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OPINION5TuesdayFebruary122013FortSmithHayRiverWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdayForecastForecastNorms-15Cand-26CNorms-14Cand-26C-10Low-19Low-8High-4High-12Low-16High-19Low-16Low-22Low-10High-5High-11Low-12High-14Low-10High-7HighYellowknifeInuvikWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdayNorms-22Cand-31CNorms-19Cand-28C-23Low-24Low-26Low-27Low-20Low-25Low-12High-11High-16Low-21High-25Low-14High-17High-17High-20High-25HighASeniorMomentSeniorsHelpingSeniorsIbKristensenAbout80ofolderadultsintheNWTareafliatedwiththeNWTSeniorsSociety.EditorIhavebeenputtingforwardtheideaofconstructingarail-waytoprovideaffordablelow-impacttransportationuptheMackenzieValleyandImstunnedatthereactionIgetfromthistraditionalidea.HavingtraveledinEuropeandparticularlyScandinaviabytrainIcansaythereisnobet-terwaythanarailwaytoleadyouacrossourgiantterritory.IseearailwaytrackasatruelegacyyetpoliticiansItalktotellmeitsacompletelyunre-alisticidea.Theyseeonlyanexpensivehighwayastheso-lutiontoopentheMackenzieValley.OnlyinNorthAmericacansuchasimpleideabecomesuchalaughingmatter.Itsourgovernmentsre-sponsibilitytotakethetimetostudytheprosandconsofallpossibilitiesbeforedecidingtospendmillionsonahighwayespeciallywhenweknowhowquicklytheroadcangetdam-agedhereduetohightrafcandpermafrost.TherearereasonswhytheTrans-Siberianrailwaybuiltinthelate1890sisstilltodayslife-lineofRussiaThinkofallthethingsyouseebeingtransportedbytrainPeopletouristsstudentsgoingtosporteventsfoodgoodsoillum-bermobilehomesvehiclesmineraloreetcThepossi-bilitiesareinnite.Theright-of-wayofarailwayisalsoalotlessinvasivethanahighwayitisjustnarrowenoughforthetrainwhichprotectsthefragilesoilfromsunexposure.Itiseasiertobuildandmaintainitprovidesacorridortocarrytheprecioushydropowertothecommunitiesalongitsroute.Itislessinvasiveanddis-ruptiveonwildlifeetc.Thinkofallthelongtermjobop-portunitiesthiswouldbringintocommunitiesTheywouldallneedalittleloadingandunloadingsta-tionsellingticketsmainte-nancecrew...GiveadiscountforNWTresidentsandsoonenoughthisprojectwouldpayforitselfandgeneraterevenuesunlikeahighway.IfthegoaloftheGNWTistodevelopoureconomyandattractexplorationcompaniesthisisthekeyWhatbetterwaytoattractpotentialmineinves-torsifyouhavearailwaythatcantransportalltheirneedsNowthatsalegacythatistrulyadaptedtoourenviron-mentandisworthreviewingbeforeoptingforaroad.WehaveanopportunitytotakecareofourselvesandthinkaboutwhattheNWTcandowiththechallengesweface.Wehavetoadaptandourter-ritorycanbecomealeaderforinnovationinNorthAmerica.Itstimeforustostartlook-ingatwhattheothercircum-polarcountriesofthisworlddowellandtakeadvantageoftheirexperience.IrecentlytookthetrainfromOslotoBodowithmypartnerandittookabout20hourstocrossthecountrylength-wise.Wechoseasleep-ingcabinforalittlemorethan150eachhowmuchdoesitcostyouingastodriveave-hicle20hoursplushotelandmeals.Butwecouldhavese-lectedamuchcheaperticketforabigcomfyseat.Therewasalittlerestaurantloungesandlotsoffamilies.Thelandscapewasverysimilartooursitwasbeautifulrelaxingandwemetgreatpeople.TheNWTisfacingchal-lengesthatareuniquetothecircumpolarcountries.Wehavetostartthinkingoutsidetheboxanddivergefromtheclas-sicNorthAmericansolutions.Oilisonlygoingtogetmoreexpensiveinthenextcoupleofdecades.Eventuallyitwillbe-comeunaffordableforfamiliestodrivefourhourstogettothenextcommunity.Alsoallthetrafconourroadsispollut-inganddamaging.ThinkofallthegarbagethrownontheroadbysenselessdriversorthinkoftheroadnorthofWrigleytwoweeksagothatwasclosedduetotrucktrafc.WhatanembarrassmentLetsstudytheprosandconsofarailwaybeforemov-ingontoaroadandshowustheresults.Letsndtherealnumbersandseeifthiscouldbeapossibility.GeneviveCtFortSmithTrainsdowntheMackenizeValleyDidyoumissmyJanuarycolumnWellIdidliterally.MypenfrozeupintheJanu-arycoldthatwewillalllongrememberHereIamagainwarmedupconsiderably.Itisnevertoolateforwellwish-ingandmybestwishesgoouttoeveryoneforagreatNewYear.ItturnedouttobeabusywinterforseniorsintheNorth.InfactitstartedgettingsolastNovember.TherewasaworkshopinFortSmithonthesubjectofSafeCommunitiesforOlderAdultsthroughouttheNorth.ItwassponsoredbytheNWTSeniorsSoci-etywithitspartnersinlawenforcementandSocialSer-vicesinattendance.Itwasarealeyeopenerformostofus.Teleconferencesandmuchinformationthroughthee-mailtoallourchaptersaboutthissubjectareongo-ing.AFace-toFaceMeet-ingoftheNWTNetworkisscheduledinYellowknifeforFeb.26.Feb.27and28aresetasideforameetingoftheboardofdirectorsoftheNWTSe-niorsSocietyinYellowknife.MinisterTomBeaulieutheNWTministerresponsibleforseniorswillattend.PerhapsthehighlightofFebruaryactivitieswillbeCelebratingSeniorsintheNWT30YearsofSuc-cessoftheNWTSeniorsSociety.ThisFeb.26Yel-lowknifeaffairwillbehostedbytheNWTSeniorsSociety-Avens-ACommunityforSeniors-LargaKitikmeot.SpecialguestswillincludeCommissionerGeorgeTuc-caroPremierRobertMcLeodandMinisterBeaulieu.MasterofCeremonieswillbeTonyWhitfordanditwillfeatureolderadultscontributingtothesuccessoftheNWTSe-niorsSociety1983-2013.IhavetomentionourChristmaspotluckinFortSmith.Wehadasuccess-fuleventwithmorethan100seniorsattending.TheyenjoyedavisitbymembersoftheCommunityChoir.AlongwithdessertsSantaarrivedandpresentedtheluckywinnersofpresentsfromalargepileofgifts.TheeveningwasroundedoffbylocalelderAnitaDubeandfriendswithguitarsinanall-outsing-along.ItwasanothermemorableSeniorChristmasevent.MayorBradBrakeattendedourgeneralmeetinginJan-uaryinvitingustobepartoftheTownsplanofestab-lishinganopenareaontheRecreationCentregroundsforseniorstogatherforout-dooractivities.AtourFebruarymeetinginFortSmithwediscussedplansforadayvisittoFortChipewyan.Thosewhowentonaprevioustriptherein2009havegreatmemoriesofit.Severalmembershavefamilytiestothisbeautifulsettlement.WewillmakefinalplansatourMar.5meeting.Spacewillbelim-itedsoifyouareinterestedletusknow.OurnextLunchwiththeBunchwillbeFridayFeb.15startingatnoonattheSe-niorCentre.SeeyouthereNorthernJournal2013JoinusonlineLikeNorthernJournalonFacebookandgettheweeklynewsdeliveredtoyourfeedFACEBOOKFEEDBACK3peoplelikethisADCSpreparesstaorlearningonthelandeacherslearntraditionalskillsatfrstevercrossculturaleventTestaoAthabascaDeltaCommunitySchoolinFortChipewyanandtheirguestinstructorscelebratethecompletionowahtishopedtobethefrstonmanycrossculturaleventsengagingteachersandstudentsutontheland.PhotoMeaganWohlbergIrisJasmineCatholiqueAwe-somepic