See who's running in the Yellowknife city council election

Yellowknifers will elect a new city council on Oct. 17, and 16 candidates are jockeying for their votes. 

CBC North sent the candidates a questionnaire to help give the public a better sense of who they are and why they're running. 

The candidates were asked to comment on a city issue they care about, a city council decision they disagree with, and about the experience they would bring to council. 

Below is a list of the candidates, in alphabetical order. Click on their name to read their answers.

Not all the candidates sent answers back before the publication deadline. CBC North will add any responses that come in, as they come in.

The following has been edited for length and clarity.

• Garett Cochrane
• Ryan Fequet
• Rob Foote
• John Fredericks
• Ben Hendriksen
• Devon Hodder
• Beaton MacKenzie
• Mike Martin
• Cat McGurk
• Tom McLennan
• Stewart Pallard
• Steve Payne
• Rommel Silverio
• Dwayne Simmons
• Stacie Arden Smith
• Rob Warburton
• Rebecca Alty (acclaimed mayor)

Garett Cochrane

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

Since I was young, my family has instilled in me a sense of community service. I have been involved in boards, local events, and have been volunteering in Yellowknife since the moment I could.

I have the experience to know what this community has meant to so many of my family, friends and neighbours, as well as a vision for what I know this community should look like in the future. 

What experience would you bring to city council?

Like many born-and-raised Yellowknifers, I've been a jack-of-all trades up here. I worked for my long-time family business, Northtech Drilling Ltd., and I now do community relations on a local remediation project where I work with our local Indigenous peoples to provide tangible socio-economic benefits. I also work as a librarian at the Yellowknife Public Library. 

I've served as a Justice of the Peace for a few years now, which gave me firsthand knowledge of both the positives and negatives of our judicial system, while also giving me the honour of officiating dozens upon dozens of local weddings.

I've served on many boards, including both Pride and Long John Jamboree. I currently serve on the municipal Heritage Committee and the Makerspace YK board.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

Downtown revitalization is front-and-centre to me as I both live and work in the downtown core. I know downtown has the most potential of any neighborhood in this city, but quite frankly, it's scary for people to even walk down the street, let alone open a business. That's unacceptable.

The city must take more of a lead in making downtown both welcoming and prosperous. We need N.W.T. government social workers to assist the highly traumatized population of homeless that primarily reside in downtown.

We also need foot patrols of our municipal enforcement officers around 48th and 49th Streets keeping the peace. This all needs to be done in tandem with our private sector leading the way in developing the area for more Yellowknifers to call downtown home.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

The proposed forecasts of a tax increase of up to nine per cent in the 2023 budget has me beyond dismayed. I would have liked to have seen more councillors state that it would be unacceptable to lay that kind of financial pain on our citizens.

In these inflationary times, where both food and gas prices have skyrocketed to levels not seen since the early '80s, we must be fiscally responsible and demonstrate restraint until inflation is under control and we can see revenue from industries, such as tourism, go back to pre-COVID levels.

Our number one priority must be to do least the harm to Yellowknifers struggling with the escalating cost of living.

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I'm a proud born-and-raised 2SLGBTQ+ Métis Yellowknifer. Like generations of my family before me, I'm here to stay.

Ryan Fequet

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

As a parent, volunteer, recreational athlete, and 15-year resident of this community, I have connected with many folks in many different demographics and social circles over the years. I have heard a lot of complaints and ideas for how we can make this city better.

I'm at a place in my personal and professional life where I can dedicate the time to focus on the best interests of the city to help make our community even better. Simply put, I am running because I feel I can make a positive impact in our community.

What experience would you bring to city council?

I have a lot of experience in leadership, policy and decision-making, and have served on more than three dozen local, territorial and national boards and committees across the arts, sports and business sectors.

I work as an executive director serving an administrative tribunal created by a modern-day land claim agreement that makes decisions on resource development projects. These experiences have educated me on how to be a strategic thinker and look at long-term implications of decisions, and to ask the right — and often hard — questions with an open mind to hearing the answer.

Completing my masters in negotiations and conflict resolution from the Werner Institute [at Creighton University] also provided me with skills for managing tension and conflict that often comes with asking tough questions and holding ourselves and others accountable.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

I often hear organizations saying they are under-resourced from a financial or human resource perspective, when in reality most organizations are simply trying to accomplish more than they realistically can with the resources available to them.

