 |
|
|
|
|
Subscriber pages
 News Desk
Columnists
Editorial
Readers comment
Tenders
Demo pages Here's a sample of what only subscribers see Subscribe now Subscribe to both hardcopy or internet editions of NNSL publications Advertising Our print and online advertising information, including contact detail. |
BHP steps up Yellowknifer - Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Not stopping with Betty House last week, mining company BHP Billiton also recently donated $100,000 toward to the construction of the NWT SPCA's animal shelter. BHP Billiton's generosity proves yet again how critically important the mining community is to this city, from its early days as a gold mining boom town to the present with diamond mines on the tundra. Some may recall a few years back when, faced with cost overruns at the yet-to-be completed Shorty Brown rink of the Multiplex arena, Diavik Diamond Mines stepped in to offer a $50,000 donation to Facilities for Kids and agreed to manage the project, which saved the city close to $2 million. More recently, Diavik led the charge in revamping cleanup efforts with the Polishing the Gem campaign in hopes of attracting more of its employees to come live here. There have also been numerous sparkling gems donated to various fundraising causes in our city. All three diamond mining companies operating in the NWT have valuable contributions to Yellowknife many times over, although it could be argued De Beers has the lower profile to date. The diamond giant handed out $3.8 million in cash, in-kind and staff time contributions in 2009 but it's hard to think of a community project in Yellowknife that has De Beers' stamp of generosity on it, the way Diavik and BHP have put their brand on their projects. Surely, such an initiative is just around the corner.
Demand better service Yellowknifer - Wednesday, May 11, 2011 Home businesses relying on cellphones need reliable service to operate, and entrepreneurs should not have to forego the best available technology in the NWT because they can't rely on the system. There have been complaints in the North about cellphone customers on the 3G network losing calls and being frustrated by slow Internet browser service during peak hours. With little competition on the cellphone market, and none for smartphones, only Bell Canada's customers can hold the company accountable for better service. Landline phones are quickly becoming obsolete and, as is the case around the world, people in the NWT are hungry for the latest technology. If Bell did not have the foresight to envision the level of demand when it installed the network in late 2009, and if it failed to position itself to respond rapidly to the need for growth in the Yellowknife market, the telecommunications firm made a mistake and customers should demand it be rectified. A Bell representative acknowledged "congestion" issues on the system. He told Yellowknifer that changes had been made to improve network service, and that the situation would be monitored. If customers are still experiencing problems, they must speak up and not let the company off the hook.
Train is back on track Darrell Greer Kivalliq News - Wednesday, May 11, 2011 This year's NHL playoffs have been somewhat perplexing, to say the least. After an opening round highlighted by a flurry of overtime games in closely-matched series, the second round's been a hodgepodge of blowouts marked, for the most part, by questionable officiating (it pains me to write that) and disinterested play by many supposed stars. As I wrote this, Tampa Bay had ousted favoured Washington in straight games, with only Capitals star Alex Ovechkin looking and sounding like he really cared. Boston was up 3-0 on a Philadelphia squad whose goaltending has resembled some form of twisted hockey production of the Keystone Kops meet Captain Hook. San Jose was also up 3-0 on an aging Detroit team in a series that, save for one hit thrown at Dany Heatley by Wings D-man Niklas Kronwell, has to rate as one of the most polite Stanley Cup match-ups even played. That leaves us with the agonizing Vancouver versus Nashville encounter. With the Canucks up 3-1 heading back to Vancouver, this has been a series that could easily have gone either way. Take away the ridiculous hooking call on Nashville's Shea Weber, and the series could easily have been notched at two. Yet the hooking call, as questionable as it was, still takes a back seat to the 'clipping' penalty called earlier in the playoffs as the result of an old-fashioned hip check. The dilemma for many fans watching the Vancouver versus Nashville series has been, of course, being torn between cheering for the Canadian team or the one with our very own Jordin Tootoo of Rankin Inlet. To the casual observer, this may not seem like a big deal. But, believe it or not, it's a very big deal to those in the Kivalliq who are true hockey lovers because there's a sense of guilt attached to cheering against Tootoo. You may be a Canucks fan or a hockey nut who dearly wants a Canadian team to bring the Cup home, yet you can't help but feel bad when you see a dejected Tootoo leaving the ice after playing his heart out. And, make no mistake about it, Tootoo has been playing his heart out since the playoffs began. In fact, since Tootoo rejoined the Preds late in the regular season, he's been playing the best hockey of his NHL career by a Kivalliq mile. And that's the silver lining for those who have been wearing their Canucks jersey at home with the window blinds pulled down tight. Fans who know Tootoo are cheering for him to win on a far larger scale than becoming a Stanley Cup champion this year. They're cheering for him to continue in the skating lane he's on to winning the game of life. A number of Tootoo's friends have all said they can't remember ever seeing him so happy during the past few months. Maybe it won't be this year, but if he continues with his success -- which we have every belief he will -- the day will come when Tootoo arrives on a scheduled flight to Rankin to share the Cup with people in his hometown for one unforgettable visit. Make no mistake about it, the Tootoo Train is back on track and steaming in that direction!
