Recipe for disaster Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, May 22, 2015
Going out for a nice meal is usually a pleasant experience.
What is far less enticing is the knowledge that at least six Yellowknife eateries have gone without health inspections for more than two years.
The fact that another two establishments have gone unchecked for three and four years respectively is even less likely to whet one's appetite.
As alarming as that sounds, that is what News/North learned following an investigation of the territorial government's health inspection regimen within the city.
According to a health inspector responsible for carrying out the inspections, the six eateries did not require the government's seal of approval because he is familiar with their operators and trusted them to be clean.
This logic is obviously flawed.
Even the most vigilant restaurant operators - that is, the managers and owners who oversee day-to-day operations and enforce the rules -- cannot be expected to keep an eye on things every day of the week. This is even more apparent if more than one establishment is being operated.
Consistency is difficult to maintain in any business. It would seem even more so in the food trade where staff turnover is typically very high.
In the absence of regular inspections the only expectation is complacency. A lack of paper towel in the dispenser one day may very quickly lead to a workplace culture of not washing hands when preparing meals or making sure a broken dishwasher gets fixed - particularly if the expectation is that the health inspector never visits.
Oversights with the GNWT's health inspection regimen come as a surprise given that the department's standards are actually quite high - "high risk" businesses such as restaurants are supposed to be checked three times a year. Online records show that the majority of food establishments have been checked just once in the past year.
Fortunately, Health Minister Glen Abernethy seems as repulsed by the newspaper's findings as likely everyone else who read the story was and is now calling for an audit of his department's handling of inspections.
He also promised all establishments that have slipped under the food inspector's radar the past few years will be checked by the end of the month.
He should also make it easier for the public to access information about the results of the inspections. Although the reports are available online on the health department's website, in some cases they have not been kept up to date. Meanwhile, those digging for dirt on a given restaurant must search through the inspector's reports themselves rather than being able to resort to a comprehensive grading system.
A colour-coded scheme, prominently displayed both in the restaurant and online, already commonly used by other jurisdictions, would also go a long way to simplifying the process and restoring public faith in the government's standards.
With just two seven-day sessions left until the next election and promises to push through a new Mental Health Act already on his plate, Abernethy will be quite busy over the next few months.
Let's hope he can deliver the goods before the check comes.
Youth can bring unique ideas to political stageDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, May 21, 2015
Few places are as ripe for a career in professional politics as the Northwest Territories.
Between the high ratio of politicians to citizens and the flow of free money from Ottawa, government in the North is a booming industry.
Students at youth parliament in Yellowknife had a glimpse into the life of a member of the legislative assembly this month.
They got to draft statements, debate motions in the chamber and talk to reporters afterward.
Typically, good students go to these sort of events, ones who speak well in class and are confident presenting in front of a crowd.
Those students are impressive. Some speak so professionally, even using the right buzzwords, that they could step into a government office today and nothing would seem off.
But politics needs more than the good students. It needs the black sheep, the rabble-rousers, the troublemakers.
One of the great benefits of a free democracy is being able to capture the whimsical, idealistic, creative, progressive spirit of young people.
School teaches youth to act a certain way, fall in line and give the "right" answers.
That works for a career in marketing, but being a good politician goes far beyond public relations skills.
It's not easy to go against the grain in school.
Some exceptional youth go so against the grain they are seen as troubled students and underachievers through their school years.
This is a tragedy, but everyone eventually realizes the real world is a whole new ball game.
In youth parliament this year, students spoke at length about current issues and goals of the territorial government.
But youth are beings of a new generation. They have a lot more to offer than the continuation of current programs and enforcement of the status quo.
Sylvia Pascua-Matte, a Grade 10 student from Fort Simpson who attended youth parliament, said not many students signed up for the program.
She thinks more should.
She's right. Youth should eat up any chance they get to see the inner workings of government, no matter how staged and sanitized the event is.
Soon it will be their turn for real, and they'll get to call the shots.
Victoria Day holiday perfect for activitiesInuvik Drum - Thursday, May 21, 2015
Thank goodness for some peculiarly warm weather to give us something to talk about.
The Victoria Day long weekend was blessed with some spectacular weather, culminating in temperatures of at least 27 C on May 18, Victoria Day Monday.
That will likely establish a new record for the date, and it was certainly the talk of the town, with average temperatures expected to be between 7 C and 10 C.
