ANALYSIS | How interest groups get their priorities across to candidates

Election campaigns are a time when voters can question — and sometimes sway — candidates on issues that are important in their lives. It's no different for organizations that represent the interests of specific groups.

Using devices such as questionnaires and all-candidates forums, they can find out which candidates support their causes and which don't.

The involvement of organizations in campaigns ranges from subtle to almost coercive. At the subtle end of the scale are election forums, which typically give candidates a chance to share their views on issues of importance to the group organizing the forum.

On Wednesday night alone, the Dehcho First Nations — which has a mandate to advance land claim negotiations within that region — hosted a forum for the four people in the race to become the next Deh Cho MLA. Another was hosted in Yellowknife by Dene Nahjo, a new social justice group that is also cultivating a new generation of Dene leaders.

Typically the questions in all-candidates forums are aimed at addressing the issues nearest and dearest to the organizing groups.

Chamber of Commerce puts out list of priorities

Earlier this week, the Northwest Territories Chamber of Commerce published a list of priorities for the next government.

The chamber says the 19 MLAs who are elected on Nov. 23 should focus on things such as reviving the stagnant N.W.T. economy, lowering energy prices, reducing red tape in government contracting and introducing new incentives to attract recent university graduates.

The list does not include issues such as reducing poverty and homelessness, but the chamber's executive director, Mike Bradshaw, bristles at the suggestion that the priorities of business may not be those of the general public.

"Lowering the cost of electricity helps everybody," says Bradshaw.

"Attracting more people to reside and work in the Northwest Territories helps everybody. This isn't a list exclusive to the business community, this is a list exclusive to the economy and that encompasses everyone."

The chamber's list of priorities flowed from an online survey it did asking members what they think the next government should focus on. Bradshaw says about 125 members responded.

Union starts online questionnaire

The Union of Northern Workers, which represents about 4,000 territorial government workers, is surveying candidates instead of members. Candidates have until Nov. 9 to complete the online questionnaire.

The union makes no secret that the correct answer to the five questions, from it's perspective, is "Yes."

In instructions accompanying the survey, the union tells candidates they will be graded based on how many questions they answer in the affirmative. Those who say "Yes" to all five questions will get an A grade, four affirmatives will result in a B, etc.

But the instructions include one important caveat — answer "No" to the first question and you need not answer any more — you will get an F. The first question is: Will you oppose any cuts to GNWT staff, including boards and agencies?

The question is clearly meant to identify candidates who will be sympathetic to the union in upcoming collective bargaining with the territorial government. The current collective agreement expires March 31, 2016.

The union was unwilling to talk about the survey. It says it will once the results are in.

Last week, president Todd Parsons suggested the territorial government's last fiscal update — in which the finance minister hinted that cutbacks are necessary — was an attempt to lower workers' expectations going into the coming round of collective bargaining.