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An option to protect the health of female students in Yellowknife Catholic schools may finally get the consideration it deserves.

A largely brand new slate of trustees elected last October decided Feb. 21 to re-open the debate on the school district providing a vaccine to prevent the spread of the sexually-transmitted human papilloma-virus (HPV).

Nothing has been decided yet. However, trustee Steven Voytilla should be commended for revisiting the issue after it came up at a parent advisory committee meeting.

Only one trustee from the previous school board, which decided in September 2009 not to have the vaccine administered, remains. Amy Simpson voted in favour of the defeated motion last time it was debated.

Trustee John Dalton rightly said Feb. 21 that this is not an issue which the board must decide by itself. Instead, interest groups and parents are invited to make presentations at a board meeting April 17.

In 2009, trustees avoided debating the merits of a vaccine for a virus spread through sexual contact, when the Catholic faith preaches abstinence. Instead they focused on the science and laboratory testing of the vaccine, with some saying that the pharmaceutical company producing the Gardasil vaccine had fast-tracked trials while ignoring serious side-effects. However, the scientific community now backs the drug.

There are two important points to consider. First, even if the school board decides to make the vaccine available to female students, initially from Grade 4 to Grade 12 and in following years for Grade 4 students only, parents must give final approval.

Second, the public health unit of the Department of Health and Social Services is recommending the vaccine be administered because of a high-risk population in Yellowknife.

We encourage parents and other interested parties to let their views be known at the upcoming meeting.

All school children in Yellowknife deserve to have the same access to vaccinations.

With Nunavut's legislative assembly back in session, there's no shortage of grist for the public mill emanating from the capital these days.

Unlike in party politics, election years don't necessarily bring with them a windfall of spending sprees from our elected MLAs.

So it was really no big surprise to hear Finance Minister Keith Peterson announce a projected surplus of $21.9 million in his budget address this past week, although two budgets in a row with a projected surplus borders on the miraculous in our territory.

And, it seems even a few taboos are starting to be broken by our elected representatives these days.

Peterson went so far as to credit the latest tax raise on tobacco products for bringing an additional $2.3 million into Nunavut's coffers.

Oddly enough, that works out to the same amount earmarked for the Country Food Assistance Program ($900,000) and the Internal Sustainable Development Committee ($1.4 million), to aid the Nunavut Impact Review Board's assessments of mining projects.

Most politicians don't like to publicly spout about all the good things that come from the outrageous taxation placed on legal tobacco products, for fear it destroys the myth of higher taxes leading to more people quitting.

Governments don't like it because they have to fall back on the same myth to justify the next sin tax hike.

It's the same reason they get so mad at rogue doctors who have the audacity to point out the costs associated with obesity far outweigh those associated with tobacco products in this country.

It simply isn't in vogue to ostracize those among us who can't say no to super-sizing every meal - yet!

A read of the Government of Nunavut's (GN) procurement activity report shows it remains busy phasing out the little guy in the Kivalliq.

M&T Enterprises in Rankin Inlet is the only company remaining in the region with a GN fuel-delivery-services contract other than the Co-op chain.

Hopefully, the North West Co. won't notice the Co-op's gains and decide to get involved with expediting or contracting to secure its own cash cow give it a huge advantage over smaller competitors, or our regional businessmen are doomed.

Of course, there's the whole Nutrition North thing brought upon us by our own airlines not wanting to deal with individual food orders.

Call it a hunch, but that program should keep North West shareholders happy for the foreseeable future.

The next few months should prove even more revealing as our territorial election draws ever closer.

Should she be re-elected, and should she decide she'd like to be premier for another few years, Eva Aariak will face some stiff competition from the Kivalliq.

All but one Kivalliq minister, present and resigned, have been less than enamoured with Aariak's performance, and tents are already being pitched in at least one camp of change, should both current minister and premier be re-elected and seek our territory's top position.

It will be interesting to see if either camp has pitched its tents on a field of mud the other side can reveal before votes are cast and hands raised in support.

BP's Deep Horizon's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 has become the tar-laden poster child for the danger's of offshore drilling. Recent consultations in Inuvik about potential drilling in the Beaufort Sea forces us to ask: What if a similar disaster happened in an Arctic environment?

Imperial Oil has stated in the past that a blow-out similar to the one in the Gulf of Mexico could take as long as a year to fix. The reason for such a delay is the short drilling season in the region.

Over the three months the BP well was gushing oil, it spilled 795 million litres. The result was extensive damage to marine life, wildlife and human health. Simple scale math would amplify an Arctic spill by fourfold. Such a disaster would have long-lasting, if not permanently-damaging, effects on the marine and shore life in the Beaufort Delta.

If the ecological damage isn't enough of a concern, there is also the fact that companies operating in Canada are capped at $40 million liability in the North - unless negligence is proven. Considering the BP spill cost 1,000 times that figure in only three months, the liability could leave Canadian taxpayers on the hook for more than a trillion dollars, not to mention dealing with the costs of the environmental effects for years to follow.

