Silence on NorthlandYellowknifer - Wednesday, July 15, 2015
A failure to answer questions about the city's project at the Northland Trailer Park casts a shadow and only sunlight and transparency will remove it.
Just a few years ago, before the city took on the $15.8 million task of replacing the park's sewage system, the old sewage system was more than a decade past its due date and running the risk of condemning the entire area.
It's actually quite reasonable that Northland resident Chris Thorne should be concerned.
The example he cited was that house cats could explore the unsealed pipes, bringing contaminants into the homes of their owners.
If he's completely off the mark, the city should simply say so and explain why the pipes are being left behind.
Failing to respond to that concern, as the city's director of public works and engineering did, helps no one. "I have no comment on this, other than complaints are dealt with immediately when we are aware of them," said Chris Greencorn.
Greencorn was responding to an enquiry from Yellowknifer asking him to confirm whether the city is, as stated in a June 30 e-mail from the condo board to its members, "OK" with leaving the old pipes in the Northland Trailer Park.
This refusal to answer legitimate questions isn't an isolated incident when it comes to questions about Northland, it seems to be the rule. Greencorn previously declined an interview for a May 1 Yellowknifer article to clarify whether the project has remained on budget.
While the Northland residents are on the hook for $15.8 million, taxpayers have to foot the bill for any overruns and therefore have a clear interest in knowing its status.
The city does itself no service by being secretive, nor does it help mayor and councillors running for re-election. In fact, they should be asking these questions and sharing the answers with the voters.
Thorne has a legitimate concern, as do Yellowknifer readers who pay taxes.
The city should open itself up and respond. It's the best thing to do for all parties involved.
Twin Otter still has future in NorthYellowknifer - Wednesday, July 15, 2015
One plane more than any other is synonymous with the maverick spirit of the Canadian wilderness and the North -- the Twin Otter.
The iconic aircraft celebrated a half century of service around the world on July 8 at the Yellowknife airport, with a Viking Air Twin Otter on hand built specifically to mark the occasion.
An adaptable aircraft manufactured by de Havilland, the Twin Otter is designed for short takeoffs and landings on a wide variety of surfaces on either skis, tundra tires or floats, with equal safety and agility.
It started out as a feeder plane for larger airlines to take people to transport hubs, but quickly became indispensable for the pilots and companies that serviced distant settlements, bringing cargo and people to places other aircraft couldn't land
The Twin Otter could continue that long history in a similar capacity in the form of search and rescue. The 440 Transport Squadron has four CC-138s, but they will reach end of life as early as 2018 and a plan to replace them with the Utility Transport Aircraft project has been delayed, according to the Canadian American Strategic Review.
The Twin Otter has proved to be reliable, so the military should keep using these aircraft for future missions. The military often looks for the biggest, most technologically-advanced tools for operations, but for the North they should take note of the ones that were built for this land and have become synonymous with it.
Until a new breed of plane can match the unique features of the Twin Otter, we should stick with what works well.
Women's stories hold lessons for youthEditorial Comment by Michele LeTourneau
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, July 15, 2015
This edition of Kivalliq News features a handful of strong women who noticeably serve as role models, and their stories hold lessons for youth, indeed everyone, in their communities.
Dorothy Tootoo, Yvonne Niego and Sam Kavik are women who have a few qualities in common but, most obviously, they step up. They offer their gifts to their communities.
Tootoo received one of 10 freshly-minted Polar Medals for her dedication to the cadets in Rankin Inlet. In a 2009 interview with Jamie Bell of Nunavut Arctic College - Tootoo is the residence manager at Arctic College, for which she was also recognized - she said, "As an Inuk, a woman and a grandmother, I was deeply concerned about the potential loss of such a valuable program in our community. So I signed up, put myself through boot camp, earned my commission as an officer and I'm proud I did it. Eventually I was asked to take over as commanding officer."
She stepped up when the community was in danger of losing cadets altogether when the previous commanding officer left.
"But we have to ensure our culture, values and ways of life are preserved as well. We're bridging two worlds for a new generation," she said.
Yvonne Niego, who is leaving the RCMP for the Government of Nunavut, also steps up every day. Whether as a mother or an officer, and soon as an assistant deputy minister for the Department of Justice, her life energy is dedicated to ensuring that the good in people is seen and recognized. That's her starting point. But she goes further, recognizing there's a need to bridge cultures.
