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What's the rush?
Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, March 12, 2010

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It's round two in Sandy Lee's attempt to overhaul the territorial government's extended health benefits package for non-aboriginal residents, and once again it's not going well.

The Health and Social Services minister says changes are needed to make the program fairer for all non-aboriginal residents in the territory, but MLAs are questioning the speed at which the government is rushing to make changes to the $8.4 million program, with the date set for Sept. 1.

As before, the issue is mainly about communication. In December 2008 Lee announced changes that would have cut extended health benefits for seniors and people with chronic illnesses whose incomes were above a yet-to-be-determined threshold.

Even though the plan was approved by cabinet in September 2007, it wasn't until Lee's announcement more than a year later that people had any inkling that changes were coming. And worse, the deadline was set for April 1, 2009, a date which caused immediate panic for some seniors and people with disabilities - who were about to lose or receive reduced coverage for prescriptions, eyeglasses, and other items not paid for under regular health care.

In the face of growing criticism and protest, Lee was forced to back down in February of last year.

Now a new plan, one which suggests some non-aboriginal residents will pay a premium or portion of costs so that all non-aboriginal residents can be covered, is in the works. By suggestion, it would appear similar to plans adopted in provinces like Ontario and B.C.

Currently, the territorial government only offers extended benefits to non-aboriginal residents over 60, or with certain chronic illnesses, or with very low incomes. Extended health benefits for Metis and aboriginal residents are paid for by other programs.

The GNWT has not made it clear how many low-income residents are currently without coverage for extended health care benefits. No advocacy group has stepped forward to openly lobby on these people's behalf. Therefore it's hard to gauge the level of need.

At least this time, the health department has issued an information form and questionnaire asking residents for their thoughts on who ought to pay for these benefits and who should be a priority. The health department is also fanning out across the territory to conduct a number of town hall meetings, including one in Yellowknife on April 7.

But as some regular MLAs have pointed out, there's something fishy about the government's newfound desire for public consultation. As Great Slave MLA Glen Abernethy put it, the six-month time line for changes is "insane."

This scenario over the last year is reminiscent of the one that played out when the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment dropped a bombshell on full-season campers in Yellowknife two years ago, who were told fees were doubling and the maximum time they could stay at Ingraham Trail campgrounds was being cut in half.

Similar to last year when Lee was facing stiff opposition, parks officials backed off at the last minute, promising to consult campers before making any changes, which they did, and then promptly re-introduced pretty much the same package in 2009.

We can only hope Lee and her department are seriously considering the public's input, and aren't merely going through the motions.

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Sacrificed for the greater good
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, March 11, 2010

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I have somewhat of a ghoulish predilection to reveal.

I really enjoy including in Deh Cho Drum photos of youths participating in harvesting and trapping programs. My preferred photos are ones that show students with some manner of dead animal that they have just extracted from a snare, trap or net.

It sounds strange at first, but photos like those submitted this week from the Chief Julian Yendo School in Wrigley aptly illustrate the reasons behind my fondness for these images. First of all, there are few places in Canada where you can get away with putting a picture of a child with a dead marten or mink or any other animal in a paper.

More importantly, the photos capture the reaction the students have to participating in activities like the Take a Kid Trapping and the Take a Kid Harvesting programs. Joy radiates from the faces of the youths as they pose for photos with whatever animal they have just harvested.

I can think of dozens of photos that I've featured in the Drum, taken either by myself or submitted by others, that show smiling children and teenagers proudly displaying some creature they have just helped catch. Notable mentions include two students from Trout Lake cradling a dead beaver, and a group of preschoolers in Fort Providence gathered around a snared rabbit.

The photos show that students of all ages love participating in on-the-land programs. The reason they like the programs so much probably has less to do directly with the dead animals and more to do with simply connecting with traditional activities outdoors.

The students enjoy going on boat or snowmobile trips to camps where they learn skills that they might not otherwise experience, but ones that have deep connections to their history. Activities include setting and checking traplines, snares and fish nets and properly handling whatever animals they catch.

