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RCMP double standard Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, November 26, 2010
And not only uphold it but also ensure the highest possible standards. That's one of the reasons why Canadians naturally assume our country is better run than most others, because our country is well-policed. It's expected the corruption that infects law enforcement agencies elsewhere will not to be tolerated here. That's why the spectacle of RCMP officers stalling an investigation of one of their own is so disturbing. That was revealed during a court hearing last week into an assault charge against Const. Jason Muzzerall, who was found not guilty Thursday of injuring a prisoner brought into RCMP cells on April 18, 2009. Crown prosecutor David McWhinnie told the court one of the reasons why it took so long to charge the officer and bring the case to court is because fellow RCMP officers declined to give statements "until it was made clear by their supervisors that they had to." Regardless of whether the charge against Muzzerall had merit, it's hard to ignore the double standard on display here. Would officers withhold making statements if allegations involved someone outside the RCMP detachment? Why did three police officers make notes of incidents prior to and after the one in question, but no one had written references to a situation in which a prisoner was injured? Why did the Mounties allow a video tape taken inside the cell after the complaint was laid, to be erased, costing the justice system a potentially key piece of evidence? When police officers close ranks around a fellow officer accused of a crime - or are even perceived to be doing so - public confidence in their ability to do their job fairly is shaken. The public has now learned that criminal allegations - unspecified and unproven so far - have been made against other RCMP officers, including Sgt. Andy Ing, the officer in charge of the investigation against Muzzerall. Those allegations date back a couple of years, according to McWhinnie. What more is being done to prove or disprove those allegations? Will this affect the ability of all of those officers to provide testimony in future cases? There's no doubt that RCMP officers have a terribly difficult job and they do it admirably in most circumstances. The organization's reputation is among the finest in the world. That's why it's critical that RCMP be seen upholding the law, and not avoiding it.
Affordable housing 15 per cent closer Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, November 26, 2010 City council's push for more affordable housing in Phase VII of Niven Lake is a signal it is taking the need seriously. At a Nov. 1 council meeting, councillor Shelagh Montgomery said requests for proposals on how to develop the remaining 12 lots in Phase VII should be weighted to include 15 per cent on affordable housing. This was the second time the draft for a call for proposals was tabled - the first draft included nothing on the issue and council wisely sent it back to administration for re-working. Trying to find affordable housing in Yellowknife is like searching for a needle in a haystack. Housing affordability - and availability - has plagued Yellowknife for years. Fifty-six per cent of rental units in Yellowknife cost $1,500 or more, according to a 2009 territorial government housing survey. Thirty-two per cent of rental dwellings cost between $1,000 to $1,499 and 42 per cent of all households cost more than $1,500 a month. In 2007, a single parent average income was $49,071. If monthly rent is $1,500, the parent spends $18,000 a year on just rent, not including utility costs - some 37 per cent of their income. While this is an extreme example of the high cost of living in the city, the issue of affordability affects everyone and council's call for cheaper housing is a step in the right direction.
Reconciling old adversaries Editorial Comment Roxanna Thompson Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, November 25, 2010
For years the Deh Cho has had a troubled relationship with the idea of resource development, particularly non-renewable resource development. Environmental concerns have been at the root of most of the issues surrounding proposed developments. The Joint Review Panel hearings on the Mackenzie Gas Project were a case in point. At the hearings in the Deh Cho person after person came forward to voice concerns about how the pipeline might negatively affect local wildlife and the land. Similar issues have been raised about the other potential development in the region, the Prairie Creek Mine. The mine has long been the villain in doomsday-like predictions of environmental disaster featuring mine tailings and barrels of cyanide escaping and poisoning the South Nahanni River and the Nahanni National Park Reserve. Economic development has been the flip side of the issue for both the pipeline and the mine. Many people at the Joint Review Panel hearings also spoke about the need for local employment and business opportunities to arise from the pipeline construction. The same is true for the mine, particularly in Nahanni Butte. For years the environmental concerns and the economic opportunities have been at loggerheads, incapable of co-existing. Now it appears a rethinking is underway. Both the Nahanni Butte Dene Band and Liidlii Kue First Nation are in negotiations with Canadian Zinc to reach impact benefits agreements would outline what types of jobs, education and training the bands' membership would receive if the mine opens. Chief Jim Antoine of Liidlii Kue First Nation said the band needs to be prepared to take advantage of the economic opportunities the mine could bring. Headway is also being made on the pipeline where negotiations resumed last months between Dehcho First Nations and the Mackenzie Gas Project on access and benefit agreements. It seems opinions in the region are beginning to shift. While environmental concerns still rank highly communities are finding ways to successfully mitigate them, opening the way for local economic development. If these early examples succeed the Deh Cho may find a balanced way forward that has been absent until now.
