Hay River/Deh Cho candidates discuss economy and land claims at forum

Diversifying the economy and settling land claims were big topics of discussion at the all-candidates forum in Hay River, N.W.T., Thursday night.

R.J. Simpson, who has been acclaimed for his second term as MLA for Hay River North, along with Hay River South candidates Rocky Simpson and Wally Schumann, answered questions from audience members about their plans for the next four years.

For the first time, an MLA candidate from the Deh Cho riding was also at the event, hosted by the Hay River Chamber of Commerce. Incumbent candidate Michael Nadli joined the other MLA hopefuls while Ron Bonnetrouge, who is also running in Deh Cho, was not in attendance.

"I'm very, very proud of this community and this chamber for doing something like this. It shows something changed in the Northwest Territories. It's inclusion," Sandra Patterson Lester told the crowd.

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Unsettled land claims

A big election issue in the Deh Cho riding is the unsettled land claim between the territorial and federal governments and the Dehcho First Nations.

Michael Nadlisaid there needs to be serious reflection on the progress of negotiations in the North. He feels the governments of Canada and Northwest Territories could do better when it comes to building bridges with Indigenous people.

"There has to be a real effort in terms of reconciliation."

Nadli said as the Deh Cho MLA he tried to advance the standing committee on Aboriginal affairs to put less focus on the perspective of the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs.

R.J. Simpson also said there needs to be a change in the mindset of the territorial government.

"There are adults who've known nothing but negotiations for their entire lives. It's become a way of life," he said. "Some politicians can't get past that idea of, 'This is just how things are, things just take decades and generations to complete,' and I don't think that's necessarily the way it has to be."

Rocky Simpson said, if elected, he'd like to look at what the territory's role should be at the negotiating table.

"Do we have to be there? Should it be a federal to First Nations negotiation only?" he questioned.

"The [territorial government] ... may feel that they have to say something, that they have to disagree with things, just because."

Wally Schumann, the incumbent candidate for Hay River South, said settling land claims won't be easy.

"I kind of laugh when I read some of the comments [from] some of the candidates, that we've got to settle land claims. Well it's a little bit more complicated than that."

Schumann said he'd like to look at whether staffing changes could be made in the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs to help move land claims forward.

"Now that's a pretty bold statement to make publicly, but I think there needs to be some movement and some people to bring some creative ideas to the table."

Diversifying the economy

Candidates also faced a number of questions about their plans to grow and diversify the territory's economy.

Wally Schumann, who served as minister for the departments of Infrastructure and Industry, Tourism and Investment in the 18th Legislative Assembly, said that was a big part of his government's mandate.

He highlighted the development of the territory's fishing strategy and its first manufacturing and agriculture strategies as successes.

"More has been done in the last four years than probably the last 50 years of the territorial government," he said.

R.J. Simpson said it's possible for the government to promote and regulate mining, oil and gas while also diversifying the economy, but that hasn't been the case.

"It seems like we can't walk and chew bubble gum at the same time."

Rocky Simpson said supporting other industries like forestry, fishing, agriculture, manufacturing and infrastructure is of particular importance for his riding.

"We don't have the luxury of having the mines in our backyard."

Also of particular concern in Hay River is the future of Marine Transportation Services.The territorial government purchased the assets of Northern Transportation Company Limitedin December 2016 after the bargecompany filed for bankruptcy protection.

Schumann said research is underway to explore future options for Marine Transportation Services, including whether to make it a Crown corporation. He said the government is working to train northerners at the Marine Training Centre in Hay River but there aren't enough trained people in the North to deliver all the goods up and down the river.

R.J. Simpson said he's opposed to government interfering in private industry but it had to be done in this case to get fuel to communities. In the interest of the territory, he said decisions on how to govern Marine Transportation Servicesmoving forward should be made as soon as possible.

Rocky Simpson said workers with the company should be made employees of the territorial government and ensure the jobs of northerners are protected.

Michael Nadli agreed and said questions around the issuealso touch on a bigger issue across the territory.

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"I think it's very key, especially in the N.W.T., that we invest in the number-one resource and that's the human resources of the Northwest Territories," Nadli said.

The entirety of the forum was livestreamed on the Town of Hay River's Facebook page.

The territorial election takes place on Oct. 1.