Friday, August 14, 1998
As Yellowknife youth spark up the barbecue today at noon in front of the post office to offer up free hotdogs, they'll be doing something that we can never see enough of in Yellowknife -- thanking their community sponsors.
The Yellowknife Youth Corps, a non-profit group already proving to be a valuable link to many other non-profit groups and offering thousands of hours of community service work, says community support for its youth services this summer has been overwhelming. The free barbecue, they say, is "a great way to say thank you to the community."
Businesses in Yellowknife, despite many feeling that sinking feeling over the dismal state of the dollar, have been in the words of many non-profit groups "more than generous" lately with their corporate donations.
Whether it's local businesses rallying together to help build a new $100,000 stage for Folk on the Rocks or the more than $300,000 BHP dished out to the West Kitikmeot Slave Study or the recent $25,000 the Royal Bank contributing to Stanton hospital for a much-needed CT Scanner, its obvious the corporate will is out there.
Groups like the NWT Literacy Council, Northern Addictions, AIDS Yellowknife, NWT Council for the Disabled, and all the sporting groups in Yellowknife simply couldn't exist without support from the business community.
Non-profit groups tell us the smaller, home-grown companies seem to top the list of sponsors, with the NWT Council for Disabled pulling in about $40,000 in donations from small businesses alone last year.
Now, if we can just get the big-buck corporations to follow suit with proportionate amounts of cash and support more of these important groups, we'd be on to something special.
Yellowknife would like to extend a warm welcome to former prime minister Joe Clark who will be visiting next week. He'll be here in his new role as candidate for the Progressive Conservative party leadership.
While, federally speaking, voting patterns show this part of the world to be a Liberal stronghold, the electorate's loyalty has gone unrewarded.
The silence from our Liberal in Ottawa has been as disappointing as it is mystifying. The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, Territorial lobbying for secondary diamond businesses, gun control, land-claim negotiations, federal funding allocations, the list of issues that have been met with steadfast disinterest goes on.
In Yellowknife, Mr. Clark and the Tories may well find voters who are ready for a change.
The City Market appears to be hovering in limbo, as owner Matthew Grogono searches for a buyer for the business he has run for the past five summers.
Like any other business, determination of the market's fate will be largely a mathematical exercise. Business, after all, is business.
But it would be a shame to see such a unique -- dare we say, 'groovy' -- place fade into the past. A combination rummage sale, craft store, food store, snack bar, playground and art studio, the market has something for everyone.
It embodies the independent, quirky and creative spirit many identify with Old Town. If it ends, the city will edge a little closer to the average and a little further from the enterprising independent spirit that gave rise to it.
Editorial Comment
Glen Korstrom
Fire is a ravaging force in nature, as the people of Cambridge Bay recently found out.
Its ominous power makes it even more important for children to be told repeatedly that it is not something to play with.
The fire at the Cambridge Bay high school was caused by two 12-year-olds and one 13-year-old who gained access to the school from a storage area under it.
There they found camping gear along with other material and became curious about some Coleman stoves and fuel.
Perhaps partly to blame are days out of school for the summer in which children have time to become idle and to get bored.
Idle time gives the mind a chance to think of what trouble might be fun.
Surely, we can all remember what it was like to have two months off school with a whole neighborhood to carouse.
And if we really can, we probably would have to admit that telling children not to play with fire will not entirely do the trick.
It is equally important to explain the reasons not to.
One of my first thoughts when I heard about the fire and suspected it was kids was that it may have been intentional -- school is starting soon and that is one place many kids are keen to avoid.
So, some kids may not shed a tear over the razing of a school.
Though the school cost $7 million initially, fire marshall Tim Pawluk said it would cost much more to rebuild today.
He put the cost at something closer to $35 million.
Think of that.
When people in Cambridge Bay talk about inadequate fire equipment they should keep in mind that Inuvik will have a new tanker truck for $186,000.
If fire were to strike Inuvik outside the reach of the utilidor lines, vast destruction is possible.
How about the airport or a fire near Shell Lake?
The money, most of which has been raised by community groups such as the Legion women's auxiliary, could not be better spent.
The new truck is insurance against a future fire with a $35 million price tag for its damage.
If what $35 million means could be explained to children, they may be more careful.
The federal government only put in $72,000 to help 50 Canadian youth head to Portugal to celebrate the year of the Ocean.
How many trips for local children could that money buy?
Or how about trips for ball teams to compete in international indigenous competitions.
These things matter to kids.
For other people, the money could more justifiably be put toward health care to ensure prompt medevac service.
Spending the money to rebuild after a careless fire is possibly its most frivolous use.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Maybe that would be understandable if it were the 1950s and we were the first ones on the block to own a rare TV set. I've heard stories from older friends and relatives recalling how neighbors would gather in front of their livingroom windows just to catch a glimpse of the prized invention.
With two televisions in a majority of homes today, it's no longer a novelty. Yet, we're still in its clutches -- entranced. When meaningful conversation could, and should, be taking place, we're often flipping through the channels.
The quality of programming has certainly changed, likely for the worse. There are those who would argue that the original shows would seem mighty bland today. Perhaps. Wholesome, maybe.
There is still some good stuff out there. But for the most part, what we see on the tube in the 90s can be downright scary. I would hate to admit some of the things I've caught myself watching.
First of all, there are way too many trashy talk-shows. How could anybody be willing to get in front of the camera and an audience of millions to detail their most intimate secrets? There's no shortage of people with humiliating confessions to make on international television. Considering that there are more of these types of shows than ever before, somebody's got to be watching. Thankfully, I generally avoid the inane talk-shows.
Then there are the infomercials. Give me a break. A half-hour of blatantly promotional chatter and statistics in a shameless effort to swindle me out of three easy payments of $99.95? I think I'll pass.
Lately, there's been roughly six to eight hours per week of professional wrestling beamed into our homes. It's scripted from start to finish. It's been labelled sports "entertainment." Yet, I sometimes find myself caught up in it.
Another realm of programming that intrigues me is "reality television." Footage of natural disasters, accidents and a variety of misfortune is absolutely gripping. Maybe it's the reporter in me, I don't know.
It's all an invasion that we don't have to stand for. We can simply turn the channel, or better yet, turn the "idiot box" right off.
Having said that, I wouldn't sacrifice my cable subscription. As much junk as there is on TV, there's still some informative programming, comedy and drama that makes it worthwhile.
Besides, I reserve the right to sit there and be critical of the rest.