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2TuesdayDecember162014POLITICSLABOURNEWSBRIEFSFortMcMurraycouncilpasses362.5millioncapitalbudgetTheFortMcMurrayAlta.towncouncilhaveunanimouslypassedthe2015capitalbudgetandassociatednancialplansthoughdeliberationsontheoperatingbudgetareongoing.Thebudgetwillhelpsupportlargeprojectsintheregionincludingruralwaterandoodmitigationworks.ThebudgetprocessbeganinJuneandhasincludedthreeauditandbudgetcommitteemeetingswhereresidentshadtheopportunitytoattendsessionsatthecouncilchamberandviewthemonlineandatruralcontactofces.Analmeetingconrmingtheoperatingbudgetisyettobeset.RCMPinvestigateincidentthatleftonedeadoneincriticalcareFollowingaresidentialincidentinYellowknifetheterrito-rialRCMPmajorcrimesunitisinvestigatingthedeathofonemanandthecriticalinjuriesofanother.Atapproxi-mately500a.m.localpolicerespondedtoareportoftwounconsciousmalesbothofwhichtheyfoundwithseriousinjuries.AfterbeingtransportedtoStantonTerritorialHos-pitalonemanhasdiedandtheotherhasbeentransportedtoEdmontonbymedevacforfurthertreatment.RCMPdeemednotincontemptforfailingtotransportprisonerAreviewofdocumentssubmittedtotheterritorialcourthavefoundtheRCMPisnolongerdeemedincontemptforfail-ingtotransportaprisonerfollowingadecisionbyJusticeSchmaltzonDec.8.TheincidentoccurredwhenthepolicefailedtotransporttheprisonerfromFortMcPhersontoYel-lowknifeontimeforcourtonJuly30.ThedecisioncomesfollowingaNov.7hearingwhereofcersmadesubmissionstothecourtoutliningupcomingchangestoprisonertrans-portservices.Registrationisnowopenforthe2015WalktoTukFormateamandconceptuallywalkthedistanceoftheMackenzieRiverbetweenJanuary5thandMarch2nd.GreatPrizescanbewonincludingaightvoucherfromFirstAir.RegisterNowRegistrationEndsJanuary16thChallengeStartsJanuary5th2014Formoreinformationwww.nwtrpa.orgorcall867669-8375ThepaperisalpacadwithnewsFindoutwhatsgoingonCheckoutTheNorthernJournalContinuedfrompage1.ThisisntthersttimetheFSHAhashadtroubleclosingtheirnegotiations.Inthelastroundofbar-gainingtheyhadgoneintoconciliationagainandofcoursetheywereabletocometoanagreementBourassasaid.Itseemstobethenorminthiscountry-oratleastithasbeenacrosstheterritory-wheretheresjustbeenaverydivisivekindofanapproachtobargainingingeneralwherethemutualneedsofbothpar-ties-managementandwork-ers-arenotbeingrespectedforwhateverreason.Whileonlyeightstaffmem-bersareinvolvedinthesene-gotiationsBourassasaidtheissueisasymptomofalargerproblemfacingCanada.IthinkitsimportantthateveryoneunderstandswhathappenstooneofushappenstousallBourassasaid.Wetrulyareallaffectedbywhatishappeningacrossthiscountryanditsunfortunatethatwehavegovernmentsthatarelookingtondwaystotakemoreandmorebackfromtheworkingpeopleitsmakingitverymuchharderforus.Wehavefarandawaylessinthewayofmiddle-incomeearn-ersnowthanwedidbeforeandthatimpactisapparentinthekindofeconomywecurrentlyhavetodayitsjustnotonethatssustainableasitstandsanditsbecomingharderandharderforfamiliestomakeendsmeet.InanefforttomaintainmutualrespectduringthebargainingperiodnostaffBargainingissuescommonlyseenacrossthecountryunionPhotoDaliCarmichaelStaffmembersoftheFortSmithHousingAuthorityvotedunanimouslyinfavourofastrikeinameetinglastweek.memberswereabletodiscusstheissuewiththeNorthernJournal.TheFHSAisresponsiblefortheadministrationofsocialhousingrentalunitsandpropertymanagementservices.TheJournalalsoreachedouttotheorganiza-tionhowevermanagerKimOlsensaidshedidnotwanttocommentonthematteratpublicationtime.Itseemstobethenorminthiscoun-try-oratleastishasbeenacrosstheterritory-wheretheresjustbeenaverydivisivekindofanapproachtobargainingingeneralwherethemu-tualneedsofbothparties-manage-mentandworkers-arenotbeingre-spectedforwhateverreason.JackBourassaPSACNorth