Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 07/99) - Bob Haywood says party politics will soon be a fact of life in the NWT.

Haywood, president of the New Democratic Party Riding Association, said Monday the party plans to run candidates in the next territorial election.

"It's been talked about for years and though the membership hadn't been able to make a decision, it was leaning toward it," he said, "and when we elected an executive we made the decision to do it and went back to the membership for its response."

Haywood said only a handful of members opposed the motion -- some citing Aboriginal concerns and others the idea of giving the current consensus system more time.

"But it's been 30 years," said Haywood, who pointed out that the current system itself relies on votes and slim majorities.

Haywood said he can't imagine the NDP being ready to run candidates in all of the NWT's proposed 19 ridings, but said the party will begin by focusing on the main regional centres -- and agreeing on policies and strategies.

"We're developing a platform and not just taking the federal one," he said.

"For example, environmental issues are totally different here, as is the resources issue and the amount of money we give to Ottawa."

Haywood also said he wouldn't be surprised if the Progressive Conservatives ran candidates, too.

But Western Arctic riding president and Yellowknife city councillor Dave Ramsay said no PC territorial association exists as yet.

"We've had some extensive talks," he said, "but we're waiting to see what happens -- and whether we run candidates remains to be seen."

Ramsay said the party will assess the situation as the next election draws closer.

"If the NDP runs candidates, it will open the door for party politics," he said, "but in the case of the NWT, I think you have to keep the party system fairly simple."

Ramsay said Northerners may be suspicious of traditional political parties partially because of their southern roots.

Ruth Spence said the Liberals are also taking the wait-and-see approach.

A member of Ethel Blondin-Andrew's riding association executive, Spence said the membership and the MP discussed the idea at their annual general meeting in April but decided to hold off.

"We don't feel we're ready yet -- we feel we have to have riding associations in every community first," she said. "We feel we've got to have something across the board, but it's going to be very expensive...and at the moment the people in the territories have other priorities than party politics -- like self-government and land claims."