Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

For many years, the mantra around city hall and elsewhere about town was a "public market."

If only there was a little more help from the city, a bit more encouragement from the chamber of commerce, would this oft-withering fruit finally thrive, the mantra called.

Occasionally, the idea, most often voiced by former city councillor David McCann, actually happened but inevitably failed every time.

The city offered up its parking lot on Saturdays in 2006, but it's doubtful anyone recalls this asphalt version as being all that great or well-attended.

Since that ill-fated market seven years ago, the city's vast parking lot is now an appealing civic plaza. A gloriously hot and sunny summer led into an equally glorious fall.

Most important, though, is the changed vision of what a public market ought to be and how to maintain its success. The Yellowknife Commons Co-operative, a group of enterprising green thumbs, took the advice of experts from Ontario earlier this year who told them to avoid selling too much arts and crafts, the items typically sold in previous public markets held in the city.

The occasional tourist might be interested in these, but it's obvious the key to sustained interest and success is not homemade jewelry and hand-crafted coffee mugs, but locally-grown, fresh lettuce and tomatoes. That's what brings people back week after week.

This lesson was amply clear at the last farmers market of the season, Sept. 17. As the temperature dipped and the sun began to fail, people were still lining up to buy fresh vegetables and fish, months after the first farmers market of the year.

This is something a Yellowknife public market has not experienced in modern memory.

The farmers market's success this year proves two things: Yellowknife-grown food can sustain it and people will keep coming back for it.

For most, a simple walk to an already-full refrigerator, or a quick trip to the grocery store, satisfies the human requirement for food. When we're hungry, we eat.

For others, hunger is staved off by twice-monthly deliveries from the city's food bank - operating from a donated space in the Overlander Sports basement.

Last year, 200 Yellowknife families - or 8,000 people over the year - received food from the Yk Food Bank. The volunteers have done a fantastic job, and mostly under the radar.

But the food bank is a volunteer organization under stress. As Yellowknifer reported last week, more than half the board members have had to step down due to illness, family emergencies or other personal reasons.

The situation is dire, as there are only five volunteers remaining to do this important work.

As food bank president Grant Pryznyk points out, Yellowknifers volunteer with many organizations and "they're up to their eyeballs in it." However, helping continue the stream of food from the depot to the bellies of Yellowknifers in need would only mean two hours a week of dedicated time.

More people stepping up would help ensure that the current volunteers don't suffer burn-out by overextending themselves. More volunteers would also help avert the worst case scenario - cutting back on distribution days.

The old adage - many hands make light work - applies in this case.

It seemed like Fort Simpson stepped back in time last week. Absent were the familiar sights of people texting, using their cellphones or paying with debit cards as Northwestel's services were cut off.

The outage shows how dependent we are on technology, how unprepared for emergencies many are and how reliant on one company for telecommunications the village is.

This country has used long-distance calling for decades to do business. Then came e-mail and the Internet, which were also affected last week. Without communication, there is not much one can do.

The Northern store had to borrow someone's satellite phone to place orders. As the store is serving our community and others, perhaps the North West Company should have a back-up plan, such as a satellite phone or alternate means of communication, in case something like this happens again.

Many were likely caught off guard by having only cash as a payment option, as many tend to use debit and credit cards. Even today, having a bit of cash in cases of emergencies is necessary.

The village must also be better prepared. The mayor admitted the village does not have a working satellite phone. This needs to change. They need to set the example. They should have the information about what the issue is and relay it to the community.

One should note that during the outage, there was no long distance and Internet service for Northwestel subscribers. Those who received their internet through SSi Micro were unaffected. Should the village consider having at least have one staff member at the office or one councillor or the mayor on SSi Micro at home as backup?

For those who think no Internet nor long distance for a day or two is no big deal, consider this – no outside communication means the village is cut off from the rest of the world. Should an emergency arise, how is the village able to communicate with others to get help? Most likely a number of people trying to check on the welfare of a loved one couldn't get through, resulting in needless worries.

Jeanne Gagnon is the acting editor for Deh Cho Drum while Roxanna Thompson is on vacation.

I have a confession to make.

I find it rather amusing when I hear people in Inuvik grumble "there's nothing to do here."

I'm approaching a full year here in town and I am frankly still amazed that anyone can make that comment with a straight face.

Compared to the rural area where I was working and living before arriving in the North, Inuvik has the proverbial embarrassment of riches.

Over the last week, I've been compiling a list of activities available this fall that would turn most people back in Ontario green with envy.

Indoor soccer at the East Three gym is free two nights a week. So is badminton, sponsored by the college. Ditto for circuit training, offered by Natasha Kulikowski. A season of volleyball is cheaper here than in Ontario. The Delta Divas women's hockey league is firing up at a little more than $100 a season.

That's only starting to scratch the surface of possibilities. There are minor sports, particularly hockey, to an extent greater than I'm accustomed to seeing.

The Inuvik Youth Centre is having open sessions for kids at the East Three gym on designated nights.

The Inuvik Ski Club will soon be opening its season, with the possibility of increased snowshoeing this year.

That doesn't even touch on the gym facilities at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex, or the pool or the squash courts. And, of course, the curling club.

