Focus on family violence
Richard Gleeson
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Nov 03/00) - The territorial government has failed to meet its goal of eliminating family violence, said Frame Lake MLA Charles Dent during this, Family Violence Awareness Week.
 Charles Dent |
"Although some progress has been made, we still have a long way to go," said Dent. He cited RCMP statistics for 1999 as evidence of how far the territories is from reaching the goal: 436 reports of spousal assaults, 221 sexual assaults, 99 cases of sexual abuse by children.
Great Slave MLA Bill Braden offered more stats to show that further backed up the argument: 296 women and 334 children used family violence shelters this year.
Range Lake MLA Sandy Lee spoke of the importance of people, particularly leaders, speaking publicly about family violence. Lee said doing so would send a message to children in abusive situations that violence and abuse are neither deserved nor acceptable.
A greener route
A all-weather road to the mines through Dogrib lands to the Barrenland diamond fields would makes all kinds of environmental sense, said North Slave MLA Leon Lafferty.Lafferty said a road that would link Dogrib communities and the diamond mines to the Snare hydro system would reduce the North's reliance on diesel generators.
Minister of Transportation Vince Steen said his department will soon be releasing a highway strategy, but said it will not include a plan for an all-weather road to the mines.
"In our strategy we do identify improving Hwy 4 and also we have some plans that we are working on with industry at this point as to how we may be able to take over the operation and control of the Lupin winter road," said Steen.
Fur flying
With fur becoming fashionable once again, the government should be doing more to promote trapping as a way of life, said Steven Nitah Tuesday."The demand for Northern furs is exceeding supply," said the Tu Nedhe MLA. Nitah said marten prices increased by 20 per cent this year at one fur auction house and lynx prices are also expected to jump this year.
Nitah said trapping offers those in poorer communities a chance to avoid the despair of unemployment and asked Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development Joe Handley to commit to working with such communities to keep the 200 year tradition of trapping alive.
Handley agreed to do so, pointing out that government has a number of programs in place to support trappers and market Northern furs.
