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An eye on the bottom line Yellowknifer - Wednesday, December 8, 2010
That's how much the City of Yellowknife has budgeted to purchase and install new computers in bylaw vehicles next year. It seems a bit rich. Another $35,000 has been earmarked for new in-car cameras for the municipal enforcement department. The existing ones are four years old. When Yellowknifer wanted to know the rationale for those expenditures, a brick wall initially went up. The head of the bylaw department simply said, "I have no interest in co-operating with you for this story." Mayor Gord Van Tighem was more accommodating, explaining that the city usually replaces all electronics after three years, especially equipment that is frequently exposed to hot and cold temperatures. At least that gives the public some sense of justification for the expenditure. We rely on our elected city councillors to go over the $26.4 million capital budget line by line, as they have done this week. We trust they will weed out the "Cadillac" purchases. Institutions, like city hall, have a tendency to go for the items with bells and whistles. A good example of the brakes being put on such extravagant behaviour came in 2008 when some city councillors voiced their opposition to purchasing new $2,500 laptops just because the ones on hand were three years old. Some councillors said they could use their own personal computers, one said he only required a laptop when he travelled for municipal purposes while others said they don't use the city's laptops at all. There were also a few who said the existing computers should be updated or repaired. It's good fodder for debate, and it often comes as a result of asking questions which is what councillors are elected to do and journalists are paid to do.
Be vigilant against elder abuse Yellowknifer - Wednesday, December 8, 2010 Respect your elders isn't a phrase that everybody holds dear. That was reinforced during the NWT Seniors' Society's symposium on the abuse of seniors. More than 100 participants assembled to tackle the issue on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at the Explorer Hotel. There was mention of the varying forms abuse can take: verbal, physical or monetary. The aged among us are sometimes a target for those looking to swindle some cash, including family members who can prey on parents or grandparents. Imagine not only coping with the natural struggles of ageing, but dealing with a cold Yellowknife winter while your joints and muscles start to give you assorted aches and pains. Sometimes it's just easier to stay inside for long stretches of time since mobility can be limited. Then consider many seniors who stay in Yk gradually lose their friends to the lure of warmer southern locations. Isolation can creep in. It is isolation that makes seniors even more vulnerable to abuse. As was pointed out at last week's symposium, support networks are critical for elders, and convincing them to reveal their troubles can be difficult. While the NWT Seniors' Society is to be congratulated for raising the profile on this terrible situation, it will take a community effort to detect signs of seniors who may be deprived or wounded by unscrupulous individuals.
Still doubts over food subsidies Darrell Greer Kivalliq News - Wednesday, December 8, 2010 While it's still almost four months before the new Nutrition North food subsidy program replaces the federal government's old Food Mail Program, it seems more and more people are getting a little antsy over whether major retailers will actually pass the savings onto consumers. Still others worry the bigger stores will increase the price on items not included in the subsidy to boost their profit margins even more. Those in the region who use individual ordering under the old system will find they have a lot more work to do under the Nutrition North program. Under the new program, individuals will have to pay the full cost of freight on their food orders and submit their receipts and paperwork to receive the subsidy. Many are concerned this is the first step in eliminating individual orders and placing the program entirely under retailer control. The rates of subsidy were published on the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) website this past week, and they vary wildly across the Kivalliq. The program is divided into two categories, with Category A listing the bulk of what qualifies under the new approach. The subsidy given to products in Category A is substantially higher than those in Category B. On the low end of the Kivalliq subsidy pole is Arviat. Residents there will only receive a subsidy of 20 cents per kilogram on Category A items and 5 cents on Category B items. The complete list of category items can also be found on the INAC website. In Baker Lake, the subsidy rates will be $1.40 and 30 cents, respectively, while in Chesterfield Inlet it will be $1.50 and 40 cents. Folks in Coral Harbour will be subsidized to the tune of $3 and $1.90, while consumers in Rankin Inlet should see subsidies of $1.40 and 30 cents passed along. Repulse Bay gets a subsidy of $3.20 and $2.10, while Whale Cove rounds out the region at 70 cents and 5 cents respectively. For people in the region to be convinced the new program will benefit them in the checkout aisle, INAC has to have a foolproof system in place to monitor the subsidies. The department also has to ensure the system employed at local retailers to show how much consumers save is easily understood. If, for example, the in-store system only shows consumers a combined total of the money supposedly saved instead of an itemized list, we'll bet dollars to doughnuts many customers will still doubt they're receiving the full benefit of the program. There are many consumers and smaller retailers across the Kivalliq who still maintain there was nothing wrong with the old Food Mail Program, except for those who were able to abuse it by having goods subsidized that were never on the approval list. They maintain a better approach would have been to close the loopholes in the old program and disqualify any merchant caught abusing the system from using it again. To them, the government has accomplished nothing more than to replace a small group of bandits with the spectre of corporate greed. Only time will tell if they are correct.
