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EDITORIALARCHIVES15YearsAgo...AdonedealUnionofNorthernWorkersUNWmem-bersendedmonthsofhagglingbetweentheirunionsexecutiveandthegovernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesFridayratifyingacol-lectiveagreementthatcouldseesomework-ersreceivingraisesofupto15000.Follow-ingasix-weekvotingperiod85percentofthevotesupportedthecontract.IssueMarch23199920YearsAgo...ParkmayfacesuitoversnowmachinesAsnowmachineenthusiastinManitobaisconsideringlegalactionafterheandafriendwererefusedpassagethroughWoodBuf-faloNationalParkontheirsnowmachines.DaveBissenandStanAmonofLynnLakeManitobahadplannedatripontheirma-chinesfromLynnLaketoYellowknifeinordertoscoutoutarouteforotherstofol-lownextyear.IssueMarch23199430YearsAgo...MunrobringsbilingualismNorthNorthernAffairsministerJohnMunrosannouncementthattheNorthwouldbecomeofciallybilingualhastheterritorialgovern-mentrushingtocreatelegislationtocomplywithfederalpolicy.ItisthesecondtimetheNWThasfounditselfscramblingtoconformtofederalrequirementsasabillwasrushedthroughtheLegislativeAssemblyatitsre-centsittingtocomplywiththenewYoungOffendersAct.IssueMarch2319844TuesdayMarch252014TheNorthernJournalisanindependentnewspapercoveringnewsandeventsinthewesternArcticandnorthernAlberta.VisittheJournalonlineatwww.norj.caAnzacAtikamegBrownvaleCadotteLakeChardChetehColdLakeConklinDriftpileDufeldEdmontonEnildaEnochFortChipewyanFortMcKayFortMcMurrayFortVermillionFrogLakeGlenevisGoodshLakeGrandePrairieGrouardHighLevelHighPrarieHytheJohnDorPrairieAvailableinAlbertaatAklavikBehchokoColvilleLakeDelineEaglePlainsEkatieDiamondMinesEnterpriseFortGoodHopeFortLiardFortMcPhersonFortProvidenceFortResolutionFortSimpsonFortSmithGametiHayRiverInuvikJeanMarieRiverLutselKeNahanniButteNormanWellsPaulatukTheNorthernJournalisavailableinthefollowingNWTcommunitiesRaeEdzoSachsHarbourTroutLakeTsiigehtchicTuktoyaktukTulitaUlukhaktokWekwetiWhaTiWrigleyYellowknifeKehewinKinusoLacLaBicheMornvillePeaceRiverRedEarthCreekSaddleLakeSlaveLakeSt.PaulValleyviewWabasca2013CCNABLUERIBBONCANADIANCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERAWARD2013CMCAAUDITEDAdvertisingDeadlinesDisplayaddeadlineisThursdayat400p.m.ClassiedaddeadlineisThursdayat500p.m.Emailadsnorj.caSubscriptionRates867872-3000PricesincludeGST.47.25inFortSmith52.50elsewhereinCanada105intheUSAoverseas164.30.LetterstotheEditorPolicyTheNorthernJournalwelcomesletterstotheeditor.Lettersmustbesignedandincludeaphonenumbersotheauthorcanbeveried.Nameswillbewithheldonrequestinspecialcircumstanceswherethereasonsaredeterminedtobevalid.TheJournalreservestherighttoeditlettersforlengthlibelclarityandtaste.Opinionsexpressedinlettersandcolumnsarenotnecessarilythoseofthepublisheroreditor.PublishedweeklybyCascadePublishingLtd.PrintedonrecyclednewsprintwithvegetableinkatWainwrightStarChronicle.PublisherManagingEditorDonJaque867-872-3000ext.21donnorj.caEditor...........................MeaganWohlberg867-872-3000ext.24newsnorj.caReporter..............................MariaChurch867-872-3000ext.25reporternorj.caComptroller...........................DixiePenner867-872-3000ext.23dixnorj.caAdvertising....................JoshuaJorgensen867-872-3000ext.15salesnorj.caAdministration................JeremyTurcotte867-872-3000ext.20adminnorj.caProductionGraphics.......SandraJaque867-872-3000ext.22sandranorj.caPaulBannister867-872-3000ext.27graphicsnorj.caAnnaSierra867-872-3000ext.26designnorj.caFormerPrimeMinisterJoeClarkwasAlisonRedfordsmentorandthatRedToryreputationprovokedpowerfulCon-servativesStephenHarperamongthemtoworkagainstherintheAlbertaelec-tionofApril2012.ThetermProgres-sivehadbeendroppedfromthefederalConservativePartynameforgoodrea-son.Theydidnotwanttheclockturnedback.TheirchoicetherightwingWildRosePartymadegainsbutcouldnotholdoffRedfordssurprisingelectiondayrally.Itwasthesettingforadirtywarbe-tweenHarperandRedford.Theirre-spectivehomeridingsinCalgaryalmostsidebysideafaceoffbetweenthetwowouldhavebeeninterestingtosaytheleast.Shehadalreadybeenpremierforsixmonthsbythenfollowingtheresig-nationofEdStelmachandhersubse-quentselectionasleaderoftheAlbertaConservativesinOctober2011-enoughtimetoconsolidateapowerbase.Shecouldhavebeenaformidableadver-saryforHarper.InsteadRedfordofferedanolivebranchtoHarperimmediatelyafterbeingelectedhermessageyoutriedtotakemedownbutIforgiveyousoletsworktogether.Itwasanobleges-turebutalsoasignofweakness.Nocojoneswasthetakeofmany.Alreadythekniveswereout.RedfordwaslikeMargaretThatcherbutnotastough-theIronLadywithouttheiron.Theroadaheadwasrocky.Criticismoftheprovincialdecitwaswidespreadanddetractorssaidnotenoughwasbeingdonefortheeconomy.Cabinetputonashowofsupportandshesoldieredon.Thentheoodscamelikemannafromheaven.FirstFortMcMurrayandthensouthernAlberta.Shewasabletotogotothesitesofdevastationsurveythedamageandshowtheag.Shemetthevictimsandfelttheirpainacaringleader.Itwasperfecthersteadfastcabinetlieutenantsathersideincon-trolshowingstrengthandcompetence.Shethrewopenthetreasurydoorsanddoledoutmoney-millionsofdollars.EveryoneinAlbertathroughsilentas-sentagreedithadtobedone.Itwasapoliticiansdreamcometrue.Afterthatcriticsdistractedherfocusfelltotheexpansionoftheoilsandsin-dustryandtofacilitateitpromotionoftheKeystoneXLPipelinetoaccessTexasreneries.SheandherministersbeatapathtothehallsofpowerinAmericatoNewYorknanciersandtoWashingtontocajoletheUSpoliticians.Theoilsandsweretoutedasacleanenergysourcevoidofanynegativeim-pacttheenvironmentalmonitoringworldclass.Noharmcomestoanyonefromouroilsandsanditsreallynotthatdirtytheysaidoverandoverasifmagicianstryingtoconjureatrance.TheyevenrananadvertisementintheNewYorkTimes-atacostof30000-suggestingthepipelinewouldenhancetheUSeconomyandsobenetAmericansoldiersreturninghomefromMid-Eastwars-withtheAmericanagwavinginthebackground.Itdidntwork.Lastwinterwaslongandhardespe-ciallyforAlisonRedford.Herpopularitywaned.Moreknivescameout.Peopleconjecturedsympatheticallythatitwasbecauseshewasawomanleaderinanoldboysclubundermorescrutinyandheldtoahigherstandardthanamanwouldbe.AfterallRalphKleinandhisRobFordishwayswereneverjudged.UnlikeKleinRedforddidnotappealtograssrootsAlbertaandshelackedtheleadershipskillsandcharactertostopthebleeding.OppositionMLAshadbeencriticalofacostlyforaytoIndiaandlavishexpendi-turesattheLondonSummerOlympicsbutitwasthetriptoNelsonMandelasfunerallastDecemberthatwasfatalforRedford.Voicesofcondemnationgrewloud.Intheendshepaidbackthenearly45000fortheSouthAfricatripoutofherpersonalmoneybutitwastoolate.Redfordisanexperiencedlawyerandwell-connectedpolitician.Shewillbeneonceshegetsoverhercurrentdemise.Adecadeagoshewouldhavebeenashoe-inasasenateappointeeandwouldnothavehadtoaccountforoutlandishex-pensesthere.Todaynotsomuch.Shewillstillberewardedatsomepointtak-ingthehelmofsomeimportantagency.Conservativestakecareoftheirownevenwhentheyareprogressive.LikeStelmachRedfordwaselectedwithsolidsupportresoundinglypassedthepartyreviewlaterandthencrashedandburnedayearafterthat.Unpopu-larwiththeelectoratetheywerebothpushedoutbypressurefromwithin.Al-bertansaretiredofConservativeswholacktheanswersandhonestytheyde-mand.Reluctantaboutpoliticalchangewhentheynallydecideonititssweep-ing.UnlesstheAlbertaPCsndamir-acletheendoftheirpartyasaforceisathand.TheWildRosePartyissurginginpopularity.ItsleaderDanielleSmithwhowithinfouryearsbroughtthepartyfromascallyconservativeprotestmove-mentalmosttovictoryinthelastelec-tionwillbethenextpremierofAlbertaaftertheir2016election.AnIronLadywithouttheironStudentsshowingenuityatsciencefairMichaelMarcelandhispartnerChaseGrandjambebothinGrade5atAthabascaDeltaCommunitySchoolwontheImperialOilIngenuityAwardbycreatingahomemadeairsoftgunatthisyearssciencefair.StudentsfromGrades4-12presented44proj-ectsattheschoolssecondannualsciencefaironMar.7.TheeventwassupportedbyCenovusEnergyandImperialOilwhosentrepresentativestohelpjudgeeachproject.AlanisCourtoreilleofGrade8KeishaBourkeofGrade8andNatanisCourtoreilleofGrade9willrepresenttheschoolattheWoodBuffaloRegionalScienceFaironApr.4and5.PhotocourtesyofNorthlandSchoolDivision