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Ticket to luxury Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, October 8, 2010
Last year, the Speaker of the legislative assembly was positively indignant over a critical editorial. "I've seen how most of the world lives, and it's not exotic," he wrote in a letter to the editor published in Yellowknifer April 24. He must have better luck escaping the compound walls of his hotel, unlike his travel mate to last month's Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro. She had to rely on photos handed to her by other delegates to show her what life was like in those un-exotic parts of Nairobi. That didn't stop Bisaro from drawing lame comparisons between poverty in Kenya and social problems in the Northwest Territories in a subsequent interview with this newspaper. But after visiting her posh hotel's website, where room prices range from US$259 to $609 a night, we can understand why she may have preferred to stay within the confines of the Fairmont the Norfolk during her stay in Nairobi. "All guest rooms are luxuriously furnished, have plush carpeting and deep velour soft furnishings," the website boasts, before inviting browsers to check out photos of the colonial era hotel's six restaurants (one of them is in a pool), its 18-hole golf course, and the spa and health club. Take a look at the photos accompanying this editorial; there's more at www.fairmont.com/norfolkhotel. Bisaro cast herself as a waste cutter and anti-poverty advocate when she began her term in the legislative assembly three years ago. In February she introduced an anti-poverty motion that her legislative colleagues supported. She also railed against the $2.5 million the territorial government set aside to attend the Winter Olympics, and demanded the government do more to address the cost of living. So, when it comes to poverty, she has said the right things. Yet when there's a perk to be had, like this parliamentary conference, it appears Bisaro will gladly jump on board with the rest of the MLAs who attend these trips. Is there anything about another nation's governance that one cannot learn through Internet research these days? There's no need to dole out close to $30,000 for two MLAs to bask in opulence overseas. What message does Bisaro think she and her other colleagues in the legislative assembly send when they tell us to tighten our belts and propose we pay a carbon tax while they go jet-setting around the world? Who cares if they have deemed us worthy enough after all these years to finally submit a report on these silly trips. Please, will someone among them finally acknowledge that these excursions to glad-hand with Third World kleptocracies is waste of their time and our money.
Transparency makes for easy reading Editorial Comment Kassina Ryder Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, October 7, 2010
However, after spending a week reporting in the Northwest Territories, I've realized just how different the two territories are in terms of covering the news. Many government departments in Nunavut seem to have orientation processes that include terrifying new employees about what will happen if they speak to the media without authorization. Teachers and other kind-hearted individuals who take pictures at school events can be a community newspaper's bread and butter. You can imagine my horror when I started calling schools last fall only to have the newly hired crop of teachers tell me they were very sorry, but they weren't allowed to speak to me about the bake sale. So, the bake sale (or school dance or fundraiser) didn't get covered that week. This was during the H1N1 outbreak, and teachers had received direction that they were not to speak to reporters. But the message that bake sales were OK to talk about, but H1N1 wasn't, got lost along the way. But here in the NWT, I wrote a story about Family Violence Awareness Week for this edition of the paper. When I realized I would have to call the Department of Health and Social Services to speak with a frontline worker, my journalistic heart sank. I prepared myself for a long, hard slog through the department's communications department. Where I come from, you have a better chance of meeting the Pope than actually speaking with a social worker or a nurse in a community. But I picked up the phone and spoke with the head of the department, who then passed my information along to the person I needed to speak with. About half an hour later, the phone rang. The person I needed to speak with had called me back! As I wiped tears of gratitude from my eyes with one hand and jotted down notes with the other, I wondered how something that would have almost been a battle in one territory, can be so simple in another. Is it the fact that Nunavut is younger? Is it the crippling shortage of resources and workers in government departments? And while I'm sure reporting in the NWT won't be all roses, I do know one thing. I could get used to this. Kassina Ryder is acting editor of Deh Cho Drum. Roxanna Thompson will return later this month.