North is not a gateway for terrorism NWT News/North - Monday, December 6, 2010
Since 9/11, the threat of global terrorism has been sensationalized by the media and governments have gone to extreme lengths to safeguard public safety. However, when children are detained because they share the same name as someone on the no-fly list, we must ask the question: Are we operating on the desire for proper security or merely fear. A recent report by an Alberta professor is calling for increased airport security in small Northern communities. Rob Huebert, a political science professor at the University of Calgary, outlined a bordering-on-absurd scenario whereby a terrorist gains access to Canada after arriving in a small Northern community by sea, then flying to Yellowknife and from there driving south. Huebert recognizes the probability of such an event happening is low but suggests the risk is real and Canada must increase security for the protection of Northerners. He goes on to further suggest costs for more security measures could be passed on to the customer. Such a statement demonstrates Huebert's lack of knowledge of Northern realities and places fear-based security issues above the well-being of our citizens. Costs of flying between communities is already a hardship for many people. A round trip flight -- three hours one-way -- between Colville Lake and Yellowknife for example costs $1,600. Any increase to prices would likely be unbearable and further isolate remote communities. The federal government should instead focus its spending in the North to improving health, education and infrastructure. The professor's ignorance was highlighted by the fear expressed upon seeing a hunter load his rifle into the overhead compartment of an aircraft. In fact, rather than screen people flying south, it is more important to screen people coming north. Drugs and alcohol continue to plague our communities and their entry point is through Hay River and Yellowknife. Airport screening going North from those two communities would do a lot more for improving the safety of Northerners than preventing a conjured threat of seafaring terrorists looking to traverse Canada's Arctic. Thanks for the advice professor but concerns over addictions, high cost of living -- including airfare-- and access to essential services keep us more occupied than southern-based fear mongering ever could.
Debate over uranium mining necessary for informed decision Nunavut News/North - Monday, December 6, 2010 When it comes to something as controversial as uranium mining, discussion is necessary. And that requires the voicing of opinions other than those of the mining companies. Recently Nunavummiut Makitagunarningit brought a number of anti-uranium mining speakers North to talk about the health and environmental impacts of uranium. Mining research and technology has improved in the years since uranium mining began in the mid-20th century. But that doesn't mean questions shouldn't be asked about safety and environmental repercussions. Learning more about the risks will help Nunavummiut ask specific questions of the mining companies and get specific answers. And there are risks. The uranium deposits being explored in our territory, including the Kiggavik-Sissons site about 80 kilometres west of Baker Lake, where Areva proposes to mine, are within the range of the Beverly caribou herd and are located close to or within their calving grounds. Uranium remains radioactive for hundreds of millions of years, requiring careful monitoring of operations and tailings disposal. Also under debate is the issue of social responsibility. Nunavut Tunngavik's uranium policy states they are in favour of uranium exploration and mining in the territory if it is carried out in an environmentally and socially responsible way, and the uranium from the mining should be used only for peaceful and environmentally-friendly purposes. The problem is NTI has no control over what will happen with the uranium mined in Nunavut once it leaves the territory - as one speaker pointed out at the recent forum in Iqaluit. It could end up in nuclear power reactors, reducing dependence on coal-fired power plants that contribute to greenhouse gases and climate change; or it could end up fuelling nuclear submarines or in nuclear warheads. Some candidates for NTI president have proposed revisiting the policy if they are elected. The Denesuline First Nations of northern Saskatchewan would be worth consulting, as they have lived with uranium mines run by Areva for decades. We encourage more discussion as it can only help Nunavummiut weigh the cons of uranium mining, such as environmental and health concerns, versus the pros of employment and other financial benefits. It's up to the Inuit affected to decide what is best for their children and grandchildren, and more information will help them make the choice that's right for them.
