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Violence at its worst NWT News/North - Monday, October 4, 2010
In 2007 there were 321 spousal assaults reported in the territory -- 86 per cent against women. That is more than eight times the national average per 100,000 people for total spousal assaults and more than nine times the national average against women.
Between 2009 and 2010, 314 women and 253 children were admitted to an NWT family violence shelter, representing an 11.7 per cent increase over the previous year, according to the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services. Considering many incidents of family violence are not reported to the police nor do victims always access a shelter, the abuse rates could be much higher.
Over the past few years, a number of programs and public awareness campaigns have been put into place to help victims of domestic violence. One of note, administered by the Department of Justice, is the emergency protection order legislation that helps to remove accused abusers from the home. That program is presently under review to gauge its effectiveness. Hopefully that review will outline efficiencies to the program to ensure victims of abuse know how to access it as a shield for them and their families.
Emergency funding is also available through the Department of Justice's Victims of Crime Emergency Fund. Although not primarily for victims of domestic violence, the fund does provide compensation to victims for an assortment of expenses ranging from accommodation to medical costs. The NWT Family Violence Action plan also calls for increased counselling services and education resources.
Family violence is difficult to combat primarily because so few people choose to come forward or seek help. The 2004 General Social Survey indicates only 28 per cent of cases of domestic violence are reported to police -- suggesting more than 800 cases in the NWT have gone unreported.
NWT communities are small, which makes escaping from violence difficult, especially if the community does not have its own shelter services.
There are seven communities with family violence shelters in the territory. Two of those communities do not offer emergency accommodations. Although the Department of Health does provide funding for victims to travel to shelters elsewhere, many might not want to be forced out of their communities as well as their homes.
Emergency shelters in every community may not be realistic but there may be alternatives. In smaller communities, victims could stay in safe houses and the owner compensated for time and training while counsellors monitor the situation. The challenge, of course, is secrecy and security would have to be maintained to protect both the victim and the homeowner.
Although the GNWT has numerous programs to aid victims, communities and individuals must take a stand to denounce family violence. Although the NWT's 2007 family violence survey found most people believe domestic violence should be reported to the police, a disproportionate number -- 34.8 per cent - living outside the NWT's major urban centres think domestic violence is a private matter between a couple.
As long as family violence remains hidden behind closed doors it will persist. Turning a blind eye is not a solution. All must take responsibility to report violence and ensure our communities are safe places for our neighbours as well as ourselves.
The Nunavut Housing Corporation has somehow managed - or mismanaged - $110 million in unforeseen costs in aiming to build close to 1,000 homes using $300 million of federal funds.
It's a stunning example of incompetence, or the inability to keep track of money.
Yet the botched accounting does not change the reality for many people on the ground.
Nunavut's housing crisis is horrendous and extensive, and that should come as no surprise to anyone, including senior bureaucrats and politicians in Ottawa.
An incredible 25 per cent of homes in the Kivalliq region accommodate six or more people, according to 2006 census data from Statistics Canada. Most of these homes, it must be pointed out, are not sprawling mansions. They are modest bungalows, sometimes even dilapidated shacks, where the cold draft of winter whistles through poorly sealed windows and doorframes.
Things don't get much better in the Kitkitmeot, where 23 per cent of homes have six or more people. The number falls to 17 per cent in the Baffin region, but that's still much higher than the national average.
A consequence of cramming people into houses like sardines is they get sick more often. As you can read about in this edition, tuberculosis is still a raging threat in our territory and many blame its virulent spread on the close contact of people in crowded homes.
On a related note, the Canadian Medical Association Journal reported in 2007 that infants in Nunavut suffered the highest rates in the world of a potentially deadly respiratory virus (RSV). Although the cause was not definitive, the medical association's study said overcrowding and exposure to tobacco smoke were likely factors.
Other studies have associated overcrowded homes with poor performance in school. Logic dictates that a child who is distracted by a house full of people will have a more difficult time studying and sleeping. That surely translates into difficulty concentrating in the classroom.
As well, some believe that people in cramped houses suffer greater frustrations from having to constantly share what little space exists and having little privacy. That could lead to frayed nerves, arguments and, in turn, greater use of alcohol and drugs in a harmful attempt to cope.
Clearly these perils cannot be ignored.
The federal government deserves credit for recognizing Nunavut's overwhelming housing needs and allotting funds to address the problem. However, Ottawa was also well aware of the GN's terrible track record of managing funds. Auditor general Sheila Fraser found in 2008 that accounting within the Nunavut Housing Corporation was shoddy and she largely blamed staff vacancies. Of course little has changed since then.
For that reason, the federal government, with its enormous staff in the south, should be lending expertise or providing financial oversight on public projects of this scale.
While Nunavut's bureaucrats obviously need help with math, the people on the ground still require healthier places to live.
"Our bottom line is that we will provide housing to the public," Premier Eva Aariak said on Sept. 15.
She must hold true to her word, at whatever the cost.
