by Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 17/97) - The talkers have been separated from the doers in this year's municipal election in Yellowknife.

At this early stage the only thing that is certain is change.

Three aldermen elected to the present council are campaigning for mayor. With the departure of aldermen Jo MacQuarrie and Dick Peplow, and Trevor Kasteel not seeking re-election, the majority of the council that will see the city through division will be newcomers.

Following is a list of those who will be seeking your vote Oct. 20 (* denotes incumbent).

Candidates for mayor

Vi Beck

Elected in 1994 to her first term in municipal politics, Beck, 43, is looking to increase her involvement by entering the race for the mayoral seat this time around.

Beck's extensive community involvement includes stints with Caribou Carnival, NWT Family Services, NWT Council for the Disabled and Folk on the Rocks.

Beck works as a constituency assistant for Yellowknife North MLA Roy Erasmus.

John Dalton

A 25-year resident of Yellowknife, Dalton has been elected to the last two city councils.

He resigned his seat on the current council in January over money owed the city, a requirement of municipal law. He paid his debt to the city the day he resigned.

Before becoming involved in municipal politics Dalton was elected to two terms with the Yellowknife separate school board, where he also served as chairman.

Dalton retired as manager of the local office of the federal Department of Human Resources last month.

The owner of a taxi cab company, Dalton has served on the Stanton Memorial Hospital board, was involved for a years in the local scouting program, and as a volunteer with local youth groups.

Matthew Grogono

Owner and operator of Yellowknife Glass Recyclers and a part owner of the City Market, Grogono has been one of city hall's most vocal critics.

Grogono was a driving force behind the establishment of the city's solid waste management policy. Last year the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce presented him with an Environmental Stewardship award for his recycling business.

He is also one of three houseboat owners named in a suit the city has launched to establish jurisdiction over Yellowknife Bay.

Dave Lovell*

An alderman for four years before becoming mayor, Lovell has lived in the city since 1956.

Lovell, 48, is an accountant by trade, holding three accounting designations. Before getting involved in municipal politics he worked as an audit manager for the territorial government.

He has served as a volunteer for the NWT branches of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Salvation Army and Canadian Mental Health Association and the NWT Council for the Disabled.

Ruth Spence*

Spence has served three terms as alderman. The first two ran from 1978-82. She is the current deputy mayor.

Apart from an eight-year absence during the '80s, Spence has resided in the city since 1964. She is president of the Western Arctic Liberal Association, was the first president of Northern Addictions and founded and served as the first executive director of the Yellowknife YWCA.

A nurse by profession, Spence was recently appointed to the Stanton Memorial Hospital board.

Candidates for alderman

Larry Adams

With 25 years in the construction industry under his belt, Adams is hoping to bring a business perspective to council.

Adams is a nine-year resident of the city. For the last four years he has worked under contract for the NWT Construction Association delivering motivational seminars and construction safety programs.

This is his first run at a council seat, though he was involved as a volunteer in the last territorial election.

David Anderson

Semi-retired from the construction industry, Anderson is currently

Anderson made year-long visits to the city in 1972 and 1984, working on construction projects within the city. He set up permanent residence here in July 1996.

Anderson is currently working on a master of business administration degree through distance education. He has an extensive background as a sports volunteer and is currently the only master swim official in the NWT.

Cheryl Best

A nine-year resident of the city, Best is executive director of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce. She has served as a volunteer for business-oriented projects as well as Caribou Carnival.

John Best

One half of a husband-and-wife team seeking seats on council, John Best is co-ordinator of wildlife development for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development.

He and his wife, Cheryl, came to Yellowknife from Calgary nine years ago. This is his first foray into politics.

Bob Brooks

Executive director of the NWT Chamber of Commerce, Brooks has served on the current council since January, when he was appointed to fill the seat vacated by John Dalton.

He served a term as alderman before mounting a well-organized but unsuccessful bid for mayor in the last election. Brooks is a 16-year resident of Yellowknife. He worked in public relations and sales since arriving in Yellowknife.

Mike Bryant

At 26, Bryant is the youngest candidate in this year's election, which he promises to spice up with an offbeat campaign. A member of two bands popular on the local nightclub circuit, Bryant is well known to club-goers.

When not performing, the Woodyard resident is a cook at a restaurant in Old Town.

