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Healing support NWT News/North - Monday, April 25, 2011
For many who were shipped to the government-run institutions across the nation, sharing these horrific stories is a cathartic process. Although speaking about past hurts is good for the soul, it can also re-open old wounds. The TRC's mission is a worthy one. Not only does it give aboriginal people the opportunity to lift the burden of pain they have kept secret for decades, it also provides insight to those of the non-aboriginal community who might not understand the suffering our First Nations and Metis peoples endured. It is key the federal government ensures communities are supported once the TRC's whirlwind visits breeze out of town. Giving people the opportunity to finally share their experiences - some who are doing so for the first time - is only an initial step. Counselling and support services will be vital to the healing process, and the federal government must commit to ensuring those resources are available as people begin to come to terms with the chaotic feelings their painful memories will unleash. Reinstating funding to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF) would be a good first step. Of the five programs in the NWT, the Healing Drum Society was the only one to temporarily survive the funding slash that ended $350-million worth of federal money allotted to the AHF. A second funding extension will see the Healing Drum Society's $3.6 million grant extended until 2013. According to Kawennakatste, the society's executive director, even before the loss in funding, the five NWT programs were only scratching the surface in terms of fulfilling the needs of the territory's residents. Two programs per region in the territory would be ideal, she added. Now, with the Healing Drum Society as the sole resource providing residential school survivor support, she said its capabilities are stretched thin. Kawennakatste said the Truth and Reconciliation Commission is providing a vital service and she has witnessed how it has helped many people begin speaking about their hurtful experiences and the resulting relief many of them feel. However, the TRC consultations have also increased the need for the Healing Drum Society and its mobile trauma unit, which provides a four-week counselling service that travels into NWT communities. Follow-up and ongoing support is vital to confront a problem that Kawennakatste described as cross-generational; residential school trauma is not limited to those who attended the institutions as it also filters down to children and grandchildren. In 2007, the federal government finally began making amends to residential school survivors with its $80 million compensation package; it followed that with a nationwide apology for the government's involvement in the federally-run institutions in 2008. Canada must continue its support of residential school survivors and their families well into the future. Funding ongoing counselling support across the NWT is a responsibility our nation must honour. Canada owes it to the people who were deeply hurt by these schools.
Killed by a 'tragic fabric of errors' Nunavut News/North - Monday, April 25, 2011 Technically, Elisapee Michael died from a head injury she sustained from falling down the stairs of an Iqaluit hotel in August 2009. But what may have killed her was the series of events between her fall and her arrival at Ottawa Hospital two days later. At an inquest into her death from April 4-14, her family's lawyer stated her death was the result of a "tragic fabric of errors." After she was taken to Qikiqtani General Hospital following her fall Aug. 9, the doctor who initially examined her said a head injury could not be ruled out without a CT scan, equipment which the hospital didn't have. The X-ray technician was off that night, and the doctor was reluctant to call in the technician. So the doctor diagnosed her as intoxicated. According to a nurse, Michael was yelling, swearing and had to be restrained. She was speaking mostly in Inuktitut and no one was available to translate. So hospital staff called the RCMP to take her away. It was unclear whether the police were given any information or instructions by the hospital, and there was no evidence the guards at the RCMP cells had received training on assessing prisoners' responsiveness. When Michael was checked on in her cell the next day, she was unresponsive in a pool of vomit. An ambulance then took her back to the hospital. It was finally determined that evening that Michael had a severe head injury and needed to be medevaced - but a medevac flight wasn't available until the next morning. The inquest ruled her death an accident, but the question remains whether the outcome would have been different if she had reached the neurosurgery unit in Ottawa a day earlier. This "tragic fabric of errors" could be considered an isolated incident if it didn't come less than a month after a similar