SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Elders will get a chance to grill potential MLAs at an seniors' issues all-candidates forum on Nov. 16 in Yellowknife.

It will be held at the Avens, a Community for Seniors and is being hosted by Avens, the NWT Seniors' Society and the Yellowknife Seniors' Society.

"We're inviting all the MLA candidates ... we're going to organize teleconference capabilities for people outside of Yellowknife. The candidates can call in and residents who are interested can call in," said Rebecca Alty, communications director for Avens. "We do want to offer candidates outside of Yellowknife the opportunity to weigh-in on the issues."

The forum is expected to be moderated by Bruce Valpy, managing editor for Northern News Services, Alty said, adding the teleconference phone number will be released to the public soon through advertisements, social media and related websites.

"We really wanted to raise awareness of seniors' issues and to hear from candidates and give voters the chance to ask questions and take the answers into consideration when they go to the polls," Alty said.

NWT Seniors' Society executive director Barb Hood said aside from hearing from candidates, the forum is also designed to make sure older adults in the territory are engaged in the election.

Hood said her organization has also sent a six-question questionnaire to all 60 candidates to find out their stance on issues that she said are critically important to older adults in the NWT.

According to Statistics Canada, as of July 1 of this year, 3,019 of the territory's 44,088 residents are 65 years of age or older.

That amounts to almost seven per cent of the population.

"We want to get the ears, eyes and hearts of older adults wrapped around these global issues," she said. "We want them to be aware. And we want to see what (the candidates) know about these issues ... When we look at a brighter picture for older adults we really need to see a government that is responding to needs around cost of living and we need to see different options for housing, long-term care options," she said. "The bed situation in Yellowknife is really bad. The independent living situation is really bad."

NWT Seniors' Society questions to candidates

• How will you ensure the continuation of extended health care benefits for NWT seniors?
• What will you do to support aging in place?
• What commitment would you make to ensure seniors living in their own homes have safe housing, adequate subsidies for fuel and are provided with affordable housing options?
• What measures will you take to enable equal access for all NWT seniors to territorial government programs and services?
• What actions will you take to reduce living costs throughout the NWT?
• Do you support a seniors' advocate for the NWT? Why or why not?
• How will you ensure the continuation of extended health care benefits for NWT Seniors?

Source: NWT Seniors' Society

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