Yellowknife (May 06/05) - Despite a letter from Xah Ndah Resources requesting that Village council negotiate $60,000 in tipping fees from Enbridge Pipelines (NW) Ltd., Mayor Raymond Michaud insisted that the garbage contractor is not owed any revenues for storage of Enbridge's hazardous waste.

"He (Xah Ndah vice president and manager Eric Menicoche) can take legal action if he thinks otherwise," Michaud said at Monday's council meeting.

Deputy mayor Dennis Nelner replied, "So we're going to incur these legal costs even though we know we are wrong?"

Michaud said any further discussion should take place in camera since it may be a legal issue.

Students shortchanged

The village will only receive funding for one summer student due to a budget cutback by the territorial department of Education, Culture and Employment. The funding available to the municipality this year amounts to $2,625. Between 2000 and 2004, the summer student funding range was $10,501-$19,268. In a letter to the GNWT, Mayor Raymond Michaud stated that eight students may consequently be "on the streets" instead of working this summer.

Bring on the pipeline

Like other tax-based municipalities in the NWT, the Village of Fort Simpson has sent a letter in support of a proposed Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline to Andy Scott, minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The letter makes reference to anticipated economic benefits from the project itself in addition to the subsequent exploration and development throughout the Mackenzie Valley. The village is urging the federal government to quickly resolve all outstanding issues related to the Mackenzie Gas Project. There is also mention of the federal and territorial governments' responsibility to adequately address environmental, social and community infrastructure concerns.