Bridge isn't golden just yet Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, December 3, 2010
Earlier this week Handley gushed that the nine-day period the Merv Hardie was out of action due to low water levels was "exactly" the kind of thing the former premier's government anticipated when he approved the project in 2007. Too bad then he didn't anticipate it would be $35 million over budget (so far) and the company he hand-picked to build it would pack its bags and go home to New Brunswick, leaving a half-finished bridge in the hands of the GNWT and taxpayers on the hook. And we must not forget how Handley's government snuck in the concession agreement with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation - whose principal employees are now suing the territorial government for $1.3 million in back pay - with only three days left in his term. Or that he comfortably parachuted into a job with ATCON Construction, the failed former bridge contractor, a year after leaving territorial politics. Handley says it will take 35 years for the bridge to pay for itself through tolls paid by commercial traffic. But it remains uncertain whether transport companies won't just build their own ice roads across the Mackenzie River and bypassing the tolls and the bridge. That would hurt Handley's proposed timetable for repayment. Even with the continued use of an ice bridge, consumers will still pay more when transport companies pay the tolls during the summer and pass the cost on to us. On top of that, hundreds of federal employees face a reduction in northern living allowances, making it even more difficult for the government to attract workers to come live here. It's unfortunate some people acted so irrationally, loading up jerry cans and hoarding gas after just a few days without ferry service, but a few days' panic is hardly a reason to gloat. Very little has been shown so far to prove Handley's bridge project isn't just a costly boondoggle.
Hefty price tag on Wildcat Cafe renos Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, December 3, 2010 Scheduled renovations on the Wildcat Cafe next summer are necessary to preserve an important piece of Yellowknife's past. However, city council needs to ask administration why the cost was allowed to balloon to the hefty price tag of $500,000. The work is to repair the cafe's foundation and restructure the building - built in 1937 - at the estimated cost of $115,000 and $385,000, respectively, according to the 2011 draft budget documents. An engineering report in 2008 estimated the repairs at $140,000, but the city wouldn't move forward with the project because local contractors wouldn't complete the work for fear of damaging the structure. It's important to have the right companies working on such a delicate job, so the city did the right thing by waiting for the qualified contractors to complete work on the log structure, which includes log replacement. It is a shame, however, the repairs weren't less expensive. The beautification work scheduled for Old Airport Road in 2011 has a price tag of approximately $900,000 - a much bigger project by scale than the Wildcat Cafe. In some instances, when renovation work starts, the price tag climbs due to surprises and unforeseen issues with such an old structure. When all is said and done, the cost of the renovations could exceed the estimated $500,000 price tag. Hopefully, the city will guard against that happening. Ratepayers will be watching.
On side with business Editorial Comment Roxanna Thompson Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, December 2, 2010
The lists cover everything from paying employees to finding new customers to tracking invoices. The smaller the business, the more weight that rests on the owner, who is often the only employee.
The Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce wants to add one more thing to business people's lists -- support the chamber. The organization is trying to gather enough support to stage a revival. The comeback won't be easy. The chamber has been in decline for approximately two years. Despite the fact the village has issued more 100 business licences, membership numbers in the chamber have steadily declined to the point where there are no current members and a membership drive wasn't held this year. The organization also had a low public profile this year, existing almost solely in name only. Many things the chamber has committed to doing, such as creating a website, haven't happened as a result. With all of this in mind any business owner would be right to question why they should give some of their over-stretched time and energy to the chamber. The answer is: if enough people committed to being active chamber members the organization could actually be effective. The cold truth is small businesses, a category that most businesses in the Deh Cho fall under, need all the help they can get. There are a lot of things stacked against them including a limited customer base, uncertain economic times and extra costs inherent in doing business in the North. A strong chamber of commerce can act as an advocate on issues and projects that could positively or negatively affect local businesses. The organization is part spokesperson, part cheerleading squad and part backroom fixer. And the Deh Cho region has a lot of things that could use fixing. Kirby Groat, the chamber's past-president, has continued to lobby for improvements to Highway 7, the completion of chipsealing on Highway 1 leading to Checkpoint and the construction of the Mackenzie Valley Highway. The advancement of Prairie Creek Mine is also high on the list. Making the Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce work will take a dedicated employee who can work on the chamber's goals and relieve pressure from volunteers as well as sound support from the business community. The end results probably won't be dramatic. Fort Simpson and the region are unlikely to become the economic flagships of the territory but if the chamber can improve conditions for small, local businesses the work it will take to re-establish the organization will repay itself.
Following the curling club's lead Editorial Comment Andrew Rankin Inuvik Drum - Thursday, December 2, 2010
In just a few short months it has gone from near financial ruin and certain collapse to what appears to be a vibrant organization on the rise. Over the summer, club president Nick Saturnino was able to negotiate a fair lease agreement with the town for the use of the club. The lounge has moved from upstairs to downstairs just outside the curling rink. It's actually quite a cozy little setup. Several new leagues have emerged this year. The Friday fun night is a hit, attracting players of all levels and ages, all just to have a good time. The junior league has grown from two to five teams in the last year. If you haven't noticed, this is a good news story showing what a few committed people can do if they believe in a cause. Next year, Inuvik will host the territorial championships and the building appears to be ready and so do a contingent of emerging players. Competing in that tournament will undoubtedly be Team McKay-Saturnino, which is featured in today's Inuvik Drum after winning another curling bonspiel in Edmonton. Curling is slowly catching on among the youth in town, but for the past four years the core of this team has stuck together playing in all sorts of competitions and holding their own. Their success has been well-documented in the pages of the Inuvik Drum over the years, including a junior title in Whitehorse last year that qualified them for the 2010 Optimist International Under-18 Curling Championships. Through it all they continue to work hard and have a lot of fun. They've raised money to fund their trips for competition. Of course they get a lot of support from their parents. A lot of credit is due to their coach, Nick Saturnino, who donates a lot of his time whether it's on the ice or chaperoning for competitions. He's also largely responsible for transforming the curling club. But his efforts and the efforts of others such as Conrad Baetz, who has taken over as president of minor hockey this year and most recently ensured the kids could attend another top-notch hockey school for a discounted price last month, are constant reminders of the good one person can do for youth and other residents in the community. Yes they have help but it starts with them. Currently the future of the youth centre is uncertain. Nobody knows when the new building will be completed and open. The board appears to be in disorder. Perhaps it's time more residents follow Saturnino and Baetz's lead and put themselves out there as youth advocates. Certainly there are many kids around here who could use their help.
Corrections Wrong information appeared in Friday's Yellowknifer ("Feds in a hurry to freeze arsenic," Dec. 3). The organization responsible for the 2008 exemption and the author was the Dec. 17, 2008 written decision was the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. Yellowknifer apologizes for any confusion or embarrassment caused by the error.
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