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EnvironmentWatersheds13TuesdayFebruary122013WesalutethestaffandstudentsofduringAuroraCollegeWeekFeb.11-152013WESCLEAN15IndustrialDriveHayRiverNTTel875-5100Fax875-5115www.wescleannwt.comWESCLEANN.W.T.BeautifulflooringbeginswithusAuroraCollegeFortMcPhersonweighsinonPeellanduseplanByMARYWALDENWithlessthantwoweeksbeforetheYukongovernmentYGwrapsupitsPeelwater-shedlanduseplanconsulta-tionsFortMcPhersonresi-dentswillnallygettohavetheirsay.TheNWTcommunityof850istheonlysettlementinthetransboundarywatershedmostofwhichliesinYukon.ThePeelopenhouseissetforFeb.12.ItwasoriginallyslatedforJan.23buttheYGcancelleditatthelastminutesayingitwastoocoldforitssixofcialstomakethedrivefromInuvik.TheydbeeninnearbyTsi-igehtchicthedaybeforebutinsteadofcontinuingontoMcPhersontospendthenighttheyreturnedtoInuvik.McPhersonresidentswhodidshowupwerentsurewhetherthecancellationwaslegitimateornot.GiventheYGsperceivedtrackrecordonthePeelleitsbeenaccusedofsuppress-ingenvironmentalreportsig-noringpublicsentimentandmostrecentlycuttingFirstNa-tionsoutofthelooptheresahighdegreeofmistrust.Welljustmakethemeet-inganevenbetteronewhentheydoshowupsaidawomanthatdayasshecleanedupthelunchthathadbeenpreparedforthemeeting.TheYGstartedworkonaPeellanduseplaninlate2004.Asrequiredunderitsmoderndaytreatyacom-missionwassetuptodothejobcomprisedofmembersappointedbythegovernmentandthefourFirstNationswithtiestotheregionin-cludingtheNWTGwichin.Thecommissionspentmorethansixyearsstudyingtheregionanalyzingoptionsandconsultingthepublicatkeypointsalongtheway.Itsrecommendedplanwassharedwiththepublicin2010bythevegovernmentsforfeedback.InFortMcPhersonwherethePeelisnearanddeartotheTetlitGwichinthatmeetingwasstanding-room-onlyasspeakerafterspeakerurgedprotectionforthewatershedfromindustrialdevelopment.Inresponsethecommis-sionproducedthenalrec-ommendedplanwhichprotects80percentoftheregionandturneditovertothegovernmentsinJuly2011tocompletetheprocess.Theywereexpectedtojointlyholdalastroundofconsultationbeforeeachde-cidingwhethertoacceptre-jectormodifytheplan.InsteadtheYGcalledanewsconferencelastOcto-bersayingitwasgoingitalonewithconsultationsandunveilingitsownplanforthePeeloneprovidingconsid-erablylessprotectionsub-mittingittothepublicalong-sidethecommissionsplan.SincethenitsshoppedbothplansaroundatopenhousesinWhitehorseMayoDawsonCityOldCrowAklavikTsiigehtchicandInuvik.FortMcPhersonisthelastpubliceventbeforeconsulta-tionsendFeb.25.Althoughthegovernmenthastriedtolimitpeopleatthesesessionstoone-on-onediscussionswithbureaucratsmoreoftenthannotthepub-lichasforcedamoretradi-tionalformatwherepeopletaketurnsspeakingwhileotherslisten.MostrecentlyinbothTsiigehtchicandInuviktheleadersoftheGwichinTribalCouncilturneduptotelltheYGinnouncertaintermstodumpitsnewplan.LikethethreeYukonFirstNationswhoparticipatedintheplanningprocesstheGwichinsaidtheydidsoingoodfaithandnowfeelbetrayed.Dotherightthingwith-drawyourplanandpubliclysupporttheoriginalplanasdevelopedbythecommis-sionGwichinTribalCoun-cilPresidentRobertAlexieJr.toldofcialsinInuvik.IfnotFirstNationswillhavetoturntothecourtstheysaid.TheYGisacceptingwrit-tencommentsonthePeelplanuntilFeb.25.Ithaspromisedtoputallsubmissionsonitswebsiteshortlyafterthedeadlinepasses.PhotoMaryWaldenThepeopleofFortMcPhersonstillusethePeelRiverasahighwayinbothwinterandsummer.Registeratwww.zone4.caFormoreinformationcontactthebacha.loppetgmail.comCheckouttheThebachaLoppetFacebookgroupforpicturesandstoriesfrompastloppets.SaturdayMarch22013RegisterearlyandsaveRegisterbyJan.3025RegistrationFeesFeb1-Feb24Youth10Adult30LateRegistrationuptoFebruary2740RegistrationFeesFeb1-Feb24Youth10Adult30LateRegistrationuptoFebruary2740