 | E-mail this story |  | Write letter to editor |  | Order a classified ad |
| E-mail this story | | Write letter to editor | | Order a classified ad |
Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
 It was standing-room only in the gallery of the legislative assembly Monday night. The crowd, composed mainly of Treaty 11 and Treaty 8 leaders and members, applauded the premier following the vote. - Richard Gleeson/NNSL photo |
Thirteen MLAs, including the premier himself, voted in support of Kakfwi's leadership. Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland cast the only vote of non-confidence. Four MLAs abstained.
Kakfwi said he was overwhelmed by the responses he received after calling for a show of public support for his leadership last Thursday. After the vote he said the show of support in the assembly was as moving.
The Sahtu MLA said it was the first time he had received demonstrations of support from members such as Charles Dent, Michael Miltenberger and David Krutko.
"I value that very much," the premier said.
Yesterday the caucus, which includes all MLAs, cancelled another planned secret ballot confidence vote scheduled for this morning.
"Members felt there would be no further gain or benefit in going through the secret ballot confidence process, given that the numbers were as strong as they were for Mr. Kakfwi," said caucus chair Bill Braden.
The meeting of the territorial leadership committee, which starts at 9 a.m. this morning, will focus on selecting a cabinet replacement for Jane Groenewegen.
Contenders from the South and North Slave regions are Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger, Hay River MLA Paul Delorey and Tu Nedhe MLA Stephen Nitah.
A spokesperson for Groenewegen said last night the Hay River MLA had not yet decided whether she will run for the seat she vacated.
Yesterday Deh Cho MLA Michael McLeod announced he would not be running for the position as he wanted to spend time with his family.
Monday's vote came an hour after Kakfwi informed MLAs he planned to demote his chief of staff for her role in a March 26 phone call made to the conflict of interest commissioner.
Lynda Sorensen was among those present at the time the call was made. Principal secretary John Bayly, who resigned last Thursday, made the call and failed to inform the commissioner that others, including Sorensen, were listening in. The call was recorded by Groenewegen, who resigned from cabinet a day before Bayly offered his resignation.
Kakfwi said he will eliminate the chief of staff position "within the next few days." Sorensen will be offered a position as the premier's personal assistant.
Kakfwi would not say whether Sorensen will take a pay cut as a result of the job change.
It was Kakfwi's refusal last Wednesday to take any further action against Sorensen and Bayly that provoked MLAs to call for a confidence vote.
Even those who voted in support of his leadership had critical words for the premier.
Frame Lake MLA Charles Dent criticized Kakfwi for his response to a call for a confidence vote. The premier said he would consider resigning rather than face a secret ballot non-confidence vote.
Calling the NWT legislature one of the most polite assemblies in the commonwealth, Dent said such challenges are common in government.
"How many times has a member of the House of Commons suggested the prime minister should resign?" asked Dent. "But the prime minister doesn't pick up his ball and go home because he feels people do not want to play by his rules." North Slave MLA Leon Lafferty noted that there was not one mention of the March 26 phone call or any other circumstances that led to the confidence vote in letters of support the premier released.
"The fate of the whole Northwest Territories rested in one position, which the premier has now chosen to deal with," said Lafferty.
Tu Nedhe MLA Steven Nitah, among those who abstained, criticized the campaign to solicit public support for the premier.
Nitah said it was a step toward party politics.
