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6TuesdayFebruary242015ENVIRONMENTPROTECTEDAREASRequestingPublicInputonEmergencyPreparednessInthesummero2014theNWTexperiencedtheworstwildfreseasononrecord.Thisresultedinawiderangeoimpactsoncommunitiesandresidentsincludingsmokeissueshighwayclosuresserviceinterruptionslossopropertyandcommunityevacuations.TheDepartmentoMunicipalandCommunityAairsisconductinganAterActionReviewinordertoevaluateterritorialandregionalcivilemergencyresponseeortsandimproveemergencyresponseproceduresandplansortheuture.Thepublicisinvitedtoparticipatebyfllingoutasurveywhichisavailableatwww.maca.gov.nt.caorcontactingusviaemailatafteractionreviewgov.nt.ca.YourinputwillbeusedtoimproveemergencypreparednessandresponseintheNWT.BYMEAGANWOHLBERGDevolutionmanagedtothrowasizeablewrenchintothenearlyconcludedtalksoncreatinganationalparkofftheEastArmofGreatSlaveLakethrowingintoquestionthesizeandtypeofprotectiontobeaffordedthemassiveareanearLutselKe.ParksCanadaandtheLut-selKeDeneFirstNationLKDFNhadnearlysealedthedealonthecreationofThaideneNeneafterarriv-ingatadraftestablishmentagreementforthecreationofa33500square-kmparkinNovember2013morethan30yearssincenegotiationsbegan.ButafterthetransferofauthorityoverlandswaterandresourcestotheGNWTonApr.12014thefederalgovernmenttookastepbacktoallowtheterritorialgov-ernmentintotheprocessasthenewpubliclandowners.SincethenEnvironmentandNaturalResourcesMinis-terMichaelMiltenbergersaidtalkswithLKDFNhavebeenintensecondensingtwoyearsworthofnegotiationsintosixmonthsinordertohaveanaloutcomenaileddowninthenearfuture.AttheforefrontoftheGN-WTsagendaisprovidingthesmallestpossiblelandbaseforthefederalgovernmenttocontrolhesaidmeaningasmallernationalparkandtheuseofmoreNortherntoolstomanagethearea.WewantasmallfederalfootprintMiltenbergersaidwithmaximumlandsstay-ingunderNortherncontrol.MiltenbergersaidtheGNWTislookingatcreat-ingabuttingterritorialdes-ignationsaroundThaideneNenewhichcouldincludeTerritorialParksprotectedareasstudyareasandwil-dernessareastonameafew.TheresawholerangeofthingswevebeenholdingoutasNortherntoolsthatwewanttousetomanagethelandourselveshesaid.Thebigissueafterdevolutioniswedontwanttodoallthatworktotakeoverthecon-trolofthelandwaterandresourcesandthengivebackamonstrouspiecetothefed-eralgovernment.AccordingtoSteveEllisamemberofLKDFNsnegotiat-ingteamforThaideneNenetheFirstNationisopentohavingsuchNortherntoolsincludedinthelandmanage-mentregimesolongastheyresultinthesamekindsofprotection.LKDFNisnotfussyaboutwhethersomepartsofThaid-eneNenefallunderterritorialdesignationaslongastheprotectionmeasuresareequivalenttotheNationalParkReservedesignationEllissaid.ButaccordingtoMilten-bergerconservationisnottheonlyitemontheGNWTsagenda.HesaidthecurrentareasetasideforThaideneNeneisrepletewithmineralpotentialsomeofwhichthegovernmentwantstoseekeptavailabletoindustry.SomeareasaresuchhighmineralpotentialthatwewanttomakesurewekeepaccesstothoseaswellMilt-enbergersaid.ParksCanadaspokesper-sonChristinaTricomisaidthefederalgovernmentisamenabletoasmallersizedpark.ParksCanadaremainscommittedtoanationalparkreserveinthisregion.ThegovernmentsofCanadaandtheNorthwestTerritorieshaveagreedthatthenalparkboundarywillbelessthanthesizeofthecurrentstudyarea.ShesaidParksCanadacontinuestonegotiateanagreementwiththeNWTMtisNationfortheareaaswell.ThoughtheoriginallandwithdrawalfortheproposedparkexpiredonMar.312014atwo-yearextensionwasgrantedbythefederalandterritorialgovernmentsthatprotectstheareauntilApr.12016.GNWTlookingtolimitOttawasreachintheEastArmTerritoryproposessmallernationalparkwantsareassetasideforminingByMEAGANWOHLBERGThesuperintendentofParksCanadassouthwesteldunitwasredlastweekfollowingmonthsofinternalinvestigation.RobKentwhooversawoperationsatWoodBuffaloParksCanadasuperintendentfiredinFortSmithPOLITICSHUMANRESOURCESPhotoTessaMacIntoshNorthernLightsshineoveracabinintheEastArmwherenegotiationstocreateanationalparkaroundthecommunityofLutselKehavebeenongoingforoverthreedecades.NationalParktheNahanniNationalParkReserveandofcesinYellowknifewasletgofromhispositiononMonday.ParksCanadarefusedtocommentonwhatitiscall-ingapersonnelmatterbutnumerousinsidesourcesin-dicatetherehadbeenanon-goinginvestigationintoKentforanumberofmonths.ParksCanadaspokes-peoplerefusedtocom-mentonthedetailsoftheinvestigation.AninterimsuperintendentwashiredonMonday.Kentwhowashiredintotherolein2010followingacareerwithEnvironmentCanadadeclinedtogivecom-mentonthematter.FilephotoRobKent