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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Except for Sandy Lee, who left her Range Lake seat to take a run at federal politics, Yellowknife voters will see a cast of familiar faces in the campaign leading up to the Oct. 3 territorial election.

Incumbents are seeking re-election in the six remaining ridings.

There also appears to be little chance of losing, based on history.

In the elections since Nunavut went its own way, only one newcomer has knocked off a sitting MLA in Yellowknife, where voters seem inclined to give politicians a job as long as they want it. That was Joe Handley over Roy Erasmus Jr. in 1999.

Even the challengers, real and potential, are familiar to anyone who watches politics:

Daryl Dolynny, pharmacist and entrepreneur well known in Conservative Party circles, is running to replace Lee in Range Lake.

Duff Spence, a Liberal by family tradition, is considering a run in Frame Lake.

Mark Bogan, self-styled champion of father's rights, will again carry his home-made banner into the campaign in the Great Slave riding.

Frame Lake's Wendy Bisaro is ready for whoever steps up.

Bisaro won handily in 2007, taking 389 of 694 votes cast, a turnout of just 45 per cent - lowest of any constituency in the city and NWT.

Glen Abernethy won Great Slave, finishing ahead of four other candidates with 336 votes to 206 for Doug Ritchie, his nearest challenger.

Dave Ramsay won in Kam Lake, with the support of just under 80 per cent of the voters.

Robert Hawkins easily outdistanced three challengers in 2007, with 430 votes in Yellowknife Centre, well ahead of Sue Glowach, Ben McDonald and Bryan Sutherland.

Bob McLeod scored a resounding win in Yellowknife South, with 61 per cent of the vote.

Even if there's little competition for the job, there is no lack of issues, say the MLAs.

Cost of living, poverty, and economic development are all at the top of Abernethy's list, and "devolution is a topic that will be discussed.

"The government's priority has been on big industry, non-renewable resources, which is important, it brings in large chunks of money," said Abernethy. "But we haven't found a good way to circulate those dollars in the territories.

"We need more attention on small business. We have to encourage young people with an entrepreneurial bent, to take chances, and we need to develop more seed programs with less red tape," said Abernethy, who sees opportunities in tourism, film industry and agriculture.

Ramsay put the future of the Mackenzie Gas Project, the territorial government's financial situation, and spending on education, health care and transportation infrastructure at the top of his list.

"Social issues haven't got any better in the eight years I've been an MLA and are arguably getting worse. Maybe we need to look at how we're spending it to see if we can make a difference."

With her first term behind her, Bisaro is familiar with the more formal setting of the legislature and accustomed to the "politicking that goes on behind the scenes. I'm not a fan of it, but that's the reality."

Moving from city council to the legislature was an opportunity to advance Yellowknife issues and for the whole of the territory, she said.

"We're on the edge of becoming a little more autonomous and in some respects it's scary, because we're not ready. But it's about time we were able to look after our own resources and appoint people to our own boards."

Devolution will be an issue in the election, Bisaro said, as will homelessness and poverty.

"We need to co-ordinate social programs and an anti-poverty strategy for the territory would do that," she said.

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