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Energized to vote Yellowknifer - Wednesday, March 9, 2011
So as we draw closer to Monday's referendum on the proposed Con Mine community energy system, it's unsettling that the city does not have a business partner in place as residents are being asked to vote on whether to borrow up to $49 million. That's asking for big leap of faith when the richest project in the city's history is on the line. Robert Long, the city's senior administrator, has argued that a private partner - of which the city is supposedly reviewing three suitors whom we've been told nothing about - won't come aboard until it knows the funds to get the $60 million project off the ground are in place. But that's no guarantee a partner will ultimately sign on, and the prospect of the city going it alone is daunting. City hall, we must remember, is not a business. There is a degree of optimism among some landlords of the 39 downtown buildings that will be eligible to be hooked up to the district energy system - be it geothermal heat from beneath Con Mine, heat generated by wood-pellet boilers, or a combination of both. The landlords that spoke to Yellowknifer would like to avoid remaining at the mercy of the volatile fluctuation in oil prices and the fuel's dirty carbon emissions byproduct. That idea certainly does sound appealing. Nevertheless, at least a couple of those landlords, including Northern Property, the largest private real estate holder in Yellowknife, are reluctant to sign any long-term contracts with the city for what should be cheap heat. Ray Decorby, who owns two residential high-rises, summed up the sense of hesitation quite succinctly: "The big concern is you're really tied into their (the city's) good management or mismanagement of the operation," he said. We don't have to cast back that far for an example of the city getting in over its head. Its construction of the Multiplex in 2004 turned into an exercise in frustration. Costs for the $13 million project ballooned to more than $2 million over budget and it was well past its deadline when the city finally turned the recreational facility over to Diavik to complete. The hulking private sector diamond mine, with some assistance from Yellowknife contractors, used its corporate muscle and engineering know-how to put the second ice rink in place under-budget and finished earlier than anyone had expected. That's the advantage of well-run companies: they are more nimble than political bodies. Decisions can be made quickly from the top down. By contrast, even in a well-run city, the city administrator is accountable to mayor and council who are accountable to the people. Accountability to mayor and council is more important than cutting expenses and saving money. The Deh Cho Bridge shows how badly the most solid business case can go off the rails. Not only is the one-kilometre span over the Mackenzie River going to open at least a year later than predicted, its price tag has risen to $182 million from $160 million when the government took it over. Auditor general Sheila Fraser has criticized the territorial government for its handling of the bridge and has warned us that costs could continue to rise yet. Fired bridge officials have forced the government to settle out of court. It would be a shame if Mayor Gord Van Tighem is left in the same predicament someday - pointing out that oil prices have hit a devastating $200 a barrel, meanwhile Yellowknifers are still awaiting the promise of a now $100 million district energy system that is years behind schedule. If the city pushes on by itself, that is, unfortunately, a potential scenario.
April 1 looks like bad omen for new federal program Darrell Greer Kivalliq News - Wednesday, March 9, 2011 Doubts over whether the new Nutrition North program will actually cut food costs for Nunavut residents continue to rise as its April 1 launch looms ever closer. Nutrition North replaces the old federal food mail program administered through Canada Post. The new program removes the transportation subsidy and gives it to the retailers, who must work out their own freight deals and pass the savings onto consumers. The date selected to officially launch the program aside, Nunavummiut seem to be increasingly adamant over the fact they won't be fooled again by a government program that caters more to the needs of business than local consumers. And we give kudos to people like Iqaluit's Tony Rose, who launched a website for people to list the price of food items in their community. We strongly encourage people in Kivalliq communities to take the time to keep food prices in our region up-to-date on Rose's website during the next two months. Like everyone else, I'm hoping for the best, but early indications on the program's effectiveness are worrisome to say the least. Since the feds started axing subsidies on the old program this past October, some retailers have reported freight increases of more than 600 per cent on items that didn't make the feds' list. Put that next to the subsidy you can expect on accepted items with the new program, and don't expect your grocery bill to drop unless you're buying nothing but items from that accepted list. It's like getting 10 per cent off the price of your rims, while 40 per cent is added to the cost of your tires. Not good math on the wrong side of the checkout. One major southern retailer has already announced it won't use the new program for individual ordering because of the amount of paperwork involved, and the rumour mill has another making the same decision in the near future. Smaller retailers in the Kivalliq are also saying they don't have a chance to compete with the bigger stores under the new system, which doesn't bode well for the feds' contention that competition will keep the retailers in line with their prices. And, as you're reading this, we challenge you to name more than one person on the program's so-called advisory board. We also ask you to name one piece of advice the board has stated publicly since being put in place. The airlines and major retailers are here to make money, not partner with the feds as nutrition cops. And they're going to crank their prices as high as they can on everything not on the Nutrition North OK list. If you're willing to pay $3.19 for a small shot of Red Bull, you'll find cases of it at your local retailer. The way it's looking right now; what you save on healthy or essential items, you're going to give right back on those not on the list and heaven forbid your kids may enjoy a Cheez Whiz sandwich every now and then. At the end of day, it looks like you're going to pay the same for those six bags of groceries (oops, we mean three reusable cloth bags), in April as you're paying right now. Maybe there's something to that April 1 start date after all.