One path forward for the city of Yellowknife is to figure out how to be more effective and more sustainable with what we have. For example, why can't a business license or the "Access for All" recreation and transit program for low-income families, require renewal every three or five years instead of annually, thereby reducing the burden on these populations and city staff? 

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

The city's decision to reject the N.W.T. government's proposed location for the temporary day shelter at the warehouse on 44th Street was very disappointing.

A Facebook post from Shauna Morgan articulates my beliefs very well: will the children see a community trying to help our vulnerable neighbours as much as we can, or a community turning a blind eye to their struggles? We have an obligation to assist all residents where possible, especially our vulnerable neighbours.

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I am researching my family history but do not identify as an Indigenous person. As a settler on this land, I confirm my commitment to actively work against colonialism and institutional racism, and to support Indigenous self-determination and jurisdiction in this territory and across Canada.

A lot of Yellowknifers will know me through a sports lens because I coached their children on the soccer pitch, refereed or umpired their soccer and slo-pitch games, or led the NWT Soccer Association and the YK Adult Soccer League for many years. However, I have also volunteered in the arts through my contribution to Folk on the Rocks and I currently serve as the president of the Yellowknife Daycare Association, working to improve early learning and childcare for all residents.

Rob Foote

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

I'm in a personal and professional position to contribute to the community and provide residents and businesses a passionate voice as we look to the future.

What experience would you bring to city council?

I have ample education and experience in supply chain management for both goods and services, and am well versed in financial and risk management fundamentals.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

I am concerned about the future state of the local economy and want to see Yellowknife become a leader in research and education, tourism and mine remediation, and become a logistics hub for related activities. 

I want to see how the city can assist in keeping those jobs local to mitigate the gradual loss of lucrative mining revenue.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

It's not the large decisions themselves that I disagree with, but the details surrounding them. For example, the new pool is needed, but is blasting all that rock necessary knowing how costly groundwork is? Could the pool not have been incorporated into the Multiplex and Fieldhouse to make a true Multiplex that shares utility infrastructure?

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

This one is a bit tricky. I do have recent Indigenous ancestry, but was raised in an Anglo-Canadian household. Much of my worldview is based on Indigenous principles, like land and water stewardship, and I'm a proponent of conservation and sustainable living. My immediate family identifies as Indigenous and is represented by Inuvialuk, Begade Shotagotine (Tulita), Métis and Gitxsan ancestries.

John Fredericks

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

For the last 32 years I have worked in public safety for various municipal, provincial and territorial governments.

After recovering from brain cancer, I was not able to work full-time. Being retired, I have the time to dedicate to this position and represent the residents of the city of Yellowknife.

What experience would you bring to city council?

With 32 years of working with various levels of government, I have the knowledge and capability for developing and working within, and remaining within, a budget.

I also have knowledge of the full cost of hiring new staff, as well as the ability to support the city while maintaining the interest of residents and not making promises that cannot be kept. 

What's one city issue you care about and why?

The one issue I care about is maintaining a budget that all residents can live within. This will be hard as inflation will be challenging for both the residents and the city.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

The city council decision I disagree with is building a new pool. With a population of approximately 20,000, why was such a large pool required?

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I do not identify as Indigenous. I am a French Acadian from the Maritimes.

I was the fire chief for the City of Yellowknife from December 2016 to September 2021. I am a forward thinker of sound judgment and integrity. If elected, I would support the city while maintaining the interest of the residents. I will not make promises, but will participate and attend meetings while working with other councillors for the welfare and interest of the city and residents. I would also encourage the residents of Yellowknife to voice their concerns.

Ben Hendriksen

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

The main reason is because my friends, co-workers and I often talk about what is going on at city hall and are very confused. It seems like council rarely speaks with people outside of the city hall bubble before making a proposal or taking action on an issue. 

Based on my experience so far in this election, this impression has proved true. Speaking with several community organizations, I have been told I am the first candidate to reach out this cycle to understand their grassroots work, and in some instances the first to have ever reached out to hear from them. 

What experience would you bring to city council?

I bring public engagement, policy, governance, strategy and advocacy experience to the race. I moved to Yellowknife in 2011 and worked in policy and governance roles. 

From 2017 to 2020 I lived in Dublin, Ireland, with my wife as she returned to school. During this time I worked as an advocate and lobbyist, advocating for improved access to adult education. These skills will help me critically question the issues brought before council, and also help me recognize when we need to reach out to the community and hear from the residents, organizations and businesses we represent.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

I want to bring a voice focused on engagement, reconciliation, collaboration, inclusion and building a sustainable city. With that said, the big issues underpinning everything are accountability and governance.

