Enterprise, N.W.T., in political limbo after majority of hamlet council quits

Thehamletof Enterprise, N.W.T., is in political turmoil after severalof the hamlet's councillorswalked away some before they were even sworn in seemingly unwilling to work with their new mayor.

In an election last week, former deputy mayor Sandra McMaster won the mayor's seat, oustingMichael St. Amour. McMaster won with 29 votes to St. Amour's 25.

Also elected as councillors wereBarbara Hart, Malcolm MacPhail, Michael Zak Kimbleand Charles Sutherland.

However, MacPhail, Kimbleand Sutherland decided not to take the oath of office, resigning their seats before they were sworn in. Another sitting councillor, Jim Dives whose seat was not up for grabs in last week's election also resigned.

That leaves McMaster, Hart and Darren Sopel on council.

"So right now we have, currently, one mayor and two councillors. And so what the process is now is figuring out what the next steps are because the requirement from the minister is to have one mayor and six councillors," said Blair Porter, the hamlet's senior administrative officer (SAO).

"This is a unique situation, one that we've never had to deal with before."

According to MacPhail, it's a simple lack of confidence in McMaster.

"It's a very stressful time for an awful lot of people. And Idon't...I just don't think she can handle it," he told CBC News.

'Stand up to the GNWT'

The hamlet was devastated by last summer's wildfires, and the rebuilding process since then has not been without bumps. In September, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) warned the hamlet council against using municipal funds for building new homes, and threatened to strip it of its authority.

Local leaders also called last fall for an independent inquiry into how the territory handled the fire that destroyed about 90 per cent of the town.

MacPhail said he ran for council this month because he supported St. Amour, and doesn't feel that McMasterwill similarly "stand up to the GNWT."

"I was there to, you know, back up the old mayor, Mike. And somehow I just didn't think that was going to be too relevant with this new council. Well, not with the mayor, anyways," he said.

"MACA and the GNWT is going to be dictating what goes on around here even more so with Sandra as mayor than they would have with Mike. And that puts us, you know, some of us, in a precarious position."

MacPhail has resigned from council before in 2021, he walked awayjust a few months after being elected mayor, offering no reason for his decision at the time.

The other hamlet councillors who gave up their seats this week could not be reached for comment.

'I will not be bullied,' McMaster says

McMaster declined an interview with CBC News, saying in a text message that she was waiting to hear from MACA, "and I have a council to work with."

"I will not be bullied and that's what they hoped for," she wrote.

Ina statement last week, McMastercalled the council resignations "a disappointing development," and assured residents that the hamlet is "still moving forward."

"While it is true that this situation will require some time to work things out, we are working diligently with MACA and Administration to ensure that will be done in a timely manner," she wrote.

Porter, the hamlet's SAO, also said it's "business as usual, on the administration side of things."

He said there are some important decisions to be made by council including a budget to approveby March31 so it's important that things get sorted out soon. At the same time, he said it's important to make sure "we're doing things right."

"We'd rather take a little bit of time now to figure out, rather than move ahead and then have to retract," he said.

CBC News requested an interview with MACAbut had not received a response before publication.