SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The exodus of businesses from the downtown core was one of few local issues debated at Yellowknife's first all-candidates forum hosted by the NWT Chamber of Commerce, Wednesday.

Green Party candidate Eli Purchase said municipalities need support from the federal government, and reducing the cost of heating and rent will bring businesses back downtown.

NDP incumbent Dennis Bevington speaks at the NWT Chamber of Commerce All-Candidates Forum at the Yellowknife Inn Wednesday morning while Conservative candidate Sandy Lee, Green Party candidate Eli Purchase and Liberal candidate Joe Handley listen. - Katherine Hudson/NNSL photo

Conservative Sandy Lee said in the long run, economic development through housing and counselling programs would help rejuvenate the area. She said detox centres are "very short term intervention."

"That does not keep the people away from downtown area unless there is long-term economic sustainability," said Lee.

NDP candidate and incumbent MP Dennis Bevington said a downtown rejuvenation plan, such as one he said was implemented in Fort Smith when he was mayor, is the key to keeping businesses in the city's centre.

"Let's get our heating costs down. That's one of the things that we can change here very simply," said Bevington, adding it's important for the Western Arctic MP to ensure city council gets federal support to do the work.

It was Liberal candidate Joe Handley who stood up with what he called a "different tact" on the subject. He said Yellowknife's downtown problem is not unique, but occurs elsewhere in the country.

"It's just not a pleasant place to be. They have to see and experience people who are desperate, who have nothing going for them, sitting by the post office or in the mall. And business people find damages done to their facilities," said Handley,

He said the answer is to develop treatment and wellness centres, with programs that follow through with patients, not solely "a 29-day program." Currently, the only addictions treatment centre is the Nats'ejee K'eh Treatment Centre in Hay River, and it only offers a program just under a month in length.

"It's not so much the heating costs that are driving people and businesses away from the downtown, I don't think. It's the environment," he said, pointing to the social issues rampant in many communities such as unemployment and under-education.

Tim Doyle, executive director of Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, attended Wednesday's forum and said he agrees with Handley that it is the social issues that breed the continuous turnover of businesses downtown.

"Our membership, when we've talked to them and talked to owners who have moved their businesses, (they) have largely said the main problems were the social issues. I think Joe sort of picked up on that quite quickly that it wasn't only about rent. It was about social issues, drunks and assaults, fighting, garbage," said Doyle.

Chuck Parker, the newly elected president of NWT Chamber, said the forum was informative and touched on both territorial and national issues.

"Our facilitators, in particular, for the chamber did a good job in drawing out questions related to our chamber and what we'd like to see advocated," he said.

Hughie Graham, second vice-president for the chamber, said he appreciated the candidates' answers to the questions from the floor that may have come unexpected, but the political jabs he could do without.

"I'm not really a fan of the American-style politics where there's a lot of sparring. I was a little disappointed to see that but it's good to see they keep each other in check," said Graham, referring to Handley's discussion of the Deh Cho Bridge Project and his role in the concession agreement while Lee exacted blows about Handley's work with the project's contractor after his term as premier.

The debate, which consisted of questions from facilitators Warren Everson, senior vice-president of policy for the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and past NWT Chamber of Commerce president Ann Marie Tout, was held in front of about 40 businesspeople and chamber members.

Topics included the candidates' stances on devolution, the long-gun registry, the Mackenzie Valley Gas Project, the importance of an all-season highway down the Mackenzie Valley, and the need for infrastructure, education and employment.

The next candidates' forum in Yellowknife will be put on by Alternatives North, a coalition of social justice groups, on Wednesday, April 27 at 7 p.m. at Northern United Place. According to Alternatives North, Bevington, Purchase and Handley will be attending.

Bonnie Dawson, the fifth candidate representing the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada, did not attend the forum.

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