Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Nov 08/00) - The details still have to be worked out, but city voters will have three chances to quiz all Western Arctic candidates at one time this election.
Radio station CJCD is first into the mix, on Nov. 20, hosting an hour-long listen to what the four candidates have to say. The show will include prepared questions and a phone-in segment.
Later that day, starting at 7 p.m. the focus turns to social issues, as a group of non-government organizations hosts a forum at Northern United Place.
Federation of Labour vice-president Steve Petersen, one of the organizers, said he's hoping to include plenty of time for questions from the audience.
CBC is organizing an all-candidates forum at the Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly for Nov. 22 or Nov. 23. Current affairs producer Patricia Russell said the event will likely include questions from a panel of journalists.
Democracy Air
In an attempt to give as many voters a look at the choices this election, First Air is donating four free flights to each candidate.
NDP candidate Dennis Bevington issued a challenge to mining companies to fly in candidates on shift changes to allow them to address workers "on their own turf."
On the trail this week
Dennis Bevington, NDP: Monday, Hay River; Tuesday and Wednesday, Fort Simpson; Thursday, Fort Resolution and Fort Providence; Friday and Saturday, Yellowknife; Sunday, Fort Simpson.
Ethel Blondin-Andrew, Lib: Monday, Yellowknife; Tuesday and Wednesday, the Sahtu region; Thursday, Yellowknife; Friday, Enterprise, Hay River Reserve, Hay River; Saturday, Yellowknife; Sunday, cabinet meeting in Ottawa then back to Yellowknife.
Bruce McLaughlin, PC: Yellowknife.
Fred Turner, All: Yellowknife during the week, tentatively scheduled for Inuvik and Norman Wells on the weekend.
Incumbency has its privileges
Ethel Blondin-Andrew is reaping some of the benefits of being the incumbent.
As Secretary of State for Children and Youth, Blondin-Andrew is one of the speakers at the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy forum here tomorrow.
Event organizers say guest speakers were lined up in the spring, well before the election call.
"We've spoken to Ms. Blondin-Andrew and her office to explain to her this is not a political venue, this is not an opportunity for her to talk about her own platform or her government's platform," said National Round Table executive director and CEO David McGuinty.
Last week, Blondin-Andrew's fall newsletter, paid for by tax dollars, appeared in the mail boxes of every Western Arctic voter.
