Wednesday, February 28, 2001
A recently released study on arsenic levels in the Yellowknife area raises some alarm bells.
Firstly, the study, prepared by the Environmental Sciences Group of the Royal Military College of Canada does little but confirm what we already know -- Yellowknife, after decades of gold mining, has much higher level of arsenic levels than the Canadian standard.
The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) established 12 parts per million as acceptable levels for arsenic in soils in Canada.
The report, commissioned by the Yellowknife Arsenic Soil Remediation Committee, took samples from various spots in the city to determine acceptable arsenic levels.
The report states that because the natural concentration of arsenic has been taken into consideration, here in Yellowknife, the acceptable level has been established at 150 parts per million - a far cry from the national standard.
The study found that in most residential areas of Yellowknife, arsenic concentration are below 150 ppm, but Rat Lake, Ndilo and areas on the Giant Mine property are much higher.
In Ndilo, for example, levels range from seven to 645 ppm.
Considering the studies on health risks have yet to be completed, we question why the authors of the report are comfortable setting these levels?
Shouldn't this standard be established only after they analyze the effects these levels have on humans, plants and the environment?
In the meantime, we hope the remediation committee wastes no time on commissioning its study looking into what we don't already know -- the health risks these levels pose to our community.
These days, a lot of what governments do depends on polling.
Gallup, Angus Reid and the rest have a field day questioning and analyzing, compiling and crunching numbers: all to tell politicians what we think about what they're doing.
Now, council has an Edmonton firm asking 800 Yellowknifers about the job the city is doing. And it's costing taxpayers $25,000.
Is Yellowknife so sophisticated that council needs to poll the people? Can they not ask friends and neighbours what they think? Could they not simply print a questionnaire on their Friday newsletter -- the one that's already being delivered to every household?
Is city council so out of touch with Yellowknifers that it needs to spend $25,000?
Dinero, dough, green stuff, currency, cold-hard cash -- call it what you will, a new note has emerged on the scene.
Nostalgic types beware, the Bank of Canada isn't changing its mind about the colourful, European-looking ten dollar bills that are filling Yellowknife cash drawers and locals' wallets.
Love it or hate it, the money market shake-up has just begun, bankers plan to retrofit all Canadian bills by 2003.
With braille writing for the visually impaired and sophisticated security features to slow down those with counterfeiting tendencies, the Bank only needs to incorporate a Northern design on one of the bills to make them truly Canadian.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
Two thumbs up to the Kataujaq Society's Evelyn Thordarson for taking it upon herself to secure funding for the staff-exchange program between the Kataujaq's Rankin Inlet day care and the Shared Care Day Care in Arviat.
Proper training for Kivalliq day care staff has been an ongoing struggle in the Kivalliq Region.
And, while nobody's getting a diploma from the program, the sharing of ideas and information is a welcome addition to regional child care.
It's also beneficial for staff members to be exposed to the different social and economical makeup of the two facilities and their clients.
We need more of our organizational leaders in the Kivalliq to follow Thordarson's example and take it upon themselves to make things happen.
The more proactive we become as a region in seeking training funding, the more we will gain in our long-term development.
About time
Kivalliq users who rely on Sakku Computers & Electronics for their Internet connections are finding life a little easier these days, thanks to the first in a series of upgrades the service provider is putting in place.
The constant busy signals when trying to access the system, and its slowness once a user did actually log on, had progressed from an annoyance to a detriment to those who depend on the Internet for business. One of the great benefits of the Internet is its ability to bring the global community right to a user's fingertips.
Idle "surfing" aside, there are many ways Kivalliq residents benefit from fast and easy access to the Internet.
Communication, education, health, organizational research, business transactions, the cost efficiency of e-mail compared to telephone lines are all areas of vital importance for Northern residents attempting to stay on a level playing field with their southern counterparts.
Hopefully, the recent upgrade is just the start of a future high speed Internet system that will span the territory.
High spirits
It's good to hear the spirits of the Repulse Bay junior-aged hockey players are still high despite their rash of injuries at the Polar Bear Plate tournament. The fact the Repulse players were not discouraged by their misfortunes is further proof of the importance of having a solid minor hockey program established in every Kivalliq hamlet.
