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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Incumbent Wendy Bisaro edged out a small victory in Frame Lake as 29.9 per cent of voters cast a ballot in the Oct. 3 territorial election.

Wendy Bisaro is elated as she watches results come in for Frame Lake Monday night. - Nicole Garbutt/NNSL photo

Bisaro received news of her victory amidst family and supporters at her Woolgar Avenue campaign headquarters, where celebrations had begun before the results had started to trickle in. A pot of Bisaro's homemade chilli added a homey feel to the gathering as volunteers uncorked wine bottles.

"It's been a good campaign," Bisaro said prior to the results. "Long days; it all starts with the campaign going full-bore." Bisaro beat competitors Bernard Leblanc, who garnered only five per cent of the vote and Duff Spence who managed a close 40 per cent.

Spence was admittedly nervous while waiting for the results to come in.

"I would rather have the scrutineers tell me," he said.

Spence took the loss with grace, saying that Bisaro was a great competitor. He made a point of stopping by her campaign office for a handshake and to congratulate her.

"As long as we can get our signs back," he said with a laugh, indicating a potential plan to run in the 2015 election.

Moving forward from Monday night, Bisaro will have a little bit of down time before legislature, which is scheduled for after Thanksgiving; although there is still the campaign office to clear out and the signs to take down.

Bisaro's family travelled to Yellowknife from Quebec and Toronto to help with the campaign, and some remained in the city until today to help with the cleanup.

"(The polls) were a lot better organized, it was smooth this time," said her brother-in-law David Campbell.

As for the low voter turnout, Bisaro said she just doesn't know why people didn't go to the polls; Frame Lake voter turnout dropped by approximately 15 per cent compared to the 2007 election.

"I struggle with why. Maybe we're just too complacent, we don't feel we have something to fight for?"

She suggested that students having just returned to school may play a factor.

"It's a very cumbersome process for them (to vote)," she said, adding she hopes with Elections NWT testing a more electronic system this year that will help increase voter accessibility. "Anything we can do to get people out to vote," Bisaro said.

Bill Braden, campaign manager for Duff Spence, said "(The system) really only works well when a lot of people get involved, and even though we're few in number here tonight, I think we've all helped make a difference."

When it came time to thank his family, Spence teared up during his concession speech.

"Look at that heart, that's huge heart. That's what we needed in there," said Braden, reacting to Spence's display of emotion and expressing disappointment in his defeat.

Bisaro said the main issues she will take to the legislative assembly are the problems with Northland Trailer Park's water and sewer infrastructure and the Anti-Poverty Strategy. Bisaro said, the NWT needs a co-operative strategy that spans all government departments, as well as other organizations involved in combating poverty.

"I'll be going after that for sure," she said.

- with files from Galit Rodan

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