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No time for political apathy
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, Wednesday, September 9, 2009

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Nominations for a variety of elected civic posts close Monday, and if more names aren't added to those submitted as of yesterday, everyone who has declared their candidacy will be elected officials by next week.

That's because the number of nominations handed in to city hall so far is dreadfully small.

As of yesterday, only one person has put her name forward to run for the seven-member Catholic school board, and four are vying for Yk Education District No. 1.

City council nominations present almost a complete package with six candidacies declared - eight are needed to make a full council - and Gord Van Tighem is on his way to making history as the only mayor in the city's history to be acclaimed three times in a row.

If more people don't sign up to run soon we may be heading for a repeat of 2006 when there were just enough candidates for the public school board to acclaim the seven nominees, only 11 candidates signed up for city council, and Van Tighem was the only person seeking to be mayor.

People may say so what? If there are few nominees for our civic offices, that only means people are content and potential candidates have no fuel for ammunition.

But they would be wrong. The fewer choices voters have the more likely we will wind up with poor government. And we can think of a few good reasons why people ought to be throwing their hats into the ring.

For potential school trustees, their very existence is at stake. They were on the chopping block earlier this year when the territorial government was contemplating amalgamated and appointed super boards. If we don't have a strong crop of nominees for the city's two elected school boards, the GNWT may be emboldened to try again.

Specifically for the Catholic school district, supporters should want to see some credible candidates to help rehabilitate its image, which took a battering after trustees attempted to bar non-Catholics from running in 2006.

As for city hall issues, there are still many and it will take a diverse slate of candidates to address them: the rush to re-zone Tin Can Hill as green space, the crazy pace of spending which has nearly doubled in just five years, council's bungled attempt to re-zone Phase VII of the Niven Lake subdivision, the halting attempts at waterfront development.

Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce president Patrick Doyle recently complained about council's green agenda and its potential to damage mining investment. When are business and industry community members going to step up to the plate and run?

Now is not the time for apathy, we need some candidates.

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Repaying some respect
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, September 9, 2009

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For more than a decade this humble scribe has known him; outgoing Community and Government Services (C&GS) assistant deputy minister Shawn Maley has never made any bones about being a company man.

But don't ever mistake Maley's definition of a company man with that of the popular yes man.

Or, in the lowest common denominator of the English language, a butt kisser.

Maley is about as far from that description as one can be.

His definition of the company man is one I share, in that it encompasses loyalty, dedication, hard work, solid performance and the belief clocks only tell you what time you start work each day.

And, yes, one can live up to those standards and still be one's own person.

In the hundred or so times I've interviewed him, I don't know how many times Maley toed the party line and gave me the answers he was instructed to give from above.

I do know, however, he never ducked a legitimate question and the term sugar coating rarely applied to any of his responses.

I also respected the fact many times when I phoned him, he understood I already knew the answer to many of the queries I sent his way and never tried to distort the facts.

If he couldn't answer, he told me so. No fuss, no muss and no make-believe.

Maley also took the time to walk this old ink pusher through some of the deeper technical aspects of projects I questioned him on, without coming across as condescending or exasperated.

For someone whose career reputation is on the line with every fact they put to print, such professionalism is always greatly appreciated.

I don't expect to interview Maley nearly as much in the future, once he's settled into the role of director of Nunavut Airports.

That probably means my bull-droppings quota is about to increase in the coming months, but that's how it goes.

There are a number of personalities I deal with on a semi-regular basis in various levels of government who could learn a lot from the outgoing ADM.

In journalist speak, there's the game players, the time wasters, those who play dumb, and, of course, the three monkey types who rarely see, hear or speak of anything of any importance at all.

And, worst of all, are those who will look away from corruption, wrong-doing and mistake-making at all costs.

To them, that government paycheque is more important than Nunavut or anyone who calls it home.

It really is quite amazing how comfortable some people can get at the public trough.

I sincerely wish Mr. Maley good fortune in his new position, and hope some of those who shared the same building space during the past decade, or so, were paying attention.

There is far too little candour to go around in most government departments, and I suspect C&GS just a lost a good chunk of its.

And, to those who may think I'm being a little too glowing in my appraisal of Mr. Maley, nothing could be further from the truth.

I am simply repaying the respect and honesty he's shown me during the past 11 years.

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Education, not secrecy, will save wildlife
NWT News/North - Monday, September 7, 2009

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If there is one thing that is shared among the voting public, it's a distaste for governments that refuse to divulge information.

That is especially true when it comes to issues of a contentious nature. Presently, wildlife protection in the NWT ranks near the top of controversial issues, and the draft Species at Risk Act may only fan the flames of the brewing political firestorm.

Some, like Chuck Gruben, vice-president of the Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committee, have their backs up over a clause that allows the environment minister to withhold information that may be detrimental to a species' survival.

The assumption is the government will use the clause to hide what some call questionable science demonstrating the decline of caribou herds in the territory.

The science includes size, location and migration patterns of the herds and therefore could be interpreted as information detrimental to the safety of the caribou.

The Alberta Research Council released a report earlier this year stating that the GNWT's methodology for determining caribou numbers was flawed.

