2023 NWT Election - Candidate Responses
stacie arden smith
What ties do you have to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and what steps will you take to grow those connections if elected?
2SLGBTQIA+ are part of the community, they are members of Yellowknife, the community that I have had the privilege to represent on council. I have also taken part in Pride Parades as well as take pleasure in getting to know people. We all have a journey, we are all unique in the way we think and feel, I believe it is important for inclusion. If elected I will continue my journey in getting to know all community members, continuing advocating and representing each constituent's needs.
The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit Report specifically states 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous communities are included in the Calls to Action. If you were elected, what is your plan for seeing through an inclusive MMIWG2S Act in the NWT?
I believe inclusivity is key in moving forward for the Territory. Being an advocate not only as an Indigenous person but being a member of this community has always been a priority. My plan is to advocate for equality within our act ensuring all that are affected are included.
What do you know about the current challenges of two spirit, indigiqueer, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in the NWT, and what steps will you take to commit to addressing these challenges?
I know that the present status quo does not make the NWT a welcoming atmosphere. I would commit to meeting with the 2SLGBTQIA+ so they are able to voice their concerns, that we can have an open dialect to create solutions for the present generation and to aid future generations.
The NWT currently offers the most protection for two spirit, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in Canada. This includes gender-affirming surgeries, trans+ healthcare, policies and more. Given the current political atmosphere targeting two spirit, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people, what steps would you take to preserve these protections?
I believe all people should feel protected and included. As the NWT offers the most protection, I would like to have that remain and advocate for such stability. I am very proud of the NWT for establishing such protections and seeing the value in its people in all their uniqueness.
The evacuation(s) this past summer were detrimental to many communities with devastating aftermaths. Were you impacted by the evacuation(s) this past summer and what did you do during that time? If elected, how do you plan to deal with the ongoing impacts, and how would you improve a future response?
I was impacted by all the evacuation. As a city official we interacted with other communities when they were evacuated to Yellowknife, my family and I opened our home to evacuees as well engaged with Yellowknife residents who also felt the impact.
During our big evacuation, I left with my children, partner, and parents. My family and I made sure we stayed in contact with one another to ensure we knew where each person was. During my first few days I was in Edmonton where I made sure my family was situated before my children and I moved to Red Deer. My fellow City Councillors and I made ourselves available in each of the main Alberta evacuation centres, Edmonton, Red Deer and Calgary, with Madam Mayor and another Councillor in Yellowknife. We interacted with locals who were helping at the evacuation centers, created relationships with the local municipalities and learned their processes for emergency measures. I teamed up with a local who, along with her group of women, created care packages for Northern residents in Red Deer and I helped deliver the packages.
If elected I want to see a 3rd party review from this past evacuation, there needs to be a solid emergency plan in place as well for all the communities. Funding should be set aside so these plans can be readdressed every 5 years. Each community needs to have trained community members in firefighting and fire mitigation, this can also be taught to the youth for future use. All communities, NGOS, Indigenous governments and the GNWT need to be at the table when discussing emergency measures.
james lawrance
No responses received yet.
katrina nokelby
What ties do you have to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and what steps will you take to grow those connections if elected?
I consider myself to be a part of the community and I will always foster relationships within it whenever I can. I’ve been a strong 2SLGBTQIA+ advocate throughout my time in office, including numerous member’s statements on the topic of more supports, inclusion, and understanding. I also enthusiastically participated in and volunteered at NWT Pride events during my entire time in office and have reached out to your organization with questions or for support during this time as well. I commit to continue doing more of the same in the 20th Assembly and always educating myself on the issues and concerns facing 2SLGBTQIA+ people.
The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit Report specifically states 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous communities are included in the Calls to Action. If you were elected, what is your plan for seeing through an inclusive MMIWG2S Act in the NWT?
If re-elected, I commit to making the Missing Persons Act and a MMIWG2S Act priority legislation in the 20th Assembly. We must create legislation that ensures the protection of non-binary and gender-diverse people that recognizes and accounts for their unique struggles and risks in today’s society. Throughout my time in the 19th Assembly, I became aware that the GNWT is not viewed as a safe place for members of the community. In fact, some have expressed a want to run for office but do not feel safe to do so in the current atmosphere. I was extremely sad to hear this and commit to changing how this government operates by including mandatory diversity training for all GNWT employees such as the kind offered by the Northern Mosaic Network.
