GNWT lacks urgency for emergency 9-1-1 Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, June 5, 2015
Unlike most capital cities in the country, Yellowknife does not have a 9-1-1 emergency service. Only Iqaulit shares this dubious distinction with us.
Its absence is not for a lack of government studies directed at the issue.
Since 1992 five studies have been completed, including the $47,500 2009 study that concluded the service should be phased in starting with the seven largest communities in the NWT.
This reasonable approach to implementing the service in the territory was shot down by Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Robert C. McLeod who said the GNWT would not get involved unless the service could be rolled out in every community within the territory no matter how small and remote.
This all or nothing approach was as ridiculous then as it is now.
It not only leaves the majority of NWT residents without an universal emergency phone service taken for granted in the rest of the country but it exposes visitors to our territory to a tragic flaw.
In an emergency visitors will be reaching for their cellphones to dial 9-1-1 only to receive a message stating the service is not available in the area.
The time it would take to figure out what and which local emergency number to dial is time enough for irreversible tragedy.
That the GNWT continues to deliberate on the matter is a sign of this government's inability to move forward on a service we believe most NWT residents would support -- a user-fee based approach to 9-1-1 service, starting in Yellowknife and other larger communities, and rolled out as expeditiously as possible to all the rest.
We learned last week the GNWT will again postpone making a decision on how to introduce the service until the sitting of the next government. But at least now Minister McLeod has acknowledged the service is "achievable."
Mr. Minister, of course it is achievable. The question has never been, "Is it possible?" The questions has been, "Is there a will to make it happen?"
Inuvik-based cellphone service provider Ice Wireless announced early last year that it was providing 9-1-1 service to its NWT customers by routing calls through call centres in Romania and Sudbury, Ont.
No doubt Ice Wireless' service is far less expensive to run than the $712,000 a year the GNWT expects it will cost to operate a call centre here.
If Ice Wireless can do it, why not the GNWT?
The most obvious answer is that the government, ponderous and rigid as ever, will go out of its way to avoid solutions both practical and simple, preferring to spend years "getting it right" even while lives hang in the balance.
Hats off to helmet use enforcement Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, June 5, 2015
Municipal enforcement has chosen to use the carrot rather than the stick while encouraging young people to wear helmets and that's a good thing.
Instead of cracking down on under-18 year old riders who bike without head protection, the city has chosen a different approach -- ice cream vouchers for those who follow the rules.
Since children don't normally carry ID, a crackdown on bare heads would require an awkward and ugly scenario of officers detaining children on city streets and then having to drive them and their bikes home in the back of their patrol cars in order to hand out tickets to their parents.
Enforcement has correctly determined that a lighter touch is necessary and that the best course of action is to give a thumbs up to those who follow the rules rather than alienate those who do not.
There is still more to be done. Ultimately, the responsibility for helmet-use lies with parents and guardians, not law enforcement.
And there's evidence that they're able to lead by example.
"Ninety per cent of kids will wear a helmet if the adults are wearing a helmet, versus 40 per cent when adults aren't wearing helmets," said Jackie Hardy, who provides helmets for children and families through Helmets for Hardy.
She founded the organization after her son died while skateboarding without a helmet on the McMahon Frame Lake Trail.
So it seems a good way to encourage young people to wear helmets is for older people to wear them too - parents in particular.
Although these older riders may not be able to enjoy the ice cream cones their younger counterparts do enjoy, what they get is far greater -- head protection, plus the knowledge they're setting a good example for young people.
Youth deserve running trackDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, June 4, 2015
The old adage that children are the way of the future has never rung truer than in the legislative assembly on May 27.
That was the day 13 students from Bompas Elementary sat in on assembly debates - including a topic they brought forward themselves: the issue of sport facilities, or lack thereof, in Fort Simpson.
It's no secret the area needs a decent facility. Each year, when the NWT Track and Field Championships rolls around, Fort Simpson students are out training hard. Many of them are excited about the prospect of testing their skills against youth from other areas, and many of them hope to bring back a medal or two.
Some of the students who went to the legislature have been to the championships in the past. On behalf of them, Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche let the legislature know Fort Simpson has not had a proper track facility since the 1990s.
