Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 17/02) - A dispute between two competing outfitters on the north arm is contributing to the conflict over establishment of a new lodge at Whitebeach Point.

Ragnar Wesstrom co-owns the only existing lodge on the North Arm. Famed for the trophy pike fishing it offers guests, Trout Rock Lodge is 14 kilometres from where Gary Jaeb is proposing to build the new True North Safaris' lodge.

"If they allow this, they're going to set a new precedent," Wesstrom said.

"We're going to have him in our backyard. And we're selling wilderness, we're not selling the Ontario scenario, where there's boats everywhere."

Jaeb said Wesstrom fomented opposition to his proposal at a public meeting held in Ndilo in December.

The NWT outfitters regulations prohibit any outfitter from allowing guests within 40 shoreline kilometres of another tourist establishment.

Wesstrom waived that restriction when he was granted an outfitters licence in 1993, two years after Jaeb received his.

But Wesstrom said the NWT tourism establishment licence regulations also include a restriction on constructing lodges that would compete with existing lodges.

Wesstrom said he has never waived his right to that protection.

An official with the territorial department responsible for licensing tourism establishments said he is unaware of any such provision in those regulations.

Both men are affiliated by marriage with the First Nations on opposite sides of the boundary dispute, Wesstrom with the Treaty 8 and Jaeb with Treaty 11.

Wesstrom said he lays blame for the dispute on the territorial and federal governments, which are responsible for approving applications to establish tourism lodges.