|
The Mackenzie Gas Project is committed to working together
with aboriginal and non-aboriginal residents in northern communities,
and with other Canadians, to develop and implement benefits
plans. These are being developed with organizations and communities
in the Mackenzie Delta and Mackenzie Valley.
These plans will identify opportunities for aboriginal and
non-aboriginal participation in all phases of the Project.
They will:
- Identify employment and business opportunities
- Build the capacity of local people and businesses through
educational and technical training programs
The Memorandum
of Understanding (MOU) signed in October 2001 contains
principles for developing and establishing the benefits plans,
and for establishing related arrangements. These principles
will be used for developing regional benefits plans. Our objective
is to make sure these regional benefits plans are consistent,
equitable and effective.
A major objective of the MOU was to ensure that the Mackenzie
Valley Pipeline is constructed and operated in a way that
will give significant economic benefits to northerners. It
also recognizes that the Project must be economically viable
and designed and approved in a reasonably timely manner.
The Mackenzie Gas Project benefits plans will provide aboriginal
and non-aboriginal northerners and other Canadian workers
and businesses with full and equitable opportunities to work
on the Project. A benefits agreement identifies the principles,
strategies and tactics that will be followed to provide economic
opportunities for those people most affected by a Project.
The benefits agreements will provide the basis for opportunities
for local businesses to supply goods and services used in
the construction and operations of the Project. They will
make sure qualified people and groups can compete equitably.
Benefits agreements are contracts. They usually describe
how contracting and employment decisions will be made. They
are often negotiated together with land
access agreements.
At this time, while discussions are still active, agreements have been signed and executed for northern Aboriginal communities along the pipeline route except the Deh Cho.
back | top
|
