Fair Elections Act anything butYellowknifer - Wednesday, July 29, 2015
If a federal politicians were trying to think of a way to disenfranchise Northern voters under the auspices of fairness, it wouldn't look too different from the Fair Elections Act.
The legislation was enacted to eliminate voter fraud, something that has not been substantiated in any meaningful way. What we are more likely to hear about post-election are many instances of people who had no previous problems voting being denied at the polling booth.
The new rules tighten ID requirements and all but do away with the practice of vouching. The practice once allowed registered voters to vouch for people who couldn't prove their address. That's still the case in territorial elections.
But with federal elections, a voucher may only vouch for a single voter, and only if the person being vouched for has two pieces of paper with his or her name on it such as a credit card or an employee card - items many in Yellowknife's homeless community would certainly be without, and difficult items to put together in many other households.
Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley says as many as 50 per cent of potential NWT voters in some smaller communities are without two pieces of ID. It is easier to obtain photo ID in larger centre such as Yellowknife but it remains a struggle for smaller communities that lack specialized camera equipment needed to take the photos. There are 12 driver and vehicle licensing offices in the territory where photo ID can be procured but more than 30 communities. Not to mention the fact that territorial health cards have no photos accompanying them as several other jurisdictions do. This so-called "fair" elections act will discourage many voters in Yellowknife, Ndilo and Dettah and many other smaller communities come next election.
Readers can be forgiven if they suspect the Conservative government enacted this legislation with an aim to eliminate voters from remote communities and with low incomes who don't typically vote Conservative.
Union of Southern Workers?Yellowknifer - Wednesday, July 29, 2015
If you work at Dominion Diamonds' Ekati mine, the company will make sure you can get to work -- on their own dime -- from 11 communities within the NWT and Nunavut, including Yellowknife.
Until recently, Dominion would also fly you from Edmonton to Yellowknife to make your shift. As of June 1, those Edmonton flights were discontinued as part of the company's commitment to encourage Northern residency among its employees.
This may not be best for Dominion's bottom line - southern workers are easier to find and are likely better trained - but the company's move to eliminate the flights certainly puts the union representing its workers in a sticky situation.
Dominion has filed a "failure to bargain" complaint against the Union of Northern Workers (UNW) with the Canada Industrial Relations Board, citing the union's reluctance to state its position on the cancelled flights.
Northern worker residency is important. People who live and work in the North pay taxes in the North and support our Northern economy. It wouldn't look good for the UNW to be pushing for free flights for southern-based workers while the territorial government - its employees also represented by the UNW - is desperately trying to persuade people to move here.
After all, it's this much larger group of workers who have paid the lion's share of the cost -- through their union dues -- for the UNW's new multi-million dollar headquarters being built downtown.
The vast majority of the union's membership base live and work in the North and clearly benefit from a strong Northern economy.
The UNW should be encouraged by Dominion Diamond's decision to make good on its commitment to the North, not fight behind closed doors and through parsed policy statements to protect the interests of workers who might love the money they make here but don't love the North enough to live here.
Review board made right call for KiggavikEditorial Comment by Michele LeTourneau
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, July 29, 2015
The Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) - in the time leading up to the public hearing and during the hearing itself in March in Baker Lake - clearly listened to interveners on the proposed Kiggavik uranium project. A mine that has no project start date in should not receive a project certificate.
The company admitted a start date could be as far away as 20 years.
That's how NIRB called it. That's the decision it submitted to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister Bernard Valcourt. "The Kiggavik Project as presented has no definite start date or development schedule. The board found that this adversely affected the weight and confidence which it could give to assessments of future ecosystemic and socio-economic effects," stated Elizabeth Copland, the board's chairperson.
I think it's fair to say that anyone alive today with 20 years to look back on can conclude it's not possible to know what will be happening in the world in 10 years, never mind in 20 years.
Nuclear energy is not enjoying its moment in the sun. In fact, French parent company Areva is experiencing all sorts of woes. The company has a lot at stake.
Because of that, perhaps it can be forgiven for heading straight to Valcourt with its plea that he reject the board's decision. But I think not. The fact is, as Baker Lake Hunters and Trappers Organization chairperson Richard Aksawnee notes in his own letter to Valcourt, the impact review board is a child of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement.