That is more than 30 years worth of students training in sandboxes and playgrounds for one of the territory's most popular summer sports.
The response Menicoche received in legislature was that communities can utilize some of their public infrastructure funding, while the territory helps out with technical and financial advice.
It is unfortunate that communities - which in many cases are already strapped for cash - would have no other way of paying for such a facility than through their own municipal infrastructure dollars, much of which is already earmarked for other much-needed upgrades. Not many communities have a couple hundred thousand dollars lying around to build a track facility.
The government needs to listen to its communities and its youth and provide more opportunities to access the funding required to build such facilities.
A new track facility would be good for the region and it would be wonderful for Fort Simpson.
It could help to draw more people the community, and it may even give the village the chance to host its own sports tournaments.
Imagine how great that would be for our youth.
Strange fascination with midnight sunInuvik Drum - Thursday, June 4, 2015
Inuvik residents have been buzzing - and likely amused - by the way that some American media outlets in the last week have picked up on the long Inuvik summer days.
First ABC News came calling to chat via telecommunications with town tourism manager Jackie Challis about the streak of polar days - or midnight sun - the town is experiencing at the moment.
The story was then picked up on by other outlets, including AOL and the mycentraloregon.com website.
It's good to see Inuvik hitting the news, and Challis certainly is to be lauded for her keen eye on what attracts attention to the town.
It's also a bit amusing to see how excited the American media is to "discover" the fact that anywhere north of the Arctic Circle sees this phenomenon.
It's making me laugh primarily because, to quote a line from Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory, it stands as a bit of an indictment of the public education system on at least two or three fronts.
First, it seemingly hasn't occurred to these eager reporters that many Alaskans - you know, American citizens all - experience the same thing in communities such as Barrow, which is slightly further north than Inuvik.
I'm thinking I'm not alone in wondering how long it will take for that little nugget of information to be recognized.
Second, I'm a little puzzled as to how people aren't aware, at least in general, of the whole "midnight sun" phenomenon in the North. The phrase is more than well known enough to have permeated the public consciousness all through the Northern hemisphere, I would think.
While what we experience here in the Arctic Circle technically goes beyond the midnight sun, it's a close enough term to work with.
I also smiled a bit when I saw a reference to the "total darkness" description of our polar night during early winter in December.
I think most people here would roll their eyes a little at that, since residents are well aware that what is experienced, depending on how clear the skies are, is more like a prolonged twilight of the sunrise and sunset type rather than "absolute darkness."
One of my favourite stories about the polar night was told to me by someone who grew up in the high Arctic on Banks Island. This elder explained to me how people there would look south towards Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik during the polar night just to catch a glimpse of the elusive daylight they weren't receiving.
That should put the issue into perspective for everyone.
It certainly is more than enough to make any resident here who has experienced both seasons mutter "darned southerners" under their breath.
Still, I guess the "any publicity is good publicity" cliche applies here.
So I'll try to stifle my eye rolls and just smile more widely, but I'm not sure I'll be successful.
Happy summer everyone!
Gender jailYellowknifer - Wednesday, June 3, 2015
It's the stuff prison TV shows are made of - segregation in a concrete room with no pillow, no outdoor time, infrequent showers and the lights on 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
But this is not prime time entertainment. Last week, Yellowknifer revealed an 18-year-old woman was kept in an RCMP cell - meant as an up-to-24-hours holding room - for five straight nights. And for no other reason than an unfair and unfortunate side effect of being female in the Northwest Territories.
The city's only jail is the North Slave Correctional Centre which houses only men, giving them a relatively comfortable waiting space for court appearances. Those at the facility get recreation time, can watch TV, look out the window and can get both visitors and phone calls. This is where men go while awaiting court dates.
But because the women's correctional facility is nearly 800 km away in Fort Smith, they are not afforded the same comforts. The 18-year-old, who Yellowknifer chose not to name, had been picked up by RCMP for theft and between then and her earliest court appearances was kept in the holding cell.
Those in custody are under the wing of the Department of Justice, which in this case is not much better than an indifferent babysitter.
In the wake of the woman's nearly week-long stint in cells, a department spokesperson told Yellowknifer, "Today we ensure female offenders are brought forward as soon as practicable to appear in court and transported to Fort Smith on a timely basis."
