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Timely message for miners Yellowknifer - Wednesday, November 24, 2010
It came smack in the middle of the Geoscience Forum in Yellowknife, an annual gathering of geologists, prospectors, mining and exploration executives and the companies that work with them, 779 in all. A federal court had ruled in favour of two Akaitcho Dene First Nation bands, confirming the need for mining companies to properly consult with First Nations. North Arrow's rare earth metal exploration permit for Aylmer Lake, issued by the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, was revoked. Pictured with the headline were Yellowknives Dene First Nation chiefs Ed Sangris and Ted Tsetta. In Yellowknifer's Business and Labour section in same issue and on NNSL Online Business, there was a large picture and a headline: Safety milestone triggers jubilation. Again pictured with the headline were Yellowknives chiefs Sangris and Tsetta. The Business page story was about the no-time-lost safety record of a joint venture project between the business arm of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and Nuna Logistics, a 51-per cent owned Inuit company. The two have a federal contract to perform care and maintenance at the abandoned Giant Mine. What does this all tell us, and the mining community in general? Aboriginal governments cannot be ignored. They may be unresponsive, they may be bureaucratic, in some instances, they may be unbusinesslike to the extreme. Could anyone point to any level of government that doesn't exhibit these same frustrating qualities in some measure? We doubt it. Yet the business headlines prove these same aboriginal governments are willing to work with business and understand business values. It's a critical message for the people who attended the Geoscience Forum.
Don't leave Polar Bear diamond in limbo Yellowknifer - Wednesday, November 24, 2010 The Polar Bear brand diamond has become an endangered species in recent years, but it can be brought back from the brink - providing the territorial government acts. Production of the Polar Bear diamond, which features a microscopic picture of a polar bear to confirm its pedigree, was halted some time ago by the trademark licence holder, Arslanian Cutting Works, which closed almost a year ago. It's parent company, Montreal-based Polar Ice Diamonds, is now seeking protection from creditors to whom it owes US $41.6 million. This ought to be an indication to the GNWT, which owns the brand, that this company is no longer in a position to produce Polar Bear diamonds. It doesn't matter whether there are other companies in the wings with possible purchase offers for Arslanian. Polar Ice has been and is currently unable to fulfil its part of the agreement to produce these uniquely crafted and NWT-made diamonds. The NWT is not the only diamond-producing jurisdiction in Canada anymore now that Victor Mine in Ontario is in full production. There is one polishing plant in Yellowknife still standing, and that's HRA Crossworks. It has expressed interest in taking up the Polar Bear brand, and its eagerness provides an opportunity to revive the brand. For the GNWT, which has already taken too long to release its latest diamond strategy, waiting for the dust to settle on Polar Ice would be a mistake.
Perfect storm brewing in Nunavut Darrell Greer Kivalliq News - Wednesday, November 24, 2010 There is a dark cloud of discontent on the Nunavut horizon which may develop into a fullblown storm. And the fallout from this particular storm may become a complete disaster for many Nunavut youth. On one side is the Government of Nunavut (GN), swaying from mismanagement within its housing sector, the rising cost of doing business in health, education and power delivery, and the need to build infrastructure and provide training opportunities, especially for Inuit. All this while trying to negotiate a devolution agreement with the feds. On the other side, Nunavut's teachers are looking down the barrel of a wage freeze, and a clawback on the allowance paid to teachers who speak Inuktitut that would see it lowered to $1,200 from its current $5,000 per year. The teachers also claim the allowance would only be given to those who regularly teach in Inuktitut and English, shutting out those who teach solely in Inuktitut. That stipulation must be popular within the office walls of Nunavut language commissioner Alexina Kublu. Maybe it will eventually become a subject for one of the office's investigative training workshops. Not many would argue the point teachers are one of our most valuable resources, especially those who are good at their profession and can teach in Inuktitut. Conversely, the GN's inability to pay any increase is quite possibly a valid point. That is, as long as you can overlook a good portion of its current financial bleeding is selfinflicted. Lost in the dialogue surrounding the almighty dollar is the role so many Nunavut teachers also play outside of the classroom. You name the extracurricular activity, from cadets to sewing, computer, cooking and other various skill clubs, to every sport played in Nunavut, and the odds are overwhelming a teacher is involved or leading the way. That's why our youth stand to lose so much if this brewing storm escalates out of control. They get nailed both in the classroom and on the playing field of their choice. The extracurriculars - activities that allow our youth to grow as individuals, stay off the streets at night and have much less idle time on their hands - will be affected first should the teachers decide, or be advised by their union, to turn to work to rule as a way to make their point. With work to rule, the teachers would stay at their jobs but would follow their job descriptions to the letter and not take part in any ancillary or customary tasks they may have routinely performed in the past. A nurse, for example, under work to rule would not answer a ringing telephone. Work to rule is often viewed as malicious compliance by an employer, and we have no doubt the GN would be quick to act should that be the path the teachers travel. We can only hope the art of negotiation prevails in this situation, so our youth don't suffer. But our youth have no control over the perfect storm brewing between the two sides.
