Wednesday, September 20, 2006
But why were the young men who confronted Perrino not charged with a criminal offence?
It's understandable that Perrino was charged; he stabbed someone during a scuffle. Did he overreact? Perhaps. Everyone needs to ask what they would do in a similar circumstance.
According to court testimony, the young men were in the process of wrecking a car on public land. At least two of the men trespassed on private property.
One of the men forced his way into a private home in an attempt to stop Perrino from calling the police. All of these acts, if proven, are against the Criminal Code.
And last time we checked, uttering threats is also an offence: court was told there were threats to kill Perrino and his family.
Police and justice officials must send the message it's not okay to vandalize a vehicle on public land.
It's unacceptable to threaten and intimidate someone trying to keep his neighbourhood and family safe from hooligans.
Is that what happened in this case? We'll never know because charges were never laid.
Last week, an editorial criticized the Catholic school board for wanting only Catholic trustees, but there is another problem: Why was this desire kept secret?
Nominations for YCS trustees were extended an extra week because the board broke NWT election rules trying to ram through a last minute decree that only Catholics should be allowed to run.
The board received its "legal opinion" to disallow non-Catholic candidates last spring.
There was no public announcement, no vote among trustees. Board chair Shannon Gullberg admitted the matter had already been settled privately.
YCS is a public institution receiving public money. Decisions must be made in the open.
Though many Yellowknifers disagree with a Catholics-only board, they deserved the courtesy of an open debate rather than pamphlets stuffed into nomination kits.
YCS trustees have already made up their minds. Too bad parents were never given the chance to weigh in as well.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
A few short years ago, I was one of a number of News/North reporters who wrote a series on bullying in the schools and on the playgrounds around the North.
My story looked at what types of bullying were still prevalent in the Kivalliq, what types of kids were targeted and how it seemed to affect them.
A short while after the series ran, a couple of local residents took advantage of a coffee break at an evening meeting to let me know, in no uncertain terms, they were less than impressed with the stories.
We were, as far as they were concerned, making a lot out of nothing.
They believed the story hurt Kivalliq's reputation and considered it a piece of trash journalism which, for some reason, they seemed to think I was quite good at.
These are almost always no-win situations for journalists, who usually rely on the everyone's-entitled-to-their-own-opinion line to get out of a tough spot.
I have, however, been known to speak my mind on occasion and decided to wade in with mt two-cents worth.
The problem with bullying, I remember saying, is that we never see the real effects until years later.
For some kids, situations change as time goes by and they put it all behind them, while others are strong enough to ward off any lasting effects from their experiences.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for all kids who are bullied in their youth.
Some are never able to shake the inferiority complex or feeling of alienation brought on by the bullying they suffered.
Others let the hatred fester until it finally spews out in an act of violence so extreme that entire countries are left in shock.
Kimveer Gill, the 25-year-old man who walked into Montreal's Dawson College this past week and opened fire on students and staff, leaving one dead and 19 injured, fell into the latter category.
The tragedy brought back deeply disturbing memories of Dec. 6, 1989, when Marc Lepine walked through L'Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal and left 14 women dead in the wake of his anger.
Gill turned into the worst-case scenario of bullying victims, having tried to get help a number of times only to be turned away.
Apparently, those he asked for help in battling his rising wave of hatred thought he was making much to do about nothing.
Thankfully, very, very few of those bullied in their youth turn as violent as Gill did this past week.
Many, however, suffer most of their lives from the impact bullying can have on its victims.
It is a dark act, often with dark consequences ahead in life for all involved.
While Gill, a self-proclaimed Angel of Death, may be an extreme example, he is proof of the severe long-term effects bullying can have.
It is an act we must look upon as being totally unacceptable in our society.
And, we must also realize the emotional distress bullying victims feel when they call out for help is quite real - real enough to cause the horror in Montreal this past week.
Editorial Comment
Philippe Morin
Inuvik Drum
When I lived in Ottawa, I attended a University with 20,000 students.
Every morning, I would catch a bus with 100 other people and stand shoulder to shoulder for an hour-long ride.
Above all else, no one talked; we followed the unspoken rule of the big city, remaining stoic and perhaps listening to headphones as we ignored each others' presence.
I mention this story because Inuvik seems so different.
While I have only lived here for two months, I have found it's easier to make friends and meet people in this community.