Character development, career and academic opportunities, a sense of belonging and community spirit are all areas that benefit from a strong minor hockey system.
Editorial Comment
Malcolm Gorrill
Inuvik Drum
Congratulations are due to the Samuel Hearne Wolverines.
Over the weekend they captured the 14-and-under girls banner at the NWT Senior Cager basketball tournament in Hay River.
Monday afternoon the Wolverines were proudly on hand during a school assembly as their banner was hoisted high up a wall in the gym.
The triumph is all the more special because it's the first territorial team banner for the school since 1998.
I wasn't able to be there when the banner took its proper position, but I did catch up with the girls Monday at noon. They were still excited by their victory but, at the same time, they seemed quite worn out from their tournament.
Many sported assorted bumps and bruises acquired during their quest.
Coach Geoff Buerger couldn't praise his team enough, and said another team effort on behalf of parents and others within the community was key to their victory.
His comments highlight an important aspect of sports, in that a lot of the work is done prior to the start of the match.
Whether it be driving kids to yet another practice or tournament, or hosting dinners or other events to raise funds, many people can lend a helping hand for athletes.
What's also significant is that Buerger said his players acted like true ambassadors for the community. A positive attitude is supposed to be what sports is all about.
Most students may consider school a drag, at least some of the time, but later in life they will look back and treasure the good times they had during what in many ways is a magical time, when almost anything seems possible.
This week the Wolverines girls basketball team members added a special memory for themselves, and their schoolmates, to cherish for years to come.
Tackling bullies
Of course, not everything about school days is positive. Bullies can spoil the day for many a student. But steps are being taken to combat the problem here.
A Bully Prevention Workshop was held over the weekend. Part of its focus was to help local officials implement anti-bullying programs in both schools.
Students will deliver the programs, and organizers are right to conclude that young people might be more prone to pay attention when one of their own is involved in something like this.
For too long, society has just accepted the fact that bullies can be found most anywhere, and that not much can be done about it.
Activities like this workshop are designed to make people realize that the issue can not and should not be ignored, and that -- more importantly -- people can make a real difference if they try to solve the problem.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum, Fort Simpson
Bompas school's initiative to address bullying is definitely needed.
Bullying exists in all schools, to greater and lesser extents. It can be extremely serious, sometimes tragic. A number of bullying incidents resulting in suicide have been featured in the news over the past year.
Quite often children say or do the most touching things. But who knows what possesses children to torment other children? Sometimes it stems from their home environment, sometimes not.
My parents never terrorized me, yet I sure made life hell for my younger sister at times. At school, I was occasionally targeted by bullies, but I picked on other kids too.
As an adult, I can't really justify that behaviour. I'm certainly not proud of it.
However, I now have a greater capacity to empathize with others. I try very hard to put myself in "someone else's shoes," trying to imagine how he or she feels. Younger children often lack that ability, but they will gradually develop it. Therefore an explanation should accompany any command to stop exhibiting harmful behaviours.
When we're young, we need adults, particularly parents, to reinforce what is right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable. Until children cultivate the values and judgment required to truly understand the consequences of their actions, parents and teachers have to be children's guides.
It's also good to see that encouraging and rewarding positive behaviours at Bompas school are being treated as important as putting a halt to negative ones.
Healthy living
There have been a number of recreational sports tournaments in the Deh Cho over the past month and a few more to come over the next few weeks.
While taking in some of the action at the NWT Senior Men's Hockey Championships in Fort Simpson over the weekend, one of the officials (who wasn't working the game) told me he thought the arena was kept remarkably clean and the tournament itself was very well organized. He said the same was true of the
Kingland Open hockey tournament in Fort Providence last week.
Sometimes we overlook how meaningful recreational activities can be in our lives. Thankfully, we have hard-working staff members, teachers and numerous volunteers who pull together to make events like hockey tournaments, ski meets, badminton tournaments and soccer tournaments unqualified successes.