Former newspaper publisher Bruce Valpy and incumbent finance minister Caroline Wawzonek each say they’ll run for office in this fall’s territorial election.
Valpy, whose tenure as chief executive of publishing group NNSL ended in 2021, used a column on the group’s website to set out what he called a “support the communities” platform.
His own website confirms he intends to run in October’s election.
Wawzonek this week said she would seek re-election when asked at a briefing regarding her final budget of the 19th Legislative Assembly.
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She declined to state whether she hopes to continue as a minister, saying re-election was the first step. Under the consensus government system, whether you become a minister depends first on being elected as an MLA, then on your fellow MLAs choosing to elevate you to cabinet, and finally on which portfolios the premier of the day chooses to assign to you.
Polling day is expected to be October 3, 2023, with the writ that begins the election period issued on September 4, according to the Legislative Assembly’s published calendar.
While people can announce their plan to run at any time, only once the writ is issued can someone’s candidacy be formalized.
Valpy has not specified the electoral district in which he’ll seek election. Wawzonek, also the NWT’s industry minister, is presently the MLA for Yellowknife South.
