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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Mayor Gord Van Tighem was pleased to hear that Bob McLeod won the premiership on Wednesday afternoon.

The mayor learned the election result from a text message he received while checking it at the Yellowknife airport on his way to Ottawa for meetings.

"I think it's good news," Van Tighem said. "I've known Bob for many years and he's always been a good man to work with and I don't see how this will change that."

During the territorial election, in which McLeod was acclaimed but still went door to door visiting his constituents -Van Tighem observed - the mayor and McLeod met to discuss the ongoing problem of expiring infrastructure in Northland.

"He's been the lead man on that so I hope that will bear well for that ongoing discussion," Van Tighem said, adding that several other Yellowknife issues also need attention from cabinet in the near future.

"At this point, it's a matter of putting our little list together and making sure that not only the premier, but all of the new cabinet are aware of where we hope to be going. The key thing is to maintain the discussion and the dialogue."

Van Tighem points to the prominent role McLeod has played in economic discussions among members of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region as evidence of McLeod's readiness for the premiership.

McLeod hosted a two-day gathering of the organization's Arctic caucus in Yellowknife in August. About 70 business and government leaders from Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska attended the event.

"He took a lead as statesman, diplomat and representative of the NWT and did it quite well," Van Tighem said.

Many members of the business community were pleased to learn McLeod won the election on Wednesday afternoon.

"We were very excited by the news," said Larry Jacquard, president of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce. "He's going to be a very good premier when it comes to supporting local business and business development, I believe. I think he understands the need for new business in Yellowknife."

Jacquard last spoke with McLeod during the chamber's President's Ball earlier this month, but the pair have shared discussions in the past as fellow members of the NWT Tourism board.

The chamber board will meet soon to plan a luncheon with the premier in the coming weeks.

"We're hoping to be able to sit down with him and get in writing or at least some information from him that we will move forward on some of the urgent matters when it comes to economic growth and the housing problems we have in Yellowknife," Jacquard said. "We're very interested to see what he has to say about the carbon tax and about land building regulations. There are many, many subjects that we're interested in sitting with him on. We're looking forward to some very concrete and positive meetings with him."

Leadership among the Yellowknives Dene First Nation expressed congratulations to the premier, as well.

"(Acting Dettah Chief Mary Rose Sundberg and Ndilo Chief Ted Tsetta) from Yellowknives Dene First Nation congratulate Bob McLeod on his successful election to the position of premier," said Shannon Gault, executive assistant to Sundberg, adding the chiefs were in Fort Smith at a leadership conference when they learned of the results. "Both chiefs look forward to working with Premier McLeod and all new members of the legislative assembly throughout their term."

Members of the environmental advocacy group, Ecology North, also extended their congratulations to the new premier.

"Ecology North wants to congratulate him on his new position and we look forward to working with him in the future on environmental issues," said Dawn Tremblay, Ecology North program co-ordinator. "We hope that he can prove his commitment to the environment and the land of the NWT."

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