Friday, September 1, 2006
Anchorage was held up as a shining beacon because that city's downtown core had erased its seedy image.
The parallels between Yellowknife and this American city are numerous. Both are central commercial hubs within their respective Northern jurisdictions with lots of crime, bars and the destitute from outlying communities.
For the last several years, Anchorage has put emphasis on getting chronic alcoholics into treatment and rehabilitation programs as opposed to cycling them in and out police cells on a near nightly basis.
Police there don't even respond to calls about public intoxication. They are handled by a group of volunteers and medical staff who bring these people to facilities where they can get some help.
One shelter there, Homeward Bound, boasted an impressive success rate. As of 2003, 66 per cent of its clients were able to maintain stable housing for at least six months, some as long as five years. Homeward Bound's rehabilitation program aims to reintegrate homeless, alcoholics back into the community through simple life-skill training initiatives - learning to pay bills and rent, plus getting a job.
Recently, Yellowknife's Community Patrol Services (CPS) announced it is finally ready get down to business helping alcoholics get off our streets. The delay until now was due to the difficulty of finding insurance.
Like the Anchorage model, Yellowknife's new pilot program keeps police mostly out of the equation, freeing them to pursue more serious crimes. The CPS - with two members - firefighter Lieut. Mike Lowing and Yellowknife Wellness Coalition co-chair Lea Martin - plan to pick-up intoxicated persons and bring them to either the Salvation Army, Centre for Northern Families or the homes of family members and friends.
The patrol service is a great idea and a supporting transition shelter for the homeless - with multi-level funding - is on the way. But the fledgling CPS can't do it alone, nor can the community afford to grow complacent now that the group is ready to hit the pavement.
The $50,000 in federal funding will not be enough to keep the patrol going. The city and territorial government must also contribute long-term, stable funding.
As well, if CPS manages to get people off the streets, they need a treatment program where they can clean up.
Yellowknifers have long complained about the state of our downtown. It's going to take the whole community to put some shine back into it.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
The debate did not take long to rage after federal Justice Minister Vic Toews indicated he was seriously considering lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 10 from its current 12.
There are two distinct lines of thought on this one.
Some learned professionals believe the cutoff age to rehabilitate a problem child is 12.
To them, the problem is the Liberals replaced the Young Offenders Act with the Youth Criminal Justice Act three years ago and decided youth under 12 couldn't comprehend the consequences of their actions.
To those who hold 12 up as the cutoff to rehabilitation, it's already too late.
On the other side of the coin are those who believe bringing problem youth into the courts at the age of 10 or 11 will serve only to perpetuate their anti-social behaviour.
They believe to put them into provincially-run programs and institutions at the age of 10 will accomplish nothing more than to produce a hardened criminal by age 12.
These are not new arguments, and some of the comments being thrown against the minister's statements amount to nothing more than knee-jerk reactions.
Those who say lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 10 would put us back in the dark ages must believe much of the world still resides in that era.
In fact, the average age of criminal responsibility around the globe is seven.
There are also those who would have you believe Toews is treading towards an unexplored area with his thinking.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In fact, Prime Minister Stephen Harper's old haunt, the Reform Party, led the charge with a number of provinces about 10 years ago to have the age lowered to 10.
Why should any of this matter to us in the North?
The one thing both sides agree on is that the only effective way of turning problem kids around - whether through a state-run, mental-health or child-welfare program - is by having them entered into structured, multi-faceted programs that address their problems on a number of levels.
Problem youth who find their way into those programs have a chance of developing a sense of self-worth, of comprehending the consequences of their actions while they still care, and allowing their emotional development to proceed on a closer parallel to their cognitive development.
Sadly, there are no under-12 outreach programs run in the Kivalliq by the Child Development Institute.
Under current laws, Kivalliq youth under the age of 12 are not criminally responsible for their actions, and police can only suggest to parents that they be placed in outside care.
Maybe the system Toews envisions wouldn't be so bad for the North.
If the court's ability to place problem youth into rehabilitative programming translates into its obligation to do so - maybe some of our troubled youth actually end up in programs that can make a difference in their lives.
Maybe a second thought on the minister's proposal could lead to a second chance for a kid near you.
Editorial Comment
Dez Loreen
Inuvik Drum
It all came to my attention some time last week. I was out throwing a football at the Boot Lake park when a stray pass flew wildly into the bush. I reached in and grabbed the ball, only to make the startling discovery of a yellow leaf.
