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6TuesdayJune42013ThebachaBusinessDevelopmentServices68PortageAve.FortSmith.867-872-2795.www.thebacha.caTolearnaboutsmallbusinessloansentrepreneurialsupportandtrainingandthebusinessservicecentrecontactTBDS.BiddingonconstructiontendersDoyouneedbidandcontractsupportBusinessCounsellingReferralServicesBusinessPlanAssistanceSmallBusinessFinancingAlternativesNorthreportcritiquesGNWTondevolutionconsultationsPoliticsDevolutionByMEAGANWOHLBERGResultsareinfromanal-ternativestringofconsulta-tionswithNWTresidentsonthecontroversialdevolutionagreementthemajorityofwhichdonotcastafavour-ablelightontheterritorialgovernmentsownpublicengagementprocess.Northernnon-governmen-talorganizationNGOAlter-nativesNorthreleaseditsownWhatWeHeardreportlastweektitledDemocraticDe-volutionbasedonaseriesofpublicdiscussionsheldoverthelasttwomonthsbeforeCabinetwasabletotableitsownintheHouse.Theforumswereheldcountertothepublicengage-mentsessionsorganizedbytheterritorialgovernmentlookingtoexplainthede-volutionagreementtoNWTresidentswhichthegroupfeltdidnotseriouslycon-siderfeedbackfromresidents.DemocraticDevolutionisaquestionthatweposedinthefaceofdevolutionnego-tiationsbeingconcludedbytheterritorialandfederalgov-ernments.PromisesofpublicconsultationwereequivocalfailedtomeettimelinesstatedatthesigningofthedraftagreementandwerelefttoofcialsratherthancarriedoutbyelectedleadersstatedAlternativesNorthmemberGordonHamreinalettertoPremierBobMcLeodlastFridayaddinghisdisap-pointmentthattheLegislativeAssemblychosenottoholdaplebisciteontheagreement.Theengagementandcon-sultationprocessfortheDe-volutionAgreementshouldnotserveasamodelforotheraspectsofimplementationandevaluationorothermajorGNWTinitiativesreadsoneoftherecommendationsmadeinthereport.TheBergerCommis-sionandtheBourqueCom-missiontonametwoNWTexamplesweremuchbetterattrulyengagingthepub-licinkeydevelopmentsinNWThistory.AlternativesNorthoffersitsowndeni-tionofconsultationaformofpublicengagementwheretheviewsofthepartybeingconsultedcaninuencetheoutcomeandchallengestheGNWTtoenunciateitsowndenitionifitisdiffer-entfromthisthemessagetoMcLeodreads.Thereportrecommendsameaningfulpublicconsul-tationinthereviewoftheDevolutionImplementationPlanandremainingschedulesandsectionsoftheDevolutionAgreementincludingoppor-tunitiesforpeopletosubmitwrittencomments.Italsorequestsapublicre-viewoftheagreementsimple-mentationonthesecondanni-versaryoftheeffectivedateincludingapublicconferenceandregionalworkshopsandadvisesconsultingwithresi-dentsandAboriginalgov-ernmentsabouttheeventualtransferofauthoritiesundertheMackenzieValleyResourcesManagementActwellbeforetheplannedve-yearreview.Apartfromconcernswithconsultationthereporthigh-lightstheneedforensuringtheecologicalintegrityoflandandwaterintheterritoryisprotectedforadiversiedeconomybuiltonself-relianceincludingrenew-ableenergyandforrelationshipswithAboriginalgovernmentstobeimproved.Thedocumentalsorecom-mendsareviewofthecurrentroyaltyrateaswellasthes-calsustainabilityofprovid-inganincentiveforcontinuedandincreasingdevelopmentofnaturalresourcesinordertoin-creasetheamountofmoneytheterritorywillreceivethroughroyaltiescurrentlycappedat5percentofthenetscalbenetinthedraftagreement.Thereportalsoasksforaseparateaccountingofboththeexpendituresandbene-tsaccruedinrelationtotheimplementationofthedevolu-tionagreementformaximumtransparency.Thepremierrespondedovertheweekendtothereportad-dressingAlternativesNorthviaWeledehMLABobBromleyontheissueofconsultation.TheGNWThascompletedmorethan44publicandstake-holderinformationsessionsinallregionsoftheterritorytoprovideresidentswithanop-portunitytolearnaboutthecontentsandbenetsoftheproposedDevolutionAgree-mentandengagedirectlywithknowledgeableGNWTstaffpartoftheresponsestates.Theresultsofthisexten-sivepublicengagementhavebeenrecordedand...allMLAswillhavetheopportunitytovoteonwhethertheGNWTwillapproveandsignthepro-posedagreement.Thislevelofengagementhasbeenun-precedented.Inallpreviousprogramtransfersverylittlepublicengagementoccurred.TheGNWThasmadeeveryefforttoincludeMLAsdirectlyinthepublicengagementpro-cessandweencourageresidentstocontacttheirMLAtoensuretheirelectedrepresentativeisawareoftheirviews.InthiswayresidentscanaffecttheoutcomeoftheprocessinameaningfulwayMcLeodstated.ImageEKOSResearchAssociatesResultsfromaMarch2013AlternativesNorth-commissionedpollondevolutionconsultation.OttawaignoresGNWTdevolutionplansgrantsleasesonprimelandByJACKDANYLCHUKNewsthatthefederalgov-ernmentcontinuedtoissueleasesforcovetedlakefrontpropertyintheYellowknifeareaignoringtheterritorialgovernmentanditsplantomanagetheareaafterdevo-lutionemergedlastweekintheLegislativeAssembly.Wewereunawarethattheyweregoingtobeput-tingtheseleasesoutMu-nicipalandCommunityAffairsMACAMinisterRobertC.McLeodtoldthelegislatureafterWeledehMLABobBromleyaskedabout27huntingandsh-ingleasesAboriginalAffairsandNorthernDevelopmentCanadaAANDCgrantedinrecentmonthsonWalshandBantingLakes.NewsoftheleasesstruckasournoteontheopeningdayofthelegislativesessionafterPremierBobMcLeodmadeapassionatepitchforthedevolutionagreementthatMLAsareexpectedtoapprovethisweek.TheMACAministerthoughthehadachievedanagreementlastDecemberwithJohnDuncanthen-ministerofAANDCtoworktogetheronmanagingtheareauntildevolutionturnedre-sponsibilityforthelandovertotheNorthwestTerritories.ThatswhywewerequitesurprisedatthenumberofleasesthatwerelettingoutsaidMcLeodwhoisawaitinganexplanationfromBernardValcourtDuncanssuccessor.McLeodsaidheagreedwithBromleythatwithde-volutioncomingwewouldhaveassumedthattheywouldhaveputanynewleasesonhold.Weveexpressedourdisappointmentandareea-gerlywaitingfortheresponsetoseeiftheywilldiscontinueanyleaseapplications.Bromleysaiditisntknowniftherecentleasesweregrantedthroughapublicpro-cessormadeavailabletoachosenfew.UnderthemanagementplandevelopedbyMACAleaseswouldhavebeendis-tributedbylottery.Theplanwastobeintroducedduringthelegislativesessionbutthatwasshelvedwiththesurprisenewsoftheleases.Wewereunawarethattheyweregoingtobeputtingtheseleasesout.MinisterRobertC.McLeodMunicipalandCommunityAffairsPoliticsDevolutionResidentsToVoteBeforeDealFinalizedInyouropinionshouldtheNWTGovernmentaskNWTresidentstovoteonwhethertoaccepttheproposedDEVOLUTIONdealwithOttawabeforethedealisnilized