Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

The territorial government is extending a helping hand for those who want to quit smoking but don't want to pay for it.

It's the right thing to do, especially with about 36 per cent of people in the NWT being smokers, and no significant change in the quit rate over the past few years.

On Aug 12, the GNWT announced it will cover the cost of up to three months of nicotine replacement therapies or smoking cessation prescription drugs per year for residents through general health-care benefits. Up until now, these specific benefits were only available to those with extended health benefits.

Yet this government assistance for those dependent on tobacco should have been on the radar earlier. The smoking cessation platform could well have been included three years ago when the GNWT proposed a change in supplementary health-care benefits to cover those without supplementary health benefits or third-party coverage.

Cost is a factor in why such anti-smoking methods haven't been more successful, although the cost pales in comparison to $15 daily for a pack-a-day smoker.

Nicotine gum costs close to $13 a pack and it's $36 for a week's worth of the patch. Reducing those prices to nil through NWT health benefits will add an incentive for more Northerns to attempt to kick this nasty and dangerous habit.

The money invested in these therapies and prescription drugs for the masses will pay for itself in time. Illnesses related to cigarette smoking -- like lung, throat and mouth cancers, cardiovascular disease and worsened asthma and bronchitis - drive up costs for the territory's health-care system.

The GNWT is getting more serious about helping smokers quit, wanting to see a healthier population, and stop money from being thrown at illnesses and care that could be avoided.

Anyone who holds an NWT health card and wants to butt out should take full advantage of this offer from the territorial government.

Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger says his government will consider an independent watchdog to oversee the cleanup of Giant Mine.

His pronouncement comes a couple months after Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus called for the creation of an independent body to monitor the cleanup of the mine site, which is stuffed full of deadly arsenic trioxide. The cleanup is under the complete care and control of the federal government, save the GNWT's token $27 million investment toward that goal, which is estimated to require up to $300 million to complete.

Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley, who, like many in this city, questions the federal government's will to lay down the law should it be negligent in its clean-up of Giant Mine.

The Giant Mine cleanup and the monitoring of that cleanup are both being handled by the same department: Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (AAND).

The absurdity of this situation came to a head in May after Baker Creek, which flows through the mine site, overflowed into a tailings pond.

A cross-looking water resource officer with AAND insisted he'd press charges if it were to happen again. But does anyone really expect a bureaucrat to throw other bureaucrats in jail?

The only people who get punished in these situations are taxpayers after the department hands itself a six-figure fine.

Miltenberger told the legislative assembly that, as minor as its role in the cleanup may be, the GNWT may also be in a conflict of interest. All the more reason why the federal and territorial government departments involved should leave monitoring to someone else - a body that will be less concerned about making a show of affixing blame after something bad happens, and more worried about preventing it before it does.

We previously suggested revamping the somewhat defunct Giant Mine Community Alliance, and having the water resource officer work for it.

An election is coming up so it's doubtful much will come before then. But Yellowknife MLA candidates should be front and centre with this issue so they can hit the ground running once the campaigning is over and the governing begins.

Pehdzeh Ki First Nation recently organized an event that should set an example for other Deh Cho communities.

This year, the Wrigley band combined a culture camp with an early fall hunt. The event was something new. While the band has organized both culture camps and fall hunts in the past, this is the first time the two have been combined. It was really a perfect pairing with multiple benefits.

Culture camps, as anyone who has attended one knows, always involve a lot of teachings about traditional foods and their preparation.

By combining a camp and a hunt, the band created a supply of fresh traditional food.

Even better for the hunters was the fact that the camp participants wanted to help clean and prepare the meat from the five young bull moose that were shot. This sharing of labour freed the hunters from some of the work that they would normally have to do themselves during a hunt.

As a combination of a camp and a hunt, the event was the perfect medium for cultural practices and traditional teachings to be passed through. Both hunters and elders were able to share traditional teachings about the lake, which has long been a favoured area for harvesting, with younger members of the band.

Youth also had the chance to watch and participate in a number of activities including dry fish- and dry meat-making, berry-picking and moose hide preparation. It was an all-inclusive learning experience.

While the dissemination of traditional knowledge was an incredibly important part of the event, so too was the social aspect.

The event brought together the whole spectrum of Wrigley residents, from elders to young parents to children. A total of 36 people participated in the event, a considerable number given the size of the community. The isolated location of the camp, Blackwater Lake, meant that once participants arrived by floatplane or helicopter, they were committed to staying there for at least nine days. This made the event stronger because people were fully involved in the activities during the camp and in sharing them with others.

All of the communities in the Deh Cho have fall hunts but many aren't formalized. In most cases, hunters and sometimes their families go out to their own cabins and do their own things. There is merit to that approach but the fall hunt can become so much more when community members are brought together like in the case of Pehdzeh Ki's event.

Moving the focus of the hunt away from bagging moose and toward sharing traditional knowledge and strengthening community ties will benefit individuals, communities and the region.

If you ever had the pleasure of being outside the Mad Trapper past 2 a.m. this summer, or any other summer for that matter, you will know that a few things are almost guaranteed to happen.

