1988 Hougen's history
Canadian National Telecommunications
CANADIAN NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS TO SELL NORTHWESTEL In 1988 Canadian National Telecommunications (CNT) announced that NorthwesTel serving Northern B.C., the Yukon and western NWT was for sale. Rolf resigned from the NorthwesTel board and put together a group to buy the company. This included BCTel, Alberta Government Telephone, the Inualvuvit Development Corp of Inuvik, Rolf Hougen from the Yukon and Bob Engle from the NWT. An advisor to the group was Pemberton Securities. A series of meetings were held in Edmonton and in Vancouver. It was decided not to submit a bid as it was determined that BCE/Bell Canada were intent on acquiuring the whole north as they already operated in the Eastern NorthWest Territories. Subsequently Bell Canada was the purchaser and Rolf was invited to again join the board.