The programs are important. All students should be allowed to take part them for the cultural lessons they teach. Students learn about what it took to survive on the land in the past and how their ancestors lived. Respect for the land and animals is also instilled.

The programs also show students that even if activities like trapping are no longer a necessary way of life, they can still pursue them as a secondary source of income, or simply because they enjoy it.

Outdoor traditional activities take time away from classroom curriculum studies, but it is time well spent. The photos taken during these events show that students are actively engaged in learning.

Fur-bearing animals in the Deh Cho should tremble in fear, because students in the region would benefit by being out more often in pursuit of them.

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Starting fresh
Editorial Comment
Andrew Rankin
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, March 11, 2010

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I can't really put my finger on it, but there was something a little moving about the graduation ceremony held at Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre on Friday. The event was held for the 15 Beaufort Delta residents who completed a 10-week community wellness program run through the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation in partnership with the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.

One of their vital roles will be to act as liaisons between people looking for treatment or counselling and government health programs.

It was a pretty low-key affair, just a small gathering of people there to support their family and friends. I didn't catch the whole thing, but when I arrived, graduates of varying ages, including a mother-daughter couple, seemed genuinely happy and there was a feeling of spirited energy. So I decided to stay a while. I enjoyed the funny, quirky stories some of the graduates told after the ceremony about their fear of dogs and flying. Somehow it suited the mood better than grandiose speeches that seem to dominate these sorts of events.

I happened to talk with one of the graduates, Maria Arey, who seemed especially passionate about trying to help her fellow community members deal with what ails them. In fact she was the one who suggested this week's Street Talk question, which asks what residents would like to see in a wellness program for Inuvik.

While some of the program graduates are IRC employees, Arey is not. She is currently looking for work, and hoping that the group will work together with the Inuvik Interagency Committee to promote wellness in the Inuvik and the Beaufort Delta community.

What's particularly important about this group is that each of them are aboriginal - and who would know about the problems facing their community and the best way to approach them? It will be interesting to see how the graduates are welcomed in the community, and what kind of support they will get. They'll have their work cut out for them.

Hopefully the GNWT will see this as sign to pitch in and put more effort into trying to solve some of the social problems here. Obviously it's a disgrace there isn't a detox centre here, despite the fact residents keep underlining the need for one. The shelter, which isn't big enough to accommodate our homeless population, is barely making ends meet, despite the fact the territorial government funds it.

Having certified wellness workers in Inuvik is a start. Just having a group of people step up and ready to face the problems head on is refreshing in itself. It's good news but there has to be a basic foundation of support and the essential institutions in place for them to be as effective as possible.

One thing seems clear. It's a great opportunity to start afresh and to make wellness a priority in Inuvik and the Delta.

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Outmuscle the thugs
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, March 10, 2010

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A warning from the RCMP that gangs are beginning to migrate north is something we must take seriously.

During a crime prevention workshop in Yellowknife last week, police spoke of the increase in gang activity and drugs, which often go hand in hand.

Yellowknife needs a different kind of gang mentality - one that works together to fight crime and to inform police of suspicious goings on. It can be intimidating to report suspicious activity because it may lead to testifying in court. Being part of a prosecution is not easy, but it's an essential part of standing up to criminals who take advantage of others and bring lawlessness to the city.

One of the most important aspects of helping keep the gang problem from thriving is protecting the youth. As one RCMP member pointed out during the workshop, it is easier to stop a person from becoming involved in a life of crime while they are young.

As the old adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child.

Just as schools have anti-drug, smoking and alcohol awareness programs for students, it would be a good idea to incorporate awareness about gangs. Educating our young people about gangs and related dangers has become a necessity.

There also needs to be community awareness programs in place for at-risk youth.

Yet we should also remember not to panic. The fact the principal of Sir John Franklin High School, Patricia Teskey, says the school is 'amazingly crime-free' is evidence that evil isn't about to prevail - unless we let it.

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Safety includes snowmobilers
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, March 10, 2010

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Once again, city hall's unvarnished contempt towards those who dare venture about this city by any means other than on foot or its flagging transit system is in full display.

