Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

We hope when you see council candidates trudging door to door asking people to vote for them, you think of the sacrifices our municipal politicians make to represent us.

Unlike the mayor's job, which is full-time and properly paid, councillors are not well paid - they receive about $20,000 a year for bi-monthly public meetings and many more committee meetings.

They get a taste of the workload during the election.

Last week Yellowknifer asked the council candidates about their campaigns. It's obviously a lot of work, if not a lot of money, with between $1,000 and $8,000 being spent by each candidate. That may not all come out of their pockets but, as many fundraising parents know, sometimes it's easier to pay the money yourself than wring it out of your neighbours. It's all work.

Then there are signs to make and stick in the ground, only to be battered back down by stiff fall breezes and anti-democracy vandals.

There are volunteers to gather and organize, and a lot of thinking about how to get the best results out of scarce resources, which is what we want them to do when they get elected.

Almost all of the hopefuls for council and the mayor's seat have also chosen to go door to door - always a nervy task that can pay off in direct feedback from moody voters.

Outgoing councillor Shelagh Montgomery makes the point: "Councillors are really the decision-makers at the city." That's because the mayor only votes if there is a tie among the eight councillors, which rarely happens.

If you want to know more about their platforms, visit their individual websites or go to nnsl.com/yellowknifer to see all of them in video interviews and recapping their stances on issues in writing.

Democracy is a serious business and it's all based on us having the good fortune to choose among 12 willing council candidates.

It's encouraging to see a move by our health system to improve how we deal with mental illness in the North.

Last week, Yellowknifer reported that Stanton Territorial Health Authority is teaming up with Dalhousie University to bring more expertise into the management and development of mental health services in the NWT.

They will have their work cut out for them. The territorial government laid out the critical problems in a report released this summer, entitled A Shared Path Towards Wellness: Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan.

Among all the positive messages and heartfelt calls to action, pages 13 and 14 lay out the "service gaps."

Topping the list is a need for a medical detoxification program.

This is the clinical term for drying out, getting off the booze, and it's required before people can enter the rehabilitation program at the Nats'ejee K'eh Treatment Centre in Hay River.

For hard evidence of the need for a detox centre in Yk, one can simply walk the streets downtown. The GNWT's figures put the number of people hospitalized for substance related disorders at just shy of 60 per cent of all mental illness admissions.

Clearly, not having a detox centre is going to undermine any attempts to improve the overall results.

Dr. Peter Croxall, assistant professor at the Dalhousie University department of psychiatry, told Yellowknifer housing conditions, social programs and mental health education are crucial to mental health treatment.

That's all true, but how can people takes the first steps down these paths when they are actively addicted and staggering in the streets?

There's no doubt we have a problem in the Kivalliq with youths involved in senseless destruction.

Vandalism is rising in a number of communities, and it's behaviour that frustrates many for numerous reasons.

In almost every case, it's destruction simply for destruction's sake.

There's no potential personal gain from smashing a bike, pulling a urinal from a wall, trashing an office, driving a Zamboni over exposed coolant pipes, or stealing any form of vehicle for the sole intent of destroying it.

Frustration grows accordingly when a group of disenfranchised youth destroy something that exists for the benefit of their peers.

Funding is getting increasingly hard to find for communities to have the 'privilege' of offering more constructive recreational activities for youths to enjoy.

Another frustrating aspect to wanton destruction is the fact it paints a distorted picture of our youth.

If people were to judge solely by media reports and information heard in the community on such behaviour, they'd think the majority of our youth are juvenile delinquents - and nothing could be further from the truth.

The vast majority of our youth are good honest kids who may make the odd bad judgement call, but how many of us didn't make the same mistake in our younger days?

The vast majority of the damage is being perpetrated by a small percentage of kids that make all our teens and pre-teens look bad.

There's no magic bullet to address this and no one youth-orientated program to cure all ills.

However, I hear time after time from people in communities able to host them about two programs that do seem to make a difference - first, the Junior Canadian Rangers, and second, the cadet program.

There's no doubt the Junior Rangers appeal to a number of youths on varying levels, not the least of which are land activities and learning to properly maintain and fire a weapon under supervision.

