Back on the job
Samuel Gargan returns to the legislative assembly among elder parliamentarians
Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, May 22, 2014
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Returning to the legislative assembly for a week was almost like going home for one participant in the biennial Elders' Parliament.
Albert Moses, left, represented the Nahendeh riding while Elaine Coumont sat for Range Lake during the Elders' Parliament that was held in Yellowknife May 5 to 9. - photo courtesy of the Legislative Assembly
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Samuel Gargan represented the Deh Cho riding during the parliament that took place in Yellowknife May 5 to 9. It is the same riding that elected Gargan for four consecutive terms starting in 1983. Gargan also served almost six years as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly during his final two terms.
"I felt very much at home," said Gargan.
Although he didn't know the 17 elders who were representing the rest of the territory, Gargan said that they blended together well. The people who put their names forward and were chosen at random from a ballot box to become the premier and ministers were a well-balanced group, he said. Melody McLeod of Yellowknife South, who happens to be the wife of real Premier Bob McLeod, was a strong premier, said Gargan.
The 18 parliamentarians spent the week attending meetings, listening to presentations on a variety of topics, including promoting physical activity and healthy eating among elders, and preparing for the model parliament session that was held May 8.
"The issues of the elders are pretty well collective," said Gargan.
Many of the elders shared the same views. Protecting the land and water were common themes in their members statements. Gargan wrote his statement about the scathing report by the auditor general on child and family services.
Gargan also drew laughter from the assembly when he said he watches the members in the assembly every evening on TV and dreams of days gone by when he was a member, only to wake up and find the program is over.
The elders showed the similarity in their views through the three motions they debated. The assembly unanimously passed a motion calling for a moratorium on fracking in the NWT.
Gargan said the elders were given information about the types of chemicals used in fracking and the damage it creates. The process can't be reversed, nor the land it affects reclaimed, he said.
"Whatever is pristine is pretty well destroyed forever," said Gargan.
"The human cost is too much."
Elders also spoke about the need for strong regulations to govern fracking and the need for buffer zones so the process isn't carried out near water.
The elders also unanimously passed a motion to establish a sustainability forum to address the high cost of living in the NWT.
Although it also passed, Gargan was one of the MLAs who voted against setting up community-based traditional knowledge centres.
Gargan said the motion wasn't his to pass.
"Traditional knowledge belongs to the people," he said.
"Traditional knowledge doesn't belong in an institution."
Overall, being back in the legislative assembly for the Elders' Parliament was a good experience, said Gargan. Albert Moses of Wrigley represented the Nahendeh riding at the parliament. He couldn't be reached by press time.
