Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

It was nice to see the federal government looking North during the throne speech Nov. 19. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's aim to help get the Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline moving is important to developing our Northern economy.

The pipeline could be a conduit to more jobs, more business and improved Northern infrastructure.

However, there has been concern expressed about the way the Conservative government wants to push the project forward.

The prospect of reducing the regulatory hurdles to be cleared before a major industrial project like this can go forward does not sit well with many Northerners.

We all recognized that the current regulatory process in the NWT is flawed. The amount of time it has taken the Joint Review Panel (JRP) to analyze the project has done nothing but deter investors and cause the price to sky rocket.

But the review panel shouldn't shoulder all the blame for the snail's pace the approval process has taken. It has the daunting task of reviewing a mountain of information ranging from scientific data to many, many pages of transcripts of public input. The volume of information was compounded by the fact in 2006 the JRP extended its public hearings by four months. That was followed by an announcement in May of this year that the JRP's report on the pipeline wouldn't be ready until 2009.

Although some streamlining must be done to improve the NWT's regulatory system, we must ensure due diligence to protect our environmental and social interests.

The JRP must be provided with the necessary resources to sift through the enormous amount of information it has collected in order for it to make a timely decision. More funding and additional staff would accomplish this goal. Had those resources been in place two years ago, the process would likely have concluded by now.

Oil, gas and mining are the backbone of the NWT's economy and future development hinges on a regulatory system that is not just diligent, but effective.

In our need to address the painfully slow regulatory process, let's not be reactionary and adopt wrongheaded approaches found in federal consultant Neil McCrank's report this year. It recommended eliminating or reducing the authority of regional regulatory boards to speed up the regulatory process. That's a method of taking away power, granted through land claims, to the people in the communities most affected by industrial development in the NWT. What those people have to say, and ensuring their right to protect the environment and benefit from mining and oil and gas projects, is paramount.

As Gary Bunio, vice-president of operations with oil and gas company MGM Energy, told Northern News Services earlier this year, "If I look at what's holding up the pipeline, I don't see the regional land and water boards being an issue as much as the Joint Review Panel having usurped some of the rights of the community leaders who say 'No, we want this to go ahead.'"

What is really needed, rather than what McCrank suggests, are a few more horses to get the wagon moving faster, especially when dealing with a mega-project like the Mackenzie Valley pipeline.

Andrew Ooyoumut died in 1954 while tending fishing nets at a camp used to gather food for the RCMP detachment's sled dogs. But the RCMP's administration did not consider his death to be on duty because of a miscommunication between the detachment and the national office.

As such, Ooyoumut did not qualify for inclusion on the honour roll of officers who died in the line of duty.

Despite repeated attempts by the reporting officer, with the support of Nunavut's V Division, to fix the mistake, national administration refused to listen, preferring to "accept the inconsistencies of the past" as recommended by a historian.

Ooyoumut's granddaughter Deborah Kigjugalik Webster has spent the last 15 years fighting for national recognition of his sacrifice. Her fight involved filing repeated access to information requests; it took four such requests to obtain her grandfather's service record.

Thanks to a recent change in RCMP policy allowing deaths by accidents to qualify for the honour roll, the decision may be reversed.

But it shouldn't have taken 54 years and a change in policy for the RCMP to acknowledge the truth.

The RCMP motto is "maintiens le droit." This can be translated to mean "uphold the law," but also has a more general meaning of protecting legal rights.

The RCMP also touts its values: honesty, integrity, professionalism, compassion, accountability and respect. These values apply while serving all Canadians, non-aboriginal and aboriginal alike. Those in national command should also keep those principles in mind when it comes to paying attention to the informed opinions of officers stationed in the North.

Now the RCMP is in the midst of a nation-wide recruiting campaign, and is eager for more Inuit to join. The organization recently promoted two Inuit, one male and one female, to the rank of corporal.

But its history in Nunavut, as exemplified by the cases of Andrew Ooyoumut and other special constables, continues to hinder its efforts to build bridges in Inuit communities. Then there is the ongoing controversy over the alleged Inuit dog slaughter by RCMP in the 1950s and '60s.

Making amends for the wrongs and oversights of the past is one way to gain the confidence of Nunavummiut. Making sure such disrespect doesn't happen again is another.

The Deh Cho Drum building is currently undergoing renovations. The project has given me a chance to see some local tradespeople at work, while also offering me some first-hand experience with the shortage of these important people.

Within the trades is currently a lucrative place to be situated. Skilled tradespeople, as anyone who has ever needed one knows, are in high demand and short supply.

The first challenge, as I'm sure many people can attest to, is getting the necessary tradesperson, whether it be a plumber, electrician, carpenter or someone from other trade variety to your house or business in the first place. Their list of job requests can be long and you might have to wait a while to reach the top.

Once they do arrive, unless the job is quick, they often have to leave again when a building with a more pressing problem arises. With any luck they'll return shortly to finish your job.

Fort Simpson is in a relatively good position when it comes to having local businesses that cover the basic necessities. A qualified electrician has even recently opened a new business aimed at completing smaller projects.

In the less populated communities in the Deh Cho the wait times are longer because tradespeople often have to be brought in.

Trout Lake is taking an interesting measure to address the need for tradespeople. By offering an adult education program the Sambaa K'e Development Corporation is hoping to have more local residents enter trades apprenticeship programs.