Then there's yoga, and outdoor activities which include walking trails such as Boot Lake and the path to Three-Mile Lake.

Let's not forget about cycling around town, or the fact that Inuvik is one of the most walkable communities anywhere.

How about hunting and fishing, too?

Far from there not being anything to do here, there's a plethora of opportunities too numerous to get to unless you're extremely ambitious.

That's why I smile when I hear people, mostly ones born and raised here, complain about their circumstances.

I've been to places with far fewer recreational opportunities, and I've lived in places that would be delighted to have our Inuvik opportunities.

So I'd like to see people take more of an advantage of what we have here and indulge themselves, perhaps even spoil themselves a little. We shouldn't take the great opportunities we have to enjoy our community for granted.

The grass elsewhere is a lot less green than here, even as the snow begins to fall.

This past weekend, another sexual assault in Yellowknife came to light, this time at Somba K'e Park on September 7.

On September 15, Kelley Hinchey was assaulted while she slept in her home in Range Lake bringing the total of assaults on women over the past few months to five.

"Many of the complaints received are from persons with limited knowledge of the justice system and, as such, are reported as the complainant views the situation to be." That comes from a media release last week drafted by Insp. Frank Gallagher, commander of the Yellowknife RCMP detachment. So, in other words, people are overreacting, sexual assaults are not up.

Whether or not the numbers show an increase, women do not feel safe in our city. That is the problem.

Last week, in the interest of doing something concrete, city councillor Niels Konge introduced a measure to remove many of the benches from downtown, citing his, and many other Yellowknifers', observances that the benches attract those who loiter and drink in public. Yellowknifer spoke to business owners along Franklin Avenue who said such people scare away customers.

Konge's measure was shot down. While he appears to be the only councillor with a firm plan, the benches aren't contributing to crime. It's the lack of a police presence that encourages people to do as they please, whether it's fighting, drinking, passing out or harassing strangers.

At any given time, there are only seven RCMP officers on patrol during a shift. That means there is, approximately, one officer for every 2,750 people in the city. Our police force is spread too thin.

The answer, simply, is that Yellowknife needs more police officers, at least until public confidence returns.

Mayor Mark Heyck's suggestion of two new RCMP police officers with the specific job of patrolling downtown is on the right track. That won't happen unless the Government of the NWT and Justice Minister Glen Abernethy take action.

The GNWT awards the RCMP the contract for policing the NWT. Money talks. The GNWT can tell the RCMP the capital city needs more police officers. If that costs more, so be it. And if cabinet members or MLAs from ridings outside Yellowknife try to block the increase because of the lack of police in their communities, we have to remind them their people come to this city as well. If all Northerners are to be kept safe in the capital of the NWT, more police is the only way to do it.

Studies have shown that an increased police presence in high crime areas helps. A 1995 study published in Justice Quarterly and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice demonstrated just that. Certain areas in Minneapolis that were given an increased police presence saw their crime rates drop versus those that maintained the status quo.

We can't wait for things to get worse, or hope that the problem goes away. If people don't feel safe in Yellowknife, then it's just a matter of time before they leave for a place that feels safer, which makes for an economic loss for the city and the territory through decreased transfer funds.

We encourage the women of Yellowknife to continue speaking out, demanding a safer city. One woman's decision to do so sparked serious discussion.

More such voices are needed to transform our politicians' words into action.

It was interesting to listen to all the talk of the need for a regional athletic centre in the Kivalliq recently.

There's no denying a lot of what was said made a great deal of sense, even if some of the things being described would have to be filed as wishful thinking.

Maybe it was getting caught up in the moment, with all the positive vibes floating around, or maybe it was really nothing more than a case of selective vision.

Whatever the reason, especially during the mayor's meetings, almost everyone gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to the ideas being expressed, while seemingly oblivious to the 7,000 kg white elephant sitting quietly in the room.

It had a Baffin-esque trunk that one could tell from a glance was highly efficient, and large, finely-tuned Kitikmeot-esque ears that missed nary a word being spoken.

While somewhat docile in its overall nature, this particular elephant is known to be fiercely protective of what it views as its personal turf, especially when it comes to a rival herd trying to wiggle a trunk into position for a little sip from the territorial trough.

It has a begrudging respect for the Kivalliq herd, but likes for it to stay in its place and not try to extend its collective trunk beyond its reach.

It's convinced the transportation centre of the Kivalliq already gets more than its share, and its large ears can vibrate wildly at the faintest whisper of gain for the area.

The action produces a virtual whirlwind of hot air, aimed directly at whatever entity it sees as in cahoots with the Kivalliq herd.

While its ears know they are destined to always be behind its own trunk, they have no intention of allowing the Kivalliq herd to slip a trunk past them in the pecking order.

The Kitikmeot-esque ears know the size of the Kivalliq herd's appetite if left unchecked, and have designated themselves Nunavut's balance control committee.

When the words Rankin Inlet and regional centre are used in the same sentence, the white elephant springs into action.

The trunk trumpets its importance as a capital figure for all to hear, while the ears whirl and twirl and do their best to disrupt the process, usually employing woe-is-me as a dependable ally.