inquest in the NWT. In Yellowknife in 2006, RCMP found Raymond Eagle lying in the road with a visible head injury. He was taken to Stanton hospital, where was medically cleared and released to RCMP cells to sober up. Later he began vomiting and was taken back to the emergency room and medevaced to Edmonton. After undergoing surgery for bleeding in his brain, he remained in a coma for three-and-a-half years until he died in 2010. Some severe head injuries can be hard to detect. Trying to diagnose someone who is incoherent and unco-operative is not an easy job. The fact that symptoms of intoxication can mirror signs of a severe head injury complicates matters further. However, in both cases there were clues pointing to a possible head injury, but because both patients were or appeared drunk, both were turned over to the RCMP. Both had relatives in the city, yet neither of their families were contacted until they were admitted to hospital the second time. Somewhere there was a breakdown in standards of care. Being drunk and aboriginal shouldn't be a barrier to receiving proper medical treatment. The inquest jury apologized to Michael's family, stating society failed to provide her with the care, dignity and respect she deserved. We agree. Ill people don't belong in a jail cell. If a patient is being disruptive, doctors and nurses have options available to them, including restraints and/or sedation, as well as contacting family members. Despite the jury's recommendation, it's very unlikely Qikiqtani General will have the money to buy a CT scanner or hire the personnel to operate it - the one diagnostic tool that could have alerted doctors to send Michael to Ottawa in time to save her life. Its inability to keep a basic X-ray department operating after hours testifies to that. What the hospital can do is keep patients with suspected head injuries under observation, even when they're drunk or disruptive. The RCMP has pledged its support for a safe holding area at the hospital and has offered to provide guards. Medevacs need to be available 24/7, and guards at RCMP cells must be trained properly to recognize signs of serious illness. We look forward to the Department of Health and Social Services' response to the inquest's recommendations, because there's no doubt changes have to be made to prevent similar deaths in the future.
Con project needs public support Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, April 22, 2011
Even though voters rejected the city's plan to borrow up to $49 million, most residents seem to like the district energy concept, even those with the hard questions. If the referendum question had been: Do you support tapping geothermal heat from Con Mine and supplementing it with wood pellet boilers to heat downtown, the "yes" side surely would have triumphed. People voted 'no' because too much of the project was poorly defined or kept under wraps plus the enormous amount money involved. City council swore they had three potential partners from the private sector interested in the project, but because of the lack of information on what was being put on the table, residents withheld support for the project. The fear was that the city might ultimately go it alone and take on all the risk itself. People don't trust the municipality to manage the project by itself because it lacks expertise in running a utility and has a spotty track record when it comes to large scale development. City councillor Bob Brooks says the city is still negotiating with the three potential mystery partners. An announcement on the progress of those negotiations will likely come next month, he said. It was Yes We Con or bust before the referendum. But now that voters have resoundingly rejected the city's plan to borrow the money, it seems the goal is for a private sector utility to take over the project completely. But the city could still be an active partner. If the private partner is willing to invest a substantial amount of money in the business plan, what's stopping the city from seeking voter approval to put up money for the project a second time? Unfortunately, despite repeated requests, the city won't say how much the last referendum cost, so it's hard to determine the worth of going down that road again. Administration's failed attempt to kill referendums a week after the vote is an indication they want to avoid public involvement, which would be bad move. If city officials sense distrust from residents now, it will be a lot worse with a private sector agreement signed behind closed doors and streets being torn up to lay the pipes. With apparently $71 million needed to close the city's infrastructure gap, now is not the time for the city to give up on seeking support from residents. Mistakes were made in the initial roll out of the geothermal project. Those on council who sincerely support the project on the basis of sound environmental and economic principles must ensure there are no further mistakes to shake public confidence.
