OPINION | N.W.T. MLAs are in it for themselves

In the politics of the Northwest Territories there are two consensus systems. There's the idealistic consensus that everyone wants based on collaboration and putting people above politics, and then there's the consensus we appear to have, dominated by secrecy, closed-door meetings, horse trading and career opportunists. 

Northerners keep expecting politics to change by voting in new politicians, but as long as the system stays the same we can expect the same results.

The last election delivered an almost brand new cast of politicians to the Legislative Assembly, elected on promises of greater collaboration and an end to the perceived infighting of the previous government. And yet, only six months into their term, with only 25 days sitting in the house, some regular MLAs moved to turf Industry Minister Katrina Nokleby without offering any real reasons. 

A non-confidence motion this soon into an assembly hasn't been seen in close to 20 years and the public backlash has been swift, with many people wondering what exactly is going on. While MLAs will speak to their reasons during the vote, I doubt the public will ever fully understand the depth of their concerns, if any, or why they are refusing to comment. 

Regular MLAs act as an "unofficial opposition," which means they scrutinize cabinet ministers' performance and hold them accountable for their actions. However, regular members are not a "government-in-waiting," and these MLAs are not official critics or shadow ministers. So when considering a non-confidence motion, the inevitable question becomes, who will become the new minister?

The answer isn't clear to MLAs or to members of the public because, in the end, the new minister will be decided by secret ballot vote. Most MLAs are reluctant to show interest in replacing a minister facing removal for fear of being perceived as opportunists. In the conversations we had in the 18th Assembly, no one was willing to even discuss crossing the floor until after the vote had been taken. 

Nokleby could be the best minister of the bunch or the worst, but there is no way to know because so much of the work is done behind closed doors.- Kieron Testart

This lends a large degree of uncertainty to the entire process of removing a minister, which only makes it harder to sell to a curious public that is kept in the dark for even the most routine business of the Legislative Assembly. 

This is what makes the refusal of regular members and cabinet to comment on Nokleby's plight even more infuriating. Secrecy is all too common in consensus government and it's reinforced by the behaviour of MLAs when they refuse to comment on matters of public interest. Nokleby could be the best minister of the bunch or the worst, but there is no way to know because so much of the work is done behind closed doors, not to mention her brief tenure in the role. 

No sound reason for no comment

There is nothing preventing any one of the MLAs behind the motion from discussing their reasons with the public. Although the initial discussions may have been in confidential meetings of committee and caucus, once the notice of motion was given, there was nothing stopping members from sharing their own views on the matter while respecting the privacy of their colleagues and the rules of the Legislative Assembly.

The refusal to comment in the face of so much public interest is backsliding into the old days of closed-door meetings and a lack of clarity on where MLAs stand on the issues. 

The premier and cabinet deserve some criticism as well. Ministers enjoy their lofty positions thanks to the support of their colleagues, and they are accountable to all MLAs, not just the premier. Good relations and a willingness to compromise are important to a minister's success. Failing to cultivate that support from regular members is a good way to be shown the door.

The premier, as first among equals, controls cabinet portfolio assignments and political staffing appointments. A convention exists called a "fireside chat" where the premier sits down with the regular members and hears their concerns. In short, there are plenty of formal and informal mechanisms available to the cabinet to resolve performance issues long before a non-confidence motion is brought forward. 

MLAs are all elected as independents, which means they look out for their interests first and foremost. When making a political decision, many calculations are at play: Will this help me get re-elected? Will this help me get things for my riding? Will this help me get into cabinet? These are among the motivating factors behind much of the decision-making in the consensus system, and do much to explain the penchant for secrecy and backroom deals.

Politics is a team sport, it takes leadership and organization to deliver results, but our system is like a hockey game where all the players are trying to put the puck into their own net.

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