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All dogs deserve good masters NWT News/North - Monday, Sept 10, 2012
In those days, dogs were an essential part of Northern life. Ensuring they were well cared for was a necessity because strong and happy animals work harder and are more loyal. These days the role of dogs in NWT communities has changed, much like the way of life for many people has changed. Fewer people hunt and trap. Goods are hauled by motorized vehicles. Centralized communities instead of nomadic camps means, for the most part, people stay put. Stories about dogs being neglected in the communities are familiar from the SPCA and in the pages of this newspaper. Although there is no question that dogs should be well cared for and live free from abuse and neglect, we have to question whether a lot of the cases are malicious. The transition from dogs as work animals to dogs as pets in smaller NWT communities hasn't been long in the making. With that in mind, we wonder how many cases of neglect are merely instances of not knowing what to do with an animal that no longer serves a purpose. This is not to excuse the mistreatment of animals but it's important to guard against labelling a group of people as bad dog owners when the problem may be a lack of understanding how much the relationship between dogs and Northern people has changed. Awareness campaigns and education programs might serve to reduce the number of animal cruelty complaints as much as spaying programs and SPCA rescues. It's not a case of helping people learn how to properly care for dogs but to help them carefully consider what role a dog might play in their lives. No one is going to value a work animal that lays around all day. It is like paying an employee to sleep in the broom closet. It's time to examine the roles dogs play in the North. It's likely in these modern times, their purpose will be to serve as pets and companions and not workers. With that in mind people should ask themselves not if they can care for the animal, but if they should own one in the first place.
Adaptation is key NWT News/North - Monday, Sept 10, 2012 Ice levels are at an all-time low on the Arctic Ocean and some studies are predicting further loss of old ice - ice that survives summer after summer. That means travel for hunters who use ice crossings are in jeopardy of losing traditional routes to food sources. Wildlife also is threatened as habitat changes. Inland, warmer weather means permafrost is beginning to melt, softening the ground, causing settling, which results in buildings shifting and crumbling. Although we must continue efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions here and worldwide, we must also combat the impacts of climate change as they are happening. Reversing the warming trend - if such a thing is even possible - will take time, time our Arctic people might not have. Adaptation plans are vital to ensure infrastructure - schools, homes, medical centres - will stand up to the changes in the environment. However, adaptation is not only the responsibility of the government, it is also in our hands. We must be wary of changing conditions and adjust our lives to compensate. Travelling safer and smarter will save lives and money. It is important to keep up the efforts to reduce our own impacts on the Earth, but we can't forget as the world changes so must we. It's a basic principle of survival.
Nutrition North numbers hard to swallow Nunavut News/North - Monday, Sept 10, 2012 The numbers are in, but they aren't saying much. Nutrition North Canada has posted the breakdown of the dollar figures and weight of food and other products subsidized during its first 12 months, from April, 2011 to this past March. Almost $54 million was allotted for Northern communities, with Nunavut receiving a total of 57 per cent of the budget, between $7 million and $8 million every three months. Eleven million kilograms of subsidized items travelled to Nunavut. The message in all this data is that yes, there is money coming from the federal government to retailers, suppliers and country food processors. The question is: How much of the $31 million in cash savings goes to Nunavummiut families? There are only two more weeks until more changes come to Nutrition North. Then, the list of eligible food and non-food for subsidies will shrink. No more subsidies for canned fruit and vegetables, frozen pizza, rice, toothpaste or diapers. This will mean more of Nutrition North's budget will be stretched across fewer items, focusing on the most nutritious, perishable food. The prices of previously-subsidized items will rise and the number of affordable choices, in places such as Grise Fiord with a subsidy rate of $16/kg, will decrease as well. Still, the number that matters most is how many families are going hungry because the cost of living is still too high. That number governments cannot be allowed to ignore in all their praise for Nutrition North.