Any attempt to hide that science under the pages of the new Species at Risk Act would be circumspect and easily construed as a cover up.

During a meeting with NWT outfitters in July, the GNWT said it would release its caribou count to the public in the fall. We hope that will come with a full description of how the herds were assessed.

When it comes to protecting species at risk the more information the public has as proof to why a species is in need of protection, the more support it will lend to conservation activities.

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An event worth saving
NWT News/North - Monday, September 7, 2009

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It is unfortunate that this year's Dene Summer Games was unable to get off the ground due to a lack of participants.

This is by far one of the best cultural events showcasing Dene culture and it would be a shame to see it die.

News/North has attended past games, such as the one held in Whati a few years ago. There could not have been a better example of community support and participation, culture and, good healthy fun. Members from several Dene communities turned out to compete in a host of traditional games; members of the community kindly opened their homes; delicious meals were prepared by members of the community and a dance was held every night.

It would help if the GNWT and the Tlicho government supported the Dene Games as an official event each year. Both governments could provide funding that could help teams travel, purchase prizes and ensure the success of the games - perhaps held every two years.

Communities are in need of consistent recreation activities that include all ages. With everything from Dene baseball and canoeing to tea-boiling and fish-frying contests, the Dene Summer Games encompass all age groups and genders.

We'll all benefit if it carries on.

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Unconstitutional
Nunavut News/North - Monday, September 7, 2009

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The qualifications to become a senator are few.

One of the common sense rules is that a senator must be a resident of the province or territory he or she represents. In fact, the constitution further addresses this requirement by stating that if the senator ceases to be a resident of said province or territory, aside from living in Ottawa during Senate proceedings, he or she is disqualified from being a senator.

Yet when the prime minister appointed Dennis Patterson, a former Iqalummiut, as senator for Nunavut, he was living in Vancouver.

Patterson told Nunavut News/North he was assured this wouldn't be a problem, as other senators had previously been appointed who didn't live in their regions of representation.

Among those senators would be Pamela Wallin and Mike Duffy, representing Saskatchewan and P.E.I. respectively. Both were appointed by the Conservative government within the past 10 months to controversy in both provinces. This hardly serves as precedent.

Patterson is qualified in almost every other respect. He was an MLA for Iqaluit and served a term as premier of the NWT before division. He owns property in Iqaluit. His children are land claim beneficiaries. He also played a role in the election of MP Leona Aglukkaq, now a member of Harper's cabinet, which may be why he ended up at the top of Harper's list of candidates.

Patterson has now said he intends to live in Iqaluit during his time as senator. But the prime minister should have followed the rules and required Patterson to move back to Iqaluit before he could be appointed. That would have shown Nunavummiut the respect they deserve.

Knowledge of the politics and issues of the territory is good, but sharing the everyday life of Nunavummiut such as buying expensive produce at the Northern, going to great lengths to get dental care or an eye exam, waiting out blizzards and listening to elders talk of the changes in the climate is much better.

Patterson has accepted the job for no longer than eight years at Harper's request, as the prime minister maintains that he's aiming to have senators be elected in the future.

If the Senate, whose value is constantly questioned, isn't abolished in the future, then an election process should be put in place.

Inuit represent nearly 85 per cent of Nunavut's population. Having an Inuk senator – Willie Adams served in the role for decades – signals to young people that, like being premier or member of Parliament, they can represent Nunavut at the highest levels of government.

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Unhelpful dump response
Yellowknifer - Friday, September 4, 2009

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Dumping refuse anywhere but the dump is sure to get people riled up, and for good reason. Nobody wants their neighbourhood turned into a junkyard.

Naturally, residents are going to direct their anger at those who left the mess behind. Therefore Nova Builders, the development company that recently left a pile of demolished building debris at the old Bartam Trailer Park site along School Draw Avenue, has incurred public wrath.

Milan Mrdjenovich, Nova Builder's regional manager, stated in the company's defence that the dump was not accessible due to a broken bulldozer.

Mrdjenovich's cavalier attitude - "I have no time for this petty stuff," he said of the illegal dumping controversy - is not to be excused. While Nova Builders has survived a number of scrapes with the city and its residents over the years, it should work harder on improving its image - through its words and actions.

Breaking bylaws isn't acceptable, but the city has to bear some responsibility in this instance. Taxpayers fork over good money to keep our city dump up and running. Should the system break down, municipal officials must show more forethought than simply turning people away from city hall without a solution.

In this case a temporary permit should have been issued. That way the city would have been aware of the contents, volume and location of Nova Builder's load of debris. The city would also have put itself in a position to respond to citizens who had complaints about the situation.

This was poorly handled all around. The debris is now gone, but the lesson shouldn't soon be forgotten.

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Long road ahead for Handley
Yellowknifer - Friday, September 4, 2009

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Federal Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff is insisting his party will attempt to force a fall election, and the Liberals decided on Aug. 22 that Joe Handley is the candidate to lead the way in the NWT.

Residents here won't soon forget that the Liberals had from 1993 to 2006 to accomplish many things, but left much unresolved, including some land claims.

