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6TuesdayFebruary52013ByRENEFRANCOEURWithmineraloutputintheNorthexpectedtoalmostdou-bleoverthenextsevenyearstheGNWTannounceddetailsonitsplansformovingfor-wardwithacomprehensivemineraldevelopmentstrategylastMondayinVancouver.MineraldevelopmentisthebackboneoftheNWTeconomyanddevelopingalong-termplanwillguidedecision-makingformineraldevelopmentintothefutureIndustryTourismandInvest-mentITIMinisterDavidRamsaysaidduringthe2013MineralExplorationRoundupconferenceonJan.28.OncecompleteaMin-eralDevelopmentStrategywillsupportoureffortstoexpandthenatureandscopeofourresourcedevelopmentandprovideaframeworktoensureourmineralresourcescontinuetobedevelopedinawaythatbenetsNWTresi-dentsensuresdevelopmentissustainableandupholdsourcommitmenttoprotecttheenvironment.TheGNWTslated1-mil-lioninits2012-2013budgetforthisnewstrategyapartner-shipbetweenthegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesGNWTlaunchesdetailsonmineraldevelopmentplanAdvisorypanelappointedtodocommunityconsultationsandtheNWTandNunavutChamberofMines.Thedevelopmentofoneclearstrategywillreplaceanumberofpoliciesthathavebeenimplementedovertheyearsmakingtheentirede-velopmentprocesseasiertonavigate.Andwithanup-datedstrategyinplaceareasthatwerenotdealtwithprop-erlyinpastpoliciesinclud-inggrassrootsexplorationandinvestmentcannowbead-dressedRamsaysaid.MovingforwardwiththestrategyITIhasreleasedanofcialdiscussionpapertoengagethepublicandstake-holdersindraftinganalplan.Acopyofthepaperisnowavailableonthedepartmentswebsite.ThispaperismeanttogetpeoplethinkingaboutmineraldevelopmentintheNWTandidentiesmajorareasoffocussuchastheRegulatoryProcessGeoscienceRequirementsLogisticsandInfrastructureTrainingandEducationUn-derstandingIndustryNeedsAddressingSocialandEnvi-ronmentalResponsibilityRamsaysaid.Theministeralsoan-nouncedlastMondaythatathree-personadvisorypanelhasbeenappointedtofa-cilitatetheengagementanddiscussionofthestrategy.PanelmemberswillspendthenextsixweeksholdingaseriesofpublicmeetingsinvecommunitiesincludingInuvikNormanWellsandYellowknifesaidRodBrownoneoftheappointedpanelists.BrownthefounderofDiscoveryMiningSer-viceswasbornandraisedinYellowknife.OtherpanelistsincludeMur-rayDukeofKanataOntariowhoworkedwiththeGeolog-icalSurveyofCanadafor18yearsandAngusRobertsonofCourtenayBCwhohasabackgroundinresourcede-velopmentlandclaimsnego-tiationsanddevolutionnego-tiationsduringhistimewiththegovernmentofYukon.ThepanelisresponsibleforcollectingfeedbackandwillprovidetheGNWTwithrec-ommendationsoverthenextfourmonthswhiledraftingthenalstrategy.Ourpurposeasapanelisjusttogetsomeinputadvicesuggestions-seewhatthein-dustrystakeholdersvariousAboriginalandenvironmen-talgroupsarethinkingandthegeneralpublicBrownsaid.Brownnotedthepro-foundimportancemininghasintheNorth.NWTsfourproducingminesandotherprojectsatvariousstagesofdevelopmentgenerate770millionannu-allyinspendingandemploymorethan3000peoplestatesthenewdiscussionpaper.TheConferenceBoardofCanadaforecaststhatover-allNorthernmetalandnon-metallicmineraloutputwillgrowby91percentfrom2011to2020acompoundedan-nualgrowthrateof7.5percent.IncontrasttheCana-dianeconomyisforecastedtogrowbyanaverageofjust2.2percentannuallyoverthissameperiod.Theannualgrossdomes-ticproductofminingintheNorthwhichwas4.4bil-lionin2011isalsoexpectedtoreach8.5billionin2020accordingtotheConferenceBoardofCanada.Withthisnewsforecastedandtheterritoryscurrentminesagingitscrucialtode-velopaminingstrategynowmorethaneverBrownsaid.IthinkthekeythingiswithdevolutionnowwewanttoensurethatallNWTresi-dentsgetmaximumbenetsfromthevariousmineralsfoundthroughouttheNWT.Brownhasspentthelasttwodecadesworkingwithalotofjuniorandmid-tierminingexplorationcompa-niesandseenthelevelofexplorationreducedsigni-cantlyoverthoseyears.Thereisnowaneedtocon-tinueattractinginvestmentinnewminingprojects.ThatswhereamineraldevelopmentstrategywillcomeinhandyBrownsaid.ItssomethingweneedtodoandImencouragedbyit.Itsagoodopportunitytostartapositivedialogueandtakearesponsibledirection.IndustryMiningPhotocourtesyofITIByRENEFRANCOEURNormanWellsresidentsarewarmagainintheirhomesafterthetowndeclaredastateofemergencylastMon-daymorningwhenapoweroutagecutoffthenaturalgassupply.Werelookinggoodnow.Wehadourgassupplystabi-lizedby400p.m.MondayandthingsareproceedingwellMayorHaroldMc-GregortoldTheJournallastWednesday.Wesufferedminimaldamageswaterfrozeinthepipesofafewhousesbutitcouldhavebeenworse.ApowerfailureatImperialOilearlyMondaymorningtriggeredacontrolledsystemshutdownPiusRolheiseraspokespersonforthecom-panythatsuppliesthetownwithnaturalgassaid.Temperatureswereabone-chilling-42Candwiththewindchillitfeltlike-50CMcGregorsaid.AboutadozenseniorsweremovedovertothedaycarecentreinaccordancewithsafetyprecautionswithinthetownsEmergencyMeasuresOrganization.MembersofthepublicwerealsoinvitedtogatheratMackenzieMoun-tainSchooliftheirhousesweretoocold.Onlyafewdidsothemayorsaid.AccordingtoMcGregorabouthalfthetownusesnat-uralgastoheattheirhomes.Theoutagealsoaffectedtheentiredowntownarea.helpgetthegeneratorsgoing.Itwillbeanotherfewdaysbeforeeverythingisbacktonormalintermsofoperationsattheplant.ThereisstillawholebunchofequipmentaffectedbythisRolheisersaid.TheNormanWellsEmer-gencyMeasuresOrganiza-tionhandledthesituationsmoothlyandprofession-allyMcGregorsaidastheyEmergencyendsheatbackoninNormanWellsInfrastructureEnergyOurrstprioritywastogetproductionre-establishedtohavesufcientvolumesofgastosupplythetownPiusRolheiserImperialOilOurrstprioritywastogetproductionre-estab-lishedtohavesufficientvolumesofgastosupplythetownRolheisersaid.Webegantodothisby200p.m.Monday.ImperialOilcrewswereflowninfromCalgarytokeptresidentsinformedandhelpedrelocatethosewhoneededitemptyingwatertanksandlaterrelightingfurnaces.AninvestigationbyIm-perialOilisunderwaytodeterminethesourceofthepoweroutage.IndustryTourismInvestmentMinisterDavidRamsayunveilsdetailsofthenewNWTMineralDevelopmentStrategyinVancouveronJan.28.