N.W.T. MLAs choose a premier and cabinet today

Northwest Territories MLAs will choose the next premier today, and the selection of either candidate — Bob McLeod or Glen Abernethy — would make a record: McLeod would become the first MLA to serve two consecutive terms as premier, and Abernethy would become the first non-aboriginal N.W.T. premier in 24 years.

• LIVE BLOG | Follow the N.W.T. premier and cabinet selection process here

There are no political parties under the Northwest Territories' consensus system of government. Following an election, in which candidates run as independents, the 19 MLAs choose a Speaker, premier and six other cabinet ministers from among themselves. The remaining members function as the opposition.

Regardless of which candidate is chosen as premier today, a Yellowknife MLA will have filled the role for two consecutive terms, which runs counter to the typical rotation of the role of premier between members from northern, southern and Yellowknife constituencies.

Some customs remain in place, however. Though the public is invited to the legislative assembly today to witness the voting process, how many votes McLeod and Abernethy each garners will not be revealed, says Tim Mercer, the clerk of the legislative assembly. Only the winner's name will be announced.

'They're looking for a new premier'

This time around, MLAs decided to build in one week between the announcement of the premier candidates and the vote, saying that would give them time to gather feedback from their constituents about who they should vote for.

Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart said Monday he'd reached out to or heard from 100 constituents.

"The decision that's going to be made is based on many factors, but right now the majority of people seem to be inclined to vote for change. They're looking for a new premier, and that would be Mr. Abernethy," said Testart.

Testart said whether a candidate for premier is aboriginal or not isn't a factor for him.

"I think that, for the people of N.W.T., we're all in this together," he said. 

"The selection of premier needs to be about how your values align with those of our leadership figures."

Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Alfred Moses said "No, not at all," when asked whether a candidate for premier is aboriginal or not will factor into his vote. 

"You look at leadership ... and what can be the best for the people of the North and somebody you can work well with." 

​MLAs will also choose their Speaker today as well as who will sit on cabinet.

Here's how things are going to go down:

Speaker

Candidates will announce themselves and make speeches mercifully capped at five minutes.

Then MLAs will vote behind one of two voting booths and place their ballots in a box. The winner — who needs at least 10 of 19 MLA votes — will be announced. Then a quick break.

Monfwi MLA Jackson Lafferty is expected to run for Speaker.

Premier

MLAs will then have the chance to each ask Abernethy and McLeod two questions. The degree of spontaneity will depend on whether the candidates will be fed questions beforehand, a not-uncommon practice in the legislature.

Then the vote will take place, with MLAs proceeding in the same fashion as voting for the Speaker. As with the Speaker, the premier needs to get at least 10 votes.

There will be a quick break as legislative assembly staff take the ballot box into the clerk's office, out of public view, to count the votes.

When the process resumes in the assembly, only the winner will be announced. Then it's lunch time.

​Testart previously told CBC he would reveal who he votes for after the vote. He was the only elected candidate that pledged to do so, though Thebacha MLA Louis Sebert said he might be open to revealing who he voted for and Yellowknife North MLA Cory Vanthuyne said "I have no reason not to disclose how I vote on anything, unless there's a clear reason for the public good." Yellowknife Centre MLA Julie Green said she was undecided whether she would reveal who she voted for.

​Cabinet

MLAs will then vote for the six members who will join the premier on cabinet.

As usual, the northern, southern and Yellowknife constituencies will each have two cabinet seats set aside for them, with the boundaries defined as follows:

• northern (Inuvik Boot Lake, Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mackenzie Delta, Monfwi, Nunakput and Sahtu)
• southern (Deh Cho, Hay River North, Hay River South, Nahendeh, Thebacha and Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh)
• Yellowknife (Frame Lake, Great Slave, Kam Lake, Range Lake, Yellowknife Centre, Yellowknife North and Yellowknife South) 

Cabinet's likely to boast some fresh faces: five of seven Yellowknife MLAs are first-timers; four, in the southern constituencies.

"I think it's high time we had a female voice on cabinet. It's been many years," said John Stephenson, who watched from the public gallery Monday as MLAs touted their priorities for the term.

"There's no way we can follow the lead of the federal government, with having 50 per cent, but I think we can at least have one woman on cabinet."

Cabinet members won't know what portfolio they'll get today; the premier will choose their portfolios for them. When that happens is unclear, but the legislative assembly is set to finally get down to business in February.