Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 24/99) - People are often quick to criticize politicians.

But with an election on the horizon, the four Yellowknife members of the 13th assembly all say they have much to be proud of.

The only Yellowknife MLA on cabinet, Frame Lake MLA Charles Dent said his biggest accomplishment was successfully getting funding for the healthy children initiative.

"It encompasses everything from programs that look like head start programs through to toy lending libraries," the finance minister said.

"It also includes programs to teach parents about nutrition and to just play with their kids."

Dent believes his second biggest accomplishment is getting the NWT's books in order.

"We're running a deficit this year but we have enough of an accumulated surplus to pay for it so when we finish this year we will have no accumulated debt," he said.

Dent said everything ties into diamonds and how he has helped secure a secondary industry for the Northwest Territories.

"Secondary industry and training people to work in that secondary industry has to be the third biggest accomplishment."

The three other MLAs, Roy Erasmus, Jake Ootes and Seamus Henry all cite successfully pushing for money for school building and school renovations.

"The school in Ndilo is one accomplishment," said Yellowknife North MLA Roy Erasmus.

"People have been asking for a school for years and years."

Erasmus noted last year's start of the homeless shelter as a second accomplishment.

He then rounded out his three accomplishments by discussing starting loan programs for businesses through the Aurora Fund and through a tax credit program.

Ootes, MLA for Yellowknife Centre, said creating jobs in the diamond field is a big accomplishment.

"I played a pivotal role in getting secondary industry -- the valuation plant and the cutting and polishing facility," Ootes said.

Another accomplishment Ootes will look back on with pride is "helping make the entire system of government more transparent and open."

Henry, MLA for Frame Lake South, said aside from helping push for money for school infrastructure, he also pushed for money for the Bridges program that eases students' entry into the work force.

Other than that, he can look back with pride for being successful at helping raise the speed limit on Highway 3 from 90 kilometres to 100 kilometres.