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The coming boom NWT News/North - Monday, Oct 08, 2012
If predictions about a recent oil and gas find in the region and plenty of related exploration hold true, tens or hundreds of millions could be added to the region's economy - everything from oil and gas wells to new roads, jobs and supporting businesses. As a result of what Mayor Dudley Johnson describes as a boom, it's likely the Sahtu's population will increase. At the very least, more jobs will be available to Northerners and that means more money being funneled into the local economy. It's vital people in the Sahtu be prepared for the positives and negatives that come from a booming economy. Training will be key. Although the GNWT is responsible for ensuring educational opportunities, individuals have a personal responsibility to prepare themselves for employment. Filling a maximum number of jobs locally is necessary to realize the full benefit of the boom, otherwise the money will fly south with import workers. While more money means families will be better able to make ends meet and possibly add a few luxury items to their lives, it also comes with risk. Booming economies also tend to attract an increase in social ills, such as more drugs and alcohol. Support programs must be available not just to treat people who lose their way but to educate them before they succumb to addictions and poor choices. Something as simple as financial management courses could go a long way toward curbing potential problems. Some municipal election candidates in Norman Wells have also suggested the town should reinstate liquor restrictions. Although they say problems in Norman Wells have not increased since the restrictions were lifted on Feb. 1, they are concerned with the effects the increased volume of alcohol is having on neighbouring communities. If that is the case, more money in the region could further exacerbate the problem. It's definitely an issue to be examined closely. Despite the potential risks, good things are coming to the Sahtu and a little preparation will help the reduce any potential harm.
Get out and vote NWT News/North - Monday, Oct 08, 2012 Six communities in the NWT will go to the polls on Oct. 15 to select their municipal government for the next five years. We encourage residents to vote to help choose their next council and mayor. Municipal government, whether we like it or not, has a considerable impact on our day-to-day lives. Where people might not use hospitals or police services every day, they do use roads, water and, often, recreation facilities. All of the elections have a mix of incumbents and new challengers running for an opportunity to serve the community. It's your responsibility to select the best person for the job. The more people who vote, the better chance the best council and mayor will be chosen. So know the issues and understand what each candidate is offering. Then, on Oct. 15, exercise your democratic right and help choose who will decide how your hard-earned tax dollars are spent in your community.
Get involved and vote Nunavut News/North - Monday, Oct 08, 2012 The Iqaluit municipal election is fast-approaching, and Iqalummiut should take this time to think about the direction in which their city going. The big-ticket issue for the Oct. 15 election is, of course, the proposed aquatic centre. Ratepayers will vote whether to give the city permission to go $40 million into debt to finance the project. The new council will be charged with either beginning construction with permission to borrow or, if ratepayers vote no, trying to find alternate funding for the project, or scrapping it all together. It's unfortunate that only property-tax payers will be able to cast a vote in the borrowing referendum, as the increases in property taxes the project would cause will undoubtedly affect rental rates around the city; regardless, it is important that everyone eligible casts a vote. The aquatic centre should not be the only issue on the minds of voters. One only needs to take a drive through the booming plateau subdivision to see Iqaluit is expanding, and if Baffinland's Mary River iron ore project forges ahead, the pace of growth will surely accelerate further. It's up to Iqalummiut to elect the candidates they think are most fitting to manage that growth - keeping an eye on infrastructure needs, services needs and developing land with a keen eye for what the city might look like 10 or 20 years down the line. Municipal politics can be a boring mess of bureaucracy and formality, and the public certainly doesn't show up in droves at city council meetings, but now is the time to get involved and get educated as to what the issues are. It's in your hands, Iqalummiut, to choose what kind of city you want to live in.
Language battle goes on Nunavut News/North - Monday, Oct 08, 2012 The departure of Alexina Kublu from the role of languages commissioner leaves a perhaps daunting position for her successor. Kublu has left on a high note. Legislation was recently enacted requiring municipal governments to provide services and documents in Inuit languages. Though most, if not all, hamlets were already offering services in Inuit languages, putting this law into effect was an important move to make sure things stay that way. She also held the position when the Nunavut Official Languages Act was given Senate approval and came into effect. Though her tenure has been well-decorated, her successor will be faced with the uphill battle to make Inuit languages the languages of business and governance in the territory. With mining companies entering the territory from all around the world and many government staff positions being filled by southerners who have moved north to work - most often only temporarily - making Inuktitut or Inuinnaqtun the default tongue is a daunting task. However, it's vital to Nunavut that this becomes the case.
Set free, absurdly Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, Oct 05, 2012
The soon-to-be-retired judge also took a parting shot at Canada's parole system, which he suggested holds the real power in determining how long inmates stay in jail. No doubt, Vertes' arguments hold some merit but once in a while a court case appears that drops the ball squarely back into the hands of judges. Enter Lloyd Thrasher, a notorious criminal with more than 20 convictions on his record. Thrasher has apparently become a champion of leftist causes, gracing the stage with Libby Davies, deputy leader of Canada's official opposition in the House of Commons, no less. Thrasher appears in a YouTube video dated July 1, playing guitar with his band at an anti-Harper rally in Vancouver. All would be fine except for the fact that Thrasher was not supposed to be anywhere near Vancouver on July 1. According to the release conditions set by territorial court Judge Garth Malakoe on March 29, Thrasher was to remain under "tight conditions" in the home of his relative living in Yellowknife while awaiting trial on charges related to the break-in of two convenience stores; this, despite a previous charge of failing to appear in court Feb. 7. Two weeks later, Thrasher was arrested and charged for the second break-in at Willy's Convenience Store. This is a man who stole and killed a small pet dog. It's inexplicable, considering Thrasher's track record, that he was released again. This situation is reminiscent of the case of Anthony Griep, who, accused of stalking and sexual assaulting a young woman on the McMahon Frame Lake Trail, was free for months awaiting trial. "I made a decision not to break the law anymore," Thrasher told a judge in March. Obviously this is a criminal whose word should not have been trusted.