Ditto with cadets, plus the added attraction of being able to travel to various locations if you really apply yourself and start to excel at an activity.

But there's another reason the two programs have a positive influence on youths.

They are born of military tradition and built around personal discipline and organizational pride.

While the promise of personal gain certainly exists, equally important is the sense of accountability one develops towards their fellow Junior Rangers or cadets.

And, for the most part, instructors - civilian or otherwise - will only put up with so much bad behaviour before you're asked not to let the door hit you on the way out.

Being involved with team sports can build the same type of sensibilities, but, as we hear all the time, not every kid is interested in sports.

The Junior Rangers and the cadets offer an alternative to sports with many of the same benefits and, in most cases, an argument can made they're more culturally relevant.

Any way you look at it, they're the types of youth programs - when properly implemented and delivered - that hold the promise of making life in our communities better for everyone.

That may not be magic, but it's certainly progress.

The Arctic Winter Games International Committee's decision to award the 2016 games to Nuuk, Greenland, at the cost of five sporting events, one hockey division and more than 300 international athletes is a mistake wreaking of politics.

Prior to the 2006 Arctic Winter Games on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, the international committee announced it was axing peewee hockey from the Games' lineup in an effort to make the event more manageable and less costly. At the time, committee members also said it was the beginning of an effort to pare down the Games.

However, since then, not a single division has been left out of a Games, save for alpine skiing and downhill snowboarding events that are omitted when the Games rotate to Yellowknife due to a conspicuous lack of mountains. There are also no plans to reduce the number of athletes for the Fairbanks, Alaska, Games in 2014.

Ironically, despite the reduction in the number of athletes, the Kenai Games - split among three communities - were the most expensive in the past decade at $7.1 million.

Between 1970 and 2002 the Arctic Winter Games were held exclusively in North America. Greenland has been a permanent member of the international committee since about 1994 and was wedged into the hosting rotation when it held the Games in co-operation with Iqaluit in 2002.

Following the creation of Nunavut in 1999 two things happened. One, the Games added a new contingent to the mix. More athletes in Nunavut, formerly competing against a greater number of athletes from what is now the NWT, were now advancing to the Games.

Second, it created difficulty in terms of the hosting rotation. Iqaluit, the largest Nunavut community, at the time did not have the capacity or the facilities to host a full games.

Combining the 2002 Games with Greenland was an excellent compromise. No sports were lost, no athletes were left behind and after adding 10 years worth of inflation the cost was roughly on par with the 2008 Games in Yellowknife.

So why is the Games budget reaching the $7-million mark?

Trying to determine what sports to cut is not the solution to reducing the cost of the Games as the past indicates. Saying split games will no longer be considered but allowing hockey to be hosted in a separate community - Iqaluit will be home to that sport while everything else is in Greenland in 2016 - is also contradictory.

The real question is what is the money being spent on? Is it focusing on creating the best Games experience possible for the athletes? Is too much money being earmarked for celebratory events, outside of the opening and closing ceremonies?

According to the Arctic Winter Games website, the focus of the Games is "to involve as many athletes as possible either in the Games themselves or in team trials and to provide a forum of competition for those other than elite athletes with competitive opportunities in the south."

The 2016 Games is failing to meet that mandate. As with any international committee member, Greenland does deserve the benefits of hosting the Games. But a region's economic gain should not trump the intent of the Games themselves. When the international committee realized Nuuk's bid would mean such a significant reduction in events, it should have found a solution. Since it was already willing to move hockey to Iqaluit, co-hosting the Games similar to what was done in 2002 seems reasonable.

Athletes across the North train hard for a chance to be involved in the AWG. It is a venue to showcase athletic talent and it's a launching pad to a higher level of competition.

Plans for the 2016 Games are an outrage and should be met with protest. It will do nothing but hurt the tradition and future of this longstanding and important event.

Nunavut is taking another big step to becoming a strong, resource-based economy with the green light the Nunavut Impact Review Board gave to Baffinland's iron ore project.

The rigourous regulatory process for the proposed Mary River mine, located 160 km south of Pond Inlet, will come to an end with a decision from Aboriginal and Northern Development Minister John Duncan. Approval is expected.

