THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - All MLAs but one gathered in Fort Smith last week to discuss ways to improve the operation of consensus government.

Betty Villebrun, president of the Northwest Territory Metis Nation, chats with Bob McLeod, minister of Human Resources, and Industry, Tourism and Investment, during an Aug. 25 meet and greet by MLAs holding a caucus retreat in Fort Smith. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro, the chair of caucus, said the retreat was a follow-up to another retreat in April at Blachford Lake Lodge.

That meeting established 10 principles of consensus government, open and respectful communication being among them.

In February during a non-confidence vote against the entire cabinet, regular MLAs complained of a communication breakdown between the two sides. Cabinet and regular MLAs have been working towards an improvement since.

At the Fort Smith retreat, politicians discussed how to put that concept of improved communication into action.

Bisaro said that basically means figuring out how members of government can communicate with each other, such as through documents and briefings.

"We're trying to formalize it a bit," she said.

The goal is effective distribution of information within the government, including between cabinet and regular MLAs, said Bisaro.

"This is to try to figure out how we don't kill ourselves with briefings," she said.

Robert McLeod, MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes and minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, said the current system of consensus government is generally working well.

"We're just trying to iron out what bugs there are," McLeod said.

Tu Nedhe MLA Tom Beaulieu said there is no need for a big overhaul of the consensus system.

"I think it's more of putting in more procedures and policies about how we do things already," Beaulieu said, adding that will make for more efficient flow of information from cabinet to regular members and vice versa.

Eighteen of the 19 members of caucus attended the Fort Smith retreat, during which a series of closed meetings were held. Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya was not present.

The MLAs held a meet and greet with Fort Smith residents on the evening of Aug. 25.

Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger, who is also the minister of Finance, and Environment and Natural Resources, noted one of the goals of the annual retreats is to get MLAs into different regions of the NWT to hopefully learn more about what matters to people there.

Fort Smith resident Lou Sebert said he was glad to see the MLAs in Fort Smith.

"I think it's good they travel outside of Yellowknife to understand the issues in the communities," he said.