Jeff Colbourne
Northern News Services

NNSL (Jun 08/98) - Yellowknife North MLA Roy Erasmus is seeking compensation for women in Dettah who were forcibly sterilized at Alberta's Charles Camsell Hospital in the 1960 and '70s.

"We know that our native people have been sent to Charles Camsell Hospital for years and many still are," said Erasmus.

"I have been informed that in the 1960s and '70s women in Dettah asked their priests why they did not have any children for the past three or four years. They found out later that they had been sent to deliver at Charles Camsell Hospital and were sterilized afterwards."

Health Minister Kelvin Ng said he is aware of the issue but said the government at this point has not done anything proactively to address it.

"I am not aware of any cases of individuals from the NWT. However, having said that, there may be that possibility there," he said.

Ng said his department would be more than willing to assist anyone affected or direct them to the appropriate officials. He will also find a way to give the issue some profile to inform residents of the situation.

Sterilization has been used in some European countries as a population control. At least 2,800 people were sterilized between 1928 and 1972 in Canada if they had shown signs of mental deficiencies, disabilities or if they were "bad parents", said Erasmus.

Celebrating the new NWT

A special committee has been set up to recommend official symbols and heraldry for the new NWT.

Members of the committee will be Yellowknife South MLA Seamus Henry, Sahtu MLA Stephen Kakfwi, Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko, North Slave MLA James Rabesca and Nunakput MLA Vince Steen.

Symbols for the committee's consideration include the coat of arms, seal, flag, flower, bird, tree, mineral and tartan.

The committee will also be responsible for developing celebration plans for events and activities to mark the creation of the new NWT. Members will consult with and seek input from residents in the Western Arctic for the planning and implementation of the celebration.

Commission ready to go

Members of the legislative assembly have recommended that an Electoral Boundaries Commission be set up to travel around the West and seek input from residents.

NWT Supreme Court Justice Virginia Schuler will chair the three-member commission, which will also include Nick Sibbeston of Fort Simpson and Lucy Kuptana of Tuktoyaktuk.

In making recommendations, commission members are required to take into consideration geography, demographics, special community or diversity of interests, communication between communities, cultural and linguistic interests and maintaining a balance between urban and rural populations.

The commission is being asked to travel to at least one community in each of the current 14 electoral districts. They will provide a final report to the legislative assembly for consideration prior to Oct. 23.