I have the experience necessary to ask the right questions so that Yellowknifers are confident that there is accountability and good governance at city hall. I will be a voice to keep administration accountable to council, and council accountable to Yellowknifers. It is the job of councillors to ensure that your voices and ideas are heard.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

Both the 50/50 lot and polytechnic university decisions have caused me a lot of confusion. Neither were communicated well or explained well. 

If councillors had more information than was shared with residents, then they were doing a disservice to residents by not sharing it publicly. If they did not have more information than what was provided, then they should not have voted to proceed on those issues without receiving more information. 

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I do not identify as Indigenous.

I want Yellowknifers to know that I am running to bring a critical eye to council, but one that is there to support the city's work and help them advocate for the resources needed.

I want to be a friendly critic on council. I will provide support and advocacy for the city, while making sure that process is followed, and that residents and organizations that make the city successful are heard when council makes decisions.

Devon Hodder

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

I am running for council to ensure Yellowknife has a prosperous future.

We are entering a critical time for our future with the diamond mines wrapping up, our downtown is in a terrible state, and housing is unaffordable as ever. Yellowknife needs to know they will have someone on council who will put in the work.

What experience would you bring to city council?

At 22 years old, I believe I bring a unique perspective to council. I am currently working as a financial advisor, studying commerce and finance in university, and serving on the board of directors of the Yellowknife Co-op. This experience aligns well with the duties of a councillor.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

Affordable housing availability is something I deeply care about. As a young person, I worry what will be available when I am ready to start a family. I see my peers starting their careers struggling to find affordable places to live. I work with people every day who are on the hunt for a home.

I believe our municipal government should be doing so much more to alleviate this issue. If elected, I would bring forward a plan to work collaboratively with industry, NGOs and our N.W.T. government partners to bring more land to market, identify development opportunities, and get housing built.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

I disagree with the recent decision to raise property taxes by nine per cent in one shot while running a budget surplus. A nine per cent cost increase on top of all the other inflationary burdens facing residents has seriously hurt residents' pocketbooks. Property tax increases should be planned and gradual.

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I identify as Caucasian. I was born and raised in Yellowknife.

Beaton MacKenzie

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

Yellowknife is at a time when we need to come together to create a compassionate, welcoming city where everyone is valued and has the opportunity to thrive.

We need to build back better as we recover from the pandemic and economic challenges we face. It will take collaboration, commitment and prioritizing to build that success. I have demonstrated an ability to be collaborative and work with others to do the work. I want to build a strong future for every Yellowknifer.

What experience would you bring to city council?

I have worked 40-plus years in this community in education and taken community initiatives to successful levels. At the core, helping people is what I strive to do and running for council is my way to further that.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

Budgets. Past councils have not addressed taxes to meet the needs of operations.

Today we are in a situation in which we need a strong vision for how we can create a positive outlook without putting a financial strain on the community.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

Again I reference council and what they view as fair for the future in taxes for residents. We cannot have a large increase. People are in a dire situation with the present state of economics.

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

No, I am not an Indigenous person. I enjoy reading history and have worked and learned from many Indigenous people when told stories of their youth, past and culture.

As a formal educator, some of my values are respect and inclusion — to create an environment in which everyone can feel comfortable.

Mike Martin

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

I want to play my part in shaping the city for the future and give the residents a voice in what the city's priorities should be.

What experience would you bring to city council?

I have more than 15 years as a public servant with a focus on environment, safety compliance, land management and remediation in the N.W.T. I also have an educational background in natural resource compliance, water quality, pollution abatement, remediation and restoration. 

I pride myself on gathering as many facts as possible before making a decision and always applying a common sense approach.

I am very approachable and always willing to listen and consider differing points of view when formulating my decision.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

The biggest one for me is cost of living. In my talks with residents, they've identified costs associated with utilities, building materials, labour, taxes and more as issues of concern. Some of these things are outside the city's mandate, so I plan on focusing on what we can control. 

If elected, I plan on taking a hard look at the priorities and projects the city currently has. We may need to consider doing less than what has been identified by deferring those items to a later time, when they can be done within a more balanced budget.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

Hindsight is always 20/20 and I will not pick apart past decisions. I will however focus this response on process and communication from the city. 

I am a strong advocate for government transparency. While the city does publish some materials, it is not set up for a member of the public to find pertinent information without digging.

