An Arctic inspirationYellowknifer - Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Arnold Witzig has deep pockets and a love of the North - a combination which has benefited several organizations since 2012.
The Switzerland native, and his wife Simi Sharifi, who came to Canada as a political refugee from Iran, founded the Arctic Inspiration Foundation, and in 2012 started doling out $1 million annually under the prize of the same name to Northern organizations.
Yellowknife-based FOXY, a sexual health organization for youth, garnered the entire 2014 prize.
Those who have benefited from this generous benefactor since the prize's inception celebrated at a special ceremony last month, where they were regaled with the inspiration behind the inspiration from the founder himself.
Turns out, he just loves the cold and the North and Canada and decided that giving back from the proceeds of his successful international architecture firm to "the very first Canadians" of the North felt like the right thing to do.
With funding comes responsibility and the best way to ensure this prize continues benefiting Northerners through the organizations that receive money is for those organizations to make the most of the award.
FOXY has done just that.
Its co-founder Candice Lys told Yellowknifer last week the prize is invaluable to the non-profit organization.
Since receiving the $1 million, FOXY, which was aimed at young girls, expanded to include boys. The organization, which travels around the North for workshops and programming, would have had to scale back had it not received the prize, according to Lys.
The success of FOXY, as well as the other 11 organizations which have benefited from the prize over the years, should be a signal to Witzig that his generosity has had a measured effect on the place he loves so much.
This sets a positive standard for potential future recipients of the prize and improves life for Northerners without coming out of the government mandate.
The power of community involvementYellowknifer - Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Volunteering can sometimes feel like a thankless activity with long hours working to organize events and people but the impact can last well beyond a person's lifetime.
Yellowknife lost another great matriarch on Feb. 18 with Esther Braden's death at 92. Two of her surviving sons told Yellowknifer she has left a legacy of community leadership the city won't soon forget while challenging her descendants to pick up where she left off.
Braden's many accomplishments include aiding in the establishment of the Avens Community for Seniors and the founding of the Yellowknife chapter of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association. She was also affiliated with the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire, Alison McAteer House, the YWCA and seniors groups. She received the Order of Canada in 2006.
It was only a year ago the city lost another pioneering lady who like Braden left a legacy through her volunteer work. Barb Bromley, nurse, businesswoman, seniors advocate and a Order of Canada recipient herself, died last February after an equally impressive lifetime of service for Northerners.
Her many accomplishments include leading the drive to form an NWT registered nurses association, helping establish Aven Manor and founding the city's Cub Scouts chapter with her deceased husband Peter Bromley.
These two great ladies prove one doesn't need to be wealthy or hold a high political office to make a difference. With a little hard work and dedication to a cause that serves the greater good, anyone can leave a lasting impression on their community.
Leadership beyond the callEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Kudos where kudos are due, and two large groups of kids in our region -- one in Naujaat and one in Rankin Inlet -- are benefitting big time from the efforts of two very special people.
In Rankin, while there can be no downplaying the efforts of anyone who lends a helping hand, members of the local cadet corps owe almost their entire programming to one Dorothy Tootoo.
The commanding officer has gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep the Rankin program alive the past few years, and is still slugging it out even though she knows in her heart of hearts it's time to walk away.
Yet as tired as she may be, Tootoo continues to answer the bell and keep the corps alive until enough adults step up in the community to allow her a well-deserved rest away from the program.
The cadet program is one of the most positive, character-building programs available to youth anywhere, let alone the Arctic.
And thanks to the almost at times Herculean efforts of Tootoo, a number of Rankin youths continue to reap the benefits of being involved in the cadet program.
I have no idea what the Rankin corps may plan when Tootoo is finally able to step down, or at least back away from her position, but it should be one of the biggest thank-you bashes youth in this community ever hold.
In Naujaat, Lloyd Francis is to be highly commended for taking the groundwork laid out before him by Leonie Aissoui and Jennifer Perry and scaling heights in the local cadet program once never thought possible.
It is nothing short of incredible to see the corps in this tiny hamlet grow to be the absolute largest of any among Canada's three territories.
Equally impressive is the fact cadets in Rankin continue to excel while the corps, itself, has been on life support.
And likewise, the level of success being achieved by cadets in the Naujaat corps has been growing almost as quickly as their numbers.
