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Democratic evolution
NWT News/North - Monday, June 22, 2009

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Over the past few months -- perhaps years -- the media has been littered with stories of controversy and dispute from the political workings within various First Nation governments throughout the NWT.

These stories are not unique to aboriginal politics, and the frequency of the issues popping up does not reflect poorly on aboriginal leaders. It is merely a product of an evolving democratic process.

For centuries First Nation peoples had their own style of community governance.

Today, First Nation governments are blending traditional government models with western-style democracy for a system that works for them.

Most encouraging is the amount of interest First Nation politics receive from members of the various bands and tribal councils.

Lately, garnering the most publicity have been the Tlicho, Deninu Ku'e and Salt River First Nations.

All three have been embroiled in lawsuits for various reasons. Although the situations have generated criticism from the public and our editorials, there is a silver lining.

The fact that people care enough to become involved is evidence there is a real desire to create a stable and representative system of government and that self-government is a priority for First Nation communities.

It is important to remember advancement and greater stability can only be achieved if a government learns from its mistakes.

Democracy has been thousands of years in the making and what worked for the ancient Greeks obviously isn't suited to today's realities.

The same goes for First Nations democracy. Although First Nations have a solid system of government to build on, it is obvious that European-style democracy is based on different cultural values and evolved from an entirely different set of historic events.

With that in mind, it is naive to expect a democratic structure tailored to First Nation groups would completely mimic a European-governance model.

First Nations must be allowed to create a model of government that works for them and matches aboriginal cultural, traditional and spiritual values.

Although it doesn't have to match Canada's idea of democracy directly - Canadian democracy is far from perfect - First Nations government must be seen as functional if it is to be taken seriously and if it wants the federal government to relinquish more powers and responsibilities.

A rocky start can be expected, but if people continue to take an interest and leaders are willing to admit when something is not working and make changes, the result will be a successful transition to self-government.

The Iroquois were widely believed to be one of the oldest participatory democracies on Earth. Many ideas that helped form American policy and law may have come from the Six Nation model of government.

Perhaps lessons from the past can help First Nations people make the transition to self-government.

Aboriginal groups governed themselves for centuries, and although a more contemporary government model is necessary, many past practices may still be relevant.

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Fear spreads faster than flu
Nunavut News/North - Monday, June 22, 2009

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No one likes getting sick. So it's understandable that some people get cranky when the government tells them to do all they can to prevent the spread of a new flu but won't tell them where exactly it already exists.

After several days of wondering, we know now it's mostly in the Kitikmeot. And there's some in the Kivalliq. Oh, and now on Baffin Island.

One case. Six cases. Twenty-five. One hundred forty-five. Two hundred and three.

Some argue that if they knew swine flu was going around their community, they would take more precautions.

But swine flu, or H1N1, spreads like any other kind of flu. The only precautions you can take are to wash your hands frequently, sanitize frequently-touched surfaces and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. There's no flu shot available yet to give you immunity to H1N1 because the virus is so new.

Only fear spreads faster than flu, and had the Department of Health and Social Services publicly identified the communities where a few people were sick with swine flu, those communities would have faced ostracism.

Places with swine flu would have been avoided and people from those communities travelling to other communities may have been treated like they had the plague, even if they were perfectly healthy. Children from the communities travelling with sports teams or on school trips would have been taunted by their peers.

These are things that have happened during disease outbreaks, including the current pandemic, in this country and others.

Communities fighting swine flu outbreaks deserve our aid and moral support. If they have to remain unidentified for this to happen, then so be it.

Respiratory ailments haunt Nunavut. The territory has the highest rates of tuberculosis in Canada, a disease mostly eradicated from the modern world. Respiratory synctitial virus (RSV) sends children to hospital every winter. Flu outbreaks shut down whole communities.

And there are lots of reasons why. Being cooped up indoors much of the year in overcrowded houses lets sickness spread. Smoking makes respiratory illnesses worse, and last longer. So does poor nutrition, when healthy food costs more than empty calories. Rationing trucked water, or no running water at all, may mean less frequent hand washing.