For example, I was going through the 2022 budget, and forecast for 2023, and council meeting minutes when I came across the capital updates section. It says "Capital Update" and then you download the PDF. Why can't there be a brief bullet-point list to identify what that update discussed? 

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I do not identify as Indigenous.

I am a public servant with a strong regulatory, compliance and science background who enjoys the outdoors, hunting and fishing. I also own and operate a small-scale commercial fishing business so I can bring back a small part of what I enjoy doing to residents of Yellowknife.

Cat McGurk

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

I grew up with the adage, "actions speak louder than words" drilled into me. Work is valuable, talk is cheap. Because I am a person who makes things, I guess people could see the ways that I also made things happen in town.

I spent a good deal of time in the Legislative Assembly, sitting in on and working behind the scenes of meetings with council. I realized if I got elected I could just prioritize getting the work done. I would do the readings, build a body of knowledge, conduct research, make strategic and informed suggestions and maybe make a difference.

Yellowknife has always been my home, and I am a very duty-bound person. The sense of responsibility I feel for the wellbeing of this city is what's driven my involvement in the community and it's what is driving me now. 

What experience would you bring to city council?

I've spent a lot of time in the non-profit sector. In 2019 I founded Makerspace YK with a couple of friends. What was a very grassroots organization (we started out with a small bus) grew to an infrastructure project with over $1 million in funding.

Our team worked hard to secure that funding — it has always been a very collaborative organization. That's a great thing about people in my age group, we depend on each other and have built excellent communication around co-operation. 

In order to develop Makerspace YK, I've put my project management knowledge to the test, from administering massive, multi-year budgets and hiring and training staff, to hunting for grants and developing programming. I know how to see an organization as a complex ecosystem and I work very hard to make sure the projects I undertake are successful.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

The dump. Here are some things I have salvaged from the dump: a full muskox hide, a box of beautiful beadwork, enough lumber to build a house, and half the clothes I am currently wearing.

But my passion for the dump goes beyond my personal salvaging treasures. Waste management is a massive part of the city's operating and capital budget. As a carpenter who has worked on many building sites, I am well aware that construction waste is a huge contributor to our landfill and that the construction industry has a lot of work to do.  

I want to ensure that building materials are properly separated and sorted, so that re-use, not disposal, is the standard. If elected I will prioritize better innovation around waste diversion, like improving partnerships with local non-profits, increased resourcing of our waste management facility so the staff there have the time to take on new projects (such as improving the salvage area) and executing our Solid Waste Management Plan. 

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

It's got to be the temporary day shelter issue. I think the current location is a good one and I hope we see more development there, but when it came down to protecting the city's most vulnerable with expediency, I saw a failure of leadership. 

Did council think they would be able to mitigate the problem by voting down two previous proposed locations? And how long did we leave people without services? How much of the territorial budget went into amending this plan? 

Sometimes inaction is more dangerous than the risk of action. 

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I'm a non-Indigenous white person who happens to have been born in Yellowknife. Just another settler from the Scottish diaspora with a good work ethic and a frugal attitude.

Tom McLennan

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

I want to give Yellowknifers more reasons to stay here. This means affordable housing, budgets that don't collect more tax than the city needs, tailored support and incentives for local small businesses, policies focused on sustainability, and a positive relationship with our Indigenous neighbours and fellow citizens.

What experience would you bring to city council?

I am a pilot with an economics degree who has worked for several small businesses in town.

Through my work experience, I understand how hard private business owners and their employees work. My economics degree allows me to zoom out and see the bigger picture, to understand how we can ensure that Yellowknife is a vibrant, sustainable and resilient city. I also have experience volunteering and organizing community events.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

Affordable housing is an issue I care deeply about. One of the main reasons I am running for city council is to give people more reasons to stay in town, of which housing is a major component.

I believe the city should first define what "affordable" means, then incentivize projects that meet this definition. The city should make rules to keep these units affordable for as long as possible.

In the near term, the city should focus on infill. I am not against future greenfield development, but I would push the city to really look at the demand, the potential costs, and the best location in terms of density and infrastructure maintenance costs.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

I disagree with the council's decision to change the mill rate ratio in the way they did. Making a one-off change in this way caused a large shock to residential tax rates at a very inopportune time. 

If I were on council, I would have worked to craft a mill rate ratio policy so business owners and residents could clearly understand how this ratio is set, as the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce had requested.

Currently, the unwritten policy is that the residential and commercial tax classes share the tax burden equally. However, the proportion of residential tax payers continues to rise relative to commercial tax payers, which means we will need to re-evaluate this unwritten policy. While I agree with the thought behind the change, I believe its practical application was short-sighted and unnecessarily caused negative consequences. 

