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Time to rebuild relations Yellowknifer - Wednesday, Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Baillargeon is the Dettah elder who said he was roughed up by RCMP after they picked him up for public intoxication in January. His daughter Beatrice said her family withdrew the formal complaint against the police on Alfred's behalf. The RCMP proceeded with the investigation anyway, in an effort to assure themselves and the public that everything was done by the book. Beatrice also insisted that the lines of communication were not open with the RCMP. She said even though she had found out that there would be no charges against police officers in the incident involving her father, news media had obtained more detail on the investigation than she had. The police have committed to meeting with Baillargeon and his family, and Beatrice said she would welcome that. However, public meetings would also be beneficial - not just a meeting with chief and council, but a community feast in Dettah where the public could interact informally with the police in a social setting. A structured question and answer session would help as well. Something similar should be held in Ndilo and in downtown Yellowknife as well. It would be an opportunity for the police to explain their policies and outline the challenges they face regularly on the streets. It would also allow residents to voice their perceptions of the RCMP and how justice has been meted out in a traditional sense. Surely both sides have much to share, and some things to learn.
Boaters shouldn't wait for licensing requirement Wednesday, September 16, 2009 The deadline for operators of powered boats in Canada to obtain a Pleasure Craft Operator Card was Sept. 15 - except for those in Nunavut and the NWT. Transport Canada decided 10 years ago to exclude the two territories, mainly because of the difficulty in certifying aboriginal language speakers in these vast, remote regions. For that reason alone, the decision makes sense. It would be unfair to order residents to submit to a test in communities where boating is the principal mode of transportation and obtaining a livelihood which, for many would be available online only - especially when no hands-on courses are available. That wouldn't necessarily be a problem in Yellowknife, but it would be in places such as Lutsel K'e and Colville Lake. We've already seen what happened when the federal government introduced the gun registry in the North, where getting a passable photo taken for firearms licence identification is extremely difficult. This is not to say boating safety is not important. Boating can be very dangerous in unskilled hands and adverse conditions - 10 people lost their lives while boating in 2006, for example. That is why boaters, particularly those in Yellowknife where certification courses are available, should undergo the training, whether they're legally required to or not. The Great Slave Yacht Club, as the club's vice-commodore points out in his letter to the editor on page 9, offers this course. After all, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Nothing golden about this silence Editorial Comment Darrell Greer Kivalliq News - Wednesday, September 16, 2009 While my Sept. 9 editorial (Repaying some respect) was meant as an acknowledgement to outgoing ADM Shawn Maley, I seem to have struck a nerve with a few observations in the piece. A pair of government workers contacted me this past week to let me know – in no uncertain terms – my remarks about looking away from wrongdoing were unfair. Both individuals pointed to the lack of whistleblower legislation as the main reason why many government workers won't speak up when they know something is amiss. They contend the lack of such legislation leaves any worker willing to go public with such information completely unprotected. In short, they would undoubtedly lose their job for speaking up. I'm not buying the total argument, because many innocent people can suffer when government officials are up to no good. And, at the end of the day, knowing someone is acting outside the law for their own gain and doing nothing about it is as bad as taking part in the activity yourself. However, I do give some credence to their argument and I totally understand the fear involved. From what I understand, Nunavut should have whistleblower legislation in place sometime in 2010. But Nunavut is not the only Canadian jurisdiction lacking in protection. In fact, Canada has very few laws which pertain directly to whistle-blowing. The feds enacted the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act in 2007 to protect public servants from reprisals for reporting wrongdoing. However, it's been roundly criticized for setting too many conditions and protecting wrongdoers. While a number of provinces do have legislation to protect whistleblowers to some degree – and a number of other acts provide slim protection for reporting wrongdoing – for the most part, whistleblowers in Canada are unprotected by statute. So, one can certainly understand why those in the know can often have grave misgivings about coming forward with information. And that's truly unfortunate, as the public's right to know is a cornerstone of democracy and a pillar of good governance. Iqaluit Coun. Jim Little was recently banned from in-camera sessions for speaking to police about a criminal act he believes may have taken place. Little told the Iqaluit RCMP a city councillor may have been offered a bribe in connection to a development permit. It seems openness and accountability are two words rarely understood or properly defined in all levels of government in Nunavut. Those in the government ranks who abuse the system realize all too well the perils that await anyone with the intestinal fortitude to speak out about wrongdoing. Until that changes (banning all in-camera sessions would be a great start), the vast majority of those who want to come forward will remain silent for fear of reprisal. And this is one form of silence that has nothing golden about it.
Government should support Northern airlines NWT News/North - Monday, September 14, 2009 Flight costs between Edmonton and Yellowknife have plummeted. Good news for the common traveller who can now afford to fly south more often, but it puts the squeeze on our Northern-based air carriers.
As a result of lost revenue from that major route, there are fears airfares on the smaller Northern routes - to Inuvik, Norman Wells, Hay River and Fort Simpson, for example -- could increase to compensate for losses in the Yellowknife market. It's not a threat Northerners in the communities should have hanging over them.