There would be, without a doubt, hoards of patrons at varying stages of intoxication wolfing down smokies and cheeseburgers at Ready Red's. Some would lose ketchup to their shirts, pants and the sidewalk in the process.

There would be, at the very least, a dozen lit cigarettes (plus some other things) filling the air with smoke. Those without cigarettes might be trying in vain to bum one off of someone else.

There would be a fleet of taxis jockeying for prime real estate to nab tipsy clients and, last but not least, there would be, without fail, drunk people heading to their cars with keys in their hands.

Lucky for us, the RCMP has been catching some of them.

In July they laid 13 impaired driving charges. In June they laid another 13 and in May they laid 12. Their total for 2011, not counting August, is 62.

These numbers leave something to be desired, though.

I'm sure everyone, not just the one Inuvik resident who spoke up in this week's paper, has a story about a friend, an acquaintance or stranger who got behind the wheel while intoxicated.

It's common practice here and almost, I would venture to say, an accepted practice.

It's not uncommon to hear the words, "It's not that far of a drive" or "I don't want to have to go back to pick my truck up in the morning," and it's not uncommon for a designated driver to have had one too many.

The question is, will the next story to come out be on what's being done to stop it, or will it be about the tragic death of someone struck and killed by a drunk driver?

It's not fair to just blame the drivers who chose to get behind the wheel drunk, or just the cops whose job it is to catch them once they're on the road. Friends have to start giving their friends grief for driving impaired so the community doesn't have to face the consequences.

It's one thing to indulge in your vices on a Saturday night, and another thing to put the lives of other people in danger just because you don't want to pay for a cab or walk the 15 minutes it takes to get home safely.

The diamond tourism centre set to open in January, announced last week, is a good idea but one that's long overdue.

It will highlight what has become the NWT's biggest industry, provide an additional attraction for Yellowknife's tourists and create two or three jobs - but you can bet the problems plaguing the industry won't be highlighted in the centre's display cases.

The centre is being created by Crossworks Manufacturing Ltd., the only surviving diamond-polishing business in the NWT after the Arslanian Cutting Works and Polar Ice plants shut down more than a year ago as rough diamonds were sent to bidders elsewhere by the NWT's three diamond mines.

The GNWT and cabinet's handling of the of the secondary diamond industry in the North has been rightfully criticized by MLAs and Yellowknife city councillors. While it's nice Bob McLeod, minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, showed up for the tourism centre photo-op on Aug. 16, Yk's secondary diamond industry has continued to flounder under his watch, as it had under his predecessor, Brendan Bell.

The tourism centre will surely shed light on how the industry works, but McLeod and the other candidates for the upcoming territorial election should be explaining why the secondary diamond industry and mining in general aren't at the level they should be in the North.

Standing out among a myriad of factors are a lack of incentives to keep rough diamonds in the North, lost steam pushing the NWT brand in the global marketplace and a regulatory process that's resulted in only three diamond and one tungsten mine operating in the NWT. That's a total of four mines in a 1.3-million square-km chunk of land that touts natural resources as its main industry.

There's still plenty of metals and minerals in the ground - in other words jobs to be created, and a tax-base to be increased, if only our politicians can start building momentum in a place that bills itself as North America's diamond capital.

One of democracy's strengths is being able to choose the best candidate.

That pillar crumbles when only one person allows his or her name to stand for election.

We're only 39 days away from the Oct. 3 trip to the territorial polls. The nomination period opens on Sept. 5 and closes on Sept. 9 at 2 p.m.

As of press deadline, we have three official candidates: incumbents Glen Abernethy in Great Slave and Bob Bromley in Weledeh as well as Daryl Dolynny, who is seeking Sandy Lee's vacated Range Lake seat.

It would be encouraging to see as healthy a slate of candidates in all Yk ridings as we did in 2007, when we avoided any acclamations.

There's, arguably, an advantage to throwing one's proverbial hat in the ring early, so long as the candidate has a solid platform.

Those aiming to become MLA have to submit a $200 deposit to the returning officer, as well as a list of 15 supporters who are eligible voters in the riding where the candidate is running.

Contenders for public office usually commit a substantial amount of money on campaign signs and advertising. In 2007, Chris Johnston spent the most among Yk candidates at $26,327.53, but did not win a seat.

Dave Ramsay spent the least among those running in this city who did get elected, having spent $13,071.76.

Having a strong financial backing certainly doesn't hurt, but costs can be kept within reason in this age of social media, and with some good old-fashioned door-to-door campaigning.

If you have something to contribute, we strongly encourage you to take the plunge.

With the doors of Kivalliq schools open again and classes back in action, it's time to get kids to bed early. A good sleep is the first step to preparing youth for a day of learning.

In his book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Children, Marc Weissbluth says sleep is what keeps your mind alert and calm, allowing you to learn.

"Every night and at every nap, sleep recharges the brain's battery. Sleeping well increases brainpower just as weight lifting builds stronger muscles, because sleeping well increases your attention span and allows you to be physically relaxed and mentally alert at the same time. Then you are at your personal best."

And we always want kids to be at their best when they're at school. The fewer obstacles we put in a child's way, the better the learning experience will be for them, for their classmates and their teachers.

