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Working for the money
Yellowknifer - Friday, November 6, 2009

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A group of seniors recently turned to the territorial government to provide them with $50,000 needed to send their team to the 2010 Canada 55+ Games in Ontario.Services for seniors are covered by the Department of Health and Social Services.

Earlier this year the department backed away from proposed changes to health benefits under a storm of protest by seniors.

More recently, Health Minister Sandy Lee weathered an appeal by two MLAs in the legislative assembly to provide $50,000 to send a group of senior athletes to compete in Ontario next year. Lee replied that such funding is not in Health and Social Services' mandate.

Yellowknifers should know well that our cash-strapped government is always struggling to meet the enormous demands placed on the health budget, many of them relating to critical care.

The senior athletes should instead follow the example set by youth groups and other sports groups in the city, and raise the funds for themselves.

Youth of the city are told time and again that any given program's success is dependent on fundraising efforts, not hand-outs. This is a good chance for our elder athletes, particularly the well-to-do, to demonstrate this advice works by putting it into practice.

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Lakes forbidden for a purpose
Friday, November 6, 2009

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It's nice to know the deepwater sculpin is alive and well in Alexie Lake.

That was re-confirmed in 2004, the year Alexie and neighbouring Chitty Lake were closed to recreational fishing and returned to their previous designation as a study preserve for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

While the seldom seen sculpin may not excite much interest in most people, it does play a role in advancing the scientific knowledge towards Canadian Shield lakes – of which, there are many around Yellowknife and throughout the North.

The deepwater sculpin's patchy distribution across Canada in only the coldest, deepest lakes tells scientists a lot about what the country looked like at the end of the last ice age.

Fisheries and Oceans researchers have been studying Chitty, Alexie and the adjacent Baptiste and Drygeese lakes since 1969. The latest round includes studies on how industry affects fish populations. This is particularly important here in the NWT where mining is key to the territory's economic well-being, but at times may be in conflict with aboriginal fish harvesting activities and recreational angling.

Fish populations are vulnerable here because they take longer to grow in our cold, northern climate. That's why it's important to have as much knowledge as possible to better protect them.

Sacrificing access to a couple lakes is not a bad trade off if it helps us understand what's going on beneath the surface everywhere else.

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Crossing the line
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, November 5, 2009

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Many freezers and fridges across the Deh Cho have a fresh stock of moose meat thanks to this year's fall hunt.

The fall hunt is an important event in the Deh Cho's annual cycle. It signals a break from the last threads of summer and prepares the way for the onset of winter.

For many residents, the hunt is still an important source of food for their families. For others the traditional food is a good addition to supplement what they buy in the meat section in the grocery store.

The most important aspect of the hunt, however, isn't in people going out and bagging a moose, it's in the co-operation involved when groups go out and share the responsibility of harvesting not just for themselves but also for community members who couldn't make the trip.

While gathering reports from all the Deh Cho communities about how this year's hunting season went, many references were made to the communal ties that the hunt fosters.

Kakisa provides a prime example of the strength of the hunt. This year Kakisa continued its tradition of including as many community members as possible in the hunt near Tathlina Lake. More than 21 people went between two trips to the lake during the first three weeks in September.

The focus wasn't just primarily on harvesting moose. Residents also helped each other winterize their cabins and tent frames and prepare for future projects that the band has planned for the area.

The hunting itself didn't go as well as usual, but as Chief Lloyd Chicot said, as long as the band members get together and go out, it's a good year.

Trout Lake normally sets the same example. During the fall hunt it can be hard to find anyone in the community because most residents go out together to harvest animals. This year the pattern was broken due to concerns over the H1N1 flu virus.

Even in the larger communities, hunting fostered co-operation among residents. Acting Chief Albert Moses of the Pehdzeh Ki First Nation said that after some of the local harvesters finished providing for their own families, they returned to sites along the Mackenzie River to get moose for other community members. The band helped provide gasoline for the harvesters who were going back out.