Many people were obviously thrilled by the weather, if a little perplexed.
One person in particular I talked to on Monday simply couldn't believe how warm it was.
"I just don't know what's going on with the weather any more," he said. "We didn't have much of a winter, and now this."
We can ponder the reason why all we wish, but it's fairly obvious the climate is changing here in the Mackenzie Delta.
Considering that, it might be time to revisit what we can do with an early long weekend such as Victoria Day.
It's one of those long weekends that, so far as events go, was a bit of a dud here in town. Generally, it's a holiday that pales beside some of the others.
It's more than understandable that Aboriginal Day is the preeminent holiday here and Canada Day is a big day as well.
Victoria Day is more subdued, thanks in part to weather that has traditionally been a little suspect.
However, with the seasons changing rapidly, there's an opportunity to be grasped for community groups and government organizations to alter their thinking a touch.
A drive out to Gwich'in Park on May 16 showed it was at least half full of campers at a time when it's not officially open.
There were a number of cars lined up at the entrance to Jak Park as well, making me suspect that some people might have dodged the gate and packed camping gear up to the campground.
Parks here don't officially open until June 1, which has customarily been the time when the weather could begin to be reliably suitable for camping.
With the weather this year, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment missed a glorious chance to take advantage of the weather, which had been predicted in the long-term forecast.
Likewise, the Arctic Market typically opens toward the end of June but with the lack of events happening around town, there would have been an opportunity there to open it early.
Adding to the potential is the fact that with the river crossings along the Dempster closed at the moment, there is a bit of a captive market here in town, which means people are also looking for things to do.
Perhaps it's time to escape tradition, and put a little more flexibility into holiday weekend planning.
Minister steps into the octagonYellowknifer - Wednesday, May 20, 2015
The recent postponed mixed martial arts event lost a tough fight to a system that, while set up to keep politics out, failed at just that.
The NWT Liquor Licensing Board refused to license a beer garden for the Northern Invasion event - to be run by and benefiting the NWT SPCA - which forced organizer John Stanley to call it off rather than risk losing money.
The board cited various reasons for its decision in a report, including a late submission, advertising liquor sales on its posters, as well as deeming it a "high-risk event from the perspective of liquor enforcement and policing."
The board is overseen by the Department of Finance, and its minister Michael Miltenberger stood by the decision, even defending it to the public.
Comparing the quasi-judicial board to a judge, he said the board should not have to answer questions on its decisions, so he fielded them instead.
While the minister is not able to change the decision - a protection built into the legislation to keep political pressures out - it is becoming difficult to separate the board from the minister after his latest comments.
The fact is, this apolitical issue was politicized the minute Miltenberger became its spokesperson.
This was highlighted - in an unmistakably fluorescent hue - when he took to the airwaves, comparing the animal rights and protection organization's intention to garner funds from a seemingly violent sport, to Alcoholics Anonymous raising money through beer garden sales in order to help people quit drinking.
While the off-the-cuff analogy misses the mark, its sentiment is clear.
This event is not favoured by the politician heading the department that oversees liquor licence approval. From Miltenberger's perspective, these events are violent and not an ethically sound environment for fundraising by the SPCA.
Whether or not he is able to directly affect the board's decision, this opinion, provided on a public platform, is political.
While the board argued previous events have seen fights among patrons, putting the public in danger, Stanley insists that is not the case.
Yellowknifer, which must be noted is one of the main sponsors for the event, talked to several people who attended previous MMA fights who all said security in the past has been adequate and fighting among patrons has been minimal.
Unable to point to specific incidents of violence, it would appear neither Miltenberger or the board are basing their contention of fan violence on fact.
Clearly, the minister and the board are on the same page when it comes to MMA; while fighters go toe-to-toe, this sounds a lot like a tag-team takedown to everyone else.
Food Rescue helps helpersYellowknifer - Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Sometimes the most obvious solutions can stare people dead in the eye without them noticing them there and it takes someone with real vision to take advantage.
That's what former Yellowknifers Ruby and Laurin Trudel, the founders of Food Rescue, did in a nutshell when they created an organization that gathers up food destined for the dumpster and takes it to the Salvation Army, the YWCA, the Centre for Northern Families and the Safe Harbour Day Centre among other places.
Now they have the recognition to show for it.
