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Fishing for dollars
NWT News/North - Monday, March 1, 2010

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NWT fishers on the Great Slave and Kakisa Lake have finally pulled the plug on the much criticized Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, which leads to the obvious question, what to do now?

Their decision to leave Freshwater Fish is risky business. Quitting means they will be cut off from the Crown corporation's extensive marketing connections throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. But it's clear for far too long the corporation has treated the NWT as a forgettable backwater, barely worth the trouble.

While Nunavut fishers were boasting of a $42 million catch of turbot in 2008, the Great Slave market limped along with a paltry harvest of $412,783 - mostly for whitefish, a species that just about every other fisher under the Freshwater Fish umbrella is also targeting, undoubtedly for less cost and higher profits too.

It's no wonder the Great Slave fishery has been sinking like a stone for decades in an industry increasingly led by old men, as younger generations look for work elsewhere.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans even took to advertising commercial licences outside the territory in 2008 to make sure there were enough fish to deliver to Great Slave's sole-remaining processing plant in Hay River.

It's a shame because there are opportunities everywhere.

The world's ocean fisheries are increasingly under pressure as overfishing on species such as tuna, cod, and sea bass, drives prices on remaining stocks beyond the reach of average consumers. Fish farming operations, meanwhile, for species such as Atlantic salmon, are falling into disrepute as questions arise over their impact on the environment. Concerns are also abound over pollution effecting commercial freshwater fisheries down south.

Alas, the vastly underutilized freshwater fishery of the NWT remains unplucked like an overripe grape. No wonder NWT fishers took exception to Freshwater Fish's defeatist attitude, forever shipping undervalued whitefish to highly competitive markets down south without exploring the full range of possibilities to help fishers make better money.

It's particularly irksome to walk into, say the Northern Store in Fort Simpson, and find a $12 package of whitefish that was probably caught in Lake Winnipeg. A report conducted on the Great Slave fishery in 1994 concluded that 150 tonnes a year of locally caught fish can be absorbed by the Yellowknife market alone.

And what of species like goldeye teeming in the rivers and streams flowing into the south shore of Great Slave Lake? They've been marketed as the famous "Winnipeg smoked goldeye" in that city's finest hotels and restaurants for more than a century. Most these days are harvested from Lake Claire 140 km south of the NWT, but fishers here toss them back because Freshwater Fish never bothered to figure out a way to sell them.

There are many possibilities for the NWT's freshwater fishery if marketed properly. NWT fishers will need some help on that front.

After their vote to leave Freshwater Fish, an official with the Department of Industry, Tourism, and Investment said, the "GNWT has no capacity to market fish."

That's an unacceptable statement considering the lineups going around the block at Northern House last week in Vancouver, where the GNWT is promoting the territory to the world during the Winter Olympics. Our fishery is a valuable resource - think oil, gas, diamonds, gold - in a field where other markets around the world are depleted and in decline. Unlike the above commodities, the Great Slave fishery is renewable. We must learn how to make it work for Northerners.

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Saving the caribou
Nunavut News/North - Monday, March 1, 2010

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Caribou are an important part of Inuit culture, especially in the Kitikmeot region. Meat, organs, hide, antler, sinew... all parts of the animal have a use and the skills in hunting and preparation have been passed down from generation to generation.

Life without a caribou hunt is unimaginable to most Nunavummiut. But that's what's facing hunters in the Wek'eezhii region of the Northwest Territories. The government of the NWT has banned all hunting of the Bathurst herd as an emergency measure because the most recent population count has shown a sharp drop in numbers.

A joint plan by the GNWT and the Tlicho government proposes helping people in the no-hunting zone travel to other areas of the territory to hunt caribou from other herds. This concerns hunters in the Kitikmeot, because all of the caribou herds migrate back and forth across the NWT/Nunavut border, and all of them have declined in numbers in recent years.

The reasons for the decline are unclear, and could include the impacts of climate change and unusual weather patterns on their ability to find food, calving ground disturbances from resource development, overhunting, or a combination of factors.

Caribou have sustained Inuit for centuries; Inuit have a strong interest in sustaining caribou for centuries to come.