Preliminary details from a pending feasibility study show De Beers' Gahcho Kue site - about 300 km northeast of Yellowknife - will have an expected lifespan of at least 11 years with a remarkable production rate of 4.5 million carats a year - more than three times the production capacity of Snap Lake, also owned by De Beers.
A new diamond mine would be just the ticket needed to boost the territory's flagging exploration sector, not to mention more jobs and growth in Yellowknife, where a number of industries struggle to stay on their feet.
The latest Statistics Canada report shows once again the NWT remains a no-go zone for many Canadians looking for work. The NWT population grew by just 0.2 per cent in July, to 43,759 from 43,673 last year. The Canadian average was 1.2 per cent, while neighbouring Nunavut grew by 3.2 per cent. A new mine would do much to encourage more workers to come live in the NWT as the previous ones did. The news presents the territorial government with an opportunity as well, to this time ensure the cutting and polishing industry has ready access to an allotted 10 per cent of rough diamonds - no auction premiums or bags fulls of tiny or poor quality stones.
Now that the GNWT is reworking its diamond policy, getting such an agreement in writing is a must.
The AuroraMax Online Observatory, the brainchild of Yellowknife astronomy buff James Pugsley, has garnered worldwide attention since launching into cyberspace last week.
The website allows visitors to watch the aurora borealis above Yellowknife as it's seen in real time. It also allows viewers to see aurora replays, reports on sunspot activity, and even receives Twitter messages notifying participants of when auroras are in view.
Pugsley counts among his partners the Canadian Space Agency, the University of Calgary and the City of Yellowknife. The NWT is fortunate to count a savvy individual like Pugsley among its residents to trumpet one of the territory's greatest tourism resources.
No doubt, the winter aurora tourism industry, which has fallen on hard times in recent years and is now down to only one full-time operator, Aurora World, has been given a much needed boost.
It's always interesting to see how many people are in the park at any given time and to scan their licence plates to note where they have come from. While many plates are from relatively nearby locations including British Columbia and Alberta there's always the odd one that's a long way from home, usually from an American state.
Both casual observations and statistics from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) show the three territorial parks remain well used by visitors. Even with an economic downturn, visitor numbers remained steady compared to last year.
As Michael Mageean, regional superintendent of ITI, said, the Deh Cho has world-class attractions people want to see.
While the Deh Cho seems to be doing all right in terms of visitor numbers, and attractions such as Virginia Falls aren't about to disappear, it's not good enough to sit on one's laurels. While the region is unlikely to ever become a tourist hotspot, it's important we do as much as possible to maximize tourism potential.
Some positive developments are already underway. ITI is constructing a viewing platform overlooking the Trout River gorge along with a hiking trail at Sambaa Deh Territorial Park. The Nahanni National Park Reserve is developing additional products and experiences to offer outdoor enthusiasts on top of the well-known trip down the South Nahanni River.
Both projects will help to draw tourists into the region and keep them here longer. There are, however, some areas that need work.
The highway system, particularly Highway 7, needs to be maintained to a higher standard. You can do as much promotion as you like, but unless people have easy access to a location they aren't going to come.
There's also the matter of souvenirs. While communities including Fort Liard and Fort Providence have stores dedicated to selling local crafts and tourist items, even something simple, such as nice postcards, are notoriously hard to find in Fort Simpson. People on vacation like to purchase things to remind themselves of where they've been.
Deh Cho communities would also benefit from having small businesses specializing in offering a taste of traditional Deh Cho life. Many tourists like to learn about the culture of the area they are visiting.
So while a steady flow of tourists still visit the Deh Cho in the summer, there is more that could be done to increase tourist numbers and improve the experience they have while visiting.
This time, the problem lies with the seemingly enormous expense of constructing the building's interior. Estimates have been sent to the town amounting to $500,000.
Mayor Denny Rodgers quoted that figure at town council's committee of the whole meeting on Sept. 20. That seems a tad unreasonable.
The project has been on the table for a few years now. The new building has been vacant for almost a year and only now are residents hearing about construction quotes. The town is only prepared to spend half that amount, about $250,000, from the sale of the current youth centre. But it seems contracting outfits are currently working flat out and can charge what they want, and they're entitled to do that.
Aside from the cost, there doesn't seem to be a focus on the town's part to get this badly-needed project done. There have been several delays over the last year. The end of summer was the last move-in deadline, which has since come and gone. It's unclear when the move will happen now.
It seems to me the town should have been able to negotiate some deal with a local or outside contracting company in the past year. Maybe the work could have been completed by independent trades people, bit by bit.
Youth continue to frequent the current run-down Mackenzie Road location just a few doors from the Trapper, instead of an ideal place in a recreational area.
Youth centre staff have planned numerous programs designed for the new location, but had to put them on hold constantly because of the delays.
Of particular concern is the fact many of the youth centre's clientele are there out of necessity. Many of them are just trying to avoid tough home situations and arrive often looking for a safe place to hang out. Many of the youth centres around the NWT are looking to offer overnight shelters for clients. These kids deserve a clean, safe place they can call their own.
Bottom line is the move needs to happen soon. Maybe we shouldn't be relying just on the town to make this happen. Perhaps a few concerned residents could come together with the town and current youth centre to try to move the project forward.
