Features
Monday, January 22, 2007
The laws only pertain to moving barges.
Transport Canada says storing fuel in barges on frozen rivers and lakes was done in the 1970s, but wasn't very common. Department officials saw no need for any formal regulations.
However, that has changed as ice road seasons grow shorter and companies like NTCL need to find closer sites to store fuel so it does not have as far to travel.
A similar scenario is occurring in Baker Lake, Nunavut.
Undoubtedly NTCL is committed to protecting such a vital ecological zone, but future companies may not be as conscientious.
A fuel spill could destroy fish and wildlife habitat and contaminate drinking water.
With all that in mind strong regulations are needed, not merely guidelines with no force of law. Although ideally the fuel would be stored in locked compounds on dry land.
Much like the details of his life - ie: his hometown, reason for moving North or even his real name -- it is unknown if the Mad Trapper of Rat River held religious beliefs.
Therefore, it's impossible to know what he would have thought of his own pending exhumation as part of a proposed documentary film.
In Aklavik, where the trapper has been buried since 1932, reactions are mixed.
Some elders feel it is a religious taboo, and some believe it will bring bad luck.
Others believe the Mad Trapper is a mystery best left unsolved.
They worry the fun will be ruined if the Trapper is identified, or worse, if the buried body proves to be someone else.
The question is: Do these people form the majority?
While the filmmakers should be commended for holding a three-day, door-to-door consultation with residents, it is important that some kind of public meeting be held; perhaps even a vote on the matter.
A project like this needs overwhelming support from the community, and this should be made abundantly clear before the Trapper
The city of Iqaluit has hired consultants to examine the community's social problems.
One of the consultants has acknowledged that wellness conferences have been taking place for many years, "so people have been talking about social issues and things they are concerned about for a long time now."
It's difficult, if not impossible, to measure what good all that talking has done.
Who's to say whether there wouldn't be more homeless people, more alcoholics, more family violence or more litterbugs had the public sessions never been held.
While there may be those who doubt that anything of substance can come from continued public consultations, it's worth noting that the meeting held on Jan. 11 drew a large crowd, many of them with something to say.
One issue that's considered to be a root cause of social problems is coming closer to being addressed. A federal compensation package for residential school students has received court approvals and payments should start to flow to former students this summer.
This will only bring resolution in one sense of the word. The money offered to former students who lost their sense of identity and culture in the church-run institutions - or even worse, were physically or sexually abused - obviously won't be a magic bullet.
Some people, torn away from their families as youngsters, have developed addictions while trying to come to terms with their pain. A will to seek help and good counselling will be their best bet for a sober and healthy future.
The effects of this trauma could still be felt for generations.
There are other problems that seem overwhelming, a lack of housing primary among them. Extended families living a dozen or more to a modest household makes for frazzled nerves and trying times. Only substantial assistance from the federal government will adequately address this issue - and that's also going to take time.
Just as troubling, and also requiring a cash infusion, is the lack of social resources available across Nunavut. Shelters for women and children and the homeless are in dire need, as are knowledgeable and experienced staff to offer guidance and reassurance. In many cases, these buildings and services too won't be offered any time soon.
Yet despite the staggering needs, people are still participating in public meetings and speaking up.
In Iqaluit, the consultants' report will go to the Nitsiik committee, which will make recommendations to city council.
May the collective wisdom derived through this process make a dent in some of the heavy problems. Simply put, we can't afford to give up.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
The next few months promise to be interesting with Nunavut Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) Nancy Karetak-Lindell announcing she will not run in the next federal election.
Lindell has a hunch Canadians will be back in election mode by the spring and we tend to agree with her.
Historically, minority governments have a short lifespan and bringing in a new federal budget is always prime time for them to take a tumble.
What's going to be interesting in Nunavut is finding out who each of the three main parties favour as their candidate.
Although he steadfastly denies having any interest, the Liberals could do a lot worse than looking in former Nunavut MLA Glenn McLean's direction in Baker Lake.
McLean proved himself adept at meeting his riding's needs during his time in Iqaluit, and we see no reason why he wouldn't be just as efficient representing Nunavut.
With every seat up for grabs being especially important in the next election, it will be intriguing to see who the Tories and the NDP want to take their next kick at Nunavut's political can, which has been mainly red in colour for decades.
Will they stay with the same candidates who were so soundly beaten by Lindell the last time out, or will they look in another direction?
That decision may prove especially troubling for the Tories.
They've backed themselves into a corner over raising the same-sex marriage issue again in a country that's mostly tired of hearing about it.
The issue played a large role in the Tories' defeat the last time out in Nunavut, despite the unwavering support of the territory's bible belt.
To go back to that well again will likely produce a similar result.
There are two wild cards in the deck for the next election and neither one of them reside in Iqaluit.
In fact, unless Premier Paul Okalik decides to throw his hat into the arena, we predict the next elected MP from Nunavut will, once again, not call Iqaluit home.
