Wednesday, June 1, 2005
Driven by industrial development, greenhouse gas emissions shot up 60 per cent between 1996-2001.
Mining and oil and gas industries accounted for 24 per cent of the total emissions. Diesel trucks contributed 19 per cent.
This should not surprise anyone, as development brings increased pollution. That doesn't mean we should shrug and do nothing.
There are ways to make a difference.
Efforts are under way to develop new hydro-electric facilities that could power compressor stations along the proposed natural gas pipeline and bring clean power to De Beers' mine.
Yellowknife schools use the sun's energy to reduce electricity costs. The new federal building is trying to be as green as it can, using solar panels, recycled materials, large windows and energy-efficient materials to reduce its impact on the environment.
We can park our four-wheel drive dinosaurs in favour of smaller, fuel efficient vehicles.
The alternatives aren't cheap, but they pay off over time in lower diesel costs and a cleaner environment.
It took a few days for some members of city council to get it, but they finally did the right thing Monday and took back a motion to proclaim June 9 as Heterosexual Day.
Coun. Allan Woytuik, whose brainwave it was, and Mayor Gord Van Tighem, who didn't see it for the public relations tsunami it became, can be commended for pulling back from the blunder, but nothing else.
After hearing the justifications for a special day for heterosexuals, timed to fall on the day before gays and lesbians celebrate their hard-won nod of respect from official Yellowknife, we can only wish that everyone present had given the matter more thought.
Mayor and council act on behalf of all citizens. Their actions reflect on the city and resonate across the country, especially on issues of human rights, discrimination and the casual bigotry represented by the proclamation.
Council has given the mayor's office the power to approve applications for proclamations.
The reasons aren't clear. Perhaps the business of declaring a special day was considered not worthy of debate and deliberation. Clearly, that's not the case.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
We fully support the stance being taken by Rankin Inlet hamlet councillors surrounding the former fishing derby committee.
The matter should be turned over to the RCMP if money can't be accounted for, but council can't stop there.
It's all well and good to request an investigation, but the matter has to be followed up until it's resolved.
It's no big secret most RCMP detachments in Nunavut are understaffed and, as a result, the members overworked.
As a result, some issues are pushed toward the top of the priority ladder, while others slide downward.
Taking the councillors at their word that they never heard anything from the RCMP, one way or the other, on the last file they turned over under similar circumstances - if they have to go down that road again, they must stress the importance of this situation to the police.
Coun. David Ningeongan was bang on when he said residents have to be confident in the fact all monies raised through bingo go toward the betterment of the community, as a whole.
We all know the dark underside to using bingo as a fundraiser in our communities.
The logic we use to convince ourselves that the positives outweigh the negatives depends on the proper use of the money.
If we allow ourselves to believe 10, or even 20, per cent of the money is being misused, the balance of the equation tips decidedly toward the negative.
It doesn't matter if you're talking about wildlife, the environment, the economy or our social structure - balance is a delicate issue in the North.
Once that balance is lost, it can be quite difficult to restore.
Although the games get more frequent, and the cash prizes reach a point that is unhealthy for some members of our community, the majority of us support bingo because of the programs that continue to exist from the revenues.
The hamlet's own recreation department would be in a sorry state if bereft of bingo revenues, not to mention search and rescue, community radio, youth groups, sport teams, etc.
The same is true for every community in Nunavut.
Committee members who abuse funds put our balance in peril.
And, human nature being what it is, some people will continue to abuse their position unless there are serious repercussions to their actions.
The police have to see far more than the few thousand dollars, in question, which, rightly or wrongly, is easily dropped to the bottom of the priority ladder when members are all ready overworked.
They have to see the potential for damage this type of activity really has.
Like it or not, we could paint you a picture of what life in any Kivalliq community would be like without bingo - the loss of programs, vindictive youth, angry adults, the explosion of back-room games, etc.
If we lose the integrity surrounding bingo we eventually lose the game itself, and that's when trouble begins.
And that's the picture we need police to see should another file come their way.
Editorial Comment
Jason Unrau
Inuvik Drum
Thinking back on our younger years, most of us have a tale or two of taking part in acts of youthful exuberance or dangerous stunts.
Thankfully, for most of us these stunts never amounted to more than a heart-in-throat adrenaline rush and an anecdote to be told years later over beers, ending with something along the lines of, "Boy, weren't we lucky that time?"