This will become a trend, of course. As Nunavut Inuit demonstrate that they are absolutely capable of making yes or no decisions on development in their territory, and make occasional no decisions on perfectly valid grounds, industry is going to push back and play dirty.
In its letter to Valcourt, Areva gave examples of projects they've had approved without project start dates. But they did not present this information prior to the public hearing or at the hearing, despite being in full possession of the knowledge that this was the main sticking point for interveners. As Aksawnee rightly points out, with the hearing process concluded, interveners cannot even respond to this new information
Fair play? Good faith? I think not.
But the most egregious issue here is one of principle: the blatant attempt to circumvent made-in-Nunavut decisions. Baffinland is attempting the same thing. In that case, the company is saying it doesn't like the Nunavut Planning Commission's decision on Mary River, so it asked Valcourt to send it to the review board instead.
What's at issue there? Ice breaking activity to ship ore 10 months of the year. I cannot even imagine the repercussions for the ecosystem.
In an interview with Premier Peter Taptuna last December, I clearly heard him say to me that he trusts the Nunavut regulatory system. He said he trusts the Nunavut Planning Commission, the Nunavut Impact Review Board, the Nunavut Water Board and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. So let's see some of that trust.
As Aksawnee has said, "We're not against the proposed Kiggavik mine, we just want to make sure our land and wildlife (are) protected for our hunters." That sounds balanced to me.
I recently learned the Inuktitut word for uranium: nunguijuituq. I'm told this means "it never goes away, it never dies." Uranium mining is not like other mining.
There's no way a decision of such great import should be made quickly for a mine that may never come to be. More importantly, if it does come to be far in the future, it's in the future the decision should be made - with all the best possible information available at that time.
A little something for everyoneNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, July 27, 2015
Last week in Yellowknife, NWT residents got their first glimpse of what a post-devolution Thaidene Nene will look like.
Carved like a pie, the territorial government has set aside pieces that are destined to become a federal national park, territorial reserve, caribou conservation area and sites for possible future mineral development. This proposal is a far cry from the original plan to set aside the entire 33,000-square-kilometre area for a national park in 1970.
According to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society's website on the history of Thaidene Nene, the federal government first expressed interest in turning the area, which wraps around the East Arm of Great Slave Lake, into a federal reserve in 1969. At the time, Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation Chief Pierre Catholique refused to work with the feds out of fear the new designation would inhibit the rights of Lutsel K'e Dene to hunt, fish and trap in their ancestral area. But by the late 1990s members of Lutsel K'e Dene Nation were beginning to come around to the idea due to the discovery of high mineral potential in parts of the park.
The band, through its chief negotiator Steven Nitah, worked with the feds to establish Thaidene Nene national park up until devolution last spring, when the territorial government inherited custody of NWT lands.
This is when the plan got complicated. According to Environment and Natural Resources Minister Michael Miltenberger to News/North earlier this spring, Thaidene Nene was to become some sort of Frankenstein hybrid of national park, territorial reserve and possible location of future industrial development. Without a map or specific information as to how a federally-controlled national park would fit into a more lenient territorial nature reserve, all the while leaving room for potential mining activity, the idea seemed nonsensical and even a little alarming.
But after seeing a map of how these puzzle pieces are intended to fit together, Thaidene Nene seems more like the ultimate compromise. The national park component is significant in size, forming the centre of the area. The territorial components make up most of the rest of the delineated area, ensuring members of Lutsel K'e Dene Band will continue to be able to hunt, fish, trap, boat and camp in much of Thaidene Nene. The excluded areas for mineral development are relatively small, peripheral and clearly marked.
These areas are rich in uranium, rare earth minerals and diamond potential and the Northwest Territories has, for better or worse, a resource-based economy. It's prudent for the territorial government to take mineral viability into consideration before carving out mass pieces of land for eternal conservation. It's also prudent for the government to be open about possible industrial development and specific about where these excluded areas might be, which is what the GNWT is doing.
This map, which indicates the possible future of Thaidene Nene, is a good example of this government working to make sure everybody's needs are met in managing the land around the East Arm of Great Slave Lake.