To be truly effective, the drive for conservation has to come from the people on the land, not the people in the offices. Without the consultation and consent of affected hunters, any conservation effort is doomed to fail.

Some hunters in the affected region in NWT have harvested caribou from the diminishing herd out of spite for the blanket government restrictions that infringe on their treaty rights. Wildlife officers then seized the carcasses, and the meat and hide went unclaimed for weeks while the government tried to find someone to take the meat.

What a waste of a precious resource!

Any effective conservation plan will stem from consultation with elders, hunters and trappers organizations on both sides of the border, and be agreed upon by the same people. We encourage Nunavummiut hunters to make their voices heard at the many caribou forums happening in the NWT. Our representatives in the government of Nunavut must also relay our concerns over caribou conservation to their counterparts in the NWT. This issue is too important to ignore and it requires a united effort.

Passing on traditional skills to the next generation can only continue if there are caribou left for our children and grandchildren.

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Let's turn the page
Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, February 26, 2010

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Eighteen years is too long to wait for closure.

Since 1997 - five years after the lives of nine men were snuffed out by a mad bomber - the families of the victims of the Giant Mine explosion have been embroiled in a lawsuit launched by the NWT Worker's Compensation Board.

Widows of the nine men killed have been seeking restitution from the parties involved in the labour dispute that eventually led Roger Warren to planting the bomb that killed the miners.

Named in the suit was the territorial government, mine owner Royal Oak, security firm Pinkertons of Canada Ltd. and Timothy Bettger, a striking mine worker whose participation in acts of vandalism prior to the fatal blast, lawyers argued, created a charged atmosphere that instigated Warren's homicidal deed.

In 2004 it seemed the widows of the miners killed in the blast would finally find some peace. The NWT Supreme Court awarded them $10.7 million in damages. The ruling was met with relief and vindication. More importantly, after more than a decade, the families could finally begin down the path towards healing.

Four years later, however, the NWT Court of Appeals reopened old wounds when it overturned the judgement. Appealing to the Supreme Court of Canada, the widows were forced to wait another two years before this country's highest court finally put the issue to rest.

Forcing these families to relive the horror of the Giant Mine bombing for nearly two decades is a travesty. It's a well-known fact that the wheels of justice can sometimes move slowly and this particular case was far from simple. When the first ruling was made, unions and government officials believed if it stood the test of appeal it would have had wide-sweeping ramifications on labour relations in Canada.

Mainly, the appellants questioned why they shared nearly equal blame with Warren, suggesting the bomber was fully at fault for the deaths.

The bombing can be fairly described as the single-most tragic event in the city's history. The events of that day, and the strike leading up to it, created divisions, some of which remain to this day. Our city was marred by violence, vandalism and murder.

Conduct by all the parties involved can easily be described as extreme, and in many cases reactions and the resulting consequences were driven by emotion.

It's easy to look back on the strike and imagine how circumstances would have changed had certain parties reacted differently. What if Royal Oak had shut down the mine instead of hiring replacement workers? What if the union protest had been more level-headed? What if workers had not crossed the picket line? What if the GNWT had intervened?

Unfortunately, that isn't what happened and what-ifs don't change the facts. The pure fact is Warren had a choice that day. A choice to turn anger into murder. He set a bomb attached to a trip wire; an action obviously meant to target miners and rain violence on anyone caught in the blast. A court determined his intent was to kill, and he admitted his actions, although he tried to duck the blame after he was charged.

The Giant Mine strike was a combustible situation fuelled by emotion. Anger and hatred sparked that emotion into civil disobedience and violence. But, in the end, Warren's choice was his own.

With no more course for appeal we sincerely hope all parties can now turn the page on this horrible chapter in Yellowknife history.

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Role models for education
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, February 25, 2010

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When the topic of role models is discussed, adults who have made the choice to return to school and further their education normally aren't near the top of the list.

In fact the list for most young people would probably include a variety of celebrities and musicians from whatever genre of music is at the top of the charts. Adult students are not a common choice of role models, but that is exactly what they are.

In the Deh Cho, as in the rest of the territory and most of the world, there's an emphasis on education. From an early age, children are pushed to get the best education possible so they can get a good job, support themselves and generally succeed in the world.

