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CKLB Radio asks GNWT to help them back onto the air The off-air Aboriginal broad- caster known as the voice of Denendeh is hoping for al- most 1 million in core fund- ing from the GNWT. See page 2. Olympic biathletes share love of sport across territory Homegrown Olympic biath- lete Brendan Green and his partner fellow competitor Rosanna Crawford visited youth across the NWT. See page 18. SHOW YOUR SKILLS Territorial youth compete in the NWT Skills Competition. See page 15. Fort Smith drama students highlight teen struggles Normal an original play written and produced by Fort Smiths high school drama students confronts bullying addiction and suicide. See page 14. Domestic violence court expands into Hay River An alternative court for low- risk offenders of domestic violence is now in service for the communities of Hay River Enterprise and Katlodeeche. See page 3. V IS IT W W W .N O R J.C A A national award winning independent newspaper serving northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories since 1977 1.00 April 28 2015 Vol. 38 No. 50 Federal budget gives 500-million boost to NWT borrowing limit Ottawa considers lifting limit on self-liquidating debt By MEAGAN WOHLBERG The 2015 federal budget released last week held two pieces of good news for the NWT government in its pursuit of the nancial exibility needed to invest in critical economic infrastructure projects. Canadas latest Economic Action Plan which came out Tuesday af- ternoon proposes an increased borrowing limit for the territorial government bumping up the cur- rent 800-million debt ceiling to 1.3 billion. Though the territory had been asking for an additional 500 million more leaders had no complaints about Ottawas decision. An increased borrowing limit marks a continuing evolution of the government of the Northwest Territories. It is recognition that a mature government must have s- cal exibility so it can carry out ef- fective planning for the future and better manage the territorial econ- omy NWT Premier Bob McLeod said during a press conference Wednesday morning. ApartfromtheraisedcapMcLeod said hes also been notied that Fi- nanceCanadahasagreedtoexamine thewayitcalculatesdebtconstrained Minister Michael Miltenberger. Its going to allow us to have debt thats self-nancing not go against our borrowing limit. That way we can use our borrowing limit money to do other things. makes them self-liquidating Milt- enberger said those debts could also potentially be excluded. Not a spending spree Premier Though an extra 500 million in allowed borrowing gives the GNWT some room to maneuver when it comes to infrastructure McLeod said the government understands this is borrowed money and not an invitation to start a spending spree. We are not running up the credit cardbillstopayforconsumergoods whatwearetalkingaboutisborrow- ingprudentlytomakestrategicinvest- mentsinterritorialinfrastructurethat will help support the growth of our economy and address the cost of liv- ing the premier said. Like a home improvement loan we are talking aboutpotentialborrowingtomakein- vestmentsthatwillincreasethevalue of our economy and our territory. See No new projects on page 6. underthelimit.Specicallytheterri- torysself-liquidatingdebt-money borrowedforinfrastructureprojects that eventually pay for themselves - may no longer count towards the 1.3 billion limit. The really big piece of this in ad- dition to the 500 million is the reg- ulatory change said NWT Finance ThoughFinanceofcialsstillhave to work out how much debt could be consideringself-nancingintheNWT itslikelyitwillapplytothe200mil- lionofNTPowerCorp.debtalongwith projectssimilartotheDehChoBridge. Furthermore if the GNWT works out deals with industry for future mining access roads in a way that The really big piece of this in addition to the 500millionistheregulatorychange.Itsgoing to allow us to have debt thats self-nancing not go against our borrowing limit. Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger PhotoPaulBannister Mother-daughter duo Olive and Janelle Pascal of Aklavik celebrate a special convocation together at Aurora Colleges Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith where Olive completed her Bachelor of Education degree and Janelle her Ofce Administration certicate last Friday. See pages 10-13 for more.