"Thanks to their vision, action and dedication, 1.6 million pounds of food and other items have been diverted from the landfill for processing and redistribution," reads the descriptor to the Governor General Caring Award given to each co-founder recently.
Feeding the hungry is a wonderful thing to do. Reducing waste may not tug at the heartstrings in quite the same way but that's important too. What the food rescue program does goes beyond that.
The city's most vulnerable face powerful obstacles. Those organizations that take in the offerings from Food Rescue are working to do what they can but the day that no one suffers from addiction, homelessness, domestic violence and mental illness is still a long way away.
Until then, it looks like Food Rescue will continue to make sure those seeking to lend a hand have one less thing to worry about.
Better to be in the game!Editorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Anyone who thought Areva Resources Canada's Kiggavik uranium project near Baker Lake was going to get a thumb's-up from the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) was dreaming.
But it had little to do with the lobbying efforts of special-interest groups, the what-did-you-expect-it-to-do resolution against the project by the Kivalliq Wildlife Board or Areva's environmental impact statement.
And Nunavummiut Makitagunarningit's release claiming a clear majority of Inuit in the Kivalliq expressed opposition to the project is downright misleading.
That is, unless you subscribe to Stephen Harper's take on democracy, where one shepherd tells every flock what's best for them.
Areva took due diligence and community consultation to a whole new level in addressing every concern that arose.
And it was heavily engaged with Kivalliq communities to establish training programs to ensure as many Inuit as possible would be employed on the project, had it proceeded.
Areva was snubbed by NIRB due to the fact it was not prepared to give the company a carte blanche approval on a project which may not see movement for decades, due to the instability of the uranium market at this point in time.
And it was the right call -- for now!
But should the day come the global market supports the project, Kiggavik will return and, hopefully, the final result will be favourable for the project and the hundreds of high-paying jobs it will provide for Inuit families.
The world is opening-up quickly and Nunavut is fast-approaching a crossroads in exploration and development, and the huge economic spin-offs that come with them.
If the territory decides to stubbornly sit on the sidelines -- especially with the opening of previously non-existent shipping lanes and access to previously non-obtainable areas of exploration -- it will inherit all the risks associated with the expansion with little say into, and no benefit from, the proceedings.
Tensions are rising over Arctic sovereignty because of the belief in the incalculable riches in fossil fuels that await the nation(s) that eventually gain access, and the billions more there for the taking should the Northwest Passage become the Suez Canal North.
Far better to be actively involved with the process to ensure proper monitoring of every project within a harpoon's throw of our territory, and to get our share of the insane profits that will go to somebody.
The world's population will reach 7.2 billion this year, with the majority demanding the lights go on when they flick a switch.
And therein sits the paradox.
It's all well and good to clutch the electronic device of your choice and fill cyber space with ramblings on alternative energy sources (which still don't exist), and take an anti-everything stance covering it all from the Alberta oil sands to fracking, Northern exploration, the continued use of fossil fuels, tanker shipping and, of course, nuclear energy.
Then you turn your thermostat up and expect your living environment to be warm.
We can be players, or we can be spectators, as the needs of 7.2 billion people continue to be met, but, one thing you can depend on, the game will continue with or without us.
Domestic abuse court plays catch upNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, May 18, 2015
It has been common knowledge for a long time that the court system is not effective at rehabilitating those stuck in the cycle of domestic violence.
It's a cycle that goes something like this: somebody gets hit, RCMP lay an assault charge, the Crown might get a successful conviction and it might not if the alleged victim refuses to co-operate. This happens often. But if the Crown gets a conviction the offender will serve a sentence and likely return to the violent relationship, leaving the root cause of the violence unaddressed.
In 2011, the NWT justice department introduced a program to divert low-risk cases to treatment programs in Yellowknife. This program was introduced in Hay River at the beginning of the month.
The program is news here but it's far from revolutionary. According to a 2008 University of Alberta study, diversion options for domestic violence cases have become increasingly common across North America over the past two decades. Yukon has had a program for 15 years.
The study identifies a number of benefits to doling out treatment rather than punishment. Diversion also diverts victims from the traditional court process, which makes them more likely to co-operate with investigators and prosecutors. Also, studies have shown out-of-court treatment is effective to reduce the likelihood of re-offending.
Fifteen years after watching the rest of North America divert low-risk domestic violence cases away from the court system, our territory finally caught up with the times. Now Hay River is catching up. This is a good thing.