Medical help wanted NWT News/North - Monday, May 9, 2011
Now that the Conservatives have surged to a decisive 167-seat majority government, the NWT will be looking for Prime Minister Stephen Harper to again include funding to help recruit doctors to the North along with his promise of a six per cent increase to health care transfer payments to the provinces and territories. Before the government was defeated in a vote of non-confidence, the Conservatives budgeted $9 million per year to attract doctors and nurse practitioners to remote and rural regions of Canada. As part of the program, doctors would be eligible to transfer a portion of their student loans into non-repayable grants for up to five years -- $8,000 per year for doctors and $4,000 per year for nurse practitioners. Up to $40,000 in savings on student loans is a huge incentive and would go a long way to attracting practitioners to the North, where 40 of 44 doctors are based in Yellowknife. The Sahtu, Deh Cho, Fort Smith and Hay River are all without a physician. However, cash incentives can only do so much and is far from a long-term solution. The federal government must also help the NWT invest in its communities to improve living conditions, availability of services, reduce the cost of living and create an environment that compels doctors to stay and be part of the community once the cash lure runs out. In the long term, working to train Northerners to fill these positions will reduce our reliance on southerners. Staffing health care centres and hospitals with people invested in our communities will ensure better quality and consistency of care. In conjunction with cash breaks to graduates, funding to reserve seats for Northerners at medical schools should also be considered. Consequently, improvements to our education system are essential if we are to ensure our students are prepared and qualified to fill those seats.
Bevington back in the saddle NWT News/North - Monday, May 9, 2011 It's going to be an interesting four years in Canada. On May 2 the political landscape of our country was reshaped as the NDP 102 earned seats in Parliament and a place as the official opposition. The NWT became the only province or territory without a Conservative representative and it will be interesting to see what that will mean for the territory's relationship with Ottawa. Dennis Bevington, our Western Arctic MP, has proven his commitment to Northern issues in the past and now he will need to draw on his previous two terms of experience to ensure he makes the needs of the territory heard in the House of Commons. The needs of the territory are many. Topping the list are revisions to the failing Nutrition North Canada program; improved housing and roads; the negotiation of a fair devolution agreement that includes the GNWT and aboriginal governments; the expedient and equitable resolution of outstanding land claims agreements; the protection of aboriginal land rights such as the Edehzhie region in the Deh Cho; and a commitment to find efficiencies in the regulatory process to attract investors and development to the North. Diverse economic development is needed in the NWT -- be it more mining or tourism opportunities -- and Bevington must ensure all discussions include aboriginal governments and respect traditional and land claims rights. Fighting to reinstate sub-surface protection in the Edehzhie region will go a long way to rebuilding the trust of the aboriginal community and make future development discussion easier. Although the Conservatives have a strong majority, the NDP must provide vocal opposition. Bevington’s voice, with support from many of the NWT’s aboriginal leaders, needs to be heard.