Baffinland is aiming to begin construction of the massive mine, with its port and 150 km of railway, next year. Construction could wrap up by 2016. It is likely Nunavummiut in nearby communities - especially the nearby point-of-hire communities of Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Hall Beach, Iglulik, Pond Inlet and Iqaluit - will start seeing businesses and municipal governments prepare for growth.

Over in Rankin Inlet, hoteliers are already expanding to serve the needs of Agnico-Eagle Mines Inc.'s Meliadine gold project, which hasn't yet jumped through all the regulatory hoops.

Rankin Inlet businesses are facing some of the biggest contracts they've seen, and that's just with construction of a road linking the community with the Meliadine site.

Similar growth is to be expected, especially in Iqaluit. With its movie theatre, swimming pool, choice of schools, services and shopping opportunities, it's likely that the non-Nunavummiut who decide to move north to work at the mine will congregate primarily in the capital. It's also possible, as noted in the review board's final report, that Nunavummiut from around the territory may choose Iqaluit as their home when they return from a work rotation.

The growth communities encounter will be a good thing in many ways: an expanded tax base for the municipalities and, in turn, services for residents will broaden and employment opportunities both directly and indirectly related to the mine will grow.

For Nunavummiut, jobs and training will be paramount. Training opportunities for residents may be transferable to other projects to come in the territory and others around Canada. It will open the door to a career for those who choose to work in mining.

It won't all be positive. Pressure for housing will likely increase and supply will surely struggle to keep up. More disposable income among a young population will lead to even more alcohol and substance abuse. Even with modern precautions, there are environmental risks from contaminants.

The mine is projected to be in operation for 21 years.

If commodity prices fall further, that could shorten. If they nosedive soon, the project might even get shelved. The resource industry is a fickle beast. It is, however, where Nunavut's greatest economic potential lies.

This project, if it happens, will spur growth and will help the governments and Inuit organizations fine-tune how they can take advantage of the industry in Nunavut.

Yellowknife city council candidate Beaton MacKenzie has raised some eyebrows with his stance that the City of Yellowknife should urge the Department of Justice to send released inmates back to their home communities in an effort to clean up downtown streets.

Although only a very small percentage of criminals released from the North Slave Correctional Centre stay in Yellowknife by request, and the department typically does return inmates to their communities, MacKenzie's statement does more than just draw attention to his candidacy.

It reflects the frustration of people who keep running into drunk and homeless individuals on downtown streets. They want something done about the problem.

While MacKenzie seems to believe sending the offenders among those troubled people back to their home communities will solve the problem, we suggest there is more to consider. The issue is much more morally and legally complex than simply shipping off those released from custody, including the many who were incarcerated for relatively minor offences - usually fuelled by substance abuse.

It's actually a mental health issue in many cases. It is frequently an issue of people who require detoxification, followed by psychiatric care, counselling or other forms of treatment, with their consent.

Let's not forget that governing bodies cannot withhold the mobility rights of citizens. There is nothing preventing a released offender from staying in Yellowknife or travelling back to the capital after they have returned to their home community.

At the end of the day, MacKenzie's statement underlines a demonstrated need for a dedicated facility to provide assistance to those members of society who are suffering from mental-health issues, drug addiction, alcoholism and other conditions.

Banishment isn't the answer.

What would have happened to Michael Gilday's speedskating career had the Arctic Winter Games organizing committee decided to scrap speedskating in 1998?

The first gold ulu an 11-year-old Gilday earned at those hometown games in Yellowknife would have been an unfulfilled dream, of course. But what about the five golden ulus he captured two years later in Whitehorse? Or the four more he claimed at the 2002 Arctic Winter Games in Iqaluit? Or the five after that in 2004 at Fort McMurray?

Would Gilday, now 25, be sitting at the pinnacle of potential Olympic glory today had the rug been pulled from beneath his fledgling speedskating career before his first taste of international success 14 years ago?

We never had to ask these questions, of course, because speedskating remained an integral part of the Games during all those years. Gilday and his sister Jill, who finished first twice in her category at the Arctic Winter Games in 2004 and 2006, had an important venue at an early age in which to hone their chosen sport. Michael went on to become a member of the national team with a real shot at the Winter Olympics in 2014.

