Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 04/02) - For MLAs, allowing couples of the same sex to legally adopt children was a religious issue, a human rights issue, a process issue or a legislative issue.

Shelly Strong and daughter Kindred, pictured here in December, await passage of a new law allowing same-sex couples to adopt children in the Northwest Territories. - Richard Gleeson/NNSL photo

For Shelly Strong it was about ensuring her daughter, Kindred, is well cared for.

"Our main interest is to protect Kindred, in case anything happens to me," she said.

The assembly appears poised to change the law to allow Strong's partner, Nadine Scott, to legally adopt Strong's daughter, who was conceived through artificial insemination, giving the couple joint parenting rights.

"I'm really encouraged by the leadership the premier has taken on this, directing his cabinet to vote for the change," Strong said.

She added she doesn't care about the reasons why Stephen Kakfwi supported the change, as long as the law changes.

Kakfwi made his reasons for supporting the change clear Thursday, during a debate of the change.

"I truly believe that discrimination in whatever form there is has to be addressed, and should not be in any laws, in any legislature in this country," the premier said.

By a vote of 11-6, the change moved a step closer to becoming law.

Supporting the bill were the seven members of cabinet and four regular MLAs representing Yellowknife.

In addition to the regular MLAs representing predominately aboriginal communities, Jane Groenewegen voted against the change.

"I couldn't even support this bill if I went back to my constituency and every one of them told me to support it," said the Hay River South MLA. She reminded the assembly that each sitting of the assembly begins with a prayer for guidance from the creator.

"I believe that the relationship that holds life between a man and a woman is a mystery ... as legislators to enact laws which would contradict that shows disrespect to the creator," Groenewegen said.

The same change was defeated on a vote in the last assembly. In 1997 there were more members from aboriginal communities, fewer Yellowknife MLAs, and cabinet ministers were free to vote any way they wanted.

At that time, Nahendeh MLA Jim Antoine and Nunakput's Vince Steen were among the MLAs who voted down the change. Both supported it this time.

Antoine did not speak during Thursday's debate. Following it, his initial reaction when asked about his views was "no comment."

He later indicated his position could change when it comes to a final vote.

"I'll be travelling to my riding and talking to my people on that," Antoine said. "There was a lot of opposition to it (in 1997). There's been a lot of discussion since then."

Rookie MLA and cabinet minister Roger Allen also did not speak during the debate and followed it with a "no comment" when asked his views on the issue.

A number of members who opposed the bill cited the lack of consultation, which was limited to an advertisement in the newspaper calling for written comments just before this session began.

"I'm appalled that this minister didn't go to any communities in the North to discuss this," said Deh Cho MLA Michael McLeod.

The minister, Michael Miltenberger, took over the portfolio from Groenewegen four months ago.

"When I came on cabinet, I offered to be the lead minister on this initiative," said the Thebacha MLA, who voted in favour of the change during the last assembly.

"I'm not here to pass judgment on people or their lifestyles," Miltenberger said. "I'm here to make sure the laws that we have comply with the Supreme Court and what lawmakers have told us we should."

With a small group of friends, Strong watched the debate from the gallery, when she wasn't watching Kindred, who appeared more interested in the carpeting.