Every update issued by the Department of Health and Social Services stresses the illness caused by the H1N1 flu strain is mild for most people. That's the same as any flu.

And all flus can kill. Health Canada says 4,000 people a year die from common seasonal flus in Canada. That's why we should be practising flu precautions everywhere, all year round, regardless of whether there's an outbreak or not.

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Knowledge is power
Yellowknifer - Friday, June 19, 2009

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Work has been halted on the Deh Cho Bridge.

The reason for stoppage wasn't clear as of press time, but skepticism abounds over this fishy mega-project. Part of the reason for nagging doubts is the lack of information about the status of the bridge.

News of the work stoppage, on a project already behind schedule, comes as the primary builder of the bridge over the Mackenzie River, the ATCON Group, was just granted $50 million in business assistance from the New Brunswick government.

But if things fall apart financially with this $165 million project, can we be sure that taxpayers won’t be left holding the bag?

The territorial government and the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation – the Dene and Metis of Fort Providence – have long insisted the one kilometre span is to be built at a fixed price. In other words, the materials and labour are not to exceed $165 million. So if there are cost overruns, the additional funds should be picked up by builders. That’s how it was explained as recently as March.

"Our prices were fixed at the time of the award," said Andrew Gamble, project manager for the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. "They (the contractors) assume the risk on any price change."

And yet the tune was different coming from Department of Transportation spokesperson Earl Blacklock just last week. In an interview with Yellowknifer, Blacklock said the territorial government, as the guarantor of the project, would pick up extra costs if the price climbs above $165 million. In turn, the government would seek to recover those costs from the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, Blacklock said.

So the bridge corporation and the government would indeed be on the hook.

Providing that the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation can withstand the possibility of prices escalating, it intends to repay the GNWT through its share of profits from tolls applied to commercial traffic crossing the bridge, according to corporation president Michael Vandell.

Should the corporation dissolve, the government – and taxpayers, by extension – would be left to put up the extra cash.

One could argue that tolls can be adjusted accordingly, but let’s remember that retailers and the trucking industry have forewarned us that tolls will largely or completely be recouped through higher prices passed on to customers.

Will there be any benefits from this project, agreed upon in the back rooms of the legislature literally days before former premier Joe Handley left office in September 2007? By that time the cost had risen to $165 million, but the GNWT didn’t even know it yet as a 2003 economic analysis on the project hadn’t even been updated at the time.

In 2003 the project had been expected to cost no more than $55 million and was scheduled to be complete by summer 2005.

How things change.

One thing has remained consistent, however: the deal to build the Deh Cho Bridge as well as the future of this NWT mega-project is as murky as the silty waters of the Mackenzie River running beneath it.

This too must change. There's been too much dodging the truth and hiding behind corporate walls. That's acceptable for private companies but when government money is involved, transparency and accountability are part of the lending conditions.

Taxpayers have a right to know exactly what's going on at all times.

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A valuable lesson
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, June 18, 2009

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While no one was audibly breathing sighs of relief, the reaction to board reform plans discussed at a recent meeting in the Deh Cho was considerably warmer than it was eight months ago.

Last October Minister Michael Miltenberger, the cabinet minister in charge of the territorial government's refocusing committee, announced that 70 health, education and housing boards would be merged into six regional boards by 2011. The response across the territory was almost overwhelmingly negative.

Although many organizations and people oppose change solely on the basis that they don't want to disturb the comfortable patterns they've build for themselves, this wasn't the primary factor in the reaction. Board members and residents alike were surprised at the manner the board merges had been sprung on them.

In the Deh Cho, members of many of the affected organizations said they'd had very little notice of the plan prior to its announcement and even less consultation. Boards were left to scramble after details and to speculate on what mergers would mean for them. How would six regional boards function?

