Thorunn Howatt
Northern News Services

Rae (Sep 23/02) - The new Rae-Edzo Airport is a symbol of the community's independent push into the successful business world.

"I can remember talk about building an airport 25 years ago," said elder Joe Migwi. But Rae is connected to Yellowknife with a highway, so the airport project was always stalled.

So with a $50,000 start from Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., Dogrib leaders decided to build a life line themselves -- with or without the blessing of the territorial government. Now the community of Rae Band owns the airport.

"It was all done by fundraising by the Dogrib Rae Band," said Behcho Ko Corporation's George Mackenzie. Rae Band companies donated free hours and labourers in a Diavik training project operated the heavy equipment to help cut down the $3-million cost of the 3,300-foot airstrip.

"We are the largest Dene community in the Northwest Territories and we are the only community that did not have and airport," said Mackenzie. But now that's changed.

The airstrip will service the communities of Edzo and Rae. The federal government was one of biggest cash supporters. Diavik's initial contribution came in 1998 and helped the band work towards equity funding.

The private airport is just one example of the entrepreneurial spirit in the region. Last June the Rae Band incorporated seven businesses into Behcho Ko Corporation. The band's revenues were totalling more than $35 million annually.

The corporation's leadership is made up of two chief officers and a board of 12 directors -- the band chief, two councillors, six band members and three outside members from the industry sector.

The Dogrib Region is home to BHP Billiton's Ekati diamond mine and the under-construction Diavik diamond mine. The Dogrib people have formed valuable business relationships with the mining companies toward improving their community infrastructure, jobs and training.

Both Ekati and Diavik have employees from Rae and Edzo but transportation was always a hassle. The workers had to fly to the mines from Yellowknife -- enduring a gruelling ride down the famous 75 kilometres of very-rough Rae road.

"You can now have flights originating in Rae and travelling up to all the communities," said Diavik's Eric Christensen.

It is now also a natural step for the Rae Band to get into the aviation industry.

Dogrib Grand Chief Joe Rabesca always said, "We want to fly Dogrib people in Dogrib airplanes to a Dogrib airport."

A deal to form a new joint venture airline is in the works with Air Tindi. The business will be called Tli Cho Air.

"Right now we have an agreement. We are in the development stages of building a business plan," said Air Tindi's Peter Arychuk.

Tli Cho will be 52 per cent owned by Dogrib Communities and 48 per cent by Air Tindi.

It's fitting -- Tindi means "big water" in Dogrib language.

"We would certainly like to see Tli Cho Air bringing Diavik employees out to the site," said Diavik's Phil du Toit.

Now that the airport is finished and planes are landing, there's another obstacle in its path. Unlike a government-owned strip, the Rae-Edzo facility won't get cash for everyday, on-going operations. About 150 people braved the rain to see a plane break through a ribbon last week on the new runway. Mackenzie ended the day's celebrations by pointing out how many of the airport's facilities were donated.

"We want to let the public know that if they want to land their business charters they have to go through Rae Band for landing fees," said Mackenzie adding that, after all, it is a private airport and has to be maintained through private funding.