Editorial

The Rangers program is the backbone of sovereignty and national defence in the North and the red-sweater corps gets plenty of respect among military brass and regular soldiers alike.

However, when it comes to government-to-government connections, the Armed Forces, like most levels of the territorial and federal bureaucracy, is ham-handed at recognizing First Nations governments and understanding political hierarchy.

In that context, it's easy to see why Dehcho First Nations Grand Chief Herb Norwegian was so upset when he learned 40 members of the armed forces were going to swoop into the Fort Simpson airport for an anti-terrorism exercise.

He called this an exercise in intimidation and while some may call that fear mongering, it's probably nothing more than any other leader of a government would say if faced with a similar circumstance.

Even without a settled land claim or self-government agreement, the Dehcho First Nations is a legitimate government on par with the territorial government, village of Fort Simpson and even the federal government itself.

Norwegian's organization represents nine First Nations that govern hundreds of people in the Deh Cho region.

To its credit, the military did meet with members of the Liidlii Kue First Nation when planning this week's Operation Narwhal. Unfortunately, this low-level meeting was little more than a snub of the region's elected leadership. Neither Herb Norwegian nor LKFN Chief Keyna Norwegian were consulted about the operation.

It wasn't until Brig.-Gen. Chris Whitecross went to Simpson to meet with Herb Norwegian did the hard feelings begin to subside.

This meeting should have taken place first, not as a way to clear the air after the fact.

It would have been a show of respect on the part of the Canadian Armed Forces and showed that the military, at least, understands the DFN's legitimacy as a government.

It's a strange situation, because when the military undertakes manoeuvres in Nunavut, whether it's navy ships visiting communities in the Kivalliq or Baffin, they take great care to plan each step and give community leaders a place of honour at each ceremony.

That lesson needs to be transferred to the NWT to avoid future showdowns.

Nunavut's pension scandal

Andrew Dialla knows how frustrating it is to be trapped in a government maze. The Pangnirtung resident has been trying to get information about his late father's RCMP pension, and has had no luck getting anywhere with the RCMP.

This is where his MP, his MLA, his land claims organization and his former union should be picking up the torch. They are not.

Joanasie Dialla - like all the special constables - helped form Canada in a very real way. He performed a dangerous job at a time when no one else could or would.

If the RCMP did not have special constables, they wouldn't have been able to ask for directions, let alone travel between communities on dog sled.

That was one of the huge advantages of the work special constables did. Not only were they guides, they were interpreters. They were the sole reason the RCMP could even talk to the people they policed.

Without the safety those Inuit men provided, the RCMP would have been more like Sir John Franklin and less like Farley Mowat. They would have been dead on the land, hauling their possessions with them.

Canada would be a very different place without the special constables. Canada owes them, and so does Nunavut.

Ironically, translation is where the system failed Joanasie Dialla. He received pension forms written in English, and promptly tossed them with the rest of the newsletters he was getting from the RCMP.

RCMP should be obligated to take this seriously. They were the beneficiaries of Dialla's service, but they failed Dialla.

They also benefit from a multi-million dollar contract for policing services with Nunavut. Nunavut pays the RCMP, and the customer deserves some service.

The Nunavut government has failed Dialla. Andrew Dialla hasn't been able to get help from his MLA, even though his MLA rubber-stamps the budget that pays the RCMP.

His MP should be there to help, but there is no call from Ottawa to investigate or aid the Diallas.

NTI should get in the ring, as a defender of beneficiaries. They won't, saying it isn't an issue for the land claims agreement. A family of beneficiaries was forced to go on welfare because of a language issue. If NTI won't help this family, whom do they serve?

Every aspect of the huge government net extending over Nunavut has failed to help the Diallas. They are expected to apply to the RCMP to have the pension reviewed. Following that, their only option is a lawsuit.

One of the above mentioned groups should be helping Dialla with that lawsuit. Lawsuits are expensive, and the Diallas shouldn't be expected to foot the bill alone. NTI is suing the federal government for $1 billion, all Dialla wants is the pension his father earned.

The Nunavut government talks about Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, putting traditional culture in government. How traditional is it to discard elders because they lack the knowledge to fill out forms?

The federal government built a country on the backs of men like Joanassie Dialla. Surely they owe him more than silent indifference. They owe him about $30,000, with interest from 1973.

A different view from under the wings

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
Wednesday, April 18, 2007

We can all be honest and admit it - bashing the airlines during coffee break, or while taking in a game with a couple of friends at the arena, is like a national sport in the Kivalliq.

And, when one looks at the cost of flying to Winnipeg as compared to, oh let's say, flying to London, England, from Toronto, not all of it is totally unjustified.

Flying is expensive in the North. So is getting cargo moved by air and that's all there is to it.

But, hey, we all work hard for our money and looking at your Visa stub after booking a couple of seats to the Peg can be a shock to the system at times.

And, as long as people are civil, those who work for our Northern airlines understand that and, for the most part, try to keep a smile on their face amid all the grumbling and complaining.

But, there's another side to this particular coin that's not discussed nearly as often as the price of a ticket, or the cost of bringing your home theatre to the Kivalliq.

This past weekend, Kivalliq Air flew health professionals to Rankin Inlet from across the region for further training that can, and will, save lives here.

The same airline has provided badly needed medical equipment to a number of hamlets during the past few years, and does its best to brighten the Christmas season for local families every year. Calm Air also does its share to spread a little Christmas cheer, and sponsors sporting events such as the Calm Air softball tourney.

The airline also tries, within reason, to do what it can to help students, athletes, musicians and artists get to special events.

Canadian North has carved a nice little niche for itself with the annual Santa Run that brings the Jolly Old Elf and hundreds of goodie bags into Rankin and other Northern communities.

