Editorial page

Friday, March 10, 2000

Ottawa puts the North on hold

As a nation, we live in prosperous times. Employment is up, the economy is booming, the equities market is soaring and lots of people are getting rich.

The Liberal government is astutely riding this tide of prosperity and taking plenty of credit for having the foresight to be elected during a decade of global growth.

However, when the Liberals meted out the benefits of this growth, they overlooked the North.

The middle class will benefit from reduced income taxes, but the reduction will also have an impact on the transfer payments to the territory from Ottawa.

NWT Finance Minister Joe Handley estimates that will cost the government about $600,000 in revenue.

Policies intended to reduce the tax burden on lower income families don't begin to compensate for the rising cost of essential goods in remote Northern communities. Indexing taxes to inflation doesn't help people who are affected by skyrocketing fuel costs.

Health care remains in dire straits. A one-time infusion of $1 billion in the 2000-2001 fiscal year to be spent nation-wide is small potatoes when compared to the overwhelming need. It works out to about $35 a head in extra money. Compare that to the number of services that have been reduced.

The other big number that disappoints is the promised $1.6 billion to be spent over five years on infrastructure.

If Ottawa wants to wean the North off transfer payments, it has to contribute to the building of roads, airports and other facilities that will be needed to move resources south.

Once again, when the lofty sum of $1.6 billion is broken down, there isn't a lot of money there. A good-sized shopping mall would cost a couple of hundred million.

Ottawa isn't prepared to invest in the North. Financially speaking, we are on a fiscal maintenance program. If we are going to become more self-sufficient, Ottawa is going to have to get serious about helping.


Time for a revival

It was disappointing to see the low turnout at a recent meeting to start the revival of the United Way in Yellowknife.

It's not surprising, however, given the amount of involvement in the community already. But it's important to note the role the United Way could play.

Imagine, one agency soliciting on behalf of many. Instead of a dozen different charity drives, there could be one. Imagine the work of organizing a fund-raising campaign from among a few volunteers to drafting the potential support of dozens. It could provide an amount of stability to an agency that now survives on a shoestring. All across Canada, concerned citizens and charities band together to improve their communities through the United Way. So could we. Please watch for the next meeting.


Bravo Francais

Among the many great features of Yellowknife is the size of the French community.

In 1979, there were 20 Grade 4 students in French immersion. Now there are 460 students. For French language education, different from immersion in that the first language is French, there are 70 students. These French language students recently moved into a $3.9 million federally financed school -- Ecole Allain St-Cyr.

The large number of immersion students shows the high regard Yellowknifers have for both the French language and Canadian Francophone culture.

The new Ecole Allain St-Cyr shows the strength of Francophone culture nationally and opens the door for more Canadians to find a home in the city.


People power
Editorial Comment
Daniel MacIsaac
Inuvik Drum

The wildlife management agreements reached between the Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic and Alaska's Inupiat truly appear to be as good as it gets when it comes to grassroots initiatives. The treaties may be rather informal but nevertheless represent international co-operation of the highest order.

The parties' success in achieving first a polar bear and now a beluga whale management plan reflects the trend whereby aboriginal groups are taking an increasingly active position in managing the North's resources -- in an organized, responsible and inclusive way. Both the Inuvialuit and the Inupiat say the health of the stocks is a major reason why conflict has been avoided and why negotiations have progressed relatively smoothly, but that shouldn't take away from the value of agreements, which can serve as models for the future.

Taking the initiative

The town of Inuvik should be commended for its recent efforts at organizing a cleanup and beautification strategy and calling for public input. Judging by public opinion and the turnout at last week's meeting, something needed to be done and now that the process has begun people are responding.

Of course, the town is only doing its job. It should be congratulated for going to the people but must also continue to take the lead in co-ordinating efforts. The mayor and council are elected officials and part of their mandate involves creating a more attractive environment for residents, business and tourists alike.

Fuelling the fire

A planned national protest whereby citizens will be asked to refrain from purchasing gasoline for a two-day period has recently received media attention on the radio and generated some discussion at Inuvik town council this week. Council has already expressed concern over rising fuel costs and truckers across the country have been crying foul for the past several weeks.

A two-day boycott is unlikely, however, to deliver the proper message to oil companies like Imperial Oil, which supplies Inuvik. Even Canadians who go along with the protest will simply fill up at the pump before or after the scheduled boycott while they go about their daily business as usual. At most, suppliers will suffer limited inconvenience and be forced to adjust their statistics.

A more appropriate form of protest would be a two-day boycott on fuel consumption and the decision to make use of public transportation where possible, to cut down on fuel sales in general. Of course, such a protest method is hardly applicable to commercial truckers or to Northerners coping in -20 C, but it should be possible for the majority of Canadians to cut back if they really want to send a message. The country's love for the automobile and convenience is, however, likely to render such an idea a non-starter.


