Homegrown food about self-sufficiencyYellowknifer - Wednesday, October 28, 2015
There are many benefits to community gardens and apparently the territorial government thinks so too.
Lone Sorensen, an agriculture mentor with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, pointed to the benefits at a two-day North Slave agricultural awareness and planning workshop earlier this month.
"Some communities talk about food security but in ITI we talk about growing food for economic development. In the Department of Health (and Social Services), they talk about growing food for health."
Perhaps most importantly, community gardens create food security.
Ndilo Chief Ernest Betsina has big gardening plans for his community, with hopes to see the Yellowknives Dene take on the task.
"I would like to shoot for five years for some of my members or most of my members," he said of households starting their own gardens.
"If we can build or help build raised beds to put on their lots and actually grow the vegetables - I can foresee that for each household member. That is my goal, to teach members to grow their own food."
This will allow the community to take control of its own destiny and not have to rely on the grocery stores as much. Combine this with traditional activities such as hunting and berry picking, the Yellowknives community that borders Yellowknife could become a leader in self-sufficiency.
Good on the GNWT for helping facilitate this important initiative.
Keep those little goblins safe!Yellowknifer - Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Pint-sized ghouls and goblins are ready to take over city streets this Halloween Saturday in search of treats and perhaps provide residents with a few tricks while they're at it.
Despite the cold and icy sidewalks and streets, Halloween in Yellowknife seems as popular here as anywhere else. It does come with added potential risks, however, that parents and children should be thinking about to ensure this spooky annual event is also a safe one.
With the cold comes the need for bulky clothing that may reduce visibility when trick-or-treaters are going door-to-door. Halloween masks that offer poor peripheral vision should be avoided as should dark costumes that are hard for motorists to see.
RCMP recommends attaching reflective bands and glow sticks to enhance visibility. Halloween goers should avoid poorly-lit streets and seek out treats in high-traffic areas with lots of people.
Motorists, of course, should be extra vigilant, especially in residential areas that may not be well-lit.
Halloween is mostly about fun, treats and great costumes. Let's make sure this Halloween is also about staying safe.
Time to fulfill the promisesEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Northerners were no different than their southern counterparts when they cast their ballots during the Oct. 19 federal election.
Change was wanted in the North, the same as in the rest of the country, and the voice that enacted that change was a loud one.
It is fair to say that outgoing Prime Minister Stephen Harper polarized the country during this election.
The childish nice hair and just-not-ready commercials meant to discredit Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau had just the opposite effect.
And if anyone had any lingering doubts as to just how important Jack Layton's leadership was to the NDP, those doubts should have disappeared just as quickly as the orange crush banners did following this election.
Harper wore out his welcome with his heavy-handed governance of the past few years, and the man simply didn't have the charisma to capture the minority government that was within his grasp during his campaign.
Trudeau, on the other hand, oozed charisma while striking a positive note with many Canadians with his focus on the middle class and his promise to spend to feed the economy.
In the North, all three territories saw significant upswings in the percentage of voter turnout.
The Yukon had the second-highest percentage of voter turnout in the country, with 76 per cent of its eligible voters casting their ballots.
The NWT saw an increase in voter turnout that took it to 64 per cent, while Nunavut also saw a large jump in voters, with 62 per cent of Nunavummiut casting their ballots as compared to a mere 48.5 per cent in 2011.
Across the country, 68 per cent of eligible voters took the time to vote on Oct. 19, representing a whopping seven per cent raise over voter turnout in 2011.
In Nunavut, the failure of Nutrition North played a significant role in ousting the Tories, coupled with the party's maddening habit of telling people it knew best what was good for them.
So what now?
We have dashing young (43) Prime Minister-designate Trudeau leading a majority government forward, while leaving a battered and demoralized NDP, and the out-of-sync Conservatives looking for new leadership in his wake.
We will get the first glimpse in the direction we're headed when he names his cabinet on Nov. 4, and we'll see if he comes through on his promise of gender parity.
Shortly thereafter, it will be time to appease the middle class that gave him his majority by cutting its taxes and raising taxes on the upper class.
Should they go without a hitch, optimism should rise concerning his other election promises to hold a national inquiry on missing and murdered indigenous women and ramping-up Canada's efforts to do its part in combating global warming.
And, should Trudeau actually keep his promises, the 2015 federal election will be long remembered as the last time Canada voted using the first-past-the-post system.
It's going to be an interesting year in Canada to see who our young leader surrounds himself with, how many of his campaign promises actually go into play and what the result will be.
Canadians spoke loudly on Oct. 19, and here's hoping Prime Minister-designate Trudeau was doing a little listening along with all the talking.
Who could ask for anything more?Northwest Territories/News North - Monday, October 26, 2015
The people of the Northwest Territories voted themselves into an ideal situation on Oct. 19.
Liberal candidate Michael McLeod, brother to Premier Bob McLeod, unseated NDP incumbent Dennis Bevington and will be joining the newly-created Liberal majority government. So not only do NWT residents have a representative who is part of the party in power but the head of the territorial government has a direct line to him.