The education message comes from teachers, parents and even leaders. I've yet to be in a Dehcho First Nation leadership meeting where youths, their future and the importance of them filling professional roles in the region didn't come up.

Everyone knows how important education is, but for myriad reasons many students in the region find it difficult to reach their Grade 12 graduation, let alone a higher level of diploma or degree. This is where adult students come into play.

While it's important that every possible step be taken to ensure that students stay in school and succeed until at least Grade 12 there have to be visible options for those who don't. Returning to a school, like Aurora College, and upgrading their education is one option for those who need a plan B.

Adults who are currently in school are a reminder for everyone - students, teenagers and other adults alike - that it is possible to work towards receiving a better education or learning new skills in different fields. That's not to say, however, that education gets easier the older you get.

As Barb Tsetso, an adult educator at Aurora College in Fort Simpson pointed out, all of the same challenges that people faced in high school are still present and new ones have been added on top of those.

Adult students need to juggle paying bills, raising children, supporting spouses, securing housing and a variety of other challenges in addition to finishing assignments on time.

Returning students need to be personally motivated, dedicated and be supported by those around them in order to succeed, Tsetso said. Those who make it to class on a regular basis and work towards competing programs are really beating the odds.

Adult students may not be on many role model lists at the moment, but some day they may be given the recognition they deserve for highlighting the path that's available for people who want a second chance at completing or supplementing their education.

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Helping the homeless
Editorial Comment
Andrew Rankin
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, February 25, 2010

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As if the folks running the shelter don't have enough to worry about without having to go to the town to beg for 10 grand. With the risk of making too much of a generalization here, I know that employees at that institution are already called upon to become makeshift social workers and psychologists. They're forced to deal with some of the people that land there, suffering from mental illness and a variety of addiction problems.

The Nihtat Gwich'in Council are in charge of running the shelter and it deserves praise for, at the very least, keeping that place open and having a safe place for people to go. It happens to be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it can hold 16 people. Over Christmas the shelter's doors remained open, offering people a host of daily activities, food, movies and board games.

The territorial and federal government ultimately fund the institution. It just doesn't make any sense to me that both governments can't provide that extra $10,000 relief that the shelter is looking for from the town. Maybe to some, that figure isn't a whole lot. But it's what that figure illustrates that irks me: the fact the homeless people, many of whom are suffering from serious addictions, are going unnoticed. The shelter is a community institution and everyone should take an interest in the wellbeing of the people who use it, but ultimately the territorial government should be responsible for shelling out the necessary cash for its upkeep. Why can't the federal government shell out the extra $10,000?

But the cash-strapped shelter obviously isn't an isolated social problem in town. It's just one of the many problems that continue to fall by the wayside here.

It's amazing to me that a community this size doesn't have a detox centre even though mental health workers and addictions specialists are working overtime and are overloaded trying to deal with the demand. What's worse is that there doesn't seem to be a solid plan by the territorial government or from anyone else about how to deal with the problem.

There are concerns about how these current problems will only be exacerbated if the pipeline project goes ahead. Yes there's a social impact fund that's expected to be available if that happens, but what concerns me is we have a government whose priority currently doesn't lie with combating homelessness and drug and alcohol addiction

Governments only react to what the people want and obviously poverty doesn't seem to be a priority. Cheaper electricity is. We should also be thinking of the strain these people put on health care and law enforcement sector, for example, but unfortunately this is the type of issue we like to face tomorrow.

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Death by pinpricks
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, February 24, 2010

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Henry White, the barber leaving Yellowknife for Hay River, is not the first business owner to pack up and leave town due to high costs. We can only hope this isn't an early sign of a larger exodus.

White's barbershop follows Wolverine's Guns and Tackle store, which shuttered its doors last month and moved to greener pastures in Alberta.

White complained of high operating costs and the seemingly aloof attitude among some city councillors toward the private sector.

He is specifically irked by comments made by Coun. Shelagh Montgomery last December where, during a council debate on parking meter and business licence rates, she said that those who couldn't afford a $50 increase to $100 city business licences ought not to be in business at all.