From the promised conservation of ancient teepee rings near Fairchild Point to the caribou conservation area in the northern tip to the excluded portions left for development, everybody gets a piece of the pie.
Beneficiaries could run gold mine one dayNunavut/News North - Monday, July 27, 2015
If one zooms in close to the cheque being presented to Kivalliq Inuit Association president David Ningeongan by Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. board chairperson Jim Nasso July 13 in Rankin Inlet, you can make out the typewritten words "one million five hundred thousand and zero cents."
That large chunk of money, a result of 40 months of negotiations, represents a milestone event for Inuit impact benefit agreements because of the expressed goal for the funds. The Kivalliq Inuit Association plans to put $750,000 per year into a fund to be used exclusively for training Inuit beneficiaries for employment, above and beyond the organization's other responsibilities.
The money is flowing from Agnico Eagle's Meliadine gold mine, which is set to begin construction next year 30 km northwest of Rankin Inlet. It's a massive undertaking, expected to employ 1,100 people during the multi-year construction period, then expected to employ about 850 people when operating as a combination open-pit and underground gold mine.
The KIA will receive annual production payments once mining actively begins, structured so 75 per cent is held back during the first five years of production and paid out in years six and seven. The potential for millions of dollars in benefits for the Inuit of the Kivalliq region is enormous. More importantly is the potential for Inuit beneficiaries to play a long-term meaningful role in the operation of the mine.
Nasso and chief executive officer Sean Boyd spoke in Rankin Inlet about Agnico Eagle's operations in Mexico. Three gold mines, employing about 2,200 people, are 100 per cent staffed by Mexicans and Nasso would like to see "Inuit run (the Meliadine) mine like the Mexicans do."
Considering the training commitments, that is possible.
The immediate goal is for there to be 50 per cent employment of Inuit beneficiaries at Meliadine, achievable considering the current level of 30 to 34 per cent employment of beneficiaries at Agnico Eagle's Meadowbank open-pit mine north of Baker Lake, which has been operating since 2010.
The KIA was careful in negotiating this benefit agreement to realize maximum advantage, involving board members from the communities and ensuring that the final deal is open and transparent. Once it is approved by the federal minister, the agreement will be publicly accessible.
The work begins now. Beneficiaries in the communities will be consulted about tailoring training programs to their needs. Strategic plans will be developed to reach employment goals.
The end result is good news -- money from the benefit agreement will be used in the best possible manner and there will be high-paying jobs for hundreds of land claim agreement beneficiaries, who will be given the opportunity to advance in their positions.
Houseboat headaches Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, July 24, 2015
The fire on Yellowknife Bay has illustrated the camaraderie of the houseboat community, as 20-some people spent the day pulling charred remainders of the small home to shore and towing the wreckage to the landfill.
The fire also re-emphasizes the controversy that community creates within the city.
The blaze was covered widely by local media and opinions were keyed into comment threads, reiterating the frustration over the lack of property taxes paid by houseboaters despite their use of city infrastructure and services - fire response being one of them. It should be noted that the city does charge homeowners a firefighting fee - now capped at $4,000 - and it could be assumed the owner of the burned houseboat will be receiving a bill.
The issue of houseboaters living tax free is addressed in the hotly contested and yet to be enacted Harbourfront Plan, in which the city recommends charging a fee to anchor to the lake bed.
The plan also makes mention of putting safety and building requirements in place for houseboats, for which there are currently none.
These actions will likely not be welcome measures to some houseboaters accustomed to "living off the grid" but this fire has shown further discussion to this point is necessary.
If these houseboats were off in the middle of nowhere it might be a moot point but they are not. They are a stone's throw from city streets, homes and facilities.
Speaking on the fire, deputy fire chief Craig MacLean said his department will not hesitate to fight houseboat fires, which means firefighters must potentially put themselves in harm's way to put out fires on buildings that haven't been previously inspected for safety or built to code.
In this case, the firefighters' capacity was limited and it was the neighbouring houseboaters who provided the most assistance - although nothing could be done to save the houseboat.
The fire department needs a on-water response plan, and the firefighters need assurance that the houses they tend to are built to a certain standard.
