Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 06/02) - The premier may be trying to make amends, but he's meeting with scepticism from members of the legislative assembly.

Stephen Kakfwi said he would try to patch things up, and was seeking to speak with the MLAs who voted to boot him out of the premier's office.

Kakfwi was also introspective, reflecting on his leadership style and his personal shortcomings.

"I'm a bit of a loner. I have difficulty socializing and reaching out. My communication skills at a personal level are not the best. I give messages well on political issues and strategic action, I'm good at. Some other areas I'm not so good at ... and I need help. "

But, said Hay River North MLA Paul Delorey, we've heard it all before.

"The last time that his vote of confidence was in front of him, he was very sincere at the time," he said, referring to an October 2001 vote that Kakfwi survived by a 13-1 margin.

"But shortly after that, comments in the media (from Kakfwi) were, 'I guess I out manoeuvred them.' Comments like that did nothing for me as far as restoring trust in him."

"I think it was a great wrong done, that started right with the leader of our government," added Delorey. "And I didn't hear him apologize to the people of the NWT."

So what do MLAs want to see in a premier? Yellowknifer asked several for their input last week.

- Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland: "You need somebody who can work with people: an ability to communicate, to discuss openly, regardless of what potential outcomes are. Straightforward. If you have a new initiative, you've got to be able to go out and you've got to be able to bring back the interpretation of the concerns that were raised in a way that all parties around the table feel that you've got the stuff."

- Tu Nedhe MLA Steve Nitah: "A person who's a leader, in order to achieve great things, has to be above men, but at the same time has to be part of men. You've got to be able to interact, know what other people's feelings are, know what constituents are saying and be sensitive to that. It's pretty hard to do that when you're a loner."

- Hay River North MLA Paul Delorey: "I'm looking for a guy that will live within the guidelines that we have as a consensus-style government. We pick a premier because he's supposed to be accountable to the members that elect him."

- Yellowknife South MLA Brendan Bell: "Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, but I certainly think that a leader needs a willingness to work with those around him, because clearly in our system we need buy-in from all members. Going out on your own and as a lone wolf may work for the short-term, but in the long-term you've got to be able to move everybody with you."