Friday, June 3, 2005
Students who have returned to Yellowknife for the summer probably have different thoughts about "livin' easy" when questioning how to pay for next year's college or university programs.
They aren't cheap, those programs. A decent summer job is a must. That's where you, the Yellowknife employer, comes in. Scratch your noggins and come up with relevant jobs for these women and men.
Yes, they could do the usual restaurant routine and sweat over quarters and loonies in their tip jar.
But when you get right down to it, today's summer students are the Northwest Territories' future. Do we want our best and brightest skedaddling south for work as soon as they graduate, or can employers invest in maintaining a home-grown workforce by offering well-paying, skill-oriented summer jobs that may keep these young adults here for years to come?
The student summer employment office is waiting for your call.
Art galleries are usually quiet places, full of serious people soaking in creativity by old and new masters.
That's not what Yellowknife's main public gallery is like. It's a busy place, full of people, automobiles, birds and more. It's our downtown area.
Thanks to the Aurora Arts Society and the city's downtown enhancement committee, otherwise plain buildings are now showing off our city's creative best.
The society is once again calling for artists who want to take part in the 2005 project.
By the end of this summer, we hope even more walls will be sporting unique, colourful works of art.
To all involved, thanks for giving everyone, tourists and residents alike, a chance to see Yellowknife's creative side.
And all it costs them is a few minutes walk around downtown.
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
The crack dealer who left his stash in the woods to be swept away by the rising water level of the Mackenzie River must be kicking himself this week.
While police will not go public with the exact amount turned in by the civic-minded youth who found the floating stash, the scenario provides an interesting portrait of one's brain on drugs.
Only a fool would think hiding something in the forest so close to the river at spring thaw is a good idea and not consider the risk of having it swept away.
Last year, it was a champion litter bug who dumped a big load of trash by the river bank to get flushed into the Beaufort Sea.
This year it was a "substantial amount" of crack that got sucked away instead.
Oh, the times, they are a changin'.
Nevertheless, that's one less load of the dangerously addictive drug to find it's way into a youngster's hands and the community is way better off for it.
Bravo to the kids and their parents and a special thanks to Mother Nature for making it all possible.
Disability awareness
Hats off to Mayor Peter Clarkson for giving up the use of his legs this Friday afternoon and agreeing to view the world from a different perspective, confined to the seat of a wheelchair.
What a great initiative and one can only hope that more leaders in local government will take the time to give this experiment a try.
Despite the efforts of many offices and shops in town to include wheelchair access at their entrances, many places are still not equipped to deal with the needs of the mobility challenged.
Petroleum show, pipeline summit
While the premier and local leadership have signed on to attend the "Finding Common Ground With the Mackenzie Gas Project" planned for the upcoming Inuvik Petroleum Show, we're still awaiting confirmation that representatives of the federal government will be heading this way.
With the current state of pipeline machinations and the fact that an obvious boon to the Canadian economy is at stake, one would think federal leaders would be more than happy to pencil the event into their respective schedules.
But alas, the continuing threat of a non-confidence vote in Ottawa might just keep the big-wigs chained to their desks for the time being.
It will be interesting to see who will actually show up.
The Dehcho First Nations Grand Chief is tied up with ongoing negotiations in Ottawa, which may also take the Indian Affairs and Northern Development minister out of the equation.
In that case, will the Deputy Premier step in to fill the breach?
Time will tell.
Depending on how things play out, it would be wise for voters to keep in mind Ottawa's attention to this matter the next time the country goes to the polls.
Because, after all, an election could be just around the corner.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
Some government departments have been taking flak over the past week.
At least one deserves a round of applause (come on, we can all muster at least a half-hearted clap).
Let's review:
The Department of Transportation was widely criticized by delegates at the Dehcho First Nations' leadership assembly in Fort Liard last week. The atrocious condition of the Liard Trail was the source of their complaints.
Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche added his voice to the fray, going after Transportation Minister Michael McLeod in the legislative assembly.
McLeod explained that in spring, the roads need to thaw before any serious repairs can be made. Technically speaking, that is probably a valid response.
Yet it would have been little comfort to anyone driving to or from Fort Liard in May. Motorists can always slow down - turning a three hour trip into four hours - but even travelling at 80 km/h or less, there were a number of spots where the deep ruts and pitted road jostled vehicles like nobody's business. It was ugly, very ugly.
Over to the Department of Health and Social Services. They put a feather in their cap by landing a regional dentist in Fort Simpson. Gradually, and rather quietly, that department has bolstered its Deh Cho staff positions over the past few years and continues to do so. Of course recruiting health professionals remains a real challenge, as it does across the country, if not around the world. The other side of the coin is that Wrigley continues to go without full-time nursing service, something the community has demanded be restored.
Black cloud
Finally, a black cloud continues to follow the Housing Corporation. Numerous homeowners have decried the poor condition of their homes (although many others have remained content).
In this edition of the paper, an individual who lost his home to fire is seeking another house - or at least the supplies - from the corporation.
The president of the Housing Corporation says there is more to the story than meets the eye, but he can't get into details due to client confidentiality.
Honestly, the government often does fight these public battles with one hand tied behind its back. The media should strive to tell both sides of the story, but the bureaucrats are restricted in what they can reveal about a client.
In some cases, government policy desperately needs to be amended or scrapped. Other times, members of the public have abused rights and privileges and somehow still make the government look like the bad guy.
It can be hard to judge when only some of the circumstances are known.
A Dene government will assume control of most of these programs and services in the future. It will be most interesting to see how things change.