Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Nov 05/99) - By the close of nominations Monday evening, six Inuvik residents had emerged as candidates in the upcoming territorial election and for a seat in the legislature.

Mary Beckett, Chris Garven and Floyd Roland will compete for Inuvik Boot Lake while Roger Allen, Glenna Hansen and George Roach are running in Twin Lakes.

"We're one of the original families that moved here in the 1960s, so our roots are here," said Allen, explaining his choice of riding. "I've been involved in politics for the last 24 years and have been asked on several occasions by people in the west end to go ahead and run."

With the expansion of the legislature this summer, the number of ridings in Inuvik has doubled, forcing the candidates to make a choice of constituency. Allen's choice is particularly intriguing since it pits him again Roach, who narrowly defeated him in the last election for mayor just two years ago.

Owner-manager of Allens' Transportation and Rentals Ltd., Allen also administers the young-offenders facility in Inuvik. He said his campaign team will be coming out with its platform in the coming weeks, but that he'll also be relying on his experience -- in positions that include his term as mayor of Aklavik and chair of the Mackenzie Delta Beaufort Council.

Mary Beckett said her team is also gearing up for the Dec. 6 vote. She said she chose to run in Boot Lake after weighing the options and because she thinks voters will be frustrated enough over his handling of the Department of Health and Social Services to topple Minister Roland, the incumbent MLA.

"I've been getting very positive feedback," Beckett said. "I think it pays that I've been active in the community for a number of years -- in education, at the bank, running a business and curling."

Beckett hosted an open-house on Sunday, and said she'll remain visible throughout the campaign -- getting out and meeting her prospective constituents. In fact, voters may just get a chance to hear all the candidates talk about their policies.

Rob Cook, owner of the Cafe Gallery and Gwich'in Graphics, said he's been asked to organize a candidates' debate and may do so in conjunction with the launch of his new bi-monthly news magazine, Changing Times. He said he would aim to set the debate for mid-November, or halfway through the campaign period, but before going ahead would first check to see whether the town plans to organize a debate of its own.