Editorial page

Friday, August 22, 2003
Bust, boom and echo

The boom is levelling off for now. We've weathered the housing crisis thanks to resourceful developers who brought in dozens of manufactured homes to give people houses to buy.

New rental units are opening up, easing a vacancy rate that had bottomed out near zero last fall. Once a ghost-town, Niven Lake is hot, with people looking to build their dream homes.

There are still more jobs than people to fill them. All the signs point to continued growth, says city economic development officer Peter Neugebauer.

Government growth, the natural gas pipeline continued diamond mining and manufacturing, tourism and all the services that come with a booming economy will continue to draw people to the North and to Yellowknife. If there's a saving grace, the pace of growth will be easier to handle.

This is not the time for City Hall to rest. If ever there was a time to put noses to the grindstone, it's now.

Yellowknife still lacks affordable housing that people can buy. The manufactured homes filled a need, but will they hold their value?

The city must identify and open up land for medium- and high-priced housing development, for new stick-built rowhouses and single family homes that will accommodate moderate growth and not cause skyrocketing rents and unrealistic land prices.

It's likely that, as the housing pressure eases, prices will soften from their current boom-drive highs. That may not be good news to those who paid top dollar for manufactured homes, but it will lead to a healthier, more affordable housing market.

It is important is that the city keep its fingers out of development. The market knows best. The city must make it work to all Yellowknifers' advantage by keeping taxes low, and making it less expensive to live here.


A cautionary tale

The recent blackout across Ontario and several American states did more than darken the business towers of Toronto.

The effects were felt in Yellowknife as if the big bad faulty hydro switch had flicked off on Franklin Avenue.

An Internet provider here, that is wired into Ottawa, frustrated its customers from Yellowknife to the 60th parallel when service collapsed due to the blackout.

Passengers of flights destined home to Yellowknife were delayed as they missed connecting flights.

This is a cautionary tale to us who indulge in rampant use of electricity. It's why stories of solar water heaters being installed in Ndilo is such good news.

We should also realize the unimaginable happened in the South. Such a complete shutdown could happen here in January with -40 C temperatures and a stiff blizzard marching through town.

The "powers that be" -- pun intended -- must ensure our energy grid is not going to fail us ... and have a plan in case it does.


Decisions based on fact

Editorial Comment
Chris Puglia
Kivalliq News

The same-sex marriage issue in Canada has been one of heated debate and controversy.

It has been weighed down with hatred, intolerance and misinformation.

Surprisingly, the hatred and intolerance may be the two factors most easily understood.

Ignorance is something the world can't seem to purge.

But misinformation is inexcusable, especially from people in places of authority.

Honestly, if you don't know what you are talking about then don't say anything at all.

Last week Rankin council did something unique.

They became one of the first Northern, and perhaps Canadian municipalities, to get involved in the same-sex marriage issue.

Coun. Justin Merritt brought the issue to the table.

Perhaps the municipal government level is not the place for such discussions, but providing input from the most basic of grassroots political organizations is important.

What is even more important is basing decisions on fact and not fantasy.

Unfortunately, fear mongering, which spread at the beginning of the same-sex debate, seems to still have its hold in Rankin.

Merritt stated that he respected the rights of gay and lesbian couples.

He said what they did in the privacy of their homes and bedrooms was their business.

He quickly followed that up by saying he had a problem with churches being forced to marry same-sex couples against their beliefs.

If that is the basis for Merritt's argument against same-sex marriage, he should have looked more closely at the information before spreading all too common incorrect facts.

Fredericton Liberal MP Andy Scott, chair of the federal justice committee on same-sex marriages, has clearly stated that freedom of religion statutes in the Charter would protect religious denominations from marrying same-sex couples against their beliefs.

Additionally, John Fisher, director of Egale, a national gay and lesbian group, said that the gay and lesbian community is not looking for religious marriage rights, only civil rights.

It's important to respect and value the right to equality everyone in our society has.

I agree that a person's rights should not infringe on the rights of another person or another group.

For example we should not have the right to drink and drive or spread messages of hate, which obviously put other people at risk.

But, clearly, allowing same-sex couples the right to civil union is not infringing on anyone's rights.

If you don't agree with it, too bad. I am sure people don't agree with some of the things you do on a regular basis.


Immaculate Inuvik

Editorial Comment
Terry Halifax
Inuvik Drum


What a difference a coat of paint makes, or in our case, a coat of black top.

