Jackson Lafferty, R.J. Simpson considering bids for N.W.T. premier

Former speaker and acclaimed MLA for Monfwi Jackson Lafferty has said he will "seriously consider" calls to run for premier of the N.W.T. after this fall's territorial election.

He joins R.J. Simpson to become the second acclaimed candidate to float an intention to bid for the top job.

"I've been getting a lot of calls," he said. "I have to listen to people and go with their wisdom and their ideas."

"At this point in time, I would have to say I would seriously consider the premiership when the time comes."

For the second time in a row, no candidate stood to challenge Lafferty in his riding, meaning he was elected by default with no vote.

• Here's a complete list of all candidates running for MLA
• Want more coverage of the 2019 N.W.T. election? Find it here | NWT VOTES

Lafferty was first elected as MLA for North Slave in a 2005 by-election. He was re-elected in 2007 in the new riding of Monfwi and served as minister of justice and education, culture, and employment.

In 2011, he took up a role as deputy to Premier Bob McLeod during his first term in office. In 2015, he was acclaimed for the first time and has spent the last four years as Speaker, a largely ceremonial role.

Lafferty says as premier, he would prioritize "good working relations" with other governments, which he said could be established using memorandums of understanding with federal, municipal and community governments and organizations like the Assembly of First Nations.

Currently, he said, government "is not working" to reflect the needs of small and remote communities, like those he represents in Monfwi.

"The premier of the day should be reachable … [and] working well with leadership across the board," he said. "We need to be open-minded, open for business."

Simpson campaigning to 'change the attitude'

R.J. Simpson, acclaimed in Hay River North, announced his intentions to seek the premiership to local paper The Hay River Hub last Monday.

Simpson was first elected in 2015 in a three-way race with 52 per cent of the vote.

"Before I became an MLA, I was pretty cynical about government, like most people," he told CBC, "and I actually left more cynical."

Simpson says he is hoping, as premier, to "change the attitude of government."

"I think we need to address some of those issues that are very deep rooted," he said. "I found that the government operates for the benefit of the government, and not necessarily for the benefit of the people."

"I've been telling people for years now that I was going to, because I just got so fed up with the way things were."

Both Simpson and Lafferty will have to wait for the results of the Oct. 1 election to begin their formal bids for the top job.

"There will be a lot of discussion that takes place between now and then," Lafferty said.

In the N.W.T.'s consensus government system, the 19 members of the Legislative Assembly choose the premier in a vote at the beginning of their term.

Individual MLAs put their names forward, after which there is a brief, in-house campaign involving speeches to fellow members, and extensive discussions behind closed doors.

Lafferty said he's already reached out to candidates to wish them luck on their campaigns.

"I've talked to some of them already, and I will be talking to, hopefully, most of them," he said.

• Read about the ridings we're watching in this election
• Here's how you can vote today in the territorial election
• Find our latest coverage of the campaign here | NWT VOTES

Neither Simpson nor Lafferty see the fact they were acclaimed as a disadvantage in the race.

Lafferty pointed to the precedent of former Premier Joe Handley, who was acclaimed as the member for Weledeh before being made premier in 2003.

"There's a reason for acclamation," said Lafferty. "I feel that … in my view, we've earned where we're at today."

"People chose not to run," said Simpson. "I would've ran my campaign regardless."