Monday, August 14, 2006 Police extend olive branch One of the keys to any effective police force is for officers to keep in close contact with the public they serve. The recent decision by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the Northwest Territories to strike a committee designed to address aboriginal issues is a long-overdue step in that direction. DIV>

Most of the officers in the NWT are non aboriginal southerners. And while many have worked on reserves before, the cultural landscape in Northern Canada is unique. Having a better understanding of the issues facing the territories'aboriginal residents will only make their jobs easier.

The nine-member committee will receive input from aboriginal groups across the territories. And while police have a keen grasp of the most pressing issues -- alcohol addiction, sexual assault, spousal abuse -- there are other problems lurking just below the surface.

The Mounties work hard to build relationships in the communities; their officers are usually among the most active volunteers. This new initiative is another way to strengthen those ties.

But committees are only as effective as their members. This one must include a broad cross-section of the aboriginal community; we hope there will be at least one elder and one youth. Heading the group will be the commanding officer of the RCMP in the NWT, Supt. Pat McCloskey. He has been in command of G Division since last fall and served in the North during the 1970s.

It is encouraging to see McCloskey touting the advisory committee in the media. This momentum will have to be sustained for the program to be effective. Aboriginal groups from across the territories will need to buy into the idea and be prepared to be open and honest about relations between communities and police.

The group is scheduled to meet twice a year, but we wonder whether that is enough to tackle the complicated issues facing residents of the territories. Details like that can be smoothed over with time. For now, police deserve kudos for trying.

We hope they do not stop there. Police believe the advisory panel will also encourage aboriginal residents to join the force. And it is believed RCMP are developing an orientation program to help new officers understanding of the challenges of policing here. There are cultural, language and community barriers that must be overcome.

The bottom line is that a police officer is most effective when they’re trusted by the community they serve.

It seems like the Workers' Compensation Board of the NWT and Nunavut considers itself untouchable, a polar bear amongst a herd of seals.

In the Nunavut Court of Justice recently, a judge ruled in favour of a worker saying the board should consider employment insurance (EI) as income when determining what to pay an injured worker, part of a dispute that has so far lasted three years.

At issue was a vaguely worded regulation about what is considered income, wording that has since been changed to ensure that no-one else will be able to challenge it.

Twice, a so-called independent tribunal that adjudicates disputes ruled in favour of worker Roche Rennie that EI payments should have been taken into account. Twice, the WCB told the tribunal to reconsider the decision, something Mr. Justice Earle Johnson said was beyond the WCB's authority. On top of this, the court learned that there's no way to ensure the WCB implements tribunal rulings. So much for its ability to settle disputes.

The court ruling may not even be the end of the case because the WCB can still appeal Johnson's decision.

In the Northwest Territories, MLAs have tried to wrestle the WCB bureaucracy to the ground, holding hearings after federal auditor general Sheila Fraser issued a report critical of the way the WCB does business.

She said there isn't a clear understanding of the minister's role in watching over the WCB because there are no set policies.

Fraser found the board relies heavily on WCB medical advisors. When workers appeal decisions based on their own medical advice, the tribunal hearing the appeal relies on the same medical staff, downplaying the worker's own doctor. The audit recommended an independent medical review panel to arbitrate conflicting information. The WCB says that's too expensive.

There's also poor communication with claimants, the people the WCB is there to serve. The list goes on.

The WCB is a massive entity, paying out $20 million in claims last year and with an administration budget of $15.6 million. By December 2005, the WCB had amassed an $84 million dollar reserve. In 2005, it processed 3,321 claims. Last year, it wanted to spend millions of dollars to build a 35,000-square foot office tower overlooking Frame Lake in Yellowknife.

While the WCB must be free of political interference in day-to-day decisions, it's time for Patterk Netser, Nunavut's minister responsible for the board, and Charles Dent, the NWT minister, and regular MLAs to act.

The WCB needs to be reminded that it's there to help injured workers, not amass millions of dollars in a reserve fund.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

On the surface, the kerfuffle emanating out of Iglulik this past week over the comments made by Nunavut's Marijuana Party candidate in the last federal election are laughable.

Ed DeVries proudly announced to Northern media that he acquired a number of carvings and artifacts in his personal collection in exchange for marijuana.

DeVries also indicated a number of people in Iglulik are "potheads."

This has, of course, Iglulik Mayor Paul Quassa and hamlet council outraged.

So, we watch as a war of words erupts between Quassa and DeVries, letting ourselves believe, for entertainment purposes, there's no credibility issue on either side of the ledger.

Quassa even went so far as to say a number of residents want DeVries banned from the community.

Let's all take a deep breath and relax a little (no pun intended).

Here in the Kivalliq, we have to marvel at any community that's so law abiding it's ready to ban a person for ill-advised comments.

While DeVries does owe Iglulik an apology for his remarks, if he can be banned for tasteless remarks, we've got some serious housekeeping to address in the Kivalliq.

The notion of banning DeVries for mere words is, of course, nonsense.

But there's a deeper issue at play here.

One that strikes close to home in the Kivalliq and has none of the inherent humour of a Quassa vs. DeVries debate.

