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NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
Of the nine women who ran in this year's election, only two will be heading to the legislature in Yellowknife.

"Of course we're a little disappointed that there's only two women now," said Annemieke Mulders, programs and research manager for the Status of Womens Council of the NWT. "This might be the lowest (amount of women in the legislative assembly) that we've had. A little more than 10 per cent now of the legislative assembly is women."

Fourteen of the 16 contested districts were reclaimed by incumbents. Both women chosen for the 17th assembly were re-elected.

Jane Groenewegen defeated Jean Marc Miltenberger for second time in as many elections to hold on to her seat representing the people of Hay River South - a role she has filled since 1995. Wendy Bisaro earned a second term as representative for Frame Lake.

"Well I think that like many other things, the legislative assembly should be representative," said Groenewegen. "I think that the low number of women in there is something that detracts from the representativeness of that. I think the last assembly was the only one that I've been a part of that actually had three (women).

"Certainly some good capable women ran. I don't know what it boils down to at the polls."

For Mulders, the low voter turnout in this year's election may have something to do with why no new women MLAs will be joining the assembly this year.

"Surprisingly low. So I certainly think that has something to do with it," said Mulders. "With that, we're also very disappointed."

The Status of Womens Council took an active roll bringing women's issues to the forefront during this election, issuing a questionnaire to all candidates and hosting an All Yellowknife Candidates Forum on Sept. 26.

The Status of Womens Council of the NWT presented three questions to the candidates, focusing on the support for the NWT Family Violence Action Plan, access to childcare facilities in all communities in the NWT, and Gender-Based Analysis - an approach to developing policies, programs, legislation and decision-making processes in terms of how it would affect different genders.

"We did get very positive feedback from our questions," said Mulders. "There seems to be a lot of support for women's issues, so it's our job now to keep them to what they've committed.

"So that part is good - that there seems to be awareness and commitment to some of the issues that affect NWT women."

Groenewegen said many women hold high profile professional positions across the territory including the areas of law, education, health and business, which is why she is surprised so few are in politics.

"There's very accomplished women," said Groenewegen. "But in politics - I don't get it - they're not there. Sometimes I joke that maybe they have better things to do."

Groenewegen is used to being the only woman or one of the only women on boards and committees from her time at the NWT Power Corporation, Hay River town council, and other community organizations.

"Now I don't say it's right," she said. "Again, it comes down to a basic thing: it's not representative. You know, why should one demographic in the population be overrepresented in an institution as important as the legislative assembly? But I don't know what the answer is to that."

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