In the race to become the next Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories, Rebecca Alty is running with the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC).
BACKGROUND:
Alty was born and raised in Yellowknife. Alty has worked in public service, not-for-profits, and at the Diavik diamond mine. Over the past 13 years, Alty has served as the elected leader on Yellowknife City Council, first as a councillor and then as mayor.
“Outside of work, I’ve been an active member of the soccer community – playing, coaching and then certifying coaches; as well as being President of the Northwest Territories Association of Communities, and a board member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Arctic Mayors Forum, and the NWT/Nunavut Chamber of Mines. Thanks to work and my volunteer roles, I’ve travelled extensively throughout the NWT, Nunavut, Canada, and the circumpolar region.
“As a leader, I strongly believe in the power of working together. I think that teams are the best way to find better solutions, and everyone needs to be on deck and contributing.
“During the past seven years – during my time as President, and before that as Vice-President of the Northwest Territories Association of Communities – I have been talking with community members, Indigenous leaders, and advocates in the territory about the opportunities that are here right in the NWT to ensure we have a prosperous and healthy future. All of these conversations have led me to this moment, where I am the Liberal candidate here in the NWT, looking to gain your trust and vote to be the next MP for the territory.”
HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE:
Travelling from Fort Smith to Tuktoyaktuk, and “most communities in between” Alty is hears and understands how community members across the region are struggling with the cost of living, with health, with the ongoing issues connected to Truth and Reconciliation, threats to sovereignty and economic stability.
“I’ve also been reaching out to community leaders and residents in the communities I won’t be able to visit during the writ period to make sure I can hear their concerns as well. In communities of all sizes, I have been hearing a lot of the same things: people want to see the next government make life and housing more affordable, help our communities become healthier and safer, and work with Indigenous communities to advance reconciliation. I’ve also heard from many Northerners who are worried about the threats from Donald Trump to the sovereignty and economic stability of our country, and they’ve told me they want a government that will stand up for Canada.”
COST OF LIVING:
Alty believes in tax cuts, income supplements for low-income older adults and getting back to building housing for individuals and families to help ease the cost of living for Northern residents.
“The Liberal Party has many measures that will help make life more affordable for Northern residents. On the first day of the campaign, Mark Carney announced a tax cut that will save two-income families up to $825 a year. To make housing more affordable, we will also be getting your government back into the business of building homes and doubling the pace of construction over the next decade to almost 500,000 new homes a year. As well, we will be eliminating the GST for first-time homebuyers on homes at or under $1 million, saving Canadians up to $50,000 on the purchase of their first home. We have also announced a one-time boost to the Guaranteed Income Supplement, which will provide up to $652 more to low-income seniors.”
AFFORDABLE HOUSING:
Alty wants to implement a housing plan to help build more homes sooner and build more affordable homes. Alty also plans to work closely with Indigenous communities to ensure they have access to the resources needed to build and support housing in their communities.
“As MP I will be dedicated to addressing the housing crisis in our territory. For too many Northerners, housing is not accessible and not affordable. Our platform is committed to addressing this, with an ambitious housing plan that will get more homes built sooner. A Liberal government will establish a federally owned housing developer to build affordable homes at scale, including on public lands. We will also provide private industry with financing to significantly increase production of prefabricated homes. Many communities across the NWT have successfully applied for support from the Housing Accelerator Fund, and we will build on the success of that program to work closely with communities to make homebuilding more affordable and efficient. I also want to work closely with Indigenous communities to ensure they continue to receive direct financial support from the federal government to build and support housing in their communities. The previous Liberal government was the first federal government to provide direct support for housing to Indigenous communities in the NWT, and I want to build on that record and ensure other parties don’t undo the progress that has been achieved in establishing these funding streams. As MP, I will advocate for more support and access across our communities for homelessness programs like Reaching Home, which allows communities to move forward with projects that reflect local needs.”
TARIFFS AND TRADE:
Alty stands by the Liberal Party and Northerners in affirming Canada as a strong and independent sovereign country. Alty wants to work to strengthen the economy.
“The Trump administration is recklessly attacking Canada’s economy with unjustified tariffs and ridiculously suggesting that Canada become part of the United States. My position is the same as the position of Mark Carney and countless other Northerners I’ve spoken with over the past few weeks: Canada will always be a strong and independent sovereign country, and will stand up for our people and for our economy. Our government will continue Canada’s support for businesses and workers that are being threatened by these tariffs, while also responding with our own tariffs on American goods until the Trump administration relents. At the same time, we will work to strengthen our own economy by removing internal trade barriers and building the highways and infrastructure needed to diversify our trade.”
THE NWT’S BIGGEST ISSUE:
Alty believes the biggest issue people in NWT are facing is affordability.
“Ultimately, the biggest issue is making life more affordable for Northerners. As MP, I will support our platform commitments to deliver a tax cut that will save two-income families up to $825 a year and build more affordable homes at a pace not seen since after the Second World War. I will also advocate for nation-building infrastructure projects like the Mackenzie Valley Highway and the Slave Geological Project Corridor that will connect our communities, improve access to resource development, and create good-paying jobs.”
WHY SHOULD SOMEONE VOTE FOR YOU?
Alty believes in the power of working together.
“As a leader, I strongly believe in the power of working together. I think that teams are the best way to find better solutions, and everyone needs to be on deck and contributing. I prioritize listening to experts, respecting data, and valuing the crucial insights of both community and traditional knowledge. During my time with the NWT Association of Communities and in municipal politics, I have been able to develop strong relationships with local leaders across our territory. As MP, I want to continue building and maintaining those relationships with Northerners to ensure that the needs and goals of their communities are being supported by the federal government, so together we can create a better future for the NWT.”
FINAL THOUGHTS:
“I have been really enjoying the opportunity over the last few weeks to visit our communities and speak with local residents about the issues that matter to them, and the plan the Liberals are putting forward.
“While there are lots of issues we can discuss, I think it’s important to also focus on the opportunities that are before us here in the NWT. We are at a critical juncture. We need to ensure that we have investments that will set us up for success now, and well into the future, so that our families and future generations have a safe, healthy, and thriving community here in the North.
“We’re rapidly approaching April 28th, so I’d like to encourage all NWTers to take part in the democratic process by voting. And I’d be honoured if you would put your trust in me on Election Day.