In response to the reactions and their own concerns, MLAs passed a motion in February at the legislative assembly asking for the mergers to be put off. In the motion they requested a more consultative method be used so affective parties could have a say.

The product was presented to members of the Dehcho Divisional Education Council and a few other Deh Cho organizations on June 12.

Gone are the bold statements of board merges. Instead "board reform" is the catch phrase of the day. The plan, while a little short on details, includes looking at ways other than board merges to achieve the original goals of improving service delivery and the effectiveness and efficiency of the boards.

What is astounding in all of this isn't the outcry against the original plan, but rather that Miltenberger and the other committee members thought that the boards and residents of the NWT would accept it. The fact that they apparently thought the first plan would work, why else would they have revealed it, defies logic.

Members of a government based on consensus should realize consensus and the consultation between members who comes with it is something residents expect.

All members of the territorial government and its associated committees, and anyone hoping to move into one of those positions, need to file the board merger plan away as an example of how not to pitch an idea to constituents.

Board mergers might be something the territory needs but the angle at which they were approached was all wrong.

Through their public reaction residents have proven that they are a powerful force and expect nothing less than consultation on important initiatives.

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Music must become a priority
Editorial Comment
Andrew Rankin
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, June 18, 2009

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Growing up I always resented the fact that the schools I attended never put a priority on musical education.

I innately knew that me and my Newfoundlander buddies with their artistic Irish bloodlines would thrive, if only given some disciplined artistic outlet.

So I felt cheated that I never had the opportunity to enrol in a music class.

I got my chance later in life to indulge my artistic side. I bought a guitar and took some time to learn how to play. Turns out I don't have much talent for playing. But hey, I can hold a note.

So I was tickled last week to find Sir Alexander Mackenzie School was among 13 schools in the country to win the prestigious Kodaly Society of Canada's Music Education Excellence Award. There were several criteria involved. For example, ensuring every student got specialized musical instruction while getting at least 60 minutes of training each week.

Next week's Inuvik Drum will contain a story about the program as well as the school's music teacher Cynthia Maynard's approach to tapping into the children's talent.

Anyone who attended SAMS Christmas and spring concerts would probably agree that whatever she's doing, it seems to be working.

In her first year here, she comes to Inuvik with top-notch credentials and a passion for children and education to match.

It's encouraging that someone within Beaufort Delta Education Council saw the importance of harnessing the obvious artistic talent that exists here, and it's refreshing, given that education programs are so often the first to be cut under most governments.

The benefits of music programs in schools are well documented. Studies show intellectual development comes more quickly to kids exposed to stimulating musical education, as opposed to those who aren't. I could reference some scientific studies but I won't bother because that's not entirely my point here.

It comes down to what I believe is fundamental truth: that music is essential to being human. Why else would it be at the forefront of nearly every culture or religion? But that's not reflected in many schools where programs are being cut.

Most, if not all of the children I know have a natural inclination to sing or to express themselves through dancing. Too often mainstream education stifles children with a focus on language, math and science, which leaves little room to harness creative expression through music or art.

I agree with Maynard when she says every child has a singing voice. The challenge is to work with kids to find that inner instrument. It appears she has that knack. Then the natural progression into other instruments happens.

No doubt in some cases it's a painfully challenging process, but indeed one worth investing in.

Hopefully the powers that be continue to invest in that challenge.

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F for customer service
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, June 17, 2009

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Customer service goes a long way, and someone should explain that to Northland Utilities.

After several Yellowknife customers saw their power bills skyrocket without explanation late last year, the utility company proved unable, or unwilling, to review the bills.

From there, the NWT Public Utilities Board, to its credit, took a vigorous watchdog role in reviewing the cases. The board responded by ordering that Northland amend bills and refund customers. The regulator didn't stop there - it also ordered Northland to follow 18 directives to correct the problem.

Rather than pursue a solution, the utility company has taken a combative stance, arguing the board is in error. Rebates to customers have been put on hold, and Northland has calculated it would have to collect an extra $334,607.33 from customers to comply with board's orders. This would include expenses for an extra full-time position (a reported $108,000 expense), a part-time position, cosmetic changes to bills, and adding a power calculator to its website.

