Friday, June 24, 2005
There is nothing unfair or discriminatory about it; property owners have a right to protect their assets.
The Yellowknife Housing Authority's rule on pets is simple, and shared by most rental agencies: pets are not welcome. And when they are, rental agreements often include a substantial security deposit.
The Housing Authority is a taxpayer-financed body that provides subsidized accommodations to those in need. Its tenants don't have the money to cover repairs for damage pets can cause.
According to Jim White, chief executive officer for the Housing Authority, there are "one or two well-documented exceptions ... supported by professional opinion."
One tenant has offered a doctor's letter that advised getting a dog for physical and mental health. The animal's need for a walk would get the tenant out of the house for therapeutic reasons.
The benefits of regular exercise are proven, but a dog is not a necessary part of the equation - nor should the cost of cleaning up after them be picked up by taxpayers.
Any change in the Housing Authority's policy would have to come from the board of directors. They rejected the tenant's appeal once before. There is no need to review the case again.
If the two Yellowknife school boards ever needed a Solomon, the fuss over funding for trade centres is it.
The public school board is annoyed at being a "partner" in a $1.5 million expansion of the Kimberlite Career and Vocational Centre - not because they are against the funding such as it is, but because they didn't know they were a partner to begin with.
That Catholic school board supervisor Kern Von Hagen actively kept this hidden from the "partnered" public school board makes it even more furious. This was playing politics at its worst and creates conflicts we don't need.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Charles Dent pleads ignorance of the communications breakdown.
Dent needs to become a Solomon here. Instead of allowing ongoing squabbles between these school boards - today it's a training centre, in the past it's been who gets a new school - he must corral needs and force the school boards to share.
It is a great thing to see companies like De Beers step up with $750,000 for the Kimberlite centre, but all Yellowknife students would benefit more if Dent bent that money toward one trade centre for use by both school boards, or forced the boards to split what each of their trades centres do: metal trades in one centre, carpentry in the other.
Right now all we get are duplicity and duplication. Yellowknife deserves better leadership from the education minister to ensure we're not "duped" like this again.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
Well, valued readers, as you are reading this, I am relaxing on the East Coast with little umbrellas floating in beverage of choice.
Of course, that's only my slightly delusional fantasy of my utopia-like vacation.
I am more likely to be happily chasing my six-year-old grandson around the back yard, as my 14-year-old pooch begins to understand the truth of willing spirit and weak flesh.
I leave the Kivalliq News in the more-than-capable hands of Brent Reaney.
This is Brent's second tour of duty in Nunavut and he's looking forward to six weeks in the Kivalliq.
Trains rolls through Rankin
The Tootoo Train rolled across Rankin Inlet during the past two weeks and, once again, hometown hero Jordin Tootoo did his best to accommodate every request.
Tootoo attended award ceremonies in all three schools, took time to conduct an autograph session for youth at the Rankin arena, and had a smile and a friendly word for everyone he met.
While the NHLPA has taken a beating during the past year in national opinion pools, the association could go a long way in regaining that lost ground by placing the spotlight on the efforts of personalities such as Tootoo, Trevor Linden, Jerome Iginla and Curtis Joseph, among others, in their communities.
Despite the fact the majority of the NHLPA's members have lost touch with reality during the gravy-train ride of the past 10 years, it is refreshing to see players like Tootoo take the time to put a smile on the face of so many people.
It is the type of effort we need to see a lot more of when the NHL begins play again.
One against the crowd
While we can't agree with most of the points made by Coun. Donna Adams this past week concerning the Harry Potter theme for the Rankin Inlet summer day camp, we would defend to our last breath her right for voicing those opinions.
And, we admire her courage in voicing her opinions in front of a large, hostile gathering.
We do not oppose Adams's opinions based on anything to do with religion.
Rather, we disagree with the concept of censorship and the religious community attempting to force its will on the general public at the cost of an individual's right to choose.
The notion parents who allow their children to enjoy the fantasy world of Harry Potter are promoting the use of witchcraft and black magic borders on ludicrous.
They are, in effect, exercising their right to choose in a free-and-democratic society.
The same society that prompts us to applaud Adams's courage in exercising her right to free speech in front of a room full of Potter supporters, when the rest of those opposed to the theme left her alone.
Some might say the irony of the situation is that same courage shown by Adams is one of Harry Potter's most endearing traits!
See you next month.
Editorial Comment
Jason Unrau
Inuvik Drum
Inuvik will be the hotbed of competition this summer as it prepares to host 330 athletes, coaches and chaperons for the Sport North-inspired NWT Summer Games.
