Public hearings into the remediation of the Giant Mine site ended last week without addressing several concerns.

The remediation project went before the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board last week, requesting a 20-year water licence and a land use permit to clean the contaminated site.

While several participants hoped the project will now move forward, questions lingered over whether the final plan met its mandated requirements, and if the board should consider social responsibilities raised by Yellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) before issuing a license.

Acknowledging the concerns, Natalie Plato, deputy director of the Giant Mine Remediation Project, was still broadly confident of the planSA国际影视传媒檚 prospects.

She said the overall themes of issues brought to the team centred around the finalization of design plans, the term of the licence and what exactly approval means moving forward.

SA国际影视传媒淲e 100 per cent know what we want to do. Our concepts are nailed down. We have really good plans. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just those details,SA国际影视传媒� she said, describing incomplete parts as minor technical elements.

Plato further argued that design details could be reviewed widely before the project began.

The City of Yellowknife, however, said the plan wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 clear and complete enough.

SA国际影视传媒淲e want clear performance measures, clear indicators for that, not just SA国际影视传媒榓 process has been carried out,SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒� said SAO Sheila Bassi-Kellett.

She added the city believed in the project and the process, but the plan had to meet the mandated requirements SA国际影视传媒渂ecause thatSA国际影视传媒檚 going to outweigh hope every time.SA国际影视传媒�

The city wants remediation to residential standards. While that might not mean housing, it would be the best possible level. Remediating the site to an industrial standard would strongly limit the sitesSA国际影视传媒� uses.

SA国际影视传媒淲e donSA国际影视传媒檛 want to screw around and have this be not done to the level that can provide future generations with options,SA国际影视传媒� added Bassi-Kellett.

Outside of the hearing's scope, but still a key concern, were the socio-economic benefits of the plan, she said.

The project is in walking distance, noted Bassi-Kellett, arguing benefits through scholarships, training procurement, and employment can all be significant to local residents.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檓 not confident,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 see this.SA国际影视传媒�

The YKDFN and Alternatives North, meanwhile, raised issue with planSA国际影视传媒檚 proposal to freeze the arsenic underground.

From the projectSA国际影视传媒檚 perspective, Plato said freezing was a temporary solution and that funding was dedicated to finding other solutions.

She also defended the proposed 20 years covered under the license, saying the project didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to divert resources again to extend its license.

William Lines, presenting on behalf of YKDFN, called for the water license term to be limited to five to seven years, opposing the precedent set by the two decade proposal.

YKDFN further called for a benefit agreement to direct economic benefits of the project to flow back to the nation. Lines also urged apology and compensation for the losses incurred as a result of the mine.

Some concerns may be outside the boardSA国际影视传媒檚 jurisdiction of licensing, said Lines, but not its influences.

In his closing remarks, he turned to history.

SA国际影视传媒淭he story of the Giant Mine is part of the story of treaty promises made to us and broken,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒淢uch of the sediment, the mud, four inches of it in Yellowknife Bay, itSA国际影视传媒檚 all arsenic.

SA国际影视传媒淔or us, this great beautiful bay, which used to support our lives, gave us all our resources and way of life, itSA国际影视传媒檚 all gone.SA国际影视传媒�

This past had to be addressed, said Lines, or one couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be confident it would ever be.

SA国际影视传媒淯ntil this history and the mistakes made are clearly understood, we all suffer,SA国际影视传媒� he said.