Federal election candidate profiles
Four declared candidates explain why their background and experience would make them the best choice as MP for NWT
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Monday, August 24, 2015
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
The federal election is still more than two full months away but the campaign for the Oct. 19 vote appears to be heating up.
As NWT residents find themselves in the early stages of one of the longest federal campaigns in modern history, News/North reached out to the four declared NWT candidates - incumbent NDPer Dennis Bevington, former Inuvik mayor now Conservative candidate Floyd Roland, Liberal candidate Michael McLeod and Bob Stewart who is running for the Libertarians.
The Green Party has yet to declare a candidate for the Northwest Territories riding but party officials insist there will be one competing in the territory.
These candidate profiles give a sense of who they are, where they came from, why they are running and why they think they are the best choice to represent the interests of the NWT in Parliament.
Dennis Bevington - New Democratic Party
- Age: 62
- Born in Fort Smith; lives in Fort Smith/Ottawa
- Married to wife Joan since 1975, father to two children, grandfather of seven
- Education: Graduated from the University of Alberta in 1973 with a BA in political science
- Experience: 1985-87 - Fort Smith town councillor
- 1988-97 - Fort Smith mayor
- 1990-95 - NWT member, Northern River Basin Study
- 1995-97 - Co-chair, Constitutional Development Committee for the NWT
- 1999-2001 - Member, Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board
- 2001-03 - Special adviser to the premier on energy
- 1997 to present - President, Stand Alone Energy Systems Ltd.
- Parliamentary record: Elected as Western Arctic (now NWT) MP on Jan. 23, 2006
- 2006-08 - Energy critic
- 2008-11 - Transportation critic
- 2011-15 - Northern Development and Arctic critic
- 2014-15 - Vice-chair, Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region
- Top election issues: high cost of living, environment, health care investment to maintain and expand services in North, affordable child care
Quote from interview: "The NDP is, for the first time, going into this election with a great opportunity to be the government on Oct. 20. I'm going to continue to work hard on the issues surrounding the high cost of living including renewable energy, food, housing - those are things we need to step up to the plate on. There is no better time for governments to invest in infrastructure right now with interest rates low. We also need to improve the Northern Residents Tax Deduction to match inflation. We need to restore the laws to protect rivers, wildlife and the environment that the Conservatives have terminated or degraded in their time in office."
Michael McLeod - Liberal Party
- Age: 55
- Born, raised and lives in Fort Providence
- Married to wife Joyce, father of three children
- Brother of Premier Bob McLeod
- Experience: Founding member, Fort Providence Resource Management Board and Dehcho Regional Council; member of the NWT Public Utilities Board
- Former vice-president, NWT Metis Development Corporation
- Past-president, Metis Nation local 57
- Volunteer major corporal with Canadian Junior Rangers
- Mayor, Fort Providence (three terms)
- MLA, Deh Cho electoral district (three terms)
- Former minister of transportation, environment and municipal and community affairs (MACA)
- Since his electoral defeat in the 2011 territorial election, McLeod has worked as a tourism development officer with the GNWT.
Top election issues: High cost of living and affordable home ownership, developing NWT investment potential through increased infrastructure spending, job creation and economic partnerships with local governments including indigenous people on a nation-to-nation basis, longstanding social justice issues such as addiction, poverty and homelessness.
Campaign quote: "I come to the table with a balanced perspective on the issues and pride myself on being a consensus builder. I will be a leader who listens and works with others to bring the best ideas forward. Northerners are asking for change and I am ready to lead that change."
Bob Stewart - Libertarian Party
- Age: 31
- Born, raised and lives in Yellowknife
- Marital status: single
- Education: Graduated from McMaster University in 2006 with a degree in political science
- Experience: Auditor/accountant for 12 years auditing in the NWT and Nunavut
- Two years as senior financial analyst, financial planning and budget analyst for the GNWT
- Currently owner/operator of Kilt and Castle Pub in downtown Yellowknife
Top election issues: repealing laws such as Bill C-51 which unconstitutionally strips Canadians of privacy rights, lower taxes for middle and lower class, ending Canadian military involvement in Middle East
Campaign quote: "There are no election issues more important than restoring liberty to the people who are becoming increasingly oppressed, peace to a nation that has been 15 years at war, and strength to a middle class that has been weakened by years of predatory monopolies and rampant government taxation and deficit spending."
Floyd Roland - Conservative Party
Age: 53
Born, raised and lives in Inuvik
Marital status: did not respond
Experience: 1991 - board member, Inuvik Hunters and Trappers Committee
1992 - Inuvik town councillor, and deputy mayor
1995 - Elected as MLA representing Inuvik-Boot Lake; served four terms as MLA, serving in a number of capacities including committee chair of governance economic development. He also held several cabinet portfolios as minister including health and social services, NWT Housing Corporation, public works and services, public utilities board, NWT Power Corporation, finance, financial management board, aboriginal and intergovernmental affairs.
2007-11 - premier of NWT
Recently stepped down as mayor of Inuvik
Top election issues: jobs, high cost of living
Campaign quote: "I believe that it is important for your representative in Parliament to be at the table, advocating on behalf of residents of the Northwest Territories to ensure that the federal government remains a strong partner and focused on the priorities of the Northwest Territories. As your Conservative member of Parliament, I want to help keep jobs in the North and our economy strong and ensure that the Northwest Territories remains an attractive place to live, work and invest for generations."