Aquatic centre a good investment Nunavut News/North - Monday, Sept 10, 2012 The City of Iqaluit needs permission from ratepayers to borrow up to $40 million for the development of a new aquatic centre, a facility that promises to offer a wave of perks for the community. The catch is, ratepayers would see a property tax increase anywhere from one per cent to almost eight per cent initially, depending on what additional funding the city can secure. Although the vote barely scraped by as a 'no' seven years ago, if the city offers up clear and consistent information to the community, Iqalummiut may feel more confident with the municipality taking on the expense. Fundraising and cost control would sweeten the bitter pill of higher taxes. The city should also benefit from investing in its own rec centre, instead of renewing a lease on a facility that has been plagued with structural issues. With a growing population, a need to promote healthy living and a climate that holds on to winter for more than half the year, an indoor centre offering young and old hours of exercise and enjoyment is something everyone can get behind.
Yellowknife's high priced burden Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, Sept 07, 2012
Announcing his campaign for mayor in 1994, nine-year city council veteran Mike Byrne pledged to tackle Yellowknife's skyrocketing cost of living if elected.
Alas, Byrne was not successful - at getting elected mayor or bringing down the cost of living. It was a source of frustration then and remains one today. Heating fuel, the price of gas, and the most cash-depleting bugbear of them all, housing - the costs rarely, if ever, go down, but almost always up. Yellowknife prices aren't rising the fastest - according to Statistics Canada, that honour belongs to Whitehorse - but we're certainly disadvantaged when it comes to making our dollars last longer. High transportation and construction costs are naturally the chief cause of Yellowknife's higher prices. A high cost of living makes it particularly difficult for low wage earners to make ends meet in a tight rental market. Some people think high costs, especially as they relate to housing, ought to be a topic of discussion in this fall's municipal election. But what can city council actually do about it? After all, council can no more control housing costs than the price of heating fuel. It can open up more land to development but it can't get people to buy lots and build homes. The best council can do is to encourage the development of more affordable condominiums and townhomes, which it has been doing; protect the stock of less expensive homes that do exist - i.e., Northland Trailer Park, check that one off too; and allow the development of more rental apartment suites, such as the 28 units and five six-plexes being added to the Shaganappy and Ptarmigan apartment complexes. This certain helps but construction costs will always remain higher in the North and not everyone wants to live in a condo or in a trailer park. Despite 155 homes being built in 2011, it's expected the average resale price will rise by two per cent this year to $382,900. And let it be noted lowered real estate prices is of no benefit to city hall. Higher real estate prices means higher assessment values, which translates into more property tax dollars. Last year, an interesting study appeared that seemed to put conventional wisdom on its head by reporting that Yellowknife was one of only nine affordable housing markets in the country. The U.S.-based Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey took the average 2010 price of homes in the city - $293,000 - and the average household income -- $121,000 - and came up with a figure that placed us 35th on a list of 325 housing markets worldwide, thus showing that while our dollar may not go very far, residents here tend to have more of them. Some city councillors were quick to point out that not everyone in the city makes more than $100,000 a year. But the report does provide a counterpoint to the unyielding belief that Yellowknife's cost of living is too high. No doubt it is for some. This is a tough city to live in for lower wage earners and will continue to be despite modest investments in "eco-housing" and rent subsidies from the NWT Housing Corporation. There is one thing we can almost surely count on. Even if Yellowknife's cost of living should become a dominant issue in this year's municipal election, the situation is bound to be the same when election 2030 rolls along.
