Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 19/00) - It was who was not elected to cabinet that provided the clearest signal that this assembly will be a different animal than the last.

Those nominated but not elected included the former ministers of the three highest profile portfolios in cabinet --finance, health and social services and education, culture and employment -- Charles Dent, Michael Miltenberger and Floyd Roland.

Four of the six MLAs elected have not held cabinet posts before. Two are rookie MLAs and only one -- former premier Jim Antoine -- served a full term on cabinet in the last government.

"I was somewhat surprised at the amount of change, certainly, with three veteran cabinet ministers (not getting elected)," said second-term Yellowknife Centre MLA and first time cabinet minister Jake Ootes.

Along with Ootes, Premier Stephen Kakfwi's cabinet will consist of rookie MLAs Joe Handley, Weledeh, Roger Allen, Inuvik Twin Lakes, Vince Steen, Nunakput, former premier Jim Antoine and Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen.

From the time Nunavut MLAs departed the last assembly, Steen served as Minister of Transport and Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Ootes said cabinet ministers were to meet with Kakfwi Tuesday. Ministers are scheduled to be sworn in Wednesday following a one-day opening of the first session.

Appointments off

Members unanimously voted down the proposal to have the premier pick cabinet ministers, but did not dismiss the idea.

"A lot of members took me aside and told me they would like to have time to take this to their constituencies and discuss this before agreeing to anything of the sort," said Yellowknife South MLA Brendan Bell. "There was agreement that the proposal might have some merit.

Bell and Yellowknife Great Slave MLA Bill Braden were the two members backing the change.

"While the discussions that we had were very constructive and very vigourous, they related more to the process than to the issue itself," said Braden.

Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland commended the Yellowknife duo for trying to accomplish what all MLAs have promised to strive for.

"This is an example of how new people in the legislative assembly can bring forth change to evolve this into a more representative government," said Roland.

"I agree that we need to make some form of changes to this system to make this system more representative and accountable to the public at large."

Members also voted to ensure that all regions are represented on cabinet. Under the system they unanimously approved two cabinet ministers to be selected from the North, two from the south and two from Yellowknife.

The Northern region consists of the ridings of Mackenzie Delta, North Slave, Nunakput, Sahtu and the two Inuvik ridings. Deh Cho, Nahendeh, Thebacha and Tu Nedhe and the two Hay River ridings make up the southern region.