Four articles will be published over the next several days highlighting topics of concern to Yukoners for the Jan. 23 federal election.

The Conservative, Liberal and NDP candidate each had an opportunity to pick a topic to debate with their opponents. The final topic was selected by the Star's editor.

Liberal incumbent Larry Bagnell picked northern economic development as his topic.

In 2004, the governing Liberals turned the spotlight to the North and announced a $90-million Northern Economic Development Fund and the $120-million Northern Strategy.

Meanwhile, the federal government has worked with key economic players to identify priorities and develop territory-specific investment plans for the long-term.

The Liberals have toted their investments in the North as the first-ever 'comprehensive strategy' for the region, that aims not only at fostering sustainable economic and human development, but also strives to protect the environment, sovereignty and promote co-operation.

The hope of the northern economic development programs is to provide federal support to strengthen and diversify the territories' economies and to create projects for first nations, francophones, businesses and territorial and municipal government.

Current federal programs aimed at economic development in the North, include the Northern Economic Development Fund, the Northern Strategy, Community Economic Development Program, Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, Canada-Yukon Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund and Aboriginal Workforce Participation Fund.

Larry Bagnell

'We didn't have a (northern economic) fund when I became MP,' says Liberal incumbent Larry Bagnell. 'There were no regional economic development funds for the North.

'That was one of my objectives and the government did put in $30 million for the Yukon and we have a ($30-million) Northern Economic Development Fund.'

The Liberals have also brought $40 million to the Yukon with the initial payment for the Northern Strategy.

But the two funds are not the only economic development programs being put forth by the Liberals, says Bagnell.

The gas tax has pumped an additional $37 million into Yukon municipalities and first nation governments for the building of sustainable infrastructure, he says.

There's been a $19-million increase in federal transfer payments. Another $1.3 million has been given to first nations for pipeline preparedness.

There will also be an additional $150 million coming to the territories in 2007, International Polar Year, for northern scientific research.

'(Northern economic development) has been a very high priority for me and for the (Liberal) government,' says Bagnell. 'The results you can see in the lowest unemployment rate in recent memory. I think it's one of the big success stories. It's one of the things that really needed change in the Yukon.'

Another $20 million has come to the Yukon through the Strategic Infrastructure Program and other rural focused funding that has been used for projects, such as rebuilding the Alaska Highway, waterfront development, as well as community centres, sewers, airports and bridges in the territory.

'On the infrastructure types of regional development programs, the Conservatives in the past have been on record as being against these types of programs,' says Bagnell.

Federal money going toward sustainable infrastructure in the territory is important, he says, and has been one of the concerns for the Liberals.

Supporting Yukon's smaller and rural communities is also something Bagnell says he has been pushing for in the House of Commons, and he feels getting money to the area has been successful.

'It's important that we continue to do projects in rural Yukon, because it's even harder to get jobs in rural Yukon,' says Bagnell. 'I'm very happy with some of those infrastructure projects that we funded in rural Yukon, because that's created a lot of jobs in those communities.'

The goal is to try to increase jobs in all area of society, he says, including aboriginals, youth employment and people with disabilities. There has also been a Liberal focus on arts and culture funding, he says.

'Having all these people in the economy, of course, helps the economy.'

The Liberal commitment to northern economic development remains a priority, he says. Finance Minister Ralph Goodale has already committed to renewing the infrastructure programs when they run out in a decade.

'(Yukoners) are very happy (the economy) is booming right now, but they would be very concerned if it was not. We need the economy to keep going. A lot less doesn't count if you can't feed your family.'

National Liberal Platform Commitments:

• $40 million for the Northern Strategy in the Yukon

• $37 million in gas tax funding for Yukon cities and communities for sustainable development

• Yukon has received $16 million through Municipal-Rural Infrastructure Fund and an additional $40 million from the Strategic Infrastructure Fund for waterfront development and highway upgrades. These programs will be renewed

• Involving northern residents and governments before investing any significant amount of money from the Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development and the Northern Strategy

Pam Boyde

NDP candidate Pam Boyde says she is concerned northern economic development is hinging on 'megaprojects' such as the Alaska Highway pipeline and the Alaska-Canada rail link.

'Pinning people's hopes on a pipeline or railway that they may never see in their lifetime is wrong,' says Boyde.

This type of direction creates 'huge booms and busts' in the northern economy and results in eventual unemployment and harm to the environment, she says.

'What we need is a strong, vibrant and sustainable economic development.'

Northern economic development should look at ways to protect the environment, such as reclamation strategies, energy-efficient buildings and e-commerce opportunities.

'There are opportunities to generate quite a remarkable economy,' she says.

