Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Dec 08/99) - There was absolutely no doubt about it this time.

Defeated in the 1995 election by four votes, Tony Whitford rode a landslide win back into the legislative assembly Monday.

How convincing was it?

Four out of every five people who voted in the Kam Lake riding voted for Whitford.

"The residents of Kam Lake are familiar with me," said Whitford, 58. "I live in the riding and I served them for two terms."

Whitford, who served as sergeant-at-arms for the last legislative assembly, was first elected in a byelection in 1988. He was acclaimed in 1991, before suffering a 968-972 loss to Seamus Henry in 1995.

Kam Lake was created out of part of the Yellowknife South riding he represented his previous terms.

He said the addition of three new Yellowknife seats will present a challenge to legislators of the 14th assembly.

"It will be a test of consensus government," Whitford predicted, saying his contacts and experience will help him meet the new challenge of keeping the consensus in consensus government.

"I think it will be my role to be a mediator," said Whitford. "I work well with all community leaders and I look forward to doing that.

"We have to make sure Yellowknife is well represented and its interests are protected, but we also have to think of the rest of the other communities."

Whitford said Yellowknife MLAs will be meeting Friday to start talking about how they will work together.