Tracy Medve, president of Canadian North, which is partially owned by the Inuvialuit, is asking the government to follow the Business Incentive Program (BIP), which favours Northern-based business. That program essentially allows First Air and Canadian North to corner the market on government travel.
Medve's suggestion that all government contracts conform to BIP makes sense. In fact, all travel and cargo on any contract paid for by the government should fly a Northern air carrier, North or South.
It's clear any money government might save using cheaper carriers would be done on the backs of communities outside Yellowknife.
Commercial fishing is hardly the first thing people think about when the NWT is mentioned. However, the Great Slave Lake fishing industry has, in the past, contributed to the livelihood of a good many Northerners.
The catch in Great Slave Lake drastically decreased to 300,000 kilograms last year from 760,000 kilograms in 1996. Consequently, the Hay River fish plant is the last of three processing plants remaining on the lake. That is due to the plummeting number of fishers working the waters. The number of vessels fishing on Great Slave Lake dropped to 45 boats last year from 60 many years ago - split between steel boats and skiffs.
We commend the federal government for trying to save the NWT fishing industry from a slow death. This year the Department of Fisheries and Oceans began making fishing vessel certificates available to non-residents in an effort to revitalize the industry.
Six of the 10 available were taken, and the Department of Fisheries assures NWT fishers will never be pushed out by non-residents. Presently, competing for fishing permits is not a concern. With nearly 100 certificates available in total and an annual catch limit of 1.7 million kilograms, the industry has a long way to go toward recovery.
In a territory searching for economic diversity, the fishing industry is a perfect place for investment. It has plenty of room to grow, the potential to employ hundreds of Northerners and creates an opportunity for the mass and cheap marketing of a homegrown product, namely whitefish.
All levels of government need to take a serious look at supporting the fishing industry. Building renewable-resource based industries is vital to the territory's future.
One of the announcements made by Elisapee Sheutiapik, the newly re-elected president of the Nunavut Association of Municipalities, has left us scratching our heads.
At the association's annual general meeting in Cambridge Bay a few weeks ago, its members pledged not to support an incursion into Nunavut airspace by southern airlines such as WestJet or Air Canada.
Now, neither WestJet nor Air Canada has expressed any interest in flying to Nunavut. But the arrival of WestJet in the Yellowknife market in May has reduced the cost of airfare to Edmonton on all airlines. A round-trip ticket that used to cost more than $800 can now be had for about $200, or even less.
The drop in ticket prices on the Yellowknife-Edmonton route may reduce the profits gained by First Air and Canadian North, which are owned by Inuit, employ Inuit, and which make many contributions to community events.
But if WestJet were to begin flying, say, the Iqaluit-Ottawa route, we think most Nunavummiut would gladly welcome a big drop in the cost of airfare and the resulting freedom to travel more frequently outside the territory, even if it results in smaller dividends for Inuit-owned corporations.
Northern airlines recently urged the NWT and Nunavut to adopt a "buy local" policy. In an ideal world, the choice to buy local would be an easy one. But most of us don't have the cash to spare to pay quadruple the going fare for the choice of flying a Northern airline - except when we have no choice.
With its stand on this issue, the Nunavut Association of Municipalities may be defending Northern businesses contrary to the interests of the regular people in the communities it represents.
Lillian Aglukark was called to the bar on Sept. 1 in Arviat, allowing her to practise law in the territory.
Aglukark is one of 11 graduates of Nunavut's Akitsiraq Law Program delivered in conjunction with the University of Victoria Law School.
The program, which graduated its students in 2004-2005, has so far been the only one of its kind. Teaching and nursing remain the only professional degrees attainable without leaving the territory.
Besides lawyers, the territory has a dire need for accountants, doctors, engineers and myriad other professionals.
There are plans to run another law program, but there should also be a similar educational opportunity for professional accreditation in accounting or commerce.
Reports by Canada's auditor general consistently find fault in bookkeeping practices in Nunavut's public institutions, resulting in questionable accounting of the money needed desperately by communities for housing, health care and education.
Instead of continuing to hire professionals from the south - for jobs like those coming through the Northern Economic Development Agency, or CanNor -- programs like Akitsiraq give Nunavummiut the tools they need to build their territory. There should be more like them.
The locked glass partition erected in the lobby of the Yellowknife Inn, leading into the upper part of the mall, has made Centre Square less inviting for the disabled, as well as moms with strollers and elderly people in need of an easier access route.
When hotel staff are extremely busy with customers at the desk, buzzing the door open for someone often takes a backseat, according to Bill Burles, who uses a wheelchair and has experienced the inconvenience first-hand.
The excuse from the inn's general manager, Derek Carmody, that he's still waiting for an estimate from a contracting company to build a ramp at the Franklin Avenue mall entrance shows it is not a priority. Skilled tradespeople are in high demand in our city, but it shouldn't take six months to get a quote to build a ramp.
What's more inexplicable is the fire marshal allowing the upper level of the mall to violate the National Building Code standards for so long by not having direct wheelchair access.
It's clear the mall owners see no rush to get the ramp built.
People in wheelchairs and those pushing small children in strollers deserve the same treatment at the mall or anywhere else in Yellowknife.
If everyone had to wait to be buzzed into the mall, most wouldn't bother going.
Yellowknife's athletic community has suffered a real loss with the departure of Ian Legaree, head coach of the Yk Polar Bear Swim Club, who has left the position after 10 years.
Yellowknife is missing a lot of the advantages that southern communities enjoy, such as top-notch training facilities financing for athletics. Despite those hurdles, sports are a wonderful thing for kids to be involved in. Children and young adults in the North benefit from being part of a team.
People like Legaree help Yellowknife's youths reaching their potential as athletes. The coach has shown immeasurable dedication and support to the swimmers of the community. While the NWT doesn't have the best training centres, it does have some great coaches who act as mentors.
Despite NWT athletes not shining at the recent summer games, there are athletes that come out of the North – like speed skater Michael Gilday for instance – who can take on the country, and that wouldn't be possible without great coaches.
Although the community has lost what Legaree's fellow coaches call an "icon of swimming," Yellowknife and the NWT may still be able to gain from the loss. Legaree will be taking a new position with Swim Canada and Swim Alberta as a trainer for new coaches, helping ensure his legacy may carry on for another generation of Northern athletes.
The Liberals have released their corny television ad which displays leader Michael Ignatieff in the middle of a forest for unexplained reasons while he speaks about a vague new direction for Canada.
The ad is complete with an almost Christmas-carol-like fanfare of strings and bells.
The Conservatives are using their traditional counterattack - launching a smear campaign against Ignatieff, portraying the leader as a selfish incompetent who knows nothing about Canada and wants to raise taxes.
The NDP, meanwhile, have stayed pretty quiet, other than saying they do not want a fall election but also cannot work with the Harper government. They do, after all, hold the balance of power, and they could gain popularity by opposing an unpopular election.
Ignatieff was recently in Yellowknife to support the new Liberal candidate Joe Handley. Ignatieff basically restated Handley's platform - revenue sharing, devolution, and settling land claims.
Stephen Harper, on the other hand, has paid the North a lot more attention than Liberal leaders have done in the past.
Although for the most part it has been to announce developments in his strangely Cold War-like Arctic sovereignty strategy - building up a military presence in the North to show Russia and the U.S. that we mean business.
Harper, though, has also shown his partisan favouritism by putting the North's economic development centre in Iqaluit, even though it would make far more sense to put it in a more central location, one that is easier to get to and with a much larger population - Yellowknife.
The reason, it seems, is to reward Nunavut for voting Conservative.
Though revenue sharing, devolution, and land claim settlements are important issues, we need to consider the fact the Conservatives don't play well with other parties and if we want things done under a Conservative government, we need a Conservative MP.
On that note, if the Liberals do push through the unpopular election and oust Harper, a Liberal MP would bring the territory a lot of good.
Though our current NDP MP Dennis Bevington is popular and seems to care about the North, we may be able to get more done for the NWT with the Liberals or Conservatives - especially the ones that end up in power.
I'll be keeping my eyes on the polls and the news. When the time comes, I'll place my vote on whichever party looks like it'll be the winning team.
By making the roster for the Ontario-based Junior A Sioux Lookout Flyers earlier this month, his achievement speaks to the power of a great work ethic, an unwavering commitment to excellence as well as the importance of having a solid community support group.
Pascal's special achievement comes at a particularly appropriate time when the town has seen its fair share of youth crime in recent months and struggles to deal with the most challenged youth. Here's someone they can look up to.
My brief encounters with Pascal have left me with a good impression of the teenager. Apart from his obvious discipline and dedication, he's a well liked, polite, soft-spoken guy who's tried to contribute to his community by getting involved with local youth, among other things.
No doubt many of these qualities are innate and come instinctively but it's probably safe to say a lot of it has to do with his upbringing and the fact that he's been given a lot of community support and encouragement from coaches to former high school teachers.
In my short career as a journalist I've probably never spoken to a mother more proud of her child than Sandra was about her son making the Flyers. It's difficult to say whether he would have reached his goal without such a strong network of support. He'd probably be the first to admit he wouldn't. But, obviously, he's a talented guy.
Common sense says that there are young residents that have the potential to succeed in the same way Pascal has.
Some may be facing serious adversity, especially at home, which reduces their ability to achieve success. Many, many residents tell me that the number one reason kids stay out late at night, far beyond curfew, and break the law is because there's trouble at home, whether it's alcohol or physical abuse.
It's difficult to see what many of these same people are doing to try to help disadvantaged youth in the community. I understand there are a number of residents who volunteer with kids, especially with minor hockey. That's great, and I know people are busy.
But maybe some of these "delinquent" youths need more adult role models instead of being chased around town by RCMP or town bylaw officers after curfew.
Some adult residents could organize a late evening floor hockey or basketball league for them while offering some moral support. That's just an idea.
It's easy to complain about teenagers and vent about the cause of youth crime in town. It's much harder to come together as a community and figure out a way to help struggling teenagers get back on the right path while giving them the support they need.
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