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Help for the homeless
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, July 8, 2009

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Homelessness is not equivalent to hopelessness, and Yellowknife is showing there's growing hope for those with nowhere to go.

Thankfully, the city is home to persistent activists such as city councillor Lydia Bardak and YWCA executive director Lyda Fuller, among others, whose tireless efforts cannot be ignored.

Their collective efforts are bearing fruit.

Tenants seeking to turn their lives around began moving into the Bailey House transitional home for men in February. A separate pilot project day shelter for the homeless is expected to be in place by fall bringing with it, finally, public washrooms and counselling services.

But that's not all. There's a movement afoot to find a space for a women's transitional home. There is also talk of creating a facility for homeless youth as federal funds are available. The SideDoor Youth Centre, realistically, can only do so much.

Groups from the city's homelessness coalition to the City of Yellowknife to the GNWT have pledged support to these various initiatives.

It's bound to make our streets more appealing to tourists and residents alike, although those who refuse to seek help, or even shelter, will always remain.

While helping people move from destructive lifestyles to healthier ones, it may also help reduce the amount of illnesses - such as tuberculosis and syphilis - among the homeless population.

Step by step, the city is becoming a safer place for people who, for whatever reason, have found themselves on the streets.

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Too many cabs the problem, not racism
Wednesday, July 8, 2009

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City Cabs driver Mohammad Basha recently commented that city officials are treating cabbies "like second-class citizens because we're immigrants."

That remark is misguided, and was likely made in frustration.

Those remarks come after city council continues to refuse to limit the number of taxi licences, which have ballooned to 140 in this city.

That cabbies are frustrated with this unsupportable number is understandable, but to imply that the city's reluctance to impose a cap on taxi licences is due to racism is ridiculous.

Many communities in this country don't have a cap on cabs, including the neighbouring capital of Whitehorse, Yukon, where there are only 50 taxis. That's because civic leaders there and elsewhere have rightly concluded that such decisions are best left to the marketplace to decide.

The only thing this city council should be concerned about is that cab companies provide a safe and quality service.

If Basha is wondering why colleagues who continue to insist on remaining in this industry are having such a hard time making ends meet, he should look no further than the other comments he offered in last Friday's Yellowknifer: "Business used to be very good. Many of us who are immigrants would call our brothers and tell them to come here. Now business is going down, and we're trying to hold on."

When it comes to cabs, there's obviously too much rubber on the road.

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Graduates set a good example
Editorial Comment
Kassina Ryder
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, July 8, 2009

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I would like to take this opportunity to say that the women who received their masters of education leadership degrees in Iqaluit last week should be very proud of themselves, as I'm sure they are.

It warrants mentioning that not only did they do something that will benefit themselves, but their hard work will also benefit everyone they teach in the future.

More than 11,000 Nunavummiut older than 15 did not have a high school diploma in 2006, according to Statistics Canada, and more than 13,190 people older than 15 had no form of post-secondary education. Those eye-opening numbers were based on a population of 19,340.

With talk of a university in the North and the new Nunavut Education Act at the forefront of many discussions in our territory, it will be interesting to see what the new graduates will bring to the table when it comes to implementing these ideas.

One of the provisions of the Education Act requires education in Nunavut to more fully incorporate Inuit values and language into the curriculum.

"The curriculum will promote fluency in the Inuit language and an understanding of Nunavut, including knowledge of Inuit culture and of the society, economy and environmental characteristics of Nunavut," the act states.

Implementing the Education Act will have a whole new meaning now that there will be more Inuit influencing and practising in the education system.

Educating Nunavummiut about Inuit culture and language will create a ripple effect for years to come. It's not just about educating children today, it's also about the adults they will become. According to the Department of Human Resources, the number of Inuit employed in Nunavut was 52 per cent as of March of this year. By the year 2020, the objective is to have a workforce that is representative of the population it serves as per article 23 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. If Nunavummiut are being educated about Inuit language and culture throughout their education, it will obviously help to reach this goal.

The past few years have held some milestones for education in Nunavut. The Akitsiraq Law Program successfully created Inuit lawyers for the territory and is continuing to do so, and now Inuit educators will be spearheading the new Education Act.

