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Hospital correct to ban smoking
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, January 4, 2012

There is no question that the move by the Stanton Territorial Health Authority to go 100 per cent tobacco-free and ban smoking on all hospital property effective Feb. 14 is a politically correct initiative.

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There is something wrong with seeing patients wearing parkas over their hospital gowns huddled outside the doors to get their nicotine fix. Then there is the question of patients in the psychiatric ward who tie up valuable hospital staff time because they required an escort to go outside for a cigarette. In some cases, the escort is needed to ensure the patient does not leave the hospital property because they are deemed to pose a danger to themselves or others.

Stanton is just one of numerous hospitals across Canada to ban smoking anywhere on its property, rather than providing a designated smoking area several metres from entrance doors or fresh-air vents.

But there are several unique facts that makes the Yellowknife hospital different than others.

The NWT has one of the highest rates of tobacco use in the country. Statistics suggest that 36 per cent of residents in the NWT smoke, twice the national average.

Another unique factor is the climate. Forcing patients to leave the hospital property in order to smoke a cigarette could result in sick people going into the woods behind the hospital, or across the parking lot in sub-zero temperatures. Besides the obvious negative affects of smoking, exposure to the cold can't be a healthy thing.

And there is no doubt that some patients, visitors and even some staff members who are addicted to nicotine will still sneak a smoke on hospital grounds and risk being caught by security.

That said, as the largest health-care facility in the NWT, Stanton has a responsibility to make a strong statement against smoking. Health authority CEO Kay Lewis said, "We are doing a great job at treating diseases caused by tobacco, but what are we doing to prevent them? The new policy sends a clear message that tobacco use has no place in an institution dedicated to healing."

Recognizing the highly addictive nature of nicotine, Stanton is offering nicotine replacement therapy products to patients and encourages them to tackle their addictions.

Despite the high number of smokers in the North, and the frigid temperatures during winter months, Stanton's initiative is really about promoting healthy living.

And even smokers will agree that tobacco use is harmful to people's health.


'Buy local' a popular tune
Yellowknifer - Wednesday, January 4, 2012

It appeared to be a Merry Christmas in Yellowknife indeed. Retailers, including those selling large ticket items such as snowmobiles, are reporting heavy sales in the lead-up to Christmas.

"We haven't seen this type of enthusiasm since 08/09," said Gord Olson, owner of Polar Tech Recreation, one of Yellowknifer's main snowmobile dealers.

Whether last month's shopping spree is a sign the recession is over or that Yellowknifers are just tired of waiting for it to end and are spending in spite of it, the shopping spree is further proof that Yellowknife is still a good place to do business and spend money.

It's hard to imagine someone buying a $14,000 snow machine in Yellowknife if they weren't confident they will get good service for it.

And even with the proliferation of online shopping, Yellowknife merchants can count on people being leery of using such long-distance services, especially as Christmas drew closer and lineups at the post office grew longer.

A recent Ipsos Reid survey reported that 2011 - despite all sorts of turmoil going on outside our borders - was a good year among 74 per cent of Canadians polled. No doubt some of that optimism can be found here, and has made its way under our Christmas trees.

Yellowknifers might not feel so generous after the holiday hangover has passed and the bills start showing up in the mail, but we hope shopping local is more than just a Christmas tradition.


Lots to keep an eye on in 2012
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, January 4, 2012

With the dawn of a new year comes the hope of prosperity for Nunavut in 2012.

Here in the Kivalliq hope runs high for the Meliadine Gold Project in Rankin Inlet to move closer to reality, and for Arviat tourism to take a giant leap forward in attracting clients to the beauty of the community and its surrounding areas.

Many eyes are also on the continued mineral exploration near Baker Lake, and the ongoing efforts of Areva Resources to, one day, have the Kiggavik Project accepted and become a uranium ore mining and milling operation near Baker.

The new year will also see the long-awaited healing centre/correctional facility open in Rankin, while lobbying efforts continue in Coral Harbour to have a healing and counselling facility approved for that community.

On the flip side, many folks will have their attention fixed firmly on Nunavut's capital for signs of another territorial election being called in 2012.

The majority of Nunavummiut will also be watching the capital for signs of the Government of Nunavut finally getting its financial house in order, and hoping we can get through 2012 without any elected officials finding themselves in legal hot water.

