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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Whether candidates would vote against their party to best represent the people in the NWT was a point of contention at a federal candidates forum in Yellowknife on Sept. 1.

NDP candidate Dennis Bevington questioned Conservative Brendan Bell's ability to speak up for Northerners, stating the Conservative party keeps its MPs "muzzled."

Bell did not directly address Bevington's comments. Instead he talked about his experience building consensus in government.

"I find the politics in Ottawa awfully confrontational these days," Bell said. "I'm prepared to work to rise above that."

Sam Gamble, the Green Party candidate, Gabrielle Mackenzie Scott, representing the Liberals, and First Peoples National Party of Canada candidate Noeline Villebrun said they would stick up for Northerners first.

All five candidates were given one minute each to answer questions from members of a 200-strong audience packed into Northern United Place in Yellowknife. Questions for the CBC-hosted forum were also submitted by e-mail and telephone.

The gloves came off when the issue of securing a resource-revenue sharing deal with Ottawa came up.

"It's time to stop talking about it and go get it," Bell said, referring to the need to reach a devolution deal quickly.

Bevington responded provinces haven't been happy negotiating with the Conservative government on resource-revenue sharing deals.

"Take a look at what Danny Williams has to say about resource-revenue sharing deals with this Conservative government," said Bevington, pointing to the Newfoundland and Labrador premier's ABC (Anything But Conservative) campaign.

"You need somebody who can stand up in Parliament and pin the tail on the donkey," said Bevington.

The NDP candidate said he would hold off from pursuing a deal until theterritory got what it wanted.

Candidates were asked what they thought of the McCrank report's recommendations on streamlining the NWT regulatory regime.

Mackenzie-Scott, former chair of the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board, said she is opposed to taking away power from NWT regional land and water boards.

"It's so wrong that he (Stephen Harper) does not respect the constitution protected agreement from the land claim groups and their members," she said.

Villebrun said she disagreed with the potential demise of regional boards because lessening peoples' voices at the local level is not respectful.

Bevington called McCrank a "hack" and said the NWT did not need someone from Alberta to tell Northerners what's going to happen with their regulatory system.

When talk turned to dealing with crime, Gamble said offenders would rather choose the typical criminal justice route because it is easier than actually having to see the consequences of their crime and speak with the victims.

"What we want to do is look for alternative routes that are harder for the offender and that work," said Gamble.

On housing, Bell said the Conservative government is well aware of shortages in the NWT, pointing to a $300-million commitment to affordable housing in the three Northern territories, which he said was passed without support from opposition parties.

"This is easily the single largest investment in affordable and public housing ever committed to by a federal government in the North," said Bell.

Bevington said the NDP would devote one per cent of the federal budget to affordable housing by 2020 - which he said would make up for federal housing funding that is coming to a close.

The federal election takes place on Oct. 14.