LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
A month after announcing he would run again for the Nahendeh riding, MLA incumbent Kevin Menicoche has finished a 10-day tour of the riding's communities.

Menicoche announced he would be seeking re-election in the upcoming election campaign, scheduled to kick off on Oct. 26 with votes to be held Nov. 23.

However, he told Deh Cho Drum his latest constituency tour had more to do with the upcoming fifth sitting of the 17th Legislative Assembly than the election.

"This is typical of my work, to tour the constituency before the sitting of the legislature, especially since we have one (sitting) left before we break for the election period," Menicoche stated in an e-mail.

Speaking of the fall election campaign, Menicoche said he anticipates discussing the issue of resource extraction with the electorate.

He said he expects hydraulic fracturing to be one of the new and emerging issues he will be tackling if re-elected.

"I realize that over 12 years, priorities change. In particular, a big change recently has been a highlight of fracking and the NWT's use of water," he said. "My constituents and myself are very concerned about how the government plans to regulate that."

Before election day hits, Menicoche plans to visit Nahendeh communities again once he starts campaigning.

"I'm looking forward to going out to the communities to meet and speak with constituents about the issues affecting them," he said. "(Many of) my constituents are looking for an opportunity to use my experience as we move into the 18th assembly."

Menicoche said he thinks his experience would benefit the government if he was selected for a cabinet position, but said that will be something he plans to discuss with his constituents prior to election day.

The last time he was re-elected, Deh Cho residents wanted him to be accessible as a local MLA who could voice concerns in the legislature, he said - something a cabinet position could preclude him from doing.

He said when it comes to issues such as housing, Cabinet solidarity would force him to toe the line the government sets out, instead of giving him free rein to speak his mind.

During his constituency tour, Menicoche met with the chiefs of smaller communities, including Nahanni Butte.

He said some of the topics of discussion included roads, delivery of municipal services, housing needs and his ability as MLA to support future plans the communities might have.

Although he has focused on roads in his last three terms as MLA, Menicoche had previously told Deh Cho Drum he expected a shortage of public and private housing to be one of the priorities he would tackle in a fourth term.

By e-mail, Menicoche stated his constituency tour showed him clearly that a shortage exists.

"There are older units there that need repairs. The solution, I think, is to have at least four-unit complexes built in the smaller communities to address the immediate need," he stated.

"This is cost-effective right now due to the high cost of living in the smaller communities."

The final sitting of legislature will begin Sept. 29.

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