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Around Nunavut
January
6, 2006
Bill Riddell to run for NDP
After an enthusiastic start, Nunavut’s New Democratic Party candidate
Amanda Ford-Rogers backed out of the Jan. 23 federal election race just before
Christmas.
Bill Riddell, Nunavut’s NDP candidate in the 2004 election, has stepped
in to take her place.
“She hadn’t registered with Elections Canada yet so there was no
harm done,” Riddell said this past Tuesday.
Ford-Rogers changed her mind after considering the substantial commitment that
a federal election campaign would require — especially if she won, Riddell
said.
With that in mind, Riddell said, she decided to “save it for another time.”
In the spring election in 2004, Riddell took 15 per cent of the vote, just
behind independent candidate Manitok Thompson.
“This time I have a better handle on some of the issues that need to be
addressed,” Riddell said.
Riddell has lived in Iqaluit for the past 23 years. He originally moved north
to teach social work at Nunavut Arctic College. Eventually, he became a justice
of the peace, and then a residential tenancies officer, handling conflicts between
landlords and tenants.
January
6, 2006
What about the North?
premiers query party leaders
The three northern premiers want to make sure federal party leaders make their
northern policy positions clear to Canadians in the campaign leading up to the
Jan. 23 election.
To do that, they sent a joint letter to Liberal Leader Paul Martin, Conservative
Leader Stephen Harper, New Democratic Party Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois
Leader Gilles Duceppe on Dec. 14.
The letter outlines four issues that they want party leaders to clarify. That
includes:
- Funding for federal programs — the premiers are concerned that Northern
jurisdictions are shortchanged when programs are funded based on population.
- Northern development — the premiers want to know how each party would
complete a comprehensive development strategy for the North.
- Devolution and land claims — the premiers want to hear clear positions
on devolution, the completion of outstanding land claims, and implementation
of land claims.
- Outcomes of the First Ministers’ Meeting on aboriginal issues —
the premiers want to know whether the commitments made in Kelowna in December
will be honoured.
Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik, Yukon Premier Dennis Fentie and Northwest Territories
Premier Joe Handley all signed the letter.
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