Dental wait lists a two-sided coin NWT News/North - Monday, November 22, 2010
Part of the problem can be explained by the fact that between September 2009 and November 2010 the department was without a full-time orthodontist. Recruiting a specialist in the North can be a difficult process. However, the GNWT needs to have contingencies in place to ensure such essential services are not delayed for a prolonged period of time. There are close to 20 patients on the orthodontist's wait list, according to the Department of Health and Social Services. That said, people such as Hazel Nerysoo, Fort McPherson's mayor, told News/North her family's needs are now being met; though, she added, a few months ago she had plenty of concerns. While the government has to work harder to ensure service, people across the NWT must do their utmost to avoid wasting the time of the limited dental professionals available. Between 2009 and 2010, 486 patients of 2,273 failed to show up for scheduled dental appointments, according to the latest statistics collected by the GNWT. Between May and September 2010 out of 162 scheduled orthodontist appointments 17 were no-shows. Last year a dentist travelled to each Beaufort Delta community at least three times -- up to six times for the larger communities -- yet, more than 20 per cent of patients missed their appointment. Not only is that money wasted it is time taken away from other patients. Health Minister Sandy Lee said in the legislative assembly earlier this month she is committed to providing a report on the state of dental services in the Beaufort Delta, we encourage her to follow through on that commitment, just as we urge residents to do their part by honouring their appointments.
Midwives a community asset NWT News/North - Monday, November 22, 2010 Midwives are making a valuable contribution to the quality of care for pregnant women in Fort Smith. Aside from the continuous care, the program has also allowed more than 100 women to have their babies in the community - surrounded by a support network -- instead of travelling to a hospital in Yellowknife or in the south. Fort Smith should be commended for its work in promoting midwifery legislation that has made the program such a success. We also agree with Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger who said the program could serve as a model for other communities. Mothers should be provided the option of having their babies in their communities instead of having to deal with the discomfort and inconvenience of travelling.
Frozen assets Nunavut News/North - Monday, November 22, 2010 Kimmirut's community freezer was broken all summer, from June until the beginning of October. Grise Fiord's community freezer was out of commission for two years before the hamlet got tired of waiting for the GN to fix it, so the municipality brought up its own repairperson from Manitoba. The bulk of Nunavut's community freezers were put in place in the 1980s through a government initiative. A survey in August 2007 found 20 of Nunavut's 26 communities had freezers, but only 15 of them were working at the time. The GN is looking for more energy-efficient options that would reduce the cost of operating the freezers, which normally run from summer through fall. This is a good idea, but it should not supersede maintaining the current freezers in working condition. A 2005 Statistics Canada study found that more than half of Nunavummiut over the age of 12 were "food insecure," meaning they worry about having enough to eat. Community freezers are an integral part of the solution to problems of food insecurity and climate change. Country food is a cheaper alternative to store-bought food, and is often healthier. As weather and migration routes become less predictable, hunters need to be able to stockpile meat when it's available to get their families through months when game is scarce - be it caribou, polar bear, seal or walrus. People rely on these freezers to feed their families. Lack of an adequate supply of country foods leaves families to rely on store-bought food, which is more expensive and often less nutritious, affecting their health and wellbeing. Keeping the freezers in good repair, and fixing them in a timely fashion, should be a government priority.
Special constables needed Nunavut News/North - Monday, November 22, 2010 Although the RCMP's revival of the special constables program is off to a snail's start, it cannot be allowed to fade away. Out of five recruits, only one will actually start training this month. The other four dropped out because of conflicts with their current jobs or reluctance to leave home for five months' worth of training in far-away Regina. Despite this disappointing start, to their credit the RCMP is not giving up and the plan is still to eventually employ 32 Inuit special constables. But to do so, the force may need to become more flexible and innovative in its approach. The special constables' 21 weeks of training could be made less daunting by breaking it up into shorter sessions interspersed with work at their community detachment, an approach more compatible with the demands of raising a family. The lure of providing housing should also be considered. Finally, the best magnet for recruits will be the example provided by the first successful graduates once they begin serving their communities.
Blind eye to blind drunks Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, November 19, 2010
Most often the process is uneventful. But occasionally, as a pair of recent court cases illustrated, there are potentially disastrous consequences. At least two people have been violently assaulted while sobering up in a drunk tank this year. There are 11 cells at the Yellowknife RCMP detachment but only three - two for men, one for women - are used to house intoxicated persons for the night. Last April, a man was stomped repeatedly to his head by his cellmate as the man lay prone and defenceless on the concrete floor. It took RCMP officers more than four minutes to respond because no police were present at the cells. Regarding another drunk tank beating in August, Judge Bernadette Schmaltz told the defendant he was lucky his victim wasn't killed. Police usually don't charge people for public intoxication. They're brought to the cells to sober up, and are then released in the morning. When officers arrest someone for being drunk that person is in their care and control; they're supposed to be safe - especially while jailed at RCMP headquarters. Last week, a woman in Kamloops, B.C. filed a lawsuit against the RCMP, claiming she was sexually assaulted by another woman, possibly infected with HIV, while passed out in the drunk tank. Her lawyer, Erik Magraken, said such incidents open the door for lawsuits. We have to agree. Even though in the Kamloops case police are accused of having been present but choosing not to respond for several minutes, the question of liability remains. Civilian guards are not allowed to enter jail cells unaccompanied by police officers; that guards are trained in first aid does little to shield the RCMP from potential lawsuits if those guards have to sit on their hands waiting the police to arrive. The RCMP must ensure it is capable of making timely responses when fights break out in its jail cells, or that prisoners are kept in separate cells. Otherwise the police force is opening itself up to a court battle.
