Ron Bonnetrouge says he will put his name forward for N.W.T. premier if re-elected | CBC News

Incumbent Dehcho MLA Ron Bonnetrouge says if he is re-elected to the N.W.T. Legislative Assembly, he will put his name forward to be premier.

“I realized in my time as an MLA, regular MLA, if one wishes to affect change in government decisions in relation to small community issues, one would need to be in a position of power,” he said at a candidates forum in Fort Providence Wednesday. 

“Therefore I’d like to put my name forward to run for premier,” he said. “Of course I’d need your support  to continue in my political journey.”

Bonnetrouge would first need to be elected to represent the Dehcho and then elected by over 50 per cent of the elected MLAs. 

Bonnetrouge is running against Richard C. Lafferty, Steven Vandell and Sheryl Yakeleya to serve as Dehcho MLA. Wednesday’s candidates forum was organized by the Dehcho First Nations. 

The event opened with a question from Dehcho Grand Chief Herb Norwegian, who asked the candidates how they would get the decades-old land claim negotiations with the federal and territorial governments “back on track.”

“As your MLA I will work with the Dehcho leaders and commit to working with them so we can move this process along,” said Yakeleya, adding she would hope they could establish a framework and timeline. 

“It is our land and we should be the ones who have a say on how things move forward.”  

Indigenous languages an issue

There were also questions from the public on what they would do to protect Indigenous languages. 

Lafferty says his teenage son has learned Dene Zhatie from school. 

“Then he moved to [Fort Resolution] so he can get by in Cree and Chipewyan and now he’s in Yellowknife and he’s speaking with the Tłı̨chǫ and that’s all because of the school program,” he said. 

Lafferty said he’d make sure these education programs continue to run. 

One question from the public was on which political party the candidates most identified with.

Vandell, Yakeleya and Lafferty all said they don’t align with a single political party. 

“This style of government we have here is working for us,” Lafferty said. 

He said the consensus government, which operates without political parties, avoids infighting.   

Bonnetrouge was the exception. He said he identifies most closely with the NDP. 

The Dehcho First Nations will host another debate for Nahendeh candidates in Fort Simpson on Thursday at 7 p.m.