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What and how the public learns about the incident at Deninoo School will be a lesson in the workings of the justice system in the Northwest Territories.
The bare facts are that on May 28, Villebrun dropped in on the school in Fort Resolution. Something happened, but no one will say what, not the RCMP, the Crown or school officials.
But it prompted police to lay a criminal charge. News of that surfaced July 4 at the Dene Nation annual assembly in Aklavik, after Villebrun was elected chief.
Villebrun has declined comment, as might anyone facing such a charge. Anything she had to say was reserved for a judge.
Her day in court came July 28. Justice officials announced in territorial court that they would refer the charge to the community justice panel in Fort Resolution.
Villebrun didn't enter a plea, so the Crown didn't present the facts of the case in open court. But by agreeing to go before the justice panel, she accepted responsibility for the incident. That's the equivalent to pleading guilty.
Courts issue publication bans to protect victims, but even in those cases the essential facts are available to anyone who wants to know them.
No one has argued for a publication ban in the Villebrun case; justice officials have simply declined to disclose the facts. The reason: they "are not comfortable" with a public airing of the details.
Villebrun is not a victim. She's the leader of an important political organization.
It's critical for the integrity of the justice system that there is no hint of special treatment.
Like the courts, community justice panels are open to the public. Anyone can drop in and watch how the people of Fort Resolution deal with Villebrun.
The usual remedies in such cases are an apology and some community service.
Villebrun will be able to put the incident behind her without any blemish to her record, and the public will finally learn what the chief of the Dene Nation did at Deninoo School.
The lack of day care space in Iqaluit, and in fact much of the North, is an indicator of just how rapidly the North is changing and how slowly services are moving to keep up.
In many parts of the North, people don't need day care.
The extended family is still around to take care of the kids while mom and dad work in the community.
It is a given that if mom or dad is not going to be around, family steps in.
Better health care has meant that elders are living longer and are able to spend more time helping to raise their grandchildren.
In the best of all possible worlds, time spent with the extended family really enriches their children.
Children in Nunavut can learn Inuktitut from their grandparents and older family members.
They can soak in traditional ways that would otherwise die with their relatives after they die.
Young Nunavut families are attracted to larger centres in the territory -- and away from their family roots --for good paying steady jobs.
Southerners come to Nunavut for the same reasons, but also for a more sane pace of life than in Toronto or Montreal.
In many of these cases, both parents work.
The North is a land of opportunity, and because of that there is a dedicated, talented, skilled workforce here.
But because many of these talented, skilled workers have moved halfway across Canada, or even the world, to be here to work, they do not have the family members to help them raise their kids.
They need day care. But currently there is no space in any day care for the next two years. And as a result, many parents say they will leave.
It is time for businesses and schools to start asking their employees about this issue and looking into the feasibility of providing day care services on site.
It is time for entrepreneurs with good plans to come forward to start another day care.
The Government of Nunavut provides start-up funding for day cares. If there was ever a need for this service it is now.
It comes down to asking how much we value the children being born in Nunavut to working parents -- children who one day will be making decisions about the direction of their territory, and the country.
A little more day care would go a long way, but government alone can't provide it.
It is time to stop wishing things could be the way they used to be, and start responding at the bedrock level to the real needs of working parents right now who want to have their babies in Nunavut, so they can stay and make a difference.
Editorial Comment
Chris Puglia
Kivalliq News
There is one thing that will, without fail, undermine the integrity of a community, no matter how friendly or seemingly safe.
The disease that attacks the very core of our social fabric is crime.
It doesn't have to be violent, or even brutally destructive to leave a lasting mark. Its very presence corrodes the morale and health of a community.
In the last few weeks Rankin Inlet has been attacked night after night by a band of petty thieves.
Business after business have fallen prey to these hooligans who have no respect for the law and the people that they undoubtedly, during the day, call neighbours.
Even this office has not been spared these senseless acts.
At times, the thieves make off with cash, alcohol or other valuables. Other times they take nothing, leaving broken doors, cabinets and locks in their wake.
RCMP say that in the last couple of weeks there has been more break and enter crime in Rankin than there has been all year.
Stores have been forced to upgrade security, change locks and install cameras to defend themselves.
Sometimes even these new measures have failed.
Physically, as of yet, no one has been injured by these crimes.
But, the scars these criminals leave behind are far worse than any bruises.
They violate our sense of security, create fear and mistrust.
Already the police have captured six of the alleged culprits, but a few still remain.
