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Citizen consultants
Yellowknifer - Friday, July 31, 2009

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Advice at what price?

Our city council, like councils past, has a penchant for consultants, and its eating a significant hole in our municipal budget.

There's a time and place for reports produced by professionals as funding from the territorial and federal governments may be dependent on them.

But we've been paying a good chunk of change to consultants, sometimes over several years, for numerous studies on 911 service, cleaning up the Giant Mine site, dump expansion and a long-term vision for the city (peering 50 years into the future).

Our elected politicians need to hire fewer "experts," especially the southern ones who do not know and understand this place we call home.

Granted, public meetings and workshops don't always engage many people, but city councillors are generally long-term Yellowknifers who are active in the community. They're frequently stopped on the streets by those with concerns. They take calls and get e-mails about all sorts of issues.

There are numerous non-government and volunteer organizations that are ready to provide council with direction.

In addition, council has a sizable city staff to call upon, people who spend their days crunching numbers and creating reports.

The latest task to be handed off to a consultant is the creation of a social plan. Nobody's going to argue that Yellowknife doesn't have its share of social problems, such as alcoholism, homelessness and crime.

But the initial social plan document tells councillors a whole lot of what they already know and suggests they take steps that should have been obvious: work together with other levels of government, address gaps in volunteer services, encourage information sharing among social agencies, monitor citizen feedback.

That last point is critical. Moving forward beyond the 50-page consultant's report, the city should use its own expertise and that of its citizens. It should also be sure, as councillor Bob Brooks suggested, that the GNWT does its fair share to address these problems. It's Health and Social Service's role to tackle many of these issues and pay for solutions, so the city shouldn't inherit them.

It's bricks and mortar and more counselling for the troubled that we need. The 32-room Bailey House transition home, designed to help men turn their lives around is a fine example. It was an initiative of the Yellowknife Homeless Coalition which the city threw its weight behind.

The future day shelter for the homeless is another such project. Our diverse group of councillors should give themselves a vote of confidence and use their collective expertise whenever possible from this point.

After all, that's what we expected when we marked their names on our ballots.

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A hole in one for the village
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, July 30, 2009

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It's tourist season in the Deh Cho and each community is well aware of what it has to offer visitors from the rest of Canada.

In Fort Simpson, the list includes the sight of the confluence of the Mackenzie and the Liard Rivers and the fact the village is a jumping-off point to reach the Nahanni National Park Reserve. One attraction often overlooked, however, is the Seven Spruce Golf Course.

As a result of driving past it on a daily basis on their way on or off the island, it's easy for residents to take the course for granted. For new visitors, however, the golf course is a prominent and attractive feature. If first impressions are important, the lush, green course puts the village's best face forward.

An often heard comment or query is, "Fort Simpson has a golf course?"

Not only does the village have a golf course, residents should take pride in the fact that it's possibly the best course in the whole territory. The Seven Spruce Golf Course easily holds its own against rivals in larger centres such as Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Smith. The course can also stay in the running against courses of equal size located elsewhere in Canada.

The course in its original form was impressive enough but it has recently taken an upward step in quality with the installation of new artificial greens.

All nine holes on the golf course now have artificial greens. Gone are the days of having to drag a mat around the sand greens to erase ball and feet tracks.

The greens made their official debut at the best ball tournament last weekend to rave reviews. Golfers gushed about how the greens improved their golfing experience and their game.

A team from Fort Smith who came to assess the greens because they're planning to install them on their course came away with the conclusion they're making the right decision.

And who is responsible for the continued success and development of the course?

The Seven Spruce Golf Course isn't a business, it's a volunteer-based organization. From the beginning, it's been volunteers who have envisioned, dreamed and worked to turn an open campground field into a successful golf course. The volunteers have come in all shapes and sizes ranging from corporate sponsors to individuals who donate their time and energy.

In some cases these groups and individuals help the course because they enjoy golfing, but many of them do it out of a sense of community pride and the knowledge that the course is a gem for the village.

