Derek Neary
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Nov 05/99) - It was an eventful first day of November in the Nahendeh riding as Bill Laferte and Paul Gammon, both of Fort Simpson, filed their nomination papers for MLA before the 2 p.m. deadline.

They join incumbent Jim Antoine in what has now become a three-way race within the constituency. Antoine said he was expecting a campaign.

"I think a campaign is good. It gives people an opportunity to express themselves and it's a better way of getting direction from people," Antoine said. "It's also accountability time for me."

Gammon said his reason for running is because he's tired of the status quo.

"I don't like Yellowknife, and I'm fed up with them getting five seats," Gammon said. "Their ferry (Mackenzie River crossing) is still operating, our's isn't... People pay more for milk in Wrigley than they do in Yellowknife, but the distance is the same ... Those types of things ... The only gainers here (in the NWT) appear to be the big city folks."

Gammon, who has no previous political experience, has worked as a senior administrative officer in Fort Liard, Fort Simpson and Enterprise over the past few decades.

When it comes to economic development, he accuses the GNWT of killing off the small businesses in the area.

"We appear to live a very sheltered life and we rely too much on the GNWT. In the end, they shaft us," he said. "The government's very generous, to a fault almost. They go out and lend someone $250,000 and then force the person into bankruptcy. We've achieved nothing that way."

Gammon acknowledged that the aforementioned issues would be difficult to tackle. Although he's admittedly not likely to win the war, he's at least willing to make some noise. Antoine, he contended, is a nice guy who tends to "go with the flow."

He said he also thinks Laferte is also a nice guy, but questions why he decided to come out of retirement now.

"Obviously, there's somebody out there pushing him and pushing me. So there's some people who are not happy," he said.

Laferte makes another run

Laferte, a former MLA, said he threw his hat in the ring in response to public demand. As well, he said too many people have been lulled into political complacency. Acclamation in this riding wouldn't be acceptable again, he said.

One of the pressing constituency issues he cites is the road conditions.

"In some places (the roads) are very, very bad and sinking right damn near to ground level," he said. "It's time for reconstruction."

The dates and hours of ferry operation also leave something to be desired, he said.

The lack of private enterprise is another great concern to Laferte. There are presently few employment opportunities, especially for younger people, and too much reliance on government funding.

"A little contractor or businessman... is in the business of putting a little profit in his pocket and likewise in the pockets of the people who he employs," he said.

Laferte said his ability to communicate well and speak a number of languages are assets to him. He also suggests he has a broad knowledge of the political arena -- whether Metis, Dene or Caucasian -- but he doesn't discriminate.

"I see a man as a man," he said. "A good worker is a good worker, no matter who in the hell he is ... I'm kind of a grassroots man, and a people's man."

He said he's on friendly terms with both other candidates and has nothing personal against them. Both Antoine and Gammon have been involved, in some way, in regional land claims activity, he said. That activity once generated money and supported some business, but it's now a thing of the past and no longer offers any promise to young people, he asserted.

Antoine prepared

Antoine said he decided to run again because there's still a lot of work to be done. Wrestling control of natural resources from the federal government, which will benefit all of the NWT, is still extremely important to him, he said.

"There's been some movement in that area," he said. "That's the work that has to get done in the next term, I guess."

More specific to Nahendeh, the resolution of the Deh Cho Process is a momentous issue, according to Antoine.

"I think it's important to support the First Nations to deal with this issue because it's a key to economic development," he said.

In the meantime, the economy shouldn't remain dormant, he suggested. Like the other candidates, Antoine feels that in the past people have depended upon the territorial government too much.

Members of the legislative assembly can help to create an environment where businesses can prosper, he said.