Monday, May 26, 1997
Looking forward to round II
Members of the Constitutional Working Group of the Western Arctic probably won't remember the last few months as particularly enjoyable ones.
Last October they released their first stab at a new constitution for what's left of the NWT after Nunavut splits, and it's been pretty much a downhill ride since then. Their proposal was dismissed by some who balked at the idea of a double vote for aboriginals, and ignored by others, who stayed away in droves from the public consultations on the proposal.
The working group has regrouped, however, and though it may be too soon to pass judgment, things appear to looking up. Part-time executive director Fred Koe, whom many blamed for the disorganized round of public meetings, is gone. In his place is a full-time veteran of political affairs, Steve Iveson.
A second draft and another round of public consultations are in the works, and the group is talking about holding a plebiscite no later than April 1, 1999 (Nunavut Day).
We applaud their newfound enthusiasm, but urge the group to get the job done as soon as possible. Though it is often said the federal government needs 18 months to digest and pass a new NWT Act, this is an arbitrary figure.
As Ottawa has proven countless times, when push comes to shove, weighty constitutional bills can be pushed through much faster than that. If the Western Arctic can agree on a new constitution by the end of 1998, there is no reason why the act can't be passed in time for division. Housekeeping amendments to the existing NWT Act must be made to take Nunavut into account, so why not make the changes worthwhile for the west as well?
We suggest the working group at least try to meet that deadline. If they don't, the pressure may evaporate and we will be stuck with the status quo for the foreseeable future.
When Sahtu Dene signed away their aboriginal rights in exchange for a new relationship with territorial and federal governments, they expected to see immediate benefits. After all, their land claim requires Ottawa to help strengthen the economy of the region.
Unfortunately, in the case of the oil exploration lease awarded recently by Ottawa to the competitor of a company that had struck a partnership with the Sahtu, they lost out fair and square to a bidder that filed on time.
The Sahtu partner missed the deadline. And in the real business world, deadlines are deadlines. The lawsuit Sahtu leaders are threatening won't change that.
Fatal and injury water truck accidents in the North are becoming too frequent and it's time the government developed special training and safety rules to ensure tragedies like the one in Cambridge Bay earlier this month, and in Arctic Bay in March, never happen again.
In communities where road traffic is mostly pedestrian, drivers of vehicles of any sort must be extra cautious when negotiating village and hamlet streets.
Children everywhere are attracted to big, noisy trucks. With that in mind, drivers must check and re-check for people while backing up or pulling out of a stop. Better yet, get a flag man to walk around and beside the truck while it is pulling into or out of a scheduled stop.
The cost of another employee is small in comparison to the price we pay when we lose a child.