The Liberal-Conservatives formed government in October 1897, when Lieutenant Governor Charles H. Mackintosh returned to North-West Territories to enforce the new laws in the North-West Territories Act that gave new powers to the territories. It was speculated that Robert Brett was plotting to form a Conservative led Government backed by a majority coalition of MLAs in the Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories. Members answered in the media and denied there was a plot. Mackintosh would stick with his original plan of asking Frederick Haultain who was already chairman of the executive committee to form the government, leaving Robert Brett to form the Official opposition of the Northwest Territories Liberal Party and oppose the Haultain administration as he had done so since 1891.