On top of that, McLeod has made no secret of the fact he will be vying for a cabinet position which, if he is successful, could give him even more clout. And it gets even better -- the Liberal Party has been elected on a campaign promising increased spending on infrastructure and government programming across Canada.
In fact, the Liberals plan to spend $126 billion on infrastructure projects alone. Even a small piece of that pie could do a lot of things for the territory.
While Premier McLeod has told News/North he has no intention of using his fraternal connection to his political advantage, there is no way to sugarcoat it - he is in a good spot should he be re-elected MLA in his Yellowknife South district and seek a second term as premier. Being the brother to an MP in power definitely won't work to his disadvantage in that endeavor.
So here we are. How does MP McLeod make the most of it?
His list of priorities was about as long as a five-year-old's Christmas wish list during the election. Obviously everything on it won't come to be, starting with the giant elephant in the room - the Mackenzie Valley Highway. He has also promised to work toward restarting the Hay River dredging program, helping the territorial government fund Stanton Territorial Hospital renovations and a new water line for Yellowknife. The Mackenzie Valley Highway project alone would easily top a billion dollars, so as McLeod divvies his priorities, it won't be surprising to see that one end up in the "wouldn't it be nice if we could afford it" pile.
Instead, it would be great to see our new MP pursue smaller victories. He's told News/North he wants to invest in housing and the root causes of poverty and addiction. He also said he wants to mend the federal government's relationship with indigenous peoples. These are all doable and worthwhile initiatives.
Congratulations to McLeod for managing to find a seat in the new Liberal majority government. It's a historic opportunity to do great things for the territory. Here's hoping he picks his battles wisely.
Find better way to fight bootleggersNunavut/News North - Monday, October 26, 2015
Justice Minister Paul Okalik is correct in his assessment that there is a problem with bootleggers and drug dealers in the territory.
They are a scourge on communities, providing a source of temptation to the weak, who succumb to addiction and the desire for a drink or a toke at the expense of others. Too often, hundreds of dollars that should be used to buy groceries, pay for heat, rent or gasoline to go hunting is instead used to buy a bottle or a baggie.
Certainly, in the absence of reasonable regulated access to alcoholic beverages, there is a case to be made for prosecution of bootleggers, who make huge profits at the expense of individuals, families and the community as a whole.
Government has an important role to play to stop bootleggers and prevent access to alcohol. In fact, it has an implicit obligation to prevent bottles of booze being available in communities who have chosen to prohibit alcohol.
But Okalik's proposed civil forfeiture legislation is not the correct tool to combat bootleggers and drug dealers. If approved, the legislation would allow law enforcement to seize property or assets that are 'suspected' to be instruments or proceeds of illegal activity. Essentially it would take away a bootlegger's wad of cash money, vehicles, furniture and other possessions.
The legislation has been used in eight southern jurisdictions as a tool to fight organized crime, outlaw bikers and gang members. It is effective in the south because the legislation lowers the threshold for action. It hurts criminals in the pocketbook without the necessity of criminal charges. Law enforcement only has to go before a judge to prove its case to move forward with civil forfeiture.
Our concern is that the legislation opens the door to seizure of assets from the innocent. It is not uncommon that several members of the same family use one vehicle, live in the same house and jointly own all sorts of property, from guns needed for hunting to computers and televisions. Once property is seized, the innocent have little recourse. They receive no compensation, have no access to due process and are not entitled to a lawyer to fight the forfeiture.
There are also logistical questions. It is unlikely a judge being asked to approve a property seizure would be in the community where the alleged illegal activity is taking place.
Justice officials are travelling to Nunavut communities to get feedback from residents about the proposed legislation. Many are in favour, simply because they are sick of the harm being inflicted by bootleggers on their communities. More consultations sessions are planned.
It is time to get tough on bootleggers. But this legislation encourages lazy law enforcement.
We're not opposed to the seizure of assets from criminal activity but the application of the Criminal Code must remain the benchmark for prosecutions.
On the front lines Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, October 16, 2015
Few things are simple. This is especially true when it comes to mental illness and how society reacts to it. Last week, Yellowknifer amplified comments from Lydia Bardak, executive director of the NWT John Howard Society, decrying the way in which mentally ill people are dealt with.
"We rely on the police and the courts to take care of them," she said.
"And the police and the courts are not the best place to be taking care of people with severe disabilities."
While this is true to some degree there is no readily identifiable alternative at present.
Police especially are usually the first line of defence for a person with mental illness who has become a danger to themselves or others; and if that person has come in contact with RCMP, it's often for good reason.
And while there have been well-publicized accounts of police interactions gone bad - the tragic 2012 shooting death of Karen Lander is one prime example - there are far more instances that go unreported where police have saved lives after apprehending potentially dangerous people who stopped taking their medication.
This is not to say society is anywhere near a solution. Even Health Minister Glen Abernethy says the new Mental Health Act doesn't go far enough in helping those with mental illness.
