SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The new MLA for Kam Lake is calling for a more open voting system whereby the public gets to know exactly how MLAs voted and how many votes went to candidates seeking the premiership and seats on cabinet.

Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart questions premier hopefuls on policy Wednesday prior to the vote. Testart broke tradition with when he made his choice for premier and cabinet public. Yellowknife North MLA Cory Vanthuyne joined Testart in doing so. - Walter Strong/NNSL photo

Kieron Testart called for changes to the process after publicly revealing he had voted for Glen Abernethy for premier. He stated in a news release Wednesday that he was honouring a campaign promise by disclosing who he supported. Abernethy lost to Bob McLeod who made history by becoming the first two-term premier in the modern era of the Northwest Territories.

Testart later said by not even revealing the vote count, the public is left in the dark as to the strength of the premier's mandate. He said he is not disappointed more MLAs did not follow his lead, at least so far but argued open votes are what the public is demanding.

"I believe it is the right thing to do," said Testart. "It's been a long-standing request from members of the public for many years. The fact that (the vote) really hasn't been done in a fully transparent way has constantly been an area of criticism for many MLAs in the past. I think there is a real interest in proactive disclosure of leadership."

Testart said the fact that dozens of people packed the public gallery at the legislative assembly for hours worth of voting shows that the public is interested in the process and wants to be engaged.

The other MLA to disclose who he supported for premier and cabinet was newly-elected MLA for Yellowknife North, Cory Vanthuyne. He too said he was honouring a campaign pledge and posted who he voted for on his Facebook page.

"My pick for premier was Glen Abernethy," wrote Vanthuyne.

"I know and heard from many folks that Glen made genuine efforts in the last assembly to work with regular members. I also seen Glen as the voice for change and believe he will still be the lead voice on cabinet in that regard. I congratulate Bob McLeod on becoming premier for a history-making second term and I am very hopeful that he will move forward on the initiatives he indicted in his comments with regard to changing the way in which the assembly conducts its business."

Transparency has been such a buzz word both during the campaign and since the election that McLeod has proposed naming a minister responsible for transparency and democratic engagement.

"That minister would be tasked with taking the lead on developing an open government policy," McLeod said in his speech to MLAs on Dec. 9 as he campaigned for premier. McLeod also called for cabinet to hold regular public meetings with residents.

MLAs selected for cabinet are Abernethy, Robert C. McLeod from Inuvik Twin Lakes, Alfred Moses from Inuvik Boot Lake, Wally Schumann from Hay River South, Thebacha MLA Louis Sebert and Range Lake's Caroline Cochrane. It took three ballots to decide the southern ministers. Newly-elected Nehendeh MLA Shane Thompson was eliminated on the second ballot while former cabinet minister and MLA for Tu Nedhe - Wiilideh Tom Beaulieu was the odd man out after the third ballot. The process for assigning cabinet portfolios is expected to begin today. It is not clear when the ministers' departments will be finalized.

Monfwi MLA Jackson Lafferty, the only member who was acclaimed in the Nov. 23 election, was also acclaimed as Speaker when no one else ran for the position.

Yellowknifer reached out to the other five Yellowknife MLAs, including McLeod and Abernethy, to see if they would reveal who they voted for, and if not, why not. None of them had responded as of press time.

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