In today's society, even in the North, the pace of life has increased and connections between community members and even extended family members have been stretched and broken. Families have become solitary units disconnected from those around them.

The fall hunt provides an important opportunity to reconnect to the way life used to be when resources, such as moose meat, were shared more freely between people living in close proximity. The hunt puts food in freezers but it also strengthens community ties.

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A fresh slate
Editorial Comment
Andrew Rankin
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, November 5, 2009

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I'm probably not the only one who feels a little overloaded when it comes to the subject of swine flu. Practically every time you open any paper or turn on the radio it's there, and for good reason. It's potentially fatal. There have been stories of otherwise perfectly healthy people succumbing to the virus. But those cases have been very rare indeed.

However, it's no wonder people have gone berserk trying to get vaccinated. Now most of the country is short on vaccinations. Stories have been told about people waiting out in the cold only to be refused a dose of vaccine for some reason. The federal government is taking a lot of criticism for coming out and saying it would have enough vaccines for anyone. That hasn't been the case. Health authorities have been criticized over doing a poor job organizing clinics. There's probably some truth to that, although locally that hasn't been the case. Clinics were open here before many other parts of Canada.

The country hasn't dealt with a pandemic like this in recent memory, and as far as I can tell it's doing the best it can under the circumstances. In any case some of the people most vulnerable to the virus remain unvaccinated.

Sure the government might have done a better job anticipating and planning to avoid such a situation, but I think many of us are probably to blame as well.

Was it necessary for people who aren't among high-risk groups to immediately rush out to get the shot? Could we have just taken a few deep breaths, waited a few weeks and let people who are especially susceptible to the virus, like children, get their shot first? There is strong evidence that older people, 50 years old or older, have full or partial immunity to swine flu.

For most it's irresponsible not to get the shot because, after all, it's about protecting your neighbour as much as it is yourself. But I think Canadians have to calm down a little and consider the facts.

Testament to the human spiritI hesitated to write an editorial this week centering on Sue Clarkson's awesome feat of running a 26-mile marathon on a broken leg last month. There were two reasons for that: she'd be embarrassed by the extra attention and I didn't want a sense of overkill related to the story featured in this edition.

But I thought it was fitting to shine extra light on her inspiring accomplishment since this week we celebrate the arrival of the Olympic Torch. Anyone who knows Sue probably knows that you probably can't find a better torch bearer, someone who represents what the Olympics should truly stand for: a reflection of the core of the human spirit.

No one I know demonstrates the power of the human spirit better than Sue does.

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Tag your dogs
Wednesday, November 4, 2009

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Dog owners should heed the story of Tyson, a shih tzu-terrier whose owners lost him when they were away on vacation for two weeks recently.

Great Slave Animal Hospital was quick to carry out its mandate of caring for the unidentified animal, found without registration tags running around the McDonald's drive-through. The animal hospital then adopted him out after five working days - the time frame within which owners must claim their dogs.

It is to the hospital's credit that they carried out their job swiftly and efficiently - successfully finding the animal a new owner in such a short time frame.

The story has a sad ending for the dog's lifelong owners, however, who had neglected to keep their pet tagged, and returned from their vacation to find they had not left the dog in good care. In the two weeks the owners were away, apparently little effort was made to find the dog.

At the end of the day, common sense and goodwill between the Tyson's original owners and his new owner should decide the dog's fate.

Beyond that, Great Slave Animal Hospital should reconsider its policy of offering unidentified animals for adoption after only five working days.

Pets are likely to be lost while their owners are away from home - while on vacation or working a two-week shift at the mine. In a city with a high number of dog-owners, 10 or more working days would be a more reasonable deadline to recover a pet - with all expenses charged to the owner.

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H1N1 clinics ran smoothly in the NWT
Wednesday, November 4, 2009

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Yellowknifers who received the H1N1 vaccine at the Multiplex were met with a very different situation than many in the south.

A long line of people moved through the building relatively quickly during the first day of the vaccination clinic in Yellowknife. The process generally took between 10 and 20 minutes, minus the 15-minute observation period following the injection.

