NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Leaders across the territory are divided over the re-election of Dennis Bevington, some of whom are concerned that not being part of the Conservative majority might be a hindrance to being included in what Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government does over the next four years.

Joan Bevington, left, stands with her husband Dennis Bevington as he excitedly addresses the crowd in his victory speech at the Artist Run Community Centre in Yellowknife after retaining his seat as Western Arctic MP on May 2. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

Bevington won his third term in office May 2 when the NDP incumbent beat Conservative candidate Sandy Lee by 2,139 votes. Bevington ended the night with 7,140 votes, Lee had 5,001 votes. Liberal candidate and former premier Joe Handley finished third with 2,872 while Green Party candidate Eli Purchase finished fourth with 477. Animal Alliance candidate Bonnie Dawson finished fifth with 87 votes.

Hay River mayor Kelly Schofield counted Bevington's re-election and membership in the new official opposition in the House of commons as a plus. The NDP won 102 seats to 167 for the Conservatives Monday. One-hundred and fifty-five seats are need to form a majority government in the House of Commons.

"I think his experience will definitely be a (positive) to the Northwest Territories and now that the NDP party is the official opposition – taking 102 seats – it brings more credibility to his position and party in the North and the issues he will be fighting for," he said.

However, Schofield said the ball is in the Conservative's court now.

"We hope that the Conservative government will be loyal not only to the areas it won the political election but to all Canadians as well," he said. "They do have a choice. The choice being that they be loyal to their own party in their own regions or be fair to all Canadians and prove to all of Canada they are the party that should be in power and work to sway those who voted for other parties. They need to show the people they are a fair party and aren't going to play favourites."

Nellie Cournoyea, CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, is disappointed with the re-election of Bevington. She said an NDP member of Parliament in Ottawa for the next four years could weaken the territory's relationship with the federal government.

"It would have been far better if we were on the inside and part of the team," Cournoyea said. "We've been working with the Conservative government and we've been doing fairly well in agreeing on the agenda so we're hoping we'll still have that strength."

Watching the Western Arctic polls from Fort Simpson, the village's mayor Sean Whelly said the results are a validation of the commitment and hard work Bevington has demonstrated toward Northerners, especially considering the high calibre of competition he faced.

Bevington should now have four secure years, giving him more time to do things for the North, he said. Whelly said he expects Bevington's voice to be stronger because he's an incumbent familiar with Parliament and because the NDP is now the official opposition.

Whelly sees Bevington's re-election as a positive development for Fort Simpson.

"I feel as though Dennis has done some good work for the village," Whelly said.

Bevington took an interest in the issues surrounding the village's sewage treatment plant and the environmental order the village was subsequently placed under. He wrote a letter to the federal minister of the environment that helped raise the visibility of the issue, Whelly said.

Whelly said, however, he's not perturbed by a Conservative majority.

"The Conservatives have been good for the economy of Canada, even if you disagree with some of their policies," he said.

By electing Bevington and not Lee, residents of the NWT have effectively rejected the governance style of the GNWT, said Richard Nerysoo, president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council.

"The reality is that the larger centres of Yellowknife and Inuvik didn't support the Conservative candidate and do not support how the GNWT is doing business," Nerysoo said. "(The vote) does represent that they don't want a government that unilaterally makes decisions without consulting people. People want all levels of government engaged to find answers and it shouldn't be at the expense of any people."

Nerysoo pointed to the lack of consultation regarding devolution in recent months, and the role Lee played as a cabinet minister in the legislative assembly at the time.

Nerysoo thinks Bevington was a good choice for the North because NDP leader Jack Layton, now the leader of the official opposition, listened and supported the issues important to the North; specifically the devolution agreement, quality of education, improving health services for seniors and implementation of land claims.

"People have quite clearly spoken and while some might suggest that it would be good to be Conservative blue, other people are progressive," Nerysoo said. "For now, we have to look at the message sent to Prime Minister Harper that we need to work together and need to do these things."

-with files from Andrew Livingstone, Roxanna Thompson and Samantha Stokell

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