Whitehorse Daily Star from Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada • 7

The Whitehorse STAR, Thursday, October 24, 2002 YUKON 7 Adversaries eye mainstay cabinet minister By STEPHANIE WADDELL Star Reporter Crestview, the Kulan industrial area and Porter Creek on the west side of the Alaska Highway, along with Ibex Valley, make up the riding of Lake Laberge. Incumbent Liberal MLA Pam Buckway is seeking re-election, while Brad Cathers is pursuing the seat for the Yukon Party and Bill Commins is running for the NDP. Brad Cathers It was the territory's economy that prompted Brad Cathers to enter the Nov. 4 election race as the Yukon Party's candidate in Lake Laberge. "Basically, the Yukon economy is in such rough shape," he said of why he's running for office.

A member of the Canadian Alliance, the Yukon Party candidate said he's finding the economy and the poor quality of representation with the current MLA are among the key issues. Cathers proposes having regular meetings with his would-be con- ernment stituents. Just how often those gatherings would be held would depend on the turn-out and interest. "There'd be at least three or four in a year," Cathers said. He would also return his constituents' phone calls in a timely manner, he added, and to stand up for them if he's elected to office.

While incumbent Pam Buckway is also the Minister of Community Services, Cathers doesn't believe the role should take away from her constituency duties. An MLA's first duties are to his or her electors, he suggested. Politically active for five or six years with the Canadian Alliance (previously the Reform party) as well as the Yukon Party, Cathers said he favours social programs, but also wants to be fiscally responsible. "You can only spend within your means." Cathers wants to see a Yukon government that supports the private sector to help improve the economy. In addition to his political I experience, he brings to the campaign his experience running the family business.

During the 2000 federal election campaign, Cathers assisted Canadian Alliance candidate Jim Kenyon in his unsuccessful run for federal office. Cathers is single. Bill Commins It was his strong belief in what the NDP stands for and the discontent with the current regime that made Bill Commins decide to enter the political arena in this election. He's worked on numerous NDP campaigns in the past, but this is his first run for a seat in the legislature. His goal is to speak as a representative of the residents of Lake Laberge and bring those issues to the government.

Commins noted that he brings experience as an advocate to do just that. He's volunteered for six years as a board member of the Learning Disabilities of the Yukon. As he travels door-to-door, he's found the main issues on most people's minds tends to be the economy. "There's discontent of the current government," he said. As the economy continues to slide downhill, Commins also thinks the trust factor with the current government has evaporated.

Without changes in the economy, the trust once there is gone, he said. Constituents need a gov- Brad Cathers Bill Commins Pam Buckway Yukon Party NDP Liberal 25 50 53 Tour Operator Road Construction MLA, Former Broadcaster ernment they can trust, Commins said. An NDP regime would help bring that back, Commins believes. A resident of the Yukon since 1986, Commins has volunteered for various community organizations such as his work with the Learning Disabilities Association of the Yukon and as a firefighter. The former co-owner of Fulton Forest Products brings with him expertise YUKON TERRITORIAL ELECTION 2002 in business, along with his work in mining and tourism.

He's worked for the Viceroy mining company, and for 15 Mandanna 45 Claire Lake PELLY-NISUTLIN he Frank Lake River Yukon Braeburn 1 Klondike Laberge Fox Lake years was involved in an outfitting business. He's also taken a number of business courses at Yukon College. He and his wife have seven children and three grandchildren. Pam Buckway Buckway has been the MLA for Lake Laberge since 1999, when she won the seat in a byelection following New Democrat Doug Livingston's resignation and departure 1 to the U.S. In 30 TaYake KLUANE 135' 00 Alaska Highway RIVERDALE NORTH 45 PORTER CREEK NORTH Map courtesy ELECTIONS YUKON This map shows the Lake Laberge riding.

2000, she helped form the Liberal government, and, 2 years later, she's running for office for a third time to complete what she's started. "We weren't finished," Buckway said about why she's running again. The Liberals, she said, want to continue with their mandate to reduce personal income tax and plan cuts for corporate taxpayers. As she travels door-to-door, she says many of the issues are city-related, such as parks and road work. On municipal issues, Buckway said her role as an MLA is to help get her constituents' issues involved.

There have also been questions about school bus service and highspeed Internet in the rural areas of the riding. Residents also appear happy with the phone service that's become available in the riding over the past few years, she said. One of the biggest complaints Buckway has heard is from her sister Bev's hairdressing customers, the MLA joked. Her sister is acting as campaign manager during the campaign and hasn't had much time to work on her customers' hair. While the economy continues to be an issue for residents Buckway has spoken to, she pointed out that there are some people who still believe there's nothing happening unless there's more mining.

Although Buckway thinks mining has a future in the Yukon, it isn't the only way to improve the economy. "I'm truly amazed at the rise of small business," she said. Numerous Yukoners are either running or working for small businesses around the territory. Those small businesses help fuel the economy, she suggested. Forestry, meanwhile, needs a longterm plan, but it also has a future in the territory.

Looking back over the past 2 years, Buckway looks at the training room that was added to the design at the new Hootalinqua Fire Hall and lights on the Takhini River Bridge as some of her successes as an MLA. As the Community Services minister, Buckway pointed out the additional funds put into the territory's roads and improvements to the Alaska Highway. Her constituents include Yukon Game Farm owners Danny and Uli Nowlan. They were told last month they could not export the captive animals they normally sell each fall because new regulations governing the animals had not been passed by the cabinet. The sale of the animals each fall normally covers the operation costs.

It wasn't until after the Nowlans went public last Thursday with the situation that cabinet held a special meeting Tuesday to pass temporary legislation so the couple could resume exporting their animals. Buckway denies the Nowlans' allegation that she initially told them there was nothing that could be done. She said she told them she was working on it. For Buckway, it was a wonderful feeling to deliver the news this week that the Nowlans could get the permits they needed. The former broadcaster and realtor is hoping to continue her work in representing the people of Lake Laberge, a riding which she thinks has "wonderful.