Two decades of missed opportunity have flown by, which represents an entire generation of people outside of Yellowknife and Hay River who continue to spin in this vicious cycle across the territory despite the fact there is a proven, better way for the courts to handle domestic assault.
The territory is doing well to innovate, but there are still 31 more communities to go.
Error in judgment correctedNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, May 18, 2015
Imposing a three-year prison sentence on a man who spent over a decade sexually victimizing boys in the Saskatchewan residential school system didn't make sense then and it still doesn't today.
The difference today is that the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal agrees.
Paul Leroux, the former Grollier Hall residential school supervisor who previously spent time in prison for a separate set of assaults against residential school boys 40 years ago in Inuvik, has seen his three-year sentence for sex crimes against boys in his charge at Beauval Residential School in Saskatchewan expanded to eight years.
The 50-page decision isn't shy about criticizing Saskatchewan Court of Queen's Bench Judge Murray Acton's method of reaching his decision. One of the more egregious flaws in the sentence is Acton's total neglect to cite reasons for a portion of his decision, leaving the Crown and appeal judges bewildered as to how he reached an outcome of three years. Also, the Court of Appeal disputes Acton's assertion Leroux had taken responsibility for his crimes.
"I conclude the judge completely misapprehended the circumstances in which Mr. Leroux came to be convicted in this court by saying Mr. Leroux ought to be credited for returning to 'face these charges and take responsibility for them.' He did nothing of the sort," reads the decision.
"In fact, the charges came about by reason only of the diligence and persistence of the RCMP and, once charged, Mr. Leroux was compelled to answer to the charges. Moreover, as we have seen, Mr. Leroux put the victims to testify at a trial and to this day denies that he committed the offences."
While Leroux was handed five more year's prison time for his crimes, the decision also addresses his appeal of the convictions. Representing himself, he managed to earn an acquittal on one of the assaults against one of the eight boys who accused him.
Maybe this tiny victory will give Leroux a bit of reprieve as he heads back to prison to serve what is closer to a just sentence.
Astounding that MLAs in trouble for drinkingNunavut/News North - Monday, May 18, 2015
Talk about setting a poor example.
First it was South Baffin MLA David Joanasie who was remorseful after being charged with impaired driving following an incident in Charlottetown, P.E.I., where he was pulled over by police for going the wrong way down a one-way street on July 7.
He later gave a breath sample that was more than two times the legal limit.
Then it was Rankin Inlet North-Chesterfield Inlet MLA Tom Sammurtok, who was charged with drunk driving April 13 and is scheduled to appear in court on May 21, just five days before the legislative assembly is set to resume sitting on May 26.
Both MLAs offered statements of remorse and asked for forgiveness from their constituents and others.
"I accept full responsibility for my actions and make no excuses for my lack of judgment. I am very grateful that nobody was injured as a result of this incident," read a statement issued by Joanasie last summer.
"I realize that I made a mistake and it is not acceptable to put myself or others at risk," read a statement by Sammurtok last month. "I deeply regret my actions, and I am immediately taking steps to seek help and healing from professionals."
To their credit, both MLAs took steps to mitigate the damage after apologizing.
Joanasie quickly pleaded guilty to the charge, appearing in front of a judge in P.E.I. on July 24. He had to pay $2,200, was banned from driving for one year and was placed on probation for one year.
Sammurtok has yet to be convicted but, after being stripped of his cabinet portfolio as minister of Community and Government Services by Premier Peter Taptuna shortly after the incident, he voluntarily resigned from cabinet May 5. Taptuna does not have the power to remove a minister from cabinet. Because a consensus vote in the legislative assembly would be required to remove Sammurtok from cabinet, with its higher rate of remuneration, he did the right thing by resigning as a minister without portfolio.
These two examples are not the first time elected officials have gotten into trouble for incidents related to alcohol. What is astounding is that, despite a widespread change in attitude among society about the foolishness of impaired driving, two MLAs have found themselves having to answer to a judge for Criminal Code offences involving alcohol.
Joanasie remains a sitting MLA and there is no word whether Sammurtok will continue representing his constituents after the criminal justice system comes to a conclusion.
Both politicians should feel fortunate they are able to continue as sitting MLAs and, we suggest, should take meaningful steps to repair the damage to their reputations.
Spreading the word about the dangers of alcohol might be a good place to start.