The people have spoken Nunavut News/North - Monday, May 9, 2011 Last Monday, Leona Aglukkaq was re-elected MP for Nunavut with her winning margin increased to 1,751 from 466 in 2008, a vote of approval of her performance over the past two-and-a-half years. Her increase in the vote share came at a cost to the NDP and the Green Party, which saw their number of votes drop substantially from 2008, while the Liberals' total stayed virtually the same. Paul Okalik earned just 11 votes more than Kirt Ejesiak did in 2008. As federal Health minister, Aglukkaq was the first Inuk to hold a senior cabinet position and this translated into some benefits for Nunavut. The headquarters of CanNor was based in Iqaluit and a High Arctic Research Centre went to Cambridge Bay. Canada is fighting the EU decision to ban seal imports; the minister of INAC made a public apology to High Arctic relocatees. Perhaps these things would have happened without Aglukkaq in cabinet, but her presence there surely made some difference. On the other hand, Food Mail was replaced with Nutrition North Canada, and the public is largely unhappy with the new program. The federal government attempted to proceed with seismic testing in Lancaster Sound, despite Inuit objections, but Inuit won a court injunction to stop it. During the election, the Conservative Party declined to provide responses to questions posed by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami on issues of concern to Inuit, referring the organization instead to the party's national platform. Aglukkaq is now part of a Conservative majority government, with the certainty of at least four years before another election. Yet she may face an uphill battle to keep Nunavut's needs high on the priority list of Ottawa politicians and bureaucrats. For instance, the federal government has made a dent in the housing crunch by funding new homes, but demand remains high. We wish Aglukkaq luck in keeping Nunavut's issues on the radar in Ottawa, and hope the confidence Nunavummiut have shown in her is rewarded.
Keep contractors happy Nunavut News/North - Monday, May 9, 2011 Contractors working in Nunavut are unhappy with some aspects of the Nunavummi Nangminiqaqtunik Ikajuuti policy, according to the NWT and Nunavut Construction Association. The policy is supposed to provide incentives for business to keep goods and services closer to home. However, contractors say the rules on when they receive final payment for their work have become unclear, and smaller businesses are being hurt by the holdback of payments beyond when they were expecting to get paid. They are also concerned about changes to what constitutes substantial completion of a project, and the issue of damaged or missing materials on labour-only contracts. It's hard enough getting projects done in Nunavut - many tenders don't get any bids at all - that angering contractors by throwing more obstacles in their way is not constructive at all.
NDP not the only player in the NWT Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, May 6, 2011
Three-time winner Dennis Bevington will head back to Ottawa a veteran member of a much larger NDP caucus, albeit one that will serve as official opposition to a majority Conservative government. The Stephen Harper led party claimed its election victory by winning seats in every province and territory except the NWT. The old adage about being between a rock and a hard place has become reality now that the Yukon has joined Nunavut as Conservative held ground. Nonetheless, NWT voters clearly decided in Monday's election that Bevington, aided no doubt by his sincerity and honourable track record in Parliament, deserved re-election to the House of Commons. His principal challenger in this election, Sandy Lee, accustomed to clobbering her opponents after three successful campaigns for the Range Lake seat in the legislative assembly, faced an uphill battle from the getgo. Lee had little time to convince voters she was the better choice after catching everyone off guard with her switch of party allegiance from the fading Liberals and stepping down as minister of Health and Social Services to run as a Conservative. It didn't help that the Conservative brain trust seemed hellbent on keeping her out of the public eye as much as possible, away from candidates'forums that were hostile ground but also a chance for Lee to show the mettle that brought her support during her early days as an MLA. During his visit to Yellowknife midway through the campaign, Harper strongly hinted it will be hard to get his government's attention as long as there is an MP representing the NWT who's not a Conservative. Harper was more conciliatory during his victory speech Monday night, pledging to reach out to all areas of the country, including those that did not vote for his party, but Bevington and the NDP Ð now dominated by MPs from Quebec Ð will be hard pressed to hold the prime minister to his word over the next four years of majority government. That's why it's critical our territorial government steps in to make sure the NWT isn't an afterthought as the Harper government settles in for a long, comfortable turn at steering the country's course. The natural place to forge alliances strong enough to get the federal government's attention is with our neighbouring territorial governments in Nunavut and the Yukon. This alliance has been exercised with some success before, such as in 2003 when former premier Stephen Kakfwi joined forces with the Yukon's Dennis Fentie and former Nunavut premier Paul Okalik to squeeze the ruling Liberals at the time to deliver an additional $60 million in health care dollars. Now we must ensure that the NWT gets equal treatment. If the Conservative represented Yukon and Nunavut are getting funding, then the NWT cannot be overlooked. Premier Floyd Roland, along Education and Justice Minister Jackson Lafferty, have already expressed their preferences for working with a Conservative government. That will likely be viewed as a plus when dealing with other territories with deeper Conservative connections than ours. Even deputy premier Michael Miltenberger, a supporter of fellow Fort Smith resident Bevington, told reporters Monday that a re-elected Conservative government means "unfinished business" such as devolution and raising the territory's borrowing limit can proceed. The NWT has much to offer the rest of Canada. The North's exploration boom during the 1930s was largely credited for helping to lift the country out of the Great Depression, and it's obvious by Harper's longstanding interest in the North that he sees its potential for helping the country pull out of its current economic doldrums. A strong and united stand by our territorial governments will help ensure Northerners have a say in how that interest is conveyed into action.
