Editorial page

Friday, December 17, 1999

Yellowknifer out of order?

These days, the biggest threat to democracy comes from short-sighted politicians who care more about their personal comforts than leadership and representing the people.

Last week, while ignoring a chance to provide tax relief to the ratepayers of Yellowknife during the budget debate, city council unanimously passed a bylaw to bring in a complex set of rules with the purpose of stifling straight-talking criticism and preventing dramatic presentations on the issues.

The bylaw support was partly due to last summer's protest over the tax hike. Many of the councillors were offended by the language used by some of the presenters.

It's true there was some swearing and name calling involved that should not be tolerated in a public gathering. However, the problem could have been solved by leadership rather than the imposition of rules designed to discourage discussion rather than stimulate it.

Why, we ask, did Mayor Dave Lovell not lean over his desk, interrupt the offensive presenters and put them on notice such language would not be allowed?

Worse than this lack of leadership is the reasoning of Councillor Ben McDonald who brought up the motion.

He wasn't even present at the tax protest meeting. Instead, he was upset by Coroner Percy Kinney's presentation last August advocating money for a dive rescue team.

McDonald didn't like the coroner's use of a body bag to illustrate the point of lives lost for the sake of $45,000. The funding request passed and McDonald credited the body bag image, saying it should not have been allowed.

So, in council's mind, swearing and saving lives are on an equal plain when it comes to the tender emotions of our elected officials. They would rather shoot the messenger and forget that raising taxes hits people right in their devalued homes.

We look forward to the next election when the sitting councillors preach accessibility and accountability, all according to Robert's Rules of Order.

Oops, but then, perhaps Yellowknifer is out of order and shouldn't raise such issues. Bring on the rules!


Nice try

The recent defeat of the NDP candidates in the territorial election shouldn't be seen as a total loss.

The NDP ran five candidates in Yellowknife and one in Inuvik, in a first attempt to bring party politics into the legislative assembly.

And while Suzette Montreuil, Mary Beth Levan, Mark Heyck, Bill Schram and Steve Petersen didn't win a seat, they did achieve a moral victory.

The party raised the level of debate about party politics. They also helped raise the profile of social issues, which may not have happened had these candidates not been in the picture. Finally, if you think this is the last we've seen of the NDP, think again. There's a federal election next year and word on the street is that the party is ready to re-enter the race.


CARC's role

Amongst the many voices raised in support of Diavik's Diamond Mine, and Yellowknifer's is among them, the voices against stand out, in particular that of Canadian Arctic Resources Committee (CARC).

While CARC says it is not against the mine, obviously no development means no threat to worry about. CARC's research at the recent NWT Water Board hearings raised serious questions requiring well researched, sometimes expensive answers. Its persistent public relation efforts pushing for those answers rankle industry supporters.

When acknowledging the importance of the fragile Arctic environment, it must be understood organizations such as CARC are essential.

In fact, we have to ask, somewhat rhetorically, how thorough would the environmental scrutiny be without them?


Recognizing the roll of sports
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News


The large, boisterous crowds that showed up during the Kivalliq Region soccer trials in Rankin Inlet two weeks ago, was an exclamation mark to a point being made in our region.

Local sports play a very large and important role in our lives!

Rankin is not alone. Recreation directors across the Kivalliq have been reporting large crowds turning out for the regional trials they have hosted.

Anyone with any doubts as to the pressure being felt by rec directors to pull off successful events can give Rick Denison a call in Rankin.

Denison and his arena crew worked around the clock early this month trying to overcome unseasonably warm temperatures and have a firm ice surface in place for this past weekend's bantam camp and trials.

The voices ringing out during the past few months are growing in number and decibels.

With financial wrangling for the 2000-2001 capital plan now taking place in our capital, it's never been more important to let our government know the importance of sports to our communities.

Sports have a tremendous social impact in the Kivalliq.

Former Repulse Bay rec director William Beveridge, now an adult educator, speaks often of the value of sports to his community.

The bottom line in Beveridge's book is sports give local kids more to do, improves their self-esteem and self-image and helps keep them out of trouble.

Beveridge is a believer in the "idle hands" cliche when it comes to our youth.

Perhaps the most powerful statement on the role sports play in our communities came from Coral Harbour recreation director Noel Kaludjak when he was fighting to get a rollerblade floor installed in the Coral arena.

Kaludjak said with the addition of the surface, the chances that the same number of kids who began the summer in Coral would still be around in the fall immediately improved.

Think about it. It's that important.

Everyone knows the fight going on right now to gain access to limited funding.

A new school for Baker, improved runways for Repulse and Whale, more housing in Arviat and Chesterfield, and better health and education services all around are viewed by most as top priorities.

And rightly so.

However, sports has evolved to the point in the Kivalliq where it is being recognized as a benefit to communities on a number of different levels, especially with our youth.

This is not to mention the opportunities sports present in education through scholarships, life skills and personal development.

We hope, when our politicians begin dividing up the capital plan early in the new year, they realize these attributes so that sporting activities across the region get their fair piece of the pie.

It's long overdue.