What do you know about the current challenges of two spirit, indigiqueer, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in the NWT, and what steps will you take to commit to addressing these challenges?
I feel I’m fairly aware of the current challenges that non-cis-hetero people are facing in the north although admit I can always learn more. I have friends who shared with me their stories about the violence and discrimination they face, including the lack of informed support offered by the RCMP or Stanton during those difficult times. Personally, I’ve experienced negativity from people who have cast aspersions about my sexuality telling me it is not legitimate, or have had others fetishize it. This has come from both outside the community and from within, and was extremely detrimental to my mental health.
During my time as MLA for Great Slave I advocated on behalf of a constituent who was transitioning and became aware of the restrictive and limited reassignment surgery options that were offered by the GNWT. Through some effort this person was finally able to choose where they went for surgery and what kind of surgery they wanted to have, but it was shocking to me that a government would try to dictate such a personal decision based on no real reason I could see, except perhaps financial. One of the steps I’d take would be to advocate for more flexibility in gender reassignment surgery so people can make the right choices for themselves. And as I mentioned in question 2, I’d ensure that key pieces of legislation are drafted and enacted to protect the rights of non-cis-hetero people and to keep them safe.
The NWT currently offers the most protection for two spirit, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in Canada. This includes gender-affirming surgeries, trans+ healthcare, policies and more. Given the current political atmosphere targeting two spirit, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people, what steps would you take to preserve these protections?
I would ensure that none of these benefits or rights was eroded by continuing to be vocal while I work on expanding the NWT’s legislation to enshrine these rights for all people in the territory. I’ve always loved how diverse the North is. We should celebrate that and be an example to other jurisdictions on how to do it right. I see us continuing to be at the forefront of protective rights for all people, just like we’ve been at the forefront of electing more people who identify as women to our legislature. I don’t see this momentum of inclusivity ending any time soon and I commit to continue to propel it forward in all my work and interactions.
The evacuation(s) this past summer were detrimental to many communities with devastating aftermaths. Were you impacted by the evacuation(s) this past summer and what did you do during that time? If elected, how do you plan to deal with the ongoing impacts, and how would you improve a future response?
I was impacted as was everyone but experienced nowhere near the trauma like what the vulnerable population faced. It was extremely difficult to hear about the stories in the south and what was described by one friend as a warzone on the streets of Calgary and Edmonton. None of that should have happened and I believe that the government has blood on its hands for such a poorly planned and executed evacuation. In other questionnaire responses (City of YK, NWTAC) I’ve outlined my technical plans for dealing with future emergency response and evacuation as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation and hope people will seek out those responses if they want details.
Since everyone is likely aware of what transpired for me during the evacuation, I won’t rehash that here. Other than to say, I returned to help and politics intervened and I’m happy to have that conversation with people in person. However, what I do want to talk about is that for the first part of the evacuation I was in Behchoko at the invite of the MLA for Monfwi and got to experience life in a community just outside of Yellowknife. These communities are so dependent on Yellowknife and it was appalling how forgotten they were during its evacuation. This, and the last four years, has really opened my eyes to how little the communities factor in for those making decisions in the capital. In fact, the premier said that Behchoko and other Tlicho communities were “not directly affected by the evacuation”. This shows how disconnected leadership is from the reality of life in a small community and I vow to change this if re-elected. I will continue to be the strong advocate for small communities as my voting record indicates and will continue to foster the great relationships I have with them that began in the 19th Assembly.
kate reid
What ties do you have to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and what steps will you take to grow those connections if elected?
I am a proud supporter of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community – reaching back many years. I was honoured to open for A Tribe Called Red at the 2013 NWT Pride festival; my union local has donated to Northern Mosaic Network; I volunteer for Yellowknife Pride events as well as support them with my dollars. It is not lost on me how powerful this past summer’s pride parade was for many, many folks. The Yellowknife of just 30 years ago was nowhere near as welcoming of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community as that amazing celebration I took part in this year.
