Terry Halifax
Northern News Services
Fort Smith (Apr 16/01) - For many years, Fort Smith was the seat of government operations for the NWT and it was expected by many to become the capital city, but in 1967 the prize went to Yellowknife.
Left out of the oil and gas and mineral resource boom, Fort Smith has been the perpetual bride's maid. Mayor Peter Martselos expects to see that change for the pretty town by the Slave River.
"Fort Smith is going to do well in the future, but we're going to have to work together," he said.
A road south to Fort Vermillion, hydro expansion and a paved Highway 5 are all possibilities for the town.
The short-cut south to Fort Vermilion has been a project Martselos has been campaigning hard for and he says he ran for another term largely to see it through.
He wants to see new jobs for the town's youth and with a recent posting for job training, they drew 60 applications from Fort Smith's unemployed. He feels part of that could be absorbed through the secondary diamond industry.
"The diamond facility is something we've been working on for a number of years," he said. "I hope one day we can have that here in town, because we have the workforce available."
As the headquarters for Aurora College, Martselos says jewelry making could also be a key industry for the town.
"I want to do the three things together, the training at Aurora College, the diamond polishing, the jewelry making," he said.
The department of transportation has committed to chip sealing the road into Smith, which will be a boost to the town's tourism strategy.
"Knowing the road is good, they are going to tell their friends and it will create more opportunities for Fort Smith," he said.
The GNWT has declared an interest in upgrading the Talston hydro project, which could bring an estimated $100 million of construction money into town.
"This is an opportunity for everybody; not just for Fort Smith, but for the aboriginal groups too," he said. "The project is big enough to give an economic boost to Fort Smith and everybody involved in this project."
Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger, said the proposed project at Talston will cost between $800 million to $1.4 billion to upgrade the system to 200 megawatts. He sees the project as a great boon to his constituents. Miltenberger said the government's visit to Smith confirms their commitment to explore the hydro project.
"(The GNWT) want to move this along, they've got the initial study, now let's work together and check it out," Miltenberger said. "It's a great idea, but now we need some more detail."
Wood Buffalo National Park
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to some of the most unique wildlife in the world, Wood Buffalo National Park is a natural wonder that draws hundreds of tourists each year to visit.
Often criticized by the people who live there as being Canada's park, but not a people's park, Superintendent Josie Weninger, says that's all about to change with a new strategy.
"Historically there has been some changes that helped to create that image and part of it was the change from the socio-economic mandate with DIAND to more of a protection mandate with Parks Canada," Weninger said. "We've really been putting an emphasis on changing how we're working with local people."
She said Parks Canada is changing the way management plans are drafted. Now, they start with community consultation on a series of issue papers. Once issues have been raised by the public and discussed, the first draft is roughed out for another consultation with the public.
Changes are made according to input to the plan and the draft is brought forward for more open house consultation with the public. If everyone is in agreement, the management plan is put into practice.
"Local people have been asking for the ability to provide input into decision making for years," she said. "This is a way of actively demonstrating that."
The park has also worked hard to employ and work with First Nation people Weninger said.
"In our business plan approximately a year-and-a-half ago, we had a 48 per cent target of hiring aboriginal people," she said. "By my own personal knowledge, we are at approximately 73 per cent."
