Honouring today's fallenYellowknifer - Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Today, the eyes of the country will be on a Yellowknife woman as she lays a wreath at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.
Sheila Anderson was chosen to be this year's National Memorial Silver Cross Mother representing women who have lost children to combat.
Her son, Cpl. Jordan James Anderson, died in 2007 along with five other soldiers and an Afghan interpreter when their vehicle was struck by an explosive device on patrol southwest of Kandahar City.
Decades later the spotlight tends to still shine most brightly on the heroism and sacrifice of soldiers from the First and Second world wars but Sheila Anderson reminds us that sacrifices are still being made by Canadians today.
This is a debt that will never be repaid but nonetheless should be honoured by helping the veterans who do come home.
Veterans Affairs Canada has seen a 10 per cent increase in the number of soldiers seeking mental health care since 2002. As of 2012, 12 per cent of Canadian veterans are seeking mental health care.
A 2014 auditor general's report showed one in five ex-soldiers seeking mental health care need to wait up to eight months for their applications to be reviewed. In general, people are reluctant to seek mental health care until the problem cannot be ignored. Such long waits make problems worse, making it more difficult for veterans to find new careers and return to normal life.
Hopefully, the newly elected Liberal government will do a better job meeting their needs than its predecessors. The Liberals, including new Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr and NWT MP Michael McLeod, will likely wear poppies today as will politicians here in Yellowknife.
Those who see them should ask themselves -- is that poppy a token gesture or a meaningful acknowledgment of the debt owed to veterans?
The treatment of veterans is particularly important to Yellowknife residents living alongside Joint Task Force North members, many of whom are returning from a tour of duty in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
In the meantime, fellow Yellowknifers should take pride in sharing their city with a woman whose son's sacrifice should not be forgotten.
No easy answer for addictions issueYellowknifer - Wednesday, November 11, 2015
With excitement around the new Stanton Territorial Hospital winding down, talk has turned to what to do with the old building.
During an election forum last week, Kam Lake incumbent David Ramsay suggested re-purposing it as a new addictions and mental health facility.
The idea of a Northern treatment centre captures the imagination but what good does bricks and mortar serve when the current hospital is already having trouble staffing two psychiatric positions and the health department continues to experience a 10 per cent vacancy rate? The NWT has had two treatment facilities fail within the past 12 years - Somba K'e Healing Lodge near Dettah and Nats'ejee Keh in Hay River - largely over staffing issues and under-utilization.
Earlier this year, the department conducted a review of withdrawal management services and found large gaps in the delivery of detox programs. A new mental health and addictions facility could accommodate a withdrawal treatment centre but many of the more pressing issues would not be remedied.
If proper support systems are not in place in the communities, any treatment received in Yellowknife becomes null and void. In some communities, such as Hay River, there remains a three to four-month wait to see a counsellor and this problem is compounded the remoter the community lies.
Wait times for services are critical when it comes to treating mental health and addictions - those who cannot receive assistance immediately often become a risk to themselves and others. Their first point of contact becomes the RCMP and jails quickly reach their capacity. Likewise, for those with addictions, the decision to seek help is often a temporary desire - brought on by withdrawal, exposure or lack of money.
Health Minister Glen Abernethy, while saying he is open to new ideas, argued last month that sending people south for treatment currently gives the territory the best bang for its buck. This may not be an ideal situation for residents hoping to remain closer to family and their supports but nothing realistic to date has been presented as an alternative.
Any candidate who puts forward addictions and mental health issues as one of their top priorities should be questioned on what exactly they intend to do about it. Beware easy answers.
All patients deserve medical treatmentEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, November 11, 2015
There was a time when the mention of a two-tier health program in Canada summoned images of the country's rich receiving better care because they could afford to pay for it.
Today, however, a storm continues to brew over the delivery of some forms of care, with a number of doctors appointing themselves God when it comes to who receives help and who doesn't.
The mess began when a small number of doctors began to refuse to treat patients who were heavy smokers.
Then, heavy drinkers were thrown into the mix when it came to liver transplants and a moral dilemma was born.
Our health-care system traditionally sees the sickest among society receive treatment first, then it's a first-come, first-serve basis.