Bob Findlay

The most politically experienced candidate in this year's campaign, Findlay is a 20-year veteran of Yellowknife municipal politics.

He served as mayor from 1974-75 and acting mayor under Pat McMahon.

Findlay, a chiropractor by profession, considered running for mayor in the last election, but was prevented by a bout of ill health.

Dan Hayward

Owner and operator of Sports Traders and an employee of Kavanaugh Brothers, Hayward has been a resident of Yellowknife for the past 22 years.

He is heavily involved in the local hockey and broomball scenes, and was last year named minor hockey coach of the year.

Hayward was one of several downtown business owners who two weeks ago called for a solution to downtown violence.

Cameron Kos

A five-year resident of Yellowknife, Kos was one of the contenders in the last municipal election. Kos, 28, is a corrections officer at the Yellowknife Correctional Centre.

He is treasurer of the Trails End community association, a past president and member of the Yellowknife Amateur Radio Society.

Kos has also coached soccer and serves as a spotter with the Civil Air Search and Rescue.

Blake Lyons*

Next to Bob Findlay, Lyons is the most experienced candidate running in this year's election. He has served as an alderman for four terms, since 1987. This term he is also assistant deputy mayor.

A resident of Yellowknife since 1980, Lyons is executive director of the NWT Teachers' Association.

His record of volunteer service includes involvement with the Caribou Carnival, the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, a program designed to motivate young people.

Ben McDonald

An alderman from 1988-91, McDonald now works as a research and public affairs officer for the Union of Northern Workers.

McDonald is also co-chairperson of Alternatives North and president of the local chapter of the United Steel Workers of America.

The 18-year resident of the city is secretary on the board of directors of the Co-op and has served on a number of non-profit and charitable boards.

McDonald, 47, was also a delegate to the Western Constitutional Forum.

Melody McLeod

McLeod worked for 27 years in the public service before retiring in June of 1996.

Though she has had no involvement in municipal politics, McLeod worked as a volunteer for Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew in the June federal election.

McLeod is a member of the NWT Water Board and the Western Aboriginal Leadership program in Fort Smith, and served for a number of years as president of the Yellowknife Ladies Broomball Association.

John Murray

A semi-retired teacher, Murray has extensive involvement in human rights and environmental and peace issues. He is a member of the Canadian Peace Alliance, Nuclear Free North

and Alternatives North.

Peggy Near

A small-business consultant, Near has lived in Yellowknife for two and a half years ago.

Near, 45, served a term and a half on town council of Digby, N.S., before moving North in 1986.

Near has lived in Inuvik, Hay River, Fort Simpson, Cambridge Bay and Tuktoyaktuk before settling here.

Kevin O'Reilly

O'Reilly, research director of the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee, has been extensively involved in municipal politics, but has never sat on council.

A former volunteer with Ecology North, O'Reilly has championed environmental causes during his 11 years in Yellowknife.

His municipal involvement includes helping to turn back a mosquito abatement program, work on establishing a smoking bylaw and ensuring the Niven Lake development was as environmentally friendly as possible.

Dave Ramsay

Co-owner of a computer games store, Ramsay, 27, was recognized last year as one of the country's Young Entrepreneurs of the Year by the Business Development Bank of Canada.

Ramsay is secretary of the Western Arctic Progressive Conservative Riding Association and has served as a volunteer with the Crime Stoppers program.

After graduating from the University of New Brunswick with a B.A. in political science, Ramsay made an unsuccessful bid to be MLA for Yellowknife Centre.

Robert Slaven

Slaven ran in the 1991 election protesting the city's eviction of residents of the Bartram trailer court.

He has been a resident of Yellowknife since 1971 and has worked for the GNWT for the last three years. He is currently manager of student records for the territorial Department of Education.

Slaven may also be remembered by many city residents as a big winner in the TV show Jeopardy, a year after he lost his bid for a seat on council.

Slaven has extensive community volunteer experience. For the last three years he has served as referee-in-chief for the Yellowknife minor hockey association.

Merlyn Williams*

Williams is running for his second term as alderman.

The 30-year resident of Yellowknife is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion and has served as a volunteer in local theatre and performing arts.

Williams is the former chairman of the NWT liquor licensing board.