Many community members have the necessary skills but haven't been able to get the official paperwork because they get hung up on the trades entrance exam, said Rick Phaneuf, the general manager for the corporation.

The corporation is willing to pay its staff to attend classes for an hour a day if they are interested in furthering their education. If residents can obtain their trade ticket they will benefit and so will the community, said Phaneuf.

The Deh Cho could benefit from more initiatives like this one.

There are lots of jobs in southern Canada to attract tradespeople making it hard for Northern communities to convince people to set up shop here. The Deh Cho needs to be proactive in training homegrown tradespeople.

It all starts with parents encouraging their children to consider the trades and schools offering the necessary programs. Those who are already in the workforce can benefit from adult education opportunities.

If the Deh Cho wants shorter wait times on trade-related projects the work needs to start here.

The people of this region have been fortunate to have such a high quality of doctors and medical support.

This month, we say goodbye to one of our local heroes, Dr. Mike Mulherin. He leaves us to continue his practice back home in Nova Scotia and be with his family.

After speaking with Mulherin for a short time on the day he left, it's obvious this decision was not an easy one to make, after spending 11 years in our community and raising a family here.

Like most people who come North for a new experience, Mulherin said he planned to be here for a year or so, then continue on his path in life.

A year became two, which became five and so on.

One thing is for sure, with the recent departure of one of our staple doctors, Inuvik will soon feel a crunch unlike anything in our 50-year history in this location.

For years, Mulherin and Braam Dr. de Klerk have been the solid foundation that our hospital, has grown on. The people of this region have grown to love and depend on these men.

Now de Klerk stands at the helm of the hospital and he's concerned that doctors will be hard to find and even harder to keep in our region.

One thing is for sure, the people of this part of the Territories have gotten used to a high level of service from our hospital. I would hope that anyone brought North for our medical needs would strive to maintain that hard work.

I recently spent a week in the hospital with our new baby girl and I can tell you from first-hand experience that place is a well-oiled machine.

The nurses work hard to ensure a comfortable yet professional environment, with all levels of employees working their hardest to keep the ship afloat.

So, where does our community go from here? Can we appeal to the regional health board to bring a good supply of doctors to the North?

I think the problem lies in attracting people to our part of the country. It can be a hard sell. We're asking someone to leave their home for an unknown new place.

All we should be thinking about is keeping the North as happy a place as it is now.

It is because of the people in our community that our long-time doctors have stayed so long.

It wasn't the decayed, asbestos-ridden hospital that kept Mike Mulherin in the North to raise his kids. It sure wasn't the aging clinic building either. It was our families and our lifestyle that led him to settle down in this place.

So next time you're in the hospital, be welcoming and go over and above your duty to make the visiting doctors feel comfortable. Maybe they'll be a part of our lives for years to come.

If one were to view ministerial portfolios as the initial test for Nunavut's first female premier, Eva Aariak passed with flying colours.

Aariak has Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, Status of Women and Immigration for herself.

All logical choices and -- while not to downplay any of the three -- not the type of responsibilities to take too much valuable time away from Aariak's other duties. Grade: A

Peter Taptuna was given Economic Development and Transportation, Nunavut Business Credit Corp., Nunavut Development Corp. and Mines.

He has the skills to handle them, especially with many of the decisions he'll be faced with linked together.

He will have to resist the temptation to tag team with Keith Peterson and focus too much on the Kitikmeot or all bets are off. Grade: C+

Veteran Louis Tapardjuk was given Justice, Culture, Language, Elders and Youth and Languages.

With this trio, he will be able to focus a good deal of his time on Justice and that's a good thing. Grade: B+

Hunter Tootoo makes his ministerial debut with Education, Nunavut Arctic College, Nunavut Housing Corp. and Homelessness.

While homelessness is a rising issue in Nunavut, education is the big one here and Tootoo has shown he has little patience for plans that call for lowering the standards bar.

That, also, is a good thing. Grade: B+

Lorne Kusugak brings a strong track record as a municipal leader and board member to Community and Government Services, Qulliq Energy Corp. and Energy.

He is a natural fit for these titles, but must resist the temptation as a first-time minister to try and do too much, too soon. Grade: B+

Daniel Shewchuk should be a ringer for minister of Environment and a breath of fresh air in Human Resources.

Given his years of experience in Nunavut, he should be a solid bridge between western science and traditional knowledge.

He must also resist the temptation to do too much, too fast. Grade B+

If Taptuna must be careful not to focus too much on the Kitikmeot, Keith Peterson must be extra careful.

The possessor of a sharp mind and engaging personality, Peterson's main flaw is that he often does not react well to criticism.

He may have taken on too much with Finance and Health and Social Services, not to mention Worker's Safety and Compensation Commission and the Utility Rates Review Council.

He will have to listen to his senior staff and make them feel comfortable in bringing forth their opinions if he's to be successful.

Grade: C+ (would be B+ if not for both Health and Finance together).

There are many who do not like first-time MLAs taking ministerial portfolios.

But with so many new faces this time around, the MLAs really had no choice.

Only time will tell if the lack of experience will show during what promises to be a rocky road ahead.

With one position left to fill after the Akulliq byelection, and given the candidates the MLAs presented her with, Aariak did an excellent job in giving them the best chance to succeed.

Hopefully, they will make the best of it.