Another election? Editorial Comment Herb Mathisen Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, April 21, 2011
I imagine that's probably how a lot of us feel about our latest federal election. Sure, we have some new faces in the race, but we can't be blamed if we're getting a little fed up with these things. I mean, I have a tough enough time deciding what toppings to order on my pizza. Choosing a leader? No, thanks. And these federal candidates start working us up with talk about plotting coalitions and dictatorial regimes. I'm about tapped out on anxiety - or at least I feel that way until my new VISA statement arrives in the mail. Fort Simpson residents - or at least 30 of them - were willing to hear out our MP hopefuls at a Western Arctic some-candidates forum last Sunday. I use the term 'some' because Conservative candidate Sandy Lee cancelled her appearance when Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced he was jetting to Yellowknife that evening. As well, neither Green Candidate Eli Purchase nor Bonnie Dawson, candidate for the Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party of Canada, could attend. From questions volleyed forward, it was apparent the highway, health care costs, housing, jobs and the cost of living were issues on the minds of residents. But there are other issues. In its defeated budget, the Conservatives included $150 million -- $30 million for five years, starting in 2012 - for an all-weather road connecting Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. This fueled excitement about the possible future construction of a Mackenzie Valley Highway. What would $150 million in the Beaufort Delta do for the Deh Cho region? In a jurisdiction as large and as diverse as the NWT, handing out money to one region won't trickle down to others necessarily. Do you vote for prosperity in the NWT or just your region? Do you vote for the Conservative candidate - and maybe take home something from her party's swell goodie bag - or elect a candidate who might not be in power, but who can - hopefully - stand up for Northern priorities and not have to toe a party line? With the probability of another minority government though, the sad fact is no matter what promises are made, an absence of action and accountability can always be blamed on a lack of support by whoever becomes the opposition in the end. And maybe that's why us voters are so bummed out: We know we'll likely be coerced back into this song and dance all over again in 16 months if another minority government fails. In spite of my apparent cynicism though, I'm pledging to pull that bug out of my eye and perform my civic duty. At the very least, I know my vote will have one positive effect: It will keep the bugs away for a while.
The value of traditional knowledge Editorial Comment Samantha Stokell Inuvik Drum - Thursday, April 21, 2011
Climate change is affecting all factors of life in the North. Temperatures rise, shorelines shrink, plant growth evolves and animals - humans included - adapt however they can.
While science is paying more attention to the North, the research focuses on singular aspects: the effects of melting permafrost on infrastructure, observation of birds and marine mammals or the impact of climate change on land and water quality. These are all important studies, but something they generally don't take into account is how each of those research topics affect each other. The melting permafrost will likely have an impact on land and water quality, which of course affects the animals living off the land. This is where traditional knowledge comes into play. Local hunters and trappers spend countless hours on the land each year. Even younger hunters, who may use snowmobiles and wear GoreTex, have more knowledge on the land compared to researchers who come North to do their studies. They arrive once change has already happened. Hunters can provide that crucial baseline information that researchers crave, but only anecdotally. What is needed is a standardized monitoring program so that those on the land can note when change happens and alert someone locally to those changes who can then start researching. Two days of workshops held last week at the Midnight Sun Complex worked on just that - a community-based monitoring program, designed by the community members themselves. They'll decide how information is gathered, where it's stored and what's researched. In other words, they'll own information about where they live and the land they use. This will give Beaufort Delta hunters and trappers so much power. When exploration companies come exploring and consulting with their information on environmental impacts, communities in our region will already have research on what will be affected. There will be less dependence on outsiders for "approved" knowledge of Inuvialuit and Gwich'in land. The ball will be in their court. It's another form of self-governance that could provide pride in traditional knowledge, an opportunity to reconnect with the land and even jobs for the next generation. The consultations by the Fisheries Joint Management Committee for the community-based monitoring programs are the first steps toward a program that can change the way the rest of the world sees the North and may even lead to a university dedicated to Northern studies. That would truly be revolutionary.
Empty seat makes sense Yellowknifer - Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The legislative assembly also recently approved a year of transition pay for outgoing cabinet members, helping them ease back into the work world. As MLA Wendy Bisaro pointed out, there's also letterhead and business cards. All in all, we're talking about more than $100,000 for a temporary fix. On the other hand, Yellowknife's sole MLA on cabinet now is Bob McLeod, which leaves half the territory's population underrepresented. Traditionally, two Yellowknife MLAs sit among the six in cabinet to represent the interests of the city. How effective they are in doing so is questionable. When Yellowknife residents rallied against the proposed merger of education, health and housing boards in late 2008 and into early 2009, McLeod kept quiet, saying he had to "take the government line." Lee, Yk's other cabinet minister at the time, also kept her head down. Come fall, we need two Yellowknife MLAs named to cabinet, and we'd much prefer they be ones who are willing to speak up in the best interests of city residents, not just bowing to cabinet's decree.
