Three N.W.T. women elected to assembly

The number of female legislatorsin the N.W.T. assembly has increased by one.

Wendy Bisaro, aformer Yellowknife city councillorfrom theFrame Lake district, will join incumbents Jane Groenewegen and Sandy Lee.

Lee is a two-term incumbentfrom Yellowknife Range Lake, while Groenewegen is a three-term incumbent and former cabinet minister from Hay RiverSouth.

Ten women were vying for seats in the election. The seven not elected were:

• Denise Kurszewski of Inuvik Twin Lakes.
• Keyna Norwegian of Nahendeh.
• Jeannie Marie-Jewell of Thebacha.
• Carol Morin of Weledeh.
• Sue Glowach of Yellowknife Centre.
• Amy Hacala of Yellowknife South.

This election's tally of three female legislators ties the record in the N.W.T.

With her win, Bisaro became the 10th woman elected to the N.W.T. legislative assembly.

In 1971, Lena Pedersen became the first woman elected to the assembly (then called the territorial council). In 1991, Nellie Cournoyea became the first woman premier of the N.W.T. She was also the longest-serving female MLA in the territory, serving in the legislature from 1979-95.