Friday, November 04, 2005
The property figures prominently in the city's future growth.
The problem lies with the territorial government which gave Miramar a blanket pardon by allowing the company to clean the mine site to industrial standards.
That works well enough for tailings ponds where no one would ever want to build anything for human use. Miramar's approach to those areas appears to adequate. Hazardous material has been removed, ponds will be flushed, capped with rock and clay and seeded with vegetation.
The problem is with the land suitable for future residential or commercial development. The government should have insisted that Miramar meet a higher standard on areas of the site destined for human use.
Miramar will present its complete reclamation plan to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board in January. It needs an extension to its water licence to complete the work.
City council wants to convince the board that Miramar should apply for a new water licence.
The Water Board is responsible for the development of water resources of the NWT, "in a manner that will provide the optimum benefit of the waters... for the residents of the NWT in particular."
That appears to be the only avenue left to force Miramar to meet a higher standard on prime areas of the former mine site.
It seems like just yesterday that skateboarding burst on the scene, but the sport has been vibrant part of youth culture long enough to be lionized in a movie.
Lords of Dogtown, the reprise of an earlier documentary on skateboards and youth culture, hasn't yet made it to Yellowknife, but the sport and the bias against it certainly have.
Neighbours of the skateboard park at Ecole St. Joseph have complained about noise, litter and vandalism for which boarders were held responsible.
Yellowknife Tennis Club was able to block a plan to build a new park beside the tennis courts, with the argument that unruly boarders would be a greater distraction than traffic whizzing past on Franklin Avenue.
Facilities for Kids is scouting sponsors and another location in the McNiven Beach-Ruth Inch Pool recreation area. The project deserves support.
The location is in a high traffic area where parents and police can see what's going on and there are no homes nearby to be bothered by the noise.
More importantly, boarders busting moves on a half pipe are better than kids breaking bylaws or bones on city streets and sidewalks.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
The police in Nunavut are no different than other public figures when it comes to what they say on the record and behind closed doors.
Nunavut's rising crime rate has transcended alarming and become downright scary.
We have people leaving some communities because they either don't feel safe or want a quieter lifestyle in a smaller community.
And we're not just talking southern transplants here.
People born and raised, or who have lived decades, in our bigger communities are relocating to smaller towns.
The police say their job is to make the arrests and the role of handing down justice falls on the courts.
However, too often they see behind closed doors when all-too-lenient sentences are handed down to repeat offenders and those found guilty of violent crimes.
Many Nunavut communities have a small group of habitual thieves who steal everything that isn't bolted down.
And, as was the case of a would-be bank heist in Rankin a few months back, even a solid steel safe embedded in the wall won't stop some from trying.
While criminals seem to have lots of money for booze and drugs, they never have any for fines levied against them and the last thing we want to do is lock them up as a deterrent.
These days, jail time for thieves seems to have become some sort of cruel-and-unusual punishment.
There's been a lot of fingers pointed at alcohol the past few months as the cause of all our criminal problems.
But go to any, and we mean any, municipality in Canada and alcohol is going to be involved in a high percentage of its crimes.
After that, drugs come into play.
Once past drugs and alcohol, it's time to lay the mental instability, emotionally challenged, underprivileged and unloved-in-their-childhood cards on the table.
Heck, it's almost enough to make you feel sorry for these people.
There are no criminals anymore, just a large group of misunderstood people with deep-rooted social scars from one reason or another.
We've become a society in which blame has to be found at the root of almost every action.
In short, precious few are held accountable for their actions anymore. My mom couldn't afford cable when I was young, so that's why I broke into your home to steal your colour TV.
There are no easy answers to curbing the escalating crime in Nunavut.
However, there are easy answers for those who want to explain the whole thing away by simply blaming it on a bunch of drunks.
Alcohol is but one part of the problem. Larger concerns are an overly lenient judicial system and too many communities where the people stay silent out of fear or misguided loyalty.
Hardship is tough for anyone to endure, but it's not a licence to break the law.
And, contrary to what some would have you believe, the vast majority of people who have a beer on the weekend don't break into your home on the way to theirs.
