Yellowknife (Feb 09/04) - Senator Nick Sibbeston knows we've been down this road before -- without much success -- but figures it's worth giving it another shot.

His office mailed out brochures to every household in the territory last week, calling on residents to come up with a new name for the NWT.

The best alternative people could come up with in a 1996 government telephone survey was "Bob." Another attempt at changing the name was made in 2002; needless to say, it didn't get very far.

Regardless, the Western Arctic's senator figures we've gone long enough without a name befitting the cultural diversity of this territory.

"I'm game to do whatever work is necessary to spur some response," said Sibbeston from Ottawa last Thursday.

"I don't know whether I'll be successful or not, but I'm in a good position because I'm above the day-to-day politics."

He acknowledged that few people in the territory might give it much thought, but said to continue on with the name "Northwest Territories" recognizes little other than a remnant region of a once vast parcel of colonial terra incognita.

It is a territory that has dwindled over decades as Canada began to build the western provinces as well as the territories of the Yukon and Nunavut.

"There's no more division, no more lopping off; this is it," he said. "We're bound as one territory."

In a couple of weeks, Sibbeston will head out on a quest to territorial communities encouraging people to draft a new name. His hope is for a grassroots campaign at the community level that would eventually percolate up to territorial leaders for debate, after which perhaps a referendum on a name would be held.

To avoid the same problems that occurred in 1996 and 2002, he figures the best course is come up with a name that encompasses all the different cultures and languages of the territory.

"I'll appeal to their emotions of pride, and who they are as a people," he said. "I think that's what it is about. Who are Northerners as a people?"

As for his own preference for a name, Sibbeston said he's keeping it to himself.

Let the people decide, he said.

"Maybe we should call it Bannockland. We eat a lot of bannock up here," he said, in reference to the name of the bed-and-breakfast he and his wife used to own.

Former premier Stephen Kakfwi, who pushed to get the name changed in 2002, is staying out of the debate this time around.

"I'm not commenting on these issues," said Kakfwi. "I'm having a break."