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3TuesdayNovember192013TheGovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesispleasedtoannouncethattheDepartmentofFinanceislaunchingTheFinancialSharedServicesCentreinFortSmithThenewcentreopenedonMondayNovember42013andwillprovideourbusinesspartnerswithaconvenientonestopcontactforprocessingallGNWTDepartmentsandtheNWTHousingCorporationnancialtransactions.ToensuretheGNWTcontinuestomaintainahighlevelofservicetoourbusinesspartnerspleaseensurenancialinformationisreroutedtotheFinancialSharedServicesCentreatIfyouareinterestedinlearningmoreabouttheFinancialSharedServicesCentrepleasecontact867872-2450.ThankyouforyoursupportandwelookforwardtobeingofcontinuedservicetoyouandhopeyouwillenjoythebenetsoftheGNWTFinancialSharedServicesCentre.TheGNWTFinancialSharedServicesCentreisopeninginFortSmithFinancialSharedServicesDepartmentofFinanceGovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesP.O.Box876182BMcDougalRd.FortSmithNTX0EByMEAGANWOHLBERGArecentcourtdecisionthatcalledtheAlbertagov-ernmentspublicreviewsbiasedandtaintedinitsexclusionofenvironmentalgroupswillnotbeappealedAlbertasenvironmentmin-isterannouncedlastweek.JusticeMarceausrulinghasprovideduswithanop-portunitytoassesstheworkmystaffdoesrelativetostate-mentofconcernsAlbertaEnvironmentandSustainableResourceDevelopmentMin-isterDianaMcQueensaidinanofcialstatementlastWednesday.Albertanscanhavecon-dencethatdirectlyaffecteddecisionsmadebymystaffareunbiasedandmeetallthelegalrequirementssetoutbytheEnvironmentalProtectionandEnhancementActandtheWaterActshesaid.MarceauanAlbertaQueensBenchjudgeruledinearlyOc-toberthattheprovincialgovern-mentwaswrongtoblockthePembinaInstituteandtheFortMcMurrayEnvironmentalAs-sociationfromparticipatinginthereviewprocessforSouthernPacicResourceCorp.spro-posedMacKayRiverinsituoilsandsproject.AlbertawontappealrulingofbiasinreviewprocessBasedonabriengnoteobtainedthroughthecourtchallengethejudgefoundbothgroupsweretargetedbecausetheywithdrewfromtheCumulativeEnviron-mentalManagementAsso-ciationCEMAandpub-lishednegativemediaabouttheoilsands.Marceausaidthegovern-mentsstatedreasonforre-jectingenergypolicythinktankPembinasstatementofconcern-thatitwaslessin-clinedtoworkcooperatively-wasfatallyawed.Theprinciplesofnaturaljusticeclearlyrequirethede-cisionmakertonotconsiderirrelevantandimproperrea-sonshewrote.ItisdifculttoenvisionamoredirectapprehensionofbiasMarceausaid.McQueensaidthegovern-menthasassesseditsdeci-sion-makingwithrespecttostatementsofconcernledforprojectreviews.ItisimportantthatalldirectlyaffectedAlbertanssharetheirenvironmentalconcernswithusonindus-tryprojects.Movingforwardwewillcontinuetoensurethateachandeverypoten-tialStatementofConcernisreviewedonitsownmeritsanddecisionsaremadeinaccordancewiththepoliciesandlegislationshesaid.WildroseenvironmentcriticJoeAnglinsaidthean-nouncementsignalsaip-oppingbyMcQueenwhorstclaimedherministrywaswithoutfaultinthematter.Hesaidthedecisionnottoappealisanadmissionofguiltbutfallsshortofestablishingconcretemeasuresforstop-pingfuturepoliticalinterfer-enceintheregulatoryprocess.Bynotappealingthede-cisionthisPCgovernmentisadmittingguiltbutisalsofailingtoconvinceAlbertansandourinternationalpart-nersthatlessonshavebeenlearned.Thisisthesecondtimeinveyearsthegovern-menthastaintedaregulatoryprocesswiththeapprehensionofbiasAnglinsaid.TheMinistersperfor-manceeversincethisrulinghasbeenhandeddownhasbeeninconsistentanddisap-pointing.Weneedaregula-torysystemthatcanattractinvestmentbutthisgovern-mentsindecisionhasleftablackmarkonourrecord.Theressimplytoomuchatstakewhenitcomestoex-tractingourresourcesandprotectingtheenvironment.PoliticsRegulatoryPhotoSouthernPacicResourceCorp.AnAlbertajudgeruledthatexcludingenvironmentalgroupsfromthereviewofSouthernPacicResourceCorp.sMacKayRiverinsituoilsandsprojectabovewasbiased.TheAlbertagovernmenthaschosennottoappealtheruling.CoalspilltoreachSlaveRiverbyendofmonthContinuedfrompage1.AsofWednesdaylastweektheplumewasmorethan100kmlonganddis-sipatingcontinuingtomoveatapaceof5kmperhour.ItwasexpectedtoreachFortMcMurraybymid-weekbe-foreheadingnorthtowardsWoodBuffaloNationalPark.ThecontaminatedwatershouldreachtheSlaveRiverneartheendofNovember.OppositioncriticsintheAlbertalegislatureharanguedtheprovincialgovernmentforwithholdingdetailsonthecontentsoftheholdingspondandpotentialforenvi-ronmentaldamagelastweek.ESRDspokespersonJes-sicaPottertoldTheJournalinarecentinterviewthatresultswouldonlybereportediftheywereseentoposeanimmedi-atehumanhealthrisk.Ithinkthereisamajorcred-ibilityissuechidedLiberalLeaderRajSherman.Alber-taschiefpublichealthofcerisconcernedaboutthesafetyofdrinkingwaterandthemin-isterofEnvironmentissayingthereisnoproblem.Iamgoingtohedgemybetsinfavourofthechiefhealthofcer.NDPcriticRachelNotleyexpressedsimilarfrustration.Theyareabouttobringinlegislationaboutmonitoringandtransparencyatthesametimetheyarerefusingtore-leasetheinformationtheyhaveshesaidreferringtotheprovincesrecentlyan-nouncedarms-lengthoilsandsmonitoringagency.TheWildroseenvironmentcriticJoeAnglinaddedhisdoubts.Theideathatyoucouldputabillionlitresofcoalwasteintoariverandthinkitsnottoxicdeeslogichesaid.OnebillionlitresofcoalslurrytraveldowntheAthabascaRiverafterspillingOct.31.EnvironmentTailingsPhotoAlbertaEnvironment