This is a combination of good design, plenty of recreational activities,
and especially the small population, which makes interaction easier.
Here's a short list of the things that make Inuvik a great place to live.
Let's start with public spaces, such as the Inuvik Family Centre, Legion Hall, Midnight Sun Recreational Complex and Centennial Library.
Whether you're looking to play squash, skate or read comic books, there is a lot to do in this town.
And best of all, most of the facilities are rarely crowded.
While you'd never yell "hello!" to a group of 30 strangers, it's usually polite to at least nod if there are a few people in the same room.
It's funny how human interaction - rather than forced aloofness - comes from the absence of crowds.
A second benefit of Inuvik's smaller population is that leagues are always looking for members.
Whether you are interested in quilting or hockey, there are always societies who'll welcome any newcomer.
Those of you who attended community registration night on the 12th will know what I mean.
Sometimes, just being interested in a sport will get you treated like a star player.
With places to go and things to do in Inuvik, another pleasant effect are the repeated run-ins.
While leagues and facilities provide chances to meet people, the town's small size allows chances to see them around.
Someone you might see at the library or pool one week will inevitably cross paths at with you the next.
Eventually, you can't help but say hello, because you've seen this person about eight times at similar places.
It might seem like a strange notion, but people meet more people in small towns than big cities.
Furthermore, Inuvik's public spaces and recreation programs do more than provide hockey or quilting or darts.
They are a starting point to a better community, and ultimately make people feel better on many levels.
It seems the smaller the community, the more appreciated its individual members become.
- Regular Drum editor Dez Loreen is on vacation and will be back covering Inuvik at the end of September.
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum
Sitting in constituency meetings held by MLAs or MPs is always an enlightening experience.
Water was on the minds of the people at the recent Keepers of the Water gathering in Fort Simpson.
Many aspects of water, spanning from water as a human right to water as a substance which should be preserved were discussed by specialists and regular people alike.
Living in the Deh Cho, it's almost hard to see what all the fuss is about. All the communities in the area are located by a source of water. Communities including Wrigley, Fort Simpson, Jean Marie River and Fort Providence are beside the Mackenzie River, which is so large it seems like it can never be exhausted. If you fly out of the communities you will find even more water located in small lakes as far as the eye can see.
The Northwest Territories and Nunavut cover 34 per cent of Canada's land mass and contain 18 per cent of Canada's lake area, according to Environment Canada. Even more impressive is the fact that 60 per cent of Canada's fresh water drains north.
Like the rest of Canada, the Northwest Territories is in an enviable position on the world stage with regards to water access.
Approximately 97.5 per cent of the world's water is salt water. The remaining 2.5 per cent of fresh water has to be shared by the world's rapidly growing population, currently numbering more than six billion.With only seven per cent of the world's land mass, Canada holds an impressive nine per cent of the world's renewable water supply.
What all these numbers mean is that in the Deh Cho there is more than enough fresh water for everyone. There is lots of water to drink and prepare food with. There is also lots of water for outdoor activities such as boating.
The water also provides sources of food by serving as a habitat for fish and water birds. It also acts as a source of water for animals such as moose and caribou and the vegetation they require.
While the abundance of water in the area makes it easy to believe there will never be a problem this is not the case.
Elders at the watershed conference shared stories about signs that the water is already changing. Fish are not as abundant as they used to be and the water can be the wrong colour, including having a glassy film on its surface.
Things are changing and the effects are being seen and will continue to be seen in the North.
While many of the issues relating to water start in the more industrialized south and flow north, it doesn't let northern residents off the hook. The benefit of having so much water at our doorsteps also brings with it great responsibilities.
In everyday activities people can do little things to help. Helpful tasks can be as simple as bringing garbage home while you're on a boat trip or ensuring that when you refuel your engine you don't spill gas into the water.
While larger solutions will be needed to address major sources of pollution, everyone can do their part to be a keeper of the water so the North can continue to enjoy its bounty.
An error appeared in a photo caption in last Friday's Yellowknifer ("A Long Nap," Sept. 15). Della Green was misidentified. Also, in the article, "An artist behind the artists," it should have stated Ozgur Culha had earned a NWT Arts Council grant. And in the Leisure Line, "Got something to say?" the open mike at the Yellowknife Public Library will take place Sept. 28. Yellowknifer apologizes for an embarrassment or confusion caused by these errors.