Many eyes in the region will also be cast in the direction of the Kivalliq Inuit Association, where new blood was voted in this past month with the election of David Ningeongan as president.

It was a bold move by Kivalliq beneficiaries, who felt it was time for new ideas and a fresh perspective, and we sincerely hope Ningeongan is up for the challenge.

Hopes are also high for Nunavut entries at the 2012 Arctic Winter Games (AWG) in Whitehorse, Yukon.

A number of sports employed different approaches to selecting their AWG teams this time around, and only time will tell if their decisions bear fruit in the form of an increased number of Ulus brought home by our athletes.

Also, on the sporting front, Rankin will be hard pressed in 2012 to match the success of the 2011 First Air Avataq Cup senior men's hockey championship.

Arviat is facing a number of challenges concerning its Jon Lindell Memorial (JLM) senior men's hockey championship, as well.

The community's hockey program was delayed by equipment problems during an upgrade to the local arena, pushing the date of the JLM back a month from its original start date of Jan. 19.

The organizing committee is hoping to use the incredible success enjoyed at the 2011 JLM to attract more communities to this year's event.

Hopefully, the unforeseen problems at the arena won't scuttle their chances of success.

Personally, I'm into my 14th year at the helm of Kivalliq News and look forward to serving the region for another year.

As always, I'm extremely indebted to those in the communities outside of Rankin who take the time to send me photos and keep me up to speed on what's happening in their towns.

I look forward to growing our relationship in 2012 and keeping the Kivalliq News a publication the majority of folks in the region are proud to call their own.

Best wishes of success and prosperity to one and all for the upcoming year.


2012 full of potential
NWT News/North - Monday, January 2, 2012

Looking back on 2011 it is clear a lot of changes must be made in the NWT if we are to ensure our future success.

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Most notably, we saw a serious decline in economic spending in the territory as resource exploration plummeted amid investor uncertainty due to the combination of a tumultuous global economy and the NWT's oft-criticized regulatory regime.

In contrast, adding proof that the problem lies more with us than the economy, Nunavut saw an increase in exploration spending near pre-recession figures.

It is time for the GNWT to push the federal government to move faster at implementing improvements to the Northern regulatory system, improvements it has been promising since 2007. Essential to this plan will be to streamline our environmental regulatory regulations and ensure long-standing regulatory board vacancies are filled.

Back in July, the Fraser Institute ranked the NWT as the worst place in Canada for investing in oil and natural gas exploration and development. Although the survey found that in most cases there were no respondents who said the barriers would deter them from investing in the NWT, spending levels seem to indicate the opposite.

Devolution will be the biggest political decision of the GNWT's history in terms of fiscal self-management and self-determination. We must ensure the terms hammered out with Ottawa provide the NWT with the dollars to cover the rising costs of health care, infrastructure and housing. The GNWT must uphold its promise to work collaboratively with aboriginal governments to prevent a deal from being bogged down for years to come.

First Nation and GNWT relations will also be key to tackling environmental concerns. Our controversial Wildlife Act, which after 10 years of work failed to pass in the previous legislative assembly, must be a priority as the NWT fights to protect species at risk from increased hunting pressure and global warming.

On the climate change front, the North needs to document specific threats and costs as melting permafrost threatens existing infrastructure. We must not only explore cleaner energy options, we must exploit the opportunities to use our own forestry and natural gas resources.

On a brighter note, NWT athletes will kick off the early part of the new year in March when they join the circumpolar world in Whitehorse for the Arctic Winter Games.

Every two years the NWT battles for position among the top three teams at the event and we hope for a strong finish in 2012. Beyond the medals, we encourage every athlete to perform to the best of their ability and act as strong ambassadors for their communities.

During the last games in Grande Prairie, Alta, in 2010, the NWT had the strongest showing of community athletes compared to previous games. As the trials continue in January to select teams, we hope participation from outside Yellowknife is front and centre in Whitehorse.


Food, housing, fishing and minerals
Nunavut News/North - Monday, January 2, 2012

The winter solstice has come and gone and with the impending return of the sun there are a lot of good things to watch for on the horizon.

Nunavut will benefit heavily from mineral industries, especially in light of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement which will give beneficiaries a 12 per cent cut of profits gained by companies mining resources on Inuit land.

