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The Centre for Northern Families has lost a driving force with the resignation of executive director Arlene Hache.

Hache, a co-founder of the centre which opened its doors in 1990, has led the facility through successes and weathered many challenges for more than 20 years.

She has long been a strong proponent of social activism in the community. She was inspirational in launching and sustaining valuable services such as shelter for women fleeing violence; a community centre operating a variety of programs from daycare to prenatal classes; a medical clinic; and youth and mental health programs that are open to the community.

Hache has led the centre through financial distress, and fought for more funding from the GNWT. Last year, a consultant hired by the GNWT to carry out a financial review of the Centre for Northern Families did not finish the job because the centre denied him access to its general accounting information - instead he was provided with responses to specific financial questions by shelter staff.

Hache knew the centre's services were essential to women in the North and that it was worth the battle to keep the doors open. She put the needs of the centre's clients at the forefront instead of putting the priority on satisfying the accountants.

She has developed a space where women and children can get a better grasp on life, feel strong and start to rebuild a healthy life for themselves. It is through this dedication to the cause that Hache earned an NWT Wise Woman Award, membership with the Order of Canada and a Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal. As she departs to pursue a masters degree in leadership - something that will only sharpen skills Hache already has - the Centre for Northern Families will forge on under new management. It must maintain a safe haven for its clients and help the most disadvantaged people regain control of their lives.

Although Hache is leaving one role in the community, she will continue to be a mentor, a mother and an advocate for women's rights and we wish her luck in her future endeavors.

Anyone who owns a vehicle in Yellowknife is well accustomed to the sometimes mind-numbingly long wait times they must endure at the motor vehicle licensing office.

Long waits are inevitable with close to 18,700 vehicle registrations, not to mention 3,000 driver's licence renewals, all being funneled through three kiosks at the Laing Building issuing office on Franklin Avenue each year. It's such an inconvenience that the Department of Transportation has added a page on its website showing drivers how long they can expect to wait at any given time during the day. This is in addition to the estimated queue times people see when they walk into the licensing office itself.

News that the territorial government is contemplating a plan that would make some of these services just a mouse click away is bound to be sweet music to the ears of motorists everywhere in this city. It really is about time since most vehicle licensing services are going online elsewhere in Canada.

Getting a driver's licence will obviously require people to continue showing up in person but there is no need to be waiting in the office every time a person needs a vehicle or trailer registered. It should be as simple as filling out a form on the Internet and waiting for the registration card to appear in the mail. This is the way many routine government transactions are heading, such as obtaining a birth certificate or a firearms acquisition certificate after completing the required course.

Some people may balk at the dwindling levels of face-to-face customer service at government departments now that many of them are heading to the Internet. That said, few are going to miss the long waits at the motor vehicle office.

"The more you tighten your grip, the more of us will slip through your fingers."

It's hard to believe it's been 35 years since Princess Leia spat that famous line to Darth Vader in the original Star Wars release.

Yet, it rings as true today towards wouldbe oppressors as it did all those years ago.

Today, as more and more democratic governments tighten their grip on information they decide the public doesn't need to know, slowly, but surely, the demand for transparency and accountability is growing.

The Government of Nunavut (GN) began on a positive note where openness and accountability are concerned, and, for the first few years under former premier Paul Okalik, the GN hid very little of its business from the eyes of Nunavummiut.

But it wasn't long before our politicians realized their lives were a lot easier when they conducted their affairs behind closed doors.

In fact, the GN caught on to the concept of the coneofsilence approach in almost record time.

That was one southern approach that didn't require any form of madeinNunavut branding.

Our leaders were quick to understand the less people knew about what was going on, the less explaining they had to do in public.

Of course, that led to a few years of some of our politicians getting a little carried away with the idea, which led to criminal charges, conflicts of interest and the always popular minister-without-portfolio title.

Now our ministers resign when they don't get their own way and we only have the odd case of one of them not being able to tell the difference between public office and personal holdings.