A new take on summer Editorial Comment Roxanna Thompson Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012 In this week's edition of the Deh Cho Drum, there are two stories about teenagers who spent part of their summer vacations participating in programs. The types of programs they attended were widely different from each other. They had focuses ranging from law to sciences to university life to the Canadian Forces. While the programs focused on different things, they also had a few things in common. Each of the programs was designed to give youth a chance to explore career opportunities and to learn about new things. Three of the programs were designed specifically for aboriginal youth. With these programs and many like them available, all eligible Deh Cho teenagers should be applying. There is no reason that any teenager in the region who has an interest in travelling and exploring new opportunities should be sitting at home during their summer vacation. The importance of promoting these programs and getting youth to participate in them cannot be underestimated. In the region, there are always discussions taking place about how the youth are the future and about the need to foster and support youth so they will be strong leaders and productive members of the workforce. Having youth participate in programs such as the Raven Aboriginal Youth Employment Program or the University of Toronto Faculty of Law's Aboriginal Youth Summer Program are a positive step in that direction. Teenagers from the Deh Cho need to be presented with opportunities to travel outside of their communities and the region. They need to have the chance to see what is available in the rest of Canada and beyond. The purpose of this exploration isn't to convince teenagers of the need to live their lives elsewhere, although some may, but rather to help them expand their horizons and make informed decisions. Many of the youth who attended programs over the summer are now considering different career paths or have reaffirmed that the path they have chosen is the right one for them. The need to go to school and get good grades has also been driven home. If law school, for instance is their goal, skipping classes won't get them there. With so many opportunities waiting for them, school staff, parents and community members need to promote summer programs and help students apply for them. By attending them, the lives of the students, as well as the region, will be enriched. Stop the silence Editorial Comment Danielle Sachs Inuvik Drum - Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012 It's hard to get the right information out to people who need it, say members of the group. There are still a lot of myths surrounding FASD. For example: it's OK to drink one glass of wine a day, for the first three months it doesn't make a difference, or as long as you drink water afterwards nothing will happen. But they're just myths and there is no "safe" amount of alcohol when you're pregnant. Depending on what stage of pregnancy the mother is in, different aspects of the child are affected. People tend to focus on the physical characteristics, but that's not the only aspect of FASD. There aren't any specific numbers specific to Canada that relate to FASD, there are only estimates and they fluctuate widely from community to community. FASD is something that can affect everyone, says the group. And it's spread across all socio-economic levels. Part of the problem is people are unwilling to talk about it. No one wants to be seen as the irresponsible parent but a proper diagnosis of FASD depends directly on the admission of pre-natal alcohol consumption. Yes, there is a stigma attached, but that's exactly what the community baby shower aims to address. In the past they've shown people how to make mocktails, drinks without alcohol that taste like they're swimming with booze. They're also focusing on peer support, saying it's important to have friends that aren't always talking about the last great party they went to or that awesome night at the bar. Part of the unwillingness to talk about FASD stems from people unknowingly drinking while pregnant. "I had a few glasses of wine while pregnant," said one of the workshop members. "I hadn't taken a test yet and didn't know I was pregnant, but I still felt horribly guilty." The group wants more awareness and they want to spread the word. If you want help there are people there for you. Lise Luppen, a dietitian with the Inuvik Regional Hospital, said it's important to show there are other choices out there. "Not everyone is comfortable talking about it but there are people for you," she said. "One of the positives to come out of this event we're holding is people can see there are positive role models in the community and there are other choices out there." Luppen wants to get that dialogue going, saying talking about it can be one step in reducing the stigma. "Don't be ashamed to have a conversation with your doctor or other health care practitioner," she said. Send a message to the squatters Yellowknifer - Wednesday, Sept 05, 2012 But in this case, a delay in awarding leases on an additional 35 cabins on Banting, Walsh and Prosperous lakes until next year has the potential to make a bad situation even worse. The decision by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) to extend a cabin lot freeze until next March to allow for more consultation may encourage even more people to hastily erect squatter cabins. Lands administration officials met last week with the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, whose members had complained about conflicts with traditional land use and the impact cabins and their owners have on the environment. We're fully in favour of talks with the Yellowknives. In fact, let's go one step further in encouraging the Dene to pursue avenues in which they could generate a stream of revenue for their people from legitimate cabin leases. That said, the recreational lease policy framework has been in place since 2009. People have seen the writing on the wall and, in some cases, have moved quickly to erect structures before new rules come into force. Let's get on with it, already. Those who respect the process may well feel cheated by the length of time they have waited to complete their journey through the kilometres of red tape. Is MACA reluctant to act because the controversial policy has become too political? Not managing the admittedly difficult cabin-lease issue properly is resulting in anarchy, the least desired result. It leaves the door open for increasing problems created by people who have selected their "choice spot," refuse to leave and are hoping for the best.
