Enterprise set to fill four council vacancies by acclamation

Nominations for the Northwest Territories community's upcoming by-election closed on Monday. The four nominated are Genevieve Clarke, Jim Dives, Dave Richards and Mike St. Amour.

All four have experience in local government. Dives served as a councillor and St Amour as mayor on the previous council.

Between the 1980s and early 2000s, Clarke says she was mayor, councillor and senior administrative officer of the hamlet. Richards served as mayor of Enterprise in the early 2000s.

After a two-day window that allows candidates to withdraw their names, the four nominees are set to be acclaimed, joining Mayor Sandra McMaster and councillors Barbara Hart and Darren Sopel.

Controversy arose in February after the election of McMaster as mayor, defeating St Amour. In protest at that result, three newly elected councillors refused to take their oath and one sitting councillor, Dives, sent a text message resigning from council.

Though Dives says he changed his mind the next day, the hamlet concluded the resignation was legal and accepted it. Now, Dives is set to return by acclamation.

Clarke last served on council in the early 2000s. Over the years, she says residents have asked her to rejoin council and she has continued to decline, until this year.

"This time, I thought about it and prayed about it and decided to run, mainly just to be a voice for all sides of the community during this time," Clarke told Cabin Radio.

"I hope to be a calming voice because I know Robert's Rules. I know what we can do and what we can't do."

Clarke says she plans to join council with an "open and honest" approach, to get answers to residents and support good communication.

With many experienced members joining council, Clarke says she is hopeful this will serve as an advantage to the community in ongoing negotiations with the territorial government, adding that Enterprise needs "one unified voice" to represent its interests.

The majority of the community, including Clarke's family, lost their homes last summer. Approaching another fire season, Enterprise residents say they are still waiting to hear about government support to rebuild homes destroyed last year.

"To make sure our voice is one. That's what I look forward to in council," said Clarke. "Doing the big picture. Negotiating these things."

Simona Rosenfield, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Cabin Radio