by Janet Smellie
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 15/97) - Have you ever pictured Tom Jackson getting into a heated "rock 'em, sock 'em" political debate with Sam Gargan during a session of the legislative assembly?

Well, it won't happen, but Jackson, who plays chief Peter Kenidi on North of 60, may surprise his fans this year by running in the territorial election. Come to think of it, who is the MLA for Lynx River, anyway?

Jackson and co-star Tina Keeper, who plays his sister and RCMP officer Michelle Kenidi, return to our livingrooms on Sept. 23 for the season debut of North of 60 (The show that's supposed to take place in the Deh Cho, but is actually filmed in Alberta).

Producers say while the fifth season left viewers anxiously awaiting new developments with the discovery of a gas pool, this season Lynx River will become bombarded with road crews, drillers, financiers and "all the hope and horror that follows in the wake of prosperity."

Now in its sixth season, North of 60 will offer 13 new episodes.

"The program is alive and well," says Helicia Glucksman, publicist for CBC Television in Toronto. "There's new faces, and we're excited about the season."

The new faces include Peter Kelly Gaudreault, who plays Const. James Harper, Michelle's new partner, who arrives after the mysterious disappearance of Corp. Brian Fletcher. Michelle Kenidi is promoted to community corporal only to be challenged by this new "brash, ambitious new young native cop."

Gaudreault describes his character as "enormously self-righteous and a large degree of arrogance seeps out of that. He has so much conviction in his own intelligence -- especially as a forensic officer, he doesn't consider any other alternatives."

"This creates great conflict with Michelle, who works from her own instinct."

Gaudreault is a native of Quebec City and is of Huron and Miskika descent. He has worked as a dancer (Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal) and in an award-winning role as Crazy Horse in the Denver Centre Theatre Company's highly touted Black Elk Speaks.