Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins, in the assembly last week, called for a sexual offender registry. A registry, he said, would alert police to a known sexual offender in the neighbourhood, hopefully before, but certainly after, any offence had been committed.
Justice Minister Charles Dent wasn't sure how a registry would work or could work. He promised to "look" into it.
In today's Yellowknifer, a letter to the editor from a Justice Canada lawyer notes a bill presently passing through parliament -- Bill C-16 -- which will set up a national sex offender registry. The lawyer expects the bill to pass before the next election.
Dent seemed unaware of Bill C-16. We hope he moves swiftly to inform himself and his officials of what's coming up and what it means to the parents of Yellowknife. We also hope MPs in Ottawa, including Ethel Blondin-Andrew, take a few moments out from sweating over a possible election to ensure the bill is passed and the system tightened.
It was a loose judicial system that led to a young sex offender being out on the streets of Yellowknife in the fall of 2002. By the mere fact the boy was picked up drunk in public and then released without further action, to offend again, shows there is a problem.
When Judge Michel Bourassa sentenced the young offender in 2001 for three violent sexual attacks, he knew the danger of the boy re-offending. But it was left up to the territorial government's corrections division to deal with the boy upon release.
A clinician at a sex offender treatment facility in Calgary warned corrections officials that the boy did not respond to therapy and was a danger if left alone with young girls.
That warning was neither acted upon with close supervision nor passed on to police. Had they been informed upon the boy's release, police might have believed the story of the first little girl attacked. Police might have then issued a public warning and might have saved a second little girl from harm.
The courts, corrections and police were all doing their own thing as opposed to what they should have been doing: protecting the public and treating a troubled teen, in that order.
The parents of one of the little girls are understandably cynical. They doubt the system's ability to deal with the young offender when he is released as a young adult in five years. We share their concern.
A sex registry will help, but what good will it do if the courts, corrections and police fail to communicate?
The answer is, sadly, another little girl dragged off and sexually assaulted in the trees.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
Both Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) and the Government of Nunavut (GN) may want to open their eyes to the request brought forward by Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Katimajiit (the Traditional Knowledge Council).
The council has a mandate to incorporate Inuit culture and values into the government.
The 11 members want to change the council's name because they feel it's misleading and outdated.
Basically, they're saying the past does lend itself easily to today's modern era.
And, by not saying anything at all, the vast majority of Nunavut's voters are saying exactly the same thing.
NTI acted even more surprised at the embarrassingly low turnout for its presidential race than the GN did for the territorial election.
And December's municipal elections in the Kivalliq produced some of the lowest voter-turnout numbers ever seen in what is regarded as a highly political region.
A change in direction
So, why is the number of voters continuing its downward spiral beneath the 40 per cent mark?
Well, the answer is not one NTI or some members of the GN want to hear.
The voting public has lost confidence in the direction Nunavut is being steered, which, all too often, is towards the past rather than embracing the present and planning for the future.
We are starting to hear a rising voice among Inuit parents who want to see their children better educated.
More and more parents are sending the message to our capital that they will pass on their proud culture, traditions and language to their children.
They want our education system to provide the learning tools necessary for our next generation of students to move forward.
Hope not handouts
NTI thought lowering its voting age to 16 would equate to teenagers turning out to cast their ballots simply because they could.
In short, NTI underestimated the youth in much the same way as those who would lower academic standards in this territory do.
The majority of Nunavummiut don't want a free ride. They want opportunity -- opportunity for better education, proper trades training, gainful employment and a brighter tomorrow than they have today.
Those among us who want none of these things, don't bother to vote anyway.
That's the cold truth of the matter, whether you like it or not.
But the majority who do are becoming frustrated and frustration is almost always followed by despair.
Nunavummiut need to see an honest attempt by our leaders to start moving our territory forward -- and they need to see it now.
The silence is deafening!
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.
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.