Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 07/98) - Let the party -- political party that is -- begin.

City of Yellowknife councillor Dave Ramsay, who ran unsuccessfully for MLA during the last territorial election, said it's high time Northerners had the option of the party system at the territorial level.

And, he said he'll be working hard this winter to ensure residents of the western NWT have this as an option when voters go to the polls in 1999.

"It has to happen," he said Wednesday. "You have to start at the top. The premier (of the NWT) represents 400 or 500 people only and that's in a good year. By having party politics, people will know who their leader will be (when they vote)..."

"Going into the (1997) federal election, people knew damn well they were getting (Prime Minister) Jean Chretien as PM."

"It works in the Yukon and I have no reason to believe it wouldn't work here."

Since the NWT has been able to govern its own local affairs, NWT MLAs have chosen to govern through consensus-style politics.

Ramsay argued that the current system means that ordinary MLAs live in fear of the cabinet. A party system on the other hand would prevent this while increasing accountability at the same time.

"I don't believe those guys (today's MLAs) are doing their jobs," he said. "They're scared of the (finance minister) John Todds and (premier) Don Morins."

A party system would protect MLAs as well as provide for a more effective opposition in the North.

Ramsay said a political party in the western NWT could also serve as tool for bridging the gaps between the different views and aspirations of aboriginal and non-aboriginal citizens across the North. It would bind people together, not divide them, he said.

But, don't expect a Liberal, Tory, Reform or NDP party North, Ramsay, president of the Western Arctic PC Association, said. He'd like to see a party modelled on the Yukon Party or something similar.

Over the winter, Ramsay said he'll be discussing the issue with friends and colleagues from across the west.

His said the first step will be to get a lawyer onside who can advise the group on legal issues, develop a policy and platform and then find hard-working candidates from each riding.

Ramsay is hoping that anyone interested in forming a made-at-home NWT political party for the territorial level of government will contact him in the coming months.