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If the Northwest Territories is ever to be more than a ward of the federal state, it has to be able to stand on its own.
That goes beyond the obvious. Control over our resources and the revenue they generate is important.
But basics, like having local companies capable of building a shed or people able to do mundane bureaucratic tasks, are also important building blocks.
This proactive thinking has worked with diamonds. John Todd's steadfast demand that some of the gems mined helped create jobs in cutting and polishing.
That's why policies like the Business Incentive Program and the government contract guarantee signed between the GNWT and the Gwich'in Tribal Council last month.
Simply, BIP gives Northern companies a 15 to 20 per cent bidding advantage on government contracts.
Given the cost of doing business in the North, that makes sense. It gives Northern companies a sense of security. They can invest in equipment and personnel and get a fair shake against Southern firms.
Now it seems the government is backing down from that way of thinking, at least when it comes to BIP.
The NWT Construction Association and the legislature's standing committee for accountability and oversight don't want the program changed.
The government isn't so sure and has changes on the table.
Among its proposals, the government suggests that any contract worth $1 million or less would not be subject to BIP.
That slams the door to small contractors -- the ones who need the help the most.
Guaranteeing 50 per cent -- by value -- of territorial government contracts goes to Gwich'in businesses takes the BIP principle even further.
Economic Development Minister Jim Antoine said government plans to enter into similar arrangements with other First Nations.
We say go for it.
Unfair to other bidders? Perhaps. But Gwich'in must be able to stand on their own feet. If government assistance is the only way to give them that edge, so be it.
It's also a logical step toward self-government.
There's always some kind of jerk who thinks if he bellows loud enough, if he is in your face long enough, or if he simply takes a swipe at somebody just for the hell of it ... well, he figures it's the best way to get things done his way.
That jerk is a bully.
No doubt we've all seen one in action. Maybe we've been one. Maybe we've been on the receiving end of one.
There are always going to be bullies among us. The deal is to know this.
The old saying that "knowledge is power" holds very true here.
If you know when a bully is in his rutty mood, you might also know how to steer him out of your corral, and/or isolate him so he can be a jerk to nobody but himself.
So far, as you'll have noted, we've used "he/him/his" to describe the bully.
That selfish individual can just as easily be described as "she/her." Bullying is a unisexual kind of annoyance.
Just ask Reena Virk. Well, you can't ask her actually, because she's dead.
The British Columbia girl was savagely beaten to death by bullies of both sexes. And the girls were the meaner sex in the attack. How very nice for them.
But you have to know that bullies aren't just cranky schoolyard knobs bent on empire building by the swing set.
Lots of adults have been bullies: your co-worker, a teammate, the boss, your spouse ... no matter what age, they're out there making life a mess for regular folks.
The problem is that the bully knows one thing: he or she can hold sway because most people would rather quietly get along to go along.
As long as you're the big noise, or can continue to get away with throwing your weight around, you'll be a successful bully.
This is where Cambridge Bay's BRAVE anti-bullying program comes in.
We applaud the foresight to bring in a program before any bullying that might be going on gets out of hand.
Yes, it's being introduced into the schools, but it is designed to be a community program.
Victims are all over the place, not just in schools.
BRAVE -- Bullying Resistance And Violence Education -- helps people understand they don't have to be victims. The program also helps the community get a grip on bullying types to let them know there are better ways to behave.
We wish them success in this and encourage other communities to watch, learn, and make their town a BRAVE town.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
While we rarely dedicate this space to any topic or organization for two weeks in a row, we do make exceptions to give credit where credit is due.
We were less than enamoured with both the timing and tone of Kivalliq Inuit Association president Tongola Sandy's call on the Nunavut government to increase the number of Inuit in its workforce earlier this month (It's a time for quality, not quantity, Kivalliq News, Jan. 22).
Rather than answer our criticism with a list of his accomplishments from decades ago, Sandy announced the KIA will now be keeping a much closer eye on the financial dealings of both the Sakku Investment Corp. and Kivalliq Partners in Development.
The two entities, of which the KIA is the mother organization, will now provide the KIA with monthly financial statements.
For this move, we send Sandy an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
For far too long both Sakku and Kivalliq Partners have acted like independent private companies, accountable to no one but themselves.
Sandy and the KIA board of directors made two significant accomplishments with this move.
First, Sandy is serving notice his platform of better financial-management practices and more accountability to Kivalliq beneficiaries was more than simple rhetoric to win himself an election.
Second -- taking for granted it follows through on the promise -- the KIA has put a badly needed fail-safe in place to catch poor decision making at the earliest opportunity.
While the move cannot guarantee every future decision made by its two subsidiaries will be a solid one, the monthly reporting should help ensure any such moves are caught quickly enough to prevent them from turning into financial nightmares.
