Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 09/99) - With five new seats up for grabs, the time is ripe for many Northerners to think about running in the next territorial election, Dec. 6.

In Inuvik, Mary Beckett said she is intending to run, but has not started thinking about her campaign yet.

Some people in the community are mentioning Peter Clarkson's name as a potential candidate.

But when reached, the deputy mayor of Inuvik said that with two children and one on the way, the time is not right for him to run because he wants to spend as much of his time as possible in Inuvik.

Paul Komaromi said many people have asked him to run, but so far he is not seriously considering a run.

Many others are rumoured to be running, but could not be reached by press time.

Some of those rumoured MLA wannabes live on the same street as well-known Health Minister Floyd Roland.

To them, some good news could be that they need not run against the possibly tough-to-beat Roland.

Candidates do not have to live in the riding they aim to represent.

In Hay River, Mayor Jack Rowe said his role for now is to serve the community by living in it.

"At this point in time I'm happy serving the town of Hay River," he said.

"Things may change but I don't see it."

Rowe said the reason the rumour mill is not too active in the town is because people are caught up with summer.

In Yellowknife, city councillor Dave Ramsay, former mayor Pat McMahon and teacher Beaton Mackenzie have all decided that they will throw their hats into the ring to run for the seven Yellowknife MLA spots.

Others say they are thinking about it.

Arlene Hache, from the Yellowknife Women's Centre, and Roy Desjarlais, who has been active with the Aboriginal Sports Circle, are both considering running.

So is real estate agent and former city councillor Marie Coe, former finance minister John Todd and current city councillor Robert Slaven.

All prospective candidates must be nominated by 15 eligible voters as well as pay a $200 deposit, which is refundable if the candidate earns half the votes of the winning candidate.

Nominations open with the issuing of the writ, set for Oct. 22. They stay open until Nov. 1 at 2 p.m., with the candidate having until 8 p.m. that evening to remove their name.