Monday, January 15, 2001
Many parents take something to work everyday that they would no doubt prefer to leave at home: guilt.
Guilt that they cannot afford to stay home with their babies; guilt that someone else may have seen their child's first step, or heard their first word.
So when the federal government announces a plan to extend maternity and parental employment insurance benefits from 25 to 50 weeks, effective Dec. 31, 2000, you would think the GNWT would amend its labour laws to ensure employers give NWT parents and babies more time to bond.
But that did not happen, and a GNWT spokesperson said the legal changes required are extensive and could take months.
Maybe the GNWT can shoulder some of the guilt when they explain to parents why they've been sitting on this since it was announced in the February 2000 budget.
In 1942, sailing through the Northwest Passage was a big deal.
Even though it had been done before, the first Canadian vessel to go from Pacific to Atlantic was an important event.
It spread the message that the North belongs to Canada and gave all Canadians a better understanding of the diversity our country embodies.
The St. Roch's captain, Sgt. Henry Larsen became a Canadian hero for his efforts.
Now, the vessel that carved its place in Canadian history lies rotting on land beside the Vancouver Maritime Museum.
This summer's Voyage of Rediscovery by the St. Roch II -- RCMP vessel Nadon -- did recapture some of the glamour of the original voyage, but failed to achieve its goal: to raise enough money to pay for the preservation of original vessel.
Unfortunately, the effort failed to even make enough money to pay for the costs of the voyage.
One always has to wonder about the value of spending a whole lot of money to make a whole lot of money, but their aim remains important.
The St. Roch is a valuable piece of Canadian history. We have too few monuments to our past to let the ones we have crumble away.
Of all Canadians, Northerners understand the St. Roch's importance, and perhaps we can take the lead in its preservation.
Let's get behind the effort to restore the old boat. We might not be able to raise the entire $3 million needed to save it, but we can give the fund-raising a kick start. And show out cousins to the south what pride in our country and its accomplishments is all about.
Still just cutting his teeth in cabinet, Sustainable Development Minister Olayuk Akesuk is faced with a very difficult decision.
It's up to him whether or not the Government of Nunavut will go along with the Nunavut Court of Justice's ruling that Noah Kadlak should be able to hunt a polar bear using a harpoon and dogs.
The Coral Harbour resident wants to film the event so future generations can learn about how their ancestors hunted bears.
If Akesuk decides to go along with the courts and accepts the legal ruling that overturned his predecessors' decisions, Kadlak will hunt the bear. The matter will be over. If Akesuk re-affirms the government's view that the hunt is dangerous and denies Kadlak his wish, Nunavut Tunngavik will yank the issue back to the courts. It will be a costly and lengthy battle.
Akesuk must weigh many things as he makes his decision, such as how Kadlak's hunt will advance the cause of Inuit culture.
How will killing a bear with a harpoon -- as hunters did because they were desperate and without alternative means -- preserve or promote tradition?
Akesuk must also think about the animal rights activists and the role they play. There are critics who say the government has considered groups like Greenpeace and their reaction to the hunt too much already.
There is a simple solution to the dilemma: allow Kadlak to hunt the bear.
If it must be filmed, ensure the crew is accompanied by a skilled hunter armed with a high-powered rifle that can protect the filmmakers and protect Kadlak should he get into more trouble than he can handle.
The question of cultural relevance can be settled later, as will the reaction of the rest of the world.
There's a lot of water all around the North.
Unfortunately, much of it is frozen for most of the year, making it a very precious commodity.
That's why what happened to Canadian North must serve as a timely lesson.
The airline faces a bill of nearly $13,000 after water piped into its Iqaluit warehouse ran non-stop into a drainage system for five months thanks to a valve installed to fix water problems.
It's made worse by the fact the Town is dreadfully behind on billing; had the bill been on time, the company could have been alerted to the high usage.
Complicating the matter is the fact Canadian North chose to turn to the municipality rather than taking the companies that installed the valve to court.
There is plenty of blame to go around in this case: the town for being behind in its billing; Canadian North for not challenging those who did the work; and the companies that did the work in the first place.
She may downplay the event's importance, but Rebecca Williams' election to the Nunavut Legislature is noteworthy.
Williams is the second woman elected to the territorial government and joins Manitok Thompson in Nunavut's hall of power. Her election raises the profile of women in government and provides another role model for females across the territory -- joining the likes of Thompson and MP Nancy Karetak-Lindell.
And like it or not, women often have a different, and valuable, perspective on issues that will give debate in the legislature added depth.
We wish her well.