The two wild cards reside in Rankin Inlet.
It would come as no surprise to us if Rankin Mayor Lorne Kusugak didn't run in the last federal election because he believed he couldn't defeat the Liberal's political machine in Nunavut, nor the party's four-time victor here.
But, this time around it may the Liberals who come knocking on the mayor's door.
Finally, anyone who paid attention to the last election had to be impressed with the way our second wild card handled himself - Felix Kappi-Gawor.
The Green Party candidate surprised a number of people with his insights during the campaign and, with a stronger party behind him, would be a solid bet to represent Nunavut after one of the next two elections.
Hopefully, if one of the big three parties do come calling on Kappi-Gawor, he will get his dad, long time Kivalliq News columnist Bill Gawor, included on his writing team.
At that point, we would guarantee all Nunavummiut one of the more colourful elections in recent history!
Editorial Comment
Dez Loreen
Inuvik Drum
I was sitting at my desk on Monday morning, checking my e-mails when I read some disturbing news regarding a former Inuvik teacher.
Al Nicholson died of a heart attack while teaching in China, only two days before Christmas.
I don't know how many of you remember Al.
He was a math teacher at Samuel Hearne from 1998 to 2001.
He was also the director of a production of Anne of Green Gables, which was performed by students at the school.
When I read of his death, I froze in my seat and a feeling that I can't describe came over my body.
One of the people who was instrumental in my graduation has passed on.
During that morning I spent time remembering some of the lessons he taught me, none of which was math-related, because he was an academic teacher and, well, I was not an academic student.
It always hurts when we lose one of our teachers, like when the late Cliff King passed away.
Both men did a lot for the school, in their own time.
Al did not serve here nearly as long as Cliff did, but still he made an impact.
While Cliff had computers and accounting under his thumb, Al managed to accomplish something rare.
He made math interesting, even to those not in his courses.
Al had a way of reaching the students in his classes with his friendly attitude and positive outlook on life.
Al was a role model in our community and a fine one at that.
I like writing about people who do positive things in the community, because it's what we need.
Phillip Jacobson is another positive person doing the right thing with his energy.
For all the years I've known Phillip, he has always been encouraging others.
I'm glad he is sharing his skill at Arctic sports with the youth of the community.
Those games will keep you in good shape and promote the culture at the same time.
While I was talking with Phillip, he spoke about returning to Tuk and working at the youth centre.
I like that, because it shows that he has a genuine concern for his community.
While we are always losing role models to fate, we should also take pride knowing that there are young people like Phillip out there willing to take up the torch and contribute to their communities.
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum
There's nothing like a motor vehicle accident to bring the fragility of life into focus.
One minute you're driving along and the next, for whatever reason, something goes wrong. The consequences could be minor, like a dented fender and some sore muscles, or people could end up changed for life, or even dead.
You don't need to be in an accident to have a taste of its effects. Just driving past one on the road, like some residents of Fort Simpson did last Saturday, can be enough.
The sight of a battered truck on its side in the ditch leaves a person wondering what happened to the people inside and what went wrong to cause the accident.
In this case, alcohol, speed and poor judgment -- things that are avoidable -- were likely factors.
It's lucky the accident happened early on a Saturday morning when there wasn't more traffic on the road, otherwise it could have been a multi-vehicle accident. In this case, a densely-packed snowbank was the only other thing that was dented.
It's even more fortunate that no one involved in the crash was seriously hurt.
Everyone, especially youth, believes they are invincible and will live forever, or at least for a long time.
Vehicle accidents are a reminder that these concepts aren't true.
Hopefully this accident will shake up people who may have grown lax in their vehicle safety. Accidents can be caused by a large number of things from animals to mechanical failure, and people need to be on the lookout for them and also make smart decisions.
I hope everyone will remember to drive safely so there won't be any more serious accidents to report in the Drum.
It's good to see that Fort Liard has an almost- full hamlet council again after there were no candidates in the municipal election last month.
As John McKee stated, it's not unusual for vacancies to be left on hamlet or village councils. This makes it all the more significant when people step forward to take on that responsibility.
It's hard to say if Fort Liard's one new and three returning councillors are there on their own volition or if some arm- twisting was involved, but they deserve a round of applause either way.
Being a councillor isn't the most enjoyable job in the world.
There is lots of paperwork to sort through and reading to do. Councillors have to attend meetings when there are other, more enjoyable, things that they might like to be doing.
People also count on councillors to make the right decisions. If they disagree with a decision the council makes, the council members and the mayor are the ones who will hear about it every time they leave their homes.
All and all, being a councillor or a mayor isn't the best position in the world, so those who step up to the plate should be recognized for their efforts and community involvement.
Inaccurate information appeared in the Jan. 15 edition of News/North. In an article about the upcoming Mad Trapper documentary ("A Mad Trapper museum?, page 11), it was written that local elders had suggested they participate in a religious ceremony. In reality, the elders said a ceremony would be a appropriate, but did not offer to participate.