They still guard their information closely, but that's more to keep nests feathered than anything else.

Nunavut, like the rest of the free world, spends vast amounts of money on programs nobody has a clue about.

Our committees often have committees, and the vast majority of the public has no idea what they do or what benefits, if any, they produce.

We send low-risk offenders to the elders and their committee members, but no one knows how many reoffend.

Various studies in Canada and the United States are showing the majority of social programs have sunk to the point where they only help those who administer them.

Data keeping is almost non-existent and, when evident, is compiled by those whose jobs depend upon it.

Much has been written on that ironic little quirk recently.

We have already seen the start of funding cuts by the feds and they're only going to go deeper in the coming years.

It's imperative the GN makes future program-funding decisions based on effectiveness that's supported by accurately-compiled data.

Social programs have to benefit those they're aimed at, not those administering them.

There are going to be some tough funding choices ahead for the GN and, if all Nunavummiut are to grow and prosper, clear pictures have to be painted of programs actually producing positive results.

The GN can paint those pictures behind closed doors if it likes, as long as they're put out for public display before the cheques are cashed.

Since the early 1970s when fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) was recognized by the medical community, awareness of the harm caused by consuming alcohol during pregnancy has been growing.

Today, very few remain unaware of the psychological, physical and intellectual harm liquor can cause a fetus and the development of the child into adulthood.

Unfortunately, it is difficult to say how many people in the NWT have some form of FASD because it is difficult to diagnose and it is not necessary for health professionals to report confirmed diagnoses. However, anecdotal evidence from health and justice professionals suggests that FASD stats in the NWT exceed the Canadian average of nine of every 1,000 births. The high rate of addiction in the NWT would also support that hypothesis.

Battling addictions is the obvious first step, and something the GNWT has been working at for decades. This is why suggestions made in the legislative assembly last week to have addiction treatment centres, possibly located in Yellowknife and the Beaufort Delta, are worth looking into.

Beyond our continuing fight against alcoholism, the GNWT must begin to fully understand the extent of the FASD problem and that means tracking the number of people who are diagnosed.

Knowing the numbers will allow us to tailor programs to not only support children born with the disorder but identify where awareness and support programs would be most effective.

Programs to support children with FASD are vital, not only to their future, but for the good of the community as a whole.

A GNWT report titled FASD in NWT Corrections points to a study conducted in Seattle in 1996. It found that nearly all children with FASD experienced issues that negatively affect broader society. For example, 60 per cent of those with FASD found themselves in trouble with the law; 50 per cent were jailed or institutionalized; 30 per cent had substance abuse issues; 80 per cent were unable to live independently and had difficulty with employment.

A recent series published in News/North featured adults living with FASD who are participating in an assisted living and employment program that helps overcome barriers associated with FASD impediments. Such programs help keep people out of the justice system, which not only saves tax dollars but prevents the unfortunate circumstance of criminalizing behaviour caused by a disability. The key is introducing a routine and stable environment that people with FASD can live in productively.

Unfortunately, Yellowknife has the only comprehensive FASD support program in the territory. What is needed are more programs of a similar nature that will allow people to stay close to personal support networks.

For that to be a possibility, however, we need to get a handle on the extent of the problem, and that means reliable and current statistics.

We urge the GNWT to make reporting of FASD diagnoses mandatory - because diagnoses are hard to make accurately, that would include cases where FASD is suspected. Only with a better understanding of the extent of the problem can we justify spending an appropriate amount of tax money to combat the issue.

Almost every edition of Nunavut News/North contains at least one story involving firearms, and they usually follow one of two themes: a successful hunt or the arrest of a troubled individual.

Firearms are necessary in the territory for hunting, and there are many capable handlers of these weapons who pass along their knowledge to their children or grandchildren. Unfortunately, not everyone gets the proper guidance, not everyone is fully aware of the danger of the tool, and not every firearm is kept locked up and away from ammunition.

