Adam Johnson
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, September 12, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - While the territorial election is nearly three weeks away, some city councillors have already made their picks, and have gone out of their way to make their preference known.

A pile of election signs gather on the border of the Yellowknife Centre and Great Slave ridings on 52 Avenue. This time around, some MLA candidates have been finding Yellowknife city councillors on their side. - Adam Johnson/NNSL photo

"I wouldn't have run for city council if I wasn't interested in making sure we have the best possible leadership," said Coun. Kevin Kennedy.

Kennedy serves as the co-campaign manager for Doug Ritchie's run for MLA in the Great Slave riding. He is one of several city councillors keeping an eye on territorial politics.

"We have only one piece of the puzzle," Kennedy said of his role as councillor. "All the issues that we talk about come back to the territorial government and its willingness to support the City of Yellowknife."

Another councillor who has spoken up for a MLA candidate is Shelagh Montgomery, in support of Yellowknife Centre candidate and former city councillor Ben McDonald.

Montgomery appears in one of McDonald's pamphlets, praising his leadership skills, attributed to "Shelagh Montgomery, Yellowknife city councillor."

"Ben knows how to make thing happen," the statement reads. "He is successful because he is skilled at leading decision-making bodies to get beyond differing views and come to successful solutions."

Montgomery was not available for comment at deadline.

This situation doesn't sit well with everyone. Yellowknife Centre incumbent Robert Hawkins said he is concerned about the approach these councillors are taking.

"(The city) voted for them to be city councillors, not to run people's campaigns," he said.

"Are they going to represent the city, or are they going to represent their individual points of view?"

"I think we should start taking a serious look at public officials putting a full-time focus on an individual's campaign," he said, scrutiny he wanted to see in federal elections as well.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem, meanwhile, said he isn't picking favorites, and doesn't plan to.

"I deal with MLAs on a day-to-day basis." Therefore, he said it's important he meet them on "equal footing."

"In case I pick the wrong one," he said with a laugh.

That doesn't mean he has a problem with councillors making their opinions known, however.

"Last I checked, it was a free country," he said.

Kennedy, a Great Slave resident, said he doesn't see any sort of conflict in promoting a MLA while working as a city councillor. However, he said he does appreciate the concern.

"I've been very, very careful not to mix the two," he said. "I don't think I've ever spoken as city councillor Kevin Kennedy."

"I'm just acting as a citizen in my own neighborhood."

The territorial election takes place Oct. 1.