With the federal election now underway, the NWT Liberals are getting their house in order and gearing up to choose a candidate this Saturday.
Members of the NWT Liberal riding association (who joined before the August 3rd cut-off date) will choose between former Yellowknife City Councillor Gail Cyr and former MLA (and brother of premier Bob McLeod) Michael McLeod, in 11 nomination meetings across the territory on Saturday afternoon.
Gail Cyr
With the Conservatives acclaiming Floyd Roland and the NDP rallying behind incumbent Dennis Bevington (though he hasn’t been officially acclaimed yet), the Liberals seem to have been dithering over the past weeks and months.
Or, perhaps more accurately, they appear to have been waiting for McLeod, or another candidate with more star power than Cyr or Kieron Testart (who withdrew last week, and endorsed McLeod), to throw their hat in the ring — which he did the week before last.
But the late nomination meeting is not symptomatic of heel-dragging, says Testart, who has now taken on the position of party spokesperson.
“We’ve been in election mode for 11 months during the nomination campaign,” says Testart. “Both of the nomination candidates are working hard, doing outreach in communities, and still working at bringing members into the party even though the cut-off has already passed.”
“A competitive nomination process is extremely healthy. Since we started the process, the size of the riding association has tripled,” he added.
The Yellowknife meeting will be held in the Commissioner’s Room on the fourth floor of the Day’s Inn from 3:00 – 6:00 P.M. The winner will be announced shortly afterwards.
