Steve Norn, the expelled MLA for Tu Nedh茅-Wiilideh, says he wants his seat back.

Norn said in an interview with News/North on Jan. 7 that he will be seeking reelection in the Feb. 8 byelection.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was really taken aback by all the developments that happened over the last couple months, but it was funny because I had a lot of outpouring of support,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚f it was just one or two people, I would have taken the idea of running again with a grain of salt. But thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a lot of support both from within the riding and throughout the North supporting me or wishing me the best.

SA国际影视传媒淚 couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 ignore that. I still have lots to offer and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 why I want to run again.SA国际影视传媒�

Elections NWT announced last month that a byelection would be held for the electoral district and that it will be held by mail-in ballot due to Covid-19 concerns.

Norn was elected to the district for the first time in the 2019 election after a five way race against Richard Edjericon, Lila Erasmus, Paul Betsina, and Nadine Delorme-Simon.

Delorme-Simon is the only other confirmed candidate who said on Jan. 4 that she will be running again in hopes of raising awareness about housing challenges and the need for an apology to Sixties Scoop survivors.

Edjericon said on Jan. 7 he would make an announcement next week.

Norn attracted much public attention throughout 2021 after raising allegations against the clerk of the Legislature of the Northwest Territories, Tim Mercer in February. Those complaints helped lead to an eight-month long workplace review and investigation into Mercer and his office.

Norn became the subject of a code of conduct public inquiry in October. He was deemed SA国际影视传媒渦nfitSA国际影视传媒� to hold office by the retired judge who oversaw the hearing, which was triggered after the NWT integrity commissioner deemed the complaint raised by MLAs, namely that Norn broke his self-isolation protocol in April and misled the House and public health investigators about it, held water.

He was expelled from the assembly in a 17-0 vote by his fellow MLAs on Nov. 23. The vote was held on a point of privilege raised by caucus chair and Thebacha MLA Frieda Martselos who was among a number of MLAs who said they felt threatened after Norn sent a message to a Facebook group chat Oct. 3, the evening before the inquiry into a complaint over his conduct was to begin.

Norn said in the legislature he would SA国际影视传媒渞esignSA国际影视传媒� to allow the MLAs to avoid having to vote him out, but the language he used did not satisfy the relevant legislation, so the MLAs proceeded with the vote which resulted in his unseating.

Asked about potentially returning to work with an assembly of MLAs who to expel him, Norn said it is important for him to remain focused on residents.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think the biggest thing and the message that I want to get out there, is that this is about constituents,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not about outside forces. Every MLA works for his or her constituents in their own way. We live in a democracy and it is the people who choose who their leaders are and who should be in office. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the biggest thing I want to get across to this government.SA国际影视传媒�

Tu Nedh茅-Wiilideh encompasses a vast region to the northeast and southeast of Great Slave Lake and includes the communities of Dettah, Ndilo, Lutsel KSA国际影视传媒檈, and Fort Resolution.

Summing up his concerns as a candidate, Norn said much comes down to the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 finances, economic development and the cost of living as people are being forced to move away from the North.

SA国际影视传媒淭he biggest thing I think people need to know is that our government is going broke,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭heySA国际影视传媒檙e pretty close to hitting the debt wall and the way theySA国际影视传媒檙e going about is not sustainable.

SA国际影视传媒淢y take is that we need more solutions, we need to create business opportunities, and that will translate to more jobs. As a territory, I think weSA国际影视传媒檙e moving away from that and it is a dangerous road to go down.SA国际影视传媒�

Norn said he remains concerned about a shortfall in financial help that Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh has received in recent GNWT budgets, including for items like health care and housing. However he also sees a lot of potential in the region that northerners should be aware.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur riding is one of the geographically largest electoral districts in the country and itSA国际影视传媒檚 arguably one with the most resources anywhere on on the continent,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e got the diamond mines as well as a lot of rare earth development and other projects being pondered near Fort Resolution right now. Despite our honey-pot of resources, we are still getting very little in return for our people.SA国际影视传媒�

Nomination papers for the electoral district are to be filed by Jan. 14.