Jessica Klinkenberg
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 24, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - The Frame Lake riding race is wide open for three candidates running to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Education Minister Charles Dent.

Wendy Bisaro, Jeff Groenewegen and Chris Johnston have a varied range of political experience.

Bisaro was a city councillor for 12 years, Groenewegen is the son of Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen, and Johnston is CEO of the Metis Development Corporation and vice-president of the Northern Frontier Visitor Centre.

The riding has 1,540 registered voters and a dismal voting record.

In the 2003 election, only 45.7 per cent, of the 1,420 eligible voters turned out.

At 34, Johnston is the middle candidate in age.

He has a college diploma and has worked in hotel and tourism over the years.

Dent's retirement has "thrown it open," said Bisaro, 60. She has a Bachelor of Education in physical education and is a certified travel consultant.

Bisaro taught at Sir John Franklin high school, William McDonald middle school and Aurora College.

"(Dent) was a very popular MLA. He never lost a single poll. There's nothing bad that you can say about the guy," Groenewegen said.

At 24, Groenewegen is the youngest candidate running in Frame Lake. He is married with a nine-month-old son. He is also a licensed realtor and has a diploma in complementary health services from Mount Royal College.

Groenewegen does not have any political experience except through his mother, and was involved with her work in the legislative assembly.