It's hard to forecast what Nunavut will look like in 2020, but a territory with an education system and a workforce that truly reflects the history, language and culture of its people is a goal that can and should be met.

The graduates of the degree program will show young people in Nunavut the value of an education and will hopefully inspire them to create educational targets of their own.

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Police under fire
NWT News/North - Monday, July 6, 2009

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The RCMP is charged with the protection of the public, but to effectively do that they must be able to protect themselves.

At times, the police come under harsh criticism for their actions from those of us looking in from the outside, who may not understand the full details of the situation.

Recently in Fort Resolution, an 11-year-old girl was handcuffed and carted away by RCMP officers after police responded to a call by social workers who were concerned youth were present at a party involving alcohol.

When they arrived at the residence, the officers observed two men enter the home, one who is known to have a history of violence.

Entering the house with guns drawn and prepared to encounter a threat, the officers exercised proper caution in case they were required to defend themselves.

Was handcuffing an 11-year-old girl the officers discovered in one of the bedrooms excessive? Without being in the house it is hard to gauge the level of threat the RCMP perceived. But it does seem reasonable that handcuffing the girl as well as the 18-year-old woman who also occupied the room was a diligent course of action designed not only to protect the police but also the girls. Unrestrained and unsecured, the two girls would have been unknowns in a potentially dangerous situation. Until RCMP can sort out who is a threat and who isn't a threat they, for their own protection, must treat everyone the same.

Is a pre-teen a threat? Unfortunately, in a time of kids shooting classmates and a recent incident in Pennsylvania where an 11-year-old was charged with shooting his father's pregnant girlfriend in the back of the head, age does not make you incapable of extreme violence.

RCMP officers put their lives in danger virtually every day. Situations that may seem innocuous can flare into deadly confrontations without warning.

In 2007, Const. Douglas Allen Scott was shot and killed in Kimmirut, Nunavut, while responding to what was described as a routine drinking and driving call.

Earlier that same year, Const. Christopher Worden of Hay River was gunned down while responding to a call of a possible suicidal man.

In the past month in Kimmirut the RCMP residence was shot at by a 13-year-old boy while two officers slept inside; and officers in Iqaluit responded in June to a call of a man shooting near Inuksuk High School, where RCMP stood toe-to-toe with the armed perpetrator. Video from that shocking incident was posted on the Nunavut News/North portal on www.nnsl.com.

However, with ongoing Taser investigations in Inuvik and Vancouver and more and more complaints of excessive force by the RCMP our national police force is under intense scrutiny and the officers must share the blame for the bad press.

In most situations the RCMP continues to refuse to share information with the public that may help people understand why certain actions were taken. Its bureaucratic secrecy creates an air of suspicion and invites criticism. As well, the fact the RCMP continues to insist on investigating complaints against its own organization feeds the fire of mistrust.

Fort Resolution RCMP officers could have done themselves a favour by apologizing to the girl. The officers must recognize that just because they followed procedure doesn't mean they should be insensitive to the feelings of an 11 year old.

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The sex offender next door
Nunavut News/North - Monday, July 6, 2009

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For the next 18 months, convicted sex offender Lanny Kippomee will be under a number of court conditions governing his everyday life in Pond Inlet.

He may not drink alcohol or be around people who are drinking alcohol. He must take whatever counselling is available. He must keep the peace. And there are people in the community he is not allowed to contact.

He had served his full prison sentence for assault, sexual assault and forcible confinement, and was released in late May free of probation restrictions. But a court order applied for under section 810.2 of the Criminal Code is a tool police can use to keep a released offender on a short leash. It permits them to place conditions on offenders likely to reoffend. It gives them the ability to take an offender back into custody at the first sign of misbehaviour - such as violating curfew, drinking alcohol or contacting victims, instead of waiting to apprehend an offender until after he commits another crime.

According to police, Kippomee, who opposed restrictions on his freedoms, is likely to reoffend. Treatment was ineffective.

Reports from his parole officer stated that Kippomee only talked in counselling meetings when directly questioned, and still held to some "cognitive distortions" such as saying that rape relieves a man's tension.

