Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 24/00) - Three-term and former Dene Nation president Stephen Kakfwi leads a cabinet stacked with rookies into the 14th legislative assembly.

It was Kakfwi's third attempt to win the territory's top job. The Sahtu MLA won the post over Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland.

The new premier promised a more inclusive government.

"There's a lot of uncertainty out there. There are many people feeling neglected, people needing attention," he said, shortly after being elected Jan. 17.

His election and the choices for six cabinet seats is widely seen as a break with the former government of Don Morin. Morin resigned as premier last year after being found guilty of violating conflict-of-interest guidelines.

Kakfwi also made sure to mention people who have helped him along the way, including Dene elder Alexis Arrowmaker, who mentioned him by name at the recent signing of the Dogrib Treaty 11 agreement in principle.

Heading the list of cabinet winners is Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen, who launched the conflict complaint against Morin. It is her first time in government and she's the only woman on cabinet.

Kakfwi praised Groenewegen.

"I point her out because, more than anybody, she has put so much on the line in order to serve the public," Kakfwi said.

Yellowknife Centre MLA Jake Ootes was named to cabinet for the first time, as were Joe Handley (Weledeh) and Roger Allen (Inuvik Twin Lakes). Handley and Allen are also rookie MLAs.

Former premier Jim Antoine (Nahendeh) was also returned to cabinet -- he did not seek re-election as premier.

Nunakput MLA Vince Steen was also elected to cabinet. He served part of last term in cabinet.

The ministers were elected after members unanimously voted down a proposal to have the premier pick his cabinet, although the idea is not dead.

"A lot of members took me aside and told me they would like to have some time to take this to their constituencies and discuss this before agreeing to anything of the sort," said Yellowknife South MLA Brendan Bell, one of two MLAs who promoted the idea. The other was Yellowknife Great Slave MLA Bill Braden.

MLAs did agree to ensure regional representation on cabinet.

They voted unanimously to ensure two cabinet ministers be selected from the North, two from the south and two from Yellowknife. The Northern region consists of the ridings of Mackenzie Delta, North Slave, Nunakput, Sahtu and the two Inuvik ridings. Deh Cho, Nahendeh, Thebacha and Tu Nedhe and the two Hay River ridings make up the southern region.

A press conference has been scheduled for today at which time the ministerial appointments will be announced.

The person in charge of keeping order in the house will be Yellowknife Kam Lake MLA Tony Whitford.

He won the post over Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko.