Yellowknife (Dec 19/03) - Michael McLeod has two huge tasks in front of him.

After assuming the transportation and housing portfolios on Monday, he's getting a crash course in those affairs as they exist across the NWT.

"Right now we're going through a lot of briefings and a lot of information is flowing. I'm trying to get a good handle on where things are," McLeod said from Yellowknife, where he was meeting with deputy ministers and departmental staff on Monday.

"We're looking at budgets, the legislation and any initiatives that were in the works. I'm going to be quite busy over the holiday season reading documents and trying to play catch-up," he said.

McLeod also said he is determined to prove that even though he is now a cabinet minister, he will still represent his constituents well. To that end, he plans to have two constituency assistants, one in Fort Providence and another on the Hay River Reserve. As well, he will continue to make plenty of appearances locally, he noted.

Although there is always rumours and speculation about the back room power-broking that supposedly takes place to get cabinet positions, McLeod said he simply informed his fellow MLAs that he would let his name stand for a cabinet post.

"That was as far as my politicking went. I didn't ask for no commitments," he said.

After being named to cabinet by his peers, he and the other successful candidates met individually with Premier Joe Handley to discuss their skills and experiences and to which portfolios would best suit them.

McLeod said he's in favour of retaining consensus-style government even though Handley came to power through acclamation in his riding and faced no opposition for premier. If the electorate were allowed to choose the premier, then Yellowknife -- with the bulk of the NWT's population -- would win out every time, McLeod contended.