MLAs backpeddle on year-long extension
New plan will postpone territorial election to Nov. 23 unless feds go early
Randi Beers
Northern News Services
Published Friday, October 17, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Northwest Territories MLAs have abandoned a plan to extend their terms by one year if the federal election overlaps with the territorial election in 2015.
Now, MLAs are set to table a bill that will send voters to the polls on Nov. 23, 2015, unless Prime Minister Stephen Harper calls an early federal election by April 1, 2015.
The original motion, tabled by Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen earlier this year, proposed a bill that would defer the election by a full year. At the time, it was argued that overlapping elections would cause confusion and stretch the resources of electoral officers in the communities. After hearing negative feedback from constituents, MLAs voted to amend the motion to delay the election by up to one year instead.
"Many members heard from their constituents over the summer so caucus had a discussion and asked the legislative staff to look at our options," said Inuvik-Boot Lake MLA Alfred Moses, who serves as deputy chair of the caucus.
On Wednesday, MLAs held a closed door debate on whether to hold the election early, a month later or leave the election date the same. The majority voted to hold it Nov. 23, 2015.
Moses said some members of caucus were against holding it early for a number of reasons.
"There is legislation that needs to be passed, some members wanted to see their full terms and it's also the tail end of the holidays and vacations so a lot of voters might be out on the land," he said.
"Another big thing that was discussed was partisan politics - we didn't want (federal) party politics to possibly change the vote."
Any change to the territorial election date depends on Parliament passing amendments to the Northwest Territories Act, which is expected to be decided this fall, according to a legislative assembly press release. However, Moses said he and his colleagues won't wait for it to pass in Ottawa.
"We are introducing the bill this session to lay to rest this thought that it is going to be a year extension," he said.
The federal election is currently fixed for Oct. 19, 2015, but Harper has the authority to call an election any time between 36 days from now and the fixed election date. The territorial election is scheduled for Oct. 5, 2015.
Municipal elections for tax-based communities and school board elections in Yellowknife are also scheduled for Oct. 19, 2015.