Playing politics Editorial Comment Roxanna Thompson Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, May 5, 2011
Canadians voted to boost the Conservatives to a strong majority government on May 2. The NWT, however, bucked the trend and became the only province or territory without a Conservative seat when Western Arctic riding NDP candidate and incumbent Dennis Bevington was reelected. Bevington will join the strongest NDP caucus in history, which will form the official opposition with 102 seats.
Pundits will spend days, even weeks publicly debating what the election results will mean for the country but in the Deh Cho the only question that matters is what will this mean for us. The answer is unclear. The Conservatives have a mixed track record in the region. While commenting on the results Monday night, Grand Chief Samuel Gargan said Dehcho First Nations has been working with the Conservative government for five years on the Dehcho Process and has made relatively good headway. While that is one way to look at it there have also been many criticisms made against the party by other chiefs and Metis presidents in the region; all have become fed up with what they see as Conservative government foot-dragging on the negotiations. And we can't forget the cautionary tale of Edehzhie. Last fall, with no warning or consultation, the Harper government decided not to renew the sub-surface protection for Edehzhie, an area that Dehcho First Nations had been working for more than 10 years to protect. On the flip side, the Conservative government has voiced its support for an all-weather road connecting Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk and was willing to put money towards the project until the government fell. This raised the possibility that the Mackenzie Valley Highway, with all the benefits it would bring to the Deh Cho, could be next on the Conservatives' Northern to-do list. These three examples show how the Deh Cho has reasons to welcome a Conservative majority but also to watch it warily. In order to make the new political climate work for the region, the Deh Cho will have to use the asset it helped vote back into parliament -- Dennis Bevington. Bevington has proven that he's responsive to the needs of his constituents and is willing to fight in the capital for issues that are important to them. As Fort Simpson Mayor Sean Whelly observed, Bevington's voice should be stronger than ever following this election because he's familiar with parliament and his party is now the official opposition. The Deh Cho and indeed the rest of the NWT will have to skillfully employ Bevington to both curtail the actions of the Conservative government when they are detrimental to the region and the territory and to push them forward when there are gains to be made. The election may be over but the political manoeuvring that will take place within this government is just beginning. Inuvik's generosity inspires Editorial Comment Samantha Stokell Inuvik Drum - Thursday, April 28, 2011
Whether it's for high school or elementary school athletes going to tournaments and competitions, or women travelling to far away countries to do good works or the Relay for Life for cancer research, it seems the people of Inuvik are willing to give. Whether it's for the homeless shelter, like with the Arctic Challenge, or going to Africa to help purchase medical supplies, it seems people are on board. Maybe it's because there's not much else to spend money on up here, but it's kind of incredible when you start adding up the numbers: * $40,000 for Super Soccer * $68,000 for Relay for Life in 2010 * $25,000 for the Homeless Shelter * $16,500 for nurses traveling to Kenya * $6,106 to build homes in the Dominican Republic And those are the few that we know about. And it's not only money. Other people donate their time, energy and skills to the community. Whether it's the volunteer firefighters, girl guide leaders or sports coaches, they are giving of themselves to make this community a better place. It's inspiring because sometimes the number of causes seem overwhelming and it's hard to think people can actually make a difference in the world. With the election ending and the NDP wave taking over Quebec and a Green MP in the House of Commons for the first time, it's possible to see that individuals can effect change even on a large scale. The only way those historic events could have taken place was with people getting out there and choosing to have their say. But really, the people giving their time and money know what it's about. Just do it. Whether you think locally or globally, there is a way to make an impact. It's about choosing any cause or issue and fighting for the one that you care about to make a difference. There are any number of options available for helping out in Inuvik. The new Lights On program, which provides a safe and fun place for teens to hang out, needs volunteers. The Relay for Life is looking for any help it can get in organizing the 12-hour event. There's all these people out there, quietly giving their time and not asking for anything in return, not cash or thanks or a pat on the back. They do it for the purest of motivations, because they want to help. Why not join them? Instead of sitting on the couch during the evening, get out there and volunteer. Help make Inuvik a better place.
|
