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PoliticsFirstNations2TuesdayJune42013NEWSBRIEFSSomeofthebestbrandsinthebusinesssuchasHeartlandandKeystoneGETGEAREDUPATNORTHSTARCHRYSLERwherewehaveahugeselectionofnewandusedCampersFifthWheelsandToyHaulersFREENightStayinHighLevelwitheverypurchasewww.northstarchrysler.caWHEREPEOPLEBECOMECUSTOMERSFORLIFEGetintothis22HideoutOnly19900MikisewnotconsultedonproposedroadsouthchiefsaysBeingonboardwouldrequireapprovalofmembershiprstsaysCourtoreilleByMEAGANWOHLBERGChiefSteveCourtoreilleoftheMikisewCreeFirstNationMCFNinFortChipewyansaystheFirstNationhasnotbeenconsultedontherekin-dledeffortstobuildaroadsouththroughWoodBuffaloNationalParkdespitemen-tionstothecontrary.ThechieftoldTheJournallastweekthathehadnotbeenincontactwithformerFortSmithmayorPeterMartselos-theprojectskeyproponent-oranyoneelseinvolvedwiththedefunctThebachaRoadSocietyduringtherecentre-surgencetogetthecommunitytalkingagainaboutasecondroadthroughAlbertafromPeacePointtoGardenRiver.Ihaventspokentohimonceregardinganythinges-peciallyregardingtheroadCourtoreillesaidofMartselos.Wehaventbeenconsulted.FortSmithMayorBradBrakeindicatedatarecentcorporateservicescommitteemeetingduringwhichcoun-cildebatedthenotionofsup-portingMartselosmovetogettalksrestartedontheroadthatMCFNalongwiththeAtha-bascaChipewyanFirstNationwereinterestedinsupportingtheprojectthistimearound.TheresbeensomenewinformationinregardstotheMikisewCreeandAthabascaFirstNationthattheyreinter-estedinseeingthathappenaswellsoitseemslikethingsaregoingtomoveforwardonitBraketoldcouncilonMay7.IwastoldbyformerchiefofSRFNSaltRiverFirstNa-tionDavidPoitrasthattherewasinterestexpressedtohimbyseveralresidentsofFortChipewyaninhavingaroadthroughthatareaBraketoldTheJournalinanemail.Itwasexpressedthatthereseemedtobeinterestandsupportbuild-ingforit.TheJournalwasunabletoreachPoitrasforcomment.Courtoreillesaiditisgoingtotakeamajorroundtablediscussionwithalltheplayersinvolvedbeforetheleisre-openedforMikisewstartingwithsupportfromtheFirstNa-tionsmembership.BeforeanythinghappensifwewereeventothinkaboutitIwouldhavetotakeittomymembership.ItsgoingtoaffectsomeofmyFirstNa-tionstraditionalterritorysoIdhavetoconsultwiththemseewhatdirectiontheywantustotakefromthereandthenwelltakethepropersteps.Butatthispointintimeasfaraswereconcernednothingshappening.LasttimetheroadprojectwaspushedaheadwithParksCanadaastheleadMCFNwonaprecedent-settingcourtchallengebasedontheCrownsfaileddutytoconsultonthedevelopmentwhichwouldcutacrossnumeroushistorictrappinglinesalongwithprimemoosehuntinggroundsontheFirstNationstraditionalterritory.Thatlawsuiteffectivelyshutdownallmovementonthe118-kmwinterroaduntilnow.EarlylastmonthMartseloscametoFortSmithtowncouncillook-ingforsupporttorestarttalksonthecontroversialroadproj-ect.CouncilwassplitdownthemiddlebutthemayorbrokethetieinfavourofMartselosrequestforsupport.Martseloslettertocouncilsaidthetownssupportwouldhelpgarner50000inter-ritorialgovernmentfundingpromisedbythepremiertogotowardssettingupmeet-ings.ThatfundingamounthassincebeencontestedbythePremiersOfce.Ithinkwewentthroughalonghardbattlewiththefeds...andatthistimeIshouldntsaywerenotinterestedbutwehaventspokentoanybodyinFortSmithCourtoreillesaid.Ifanythingisgoingtohappenthereneedstobealltheplay-ersaroundthetablethathaveaninterestandwanttobepartofthisdiscussion.Icanttalktoasmallgrouphopingthatotherpeoplecomeonboard.Weallhavetocometogetherinaroundtablediscussionthentheresgoingtobeaseriesofmeetingsbeforeanythingma-terializesfromthere.AsitstandsCourtoreillesaidthereisnocommitmentonMikisewspart.Icantcommittosome-thingthatsgoingtoimpactmymemberswellbeingandwayoflifehesaid.JackpineminedecisionfacesseconddelayIndustryOilsandsByMEAGANWOHLBERGThenaldecisiononShellsproposedJackpineopenpitoil-sandsmineexpansionprojectwillrequiremoretimesaysthejointreviewpaneltaskedwithassessingtheproject.Thefederal-provincialreg-ulatorypanelistypicallyre-quiredtomakeadecisionwithin90daysofthehear-ingsendbutthatdeadlinewasextendedlastfalluntiltheendofMay.Nowthepanelisrequest-ingasecondextensioncitingthecomplexityoftheevidenceprovidedduringlastOctobershearingsinFortMcMurrayasthereason.PanelchairJ.D.DilaytoldfederalEnvironmentMinis-terPeterKentlastweekinaletterthatthepanelwouldnotbereadybyMay31notwith-standingthepanelsseriousef-fortanddedicationtothetask.InaletterdatedDec.192012DilayoriginallytoldKentthatowingtotheun-usualsizeandcomplexityofthehearingrecorditwouldbeunlikelyfortheJointReviewPaneltobeabletoprovideitsreportwithin90days.Sixmonthslaterhesaidtheeffortrequiredtocom-pletethereporthasproventobeevengreaterthananticipated.DilaysaidthepanelwouldprovidethereportverysoonandwithintheoveralldeadlineofJuly132013or350daysfromtheCanadianEnviron-mentalAssessmentActsnewdeadlinescomingintoeffect.The12billionexpansionprojectwouldseeanadditional100000barrelsofbitumenpro-ducedperdayfromthefacil-ityforatotalof300000im-pactingover12000hectaresoflandincluding21kmoftheMuskegRiverapproximately75kmnorthofFortMcMurray.HotlycontestedbyAtha-bascaChipewyanFirstNationACFNwhosetraditionalter-ritorywouldhousethemineexpansiontheproposalsawtherstconstitutionalchal-lengebasedonsection35Ab-originalrightsbroughtbeforeaprovincialtribunalinAlberta.Shellsownenvironmentalstudiesindicatedtheprojectwouldputairpollutionlev-elsespeciallythoserespon-sibleforacidrainabovepro-vincialstandardsandwoulddisruptwoodlandcaribouandbirdhabitat.RepresentativesfromShellCanadadidnotrespondtore-questsforcomment.Theeffortrequiredtocompletethere-porthasproventobeevengreaterthananticipated.J.D.DilayJointReviewPanelPsychiatristnumbersdoubleatStantonTerritorialHospitalMentalhealthservicesintheNWTgotaboostwiththeadditionofasecondpsychiatristatStantonTer-ritorialHospitalinYellowknife.TheaddedpositioncameaboutfollowingawomansdeathinYellowknifelastMarchtheresultofastandoffwiththeRCMPwhereshethreatenedsuicidebrandishedarieandwasshotandkilled.Thewomanhadahistoryofmen-talinstability.Thecoronersjuryintothedeathmadesixrecommendationsdirectedatthehospitalsneedtoenhanceitsmentalhealthservicesoffering.Stan-tons10-bedpsychiatricunitisroutinelyatcapacity.BisarotoleadkeyNWTlegislaturecommitteereplacingMenicocheYellowknifeMLAWendyBisaroFrameLakehasbeenselectedchairpersonoftheimportantNWTleg-islativeassemblycommitteeonPrioritiesandPlanningfollowingtheresignationofNahendehMLAKevinMenicocheinApril.Bisarowillleadthe11-memberstandingcommitteewithitsmandatetoexamines-calandbusinessplanninginitiativesaswellastheoversightofallmatterspertainingtotheproposedNorthwestTerritoriesLandsandResourcesDevolu-tionAgreement.Huntingsuspendedfor201314seasononHay-ZamabisonherdSevereconditionsthroughouttheHay-ZamabisonrangewestofHighLevellastwinterresultedinthestarvationdeathsofasmanyas100bison.Theherdpopulationisnowestimatedataround400.AsurveyinMarchshowedthatanumberofbisonappearedtohavediedfromstarvationandmanyotherswereshow-ingsignsofstressemaciationandweakness.Huntingtheherdhasbeensuspendedthisseasonasaresult.