In pursuit of a greener place to live, Yellowknife city council has been debating a zoning bylaw which may tell us how many trees and shrubs we have to plant on our properties.
The idea behind this new bylaw is to force developers to landscape every lot they build on.
This legislated landscaping has been tried decades ago in the south and the solution developers came up with was to plant inexpensive, fast growing trees, like the poplar.
Twenty years later the roots of these thirsty nuisance trees began to heave up streets, sidewalks and driveways. As well, water mains were strangled and sewage pipes crushed open by the wandering root systems, obliterating at great expense any sense of beauty that may have been intended.
As we step onto the slippery slope of legislating how people landscape their yards, we should be wary as to what restrictions we force on home builders.
We can look to the tracts of cookie-cutter houses and non-descript properties in the suburbs of every southern city.
Places where you can paint your house any colour you like, as long as it's a hue between peach and salmon. Pine shakes or better on the roof, no closelines, no satellite dishes, no flagpoles and no individuality.
We appreciate city hall's concern in making Yellowknife a greener, prettier place to live, but let's be cautious as we enter the arena of forced conformity.
Your home is your castle.
Do we need city hall or anyone else to legislate how high the hedge, how deep the moat or what colour we paint the drawbridge?
One hundred and eight employees at the Power Corporation signed a petition and had it presented to the Legislature last week stating that they are unhappy with the representation they're getting from the Union of Northern Workers and want to seek alternate arrangements.
While one can sympathize with how the workers feel, there are three very basic issues to consider.
One: Every worker should be free to choose who represents them. Democracy is the basis of the collective. But at what point does that cease to be absolute in light of item two?
Two: At what point should a group of workers be allowed to break away? If that question is not addressed, we could see each employee in Canada eventually constitute his or her own bargaining unit.
Three: Is it really the GNWT's place to intercede in what is apparently an internal union matter?
Those questions need to be answered in order to avoid the legal and ethical wranglings that are bound to ensue if they are not.
Despite nationally broadcast claims of cosmopolitan tolerance, southern Ontario remains a bastion of Methodist propriety.
Witness the community of Caledonia, which is reeling from the public display of a souvenir Ragged Ass Road sign. The good citizens of the Ontario town have taken offence.
One would think that in the self-proclaimed hub of the nation there would be more critical issues, more world-defining crises to cope with than the good-humoured display of a Yellowknife treasure.
Chalk it up to a lack of pretension. Yellowknifers, unlike Ontarians, are content to name it as they see it. Besides, Boulevard of Impoverished Posteriors wouldn't fit on the sign.
Editorial Comment
Paula White
Inuvik Drum
Even though I have only been here a short time, it's becoming fairly apparent that people in Inuvik are quick to lend a helping hand to those in need.
From Mayor George Roach's recent offer to house Kosovar refugees in the FOL building out by the airport, to the people who supported the Anglican Church's building fund by going to see the production of Delta Parables -- these are just two examples of the generosity I have seen so far.
Another is the grad class car wash held last weekend. My eyes were popping out of my head at the constant stream of cars and trucks that went through. The students and teachers never stopped all day. In the end, they had more than $800! That's amazing. Incidentally, I never did get a chance to take my own car through. The line-up was just too long. It's too bad, because the car sure could have used a good washing. Oh well. Next time.
That doesn't even begin to cover it. There are fund-raisers held practically every week, there are generous donations to various individuals and organizations, there are scores of people who volunteer at community events. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.
There is a reason for saying all that. There is yet another organization that needs your help. It's the youth centre. Board chair Roslyn Woodcock said it is in desperate need of individuals to serve on the board. It is already operating below capacity and two other members have announced their intention of stepping down. There should be seven members. There will be three when the two do step down.
Woodcock pointed out that this just isn't enough to run the centre. There is too much work for just three people. She said if no-one comes forward at the annual general meeting tonight to offer to sit on the board, the centre will likely close.
On my travels around town, I have noticed that in late afternoon, there is a large number of teenagers outside the doors of the centre, waiting for it to open. Obviously, it is a popular place and I'm told it remains so throughout the summer as well. Even though many youth centres receive bad press, for the most part they are a valuable community service. They provide a place for teens to go, and keep more than a few from committing crimes. It would be a shame if it had to close.
Once again, something in the community needs your help. It would be appreciated by more than one person, I'm sure.
A reminder of home
I'm sure most everybody in town noticed the flame coming from the natural gas flare stack on Sunday and Monday. It was pretty hard to miss, actually. Nothing quite catches the eye like flames on the horizon.
Believe it or not, that flame actually made me homesick. It sound crazy, I know, but I'll bet many of the Maritimers that I'm told are in town will know what I'm talking about.
