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Wednesday, March 17, 2004
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'Pathetic' addiction

Kudos to Judge Brian Bruser for trying to inject some common sense into the debate over smoking in public places (Yellowknifer, March 12).

"Smoking is not a form of expression. It's an addiction and a pathetic one at that," ruled Bruser as he rejected arguments of two men who challenged the city's smoking bylaw.

While others grumble among themselves about the injustice of not being able to smoke in a bar, these two men stood up to City Hall.

However, it's one thing to fight for your rights, but comparing an addiction to smoking to a disability is an affront to those who are genuinely disabled.

Another argument posed by the smoking advocates is that it is "cruel and unusual treatment" to force them to smoke outside in the winter.

First of all, no one is forcing smokers to do anything other than not light up a cigarette. It seems unlikely that anyone was tied down and forced to smoke until addicted then released into the cold, cruel world of non-smokers with a new "disability."

Smokers made the choice to light up that first time. And the second time and so on. The addiction is a consequence of those choices.

There's no arguing the fact that it's perfectly legal for an adult to smoke. Lighting up in public is a privilege, however, one that will be reduced when new Workers Compensation Board's regulations ban smoking in the workplace starting May 1.

By the way, in case anyone has forgotten, those who choose not to smoke shouldn't have to breathe the pollutants that drift off the end of a cigarette.

It seems ludicrous that smokers are so militant about their right to continue an activity that, if it doesn't outright kill them, could shorten their lifespan and affect the health and well being of them and their families.

According to a report from the NWT health department, smoking is responsible for 30 per cent of all cancer deaths in the NWT.

As well, 40 per cent of non-smokers in the NWT report being exposed to second-hand smoke almost daily.

City council and the WCB are doing what they believe is the right thing to protect people from the dangers of second-hand smoke.

They should be applauded for their efforts, not vilified by those more concerned with their own rights than the well-being of those around them.


Bring it on

Close your eyes and imagine the sounds of an open-air community market: laughing children, musicians jamming, vendors and buyers haggling.

It's a wonderful cacophony of commerce unlike the hustle and bustle of department stores or malls.

Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce is working with city council to establish a weekly outdoor public market that will bring artisans, bakers, crafts-people and others together in the parking lot of City Hall.

It's not about competing with established businesses. It's about giving creative Yellowknifers who have nowhere else to go a place to sell their wares. It could even create a demand for a new community garden where people can grow produce for sale to others who don't have a green thumb.

More than anything, a public market is a gathering place where people can enjoy sunshine, fresh air and buy a home-baked loaf of bread or knick-knack, enjoy some music, a cup of coffee or an inexpensive lunch.

The chamber and city must be applauded for working to pull it together. Hopefully with a solid foundation, vendors can take over management of the market.

They're the ones who will benefit from the sales and they must be the ones to keep it alive.


A great job all-around

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News


Well, the 2004 Arctic Winter Games (AWG) are now history, but what an event it was.

The 2004 AWG saw a total of 2,025 athletes and coaches from 10 teams compete in 10 sports.

While the athletes are the stars of the AWG -- and rightly so -- the volunteers are, definitely, the unsung heroes.

The logistics of such a gathering are staggering enough.

But consider, if you will, the pairs of hands required to pull such an event off successfully.

From officials to drivers, receptionists, motor pool dispatchers, cooks, cleaners and dish washers -- the list goes on and on and each and every one did an outstanding job.

That's some grub

During the seven days of events at Wood Buffalo, Alta., a staggering amount of food, by Northern standards, was consumed.

Athletes, coaches, officials and mission staff combined to devour 18,000 litres of milk, 23,000 litres of pop and juice, 31,500 eggs, 16,800 kg of meat, 20,000 kg of cereal, 10,000 kg of potatoes and 6,000 kg of vegetables.

And that's not even counting items like Pizza Pops, pasta and the ever-present sauces, dressings and condiments.

The time and effort put in by those people who cooked, prepared, served and cleaned up afterwards demands a well deserved round of applause.

Trophy deserved

I was fortunate enough this year to be selected as a hockey official for the 2004 AWG and it was an experience I will remember for the rest of my life.

Although the demand placed on the hockey refs kept us all pretty busy, I was able to see many familiar faces from Nunavut throughout the week.

And, as the Games progressed, those faces made me increasingly proud to be from Nunavut.

With the exception of, maybe, one hockey game, our athletes displayed an extremely high level of sportsmanship and were an absolute joy to be around.

Nunavut's athletes and coaches were friendly to everyone they met and were the darlings of the region for most of the week.

It really was quite impressive to see a small army of good-will ambassadors improving Nunavut's image everywhere they went.

Being from Rankin Inlet or not, I can look any person in the eye and say in all honesty that the 2004 Hodgson Trophy went to the right recipients.

The Nunavut flag has rarely waved brighter or more proudly than it did over the Wood Buffalo Region this month.

