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PoliticsRegulation2TuesdaySeptember172013NEWSBRIEFSCanadianNorthworkersavoidstrikeCanadianNorthInc.reachedatentativeagreementlatelastTuesdaynightwiththeunionrepresentingtheairlinescus-tomerserviceagentsatairportsandcargoofces.About160staffwhosecontractexpiredlastDecemberincludingticketagentsandcargoworkerswereinalegalstrikeposition.TheemployeesarerepresentedbyUnifortheorganizationformedthisyearbyamergeroftheCanadianAutoWork-ersandCommunicationsEnergyandPaperworkersunions.ThetwosidesmetwithafederalmediatorinEdmontonlastweek.Condentialtermsofthenewthree-yearagreementwillgotoaraticationvoteamongUniformembersinthenext30daysareleasefromtheairlinesaid.NWTYouthAmbassadorProgramcallsforapplicationsTheNWTYouthAmbassadorProgramiscallingallyoungleaderstoapplyforachancetodeveloplifeandjobskillsandbuildthecondencenecessarytodealwiththecomplexchallengesinmodernsocietythroughavolunteerexperienceatmajorterritorialnationalandinternationalevents.PasteventsincludeArcticWinterGamesNorthAmericanIndigenousGamesCanadaWinterGamesandthe2010OlympicandParalympicWinterGames.Formoreinformationontheprogramortoapplyvisitwww.nwtyouth.comcall867873-7329oremaildawn_mosesgov.nt.ca.ThedeadlineisSept.23.MinistersconferenceraisesfundsforStantonTerritorialHospitalAcharityauctionraisednearly10000fortheStantonTerritorialHospitalFoundationduringthe2013EnergyandMinesMinistersConferenceinYellowknifefromAug.24-27.EachprovinceandterritorydonatedlocallysignicantitemsincludingasoapstonecarvingfromNunavutalobsterdinnershippedanywhereinCanadafromPrinceEdwardIslandandartworkfromOntario.FormerNWTCommissionerTonyWhitfordauctionedoffitemsfromtheNWTincludinga0.74caratdiamonddonatedbytheDiavikDiamondMine.LouiseDundasMatthewschairofthehospitalfoundationsaidthemoneywillgotowardsachemoIVtreatmentsuiteatthehospital.OilindustryhopesforfasterreviewsunderdevolutionCompaniescomplainsecuritydepositsmeandisasterfordevelopersByJACKDANYLCHUKDevolutionandastream-linedregulatorysystemthatpromisesasinglereviewboardcantcomesoonenoughsaycompaniesexploringtheCanolshaledepositintheSahtu.Weallknowhowtodrillwellsyetwehavearegula-toryprocessthatisputtingroadblocksinourwayKenHansenmanagerofHuskysoperationsintheCentralMackenzieValleytoldPros-pectsNorthanannualbusi-nessgatheringinYellowknife.Ittakessixmonthstoayeartogetapprovalstodrillwellsandexorbitantsecuritydepositsarenthelpinghesaidaddingthefederalgov-ernmentsdemandforbond-ingonenergyprojectstotheoilandgasindustryslitanyofcomplaintsabouttheirNorthernexperience.ThereisaresourcehereHansensaid.Butweneedthesupportofbusinesscom-munitiesandregulatorstogetthroughtheexplorationphaseasquicklyaswecan.Therealprizeisindevelop-ment.ItwillbebigdollarsandbigopportunitiesnotjustfortheSahtubutforalloftheNorthwestTerritories.HansenwasthenalspeakeronapanelthatincludedAllanChatenaypresidentofExploraCalgaryseismiccompanyandNancyDiltsvice-presidentforregulatoryaffairsatMGMEnergywhodescribedsimilarexperiencesintheNorthwestTerritories.Industrywillspendmorethan600milliontoexploretheCanolspotentialDiltstoldabout100businessandpoliticalleaderslastweekandneedsaregulatorysys-temthatcreatesapredictableclimate.MGMwithdrewitsappli-cationearlierthisyeartodrillandfracktwowellsafteritwassenttoafullenvironmen-talreviewandcomplainedthattheprocesscouldcon-sumemorethanhalfoftheveyearsthecompanyhastoexploreitsleasearea.ThepanelfollowedGaetanCaronchairmanandCEOoftheNationalEnergyBoardNEBafeaturedspeakerontheconferenceagendaanddis-agreedwithmuchofwhathetoldthelunch-houraudience.Devolutionwillbeanon-eventwhenitgoeslivenextAprilandalthoughtheNEBwillprovideonlytechnicalsupportontheCanolshaleplaytoterritorialregulatorsitwillcontinuetooverseepipelinesoffshoreexplora-tionandtheNormanWellsprovenareaCaronsaid.DevolutioncantcomesoonenoughforChatenaywhowassharplycriticaloftheNEBandthebondingrequirementsNaturalRe-sourcesMinisterJoeOliveroutlinedearlierthismonthattheannualmeetingofenergyministersinYellowknife.Thenewrulesrequirecom-paniestosetasideenoughcredittocoveraworst-caseenvironmentalscenario.WhiletheNEBhasalreadystartedapplyingtherequire-mentsitsgivingindustryuntilOct.31tocomment.TheNEBhasmanygoodadministratorsbutoverthelastfewyearsithasbeenmakingstrangedecisionsthatarenotimprovingsafetyChatenaysaid.IftheNEBiscontractedtodoworkforGNWTIwouldraiseastrongwordofcaution.ExplorhasbeenoperatingintheNorthwestTerritoriesfor20yearsChatenaysaidandforthersttimewererequiredtoputupaletterofcredit.Basedontheguide-linesthereisnowaywecanmeetthemthereisnowaythatanAboriginalbusinessbasedherewilleverbeabletomeetthem.YourequireproponentstoputforthaworstcasescenarioandprepayforitChatenaytoldCaron.Nothingwouldhappenintheworldifindus-tryhadtoprepaytheworstcasescenario.Wewouldntbeabletoleavethisroom.Itsadisaster.CaronsaidthebondingrequirementsgrewoutofastringofdisastersstartingwiththeGulfOilrigexplo-sionin2010theEnbridgepipelinespillinMichiganandthetragedylastsummeratLac-MganticQue.Parliamenthasimposedarequirementtohavecom-paniesdemonstratethattheyhavethenancialresourcestodealwithapipelinerupturesothepublicisntstuckwiththebillCaronexplained.Chatenaysaidsecurityde-positsarebeingratchetedupto10million-alotofmoneyforasmallcompanyonanex-plorationwell.Nowitsbeingappliedtogeophysicalopera-tionsandwereseeingotheragenciesaskforsecurityde-positsonexactlythesameprogram.Thisisanunrea-sonableburdenbeingplacedonindustryinanalreadyex-pensiveworkingenvironmentintheNorth.CaronsaidtheamountisdiscretionaryandallowstheNEBtorelyonthecompanysnancialstrengthabondorinsurancecoverage.Thedecisioncanbeappealed.PhotoJackDanylchukGaetanCaronchairoftheNationalEnergyBoardcameundersharpcriticismfromindustrylastweekinYellowknife.MomDadGrandmaGrandpaSept.141968