Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 04/99) - It will take $6 million to set up a new corporation dedicated to non-renewable resource development, a consultant hired to create the plan said.

"Current programs do not recognize the strategic importance of mining, oil and gas," Don Ference, president of Ference Weiker and Company, said. His Vancouver-based firm has evaluated over 100 economic development agreements.

"Why do we need another program? The current roster lacks a non-renewable resource focus. The current focus is all things to all people," he said.

"Past economic development agreements have not worked and have been short-lived."

Ference suggests the corporation be funded $6 million a year over a 10-year period. This would have to be new funding from government or other sources.

His report, presented Wednesday at the second joint aboriginal-industry conference at the Explorer Hotel, follows last year's forum which concluded there was a need for a new approach. Last year's meeting stemmed from Indian Affairs and Northern Development Minister Jane Stewart's challenge to come up with a plan.

The proposed new nine-member committee would include equal representation from government, industry and aboriginal groups. A CEO and three other staff would make up the rest of the program's structure.

"No other industry is capable of generating so many jobs in the NWT and Nunavut in the next 10 years. That's why it's such an important one," Ferrence added.

Citing 1997 figures, Ference said the North's minerals industry is worth $694.4 million while oil and gas is worth $292.5 million.

"No other industry is capable of generating such a large number of jobs."

Following Ference's presentation, Ruby McDonald, president of the Sahtu Secretariat, said any new processes must take into account the Sahtu land claim and the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act.

Larry Tourangeau, with Sahtu Oil, raised a concern about how aboriginal representatives would be appointed to the proposed committee.

"I couldn't understand why DIAND is appointing aboriginal people. Why can't aboriginal people appoint their own," he said.

Lorne Tricoteax, DIAND associate regional director general, said he did not know were the suggestion came from.

"That's not the way we do business," he said.