Jack Danylchuk
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 16/06) - Premier Joe Handley gave top marks to the Liberals for answers to questions he sent to party leaders in the federal election campaign.

Premier Joe Handley said answers submitted by the Liberal, Conservative and NDP parties were "generally good." - NNSL file photo

"The Liberals were one point higher than the NDP and they were a couple of points higher than the Conservatives," Handley said after reviewing the replies this week.

"In all their answers, the Conservatives were fairly cautious, probably recognizing that they could be the next government."

Scored on a system Handley devised, the answers were "generally good.

Some were more thorough or adequate than others, but they all put some effort into this."

The Conservative and NDP replies were signed by party leaders Stephen Harper and Jack Layton. Liberal party president Mike Eizinga replied for Prime Minister Paul Martin. The Green Party did not respond.

Handley asked leaders if their party supported creation of a $500 million fund for mitigation of impacts in communities on the route of the Mackenzie Gas Project.

"It was an easy one for the Liberals, who are working on the legislation to put it in place," said Handley.

"The NDP also support it and the legislation; the Conservatives indicated support, but didn't mention legislation."

The Conservatives and the NDP support the concept that Northerners should be the primary beneficiaries of resource development in the Northwest Territories, Handley said, and the NDP favoured higher royalty rates and land rents.

"Liberals talked about the need for benefits to accrue to the North, but they did not clarify that they mean primary benefit," Handley said.

"They referred to a review of resource revenue, which came as a surprise, but I would have liked to have seen an acknowledgement that Northerners have to be primary beneficiaries."

Liberals support construction of a Mackenzie Valley highway and called the project "exciting," Handley said.

Conservatives support the concept, but costs and timing would have to be reviewed.

NDP also support the $700 million project, but want a full cost accounting and analysis of the highway's impact on communities.

All parties supported negotiation of base-plus funding arrangements that would recognize costs of delivering services to small, isolated Northern communities, Handley said.