Friday, January 12, 2001
When the sledding gets rough around the Northwest Territories Legislature, the people charged with running things under the dome can be hard to find.
A case in point is the recent spasm over Premier Stephen Kakfwi's advice to the Kaska Dene. He suggested that they consider using the Alaska pipeline right-of-way as a bargaining chip in their land claim negotiations.
The premier was not available to answer questions, but a spokesperson confirmed the meeting with the Kaska leaders, and said that Kakfwi acted as an MLA, not as the premier.
When did the premier's job become part-time?
If it is, perhaps Kakfwi should return some portion of the $54,000 annual executive stipend he is paid over and above his $71,000 annual salary as an MLA.
Yellowknifers who look hopefully toward a victory over alleged gold price-fixing conspirators and a return to gold at $600 an ounce should not abate their breaths.
Civil suits take years to wind through the courts, and it's worth noting that many gold producers, including Miramar Mining Corp., the owner of Con Mine, don't think much of the allegations.
The real story is Con Mine, its future, and what that means for Yellowknife.
Miramar's report for the third quarter of 2000 revealed that Con Mine operates on a knife edge between profit and loss. The bottom line considerations that closed Giant Mine could shut Con just as quickly.
Doubters need only consult mine workers.
They want the city to buy the land they live on. Miramar leases it from the federal government, and the workers worry that they will be left twisting if Miramar closes Con Mine.
Northerners don't need to be told that mines don't last forever. Abandoned headframes that punctuate the Canadian Shield from here to Pine Point and Uranium City are evidence enough.
Closure could come when the mine's reserves are depleted, or sooner should the price of gold fall below production costs and threaten to stay there.
Con Mine still ranks as one of the city's top employers, but its payroll is far smaller than the various governments and related agencies. Are we nearing the end of an era? What comes next?
The old adage "the family that plays together stays together" may be true but it doesn't describe the influence of the curling Koe family.
A Boxing Day curling bonspiel that started over 10 years ago as a way for the Koe family to have some fun over the holidays, has turned into an annual, multi-team affair in Yellowknife.
A total of 32 teams swept through the community arena Dec. 26 for what is now known as the Creative Basics Boxing Day Family Spiel.
And the bonspiel is not only worth mentioning because of its tremendous growth in popularity over the years.
How many other sports in the world can boast teams that include grandparents and grandchildren?
Inuvik residents have been treated to some special sights over the past little while.
Many homes and businesses were decked out for the holidays, complete with lights and other decorations. Christmas lights are nice anywhere, but they are an especially welcome sight in a time of little or no sun.
Speaking of which, the sun made its welcome return over Inuvik skies last Saturday. Clouds did their best to spoil the occasion, but hundreds celebrated that night anyway, huddling around bonfires and taking in a great fireworks display. The temperature was low but spirits were high.
The sun truly came back for me Tuesday afternoon. That's when I stole my first glance of it for the year 2001, as it peeked between the horizon and a low cloud. It didn't stay up very long, but it's nice to know that a little more sunlight will cross our paths each day over the next several months.
Sensible precautions
The Precious Passengers program is aptly named.
No one would argue that infants are precious and need protection.
Accordingly, the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board is launching the program, so as to make sure every newborn leaving the Inuvik Regional Hospital by vehicle is properly buckled up in an infant car seat.
The initiative will run for a two-month trial, in conjunction with a car seat loaner program.
The program is overdue, as it will allow the region to catch up with other areas on this issue. It will raise public awareness of the importance and value of infant car seats, thus encouraging more use and making everyone's "precious passengers" that much safer.
Here's hoping the program will meet with success and can continue.
Down to the wire
Those seeking to have U.S. President Bill Clinton grant National Monument status to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska are not giving up. The refuge contains the birthing grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd, and Gwich'in and other groups have expressed fears oil and gas exploration in that area might adversely affect the herd.
Clinton leaves office Jan. 20, and refuge supporters are continuing to pressure him to grant their wish. On Jan. 3 and 4, thousands of people phoned the White House to express support for the granting of monument status. Organizers have decided to continue a phone campaign until Jan. 19.
If Clinton does not change his mind, organizers surely know that their efforts may give George W. Bush -- who has publicly declared support for opening up the refuge to exploration -- food for thought.
