Yellowknife (Dec 12/03) - MLAs pounded the table and the gallery broke out in cheers after Joe Handley was acclaimed the new premier of the Northwest Territories.

Inuvik's Roger Allen: pulled out of the race

Oddly enough, Handley's acclamation to become premier and his earlier acclamation to become MLA of his riding means not one vote was cast in his favour.

Although recent speculations pointed to Handley taking the top spot, after his only vocal opponents -- Floyd Roland and Roger Allan -- dropped out of the race just days earlier, he still appeared surprised and emotional.

"I want to stand because I can't sit still," he said.

"I am very humbled by your unanimous consent for me," he told his colleagues.

In only his second term serving the GNWT, Handley said that being acclaimed, both in his constituency as well as to the premier's position, demonstrates the incredible support he has gained over the past four years.

"I take that as an excellent sign," he said.

"This is very emotional. There is a lot of responsibility."

Monday, challenger Roger Allen, Inuvik Twin Lakes MLA-elect, said he decided to drop out on Saturday after losing more than 50 per cent of his backers.

"Going into this I had seven members supporting me and on Saturday it dropped to three," he said.

Acclaimed Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland decided on Monday to throw in the towel as well, citing "soft" support as the primary reason.

"I've learned from the past that soft support isn't enough," Roland said of the kind of backing he would have expected in his bid for premier.

Handley's comments indicate that perhaps he expected events to unfold the way in which they did.

"I'm neutral on their decision to withdraw," he said. "Floyd had always told me that he wasn't going to put his name in just to make it a race."

As a Yellowknife-based premier coming from the Weledeh riding, Handley said that his seat will have no affect on his position as premier, and anyone assuming Yellowknife will be favoured is wrong.

"I've had strong support from the communities," he said. "I believe they genuinely feel that I am fair."

Handley addressed his colleagues immediately following his acclamation to speak about the many challenges the NWT will face over the next four years.

"I think we have an opportunity in the NWT to do it right," he said. "The social needs of our people, in my view, is going to be one of the biggest challenges."

Handley spoke of the need for strong communities in the North, as well as the need for the government to take more responsibility.

He said education, social problems, the cost of living, health care, devolution, clean energy, protected environment and resource sharing are issues of the future, and he is ready to tackle them.

"I need your support as we move along," he said. "The 15th assembly is going to face many of the same issues the 14th did."

Dimond mines, pipeline

With major developments being undertaken in the North, including the diamond mines and the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, Handley said it's important to diversify the benefits of those developments, but there is also a need to protect the environment.

"There will be no hydro development happening on traditional land unless they are in support of it," he said. "We are the central government of the NWT, but there are other governments."

Handley will announce cabinet assignments at his first press conference Monday.