Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (June 17/02) - Speaking at the first public consultation meeting held by the Mackenzie Valley gas pipeline group, Gwich'in leader Fred Carmichael tried to smooth over a rift that has developed over Gwich'in participation in the proposal.

The president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council said aboriginal leaders along the Mackenzie Valley supported the Aboriginal Pipeline Group (APG) project because they want to get maximum opportunities and benefits for their people.

"We believed in this project -- we still believe in this project," he said. "We're convinced this is a good project for our people."

Although the Gwich'in Tribal Council and its member groups signed a memorandum of agreement with the producer group last year, Nihtat Gwich'in Council president James Firth has thrown his support behind the competing ArctiGas proposal, which would be 100 per cent aboriginal-owned.

On June 10, Firth wrote a letter to APG chair Nellie Cournoyea saying that the Inuvik Gwich'in have reviewed the plan and found it unacceptable.

When asked about Firth's position, Carmichael chose his words carefully, saying the tribal council is considering both proposals and has hired an independent business consultant to review them.

"Chief Firth and myself, we both want the best for our people," Carmichael said. "My mandate from my board of governors -- and the Gwich'in Tribal Council represents all Gwich'in beneficiaries -- is to make sure we choose the best deal for the Gwich'in."

Well-attended meeting

More than 50 people attended the public consultation meeting, organized by the Aboriginal Pipeline Group and its industrial partners Esso Imperial Oil, Conoco, Shell Canada and ExxonMobil.

Stressing that the project is still at an early stage, David Meads of Imperial Oil presented an outline of the planning process, and what has been proposed so far.

The group wants to build a $3-billion pipeline to connect Mackenzie Delta gas to existing pipes in northern Alberta. The decision to build will not be made for another three to four years, Meads said. First, the group needs to complete the regulatory process, and get commitments from the other producers shipping gas in the pipeline.

Mead's talk was followed by a presentation by Cournoyea about APG's activities. She said the types of skills and labour required for pipeline work are being itemized to give aboriginal people enough lead time to prepare and take advantage of the expected opportunities to come.

The conglomerate of aboriginal groups is working on a business plan, with the help of former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed. The APG will take the business plan to the federal government to request $70 million in funding to allow them to proceed with the project definition stage.

"We haven't made the request yet, because we want (the feds) to have time to consider the plan," Cournoyea said after the meeting. "We're very close to the final draft of the business plan. We have some very professional people working on it."

APG wants one-third ownership in the pipeline -- 70 per cent of it share would be borrowed against the shipper contracts, and the remaining 30 per cent would require a government grant or loan guarantee.