With the resignation of Premier Don Morin, the mighty have fallen and it all bodes well for the future of consensus government in the NWT.
Morin was the architect of his own downfall. He showed nothing but disdain for the idea that he was letting his friends and personal affairs mix too closely with government and would not take criticism seriously.
In Morin's hometown of Fort Resolution, like many small Northern communities, local political control creates opportunities for locally owned business, which means jobs, which builds an economy. But, at the territorial cabinet level, business and politics must be kept separate. There can neither be favourites nor an appearance of favouritism to any region or individual.
Morin has learned the hard way the price of ignoring the rules of conflict. We just hope he accepts the rules rather than trying to impose his questionable rules on the rest of us. He proved himself an able politician, a good representative for his people and a solid cabinet minister. But, if he doesn't learn from his mistakes, he will be turfed again.
As for Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen, she has performed the public duty of laying bare some of the human, but flawed, workings of the territorial government. Groenewegen paid a high price, both personally and politically, for her unwavering pursuit of the conflict of interest complaints. Many in Hay River resent her actions and believe the town has suffered for her political ambitions.
Well, now, at the very least, Hay River can be proud of its MLA. If her battle resulted in the town being punished, then something was very wrong with the government and she has done her part to fix it.
Future premiers of the NWT and Nunavut will have a higher standard to perform to and for that the people should be grateful.
It came as no surprise when the Speaker of the legislative assembly quickly reversed his decision on the use of the Great Hall for the annual vigil commemorating the horror of the Montreal Massacre on Dec. 6, 1989.
Long before publicly revoking use of the Great Hall for the vigil, Gargan should have figured out for himself that politics have no business in this scenario.
The Montreal Massacre saw 14 young women gunned down in the prime of their lives by 25-year-old Marc Lepine at the University of Montreal's Ecole Polytechnique.
It was the worst single-day massacre in the history of our nation and one as senseless as it was brutal.
The idea behind the countless vigils held across Canada every Dec. 6 is to grieve for the loss of life and illustrate the horrific hate crimes against women which still happen in our society.
Yes, there are those who may take the stance the Montreal Massacre is an argument for gun control and, thus, the vigil is political.
Unfortunately, those people completely miss the point.
Dec. 6, 1989, was one of the darkest days in our country's history.
The heinous act was committed by a disturbed man who hated women, all of who he believed were feminists.
To start to deny the vigil access to government buildings on the grounds of being "political in nature," would be an enormous mistake.
Parliament declared Dec. 6 as a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Government representatives should be the first to uphold that message.
When talking about leadership in the legislative assembly, consider the bungling of the Polar Bear licence plate issue.
Divvying up Worker's Compensation Board and the Power Corporation after division will require informed negotiation with close attention to the bottom line. Statesmanship and goodwill can make those tasks as painless as possible.
Did we see a hint of those qualities from Western Arctic MLAs regarding the licence plates? Hardly, just self-serving playpen politics.
Why could the offer been made to Nunavut to share the plate? The argument that Nunavut has no roads out supports a generous gesture more than the present petty grab.
At this rate, Nunavut may just decide they'll find more friends down South and take their business there. Who could blame them?
When the federal government and the residents can't even agree on whether or not land may be staked, there is a problem.
In the Deh Cho, stakes have turned up on land which is under discussion. DIAND maintains that land that isn't included in a settled claim may be staked. The Deh Cho First Nations has put a moratorium on any development.
DIAND insists that there would be no development without consulting the First Nations.
Not long ago, people from anywhere could stake claims wherever they wanted to. Land claim settlements have put an end to that. It's time to finish the process. First Nations people deserve the same legal rights to their land that the rest of us enjoy.
RCMP Cpl. Lyle O'Brian and bylaw officer Ron Doctor deserve a round of applause for the radio talk show they host in Tulita.
The show has been gaining a large following and is reported to be very popular with the elders.
Residents use the show to voice any concerns they may have or just join in on topics which interest them.
With a lengthy list of guest speakers, the show is reported to be entertaining, interactive and informative. The officers are to be commended for their efforts.
Editorial Comment
Glen Korstrum
Inuvik Drum
Last winter, two elders died of exposure in Colville Lake. Their snowmobiles had broke down and the two were found in the morning in a snowbank.
Each year, as temperatures plunge, the danger of death in the outdoors becomes more acute and the need for motorists and Ski-Dooers to take precautions rises proportionately.
Northerners can learn from the death of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau's youngest son, Michel, earlier this month in an avalanche in British Columbia.