The downtown core looks so much better after that new paving job and it's already inspired some business owners to spruce up their own properties.

Some shops and building owners are paying the extra to get their lots paved, while the crew is in town and I notice some real pride being taken in other areas.

There's a shiny new front on the drug store building and a much-needed new coat of paint was applied to the Boreal Books building.

These things on their own are not huge accomplishments, but when viewed in the big picture, it exhibits much more.

When people live in a nice looking place, they tend to have more respect for it and in turn more pride in their own actions. Be it in terms of painting their house, mowing their lawn or even just in terms of dropping litter in the street.

If people feel like they live in a dump, they'll treat it like one. If they see their neighbours cleaning up and renovating, they'll be more inclined to do so as well; if not out of pride, out of guilt.

So kudos to the town for paving and the crew who're doing a great job, and to all the businesses who are doing their part to make this a nicer place to live.

Wild in the streets

I was out on the rove in the Rav Monday night, hunting for a candidate for this week's Sports Card and drove over to my usual hunting grounds at the rec centre and ball field.

The ball field was vacant and the rec centre locked up tight, but I heard a great commotion to the north of the building and went to check it out.

I saw about 20 kids aged from about five years to 13, who had scaled the barbed wire fence into the construction compound of the new family centre.

The scene was surreal; children ripping open bales of styrofoam insulation, breaking the sheets up and throwing them in the air, at each other and around the lot.

I quickly changed lenses and ran towards the wilding bunch, clicking photos as I advanced.

As soon as they saw me, they turned tail and ran, that is, the ones big enough to scale the fence.

I confronted the group of little criminals and asked why they couldn't play in the playground, but got no response.

"These guys are trying to build you kids a pool and all you're doing is slowing them down," I scolded.

It brought to mind the actions of another brainless bunch who had ripped the flowers from the planters at the Semmler Building last summer.

A friend of mine had suggested then that Inuvik needs a curfew and as opposed to a police state as I am, I really have to agree.

Certainly their parents can't or won't discipline them, so I suppose it's up to the bylaw and RCMP.

Outside of a curfew and taxing our already over-taxed law enforcement, I'd propose a citizens on patrol program, where people could take a walk around town to keep these little reprobates in line -- or at least take pictures of them.


Lights, camera, action...

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum


There's been ample international media coverage of the California governor recall election and the celebrity candidates in line to try to take incumbent Gray Davis's place.

We live in a cult of celebrity. It shouldn't come as any surprise that California, the land of Hollywood, attracts so many actors to politics. In addition to Arnold Schwarzenegger campaigning for the governor's seat, Gary Coleman (Arnold from Different Strokes) is also on the ticket.

Remember that California once made Ronald Reagan its governor. His claim to fame was acting in old western movies.

At a municipal level, California has had some famous mayors, too. Clint Eastwood presided over the town of Carmel while Sonny Bono (best known for his duets with Cher, such as I've Got You, Babe) was the candidate of choice in Palm Springs.

But California doesn't stand alone. Jesse Ventura, a former professional wrestler, closed out his term as governor of Minnesota last January.

There are still a few elections to come in the Deh Cho. If we could get an amendment passed, maybe we could overcome the residency requirements and get a Canadian icon to run for MLA or mayor of Fort Simpson. Imagine some of the possibilities...

How about Rick Mercer for starters? If we have to listen to rants, well, they might as well be his, at least they're entertaining.

Red Green would be another humourous candidate. But would his duct tape hold together a Mackenzie River bridge or a pipeline?

From the sports world, it would be great to have a retired athlete like Lanny MacDonald or Guy Lafleur. Either one of them would be highly coveted in an MLA all-star hockey game.

For telling it like it is, nobody could beat Mayor Don Cherry (and you think there's too much swearing at village council meetings now?)

If we're looking for someone with political experience, there's always Kim Campbell. Canada's only female (and short-lived) prime minister could use an introduction to consensus-style government.

Even if she were the least qualified, Shania Twain would likely fetch her fair share of votes -- reasons for supporting her may vary.

In reality, a big star is not going to step into the political fray here. Then again, who would want someone completely unfamiliar with the issues representing local people? Sure most celebrities are good looking and have charming personalities, but what makes them qualified to govern?

California can have its Hollywood luminaries in office. We'll stick to watching them on the tube or the big screen.