Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services
Hay River (Aug 13/01) - Sacred sites, traplines and campsites will be as much a part of a technology embraced within a new joint venture as the placement of a gas-filled pipeline.
 Pat Martel |
"Over the last two years we've been building relationships with First Nations," said Greenpipe spokesperson Steve Lemon. "We see a number of potential customers."
Pipecraft is a geographical information system-based tool. It was developed by Greenpipe for use in the pipeline integrity engineering area and provides comprehensive risk-based analysis of pipeline activities and exposures.
Lemon explained his company is preparing for a proposed Mackenzie Valley Pipeline. First Nations will hold a 51 per cent majority in the joint venture.
"It's a number in the sand. Now it's in the lawyer's hands to turn it into a legal document," he said.
In the meantime, the group is using its technology on current projects.
Lemon described the product created by Pipecraft software as layers of maps showing every component as a digital layer of an area -- roads, traplines, campsites, sacred sites, and buildings.
Three divisions would show cultural, traditional and proposed developments.
"Say there was a pipeline. We would look at who and what would be affected," said Lemon.
Members of a community can come and view a display and make development decisions based on an understanding of an analyzed impact.
"If someone comes onto our traditional lands and proposes development then I can advise my community," said Lyle Fabian, a First Nations member and computer technician.
"Right now we have a language barrier, not only with industry but with the elders," said Fabian.
He explained how the documents will display a detail of proposed development in relation to the land.
"I'll show the elders, 'This is the proposed development. What do you think?'"
He has already had a few trial runs where elders were amazed with the results.
"They were so amazed by this. In their own language they would say, 'I can see my own bed.'"
Greenpipe would like to form similar joint ventures with other communities and it's banking on the fact that there is a requirement by the National Energy Board to obtain community-based knowledge when applying for a pipeline. Greenpipe will license the Pipecraft software to joint venture partners.
The company needs a developer to apply for a pipeline project though, before it sees any work.
"None of them are really saying anything yet so we don't have a customer."