Devolution snafu NWT News/North - Monday, March 7, 2011
With billions of dollars at stake, now is not the time for infighting. Unfortunately, that is what we have. In one corner we have the cabinet of the legislative assembly hiding behind the glass doors of their Yellowknife palace refusing to bend on the issue. The Dene First Nations find that attitude inexcusable and have gone as far as to demand the resignation of aboriginal MLAs who support devolution. Akaitcho's anger is understandable. As Dettah Chief Ed Sangris said, 51 per cent of the territory's gross domestic product comes out of the Akaitcho territory, mostly as a result of the Snap Lake, Ekati and Diavik mines. With more mineral potential being explored in the region, it is likely the Akaitcho territory will produce the majority of the NWT's wealth well into the future. The Dehcho First Nations and the Tlicho both have expressed opposition or hesitation over the devolution agreement-in-principle. Both groups are represented by cabinet MLAs -- Jackson Lafferty and Michael McLeod -- who are refusing to speak publicly about their positions on devolution. Is it reason enough to call for their resignations? That is up to their constituents to decide. The next time they go to the polls, voters should send a message to ministers who put their bigger pay cheques and misplaced power trips over the needs of their people. Voters should no longer accept cabinet solidarity as an excuse for MLAs to sell out. However, their elected representatives' failure to uphold their democratic duty aside, Akaitcho's stonewalling approach to devolution is a mistake. Akaitcho leaders estimate their lands accounted for more than $1.6 billion of the territory's $3.2 billion GDP in 2009. Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger projected in his 2010 budget address that 2010 and 2011 will show growth in the territory's GDP of four per cent -- 2.8 per cent in 2010 and 1.2 per cent in 2011. That is nearly $5 billion the Akaitcho have no control over despite it being generated on their lands. Aboriginal leaders have to face facts: the GNWT and Ottawa are moving ahead with devolution. The question isn't if anymore but when. With that in mind, petulant opposition and inaction will no longer achieve results. The Akaitcho are faced with losing control of billions of dollars. The best thing they can do now is pull up to the table and push the governments into a deal that is fair and equitable. If they don't, they will be forced to settle with the scraps from the GNWT's table, which is little more than history repeating itself. Perhaps the chiefs responsible for letting their peoples' wealth slip away should call for their own resignations.