Celebrating the rainbow Yellowknifer - Wednesday, Sept 05, 2012 The City of Yellowknife should be praised for raising the rainbow flag in Somba K'e Civic Plaza on Friday. It's a welcome boost for the lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, two-spirited and queer community, and the many orientations and identities by which individuals define themselves. The celebrations included their friends and families for the inaugural NWT Pride festival. The rainbow flag is recognized internationally as a symbol of diversity, visibility and pride, honouring the myriad expressions of love and relationships shared between individuals in society. Smiles and laughter shared among revelers throughout the three-day event, which included live music, workshops, children's activities and games for all ages at various venues, were much deserved. Pride has been prominently celebrated with public events in Yellowknife since 1998, after the former advocacy organization OutNorth petitioned city council three times to recognize Pride Day before it was finally approved that year. OutNorth disbanded in 2007, but not before starting the annual tradition of serving rainbow-coloured cake in front of the post office every summer, which was also a small part of last week's NWT Pride festival. A lot of progress was made in the past decade, including sexual orientation and gender identity being included in the NWT Human Rights Act and same sex marriage rights becoming recognized across the country. Those victories grew out of a long struggle for equality. In 1967, the late Everett Klippert, formerly a mechanic living in Pine Point, NWT, was convicted for having consensual sex with another man. After failed appeals to the NWT courts and all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada, he was sentenced to jail. The same year, then justice minister Pierre Trudeau made his famous statement, "the state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation." Yellowknifer applauds the organizers and participants of the first NWT Pride festival, and hopes the initiative will grow into an annual tradition.
I'll take a Bettman Darrell Greer Kivalliq News - Wednesday, Sept 05, 2012 As Kivalliq hockey fans brace for the possibility of a NHL lockout on Sept. 15, they continue to trade opinions on who to blame for the loss of their favourite pastime. But whether Kivalliq fans place the blame on the owners or the players, they all seem to agree on one point -- Gary Bettman has overstayed his welcome as league commissioner and has to go. The funny thing is, Bettman rarely seems to mind being portrayed as the bad guy by the NHLPA or the fans. In fact, his main image problem is that he sometimes comes across as arrogant, and always comes across as smug. Bettman always seems to think there's more people than not who know, deep down inside, their criticism of him is mostly unwarranted. It's a behaviourial trait that makes players stare, agents roll their eyes and fans grind their teeth in frustration. But he's right. Bettman is nearing his 20th anniversary as NHL commissioner, having accepted the post on Feb. 1, 1993. Players like to portray Bettman as an owner's lapdog who's always trying to take money out of their pockets. They'll never get what they're truly worth with him at the helm. Really? When Bettman came along in 1993, the average player salary was $450,000. After nine full years of the evil Bettman trying to pick their pockets, that number tripled and now the average annual salary has hit $2.4 million. That kind of throws the argument of never making an honest wage with Gary in charge out with the Zamboni. And, since agents are paid by percentage of players' salaries, their eyes are only rolling towards their financial portfolios every 10 minutes. While there's a huge difference between revenues and profits, the fact remains the NHL was bringing in $400-million a year in revenues when Bettman took his chair. It's now $3 billion. Bettman critics also like to focus on a handful of struggling teams, with Phoenix being the ice dog to kick for the past few years. He's failed miserably at exposing the game to viewers outside NHL cities and across the U.S.A. in general. And, they add, the NHL can't be taken seriously if it's not on ESPN. Really? Bettman added six new teams to the NHL during his time in office and -- long the Achilles heel of the NHL -- negotiated TV contracts of $155 million with Fox in 1994, $600 million with ABC and ESPN in 1998, $207.5 million with Versus in 2006 and $2 billion with Comcast/NBC in 2011. Critics also like to point to how many teams in the NHL lose money annually. This makes the owners giggle because it's the same song they sing when it's time to bargain. The truth is, in the majority of cases, yearly losses don't mean that much. A club's true worth, and where an owner gets his payoff, is its franchise value. The average NHL franchise value now sits around $240 million, despite a handful being sold for under $200 million. In fact, the biggest drag on the game's ability to become more profitable and challenge the other top sports is player salaries being at 57 per cent of hockey-related revenue. As I head home with my three bags of groceries worth $224.21, I can't help but think: I'll take a Bettman!
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