The time to solve this problem is now. Northland should sit down with the utilities board and find a solution for the good of all residents who rely on them for their electricity.

These costs are simply due to a refusal by Northland to accept any responsibility for explaining extraordinarily high-usage. Instead they've adopted the stance the customer is always wrong. Charging Yellowknifers for costs unrelated to distributing electricity is unacceptable.

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Safety doesn't take a back seat
Wednesday, June 17, 2009

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Three Yellowknife women are resuming a service this city has been lacking for a few years now - a car seat safety program.

The Yellowknife Fire Department, with funding from Health and Social Services, used to provide such a program.

Parents and parents-to-be who took the course were better prepared to look after the safety of their children, and people had the option to brush up on their safety knowledge by attending.

But in 2006, this program was axed, leaving parents to find alternative sources of information. It is important city dwellers have access to a public venue for learning about safety, especially because installing child car seats properly is quite complicated.

So Tina Drew, Clarissa Spence and Jessie Teed of the Centre for Northern Families took it upon themselves to bring back this important service. The women will run clinics on the subject in June and July, all the while making time for drop-in guests.

For understanding the importance of this program and for taking initiative to make sure it's available, these women deserve our thanks. By spreading this knowledge, they are helping to make our city a safer place.

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Bugged by smoke and irony
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, June 17, 2009

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Nunavut chief medical officer Dr. Isaac Sobol couldn't resist resorting to the old stand-by crutch of tobacco use in the North when giving his reasons why the swine flu virus was spreading so rapidly in Nunavut this past week.

And, of course, after being complimented by Dr. Sobol on how well it's been getting out information for the Health department, the CBC dutifully aired his comments on the next day's broadcast.

Few officials have mentioned smoking in connection to H1N1, and those who have stated people who smoke may (which by the very term also means may not) experience more severe symptoms with the bug.

They've mentioned the usual - eat healthy, exercise regularly, wash often and refrain from smoking - healthy lifestyle choices which help the immune system.

I have found no one in my research who has said the virus is being spread by smokers.

I am a smoker, but in no way advocate tobacco use.

And, I'm so used to smokers being blamed for so many of the world's ills that I take it all stride these days.

Having said that, there are times when governments go on about the effects of second-hand smoke that I wish people would read reports by the likes of Dr. Michael Siegel, Dr. Melvin First, Dr. Gary Becker (Nobel Prize winner), Dr. Elizabeth Whelan and the EnstromKabat Study before forming their opinions.

The Enstrom-Kabat Study was the largest ever done, covering 100,000 people over 38 years and published in the British Medical Journal in 2003.

Ironically, the spread of disease is seen by some to be on the rise since smoking was banned on aircraft, and that could be the least of your worries if you're a frequent flyer.

There are new concerns about contaminated air on aircraft since high levels of a dangerous toxin were found on board several planes by undercover investigators.

A total of 31 swab samples were secretly taken in cabins of popular airlines, and analyzed at the University of British Columbia under the supervision of leading toxicologist Christian van Netten.

Of those, 28 were found to contain high levels of tricresyl phosphate, an antiwear additive found in jet oil which can lead to drowsiness, headaches and respiratory problems among other scary things.

It's referred to as aerotoxic syndrome and it could be affecting up to 200,000 passengers a year.

While a number of new planes have HEPA filter systems, most do not and circulate air via an internal system.

Fresh air is delivered to the engines, mixed with circulated air, and then streamed to the cabin.

When smoking was allowed, airlines changed air filters more often, reducing the chance of exposure to bacteria.

After the ban, airlines dropped the amount of fresh air being streamed into the cabin because, you guessed it, they save money on fuel by limiting the amount of fresh air being supplied and by changing the filters less frequently.

Food for thought which, hopefully, doesn't bug Dr. Sobol too much.