Friday, January 20, 2006
The $6,000 added to council's travel budget this year is a minuscule part of City Hall's planned $41.5 million expenditures in 2006. But the ease with which councillors upped their budget for travelling around the NWT and Canada this year is alarming.
The draft budget allowed for $43,650 in travel, slightly less than the $45,000 spent in 2005. Council will finalize its budget on Monday, but as it now stands, the tab is $49,500.
Councillors consider travel to conferences as professional development opportunities. We're all for professional development, but it has to be appropriate and directed at finding ways to solve problems here at home.
Take the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, for example. This year's event in Montreal will focus on ways to build relationships with senior governments.
Why does the mayor and five members of council need to talk about that?
And how's it going to help council's obvious problem communicating with businesses here at home? There still hasn't been an apology from anyone on council for the terrible job of letting businesses know about drastic changes to commercial garbage collection.
Rather than getting so many heads full of big-picture ideas from national associations, we'd prefer council to save some money and focus on issues here in Yellowknife.
In the dying twilight of the federal election campaign, the issue of support for the arts has yet to be illuminated in the national debate.
Although this is not a new concern, it is true that the problem grows ever more urgent.
The Canadian media is increasingly integrating with U.S. interests while transnational trade agreements continue to pose threats to laws protecting Canadian content.
Cultural guardians like the CBC and the NFB are weak from decades of cuts.
Canadians cannot rely on the free market as a vehicle for sustaining original, local and distinct arts production in a multicultural state like Canada that lives in the cultural shadow of an economic superpower.
Public support is needed to develop young Canadian artists and maintain creativity and innovation among established artists. It is not enough for parties to commit to preserving federal arts policies that are already in advanced decline.
A long-term program of new funding commitments in consultation with arts communities in all the regions is needed.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in our North, where we have among the highest number of artists per capita with some of the lowest incomes derived from their work.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
The upcoming federal election is still being viewed as a two-horse race in Nunavut, but one of those steeds may have changed following the all-candidates forum in Iqaluit this past week.
For those who cast their votes based on the issues in Nunavut, New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Bill Riddell was the evening's big winner, with Liberal incumbent Nancy Karetak-Lindell placing a strong second.
Canada goes to the polls on Jan. 23.
All five Nunavut candidates took part in the forum, including Conservative party candidate David Aglukark, the Green party's Feliks Kappi and the Marijuana party's Ed deVries.
Aglukark entered the debate being viewed by many as the biggest threat to Lindell.
However, the Tory candidate skirted many of the issues with his replies and lacked the polish and conviction of his NDP and Liberal counterparts.
There is little doubt, however, that Aglukark will still capture his share of votes from the religious community, simply because the Tories are the only party that may revisit Bill C-38: The Civil Marriage Act (same-sex union), which received royal assent on July 20, 2005.
Riddell announced his candidacy late in the race and has a lot of ground to make up.
However, his poise, confidence and preparedness for the forum helped him make significant gains in closing the gap of popular opinion between he and Lindell.
Riddell shone during most of his replies, and his public admonishment of those who would deny his gay son the same rights they enjoy in Canada was the stuff leaders are made of.
If there was one area of weakness, it was Riddell's response to the rising cost of living in Nunavut.
Studies into future alternative forms of energy and commune living are nice, but Nunavummiut on low or fixed incomes need help now to make ends meet.
While Lindell really didn't tell voters anything they didn't already know, her confidence and experience held her in good stead.
Lindell knew when to speak the party line during her responses and when to bring in the personal touch, still so highly regarded in Nunavut, on territory-specific issues.
If there is one weakness in Lindell's public persona, it is her lack of fire in addressing the platforms of rival parties.
There is no doubt her style of addressing issues without being confrontational is behind the opinion that says Nunavut needs a "stronger" voice in Ottawa.
In short, sometimes a little spice is nice.
We must also point out the excellent performance of political newcomer Kappi during the forum.
Kappi acquitted himself well by understanding the issues, speaking confidently and not being afraid to give his personal opinion on a number of topics.
The articulate young candidate could be one to watch in future elections if he decides to continue on the political trail, especially if that trail leads to territorial politics in Nunavut.
Editorial Comment
Jason Unrau
Inuvik Drum
It was nowhere near as heated as the recent nationally televised debates between federal party leaders.
Monday evening's Western Arctic candidates debate in Inuvik was merely a rehash of the top dogs going at it.