There were 73 calls for service to the RCMP "with firearms implications" between the beginning of January and Sept. 5 of this year. Among those incidents was the use of a firearm in committing a sexual assault, seven instances of pointing a firearm, five calls were for discharging a firearm with intent and 17 were careless use of a firearm. In some of those cases, police were targeted.

There are several issues at play, the primary one being mental health and the lack of resources to effectively tackle that problem.

Not everyone who comes in contact with a firearm fully understands the dangers posed by the device.

The Canadian Firearms Safety Course, taught to those seeking a firearms possession and acquisition licence, is mostly common sense - ask anyone who's taken the course. However, it is full of essential knowledge regarding the safe handling of these tools. It reinforces muzzle control through both written and practical aspects, and repeats the mantra that the end of that barrel can mean death, and must never, even when unloaded, be pointed in the direction of a human.

Why not teach this in schools? It's not a new concept, and if any place in Canada should have this as part of its school curriculum, Nunavut, with its hunting culture, is it.

The safety course won't do anything to alleviate the housing crunch, and it won't do anything to help heal the mental health issues. Perhaps, though, it might make a troubled person aware of the gravity of the instrument. Perhaps it will increase the practice of using gun locks and keeping guns and ammunition stored separately and out of sight. These precautions can sometimes provide enough time for an angered person searching for a gun to calm down, or for someone else to see what's going on and intervene.

Guns will be a part of life in Nunavut for many years to come, so let's make sure safety practices are just as prevalent as the firearms.

Developing a shelter for those in need can be a stressful undertaking. Progress can be slow.

BETTY House, a transitional home for women and children, is a project that's been undertaken by the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition. The facility, which will be owned and operated by the YWCA, has been a goal for more than two years and it has made great strides since its start: more than half the funds to construct and furnish the shelter have been raised and the lots on 54 Street are purchased and ready for development.

However, besides large grants from the federal government and generous donations from corporations, there haven't been many new developments over the past six months. This is one of the reasons why the YWCA stepped away from the homelessness coalition this past summer - a loss of momentum in fundraising. Earlier this week, the YWCA reiterated its dismay that more hasn't been accomplished over the past few months.

It is understandable that the YWCA is urging the people behind this project to move forward, and fast. The YWCA is on the frontlines and sees numerous women and children in need of a safe and affordable place.

There is inadequate transitional housing to meet the serious need in the city, which is most likely why there is a palpable eagerness for the completion of this structure. Although shovels aren't yet in the ground, work is being done.

A little more than $3 million is still needed before construction can commence. The final goal is expected to be more than $6 million - the final figure depends on future in-kind donations the project might receive. The coalition is preparing for its final fundraising push, according to Gord Van Tighem, outgoing mayor and chair of the group's fundraising committee. The hope is to start construction in the spring and then complete BETTY House in 2014.

Whatever disputes there have been over the project ought to remain in the past. This much-needed building requires the support of the community. Let's get this done and get families into a safe environment, something the whole community can be proud of accomplishing.

The territorial government appears to be finally inching toward opening an addictions treatment centre in Yellowknife after years without any options other than sending patients outside the NWT or to the Nats'ejee K'eh Treatment Centre in Hay River.

This came to light last week after Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins queried Health and Social Services Minister Tom Beaulieu on how the government plans to combat the scourge of alcohol and drug addiction that is rampant in our community. The NWT Bureau of Statistics indicates that 36 per cent of NWT residents consume five or more drinks per sitting and 29 per cent of them do it more than once a week. It's a shocking statistic and the fact that Yellowknife doesn't have an addictions treatment centre where half the population lives is simply appalling.

Beaulieu said a working group of 14 people has been assembled to travel the territory to get a sense of how huge the issue is. We would argue the group shouldn't have to travel very far because Yellowknife has most of the people hooked on drugs and alcohol - it's the place where most of the territory's addicts go to satisfy their unhealthy obsessions.

