NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

An announcement is expected today from the Premier's office saying Sandy Lee has resigned from the legislative assembly as Health Minister and Range Lake MLA.

Cabinet spokesperson Drew Williams confirmed Sunday that a press release will be issued today stating Lee has stepped aside to seek the Conservative nomination for the Western Arctic.

Sandy Lee: "I can't talk"

When contacted by News/North Sunday about her resigniation, Lee hung up abruptly.

"Oh, sorry, I can't talk," Lee said.

It's also expected the territorial Conservative association will select its candidate for May's federal election as early as today after members in the association found a second candidate to run for the nomination.

Sources within the NWT Conservative association confirmed Lee will face off in a vote against former Hay River mayor and territorial MLA John Pollard, who filed his nomination papers late last week. Lee was apparently selected by the association's leadership to be the candidate, but party sources said some members didn't like the fact she was a former Liberal supporter and Pollard was asked to run.

Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay was pressured into running late last week, only to withdraw his name from the race late Thursday.

"As much as people wanted me to pursue it, with a young family and so much going on here, I just can't do it," he said.

When asked March 23 whether she's running, Lee did not deny she was, saying she wouldn't speak about it yet and would "talk about (it) if there was a need to talk about (it)."

"I'm currently an MLA and a minister and that's what I am," Lee, a well-known Liberal for many years, told News/North.

Pollard, who was unavailable for comment at press time, was a member of the legislative assembly from 1987 to 1995 and served as territorial finance minister during that time. Currently, he is the chief negotiator for the federal government on the proposed changes to land and water boards in the territory, made by Neil McCrank.

Inuvik's Nellie Cournoyea, president and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and former premier of the NWT, was rumoured to be a possible candidate for the Conservative party, but said Thursday morning she had no interest in chasing a seat with the federal government.

When asked about Lee as the candidate, Doug Witty, president of the NWT Conservative Association, wrote in an e-mail that "the Conservative Party does not comment on internal party matters" and deferred to the Conservative Party of Canada headquarters in Ottawa.

Calls to the party headquarters were not returned by press time.

Premier Floyd Roland confirmed Lee had expressed interest in seeking the nomination. If she does resign from her post as health minister, MLAs would have to meet and select a new cabinet minister, Roland said.

Her replacement in cabinet would likely come from Yellowknife, in keeping with the convention of having two cabinet ministers from each the north, south and central regions of the territory, according to the premier.

Roland said Lee's seat as Range Lake MLA would not be filled because the seat would become vacant within six months of the government dissolving in late August for the Oct. 3 territorial election.

The other three political parties in the territory are also ramping up for what could be a busy spring.

Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington said he's looking forward to hitting the campaign trail against a former premier in Liberal candidate Joe Handley.

"I like to have a straightforward election and ideas and ability are the things people are looking at," he said, speaking during a break from the House of Commons Wednesday afternoon.

Handley said he's looking forward to a campaign, adding it's time for a change in Parliament.

"Harper's record is becoming worse and worse," he said, pointing to the Harper government's contempt of Parliament for not revealing information to the House of Commons. He also criticized the corporate tax cuts included in Tuesday's budget.

"I don't think Canadians can take it anymore," he said. "We're ready. I've got my team ready and we will do what we can."

Nancy MacNeill, a spokesperson for the NWT chapter of the Green Party, said the party will be officially announcing Eli Purchase, a longtime Northerner, as their candidate.

In the 2006 federal election race, Lee worked as then-Liberal candidate Ethel Blondin-Andrew's campaign manager and was rumoured to be a possible Liberal candidate in 2007. Lee also shows up on Blondin-Andrew's contributors list from 2000, having donated $500 in support of the longtime Liberal MP.

The opposition voted against the government 156 to 145 in Friday's non-confidence vote. The election has been set for May 2.