Tulita woman alleges conflict of interest in fracking decision

A woman in Tulita says some members of her local land board are in a conflict of interest.

In 2012, the board of theTulita Land/Financial Corporation recommendeda hydraulic fracturing operation near the community go ahead. Thecorporation holds trust money for the community of Tulita that came from the Sahtu Deneand Metisland claim in 1993. The Sahtu Land and Water Board later approved the fracking operation.

Sheila Karkagie says four of seven board members were in a conflict of interest when they agreed to support ConoccoPhillips' fracking operation near Tulita. She says the board members ended up getting contracts for catering, clearing brush, and delivering water.

Karkagie says it's wrong and she wants to see some changes.

If you have a business, you shouldn't be on a board because you are aren't thinking of us, you are thinking of yourselves."

Doug Yallee was also on that board, but does not own a business.

He says he brought up their conflict of interest by-law, but nobody listened.

Karkagie says that instead of taking the contracts for themselves, the board members should have tried to get the work for the community-owned business, MacKay Range Industry Services.

"MackayRange shouldn't be in the red and them sky high, when they are on the board," Karkagie says.

A new board was elected in April 2012.

Karkagie says she'll be demanding a new by-law forbidding business-owners from sitting on the board at a special AGM later this month.

Nobody from the board was available for comment.