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Friday, April 29, 2005
Restaurants are targets

The report in News/North on Monday - Liquor law puzzles Yk eateries - shows why NWT liquor laws need to be updated and soon.

The liquor licensing board changed a rule that kept anyone under 16 from entering a licensed restaurant without a parent. Now, the under-16 crowd is allowed into these establishments in the company of an adult, not necessarily a parent.

Seems reasonable enough, until we learned none of the owners of the licensed establishments had heard of any law stopping kids from coming in without an adult or parent. These are popular spots like Ryan's, Boston Pizza or Yellowknife Pizza.

The owners can be forgiven because liquor inspectors haven't enforced the rule. These are longstanding establishments that have built up their business partly on the teen market.

Both the deputy finance minister responsible for enforcement, Margaret Melhorn, and liquor board chairman Don Kindt appear unsympathetic, warning businesses they will have to comply with the law.

We hope this hard line is for public consumption and does not translate into local restaurants being inspected for a group of kids having a plate of fries or pizza.

The finance department is to present a revised Liquor Act "sometime" in the fall. This timetable must be taken seriously. Until then, these restaurants are targets for anyone who wishes to make a complaint about something that is not really a problem.


You are what you eat

The Catholic School Board junk food ban from vending machines is a good thing.

We're all in favour of removing sugar bombs like chocolate bars and soda pop from the eager clutches of growing students. Let them go to the corner store. But we hope the food police won't go too far. We also agree with Ellie Sasseville that hotdog days should remain. While some - including Breakfast for Learning supporters Food First Foundation NWT - grow pale at the thought of hotdogs as a nutritional food, we believe a tube steak now and again won't kill anyone.

It's fun food. It's student "soul food." A stripe of ketchup, maybe some mustard, and you have a hot and tasty bit of all right. And hotdogs are cheap, a consideration when looking at the school demographic that may not have loonies and toonies to pay for vending machine products, healthy or otherwise.

Some may sniff at the "meat" content, but the occasional hotdog eaten with "relish" is still putting something in a child's stomach that isn't going to rot their teeth.


Get ready for summer election

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News


Those of you who remember the original Gong Show TV series probably enjoyed the airing of the show's lost episode this past Thursday evening, MC'd by Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin and co-starring the leaders of Canada's other three political parties.

However, those of you trying to rekindle your faith in Canada's current political climate were, no doubt, gravely disappointed.

Martin was the first Canadian prime minister to address the nation on live TV since Jean Chretien's call for national sovereignty in 1995.

The funny part about this particular address, was that Martin and the three leaders were speaking more to each other than the general public.

And, basically, here's what they had to say.

Martin begged Jack Layton (NDP), Steven Harper (Conservatives) and Gilles Duceppe (Bloc Quebecois) to leave his government in power until the release of the (Justice John) Gomery Commission's report on the sponsorship scandal.

In exchange for that, he promised to call a general election within 30 days of the commission's findings and recommendations being tabled.

That would take us to the polls in January or February of 2006.

Harper, basically, told the prime minister his party has had enough and, if they like the vibes they hear on the road this week, they're going to call for a June election.

Layton's message was not so fast, there Steven.

The NDP leader let the Liberals know if they meet them halfway on a few things - among them removing corporate tax cuts from the upcoming federal budget - they could still get the NDP's support in an election call.

Duceppe, on the other hand, simply told Martin that no federalist can be trusted and he wants to be the first premier of the sovereign state of Quebec (no surprise there).

Although the Bloc leader was kind enough to say he does respect Canadians and their institutions (did we miss something in the Canadian province of Quebec?).

So, what does it all mean?

Well, call it a gamble, but we say it means a federal election will be called during the next month.

Harper is a former founding member of the Reform Party and leader of the Alliance Party who embodies the western motif of kick 'em while they're down, and the Liberals can't sink any lower than they are right now.

The Conservative Party of Canada may never have a better opportunity to end the Liberal reign and Harper knows it.

For Duceppe, an early election is a chance to use a lifeless Liberal carcass to trumpet the cause of separatism while, at the same time, standing a very real chance of becoming the next leader of Canada's Opposition party.

Good thing he respects our institutions, eh?

What this means to the North is that we're all going to miss a day of fishing this year, and, not much is going to come our way while the Liberal Party is busy fighting for its political life in the rest of Canada.