It has been a much different story in southern Canada, as some people have had to wait in line for many hours. Some of them have been turned away from clinics overwhelmed by the demand for the vaccine.

In Yellowknife, residents have been fortunate as there has been no shortage of vaccine for the territory. As well, Health and Social Services recruited 10 extra nurses in for the vaccination campaign across the NWT.

The territorial government ensur-ed that the clinics ran smoothly and, essentially, everyone wanting the shot was able to get it. A free bus operated throughout the city, starting in Ndilo, to provide residents access to the clinic.

The GNWT deserves to be commended for the smooth and efficient H1N1 vaccination campaign.

While we wish our southern family and friends well in getting their flu shots, we can now settle in for the long, cold winter knowing that everyone in Yellowknife who wanted protection from that potent virus has had a chance to get it.

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Keystone Cops and our Environment department
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, November 4, 2009

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OK. I'll be the first to admit it's a bummer when you ask a boss for direction, he or she gives bad information, and you take the fall for it.

Fortunately that's a rare occurrence in most lines of work, especially enforcement vocations like policing or wildlife conservation.

One would like to think those walking around in uniform actually know the rules they're enforcing.

It really doesn't seem like that much to ask, right?

But the good folks in Nunavut's Environment department wildlife operations in particular didn't get the memo about reading up on the laws they're supposed to enforce.

So, we're left with a conservation officer in Baker Lake who violates Nunavut's Wildlife Act by shooting two muskoxen in an area closed to hunting.

Did we mention even if it was an open-hunting area, muskoxen were out of season?

Or, how about the mindnumbing fact the officer actually issued himself a licence to kill the muskoxen he and his friend just happened to encounter while on patrol?

This guy should be on one of those psychic TV shows, as he certainly seems to have the gift.

To top it all off - when announcing no charges would be laid because the officer received wrong information from his superiors - those same superiors say the case reveals a systematic lack of training for conservation officers in Nunavut.

D'uh!! Do ya' think?

A spokesperson also said an offence had most likely occurred.

Let's see: conservation officer issues himself a permit to shoot two muskoxen he might encounter while on patrol in a nohunting area while the animals are out of season.

Again, do ya' think?

Other than two muskoxen losing their lives when they just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time (wink, wink), this episode would be Keystone Cops hilarious, except for the fact, once again, we're seeing how the laws don't apply to everyone equally in Nunavut.

Most Canadians learn early in life that ignorance of the law is no excuse when it comes to beating the rap for any type of violation.

Well, any type of violation except shooting two muskoxen in a nohunting area out of season in Nunavut.

Let's be honest. Does anyone reading this, who isn't a conservation officer, believe if they were caught tomorrow with two dead muskoxen in a nohunting area, out of season, they wouldn't be charged if they could show their boss told them it was all right?

Hey, folks at the Department of Environment even have a fancy term for the transgression.

It's called "advice induced error" and, when it happens, the chance of success for prosecution is extremely low to nil. That is, if you happen to be a conservation officer appearing in a Nunavut court.

We truly can't decide which is worse: the fact the conservation officer didn't know the rules he's enforcing or the superiors he talked to (bringing down a hefty paycheque, no doubt) didn't know their own regulations.

Is it any wonder Inuit hunters and government regulators tend to butt heads every now and then?

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Road to an economy
NWT News/North - Monday, November 2, 2009

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Roads are a contentious issue in the North. Each community has its own ideas of where the NWT's transportation network should take them.

A majority of hamlets in the territory do not have a year-round road link to neighbouring communities or the south.

Cece Hodgson McCauley, one of our most vocal supporters of a proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway, is adamant that a road link will lower the cost of groceries, solve social issues caused by isolation, and provide a needed connection to hamlets in the Sahtu.

She is right, but starting with the Mackenzie Valley Highway is economically the wrong choice for the territory. Department of Transportation estimates peg the cost of the road at nearly $1.82 billion - not including annual maintenance costs.

