Adam Johnson
Northern News Services
Published Monday, September 24, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - As two-term MLA Bill Braden rides off into the sunset, five diverse candidates have stepped up to plate to take on one of the territory's pure residential ridings.

Great Slave voters will choose between an arts leader, a legal crusader, an entrepreneur, an educator and an environmental activist.

Glen Abernethy, 36, is perhaps best known for his volunteer activities. Past president of Folk on the Rocks, the long-time GNWT employee (on a leave of absence) is also Commodore of the Great Slave Cruising Club and a board member of the NWT Council of Persons with Disabilities.

"Health care is incredibly important to me," he said of his core issues. "We need to find ways to recruit and retain the professionals we need to provide quality care."

He also emphasized the need to support the voluntary sector as a quality of life issue.

Mark Bogan, 47, is most famous - or infamous - for his work with DADS North, an offshoot of Fathers 4 Justice; the group fights for equality in child custody battles.

In 2005, Bogan was charged with two counts of mischief for releasing live crickets in the territorial courthouse, as well as in the offices of then-Western Arctic MP Ethel Blondin-Andrew. He called the stunt an act of "civil disobedience."

While Bogan emphasizes the need for reform in custody disputes, the exploration camp chef is also active in other regards.

"As a (future) MLA, I've got six bullets," he said.

These are increased work on devolution, the Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline, sustainable health care, global warming, family violence and drug and alcohol addictions.

Christopher Hunt, 42, is the owner of NWT 2000, who cut his political teeth working on the campaign of a Weledeh candidate in 1999.

He said more needs to be done about safety and security in Yellowknife

"It's not just an enforcement issue," he said, emphasizing more funding for front-line staff. "A lot of disenfranchised people are falling through the cracks in our city right now."

He said more needs to be done to address land claims and devolution, opening Yellowknife up for better planning.

Beaton Mackenzie is taking his second stab at the MLA race after a failed bid in 1999. The well-recognized volunteer and special needs educator ran against Tony Whitford in the Kam Lake riding, placing second.

Mackenzie said the NWT needs to do more to diversify its natural resource industry, while focusing on education and health care.

"We need to make sure we keep out class sizes down," he said.

Doug Ritchie, 44, is on leave from his position as program director for Ecology North. Ritchie pointed out his advocacy work with the NGO, as well as his time spent working for the GNWT's Department of Health and Social Services as his qualifications.

"I have three priorities," he said. "The first one is affordable housing. The second one is climate change. Third one is a safe and healthy Yellowknife."

The Great Slave riding is nearly all residential, including apartments, high rises, and single-family dwellings.

There are 1,361 eligible voters in the riding.