First nation groups in the territory are entirely under-funded despite programs established through the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, such as the Strategic Investments in Northern Economic Development fund, Targeted Investments Program and the Innovation and Knowledge fund.

Thinking outside of the box and looking at outside opportunities to help ensure the territory has a diversified economy could be a major strategy in providing development opportunities for first nations and the rest of the territory, she says.

The sale of bead work and other traditional crafts by Yukon's first nations, nationally and internationally, could prove to be a major, and sustainable, economic driver, says Boyde.

It's this type of community economic development needs to be embraced as the new direction of sustainable growth, she says.

'This is the best way of making sure that local people control the pace and scale of development so they end up reaping the greatest benefits.'

In the North, there needs to be assurances people living in the territories get their 'fair share' of the prosperity, especially in relation to any projects receiving money from the Northern Economic Development Fund, she says.

The northern economic development funds established through the Liberal government, which include the Northern Strategy, the Northern Oil and Gas Development Fund and the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, 'sound great' but aren't doing much yet, Boyde says.

'You talk to people who are trying to tap into it and they are being bogged down.'

Much of the money isn't even flowing yet, she adds, despite the Liberals making the strategies and focus on the North a key factor in the 2004 budget and Throne Speech.

The structure of the funds, with many requiring federal government approval before programs can go forward, are 'patronizing' and 'colonial', says Boyde.

An NDP government would continue to focus on making investments in the North, she says, but would ensure northerners have a 'real say' in economic development.

'The New Democrats have always supported a sustainable and diversified economy,' she says. 'That is essential if the Yukon is going to become more prosperous and progressive.'

National NDP Platform Commitments:

• Ensuring royalties from resource development in the North are shared fairly

• Ensuring local communities have a 'real say' in development

• Implementing the party's policies on jobs to the benefit of the North

• Continuing with the $5 billion in federal investment commitments to aboriginals to improve education, housing and economic opportunities

• Creating programs and incentives to encourage local transformation of raw materials into marketable products for Canadian and international consumption

Sue Greetham

Conservative candidate Sue Greetham says economic development is vital to any community, but she is concerned about the way in which the federal Liberal government has been providing development funds to the North.

'I would like to ask Yukoners how many of them understand the funds? Understand the process? Who participated in it?'

According to Greetham, the economic development funds Yukoners should be most concerned with are the $30-million Northern Economic Development Fund, which is directed at economic investment and job creation, and the $40 million put toward the Northern Strategy, which will focus on creating partnerships in economic development, protecting the environment, sovereignty, promoting culture and northern research

The process the funds are going through, the consultations around them and the plans for implementation are confusing for Yukoners, she says.

She adds she doesn't agree with the Northern Strategy's method of asking northerners what they'd like to see included in the plan.

'I don't agree with that, really. The reason I don't agree with that is what I call it is a shotgun approach to government,' she says. 'You get better results by providing options with basic principles and detailed methods of being able to facilitate that plan.'

Yukoners are interested in the funds and the money can go a long way to creating healthier communities and a stronger economy in the North, says Greetham, but the population needs to become more educated about how the money is being allocated.

'Yukoners have got to find out how and where these funds are going; to what program, what project, what will be the outcome, what will be the return on the investment?'

The current confusion is at the fault of the Liberals, she says.

'Because there are so many funds, under so many umbrellas, I would like to get it straightened out so that Yukoners understand where the money's coming from.'

The Conservative party would take more of a 'business approach' to any money related to northern economic development, Greetham says.

'A Conservative position always is to have long-term, medium-term and short-term goals, because community development planning is for futures. Current needs are meet, but you really need to know where you are going before you can start handing out, or developing and disturbing, without the plan.'

The Yukon, and much of the North, has been victim of boom and bust economic cycles, with governments focusing on the short-term rather than the long-term, she says.

'Conservatives want long-term, lasting institutions and plans.'

A Conservative government would continue to focus on economic development in the territories because the North is 'extremely valuable to the rest of Canada,' she says.

'I believe that economic development is really the heart of the future in any community. We need to provide opportunities for people and families and kids to grow and proposer.'

National Conservative Platform Commitments:

• Continuing with existing federal infrastructure agreements, including the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund and the Municipal-Rural Infrastructure Fund

• Maintaining the New Deal for Cities and Communities, including the gas tax to be put toward sustainable infrastructure

• Ensuring the territories have resource revenue-sharing agreement with federal government

• Simplifying regulatory authority so it is not as much of a threat or deterrence to development in the North and creating an effective environmental plan

• Working to ensure there are comparable economic development opportunities in the North as the rest of Canada