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MPpitchesinternationalcooperationatArcticconferenceCommitteegetsearfulatpackeddevolutionhearingsFibre-opticlinkinchesclosertoconstructionAnticipatedcompletiondateofsummer2016announcedIndustryTelecommunicationsPoliticsDevolutionPoliticsArctic8TuesdayJanuary282014ByMARIACHURCHItwasstandingroomonlyforthepackedcrowdatthedevolu-tionBillC-15hearingsinYel-lowknifeMondaywherecon-cernsfromAboriginalgroupswereheardloudandclearbythefederalstandingcommit-teeonAboriginalAffairsandNorthernDevelopment.Thecommitteelistenedtopresentationsfrom30groupsovertheonedayofhearingsattheExplorerHotelincludingtheTlichoSahtuandGwichingovernmentswhohavebeencriticalabouttheomnibusna-tureofthebillanditseffectByMEAGANWOHLBERGThedreamoffastercom-municationallthewaydowntheMackenzieValleyisclosertobecomingrealitywithlastweeksannouncementthattheterritorialgovernmenthasshortlistedthreedevelopersin-terestedinbuildingandoperat-ingtheNWTsbre-opticlink.TheNWTdepartmentofFinanceannouncedlastweekthatATCOElectricNorth-ernLightsFibreandPlenaryGroupCanadaLtd.havebeenselectedtoparticipateintherequestforproposalsRFPstageoftheprojectwhichincludesdesigningbuildingoperatingandmaintainingthepieceoftelecommunicationsinfrastructurerunningfromInuviktoCheckpointjunctionwheretheLiardHighwayin-tersectsHwy.7toBC.ThatlinewilleventuallybeextendedtoTuktoyaktukfol-lowingthecompletionoftheInuvik-TukhighwayandwilllinkuptoInuviksburgeoningsatellitestationfacilitywhichisalreadyattractinginterna-tionalinterestforitsprimeremotesensingcapabilities.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGWesternArcticMPDen-nisBevingtonwasinFinlandovertheweekendtoadvocateforinternationalcooperationamongArcticstatesinlightofthecurrenttrendtowardnationalismandsovereigntyinArcticpolitics.BevingtontheofcialOp-positioncriticforNorthernCanadaandtheArcticCoun-cilwasaskedtobethekey-notespeakerattheSustain-ableDevelopmentintheArc-ticConferenceofEuropeanWhattheGNWTishop-ingtoachieveistobasicallyconnecttheMackenzieVal-leycommunitiestoexistingCanadianbre-opticinfra-structuresaidSeanCraignancialpolicyanalystfortheGNWT.Thebrelinkwouldprovideenablinginfrastruc-tureforimproveddeliveryofandaccesstoservices...aswellasasustainableregionaleconomy.Thoseservicesincludeeverythingfromhealthandsocialservicestodistanceeducationtelephoneandin-ternetandsoon.Thetimelinefortheproj-ectearmarkssummer2014fortheawardingofacon-tractseeingconstructioncommenceinthewinterof2015withananticipatedcompletiondateofsum-mer2016.Whiletheluckyproponentwillbefullychargedwithrunningtheinfrastructuretheprojectremainsapub-liconeownedentirelybytheterritorialgovernment.TheGNWTseesthisasbeingacriticalinfrastruc-tureprojectbutalsorecog-nizesthattheexpertisetodesignbuildoperateandmaintainitdoesntliewiththeGNWTandseesthisassomethingthatbestlieswiththeprivateindustryintheirknowledgeandexpertiseandexperiencewiththeseprojectsCraigsaid.Duetothevaryingcom-ponentsoftheinfrastruc-tureprojectwhichincludebothconstructionandtele-communicationsthethreeproponentsinthestandingsareconsortiumsofseveralcompanies.NorthernLightsisapart-nershipbetweenNorthwes-TelandLedcorconstructionwhileATCOsproposalin-cludesDenendehInvestmentInc.andPlenaryrepresentsajointventurebetweenSSiMicroandValard.ThosethreecompanieswereselectedfromalistofvewhichCraigsaidsentapositivesignaltothede-partmentthattheprojectwouldbeingoodhands.Whatwasreallyprom-isingisthatwereceivedvesubmissionsduringtheRFQrequestforqualica-tionsphasesoyouknowyouregoingtohavegoodstrongcompetitionwhichisreallycomfortingmov-ingintotheRFPwiththeshortlistofteamsknow-ingthattheyhavealotofexperiencewiththistypeofproject.Thedepartmenthasyettoreleasetheprojectdescrip-tionforthebre-opticlinewhichwouldincludeanymitigationplanningaroundpotentialenvironmentalorsocio-economicimpacts.Financerepresentativesnishedtheirsecondroundofconsultationearlierthismonthvisitingcommuni-tiesintheSahtuandDe-hchoregionsaswellasInu-vik.ThoughthemajorityoffeedbackhasbeenpositiveCraigsaidtheoverarchingmessagecomingfromcom-munitiesisthatlocalbusi-nesseswantin.Thoughhewasunabletogivedetailsoflocalbusi-nessinvolvementwhiletheRFPstageisongoingCraigsaiditisapriorityforthegovernment.TheGNWTdoesrecog-nizetheimportanceoflocalopportunitieshesaid.ItsdenitelyapointthathasbeenbroughtupoverandoverandwehaveaddressedthatintheRFPprocess.WhileconsultationsarecompletedCraigsaidthedepartmentremainsopentoaddressinganyindividualorcommunitysquestionsorconcernsinrelationtotheproject.PhotoTerryHalifaxontheterritorysfutureregu-latorysystem.OnlytwomonthsawayfromtakingeffectthedevolutionbillwilltransferfederalauthorityoverlandusetotheGNWT.Thebillalsoincludesamend-mentstotheMackenzieVal-leyResourceManagementActMVRMAwhichwillseetheregulatoryauthorityofexistingregionallandandwaterboardsforgedintoonesuperboard.WesternArcticMPDennisBevingtonwhowaspresentforthehearingshascriticizedthefederalgovernmentforlump-ingregulatorychangesinthebillcallingtheproposedsu-perboardcolonialforstrip-pingregulatorypowerfromtheAboriginalgovernments.BernardValcourtfederalministerofAboriginalAffairsandNorthernDevelopmentwasnotablyabsentfromthehearingsMonday.IthinkitsmoreimportantthatthepeopleoftheNorthwestTerritorieshaveanopportu-nitytopresenttodepartmen-talcommitteeNWTPremierBobMcLeodsaidabouttheministersabsenceatapressconferenceMondaymorning.McLeodwasthefirsttopresenttothestandingcom-mitteeMondaywherehefacedquestionsaboutthepro-posedve-yearreviewontheMVRMAmeasuresfortheprotectionoftheenvironmentandtheparticipationofAb-originalgovernments.Thoughmostoftheter-ritorysAboriginalgovern-mentshavealreadysignedontodevolutiontheDehchoandtheAkaitchoFirstNationsareholdingoutbothcallingonthefederalgovernmenttoaddressunnishedlandclaimdeals.McLeodsaidgettingallAb-originalgovernmentsonboardisacriticaltaskfortheGNWT.Wereveryclosetonalizingthoseagreementshesaid.McLeodtoldTheJournaltherewillbeprovisionsinBillC-15toincluderegionalrep-resentationfromAboriginalgovernmentswithsettledlandclaimsintheterritorysregula-torysuperboardwhenitcomesintoeffectin2015.ChiefBillErasmusoftheDeneNationhasrepeatedlyexpressedconcernthatonedayofpublichearingsisnotenoughtimetocoveralltheissuesraisedbyC-15.McLeodtoldTheJournalthedecisiontohaveonlyonedayofpublichearingsintheterri-torywasnotuptotheGNWT.ThestandingcommitteehasnoplanstoreturntotheNWTbutwillbehearingfromotherwit-nessesinOttawaatalaterdate.DespitetheGNWTandfed-eralgovernmentfacingseveralwrinklesinthelegislationtransferisstillslatedforApr.1.WecantloseourfocusonthenishlineMcLeodsaid.Westillhavealotofworktogetthelegislationthroughonboththefederalsideandtheterritorialsidesoweneedtomakesurewestayfocused.ParliamentariansinHelsinkiduringasessionontheEUsArcticpolicywherethema-jorityoftheArcticCouncilsmemberstates-DenmarkSwedenandFinland-weremeeting.HesaidhewastheretoboostaninternationalapproachtodealingwithArcticissuescontrarytothecurrentmovetakenbytheCanadiangovern-mentnowchairingtheArcticCounciltofocusonbordersandindividualownershipinthecircumpolarworld.TheprimeministerrecentlymadeheadlinesbyclaimingthatCanadaownstheNorthPolewhichwouldrequireamaritimeboundarybetweenCanadaandDenmarksseabedrightsinthecentralArcticOceanthatdoesnotpresentlyexist.HarpersinsistenceonnationalismintheArcticisnotwheremostcountriesaregoingBevingtontoldTheJournal.ThatsspecicallywhyIthinkIwasinvitedtospeakisthatourNDPposi-tionisinfavourofinternationalcooperationthedevelopmentofinternationalstandardsandtheprotectionoftheArcticfromtheimpactsofclimatechange.Bevingtonalsorecentlypub-lishedareportonthecostofliv-ingintheNorthwestTerritoriesalargepartofwhichfocusedonwaysofbuildingsustainablelocaleconomiesandreducinglivingcoststhroughcleanercheaperenergies.HesaidtherisinginterestinArcticdevelopmentcou-pledwiththehostofenviron-mentalproblemsbeingfeltintheNorthmakecomingtoanagreementonthemanagementoftheprecariousecosystemanextremelypressingissuethatwilltakethecooperationofallArcticnations.ThechangingArcticisoneofthekeyconditionsofmankindrightnow.Howwebehaveinthisnewopeningregionoftheworldisanindi-cationofhowwereadvancingasaspecies...ThisisaglobalundertakingandIthinkthenationalisticdirectionisthewrongone.HealsometwithFinlandsbioenergycouncilontheFri-dayeveningtotalkNorthernbiomassinnovations.WearelookingveryhardintheNWTtondwaystoexpandbioenergyBevingtonsaid.Butwehavealongwaytogointakingawayfuel.Wehaventdoneasmuchaswecando...IwanttoseewhattheFinnsaredoingaboutitandwheretheythinkwecango.Bevingtonnotedthathepaidforthetripoutofhisownpocket.TheInuvikSatelliteStationreceivinginternationalinterestbecauseofitshighpotentialforremotesensingcapabilitiesisawaitingthecompletionofthebre-opticlink.