The KIA has taken its first baby steps under Sandy's leadership towards accepting greater responsibility for everything under its umbrella.
While we're still going to need some convincing, this signals the dawn of a new age of openness and accountability for the KIA, it is a positive first step.
Hopefully, Sandy and his board members will continue their forward progress and not fall victim to the previous administration's habit of taking three steps backwards for every one step ahead.
If so, maybe some of those "future opportunities" the organization spoke of after losing the regional health centre contract will someday materialize.
Only time will tell.
Editorial Comment
Tara Kearsey
Inuvik Drum
The Memorandum of Understanding signed recently between the GNWT and the Gwich'in Tribal Council is a huge step for aboriginal governments in the Northwest Territories.
It promises economic growth for them, guaranteeing 50 per cent of government contracts in the region will be awarded to Gwich'in businesses.
But what about the Inuvialuit? Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development Minister Jim Antoine says the Inuvialuit will receive a percentage of the contracts, but exact details still have to be worked out.
Something isn't right here. Any problems with the agreement should have been identified and addressed before it was signed, sealed and delivered. If there are still some kinks, why didn't the government hold off for a while?
Antoine assures the Inuvialuit will not be left out in the cold, but why should they believe him?
Agreements like this one could bring about tension between these two groups who must work together in communities like Inuvik and Aklavik. There is no reason why the government should favour one over the other.
Antoine must ensure that the Inuvialuit get their fair share of the contracts. And it should be done sooner than later.
A smokin' idea
I applaud town councillors Arlene Hansen and Alfred Moses for their efforts to ban smoking in Inuvik's public buildings and restaurants.
I am a smoker and I would love to quit. I have tried once or twice, but I end up getting so stressed out that I pick it up all over again at the first signs of a craving.
Nicotine is a horrible addiction. It takes twice as long to get rid of a cold or flu, I sometimes feel pain in my chest, I can't really taste food enough to enjoy it any more, I sometimes feel dizzy and light-headed, and then there's the average of $80 a week I spend on smokes.
Just imagine, if I quit for six months I could easily save enough money for an all-inclusive trip to the Bahamas
and a $500 shopping spree. What am I thinking? And I wonder why I'm 26 years old and have never been on a vacation in my life.
I've been thinking very seriously about this for a while. Maybe it's not work that's stressing me out. Maybe it's the nicotine!
If all of Inuvik's public buildings, especially restaurants, were non-smoking establishments, then maybe people like me will realize it's not that hard to quit. So what if I gain a few pounds. I'll exercise more to counteract the weight gain, and keep my mind off the cravings at the same time.
It's definitely time for a smoking ban. Children should be protected from second-hand smoke and they should be taught that smoking is a disgusting habit. It's not fun any more. It's not cool either.
I'm ready to quit. Well, I'm ready to TRY. Are you?
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
What would possess one man to risk his own well-being for the sake of a dog, while other dog owners shirk their responsibilities all together?
The answer to the former question is love and loyalty. It's something that some dog owners feel strongly, and something that dogs return many times over.
The explanation for the latter remains frustratingly elusive. Clearly, some people aren't meant to own dogs, but there's precious little to stop them from having one or more. It seems a shame that a wolf would attack a restrained dog -- one that is cared for and wanted -- as happened in Fort Liard earlier this month. In all likelihood, the odd stray dog is also nabbed and devoured by wolves, it's just that nobody notices, nobody cares.
Most dogs aren't slain by wolves, however, they are killed by the bylaw officer. It's only out of necessity that this situation exists.
Part of the problem is that uncaring dog owners seldom realize the consequences of their irresponsibility. They cast the dog out -- whether it's -35 C or in the summer -- and don't care if they ever see it again.
While they sit at home, drive away to visit relatives or go out to dinner, the last thing on their mind is the fate of the abandoned, innocent pet. After all, puppies are plentiful and another one can be obtained easily when the impulse arises.
It would be impossible to legislate, but one antidote for neglectful pet owners would be to compel them to accompany the bylaw officer to the dump, the execution chamber.
After that bullet pierces their dog's flesh and the animal draws its final breath, those irresponsible owners should have to stand over the carcass and reflect on the needless death. It's a cruel reality they have created.
Shaking and shivering
Just to add another thought to this week's Street Beat, "What's a sign that it's really cold outside," there are some not-so-subtle indicators from one's vehicle.
For starters, when the door of a 2000 model truck creaks like a 1962 model upon being opened, it's cold. Then, while driving down the highway for more than an hour, the cold wind whistles in through the still-frozen mouldings around the door.
Finally, although the heat in the cabin is set at maximum for hours, the truck still strains to pump enough warm air to match the cold that's flowing inside. That's the type of week it was.