Moving forward, I commit to continuing my support and will work with the Northern Mosaic Network in ways that they identify as most crucial, as well as supporting school-based rainbow clubs. I will also commit to ensuring the GNWT is furthering safety and inclusion for all our community members, through policies and legislation where required.
The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit Report specifically states 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous communities are included in the Calls to Action. If you were elected, what is your plan for seeing through an inclusive MMIWG2S Act in the NWT?
The GNWT has an existing response/action plan that demonstrates how it plans to implement the Calls to Justice in our territory. You can find it online.
I do not think that the current GNWT action plan is adequate – to me it lists the actions the GNWT is already doing – and not fully demonstrating how there will be a fundamental cultural shift to ensure the GNWT is appropriately addressing the issues that the Calls ask of them. I also note the lack of Northern Mosaic Network in renewing and increasing multi-year funding agreements, which is strange because we must include the lens of 2SLGBTQQIA+ people in response to the Calls to Justice.
I am uncertain if a legislative option would be the best tool to shift the culture of the GNWT – but would be happy to discuss with Northern Mosaic Network what the key legislative needs may be, above and beyond the development of a more proactive, inclusive action plan.
What do you know about the current challenges of two spirit, indigiqueer, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in the NWT, and what steps will you take to commit to addressing these challenges?
Although this question deserves a thesis, I will try to keep it brief. I think that sadly, the key part of my answer to this question was demonstrated in appalling fashion by another candidate who was asked it at a forum last week. That individual dismissed 2SLGBTQQIA+ folks’ lived reality and negated their humanity. So, I think the main challenge that two spirit, Indigiqueer, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people face in the NWT is the right to simply exist safely and without fear of reprisal, for being who they are in their fullest, happiest, affirming expression of self. This is why the work that Northern Mosaic Network does in partnership with organizations and schools across the territory is so crucial, and why I fully support its work currently, and expanding its capacity to do more.
I can commit to speaking up and out when people are discriminatory or create an unsafe situation to two spirit, indigiqueer, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in my everyday life. I can also commit to being a champion for Northern Mosaic Network and other aligned organizations as an MLA.
The NWT currently offers the most protection for two spirit, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in Canada. This includes gender-affirming surgeries, trans+ healthcare, policies and more. Given the current political atmosphere targeting two spirit, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people, what steps would you take to preserve these protections?
I will commit to looking at all legislative and policy options that would be a best-fit to ensure these protections remain, and discuss options with the Northern Mosaic Network. I will also be investigating legislative options that may be available to ensure two-spirit, trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming youth have safety in our schools, as well.
The evacuation(s) this past summer were detrimental to many communities with devastating aftermaths. Were you impacted by the evacuation(s) this past summer and what did you do during that time? If elected, how do you plan to deal with the ongoing impacts, and how would you improve a future response?
I was impacted in the sense that I had to evacuate, however I was fortunate in the sense that I had the ability to stay with my spouse’s family in Alberta for the duration. I do not take the fact that many situations for folks were uncomfortable, and at worse, unsafe, for granted. Like many others, I read the account from the Yellowknife Women’s Society’s experience with sorrow in my heart.
I believe in the strength of community, and having a strong community means working together in partnership and particularly clearly communicating and working with communities on the ground in times of emergency to ensure no one is left behind.
To support Indigenous governments and communities, I’d be interested in the development of a transparent territorial framework that designates the authorities/roles/responsibilities of Indigenous governments, the GNWT, and municipalities so the public has access to clear information about who is responsible for what, and to ensure public accountability.
Also, a key part of emergency response planning is also regularly practicing your plans in tabletop exercises, and performing checks on all necessary equipment needed in emergencies. I would like to see the GNWT work with its partners to address key areas of weakness, as identified by any and all after-action reports and audits of what happened this summer, as well as with the floods in the South Slave and Dehcho.
As MLA, I’ll be advocating for equity of emergency response planning for evacuations, too – for example, we need to do better for our unhoused population, by ensuring harm reduction planning is incorporated properly from now on.