Kakfwi warns door may close on aboriginal support

Gary Park

PNA Canadian Correspondent

Northwest Territories Premier Stephen Kakfwi has again turned up the heat on the Canadian government, warning that aboriginal backing of Arctic gas projects will evaporate unless his region gets C$200 million in federal economic aid.

He said the Northwest Territories won’t be “so openly supportive of large-scale development” without federal help to improve roads and money for skills training, social services and health programs.

“I don’t want that to happen,” he told reporters Feb. 5 as he continued his lobbying for funds to help transform the Northwest Territories into a region that is more friendly towards resource industries.

He said Northwest Territories residents are unhappy that all royalties from the resource sector are channeled to the Canadian government, which funds about 75 percent of the Northwest Territories’ budget.

“Most of the communities are in support of oil and gas and diamond mines and pipelines,” Kakfwi said.

But there has to be evidence that the government is “not just sucking money out of here,” otherwise it will be difficult to sustain the present positive aboriginal support for pipeline projects.

He said it’s time for Prime Minister Jean Chretien, who has endorsed the concept of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline for 30 years, to give more tangible evidence of his position.

“When you hesitate, sometimes the door closes before you get off your butt and you lose your opportunity,” he said.