Oil companies are exploring around the NWT for new reserves. The Sahtu region is getting the bulk of exploration money and there is the expectation of a major oil play in the region. A 2008 report published by Drummond Consulting stated that the Sahtu Settlement Region harbours approximately 301.6 million barrels of recoverable oil and 832.4 billion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas.

It is there the GNWT should focus its efforts.

As it stands, offshore drilling is too risky in the NWT. Environmental conditions combined with a lack of infrastructure, most notably year-round road access, create too much uncertainty in the event of a major incident.

Simply put, offshore drilling in the Beaufort Sea should not be a priority for the NWT until the safety, liability and technological issues are addressed.

It was great to see the community of Ulukhaktok send a team to the NWT Power Corporation Junior Cager basketball championships in Yellowknife last month. This was the first time the hamlet has sent a team to the event and it always bodes well for the future of sport in the NWT when smaller communities develop competitive teams.

It is also valuable for youth to experience a major tournament where they can test their skills, but more than that, meet peers from other parts of the NWT. Keeping children in the NWT active is vital to help prevent obesity and diabetes but also to encourage healthy lifestyles into their adult years. Competitive sports are one way to motivate youth to participate. Participation also encourages them to take the reins as coaches later in life, which will pass skills down to next generations. Continued development means higher calibre play and the chance some of these athletes will also get to experience more high-profile events such as the Arctic Winter Games or Western Canadian Games.

We hope to see Ulukhaktok athletes back next year to compete in the Cager and hopefully other territorial championships.

Keeping language alive begins and ends inside one's home.

The language children use at home often becomes the one they are most comfortable with, and the one they are most likely to use raising their own children.

We applaud Pond Inlet hamlet receptionist Jeannie Maktar, featured in last week's edition of Nunavut News/North ("Languages on the line," Feb. 25) for encouraging Inuktitut use at home and in her community, which is especially effective in her position on the front line of the hamlet office.

We also recognize and applaud the many mothers and fathers who are keeping Inuit languages alive in their homes and communities. This is a cycle that must continue.

According to census data, there were 21,230 Inuktitut speakers and 285 Inuinnaqtun speakers in Nunavut in 2011 - 68 per cent of the territory's 31,765 residents. In the 2006 census, 20,185 of the territory's 29,325 residents spoke Inuktitut as their mother tongue, and 290 spoke Inuinnaqtun.

Whether Inuktitut is thriving is arguable - it's certainly widely present in Nunavut communities, but it's not the main language of business in the GN and it's not present in much of the entertainment youth enjoy. Until Inuktitut has a use outside the home and beyond one's circle of friends, it is still at risk.

Inuinnaqtun's fate is more dire. With only 285 speakers - down five from 2006 - the language, used mostly in the Cambridge Bay and Kugluktuk area, is obviously in danger. Inuit and non-Inuit alike must be vigilant and use these languages whenever possible, whether it be an Inuk mother using it at home or a non-Inuit government worker slipping the word or two they've learned into their daily conversations.

There is much to be proud of within the education system in Nunavut, such as the programs highlighted in last week's Degrees of Success newspaper insert, but graduation rates still need to climb.

Nunavut is still struggling to achieve a 50 per cent high school graduation rate. In 2011, 228 of the territory's 565 students graduated.

While those who did graduate deserve to feel pride in their achievement, we must not forget those who have been left behind.

Surely the territory's educators are striving to improve graduation rates, but the onus must be put on the parents who have a responsibility to help their children succeed.

The government also can't rest on its laurels until the graduation rate exceeds the rest of Canada.

If Avalon Rare Metals takes a lesson away from the seemingly sudden rejection by the Yellowknives Dene of its mine proposal, it's that relationships are fickle flowers requiring constant cultivation.

Back in 2009 when Yellowknives chiefs Ed Sangris and Ted Tsetta were proudly wearing the company's jackets and offering to name the project site after the Dene word for the area, Nechalacho, Avalon was the undisputed master at First Nations diplomacy among junior exploration companies.

While North Arrow Minerals, another junior company exploring for rare earths in Akaitcho territory, was being dragged into court for insufficient consultations, the Yellowknives were singing Avalon's praise.

"Avalon came to us at the chief-and-council level and they consulted with us. That's how you're supposed to consult First Nations - early in the process," said Ted Tsetta, who was chief of Ndilo until his removal by band council last year.

But times have changed. What was said in 2009 may not matter in 2013. Yellowknives Chief Ed Sangris, apparently miffed that Avalon had concluded an impact benefits agreement with Deninu Ku'e band in Fort Resolution ahead of them, complained to the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board last week that the Yellowknives were "not being treated as the most impacted community."

Avalon president Don Bubar claims he felt "blindsided" by the Yellowknives sudden opposition to the mine. But the First Nation is not the only one to express dissatisfaction with the company's consultation efforts.

