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5TuesdayApril12014COLUMNSByKIERA-DAWNKOLSONItsMarch241989andoffthecoastofAlaskaoneoftheworstman-madeen-vironmentaldisastersinhis-toryhasjuststruck.TheExxonValdezsuper-tankerhitPrinceWilliamSoundsBlighReefat1204a.m.spewingoilintopristineArcticwaters750000barrelsofcrudethatwouldmakethistragedytheworstinUShis-toryuntilthe2010DeepwaterHorizonblowoutintheGulfofMexico.ThreedaysafterthespillastormpushedlargequantitiesoffreshlystrewnoilontotherockyshoresofmanyofthebeachesintheKnightIslandchain.Thedamageisstillvisibleandfelttoday.Fast-forward25yearsto2014.WhiletwogenerationsExxonValdez25thanniversaryTheNorthdeservesabetterfutureofshermencontinuetocopewiththeaftermathofthiscatas-trophetheArcticCouncilabodywhoseoriginalmandateincludedensuringsustainabledevelopmentandpan-ArcticenvironmentalprotectionmetinYellowknifejustonedayafterthe25thanniversaryoftheExxonValdeztocon-tinuetopeddleitsyear-olddocumentmeanttoaddressexactlythiskindofdisaster.ItscalledtheCo-operationonMarineOilPollutionPre-parednessandResponseintheArcticandasonlythesecondlegally-bindingdocumentintheCouncils18-yearhistorytheyareveryproudofit.SoastheCouncilmeetsinYellowknifetherealquestionishadthisagreementbeeninplace25yearsagowouldithavealteredtheoutcomeofthatfatefuldayThetruthisthatitwouldnthavemadeadifference.Despitebeingtherstlegally-bindingagreementofitskinditfailstooutlineanyessentialresponseequipmentmethodsforcappingwellsorclean-ingupoiledhabitatandwild-life.InsteaditreliesonvaguestatementsthatArcticnationsshouldensuretheytryandtakeappropriatestepswithinavailableresourceswithoutevenminimumrequirementsleavingthedoorwideopenforaffectedgovernmentstodelayanddeferresponsibilitytoex-ecutecleanupefforts.Thebulkofthedamagein-ictedbytheExxonValdezoccurredintherstfewdaysafterthedisaster.Expertstellusthatunlesscontainmentandrecoveryequipmentgetonscenewithintherstthreedaystheoilwillspreadbe-yondanypossibilityofcon-trol.NothingintheCouncilsagreementensuresthisrapidresponse.Andshockinglyithasnoprovisionstoholdcompaniesliableforthefullcostsanddamagesofaspill.Anditsnowonderwhenyoudiveabitdeeperandlookatwhoactuallywrotethisdocument.PhotosissuedontheArcticCouncilsFlickrphotostreamshowoilindus-tryrepresentativesparticipat-ingintheworkinggroupin-cludingthemeetinginwhichthedocumentwasnalized.PeterVelezrepresentedShellaspartoftheUSdelegationwhileVladimirDimitrovrep-resentedRussiasstate-ownedoilgiantGazpromthetwooilcompaniesleadingthechargeintotheArctic.SowhileoilcompaniesareletoffthehookNorth-erncommunitieswillbelefttodealwiththefalloutofaspillthatwillallbutdestroyourabilitytosustainourselvesofftheland.Thisclearlyun-derminesNorthernpeoplesrighttoahealthyenvironmentandsustainabledevelopmenttwooftheprinciplesengravedintheinauguralmandateoftheArcticCouncilthatarenowgoingunheeded.RatherthanstrivingtoavoidrepeatinghistorytheArcticCouncilwithitspassiveleadershipandpro-businessagendaispavingthewayforsimilartragediesonourArcticcoastlines.TheExxonValdezshouldbeare-minderofhowunpredictableandunforgivingtheArcticcanbeandalessonasgov-ernmentspreparetoopenuptheArcticforevenmoredrillingandshipping.Yethereweare25yearslaterThemotheroamurderedFortChipewyanwomanhasfledacomplaintagainsttheLeducRCMPclaimingthepoliceailedtoperormanadequateinvestigationintoherdaughtersdisappearanceandsubsequentdeathwhichremainsunsolved.FamilyofslainFortChipwomanlescomplaintagainstRCMPEdHunterAcoupleofmonthsagoaladywasonfacebookaskingwhatsheshoulddobecauseshewas99suresheknewwhothemalesvoicewasontherecording.Whathap-penedwithThatWasitfollowedupNorthernJournal2014JoinusonlineLikeNorthernJournalonFacebookandgettheweeklynewsdeliveredtoyourfeedandnonethewiserforourpastmistakes.ByopeningtheCanadianArctictooilandgasexplora-tiontheconservativegovern-mentissettingthecourseformoreoilspillsandnewtrag-edies.TheArcticCouncilwhichCanadaisnowchair-inghasdonenothingtoghtagainstthisfate.Moreoveritishelpingitcometrue.Theironyoflifeandthereck-lessnessofourgovernmentissuchthattwoofthecompanieswhichobtainedleasesforoilexplorationintheCanadianArcticareExxonMobilandBritishPetroleumrstandsecondonthepodiumfortheworldsworstoffshoreoilspills.Thelivelihoodsoftradi-tionalhuntersandtrappersInuitandFirstNationssh-ermenNortherninhabitantsandwildlifeareallinthehandsofdestructivecompa-nies.Wehavenotchosenthispathandwewillnotpursueit.RecklessdevelopmentinourfragileNorthernecosys-temwillonlybringdestruc-tioninevitablyeradicatingourtraditionalrelationshipwiththelands.TheNorthdeservesabet-terfutureandweNorthernersmustuseourvoicesandchooseasustainablepathforward.Kiera-DawnKolsonisaGreenpeaceArcticCampaignerandmemberoftheDeneNation15YearsAgo...MiltenbergersnagsCabinetseatinnewassemblyAftermonthsofwaitingandanearmissinDecem-berThebachaMLAMichaelMiltenbergerwillnowbesittinginaCabinetseatthersttimeFortSmithresidentshavehadaCabinetrepresentativeinsevenandahalfyears.MiltenbergerwaselectedtotheNWTLegislativeAssemblyin1995.IssueMarch30199920YearsAgo...TankerbasefacesmoredelaysTheterritorialgovernmentseemstobeinnohurrytobeginconstructionoftheproposedreghtingair-craftandtankerbaseinFortSmith.LastweektheGNWTcabinetsentanoptionspaperonthetankerbasebacktothedepartmentsresponsibleaskingforsometighternumbers.IssueMarch30199430YearsAgo...NewschoolnewpowersResidentsofFortChiparebothexcitedandapprehensiveaboutthedevelopmentoflocaleducationinthearea.Thereasonfortheexcitementisplansfora7-millionschooldueforcompletioninlate1985.Theschoolwhichwillpro-videfacilitiesforchildrenfromkindergartentoGrade12willreplaceinadequatefacilitiesalreadyinthecommunity.IssueMarch291984ARCHIVESFACEBOOKFEEDBACKByDAWNKOSTELNIKMymothercutspicturesofclothesoutofcataloguesandsendsthepicturestoWoodwardsStoresWoodwardsattemptstoreplicatethearticleinthepicture.AtthistimeWoodwardsistheonlystorethatshipsparcelstotheNorth.Sometimestheygetclosetowhatthepictureisregardlessnoneofitwasevermychoiceclotheswerewhatyouhadtoweartokeepthebugsoffandthecoldout.ThelatestfashiononlyservedtodistinguishmeinaplacethatIalreadystoodoutin.Iamlookingforano-nymityandmyideaoffashionwasdistinctlydifferentthanmymothers.DoyoukidsknowwhotheBeatlesareWhatabouttheRollingStonesPaintedBlackwasthesongoftheday.WhatyoulittlebushkidsyouknownothingWewatchTVTheLoneRangerisagreatshowyoushouldseeit.Wehaveradiosandwedrivearoundincarsyoukidsareprettydumb.Thekidshomefromresidencetalkdifferentwetalkdifferentalltrytotthepiecesofbrokentimesbacktogetherinthislittletownoflessthan300people.Person-alitiesjostlearoundtryingtondwaystogetcomfortableintheirskinandtheirhomesagain.Bumpsandgrindsaghtbreaksout.AsmallerkidgetskickedoutofthebedtheyhavebeenusingallwinterbigbrotherisbackitshardtoclimbintobedwithalloftheotherlittlekidsagainandJimmypeesthebed.Tellusstoriestellussto-rieswebeg.Wellyouhavetobequietandlisten.Wepromisewewillbegoodwewilllisten.Therearestoreswitheveryfoodthatyoucanimaginelotsofchocolatebarsandtheyhavepopandsome-thingcalledpizzapie.PizzawehaveseeninthesomeoftheArchiecomicsthatarrivewiththebigkids.InallyhadpizzawhenIwasinmyteens.InthepicturesintheArchiecomicbookstheyshowedthempullingitapartwithstrandsofstickywhitestuffstillconnectingittotheroundpie.Ithoughtitwouldbesweetbeingcalledapiewithstretchystrandsofwhitetaffythecheeseandmeatcameasashock.Theytellusgrandtalesofgoingtorestaurantsforchipsandgravythestoreshavemorethanonestyleandsizeofgum-bootsandrunningshoes.Sometimestheygetorangestheirlivesareamazing.Theyplaybasketballinagymna-siumandhaveschooldances.Ourmouthsareasopeninaweasareoureyestheyaresocooltheymakeusfeelliketheworldispassingusbywearemissingallofthisgroovystuff.Theysaygroovylots.Yearslaterwendoutthatforsomeofthemlifewasnotgroovyatallintheresidences.Yettheyarestarvedfordryshanddrymeatandbannock.Theyteachushowtoplaybase-ballandwewatchthempullcigarettesoutoftheirsleevesandshowushowtheycanblowsmokerings.Noyouguysaretoolittlebutheretakeapinchofthis.Asmallcanisrappedandopenedwithinvitation.Weshouldhavenoticedthehiddengrinsandslyeyes.Notakeabiggerpinchputitinthefrontofyourlip.Ohmygoditsterriblewespitandcoughandgagteachyoualessonnevertakesnuff.IneverwouldtrythatagainToimpressthemwewouldputalittlecoffeeinourlipandspit.YeahrightyoulittledevilsGoodtryyoudontfoolus.Youbushbun-niesknownothing.Weknewlittleoftheoutsideworld.Yetintruthweareallconnectedtheworldisrounditisacircle.Therearenobreaks.WhiteGirlVillageofWidowsPart2of3