It's easy to get caught up in distractions, like extracurricular activities, work and homework, making it difficult to ensure kids are getting the sleep they need. But it's a new school year, which means a new beginning. It's an opportunity to start and stick to a fresh routine - a routine that includes a regular bedtime, a standard wake-up time and a nutritious breakfast.

We need to ensure Kivalliq's kids are being sent to school in tip-top condition, so they can continue to grow into successful young adults.

Of course, some of the responsibility lands on the students. They need to take an interest in their studies and they have to pay attention in class and do their work.

But you can't expect a student to devote their full attention to their studies if they're tired and hungry, so parents need to step up and take an interest in their child's health and education.

They need to make sure their kids are going to bed at a decent hour and they need to make sure their kids are getting up in the morning, eating breakfast and making it to school.

As the principal of Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik said, "If we can get them here, we can impact them, and we can encourage them and motivate them and then they're successful."

So, to all the parents out there, help your kids succeed this year and get them to school on time, fed and well-rested.

Imagine living in a little tent on the tundra: wind blowing, temperatures dipping into the single digits during the summer night; no running water and no electricity.

This is reality for a few Paulatuk families ordered out of their public housing units over the past month. A family of six literally did make their new residence in a tent.

Another option is to crowd into the private homes of friends or family members, houses that, if they weren't already overcrowded, would be packed to the rafters with the new guests. In winter, is a tent even an option?

These are the choices faced by some families that have, according to the NWT Housing Corporation, already made poor choices by not paying $32 in rent out of several hundred dollars in monthly income assistance.

Instead of paying their rent, they may have splurged on luxuries like peanut butter or bread when they went to the grocery store. They may have purchased some new shirts or pants to replace the threadbare ones their children are wearing. Maybe they spent the rent on cigarettes.

In Paulatuk, 300 people are living in 53 public housing units and only 20 private homes. Close to 60 per cent of the tenants are paying $32 or less in rent each month and about 35 public housing tenants are behind in their rent which adds up to approximately $500,000 in accumulated arrears.

Consequently, the Housing Corp. is cracking down and tossing families out on the street.

But who is this draconian policy serving? Is it making the government's accountants happy? Does it give the bureaucracy some feeling of fiscal comfort?

Whatever purpose it may serve, the eviction policy is surely aggravating the social problems that make other government workers - like health, social and justice department workers - busier.

Northerners don't want public housing tenants to escape any responsibility, but nor do we benefit from a policy that casts a family out onto the street. The mandate of the housing corporation is to give people shelter regardless of their ability to pay.

If the $32 is so critical, why not deduct it from the government cheque many people collect? As well, it's long been argued that the existing rent formula discourages people from working because it's easier to pay $32 per month than 30 per cent of gross income. Is the Housing Corp. brain trust unable to use a carrot and a stick at the same time encouraging employment and collecting reasonable rents?

We need to take a long, hard look at the rental rates and how they are applied.

It's appropriate that the income support program is administered by the Department of Employment, because that's exactly what small communities need to help alleviate the rental arrears problem - more jobs.

There are not many career options in most NWT hamlets.

All of this should be a priority for the next territorial assembly, which will take office in October.

Be sure to ask your MLA candidate what he or she plans to do about public housing and job creation before you go to the ballot box.

There's no doubt David Johnston is the most low-key Governor General Canada has had in a while.

The last two Governors General, Adrienne Clarkson and Michaelle Jean, both came from working in television media and both made big efforts to embrace the north.

When the stylish and plucky Jean ate a bit of raw seal heart at a feast in Rankin Inlet two years ago amid a storm of protest over Canada's support of sealing, she earned a place in the hearts of Nunavummiut. She was welcomed like a rock star in communities for the rest of her trip.

That's a hard act for anyone to follow.

Johnston, 70, is a university professor and was president of the University of Waterloo before his appointment as Governor General. He's been married to his wife Sharon for 45 years and they have five daughters and eight grandchildren. They live on a farm and train horses.

As Governor General, he's the non-partisan human face of the Government of Canada, and in speaking to him, one figuratively has the ear of the nation. His tours bring a little excitement and, more importantly, media attention to the places and people he visits.

Not surprisingly for someone who's been a teacher for four decades, he includes promoting education and research among his key aims for his term in office, along with volunteering and charity, and support for families to create "a smarter, more caring Canada." That he approaches these principles with earnest determination was apparent when he tried to turn down a gift of art from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. in favour of a donation to charity. To his credit, once he understood the gift was also a way for Nunavut to promote the work of its artists to the rest of Canada, he accepted with grace.

He also tasted every country food presented to him - seal meat was not on offer this time - and he and his wife gave rave reviews to a cake prepared by a student in Repulse Bay.

Aside from being weathered out of Qikiqtarjuaq, a disappointment for the community as this was to have been their first visit by a Governor General, the tour went off without a hitch and good first impressions were made both ways.

Johnston appears to have a genuine desire to learn about the North, as opposed to using it as a promotional tool for his own aggrandisement, like so many other federal politicians. We hope he comes back soon, because we have much more to teach him.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.