It isn't easy to grasp how power rates are applied in the NWT. That isn't to say that power rates, or Greek mythology for that matter, are beyond comprehension.
Let's review a few facts.
Residents in Fort Simpson pay the same rate as Yellowknifers for power -- 15.33 cents per kilowatt hour, up to 700 kilowatt hours. That's because of a GNWT program called the Territorial Power Support Program (TPSP). It evens the playing field, at least for a limited amount of power, despite the higher cost of operating in some of the NWT's more remote communities.
Once a residence exceeds 700 kilowatts per hour each month, the hammer comes down. In Fort Simpson, the rate for power jumps from 15.33 cents to 29.81 cents per kilowatt hour. In addition, the 9.9 cent per kilowatt hour fuel rider is now being applied over 700 kilowatt hours, bringing the total to 39.7 cents per kilowatt hour. Ouch!
According to a Power Corp. backgrounder, the GNWT set the TPSP residential limit at 700 kilowatt hours to encourage conservation.
The TPSP gives commercial users up to 1,000 subsidized kilowatt hours (so long gross revenues don't exceed $2 million per year).
The GNWT's power support program eases the burden presently, but we all know that if the deficit-stricken territorial government pays more for fuel on our behalf, we're likely going to pay it back to the government later.
The Power Corp. also charges its residential customers a basic monthly amount of $18 ($40 for commercial costumers). This isn't a minimum fee. If you run up an astronomical bill of $1,000 you'll still have to pay $1,018.
That fact has Fort Simpson Mayor Tom Wilson up in arms, and he's not alone. Others don't believe it's a fair practice.
Power Corp. spokesperson Peter Watt replied that the basic charge helps offset cost for power lines, meter readings and billing.
"Customers have to share in the cost of that even though they may not be using (power) for six months of the year," he said.
Another argument that Wilson made is that Fort Simpson, as a diesel-powered community, is liable for the 9.9 cent per kilowatt hour fuel rider, yet larger communities like Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Smith are exempt because they aren't powered by diesel. How come, Wilson asked, Fort Simpson had to help subsidize Yellowknife's power rates in 1992 and 1995 when they were struck with low water (affecting their hydro power)? Watt said the Power Corp. only asked to have Yellowknife residents pay more, but the Public Utilities Board (PUB) decided all communities should shoulder the load.
However, the Power Corp.'s general rate application in 1995, with approval from the PUB, saw separate stabilization funds set up.
That's why outlying communities no longer pay for Yellowknife's low water and Yellowknife no longer pays for the higher cost of diesel, he said.
Although Wilson is bothered by the Power Corp.'s business practices, he scoffed at the idea of another attempt at a request for proposals for a new power supplier. The people spoke loud and clear during last September's power plebiscite, he said.
Rising fuel prices are a fact of life these days. Other than keeping power usage to a minimum there is little we can do.
It seems the energy coming from the hamlet of Repulse Bay and the Department of Public Works would be better served aimed at the task at hand, rather than at each other.
Regardless of whether problems at the Repulse fire station were caused by a design flaw -- the station's overhead door points North, directly into Repulse's prevailing wind, shoddy workmanship during its expansion or poor daily maintenance -- the fact is a problem exists that could put people's lives at risk.
Strangely enough, we get the impression the risk of personal injury or loss of property is taking a back seat to concerns surrounding a fire truck that may or may not be approved next month by the legislative assembly.
Technically, DPW's responsibility for the Repulse fire station ended with the signing over of maintenance responsibilities to the hamlet.
The problems with the building now fall under the Department of Community Government and Transportation's umbrella.
Surely DPW and the hamlet can put aside their differences of opinion and work with CG&T to solve the problem.
We agree that a $250,000 asset has to be properly protected.
However, this problem resurfaced when the fire department could not respond to an alarm.
Although a contingency plan is in place using the hamlet's water truck, that would, at best, save surrounding dwellings in the event of a major fire -- maybe!
The issue here is not who's right or wrong, nor who's responsible for the problem at the fire station.
The issue is not even about protecting a new truck the hamlet may get this summer.
The issue is that lives are at risk when a fire truck cannot respond to an alarm.
It's time for both parties to point their fingers at the problem, instead of each other. If they don't, someone may pay for their vanity with their life.
The hamlet and DPW need to lay down their swords and put on their thinking caps.