The NWT Power Corporation, through its subsidiary NWT Energy, is working with Akaitcho Territory government and Metis Energy Corporation.
Together they have spent $2 million planning a $250 million expansion of the Twin Gorges dam on the Taltson River, and a 500 km power line to three tundra diamond mines.
There has been very little talk about selling power to the larger market in the south as the Taltson partners eye top dollar from mine customers.
Before the partners start rubbing their loonies together, there's a lot of work ahead.
First of all, the financial health of the NTPC must be considered.
In his December 2000 report, Jim Robertson said "NTPC does not have the financial strength to develop large-scale hydro projects."
The territorial government has guaranteed more than $118 million in debt carried by NTPC. In 2003, NTPC reported revenues from power sales of $64.5 million and expenses of $49.5 million. Net book value of its assets was $204 million.
The government says it can't support any more debt without crashing into its $300 million debt wall. NWT taxpayers can't afford to be on the hook for $250 million more debt to power diamond mines. If it's such a good deal, why aren't De Beers, Diavik or BHP Billiton lining up to invest?
Then there are the trappers whose livelihood was hurt in the 1960s when Taltson was first built. Talk of expanding Twin Gorges has re-energized their demand for compensation; a lawsuit is working its way through the courts with the GNWT, federal government and NTPC as defendants. NTPC chair Richard Nerysoo says it's up to the federal government to settle.
Whoever is responsible, that issue must be resolved before any expansion.
Lutsel K'e Dene Band concerns must also be addressed. Premier Joe Handley appears prepared to push a power line through Lutsel K'e territory, despite the band's objections. That's not how things should be done in the NWT.
Then there's the bigger issue of selling power south, a key recommendation of Robertson's report.
Major grids in Alberta and Saskatchewan are less than 300 km from Taltson. It's a shorter distance than the diamond mines, with larger, more secure markets.
Nerysoo is right to say the rewards of such a project are enormous, but wrong to suggest there are no risks. Diamond mine operation depends on geology and world markets, neither of which are exact sciences.
The Akaitcho and Metis can supply the land and water for such a project. The territorial government should work to find private sector money to pay for the development.
If Taltson or other hydro-electric development is not economically viable enough to attract private industry then we're depending on government to turn a profit, something for which it's not known.
The young, bright students out there who pay attention to the world around them, probably feel enormous pressure when they think about being "the future" of Nunavut. That's a pretty tall order.
It must feel as if the weight of the world -- or at least a large chunk of the land mass of Canada -- is placed squarely on their shoulders.
If Nunavut wants to have homegrown leaders ready to take charge in government and other jobs, the business of being a leader definitely needs a new spin.
As it is now, leadership just isn't being sold to the youth properly. It isn't seen as sexy. But how wrong they are!
Even those young people who could handle the pressure are running to the south as fast as they can to become engineers and scientists, journalists and lawyers.
We hope they return to be the leaders of the future, but more can be done here at home. Start with public speaking.
The art of public speaking should be much more important in school than it is now. Tagak Curley should give a seminar to high school students about public speaking, because somewhere along the way he learned that presentation matters if you want to convey a message.
Speaking is sharing. It is also very exciting. What ever happened to the art of speaking?
Having to write an essay on a topic of interest, then having to get up in front of people and present it is an experience every person growing up in Nunavut should be exposed to because Nunavummiut have plenty of important messages to convey.
When you perform a speech, about your life, about your family, about anything that moves you, chances are you are going to move and inspire someone else. That is a powerful thing. It is like being a mini-rock star for a moment; a rapper even, if that's your thing. It is potent stuff, that standing and delivering thing, and it is real.
You can be the most intelligent person in the land, who has learned hard lessons and been informed by both the harshness and beauty of life. But if you cannot communicate those experiences to others with poise and confidence, then your wisdom cannot be shared.
It starts there, with just a spark of "Hey, I can make a difference," and "Hey, what I think and say matters," and "Hey, this speaking stuff is pretty cool."
It spreads out from there until a young leader is not afraid to rise, to debate, to even write books, and to put their stamp on life.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
We here at Kivalliq News have outlined our policy on letters to the editor many times in this space.
Quite simply, a letter must be signed to be published.
Basically, if you have an opinion you deem important enough to be published in a newspaper, it should also be important enough for you to put your name to.
So, letters we receive with no name or contact number for verification never see the light of day.
All that being said, we received a letter and an accompanying document this past week which has us more than a little concerned.
The unsigned letter accuses the Kivalliq News of reprimanding the people of Arviat for not voting for former MLA Kevin O'Brien.
We challenge the letter writer to produce any copy of the Kivalliq News endorsing O'Brien as a candidate of choice in the territorial election.
In fact, our publisher has strict rules against such endorsement, so we suggest the letter writer read the article in question a little more carefully the second time around.
The letter also went on to insinuate Inuit voters have zero tolerance for politicians who break the law.
Considering Nunavut's original house speaker was re-elected as an MLA this past election and the well-documented past of Nanulik's former MLA, we beg to differ.
In light of these facts, we can only assume the letter writer meant zero tolerance for white politicians in Nunavut.
As distasteful as the writer's character attack on O'Brien was, it was not the reason for our concern.
Also included was a copy of the actual RCMP ticket issued to O'Brien this past summer for the unlawful possession of alcohol in a prohibited area, namely Arviat.
The author also faxed us a copy of O'Brien's receipt from the Nunavut Court of Justice for the $215 fine he paid for the offence.