With governance and regulation comes services. Although the houseboat community proved their resolve towards self-sufficiency in the response to and following the fire, the proximity to the rest of the city cannot be ignored.
Nor can the safety of first-responders and community members.
The North attracts the pioneering spirit and the houseboater lifestyle is one that fits in well. The community is a key part of the fabric of Yellowknife, and taxation and regulation need not change this.
There is an opportunity for discussion, recognition and mutual understanding. And an opportunity to take in the view from both land and water.
Time to bear down on dump difficultyDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, July 23, 2015
The rules for dealing with wildlife are very simple, and quite likely many residents in and around Fort Simpson know them: keep your distance, carry protection and do not feed the bears.
Unfortunately, as with most municipalities, a certain amount of garbage builds up - in ditches, on roads and, of course, in the municipal landfill.
On June 17 at 4:30 p.m., six black bears were frolicking in the garbage at the Fort Simpson dump, foraging for food. Other bears have been seen around the village, in the campground and on the hill.
While that is part of living in the North, it is important not to use that as an excuse to ignore safety procedures.
As for people who work in the field, most of them know to carry protection with them - bear bangers, bear spray or firearms.
These safety procedures are often common sense because many of us have heard of or known someone who has had a scary - or deadly - encounter with a bear.
On July 20, Fort Simpson finally made the decision to issue its landfill operator bear deterrents. The landfill operator will now have access to bear bangers and spray.
That means if the operator is in a dangerous situation, or sees a landfill user in a bad situation, they can do something about it. Prior to this, there was no protection at the landfill.
It is perplexing that safety protocols were not in place prior to this summer.
Mayor Sean Whelly has said he cannot recall ever having an incident at the landfill involving bears and staff or a member of the public.
In fact, the landfill operator seems to be at ease with the wildlife situation as well.
However, after years of operating, it is luck that has so far prevented incidents.
Regardless of whether an attack has occurred in the past, simple common sense should dictate that when working around potentially dangerous wild animals, you should probably take measures against being mauled.
However, there is still a good portion of the village who put themselves at risk every time they go to drop off their garbage. The same goes for contractors who may have large loads to haul and take longer to unload.
It is a boon that the landfill operator can now come to people's aid if need be, but a more permanent solution needs to be considered.
In August 2011, two such bears in Fort Simpson had to be destroyed.
There is no way to keep bears out of an area entirely - not even with fences and gates.
However, both of those things can mitigate the risk.
It helps, too, that the village is intending - and is required - to put up fencing systems around the landfill. With luck, that fence will be built before something serious happens.
Gardening for lifeInuvik Drum - Thursday, July 23, 2015
Inuvik's community garden has been getting a lot of attention this growing season, for good reason.
Community gardens are a big deal.
They are popular because of health and environmental benefits. They're seen as a way for people learn where their food comes from and ensure environmentally-friendly growing techniques are used. The educational benefits of cultivating fresh food are boundless. Most importantly, community gardens are able to bring the community together to plant a seed, watch it grow and share the eventual bounty.
It's really no wonder the phenomenon of community gardening has taken off. For the past few decades the public has expressed increasing public distrust over the way massive agricultural corporations use chemical herbicides and pesticides. People want to know where their food comes from and obviously they want to know the food they eat will not expose them to long-term health risks. This is entirely understandable.
Only 60 years ago, people were told that the use of the pesticide DDT was safe. There are even newsreels showing children in swimming pools being sprayed with the chemical. With the help of such books as Silent Spring, published in 1962, the public learned it caused nerve damage and possible soft-tissue damage, such as to the liver. This led the US government to ban agricultural use of DDT outright in 1972.
Not only this, but being where it is geographically located, the trek fresh produce takes to Inuvik spans thousands of miles and many days. One only has to look at the state of local produce versus the price to see the advantages of community gardening up here.
With the limitations local vendors have when it comes to supplying items that require refrigeration, preferably without freezing, and an unpredictable transportation system - especially during freeze and break-up - it is near impossible to provide inexpensive fresh perishable items. Spoilage also plays a role in the price.
This is why it will be wonderful to watch the community garden hopefully grow and expand in Inuvik. There really is nothing better than seeing fresh produce travel mere metres from farm to table above the Arctic Circle.
