon."
Multiple polls have shown a surge in popularity for the Liberals, which could be coming at the expense of NDP support.
Once an election is called, Kotchilea said people will see that the NDP aligns themselves with everyday Canadians. He also said his party is
"I think once people see that, we'll definitely see another shift in the polls," said Kotchilea.
The NWT will stand out a little more than usual in the next election with the current prime minister being born in Fort Smith, but Kotchilea wouldn't necessarily describe him as a Northerner.
"I don't know if he knows enough of his history and he spent a lot of time out of Canada as well," said Kotchilea. "It's nice to say he came from the Northwest Territories but his sense of knowing what we face and what we need, I don't feel like he would understand that."
When it comes to his more local competition, namely Conservative candidate Kimberly Fairman, Kotchilea said he does not know much about her.
"She's fairly new to me and she will be new to the political landscape," he said.
For her part, Fairman said her and her team are ready to launch a campaign focused on what matters to NWT residents.
"We are caught up in national and international events but at the end of the day, people in the NWT are my main concern and demonstrating my ability to represent them is what I will be focused on," she wrote in response to questions from SA国际影视传媒 on Thursday.
Fairman added that she's been talking to hundreds of people over the past several months and her focus will be on reaching out to all communities for a sense of what they want to see for the territory.
"I think it will be important for people to get to know who I am and how my background and approach with a Pierre Poilievre Conservative government are the best option for the people of the NWT right now," she said.
Fairman said the last 10 years have been lost under the Liberal party and for the North in particular, a lack of foresight has put the NWT in a very difficult place.
"I look to leaders, who over several decades have been working tirelessly to position the NWT in a place of strength," she said. "They must be shaking their heads right now wondering where it all went wrong. We should be a vibrant territory with abundant opportunity and a bright future for our children. Instead, we are faced with the highest crime statistics in the country, no prospect of an economy outside of government, lack of affordable and diverse housing options (and) budget deficits that we will pass on to our children," she wrote.
She added that these are all things the Conservative Party are focused on.
"Under that platform, I can begin to transform our territory and get back on track," she said.
Fairman had no comment on what she thinks of Kotchilea, nor on the fact the Liberals do not yet have a confirmed candidate in the NWT. She also did not comment on the fact multiple polls are showing the Conservatives are sliding in the polls.
Kotchilea said he would not be surprised if the Liberals picked a well-known name in politics.
The Liberal party's board of directors in the NWT, David Monroe, previously told SA国际影视传媒 they will have a candidate announced between March 9 and March 24. Current NWT MP Michael McLeod announced his retirement last July after serving three terms in office.