It is not that there is much danger of an avalanche here, Trudeau's lesson is twofold.
First, his group smartly carried safety equipment including shovels and probes and were savvy to potential hazards.
Second, he still died with his skis on in rugged wilderness despite taking all reasonable precautions. The lesson here is similar to the bush-smart elders -- everyone is vulnerable to the elements.
Some answers could be for Ski-Dooers to make sure their snowmobiles are in good repair, have enough gas and that they are dressed warmly. For those going out on the land, going in a group or with an experienced guide could be good advice.
That said, the best solution is to visit elders. Time spent slowly absorbing nuggets of knowledge from their past experience provides both a sense of how to survive and also an appreciation of the power of nature.
Citizens of the world
At council's Nov. 23 committee of the whole meeting, Mayor George Roach initially brought up the need and devastation in Central America and Mexico due to November's Hurricane Mitch.
Deputy mayor Peter Clarkson was then quick to voice support for organizing some sort of community event where proceeds could go to those affected by disaster to give them the dignity of hope for the future.
That option means individual charity and not taxpayer dollars will head to help survivors in that area's emergency.
Natural events such as Hurricane Mitch are one more example of how much at mercy we all are of the elements.
For example, the Hurricane virtually destroyed all of Honduras, leaving about 700,000 people homeless.
Sure, there are people in Inuvik who have needs. And work helping ensure the Next to New Shop finds warm quarters can go a long way to keeping everyone warm this winter.
But, I have not seen anyone in Inuvik lowered to the destitution of having no home, food source or clean drinking water -- a situation Mitch all too often left in its wake for people to grapple with.
Part of everyone's responsibility as a citizen of the world is to help each other with clothes, canned goods and medicines to combat diarrhea, fatal flu viruses and other infections.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
It's been said many times over -- this region is rich in natural resources and is potentially a financial jackpot. That statement is often met by shaking heads, frustrated sighs or an out and out "Yeah, right."
Without question, there are a number of people in the Deh Cho who are chomping at the bit in anticipation of industrial activity that will take advantage of those resources and boost the economy. But, that's been the case for quite a while now. When will it end? An answer could lie just around the corner.
The Deh Cho First Nations (DCFN) is on the verge of entering into formal self-government negotiations with the federal government. At the grand opening of the Fort Simpson Community Centre, DCFN Grand Chief Michael Nadli told the audience talks are "imminent." Not only that, he said it may finally be time to focus on social and economic development, such as local infrastructure and transportation.
"There's hope for this region," he said. "It has vast potential."
A response from Jane Stewart, minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, is expected this week or next in regards to her ministerial envoy's recommendation for formal negotiations. Once at the table, one of the first priorities will be to get an interim lands agreement in place. That's where there's truly a possibility of having something of substance accomplished.
The present system offers the First Nations people little in the way of empowerment. The Interim Resource Management Assistance (IRMA) program has a $1.5 million pan-territorial budget. That already pales in comparison to what huge oil, gas and forestry companies have to throw around. When you consider that IRMA's $1.5 million has to be divided among all the aboriginal communities in the North, you go from paltry to almost non-existent.
The upside is that workshops, such as that offered by IRMA, allows the DCFN to come together to put a plan of action into place as formal self-government negotiations are about to begin. "Definitely, what we're doing is taking their (the federal government's) lip-service and putting it into action ourselves," Nadli said.
Hopefully, a major confrontation can be avoided before the formal talks begin. Last week, Liidlii Kue First Nation Chief Rita Cli released a statement in regards to recent work by mineral exploration companies on traditional lands near Fort Simpson. It didn't mince words. That sort of thing won't be tolerated, it read. Consultation and approval of the Liidlii Kue First Nation council is required as per the Delgamuukw ruling of Dec. 11, according to her statement.
By permitting such exploration, the federal government is undermining the relationship between DIAND and the DCFN, according to Nadli. These "clandestine" mineral exploration operations come "much to our dismay and our disappointment," he said.
"We're not against development. It's just that we have to be involved in a meaningful way that derives equitable benefits to our community," Nadli said.
At the Yellowstone to Yukon (Y2Y) conference that the Liidlii Kue hosted in September, Chief Cli also told me the First Nations people are not opposed to development. However, it is crucial that it be strictly regulated so it can go "hand-in-hand" with the environment, she said.
"Our elders said our land is just like our heartbeat. We should protect it any way we can," she said.
There will be no plunging in headlong. A little more patience may be required, but the process is moving along.