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Legislative Assembly Briefs MLAs vote Yakeleya out of cabinet
Herb Mathisen Northern News Services Published Monday, October 6, 2008
Although in Yellowknife, Yakeleya was not present for the vote. He was also absent for first day of session. Wendy Bisaro, MLA for Frame Lake, rose to present the motion. Nobody spoke to the motion, which was moved and passed within two minutes.
Speaker Paul Delorey said a new member of Cabinet will be announced this afternoon.
To retain regional balance, only members from high north constituencies will be considered for the position. This means Robert McLeod, David Krutko or Jackie Jacobson will make the move across the floor. MLAs were set to vote by secret ballot this morning to name the next executive council member.
Yakeleya had been sitting as a cabinet member without a portfolio after Premier Floyd Roland stripped him of his responsibilities on July 25, when it was revealed Yakeleya was under investigation for sexual assault.
Yakeleya could not be reached for comment and did not sit in the legislative assembly all of last week.
Quote of the week:
"We might as well have been asked to go out and ask our constituents if they would like us to poke them in the eye with a sharp stick."
Jane Groenewegen, MLA for Hay River South, said this while criticizing finance minister Michael Miltenberger's revenue discussion paper that included options to introduce taxes and how it was "unpalatable" to constituents because of the already high cost of living.
No more power hikes
The NWT Power Corporation is considering raising power rates. Kevin Menicoche, MLA for Nahendeh, said his constituents can't handle further increases in their already high cost of living. The power corporation has put forward an application for a 15 per cent increase in power rates to the Public Utilities Board.
"Now is not the time to introduce an increase of rates," said Menicoche, in a press release. "I don't think people are going to be able to meet their needs."
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