The group might bring more focus to the project, or at the very least figure out a proper, practical design, with youth input, that everyone can live with and then get to work.
Hats off to all the adults signing up to coach minor hockey and the like, but there are other kids out there needing a hand up too.
The kids who are relying on this project shouldn't have to wait any longer for a decent place to call their own.
The anti-abortion organization approached YCS for funding at the board's Sept. 15 meeting. Although the board has not yet made a decision, it should consider that giving money to a pro-life group, which takes an extreme stance on the issue of abortion, would only pit the school board against much of the community.
Recent history shows us the school board's hardline positions have turned off some residents -- for instance its attempt to remove former board trustee and non-Catholic Amy Hacala and the related court case on that issue. The Supreme Court of Canada refused to hear the case last year, allowing Hacala and non-Catholics to prevail.
The point was that, despite the fact YCS is mandated to deliver Catholic education, there are students from a variety of backgrounds attending Catholic schools, some with other beliefs in a supreme being, some who don't believe in a god at all. By extension, non-Catholics have a right to some representation on the YCS board.
In 2007 then-Catholic board chair Shannon Gullberg claimed Education Minister Charles Dent wanted to "eradicate" Catholic education when YCS was pushing for another school. That was not a credible statement in the eyes of many.
All the while, public support for Catholic Schools has be ebbing. Enrollment is dropping and taxpayers are choosing to put more money towards the Yk 1 public board.
If YCS chooses to give money to the pro-lifers it will once again be viewed as staking out an extreme position, and will take it a step closer to "eradication" by its own actions.
Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington deserves applause for voting according to the will of his constituents and not his party during last week's parliamentary vote on the long-gun registry.
The NDP allowed its members a free vote, and Bevington took that route, departing from party leader Jack Layton's stance on this issue.
The NWT's MP supported the registry's abolishment. His position is that there is merit in regulating firearms but that the current registry with its one-size-fits-all approach across the country is flawed. It's an opinion shared strongly by many Northerners. The unequal enforcement of the registry across Canada sends the message that flouting the rules is OK - perhaps even a badge of honour -- and encourages overall disregard of the law of the land. Canada needs to work towards more flexible solutions that recognize the differences in regions.
For Bevington to disagree publicly with his party in defence of our interests showed both integrity and courage, characteristics laudable in an elected official.
We hope parliamentarians as a group can demonstrate the same qualities by finding a way to regulate weapons that kill and maim people without turning hunters and marksmen into criminals.
A young woman in Rankin Inlet has a goal and she's making it happen.
Pallulaaq Friesen fell in love with acting when she was 24, after an audition in the Siniktarviq Hotel in her home community. Her audition partner? None other than Ralph Fiennes, who starred in The English Patient and plays the role of arch-villain Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies.
Though the project didn't happen in the end, her heart and mind were captured. Clearly not one to let passions sit around unkindled, she headed to the Academy of Acting in Winnipeg to study.
Now, with her diploma in hand, she is back in Rankin Inlet and determined to raise up a troupe of adult actors. She has started the Arctic Acting Company in order to achieve that.
Friesen has no funding for her project at the moment - students are paying a fee, but it's not a money-maker by any stretch. Her brand new company is not a small undertaking, either. It held its first class last week but already has eight people committed to the craft.
Friesen will be putting in two evenings and an afternoon every week teaching her students confidence, theatrics, movement, elocution and acting theory. It's a lot for a 27-year-old single mother of two to take on but it's exactly the kind of thing that Northern communities need.
It's not always easy to keep a vibrant arts and music scene thriving in a small hamlet but it's an essential part of the fabric of a happy, healthy community.
The Missoula Children's Theatre was just in town and brought 58 kids to life in a full-blown singing, dancing production in just six days. Every town needs the occasional injection of theatrics but it can't be restricted to the children.
There are children, teens and adults in every town in the Kivalliq who have a flair for the dramatic and they just need a stage. Friesen is creating just that. She went out into the world and gathered the skills and tools she needed and brought it all back to her hometown. That takes a lot of guts and gumption, particularly for a person so young, and she's exactly what the Kivalliq needs.
Famous Nunavummiut in the production industry have, through their work, transmitted their culture and unique personalities to the rest of the world. Names like actor Natar Ungalaaq or filmmaker Zach Kunuk, both from Iglulik, come to mind.
Friesen was close to being one of these herself when she auditioned opposite Fiennes for a role in Snow Country, the veteran actor's directorial debut that is still on hold for financial reasons. Another movie, Julie of the Wolves, was also auditioned in Nunavut.
However, the director, Andrew Young, though on the record pledging to find an Inuk or Inupiaq actress to play the lead role, could not find an actress in the territory who he felt could handle the role.
Friesen's acting company is the kind of ongoing training needed so that the next time a director makes his way North, he will find experienced, trained actors ready to take on whatever roles need filling.
Interest in the Arctic is not going to go away; if anything it's going to grow. Directors will be back and if more individuals like Friesen have anything to do with it, Nunavummiut will be ready.
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