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Dust in the wind

Yose Cormier
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (June 23/03) - It's a dusty situation and Steven Nitah wants that changed.

Nitah, Tu Nedhe MLA, addressed the legislative assembly and said the government needs to do something about the dust in smaller communities.

"It is obvious to me that this government does not put too much value on the health of the people of the Northwest Territories," said Nitah.

The government is dealing with the dust issue in some communities, but not all.

"The long-term plan is to have chip-sealing or some form of dust control in all communities.

"However, we have not identified future funding yet," said MACA minister Vince Steen.

The funding so far is $1 million a year over five years, but not all communities are identified under that program.

The funding is from the Financial Management Board Secretariat.

"This is a preventive measure we are talking about, but we are only putting in $1 million a year," said Nitah.

The five-year plan covers Kakisa, Hay River Reserve, Fort Providence, Enterprise, Tsiigehtchic, Aklavik, For McPherson, Wrigley, Fort Liard, Edzo, Tuktoyaktuk, Tulita, Fort Good Hope, Fort Resolution and Dettah.

Fishy situation

Meanwhile, the fish stock stability has communities on the south side of Great Slave Lake asking questions.

"The concern . . . is that we don't really know how stable they are.

"The reports seem to be inconsistent," said Deh Cho MLA Michael McLeod.

He was also concerned that there seems to be no closed season on fishing.

The minister for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Jim Antoine, is looking into both situations.

In other Legislative Assembly business:

The cost of fuel in the North is starting to irk the Inuvik Boot Lake MLA and his constituents.

"That issue alone has only stirred it up amongst constituents about what we're getting for our dollars and why the continued increases," said Floyd Roland.

The MLA said he has been approached by some of his constituents who have seen their bills more than double recently.

He is also concerned over the news that natural gas prices in Inuvik jumped 45 per cent.

Roland has approached the Public Utilities Board over that matter and is waiting to hear from them.

Fuel shortage

Lutsel K'e is short of fuel and the local MLA isn't happy about that.

"The community is running out of fuel.

"The community is rationing the fuel for the water and sewage truck only," said Tu Nedhe MLA Steven Nitah.

The department of municipal and community affairs (MACA) is aware of the situation and are attempting to rectify it.

In the past, MACA minister Vince Steen said, the tanks never had to be filled to full capacity and so it wasn't done this year.

"We weren't expecting this much consumption," he said.

"We are evaluating the best way to bring the fuel in," said Steen.