City council lacks guts over stalled salvage area Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, November 19, 2010 The ongoing fiasco over the supposedly almost-ready three-celled salvage area at the landfill shows city council sometimes leaves itself at the mercy of administration. Either that or, like the bureaucrats at city hall, they either don't care or don't want people salvaging at the dump. The most recent delay, according to the city's department of public works, is a lack of signage. This is deserving of a strong rebuke from our elected city council. In February of this year, a city administrator told Yellowknifer the three-cell salvage area was 70 per cent per cent done; in October it was 90 per cent done. Coun. Paul Falvo has demanded action in the past, but that was many months ago. City administration's stated intention with three-cell salvage system - which puts the onus on people taking their trash to the dump to set aside items they deem recyclable - was to make salvaging safer. Yet since reopening the dump to "interim" salvaging last March following a dump fire six months earlier, the status quo has been allowed to continue where people sort through trash as others drop it off in their vehicles, which the city says is dangerous. It doesn't make sense that construction of a few fences and concrete barriers and placement of signs can take more than a year to complete. If city council truly believes in allowing salvaging to continue then it's about time it put its foot down.
Ripples cast by the stone Editorial Comment Roxanna Thompson Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, November 18, 2010
On Oct. 29 Dehcho First Nations (DFN) was informed that the federal government would not be renewing sub-surface protection for the area known as Edehzhie. DFN has been working for more than 10 years to receive permanent protection for the area that includes the Horn Plateau, Mills Lake and Willowlake River. DFN and other groups had almost finished working through the NWT Protected Areas Strategy to have Edehzhie designated a National Wildlife Area. As part of that process DFN sent a letter to Jim Prentice, the federal minister of the environment, asking him to grant the designation and provide both surface and sub-surface protection. DFN says they never got a response to the letter and were blindsided by the government's decision to remove sub-surface protection, which opened Edehzhie up to mineral staking and possible underground resource development. According to the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada the reasoning behind the decision was that Canada has determined it's appropriate to allow for a greater balance between conservation and development opportunities in the Deh Cho region. The department took the view that resource development, "is not necessarily inconsistent with protecting the conservation values in Edehzhie," according to an email. Not only has the federal government's decision potentially ruined Edehzhie's future protection its also cast into the doubt the future of all areas first nations in the territory want to protect. Jean Marie River First Nation is already feeling the pangs of doubt. The band has recently secured a sponsor for its candidate protected area but even if the Five Fish Lakes gets permanent surface protection the federal government could choose to withhold sub-surface protection. By making what seems to be a unilateral decision on Edehzhie the federal government has done untold harm to the integrity of the NWT Protected Areas Strategy. From now on every group using the strategy will have to worry about whether or not the federal government will capriciously undo years of work with a single decision. Canada needs to step back from the Edehzhie decision and consult or risk further alienating First Nations.
Action needed on NWT Power Corp Editorial Comment Andrew Rankin Inuvik Drum - Thursday, November 18, 2010
Yes, for the most part, outages have been rather short in duration but one can't help but think things are a little out of order at our power plant. According to the power corp., many of these outages have been the result of upgrades being done on plant components. Well, when can we expect to get a reliable source of power? What would happen if this sort of thing happened in a city? It wouldn't. People wouldn't tolerate it. Now people here are starting to get angry. Town council is ordering the territorial government to pay for an independent audit of the power plant. Members want a committee struck to take care of that and they want representation on it. Fair enough. Twin Lakes MLA Robert McLeod also thinks an audit is a good idea but it doesn't appear he'll fight to have the territorial government pay for one, even though he admits the power corp. hasn't been prominent in addressing the problem. Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland, the premier and minister responsible for NTPC, hasn't said how he plans to deal with the problem. Someone has to make a move. The fact remains, it's cold out there. There was another blackout Tuesday morning and plenty of people are worried there will be another one just around the corner. Reliability of our power supply isn't a luxury, it's a necessity, especially during the winter. Something has to be done soon.
A grand mosque opening Andrew Rankin Inuvik Drum - Thursday, November 18, 2010
The community hall was packed Wednesday, Nov. 10 for the mosque's grand opening feast. People talked about the tremendous support this community has given to the project, how welcoming residents are to the Muslim community. That was nice to hear. But the extraordinary story here is about a group of immigrants that has made a go of it far away from home. The mosque and the massive effort put into getting it here appears to be a testament to their hard work and desire to see this project through. It's a place where they can celebrate their faith with dignity and it doesn't hurt that it offers a little bit of light, figuratively and literally, in a particularly desolate part of town. That's worth celebrating.
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