Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jan 27/99) - Despite a friendly discussion last week, Yellowknife and Rae-Edzo are still heading in opposite directions on the road to resources.

"I will not move on my stance -- it has to come through Rae-Edzo," said that community's mayor, Fred Behrens. "And unfortunately Yellowknife won't move on theirs."

The departure point for a road to the mineral-rich Barrenlands 400-500 kilometres north of Yellowknife was the main issue discussed Friday during an official visit -- Behrens said it was the first of its kind -- by Yellowknife mayor Dave Lovell and councillors Cheryl Best and Dave Ramsay.

Behrens said he was not convinced by arguments the Yellowknife contingent made against the road, which is still in the study stages, leaving Rae-Edzo.

"The biggest fear they have is if we have a road to mining resources going from here, why would anyone want to go to Yellowknife?" said Behrens.

"That just doesn't make sense. Yellowknife is the capital and people want to go to the capital and see the legislative assembly and see Yellowknife. Just because we have a road, doesn't mean the traffic's going to stop."

Lovell said history has shown that's exactly what will happen. The Yellowknife mayor said shifts in modes of transportation were behind shifts in population and power from Fort Smith to Hay River, then from Hay River to Yellowknife. The same factors caused Whitehorse to replace Dawson as the Yukon's biggest city, said Lovell.

"(Trucks) will never come through Yellowknife if the road goes north from Rae," said Lovell.

If Rae is the departure point Hay River would be the logical place to marshall supplies and get ready for the last stretch to the mines, said Lovell. Yellowknife will provide those services if the road leaves from here, said the mayor.

The day before Lovell and councillors Best and Ramsay attended the meeting, Hay River mayor Jack Rowe was in Rae discussing the roads issue with Behrens.

Hay River supports Rae over Yellowknife as the departure point for any road to resources built.

The department of transportation, which is studying the prospect of building a road to the resource-rich Barrenlands, is hosting a public meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at Northern United Place to discuss environmental concerns surrounding the project.