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MLAs revise code of conduct
Document isn't enforceable says Yellowknife Centre member Julie Green

Shane Magee
Northern News Services
Tuesday, January 12, 2016

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Just before a new territorial government cabinet was sworn in last month, MLAs took a few minutes to sign a revised code of conduct containing general statements about how they should behave.

NNSL photo/graphic

The Yellowknife cabinet ministers applaud as other ministers are sworn in Dec. 17 in the legislative assembly. Among them are Range Lake MLA Caroline Cochrane, left, Great Slave MLA Glen Abernethy and Premier Bob McLeod, who is the Yellowknife South MLA. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo

The code was amended from a previous version to include a line stating all 19 MLAs will "perform the duties of my office with integrity, objectivity and impartiality and I will arrange my private matters so as to maintain the trust and confidence of the public."

The code was established in the early 1990s and largely remains the same, said legislative assembly clerk Tim Mercer. Frame Lake MLA Kevin O'Reilly said MLAs previously did not have to sign the code but it is now required.

At a news conference Dec. 18, Yellowknife Centre MLA Julie Green said there was discussion in caucus that led to MLAs signing the document and agreeing to the revised text.

Green said it was the desire of all MLAs to "give that document more profile," by signing it in public and posting it to the legislative assembly website.

"It says that this is the way we should behave in order to do our work and to do it with dignity and honour," she said.

However, Green said there's no enforcement mechanism for the code.

Asked if the changes to the process and wording were prompted by Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli's assault causing bodily harm conviction, O'Reilly said it came up as a topic during the election campaign.

"It was a theme during the election," O'Reilly said, referring to conduct of MLAs.

Nadli pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm against his spouse earlier this year. He was released from jail early and was able to run again. He was re-elected during the territorial election Nov. 23 with about 40 per cent of ballots cast in the district. Nadli, in a statement in the legislative assembly, said what he did was wrong.

"I made a mistake. I was wrong. I am taking steps to ensure that such an incident does not happen again and I'm taking steps to better myself," Nadli said Dec. 14. "I am going forward on a path to healing and wellness. I am not ignoring the incident. The NWT has the highest rate of domestic violence in Canada. Domestic violence has to stop. Men must stop hurting their families."

The code has been referred to a legislative assembly committee for review, O'Reilly said. That will include public input and an examination of codes of conduct in other jurisdictions.

"There are ways in which it could be improved and made more enforceable by changing some of our territorial legislation," he said.

- with files from John McFadden

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