Golfers and non-golfers alike, the residents of Fort Simpson should be proud of the volunteer work that's been put into the Seven Spruce Golf Course. The course, as the club's president Shane Thompson said, is an asset to the community.

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Two people who may change the world
Editorial Comment
Andrew Rankin
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, July 30, 2009

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One of the privileges of being a reporter is that complete strangers open up and trust you enough to share their profoundly personal stories.

Every so often in this job you meet people who are truly inspiring and have that rare energy and talent to move others to challenge themselves to achieve good. I experienced that twice last week.

The first occasion came when I met Inuvik resident Sue Clarkson who, after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, resolved to run a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada.

The other was Marcelo da Luz who arrived in Inuvik driving his solar car last week after travelling well over 30,000 km and depleting his life savings, all in the name of spreading the message of clean sustainable energy and inspiring others to follow their dreams.

Now I can't even begin to try to understand what it must feel like to be diagnosed with an incurable disease such as T-cell lymphoma, but I think terrifying might be a place to start. But as I sat and spoke with the mother of three, I didn't sense any fear. She wore the same smiling, glowing expression that many in the community have known from her over the years. I got to thinking that the world could be falling apart and this woman would be able to see some good in it.

Sitting right beside was her best friend, Debbie MacDonald, who is also training for the marathon. In a remarkable display of support and friendship, she went from being a non-runner to marathon training overnight. The pair are trying to raise $6,000 each for the cause, so open up your wallets.

Then you have da Luz, who set a Guinness World record for most distance travelled in a solar-powered car. He arrived here last June from Buffalo, N.Y., after inching his way up the Dempster Highway at 30 km/h. Then he travelled down highways at 60 km/h through Victoria, down to Portland and Seattle and then back to Inuvik again. Along the way he held hundreds of inspiring talks throughout Canada and the U.S. like the one he gave at the rec centre on Friday. His actions have effected change. Last year he met a man from Dawson who was committed to making an electric car and on da Luz's second trip up the Dempster that dream came to fruition.

After depleting his life savings he's still hoping that he might get some corporate financial backing to take his car to Newfoundland or to other countries.

On the surface he looks a little crazy, but when you stop and think about the state of our environment and how simply designed his car is, you wonder if this isn't a place a start. Why shouldn't it start with an otherwise "ordinary" person? He's garnered a ton of international exposure. We'll see where it goes from there.

I guess what I'm ultimately saying is that I'm in awe of people, like these two individuals, who fight for what they believe in, set a goal and go after it, with grace galore. What I'm also saying is there are probably a lot of extraordinary people all around us that are constantly raising the bar, providing hope and strength for the masses. We just have to look to see them.

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Tried and true
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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It seems odd to be fond of a hulking piece of metal, bearings and propellers.

Yet many Northern aviators, military personnel and Rangers have developed an attachment to the Twin Otter, an airplane that's been part of Northern military operations for decades.

It's a versatile workhorse that has proven to be a reliable performer despite the rigours of frigid Northern winters.

So as the mechanical bird begins to show its age, it's encouraging to hear that a new generation of Twin Otters is being produced in British Columbia. Five of the new 400 series will soon come off the production line.

The Twin Otter has earned its place as a Northern success story, nimbly ferrying up to 20 passengers per flight as well as cargo into extremely remote locations; touching down on lakes, rivers or hard-packed snow, places where many other planes its size would have had no chance of landing.

So while the Canadian military's fleet of four Yk-based Twin Otters may be around for a while yet - at least until 2015, according to one media report - it's not too soon to be looking at replacements.

Air Force Capt. Paul Finnemore told Yellowknifer last week that the military identifies new equipment based on the most value for the least money. That's not necessarily a bad practice, but the new Twin Otter should warrant thorough consideration. Its predecessor's track record shows it will hold up over the long haul, and there's a cost savings in that. But the military's purchase of what turned out to be problem-plagued second-hand British submarines in the late 1990s as an example of trying to save money at too great a cost.

As Finnemore himself says in regards to the Twin Otter: "I think there's nothing that can compete with it today."