Boom brings opportunities
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum


The Acho Dene Koe Band should be commended for its agreement with Alpine Environmental Ltd. The development in Fort Liard has obviously had a substantial impact on the local economy (see news brief Big bucks), but the health of the land must not be overlooked. Even seemingly minor environmental violations can result in severe repercussions on the eco-system.

At the same time, accidents do happen, so it's advisable to have experts ready to address them should they occur. As well, it's promising that local people can be trained to fulfil such a role in the future. The important thing will be that the environmental officials be given teeth to deal with issues properly and their suggestions be heeded -- not just meaningless positions, expected to stay out of the way and not make waves.

Shane Parrish mentioned that there are other business opportunities out there that the Acho Dene Koe would love to tackle, but simply don't have the manpower to handle everything. For example, there's a void in industrial first aid, he said.

Then there's the case of Richard Duntra, a Fort Liard resident who saw outsiders making plenty of money from the local natural gas boom. He decided to get into the action instead of watching from the sidelines. Mind you, a small business isn't for everybody, but it's admirable for someone who senses an opportunity to jump in with both feet, so long as he or she has a background in business or a knowledgable advisor.

Parrish said the water truck was one such avenue, but others exist for local entrepreneurs. Vacuum trucks and loaders or D-6 Cats are also in short supply in Fort Liard. For those who are industrious in the community, many an opportunity seemingly awaits.

A good experience

Admittedly, I haven't lived in Fort Simpson for a long time. I wasn't here when the health centre was "downgraded" from a hospital to its present status. Nevertheless, I have heard plenty of grumbling about it and have read coverage of the matter in back issues of the Drum.

My personal experiences with the Fort Simpson Health Centre have been few. However, this past weekend Val, my common-law spouse, broke her wrist after slipping and falling. Within minutes I had contacted the nurse-on-call and arranged for us to meet her at the Health Centre. We arrived five minutes later and she was waiting there for us. An x-ray was taken and the break was confirmed. A splint was put in place until the swelling went down. Val was told the doctor would put her wrist and forearm in a cast the next day, and sure enough it was done.

Everything was extremely efficient and professional. The doctors and nurses were reassuring and most helpful.

As a friend pointed out, the same injury may easily have resulted in a three- or four-hour wait in the emergency waiting room in a hospital down south. The medical system here may have its flaws and may be overwhelmed periodically, but it sure was there for us when we needed it last weekend.


Absence of major issues good news
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News


When interviewing government leaders, especially those in ministerial positions, it is rarely a good idea to smile unbelievingly when they're responding to your question.

Sometimes this can be a lot easier said than done.

So it was on at least two occasions during the legislative assembly's visit to Rankin Inlet.

Both Finance Minister Kelvin Ng and Minister Responsible for the Power Corp., Ed Picco, went to great lengths to point out their good news announcements had nothing to do with political strategy. They were simply responding openly and honestly to questions asked during their stay.

Those who believe that also believe the government's unofficial stance (translation: whispering just loud enough for people to hear) that the Rankin session cost little more to stage than it would have in Iqaluit.

In Ng's case, the minister was frothing at the balance sheet to release some good news after the community consultation process -- as predicted in this space -- delayed delivery of his annual budget.

Because talk of the projected $30- to $40-million surplus had been confined to the supposed confidentiality of caucus meetings, he couldn't have one of our well-meaning MLAs pose the question during an assembly session.

However, once asked a fairly generic question by the media as to Nunavut's financial situation, the bag was open and the cat roamed free in Rankin.

You can't really blame Ng for seizing the opportunity to release the information. Nor can you really fault his assembly grand-standing against the way the media originally reported the story.

Diversionary tactics are an accepted weapon in the political world.

Although doing an admiral job, Ng is suffering the growing pains of a first-year finance minister and seized the chance to draw attention away from the difficulties his department is dealing with.

And, on that note, it was a job well done.

Picco, on the other hand, was more the instrument than the instigator.

Premier Paul Okalik realized, for the most part, the Rankin session held all the political importance of a pre-season game when it came to our most pressing issues (that annual budget thing again).

A little proper timing with a letter to Baker Lake, ensuring, of course, that Baker MLA Glenn McLean was kept up to speed and the duck bills were properly aligned.

An informed query to Picco (we're being polite here) from the aforementioned MLA during the final question period and, presto, major announcement for the Kivalliq Region and instant credibility to the Rankin session.

We're not knocking the results. In fact, as much as we've lamented the cost of this whole venture -- let us extend a warm Kivalliq welcome to the legislative assembly the next time Ng delays his budget.

Heck, with results like these, let's make it an annual event!