Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 22/99) - David Connelly has been hired by CAW Local 2304 to devise ways to mitigate job loss.

The ILE Royale consultant said he will be looking at every option available to keep Giant workers in the North.

"The union has asked me to explore with business groups, aboriginal groups, governments and community groups whether there is a way to create some benefits out of the adversity that they, the community, and the NWT are facing," Connelly said.

With 280 Giant workers facing unemployment, Connelly admits his task is huge.

"It's very early in the process to guess what form solutions may take, but some community businesses and government leaders have suggested that accelerating or implementing a major infrastructure project might bring benefits to the territory as a whole, while keeping the skilled trades people, heavy equipment operators and miners in the North until Diavik or other mine opportunities commence," Connelly said.

An example of infrastructure acceleration might be to turn the road paving project to Rae-Edzo into a two-year project instead of a 10-year project as it is planned right now.

"Any proposal is going to have to encourage open and creative thinking on the part of a number of interest groups in a short time frame," Connelly said.

"It's up to each of these groups to try and find a solution that helps each of them achieve their objectives as well as the objectives of the territory as a whole."

Connelly is the first to point out it's not going to be easy.

"Something like this hasn't been done before and there is absolutely no certainty for success -- but adversity is not a reason to stop trying," Connelly said.

"The well-being of individuals and the community is at stake."