Inuvik Town Council is sending a letter to the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 Electoral Boundaries Commission asking to not remove an MLA from the region.

Councillors discussed the matter at the end of their Jan. 26 regular meeting.

SA国际影视传媒淚 personally feel itSA国际影视传媒檚 very important that we retain our current MLA allotment,SA国际影视传媒� said Coun. Tony Devlin. SA国际影视传媒淭hereSA国际影视传媒檚 a whole big huge territory outside of Yellowknife and I really feel that a it would be a huge disservice for Inuvik in particular to be reduced to one MLA.SA国际影视传媒�

Deputy Mayor Natasha Kulikowski echoed DevlinSA国际影视传媒檚 sentiments and agreed the town should submit a letter to the commission.

A working paper was published Dec. 3 by the commission with two potential changes to the 19 existing electoral districts in the NWT. The first proposal merely adjusts the boundaries of ridings in the major urban centres, whereas the other would see the elected body of the GNWT reduced to 16 MLAs, with Yellowknife, Hay River and Inuvik each losing one.

Politics being as they are, Devlin noted if Inuvik only had one MLA, that MLA would likely be in cabinet, robbing the town of a SA国际影视传媒渄issentingSA国际影视传媒� voice from the other side of the chamber.

SA国际影视传媒淩ight now we have a minister and we have a regular MLA,SA国际影视传媒� said Coun. Kurt Wainman. SA国际影视传媒淪o weSA国际影视传媒檙e on both sides of the government. I like how it currently is. I donSA国际影视传媒檛 think

we should be giving up an MLA or anything.SA国际影视传媒�

Coun. Grant Gowans noted the town had to fight hard to have two MLAs and going back to a single MLA would be a major set-back.

None of the reports suggestions are binding, but the commission is required to review electoral divisions every eight years and propose potential changes.

SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to see the balance of power go any more to Yellowknife than it already is, quite frank,SA国际影视传媒� said Mayor Clarence Wood. SA国际影视传媒淚f council wishes, ISA国际影视传媒檒l sit down and use my creative writing abilities to write a letter on this.

SA国际影视传媒淥f course, I wonSA国际影视传媒檛 send it out until councilSA国际影视传媒檚 had a chance to criticize what I put down.SA国际影视传媒�

Feedback on the two suggestions is being taken by the commission until summer. Anyone who wants to voice their opinion is able to email a written submission to info@nwtelectoralboundaries.ca or by phone at (867) 445-6005.

Should the pandemic ease off, the commission also hopes to visit communities around the NWT to discuss the report in person.