To name a few projects: Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.'s Meadowbank gold mine poured its first brick in 2010 and looks to keep going until 2019; Newmont Mining Corp.'s Hope Bay gold project is progressing, needing just a mill to really get things underway; Shear Diamonds just shook hands on a funding agreement with a Belgian company to assist it in reopening the Jericho diamond mine; Baffinland's Mary River iron ore project looks to kick into gear in 2014; Areva is looking to mine uranium in the Kivalliq, and Sabina Gold and Silver are looking to pull gold from the ground at Goose Lake.

These mines are the territory's best bet for jobs and big money. Nunavut has caught the eye of the mining industry in a significant way and efforts should be made to keep it at the forefront and get these mines off the ground.

Another industry to look at is fishing. The GN needs to build small craft harbours for all fishing communities as soon as possible. Pangnirtung is getting one, and the more of these that are built around the territory, the more money will be brought into Nunavummiut pockets.

There are still issues that need to be tackled.

The vastly underwhelming Nutrition North program is still bearing very little fruit, and Nunavummiut need to make sure Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq plays a big role in making it work.

The onus is on her to make sure it results in lower food prices to the territory - we are her employer; we must demand change.

The perennial problem of alcohol abuse and the violence that springs from it still looms tall, unheeded, and there seems to be no end in sight for it. The suicide rate is 11 times the national average, though an ambitious plan was released last fall to help prevent more tragic deaths. This plan must be acted on as soon as possible, as we're sure the GN knows.

Living in the North could be easier - employment could be more available, food could cost less, there could be more housing and some tragedy could be avoided - so let's head into 2012 demanding change and playing as big a role as possible in making it happen.


Our content little city
Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, December 30, 2011

Yellowknifer's first editorial of 2011 cautioned readers to view the upcoming year with guarded optimism. We will repeat that message for 2012.

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There are plenty of dark clouds on the horizon. The economy, in Yellowknife and elsewhere, is still very fragile three years after a recession brought markets around the world to their knees.

The NWT's economy is expected to contract by 2.3 per cent this year; two of the three diamond mines operating in the territory are reaching middle age. BHP Billiton - owner of the NWT's second largest diamond mine -- brought that reality home earlier this month when it announced that it may not remain in the diamond business for much longer.

The cost of living, meanwhile, continues to rise and will surely rise some more once the Deh Cho Bridge is complete, expected this fall - a year late and nearly $30 million over-budget.

The territorial government will likely waste no time launching its toll on every commercial vehicle bringing goods to Yellowknife in order to recoup the cost of building this project, now sitting at almost $200 million. That's $200 million that will be coming mostly out of Yellowknifers' pockets as businesses pass the cost of those tolls onto us.

Despite all this doom and gloom lapping upon shores, Yellowknifers by and large have proved to be fairly impervious to it.

Yellowknife is not the boom town it was in the late 1940s and '50s when gold was king, or at the start of this century when diamonds took over but it's still a dynamic city. Opportunities for employment and advancement are still plentiful compared to other Canadian cities, and Yellowknifers remain the top income earners in the country.

Still, it will take some work to maintain our city's prosperity. The recently elected territorial government has put an emphasis on finding ways to build the territory's economy over the next four years. To do that, the GNWT must alter the perception that the territory is not a resource company-friendly place to invest. We're a long ways yet from fully developing other economic sectors like tourism and forestry so mining and oil and gas must continue to lead the way.

Property taxes have risen for eight straight years but that hasn't stopped residents from supporting and enjoying state-of-the-art facilities built over the last decade, such as the Multiplex and the Fieldhouse.

There has been some grumbling from the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce about city council's perceived disinterest in the city's business community and its preoccupation with environmental issues. It remains to be seen whether the chamber's dissatisfaction will translate into viable candidates who can challenge the incumbent councillors running in the municipal election this fall.

Council did suffer a defeat earlier this year when voters rejected a city scheme to borrow up to $49 million for a district energy system to heat the downtown core. Residents were concerned about backstopping such a large investment, and were not convinced the city had a viable plan with the much touted but unproven geothermal energy capacity of Con Mine.

The city is now moving ahead with a private partner, Vancouver-based Corix Utilities, to construct the district energy system.