Many of you may remember that I'm from Saint John, New Brunswick. Saint John is quite an industrial city -- being the home of the famous multibillionaire K.C. Irving and all his oil refineries. As a result, flames coming from smoke stacks is just part of the horizon and has been for years. That's why, when I first saw the flame, it reminded me of home.
Anyway, the flame signals the arrival of the gas to Inuvik. It's only a matter of time before it is being distributed to homes and businesses throughout. I'm told this makes Inuvik the site of the first commercial natural gas development north of the Canadian Arctic Circle. Just one more thing that makes this town unique.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
You just never know what may happen when you set out on a journey.
Last week, I departed for Fort Providence on Thursday. I expected to return Friday evening, but wound up taking an extra 24 hours due to mechanical difficulties.
Heading out on Thursday morning, I anxiously kept my eyes peeled for black bears, seeing as the calendar is well into the month of May. Somewhere between Jean Marie River and Fort Providence one was laying near the tree-line. It hurried into the woods as the truck approached, but I was satisfied to have caught a glimpse. Bears fascinate me, as long as there's a comfortable distance and the ability to accelerate to over 100 km/h.
After spending a productive couple of days in Fort Providence, I was ready to return to Fort Simpson.
Upon leaving, the truck began to shudder like a tank. I pulled into Big River Service Station and the next thing I know it's another night in Fort Providence because the steady bearing which connects the drive shaft wasn't so steady any more.
Being late on a Friday afternoon and needing the part from Kingland in Hay River, it wasn't going to arrive until sometime Saturday. My thanks to the staff at Big River and to Snowstar Mechanical's Wayne Vandell who did a marvellous job at replacing that faulty bearing on Saturday afternoon. Although I was the one who was imposing on their weekend, Wayne and his wife Theresa were extremely thoughtful and kind.
As much as drivers hate to have anything go wrong with their vehicle, one has to consider one's self fortunate when it breaks down in a community.
There are some long stretches of highway out there where a lengthy wait for help is always a possibility. Not only that, but a very costly tow job is also necessary.
Anyway, I was once again bound for home. The drive back is always full of calculations. First, I always hope to see the ferry waiting to depart on the Fort Providence side when I'm heading out. It's tormenting when you spot it pulling away just as you're approaching the turnoff.
After the crossing, I start figuring out if I have any chance of catching the Fort Simpson ferry at the bottom of the hour. More often that not, I have a half hour wait on my hands. That's when I begin to question why the Simpson ferry doesn't cross on demand as is done in Providence (I know, it's a demand thing, a money thing and an impatience thing.) In reality, there's a beautiful view of the river from the ferry crossing. The North encompasses such magnificent country. It's something that we tend to take for granted at times. It's apparent by the initiatives of the Resources Management Board in Fort Providence and the Community Beautification Committee in Fort Simpson that there are those who remain committed to retaining this glorious landscape.
They are initiatives we could all be a welcomed part of if we so chose.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
When I first heard about the new community volunteer reading program at the Leo Ussak elementary school in Rankin Inlet, I immediately added my name to the list of volunteers.
Full marks must be given to principal Cheryl Forbes for coming up with this unique concept which benefits young students and, at the same time, affords people in the community the opportunity to get involved and help raise student reading skills.
The bonus of the equation is that the hour a week volunteers spend with the students is downright fun and enjoyable.
Young students need to know adults in their community care about them and how they perform at school. The volunteer reading project gives adults the chance to show they do care about the younger generations coming through our school system and that they gain a valuable,first-class education.
Another benefit to Forbes's project is the opening of communication between kids and volunteers during these sessions and the increased levels of understanding and awareness which can result.
As beneficial as all these points are, the volunteer reading project also recognizes and addresses another important, yet often overlooked or ignored, fact -- the responsibility for our children's education does not rest solely with our educators. In fact, far from it.
Much of the effort, or lack thereof, our children ultimately put forth in school is often a direct reflection of the learning environment in their own homes. Children become highly motivated by positive reinforcement and strong encouragement from those they love, admire and respect. In short, our approval is important to them.
There can be no substitute for taking an active interest in your child's education. Parents should be encouraged at every opportunity to help their kids with homework, ask what they've learned in school and honestly listen when their children talk to them.
Having more than 40 adults from the community showing up to work with these young students reinforces the will to succeed in those who receive encouragement at home and helps instill a sense of purpose in those who do not.
And, although an hour a week is no substitute for a positive learning environment in the home, it does show students there are many adults in the community who want to see them do well with their education and, more importantly, are willing to help them succeed.
My first session with the young students was everything I had hoped and more. And, yes, even though it was but one very small grain of sand in a child's education which cost me precious little in terms of time and effort -- I walked away from the school with a warm feeling inside.
Last week I learned about the weather, why turtles have no teeth, why sugary foods are not good foods and why differences between people are good things, not bad. I can hardly wait to see what I will learn from the kids this week.