The unique concensus - based politics in NWT, where the other legislatures agree on who will be premier, has resulted in the selection of the new NWT Premier.

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Politics/20111026/nwt-premier-bob-mcleod-election-results-111026/

This is the man who will sign the permit for Tyhee to operate the mine.

I see his pedigree as mining friendly and very effective at concensus building. NWT needs teh jobs and revenue that the Tyhee mine will deliver.

Bob McLeod was formerly Industry Minister.

McLeod will also have to prepare the territory's resource-based economy for a downturn. The N.W.T. has nearly reached a federal borrowing cap that limits the territory's capacity for running deficits. At the same time, the government is trying to build roads, bridges and hydro developments to help take advantage of abundant mineral wealth and bring down the high cost of living.

McLeod, who was minister of industry, trade and investment in the last assembly, touts his ability to build consensus. He gathered enough support in the N.W.T.'s notoriously fractious legislature for a review of the territory's electrical system that actually resulted in savings for consumers. He also piloted a new water strategy through the legislature.

He's able to point to federal investments such as a $150-million pledge to complete a highway between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk, a key piece of infrastructure for the northern oilpatch.

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Politics/20111026/nwt-premier-bob-mcleod-election-results-111026/#ixzz1bwufciXv