Rankin, meanwhile, patiently waits for the done deal of years ago, in the form of a new arena and community hall to materialize.

It was already burned by the white elephant when it allowed itself to dream of a new complex to hold its arena.

But Rankin learned its lesson from that experience, even if the white elephant was aided at the time by a wayward calf who wandered too far from home in Coral Harbour.

As nice as the words sound, and as beneficial to every member of the Kivalliq herd as a regional athletic centre would be, the white elephant need not worry.

It's not going to happen, at least not anytime soon, and if Rankin does get a new arena, the rest of the herd know it will share its new-found wealth with the region.

Best to leave the white elephant be for right now, with an election right around the corner.

Better the Kivalliq herd silently keeps its fingers crossed for one of its own to be crowned dominant male of the entire Nunavut herd.

Then the white elephant can start to worry.

It's no secret. Liquor leads to tons of grief not just in the NWT, but nationwide. That's why communities in the Sahtu with liquor restrictions or total prohibitions are championing the proposed amendment of the NWT Liquor Act, which would allow all Sahtu communities to vote in plebiscites regarding liquor restrictions in Norman Wells.

Community members say they've seen alcohol-fuelled social problems increase since a Norman Wells plebiscite lifted the town's liquor restrictions in 2012.

The tough discussions surrounding Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya's private member's bill are important, putting forward the issues of underage drinking, heavy drinking, and crime related to alcohol. Everything the communities are saying is true. But another truth is that alcohol is a legally-regulated substance in the NWT.

Resident Andrew Bailes is right when he says Norman Wells shouldn't be held responsible for liquor-related problems in other communities. It's strictly up to the individual community to decide what kinds of restrictions or bans should be in place.

Sadly, as long as there are people who want alcohol in dry communities, they will find ways to get it, and there will be people willing to break the law to bring it into the community. Residents must take personal responsibility for alcohol coming into restricted or prohibited communities. Simply put, people don't have to drink it. People could hand over the bootleggers.

It's fair for the communities to voice their concerns, and the government should be listening to the dialogue developing in the Sahtu surrounding the harsh grip

of alcohol and its devastating effects.

This is especially pertinent as the health department closes the territory's only addictions treatment centre in Hay River and explores on-the-land and community-driven healing programs.

It takes guts to take a stand against the government force that provides major funding for a community. Hay River is doing just that in giving the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs six months to fix a flawed funding formula for the municipality.

If after that time, no progress has been made, the town will remove its services, such as water and sewage treatment, fire rescue and ambulance service from surrounding communities, including Enterprise, Kakisa and the Hay River Reserve.

It's a serious statement, and one that is evidently needed to push government along in creating a fair funding system for the territory.

In 2011, funding was cut across the board to communities, with Hay River losing $300,000. In 2012, Hay River realized while the funding was back up in many NWT communities, the town's funding continued to fall short.

It is providing services to communities but not getting the proper funding for these actions. It needs to be recognized as the regional centre it is and be funded accordingly.

While the communities anxiously await a handshake between Hay River and MACA, they should support the town that provides much-needed services in its endeavour for fair funding.

The story about a four-bedroom house in Repulse Bay that is called home by 22 family members puts a face on a widespread crisis that is experienced in many Nunavut communities.

It is sad that so many Nunavummiut live in deplorable conditions.

For the past two to three years, the members of the extended family jockey for time in the bathroom, sit on the floor to eat food and share eight beds among five adults and 17 children between five months and 14 years old. None of the adults have been able to find work and, although some of the adults have applied for public housing, they haven't been selected to receive help.

Nunavut Housing Corporation president Alain Barriault told the legislative assembly earlier this month that Iqaluit needs an additional five houses for every 10 houses they have. The situation is similar in Repulse Bay, Arviat and Clyde River.

We are calling it a crisis because, overall, the territory needs more than 3,500 units to alleviate overcrowding, according to Peter Taptuna, the minister responsible for the Nunavut Housing Corporation.

He told the legislative assembly earlier this month that the estimated cost to provide that many housing units would be more than $1 billion.

What is being done?

The federal government committed $100 million for 210 new housing units in Nunavut during its budget announcement in March. Although that number falls far short of the need, it gets worse. Only $30 million of that $100 million is forthcoming, six months after Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation funding was being made available. Ottawa said Sept. 12 that it is providing $30 million now as the first portion of a two-year assistance program.

The shortage of housing is front of mind for many people in Nunavut and is shaping up to be a major issue among territorial politicians as the Oct. 28 territorial election approaches - as it should be.

While 22 people living in one four-bedroom house is certain to get attention, the overall numbers are astounding.

Less than 10 per cent of the housing needs in Nunavut are being addressed. The federal money will allow for 250 new housing units to be provided over the next two years when there is a demonstrated need for between 3,000 and 3,500 housing units.

Months have passed since federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tabled his budget to huge fanfare on Parliament Hill and the money is finally flowing. The housing corporation has said that Repulse Bay will receive 20 of the 210 new housing units.

What about the hundreds of other homes that are needed?

Urgent action by the federal and territorial governments is needed to address this out-of-control issue sooner than later.

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