Sure-fire ways to generate more resource dollars, prolong employment opportunities and create incentives for population increases are essential.

Roads to major mining regions of the territory are vital to creating an economic atmosphere that will achieve those goals. For the $190 million Diavik estimates it would cost to build an all-season road, the NWT can connect to the heartland of territorial mining potential and enhance options to replace existing mines once they are exhausted.

That would come with the added benefit of cost sharing agreements, which should be integral to the plan, among industry, the GNWT and the federal government.

Aside from government, mining is the only other major contributor to the territory's economy. With the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline's future in doubt we need investments that will begin to show immediate return.

The road, which would take a little more than two years to complete, would yield such results - the jobs needed for its construction aside.

For example, Ekati Diamond mine has been working to extend its life to 2040. To do so it must reduce its operating costs to $50 per tonne. Presently, the mine operates at a cost of $70 per tonne. An all-weather road would decrease transportation costs. That would guarantee employment for more than 800 Northerners and sustain a $1 billion contributor to the NWT's GDP for the next three decades. Add the same potential for the other mines in the region and deposits waiting to be developed and the economic spinoffs would be enormous.

Potentially, a link to road and rail routes could mean a new resource rush in the North, which would have sweeping economic benefits.

People move to where the jobs are; more people means more money from Ottawa. Those funds can be used to pay for additional services, schools, hospitals, and, possibly, a road to the Sahtu. A growing population will also attract more business, creating competition to drive down prices. Teachers, nurses, doctors and other professionals will be more inclined to move to communities with road access.

If we control the impacts of such mass development and ensure many of the jobs go to Northerners, we can't lose.

Second on the list of roads that should be built, is the Inuvik to Tuk extension of the Dempster Highway. Such a link is essential for our national sovereignty and would create the first sea-to-sea-to-sea transportation network in Canada. It would also be a boon to the Beaufort Delta communities which are in need of ways to generate business, reduce the costs of goods and services, and attract professionals.

Both of those roads could also significantly reduce construction costs of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, which could make the Mackenzie Valley Highway extension feasible.

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Health coverage should be equal
Nunavut News/North - Monday, November 2, 2009

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There is a hole in Nunavut's health care benefits, and longtime Iqaluit resident Michael Gardener is only the most recent person to fall through it.

When the retired Anglican priest was recently billed nearly $17,000 for his stay at the Larga Baffin medical boarding home in Ottawa while accompanying his wife, Nunavummiut expressed outrage and many began planning fundraisers to help pay the bill.

Minister of Health Tagak Curley quickly withdrew the bill, paying the bulk of the charges through the extended health benefits for seniors and writing off the rest.

The reason Gardener was billed is because Nunavut land claim beneficiaries have access to health benefits through the federal government that are more comprehensive than what provinces and territories usually cover.

However, it seems that in formulating Nunavut's medical travel coverage, policymakers forgot that not everybody in Nunavut is Inuit.

Yukon and the NWT both subsidize medical travel expenses for such residents, as well as authorized escorts not covered under non-insured health benefits (NIHB) or private insurance.

Nunavut does so only for residents over the age of 65. Everybody else has to pay out of pocket with no reimbursement.

The principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit emphasize the importance of the group versus the individual, of thinking and acting collaboratively and of recognizing that every person has something of value to contribute to the community. Allowing people to fall through the cracks in medical travel coverage, even a relatively small number, and expecting them to shoulder huge bills for medical services like outpatient surgery or to give birth in a hospital, goes against such principles.

Nunavut needs a medical travel subsidization program of last resort, similar to the NWT and Yukon, to make sure all its residents are treated fairly and equitably.

Of course, medical travel is already a huge expense for Nunavut's health care system, and covering the expenses of more people will put more strain on already parched resources.

Provinces and territories fund health programs through money transferred from the federal government, and we need to put pressure on the federal government to either keep paying the ever increasing costs of medical travel or bring those costs down by bettering the territory's own medical resources and lowering the cost of air travel in the North.

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq should be well aware of these challenges. She should be our strongest advocate for more health funding.