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Folk on the Rocks hits high note
Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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Yellowknife's premier music festival hit a new high this year. Folk on the Rocks recorded a total attendance of more than 5,000 over its two sunny and glorious days, which put it at 1,500 more than last year.

That the festival managed to break records in the midst of a recession shows that Yellowknife has great potential as a cultural tourist destination.

This year's festival featured an exceptional number of young performers whose work celebrates life in the Yellowknife area and the North overall. These performers characterize the event and give it meaning. Big-name draws like the Sam Roberts Band and Buck 65 remain important, too, as they bring greater visibility to the festival nationwide, and, as veteran artists of the festival have noted, they raise the bar for Northern artists.

If there's any reason music fans may avoid the festival it would be the cost. Charges of $100 for adults and $60 for youth at the gate are pretty pricey. Advance sales of $75-$85 in advance for adults are hardly better, unless one spends most of the weekend on site, which then makes it seem like a bargain.

For those wanting to avoid shelling out some money, volunteers get in for free and hundreds are needed. Keep that in mind for next year.

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Ban on swine flu information unjustified
Editorial Comment
Kassina Ryder
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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A lot of people I routinely call in Rankin Inlet and in the communities of the Kivalliq region have asked me about swine flu.

I work for the newspaper and people figured that I would know.

However, it seems there is no inside scoop when it comes to the health department's information about swine flu and even hamlet administrators don't know exactly what is going on. A CBC report last week pointed out flaws in what is supposed to be a territorial pandemic plan for dealing with H1N1.

At a hamlet council meeting in Rankin Inlet held at the end of June, a health care worker gave an update to hamlet councillors on the state of the virus.

The apparent "ban" on discussing which communities had the virus made our jobs difficult for both of us.

Before giving her presentation, the health care worker explained that she felt she was in a difficult position because she had been instructed to update town council, but my presence at the meeting and the possibility of me reporting what she said could put her in conflict with instructions she had been given by the health department.

So her job was to give a presentation on the status of H1N1 in Rankin Inlet, without being permitted to say specifically that the virus was, in fact, in the community.

And my job was to report what happened at the hamlet council meeting, while worrying about getting her into trouble for what she might reveal during her presentation.

All the while, every single one of us in the hamlet office boardroom knew perfectly well that the virus was in Rankin Inlet, despite the fact that the health department wasn't releasing that information.

At this point it seems ridiculous that the names of the communities aren't being released. Family members and friends know who has the virus and where they live. The virus has calmed down significantly in the Kivalliq region, but the health department has stated that it will return in the fall.

The rumours surrounding this illness are becoming as complex as the illness itself. People are divided on what has become two sides of the proverbial fence. Some people believe the pandemic is being blown out of proportion, while others are still considering wearing masks to do their grocery shopping.

Some people also believe the virus has run its course and is now over because of the fewer cases being reported in the region.

Unless all information is given to community members and the department holds nothing back, these rumours will remain. Health-care workers shouldn't have to be so secretive.

Being secretive isn't the same as crying wolf, but it has the same effect: when the time comes to tell the truth, people might not believe everything they hear.

The question is, what is the reasoning behind not releasing the names of the communities?

The government must do a better job of distributing information about second wave of H1N1 than it did with the first.

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Secret inquisition undemocratic
NWT News/North - Monday, July 27, 2009

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Premier Floyd Roland's extra-marital affair should not be a media concern but cover-up attempts by MLAs are a different matter.

That's why any suggestion the inquiry into the actions of Premier Roland be held in secret should be viewed with deep suspicion.

That the request was made by Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay, the loudest among the six MLAs accusing the premier of misconduct, is especially troubling. What is he now trying to hide? Why the about face?

The premier's secret affair with a clerk in the legislative assembly was made public in early December 2008 because MLAs held a closed-door meeting.

They reportedly confronted the premier, asking if his mistress, the clerk who sat in on their confidential committee meetings, had acted as his spy. Roland denied that she had. Most of the MLAs left the meeting saying they had no proof any information had been exchanged improperly.