But what's the sense in treating the lungs of a heavy smoker if they aren't going to throw away the cigarettes, or performing a liver transplant on a patient who is going to continue drinking heavily and risk damaging the organ?
Shouldn't the benefit of treatment be the determining factor in who gets treated and who is left on their own?
After all, if we're going to attach blame to the equation, shouldn't those who brought the condition onto themselves through negligent or overtly risky behaviour be the first refused treatment so those
living healthier lifestyles can
benefit from it?
If so, who, ultimately, gets to make the call and does the process carry over into the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program that assists Inuit and First Nations?
Far more importantly, where are the boundaries set to determine the definition of blame?
It's one thing to say heavy smokers don't deserve to have health resources wasted on them when the chances of improvement, or survival, have been greatly diminished by their own behaviour.
But does the same rule of thumb apply to someone grossly overweight through nothing more than the complete lack of willpower?
How about someone hit by a truck and seriously injured while knowingly riding their bicycle on the wrong side of the road or highway?
Or, how about someone who willingly caused harm to themselves by unsuccessfully attempting suicide?
How do we weed out the physicians who are just prejudiced against anyone who smokes cigarettes or is a heavy consumer of alcohol?
Do we completely ignore the fact we know in the vast majority of cases these people suffer from addiction?
And surely any system rife with the spectre of doctor discrimination hovering over it would have lawyers licking their lips from coast to coast to coast in anticipation of the lawsuits being launched.
It's no surprise to see this denying-health-care sentiment gather steam during this era of political correctness gone stark-raving mad.
But doctors should always be willing to do their duty in treating a patient to the best of their ability, not imposing their own beliefs and punishing people for ill-advised lifestyles.
At no time should they be given the right to play God in determining who receives treatment.
A territory of catch 22sNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, November 9, 2015
Something every single one of the 60 MLA hopefuls need to start thinking about as they campaign for a turn in power is that when it comes to governing in the Northwest Territories, the woes are many and complex.
Cost of living is high, the mineral-dependent economy is slow to grow, unemployment in communities is widespread, the population continues to stagnate, substance addiction is pervasive and energy infrastructure is outdated, just to name a few problems.
If all of these problems existed on their own, that would be one thing. But all of these problems are tangled together.
That's the thing about leadership in the Northwest Territories. It is costly to build and maintain infrastructure up here and costly for an economy to flourish in a place where there is no infrastructure - a catch 22.
Consider the Sahtu, which has billions of barrels of oil underneath it, according to a National Energy Board and GNWT study published in May. The region is sitting on top of a proverbial goldmine but it's going to be difficult to get oil companies to develop there without an all-weather road and it will be difficult to justify an all-weather road to the area without the guarantee of development.
Another problem the next group of MLAs will have to deal with is the stagnating NWT population. The government needs people. People bring in about $30,000 a head in transfer payments from the federal government. The government needs that money to invest in programs and services that make life more attractive to the people who do choose to live here. But if the population doesn't grow, the government can't make investments in people.
And then there is the NWT's energy situation. Drought conditions have increased the North Slave region's reliance on more expensive diesel over hydro power, which has resulted in the territorial government allocating $50 million over the past year to avoid rate hikes. It would seem like the obvious solution to this problem would be to build power connections to southern grids, which would allow the territorial government to sell off excess power as well as supplement its own power generation when needed. But the same old problem rears its head - the government would need to invest $1 billion or more to rectify this, money it does not have. The government will not get this money unless the economy and population start booming.
The simple fact that 60 people are running for MLA over last election's 47 and only one - Jackson Lafferty in Monfwi - will be acclaimed, says something about the attitude NWT residents have toward these issues. There is an eagerness across the territory to take them on and make the NWT a better place.
It's one heck of a challenge but no doubt one that can be taken on.
Hunter Tootoo has hands fullNunavut/News North - Monday, November 9, 2015
Hunter Tootoo did Nunavut proud on Nov. 4, accepting a cabinet appointment from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Parliament Hill while wearing a sealskin red tie and sealskin wristband.
It was a heady moment for the new minister of Fisheries and Oceans, who was an executive for the airline Canadian North in Iqaluit just weeks ago.
No matter who you are or how you look at it, the learning curve will be steep. Just becoming a member of Parliament and learning the ways of working and living in Ottawa requires a major adjustment, regardless of your roots in Canada.