We can't help but wonder what other information he or she has been taking from, we assume, court files, and who else they're passing the information along to.
We shudder to think this could be a court employee, in a position of trust, accessing this documentation to further their own agenda.
Our problem is not with the fact O'Brien broke the law, was convicted and fined.
Such information is a matter of public record for those so inclined to keep up with such things.
However, in this modern age, identity theft and fraudulent financial transactions are all too real.
Original police tickets and/or files often contain personal information such as a full address, driver's licence number, date of birth and, depending on the matter, a social insurance number.
Our poison pen writer could cause significant damage to a person should they persist in leaking such documentation.
Editorial Comment
Jason Unrau
Inuvik Drum
Similar to the "back-seat driver" syndrome or armchair sports commentator, the million-dollar idea haunts the subconscious and tends to rear its particular head when conversation turns to business.
With the recent property purchase and development visibly underway in town, what an appropriate time to share what, perhaps, is not a literal "million dollar idea," but could be worth so much more in other ways.
Inuvik needs a cinema. I am told that it used to have one but now the space is being used for another business -- more profitable than a movie theatre, I am sure.
So with a perfunctory "that's business," this doesn't sound like much of a million dollar idea. For the most part, movie theatres take a lot of space and with the advent of multi-plex movie houses, the days of the small-town theatre have all but vanished.
Nevertheless, wouldn't it be nice to have a movie theatre here. I can almost smell the popcorn and remember the days when the family would take in an afternoon matinee on weekends.
But these sugar plum day-dreams are just that, unless there is a way to set up a theatre at a low cost.
I am starting to become used to seeing the usual pack of kids standing outside the variety store at midnight on a weekday.
"It's been going on for years," a friend told me and I suppose it will carry on this way in the foreseeable future.
Though not naive to believe that a movie theatre would cure this problem, at least it might provide kids with somewhere else to hang out.
Unlike its southern counterparts, Inuvik's theatre would be affordable -- kids 18 and under would only be charged, say, $2.50 admission and family discounts would be given.
As the weather warms up and events such as the petroleum show, arts festival and music festival approach, what better time than to get the show on the road, so to speak, and plan the town's movie theatre.
While there is sure to be great discussion as to where a good place would be not to put the dog pound and homeless shelter, a movie theatre should be a piece of cake.
And what about the building itself? With the family centre set for completion in the fall, the town will have no use for the tent covering the old pool.
The golf club has expressed interest in obtaining the structure to use as its clubhouse. However, a structure that resembles a big-top circus tent is a much more appropriate enclosure for a theatre. We could call our new theatre Circus of the Stars.
What a great way to welcome next winter than snug inside Inuvik's very own theatre. With a box of popcorn in your hands, let the action on screen take you to another place.
And for what dreams are made of, as the coming pipeline has indicated, if you build it, they will come.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
Should First Nations' governments use the regulatory process to further their political agendas?
That's one question that arises as public hearings on a Mackenzie Valley pipeline take centre stage in Fort Simpson next week.
A recent example: aboriginal groups in the Deh Cho essentially convinced regulators to conduct an environmental assessment on Imperial Oil's winter geo-technical program. That delayed the project for a year.
Although the majority of contracts for the geo-technical work had been awarded to First Nations and their partners, Liidlii Kue First Nation Chief Keyna Norwegian expressed public disappointment that the most lucrative contract went to two companies from Hay River.
Norwegian then went on to say that industry seemed to doubt the First Nation's ability to have the geo-technical program called up for a environmental assessment. That is exactly what occurred, and Norwegian said industry should take note that what the First Nations say is what happens.
The message was implicit. Had Imperial Oil played by the rules that the First Nations set out, a crippling delay by environmental assessment wouldn't have been in the cards.
Now the pipeline itself is on the table.
LKFN councillor Dennis Nelner argues that the First Nations need "a hammer," and the regulatory process is that very tool. It's one means to ensure industry recognizes aboriginal authority and negotiates what is seen as a fair deal by all parties, he says.
Roland Semjanovs, of the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board, doesn't take kindly to the idea that his organization is being used as a pawn. If that's how the regulatory process is being used, he invited a representative of any group involved to convey that rationale to the review board.
Barring a candid confession to board members next week, Semjanovs acknowledged that the board cannot question every speaker's motives. In all fairness, the First Nations do submit valid questions and concerns on the environmental front. Absolutely they do. But until self government becomes a reality in the Deh Cho, the regulatory process can be a vehicle for aboriginal groups to leverage their positions.
Regardless of the political battle of wills, the average person should still feel free, if not obliged, to add their two cents at next week's hearings. A project of this magnitude doesn't come along very often (this one has been on the drawing board for the past three decades).
See you there.
For those who read this week's Fort Simpson Village Council briefs package, even though Coun. Owen Rowe's name is prominent it's not a sign of favouritism. He was easily the most vocal of the councillors present on Monday evening. The minutes from the meeting will verify that.
In the March 29 edition of News/North, an article on the Hay River Museum Society incorrectly described activities planned with a $15,000 contribution from the GNWT. The money will not be used to purchase fuel or hire a summer student. News/North regrets the error and apologizes for any inconvenience it may have caused.
An error appeared in the Around the North brief, "NWT goes barbless," (News/North, April 5). The Department of Fisheries and Oceans banned barbed hooks in the NWT, April 1, not barbless hooks. News/North apologizes for any confusion caused by the error.