Wednesday, August 16, 2006
The 29-year-old man, who has an inoperable brain tumour, used the drugs to dull the searing pain in his head, a Yellowknife courtroom heard last week.
Police found nearly $2,000 worth of the narcotics in his home, prompting Crown prosecutors to seek a jail term. That suggestion was rejected in court, but the man, who is awaiting approval from Health Canada for medicinal marijuana, was still fined.
His defence lawyer called the sentence "the lightest... he could get," but Yellowknifer respectfully disagrees.
A more appropriate resolution would have been a conditional discharge or suspended sentence. Both of those could have left the man without a criminal record and avoided the $1,035 fine.
During the last couple of years, Northwest Territories courts have handed down these less severe punishments for crimes much more damaging than personal drug use.
In November 2005, a Fort Smith Mountie who assaulted a prisoner in police cells received a nine-month conditional sentence. The same year, a woman who stabbed her young daughter with a kitchen knife - believing she was possessed by the Devil - was handed a conditional discharge.
This March, a man who sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl was handed a suspended sentence. That sentence was later overturned on appeal. And a former residential school supervisor from Inuvik was given probation in 2004 for abusing dozens of young boys during the 1960s.
The list goes on. When judges treat something like getting high more severely than sexual assault, something is amiss.
There is no doubt that drugs are a problem in Yellowknife; take one look at weekly police reports and court cases and that is painfully obvious.
We're not condoning marijuana use, because it is illegal.
Even so, the medicinal benefits of pot for people dealing with cancer have been proven. There's also research into the benefits for people dealing with glaucoma.
That's why people can get permits to use marijuana to alleviate their symptoms. The individual in this case didn't have that permit and needs a reprimand so that others aren't tempted to break the law in the same way.
The bottom line is that the fight against narcotics needs to be tempered with a little compassion and perspective, especially when it comes to a defendant nearing the end of his life.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
An enthusiastic thumbs-up, way up, to Arviat hamlet council for taking control of bingo games in the community this past week.
Arviat is the latest in a growing number of hamlets, from Gjoa Haven to Rankin Inlet, to take a positive step towards ensuring proper accountability with publicly-generated funds.
These types of moves are especially important in the Kivalliq, which has struggled more than a little with the problem of missing funds during the past five years.
We fully appreciate that taking over bingo puts an even greater strain on hamlet staff in many communities, but the gains are worth the effort.
Bingo revenues represent huge dollars in our communities these days.
In fact, even the smallest of our hamlets now rake in $200,000 per year.
That means the process has to be effectively monitored from start to finish - and that means hamlet involvement.
The biggest gain with a municipality running bingo is that the money raised should go where it was intended.
We've said it here many times before - when you take that much money from the people in your town, it had better be going to a worthy cause.
Hamlets that control bingo can ensure the municipality has the opportunity to raise the funds needed to enhance recreational programs.
They can also ensure important organizations, such as community radio and search and rescue and committees that provide travel money to families in times of sickness and loss of life, are properly provided for.
A hamlet in control of the process can also ensure the bingo slots are divided fairly, with extra attention paid to organizations with precious few ways to raise revenue.
At the top of that list are youth travelling to sporting and scholastic events, as well as non-profit day cares and organizations that do so much to enrich our communities.
Those who have gone to great lengths over the years to ensure bingo money raised by their organizations has been properly accounted for should be insulted by these moves.
Simply put, you're not the problem.
When the applications are screened, the slots allotted and the games actually played, that's when the true test begins.
When large sums of money leave a community hall in a plastic bag or leather sack, temptation comes calling.
And, unfortunately, not everyone passes the test.
Hopefully, with more hamlets taking charge of bingo revenues, the days of hearing about organizations with less money in their bank account than they should have (and no idea where it went) will become a thing of the past.
Bingo isn't going anywhere, and there aren't many who want it to.
There are simply too many valuable organizations and services that depend on it for their life's blood.
More involvement by our hamlets is good for the region. In fact, it's good for Nunavut.
When the day comes when every penny raised is spent on a program that makes our communities healthier and stronger - then we can all jump up and shout bingo!
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.
NWT G Division Commander Superintendent Pat McCloskey's name was spelled incorrectly in last Friday's Yellowknifer ("More police for territories?" Aug. 11). Yellowknifer apologizes for any embarrassment or confusion caused by the error.