Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
ArcticCouncilmeetsbehindcloseddoorsMembersofGreenpeacepro-testedsecretmeetingsoftheArcticCouncillastweekinYellowknifecallingformorepublicinput.Seepage3.ScientistexplorescavesinWoodBuffaloparkKarstlandscapeexpertGregHornewasinWoodBuffaloNationalParklastweektoexplorehiddencaves.Seepage12.SportinSkivviesLongjohnswereoutinfullforceatYellowknifesannualwintercarnival.Seepage11.BeaufortstudentsshowscienceskillsatfairThreeBeaufortDeltastudentsareheadedtonationalsaftershowcasingwinningprojectsattheregionalsciencefair.Seepage10.PilotsarguedasFirstAirightwentdownreportFindingsontheFirstAircrashinResoluteBayinAu-gust2011showhumanerrorequipmentfailureandweatherwereallfactors.Seepage7.Visitwww.norj.caAnationalawardwinningindependentnewspaperservingnorthernAlbertaandtheNorthwestTerritoriessince19771.00April12014Vol.37No.46DevolutionbillstoundergomorereviewoverconcernwithlackofconsultationByMEAGANWOHLBERGThecommissionerfortheNorthwestTerritoriesmayhavesignedoffonthenaldevolutionbillslastweekinthelegislaturebutApr.1nowmarksthestartoffurtherleg-islativeandpolicyreviewintheterritorialgovernment.FollowingconcernsraisedbyMLAsinthemostre-centsessionthatseveralbillsrelatedtodevolutionwererushedthroughwith-outenoughtimeforthoroughpublicconsultationPremierBobMcLeodpromisedtolaunchanadditionalreviewafterdevolution.ConcernswererstraisedonMar.10byFrameLakeMLAWendyBisarochairofthePrioritiesandPlanningcommitteethatsevenofthe10devolutionbillsdidnotfollowtheregularprocess.Billstypicallyreceivesec-ondreadingintheHousebe-forebeingreferredtocom-mitteewhichholdsapublichearingandreceivespubliccommentbeforereportingitbacktotheHouseforthirdreading.WhileBills12and3-dealingwithreindeerar-chaeologicalsitesandtheSurfaceRightsBoard-fol-lowedtheprocessasnormalBisarosaidfortheremainderthatprocesswashijackedbythetimeconstraintoftheApr.1deadline.Wedidnthavethetimeinwhichwecouldproperlyconsidertheseotherbillswedidnthavetimetoreferthemtocommitteewedidnthavetimeforpublicconsultationshesaid.ThosebillsincludetheNWTLandsActPetroleumResourcesActDevolutionMeasuresActWatersActandOilandGasOperationsAct.Whilethosebillsaremirrorlegislation-piecesoflawmir-roringcurrentfederallegisla-tion-twoadditionalbillsoneoutliningtheresourcerevenuesharingagreementandtheotheroutliningtheintergovernmentalcouncilwithAboriginalgov-ernmentsarenot.Ithinkthemajorconcernforme...isthateventhoughthesearemirrorbillsthereisaninterestonthepartofthepublicandthereisaninter-estonthepartofmemberstolookattheNWTbillsandtodeterminewhetherornottherearesomegapsinthesebillswhetherornottherearesomestatementsinthesebillsthatmaybewedontagreewithfromaterritorialperspective.BisaroaskedforabroadandthoroughpublicreviewofallthedevolutionbillsafterApr.1.Thatmotionwascar-riedbyMLAsandagreedtobythepremier.Asagovernmentwehavecommittedtoundertakeare-viewofthelegislationandaswellourAboriginalgovern-mentpartnersareverysup-portiveofareviewaswell.SowellbesettingupthatprocessMcLeodsaidonMar.10.Wedbepleasedtomakesurethatthepublicisawareofwhatwearedoingsothattheywillhaveadequatetimeforinputheadded.ConsultationinsufcientMLAsWeledehMLABobBrom-leywhocalledforapublicre-viewalongsideBisarovoicedconcernprimarilywiththegovernmentsfailuretocon-sultcommitteeonthetwopiecesofnon-mirroredleg-islationbothinvolvingAb-originalgovernments.Forthisgovernmentnottohaveconsultedwithcom-mitteeonthisIregardasamajorshirkingoftherespon-sibilityofthisgovernmentandImveryupsetaboutthat.Thesearenotmirrorlegisla-tion.SoobviouslythePre-mierclaimswehaveacon-sensusgovernmenthereandclearlywedonotBromleysaidonMar.11.SeeBillonpage2.HayRiversownOlympianBrendanGreenwashomewithhisgirlfriendandfellowTeamCanadabiathleteRosannaCrawfordforthe31stannualPtubSkiRacesovertheweekendjoiningskiersofallagesintheNWTsnalfriendlycross-countryskicompetitionofthewinter.Seepage19formore.PhotoSeanPinn