We recommend two things: focus first on building a central heating system powered by diesel and wood boilers; and secondly, that council avoid the temptation to use the private partnership to shield the project in secrecy.

The city needs support from the business community and residents to get this energy system built and won't get it if there is no transparency.

On the social front, every effort must be made to ensure the hard work that went into establishing a day shelter downtown is not wasted for a lack of funding.

Downtown revitalization is at a bit of a crossroads now that the shelter is in jeopardy. It's up to the city, the GNWT and the community to ensure the shelter's doors stay open.

The year 2012 holds much promise, and Yellowknife has- shown time and again that it can withstand serious challenges to its well-being. It's up to all of us to ensure this city continues to thrive.


Creating a stronger future for Deh Cho
Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, December 21, 2011

The question of what it takes to be a leader is a difficult one.

Recent elections have put a number of new and familiar leaders in place around the Deh Cho in both municipal and first nations' governments. In Wrigley, Tim Lennie was returned to the position of chief of Pehdzeh Ki First Nation for a second consecutive term.

Speaking after the election, Lennie said that leaders in small communities have to multi-task, dealing with everything from economic, social, political and environmental issues while still taking care of their own health and well-being. It's not the easiest job description.

Dehcho First Nations (DFN) is undertaking a project that will lead it to look at exactly what it takes to be a leader and how those qualities can be developed. DFN is working to create a Leadership Development Program.

The program will be designed to foster the next generation of leaders for the Deh Cho. The program is needed.

A cursory look around the region shows that the average age of the First Nation chiefs and Metis presidents is creeping upwards. Most of the leaders are middle-aged or older. The average age of band councillors isn't a lot younger.

This in itself isn't a problem. A lot of experience and knowledge comes with age. The current leaders have a good grasp on the issues the Deh Cho is facing because they have seen them develop over time.

The troubling trend, however, is there are few people in training to become leaders when the current ones decide it is time to step aside.

While there may currently be no heir-apparents, that's not to say they won't come. First nation governments aren't going to collapse in 20 years because of a lack of people to lead them.

The real question is how prepared will those new people be and what kind of leaders will they make? How many will be able to speak Dene Zhatie fluently or have a depth of traditional knowledge?

A program such as the Leadership Development Program is needed to ensure that the Deh Cho and its people have the best possible leadership as the years advance. The program, as it has been envisioned, will provide potential leaders with a strong base of knowledge, which they will be able to build on. Even if participants don't choose to run for leadership roles they will gain skills that will benefit both themselves and their community.

Dehcho First Nations should be supported in this initiative. This program is a concrete step towards creating a strong future for the region.


Be gentle this holiday season
Editorial Comment
Samantha Stokell
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, December 21, 2011

December is a special month, filled with expectations for Christmas and the New Year.

The darkness and snow have fallen long ago up here, but the lights, presents, and gatherings make December seem like one month-long party, with a few days of work in between.

It can be a time of joy and happiness as friends and family re-unite after months apart due to school, work or simply busy schedules. People find their way back home, wherever that may be, or make their own home in a new town with friends who have become family over the past year.

Up North it's a real chance for a breather. There's no mall madness, no road rage. Everything shuts down, people take breaks, leave town or just stay inside keeping warm.

There's no work, no school, limited activities at the rec complex and a lot of empty time to fill. Tensions could be high from expectations not being met over Christmas and New Year's.

All we ask is to be gentle. Take it easy. Use this time to relax, recuperate and be lazy. Don't set your expectations too high and just enjoy life however it is. Tragedy may have befallen you over the past year, or maybe you've received a great new job, a new lover, a new child, discovered a new hobby or skill, gotten rid of baggage you didn't need or learned something from repeated mistakes.

Whether you're alone or surrounded by friends, be gentle not only with others, but with yourself. Life has a way of making you see things happen for a reason and even if you believe in fate or free will, accept what has happened in 2011, learn from it and move on.

Maybe Inuvik is the best place to take a break over the holidays, or maybe it's the worst. Maybe the lack of distractions will drive some people to the edge, but hopefully people will come together and support one another during this season, because that's what it's really about. Whether your family celebrates Christmas or not, simply enjoy the season as a time to share with those you love.

And don't forget, the days are getting longer once again. The darkness will pass and the sun will rise once more.

Merry Christmas, happy holidays and happy New Year.

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