Friday, November 05, 2004
The feds made money off the mine through royalties during the mine's 56 years of production. The federal government also set the regulations for the operation, so it's up to the federal government to pay the clean-up bill.
Meanwhile, GNWT should be insisting on residential standards, not industrial ones, because it is in Yellowknife City boundaries.
Some of this is prime waterfront land and the territorial government can't leave the last stage of clean up to either the Yellowknives Dene, who have the option to claim that land, or to Yellowknifers looking to buy that land.
Land that can be brought up to residential standards should be.
The territorial government failed to do that with Con Mine and the City let that happen without protest.
The Con experience should not happen at Giant.
Without the Jackfish power plant, Yellowknifers could be cooking over backyard fires, lighting their homes by kerosene lamp or coping with rolling electricity brownouts.
NWT Power Corp. (NTPC) revealed last week that Jackfish contributed about 20 per cent of the city's electricity need this year. The plant continues to be in demand because of low water at the dams that provide the lion's share of our power.
Despite that need, NTPC thought it was a great idea to cut back on staff and not have anyone at the plant at night. We have some suggestions on how the power company can generate power, raise revenue and eliminate the need for Jackfish altogether:
- Invest in a big workout club: hook the treadmills and stationary bikes to power generators and charge people membership fees: money and power at the same time.
- Sell everyone wool slippers or socks and make sure we rub our feet when we walk over the living room carpet. That way we can touch an outlet and send some static electricity into the city's grid.
- Have NTPC's accountants wear wool gloves when they rub their hands together as they watch the power bill payments come in. More static electricity!
- Put a big windmill inside the Legislative Assembly. Hot air and power at the same time: it's called co-generation.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
The recent arson attempt at Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay is further proof our youth just aren't getting the message when it comes to the consequences of their actions.
We here at Kivalliq News have to admit we don't understand the logic behind these senseless acts any more than the next person.
Not only do the schools represent hope for a better life in the future for a large number of our young people, they are also the lifeblood of many, many communities.
School gymnasiums are the focal point of sporting events and community gatherings in many hamlets.
As well, most Nunavut schools go above and beyond the call of duty in trying to make space available for a wide variety of activities, both for their student bodies and the community at large.
A number of schools also house offices for people from the medical and dental professions, family and career counsellors, sporting teams and/or organizations and, in some cases, community radio.
Still, the wilful damage persists.
While we, as adults, realize the tremendous financial strain these vindictive acts place upon our territorial government, that particular line of reasoning falls upon deaf ears when it comes to the youth causing the damage.
And, while we respect the efforts of our volunteer firefighters in going into our schools and interacting with the students, maybe it's time for a harsher approach.
Instead of explaining how hoses and breathing apparatus' work, a more graphic approach might help produce the desired effect.
Videos and other visual aids that show what happens to people who don't escape the flames may make some of these kids pause to reflect upon their actions.
Yes, such images can be quite disturbing, especially among our more sensitive youth.
That being said, arson is a dangerous business that often produces tragic results.
As long as youth keep lighting fires at Nunavut schools, they're playing a game of arson roulette that, sooner or later, is going to produce deadly results.
One of these nights, a firefighter, ambulance attendant, police officer or an innocent person simply in the wrong place at the wrong time is going to pay dearly for the striking of a match by a wayward youth.
It's time for our youth to turn on their receivers and get the message that this type of behaviour has to stop.
If the only road to that conclusion must wind from the pits of their stomachs to the back of their minds and result in the loss of a few lunches, so be it.
The bottom line is we must do whatever it takes to get the message across.
Editorial Comment
Jason Unrau
Inuvik Drum
The NWT Business Development Fund paid out more than $1 million last year, filling 137 requests for financial assistance for various endeavours.
In Canada, the tradition of government grants and funding to private citizens and organizations is as long as the grant sources are numerous.
To the seasoned grant proposal writer, the ability to live entirely from grant money is an achievable feat, not just an idealistic fantasy.
That said, with the territorial government in financial difficulty, one might wonder why the requests for business development funding are not more closely scrutinized. Savvy grant proposal writers need to be matched by equally skilled grant distributors.
In some instances, money was given to companies closing shop. An accountant I'm not, but when a company closes down, isn't giving that company free "development" money to aid in that process a sort of oxymoron? Nothing developing here except an empty storefront.
