Jason Unrau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (July 01/05) - The Arctic Indigenous Youth Alliance held two information sessions at Ingamo Hall in Inuvik last week to speak about its anti-pipeline position, which the group plans to present at upcoming Joint Review Panel and National Energy Board hearings as official intervenors.

"We're here to raise awareness for potential impacts of the pipeline," said alliance spokesperson Jenn Sharman before Thursday's meeting.

"People are concerned about social and environmental impacts and the possibility that industry will become the only source of the economy in the NWT."

While alliance literature presents the group's mandate as "Encouraging dialogue between youth and elders and through raising awareness of the environmental, economic, cultural, social, spiritual and health impacts of the proposed gas project," information provided at Thursday afternoon's meeting made it clear that the alliance was against the pipeline.

In a power point presentation, the alliance laid out the arguments against the mega-project, including its potential contribution to global warming and so-far-unproven allegations that Exxon Mobil, majority shareholder of Imperial Oil (lead proponent of the proposed $7 billion pipeline) committed genocide during the course of oil and gas activities in Indonesia.

As for group's ideas for economic development in the NWT in the event the pipeline does not happen, Sharman says the group wants to foster "Sustainable, locally-based businesses" in the areas of traditional arts and crafts and harvesting.

Inuvik resident Ian Butters - one of four people other than the alliance members who attended the meeting - pressed Sharman and her colleague Erin Freeland-Ballantyne, both from Yellowknife, to expand on their ideas for economic alternatives.

"You talk about sustainable development but can you actually show that these people who are opposed to the pipeline can find meaningful employment in traditional harvesting and arts and crafts?" Butters asked.

"Right now we don't have the capacity to do this kind of research," responded Sharman.

Asked for further information to substantiate the organization's claims that Exxon Mobil committed genocide in Indonesia, Sharman said the information was on the Internet.

"Do the research, look it up," she said.

Connie Wright, a reporter for the Inuvialuit Communications Society who attended the meeting wanted to know if the group had informed local leadership of its intentions before coming to speak to the youth of the region.

Sharman said faxes were sent to both the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and Gwich'in Tribal Council, but admitted that no additional communication was made.

After leaving the meeting for a short time, Wright returned to inform the members of alliance of an invitation to present the group's views to local leadership at the council boardroom Friday morning, June 24, at 9 a.m.

"We look forward to that opportunity," Sharman said.

However, alliance members failed to show up at the appointed time.

"If they really felt passionate about their cause, they would've been here to defend their position," said council vice president Mary Ann Ross, who first heard of the group's Inuvik meetings on the CBC at lunch hour Thursday (June 23).

"The GTC does not just go into a community to hold a public meeting without letting local leadership know ahead of time."

Ross went on to say that the council supports the pipeline and would be willing to share its views with alliance representatives regarding the development and ongoing efforts to safeguard the environment and mitigate social impacts.

"If they sat down with Fred (Carmichael, council president and Aboriginal Pipeline Group chair,) he would be able to tell them how he feels," she added.

"He's concerned about losing the pipeline and I'm concerned, too. If we do, we'll never be a proud and independent people (and) we'll go back to depending on the government."