Yellowknife MLAs called for more transparency and a fuller explanation for Premier Caroline Cochrane's decision this week to strip Katrina Nokleby of her ministerial duties.
Caitlin Cleveland, MLA for Kam Lake and Rylund Johnson, MLA for Yellowknife North expressed their surprise on social media Friday afternoon. Both indicated they had positive working relationships with Nokleby despite disagreements.
Johnson said that the entire process of how Cochrane has handled Nokleby is leaving many questions among residents.
"The public is owed an explanation of the full context of the premier’s decision and why this option was chosen," he stated. "It is not my responsibility to explain my colleagues actions or their reasons.
"She needs to own it and take full accountability for her decision to strip a minister of their portfolios."
He said more is expected from those elected after promising to do politics differently and more openly.
"We can’t continue to operate in layers of confidential meetings, the public deserves to stay informed on our decisions," he said.
"I am bound by the confidentiality of meetings when they are held in-camera. But more than any other arm of government, political officials need to be accountable - the whole assembly needs to be more public facing.
"My views are rather simple on this, there has not been enough transparency in this government or throughout this process."
Johnson said he found about the issue of Cochrane stripping Nokleby of her role of heading Infrastructure and Industry, Tourism and Investment an hour before Wednesday's news release had been issued as he had been on travel to Hay River for committee work.
NNSL file photo
Cleveland agreed that regular MLAs were given short notice on the decision.
"I was very surprised to hear that Premier Cochrane has revoked the portfolios of Minister Nokleby," she stated. "We received this information one hour before the public press release and were given the same information found in the press release at the link below.
She added that all MLAs are responsible for electing members to the executive council and that it is important that members can account to constituents of decisions being made by the Cabinet.
"I am very disappointed that we are now at this place," she stated. "I always had a positive working relationship with Minister Nokleby and am frustrated that I do not have a full picture of what is going on to be able to answer the questions of my constituents.”
Next week
Johnson and Cleveland stated that they expect to meet as a full caucus on Monday morning before the emergency second session begins at 1:30 p.m.
"We face a decision that in many ways has been forced upon us as a minister with no portfolios is not a sustainable situation,” Johnson said.
"The Premier bypassed the accountability mechanism of regular members to remove a minister, the stripping of minister’s portfolios is the most extreme accountability measure available to the Premier."
Non-confidence vote
In May's non-confidence vote brought forward by MLA Steve Norn and seconded by Rocky Simpson, Johnson had voiced his support in keeping Nokleby in the position. The motion was rescinded before it got a vote.
"I wish that the regular MLAs had an opportunity to publicly voice why this motion was brought to the floor, but the decision was conducted during in-camera meetings," he stated.
"It was embarrassing, to say the least, and I thought we had put the issue to bed for awhile, the Premier even stating she had the 'utmost confidence' in Minister Nokleby."
The legislature will resume the second session of the 19th assembly Monday afternoon. Yellowknife Centre MLA Julie Green said on Facebook Friday that MLAs will remove Nokleby from the executive council and name her replacement.
Johnson said he's staying put.
"For some reason I feel the need to repeat the fact that I’m still not running for cabinet," he stated. "I believe I can best serve my constituents as a regular MLA."