Tootoo not only brings significant experience in business and municipal and territorial government to his new role but has the confidence of Trudeau, who made a point of warmly welcoming each of the 30 cabinet appointees after they took the oath of office and before they were greeted by Gov. Gen. David Johnston on behalf of the Queen.
Tootoo is one of 136 rookie Liberal MPs, among the 184 Liberals to win a seat in the Oct. 23 federal election and, although he served as a cabinet minister and Speaker during his 14-year tenure in the Nunavut legislative assembly, there will be much work ahead to get accustomed to a new office, new staff, new responsibilities and many questions.
Among the list of action items waiting in the Fisheries and Oceans portfolio is a promised review of changes to the Fisheries Act, a promise to increase the amount of protected coastal and marine areas to five per cent by 2017 and 10 per cent by 2020, a promise to restore $1.5 million in freshwater research funding and a promise to invest $200 million in natural resource technology.
Then there are his duties as Nunavut MP, which, pardon the pun, are an entirely different kettle of fish. There was much talk during the election about action on improving public housing, fixing Nutrition North, federal help on suicide prevention, assistance with the high cost of transportation and investment in new infrastructure.
The Harper government made much noise about its investments in the North, including a small craft harbour in Pangnirtung and the Canadian High Arctic Research Station in Cambridge Bay. On the eve of the writ being dropped, signalling the beginning of the election campaign, announcements of more federal funding were announced, particularly for projects in partnership with the Government of Nunavut for a deep water port in Iqaluit and a small craft harbour in Pond Inlet.
Tootoo seems perfectly poised in his portfolio to see those projects to fruition. However, we think given the pace of recent events, patience rather than pressure is the preferred tactic.
Canada is brimming with optimism since the federal election results put Trudeau to a majority government and the excitement for many Canadians has only grown with the cabinet appointments.
Nunavut is fortunate to have a second Inuk in cabinet. Now is the time to offer Tootoo our congratulations and let him become familiar with the job.
Sex ed today Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, November 6, 2015
A lot can happen in 17 years.
Aside from revolutionary advancements to technology and ways in which information is shared, people will retire, die, have babies, start new careers, get married, get divorced and so much more.
All the while, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's sex-ed curriculum has remained almost wholly unchanged - stagnant while the world zips by it like a special-effects timelapse in a movie.
But that is due to change.
The territorial education department is knee-deep into a 10-year education renewal - a sliver of which means an updated sex-ed curriculum. The wheels on this began turning a year ago, according to John Stewart, director of early childhood and school services, who told Yellowknifer this week students between grades 4 and 9 may be seeing the first hints of change over the next 18 months.
It's crucial a curriculum update takes into account the world as it is today - most youth have smartphones in their holsters and unbridled access to the Internet and its unfiltered dirty underbelly.
If one were to ask Yellowknife Education District No. 1 trustee Jay Butler his thoughts on the curriculum as it stands, he would likely repeat what he has already said: sex-ed is "woefully, dreadfully inadequate."
Elaborating on his conviction, the recently re-elected board member told Yellowknifer the curriculum that deals with the birds and the bees in the city's public schools is nearly 20-years out of date.
"Everything we are teaching is (from an era) before smartphones, let alone Facebook," said Butler.
While students are wandering around untethered in a digital world, they must have an internal framework in place from which to process what they may come across.
Right now, the curriculum touches on important topics such as STIs, AIDS, safe sex and homosexuality but it must go further in addressing the life students lead online.
The school system is just as responsible for comprehensively educating students about sex through the context of the digital world as it is about Shakespeare or multiplication.
But not all see it that way.
Much of Ontario went into an uproar this school year over what appear to be reasonable and necessary changes to its sex-ed curriculum, which itself hadn't been updated since 1998.
According to national media outlets, aside from educating students about the dangers of sharing explicit images through text messages or social media, sex-ed begins in Grade 1, with teaching the correct names of body parts. In Grade 2, students learn about the broad concept of consent; by Grade 8 they will have learned about intercourse, puberty, gender expression, contraception, STIs and anal and oral sex.
While the NWT's curriculum, when fully updated, won't necessarily be a reflection of Ontario's, the education department intends to borrow best practices from jurisdictions across the country and the world.