If five days can be considered a "timely basis" then the Department of Justice may find itself on the losing side of a human rights complaint or constitutional challenge.
Perhaps "timely basis" is relative to a 2008 case in which a 21-year-old woman spent 17 days in RCMP cells in Yellowknife and Inuvik prior to court appearances.
Five days is a lot shorter than 17 - but no less unacceptable.
Those in custody now receive no benefit for time spent in RCMP holding cells. The federal Conservatives' 2009 Truth in Sentencing Act barred judges from offering three-for-one credits for time served in dismal conditions.
While flying female prisoners to Fort Smith and back like they're busy business people is not necessarily a viable option, it remains better than having them endure segregation-like conditions in RCMP cells. Surely, it's a situation that warrants wider use of video court appearances.
The bottom line is that a person's gender should never dictate the difference between accommodation that's somewhat comfortable and accommodation fit for somebody who's shanked another inmate in prison.
Whether it's making more use of video appearances, dolling out dough for more airplane rides for women, building another women's facility in the capital, or making space for inmates awaiting court dates at the North Slave Correctional Centre, it's the justice department's move - and move it must.
A little research can save a lot of regretEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Rankin Inlet has long shown itself to be extremely generous when it comes to supporting charities and local fundraising efforts.
The same can be said of all seven Kivalliq communities, which routinely donate more than expected.
But these are perilous days when it comes to donating to charity.
That's especially true when donations are solicited through the mail or online.
If one doesn't want to hand their hard-earned money to greedy, dishonest or overpaid executives in the charity game, a little research is required before signing a cheque or hitting send.
It even doesn't hurt to research the charitable entity a local volunteer may be canvassing for.
Many were rocked by the news four American cancer charities were charged with misusing donations after investigations by the Federal Trade Commission and attorney generals from all 50 states.
The charities charged were the Cancer Fund of America, Children's Cancer Fund of America, Breast Cancer Society and Cancer Support Services.
The Children's Cancer Fund and Cancer Support Services have agreed to close, while the other two are fighting the allegations.
It's one of the biggest fraud cases in American history, with a mind-numbing $187 million allegedly going to executive perks.
The money was collected via telemarketing and mail solicitations, with the Associated Press reporting the donations were given with the understanding the money would be used for medicine and the transportation of patients.
In Canada, the annual salaries of some of the highest paid charity executives has been a hot topic of discussion for the past few years.
The charities do not have to name their highest-paid executives, but, according to the Canada Revenue Agency, they do have to file annual reports on salaries earned by their 10 highest-paid workers.
Those figures during the past five years have shown top executives earning big numbers, often ranging from $200,000 to $300,000 per annum in salary and benefits.
As reported by the Ottawa Citizen in June 2014, the United Way of Ottawa had seven employees hauling in $120,000 to $250,000 annually.
The charitable agency, by the way, fell $4 million short of its goal in 2014. Go figure!
Make no mistake about it, charitable giving is big, big business.
We must be fair and note some inflated salaries may be deemed necessary, in that it takes top income to lure top executives from the private sector.
But there are limits, and every suit in a boardroom should not be hauling in a staggering $800 a day.
Many Kivalliqmiut who can afford to -- and a good number who really can't -- are quick to open their wallets and purses to help those less fortunate among us, and to support the ongoing battle against cancer and diabetes, to name but two causes.
And they are to be commended for that.
In this day and age however, those who've made the decision to donate should take the time to research those charities rated the best in our nation.
It's one way to ensure your money goes where it's supposed to, and you get the most bang for the buck out of your donation.
Justice department on probationNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, June 1, 2015
What is black and white and red all over?
Hopefully, it's the embarrassed faces of Justice Department bureaucrats holding the scathing 50-page auditor general's report on their corrections services division.
Corrections Services is responsible for the administration of the territory's four jails, as well as developing and providing access to programs and services that assist inmates in their rehabilitation and re-integration to society.
After reading through the entire document, here is an honest question - what do the people who run corrections services do all day?
