A waning mining industry; a gloomy economic forecast and a high cost of living thatSA国际影视传媒檚 intrinsically tied to many of the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 social woes SA国际影视传媒� these issues and more were addressed, and debated, by MLA hopefuls vying for a seat in three Yellowknife electoral districts during a well-attended public forum held at Northern United Place Thursday night.

The economy-focused debate, the third of its kind hosted by the NWT Chamber of Commerce and the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines, heard from candidates hoping to take a seat in the 19th Legislative Assembly as representatives of Yellowknife Centre, Yellowknife North and Yellowknife South.

Challengers took on one-term incumbents Julie Green and Cory Vanthuyne, MLAs for Yellowknife Centre and Yellowknife North, respectively, while Caroline Wawzonek and Gaeleen MacPherson squared off as they look to fill the seat of outgoing, three-term MLA for Yellowknife South and two-term Premier Bob McLeod.

Candidates running in each constituency fielded the same questions, about the future of mining, the economy and cost of living.

HereSA国际影视传媒檚 how the hopefuls responded.

Yellowknife Centre

Growing the economy

SA国际影视传媒淚 see opportunity on a weekly basis in terms of what we could be doing in Yellowknife and in the North.SA国际影视传媒�

Asked how he would boost the economy amid sobering reports of a looming economic slump, Niels Konge SA国际影视传媒� a veteran municipal politician who made his debut in the arena of territorial politics Thursday night SA国际影视传媒� said the capital remains a SA国际影视传媒渓and of opportunity,SA国际影视传媒� even when facing challenges.

Citing reports from the GNWT, Konge said the territory will need an additional 258 assisted living beds in the NWT by 2026 SA国际影视传媒� 48 beds in Hay River, 48 more in Fort Simpson, another 48 beds in Inuvik, and 72 in Yellowknife. Facilitating this critical need for the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 senior population will also create jobs for Northerners SA国际影视传媒� between 80 to 90 in Yellowknife alone SA国际影视传媒� said Konge.

Julie Green, elected in 2015, said tourism, which continues to show a lot of promise, needs to be supported by more infrastructure development, namely a "visitorsSA国际影视传媒� centre here in Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淭he retrofit economy offers a triple benefitSA国际影视传媒�

Green touted the economic benefits of a retrofit economy. SA国际影视传媒�(It fosters) job creation while reducing heating and power costs along with greenhouse gas emissions,SA国际影视传媒� said Green.
Green also cited increased supports to child care services as a means of pushing back against economic downturn.

When kids are looked after, it means parents can stay in the workforce; child care professionals can find work, and SA国际影视传媒渕ost importantly, it means children will have a structured early childhood development, which is crucial,SA国际影视传媒� said Green.

SA国际影视传媒楽end a signal to industrySA国际影视传媒�

To boost the economy, itSA国际影视传媒檚 going to take a continuation of SA国际影视传媒渧italSA国际影视传媒� infrastructure initiatives, including the Taltson Hydroelectricity Expansion Project and the proposed Slave Geological Province Corridor Project, said candidate Thom Jarvis.

"This sort of thing is going to incentivize and send a signal to industry that we actually do have something to make their investment a little bit more realizable,SA国际影视传媒� said Jarvis.

Partnerships are paramount

An improved economy can only happen with strengthened partnerships between the GNWT and Indigenous governments and communities, said candidate Arlene Hache.

SA国际影视传媒淧eople need to look at the fact that the people who have money in the NWT are largely not Indigenous people or Indigenous communitiesSA国际影视传媒� said Hache, adding the Indigenous collaborations touted by the GNWT often donSA国际影视传媒檛 amount to much.

Hache, a proponent of economic diversification, said the GNWT has talked for decades about the same thing, but it hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 been achieved due to SA国际影视传媒渁n almost single-attention to the mining industry.SA国际影视传媒�

Yellowknife North

The future of mining

SA国际影视传媒楩irst thing: settle the land rights agreementsSA国际影视传媒�

As mines in the territory slowly wind down, Cory Vanthuyne said the best way to ensure mineral exploration continues is by settling land claims.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat allows Indigenous governments to contribute to the process of developing land use plans which lay our the general aspects of what can and cannot happen on certain lands,SA国际影视传媒� said Vanthuyne.

That sentiment was echoed by MLA hopeful Jan Vallillee, who agreed land claims need to be finalized. SA国际影视传媒淭here are some companies petrified to come and do any exploratory work because of the land claims. They donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to invest time and money only to find out this might of been all for not,SA国际影视传媒� said Vallillee.

Vallillee also lamented regulatory SA国际影视传媒渞ed tapeSA国际影视传媒� when it comes to mining in the NWT, saying she often hears complaints from mineral exploration companies about bureaucratic barriers.

SA国际影视传媒極ur Indigenous governments will be the leaders of miningSA国际影视传媒�

Rylund Johnson agreed settling land claims are a pressing priority, but said the GNWT has proven a SA国际影视传媒渂arrier to settling land claims.SA国际影视传媒�

SA国际影视传媒淚t takes real, meaningful steps and thatSA国际影视传媒檚 hard for bureaucrats to do,SA国际影视传媒� said Johnson.
Collaborating with Indigenous governments in the context of exploration requires SA国际影视传媒渞eframing narratives,SA国际影视传媒� he added. SA国际影视传媒淥ur Indigenous governments will be the leaders of mining. Our mines will be green mines SA国际影视传媒�,SA国际影视传媒� said Johnson.

Yellowknife South

Evolving economy

SA国际影视传媒淔irst step is establishing a vision thatSA国际影视传媒檚 collaborative and unified.SA国际影视传媒�

Outlining her economic goals, Caroline Wawzonek also called for less red tape to attract business to the North.

If elected, Gaeleen MacPherson said she will focus on tourism, mining and the polytechnic university as economic drivers. She added thereSA国际影视传媒檚 ample opportunity to expand the tourism sector in Yellowknife by becoming a year-round attraction.

More to come.