INUVIK - Aboriginal leaders made clear their support for the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline project last week.

Inuvialuit Regional Corporation CEO Nellie Cournoyea and outgoing Gwich'in president Fred Carmichael spoke at the opening ceremonies for the Inuvik Petroleum Show last week.

Inuvialuit Regional Corporation CEO Nellie Cournoyea participated in the opening ceremonies at last week's petroleum show. She and outgoing Gwich'in Tribal Council president Fred Carmichael spoke about the importance of the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline to the North. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Both spoke about their passion for the North and their shared vision of development through the continuation of the pipeline project.

"We all need to take action," said Carmichael.

"This is a call to anyone who is interested, for them to speak up and make their voice heard at any opportunity."

He said supporters of the project should stay committed and voice their concerns about delays caused by the Joint Review Panel (JRP).

"We need to tell the JRP that this needs to be done sooner than later," he said.

Carmichael added that the JRP may not recognize that people are depending on the project to go through.

"The JRP needs to realize that people are on the verge of losing their businesses, their homes and their jobs," he said.

"Let's make our voices heard and get the Joint Review Panel moving."

He also said people need to stop relying so heavily on government for jobs and opportunities.

"We need to show the rest of the country that we don't need to rely solely on government jobs," he said.

"We are tired of the current system and our dependency on government jobs in the North.

"We want to be like everyone else and build our business and take on jobs outside the government."

He said now is the time to take action and push for the pipeline.

"My friends, I can't say this strong enough, we need to get together and make this happen," he said.

Cournoyea spoke about the need to stay positive about the project.

"If you don't do something, nothing will happen," she said.

She also spoke about the delays in the process of the Joint Review Panel.

"We were told that the JRP was to be hands off, to let them do their business," she said. "Well, we were hands off and it didn't work."

She said her concerns stem from the promises of continuing studies announced by interest groups in the project.

"You hear them talking about taking time for studies, but nothing comes from it, absolutely nothing," she said.

She said the recent announcement of an exploration bid in the Beaufort Sea is good, because it stirs interest in the region.

"It might not be directly related to the pipeline, but it has people looking this way," she said.

She also said it is important aboriginal groups have control over the process and lead the project in their own way.

"We want to take part in development, too, but we want to be in control and not have to listen to someone else tell us how to do things," she said.