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Friday, November 17, 2006
In 2000, the city was forced to borrow $3.1 million from the territorial government after its business partners in developing the first two phases of the residential subdivision wanted out after five years of poor sales.
Ratepayers were left on the hook for that deal, coming during a time when the city's gold mines were winding down and diamond mines were just starting to develop.
Luckily for everyone, the housing marked took off in 2002 and a government guaranteed loan for $3.3 million to develop Phases III and IV was quickly paid off.
It wasn't really much of a gamble at that time. The diamond boom was in full swing, and the housing market was red hot. Mayor Gord Van Tighem ensured residents that they wouldn't be on the hook as long as the lots sold, and sell they did.
Meanwhile, in the midst of a still hot housing market, private developers jumped at Phases V and VI. The city got into a pickle over Phase VI, however, because the council overruled their own development officer and accepted manufactured homes on the lots.
People thought the homes were tacky and would drive down property values for neighbouring homes.
This view was made apparent at a public forum for Phase VII two months ago, where three-quarters of the approximately 50 people polled there said they want the city to resume its role as developer.
Coun. Bob Brooks pointed to the results as evidence that council doesn't have any choice.
Brooks and other councillors need to show some stiff upper lip. Fifty people is not an overwhelming consensus, nor has Phase VI been a failure. Last we checked, homes there are selling just fine.
Private developers are the best judges of whether a project is worth pursuing. If they think there's money to be made they'll do it. It's not going to hurt some bureaucrat at City Hall, on the other hand, if a development project proves unsuccessful.
That burden will fall onto taxpayers. And there are ominous signs that the housing market is cooling. Dave Devana, city director of corporate services, warned on Tuesday, that the slowing housing market is one of the reasons why we're facing a 3.7 per cent tax increase in 2007.
That hardly bodes well for the city to get back into the development game.
If residents are upset about the way projects are developed, then they have to convince council to tighten the rules, and stick to them.
If there is a market for Phase VII, we're sure developers will give City Hall a call.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
People across the Kivalliq gathered this past week to pay their respects to those who have sacrificed to keep this great nation free.
With the threat of terrorism a constant companion today, Remembrance Day ceremonies have been somewhat rejuvenated of late.
Fewer and fewer empty seats are visible when communities come together on the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month.
Some scribes like to use impressive-sounding and somewhat foreboding words such as phenomenon to describe this change of events, but that is hardly the case.
When one looks at it objectively, our country's new-found respect for the men and women of our Canadian Forces is quite logical.
The malaise that appeared to surround Remembrance Day by the dawn of a new millennium was the result of a country unthreatened.
With the demise of the Cold War, Canadians were comfortable with our nation's position on the global landscape.
There were no real wars we had to concern ourselves with any more.
Most of the fighting being done by our Canadian Forces was for modern equipment, a better pay scale, a military structure they could actually understand and an end to the rash of base closures across the country.
Slowly, but surely, that came to an end and places such as Cyprus, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Bosnia, El Salvador, Cambodia, Somalia, Kosovo, Iraq, Iran, the Persian Gulf and Afghanistan suddenly seemed much closer to home.
The last threads of our security blanket were ripped away forever on the fateful morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
Canadians, for the most part, no longer take their freedom and safety for granted.
This, in itself, has contributed to the resurgence of respect surrounding most Remembrance Day ceremonies.
And, it has also brought about a higher level of awareness concerning our Canadian Forces members involved in UN or NATO peacekeeping missions abroad.
Many now realize that while it will always be important to remember the fallen heroes of the past, our men and women of today's Canadian Forces are no less deserving of that same respect.
Every year, the number of Canadians who die trying to keep peace on foreign soil continues to rise.
All too often in the past, their sacrifices were lost in the war of words over whether they should have been there to begin with.
Canada is highly regarded on the international stage for its ability to remain a middle-power country that does not wish to extend its borders at the cost of others.
Yet, we live in a time when those same borders must be protected, and sometimes that protection begins in places difficult to pronounce.
Thankfully, most in our country now realize it is just as important to honour those who bar the doors of oppression today, as it is to remember those who defeated freedom's enemies of the past.
They pay a huge price for one day's worth of respect!
Editorial Comment
Dez Loreen
Inuvik Drum
There I was, sitting in an audience of high school students and faculty at Samuel Hearne.
We were all gathered in the gym for a Remembrance Day assembly.
It was all fairly routine - students sang their songs, read their poems and performed a skit for their peers.
The school had also invited veteran Fred Church and Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland to speak to the students.
Church's words were those of sincerity and valour.
When Roland spoke, he reached out to the students on their own front.
In what started as a sure-fire speech about what our grandparents died for, Roland spun the whole room around by talking about the significance of a war simulation game.
That's right, video games. He spoke our jive lingo!
"Playing war games gives you a good idea of what the veterans went through in the Second World War," said Roland.
With a speech that name-dropped the XBOX 360, and playing online over XBOX live, you would think that our MLA has spent a lot of his own time fighting virtual wars from the trenches of his living room.
I have to commend the man on his choice of approach. I don't think he would discuss video games with the veterans at the Legion.
He saved that nugget for the perfect audience.
I looked around the gym at all of the young gamers in the crowd who were nodding their heads, remembering some of the simulated battles they had played.
Regardless of what you may think, many of these games I speak of are incredibly accurate portrayals of World War II, and I'm sure veterans would confirm that.
Roland's speech shows that there are people out there who are reaching out to youth in ways they can understand, that relate to their experiences.
Successful role models like Roland are a good example of what is possible for the youth of tomorrow.
Remembrance Day is a time for us to reflect on soldiers who died in the two world wars, and overseas in more recent conflicts.
I want to commend those veterans in town who shared their stories with youth this past week.
I also want to thank the people who organized the local events this past week, for reminding us all, lest we forget.
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum
Congratulations are in order for Kayla Betsaka, Kyra Tanche and Bhreagh Ingarfield of Nahanni Butte.
For three girls from a small community in the Northwest Territories that most people in Canada probably couldn't find on a map to win a national award is a considerable achievement.
The magnitude of the accomplishment is increased by the fact that the nomination for the award came from someone that none of the girls seem to know. Having a family or community member nominate you for an award is one thing but having a stranger from a different territory nominate you is quite another.
An example can be taken from the girls who are happily willing to give up time during their week to look after animals that might otherwise be mistreated or abandoned.
Not everyone has to be an animal hero, but there are plenty of causes in every community that could use a helping hand.
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum
The Christmas season won't be quite the same in Fort Simpson without the Metis Christmas party.
As with most things relating to Christmas, the party was primarily designed for the children. There are very few children who don't enjoy getting a Christmas present a few days before the actual big day.
But Marie Lafferty, the president of the Metis Nation, had a point when she noted that the presents themselves might not be missed since most families can afford gifts for their children.
What might be missed more is the event itself. It was a time when families and children could come together, share in the holiday spirit and participate in fun activities. Last year's celebrations, which were purposefully designed with the whole family in mind, included cookie decorating, craft making and pinata breaking. The Open Doors Society helped with the programming.
The event filled the recreation centre with the shrill screams and giggles of small children and the quieter reaction of their parents.
It's unfortunate that the Metis Nation no longer has the funding for the event, but $15,000 is notably a lot of money to put forward every year. Hopefully a new, and less expensive, alternative to the Christmas party will be found. One option could be a party without the presents. Before the elaborate gifts were given out last year, there was still lots of fun to be had at the party.
Those in the community who are disappointed to think that a 12- year tradition is about to be broken should step forward to help come up with new ideas to keep the Christmas spirit rolling in Fort Simpson.