I was shocked and amazed at how fast time had gone by. It seems like it was only a few weeks ago that I braved the trails of Boot Lake in knee deep slush and water. Spring had sprung and summer was was blooming.
Now, the lush greenery of the bush surrounding Inuvik is quietly making way for a tinge of yellow and orange. Autumn has begun.
Here in Inuvik, the seasons fly by so quickly I'll bet it's only six weeks before we see snow.
This past summer was a good one in many different respects. The weather seemed to hold up long enough for people to get out on the land and for the people in town to enjoy the events that were scattered throughout our calendars.
Aboriginal Day celebrations, Canada Day, Great Northern Arts Festival and the End of the Road music festival are only a few of the events that come to mind when I look back over the past few months.
Gatherings that encourage friendly interaction in the community are good for morale and make the town a better place.
This past weekend should have reminded us all about the benefits of community gatherings. End of the Road is planned and run solely by volunteers. After months of work, the music festival seemed to go off without much of a hitch.
Kudos to the society for hosting a music festival that appealed to music lovers of almost every age in Inuvik. I had a good time and I'm sure I wasn't alone.
Our various youth day camps and programs offered by the youth centre have been beneficial to the younger generation.
I am taking some time off for a nice vacation next month. I've decided that after such a busy summer and hearing about all my friends going on road trips, I am going to take an adventure or two myself on a bicycle trip down the Dempster.
I will be back in town for most of the month of September and will return to the Drum office in October.
Taking my place temporarily will be News/North reporter Phil Morin. He has been in Inuvik since the beginning of summer. Maybe some of you already know him or have seen him walking around town.
With another busy month of back-to-school events I'm sure he will have no problem getting right into the swing of things. Introduce yourself to him. I'm sure he'll appreciate the gesture.
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum
Congratulations are in order for the graduating class of Deh Gah school in Fort Providence.
As one of the few schools to hold its graduation ceremony in the late summer, all of the students in caps and gowns can be sure they've officially earned their diploma.
The students who filed into the school gym on Aug. 25 had a lot to be proud of.
Night classes helped produce the class of eight graduates. In fact, all the grads except for one used evening classes to work towards their diploma.
Before night classes, an average grad class at the school numbered four or five. Last year, thanks to night classes, there was a bumper crop of 13 graduates.
Many of this year's graduates needed the opportunity to take night classes because they were returning to school after a long absence.
During her speech at the ceremony Lois Philipp, who is taking this year off as school principal to further her own education, made light of the fact that she entered Grade 1 37 years ago with Nellie Norwegian, one of this year's graduates. Robert Tanche, another successful student, was already a year ahead of them in school.
Philipp congratulated the graduates for the example they've set.
The example is an important one. The graduates have shown that no matter how old you are it's never too late to go back to school if you have the determination.
The desire to finish school can come from many places.
Robert Tanche admitted that it was watching his wife work towards her Grade 12 that drove him back to school the following year. He also wanted to graduate close to the same time as his children. To accomplish this Tanche finished an impressive number of credits in just one year.
Nellie Norwegian wanted to provide a good example for both her own children and other youth in the community.
She puts herself forward as living proof that if you set your mind to something you can accomplish it even if it takes more than 20 years.
Some of the graduates probably also wanted to complete their high school diploma because it's almost a necessity.
In today's world it's getting harder and harder to find jobs with healthy salaries unless you have some form of higher education.
That doesn't mean you need to hurry off to university and get a PhD. Even a high school diploma helps.
But for those who want to go further there is a world of opportunities available in higher education. Many of Fort Providence's graduates are already setting their sights on further education.
One is already in an apprenticeship program working towards becoming a heavy-equipment mechanic. Another is considering a business administrative program in Grande Prairie. One is looking at a career in journalism and yet another is thinking about a career working as either a nurse or an early childhood educator.
If finishing your education is something you have long considered you need look no farther than this graduating class to realize it's possible.
Whether you are already employed, have young children or just have a busy schedule, there is still time to complete unfinished education.
Where there's a will, there's a way.
An error appeared in a photo caption in last Wednesday's Yellowknifer, ("One stich at a time", Aug. 30). Than Dat Clothing, Gifts and Alterations is located in the downstairs level of the YK Centre. Yellowknifer apologizes for any embarrassment or confusion caused by the error.