6 indigenous women will be part of the 19th Assembly
Lesa Semmler, who won the Inuvik Twin Lakes constituencies, told reporters last night,
“We don’t want to be given our seats, we will earn them, we are not token women.”
Joining Semmler are Diane Thom in Inuvik Boot Lake, former chief Frieda Martselos in Thebacha, Caitlin Cleveland in Kam Lake, Caroline Wawzonek in Yelloknife South, Katrina Nockleby in Great Slave. Down in Thebacha, it was a close race between two women as the front runners, but former Chief Frieda Martselos pulled ahead of Denise Yuhas to take the seat. Julie Green is one of the few incumbents re-elected last night in Yellowknife Centre. And for the first time a woman has been elected in the Sahtu: Paulie Chinna was given the good news last night in Norman Wells. Caroline Cochrane will now have a shot at the premier seat as she was also re-elected in Range Lake.
Way up up up in Tuktoyaktuk, former Speaker Jackie Jacobson will be hanging up his ranger hat and be coming back to Yellowknife to represent Nunakput.
The last polls to come in last night were in the riding of Nahendeh. Long time sports and recreation coordinator Shane Thompson was given a second term. His closest competitor was Mike Drake. This was one of the few ridings were there was no female candidatecredit to CKLB news