These achievements can be summed up in one word -- leadership.
While nothing in our region can be taken for granted due to its transient nature, it will be more than a little interesting during the coming years to see just how far Francis takes the Naujaat corps.
The amicable captain shows no sign of pulling up stakes anytime soon and, if his track record to date is a true indicator, plenty of good things await the youths of 3055 Naujaat Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps in years to come.
The man has a chance to leave quite the cadet legacy behind, should the day ever come when he decides to leave the North for good.
To this scribe, Tootoo has already cemented her legacy as a determined, dedicated and willful cadet leader.
She has stayed the course and fought to keep breath in the Rankin corps when many others would have walked away in despair.
Those who dedicate countless time and energy to a youth program are never really quite sure how much, if at all, their efforts are appreciated by the community they serve.
But then again, they rarely do the job for accolades.
They do it out of love for the program and the youth it serves.
In the case of Tootoo and Francis, the accolades are quite well-deserved, if not downright demanded!
Banishment isn't a wise optionNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, February 29, 2016
What is a community to do when under siege from its criminal members?
Following a string of break and enters, thefts, assaults and other crimes, residents in Fort Providence are asking this question. The situation came to a head two weeks ago when the community's Deh Gah School had to cancel classes after it was broken into -- for the fourth time since September.
Residents are justifiably frustrated. A Citizens on Patrol group has been on watch since late January and organizer Linda Croft says it's making a big difference. But, she says, they can't patrol every night of the week - and the crimes just continue on the nights citizens aren't patrolling. So, she started an online petition to banish the people responsible for these crimes.
Legally speaking, banishment can be an option. There have been cases where community banishment has been tacked on to peace bonds and upheld in appeals court, according to a 2012 Globe and Mail column on the subject. While banishment might be a legally feasible option in rare situations, this probably isn't the wisest solution for a small town where everybody knows each other.
Positive solutions, like the ones suggested by Deh Gah School principal Lois Phillipp in the Feb. 15 News/North ("Deh Gah School searching for answers after break-ins") are better in the long run. She asks for residents to focus on the positive things youth are doing in the community and try to keep in mind the inter-generational issues that might put a teen on a wayward path. Instead of banishment, she urges the community to offer support and understanding to troubled youth.
The results will not be immediate but working with families to address the root causes of criminal behaviour - residual trauma from residential schools being one issue Phillipp specifically points to - is a good place to start.
In the mean time, Deh Gah School could invest in security cameras to deter troublemakers from breaking in.
How to find an extra $150 millionNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, February 29, 2016
Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod laid out a challenge for his fellow leaders in the 18th Legislative Assembly last week - somehow over the next four years, the government is going to need to find $150 million.
In his Feb. 19 minister's speech, he laid out a plan to take austerity measures, an idea that has proven unpopular with the regular MLAs on the other side of the assembly. The fact is, the government is taking in less money than it is spending, and something has to give.
McLeod is correct when he says raising taxes will do more harm than good. The territory is trying to attract people and low tax rates are one of the biggest economic selling points for living and doing business here.
But if things have to be axed, how will McLeod and his colleagues in the legislative assembly know what to chop? He would be better suited to hand over his ax to the people below him.
The bureaucrats who fill government departments make their own project budgets, allocate money and know the difference between what they want and what they need. It is the people at ground level who are best suited to do this work.
The government could even give out awards for it. Like the Premier's awards, which in the past have congratulated bureaucrats for their work on successful policy and project implementation - such as devolution, the development of the Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Project and Deline Self Government - the territorial government could recognize people who save the most money.
Catch the wave of Winter Games feverNunavut/News North - Monday, February 29, 2016
The roster has been released and dozens of athletes who make up Team Nunavut are preparing to don their uniforms and represent the territory in an event that will represent the culmination of years of effort, dedication and resolve.
The 2016 edition of Arctic Winter Games is drawing together Nunavummiut from 17 communities, starting with Arviat and Arctic Bay and ending with Sanikiluaq and Whale Cove.
They will be competing in everything from basketball and badminton to table tennis and volleyball. Many of the athletes have dreamed of the moment that will finally arrive starting March 6 in Nuuk, Greenland.