It remains questionable if there is treatment available in Pond Inlet targeted to rehabilitate sex offenders.

Nunavut has more than its share of sex offenders living in its small, remote communities.

As of July 2007, 221 of the sex offenders on the national registry resided in Nunavut. NWT and Yukon, territories with similar populations, had 89 and 32, respectively.

Section 810.2 court orders provide safeguards for only 12 or 18 month periods. For the long term, what the territory needs is an effective culturally-relevant treatment program for the hundreds of sex offenders living in our communities.

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Inquest a necessary step
Nunavut News/North - Monday, June 15, 2009

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The family and friends of Julian Tologanak deserve answers to the questions surrounding his death.

Tologanak died after jumping out of a plane en route to Cambridge Bay from Yellowknife in April.

By finally calling an inquest, the Nunavut coroner's office may help the public find out what happened in the hours leading up to his boarding the plane, what happened on board the plane, how he managed to open the exit door, and what could have been done differently anywhere along the line to prevent that from happening.

We've all been left to wonder why a young man with family, friends and a future would behave the way Tologanak is reported to have.

If there's anything among the inquest's findings that may help prevent this strange set of circumstances from happening again, it will be worth the time and effort.

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Taxi licence freeze won't help
Yellowknifer - Friday, July 3, 2009

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Is Tourism and Parks the worst-run division in the worst-run department within the territorial government?

Sadly, it's a question we find ourselves asking after witnessing one boondoggle after another over the last two years: the scrapped plans for an RV park on Long Lake, the legions of angry full-season campers, the faulty online reservation system and the empty extended-stay campsites.

It's no wonder park officials were left sitting on their hands this summer after forgetting to apply for a land-use permit - for construction last fall, by the way - to clear brush for more campsites at Reid Lake Territorial Park. Bad judgment and missed opportunities seems to follow this department like a black cloud.

Case in point is the dismal participation in this year's ballot draw for extended-stay campsites at Prelude and Reid Lake. Only 30 people bothered to attend this year for 80 available sites after parks officials slashed the number of weeks available from 16 to eight - which also meant participants had to choose from a block period that either started in the frosty month of May or ended in likewise oft-chilly September - while sticking with the same $500 price tag for half the time campers used to get.

The plan was to free up more extended campsites so fewer people would miss out during the ballot draw. There were 40 full-season campsites under the old system.

No doubt extended-stay campers at Prelude and Reid were and still are getting a deal. Even at the increased rate of $500 for two months, other parks in Canada that offer extended stay or full-season campsites typically charge much more. Newfoundland parks demand $565 for just one month of camping.

But the bedside manner practised by Tourism and Parks has been so bad many in the Yellowknife camping community have lost hope that their concerns will ever be taken seriously.

After a disastrous attempt to implement the fee hikes and rule changes at the start of the camping season last year, park officials conducted a park usage survey, but as some local campers complained, the survey included out-of-territory visitors who were not as supportive of extended-stay campsites and don't use them.

The department then pushed through the largely unrevised changes this year while tempers still flared.

Tourism and camp space for tourists is vital if the NWT wishes to diversify its economy, but when 120 angry local residents showed up for a meeting last year to complain about the sweeping changes set to unfold, pushing ahead despite their complaints shouldn't have been the response.

A gradual increase to the fees would have made more sense, plus more options for extended stay camping. Rather than going from 40 full-season campsites to 80 two-month stays at the shoulder ends of the season, why not continue to offer some full-season sites with some two-months sites and one-month blocks, as well? Such options exist elsewhere in Canada.

Tourism and Parks has some damage control to do over the next year if it wishes to win back the trust lost among Yellowknife's camping community. Naturally, it should start with the minister in charge of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Bob McLeod. Governments sometimes have to make tough decisions, but that doesn't excuse them for making bad ones.

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A sign of strength
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, July 2, 2009

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After four long days of meetings the Dehcho First Nations (DFN) concluded its 17th annual assembly last week. The assembly was a success and it points to the fact the DFN is on a stable track. Positive signs were visible in a number of areas.