Who's paying attention? Editorial Comment Andrew Rankin Inuvik Drum - Thursday, November 25, 2010
No doubt a few of the affected residents are frustrated. The water line froze and subsequently burst on Nov. 11. The town is in the process of preparing a report to get to the bottom of the incident. Once that report is finished it would be a good idea to invite those residents to a public meeting to discuss what went wrong and to reassure other residents such an incident won't happen anytime soon. Mayor Denny Rodgers commented earlier this week about the difficulty of engaging the public in municipal politics and most people only become involved when an issue arises affecting them. But just because people appear disinterested shouldn't mean council should just play along. In fact the onus is on council members to find ways to engage people. Two people showed up to council's last few committee of the whole meetings. That's not something to write home about but at least it's a start. On the advice of Coun. Jim McDonald council agreed to publish its draft code of conduct on the web with the intent people will offer feedback on the document. Plans are underway to meet with residents to discuss it. That's something that hasn't been done before but just might pique the interest of some people. If they're prepared to help author a code of conduct for council they may well be given an incentive to pay closer attention to their councillors. Council had been talking about installing cameras in council chambers so residents could watch meetings from home on the community channel. The idea appears to have fallen by the wayside. Surely at least handful of people would like to tune in on one or more occasions. Perhaps council could be making more of an effort to connect with residents now that it's in the midst of developing the town budget for next year. Maybe a questionnaire could be sent to households asking where they'd like to see their money spent. Yes, public meeting will be scheduled but for whatever reason many people won't show up. So alternative ways to getting people involved are what's needed. Of course councillors only have so much time to spend being councillors and constituents live busy lives. Residents should be more involved in municipal politics. But they also have to believe that being involved will make a difference.
Timely message for miners Yellowknifer - Wednesday, November 24, 2010
It came smack in the middle of the Geoscience Forum in Yellowknife, an annual gathering of geologists, prospectors, mining and exploration executives and the companies that work with them, 779 in all. A federal court had ruled in favour of two Akaitcho Dene First Nation bands, confirming the need for mining companies to properly consult with First Nations. North Arrow's rare earth metal exploration permit for Aylmer Lake, issued by the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, was revoked. Pictured with the headline were Yellowknives Dene First Nation chiefs Ed Sangris and Ted Tsetta. In Yellowknifer's Business and Labour section in same issue and on NNSL Online Business, there was a large picture and a headline: Safety milestone triggers jubilation. Again pictured with the headline were Yellowknives chiefs Sangris and Tsetta. The Business page story was about the no-time-lost safety record of a joint venture project between the business arm of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and Nuna Logistics, a 51-per cent owned Inuit company. The two have a federal contract to perform care and maintenance at the abandoned Giant Mine. What does this all tell us, and the mining community in general? Aboriginal governments cannot be ignored. They may be unresponsive, they may be bureaucratic, in some instances, they may be unbusinesslike to the extreme. Could anyone point to any level of government that doesn't exhibit these same frustrating qualities in some measure? We doubt it. Yet the business headlines prove these same aboriginal governments are willing to work with business and understand business values. It's a critical message for the people who attended the Geoscience Forum.