These cowards, whether they be adults or youths, have no respect for the people of this friendly and trusting community.
The RCMP are doing everything they can to investigate these crimes, but they need the help of the community.
They need your eyes and your ears to ensure these criminals are brought to justice and answer for their crimes.
If you notice anything suspicious or hear of anyone that could be responsible, let the RCMP know.
Don't allow these people to attack the hamlet with their ignorant assaults on good, hard-working people that don't deserve to be burglarized.
Editorial Comment
Terry Halifax
Inuvik Drum
The town has been abuzz with construction and demolition activity over the summer so far and it's great to see everyone hard at work to make this a better place.
The paving crew is in town and before too long we'll have a shiny and smooth new mainstreet.
The old hospital was demolished in a matter of days and it shows off the new building nicely.
The new family centre foundation is going in and right next door, the new Aurora College campus is being built.
Housing starts are popping up all over in the new and old subdivisions and roads are being pushed through for more.
It's exciting to live in a town with so much growth taking place, but it's important to temper that growth with planning.
Last week council approved the rezoning of two lots on Tununuk Place that will likely become another apartment building and an office complex.
This is an area that already has three large multi-family dwellings, but no space for those families to recreate.
The two lots would have made an ideal park area or just a green space, where people living there could take lunch outside while their kids played on the swings.
The area represented the last green space in the downtown core, which might not seem that important right now, but what about in 10 or 20 years?
People need space to go for a walk without the sounds of motors revving and tires squealing.
A lunchtime break outside of the sterile office environment, where the birds chirp and the wind blows through the willows, is a mental vacation in the middle of a hectic day for most people.
The new buildings will ring up another land sale in the town's till and generate new tax dollars for years to come, but the quality of life for those residents will be little more than a prison sentence.
Responsible planning and zoning goes beyond selling and taxing; it's about building a community where people can live life and enjoy, rather than just live.
For too long, this town has been a place controlled by outside influences who only needed space to warehouse their people long enough to get the job done and they were gone.
Life is not like that here now. This is a thriving and vital community that deserves a long-term vision that will provide a sustained and happy life for people who call this place home.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
Whether there should be a licensed alcohol outlet in Fort Liard is bound to be a contentious issue -- that is if there is ever any formal debate on the matter.
Where does the majority of the community stand? That hasn't been determined.
There is a problem with bootlegging, that much has been established. Fort Liard is certainly not alone in facing that menace.
Would the community be better off with a liquor store? Would it reduce bootlegging or would it be opening Pandora's box?
Should there be a limit on how much alcohol any individual could purchase? How about a licensed establishment that serves drinks but doesn't sell bottles or cans? There are several options, but do enough residents want to examine them?
There are obviously more questions than answers at this point.
Why Yellowknife?
After Herb Dhaliwal's dissertation on how the NWT must benefit from a Mackenzie Valley pipeline, Fort Simpson resident Peter Shaw had only one question: Why did the federal government locate its pipeline readiness office in Yellowknife, so far away from the action? Fort Simpson would have been a more logical choice.
Dhaliwal didn't have an explanation at the ready. He said the federal government will seek ways to have its resources spread around NWT centres as much as possible.
It was a good question. Way to keep the minister on his toes, Mr. Shaw.
Southern bonds
It's fascinating to learn of individuals from southern Canada and the northern United States who are captivated by the North.
In regards to the Giles sisters and Norm Kagan (their stories are found in this edition), they aren't just everyday tourists passing through to take a look at the breath-taking scenery.
In the early 1990s, Kagan went out of his way to ensure Albert Faille had a proper headstone. While visiting last week, local historian Stephen Rowan informed him that the grave site had grown unkempt. Kagan didn't hesitate to spruce up the area.
Then there are the Giles sisters, who are pursuing higher learning. Through their seasonal experience in the North since 1998, they could be in line for an honourary degree in Northern living. In addition to being volunteers, they spearheaded a program that sends used sports equipment to Northern communities which could really benefit from it.
There are numerous Northerners who regularly devote their time to make the NWT a better place in which to live. It's nice to know that there are some Southerners who, although they don't reside here year-round, also strive to improve the quality of life."
In the News/North July 28, 2003 article "Faithful calling", Peter Wendover was incorrectly identified as the first minister to be permanently based in Holman.
He is currently serving a three-year posting in the hamlet. His proper title is Captain, rather than Minister, because he works with the Church Army of Canada.
We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.