Blachford Lake Lodge owner Mike Freeland recounted how Avalon had at one time been a frequent patron of his business, hosting numerous board and investors meetings there, but says his lodge has not received any economic benefit from the company in nearly two years. Now, Freeland is opposed to the mine, which is only seven kilometres from his lodge, because he fears that light and noise pollution from mining activity will destroy his business.

Bubar, while critical of the Yellowknives' lack of communications with Avalon ahead of the hearings, acknowledges the company needs to double-down on its negotiating efforts to restore the Yellowknives' faith in the project. That would be a wise move.

Clearly, the best antidote to aboriginal opposition is to ensure First Nations have a big stake in the project. Around the new year, when Idle No More was in full momentum, there was some talk about shutting down the Tibbitt-to-Contwoyto winter road but cooler heads prevailed, no doubt upon reflecting on how important the diamond mines are to the livelihood of aboriginal residents in the territory.

Avalon has committed to maintaining 30 to 40 per cent aboriginal employment for the 300 jobs that will be associated with the Nechalacho project. That works out to 120 potential jobs for aboriginal residents in the region and it is the Yellowknives chiefs' responsibility to capitalize on that commitment.

And Bubar has a point. The Yellowknives can't merely sit on their hands and wait for people to come and ask them questions.

They can complain all they want about a lack of consultation but that won't matter if the review board finds Avalon has met the minimum requirements, which is all it needs to prove to get a permit to build a mine.

Bubar said it may be time for some new faces at the negotiating table. That might have to include some new Yellowknives chiefs and band councillors before both sides are happy.

Economic opportunities and a strong economy are things most Deh Cho residents would like to see.

The problem, however, is how to get there. That is something the territorial government is examining through the NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy that is currently being developed.

Fort Simpson residents were asked for their opinions when the advisory panel for the strategy visited the village on Feb. 18. The answers were far ranging and, when put together, form a holistic approach.

Creating and building on new and existing economic opportunities will require everything from improved education, particularly in the trades, to incentives for people to remain in, or move to, the territory to live and work.

According to the Fort Simpson residents who participated in the public meetings better infrastructure is also needed, particularly things such as improved roadways. Support for people who want to start their own businesses also can't be overlooked.

Land also needs to be made available for business ventures, something that can't be done in most cases until land claims are settled.

There is clearly no magic formula the territorial government can follow to foster economic growth.

The government can pour all the money it wants into various programs and incentives, but none of it will amount to much unless the people of the territory are willing to take advantage of it.

How to foster a strong work ethic and nurture entrepreneurs was touched on briefly during the meetings.

There are existing opportunities that could be built on in the Deh Cho. People at the meetings tossed out a variety of ideas ranging from small-scale forestry operations to creating products from plants including berries, birch and spruce trees. A variety of services and products could also be developed for the existing tourism industry.

People are the essential building blocks to any good economy. In the end, regardless of how the territorial government is directed by the NWT Economic Opportunities Strategy, the success or decline of the economy in the territory will rest on the initiative and tenacity of the people who live here.

Sometimes it doesn't pay to ponder political announcements.

Such was the case when the federal government announced it was providing $10 million to outfit every arena in Canada with defibrillators.

Aha, I said. There's a good-news story. I fired an e-mail off to Tony Devlin, the director of community services.

Showing that great minds think alike, or that fools seldom differ, Devlin was enthusiastic about the idea – to a point.

Devlin said the Midnight Sun Complex was outfitted with the devices, and the municipal staff had been trained on their use. While that's good for the town, it blew my idea down to this column.

I suddenly remembered a fairly big news story 18 months ago about a young NHL player named Brett MacLean.

MacLean, then 22, who had played for the Phoenix Coyotes and Winnipeg Jets, had a sudden cardiac incident while playing hockey in Owen Sound, Ont., in a new recreation complex not unlike the Midnight Sun. His life was saved by a defibrillator.

He has since retired from hockey.

That two arenas in small communities had defibrillators was prodding my political cynicism. I began to wonder why the Harper government would offer the money without researching if it was needed, or if the government had not done its research at all.

It's most unlikely that was the case. I've met Stephen Harper and had a chance to interview him. He struck me as a very intelligent, shrewd and calculating politician.

Harper undoubtedly had his staff research the issue of defibrillators. Thus he also knew that many arenas around Canada, like here in off-the-beaten-track Inuvik, had jumped on the defibrillator bandwagon some time ago.

So my question is, why would he provide the money just to hockey arenas and not other community facilities where there might be more need?

A column I read in one of the national newspapers a few days later also asked the question. The columnist came to the same conclusion that I had. It was part of a calculated, shrewd, perhaps even devious, public relations gesture.

That $10 million funding might never be used up since many arenas won't need to buy the defibrillators. However, most people will eat the image up, particularly those hockey-mad types who buy their coffees at a Tim Hortons. They comprise Harper's vision of the idealized Canadian citizen, and will never question the motive or realize they're being played like the proverbial violin.

As a taxpayer, I don't like being bribed with my own money. I like it even less when it's a $10-million PR stunt for the government. Shame on the government for subverting a good-news story into crass political opportunism.

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