No easy answers Nunavut News/North - Monday, March 7, 2011 Members of the Liquor Act task force have a tough job ahead of them to compile and assess the input provided by Nunavummiut all across the territory. There is no question that alcohol abuse tears families apart and is behind the bulk of crimes in Northern communities. It's also true that those who like a glass of wine with dinner or a bottle of champagne for a celebration resent being treated like criminals. Some people who have spoken to the task force want communities to have more licence to make and enforce liquor restrictions. Others want a reduction in the amount of red tape required for legal liquor orders and an end to the absurdity of Iqalummiut having to order from the Rankin Inlet warehouse, and vice versa. Some want the RCMP to keep track of how much liquor people order. Others want bars and liquor stores in their communities so bootlegging is less enticing. There is no one right solution to the alcohol dilemma, and different communities require different approaches. The next version of the Liquor Act will need to have enough flexibility so hamlets can choose what works for their community. One suggestion that communities appear to agree on is the need for substance abuse treatment in Nunavut, closer to home and more culturally relevant than programs in the south. Fortunately, that is going to happen. Treatment centres are being established in Cambridge Bay and Iqaluit, scheduled to be open by spring. The task force will be collecting feedback until June or July, and there is plenty to consider. We look forward to its report and hope the legislative assembly reviews it with great care.
Winning spirit Nunavut News/North - Monday, March 7, 2011 There may have been no medals, but Team Nunavut's trip to the Canada Winter Games was still rewarding for the athletes and coaches involved. Our judo, table tennis and badminton teams showed a winning attitude in their appreciation of the opportunity to travel and play against some of the best athletes in the country. They set realistic goals and returned with pride, their performances having exceeded their own expectations. Louis Nutarariaq of Iqaluit in particular showed bravery by continuing to compete despite a shoulder injury sustained in his judo matches. Despite the adversity, he finished in fourth place in the men's plus-100 kilogram category. Congratulations to all the athletes who competed in Halifax, and we urge others to aim to compete in the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Que.
Not wild about wildlife bill Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, March 4, 2011
The Harper-government appointee said what many had been saying all along - that the NWT is over-regulated, so hopelessly buried in a suffocating layer of government oversight that it was no longer an attractive place in which to explore and invest. That sentiment became a self-fulfilling prophecy later that fall when the global recession hit and mineral and oil and gas exploration companies had just the excuse they needed to flee the NWT in droves. Exploration tanked by 80 per cent - a drop of $118 million in exploration expenditures to just $29.5 million. Nunavut, meanwhile, kept chugging along in 2009 where recession be damned, exploration firms spent $189 million. The NWT may have weathered the recession better if not for its "complicated regulatory environment," as John Kearney, president of the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines put it. But three years after McCrank proposed to cut red tape and eliminate some of the regional regulatory boards, we're still waiting for his recommendations to bear fruit. They're currently in the hands of John Pollard, the former Hay River MLA and cabinet minister tasked with streamlining the NWT's regulatory process. In the vacuum we have a new version of the NWT Wildlife Act, which resident hunters and the Chamber of Mines say will hinder development even further should it pass in the legislative assembly. Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger is expected to present the draft legislation to MLAs next week, who have 120 days to review it before it goes to a vote. The bill proposes to give the minister powers to temporarily halt development if it appears to endanger wildlife. Aboriginal groups and resource boards would be consulted, it states, but there is no mention of whether developers will be afforded the same courtesy. The NWT Wildlife Federation, a group made up of non-aboriginal resident hunters, also claim the bill is discriminatory, "written essentially about aboriginals for aboriginals" because of its deference to aboriginal harvesters, including striking the need for them to have general hunting licences. Toward that end, we would argue that that portion of the legislation is the least problematic. A lot of the complaints resident hunters had in the past appear to have been addressed, including a shortened waiting period to one year for new residents, and lowered age restrictions for young hunters. Resident hunters must expect the subsistence aboriginal hunt will take precedence over all other hunting activities, although it's troubling there are still no concrete requirements for reporting aboriginal harvest numbers. What clearly sends the wrong signal is the apparent attempt in this legislation to create another layer of regulations on development. We wholeheartedly agree that wildlife, and in the present urgency, Barrenground caribou, must be protected, but everyone knows that any person, developer or otherwise, will be squashed like a bug if they dare not cross their T's and dot their I's around here. Just ask Gary Johnson, who was ordered to pay $51,000 last year after spilling less than 50 litres of fuel at an Ingraham Trail cabin where he was squatting. Or North Arrow Minerals, which had its exploration permit torn up after a judge deemed the company had failed to consult Akaitcho bands. MLAs would be wise to wait for what Pollard has to say before introducing another stifling layer of regulation to an already infamously burdensome regulatory regime. One's eyes don't have to wander too far to recognize the recession isn't over in Yellowknife yet, and will likely stay that way if the latest version of this bill passes.