Because here's a list of what corrections services staff - at least at the time of the audit - don't do: properly train staff, co-ordinate safety inspections at facilities, manage overtime, offer adequate rehabilitation programming, make sure segregation of inmates is managed appropriately, plan for inmates' release and most importantly, follow its own directives.
More than once in the report the auditor describes situations where the department had reviewed an aspect of corrections services and made directives for improvements, only to have those orders fall on deaf ears.
"In 2008, the department undertook a review of its correctional programs, identifying significant deficiencies and making multiple recommendations for improvement," states the report.
"We found that the department had undertaken some activities in response to the report ... however, many important recommendations remained un-addressed by the department."
The women's correctional facility in Fort Smith is an embarrassment. While the building is scheduled to be replaced by 2018, the audit found it is a tinderbox fire hazard left un-inspected by the fire marshal, the staff had not conducted required evacuation drills and probably most bizarrely, remanded female inmates are housed in a facility with doors that do not lock.
Maybe the honour system works really well in Fort Smith.
There doesn't appear to be anybody managing human resources in corrections services either, judging by the ridiculous amount of overtime claimed by some guards. In the most extreme cases, some are logging 860 overtime hours a year. That is 107 extra eight-hour workdays tacked onto an approximately 250-workday year. According to the report, these security guards are unlikely to be properly trained, which might explain why they are only maintaining case management profiles of some inmates and not following departmental guidelines when they do.
Regarding the release of inmates the report states, "While the corrections service directives indicate the importance of such planning to an inmate's re-integration, they provide very little guidance on planning for inmates' release and focus only on arranging for their transportation back to the place of residence or conviction and on providing inmates with appropriate clothing."
More than 600 inmates entered the corrections system in the NWT in 2013. That same year, the territory boasted the highest crime rate in Canada.
In response to the report, the department has prepared an action plan. It is filled with impressive bureaucratic verbs such as "review", "analyze", "strengthen policy" and "build a change approach."
Until the public can see an analysis of the outcomes of these promises, these words will remain as empty of meaning as they seem today.
And until department officials start managing their own staff, their inmates and their facilities, those running the department's corrections services remain, in terms of public faith, on probation.
Recognize the value of community radio stationsNunavut/News North - Monday, June 1, 2015
We are hoping that Internet isn't killing the radio star.
News that the Kugluktuk Radio Society is looking at closing its doors spells the demise of a valuable source of community development.
Over the course of its 16-year history, the community radio initiative involved more than 200 volunteers, resulted in the ownership of a building and staff house and, more importantly, provided a place for youth to gain confidence, learn about technology and develop into adults who are productive members of society.
It would be a shame for all that history, groundwork and rich culture to disappear just because residents can now be connected to the rest of the world by computer.
People often place a narrow focus on education as something that is only the responsibility of schools. But just as many schools in Nunavut are placing a higher emphasis on delivery of on-the-land programs, there has been a larger realization that young people can learn in many environments, doing a variety of tasks, so long as they challenge the individual, do no harm to others and result in a positive benefit to the community.
Kugluktuk's CKUG 88.7 Buzz FM does all of that and more. Sure, there have been incidences on community radio where volunteers have made inappropriate comments or used inappropriate language on air but by and large they have been a necessary part of the fabric of the community.
In recent years, in some communities, the need for communication within the community, and between friends and relatives in nearby hamlets, has moved to social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. Most communities have a community news Facebook page where people post notices about upcoming events, lost and found items, buy and sell goods, or post greetings to others. However, just like e-mail, social media sites are somewhat impersonal. They do not provide a forum with the same degree of human touch, personality, humour, sarcasm or excitement as the spoken word, carried over the airwaves to radios in cars, kitchens, shacks and garages.
Posting a message on social media requires little skill compared to that required by an audio technician or an on-air personality, reading from a prepared script written with purpose.
Those involved with the Kugluktuk Radio Society over the years testify about the positive impact it had on their lives. One young man began working with the society as a shy, hesitant person with low self-esteem.
The process of learning to run the mixing board, writing down messages and announcements, and developing his voice allowed him to mature into a confident man with pride in his skills and an appetite to develop further.
There's no stopping the Internet. But communities need to recognize the value of radio, fight to preserve it and continue to tune in.