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I recognize that I am a white male from the South (Ontario). I have a lot to learn about the North and other peoples' lived experiences.

Living in Yellowknife for the past six-and-a-half years has enriched my life and I love this place so much. I am committed to listening, learning, and giving my all to make Yellowknife an even better place to live.

Stewart Pallard

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

Yellowknife has been good to my family. Our children are happy here, my wife and I have been able to pursue meaningful and rewarding careers.

It's a way to give back and also ensure that our children will have the same opportunities that my wife and I have had.

What experience would you bring to city council?

As a power engineer, you get to get to work with an extremely diverse group of people. It's probably the aspect of the job I like the most.

I've been fortunate to work with professional engineers, electricians, welders, millwrights, environmental consultants, water treatment specialists, etc. All of these professions attract different types of people. Therefore, you need to know how to communicate with people with different backgrounds and people who see problems differently than you.

You also always have to keep in mind that they know something you don't. It's a great learning environment.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

Illegal dumping at the sand pits and along the Ingraham Trail is not only an environmental issue, but also a general blight on our community. That's why I would like to look at our dump fees, dump hours, and our garbage bins.

My family recycles and composts and it's always an issue fitting our garbage into the bin that the city comes and empties once every two weeks. I don't think it is practical for families.

I would like the citizens of Yellowknife to have a choice of whether or not to have a bigger bin or another bin — a choice we currently don't have.  

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

There are decisions that this council made that I would have done differently, but it's important to keep in mind that they guided us through a pandemic, which was an incredibly difficult thing to do.

I want to say thank you to all the members of the previous council for guiding the city through a difficult time.

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

My family has a very diverse background, but I am not Indigenous. 

Steve Payne

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

I've lived in Yellowknife for 27 years and love this city. Having say in the direction that the city moves in is important.

I have built a relationship with the residents over the last seven years and I want to represent them as best I can over the next four years.

What experience would you bring to city council?

I have two council terms under my belt and am fairly active in our community.

I believe I am fair and bring a common sense approach to every decision I have made. Did I get every decision right? I guess that depends on who you talk to.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

I care about every city issue. As elected representatives we are supposed to treat every issue as important. But if I were to pick one, affordability is top of list.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

I've always said we make decisions as a team on council. We accept wins and losses as a team. I won't dwell on any decisions that were opposite to how I voted. I'll move on to the next decision and vote in a way that considers everyone involved.

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I do not identify as Indigenous.

I try to live my life as a good person and help when I can. I remember the people who were kind to me when I first moved here and their example has set the tone for my life in Yellowknife.

Dwayne Simmons

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

Giving back to the community is a value that was instilled in me by my parents and is something I always try to demonstrate to my children. It's also something I really enjoy.  

This seemed like the right time to run for council just given the big challenges we will face in the next four years with the closure of the diamond mines.

What experience would you bring to city council?

As a Realtor with a construction background, I have an extensive understanding of housing, zoning and land use planning issues.

I've also been fortunate to sit on several boards, including the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce for eight years, the Northwest Territories Association of Realtors for four years, and the Yellowknife Golf Club for three years. In those roles I've learned how to work effectively with others to get things done for the benefit of the community.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

I'm concerned about the economic future of our city. We are very lucky to have a lot of public sector employment in Yellowknife, but the mining sector is our second biggest source of jobs and it will be declining significantly in 2024 and 2025. Job losses could mean a shrinking tax base and even higher taxes per household, which is something many residents simply can't afford at this point. 

There is no time to lose in boosting other parts of our economy — especially those that show promise, like tourism. It will take focus and teamwork to move the needle and to prepare our city to thrive in the years ahead.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

I'm not as concerned about the decisions that council has made as I am about the decisions they haven't made. I really would have liked to see the last council implement the hotel levy and I'm not sure why it wasn't a priority. 

The pandemic may not have been the best time to grow tourism, but it was the perfect time to figure out the mechanics and policy side of things, so that post-pandemic, right about now, we could start promoting our city to the world and grow our tourism sector.

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

Just that I'm a hard worker, I work well with others, and I'm very goal-oriented. The boards that I've been involved in have made real progress toward their goals and that's exactly what I'll be hoping to achieve if elected to council.

Stacie Arden Smith

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

This is my second time running. I really enjoyed my time on council, the opportunities, such as being deputy mayor, and the ability to be involved in the decision-making process.

