Editorial page
Wednesday, June 17, 1998

Welcome wagon

It's not set in stone, but Sirius Diamonds' plans for a diamond-process plant in Yellowknife is some of the best news we've heard in ages.

The B.C.-based company wants to employ at least 25 Northerners. That many not sound a like a lot, but it is very likely only the beginning of a new economic era for the city -- if we make the company welcome. If we play our cards right, the diamond-processing industry could soon employing hundreds.

Mishandling the company's efforts to set up shop in Yellowknife would represent a dangerous precedent. City and territorial government officials should do everything to let Sirius know they will be an important new member of the business community.


Get out there and dig it

The past, the present and the future of Yellowknife is inextricably tied to mining.

These days, it is (if you'll pardon the expression) a rocky ride for the industry. Gold prices are languishing on the far side of profitability and there's a labor dispute at Con. Lupin has been mothballed.

On the sunny side of the ledger, Ekati is due to start producing in the fall and Diavik isn't far behind.

So with all that in mind, get out there and celebrate Mining Week, Yellowknife's annual industry party. There's plenty for everybody to do, and it's a great way to learn about the business that got Yellowknife off the ground.


Good job

When Finlayson Drive residents realized Range Lake was drying up this spring, they raised the alarm with city hall.

City crews investigated, concluding a water gate that should have been closed the previous fall had been left open. Mistakes happen and the best defence is to admit them and fix them, which is the approach the city has taken. After holding two public meetings, public works and engineering is going to replenish the lake to acceptable levels that won't flood out Rivett Crescent homes on the opposite shore.

Residents seem satisfied with the plan. Those city employees behind the city's responsiveness can be credited for a job well done.


Education crisis looms
Editorial comment
Jennifer Prichett
Kivalliq News

The number of parents who send their kids to the South to finish their education is growing every year. While this arrangement may seem the best option for those families who can afford it, the overall effect on the education system for the rest of the students is one of dropping quality.

This common trend is leaving students in the North to receive their high school education with fewer teachers, resources and academic courses. If this continues, the high school curriculum taught in Northern schools, particularly in the smaller communities, soon will be a faint reminder of the academic program students need for any further training.

NWT Teacher's Association president Pat Thomas is concerned about the number of teachers finding employment outside the North, but what about the number of students moving south because of the lack of quality instruction in Northern communities?

Parents can't be blamed for wanting the best education for their children and sending them down south where there are more programs and courses to choose from. But that doesn't change the facts. Parents, educators and politicians have to work together to find ways to keep students in the North.

Building more schools is no answer, either. There's not much point in having a brand new school if there aren't students and teachers to fill it. There has to be more funding for teachers to ensure that the instruction for mathematics and the sciences prepares youths for training after high school. In short, a new building does nothing.

One might also make an argument that the move to the South will eventually decrease the number of courses offered and have an effect on the number of drop-outs. If students can't even finish a high school academic program in their community or region, it's hardly an incentive to stay in school. A real education, if you will, is what the wealthy folks get down south, not what is, and should be in your home community.

The students whose future is held in the balance deserve more than a few dollars for a new school. They need instruction from qualified teachers who can give them the basic tools to succeed in life. Education is no longer an optional life choice. An education is necessary. The future leaders of Nunavut deserve the chance to be their best.