All told, Team Nunavut consists of about 175 athletes, cultural performers and mission staff. All of the sports competitions except hockey will be played in Greenland. Iqaluit is hosting the hockey events because Nuuk does not have the facilities required.
For many of the athletes, all those early-morning or late after-school practices will finally pay off in competition against the best rivals from around the circumpolar North. Once again, there will be nine contingents of athletes -- from Nunavut, the NWT, northern Alberta, Alaska, Sapmi (from Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia), the Yukon, Yamal (Russia) and Greenland.
For some of the participants, this will be the first time they get to travel outside of their communities.
Making the Arctic Winter Games team is a dream come true for many of them. Some deliberately set goals and religiously worked on personal development, building up skills and abilities in a particular area of interest, with the knowledge that the reward is exposure to other cultures, people and places.
Besides the sporting activities are cultural performances by each of the contingents, giving a glimpse into the art and customs of other countries. Some of the other activities for members of Team Nunavut to look forward to include pin exchanges and even the exchange of different parts of their uniforms.
Arctic Winter Games organizers on the host committee have been working for years to get ready for this event, which is held every two years and rotates through different host countries.
We have caught the wave of excitement and created a special supplement, inserted into today's newspaper, and a special website to follow Team Nunavut, highlight the challenges and keep track of the ulus awarded at teamnunavut.com
From the glitter and fireworks of the opening ceremony, to the gymnasiums, the volleyball court, the wrestling mat and the hockey rink, we'll be there to capture the individual performances and team efforts.
The countdown is on, most of the arrangements have been made and participants are prepared to pack their bags.
Join us in cheering on Team Nunavut at the Arctic Winter Games.
Regular MLAs are part of the solution Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, February 26, 2016
Cabinet is tasked with the difficult and unenviable job of drafting a government budget in dismal economic times.
It is heartening to hear regular MLAs speaking in defense of existing social services and programs as MLAs Tom Beaulieu and Kieron Testart did recently in their capacity as chair and deputy chair respectively of the priorities and planning committee.
Difficult financial choices will be part of the next territorial budget.
The commitment to protect important social programs is critical but so too are concrete ideas from all on how to achieve that goal despite tough economic realities.
In the coming months the public will be turning to regular MLAs for more than criticism of cabinet policy. The public will expect ideas from its elected representatives, regardless of whether or not they hold cabinet positions.
Yellowknife North MLA Cory Vanthuyne has taken steps in that direction by recommending the GNWT remain committed to infrastructure projects despite tough times ahead.
We need ideas to move forward, and Vanthuyne's concrete suggestion is valuable regardless of its ultimate economic viability.
Ultimately, it's not about being right or wrong, it's about building a consensus on how to deal with these economic doldrums as wisely as possible while moving forward.
It is important not to discount the possibility that the public may have something important to contribute to the process as well.
Testart recognized this when he recently confirmed the committee's commitment to protecting public engagement in the budgetary process.
But the media remains the primary way the public engages with the actions of the legislative assembly. For its last public engagement, the planning committee did not inform media of its intention to hold a Monday morning press conference until after 5 p.m. the prior Friday afternoon.
This tactic of delivering news at the last minute or after hours when it is more likely to be missed is the kind of thing expected of a government doing its best to bury bad news, not of a committee formed to watch out for the public's best interests.
Flawed count still a win Accessibility audit could open doors - Friday, February 26, 2016
The city's homeless count fits under the category of things that do not work as well as one would like but still work nonetheless.
As an indicator of the number of homeless people in the city, Lydia Bardak of the John Howard Society is right in calling the 139 count a low ball. That is acknowledged in the report.
It says, specifically, the results should be interpreted with caution, in particular regard to people who are "couch-surfing," which represented 33 per cent of the sample. The report says the count's methods are not designed to capture hidden homelessness situations such as this one, so it's safe to say there are plenty of couch surfers the counters did not reach.
Fair enough. The researchers were up front about that. And Coun. Linda Bussey, co-chair of the community advisory board, has acknowledged the flaws in the count.
So while its findings may be problematic, the fact the count was carried out is really not a problem. Bardak has made her point, Bussey has acknowledged it. Hopefully Bardak can be counted on to continue lending her expertise to the city's efforts in the hopes that one day there will be no one living on the streets. No one is going to make the argument that there is no homeless problem in the city regardless of what number is being used.
