Wednesday, June 10, 1998
The news that all three levels of government are considering a $3-million subsidy for the city's gold mines is surprising. We are, after all, living in a time that equates government intervention with devil worship.
But when the hysteria of politics is replaced with the cool facts of logic, the shock should fade -- provided the city, the GNWT and Ottawa get something in return for their generosity with taxpayers' dollars.
The main thing to keep in mind is what the mines mean to the city and territorial economies.
For starters, the GNWT rakes in more than $9 million a year from Con and Giant. Some of that money is used to provide services to the mines, but those services are shared by thousands of residents and other businesses. At the end of the day, the territorial government ends up millions of dollars ahead.
The two mines also pay about $1.7 million in property and school taxes, for which they receive little other than the knowledge that they are contributing to the well-being of the community, as they should.
In total, the economy of Yellowknife is boosted each year to the tune of $76 million.
All of that will evaporate if the mines close. With gold stubbornly refusing to poke its head much above $300 an ounce and the strike at Con showing no sign of ending, such a scenario is very possible.
The inescapable conclusion is the city would be devastated by the loss of the income from the mines. If the $3 million in subsidies produce commitments of employment levels, exploration activity and longevity, it would be a wise investment.
Those commitments would also go a long way toward easing fears and stabilizing Yellowknife's business community, which has long suffered anxiety over the fate of the mines.
We appreciate the discretion the city is using with the "unsightly properties" bylaw.
In Yellowknife, one person's garbage is often another's treasure. Too much of the city's heritage has been already destroyed by the application of southern urban values.
But sometimes what looks like a junk heap is just that. This seems to be the case with an abandoned house at the bottom of 44th Street. Neighbors have been calling for the place to be cleaned up and numerous attempts to have the owner comply have failed.
In this case, the city should act because the case is clear. Action is warranted in otherwise arguable cases if the property is uninhabited. If the city continues to tread softly with a big stick, Yellowknifers should not have to fear their abode may be next.
Anybody who harbors doubts about the health of Northern aboriginal culture should have been at Mildred Hall last week.
Last Thursday students there kicked off a day-long festival with traditional music and dancing. The rest of the day was filled with workshops that included sessions on traditional dress, birch baskets, tools, language and carving.
The day had the flavor of a celebration and that is good news. Keeping traditions alive and vibrant gives young people a sense of the grand history of the North. It shows them that there was a life before cable television and video games. It folds the past into the present. It is an important part of a full education.
Editorial comment
by Jennifer Pritchett
Kivalliq News
Residents of Baker Lake have something they should be proud of -- the conviction to believe in something strong enough to make it happen.
The new Inuit Heritage Centre, Itsamitakarvik, is an accomplishment that deserves a lot of credit; to the elders for their knowledge of history and their desire to chronicle the past events in a museum, as well as to David Webster and others who set a goal for the community and wouldn't rest until it was accomplished.
Several of those involved in the project, including Webster and his wife Sally, worked up to 16 hours a day in the last few weeks to ensure it would open on time for Gov. Gen. Romeo LeBlanc's visit. Their combined efforts are a shining example to small communities everywhere struggling to improve the quality of life with limited access to resources.
The building, built by a former school teacher who lived in Baker Lake during the 1960s and returned for last week's opening, has been remodelled into an impressive museum with a small art gallery to feature local work. The gallery feature is one that will likely be used a lot. The Baker Lake printmakers, despite years of producing world-famous artwork, have never had a place to display their work and this centre would be a perfect place for them.
The facility, located next door to the school, is also ideally situated to operate as a valuable learning tool for students. The functionality of the museum speaks volumes about the fact that the desire to build it came from within the community. It wasn't a government project. It was driven by people at the grassroots level who wanted to make their community a better place to live. People who would be using the museum worked together to decide how to make the centre most beneficial for everyone.
What the community of Baker Lake has been able to accomplish is monumental for them. And judging from the many smiles in the crowd during Wednesday's opening, people see, to some extent, the significance of what they have done. Through the pride they have in their ancestors, they have provided a means for people to learn about the rich history of people who settled Baker Lake.
The museum is a facility that people who live in the community, as well as those who are visiting, will be able to enjoy for years to come.