New MP talks priorities
NWT member of Parliament-elect Michael McLeod wants a cabinet seat
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Monday, October 26, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The newly elected Liberal MP for the NWT said that he wants very much to be named a minister in Justin Trudeau's cabinet.
Michael Mcleod, newly elected Liberal MP and daughters Shawna McLeod, left, and Robyn McLeod celebrate victory together in Yellowknife on Oct. 19. - Karen K. Ho/NNSL photo |
And if not him, he's making no secret that at least one Northern representative should have a portfolio bestowed upon him.
Michael McLeod, a former MLA, Minister of Transportation and brother of Premier Bob McLeod, unseated incumbent NDP MP Dennis Bevington in the Oct. 19 federal election.
"I plan to talk to other the other MPs from the Northern ridings and talk to them about how we can ensure we have a minister from the North. We need to have one of the three Northern MPs become a cabinet minister if we are going to be effective. I would prefer it to be me. I think the important thing is to convince the Liberal Party that there has to be a selection to be one of us," he told News/North the day after the election.
McLeod said he does not have a specific portfolio in mind if he is in fact named to cabinet.
"We need to have that discussion with the leadership to see how it will be handled," he said.
"Regardless of where I end up, I want to be involved with the issues that affect the North, whether it's through a cabinet position or whether I'm there to champion issues that affect the North, or aboriginal issues, I'd like to be involved."
That said, McLeod did say he thinks he has the experience to become Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development minister.
"I come to the table with a lot of background dealing with aboriginal governments, the territorial government and municipalities. I think I still have very good relationships with aboriginal governments and most aboriginal leaders," he said. "I think I could bring things forward that others maybe couldn't because I have a certain amount of trust from the aboriginal leaders. The trust factor from the Conservative government and aboriginal people has been severely damaged and we need to be able to sit down nation-to-nation to have those discussions."
McLeod said he had a discussion before the election with Trudeau and the party about the fact that all three Northern Liberal MPs want to be more than just representatives.
"We want to have people involved. We want to have people who will provide leadership and give good practical advice," he said. A record number of 10 indigenous MPs were voted in during this election, including McLeod and Hunter Tootoo in Nunavut. Eight of the indigenous MPs are Liberals while the other two are from the NDP.
"I also want to talk to the other (indigenous) MPs from across Canada to start making connections with them so that we have a network of people we can work together with," McLeod said.
He added he believes that it can only help Northerners that there are three MPs from the party in power representing them.
"When I was a territorial cabinet minister and the Liberal Party had an MP from the North, there was a big difference. They were able to help us. They were able to open doors. They were able to set up meetings ... with everybody we needed to see," he said. "We weren't able to do that when we had an MP who wasn't in power. I talked to people who said they had to use lobby groups in Ottawa and pay up to $10,000 to have people in place to help them because we didn't have an MP who was in power."
McLeod insisted he has every intention of honouring his campaign promises - except for one.
The Liberals will increase the Northern Residents Tax deduction by 33 per cent, but not the 50 per cent that was originally promised, McLeod said.
He added that once the child tax credit became part of the Liberal platform, party officials realized they couldn't do 50 per cent. The funding just wasn't there.
He said other promises, including funding for upgrading the Yellowknife River water pipeline and federal help with the construction of a new Stanton hospital in Yellowknife are issues he will be taking to the prime minister as soon as possible.
Michael McLeod's brother Premier Bob McLeod said the entire family is very proud of Michael's election win. He said he would like the new MP to be named infrastructure minister because of the territory's desperate need for things like roads and power lines.
The premier added he will not use his fraternal relationship with his brother to try to further any aspirations he might have in securing another term as premier if he wins in the Nov. 23 territorial election.
