Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 06/05) - North Slave residents will vote for a new MLA on July 18.

The announcement was made by Chief Electoral Officer Glen McLean last Thursday, following the resignation of troubled MLA Henry Zoe.

McLean acknowledged that many people travel in summer but said it was "not unusual" to stage a summer election.

Nominations for candidates will accepted by the returning officer from June 20 until 2 p.m. on June 24.

Two potential candidates have already made their intentions known.

Leon Lafferty, a contender in the 2003 general elections, said he has other aspirations.

"No, I have no plans of running again for the North Slave region," Lafferty said. "My plans right now are to run for chief (of Rae)."

Lafferty received 297 of the 1,189 votes in the 2003 election.

"I think it was a good idea for (Zoe) to resign instead of having the rest of his colleagues kick him out," Lafferty said.

Nora Doig, who was second with 379 votes in the 2003 election, said she will go again once she is nominated by Rae elder Joe Migii.

"I'm honoured an elder is going to nominate me," Doig said of Migii, who has been in the Dogrib political arena for 30 years.

"I think they (North Slave region) need someone who is going to be transparent and a hardworking person who will work at the community level."

Doig said it was "an honourable" thing for Henry Zoe to resign his seat as MLA of the region.

"We're glad to hear he will make a fresh start in his life."