Derek Neary
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (Dec 04/98) - With 30 paid members and another five expressing interest, the Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce is back on its feet in a big way.

At last Thursday's regular meeting, it was announced that the chamber has been officially incorporated and has its own website up and running. The agenda contained plenty of correspondence, including an exchange of letters with the village of Fort Simpson and the Department of Renewable Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development.

One member said to Chamber president Andrew Gaule, "You've sure done a lot. I must say, I'm impressed."

He replied, "The intention is just to get a bit of momentum going... I'm trying to find the balance between making your point (in the letters) and not being negative."

Three committees were formed on Thursday evening. They are: the Tourism Action Committee, the Mackenzie Highway Committee and the Bylaws Committee.

The purpose of the Mackenzie Highway Committee will be to lobby for the Mackenzie Highway extension to be built through this region. The Chamber of Commerce in both Norman Wells and Inuvik have been approached in an effort to make this a joint lobby since the road would further link these three communities. At the very least, Gaule said he would expect a position paper to be submitted to the government regarding the issue.

Before the meeting concluded, Ivan Simons of H.R. Thompson Consultants Ltd. made a presentation regarding the status of the Internet service in Fort Simpson. The issue is that of the territorial government converting its departments to a government-laid communications pipe, taking key customers away from Simons despite an earlier promise that independent service providers would continue to provide the "last mile of service," Simons contended.

He said MLA Jim Antoine "stood up in the (legislature) and spoke out for us by name." That sent a bunch of minions scurrying, he added, but he still has no definitive answers.

"Right now, smoke's being blown at us. We're getting no answers," he said. "They're (the government) going into competition with us with public funds. It's of great concern to us... it could happen to any one of you."

The chamber moved to write a letter of support for H.R. Thompson Consultants Ltd. to Finance Minister John Todd.

Simons was appreciative and added, "Not so much for us, but with all small businesses in mind."