Planning for northern development gets underway

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Chiefs from three Denesuline communities met with Premier Roy Romanow recently to discuss the province's strategy for economic development and diversification in the north. But before they signed on with other band and municipal leaders in supporting the northern strategy, the chiefs used the opportunity to underline concerns in their home communities.

At a meeting in La Ronge in May, northern leaders signed a memorandum of agreement supporting the goals of the northern strategy.

In June, the premier, Minister of Economic Development Janice McKinnon, and Northern Affairs Minister Keith Goulet, met in Wollaston Lake with chiefs from the Fond du Lac, Black Lake and Hatchet Lake bands, as well as representatives of the Prince Albert Grand Council. The Dene chiefs had opted out of the previous round of consultations to study the proposal.

Chief Emil Hansen of the host Hatchet Lake band, said getting a road built up to his community of 1,200 residents is the band's first priority.

"This is one of only two communities in Saskatchewan over 1,000 people that doesn't have a road going to it," Hansen said. "And they're building a road to Black Lake."

Freight costs to the community have become prohibitive, Hansen said. During freeze-up and spring thaw all goods must be flown into Wollaston Lake, and an ice road is used during the winter. In summer, goods are barged across the lake. "We're so isolated here," Hansen said.

Add to that the stress caused by the community's growth rate (6.6 per cent a year) and there will be a problem, he said.

The community will double within 11 years, and could grow to 5,000 people in 20 years at the present growth rate, he said.

Reducing the band's high unemployment rate is also a majority priority.

"That's what we want to do, is get more training projects so we can get more people working," said Hansen

Other issues brought up at the meeting included pushing for co-management of traditional lands and natural resources beyond band boundaries.

As well, the chiefs want to ensure development and mineral exploration will be managed in accordance with their concerns.

Now that the agreement has been reached with the three Dene chiefs, an interim northern development board will take that agreement, along with $150,000 from the province, and begin to look at what areas of the northern economy can be expanded and diversified.

The board will also petition Ottawa to become a partner in the northern strategy.

"With the agreement in Wollaston Lake, that really is the starting gun for the province to implement the northern strategy," Cousins said. The northern strategy steering committee will be meeting in July to form an interim Northern Development Board made up of representatives from First Nations, the Metis Nation, northern municipalities and the provincial government.

Once an agreement is made with Ottawa, a permanent Northern Development Board, including a representative from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, will be formed.