While the criteria for receiving money includes bailing a business out of financial difficulty, a business development fund should not be paying for poor business decisions.
Funding of artistic projects was also another category that the business development fund was big on throwing money at. A carving studio here, a record production there. Perhaps it should be noted that while supporting the territories' artistic community is vital, until the carvings and CDs start selling, such ventures are not businesses. Not to mention that there are already several other avenues for such funding to be had.
Serious limitations on the procurement of business development funding must be implemented. A person putting together a business plan should not be a reason to dole out $5,000.
Last time I checked, a prospective entrepreneur puts his or her own time and resources into formulating a business plan, then heads to the bank to find financing. And when one's plan reaches the stage of hitting a bank up for money, then would be the opportune time for a $5,000 or a $10,000 cheque to come rolling in.
Feasibility studies should fall into this questionable "business plan" category, as well.
Checking up on grant recipients' progress should also be built into a new policy for the business development fund. If a person or organization did not come through with what they requested the funding for, all or a portion of that funding should be paid back.
It is amazing how up-in-arms everybody got when an MLA made a questionable housing allowance claim to the tune of $10,000, but nobody seems to mind when the government throws $13,000 at a business that wants to hire an accountant to conduct a financial review. Anywhere else in the country that "accounting review" cost would be swallowed by the company hiring the accountant.
But until any changes are made, the only course of action would be to get your pencils sharpened for the next season of business development funding fun. I've got a great idea for selling snow to tourists that might be worth a few thousand bucks.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
Money issues could become the Dehcho First Nations' (DFN) Achilles' heel.
There would appear to be a sizeable windfall on the horizon with self-government agreements and resource development (presumably in a controlled fashion). How all that coin will be divided is anybody's guess.
Anyway, that remains a ways into the future. In the meantime, a formula has been agreed upon to disburse funds through the newly-created Aboriginal Skills and Employment Program (ASEP). It's a relatively small pot of money -- $413,698 for the region this year, to be exact -- designated for oil and gas training programs.
It would take too much space to explain the complicated formula here, but suffice it to say that there was some grumbling at last week's leadership meeting in Fort Simpson about who's getting what. Now, to be fair, not everyone was up in arms. It was primarily Liidlii Kue First Nation Chief Keyna Norwegian who was upset. She expressed dismay at the $44,256 allotted to her band. That's not nearly enough, she said. Then, Norwegian opened an old wound by stating that the smaller Deh Cho communities seem to benefit most from the formula, if only for the simple reason that they are smaller.
West Point Chief Karen Felker responded that formulas should hinge on community needs, rather than on a per capita basis.
It didn't turn into a prolonged debate as it has in the past, but leaders from the smaller communities have made it clear that they often feel short-changed when the bucks are being doled out.
Behind the scenes, some people have also expressed concern about the one-quarter ASEP share that will remain with the DFN office to cover administrative and program start-up expenses. Again, to be fair, few of the leaders at the table had any problem with the regional office's portion. Yet some folks apparently view the Deh Cho office as gradually becoming a bloated bureaucracy, reflecting most other governments. Alternatively, one could look at it as the creation of jobs one way or the other. Keyna Norwegian remains adamant that her band is not getting what it's due. She wanted budgeting and fund allocation procedures to be revamped, but received no support from her fellow chiefs at last week's leadership meeting.
When a dispute occurred over inclusion in the pipeline working group, Norwegian said things are too contentious and should be dealt with behind closed doors. She said the Deh Cho should continue to project an image of solidarity, especially to industry. There are indeed some rifts, as may be expected among 13 member organizations.
Fort Providence Metis delegate Richard Lafferty's response to Norwegian should be duly noted. He said contentious discussions are unfortunate, "but it only helps us grow." As for holding closed meetings, he argued that the Dehcho Process is a public process, and it proves that leaders can work through issues even while under fire.
In a photo caption in the Oct. 27 edition of Yellowknifer, Bonny Madsen, a board member with the Run for the Cure, received a cheque for $750 from J.H. Sisson's school to go towards cancer research. Yellowknifer regrets any confusion the error may have caused.
The wrong photo appeared in place of David Moses' picture on page 3 of last week's Deh Cho Drum. We apologize for the error and any embarrassment it may have caused.