The anger of being labelled as potheads is just a smokescreen (again, no pun intended) for what has really irked some people in Iglulik.

DeVries broke the rules by speaking publicly about something we all know happens in Nunavut, but nobody wants to admit.

I travel a fair amount in Nunavut, and, although I've never been to Iglulik, I've been asked to trade a bottle for a carving in every hamlet I've visited.

Unlike DeVries, however, I have never consented to the exchange.

Whether Quassa cares to believe it or not, the trading of booze and drugs for carvings is a problem in many hamlets.

Iglulik council members would be better served to focus their attentions on how to address the problem, rather than ostracizing DeVries for talking about it in public.

A number of Kivalliq mayors have been wrestling with the problem for years, as have members of the arts community who don't appreciate seeing artwork devalued by such practices.

We don't pretend to have an easy answer to the problem, because there is none.

However, we do know that open discussion, debate and the exchange of ideas is far more effective in addressing problems in the North than silence.

Granted, you would hope for the debate to be initiated in more accredited circles than what we witnessed this past week.

In the meantime, let's not pretend how DeVries claims to have secured a few carvings in his collection doesn't happen in the North.

When you play that game, all your credibility goes up in smoke.

Editorial Comment
Dez Loreen
Inuvik Drum

Just when you thought it would be a good time to watch the movie Half Baked and play some X-Box, you realize the brutal truth.

Your stash can is empty and no one is holding.

Inuvik has been depleted of weed once again, at least that is the word on the street. Stoners and dopers alike have been without their fix for at least a week, and it may be time for a replacement pastime.

It is during the dry-spells that I see a more active Inuvik. More people out on the streets walking around town. Sure, maybe they're just looking for the herb, but at least they got out of the hot box long enough to breathe some fresh, crisp air.

This weekend was a busy one, with people up and about in every part of town.

I saw a lot of people out watching the slo-pitch tourney this weekend and enjoying the beer gardens as well. I'm not saying they're all getting high, but everyone seemed in a pretty elevated mood.

Maybe the absence of reefer in our town is one of those supposedly positive things, like the pipeline. But wait, aren't people debating that as well? My ideals are being challenged and I don't know how to deal with it. Maybe this town is fuelled by weed.

I know that dope has always been around and always will be, but it's during the droughts that we see the true beauty of the town as the haze is lifted from our eyes.

We are all affected by weed and know people who use the plant, be it recreationally on the weekends, or habitually. It would be blind to say that the younger generation haven't been touched yet.

Hopefully though, the younger people realize the long term effects of taking the drug and are aware of the costs involved.

I'm sure there have been lots of you who have been slaving over your pipes, scraping resin deposits. Maybe as I write this, another shipment will arrive and people will clam back up in their smoke pits and watch the same episodes of Family Guy over and over again.

I know what it feels like to play soccer for hours on end and walk around the Boot Lake trails, regardless of bear warnings.

After getting a pretty good farmer's tan this weekend from being outside, I think I prefer the latter of the two choices.

Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum

f you have the right kind of calendar, you will find at the bottom of almost every date a list of events that belong to that day.

Some are celebrated in other countries such as Independence Day on July 4 in the United States of America and many are related to medical conditions such as World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. Many more past by unnoticed, but one occurs this week which should be brought to attention.

On August 12, it's International Youth Day. The day was proclaimed by the United Nations and first observed in 2000. The United Nations define youth as people between the ages of 15-24.

There, of course, is no need to rush out and start planning parties with streamers and cake, although I am sure many youth would enjoy that quite a bit. Instead, people should take a moment to reflect on where youth are fitting into their communities.

The saying is very old, but often youth are seen and not heard unless they are blasting music out of their car and truck speakers or making too much noise on the streets.

In the summer, they are a bit more visible as they roam the streets on foot, bike, skateboard and scooter searching for ways to stave off boredom. On Saturday, parents and child-free people alike should set aside a moment to consider issues that affect youth.

This year, the focus of International Youth Day is tackling poverty together. Around the world, over 200 million young people, 18 per cent of all youth, live on less than one dollar a day, according to a report issued by the United Nations. Luckily, in the Deh Cho matters are not that desperate, although there are still those youth who belong to families who struggle with finances. That is one issue.

Another important issue that is often brought to light is how youth are being affected by drugs and alcohol. Most alcohol, tobacco and drug use starts early. Are the right signals being sent out by role models about the inappropriateness of these substances? Are drugs more readily available than many would expect?

Cultural identity is a third topic that is often raised as a concern where youth are involved. People worry about how many youth are learning and using Slavey and how many are choosing to practice traditional lifestyles.

Every generation seems to hear stories from their parents and grandparents that start, "When I was your age..." and end with a disparaging comment about the current state of affairs. Because comments like these are bound to do little to convince youth that the old ways are better, considerable thought should be given to whether current initiatives are succeeding.

Many problems and challenges face today's youth that were not issues for previous generations. As they find their path, they should be both guided and encouraged. If nothing else, International Youth Day should provide an excuse to recognize the achievements, accomplishment and aspirations of youth. These items need to be celebrated and nurtured, including everything from excellence in sports and academics to talents in the arts and music.