Yellowknife (Dec 15/03) - Paul Delorey says he is disappointed after unsuccessfully trying to win a seat on the territorial cabinet.

"I strongly feel Hay River, being the second largest community in the Northwest Territories, deserves a seat on cabinet," the Hay River North MLA explains.

Delorey says he thought he had lots of support among MLAs, who elect the cabinet under consensus government.

However, he does not know how that verbal support expressed itself during the secret balloting. "I have no idea, other than a suspicion that it was close."

Delorey notes that, of the five MLAs who were acclaimed in the recent territorial election, only he is not on cabinet or the speaker.

Hay River Mayor Diana Ehman is also disappointed, noting the size of the town.

"I really thought Paul had a chance," she says.

However, Ehman says it is hard to predict the consequences of not having a representative on cabinet.

Guaranteed seat

Delorey says he is now considering whether Hay River needs a guaranteed seat on cabinet, perhaps every second assembly.

Under the current system, two cabinet spots are reserved for MLAs from the southern NWT, two from northern NWT and two from Yellowknife.

The new legislature chose Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger and Deh Cho MLA Michael McLeod to represent the south.

Delorey met new Premier Joe Handley, Friday morning, to express his disappointment that Hay River has no cabinet representative.

"I have invited him to Hay River in the near future to meet the mayor and council, and give them some assurance that Hay River concerns would be addressed at the executive council level," Delorey says.

The second-term MLA was nominated for cabinet by Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen.

Delorey also unsuccessfully put his name forward for the Board of Management, which is selected by a committee of MLAs.

Now he is hoping to become chair of the Governance and Economic Development Committee, which will be selected in January.