Don't leave Polar Bear diamond in limbo Yellowknifer - Wednesday, November 24, 2010 The Polar Bear brand diamond has become an endangered species in recent years, but it can be brought back from the brink - providing the territorial government acts. Production of the Polar Bear diamond, which features a microscopic picture of a polar bear to confirm its pedigree, was halted some time ago by the trademark licence holder, Arslanian Cutting Works, which closed almost a year ago. It's parent company, Montreal-based Polar Ice Diamonds, is now seeking protection from creditors to whom it owes US $41.6 million. This ought to be an indication to the GNWT, which owns the brand, that this company is no longer in a position to produce Polar Bear diamonds. It doesn't matter whether there are other companies in the wings with possible purchase offers for Arslanian. Polar Ice has been and is currently unable to fulfil its part of the agreement to produce these uniquely crafted and NWT-made diamonds. The NWT is not the only diamond-producing jurisdiction in Canada anymore now that Victor Mine in Ontario is in full production. There is one polishing plant in Yellowknife still standing, and that's HRA Crossworks. It has expressed interest in taking up the Polar Bear brand, and its eagerness provides an opportunity to revive the brand. For the GNWT, which has already taken too long to release its latest diamond strategy, waiting for the dust to settle on Polar Ice would be a mistake.
Perfect storm brewing in Nunavut Darrell Greer Kivalliq News - Wednesday, November 24, 2010 There is a dark cloud of discontent on the Nunavut horizon which may develop into a fullblown storm. And the fallout from this particular storm may become a complete disaster for many Nunavut youth. On one side is the Government of Nunavut (GN), swaying from mismanagement within its housing sector, the rising cost of doing business in health, education and power delivery, and the need to build infrastructure and provide training opportunities, especially for Inuit. All this while trying to negotiate a devolution agreement with the feds. On the other side, Nunavut's teachers are looking down the barrel of a wage freeze, and a clawback on the allowance paid to teachers who speak Inuktitut that would see it lowered to $1,200 from its current $5,000 per year. The teachers also claim the allowance would only be given to those who regularly teach in Inuktitut and English, shutting out those who teach solely in Inuktitut. That stipulation must be popular within the office walls of Nunavut language commissioner Alexina Kublu. Maybe it will eventually become a subject for one of the office's investigative training workshops. Not many would argue the point teachers are one of our most valuable resources, especially those who are good at their profession and can teach in Inuktitut. Conversely, the GN's inability to pay any increase is quite possibly a valid point. That is, as long as you can overlook a good portion of its current financial bleeding is selfinflicted. Lost in the dialogue surrounding the almighty dollar is the role so many Nunavut teachers also play outside of the classroom. You name the extracurricular activity, from cadets to sewing, computer, cooking and other various skill clubs, to every sport played in Nunavut, and the odds are overwhelming a teacher is involved or leading the way. That's why our youth stand to lose so much if this brewing storm escalates out of control. They get nailed both in the classroom and on the playing field of their choice. The extracurriculars - activities that allow our youth to grow as individuals, stay off the streets at night and have much less idle time on their hands - will be affected first should the teachers decide, or be advised by their union, to turn to work to rule as a way to make their point. With work to rule, the teachers would stay at their jobs but would follow their job descriptions to the letter and not take part in any ancillary or customary tasks they may have routinely performed in the past. A nurse, for example, under work to rule would not answer a ringing telephone. Work to rule is often viewed as malicious compliance by an employer, and we have no doubt the GN would be quick to act should that be the path the teachers travel. We can only hope the art of negotiation prevails in this situation, so our youth don't suffer. But our youth have no control over the perfect storm brewing between the two sides.