"It goes back to my reasons for joining ... recognizing the good in people who come here but also recognizing the community values and the good in the community and trying to bridge those," she said.
Sam Kavik, a young woman who has overcome a tragedy, seen past it to the greater role she might play in her community, also expressed a need to be actively involved. In her case she spoke of bridging the barriers among youth, recognizing that in helping young people feel a part of the community, the dismal statistics of drug and alcohol abuse and suicide can be beat.
Niego said of her RCMP career, "Yes, it is demanding. It is challenging."
Her statement speaks to the fact that stepping up is not easy, necessarily.
But rest assured, these three women are likely to tell you that they are ordinary, even though the rest of us hold them in the highest esteem. They care about themselves, and the people who occupy their lives - creating the necessary bridges for the rest of us to cross.
That's an invitation not to be ignored.
Missing dollars could help missing womenNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, July 13, 2015
In its 2014 review on missing and murdered indigenous women, the RCMP can reassure the public that, if nothing else, it's solving crimes.
Police cite an 83 per cent solve rate for indigenous female homicide cases and conclude the overwhelming majority were murdered by somebody known to them.
It is encouraging to see the RCMP seems to have committed to improve its policing in the wake of its own report.
The organization says it will improve its investigative standards, implement mandatory communication schedules with families and incorporate cultural needs while working with victims and their families.
These actions speak directly to concerns raised by Gail Cyr, acting executive director of the Native Women's Association of the NWT, in her response to the report in last week's News/North.
Cyr said the RCMP needs to communicate more frequently with families of missing persons, work harder to solve cases and keep the database of unsolved cases publicly accessible and up to date.
Another key factor, she says, is for RCMP and police to not hang their hats on the stereotype that it is only indigenous men who victimize indigenous women. The 20-year failure of British Columbia police to see similarities dozens of missing women cases from Vancouver's downtown east side in the Robert Pickton case is the ultimate horror story that illustrates how misleading this line of thinking is. Pickton was charged in 2007 with the second degree murder of six women and 20 other charges were stayed.
But RCMP alone can't abate our disproportionate number of missing and murdered indigenous women. Lawmakers need to ask the obvious follow up questions: why is this happening and how can we make it better? There are people working on the puzzle. In April, researchers from the University of British Columbia's School of Population and Public Health and the Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Scientists released a study that found women in British Columbia are more likely to be victims of violence if they had a parent who went to residential school.
Residential school is the big bang in Canada's relationship with indigenous people. It left our indigenous community struggling in a universe of drug and alcohol addiction, crime, unemployment, lack of education, loss of traditional culture and mental-health challenges. The shockwaves linger.
It's an expensive and challenging road but, as they say, a pound of prevention is worth a ton of cure. The only way to even begin to heal is to work with indigenous people in order to determine the types of social programming individual communities need - and then make that programming available.
You would think the problem would be finding the funding for programs like these but nope, crazily enough, that's not it.
Last month, CBC reported the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development left one billion dollars - that's billion with a "B" - of money allocated to programming for indigenous people unspent. That's right, the money is there. It's been earmarked. But that billion dollars is sitting just out of reach from the people it is intended to help.
The road to hell isn't paved with good intentions - it's paved with our government's unspent programming dollars.
Happy birthday to a teenage territoryNunavut/News North - Monday, July 13, 2015
In the fast-paced world of 2015, when many young people never experienced the days of going out on the land with only a dog team and a qamutik, knowing only the speed and exhilaration of high-speed snowmobiles and quads, seldom is there a moment to reflect on the passage of time.
Last Thursday, July 9, was a moment to pause and take stock of the state of the territory as people from Kugluktuk to Kugaaruk, from Kinngait to Kangiqliniq and beyond, celebrated Nunavut Day.
It is too easy to focus on the many challenges faced by Nunavummiut -- the ongoing high cost and poor quality of food products, the sad state of public housing, inadequate health-care delivery, the high rate of suicide, the struggle many adults experience in the contradictory pressures of a wage economy and the pleasure of a traditional lifestyle. We could go on about the challenges and struggles.
Keep in mind that July 9 marked the 16th birthday of the formation of the government of Nunavut. Attaining self-government was a monumental achievement on July 9, 1999. This was just the beginning of an enormous task: To establish a system of governance over a small population spread among 25 communities on a land mass of more than two million square kilometres, equal to 20 per cent of the size of Canada.
Members of the Legislative Assembly were elected, a premier appointed, a consensus system of government established and many people hired to create government departments responsible for the delivery of services of territorial responsibility. All of this from scratch.
If one compares the age of the territory to the evolution of a person, Nunavut is just entering its fourth year of life as a teenager. By reflecting for a moment on the level of maturity demonstrated by the average 16-year-old -- and the short passage of time since Nunavummiut realized control of their own destiny -- many will understand there is real cause for celebration on this Nunavut Day.
The economy is growing, the population is increasing and the territorial government is getting better at meeting the needs of the people while capitalizing on opportunities available in a global economy.
Nunavut is getting national and international attention like never before thanks to worldwide exposure through advances in electronic communication and its participation in high-profile conferences and forums.
The three main priorities in 2015 -- education, economic development, and training and employment -- will pave the way for many more successes, now and in the future.
Nunavut's greatest asset is its people, those who embrace the territory as Our Land, rising to the challenges and creating opportunities.
Nunavut is only 16 years old this year, still young by any standard. We are confident that its future is bright as the evolution continues and young people emerge as new leaders of a government working to achieve admirable goals.
Help for fire victims came from the heart Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, July 10, 2015
The generosity of others is always welcomed, especially in a tight-knit community like Yellowknife. However, when dealing with a disaster affecting a significant number of people, it's best to help have a plan in place.
On June 14 , fire destroyed the 17-unit Polaris apartments, a building owned by Northern Property REIT, leaving all the tenants homeless. The community spirit of Yellowknife shone through almost immediately. A group of people organized a clothing donation drive with many donors bringing items, some of them brand new, to leave on tables on the lawn of the Norseman apartments two doors down, a building also owned by Northern Property, for fire victims to collect.
On June 26, Northern Property put an ad in Yellowknifer alerting people to pick up uncollected items by June 28. Unfortunately, some of the donations that had been left outside in the weather were gathered up by Northern Property and taken to the dump.
There are professionals who deal with helping people caught in disasters right here in town like the Salvation Army. The organization regularly helps those in emergency situations, both large and small. Dusty Sauder, executive director of the Sally Ann's NWT Resource Centre, said about 10 people who lost property in the fire came to the Thrift Store for needed items. He said the Salvation Army would consider a fire like this a small-scale disaster and offer help to individuals instead of organizing a large-scale operation.
People can also use the Thrift Store's voucher system by filling out a few forms with the Salvation Army's family services to prove they are a victim of the fire, and staff will help them gather whatever donations they may need above the usual allotment normally given to help clients to get back on their feet.
Sauder praised the efforts of the donors to the Polaris fire victims, adding someone did ask the centre for space to store the clothing donations but there simply wasn't enough storage space.
It is disheartening to see donations laying in the dump, but there are lessons to be learned. Organizers of donation drives should first contact local assistance groups like the Salvation Army and organize a drive for specific items after consulting with the fire victims.
Of course, cash is the surest solution and will never end up in the dump although accounting for it all comes with its own challenges.
Cynthia Grandejambe, one of the principle organizers of the clothing drive, may be disappointed with the final destination of the donations. However, her generous efforts, which did help fire victims, along with the people who got behind her, are what make Yellowknife a great place to live.
That has to make the personal tragedy of the fire a little easier to bear.
Greg Vaydik can bring out the best in us Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, July 10, 2015
Northerners need someone to look up to.
That's the line which has been thrown out so many times and while there are some good candidates, people identify with those who have made it.
That's where Greg Vaydik comes in.
Sure, he hasn't lived in the North for quite some time but he's quite happy to tell anyone that he was born and raised in Yellowknife and proud of it.
He's one of a small handful of Northerners who managed to play in the National Hockey League and while it was only five games, something some people may snicker at, how many games have those deriders played in the National Hockey League?
He's an example of yes, you too can make it if you work hard enough and he did. We should never forget people like Vaydik because they are a mark of our past and a wonderful motivator for the future. Ninety-nine per cent of those who laced up a pair of hockey skates have never even had a sniff of the NHL, which is what makes those like Vaydik, Vic Mercredi and Geoff Sanderson big names in the North. They followed their dreams and while they had to leave home to do it, much like most people who want to hit the big time, they never forgot where they came from.
So the next time someone says we don't have people to draw inspiration from, remember people like Greg Vaydik.
He didn't forget us and we shouldn't forget him.