Keep eyes on infrastructure money Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, Oct 05, 2012 Outgoing city councillor David Wind made some good points last week with his comments about the City of Yellowknife's failure to meet its self-imposed target of committing 10 per cent of its tax revenue to capital projects. While budget discussions and monitoring the city's financial state are arguably the most difficult tasks for municipal politicians, it is up to members of city council to keep a firm hand on administration to ensure that taxpayers' money is being spent efficiently. We're not suggesting that there has been mismanagement of city coffers. In fact, the city's financial position seems to be quite solid, despite the fact it had to borrow $20 million for a new water treatment plant. Mayor Gord Van Tighem says the municipality has adequate reserves and a strong credit rating. The city's estimated $74.1 infrastructure deficit is more worrying, however. Considering the city expects to collect approximately $23 million in tax revenue in 2012, that $74.1 million figure looks large. Therefore, Wind's suggestion that the city work harder at setting aside 10 per cent to fund future capital infrastructure projects seems prudent. One has only to drive around the streets of Yellowknife to realize the state of some key city infrastructure. Some streets are disgraceful. Water and sewer services require constant monitoring and maintenance simply because anything mechanical will eventually wear out. There's no shortage of capital expenditures. We urge the new crop of city council candidates to be aware of the financial implications of not adequately planning for future infrastructure needs and recognize that, as representatives of the people who pay property taxes, it is part of the job description to keep administration fully accountable for budget decisions.
Confront violence Editorial Comment Miranda Scotland Deh Cho Drum - Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 This week communities in the Deh Cho are working to create awareness to combat family violence. A number of events are planned in Fort Providence and Fort Simpson, including a Take Back the Night walk, a barbecue and a movie night, among other activities. Events such as these are important but violence isn't a topic that should only be talked about one week a year. Discussions about violence should be ongoing. Violence continues to be an issue across Canada. According to Statistics Canada, six per cent of Canadians reported being physically or sexually victimized by their spouse between 2004 and 2008. Also, between 2000 and 2009 there were 738 spousal homicides and 326 homicides committed by a family member against a child aged 0 to 17. Finally, during the same time frame there were 160 family-related homicides against seniors. Residents in the Northwest Territories aren't immune to the issue and in fact it is a huge problem. In Statistic Canada's 2006 Measuring Against Women Statistical Trends it was reported that 12 per cent of adults in the territory have experienced spousal abuse, compared with seven per cent in other areas. Meanwhile, in Fort Simpson, the RCMP laid 19 charges in relation to spousal abuse in the village during 2010. The statistics paint a grim picture but this doesn't have to be the case. Communities can band together to fight family violence and individuals can choose to make a change to better their life and the lives of those around them. As children we are taught to use our words, not our fists, so why is it OK to use violence to solve our problems when we are older? Residents who find themselves turning to violence should seek help. It may be frightening to admit your wrongs but be courageous. On the other hand, if you're on the receiving end there are services available through Dehcho Health and Social Services, and the RCMP are always a phone call away. No one deserves to be kicked, punched, slapped or hurt in any way – this includes emotional and psychological abuse. We all deserve respect and we should all demand respect from each other. Don't be afraid to reach out for a helping hand from a friend, parent, sibling, whoever. Have the courage to make a change for the better. You deserve it. Protecting what belongs to the community Editorial Comment Danielle Sachs Inuvik Drum - Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 What do we do with that time? Obviously there are the basic necessities that take up time, like sleeping and eating. But where does all that extra time go? The time when you're not at work, school or running errands? For a lot of people in this community it's spent volunteering for different causes. It can be coaching sports teams, helping with a course, walking dogs, organizing events and generally just making sure there's something for everyone. It's nice to have those options. There's are so many activities in Inuvik that even with 30 hours in a day there wouldn't be time to try everything. Inuvik is a giving community. It's evident in the number of organizations that are funded purely by donations and grants. There's a lot of doom and gloom in the news about the uncertainty of energy prices. But even with the amount of bad news, this community doesn't pull back. If anything, it pours even more time and effort into continuing the same level of services and volunteer commitment to the various causes around town. But it can be frustrating at times. For example, volunteers struggled to keep the food bank running, only to have it destroyed by vandals. And now, residents are taking up the fight to further preserve the community as a safe, beautiful place to live and build a family. A new volunteer group has started, Inuvik Citizens on Patrol, or ICOPS. The first meeting was filled with faces from all areas of Inuvik. These are people who are fed up with increasing vandalism and theft and want to do their best to protect their community, while working within the law. It's one more organization that needs volunteer time from individuals. But it didn't stop anyone from signing up. The new group is not about vigilante justice. The volunteers can't leave their vehicles or apprehend people. They're meant to be a support for the RCMP who can't possibly be everywhere at once. They're also, intentionally or not, a support for the other volunteer groups in town. By patrolling neighbourhoods and reporting anything suspicious, they're working to protect what the community has worked so hard to build up. Door to door democracy Yellowknifer - Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012
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.
Detox centre would bridge 'service gap' Yellowknifer - Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 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?
Two peas toward a better pod Darrell Greer Kivalliq News - Wednesday, Oct 03, 2012 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.
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