NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
The federal candidates competing to be the next member of Parliament for the NWT continue to stump on the campaign trail, releasing policy statements as they go.

Dennis Bevington: NDP candidate proposes returning gas tax funds to communities. Floyd Roland: Conservative candidate teamed up with Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq and Yukon MP Ryan Leef to denounce a carbon tax. Bob McLeod Liberal candidate says NWT deserves "world-class" infrastructure. Bob Stewart: Libertarian candidate categorically opposes carbon taxation. John Moore: Green Party candidate is open to the idea of a carbon tax.

Liberal candidate Michael McLeod has unleashed a long list of NWT investments on the campaign trail.

"The residents of the NWT deserve world-class transportation infrastructure and investing in these projects represents the future of our economy, bringing industry and tourism to the NWT and creating new jobs," he said.

Transportation projects that McLeod would support include completing the Mackenzie Valley Highway, which he said will connect communities north-to-south and open up the NWT to investment and development. He also supports building an all-weather road to Whati and dredging the Hay River harbour, as well as refurbishing the Hay River port.

He also wants to see water treatment plants, more child care spaces and enhancement of existing spaces and a larger investment in affordable housing.

"Initially we expect that we would run into a (budget) deficit. We plan to run into a deficit for three years and then start to balance it out."

Conservative candidate Floyd Roland, meanwhile, joined his counterparts in the North - Leona Aglukkaq in Nunavut and Ryan Leef in the Yukon - to denounce the idea of a carbon tax last week.

"The cost of living in each territory is much higher than the south," stated Roland. "From the food on our tables to the cars that we drive, almost everything is shipped up to the North. That is why we are deeply concerned by the Liberals and NDP, who have vowed to create carbon taxes across Canada."

A carbon tax is generally defined as a tax based on greenhouse gas emissions generated from burning fuels. It puts a price on each ton of carbon emissions with a goal of reducing them.

News/North asked McLeod for his party's stance on a carbon tax, particularly in the North.

"The North produces very little in terms of emissions ... at the same time we all have a responsibility to deal with and wrestle with climate change," McLeod said. "We need to work with the communities, municipalities, aboriginal governments and territorial governments to come up with a plan. We want everyone to have proper input."

News/North asked Roland what he thinks about the Liberal plan to run a budget deficit if they form the next government.

"All that means is that a government will have to come to grips with it at some point and then start delaying and reducing its infrastructure which was done by the (GNWT) in 1995," Roland said. "Let's be realistic on what we can afford to do ... and not make open-ended promises."

NDP candidate Dennis Bevington said the New Democrats would free up more money for communities so that they could spend on infrastructure.

"We're looking at ramping that up to $1.5 billion a year returning more of the gas tax to communities. We also want to see investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy which will reduce costs to other governments and other individuals which should open up opportunity for those types of investments," Bevington said.

He added that the Harper government wrongly gets praise for raising the borrowing limit for the territorial government, which has allowed it to make more infrastructure investment.

"I had a private member's bill in 2011 raising the borrowing limit for the GNWT. Four years later the Conservatives have come out and did the same thing," he said. "With the increased borrowing limit that is now in place I think they we're going to see greater investment in the North and bigger partnerships with the federal government."

The Northern Conservative candidates' promise to not implement a carbon tax rings hollow for Bevington.

"The federal government over the last number of years in Ms. Aglukkaq's riding has invested almost nothing in renewable energy. They haven't done anything about reducing the carbon footprint which would save people dollars and increase the local economy," Bevington said.

Libertarian candidate Bob Stewart said he is dead set against a carbon tax.

"There are no tangible benefits that you ever see from the cash that's collected and what it does is it takes money out of the pockets of small business - the middle class - people who are trying to gain entry into the free market," Stewart said.

"The only people who can afford a carbon tax are the multi-billion dollar companies anyway."

A Green Party government would put a price on carbon, according to NWT Green Party candidate John Moore. He said that the party proposes a fee and dividend system.

"Carbon will have a built-in fee applied to goods all across Canada. The money from this fee will not be touched by the government but instead kept in a separate pool from which all Canadians over the age of 18 will receive a cheque," Moore said.

"You're providing Canadians with a direct, flat and equal payout. It is a revenue neutral measure that puts money back into the hands of consumer."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.