According to a Sport North press release, there will be two components to the event: a "learn to compete" portion, which will feature games such as flag football, softball, soccer and swimming; and a "demo sport" part where participants can try new sports.
Not being one to discourage a little healthy competition, I wonder if Sport North (GNWT) could have saved itself a few bucks and sent the 33 NWT communities that will participate in the upcoming games a box of sporting equipment rather than flying hundreds of people hundreds of kilometres so a few could give badminton a shot for the first time.
With a box of soccer balls, gloves, bats and assorted gear, communities' kids could test out the sports, pick one or two they enjoy, develop some talent in it/them and then fly all over the territory to engage in competition.
However, that wouldn't really be keeping with what is often the territorial attitude with regards to giving everybody a chance and feeling good about participating as opposed to being hell-bent on winning.
Which brings me to the recent goings-on in the Inuvik Slo-Pitch League, which totally goes against this "feel good" attitude about getting out and being active rather than wanting to beat the snot out of the opposition.
It seems there are some really serious players in this year's league who are tired of engaging the lacklustre competition.
The solution: break the league into two divisions whereby the good teams would not have to play the not-so-good teams as often, if at all.
But not to worry though, every team will get a chance to play for all the marbles in the grand-daddy-of-them-all league championships come the end of August.
Apart from the obvious problems with this plan, such as how the not-so-hot teams are supposed to get any better if they're stuck playing all the other hacks, it's slo-pitch for crying out loud.
Quite possibly slo-pitch is the most dumbed-down version of America's favourite pastime where the "strike-zone" is a huge rubber mat and the pitcher lobs the ball toward the batter in a rainbow-like arc.
Unlike its baseball progenitor or fastball cousin, the magic of slo-pitch is that it's relatively easy to hit the ball. And the reason for this rule alteration with respect to pitching is presumably so more people can get in on the action. Slo-pitch even adds an extra fielder to facilitate this.
So without any baseball or fastball leagues to play in, some of Inuvik's expert slo-pitchers want to up the ante in a game redesigned for any old punter to take part. Almost like wanting to start a professional jacks association or expert tiddly-winks league. It doesn't really make sense.
Just like flying a few hundred kids here this summer so they can give soccer a try. A better idea would be to post them a soccer ball. As for the home front, perhaps next year a fastball league could be reignited.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
Concern over two missing men cast a pall over Fort Simpson.
No, too cliche.
Gloominess permeated the community as residents anxiously awaited word on the whereabouts of the missing men.
No, just as trite.
These are hackneyed statements, but there is truth in them. There was definitely a sense of despair earlier this week as community members pondered the fate of two men who seemingly disappeared in the wilderness. Solemn expressions, furrowed brows and the shaking of heads were commonplace as people tried to come to terms with what might have happened. It was a great mystery that left many residents speculating, trying to piece together how two experienced bush men could inexplicably wander off without a trace.
Search parties from Fort Simpson and Wrigley left for the North Nahanni on Monday. The following day was National Aboriginal Day. It's normally a day for celebration but it was, understandably, rather muted in Fort Simpson this year.
When would the men turn up? What condition would they be in? Many people couldn't stop wondering.
Another question lingered in some circles. Why hadn't the police acted sooner? Couldn't they have called upon more resources?
Police say they received a call about a fire and the possibility the men were missing early in the morning of June 17. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources sent out a helicopter to check out the fire and do a cursory search that same day. RCMP joined the helicopter search on Saturday. On Monday, it became a full-scale search.
The underlying suspicion of discrimination surfaced. Was it because these two men were aboriginal that a delay occurred?
This is an extremely disturbing issue, but there are people who are speculating that a racial divide may have contributed to an initial lack of response.
Is it a fair assumption to make? In every search and rescue effort, aren't there always going to be those who maintain that more should have been done sooner?
In this instance, there was uncertainty about whether the men were missing or not. There was poor communication over a great distance because of an unreliable satellite phone. That added to the confusion.
Let's remember that Fort Simpson's law enforcement officers have been doing their damnedest to keep alcohol out of the hands of minors. They offer the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program in hopes of leading youth in the right direction. They coach minor sports. They are supportive of the justice circle. These are good men, honourable men.
As of this writing, the safety and well being of two missing Fort Simpson residents is the foremost concern. But in the near future, the air needs to be cleared. Wary band members - not just the chief and council - and the police - not just the detachment commander - must sit down across from each other and start a dialogue whether it's at the community hall or around a campfire.
Until they truly get to know each other, none of the above questions will ever be answered.