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13TuesdayFebruary182014FederalbudgetfocusesonNorthernsovereigntyByMEAGANWOHLBERGThefederalgovern-mentdidnotoverlooktheNorthinits2014-15bud-getreleasedlastTuesdaywith90millionallocatedforassertingCanadassovereigntyoverthenexttwoyears.Thoughitprojectsa2.9-billiondeficitfortheyearthefederalbud-getpromises47millionworthofinvestmentsintheNorthin2014-15with20milliondedicatedtosupportingNortherneco-nomicdevelopmentand27millionthisyearfortheTerritorialHealthIn-vestmentFund.SovereigntythroughdevelopmentAtotalof40millionovertwoyearsforeconomicdevelopmentcomesasarenewaloftheongoingCanadianNorthernEconomicDevelopmentAgencyCanNorfundingde-liveredoverthepastyear.ThatmoneyowsthroughCanNorsStra-tegicInvestmentsinNorthernEconomicDe-velopmentSINEDfund.Thoughitincludesnobudgetlinethegov-ernmentsmovetoclaimtheNorthPoleaspartofCanadabysecuringrecognitionofCanadasextendedcontinentalshelfattheinternationallevelisalsomadeapriorityofthesovereigntyportionofthebudget.TheGovernmentmustdeneandassertitsnationalbordersandcontrolaccessacrossthem.ThisexerciseofsovereigntyisacoreGovernmentprioritythebudgetstates.Aspreviouslyannouncedinthe2013bud-getOttawasmovetofacilitateresourcedevelopmentintheNorthwillprovideanadditional100millionoversevenyearstocompletegeologicalmappingofCanadasNorthby2020andextendtheMineralEx-plorationTaxCreditforinvestors.TheNWTMineTrainingSocietyalsore-ceiveditssecondyearoffundingamount-ingto5.8millionasannouncedinthe2013budget.OntheenergyfronttheNationalEn-ergyBoardisreceivingacashboostof28millionovertwoyearsforprojectre-viewsincludingTransCanadasproposedEnergyEastpipeline.ThatmoneyOt-tawasayswillbefullycost-recoveredfromindustry.InfrastructureThepreviouslyannounced200millioninfederalfundingfortheInuvik-TuktoyaktukHighwayisalsoincludedinthebudgetalongwithapromisefromtheCanadiangovernmenttoworkwithterritorialgovernmentsandlocalmunicipalitiestodeveloptransportationinfra-structuretopromoteecotourismandinvest-mentinresourceextraction.Thegovernments10-year53-billionBuild-ingCanadaplanannouncedlastbudgetcon-tinuesthisyearwithmoreinvestmentsprom-isedfortransportationinfrastructureacrossthecountry.FortheNWTthattranslatesinto421milliondividedbetweenBuildingCanadaandtheGasTaxFund.TheInvestmentinAffordableHousingplanalsocontinuesfromlastyearaccessingsomeofthe1.25billionoverveyearspromisedinthe2013budget.Theprogramallowsprovincesandterritoriestomatchfederalinvestmentsoninitiativesin-cludingconstructionrenovationhomeowner-shipassistancerentsupplementsshelterallow-ancesandaccommodationsoffamilyviolence.TelecommunicationsThebudgetpromises305millionoverfiveyearstoextendanden-hancebroadbandinter-netserviceinruralandNortherncommunitiesacrossCanadawith1millionflowingthroughthisyearand80millionmorein2015-16.Theimprovementinitiativetargetsaninternetspeedgoalof5megabitspersecondforuptoanadditional280000Canadianhouseholds.Enhancingandextend-ingaccesswillcreatejobsgrowthandprosperityforruralandNorthernCana-diansbyincreasingtheirabilitytoparticipateinthedigitaleconomy.Additionallysmallandmedium-sizedbusi-nesseswillbenetbyhavingincreasedaccesstoinforma-tionandmarketsthebudgetconcludes.Moredetailsonthepro-gramwillbeannouncedinthecomingmonths.HealthandnutritionfundingTerritorialhealthfundingwillseeatotalof70millionoverthenextthreeyearstoincreasehealthservicesinallthreeterri-toriesinpriorityhealthareasandreducepatientrelianceonoutsidehealthcaresys-temsandmedicaltravel.FundingforAboriginalsThebudgetpromises350millionperyearthroughthecontinuingAboriginalSkillsandEmploymentTrainingStrategytoprovidetrainingandemploymentser-vicestoAboriginalpeoples.Project-specictrainingforAboriginalPoliticsFinanceDespiteaprojected2.9-billiondefecitfederalFinanceMinisterJimFlahertysaysthe2014-15budgetshouldresultinbalancedbooksbythenextscalyear.PhotocourtesyofMPJimFlahertyAhostofcost-cuttingmeasuresinotherareasisexpectedtoresultinasur-plusof6.4billionin2015-16intimeforelectionyear.Newspendingtotaling1.8billionwillmostlybepaidforbyasteepincreaseinto-baccotaxesup4percartonor50centsperpack.Buildingonthegov-ernmentsvisionforanewNorthEconomicActionPlan2014istakingactiontoensurethattheNorthre-alizesitsfullpotentialbyex-ercisingourNorthernsover-eigntypromotingeconomicprosperityandsupportingthehealthofNorthernersstatesthebudgetplan.peoplewillcontinuethroughtheve-year210-millionSkillsandPartnershipfundannouncedin2010.Fundstotalling25millionoverveyearswillcontinuetogotowardsreducingvio-lenceagainstAboriginalwomenandgirls.TheNutritionNorthprogramcur-rentlybeingreviewedbytheauditorgeneralwillalsoseeafundingboosttoitsexisting60-millionperyearbud-get.Detailswillbeannouncedinthecomingmonths.