Sadly, luck ran out for the young man who perished in the Mackenzie River after the snowmobile he was 'skipping' sank, taking him down with it.
Even while a police officer conducting the investigation at the scene was commenting that he hoped the kids had learned a valuable lesson, other snowmobilers were already out there, 'skipping' sleds not too far from where rescue workers were searching for the victim.
This was in spite of being told by officials that they were in the midst of a search for an individual who went under the ice doing the exact same thing.
Apparently 'skipping' is a part of snowmobiling culture and even with a death fresh in their minds, those who enjoy the activity are not going to be deterred.
Until somebody comes up with a floating snowmobile, springtime riders are going to have to exercise better judgement and learn not to take these unnecessary risks.
Because the real tragedy is, this death was entirely preventable, which makes it all the more unfortunate.
As the snow has melted, revealing spring's little gifts of garbage all over town, this week would be a great time for organizations looking for extra cash to roll up their sleeves and help beautify Inuvik.
The Town of Inuvik is offering $400 to any group or organization willing to clean up a particular zone of the town.
It could be a great fundraiser for your group.
What would really be awe-inspiring is a year in which the town doesn't have to make that offer because during the winter everybody was able to locate a trash can for their tin cans or candy wrappers instead of using the nearest street or yard.
Just a thought.
And while we're on the topic of the environment, perhaps those dedicated Sierra Club spokespeople could come on up and collect a few bags. At least it would be more productive than having them drone on about how the the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline is a bad idea because it will provide fuel for mining the tar sands in Alberta.
That's pretty much the equivalent of telling the fast food industry not to sell hamburgers to fat people.
Warm weather has hit the Delta and that means lots of kids on bicycles and skateboards. So please use extra care when driving in town.
And speaking of youth, tonight (May 26) is the annual Sir Alexander Mackenzie school Spring Concert so if you are looking for some entertainment, it will be worth checking out.
See you there!
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
How much weight, if any, should be put into results from Alberta Achievement Tests?
That is the source of an ongoing debate in the Deh Cho. The government imposed the tests across the territory this year. Previously, the Dehcho Education Council opted not to use the exams.
Obviously some things in life are easier to quantify than others. Gauging how much an individual has learned can be done in a variety of ways, but none of them is perfect.
As Nolan Swartzentruber, the Deh Cho superintendent of education, pointed out, a standardized test isn't going to accurately reflect all the benefits of the cultural camp held in Trout Lake earlier this month or the Literacy Fair in Jean Marie River (both of the aforementioned events, by the way, are featured in the pages of this newspaper).
Those types of events have merit and most definitely have their place in the Deh Cho.
Nevertheless, we live in a society that seeks clear indicators of progress. Take the economy for example.
There is no single index that shows us how the economy is performing.
We rely on unemployment statistics, inflation figures or the gross domestic product. Other bellwethers are the stock market, consumer spending and consumer confidence.
We're always trying to calculate whether things are improving or worsening.
For those of us who are trying to lose weight, we climb on the scale to check the numbers. That, over the course of weeks and months, is hard evidence of whether a diet is working or not.
Others see value in the body mass index (BMI), a formula that calculates the ideal weight using height and age as factors.
On the other hand, some people trying to shed pounds simply go by the feel of their clothes. If their pants are roomy, then that's reason for celebration. Those people can't give you any firm numbers, they can't say exactly how many pounds they lost. But they do know they feel better.
Measuring levels of learning is sort of similar.
Standardized tests are just one means of ascertaining what a student knows, providing firm data as opposed anecdotal. If five of eight NWT regions had been using the test voluntarily, then they must have some value.
Although Swartzentruber's other point - that the sample size in the Deh Cho region is statistically insignificant - also carries some weight, some parents still want to see some hard numbers and indicators of where things are going in this region.
The standardized tests are not the "be all and end all" when it comes to measuring educational progress. But they won't be useless either.
A letter writer did not mean to indicate Yellowknife city council voted to create Heterosexual Day: the proclamation went into effect without a vote. A revised letter was not published as requested.
Yellowknifer apologizes for the error.
Deebak Kumar works as a Hindu priest for Diwali, the Festival of Lights, which is run out of Northern United Place. He does not work at Northern United Place, he works for the industry tourism and investment ministry in Rae-Edzo.
Yellowknifer apologizes for any confusion.