We need Healthy Foods? Editorial Comment Andrew Rankin Inuvik Drum - Thursday, October 7, 2010
The non-profit organization, which was based in Inuvik for the last few years, showed real progress in getting people to eat healthier. Its mandate was to both conduct research about the eating habits of at-risk aboriginal residents and, at the same time, encourage them to live healthier. The power of the program laid in its simplicity. Employees in Inuvik went out to stores and special events with healthy food samples. They approached people armed with the knowledge to explain what they were eating. People responded. As evidence of its success, the program spread into Tuktoyaktuk, Ulukhaktok, Cambridge Bay and Taloyoak, Nunavut. Thanks to a bunch of funding from the territorial government, the program showed signs of progress. The program appeared to stick to its simple and practical philosophy. Community Residents were hired to go out and work with individuals and families. The Drum found out first-hand how this method was making a positive difference. People, for example, were consuming diet pop instead of regular and some families switched to 1 per cent milk from homogenized. Not earth-shattering results but progress nonetheless. The other positive about the program was its emphasis on promoting healthy country foods and getting people to make subtle but significant changes to their diet. Employees in Tuk ran a summer muktuk-making workshop. Traditional recipes were freely distributed. The activities encouraged healthy living while respecting cultural practises. Studies showed that in most of the participating communities progress was being made. If things needed to be changed up, employees would go back to the community for solutions. That progress has been stalled. Without notice, the territorial government withdrew its funding for the program. The sudden and unannounced move provided no opportunity for residents to argue against the government's decision. The GNWT didn't provide much of a reason why it decided to end its support of the program. That's particularly concerning since Healthy Foods North appeared to be a great start in the challenge to try to control abnormally high obesity and diabetes rates in the North. The territorial government hasn't come up with an alternative plan to compliment the work Healthy Foods has achieved across the North, which is a kind of an insult to the professionals and concerned resident who have done their part to make a difference. Without a plan, one can surmise that a certain section of our population isn't really a priority for the government. Perhaps it thinks the problem will take care of itself. The government talks about the need to make its residents healthier. But the GNWT can't ignore two major problems facts: that produce prices are way too high for many large families and many wouldn't eat enough of it no matter the cost. At least Healthy Foods North seemed to be facing the problem head-on. Now that it's gone, it's anybody's guess what will happen next. Sale of land good move Yellowknifer - Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The Falck family has used a portion of the Brock Drive extension to park their car, put up a basketball net and build a garden - similar to what four previous owners of the home next to the road have also done. Some neighbours in the area are against the sale of the land, claiming there are safety issues with traffic congestion -- although city officials said no accidents have been reported there -- and the potential loss of access to a walking path to the waterfront. The city's plan is to sell a 32 metre by 5.2 metre section of the land to the Falcks at fair market value. Most importantly, council will rezone the other portion as a nature preservation to protect access to the path. While a few councillors are not happy with the decision, they are right in saying it's the best solution available. By selling the land the city is only making official what has been happening for years. From one corner of the city to the other, residents have been using municipal property to store possessions such as cars, snowmobiles, equipment and even garbage. If complaints like this one continue to be raised, it might not be long before city officials start confronting other residents on using property without permission, and the outcome may not be the same as in this case.
Inconnu's resurgence a grand development Yellowknifer - Wednesday, October 6, 2010 After decades of scarce inconnu catches in Yellowknife Bay, they have begun to reappear in our waters. The species began to drop off in the 1940s and '50s, at the same time Con mine, and later Giant, was in full-swing. The inconnu were once very plentiful in the Yellowknife River before disappearing, according to former Yellowknives Dene Chief Fred Sangris. Since the closure of the city's two gold mines there has been a comeback not only of inconnu, but other fish species in Yellowknife Bay, including lake trout and Arctic grayling. It seems likely the operation of the gold mines had something to do with the vanishing of these species. As Sangris points out, many Dene believe there is a correlation between the underground blasting that was going on at the mines and the disappearance of inconnu. It is food for thought, just as pollution from Giant was surely a culprit in a decades-long interruption in the grayling run in Baker Creek, which was restored when that body of water was cleaned up. It's clear that resource development can do harm to ecosystems. That is not to say that developing resources should be cast aside, but with a growing body of scientific data and the recognition of aboriginal traditional knowledge, we can and should do a much better job of monitoring the environment.
No excuses when being healthy is made easy Editorial Comment Erika Sherk Kivalliq News - Wednesday, October 6, 2010 It's closer to Halloween than New Year's, but it's still a good time to look oneself in the mirror and own up to the fact that it's time to get healthy. This could mean a major overhaul - start exercising, substitute water and fruit for the pop and chips on your shelf, quit smoking once and for all - or maybe just take a small step in the right direction. In Rankin Inlet, all kinds of factors are conspiring to make it easier to approach that sometimes scary decision to start working to feel healthy and fit. The grocery store has brought in all kinds of new fruits and vegetables - part of its new Healthy Eating campaign. Aerobics has just started a new season in the Leo Ussak Elementary School gym. It's three times a week and all you have to do is motivate yourself to get there. Once you arrive, Adriana Kusugak will have you sweating and strengthening like nobody's business. It's one measly hour but even if you go just once a week, it will start making a difference. One attendee has - with the aid of a healthy diet - lost over 50 pounds in the last year by showing up to aerobics three times a week. Yin yoga just started up on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the same gym, and to those who think yoga is a load of new-age stretching and chanting, it's actually an incredible workout that strengthens and stretches and generally makes one feel like a million bucks - and there's no reason to feel intimidated. The people attending these classes are a whole range of ages and sizes and if you've got a T-shirt and sweatpants, then you've got the clothes. Exercise classes in the south can be an intimidating show of 20-something experts clad in matching spandex running through routines complex enough to make the average person's mind spin. Up here, however, it's inclusive. This, of course, means there are no excuses! There are plenty of health problems in Nunavut and many can be attributed to bad eating and little exercise and the obesity that comes with that combo. Diabetes, heart failure, cavities and rotting teeth, high blood pressure - these are not nice things to have. It's a choice. You can put in a bit of effort and make a few sacrifices. The payoff is feeling great, avoiding many major illnesses, and lengthening your life. Doesn't that seem like a good deal? Even just walking is excellent exercise. Put your headphones on and hit the road for half and hour, just one morning, and see how you feel. Bet you'll get hooked. Keep this in mind; studies have been done which prove exercise is more effective than anti-depressant drugs. "We now have evidence to support the claim that exercise is related to positive mental health as indicated by relief in symptoms of depression and anxiety," is the message of one study by Arizona University. According to the Mayo Clinic, "Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem." How can anyone resist?