The city wants to build a pedestrian-only underpass on Highway 4 connecting the Frame Lake and Niven Lake trails. The city's transportation committee would prefer an overpass but administration says that's too expensive.

Just as well, because anybody driving by the area in winter will know that the main traffic hazard there is snowmobilers crossing the road, often in the dark and obscured by rocks and bushes on the south side of Highway 4.

But that reality won't stop the city from barging full steam ahead with the underpass for the exclusive use of pedestrians. Why? Because the federal government, who the city would like to have foot the entire $440,000 bill, won't "look favourably upon it" if the underpass had a snowmobile lane too. Just not green enough, thank you.

There's nothing wrong with green projects. In fact, as today's page 3 story shows, there are plenty of reasons to support them - for both environmental and financial reasons.

But ignoring a legitimate safety issue just to satisfy Ottawa's desire to appear greener than it never will be is outrageous. The underpass at Old Airport Road is open to snowmobilers. It only makes sense that this one is too.

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Sorry for mistake, but let's keep it real
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, March 10, 2010

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First up, I would like to thank everyone for passing along their comments on the wrong story about the Avataq Cup that ran in Nunavut News/North this past week.

I would especially like to thank those people who understood the mistake was in the editing process at our home office and had nothing to do with Kivalliq News.

Now, let's be straight forward and honest about two issues regarding this error.

First of all, yes, it was a terrible mistake that shouldn't have happened to begin with.

And, secondly, yes, our readers have every right to bring it to our attention when we, as journalists, make mistakes that appear in the publications we write for.

But, really, to those who wrote in or called to accuse someone of making the mistake on purpose to make any family associated with the winning team look bad: c'mon, this is our vocation we're talking about here.

I would never, under any circumstances, do anything of that nature out of respect for my readership, the people I write about, myself, and, most importantly, the craft of journalism itself.

I would never have believed I would ever have to make such a statement in an opinion piece I penned, but, apparently, the North is no more void of conspiracy theorists than anywhere else in this great nation of ours.

And to those who insinuated - due to the erroneous information under the photo that accompanied the story - that I've been living in Rankin Inlet since 1998 and still don't recognize people in my community like Barney Tootoo, Kyle Tattuinee and Gary Sigurdson, my two-word response is, oh please!

I can't believe anyone truly believes that to have been the case.

There are no excuses for mistakes, but journalism is a pressure-filled vocation in a number of different areas.

The same can be said for the people who work behind the scenes helping to lay out the paper, editing stories and proofreading copy, doing board checks and working on photo content.

Again, no excuses, and everyone has the right to bring it to our attention when mistakes are made (and we appreciate it when they do).

But bringing a mistake to our attention and making wild (and hurtful) accusations with no basis in fact are two completely different issues.

Imagine if thousands of people were able to review your job performance every week and then have the ability to point out your mistakes to everyone in the Kivalliq region.

I'm betting you'd appreciate it if they just kept their reporting to the facts, and didn't start making bizarre accusations about possible motives behind your honest mistake.

I have never known a decent journalist who didn't feel absolutely terrible when a mistake appeared in a story they were responsible for.

And, they often felt a whole lot worse after "discussing" the matter with their managing editor, all of whom take a dim view of careless mistakes.

But, in the end, mistakes in all walks of life happen and journalism is no different.

So, please, bring it to our attention when mistakes happen, but let's keep it real!

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Court case hurts conservation consensus
NWT News/North - Monday, March 8, 2010

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The Government of the Northwest Territories doesn't need a court decision to validate its authority over wildlife management. The NWT Act allows the GNWT to limit subsistence hunting in cases where it will further endanger a species at risk. The Wildlife Act does the same for sport, resident and non-resident hunts.

Taking the question to court is nothing more than a political game meant to deflect attention away from the true issue. The government continues to insist that arguing against the caribou ban is akin to fighting over who gets to kill the last one.

It's time to cease the bogus sentimentality and muscle flexing by Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger and the rest of cabinet and begin addressing the real issues.

The caribou are a valuable and vital resource in the territory and conservation must be a priority. However, we cannot forget we live in a democracy and the GNWT's approach to the ban contradicts the intent of NWT land claims negotiations and undermines the values enshrined in the legislative assembly's newly enacted Species at Risk Act.

The purpose of the act, as stated in the legislation "is to prevent species from becoming extirpated or extinct by establishing an integrated and co-operative system for recovery and conservation of species at risk that integrates principles of co-management included in land claims agreements, and that recognizes the roles and responsibilities of all management authorities."

The act goes on to recognize co-management boards and the Tlicho government as management authorities. Although the Species at Risk act did not come into power until after the ban, how can the GNWT be trusted to live up to the values written into that legislation when the ban was such a unilateral decision.

Miltenberger can argue until the proverbial cows come home about the consultation process prior to the ban, but the reaction of aboriginal groups makes it obvious any prior discussions were of no significant value.

It's unfortunate considering that groups such as the Yellowknives Dene, by its own volition, had agreed to cancel its community hunt. Early on the Tlicho government also expressed its support for a management strategy. However, that support has recently been withdrawn because the ban was not handled as requested.

Navigating the labyrinth of land claims, aboriginal governments, the territorial legislation and federal law is no easy task. The GNWT could have avoided the land mines of the caribou issue if it had approached the issue as outlined in the Species at Risk Act.

Instead it continues to delay. The Wek'eezhi Renewable Resources Board deadline has been moved on more than two occasions. The legal question will again prolong the issue and in the meantime government/aboriginal relations continue to deteriorate.

It is time for the caribou summit. All involved parties must come together and figure out how to save the caribou and guide the animals into recovery. That means co-operative management, sound science that incorporates traditional knowledge and alternatives to ensure communities still have access to country foods.

This is a people issue as much as it is a wildlife issue. There are families in the communities who are being deprived of healthy food and some cannot not afford nutritious food at the grocery store. The time for political manoeuvring is over, we need solutions.

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Build it before they come
Nunavut News/North - Monday, March 8, 2010

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Progress on the Bathurst Inlet Port and Road project (BIPAR), first conceived in the 1990s, has moved at a snail's pace. Despite an estimated completion date of 2007, in 2010 even the review process has yet to be completed.

With the technical review for the Nunavut Impact Review Board on hold; the BIPAR Joint Venture co-owned by Kitikmeot Corporation and Nuna Logistics estimates it will restart the hearing process in the middle of next year.

The project proposes the construction of a deep water port at Bathurst Inlet and an all-weather road stretching inland to connect with a winter road system supplying mines in operation and in development. This would lower transportation costs and make operating mines in Nunavut more feasible.

BIPAR would be expected to create 260 construction jobs. Once built, operations are expected to provide 57 full-time jobs.

The companies behind mines in development such as the Izok Lake base metal project and the Hackett River precious metals project have expressed interest in using the port and road, but if they have to wait much longer they may each build their own roads to the coast to suit their own purposes.

The Bathurst Inlet port and road project may provide the best option to minimize damage to the environment while allowing development of the Kitikmeot's resources.

It would funnel traffic along one road intended to be used seasonally in the winter, giving caribou calving grounds a wide berth.

If the port and road is going to happen, it has to happen sooner or it risks becoming irrelevant later.

The Kitikmeot Corporation has been providing the most leadership in keeping the project alive but it cannot do it alone. It will take the combined committment of the Nunavut and federal governments to make the project what it should be - a national priority.

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Young guide heads to North Pole
Nunavut News/North - Monday, March 8, 2010

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There's a saying that age is just a number, meaning your experience and outlook on life have more influence on your character than the number of years you've lived.

Sarah McNair-Landry, the 23-year-old Iqalummiut woman who will attempt to guide an Australian couple to the North Pole this month, is young in years but old in outdoors experience. She has skied Antarctica, been out on the Greenland ice cap, to the South Pole and kite-skied across the Gobi desert in addition to her many adventures in Nunavut helping out with mother's expedition company.

Aside from being a world-class role model for young Nunavummiut, McNair-Landry is proof that on-the-land skills can translate into jobs in guiding and tourism - sometimes quite lucrative ones.

We wish her and her clients a safe trek to the Pole.