But, for regular readers of Kivalliq News, don't say we didn't already warn you


Youth have lesson for all

Editorial Comment
Chris Hunsley
Inuvik Drum


Tomorrow I turn 28 for the third time and it's a milestone that has definitely prompted some personal reflection.

Funny recollections of juvenile naivete are rolling around in my noggin with a few regretful wishes.

Things like why couldn't I have known that then or imagine what things would be like now if only...

All of which can be called either a waste of time or a good way to find yourself depressed, but in the end it helped highlight the promise and goodness all around me.

Personally, I'd have liked to learn a more few lessons earlier in life, such as work for what you want and don't forget, you can do anything you put your mind to.

But it's from this reflection that my usually cynical self was touched and inspired by the story of Inuvik's Youth Centre kids.

In a town where youngsters have often had a pretty bad rap, to hear they took the initiative, en masse, to go out and work for what they want is a lesson to us all.

Not only did they take the initiative, they grabbed it and ran in a way that's got the centre's co-ordinator dreaming up new ways to put the junior fundraisers into action more often.

"It was like a lightbulb went on in their heads," said Christina Chalupa of the fish tank collection.

She informed the group that the centre would struggle through the year due to funding cuts and couldn't afford to buy the aquarium and supplies they had hoped for.

She never dreamed they would return three days later with close to $500 gathered in loonies, toonies and other small denominations.

Each coin and bill came from a neighbour who's door they knocked on or from a stranger stopped on the street and asked for a pledge.

All with the please and thank you's that go along with being respectful and gracious.

"It's almost like they accepted it as a challenge," said Chalupa.

"And they succeeded."

The struggling organization, which recently changed its image from that of a drop-in centre for a few at-risk youth to a comfortable environment where more than 60 local youngsters do their homework and play games nightly, now has a team of eager workers ready for their next task.

"Now we're looking at helping with the spring cleanup and having a carwash," said Chalupa.

Spending Sundays at the airport helping elders with their luggage is another idea that's been thrown on the table.

"Right now they're just happy raising money, but it's important for us to move slowly," said Chalupa.

"This is a big step for them, but to tell the truth, I couldn't have asked for more."

Only three months ago, Chalupa feared the centre would have to close its doors.

The tough times are not over by any stretch of the imagination, but with enthusiasm, respect and the willingness to pitch in and help out being shown by the users, the centre's future is definitely looking brighter.

Youth Centre T-shirts are being ordered so watch for them.

If you're asked for your spare change, try to dig deep.

It's not only about providing local kids with much needed supplies and tools, it's about the process of getting there, which is the best lesson of all.


Skeleton crews

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum


What happens when a fire occurs and there aren't enough trained volunteer firefighters to respond?

That scenario unfolded in Wrigley earlier this month.

Wrigley, a community of approximately 140 people, currently has one tried and true volunteer on the fire brigade.

Others apparently show up for training intermittently.

The low number has been an issue for years. Unfortunately that same situation exists in several Deh Cho communities at any given time.

Efforts to recruit more individuals have largely been futile. Is it time to pay residents to sign up for fire service? In Wrigley it seemed to have attracted some regular helping hands in the past.

Having more volunteers doesn't guarantee that every home can be saved - that was proven in Fort Simpson on April 22 when a call came in too late for firefighters to salvage a residence. Conversely, having too few volunteers almost guarantees a tragedy.

Firefighting is dangerous work. A stark reminder came last month when two members of Yellowknife's department perished while battling a blaze.

Two unequipped people who tried to help out with the Wrigley blaze suffered smoke inhalation.

Wrigley fire chief Wally Antoine said he's very thankful for the attempts to help with the fire. He certainly couldn't have battled the blaze successfully all by himself.

Yet the truth remains that some of the "helpers" were counterproductive, smashing windows and getting in the way. There's a reason that firefighters hold regular meetings: proper training is absolutely crucial.

It's a risky business, for sure. But life is even riskier without a trained and reliable fire corps.

Our new reporter

Hilda Day, an office administration student at Aurora College in Fort Simpson, is spending her practicum with the Deh Cho Drum. She has written a couple of stories for this edition and her work will be featured over the next few weeks. Welcome aboard, Hilda.

Your name please

There are some interesting letters that arrive in the Deh Cho Drum's mailbox. Some have names attached, others do not. Those that don't never see the light of day in the newspaper. The policy is firm: all letters must be signed (preferably with a contact number) before they are published.

Feel free to express your opinions, just let us know who you are if you want everyone else to read them as well.