The 17th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly was established by the results of the 2011 Northwest Territories general election on October 3, 2011. It was the 25th sitting of the Assembly in the territory's history. The Assembly was dissolved in 2015.
Term extension debate Members voted on Motion 16-17(5) introduced by Hay River North MLA Jane Groenewegen to extend the term of the Assembly to five years starting with the 18th Legislature to match every other provincial and territorial jurisdiction in Canada. This change was approved by the federal government. In addition they voted to ask for permission of the federal government to extend the current mandate of the Assembly to postpone the 23rd general election and sit until October 2016. The reason given was to avoid having an election during federal election and municipal elections in the territory scheduled at the same time, claiming voters will be fatigued. The decision by council prompted a petition calling for the Assembly to be dissolved early.
The motion passed the legislature on a recorded vote with 11 members for and 7 against with one member absent Motion 16-17(5) voteForAgainstAbsentGroenewegen, Yakeleya, Menicoche, Blake, Beaulieu, Abernethy, Miltenberger, McLeod – Yellowknife South, Lafferty, Ramsay, McLeod – Inuvik Twin LakesDolynny, Bouchard, Nadli, Hawkins, Bisaro, Moses, BromleyJacobson
Number of MLAs in the capital city Currently, 7 of 19 of the Assembly's representatives are from the capital city of Yellowknife. The City of Yellowknife is launching a lawsuit to increase the number of Yellowknife-based MLAs to something more closely in line with the city's roughly 50 per cent of the NWT population. However, some say increasing the number of Yellowknife-based MLAs would weaken the territories on the whole.
Membership A total of nineteen members were returned to council in the 2011 general election. Three members were acclaimed to office on September 9, 2011 with the rest in contested districts being returned on October 3, 2011.
MemberDistrictFirst elected / previously electedNo. of termsMichael NadliDeh Cho20111st termWendy BisaroFrame Lake20072nd termGlen AbernethyGreat Slave20072nd termRobert BouchardHay River North20111st termJane GroenewegenHay River South19955th termDave RamsayKam Lake20033rd termAlfred MosesInuvik Boot Lake20111st termRobert McLeodInuvik Twin Lakes20043rd termFrederick Blake, Jr.Mackenzie Delta20111st termJackson LaffertyMonfwi20053rd termKevin MenicocheNahendeh20033rd termJackie JacobsonNunakput20072nd termDaryl DolynnyRange Lake20111st termNorman YakeleyaSahtu20033rd termMichael MiltenbergerThebacha19955th termTom BeaulieuTu Nedhe20072nd termBob BromleyWeledeh20072nd termRobert HawkinsYellowknife Centre20033rd termBob McLeodYellowknife South20072nd term
Standings and cabinet changes Caucus2011Sep. 9Oct. 3Executive Council0Regular members319Speaker0Vacant160Total319
DateMemberDistrictReasonSeptember 9, 2011Tom BeaulieuTu NedheAcclaimed in the general electionSeptember 9, 2011Bob McLeodYellowknife SouthAcclaimed in the general electionSeptember 9, 2011Robert McLeodInuvik Twin LakesAcclaimed in the general electionOctober 3, 2011See List of MembersElection day of the 22nd general election
References
External links Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories