NWT elections are ailing Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, September 11, 2015
The recent zigzagging by the territory's chief electoral officer - as bizarre as it is - exposes an illness in the NWT's democratic system: election rules that favour the incumbent.
The first directive from chief electoral officer Nicole Latour was issued late in the afternoon two Fridays ago. It was as though she picked up the NWT Elections and Plebiscites Act, leafed through it, pulled out a clause that kind of, sort of gave her the power to change the legislation and declared -- based on absolutely nothing reflected in the legislation - that no candidate may promote themselves in any way prior to the beginning of the election period Oct. 26.
Three days later a tendril from the directive reached out and shut down MLA hopeful Julie Green's Twitter account because it violated Latour's based-on-nothing directive.
And it only got weirder.
Three days after that, Green was back on Twitter citing a misunderstanding and telling Yellowknifer that legislative assembly Speaker Jackie Jacobson clarified Latour's directive for her. That spurred a joint news release from both Jacobson and Tim Mercer, clerk of the legislative assembly, refuting Green's statement but acknowledging Jacobson met with Latour about her directive.
Finally, Tuesday afternoon, Latour issued a new directive meant to override the first one - and this time it was actually reflective of the legislation.
But we aren't out of the murky swamp yet.
Latour's original directive was inappropriate at best and unconstitutional at worst. But the directive fiasco did accomplish one important thing: it exposed an elections system that gives far too many advantages to incumbents.
The points in the new one can be attributed to various parts of the elections act. It states no person is a candidate until they've been accepted as such by the returning officer; no prospective candidate can accept donations until the writ is dropped; and prospective candidates can promote themselves prior to the election period, but only with their own funds, up to $30,000.
This sets the stage for a four-week scramble during which time MLA hopefuls have to scream and shout and wave their arms around and dot the city with campaign signs in a desperate attempt to get noticed by voters. Prior to the writ being dropped, despite a three-month pre-election period that prohibits them from using the perks of office to promote themselves, sitting MLAs can still easily campaign under the guise of office. Their very job is to engage with residents and that doesn't stop during an election year.
If the original directive chopped off heads, this one gives concussions.
The symptoms of the legislation's sickness are obvious. Territory-wide, of the 15 incumbents who ran in the 2011 territorial election, only one lost and three were acclaimed. Thirteen incumbents ran in the 2007 elections: only two were defeated and three were acclaimed. In the 2003 election, 15 incumbents ran, four were defeated and five acclaimed.
It is crystal clear the incumbents have the edge and voters - and prospective MLAs -- know it. Is it any wonder that open seats in territorial elections are highly competitive, often drawing four or more candidates while incumbents often face few if any challengers as evident by the high acclamation rate?
Voter turnout, meanwhile, especially in Yellowknife, is abysmal. In the 2011 election it averaged just 48 per cent, with a low of 30 per cent in Frame Lake. The high in Yellowknife was in Great Slave at 40 per cent.
Non-incumbents shouldn't have to wait at the start-line, poised to run until the writ is dropped.
Territorial elections law should be a pinnacle of democracy: it should be the governing legislation that evens the playing field between incumbents and non-incumbents where there are no political parties to override the reality of what consensus politics really is - a contest of personalities and name recognition.
At the very least, rules forbidding candidates from accepting donations ahead of the very short election period window should be relaxed to give newcomers more time to become competitive.
Our television screens have been filled with political ads since the last federal election. Nothing is stopping the federal political parties from stuffing their coffers with cash outside of elections. Why are NWT politicians so restricted?
While some limits must be in place to prevent an election free-for-all, the status quo in the territory is clearly harming democracy. Alas, the onus is on elected MLAs to fix it.
Youth participation inspiresDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, September 10, 2015
More than five per cent of Fort Liard's population is on the community's youth soccer team. That's more than 30 people in a community of less than 600.
For an initiative that is only six years old, the soccer program developed by Fort Liard's recreation centre blows most activities out of the water when it comes to participation and community enthusiasm.
As the community rallies around its soccer players, those youth experience achievements and success.
Recently, 16-year-old James Duntra was accepted into a prestigious soccer clinic in the U.K. affiliated with Manchester United.
He will now be training other youth in Fort Liard in a new form of indoor soccer known as futsal.
That is only one example of the impact a great recreation program can have.
The success of Fort Liard's soccer program is due in part to the sheer number of youth who participate. It is also due to the high level of enthusiasm those children bring to the sport.
Participation in sport keeps their school attendance high so they can attend tournaments, and it keeps them cheering each other on. The fact they are required to attend school in order to take part in games is another big step in the right direction, and it helps that there are numerous tournaments throughout the year to motivate players.
Participants are always looking forward to a game or an upcoming tournament, so much so that they hit the indoor soccer pitch five days per week, every week.
Younger players know they have to train well and hard for the annual February soccer tournament in Fort Simpson, and older players look forward to the annual Elks tournament in Hay River as well as the Arctic Winter Games, a true challenge for athletes who want to play globally.
Those who may doubt the soccer program's benefits have only to look at the fact that two-thirds, if not more, of participants are planning to try out for the Arctic Winter Games.
The community is fortunate to have such a well-built program to keep youth busy. Elsewhere in Canada, it is often a constant struggle, and sometimes a losing battle, to keep youth active and out of trouble.
Those communities could take a page out of Fort Liard's book. Having a sport the entire community can rally around affects everyone involved. It also provides a support system for any youth who might have otherwise gone astray.
Other jurisdictions country-wide should take note of Fort Liard's success and begin building accessible, affordable sports programs youth can be passionate about.
Far from homeInuvik Drum - Thursday, September 3, 2015
The refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East is spilling over to Canada.
Despite months of headlines from across Europe signalling the problems, it took one photo of a drowned toddler to make people pay attention.
Now, there are demonstrations across the country pushing the federal government to not only honour its commitment to bring in 10,000 refugees, particularly from Syria where a civil war continues to rage, but to increase the amount of people Canada takes in. One demonstration took place in Inuvik on Sept. 6, drawing about 30 people who support welcoming refugees.
Canada has historically been a country of immigrants, frankly, to the detriment of aboriginal and Inuit people who were here from the beginning. That being said, more recent waves of migration have also been what made this country such an excellent place to live. People talk about Canada being a mosaic of cultures and that's what makes it strong, Canadians also like to see themselves as the good guys on the international stage; the peacekeepers, the providers of humanitarian aid, the people who stormed Juno Beach and liberated the Netherlands. If the country turns its back on this humanitarian crisis now, it will have truly lost any claim to good-guy status.
There are people who argue that the government should be helping people at home before reaching across oceans and continents to help people who should be someone else's problem.
They are correct in saying that there are massive, severe problems to solve right here at home - rampant addictions issues, a lack of resources to deal with them, housing crises, food insecurity, crumbling infrastructure, the list goes on -- but that doesn't mean there isn't room to look beyond borders. When parents have their second child, their love for the first doesn't divide in half, it doubles to encompass the new arrival instead. Compassion works like that, too. There is enough caring in this country for people at home and people in need in other places of the world.
If nothing else, the fear of potential shame should drive the country to action. There is a lot of emphasis in history books on the heroic liberation of Europe in the Second World War, how Allied Forces stormed into Germany and Poland and liberated camp after camp of Holocaust survivors. What is less publicized is the absolute refusal of many Western states to accept Jewish refugees in the 1930s and 1940s, for many of the same reasons people want to limit the number of Syrians coming into Canada now -- there isn't enough resources, Canada should care for its own first, existing measures are enough. Canada's restrictive immigration policies at the time largely closed the door on Jews seeking to flee Europe. This included 937 Jewish passengers of the M.S. St. Louis, who were refused entry into Canada. Many subsequently died in the Holocaust. More than 2,300 men were interned as "enemy aliens" from 1940 to 1943 in Canada, mostly Jewish refugees from Austria and Germany.
Behind it all is the belief that they are somehow different. As the child of a refugee, I can tell you that I do not feel different.
The GNWT has announced it wants to increase the population of the territory by 2,000 people. I'm not saying that 2,000 Syrian refugees should be brought to the NWT immediately.
But considering the stated goal of increasing the population on the one hand and seeing the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing their own countries for their lives on the other, begs some thought be given to the refugee situation.
While many likely don't want to come to the Arctic, someone should ask.
Don't let city election get drowned outYellowknifer - Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Democracy only works if people participate – voters and candidates stepping up to the plate.
If the municipal election were held today there would be no election. The mayor would be acclaimed for the third time in six elections and there would not be enough candidates to fill the eight seats on city council.
Nominations only opened on Friday so it's arguably early days yet but with two other larger elections taking place this fall – both federal and territorial – it seems reasonable to fear this municipal election risks being drowned by the greater drama – and greater reward for those seeking office – presented by these other contests.
City council has already lost two incumbents who will be seeking a promotion this year to the legislative assembly – Couns. Dan Wong and Cory Vanthuyne.
It will likely be an even greater struggle for Yellowknife's two main school boards, Yellowknife Education District No. 1 and Yellowknife Catholic schools. In 2012, after the city decided to cut the school boards loose to run their own elections, trustees complained of voter turnout dropping by as much as one-third. It won't be getting any easier this year.
Yet much is at stake.
This next mayor and city council will be deciding on a number of enormous issues, including whether to enter a bid on the $35-million Canada Winter Games in 2023 and redevelopment on 50 Street. Alas, the fewer candidates seeking election, the less debate and attention these issues will receive.
A burgeoning slate of iServeU candidates has brought an interesting if poorly understood concept of online direct voter involvement to the municipal election but more election choices are needed.
If anyone is considering giving city council a try, or even running for mayor, now is the time to put your hat in the ring.
Politicians also responsible for high gas pricesYellowknifer - Wednesday, September 9, 2015
The North has long suffered from high gas prices and they will remain high until the end of time.
This is the reality of being in an isolated region with a small customer base.
After years of price stagnation with regular gas costing $1.389 per litre, pump prices finally started to go down last November before rising again over the summer, then falling and rising again. This week the price of regular gas in Yellowknife sits at $1.239 per litre.
Last year's dip in gas prices came after the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs "invited" retailers to a meeting to explain why gas prices remained high while the global price of oil was dropping. Pump prices quickly began to drop after that.
Perhaps this was coincidence or maybe retailers really were listening to Yellowknife politicians agitating for regulation on gas prices. In any event, the lower gas prices didn't last for long even as the price of oil fell even further.
While it's great our politicians are speaking out for long-suffering gas consumers, they have very little influence on gas prices in general. Coun. Adrian Bell suggests that if only more commercial land was available for retailers then more gas stations could open, which would encourage competition and lower gas prices. At least four gas stations have closed over the last decade or so. It might therefore be reasonable to assume the retailers themselves believe there are enough gas stations operating in the city.
In any event, government itself bears plenty of responsibility for higher gas prices. The NWT fuel tax alone adds 10.7 cents per litre on gasoline, while raking in $18.7 million in annual revenue. If politicians are looking for gas price relief for consumers maybe they can start by cutting there.
Looking to regain credibilityEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Only time will tell if Glenn McLean of Baker Lake's recent acceptance of the position of interim president of the Kivalliq Chamber of Commerce is good news.
Hopefully, McLean still has enough interest in the region's business affairs to revitalize the once proud and influential chamber.
Arviat businessman and chamber executive member Ryan St. John has already come out publicly to endorse McLean as interim president.
St. John points to McLean's wealth of experience with the business community as something needed by the chamber to move forward.
And that may be.
But the first thing the chamber has to do is show a phoenix-like ability to rise from the ashes and be taken seriously as a player in Kivalliq business affairs once again.
The chamber also has to seriously focus on bringing fresh young blood into the fold, something, apparently, McLean has on his agenda during his time as interim president.
There can be no denying McLean's track record as a business entrepreneur, nor can his performance as an MLA be brought into question.
In fact, it was extremely disappointing to this corner when McLean announced he would not seek re-election at the time.
Ellie Cansfield of Rankin did a solid, if not overly-productive, job during her time as president, but the fact of the matter is the chamber had been on a slow downward spiral since Ray Mercer's retirement.
So now the chamber goes back to the veteran business person's talent pool in hopes McLean, not that far removed from Mercer's time line, can right the sinking ship.
It's a mission -- unless he has the interim tag removed and is given more time -- he cannot complete.
If the idea is to get the chamber back on course and implement a solid plan during the next two years to attract more youthful members to its executive, McLean could well be the right man to turn to at this particular time.
However, if he's just keeping the seat warm for a full-time president to slide into, he would be more effective leading a head-hunting mission to find his successor.
This may well be the chamber's last shot at regaining the credibility it once held.
McLean's been in the game long enough to know if you're going to do a job, you may as well do it right.
The question is: Is he still engaged enough to really care?
The more the merrierNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, September 7, 2015
It's still more than a month before the writ drops for the territorial election but the Nahendeh riding is already turning out to be a hot contest.
Incumbent Kevin Menicoche has announced his intention to keep his seat but it looks like he'll have to fight former CKLB radio director Deneze Nakhek'o and artist and reality television star Randy Sibbeston for it.
Here's hoping more people come out of the woodwork to challenge the incumbents. On election day four years ago, voters in three ridings didn't get the chance to vote because nobody challenged the incumbents.
Inuvik Twin Lakes' Robert C. McLeod, Tom Beaulieu in the Tu Nedhe riding and Premier Bob McLeod in Yellowknife South were all acclaimed in the 2011 election.
This trio didn't have to campaign to keep their seats, which means they didn't really have to defend their record in public service or test their platforms with the electorate. On election night, they didn't wait with bated breath, surrounded by friends, family and supporters in their campaign offices for the final votes to be tallied. They were ushered in, no questions asked.
Four years ago, when McLeod was chosen by MLAs to be the territory's premier, News/North reported he was the third acclaimed MLA in a row to have reached the premiership, after Floyd Roland and Joe Handley. This means voters haven't played any role in choosing the last three premiers. And it could happen again if nobody comes out of the woodwork to challenge McLeod in Yellowknife South again and is successful in his repeat bid for premier.
In fact, then-NWT chief electoral officer David Brock remarked in his post-election report that the 2011 election saw the lowest number of candidates since the division of the territory in 1999. Voter turnout also dropped between 2007 and 2011, with only 48 per cent of voters bothering to head to the polls.
The three uncontested ridings in the 2011 election did see competition four years prior, although three other ridings acclaimed their MLAs in 2007. That year, Norman Yakeleya was acclaimed in the Sahtu, Michael McLeod in the Deh Cho and Floyd Roland in Inuvik Boot Lake. In contrast, Inuvik Twin Lakes saw competition with Robert C. McLeod earning 306 votes against Denise Kurszewski's 261 votes. Tu Nedhe was a busy riding, with five candidates in the running. Tom Beaulieu earned his spot that year with 252 out of 477 total votes. Yellowknife South also saw some action in 2007, with Bob McLeod coming out ahead of Amy Hacala and Garett Cochrane.
There is still plenty of time until Oct. 26, when the writ drops.
A healthy democracy relies on healthy competition and an engaged electorate, so let's hope this fall's election delivers.
Potential leaders need to offer food solutionsNunavut/News North - Monday, September 7, 2015
Despite numerous calls for relief from the high price of food in Nunavut, evidence presented last week shows that the situation is only getting worse.
In fact, at least two communities, Kimmirut and Kugaaruk, have seen the cost of groceries increase by 16.2 per cent and 17.2 per cent respectively between March this year and March 2014, based on a basket of 24 selected food items. The new reports from the Nunavut Bureau of Statistics are a result of food price surveys collected by government liaison officers and include staples such as two litres of two-per-cent milk, margarine, a dozen eggs, potatoes, carrots, bananas, a can of baked beans, ground beef, bread, frozen pizza, instant rice and white flour. On average, the price of the 24 food items increased by 5.1 per cent across Nunavut.
The director of business development for the NorthWest Company, which operates NorthMart and Northern stores in many Nunavut communities and receives subsidies for the cost of shipping healthy food, said price tracking by the federal government's Nutrition North program has shown a decrease in the cost of fresh food products over the past four years.
There are variables that explain the discrepancy, related to the sample size, how long numbers have been compiled and which products are tracked.
Significant changes were supposed to be coming to the Nutrition North program to allow consumers to see the profit margin for the retailer on specific items and a review of community eligibility requirements.
So far, the only change we've seen is that savings on products to consumers attributed to Nutrition North are shown on receipts printed by the till at the grocery store checkout.
Much more needs to happen to reverse a dismal trend in food security numbers and actually help Nunavummiut eat healthy, affordable food.
The Household Food Insecurity In Canada report, prepared by an international, interdisciplinary team of researchers to identify policy options to reduce food insecurity, concluded that the rate of insecurity in Nunavut households was 45.2 per cent in 2012.
Not much has changed. Relief is needed across the board. The cost of food eats up a disproportionately large percentage of a family's household income. Many people go without food, particularly adults, who make sure the children are fed first.
All we've seen is a tiny step toward transparency and little else.
Strong leadership is required for real solutions to Nunavut's food crisis. This is a basic needs issue that deserves the utmost attention. Let's ask the four candidates in Nunavut who are seeking votes in the Oct. 19 federal election what they would do if elected.