In fact, the count shows the city is taking the homelessness issue seriously enough to put a magnifying glass to the homelessness situation. Let us not forget: the count still paints a picture depicting the experiences of those who did respond which can be used to devise a strategy to help them.
Not to mention that the federal government recommends communities conduct homelessness counts as part of its Housing Partnership strategy. It may not be mandatory but it is always a good idea to keep the bureaucratic bean counters happy when they are the ones signing the cheques.
No easy answers on crimeDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, February 25, 2016
What do you do when the young people who represent the future of a community turn to crime?
That is the issue Fort Providence is dealing with. As break-ins continue throughout the hamlet, the polarizing debate on how to address crime levels has resulted in a petition asking for the people involved to be banished from the community.
Understandably, getting your home or workplace broken into is a terrible thing to endure. Knowing someone has violated the sanctity of your home, and that they had such little respect for a place you love, can be emotionally scarring.
But in the words of Deh Gah School principal Lois Philipp, nobody wants to live a life of crime. Instead, factors in their life drive them to it.
As non-indigenous Canadian society struggles toward truth and reconciliation with indigenous people, crimes like these are linked to the fact that youth are coming out of a generation still scarred by the traumas of their parents and grandparents who went through the residential school system.
Crime like this cannot be fixed like an ordinary problem. It cannot be solved like a math problem because it often springs from negative emotions. It is an irrational response that has its roots in poor economic outlook, lack of jobs and lack of personal agency, compounded by intergenerational trauma.
During the Feb. 18 sitting of the legislative assembly, Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli told the assembly the unemployment rate in the Deh Cho is almost double the NWT average, at 19 per cent.
At the same time, the percentage of people in the Deh Cho with a high school diploma is 47 per cent, compared to the territorial rate of 74 per cent.
Other statistics Nadli gave are equally as depressing. In the Deh Cho, 32 per cent of families live on a total income of less than $30,000.
In Fort Providence, the violent crime rate is 2.5 times greater than the territorial rate.
"That needs to change," Nadli said, and he is right.
But how do you heal intergenerational trauma? Deh Gah Got'ie Chief Joachim Bonnetrouge may have the best idea, by putting young people on the land where they can reconnect with their traditional values.
Not only does such an endeavour get these young people out of the community but it gives them a chance to develop pride in their indigenous identity.
Crime cannot be addressed solely by banishment, as much as that may put the minds of some community members at ease.
Until the root problem is addressed, young people will continue to act out to express their pain.
Hope needed all year longInuvik Drum - Thursday, February 25, 2016
It's great to hear about the progress being made at the Inuvik Emergency Warming Centre, but it also begs the question: Now what?
The centre's executive director, Joey Amos, said this week he is looking for new sources of funding to keep the facility open all year long, something which is clearly needed in this community. While the original intent was to essentially keep people from freezing to death in the winter months when they couldn't go to the Inuvik Homeless Shelter, which insists its residents be completely sober or be housed by the RCMP for the night, the need for such a centre is clear in summer as well.
Like everything else, recovery is governed by Newton's laws of motion, including the one that states that bodies in motion will tend to stay in motion if left to their own devices. Similarly, people who have the opportunity to stay on track are more likely to do so than those who have the proverbial and literal rug pulled out from under them.
Now that the centre has a permanent location, its success in acquiring money to keep the doors open through the warmer months is far more plausible. Winter is, after all, the challenging half of the year for property maintenance at the very least. On top of looking for other sources of support, Amos said the centre is looking to re-open the second-hand store which used to occupy half the building in years past to help bring in some money themselves.
All this points to longevity and success, but the community cannot become complacent. As other worthy and important efforts around town can attest, getting off the ground - monumental task though it is - is a very different beast from maintaining regular operations once the shine of something new has worn off.
Even programming dollars are likely to shrink now that the GNWT has announced it will have to tighten its belt in light of a bleak economic outlook this assembly.
Luckily, Amos said community members have remained generous in their donations of food, clothes and personal items -- indeed, so much so that the proposed second-hand store is already well stocked. Hopefully this level of support will continue and those moving towards recovery will be better able to stay that way.
