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Albertareleases2015Budgetaimsforlong-termgrowthWiththeshockingdipinoilpricesoverthelastyeartheAlbertagovernmentturnstohighertaxa-tionandpreparestotakeondebttokeeptheprovincerunning.Seepage3.LearninghowtowriteforHollywoodCanadianauthorTishCohentouredtheterritorysharingtipswithaspiringwritersongettingpublishedandturningliteraryworksintoscreenplays.Seepage16.STRAPONYOURBOOTSFortSmithmarchesintheTrekforTourettes.Seepage11forphotos.HayRiverhosts32ndannualPtubcrosscountryracesTheSouthSlavesyoungandoldslappedontheirskisforabeautifulweekendoffriendlycompetitionattheHayRiverSkiClub.Seepage10.EmergencyteamsprepareforloomingreseasonNWTfiremanagersplayoutpossiblescenarioswhilecompletingincidentmanage-menttraininginFortSmith.Seepage7.VISITWWW.NORJ.CAAnationalawardwinningindependentnewspaperservingnorthernAlbertaandtheNorthwestTerritoriessince19771.00March312015Vol.38No.46DecentralizationeffortsgainmomentumasGNWTlls108positionsByDALICARMICHAELFiguresreleasedbytheGNWTlastweekindicatethegovernmenthasbeensuccessfulinllingamajorityofthepositionsdecentralizedfromtheter-ritorialcapitalinthelasttwoyears.Of128jobsrelocatedfromYel-lowknifebetween2013and2015108positionshavebeenlledac-cordingtoinformationannouncedonMar.24.Anadditional22areex-pectedtobeestablishedandlledwithinthenexttwoyears.TheinitialbiggestnumberswentintoInuvikHayRiversomeintoFortSmithSimpsonandNormanWellssaidFinanceMinisterMichaelMilten-berger.Whenyoudecentralizeyouwanttomakesurethatifyouvegotapieceofgovernment-andforthemostpartyourenotgoingtomoveoneortwopositions-youwanttomovediscretefunctioningunitsthatdontnecessarilyhavetobeinYellowknife.Thedecentralizationofgovern-mentjobshasbeenapriorityfortheGNWTsincedevolutionMilt-enbergersaid.Whenthedecisiontodecentralizethe150jobswasmade122ofthoseexistingpositionswerealreadyvacant.TherealityisYellowknifehastroublestafngtheirpositionsMilt-enbergersaid.Halfofthevacancieswehaveingovernmentoutofthehun-dredswehaveareinYellowknife.SowhenitsportrayedinthepressasIfwewereallinYellowknifeitwouldallbegoodeverybodywouldbehappyandjobswouldbealllledthatsnotthereality.TheGNWTdecidedtophaseinthedistributionofjobsoveraperiodofseveralyearstoallowforcontinuedexplorationintovariousdepartmentstodeterminewhereopportunitiesmightlie.Ideallythismeasurealsominimizesimpactsoncurrentstaff.Theresmoreworkbeingdone.ForexampleENREnvironmentNaturalResourcesislookingatwhatcanbedecentralizedfromaprogrampointofviewthatmakessenseandwellstartplanningforthatMilten-bergersaid.ImnotsureifLandsorITIIndustryTourismInvestmenthaveconcludedtheirresultsaswellthosethreedepartmentsweremostheavilyaffectedbydevolution.Thephasingalsoallowsforinfra-structuretobedevelopedincom-munitiesthatneedit.Whereyoureputtinginposi-tionsthatdontexistyouhavetomakesureyouhaveofcespaceMiltenbergersaid.TheotherbigthingishousingwhichisnotthatbigaprobleminSmithorInuvikbutinthesmallercommunitiesitsmoreproblematic.Effortstoretainpeoplemovingtothecommunitiesforthesenewpositionsarealsobeingmade.Ineverycommunitywerelook-ingataterritorialimperativeversusthecostoflivingMiltenbergersaid.Costoflivingisahugefactorandoneofthebiggestcomponentsincostoflivingisthepriceofenergysowerelookingatalternativeenergy.Werelookinghardathowwegen-erateenergy.Wereworkingaswekindofnalizeourborrowinglimittobeabletomakethoseinvestmentstocuttingthecostoflivingandtoputtinginaffordableenergy.Thegovernmentwillknowifits800-milliondebtceilingwillbeincreasedtoarequested1.8billionthisspringwhenthefederalgovern-mentreleasesitsbudgetfor2015.Itlltakemorethanbricksandmor-tartokeeppeopleintheremoteareasthoughMiltenbergerindicated.Wereintoyeartwoandweput20somemilliononthetabletoputinhousinginthesmallcommunitiessowecanstaffupthenursesandtheteachersandthehealthrepsandtheeconomicdevelopmentofcersorwhateverthepositionsarethatareinthecommunitieshesaid.UltimatelytheGNWThopesthatdecentralizationwillstimulateecono-mieswhilesimultaneouslyprovidingresidentseasieraccesstoservices.Theexpectationiswelldooursharewithgettingthejobsouttothecom-munitiesMiltenbergersaid.Theninthelargercommunitiestheprivatesectorhasaroletoplaytotakead-vantageoftheopportunitiesthere.PresidentoftheLongJohnJamboreeboardJanetPaceyinternationallyrenownedforherfabulousbird-encrustedtutuchillsoutamidfestivitiesonYellowknifeBaylastweekend.ForphotosfromtheJamboreeandthefinalweekendoftheSnowkingFestivalcheckoutpages89.PhotoDaliCarmichael