While the red party is now critical of the Conservatives over infrastructure spending, Stephen Harper's government is on pace to far surpass the Liberals in funding devoted to the North.

Handley has to overcome that record and his own. While premier, Handley proclaimed that devolution was only days away; we never saw anything come of it.

Then there's the Deh Cho Bridge Handley approved just days before he left office as premier in 2007. That troubled project has already experienced contract disputes, delays, the prospect of cost overruns and there are growing questions about how high tolls will be once they're in place, plus higher costs for consumers and reduced Northern benefits.

Handley and the Liberals have one thing in common: they're both going to have to work extremely hard to win back votes in the NWT.

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The driving force
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, September 3, 2009

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Across the Deh Cho students are getting back to classes and settling down for a new year of learning.

The Deh Cho is fortunate to have winning staff teams in each of the region's nine schools. The Deh Cho has a dedicated set of educators who seem to be especially willing to motivate, cajole and push students to meet and exceed their academic potential.

The regions' teachers are willing to go above and beyond the regular day to day class work to make a difference in their students' lives. Schools across the Deh Cho offer a variety of different extra-curricular programs to enhance the student's learning experiences including computer clubs, chess clubs, canoeing clubs, graphic design clubs and many others.

There is also a willingness in the Deh Cho to try new ideas and initiatives if they look promising. The exercise equipment program that two of the schools are undertaking this year is a perfect example.

Principals Lois Philipp and Robert Byatt both watched a documentary on CBC's The National about the link between sustained aerobic activity and increased academic performances and attention spans. Philipp and Byatt were both excited by the results that a teacher in Saskatoon saw in her students after making them run on treadmills for 20 minutes a day during class.

Philipp and Byatt shared the documentary with their respective staffs at Deh Gah School in Fort Providence and Thomas Simpson School in Fort Simpson. As a result both of the schools are using funding to install exercise equipment that students will be encouraged to use.

If the results from Saskatoon can be replicated students will gain a full grade level in reading, writing and math. The idea is unorthodox and it will likely require a lot of convincing on the parts of the teachers to get students to participate but they are willing to do it if academic performances will benefit.

It's not every educator who would be willing to go to the work to set up a room of exercise equipment and organize a program in the hopes of helping students' grades.

In Fort Providence the dedication of educators, especially Philipp, was also visible during the graduation ceremony on Aug. 28. Seven students and three adults graduated with their high school diplomas from the school.

Many of the graduates had come close to not finishing their studies. Most of them credited Philipp for never giving up on them and helping them find alternate options to fulfill their graduation requirements.

It may take some longer than others but all of the students in the Deh Cho are capable of achieving a level of academic success. It is the educators in each of the schools who help to ensure that each student is supported and encouraged on that journey.

The educators all deserve grateful recognition for the work that they do with the Deh Cho's youth.

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It's about communication
Editorial Comment
Andrew Rankin
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, September 3, 2009

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Denny Rodgers' letter to the editor came as a welcome addition to this week's edition of Inuvik Drum.

Not only was it well written but it spoke directly to the heart of an issue that seems to have caused a stir among many residents in town: whether the mayor's position should revert to part time and take a 50 per cent pay cut given the slowdown in the economy.

Looking at the big picture, $40,000, which is the amount at stake here, doesn't seem like that much money and it would probably be difficult to find someone qualified enough who would be willing to work part time for an annual salary of $40,000. It seems to me that a mayor of a town with a population of about 3,500 should be working full time with a salary that reflects that. When times are tough, the mayor should be working just as hard to try to stimulate the economy.

Rodgers' central point rests on the importance of keeping the public informed on important matters such as this. Since it's their money that pays the mayor's salary, residents obviously should have a say about how that money is spent. It's too bad there wasn't a public debate on the issue and the decision made by council to maintain status quo happened when three councillors weren't present.

It's certainly OK for some councillors to want to cut back on the mayor's salary but at the same time there should be a plan about where that money should be spent. Maybe it shouldn't be spent at all. But there probably should have been more dialogue on the matter.

While we're on the topic of communication, Rodgers also writes that the mayor should present a report to council at every regular meeting that would demonstrate whether he or she is earning the salary. That makes sense. I wonder if that is something other residents support? If community members are concerned about the issue, then maybe they should show up to the next council meeting to voice their concerns.

The same holds true about the prospect of having a bus service for elementary school students. I've talked to a handful of people about the possibility and most agree that it's needed, especially in the dead of winter. An interest group has already been formed to lobby for the service, which includes Melissa Lennie and Kathy English. A meeting to discuss the issue was scheduled this summer but only a few parents showed up.

The Inuvik District Education Authority receives money from the Department of Education for a bus program. Its members have decided that a Beaver program to mentor elementary school students is more important. Maybe it is.

But if you feel passionately enough about the bus service and how your tax dollars are being spent then perhaps you could give Lennie or English a call.

Maybe a bus service is the answer or maybe a car pool can be created among concerned parents. It doesn't seem like an impossible situation.

It just means that people have to be willing to work collectively to find a solution.