Devolution arrives with Department of Lands, petroleum division employees

Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, April 17, 2014

INUVIK
Visiting and local dignitaries welcomed the new GNWT Department of Lands to Inuvik April 8, along with the petroleum resources division (PRD) of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade.

Those are the immediate effects of the new devolution agreement which came into effect April 1.

Menzie McEachern is one of the nine or so employees in the division. As the director of the PRD, he has a bit of family history in Inuvik and in the energy sector.

McEachern attended Sir Alexander School in Inuvik briefly when his father was working for Gulf Canada in oil and gas exploration in the Beaufort Delta.

"That was a big time for exploration here and Canada was leading in Arctic development technologies," he said. "That's why I was living here as a kid. My dad was one of those folks trying to develop the industry and trying to get things going.

"Unfortunately, here we are one generation later, and we've had lots of exploration, but we are not there yet in terms of production."

The opportunity to help bring those resources online and provide some prosperity to the region is one of the key goals McEachern has for his new position.

"I accepted this job because I have a vision," he said at a reception for the new GNWT workers at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex April 8. "That vision is one of sustainable development.

"I saw an opportunity with devolution, and the quality and magnitude of the resources, to really make a difference."

The time is right now to market those resources nationally and internationally, McEachern said, with no more excuses about the remoteness of the region, while mitigating environmental impacts.

"I'd like to see this town, and the other towns across the NWT, grow in population," he said. "I'd like to be a part of it, and that's why I said goodbye to Alberta and hello to the NWT, and I'm really, really excited to be here.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," he added.

Conrad Baetz, the regional superintendent for the Beaufort Dealta of the new Department of Lands in Inuvik, told the gathering he appreciated the warm welcome.

He said that when discussions began about implementing devolution, opening a new department and providing the opportunity for federal employees to transfer to the GWNT in 18 months, there was "no way it was going to happen."

"Not a chance," he said. "I thought you guys were crazy. But here we are.

"There's been a huge, huge amount of work done," Baetz added. "I'm certain that any challenges we're going to meet and do just fine. There is a great team, and I'm happy to part of it again."

Premier Bob McLeod said that one week into devolution, it showed there had been a "seamless transition" that boded well.