They found a creative two-step solution -- and a little-used motion -- to reopen discussions and effectively kill the increase.
Step two still needs to be accomplished, but Woytuik plans to do so in three weeks when he'll push to have the city's $684,000 GST rebate dumped into the capital infrastructure fund so it can be used to cover the $198,000 deficit.
The solid waste fund is still running an annual deficit of about $63,000, a matter which still needs to be addressed before Yellowknifers begin to cheer too loudly.
If the fund is allowed to continue on its current course, eventually costs will need to be cut or the waste management premium paid by residents will go up.
Hopefully this latest burst of creativity will help lead council to accomplish another fiscal miracle and avoid any increase.
Since Yellowknife bars went smoke free last fall, owners have complained the law is crippling their livelihood.
In fact, one Yellowknife lounge owner pegged his losses from the first four plus months of the ban at about $100,000.
Considering numbers like that, it's no wonder the owners of the Mad Trapper pub in Inuvik were willing to invest $12,000 building the NWT's first Workers' Compensation Board-approved smoking room.
This is a great solution to an issue that has divided residents of the territories.
Smokers get some relief from the elements, workers are protected from the harmful side effects of secondhand smoke and hospitality businesses can bring that lost smoker-related revenue back into the fray.
It's unfortunate the Mackenzie Hotel Group had to prepare four drafts of the plans for such a simple structure -- perhaps the WCB will simplify the process for those establishments planning to opt for the same solution.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
The Oxford Canadian Dictionary defines apathy as "lack of interest or feeling; indifference."
What it doesn't say -- but something we're quite comfortable in adding -- is that rarely, if ever, does anything good evolve from apathy.
We give Liberal MP Nancy Karetak-Lindell full marks for her third straight win in the recent federal election.
However, we are growing increasingly alarmed at the continuing downward spiral of the number of Nunavummiut who bother to exercise their civic right.
The number of Nunavut voters who cast their ballots on election day was a staggering 17 per cent lower than the national average.
The national turnout hovered around 60 per cent, while, here in Nunavut, only 43 per cent of the territory's 16,900 eligible voters took the time to have their say.
Yeah, sure, the weather's starting to get a little nicer and people want to go to their cabins or do some fishing.
But, when you step back and look at it objectively, ranking the urge to land a few fish (which, we will hazard a guess, would still have been there later in the day) ahead of having a say in who will be your voice in the nation's capital is downright laughable.
People in parts of the world where freedom and democracy are only words, must shake their collective heads at the indifference shown in our little universe.
It is quite alarming that the number of Nunavut voters has slipped well below the 50 per cent mark in just about every level of politics.
From who sits on our hamlet councils, through Iqaluit, and on to Ottawa, less than half our eligible voters are bothering to take an interest in what is happening in Nunavut -- and those numbers are continuing to drop.
So what must we do to encourage voter participation?
The answer is quite simple: give away hot dogs and plenty of cash prizes at the polling stations.
A bingo game and the sale of Nevada tickets in an adjoining room also wouldn't hurt.
It's bewildering to see more people show up to slide a curling rock across the pavement than to exercise their democratic right.
It's easy, on one day a year, to show up waving your little flag, stuff yourself with free pop and hot dogs, have your face painted and tell everyone within earshot how proud you are to be Canadian.
The problem is, proud Canadians take the time to exercise the right so many died to bestow upon them.
In Nunavut, almost 60 per cent of our eligible voters take it all for granted -- the dark side of the term, silent majority!
Editorial Comment
Jason Unrau
Inuvik Drum
As the bureaucratic wheels have been set in motion for constructing an Alaska Highway gas pipeline, the players involved in the territory's pipeline project better find a way to get on the same page or risk losing out.
The same person who forgot to tell Deh Cho Grand Chief Herb Norwegian that pipelines can bend -- avoiding the Deh Cho Settlement Areas altogether -- better inform him of the stakes at risk if this "alternate route" beats the NWT to the punch.
Although building the Alaska Highway pipeline would be much costlier than the Mackenzie Valley option, the volume of gas in the North Slope -- estimated at five times more than the Delta's -- and the demand for cheaper fuel in southern markets could bode well for the Alaskan route's chances.
If the Alaska Highway plans were to go ahead before the Mackenzie pipeline, the Delta region down to Norman Wells would still benefit some, as NWT gas could be routed to connect with an Alaska Highway pipe. However, such a situation would push back any NWT pipeline plans -- and subsequent benefits -- as manpower and materials would be employed on the competing front.
In addition, several experts have noted that requisite pipeline steel, not to mention skilled labour, is not abundant enough to construct both pipelines simultaneously.
Green party sinks NDP in Western Arctic?
There were a lot of disappointed NDP supporters in the Western Arctic riding Tuesday morning as NDP candidate Dennis Bevington missed toppling incumbent Liberal candidate Ethel Blondin-Andrew by a mere 52 votes.
Blondin-Andrew must be secretly thanking her lucky stars that the Green Party chose to run a candidate in her stronghold, as several NDP backers in town cursed the same party Tuesday for the same reason.
Though it's true that the Green Party's existence makes for a more fruitful democracy, a cursory glance at the party's platform may make the average voter wonder what really separates it from the NDP.
While some may feel good about throwing their vote away or making a statement by casting it for the NDP's younger sibling, feeling good about oneself and making statements is not going to change things in this country if your party doesn't have a hope of winning a seat.
As Blondin-Andrew gets packed for Ottawa and Bevington sits licking his wounds in Fort Smith, the irony is that forces once considered allied with the NDP contributed to its downfall in the Western Arctic this time around.
To the Green Party's credit, it captured enough of the popular vote to qualify for federal funding that will undoubtably be put towards enhancing the profile of the party, thereby making the NDP's chances of ever winning the Western Arctic seat slim to none.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
There is seemingly no end to the line of Housing Corporation clients with complaints.
Although it won't alleviate problems dating back over a number of years, current clients should make a point of getting all future promises in writing. There are far too many people claiming that they were told one thing, but later told something else entirely different.
If it's on paper, and the client is provided a copy, then it won't be simply one person's word versus another.
There are a few things that all housing clients should know, if they don't already. According to Larry Campbell, the Housing Corporation's manager for the Nahendeh region, the Housing Corporation relies on mortgage payments to help cover the cost of making repairs.
When people in a community fail to make payments, then the pool of money designated to fix houses quickly dries up.
That means everybody is left in a bind.
As well, Housing Corporation tenants are charged mortgage payments based on income. If they earn more, they pay more. If they make less, they pay less. To avoid slipping into arrears, clients must inform the Housing Corporation of changes in income level in a timely fashion.
Each community should have a Housing Corporation binder in the band office. Clients can use that binder to register complaints or request an appointment with Housing Corporation officials or technical staff.
Finally, self-government may soon bring the opportunity for First Nations to assume control of housing. It will be interesting to see what changes that will bring.
What an evening
There was no holiday commemorated or anniversary marked at last week's cookout at the long-term care facility. No, the get-together was held for the sake of getting together, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Elders, toddlers and everyone in between enjoyed the splendour of the outdoors, the tasty dinner and the delightful conversation. It was an idyllic setting.
The best part is that such a great social occasion can take place at any time, so long as there is a will to do it.
What a trip
Judging by the photos, the impressive list of stops and the enthusiastic recollections, Grade 6 students at Bompas elementary school had a splendid time on their class trip to Alberta. It was 12 days of good times that they and their parents earned through fund-raising activities.
They reaped the benefits for showing the initiative, and the community supported them in a journey they will surely remember for many years to come.