All Nunavummiut should be proud of the example set by our participants.


Seeing the forest through the beer

Editorial Comment
Jason Unrau
Inuvik Drum


The NWT Liquor Licensing Board sent a strong message Tuesday with its ruling to suspend Frosty's licence for an unprecedented three months.

The territories' bars best clean up their acts or harsh action as that rendered against Frosty's will be the order of the day.

But it is good to keep in mind that while Frosty's is no stranger to liquor board hearings, in this instance the establishment was somewhat a victim of circumstance.

Had two men not attacked two other men in Frosty's parking lot, this entire matter would never have come before the board.

The liquor board would argue that had Frosty's denied entrance to these fellows, none of this would have happened. Touche.

But in Frosty's defense, the bartender on duty at the time of the incident acted in a responsible manner (serving them liquor aside).

After the altercation between the men erupted, she ejected one party while allowing the other to stay for a time. This action was intended to prevent what eventually took place.

Unfortunately, the two attackers waited outside and their subsequent actions -- one man was stabbed and another was assaulted -- resulted in criminal charges.

For Frosty's, the fallout was an investigation carried out with the aid of statements taken by the police and the help of a liquor inspector from Hay River sent here to look into the bar's role in the events.

Parties were intoxicated

From statements given by witnesses and the accused, it was determined that all parties involved were heavily intoxicated at the time.

It was noted that Frosty's served those individuals even though they were drunk, and Tuesday, the liquor board penalized the establishment for its negligence.

Though not trying to excuse bar owners or bar staff for failing to uphold the Liquor Act, one would be hard pressed not to find intoxicated customers come closing time in any bar in the country.

But like the police officer who cannot give every speeding motorist a ticket, neither can the liquor board be everywhere at all times.

Which brings us to the role of the customer in all of this hullabaloo.

Bar or liquor store customers who stagger down the streets after imbibing are not charged for public drunkenness.

Rather, the police -- playing the role of coddling parent for these bumbling adults -- take them to a safe place to sober up before releasing them back into the streets. What a wonderful world.

And those who don't get picked up by the RCMP often end up starting trouble, the gang who got Frosty's shut down for three months did. Not to mention the fact the courts are clogged because of what, for all intents and purposes, is out of control drinking.

At the end of the day, it comes down to drinking responsibly and the results when people do the complete opposite.

Closing Frosty's for three months may make a point, but it is not going to solve the problem of alcohol abuse in this or any community.


No easy task

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum


Sitting in on the foster parents workshop this past weekend was a reminder of how much of a sacrifice these giving people make.

Can you imagine receiving a call from a desperate-sounding social worker looking for somewhere to place a child as that very youngster is screaming and crying in the background?

That's not the way it always plays out -- social workers don't normally sound stressed out, but they are human, of course.

By saying yes, foster parents are often unsure whether the child's stay will be hours, days, weeks or months. In some cases, the placement lasts for many years. Yet it was made clear at the workshop that opening your door to a foster child is a decision that should only be made when conditions are favourable in your own home and lifestyle.

After all, the child is in need of stability and support above all else.

Pat Strus, a board member with the NWT Foster Families Coalition, said she considers foster parents to be the salt of the earth.

It's hard to argue with that.

As the snow flies

Watching snowmobile racers whip around the course at break-neck speeds is definitely gripping entertainment.

It is part of the offerings at the Beavertail Jamboree every year.

Virtually all of the winners in the high-powered classes are from outside of Fort Simpson. There are local people who quietly express their dismay that racing enthusiasts from Yellowknife, Hay River and elsewhere are coming to town and gobbling up the majority of the prize money.

Deh Cho residents are generally at a huge competitive disadvantage. A number of the racers from Yellowknife and Hay River have spent years travelling from one event to another. Their experience is hard to match. Some also have corporate sponsors, allowing them to spend big bucks fine tuning their sleds.

The other side of the coin, as race organizer Troy Bradbury pointed out, is that these racers come into Fort Simpson and not only win cash, they spend money.

Sometimes plenty of it.

They occupy motel rooms, purchase meals, gasoline and other commodities.

There's definitely a trade-off.

It's not to say that Fort Simpson competitors don't stand a chance whatsoever.

Seven Fort Simpson racers finished in the top three -- two of them did it twice.

That's a total of nine prize-winning placements out of a total of 53. Is that too few?

Well, there was a sportsman category this year, designed specifically for entry-level racers. Bradbury said he promoted it locally in hopes of attracting Fort Simpson racers specifically, but none entered.

It's time to drop the checkered flag on this debate.


Corrections

It was reported in the Yellowknifer article "WCB reduces employer subsidies" on March 17 that the average unsubsidised contribution rate for employers to the Workers Compensation Board was $1.91 per $100 of payroll. This is incorrect.

$1.91 is the average subsidised rate for 2004. The average subsidised rate in 2003 was $1.60.