Two N.W.T. MLAs owe money to the gov't. Is it time to change the candidacy rules?

There are no rules preventing people owing money to the territorial government from running or representing that very government.

But with two sitting members of the N.W.T. Legislative Assembly in that situation, is there a case for changing that? 

Richard Edjericon was sworn into the assembly on Monday owing just over $113,000 to the N.W.T. Housing Corporation, according to court documents from 2019. He joins Rocky Simpson, MLA for Hay River North, who owes nearly $2 million to the NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation.

David Jones, the N.W.T.'s Integrity Commissioner, said in an email the N.W.T.'s policy is that any MLA owing money to the government must disclose it to the territorial integrity commissioner within 90 days of their first sitting.

They would then not be able to speak in the Assembly about a matter that could affect their private interest, the debt.

For both Simpson and Edjericon, voters were not made aware of the candidates' financial situation before casting ballots. 

Most candidates in the Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh byelection, including Steve Norn, Ernest Betsina, and Mary Rose Sundberg said they weren't aware of Edjericon's debt. 

Candidate Clinton Unka, however, said he did know about it, and decided against bringing it up. 

"It wasn't my values to bring that forward," he said. 

"I wanted to maintain a very clean campaign and just be respectful to all the individuals, but yeah I was aware of this." 

However, Unka said he thinks it is important information the public should have been aware of before going to the polls and if he had been in that situation, he would have acted differently. 

"I definitely think it should've been brought to light," he said. 

CBC News reached out to Edjericon, who said his lawyer would be in touch, but did not respond by publication. 

Rules preventing candidates from running for a government they owe money to do exist in the N.W.T., at the municipal level.