Editorial Comment
Jason Unrau
Inuvik Drum
With the new family centre swimming pool in operation, regional trials coming up for a host of winter indoor and outdoor sports, as well as minor hockey, speedskating and figure skating programs available, the often-heard comment "there's nothing for youth to do" doesn't really fly in Inuvik.
However, it will be the typical refrain - more like a lame excuse - when snowmobile season kicks into high gear this winter. One can only hope Inuvik will make it through this season without anyone being seriously injured or killed blasting around town in the middle of the night.
The worst part is, the sleds are often stolen from unsuspecting owners so the thieves can take a joyride.
Idle hands are the devil's tool, or so the old saying goes, and some kids who don't take the opportunity to get involved in the many constructive activities available will no doubt dabble in activities that are not constructive and sometimes downright dangerous.
Ripping off sleds is bad enough, but it's a sad day indeed when elementary school children turn to the cheap thrill of sniffing solvents. It's a far cry from the days when sneaking a cigarette behind the school was considered the mark of rebellion.
These are the times Inuvik finds itself in and while most parents do keep a watchful eye on the extracurricular activities of their children, it is apparent that some do not.
What are we to do with this situation? You'd like to think they would want to keep their kids safe, but you can't force parents to take an active interest in their children.
Time after time, when issues of wayward youth come to the fore, it is the parents who are scrutinized since they are the ones expected to look out for the welfare of their kids.
Obviously the courts are doing little to deter youth from straying down the wrong path. I remember sitting in the courthouse last spring and witnessing a case in which a youth was given a slap on the wrist for damaging two sleds (both stolen) to the tune of about $1,400. No fines, no financial restitution to the owners, hardly the kind of punishment to deter this individual from engaging in the activity again.
So if we can't depend on the parents, the courts or just plain common sense to keep kids out of trouble, then who or what can we depend on?
If we're waiting for God to step in, we could be waiting until Judgement Day and by that time it won't really matter anyways. Judgement Day for Inuvik might look something like this: a pile of burned out snowmobiles with St. Peter sitting atop holding a jerry can of gasoline in one hand and a pack of Players Light in the other. Now try bumming a smoke from that guy!
Sure the town can make a 'snowmobile bylaw' and its officers and the local RCMP can try to enforce it, but that will do little good if parents don't step up to the plate and do their share.
For the love of God, remember the children!
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum
It's difficult to know the truth at times.
When one or more community members accuse elected leaders of some sort of injustice, sometimes all a reporter can do is seek the other side of the story.
There is, all too often, precious little tangible evidence (i.e. paperwork) to back up the allegations. Often it's a matter of one person's word against another's.
Family allegiances seem to play a central role in small communities.
When a member of one family is elected, that person's friends and relatives may thrive, or are, at least, perceived to be better off.
There are many tales of preferential treatment: jobs, housing, trips and other benefits are supposedly handed to people closest to those wielding power. We've all heard it one hundred times, or more.
There may also be a legitimate reason why certain individuals make gains: they're the most qualified or the hardest and most reliable workers!
On other occasions, those in authority do play fast and loose with the rules.
One might expect the community to rise up, but some people remain silent for fear of repercussions.
When only one person sounds the alarm, it may indicate there's simply a personality clash at work.
On the other hand, it could be that the outspoken individual is the only one with the courage to make a stand.
These charges of favouritism or corruption certainly aren't unique to the NWT.
Governments everywhere are accused of "cronyism" or "pork-barrelling" (the federal Liberals' "Ad Scam" sponsorship scandal immediately comes to mind).
So why would things be much different at the community level?
But that still doesn't mean every accusation has merit.
There will always be people who step up and criticize those in power, and there will always be media to give them publicity.
That is their right and, to some degree, their duty (so long as it doesn't become libelous).
Sometimes being an elected leader is more trouble than it's worth. But when faced with tough questions from member(s) of the electorate (or a reporter on their behalf), it's best to provide straightforward answers.
It doesn't have to deteriorate into public name calling or "mudslinging."
If you have a valid defence, then spell it out.
If your reasoning is sound, then the accuser will wind up looking petty or absurd.
In the end, it all comes down to credibility - and it's up to each person to decide for himself or herself who is to be believed.