Thursday, January 26, 2006
Better Days
Pretty exciting times in our little town these days.
The NEB (National Energy Board) is in town holding public hearings on the proposed, Mackenzie Valley Pipeline. Well it's exciting if your idea of fun is sitting and listening to technical report after report, spitting out figures and statistics ad nauseum. Still at least something is happening and there might come a time when we actually have an economy instead of sucking off the government teat whilst the carrot of prosperity is dangled just out of our reach.
Thirty years ago, Justice Berger, recommened a moratorium on oil and gas development giving native groups time to settle land claims and, basically, get their shit together. In 1986 COPE made a land mark settlement with the Canadian Government, and the Inuvialuit Development Corporation was born. The Gwich'in followed suit. Since then the Inuvialuit and the Gwich'in have both expanded their business interests for their recipients. And now they'd like to reap the benefits of the natural resources on their land, on their terms.
Many in the south hold the view that the entire north should be held inviolate, become lika a national park for... well I'm not sure why they want to make it a national park. The phrase, 'preserved for future generations' is often bandied about, but that seems misleading because they sure don't want people up here. (at least not the wrong kind of people). To me it smacks of the same old paternalism. Only now it's couched in environmental concern. (can't come right out and say the natives need protecting from themselves now can they?)
And what of the future of northern generations? What are their prospects if we don't get some prosperity in the region? Yes traditional lifestyles are important and I know both groups are working hard to preserve their cultures, but as their leaders have proven very well, traditional lifestyle doesn't have to be sacrificed for modern careers. Now with access to internet and the world, our young people see, as never before, the opportunities that can be available to them. But if the interest groups in the south have their way, the only choices our young people will have are traditional, welfare, or oh yeah, move to the south.
Gosh. okay that was my social commentary for the year. Cheers
X
The NEB (National Energy Board) is in town holding public hearings on the proposed, Mackenzie Valley Pipeline. Well it's exciting if your idea of fun is sitting and listening to technical report after report, spitting out figures and statistics ad nauseum. Still at least something is happening and there might come a time when we actually have an economy instead of sucking off the government teat whilst the carrot of prosperity is dangled just out of our reach.
Thirty years ago, Justice Berger, recommened a moratorium on oil and gas development giving native groups time to settle land claims and, basically, get their shit together. In 1986 COPE made a land mark settlement with the Canadian Government, and the Inuvialuit Development Corporation was born. The Gwich'in followed suit. Since then the Inuvialuit and the Gwich'in have both expanded their business interests for their recipients. And now they'd like to reap the benefits of the natural resources on their land, on their terms.
Many in the south hold the view that the entire north should be held inviolate, become lika a national park for... well I'm not sure why they want to make it a national park. The phrase, 'preserved for future generations' is often bandied about, but that seems misleading because they sure don't want people up here. (at least not the wrong kind of people). To me it smacks of the same old paternalism. Only now it's couched in environmental concern. (can't come right out and say the natives need protecting from themselves now can they?)
And what of the future of northern generations? What are their prospects if we don't get some prosperity in the region? Yes traditional lifestyles are important and I know both groups are working hard to preserve their cultures, but as their leaders have proven very well, traditional lifestyle doesn't have to be sacrificed for modern careers. Now with access to internet and the world, our young people see, as never before, the opportunities that can be available to them. But if the interest groups in the south have their way, the only choices our young people will have are traditional, welfare, or oh yeah, move to the south.
Gosh. okay that was my social commentary for the year. Cheers
X