It's this cavalier attitude that will be the death of this city.

Every micromanaging act of council, every fee levied, tax hiked, activity prohibited, makes Yellowknife a harder place to do business, and in the long run, drains the tax base the city uses to fund its services.

Montgomery is correct in that a $50 fee hike on its own is no big deal, but when businesses and residents alike are being bloodied by a thousand different pinpricks, the resulting flow can gush just as a strongly as one caused by a single mighty blow.

City hall is patting itself on the back for winning some obscure "sustainable cities" award for the third year in a row from a magazine no one has ever heard of - Corporate Knights.

The membership of the Facebook group "Yellowknife's cost of living is out of control" meanwhile - at 1,487 yesterday - continues to grow.

Seeking out praises from unread magazines while ignoring the concerns of real citizens is no way to run a city.

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Getting a job is not a bad idea
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, February 24, 2010

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It might seem bizarre, even in this day and age, to be handing out grades to high schoolers for their part-time jobs, but there is some logic in this scheme.

Sir John Franklin High School launched its work experience program last December. Based on similar programs instituted under the Alberta school curriculum, the program has attracted 50 students at the school so far.

For every 25 hours worked at a job after school, whether it be at Wal-mart, Bootlegger, or wherever, students can earn one credit - up to a maximum of 15 - toward the 100 they need to graduate.

Some may say why the heck are we rewarding teenagers for something so seemingly mundane as getting a job, but in a territory where 23 per cent of its adult population doesn't have a high school diploma, it doesn't hurt to have a little extra incentive to get there.

And it doesn't hurt when faced with an education system that's putting less emphasis on good behaviour and making deadlines to encourage teens to dip a toe into the workforce before high school is all said and done.

Employers are not bound to pleasing parents, or hampered by inclusive schooling policies that drag peer groups together from one grade to the next regardless of who is actually able to complete the work.

If Yk Education District No. 1 can use this program to help our youth hit the ground running, then all the better.

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Practise what we preach
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, February 24, 2010

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Rankin Inlet hockey coach Shawn Maley was bang on the money when he said the kerfuffle at the end of the Powerful Peewees championship game was an example of how some of his players need to mature a bit and gain some respect for their competition.

However, that's not the entire picture.

First and foremost, those same players need to learn some respect for something a cut above whatever team may be their opponent on any given day, and that's the game itself!

To threaten the members of another team, for no other reason other than you lost, is a direct insult to the game and all those who work so hard to make it the most popular pastime in Canada.

Even at the peewee age, you don't have to be a genius to sit down and think about how you'd feel to be treated that way in another team's arena.

I, personally, find nothing wrong with the fact there's a fair amount of pressure on every team that wears Rankin Inlet colours to be successful on the ice.

Rankin is a tremendous hockey town where the fans appreciate and, perhaps even more importantly, understand the game.

And, there's absolutely no reason for any community to feel guilty about establishing a winning tradition.

That being said, there are lines that can't be crossed and rules that must be enforced.

Those involved with minor hockey and, yes, parents too, have the responsibility to get that message across to their players.

And, no, before you think it, it's not nearly impossible.

One line that does get crossed in Rankin is the one that states the same rules should apply to everybody.

Too often teams will ignore the unacceptable behaviour of some players, or seek to have less severe punishment imposed upon them than what other players receive.

Sometimes it's because of who they are and, at others, it's because they're regarded as stars.

In either case, it's the wrong approach and it sends the wrong message.

Players must be held accountable for their actions, either by the rules of the game, coaches, local minor hockey associations or their parents.

Believe me, when it comes to kids who love to play hockey, being suspended is a deterrent.

But, more than punishment, we need to get the message across that true 'players' act with class and dignity when they lose.

We also need to get the message across that there's no shame in losing when you've played your best, and you simply can't win every game you play. Nobody does!

And, you can get those messages across effectively without dulling a player's competitive edge or their will to win.

Many people who love sports take every opportunity to talk about the benefits to the kids involved.

They point out that sport teaches teamwork, develops leadership abilities, increases self-confidence and helps keep youth out of trouble by giving them something positive to fill their down time.

Maybe it's time we get back to practising - and teaching - what we preach!