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10TuesdayMarch42014FortNelsonchiefsvisitSahtuwithfrackingmessageEnvironmentFrackingByMEAGANWOHLBERGLeadersfromtheFortNel-sonFirstNationinnortheast-ernBCaremeetingwithresi-dentsandcommunityleadersintheSahturegionthisweektosharetheirinsightandexperi-enceindealingwithhydraulicfracturingontheirterritory.ChiefSharleenGaleandLanaLowedirectoroflandsfortheFirstNationvisitedTu-litaonMondayeveningandareholdingsimilarpublicdiscus-sionsinFortGoodHopeandNormanWellsthisweek.ThetourorganizedbytheSahtuRenewableResourcesBoardthePembinaInstituteandthelocalrenewablere-sourcecouncilsisintendedtocreateaforumforthecom-munitiestolearnaboutthechallengesfacedbytheFirstNationlocatedintheheartofBCsboomingfrackingoperationsalongwiththeeconomicbenetsithasne-gotiatedforitself.Thefocusisonsharingex-periencesandstoriesofwhatithasbeenlikeforthemtoexperienceespeciallythecu-mulativeimpactsofshalegasextractionasithasproceededoverthepastdecadeorsointheFortNelsonterritorysaidShaunaMorgansenioranalystwiththePembinaInstituteinYellowknife.MorgansaidFortNelsonisagoodexampleofaFirstNationthathasbeenproactiveinob-tainingmaximumbenetsfortheircommunitywhilealsoworkingtoprotectthelandandwaterbyimplementingre-searchmonitoringandbettercomplianceandenforcementanddevelopingastrategiclanduseplanandconsultationpro-tocolforthemselves.FortNelsonrecentlylaunchedlegalactionagainsttheBCregulatoraskingformorestringentlimitsonwaterwithdrawalstobeputinplaceforfracking.Theywanttoseefeesimplementedforgroundwateruse.Theyarealsointheprocessoftryingtostoponeofmanyfrackingapplicationsontheirterritorywhichthebandhasdescribedastryingtostandinthewayofalocomotive.Thoughthecommunityisstillnegotiatingagovernment-to-governmentagreementwiththeprovinceithascompletedaneconomicbenetsagree-mentandoilandgasagree-mentwithBC.WerelookingforwardtohearingmoredetailsaboutallthatintermsofhowtheyhavetriedtowalkthatlineMorgansaid.Wetalkalotuphereaboutachievingabal-ancebetweenhavingsomeindustryactivityonthelandandthenalsotryingtopro-tectthelandandthewatersoitstayscleanandthepeoplecankeepharvestinganditsoundsliketheFortNelsonFirstNationhastriedtotakethatsortofapproach.Whiletherehavebeeninfor-mationalsessionsonfrackingheldintheSahtuinthepastmanyhavebeencriticizedasbeingone-sidedeitherhostedorfundedbyindustry.Whilethisspeakingtourdoesnotharkentooneparticularide-ologyMorgansaiditoffersapartofthepicturethatiscur-rentlymissing.WhatprompteditwasweheardoverandoverfrompeoplethattheywanttohearrsthandfromotherFirstNa-tionspeoplethathaveexpe-riencedfrackingshesaid.Theyfeelliketheyrenotgettingthewholestory...Notthatanyonepresentationcangivethefullstorybutthiswillofferanotherperspec-tivethatwillhelptollinthatpicture.GaleandLowewillbeinFortGoodHopeonTuesdayMar.4atthebandofcehallandinNormanWellsonMar.6attheLegion.Botheventstakeplacefrom700to900p.m.WetalkalotuphereaboutachievingabalancebetweenhavingsomeindustryactivityonthelandandthenalsotryingtoprotectthelandandthewatersoitstayscleanandthepeoplecankeepharvestinganditsoundsliketheFortNelsonFirstNationhastriedtotakethatsortofapproach.ShaunaMorganPembinaInstituteAdrillingrigfracksforshalegasintheGreaterSierraplaynortheastofFortNelsonBC.FilephotoReadallaboutitThreequartersofCanadians73innon-urbancentresreadacommunitynewspaperaccordingtothe2013studyConnectingtoCanadianswithCommunityNewspapers.ThesurveywasmanagedbyTotumResearchonbehalfoftheCanadianoftheGovernmentofCanadathroughtheCanadaPeriodicalFundoftheDepartmentofCanadianHeritage.TelephoneinterviewswereconductedThestudywasdesignedtomeasurereadershipofcommunitynewspapersinnon-urbancentresacrossCanadaandexaminedreasonsforreadingcommunitynewspapers.Atotalof1000telephoneinterviewswereconductedwithadultsaged18orolderthatlivedinareaswithpopulationlessthan100000servedbycommunitynewspapers.FiveregionswereselectedABSKMBNorthernONNSand200interviewswereconductedwithineach.Theresponserateofthestudywas43.2.CommunitynewspapersremainrelevantThesteadyreadershipsuggeststhatcommunitynewspaperscontinuetohavestrongreadershipintodaysnewmedialandscape.Communitynewspaperscontinuetoremainrelevanttolocalresidentsfornewsinformationandadvertising.saidtheirreasonforreadingcommunitynewspaperswasforLocalNewsorLocalEventsarereadingfortheAdvertisingortheFlyersInsertsarelookingfororEmploymentadsCommunitynewspaperreadershipremainsstrong