One must trust those 'best practices' will evolve into students having access to a sex-ed curriculum that serves them and their place in the world at this time.
Beyond that, there are the tools - the curriculum - and how they're used - the method in which sex-education is disseminated in classrooms. Here, it's up to educators to ensure the messages truly reach students.
In the meantime, as Butler inferred, there is FOXY - an independent sexual-health organization offering programming aimed at empowering youth in making decisions about their own sexuality - which both his daughters have been through.
There is undeniably a gap that needs to be filled, whether that's by FOXY, parents or, eventually, a curriculum that is reflective of the age we live in.
Councillor quits with integrityDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, November 5, 2015
Last week, recently re-elected village councillor Larry Campbell announced he is stepping away from the position.
Campbell would have begun his second term on council Nov. 2.
In resigning, he cited his personal conviction that doing business with the village as a contractor could be construed as a conflict of interest.
It is no secret that councillors have done business with the village in the past while serving on council. But while being a councillor does not preclude one from contracting with Fort Simpson, Campbell's actions are certainly admirable.
The village will now be going to a by-election.
With Campbell out, only two incumbents remain, meaning all other councillors are new.
On Nov. 2, those councillors spoke of their intent to set a new tone at the village and to not do things the way they have always been done.
Councillors looking for an ethical role model should weigh Campbell's decision to resign and make sure they fully understand the burden of the position they have taken on.
Not only will they be making decisions on behalf of the hundreds of people who live within Fort Simpson, but they also must be the face of the village.
If they venture into territory -- personally or professionally -- that could be considered "shady," they damage the entire image of the municipal corporation of Fort Simpson.
Alternatively, as Campbell has done, an ethical decision rooted in personal conviction truly boosts Fort Simpson's image.
In a place as small, population-wise, as the NWT it can be difficult to avoid perceptions of bias or conflict of interest.
That is in part because so many people know each other, and municipally speaking, Fort Simpson has the same issue.
Councillors already have a fine line to walk when it comes to making fair decisions on behalf of residents.
When they run their own businesses, fairness may become a touch more difficult.
I do not think I am alone in hoping the newly elected council will be more like Campbell and less like the stereotypical politicians everyone dreads.
With a mayor who ran on a platform of transparency and accountability, and considering Campbell's actions, village council is already off on the right foot.
Councillors should work to ensure their strong start lasts an entire term.
Other side of tourismInuvik Drum - Thursday, November 5, 2015
There has been some talk around town about an online travel blog by Mike Arkus about Inuvik, posted last week about his travels this past summer.
While it's great to see the town's name on an international platform, the tone and conclusions of the articles have left a bad taste in some people's mouths.
The first, which sarcastically lambasted the town for listing the welcome sign as its best attraction, had a multitude of photos with no people in them. Most of the images were of flowers and outdoor scenes of areas surrounding the town, sprinkled with a few street scenes.
While it is somewhat disappointing there were no pictures of any substance, it is easy to dismiss the writer as someone who perhaps failed to see Inuvik's very best quality -- its people.
A subsequent instalment, however, could hardly claim the same. It detailed the writer's experience at Aboriginal Day events, which he apparently didn't really enjoy. After a brief description of the drummers and dancers at Jim Koe Park, he billed them as "rather boring" and "tedious."
The thing is, although Aboriginal Day is a fun-filled festival, it is not designed for the benefit or edification of cultural tourists. Tourists are certainly welcome and the venue can certainly be seen as ideal for tourism. But it is far more than that.
Aboriginal Day is a celebration of aboriginal culture and is an opportunity for aboriginal people and others to enjoy their traditional activities. It is more about the participants and less about the spectators.
This is the trouble with tourism, this much-vaunted solution to all our economic problems, if municipal leaders are to be believed. The people coming for a visit will have their own opinions of this community, opinions that people who live here may not agree with. That in itself is fine, it's to be expected. It's a bit of a tougher thing to grapple with, however, when people, their traditions, and culture become part of the exhibit.
It's worth considering, if only for a moment, that when the community opens its doors and calls in the world, visitors may not like what they see and have the bad manners to share their shallow opinion with others.
Fortunately, most people who read the drivel on this particular individual's travel blog are intelligent enough to recognize what it is, and isn't.
