Yellowknife (May 09/05) - The NWT government was in the hands of its young people this week during the annual Youth Parliament session in Yellowknife.

Debate filled the Chamber of the Legislative Assembly last Thursday as 19 regional representatives sat in an afternoon session.

Student Cameron Sapp, representing Minister Michael McLeod's Deh Cho riding, discusses the issues with the minister.

Shaylene Lundrigan representing Nunakput was one of the students participating in the discussion.

"I was fighting for a road between Tuktoyaktuk and Wrigley, but I lost," Lundrigan said. "But we really need it because the jobs in Tuk aren't high paying and we still have to pay a lot for groceries.

"It would be easier because we wouldn't have to pay for freight," she said of the reasons why she argued for a new all-weather road to be built.

Brendan Vogt, representing Inuvik Twin Lakes, said he enjoyed participating in the afternoon session.

He said discussions centering around the road construction did not succeed for several reasons.

"It was due to the high cost of construction and maintenance," he said.

MLA Michael McLeod, minister of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) and Transportation, has attended every youth parliament session since it began six years ago.

"It's important that we have our youth involved in all aspects of what goes on in the NWT," McLeod said.

"This brings exposure to what we do as politicians. It gives opportunity to those, especially in the smaller communities, to come and see first hand where we work, what we do and some of the challenges we're faced with."

McLeod said it is always interesting to listen to the issues which come up.

"It's always very reflective of what the issues are out in the communities and what the issues are being raised by the members of the House."

Cameron Sapp, representing McLeod's riding of Deh Cho, said he enjoyed participating in the debate.

"It was fun," he said.

During the week of May 2 - 6, the students met with their respective MLAs, participated in committee meetings and had the opportunity to participate in the day-to-day activities at the Legislative Assembly.