I am running as I still believe in the importance of Indigenous voices within our municipal governance. Diversity is key in maintaining balance.

I am still passionate about downtown revitalization and our homeless community, and reconciliation within the City of Yellowknife operations and within the community.

What experience would you bring to city council?

I have four years experience under my belt within municipal governance, not to mention my entrepreneurial background.

I am a lifelong Yellowknifer and have knowledge of Yellowknife history, not only from my time, but passed down from generations.

My educational background is in arts and commerce. I am presently completing my degree and hope to use this newly acquired knowledge to better my community. 

What's one city issue you care about and why?

I am very passionate about all the issues, there isn't one that doesn't play a part in affecting another. If I have to identify one, it would be the very reason I committed to municipal politics four years ago: the treatment of the vulnerable population, specifically Indigenous women.

I also care about finding solutions for our ever-growing homeless population, ensuring we work together with city administration, the N.W.T. government and NGOs, and finding those gaps within the system.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

I recently disagreed with the memorandum of understanding for Tin Can Hill. I stand in solidarity with the community who appreciates the much-loved green space.

I believe a polytechnic would be an asset for the city, however I do believe we need to set ourselves apart from the traditional ideology of a "university" and use what our great city has to offer in the downtown core to create a unique polytechnic setting. 

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I am Indigenous. I am a Tłı̨chǫ citizen and have NunatuKavut of Labrador as well as English origins. I embody them all. 

I have contributed in many ways to my community, sitting on boards, coaching, volunteering. I take pride in my community. I love my home town and I will continue to work tirelessly so that my children can grow up to appreciate this beautiful place.

Rob Warburton

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

I have been an active advocate for better policies, bylaws and processes at the city level for over a decade. Specifically, I have focused on how changes at the city level that can improve our housing options, as well as spaces available for businesses to start and expand.

Having advocated both in my personal capacity, and through various committees and non-profits, I felt it was a good time to make the leap onto council to try and improve these things in a political capacity.

What experience would you bring to city council?

I have owned and operated a real estate company for the past 10 years, putting all my time, energy and investment into my community. Seeing and living through how the city bylaws, policies and processes affect housing availability and small businesses like mine pushed me into advocating for better options.

I have sat on the city's university post-secondary advisory committee, mayor's task force on economic development, and I'm currently a member of the community advisory board on homelessness. I also advocated for many civic issues related to economic development as the former president of the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, and deeply understand the ways we can help our city to diversify and grow economically.

What's one city issue you care about and why?

Housing is by far the issue I care about the most. The ways that a city government can help create and support all types of housing options is vast.

The city has only scratched the surface of how it can support more housing in our community. If I had to pick only one thing to move the needle on in council, it would be to see our city increase housing options while not increasing our tax burden on residents.

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

The recent decision by council to adjust mill rates, which had the effect of a drastic and unnecessary increase to residential property owners. No one asked them to do that.

I advocated for them to create a policy around mill rate adjustment and to prevent any adjustments to the mill rates that unfairly burden one property tax class over another. Instead, what happened was we saw them adjust the mill rates, increase residential property taxes unnecessarily and still set no policies around mill rates.

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

I do not identify as Indigenous.

As a young child my parents had an extremely hard time making enough to put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads. This experience is the root of why housing is so important to me and why I think it is one of the most critical issues for city council to address.

By ensuring everyone in our city is housed in a way that matches their needs, we can help people feel more secure and connected to our community. Without a home it's hard to collectively work on all the other important things in our community.

Rebecca Alty (acclaimed mayor)

Why did you decide to run for Yellowknife city council?

I've enjoyed my time on council so far, and would like to continue to give back to my community.

What experience would you bring to city council?

With 10 years on council, I know the procedures, bylaws and laws to govern and advance the issues well.

As an active community member, I engage with a wide variety of residents through the different events that I attend, and I'm able to hear concerns and suggestions throughout the community. 

What's one city issue you care about and why?

It's hard to pick just one, but housing would be at the top of my list because it's such an important issue.

People aren't able to move to Yellowknife to fill the current vacancies without housing, and people without housing aren't able to lead their best lives. It's a topic that touches us all. 

What recent city council decision do you disagree with and why?

The change in mill rate ratios (i.e. the share of taxes that business vs. residents pay). I think we should've kept the ratio the same this year and developed a policy to guide the tax distribution for future years.

Do you identify as Indigenous? Is there anything else you'd like the public to know about your background?

No.