Violence at its worst NWT News/North - Monday, October 4, 2010
In 2007 there were 321 spousal assaults reported in the territory -- 86 per cent against women. That is more than eight times the national average per 100,000 people for total spousal assaults and more than nine times the national average against women.
Between 2009 and 2010, 314 women and 253 children were admitted to an NWT family violence shelter, representing an 11.7 per cent increase over the previous year, according to the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services. Considering many incidents of family violence are not reported to the police nor do victims always access a shelter, the abuse rates could be much higher.
Over the past few years, a number of programs and public awareness campaigns have been put into place to help victims of domestic violence. One of note, administered by the Department of Justice, is the emergency protection order legislation that helps to remove accused abusers from the home. That program is presently under review to gauge its effectiveness. Hopefully that review will outline efficiencies to the program to ensure victims of abuse know how to access it as a shield for them and their families.
Emergency funding is also available through the Department of Justice's Victims of Crime Emergency Fund. Although not primarily for victims of domestic violence, the fund does provide compensation to victims for an assortment of expenses ranging from accommodation to medical costs. The NWT Family Violence Action plan also calls for increased counselling services and education resources.
Family violence is difficult to combat primarily because so few people choose to come forward or seek help. The 2004 General Social Survey indicates only 28 per cent of cases of domestic violence are reported to police -- suggesting more than 800 cases in the NWT have gone unreported.
NWT communities are small, which makes escaping from violence difficult, especially if the community does not have its own shelter services.
There are seven communities with family violence shelters in the territory. Two of those communities do not offer emergency accommodations. Although the Department of Health does provide funding for victims to travel to shelters elsewhere, many might not want to be forced out of their communities as well as their homes.
Emergency shelters in every community may not be realistic but there may be alternatives. In smaller communities, victims could stay in safe houses and the owner compensated for time and training while counsellors monitor the situation. The challenge, of course, is secrecy and security would have to be maintained to protect both the victim and the homeowner.
Although the GNWT has numerous programs to aid victims, communities and individuals must take a stand to denounce family violence. Although the NWT's 2007 family violence survey found most people believe domestic violence should be reported to the police, a disproportionate number -- 34.8 per cent - living outside the NWT's major urban centres think domestic violence is a private matter between a couple.
As long as family violence remains hidden behind closed doors it will persist. Turning a blind eye is not a solution. All must take responsibility to report violence and ensure our communities are safe places for our neighbours as well as ourselves.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation has somehow managed - or mismanaged - $110 million in unforeseen costs in aiming to build close to 1,000 homes using $300 million of federal funds.
It's a stunning example of incompetence, or the inability to keep track of money.
Yet the botched accounting does not change the reality for many people on the ground.
Nunavut's housing crisis is horrendous and extensive, and that should come as no surprise to anyone, including senior bureaucrats and politicians in Ottawa.
An incredible 25 per cent of homes in the Kivalliq region accommodate six or more people, according to 2006 census data from Statistics Canada. Most of these homes, it must be pointed out, are not sprawling mansions. They are modest bungalows, sometimes even dilapidated shacks, where the cold draft of winter whistles through poorly sealed windows and doorframes.
Things don't get much better in the Kitkitmeot, where 23 per cent of homes have six or more people. The number falls to 17 per cent in the Baffin region, but that's still much higher than the national average.
A consequence of cramming people into houses like sardines is they get sick more often. As you can read about in this edition, tuberculosis is still a raging threat in our territory and many blame its virulent spread on the close contact of people in crowded homes.
On a related note, the Canadian Medical Association Journal reported in 2007 that infants in Nunavut suffered the highest rates in the world of a potentially deadly respiratory virus (RSV). Although the cause was not definitive, the medical association's study said overcrowding and exposure to tobacco smoke were likely factors.
Other studies have associated overcrowded homes with poor performance in school. Logic dictates that a child who is distracted by a house full of people will have a more difficult time studying and sleeping. That surely translates into difficulty concentrating in the classroom.
As well, some believe that people in cramped houses suffer greater frustrations from having to constantly share what little space exists and having little privacy. That could lead to frayed nerves, arguments and, in turn, greater use of alcohol and drugs in a harmful attempt to cope.
Clearly these perils cannot be ignored.
The federal government deserves credit for recognizing Nunavut's overwhelming housing needs and allotting funds to address the problem. However, Ottawa was also well aware of the GN's terrible track record of managing funds. Auditor general Sheila Fraser found in 2008 that accounting within the Nunavut Housing Corporation was shoddy and she largely blamed staff vacancies. Of course little has changed since then.
For that reason, the federal government, with its enormous staff in the south, should be lending expertise or providing financial oversight on public projects of this scale.
While Nunavut's bureaucrats obviously need help with math, the people on the ground still require healthier places to live.
"Our bottom line is that we will provide housing to the public," Premier Eva Aariak said on Sept. 15.
She must hold true to her word, at whatever the cost.
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