[IPSM] Deh Cho being sidelined by DIAND

[Macdonald Stainsby]

Minister won't seek unanimous support for pipeline
Last updated Apr 21 2006 09:00 AM CDT

CBC News North

The federal government is determined to have the Mackenzie Valley 
pipeline move forward – with or without the support of the Deh Cho 
people, Indian and Northern Affairs Minister Jim Prentice says.

Prentice underlined his support for the proposed $7-billion megaproject 
at a news conference in Yellowknife Thursday afternoon.

The Deh Cho leadership doesn't support the pipeline, the Aboriginal 
Pipeline Group or the environmental assessment now underway on the project.

     * FROM JULY 11, 2005: Deh Cho to drop Mackenzie Valley pipeline 
lawsuits

Prentice said the government isn't prepared to wait for every region to 
come out in support of the pipeline.

"At the end of the day we're hoping the aboriginal communities of the 
North will be unanimous in supporting the project," he said. "We hope 
that unanimity is possible, but at the end of the day we'll be searching 
for a route forward that is supported by a majority of the people in the 
North."

"Stay tuned" on socio-economic fund

The new Conservative government is also not making a firm commitment to 
the $500-million social impact fund negotiated by the previous government.

The Liberals promised the money to communities along the proposed 
pipeline route to battle problems that often accompany development, such 
as drug and alcohol abuse.

The fund was part of a series of measures the Liberal government 
undertook that prompted Imperial Oil to begin to move again on the 
project, which had been frozen because of demands for compensation from 
communities.

The company had complained that aboriginal communities along the 
Mackenzie River are asking for help that is the government's job to provide.

However, the fund didn't make it into a budget or into legislation 
before the last election. Prentice wouldn't say whether the Conservative 
government is going to pick up where its Liberal predecessor left off.

"In concept we are supportive of the socio-economic idea that resulted 
from discussions between Imperial Oil and the previous government," he said.
-- 
Macdonald Stainsby
http://independentmedia.ca/survivingcanada
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
In the contradiction lies the hope
    --Bertholt Brecht.