Dental wait lists a two-sided coin NWT News/North - Monday, November 22, 2010
Part of the problem can be explained by the fact that between September 2009 and November 2010 the department was without a full-time orthodontist. Recruiting a specialist in the North can be a difficult process. However, the GNWT needs to have contingencies in place to ensure such essential services are not delayed for a prolonged period of time. There are close to 20 patients on the orthodontist's wait list, according to the Department of Health and Social Services. That said, people such as Hazel Nerysoo, Fort McPherson's mayor, told News/North her family's needs are now being met; though, she added, a few months ago she had plenty of concerns. While the government has to work harder to ensure service, people across the NWT must do their utmost to avoid wasting the time of the limited dental professionals available. Between 2009 and 2010, 486 patients of 2,273 failed to show up for scheduled dental appointments, according to the latest statistics collected by the GNWT. Between May and September 2010 out of 162 scheduled orthodontist appointments 17 were no-shows. Last year a dentist travelled to each Beaufort Delta community at least three times -- up to six times for the larger communities -- yet, more than 20 per cent of patients missed their appointment. Not only is that money wasted it is time taken away from other patients. Health Minister Sandy Lee said in the legislative assembly earlier this month she is committed to providing a report on the state of dental services in the Beaufort Delta, we encourage her to follow through on that commitment, just as we urge residents to do their part by honouring their appointments.
Midwives a community asset NWT News/North - Monday, November 22, 2010 Midwives are making a valuable contribution to the quality of care for pregnant women in Fort Smith. Aside from the continuous care, the program has also allowed more than 100 women to have their babies in the community - surrounded by a support network -- instead of travelling to a hospital in Yellowknife or in the south. Fort Smith should be commended for its work in promoting midwifery legislation that has made the program such a success. We also agree with Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger who said the program could serve as a model for other communities. Mothers should be provided the option of having their babies in their communities instead of having to deal with the discomfort and inconvenience of travelling.
Frozen assets Nunavut News/North - Monday, November 22, 2010 Kimmirut's community freezer was broken all summer, from June until the beginning of October. Grise Fiord's community freezer was out of commission for two years before the hamlet got tired of waiting for the GN to fix it, so the municipality brought up its own repairperson from Manitoba. The bulk of Nunavut's community freezers were put in place in the 1980s through a government initiative. A survey in August 2007 found 20 of Nunavut's 26 communities had freezers, but only 15 of them were working at the time. The GN is looking for more energy-efficient options that would reduce the cost of operating the freezers, which normally run from summer through fall. This is a good idea, but it should not supersede maintaining the current freezers in working condition. A 2005 Statistics Canada study found that more than half of Nunavummiut over the age of 12 were "food insecure," meaning they worry about having enough to eat. Community freezers are an integral part of the solution to problems of food insecurity and climate change. Country food is a cheaper alternative to store-bought food, and is often healthier. As weather and migration routes become less predictable, hunters need to be able to stockpile meat when it's available to get their families through months when game is scarce - be it caribou, polar bear, seal or walrus. People rely on these freezers to feed their families. Lack of an adequate supply of country foods leaves families to rely on store-bought food, which is more expensive and often less nutritious, affecting their health and wellbeing. Keeping the freezers in good repair, and fixing them in a timely fashion, should be a government priority.
Special constables needed Nunavut News/North - Monday, November 22, 2010 Although the RCMP's revival of the special constables program is off to a snail's start, it cannot be allowed to fade away. Out of five recruits, only one will actually start training this month. The other four dropped out because of conflicts with their current jobs or reluctance to leave home for five months' worth of training in far-away Regina. Despite this disappointing start, to their credit the RCMP is not giving up and the plan is still to eventually employ 32 Inuit special constables. But to do so, the force may need to become more flexible and innovative in its approach. The special constables' 21 weeks of training could be made less daunting by breaking it up into shorter sessions interspersed with work at their community detachment, an approach more compatible with the demands of raising a family. The lure of providing housing should also be considered. Finally, the best magnet for recruits will be the example provided by the first successful graduates once they begin serving their communities.
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