The airline's regional manager in Rankin has also been known to go above and beyond the call of duty from time to time to turn frowns upside-down.

Don't believe it? Ask the parents of a devastated young hockey team that was flooding the Rankin terminal with tears a while back when their flight to a Yellowkinfe tourney was weathered out.

Long story short, the kids made the tournament. First Air, as well, has been quietly doing its best to support a number of programs, and has been responsible for at least one Kivalliq team's continued presence at a major sporting event.

We're not trying to put our airlines up on a pedestal and help you forget that you can fly to Charlottetown, P.E.I., from Winnipeg twice for less money than it costs you to fly to the Peg once from here.

However, the next time you're grinding your teeth as you tell your friends about your most recent horror story (and we've all had 'em), we would ask that you de-ice your viewpoint just a tad and take a moment to think about all the good things the airlines do in our region.

It may not even out the bottom line on our own personal balance sheets, but it does make a difference to many people across the Kivalliq on an annual basis.

It takes a village... or a town

Editorial Comment
Dez Loreen
Inuvik Drum
Friday, April 20, 2007

"What about the children? Won't somebody think of the children?" asks cartoon character Maude Flanders during a classic episode of The Simpsons.

It's a funny scene, but it serves as a nagging reminder of a situation that Inuvik has been in for a long time.

Inuvik lacks proper care for young children.

Early childhood development has been a hot topic for parents and caregivers for decades.

Right now there are three organizations that are fighting for the rights of those who are still learning to walk and talk.

The Inuvik Child Development Centre, the Inuvik Aboriginal Head Start program and the Inuvik Pre-school Society are all in talks about constructing a facility to house their programs.

The group, collectively known as the Children First Society, is looking to partner with the new super school.

This would mean that Inuvik could have all their education needs under one roof, excluding the college. But even that is right across the street.

Community leaders need to back this project to ensure the children's group is included in the construction of the new school building.

Each of the three organizations have had their share of troubles in the past.

The existing child development centre is successful but could use more resources. They are currently licensed to care for 45 children and still have a long list of hopeful families. The aboriginal head start program is in its third year. At first, they had housing in the former group home on Tuma Drive.

Because they could not stay there permanently, they recently made the move to a donated residence on Inuit Road.

The Inuvik Pre-school society has had their home behind Sir Alexander Mackenzie school since the 1970s. With the inevitable demolition of the school, this group will be without a home as well.

I don't know how all these organizations have held together so well without complete backing from the community, but we need to band together and show these fine people that we are more than just a cool town with great walking trails. We're a community.

I love the old cliché, "It takes a village to raise a child."

I fully support and endorse anyone who takes the time to become involved in early childhood development.

Without strong, healthy and educated youth, this region doesn't stand much of a chance.

The Children First Society is holding their annual general meeting next Wednesday, April 25. Come on out and show your support and listen to what other things they've been working on.

With the news of the group receiving money from the community capacity building fund, things seem like they're on the move.

To acknowledge the efforts of the group and their cause, I am going to start a slow clap, hoping you all will join in and make this a round of applause they can hear at Shell Lake.

Dog's gone wild

Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum
Friday, April 20, 2007

They might seem cute and innocent but recently in Fort Simpson they've been back in the spotlight receiving the kind of attention that is usually reserved for persistent, but not overly dangerous criminals.

There are, in fact, a number of striking similarities between the issue of stray dogs in Fort Simpson and questions that often arise about the criminal element.

To begin with, when there is a rash of petty thefts, people, including officials in positions of power and community members, start to discuss what can be done.

Stray dogs have been a discussion topic raised at the past three village council meetings in Fort Simpson.

The topic was brought to light again after two letters were submitted for the meeting on March 19. In one case both members of a couple were injured in separate incidents by dogs. One person received a twisted ankle after being pushed over by a dog and the other had a dog bite and break the skin on their calf.

The second letter raised concerns over the number of loose dogs at Wild Rose and the threat to the safety of children and adults alike.

Council members voiced their continued support for measures to deal with loose dogs including temporarily increasing the hours of the bylaw officer.

The increased presence of enforcement officials like the RCMP is a common response to fight rising crime numbers. People, however, sometimes question the effectiveness of this step. Arguments include the fact that there are a limited number of RCMP officers to go around and criminals are likely to figure out which times are still best to commit offences.

The same concerns have been raised in the case of the loose dogs.

Some council members have argued that dog owners purposefully let their dogs loose when they know the bylaw officer is off duty. Changing the bylaw officer's hours will only be met by a change in when dogs are set loose, they say.

To help deter people from letting their dogs roam, this week council amended a bylaw to increase the fines for the seizure and impoundment of dogs. The move is similar to making sentences longer for criminals.

In this midst of all this talk about ways to fight the symptoms of the problem, people also start to discuss what factors led to the mess to begin with.

What makes people turn to crime? What turns dogs into aimless rovers?

In both cases people look to the individuals' formative years and family situations. Common questions include: were they loved enough, were there problems in their homes and did they receive enough supervision and guidance.

Many people believe that the answer to problems later in life can be found in the early years.

When enough people are concerned about an issue whether it is loose dogs or anything else, they often find the strength to band together.

This is what is needed in Fort Simpson and probably in a number of other Deh Cho communities that have problems with loose dogs.

More than just a handful of people need to say enough is enough. When this happens, people will start to put pressure on their neighbours who are letting dogs loose and the dogs that are homeless will be identified and rounded up.

Until this groundswell breaking point has been reached, discussions will continue to circle around the same point with little progress being made.

Corrections

Incorrect information appeared in an article in last Monday's News/North, ("From the shelter to the camp," April 16). Victor Allen's camp is located near Tuktoyaktuk not Fort McPherson. News/North apologizes for any embarrassment or confusion caused by the error.