Foresight essentialDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, July 9, 2015
On June 25, as regional leaders wrapped up the second day of the Dehcho Annual Assembly, dark smoke rose to the south.
A forest fire burning a mere 13 km from Fort Simpson was quickly doused by fire crews. Many in Fort Simpson were not even aware it had existed in the first place.
Over the past two weeks, the Deh Cho has been plunged back into the fiery depths of summer, which brought with it seven fires surrounding Antoine Lake (referred to as the Antoine Lake Complex) a mere 30 km from the Village of Fort Simpson.
Many community members spent long days breathing in smoke, watching the online fire map and wondering when - or if - they would hear an evacuation call from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR).
Some think that because the village resides on an island, it is safe from fire. This is despite the fact that fires reach far and burning embers reach indisputably farther. And yet, Fort Simpson still has no formal fire evacuation plan.
Regardless of the likelihood of a fire reaching the village, it is unwise for any municipality to be without a detailed plan of escape. That goes doubly for a village of 1,200 people that has only one official way on or off the island: through a ferry known to bottleneck when traffic gets bad.
At long last, the village has decided to take the issue of a fire evacuation plan to the territory. It will be discussed at a committee, and hopefully in future years a plan can be developed.
However, that does not help Fort Simpson this year. While the Antoine Lake Complex is still 30 km away, that could change moment by moment.
Frank Lepine, who manages fire operations for ENR, said on June 6 that one fire in the Antoine Lake Complex is now burning at 10,000 hectares in size. While temperatures are expected to remain moderate throughout the week, they are expected to shoot back up again soon after, and fire crews have not yet been able to directly attack the fire.
Mayor Sean Whelly has estimated it could take Fort Simpson a full day or longer to evacuate, if it comes to that. The concerns are very real for Fort Simpson, and the community should not have to rely on ENR - already burdened with managing fire operations across the territory - to tell them when it is time to evacuate.
That is a role the village should take over. After all, when an emergency strikes, often residents will call the municipality before they call a territorial department.
The village is already taking a long-overdue step in the right direction by focusing on Fort Simpson's evacuation deficits. One can only hope that step will bear fruit and that the village will continue a forward momentum to complete a fire escape plan as quickly as possible.
Making organizations and people much betterInuvik Drum - Thursday, July 2, 2015
"There are no jobs."
I've heard this phrase all the time. It has become the defining slogan of my generation. We blame the government, we blame our grandparents, we blame corporations -- and I get it.
When I graduated from university two years ago, I was met with a conundrum. I couldn't get a job because I didn't have experience, but I couldn't get experience until I found a job. Resentful of the shrinking economy and resisting all urge to rip my degree into a million tiny pieces I went back to the part-time gig I had held at McDonald's for eight years.
The day my student loan statement came in the mail, I opened it and cried - I was going to be poor forever! A few months passed and I became bitter and miserable until, one day, a friend suggested I set aside a few hours a week to volunteer. I scoffed - volunteering was for "old people."
Nevertheless, with a little convincing I approached some organizations to see if they needed help. Turns out if you're willing to work for free you can get a job anywhere.
I started volunteering at a library and art gallery. I met new people, gained new skills and had a ton of fun doing it. Three months later the experience helped me obtain a full-time job in my field.
Perceptions around volunteering are changing. It is no longer just retirees looking for ways to pass the day. More and more, young people are looking to share skills they can't find a place for in the working world and in some ways it is making us and our communities better.
Many programs and services would cease to exist without the people who run them donating their time. It is no secret many municipalities are struggling to make ends meet and run a deficit just trying to cover mandated infrastructure improvements. This means that at the end of the day recreation and arts programs are low on the list of priorities. When people volunteer to run community organizations, governments save money and quality of life does not suffer as a result. The population is sparse here and many hamlets remain isolated. This means it is more important than ever to have a wide variety of opportunities available.
Volunteering reduces stress and plays a key role in the treatment of depression. It provides a sense of control - you are free to pursue whatever activity most interests you. Though we often forget about them, volunteers are everywhere.
They are the firefighters who come to save your property, they are the tutors helping youth graduate high school and they are the people who make the art and music festivals here possible.
Too often we associate self-worth with our bank statement, but looking back through the pages of this newspaper it is not the wealthiest people who have had the greatest impact - it is those who love their town and go out of their way to make it better. So this summer challenge yourself - find a way to get involved. Do what you love and the success will follow.
