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YellowkniferaisesPrideagsduringOlympicsYellowknifejoinedothersacrosstheworldinraisingtheirrainbowagsduringtheOlympicstosupportLGBTQathletesandprotestRussiasanti-gaylaws.Seepage2.WBNPBisonposeforin-ternationalvideographerInternationallyrenownedvid-eographerEdgardoAragnvisitedFortSmithtolmbisoninWoodBuffaloNationalPark.Seepage17.OlympiccheerCrowdsgatherinYellowknifeandHayRivertorootforhometownOlympians.Seepage13.CaribouLegstodeliverProtectthePeellettersLong-distancerunnerBradCaribouLegsFirthisrunningtoWhitehorsetohanddeliverProtectthePeelletterstotheYukonPremier.Seepage10.FreshwaterspillsplagueConocoPhillipsinSahtuTwoseparatefreshwaterspillshavehamperedConocoPhil-lipsrstfewweeksofex-ploratorydrillingforshaleoilintheSahtu.Seepage6.Visitwww.norj.caAnationalawardwinningindependentnewspaperservingnorthernAlbertaandtheNorthwestTerritoriessince19771.00February112014Vol.37No.394LepineSt.HayRiverNTX0E1G1T867-874-4385F867-874-4383TollFree1-866-523-5437www.power123.comNointerestnopaymentsforupto24months......whenyousignupforTheSourcecreditcardin-store.Up-frontadministrationfeesmayapply.Offervalidonin-storepurchasesonly.Minimumpurchaseof299beforetaxesandadministrationfees.OACGNWTbudgetgearsupfordevolutionwithplantoincreasepopulationByMEAGANWOHLBERGAspromisedthreeyearsagotheterritorialgovernmentislooseningitspursestringswiththe2014-15budgetinordertostartbuildingtheinfrastructurerequiredtoincreaseitseconomicbaseontheeveofdevolution.Startingoffthethirdyearofthe17thAssemblywitha200-millionsurplusmadepossiblebytwofrugalyearsofdebtrepaymentandsav-ingtheGNWTisincreasingitscapitalplanby100millionoverthenexttwoyears.Atotalof27millionwillbeinvestedinnewprogram-mingtoaddressneedsinhealthsocialservicesandeducationwhile230mil-lionisbudgetedforpublicinfrastructureprojects.FinanceMinisterMichaelMiltenbergersymbolicallyannouncedtheshifttoin-creasedspendingwiththepurchaseofapairofnewshoesforbudgetdaybutwassuretoemphasizethegovernmentsfocusonscalrestraintisstillatthefore.Wereonourplanaswevelaidoutfromthestartyearthreewewouldenjoythefruitsofsomeofourscaldisciplineofyearoneandtwoaswekeptourcostsundercontrolandre-plenishedourreservestothebestofourabilitysowecaninfactbeefupourcapitalplantheministersaidatapressconferenceThursdaymorning.Wehavehon-ouredthatcommitmentinspiteofsomefairlysigni-cantchallenges.ThosechallengesincludemaintainingthesamelevelofspendingonprogramsandservicesdespitedropsintaxrevenuesacrosstheboardmassiveinfrastructuredebtandastagnantpopulationbasethatisbarringincreasedfederalgrantmoneythroughtheTerritorialFinancingFor-mulaTFF.BenefitingfromdevolutionThebiggestincreaseinthenewbudgetistiedtodevolutionwith59mil-lionallocatedtoadminis-teringthetransferofrespon-sibilitiesoverlandswaterandresourcestotheNWTnearlyhalfofwhichwillgotoestablishingthenewLandsdepartment.Thosenewfundshavebeenmadeavailablethrougha67-millionincreasetotheTFFgrantandallowfor9millioninexibilitytoaddressunanticipatedcostsassociatedwithdevolution.SeePopulationonpage3.PhotocourtesyofMichaelGildayYellowknife-raisedOlympianMichaelGildaygivesthethumbsupduringtheopeningceremoniesofthe2014WinterOlympicsinSochiRussialastweek.Gildayashort-trackspeedskaterisexperiencinghisrstOlympicsandtheCityofYellowknifeiscelebratingwithhim.Seestoryonpage13.HappyValentinesDay