The same can't be said about the up-and-comers heading into the 2016 Arctic Winter Games in Nuuk, Greenland. The organizing committee has cut speedskating from those games, along with gymnastics, figure skating, curling, and dogsledding. Because Nuuk is incapable of hosting these sports, those athletes must do without that critical exposure to international competition in 2016.

Such a pity. Yellowknife, with a population of 19,200, has just a few thousand more people than Nuuk but is capable of hosting all the sports that fall under the AWG banner. Yellowknife taxpayers made certain of this by forking over hard-earned dollars to pay for multi-million dollar facilities.

Two questions for the AWG organizing committee: What has Nuuk done to deserve the games, and why are our young athletes losing out so Greenland can host them?

During Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger's visit to Fort Simpson on Sept. 19 the village's mayor brought up the need for a youth centre in the region.

The kids need somewhere to go after school to keep them out of trouble, Sean Whelly told the small crowd gathered in the Dehcho First Nations office.

How right he is.

A centre in the village and other small Northern communities would be beneficial to the kids in the community and there is reason to believe that over time it would also help reduce the overwhelming social problems seen on the streets of Yellowknife.

Studies have shown that about 40 to 50 per cent of homeless youth living in major centres are originally from rural areas. Their presence increases the strain and cost on the city's social programs as well as the justice system. Currently, the GNWT spends $98 million on justice and public safety, which accounts for 8.5 per cent of the budget.

But, early intervention can reduce the number of kids who find themselves living difficult lives.

A study by the Centre for Research on Youth at Risk at St. Thomas University in Fredericton shows the peak times for youth crime is between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m, the time after school while they're idle.

Youth centres help prevent kids from engaging in delinquent behaviours, such as committing small crimes, drinking and doing drugs, by fighting off boredom and keeping their minds focused on positive activities.

This is especially important in the North because youths here are more likely to smoke, while one in four boys in the region report heavy drinking practices, according to Statistics Canada's study on health status and behaviours of Canada's youth.

More than that, youth centres provide young people with a safe place to seek assistance with any issues they might need help resolving. This is key given that youth in rural areas, and especially those living in the North, are at a higher risk to commit suicide compared with those living in major urban centres.

A youth centre, while expensive in the short-term, has many long-term benefits down the road and in the end the positive results will more than likely outweigh the costs. The government should look into building a youth centre in Fort Simpson or give incentives to encourage a non-profit organization to take on the work.

---

Check the box
Editorial Comment
Danielle Sachs
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, Sept. 27, 2012

---

Residents across the NWT will head to the polls Oct. 15 for municipal elections.

Locally, in Inuvik, there's a wealth of choice for consideration.

There are two mayoral candidates and 15 residents standing for the available eight councillor jobs.

We're lucky to have choices and options and shouldn't waste it by skipping the vote.

In the last municipal election, held in 2009, Denny Rodgers won over Derek Lindsay by 180 votes.

In total, 956 votes were cast for the position -- just under 400 for Lindsay and 568 for Rodgers.

The 2009 election turnout was an improvement over the one held in 2006, which drew only 777 votes.

More people should make an effort to vote in municipal elections. It's promising that numbers have gone up over the past two elections but local voices matter and electing someone that understands what it's like to live in your community is of utmost importance.

Who else can bring local concerns to territorial and federal attention?

Sure, the mayoral position is paid, but there are eight councillors who basically work a second full-time job for free.

It's not made for everyone, which is what makes it so impressive that there are so many choices for residents.

No one is saying it's easy living in Inuvik right now. Energy costs are rising and people are saying they've never seen so many houses for sale at once.

It's amazing that there are so many candidates willing to deal with these issues and take a stand for the community.

It is all because they care about their community and the people who live in it.

Yes, it's important to vote but it's equally important to understand the choices.

That's why we'll be profiling each candidate, both returning and new, so you can get to know a little bit more about the people who are running.

With all these people willing to take on a role to represent their neighbours and their community, the least the rest of us can do is take five minutes to put pencil to paper.

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