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132013THEYEARINREVIEWOCTOBER1OCTOBER15OCTOBER8OCTOBER22DECEMBER17DECEMBER3DECEMBER10OCTOBER29MarchhonoursresidentialschoolsurvivorsHundredsgatherinYel-lowknifeforthecitysrstWalkforReconciliationtohonourtheterritorysresi-dentialschoolsurvivorsandseekreconciliation.Premierreleasesdesignforpost-devolutionMarkWarrenisannouncedthedeputyministerrespon-siblefortheGNWTsnewLandsdepartmentwhichwilltakeoverfederalrespon-sibiltyforlanduseplanningandadministrationfollowingdevolutionin2014.MercuryrisinginbirdeggsnearoilsandsMercurylevelsareontheriseintheeggsofternsandgullsnestingdownstreamofoilsandsoperationsac-cordingtoastudyreleasedbyEnvironmentCanadaandParksCanada.HayRivermarchesagainstMonsantoGMOsResidentsinHayRivertakeupsignsinsolidaritywiththeglobalmarchtoprotestagrochemicalgiantMonsantoandtheuseofge-neticallymodiedorganismsGMOinthemassproduc-tionoffood.GNWTseekshigherborrowinglimitforhydrointertieTheterritorialgovernmentappealstothefederalgovern-menttoraisetheborrowinglimitinordertofundaleg-acyhydrointertiethatwouldpotentiallyconnecttheNWTssystemwithSaskatchewans.BootleggingbustinSahtuasboozerestrictionsdebatedAnotherdrugandliquorbustintheSahtuisan-nouncedasMLAsdebateaproposedanamendmenttotheNWTsLiquorActthatwouldseerestrictionsonli-quorsalesinTulita.ConocoPhillipsreleasesupdatedlistoffrackingchemicalsConocoPhillipsthecom-panybehindtheNWTsrstandonlyfrackingoperationreleasesalistofchemicalsitplanstouseintheSahtusexploratorydrillingprojectsthiswinter.ResponsecondemnedatObedforumCondemnationofthelackoftransparencyfromgovernmentandindustryinthewakeoftheObedcoalspillechoeatapublicforumheldinEdmonton.DevolutionbilltabledwithregulatorychangeThefederaldevolutionbillistabledinOttawaalongsideregulatorychangessuchasthecreationofasuper-boardcurrentlyopposedbyanumberofFirstNationsgovernmentsintheNWT.GNWTapproveslimitedbisoncaribouharvestTheterritorialgovernmentannouncesresidentswillbeal-lowedtoharvestonebullfromthetheBeverlyandAhiakbarren-groundcaribouherdsandonebisonfromtheSlaveRiverLowlandsbisonherd.FirstNationtotakelegalactionagainstJackpineTheAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationofFortChipewyanpledgestotakelegalactiontohalttheexpansionofShellsopen-pitoilsandsmineproj-ectrecentlyapprovedbythefederalgovernment.DevolutionmarksmajormomentinNWThistoryByMEAGANWOHLBERGAnotherpageturnedinthehistoryoftheNorthwestTer-ritoriesinMarchwiththe-nalizationofthelastdevolu-tionnegotiationsbutasthecameraashesandapplausesubsideditbecameapparentthatthatpagewasoneinalongbookofnecessarychangestobemadegraduallyoverthenextseveralyears.PrimeMinisterStephenHarperpersonallyventuredNorthtomarkthemilestoneoccasiononMar.11puttingtheeventonthenationalradarandseizinganotherplatformtomarkettheConservativevi-sionfortheNorthasahavenforresourcesandtoutthefu-tureeconomicdevelopmentofthemostlyuntappedterritory.ItwasalargelycelebratedeventwiththemajorityofterritorialleaderscomingonboardtosalutetheworkofPremierBobMcLeodsgov-ernmentinmovingforwardonwhathasbeen-andstillpromisestobe-alongpro-cessinnallygainingsomeprovince-likeindependencefromthefederalgovernment.Manyremarkedontheirdis-beliefthatitwasdoneintheirpoliticallifetimewhileoth-erscriedthatithadnotcomesoonenough.ThemajorityofAboriginalleaderssomesigningoninthenickoftimetothedevolutionagreementinprincipleproudlyjoinedinonthesigningandphotoopatthelegislature.Thoughthemajorityofelectedrepresentativesstatedopenlythatthedealwasnotperfectformanyitwasseenasgoodenoughwhenlookeduponasastepintherightdirection.Stillothersexpressedtheirdisapprovalarguingthedealdidnotaccomplishenoughofwhatitpromised.Detrac-torscomplainedtheauthorityoverlandswaterandresourcesawardedtotheterritorythroughtheapprovalofthenaldeal-signedinInuvikinJune-isafarcewithoutactualcontrolovertheregulatorsorthelegis-lationcurrentlybeingamendedinOttawabeforeitishandeddowntotheNWT.Whilemanyoftheday-to-daydutiesofresourceman-agementwillbeheldbytheGNWTasofApr.12014theMackenzieValleyResourceManagementActMVRMA-responsibleforallregulatorybodiesintheNWT-andthenalstampofapprovalonin-dustrialprojectsarepowersremainingwiththefederalministeratleastforthenextveyears.TheHarpergovernmentsdecisiontolumpthedevolutionbilltogetherwiththeproposedregulatorychangesintheNWTinonepieceoflegislationlastmonthraisedfurtherconcernspromptingWesternArcticMPDennisBevingtontocallthemovecolonialwhilepoliticalstrainswereputonAboriginalpartiestothedealwhoalsoop-posechangestotheMVRMA.TwoAboriginalgovern-mentscontinuedtoholdoutfromsigningontodevolutionattheendoftheyearwiththeDehchocallingonthefederalgovernmenttonishitslandclaimbeforenalizingonewiththeterritorialgovernmentwhiletheAkaitchoremaineduncertainofhowtomovefor-wardwithsimilarunnishedissueswithCanada.Thoughinarguablyaland-markoccasionthesigningofthenaldevolutiondealleftmostofthesmilingpopula-tionwiththequestionofNowwhatfollowedbyquipsfrompoliticiansdeferringpromisesofafterdevolutiontoaftereffectivedateandveyearsfromnow.Whenthatnaldaydoescomeandthequestionofwherethisprocessisleadingtheter-ritoryisansweredatlastper-hapsthenthehypewillhavesubsidedlongenoughforres-identstoadequatelyappraisejustwhattheirrepresentativestrulysignedonto.Fornowthereisthecelebratedpromise.LUBICONBLOCKSROADTOFRACKINGSITEMembersoftheLubiconLakeNationblockadeanaccessroadtoaPennWestPetroleumfrackingsiteontheirtraditionalterritoryandannouncetheywillbesuingthecompanyfornotgivingpropernotice.PhotoLubiconLakeNationAboriginalleadersMLAsandfederalministersapplaudNWTPremierBobMcLeodonsuccessfullybringingthenaldevolutionnegotiationsfortheterritorytocompletioninMarch.PhotoGNWTExecutive2013THEYEARINREVIEW