Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Jun 23/00) - Economic development is badly needed and wanted in Fort Simpson.

That is what several of the 15 people who attended Nahendeh MLA Jim Antoine's constituency meeting last week reminded him of.

Antoine reminded them that any resource development would have to be done in co-operation with the First Nations.

Duncan Canvin, president of the Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce, suggested to Antoine that Fort Simpson should be made a regional training centre for the oil and gas industry. There are enough empty buildings that could be converted for such a purpose and instructors could be brought into the community, he said.

"In our minds training should be done here, not over in (Fort) Smith, not over in Yellowknife. Let something come to Fort Simpson finally," he said. "If any training programs are going to be developed, it should be right here where the jobs are going to be."

Antoine said he supports the community's unified oil and gas committee's efforts and doesn't see why Fort Simpson can't be the centre of oil and gas training.

Ivan Simons urged Antoine to become more vocal on behalf of the Deh Cho region in the legislature.

"I hear the other MLAs from other areas getting aggressive, isn't it time you started getting aggressive for your area? I mean really aggressive," said Simons.

Working out agreements

But Carl Lafferty said there will be no real long-term benefit in the region until self-government and resource revenue sharing agreements are worked out.

Kirby Groat responded, "Unfortunately we starve to death in the process."

Simons added nobody wants to see title to the land taken away from anyone.

He suggested development could be undertaken with many clauses placed in the contracts in the meantime.

Canvin said the GNWT could at least try to stem the flow of human resources being lost to the south. For example, he said the B.C. government lobbied the National Energy Board to get the gas plant at the receiving end of Paramount Resources' pipeline from their F-36 well south of Fort Liard. That's a loss of 60-70 jobs for the NWT, according to Canvin.

Antoine said the potential for natural gas development in the NWT is enormous -- with estimates as high as 60 trillion cubic feet in its reservoirs, he remarked -- but opening the land for exploration and development is something the First Nations have to be involved in.

Rita Cli, chief of the Liidlii Kue First Nation, said Acho Dene Koe Chief Harry Deneron told her that although he has been successful creating jobs in Fort Liard, he has "lost out" on long-term benefits because those go into federal government coffers.

"That's why he's spearheading this (aboriginal pipeline group) to make sure we do it right and everybody benefits," Cli said.

She added the fresh water in the Deh Cho is more precious than the oil and gas so it must be protected first and foremost.