"(The act) is going to give us tools, it's going to allow us to provide a greater range of support for people who are struggling with mental health but the legislation itself isn't the solution," he told Yellowknifer last week.
Wellness Court, which was established a little more than a year ago, seeks to divert people from jail who struggle with mental health and addictions issues by allowing them to live in the community and go through counselling - the process of which will be taken into account when they're eventually sentenced.
But even this has its flaws - a lack of readily available housing makes Wellness Court less accessible, as Yellowknifer reported this June. Transitional housing in Yellowknife - kind of the stepping stone between homelessness and permanent housing - has waiting lists ranging from five to 10 (at the men's Bailey House) to 100 (for the YWCA family housing program.)
Mental illness' relationship to society is extremely complex and tackling it means coming at it from a number of different directions.
In many instances people must learn to self diagnose symptoms and society must treat mental illness as the health issue that it is and stop stigmatizing people suffering from its affects.
In the meantime, when those who pose a danger to themselves and others spiral out of control, we have the police and courts as a safety net to catch them.
No excuse for health centre pushbackDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, October 22, 2015
Recently, the territorial government revealed its plans to delay Fort Simpson's new health centre seven years.
Citing reasons such as incomplete planning studies and lack of location, the government has pushed back construction to 2022-23, despite its own engineering report from 2009 that flagged the building for reconstruction.
According to Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche, that report says the current structure has a crumbling foundation.
A problem like that is not something that will keep for more than a decade, because crumbling foundations often lead to structural instability and a host of other problems with the building, which is 40 years old.
It has already been six years since the initial report. If the government wants to push back construction a full five years, the least it should do is justify its decision - and, in the meantime, provide some assurances to residents that their health centre won't crumble around them while they wait.
Otherwise, it should keep to its commitment of building a new health centre within the next two years.
The fact that the government can red-flag the health centre for reconstruction, and then seemingly on a whim - certainly without community consultation - un-flag that same building shows the government does not respect its own priority list. How, then, are residents supposed to believe the government will ever do what it says it will?
The government's reasons for pushing back the date of construction are not without merit. In fact, the process has moved so sluggishly up to this date that a pushback should come as no surprise.
However, that same sluggishness rests solely on the shoulders of the government. Planning studies and building locations are directly under the purview of the territorial government and no one else can get those done. By failing to deliver, the government reveals it has not taken its responsibility to smaller communities seriously.
The government should not be surprised, then, when residents of smaller communities become disillusioned. Those residents are often sick of hearing about funding being "found" for project overruns elsewhere and large capital projects in Yellowknife, such as the Stanton Territorial Hospital revitalization.
Roads, a lack of municipal funding and housing are just a few of the major problems in the Deh Cho the territory has failed to tackle.
Then again, this is an election year. Perhaps the government feels announcing Stanton's revitalization is more likely to get them votes than quietly working to complete a health centre they promised six years ago. That is certainly how it must look to the community members affected by the project's pushback.
This is yet another example of the territorial government prioritizing projects that serve centralized residents over those further away.
An impressive turnout at pollsInuvik Drum - Thursday, October 22, 2015
If the lineup at the polls at 5 p.m. Oct. 19 was any indication, Inuvik turned out to vote in force.
Regardless of the outcome, this in itself is a huge win. There is so much rhetoric around apathy and disenfranchisement, especially in places that have largely ethnic minority populations in terms of the general Canadian population, like the North.
On Monday, we went to the polls and saw men and women of all ages lining up by the hundreds to vote in the federal election. Despite multiple stations set up at the Midnight Sun Complex, they were not able to keep up with the tide of voters who showed up just after work. This may have meant some inconvenience for those doing the waiting but it still represents an impressive message and trend towards involvement. Last federal election, a little more than 1,000 people voted in Inuvik, according to Elections Canada. Just eyeballing the situation Monday, one-fifth of that at the very least were present at one time at the polling station.
The reality is that, perhaps more than anywhere else in the country, federal politics have an impact on the North. While devolution continues to cede decision-making power to the territorial government in areas like resource revenue, education and health, our local governments are still overwhelmingly reliant on transfer payments from Ottawa. First Nations, Metis, and Inuit governments -- who represent a majority of the population here -- also have a direct relationship with the federal government in a way that is unique to the North. Residential schools were a creation of the federal government, as was the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
But the real reasons to vote, and why it's so exciting that so many people turned out this time around, were outside sliding down the small hill to the parking lot, waiting for their parents and family members to cast their ballot. At least a dozen children scampered around the entrance of the recreation centre on Monday evening. Far from being bored or uninterested by what was going on inside, a fair few of them had answers when asked who they would vote for if they could. Of course there is no guarantee they weren't simply parroting their parents. But it's still impressive that children between about four- and 12-years old have such strong opinions.
We asked those same children why it is important to vote and what would motivate them to do so if they could. While some answered that the whole process looked like fun, a few went a bit deeper and talked about choosing who would represent them. One, however, said she would vote in order to keep us all safe.
We couldn't agree more. Well done, Inuvik.
