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MinisterpitchesNorthernsolutionstoenergyissuesRamsaysaysindustrygovernmentoptimisticaboutNWTdevolutionPoliticsEnergy9TuesdayFebruary42013FORMOREINFORMATIONORTOREGISTEREmailtbds_managernorthwestel.netPhone867872-2795Onlinewww.thebacha.caTheFortSmithTradeShowisacooperativeeffortbetweenThebachaBusinessServicesandIndustryTourismandInvestment.REGISTRATIONPACKAGESareavailablefromThebachaBusinessDevelopmentServicesMAY320149THANNUALFORTSMITHByMEAGANWOHLBERGWhenitcomestosolvingtheproblemofstrandedresourcesthegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritorieswantstomakesuresouthernjurisdictionsarentforgettingtolookNorthintheirhuntforsolutions.TheNWTsMinisterofIndustryTourismandIn-vestmentDavidRamsaywasinAlbertalastweekmeet-ingwithrecentlyappointedEnergyMinisterDianaMc-Queenonpotentialopportu-nitiesforcollaborationonenergyissuesfromoilandgastoelectricity.AsidefrombeingtherstformalmeetingwithMc-Queeninhernewpositionthetalksbroughtupissuesofsharedchallengesandpossi-bilitiesforregionalenergyplanning.AlbertahasasimilarproblemthatwehaveinthattheyhavestrandedresourcesandaretryingtogetthoseresourcestomarketRam-saysaid.Ifpipelineprojectscon-tinuetolanguishinotherpartsofNorthAmericathepossibilitymayexisttorunoilnorth.Thatsnotoutoftherealmofpossibilities.TheotherthingthatAlber-tasveryinterestedinisTuk-toyaktukanditsviabilityasaport.Sotheyreinterestedanditssomethingthatwebelieveisinourbestinter-esttoworkwithAlbertaandndsolutionstoourissues.OntheenergyfrontRam-saysaidhewantstoseethetwojurisdictionsalongwithBCYukonandAlaskacometogethertoworkoutwaystobenetmutuallyonare-gionalbasis.Obviouslywehavealotofresourcessowejustwanttobepartoftheequa-tionwhenpeoplearetalkingaboutpossiblesolutionsRamsaysaid.OurpremiersgoneonrecordandIvegoneonrecordsayingitsinourbestinteresttokeepourop-tionsopenandwerewatch-ingcloselywhatshappeningwithpipelineprojectstothesouthespeciallyGatewayKeystoneandEnergyEastandalsotheTransMoun-tain.Theycontinuetorunintohurdlessowellseewhathappens.Thetwoministersalsospokeaboutthepotentialforatransmissionlineintertiebetweenthetwojurisdic-tionstorunpowersouthaswellasregulatorysupport.FollowingdevolutionseffectivedateonApr.1theGNWTwilltakejuris-dictionalresponsibilityforresourceregulationintheterritoryandislookingfortechnicalsupportfromAl-bertasnewenergyregulator.Wetalkedabouttheregu-latorysystemintheNorth-westTerritories.WemayTheNWTandAlbertagovernmentscontinuetocollaborateinanumberofTheonethingwehaveforsureisaresourcebase-mineralsandoilandgas.Soweneedtogetthatinvestmentintothatterritoryweneedtoopenupsomenewminesandwebelievethatwecandoitanditcanbeabalancewithprotectingenvironmentalinterestsandgettingthosejobsandopportunitiesforpeople.MinisterDavidRamsayIndustryTourismandInvestmentbelookingtotheAERAl-bertaEnergyRegulatortoprovidesometechnicalhelpforusaswebuildthatca-pacitybackhome-notjusttheAERbuttherewillbeothersthathelpusgetwhereweneedtogo.AlbertaNWTworkingonrenewedMOUTheGNWTdepartmentofAboriginalAffairsandIntergovernmentalRela-tionsDAAIRiscurrentlyworkingonestablishinganupdatedcomprehensivememorandumofunderstand-ingMOUwiththeAlbertagovernmentofwhichenergywillbeacomponent.ThemostrecentMOUex-piredlastSeptember.UndertheagreementtheNWTandAlbertaco-chairsmeeteverysixto12months.thatcomeApr.1thesys-temisgoingtobeinplaceitsgoingtobepredictablesamemessagewillbetoutedattheupcomingProspectorsandDevelopersAssociationofCanadaconferenceinTo-rontothisMarch.ThedelegationwasalsoabletomeetwithCEOsofcompaniesinterestedindoingbusinessintheNWTallofwhomRamsaysaidseemedexcitedaboutApr.1.Theonethingwehaveforsureisaresourcebase-mineralsandoilandgas.Soweneedtogetthatin-vestmentintothatterritoryweneedtoopenupsomenewminesandwebelievethatwecandoitanditcanbeabalancewithprotect-ingenvironmentalinterestsandgettingthosejobsandopportunitiesforpeoplehesaid.Ourgovernmentissmallandnimbleandwillbeabletoreact.Ifthereareissuesthatarisewellbeabletoworkwithfolkstoironthingsoutandensurewemaketherightdecisionssothatwasntlostonanyoftheindustryfolkswemetwitheither.Ithinktheressomegenuineopti-mismaboutApr.1andhowthingsaregoingtogo.importantareasincludinghealthwildlifeandforestremanagementtransportationinfrastructureeducationandemploymentandcontinuetohaveaverypositiveintergovernmentalrelationshipDAAIRspokes-personLindseyOosenbrug-Trinhsaidinanemail.IndustryoptimisticaboutdevolutionWhileinthesouthRam-sayalongwithPremierBobMcLeodalsoattendedtheMineralExplorationRoundupinVancouverlastweekwherethetwojoinedofficialsfromthefederalgovernmentinpresentinganafternooninformationalsessionondevolution.Itwasagreatopportunityforindustrytoaskthoseques-tionsandgetthatassuranceandfairanditsgoingtobeaseamlesstransitionRamsaysaidaddingthattheNWTIndustryMinisterDavidRamsaymetwithBCPremierChristyClarkattheMineralExplorationRoundupinVancouverlastweekwherehealsonetworkedwithindustrybeforeheadingtoAlbertaformoretalkswiththeirenergyminister.PhotoGNWT