Hay River (Oct 27/03) - Diana Ehman easily won the race for mayor of Hay River in last Monday's election. She spoke with News/North bureau chief Paul Bickford about the challenges ahead.

Diana Ehman, the mayor-elect of Hay River, stands outside Town Hall. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

News/North: What will be your main priorities as mayor?

Diana Ehman: I actually think that, when we start out, we don't see them. What's going to happen next week we can't see today.... I think my first priority is to know what the major issues are right now. We know what some of them are.

The pipeline sticks up like a shiny star on the horizon. For that to come about, we have to be prepared. There are lots of infrastructure questions. We don't know what the industry is exactly wanting. We have to sort out all of that. We have to reach out to our neighbours.

I mean that's the whole South Slave. I think we have an opportunity right now.... We're getting along now better than we ever have with each other because we know we can't do it alone.

There's Yellowknife up there and they dictate to us. If we join together, we can do a lot more than if we're infighting. That's not going to help any of us.

N/N: How would you describe your personality and your political style?

DE: I thoroughly enjoy my life. I have a good life and I like sharing that with other people. That's just my nature. I have to be careful because sometimes I'm naive about people's ulterior motives. I have to be more careful not to get sucked in. I am fairly trusting. That's my first instinct, but I'm learning, though.

N/N: What do you think of the new makeup of council?

DE: That might be hard, because I'm in a different position. I've worked with them on an equal level and now I'm changing my position. So there will be an adjustment, definitely. We have no hurry with that.

Hopefully, I can make them confident in me... That will take an adjustment for all of us.

N/N: What was your reaction when you won the race for mayor?

DE: At first, I was shocked that I won so decisively. I thought it would be right to the bitter end that they'd be counting. He's up this, she's up this, and it would be back and forth like that, but it wasn't. As I got the results, I led from the first poll. I was very surprised about that. I knew I had a good following. I knew I had lots of support.... I was very pleased because it means that I do have backing. It gives me credibility.

N/N: After three years on council, what made you decide to run for mayor?

DE: At the beginning of the summer, I made a serious commitment that that's what I wanted to do. I could see that there was a need for a different approach to some of the problems we were having.

N/N: Do you have any explanation why there was such a large vote for you?

DE: The only thing I can think of is that I'm involved in so many things for this town, and that I just had a huge base of support.... I've met so many people and I've worked with so many people, especially volunteering, and I have a good reputation for that.... I didn't care for a radio station saying it was a man against a woman election. I honestly don't think that was an issue. I'm sure it was in the back of people's minds, but I don't think either one of us were voted for by our gender.

N/N: Do you think the fact that you were elected might encourage more women to run in the future?

DE: Elected is one thing. Doing a good job is another. Yes, I got elected, but it's like a promise. Now I have to fulfil that. If I do a crappy job, that's not going to do anybody any good. Actually, I feel the pressure is on me big time. People will watch me a little bit more, I think. But it's a good feeling. It means people are counting on me to do a good job.