2007 Platform

A Message from Bob McLeod

This is our time. Time for Yellowknife and the North to carve out a safe, sustainable and prosperous future – for our children and our communities.

I have spent my life working to make a difference for people, successfully advancing Territorial and Federal policies that have improved life and living conditions for residents of Yellowknife and the North.

There is important work to do over the next four years. You need someone who will seize the opportunities, resolve issues and get the job done!

It’s time to move forward with confidence. Time to put experience, commitment and leadership to work for Yellowknife South. On October 1, I ask for your support.

What I Stand For

My platform identifies opportunities and issues expressed to me by the constituents of Yellowknife South. This is a summary. For more detail on my views and opinions, please visit the strategies portion of this website.

For Families

Child Care: Increase the NWT Child Care User Subsidy and funding for licensed early child care to ensure safe, affordable and accessible child care.

Cost of Living: Increase the Federal Northern Resident Income Tax Deduction. (This requires inter-jurisdictional and Federal dialogue, but there is a way.)

Children with Disabilities: Increase services for children with FASD and other disabilities.

For Education

Class Sizes: Reduce class sizes and increase investment in Education.Early Childhood Education: Introduce early childhood development programs for all 4-year-old children. (These programs boost education success.)

High School Proficiencies: Set and support performance standards to assist students wishing to attend university or enter trades programs.

Student Financial Assistance: Maintain and ensure universal accessibility and review the appeals process to ensure fairness.

For Patients

Centres of Excellence: Increase the range of Northern Health Care Services by building specialized medical teams for procedures that can be done in the North.

24-Hour Medical Clinic: Establish a 24-hour clinic in Yellowknife to improve accessibility to health care and reduce emergency room wait times.

Positive Lifestyle Choices: Promote programs that improve health and prevent lifestyle-related diseases.

Addictions: Expand programs for prevention of and recovery from addictions.

For Communities

“Take Back the Streets”: Develop innovative programs with police and citizens groups to stop drugs, keep our streets safe and protect persons and property.

Family Violence: Continue implementing the five-year Family Violence Action Plan. (I was deeply involved in solidifying Cabinet approval for this Plan.)

“A Hand Up, Not a Hand Out”: Develop programs that address the causes of homelessness, provide housing support and transition people into productive choices.

For the Economy

“Skills Shortage”: Establish an industry, union and government task force to build NWT capacity for training and development of skilled trades people.

End the “Boom-Bust” Cycles: Develop a 10-year plan for a balanced, diversified and sustainable economy that safeguards the environment.

Resource Revenue Sharing: Continue work to finalize and implement devolution and resource revenue sharing.

Arts: increase visibility and enhance marketing of Northern arts and crafts.

“Performance-Based” Government: Increase government efficiency while protecting jobs and social programs.

For the Environment

Residential Energy Efficiency: Expand NWT Energy Efficiency Programs to retro-fit existing homes and properties.

Climate Change: Work to reduce reliance on fossil fuels by investigating alternative energy sources. (As a start, Taltson Hydro should be expanded.)

Healthy Water and Wilderness: Ensure our lakes and rivers remain healthy and protect our wilderness areas by increasing public awareness and inspections.

Increase Recycling: Expand the Waste Recovery Recycling program to include tires, batteries and computers.

This platform is also available as a full color PDF.