Learning through snares and traps Editorial Comment Roxanna Thompson Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, March 3, 2011
February and March are the most popular months for school-based winter on-the-land programs. These programs take small groups of students out of the classroom and into the bush where the focus isn't on math problems or sentence structure but instead on how to set traps to get the maximum possible success and how to live on the land. The importance of these programs can't be underestimated. To see the programs' benefits one only has to look as far as the students. The youths are totally engaged while in the bush doing traditional activities. Even in frigid temperatures they will watch attentively as different traditional skills are demonstrated. Anything from setting beaver traps to chipping nets out of ice-covered lakes captivates them. If they can try the skill themselves it becomes that much more exciting. Unless you've seen it, it's difficult to appreciate just how excited students can get about capturing an animal in a trap or snare that they've set themselves -- whether it be a mink, a marten or a rabbit. Give them a chance to skin and stretch their catch and the level of pride they feel grows proportionately. There is opposition to these programs, however - those who say students miss enough classes without being purposefully taken away from their academic studies. Some go as far as to argue the programs hinder the students by promoting old roles that no longer reflect the realities of today's society and world. Such opposition should be ignored. On the land programs are important learning tools and the schools that take the time to promote them and the teachers who send the time to accompany students on the land should be thanked. The programs introduce students to culturally-relevant skills they might not otherwise have the chance to practise. Do students need to know how to set a rabbit snare to be successful in life? No, probably not, but being able to fashion the thinwire and place it properly links them to their history and their ancestors. For some students the programs are simply fun and offer a chance to spend time outside of the classroom. For others the time on the land imparts important skills. For a third group the programs make them realize that they want to incorporate running a traditional vocation such as a trapline into their life -- even it isn't their main form of income. Whether they take away a little or a lot from their time on the land, every student benefits from these programs and their continuation should be safeguarded.
No way to pay Editorial Comment Kira Curtis Inuvik Drum - Thursday, March 3, 2011
If you know someone with a wood burning stove, you can stay warm, socialize and cook up a good skillet meal in return for letting you in.
When the phone lines went out over the weekend, however, I was honestly shocked. I didn't fully appreciate the dependency we have on phones and Internet. Sure, not being able to check in with loved ones outside the Beaufort Delta caused a slight flicker in the anxiety levels, but what proved most telling about our lack of self-sufficiency was the debit and the credit card machines. I am not that old, and I remember waitressing in my younger days, using the old sliding imprinter for credit cards. No phone calls to a call centre in India to get it approved, no pre-authorization and authorization codes. Just ask for ID, if you remember. Now, I do understand why these newer safety procedures are implemented by the credit card powers that be - safety first. A couple years ago I fell victim to credit card identity theft, even though I couldn't believe the fools who'd want to nab my financial identity. I thought they would pick on anyone other than the photojournalism student with the $40,000 loan. Yes, it was obnoxious. Yes, I'm glad I had all that security protection to warn me of suspicious activity and, eventually, reimburse me the $1,000 they swindled in my name. But here's the other side of that pendulum's trajectory: no one was prepared for the communication failure that happened last weekend. Nobody could use their credit cards or take money out of their accounts for nearly four days. It's the funniest thing that this logic - people having access to their own money for important things like food - is overridden by a technological 'advancement' designed to make life easier. Many people in Inuvik must have a bank account in town, yes? There's money in the bank, yes? People have IDs and signatures, yes? So when the town is cut off for days without warning, how come there's no way to bypass that system and give people enough money to buy some food for the cold, stormy weekend. When blanketed by an Arctic storm, I'm pretty sure it's dangerous to lock down like that. I know the people of Inuvik would never let their neighbours starve because they didn't have enough cash on them when the lines cut out, I just find it surprising we'd be that dependent on Internet and phones. I'd like to have more control over my safety than that. Is keeping a jar under the bed maybe a wiser choice?
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