Stanton put in a tough spot Yellowknifer - Wednesday, April 20, 2011 Staff at Stanton Territorial Hospital sometimes find themselves having to stomach criticism over the treatment of patients without having their side of the story told publicly. Unlike other government departments that periodically hide behind policy, the health department is handcuffed by privacy legislation and therefore cannot delve into a patient's personal details. Yellowknifer featured a personal account from a psych ward patient on April 8 ("It's like I'm sane and I'm going to leave insane"). He said he feels his freedom of movement within and outside the hospital is inconsistent and staff there are not pleasant in their interaction with him. That is, admittedly, one side of the story. Many of us also know people who have been treated with tremendous care and compassion at Stanton. Doctors and nurses operate under high-stress conditions at times and, at some points, have to manage with critical positions unfilled. With limited space in the hospital and social problems plaguing the North, it seems certain that much demand is put on the mental health ward. The RCMP may occasionally be taken away from other investigations to look for psych patients who wander off, but the police should be understanding in dealing with the hospital. Medical staff, who are not jailers, have to walk a fine line between treating their patients and respecting their patients' rights.
Can good things come in small (nuclear) packages? Darrell Greer Kivalliq News - Wednesday, April 20, 2011 Many people have been discussing nuclear reactors and uranium mining since Japan's brush with disaster, and rightly so. And, arguably, at no point in Nunavut history has nuclear discussion been more relevant than today. Areva Resource's proposed uranium mine near Baker Lake is the lightning rod for the debate, but Kiggavik is but one small piece in a much larger and complicated puzzle. Broken down to its most rudimentary point, people need to be able to afford power to live in Nunavut. And only so much of a household's net income can be allotted to a power bill. People still need to eat, heat their homes, provide for their kids, clothe the family and, heaven forbid, maybe own a vehicle and be able to spend a few dollars a month on recreational activities. That doesn't scratch the surface of mortgage payments, land leases, life, home and property insurance, and the proper maintenance of one's home and/or vehicle. And, all the while, those of us with no government or private pensions to look forward to are expected to also sock enough away in savings, RRSPs or other investments to take care of our golden years. A daunting task, to say the least, and one that's going to become even more difficult if our complete dependency on fossil fuels doesn't end soon. Projected shortfalls in the Qulliq Energy Corp.'s operating budget are downright scary, and that 19.3 per cent rate hike across the board is just the tip of the iceberg if we do remain dependent on fossil fuels to keep our lights on. A number of Nunavut communities pay more than 10 times their southern counterparts for lights to come on when a switch is thrown. And, higher power bills also mean higher prices at the checkout counter of every business in the territory, as they pass on the escalating cost of doing business to their customers. That's the way it works in a capitalist system. Harnessing the power of the wind, water and sun are being looked at as alternative ways to provide cost-effective power in Nunavut, but the chances of any of these methods being realized any time soon are slim at best. Which brings us back to uranium and the possibility of mini-nuclear reactors providing power in Nunavut. Those who support mini-reactors claim their design is safe, they could be put into every Nunavut community, and could save the Government of Nunavut (GN) a ton of money during the coming decades. They claim the average consumer could save as much as 90 per cent from their current power bill. Those who oppose mini-reactors even being built, would vehemently oppose that course being taken by the GN. Of course, it would be left to the average citizen to filter fact from fiction in all the rhetoric that would surely spew from both sides regarding the matter. But, at the end of the day, fuel costs are going to continue to rise dramatically in Nunavut as long as we're dependant on fossil fuels. And, if these mini-reactors could solve that problem, they should be seriously - and thoroughly! - looked at. When it comes to sound alternative choices, Nunavummiut shouldn't be left in the dark on any option.
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