A week into the election, the Conservative Party of Canada has yet to announce an NWT candidate.

Matthew Lakusta, NWT Conservative Party Association president, who happens to be based in Hay River, said that there is a campaign team in place, however campaign strategy details will come at a later date when a person is declared.

SA国际影视传媒淢ultiple reasons are attributing to a smaller uptake in interest in Northerners considering the Conservative candidacy,SA国际影视传媒� Lakusta said in an Aug. 23 email. SA国际影视传媒淭he short time window the (NWT Conservative riding) Board has been planning for call-outs for candidacy and the pandemic have both made the search more difficult than the previous election cycle.SA国际影视传媒�

The campaign is aware of the Aug. 30 nomination deadline, Lakusta said. The association is feeling out candidates and weighing the possibility of parachuting someone in.

SA国际影视传媒淭he board is in talks with individuals regarding their position in taking on the candidacy,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲e are also in talks with the central Conservative party for support in filling the candidacy. Until Aug. 30, our board is to appoint and provide the signatures required to Elections Canada as declaration.SA国际影视传媒�

The Northwest Territories has about 270 card-carrying members, but Lakusta said that official membership numbers donSA国际影视传媒檛 reflect the true level of support, which he argues is higher.

SA国际影视传媒淭his would likely be true for all parties where a large percentage of voters in their base are not card carrying members,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎t this time we wonSA国际影视传媒檛 speculate on the actual voter base numbers.SA国际影视传媒�

Lakusta said that while there are a number of policy issues where his riding association would like to see the north represented in the national leadership, he said it would be more appropriate for the declared candidate to comment.

SA国际影视传媒淚t would make more sense for this discussion to happen at their level and not from a board level,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t is definitely challenging for this election due to the timing of it being called,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淔or us in the North, specifically, the delay in getting a candidate in place makes it difficult for showing an avenue that people have to vote for.SA国际影视传媒�

Ultimately the position canSA国际影视传媒檛 be left vacant because it would show a lack of interest from a major national party.

SA国际影视传媒淥bviously (the national Conservatives) donSA国际影视传媒檛 prefer not having someone from the North and we donSA国际影视传媒檛 prefer this, but the reality is if we donSA国际影视传媒檛 have a candidate in place for the deadline then essentially it is saying to the nation we have no presentation up here SA国际影视传媒� in the whole territory,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淚 would say that by the end of this weekend (Aug. 28 to 29), if nobody comes up for us (relying on a fly-in candidate) is the situation.SA国际影视传媒�

The Conservative Party hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 had an MP in the Northwest Territories since Dave Nickerson left office in 1988, but has had strong showings in recent elections including with Yanik DSA国际影视传媒橝igle who placed second behind incumbent Michael McLeod in 2019.