Volume 24-25, 1976-7 - The Arctic Circle - Home

28VOL. )O(/ }IO. 2TFiE ARCTIC CIRCTIIAR}JEI/\IS REL;EASES FF{OM THE YTIKON GO\ERNMM{T)TG ORGANIZATIOI\iAL GIAIGES ANI\OUN(ED - It4ay 18' L977Ccnrnissioner Arthur Pearson announced today tLrat several importantorganizational chranges will be made soon within the terrj-torialgovernnent. In addilion to his current portfolio reslnnsibilitiesMr. McKinlon will take dearge of a newly created Departrnent of RenewableResources which wilf, initially, consist of a Wildlife Branch and aResor.rrce Planling Branch. The lrlildlife Branch will carry on tlrefr:lctiops of ttre Gane Branch but will operate under a new naIIE-Thre Resource planning Branchr will have Lransferred' to it tlre parks andhistoric resources functions ncnr under Tourisn and Information.Dr. pearson noted that the Resource Plaruring Branch will carr]Z out aseries of planrring and developrental functions which are becorningcrucial in viers of the energing problerns and opporLunities Yukon' sIand based resogres will be facing over the next few years. Theimpacts of a land claims settlenent, a lnssible pipeline and otherpr6=p-"tive development in Yukon have all to be prepared for in apfuru.*a ""nintegrated narrrer. F\rrbher details on ttre fr-rrctions oftfti-s branch and ttre selection of its director will be emnounced at alater date.Dr. pearson announced fr.rrther that Mr. Walter Bilawich has been givenUre assi-grnent of preparing niaterial for a working group of tkre YukonIndian Land Claims on structures ttrat will guarantee participation ofnatives in the political and decision-nraking processes wtrich governthe lives of all yukoners. This will include cansi,Ceration of natrveinvolvenent at the legislative, executive and adninistrative levels ofgoverrunent as well as on advisory boards, ccnmissions and so on. Mr.eilawich will be working closely with the Enecrttive Ccnnnittee and withrttre Iand Claims Secretariat on thr-is assignnent. He will re1rcrt tothe Conrnissioner.Mr. Bilawich has also been assigned the task of preparing a detailedalalysis of the jnpact that could be opected on YuJ