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COLUMNS5TuesdayNovember122013FortSmithHayRiverWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdayForecastForecastNorms-8Cand-15CNorms-8Cand-15C-8Low-9Low0High-8High-18Low-6High-6Low-7Low-14Low-3High-7High-17Low-8High-13High-14HighYellowknifeInuvikWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdayNorms-17Cand-25CNorms-9Cand-17C-14Low-6Low-20Low-18Low-10Low-12Low-1High-10High-22Low-10High-10Low-17High-4High-11High-6High-16HighOurCanadianParliamentsometimethiswinterwillhavetodealwithtwodif-ferentpiecesoflegislationthatdealdirectlywiththefutureoftheNorthwestTerritories.OutoftheDevolutionImple-mentationAgreementsignedlastsummercomesabillthatinthejointstatementsofboththeprimeministerandthepre-mierwillgivecontroloverlandandresourcesintheNWTtotheterritorialelectedpublicgov-ernment.ThisbillwillrequireamendmentstotheNWTActandrepealanumberofotheractsofParliament.TheagreementsoundsgoodtomanybuttherehasbeenstrongoppositionvoicedbythoseFirstNationsyettosettlelandclaims.Theactualdetailsofwhatisinvolvedwillnotbeconrmeduntilthedraftfed-erallegislationisavailableforeveryonetosee.Thecontinu-ingrhetoricfromthepremierandtheprimeministerhasbeenverystrongtoutingthisasahistoricagreementthatgivesabsolutecontroloflandsandresourcestotheGNWT.Howeveranotherfederalbillisontheroadtodevolu-tionanditsamendmentstotheMackenzieValleyResourceManagementActarelikelytopullbackonmuchofthepro-posedGNWTcontrolthathasbeentoutedascomingourwayandactuallyenhancefederalauthorityoverourlandsandresources.Toconsiderthesebillsandtheirimpactscorrectlyonehastodifferentiatebetweenrespon-sibilityandauthority.Certainlydevolutionwillturnoveralltheresponsibilityforlandsandre-sourcestotheGNWTandCan-adawillnolongerenforceanylawsorregulationsprovideanylicencesleadanyenvironmen-talresearchprovideadvicetodecisionmakersandthelike.Responsibilityisimpor-tant.Ourabilitytodealwiththerequirementsofourverylargeterritorytounderstandanalyzeinspectandenforceregulationsregardingourlandandresourceswillhaveamajoreffectupontheterritory.Theseresponsibilitiesareimportantengagingandvitalforourfu-turebuttheyarenottheworldofauthority.Authoritycansayyesornotodevelopmentortothetermsofdevelopment.Author-itywouldmeanthatthelawsoftheNWTLegislaturewouldnotbetreatedbyCanadaanydifferentlythanhowthelawsoftheprovincesaretreated.AuthoritywouldmeanthepeopleoftheNorthwestTer-ritorieswouldhavethenalsayonwhathappensintheirterritory.Sothelargerquestionofourauthorityhangsintheair.WilltheNWThavetheau-thoritytomakeappointmentstothedecisionmakinglandandwaterboardsWillthoseboardsbeinde-pendentofpoliticalinterferenceorwillthefederalministerissuepolicydirectionWilltheNorthwestTer-ritoriesbetrulyfreeofCanadastopdowncontrolorwillCanadabeabletoissuebindingdirectiontothecommissionerWemustbeconcernedwiththedegreeofseparationthatisgoingtoexistbetweenthosewhoareresponsiblefortheongoingprotectionoflandandenvironmentandthosewhocontrolthedecisionsthathaveaneffectontheseareas.Thelikelyresultofthiswillbedisagreementfrustrationdelayandobfuscation.Devolutionagreementsarehighprolemediaeventsaswehavewitnessedtwicethisyear.HoweverthetruthwillbeevidentintheactuallegislationtabledintheHouseofCommons.ForwhenitcomestolivingwiththenalarrangementitwillfallheavilyonthepeopleoftheNWT.WhiteGirlTheIndianAgentPart2of4ByDAWNKOSTELNIKJinglejinglethesoundofsleighbellstinklesinmyears.AdogsfacebreachesthecrestofDouglasshill.Heistheleaddoghisheadislowtothefrozenwhiteroadhepantsouthardfrostedpuffs.Behindtheleaddogfourmoresleddogsarediggingintodragthecarryallwithitsloadofrewoodtothetopofthehill.Theirmasterisrunningsomewherebelowthesleigh.Thedogsarestrongbuttheweightofthemanwouldwearthemoutbeforetheygothomewiththerewood.Herunsbehindhisteamandyellsdirectionsgeegee.StandingpolitelybythesideoftheroadIwatchastheygetcloser.Thisismyrstcloseuplookatadogteam.SmashIcantbreatheIamsquashedbyahugeweightontopofme.Gasp-ingforairtheblueblueskyseemstofadeinandout.Itismyfrozenbreathandsome-oneelsesthatiscloudingmyvision.ImgoingfromscaredtomadinshortordersomeonehasthrownmeoffoftheroadandjumpedonmewhatthehellMoolayawhitemanskidareyoucrazyThemdogsgunnachewyouup.Thembellsmeansgetthehellofftheroadthemdogswilleatyou.YoubettersmartenupMoolayayouwontmakeitAboynotalotolderthanIamisyellingthesewordsofwisdominmyface.HeisreactingwithfearformeIhaventsettleddownenoughtorealizethisImjustthinkingthathesameanieandImrevvingupintofullblownmadPatientlyheexplainsthatanytimeadogteamisgoingthroughtowntheyaresup-posedtowearbells.Thiswarnspeoplethattheyarecomingandgivesthemtimetogetrightoutoftheway.Thisdoesnotmeanstandingontheroadthismeansrun-ningfortheditchandjump-ingintothedeepsnow.Thesedogswillattackandwillkill.Therearenomoderndayillusionsthattheirwildhasbeenbredoutofthemandisntsittingsecondsbelowthesurface.Thepeoplehereknowbetter.Sometimeshesayspeopledontputbellsonyouhavetolistenforthesoundofthesledorthemastertheywerenotcalledmush-ersyellinggeeorhawfortheleaddogtoheadleftorrightsomeguysjustpointthewaytheywanttheirdogstogoyouneedtoLISTENandpayattentionifyouwanttolive.HisnameisAlvinhebe-comesmyfriend.Hewasmyteacherinthoserstdays.Nonodonttalktothosebigkidslikethattheywillpoundonyou.Dontevenlookatthemtheywillthinkyoureasmartieoraproudieandwillreallypoundonyou.Dontwalkacrossopeneldsdogsmightbeburiedunderthesnowonthechainlineyouwontseethemuntiltheyjumponyou.Lookfordogchainsaroundhousesbe-foreyougouptothedoor.DehcomeandquitaskingsomanyquestionsorIwonttakeyouslidingonFathershill.IllteachyouswearwordsinSlaveyIllteachyouSlaveysoyouknowwhatthebigkidsaresayingsoyoucanrun.Youretoolittletoght.StaytunedforPart3of4intheNorthernJournal.NorthernJournal2013JoinusonlineLikeNorthernJournalonFacebookandgettheweeklynewsdeliveredtoyourfeedFACEBOOKFEEDBACKAferyearsosittinguntouchedthesocioeconomicundintendedtoosettheimpactsotheMacken-zieValleypipelineonAboriginalcommunitiesintheNWTrecentlymadeanappearanceinaederalbillmeanttoamendwhoisinchargeothemoney.FedsdustoffMackenziepipelinefundstogiveministercontrolRonGwynneHmmmIneverthoughyouneededanyGazebosinthenorth.WiththeproposedbillthatcouldallchangepromptingWesternArcticMPDennisBevingtontoquestiontheneedforthesuddenshiftwhenthepipelineprojecthasbeenmoribundgoingonadecade.HesaidtheproposedchangedonewithoutconsultationwiththeAboriginalgroupswhospenttwoyearsdevelopingthefundraisesconcernsaboutaccountabilityandtransparency.WhatwehavenowisamovetoasystemthatwouldhaveaConservativeministerhand-ingoutchequesforparticularprojectsasheorshedeemsappropriatehesaidintheHouseofCommonslastweek.-9LowDennisBevingtonMPWesternArcticFromtheHouseThedealwithdevolution