While the assembly still had a few heated moments there was little sign of the friction between various parties that has been seen in previous assemblies. All of the delegations took their places around the arbor and stayed there until the meeting was over. During the proceedings they treated each other respectfully while trading comments and turns on the microphones.

Quorum, which has been a problem in the last few assemblies, was maintained with only a few reminders from the co-chairs.

The attendance level suggests the delegates were interested in the topics being discussed and had at least the basic knowledge of each needed to follow the conversation.

Along with the attendance, the diversity between the delegates is an encouraging sign for the organization. Dehcho First Nations' leaders continually speak about the importance of elders' knowledge, but also about making every plan with the next generation in mind.

Both elders and younger delegates were a visible and vocal presence at the meeting. A number of elders shared their knowledge and concerns during the meeting. Younger delegates were also not afraid to step forward and voice their opinions.

The speeches by a number of young delegates were met by strong applause from around the arbor. Another visible sign of the youth's interest in Dehcho First Nations' future was Lawrence Nayally of Wrigley who sat beside Minnie Letcher as the co-chair for the assembly.

During the assembly there was also a sense that the delegates had taken newly-elected Grand Chief Samuel Gargan's words to heart. Gargan spoke about the need for the Dehcho First Nations to act like what it rightfully is, a level of government.

All of this praise, however, doesn't mean that Dehcho First Nations will have a year of clear sailing until the next assembly.

Based on their comments during the assembly the new leadership in two of the largest communities, Fort Providence and Fort Simpson, clearly both need to be consulted with on some of the larger ticket issues including the Dehcho Land Use Plan and the Dehcho Process.

These two groups showed that they are both willing to challenge the current order and press for appropriate progress. Across the Dehcho chiefs and presidents are eager to see the Dehcho First Nations move forward in their negotiations.

The Dehcho First Nations emerged from the annual assembly with a new grand chief and a strong and united path. The challenge now will be to continue the momentum and keep all the communities united in the common goal.

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Getting the shaft
Editorial Comment
Andrew Rankin
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, July 2, 2009

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I've always had a soft spot for animals. In fact, in a lot of cases I prefer the company of dogs to people. So when I saw some of the pictures Linda Eccles took at the pound last month of animals surrounded in their own feces, I must admit it bothered me.

I'm not prepared to make a judgment call on whether what I saw was abuse.

But let's call a spade a spade. Someone wasn't doing their job. The pictures tell the story. I'm willing to take the mayor on his word when he says the town usually keeps the pound in fairly good order and it will keep a closer eye on the dwelling from now on. After all, he's a dog owner himself.

That's all well and good, for now.

But in the meantime something should be done about the seemingly unnaturally high number of stray dogs that roam around the town virtually every day. In the last month, especially, I've heard many people in town complaining about them. In fact I nearly ran over a stray dog recently.

Maybe one solution could be to develop a partially-subsidized shot program where animals can be spayed or neutered for a discounted price in proportion to what the person can pay. Sure, if the town were to fund a program like this, the up-front costs might be a bit steep, but I'm assuming that would cut down on the number of dogs at the pound and therefore cut down not only on the costs associated with housing and feeding the animals, but also the expense of shipping them to Calgary where the Calgary Humane Society attempts to find new homes for the animals. Currently Canadian North allows one animal to be shipped out free of charge per month. After that there's a charge of $200 per head. There also has to be a meaningful way to penalize dog owners who aren't properly caring for their pets.

At the moment I don't see any real measure to dissuade people from going out and getting a puppy and when it gets older and harder to maintain let it go free. That appears to be what's happening in many cases here in town.

I'm not a bleeding heart but I do believe animals deserve adequate housing. For the time being, if there's opportunity to provide them with a another home through the Calgary Humane Society, then that should be done, even if it costs $200 per head for transportation.

But it depends where town residents want to spend their money. At the end of the of the day the pound is a publicly run facility and your tax dollars are used to operate it.

Perhaps more people should take a visit down to the pound to check it out for themselves. Sure it's not a very nice place to visit. But you'll probably notice that the animals there aren't having much fun either.