Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 9, 2008

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Premier Floyd Roland has told representatives of the United States that some of its decisions negatively affect the NWT.

The forum was last month's 2008 Western Premiers Conference, which was attended by U.S. ambassador David Wilkins and Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal, the chair of the Western Governors' Association.

In particular, Roland told attendants of the May 28 to 30 conference in Prince Albert, Sask., that Washington's recent decision to list polar bears as a threatened species will hurt the North.

"Their decisions can have negative impacts on our communities," Roland said last week.

The polar bear listing decision stands to negatively impact Northern communities that play host to American hunters. As a result of the listing, those hunters would not be able to take polar bear trophies back to the U.S.

Roland said polar bear populations are healthy and a good management strategy is in place.

"They didn't dispute what we said," Roland said of his comments to the ambassador and governor.

However, he added there was no indication the U.S. would reconsider listing polar bears as a threatened species.

Roland said the federal government was not being ignored by the conference in its contacts with American officials.

"I don't believe it's established to try to bypass the federal government," he said.

Instead, he said the conference builds on close working relationships already existing between the western U.S. and western Canada.

Roland, who was attending his first Western Premiers Conference, secured support for the NWT's priority issues.

They include infrastructure such as a Mackenzie Valley highway, energy, healthcare and economic development.

He told the premiers that investment in Northern transportation corridors will help reduce the cost of living and encourage economic growth, while helping to assert Canada's Northern sovereignty.

Roland said Canada needs to pay more attention to "the race to resources" under the seabed and its impact on sovereignty.

"We'll play our part with sustainable communities," he said.

The premier believes thriving communities which use the land every day underscore Canada's assertion to sovereignty over Northern lands and resources.

The western premiers recognized the economic development of the territories is critical to Canada's future.

They called on the federal government to work with the territories on infrastructure priorities, specifically citing a Mackenzie Valley highway as a critical project to unlock economic potential.

Roland appreciated the support of the western premiers.

"I am pleased that all western premiers recognize the many economic opportunities in the Northwest Territories, and the important economic role the Northwest Territories can plan in Canada's future," he said.