This where Hawkins misses the mark by suggesting a treatment centre "doesn't have to happen in Yellowknife."

It absolutely has to happen here. To place an addictions centre somewhere else without opening one in Yellowknife is to ignore most of the people who need help. This is not the time, nor is it the issue, to bat around over regional politics. Yellowknife needs an in-patient treatment centre, and we need it now.

As the winter weather continues to roll in and the highways get worse it's a good idea for residents to make sure their vehicles are working well and that they are stocked with emergency items in case of an accident.

Travellers should keep blankets, a first aid kit, a flashlight, water and food in their vehicles.

Also, if you have the money, satellite phones are helpful but Department of Transportation spokesperson Earl Blacklock says travellers shouldn't rely on those alone.

"Even a satellite phone can't guarantee that you're going to be able to get reception. Generally, the most important thing is for people to ensure that they are prepared for going off the road, for surviving until somebody is able to provide them assistance," Blacklock said.

There are fewer collisions on the territory's rural roadways than in the communities but they still happen.

According to the latest version of NWT Traffic Collision Facts, there were 20 collisions on Highway 1 in 2010 that left 12 people injured and one person dead. Meanwhile, on the Liard Highway, there were four collisions.

Also, this year, there was a bad accident on the Liard Highway where a minivan collided with a transport truck. The driver of the van was pinned inside the vehicle in -23 C weather. Fortunately, Rowe's construction had a camp nearby.

The workers called the Fort Liard RCMP and also brought a generator and heater to the driver to keep him warm. He was later flown to the Fort Simpson Health Centre and then medevaced in stable condition.

The passenger who was with him during the accident was also taken to the health centre and later released.

The pair were very lucky but not everyone is.

When an accident happens on a remote highway your survival is sometimes not in your own hands but in those of the next traveller.

You have to be prepared to wait minutes or even hours in what ever weather mother nature throws at you.

A blanket, a Band-Aid, a bottle of water could mean the difference between a bearable situation and a bad situation. You make the choice.

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Tricks and treats
Editorial Comment
Danielle Sachs
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012

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'Tis the season for worrying about money while being slammed in the face with constant reminders of how soon the bills will quickly stack up.

We're a week away from Halloween and all the ghoulish and, of course, provocative costumes will be coming out.

It's a good time for a fun tradition, an event to distract everyone from the coming winter and inevitable draining of the grocery store shelves as the ferries close and Inuvik waits for the ice roads.

So it's time for a distraction, a safe distraction, and Halloween is just that. This year, let's try and forget about the ill-conceived tradition of vandalism.

Without vandalism, what better distraction is there than massive amounts of exposed flesh?

No one wants to seem prudish but there has to be a line drawn somewhere. It doesn't seem fair that there are two types of costumes. "I'm a scary/funny something," for men and "I'm a sexy whatever" for women.

Sure, if you're an adult who cares, right? We're all responsible for our own decisions. But what kind of example is that to set for young girls? A lot of whom are already struggling with self-esteem and body image issues.

Someone said she wanted to be a Monster High character, I had no idea what that meant until passing a display of them at North Mart.

For the uninitiated, Monster High is a series of fashion dolls that are based on famous horror characters like Frankenstein and Dracula.

Now, classic horror characters can be great and all but Bela Lugosi never wore a miniskirt, a top with a plunging neckline and platform boots. Well, not in the public eye at least.

It's up to adults to show you don't have to be nearly naked to get your point across.

Looking at it from a practical perspective, we don't exactly have the right weather for revealing clothing this time of year. And it's not even that cold out, yet.

There are enough events happening around Inuvik that no one needs to be out late causing trouble.

Stop by one of the haunted houses or trade candy with your friends after people stop opening their doors to the calls of "trick or treat."

Don't forget, Christmas is coming up and we all know Santa's making his list and checking it twice.

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