Jack Danylchuk
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 09/06) - Ethel Blondin-Andrew is running a "desperate" campaign say her challengers in the Jan 23. federal election.

The Liberal incumbent in the Western Arctic officially launched her campaign last week with a statement that it would be "devastating" for the Northwest Territories if she loses.

"The Liberals are trying to scare people," said Conservative candidate Richard Edjericon, who was campaigning in Fort Smith.

One national poll published last week found the Conservatives running slightly ahead of the Liberals who held a small lead going into the election.

"Her approach is very desperate," said Edjericon, who could cut into Blondin-Andrew's support in the communities.

"On a lot of issues she toed the party line - on gun laws and same sex marriage. It's time for a change, and we have an opportunity to do it this election."

The NDP's Dennis Bevington, who came within a whisker of winning in June 2004, said Blondin-Andrew "doesn't show much faith in the Northwest Territories to say such a thing.

"We're on the way up, we have a great future," he said.

"The problems we've had is an inability to get the federal government to recognize the importance of us running our own affairs."

Blondin-Andrew also told reporters last week that negotiators were just days away from signing an agreement-in-principle on devolution when the opposition parties defeated the minority government last December.

Premier Joe Handley said that the territorial government would not agree to devolution until there was deal with Ottawa on resource revenue sharing.

Bevington accused the Liberal government of deliberately stalling on devolution and resource revenue sharing.

"They want to take advantage of resources here to fatten federal coffers; everybody recognizes how bad a deal the Territories have now," he said.

Green party candidate Alex Beaudin said "the North is ready for more vision than sharing money, nice smiles and firm handshakes.

"The North needs to be more ecologically aware," he said. "I think the Green party or the NDP would be better to represent those issues."