Liberal Ethel Blondin-Andrew stood by her party's record (the fiscally responsible Paul Martin version, not the corruption-laden Chretien one), Richard Edjericon pointed to all the things a Conservative government would accomplish that the Liberals couldn't or didn't, and Dennis Bevington flogged the NDP party-line of standing up for the little guy.
Substitute a passionate but green Green Party Candidate Alexandre Beaudin for the humourless Gilles Duceppe (Bloc Quebecois) and the only real difference between ours and the national debates was levity rather than tension.
Beaudin may not bring any experience to the table, but credit must be given for the man's convictions. With nothing to lose, Beaudin was the only candidate of the four who appeared to be speaking from the heart, rather than from notes recited out of a party manifesto. This kind of passion is a rare thing in federal politics these days and even Blondin-Andrew - a 17-year federal political veteran - noticed the positive reception Beaudin was getting for many of his answers. So much so, she expressed her appreciation for his participation in her closing remarks.
Unfortunately, Beaudin's character and the strength of his convictions - however naive they may seem in our pragmatic world - will not change the state of this country's political system overnight, if at all.
So what is a voter to do in these troubled times when many resign themselves to supporting the devil they know, rather than going with the one they don't? Actually getting out and voting would be a decent enough start, because those who don't have absolutely no right to complain about the government they end up with.
And regardless of who wins the Western Arctic seat next Monday, or which party may form the next government, people will still put their pants on one leg at a time come Tuesday morning and the sky will not fall if there's a changing of the guard. Even if the Green Party were to miraculously win the Western Arctic riding, it is still just one seat in a sea of 308.
The real kicker is which party forms the government and the question on many people's minds is whether or not the country will end up with a second minority government serving. It's a difficult scenario to digest and could very well bring us another federal election this time next year, God forbid.
However, an even more bitter pill to swallow is the fact that the candidate who seemed to resonate most with those who attended Monday's debate doesn't have a hope in hell of winning. Is this an indictment of our political process? Probably not, but it's certainly an indication of what this country's three major parties have to offer us, or the lack thereof.
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum
What is it about discussions over money that can turn even the most amicable relationships between people into heated battles with hidden pitfalls?
This week, attention in Fort Simpson was drawn back towards how to use the community's share of the Community Capacity Building Fund.
The fund, to bring everyone up to date, was announced by Premier Joe Handley in August.
As part of the federal government's Northern Strategy, it consists of $35 million to be distributed among all communities in the Northwest Territories.
Each community receives a base of $606,000 and an additional per capita allocation. In Fort Simpson's case this works out to $1,050,000.
There are four strings attached to the money. It has to be spent on community infrastructure and capacity building, a proposal for use of the money has to be submitted by Nov. 1, 2006 and there are only three years to spend the funds.
The difficult stipulation is that any agreement on how to use the funding has to be shared by all governing bodies in the community.
Anyone who's ever had to make a decision on how to spend money knows how difficult it can be. If you're making the decision as part of a family the difficulty of the process multiplies.
Fort Simpson is like a family with three parents and an incredible number of children. Liidlii Kue First Nation, Fort Simpson Metis Nation and the village all want to do what they think is best for their "children," but reconciling the three opinions is proving to be difficult.
With the Tri-Council still waiting to meet and make some concrete decisions there is the worry that the services of an outside negotiator will become necessary.
Premier Handley said the money was distributed to the communities because local leaders are always asking for more control.
This process is a test for how future, maybe more important, agreements will be handled. In the broad scheme of things $1 million isn't a lot of money.
It will certainly be interesting to watch how things unfold.
Congratulations are in order for everyone who participated in the Arctic Winter Games territorial trails between Jan. 11 and 14.
Even those athletes who didn't make the cut should be proud. Making it to the trials is an achievement in itself requiring hard work, dedication and spirit.
Recognition is also due to all of the people who volunteer their time as coaches or just as supportive parents to help make the goals of the youth possible.
In Fort Simpson one of the positive stories coming out of the soccer trials is the attitude of the players on the Mackenzie region junior team. It was heartening to see the girls rally after their disappointing loss to provide support and cheer on the intermediate team. Nicely done.
Last week's editorial in the Deh Cho Drum stated that the village council chose to hold the liquor plebiscite on the same day as the federal election. In fact, the village had already set the date for their municipal elections before the federal election was called. The Drum regrets any confusion this may have caused.
Incorrect information appeared in Wednesday's Yellowknifer ("It's do-or-die week for candidates," Jan. 18). The Election Day polls close at 7:30 p.m., Jan. 23. Yellowknifer apologizes for any confusion caused by the error.