Ramsay, however, insisted the premier had acted dishonestly, calling for his resignation. "It's not the people," Ramsay said, "It's the positions."

As a result of that meeting and perhaps Ramsay's comments, the story of the premier and his mistress was widely reported in the territorial and national news

What made the affair news is that Ramsay and his colleagues suspected the premier had used his secret relationship with the clerk to make himself and cabinet look good and the ordinary MLAs look bad. The media played no role in that.

MLAs ensured Roland's affair remained in the public eye when they chose to pursue a formal complaint with NWT conflict of interest commissioner Gerald Gerrand.

The evidence convinced Gerrand there was substance to MLAs' suspicions. He gave the file to arbitrator Ted Hughes, who was hired by the government to investigate the accusations further.

This inquiry into the integrity of our premier has already costs thousands of dollars and will cost hundreds of thousands more before it is done. Roland's personal life has been exposed and there is no question his wife and children have suffered as a result.

Yet Ramsay has already referred to the inquiry he was instrumental in initiating as a potential "soap opera." Soap operas are fictional. This is serious public business. Now Ramsay wants the evidence he and the other MLAs have been standing on to remain hidden from the public, which sounds very much like a secret inquisition.

Roland may be innocent. Only six of the MLAs supported the complaint, five did not. Hughes will be making his own judgment based upon the evidence he gathers.

But to maintain "public confidence" which is what the inquiry is all about, the public must also be fully informed of the evidence against Roland. Then they can judge for themselves whether Ramsay and other MLAs were on a costly witch hunt to further their own political careers, or whether our premier had indeed abused his position and to what extent.

There are many examples of how the process should be handled - the Gomery inquiry and former prime Minister Brian Mulroney's transactions with Karlheinz Schreiber, are two recent ones. Embarrassing to those involved? Certainly, but the issues of political corruption being examined far outweigh the feelings of the individuals involved.

While common practice in less developed countries, there are no Canadian examples of a secret inquisition for which Ramsay is calling, nor should such a dangerous precedent be set.

Democracies simply don't function behind closed doors. It's unfortunate Ramsay fails to understand that, especially as he often demands more open government.

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Nunavut needs an economic boost
Nunavut News/North - Monday, July 27, 2009

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When it comes to economic development, Canada's youngest territory lags behind its richer cousins, Yukon and NWT.

Therefore recent speculation that the Conservative government plans to station the headquarters of the new Northern Economic Development Agency in Iqaluit is welcome news.

Business activities here have hurdles to clear that are not unknown in the other territories but are greatly magnified in Nunavut. The high cost of living, shortage of skilled labour, shortage of housing and vast distances are challenges companies must overcome.

By locating the economic development agency in Iqaluit, federal employees will gain an intimate understanding of these challenges, more so than if they were stationed in Yellowknife or Whitehorse.

A Northern-based agency would also be able to more efficiently market the many opportunities for development and investment in the Northern territories.

The $50 million budget the agency has been allotted over five years would be very welcome in the territory. Apart from money spent on the office, the agency would employ an undetermined number of people who would spend money on food, housing and transportation, delivering a small boost to Iqaluit's economy. In addition, each transplanted worker from Ottawa or elsewhere translates into federal transfer payments for Nunavut. As with other government offices, there should also be training opportunities to help Nunavummiut take over these positions.

A stronger economy and an increased tax base would help alleviate many of Nunavut's endemic problems, resulting in more jobs to increased access to transportation, to more housing, to better health services, to name just a few.

The mayor of Yellowknife and the MP for Western Arctic have both claimed that if Iqaluit is selected to be the home of the agency's headquarters, the decision would be based on politics, not logic.

It's true Nunavut's MP is not only a member of the governing party, but also a key cabinet minister.

But it's the youngest territory that needs the most help, as Iqaluit mayor Elisapee Sheutiapik observed. To do the most good, the new Northern Economic Development Agency should be located where it's most needed, and that's Iqaluit.