Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
PoliticsFirstNations2TuesdayFebruary42013NEWSBRIEFSPinePointminecouldlosedeveloperTamerlaneVenturesthecompanylookingtodevelopthePinePointmineCanadaslargestzinc-leadmine40kmfromHayRiverisfacingacourtcasethatcouldforceittodivideitsassetsamongcreditors.TheWashingtonstate-basedcompanywhichpurchasedthePinePointsitein2004hasbeenunabletopaybackmoneyborrowedfortheminede-velopmentproject.LastweekGlobalResourceFundoneofTamerlanescreditorsledanapplicationintheOntarioSuperiorCourtthatwouldforcethecompanytopaybackmorethan12millionindebt.Tamerlanereceivedcourt-orderedprotectionfromitscreditorsinNovember2013ontheconditionitwouldpayitscreditorsbyJan.7.Cenovusgivesnearly1milliontoNorthlandschoolsCanadianoilsandscompanyCenovusEnergyInc.isdo-natingnearly1millionoverthreeyearstotheNorthlandSchoolDivisionNo.61innorthernAlbertainsupportoftwoprogramsdirectedatliteracyandcareerdevelopment.Thecompanypresentedtheschoolboardwiththechequelastweekthatpledges450000toNorthlandsLiteracyIni-tiativeand450000totheCareerandTechnologyStudiesprogram.Northlandschooldivisionisresponsiblefor24schoolsinnorthernAlbertawithastudentpopulationof2500primarilyofFirstNationorMtisbackground.North-landhasbeenchampioningaliteracyprogramthatseekstoincorporatetraditionallearningintotheschoolsystem.NWTlicenseplateslosestickersTheNorthwestTerritoriesdepartmentofTransportationisnolongergivingouttheyearlyregistrationstickersfoundonthecornerofNWTlicenceplates.Thedepart-mentintroducedanewstickerlesssystemFeb.1thatreplacesthestick-onmethodinfavourofanelectronicmonitoringsystemthattracksregistrationonline.Mov-ingtoaweb-basedsystemallowsresidentstheoptionofrenewingtheirregistrationonline.Departmentrepstoldmediathechangeshouldmeanshorterwaittimesatlicensingofces.Residentswhoprefercanstillvisitlicensingofcesinpersontorenewtheirregistration.900AM-400PMSaturdayandSundayThebachaCampusAuroraCollegeRegistrationdeadlineisFridayJanuary31Thistwo-dayworkshopistailoredforsmallbusinessesandwillteachthebasicsofhowtouseQuickBooksPro2014software.JessicaCoxCoordinatorContinuingEducationThebachaCampusAuroraCollegePhone867872-7507Emailjcoxauroracollege.nt.caAuroraCollegeContinuingEducationandtheGNWTDepartmentofIndustryTourismandInvestmentarepleasedtoofferthefollowingcoursewww.auroracollege.nt.caPeellawsuitatreatytestBergerByMARYWALDENTheresmoreridingonthePeelwatershedlanduseplanlawsuitthanjusttheregionsfuturesayslawyerThomasBerger.TheYukonslandclaimagreementisalsoonthelineBergertoldaJan.27newsconferenceheldtolaunchthelegalchallenge.TheNorthsothermod-ern-daytreatieswhichallincludelanduseplanningprovisionscouldalsobeimpactedhesaid.Thisisthersttestcaseoftheseconstitutionally-entrenchedagreementssaidBergerwhoisrepresent-ingtheNa-choNyakDunTrondekHwechinYukonConservationSocietyandCPAWS-Yukoninthesuit.TheysaytheterritorialgovernmentsnewPeelplanisillegalaviolationoftheUmbrellaFinalAgreement.TheysaythegovernmenthadnorighttotossouttheindependentPeelcommis-sionsplan-sevenyearsinthemaking-andreplaceitwithitsownin-houseblue-printatthe11thhour.Thisisacompletere-writeBergersaid.Thecommissionsplanprotected80percentoftheYukonportionofthetrans-boundarywatershed.Thegovernmentsnewplanre-leasedtwoweeksagoopensmostofthewildwatershedtoindustrialdevelopment.ThisisalawsuitnobodywantedtobringBergersaid.ButthegovernmentofYukonhasforcedtheseplain-tiffstogotocourtnotonlyindefenseofFirstNationsrightsandenvironmentalvaluesinYukonbutalsotoupholdprinciplesentrenchedintheConstitution.The20year-oldYukonlandclaimspellsouttheprocessforjointlanduseplanninganditmustberespectedhesaid.EventhoughtherulingYukonPartyhasamajorityitcantsaywewereelectedsowecandowhateverwewantBergerargued.Thesuitasksthecourttoforcethegovernmenttore-verseitsdecision.ThePeelisourchurchouruniversityandourbread-baskethesaid.ThePeelisourhomeland.AlthoughtheVuntutGwitchinandtheGwichinTribalCouncilwhoalsohaveastakeinthePeelarentpartofthissuitTaylorsaidthefourareunitedintheiroppositionThisisalawsuitnobodywantedtobring.ButthegovernmentofYukonhasforcedtheseplaintiffstogotocourtnotonlyindefenseofFirstNationsrightsanden-vironmentalvaluesinYukonbutalsotoupholdprinciplesentrenchedintheConstitution.ThomasBergerNa-choNyakDunChiefEdChampionsaidhisMayo-basedFirstNationworkedlongandhardtosettlelandclaimsandhasabsolutelynochoicebuttoghtfortheseagreementstotheend.Itsalreadycompro-misedonthe100percentprotectionitwantedintherstplacehesaidandthegovernmentsunilateralapproachcreatesnothingbutuncertaintyforindus-try.HisFirstNationwillnotlookfavourablyonanyonewhotriestoworkinthePeeluntilthecourtcaseissettled.TrondekHwechinChiefEddieTaylorsaidgovernmentshouldbeheldaccountableforthelandclaimpromisesitmade.tothegovernmentsdecisiontocutthemoutoftheplan-ningprocess.LandclaimagreementsalsopromisedthegeneralpublicasayinregionalplanningsaidGillCracknellexecutivedirectorofCPAWS-Yukon.InthiscasethepublicstronglysupportedthePeelplanbutitsopinionshavebeenignoredshesaid.Thegovernmentsaysitisreviewingthelawsuitbutstillbelievesitsnewplanmeetstheletterofthelandclaimslaw.Ithasuntilmid-Februarytoleastatementofdefence.LastweekpeopleopposedtothenewplanralliedinseveralYukonandNWTcommunitiesincludingWhitehorseDawsonCityMayoFortMcPhersonInuvikandAklavik.PhotocourtesyofCPAWSYukonFamedAboriginalrightslawyerThomasBergerisspearheadingalawsuitagainsttheYukonGovernmentarguingthatthegovernmentsnewlanduseplanforthePeelwatershedviolateslandclaimswithFirstNations.