by Cheryl Leschasin
Northern News Services

NNSL (May 26/97) - For Chief Joachim Bonnetrouge of Fort Providence, all-candidates meetings are perhaps the best opportunity for voters to meet, question and evaluate their potential political leaders.

"The main intent was to give an opportunity for meeting between candidates, aboriginal leaders and the public," said Bonnetrouge of a May 17 meeting in his community.

His point of view is not unique in the North.

Judging from good turnouts at all western all-candidates meetings, voters have been taking advantage of the opportunity to grill candidates.

Because of the size of the NWT's two ridings, visits to each community are often rapid-fire affairs, and an all-candidates debate is the only efficient method of getting in the same room at the same time with a significant number of voters.

Questions ranging from gun control, aboriginal land claims, social support systems and economic development have been important issues amongst voters in all communities.

Though beneficial to voters in any riding, the western half of the territory definitely has an advantage over the East when it comes to all-candidate meetings, mostly due to better road access to communities.

At least six meetings will have been held in the western communities of Inuvik, Fort Providence, Fort Smith and Yellowknife by the June 2 federal election.

Many of the meeting focused on three issues: elimination of the GST, social-service cuts and CBC funding.

In Nunavut, possibly the toughest riding to canvass in the country, no all-candidates meetings have been held yet, though one is scheduled for Wednesday in Iqaluit.

Eastern candidates are relying more on personal contact and individual trips to the communities.

There is a danger associated with all-candidate forums, however. If the host organization isn't properly prepared, policy debates can be overshadowed by process.

That was the case at the May 17 Fort Providence all-candidates meeting, where the important issue of the evening was not a political one for the 30 or so people in attendance.

No translation services were available for non-English speaking voters. Many left while candidates were still making their presentations.

Bonnetrouge admits the lack of interpretive service was an oversight on the part of organizers. "We got too wrapped up in the format," he said.

Aside from translation problems, Fort Providence voters were concerned about treaty rights, gun control, poverty level amongst Northern elders and the federal election process itself.