Power of changeYellowknifer - Wednesday, November 25, 2015
The winds of change are coming from Monday's territorial election, hopefully strong enough to blow off a few hats.
A fresh emphasis on social and environmental issues comes with Julie Green, Caroline Cochrane-Johnson and Kevin O'Reilly.
Kieron Testart appears to offer up some new ideas, like attaching price tags to government initiatives, while Cory Vanthuyne seems to favour the middle road of fiscal management in tackling land claims, and social and environmental regulation.
Glenn Abernethy is back, as is Bob McLeod, two cabinet veterans who can provide some reference point for the policy changes to come.
But will Yellowknifers see real change?
What about the new MLAs who campaigned on government transparency? Will their commitment fade as those elevated to cabinet clam up entirely?
Will new regular MLAs buy into the unwritten law that any information cabinet shares must be kept from the public unless permission is given?
This is the dark side of consensus government, an undemocratic, unparliamentary perversion that puts the manipulative practices of the bureaucracy ahead of the people's right to know, always a recipe for flawed governance.
The assembly's royal velvet curtains will be drawn in the election of a premier and a cabinet which should be public if we are to believe that consensus invites open votes. No rules prevent it.
We can only hope our new MLAs will hold onto the transparency values they so recently offered up to voters. They can start by asking questions about the new hospital.
What began as a renovation project with a budget somewhat larger than the $200-million Deh Cho Bridge, suddenly ballooned into a $350-million construction project. Why? Was the medical community consulted? Who made the decision? Did MLAs know when they gave the green light how much was it going to cost? What's wrong with the present hospital? How will such a huge health expenditure affect other health-care and social services programs?
With our resource industry on hold, how the GNWT spends its federal money will directly affect services. The last government had no qualms spending millions on political priorities like roads to Tuktoyuktuk and subsidizing power while launching junior kindergarten education programs with no money.
The power of change lies in the hands of our new MLAs. Will they use it?
Geoscience forum keeps lights onYellowknifer - Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Exploration may be in a slump but there is still plenty of interest in the territory's mineral resources judging by the high turnout at the annual Yellowknife Geoscience Forum.
Organizers say more than 750 people registered for the four-day event who are coming from all over the territory, Nunavut, the Yukon and even Ottawa and Vancouver. More than 125 presenters are discussing a variety of key topics this week, including diamonds, Northern petroleum and community engagement.
This is also an opportunity for city businesses to advertise their services if and when mining companies pursue a project here, with 95 of them setting up displays at the Multiplex arena. As well, there was a lecture at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre on the search for the Franklin Expedition and even Capitol Theatre served as a venue.
There is no doubt the forum is a major annual highlight for the city as a whole, for prospectors to businesses that provide everything from food and fuel delivery to medical services.
Markets go up and down all the time but the North's mineral riches will still be there. There is a literal wealth of resources and with so many experts eager to come to the city to trade information and ideas, it bodes well for the future of Yellowknife and the territory.
High interest in this forum shows the territory and city are still open for business and industry still considers Yellowknife the gateway to mining resources in the North as well as the home for many of the services future companies will need to use when conditions are right again.
A call to action in ArviatEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, November 25, 2015
There are many things a person may have a valid excuse for, but, if we're being honest with ourselves, not ensuring your child attends school is not one of them!
It doesn't matter the colour of your skin, your culture, or the language you speak, ensuring your kids have access to a proper education should be a top priority to every parent with a school-aged child.
It's time to dump the hollow excuses.
John Arnalukjuak High School (JAHS) principal Judy Connor was right in her decision to deregister 42 students with an average attendance of 40 per cent or lower for the remainder of the fall semester earlier this month.
The time off will give the students, and their parents or guardians, time to think about what a good education means in today's world.
Hopefully, they will have a revelation between now and when the deregistered students will be allowed to reregister for classes in January.
I also give full marks to the JAHS students who were brave enough to ignore the Kivalliq taboo of speaking up and voicing their opinions by stating the move was a right one by principal Connor.
It isn't fair to students who attend school regularly, and who are trying their best to maintain a solid grade average, when their teacher's time is constantly taken from them so they can try and help low-attenders keep up with their class work.
Ditto, as well, to the Arviat District Education Authority (DEA) for having Connor's back and supporting the initiative.
All too often in the Kivalliq, DEA members are at odds with educators when it comes to the importance of academia, especially when it comes to cultural issues versus reading, writing and arithmetic.
But attending school regularly is not a cultural issue. It is a parenting issue.
Sporadically, we hear a number of Kivalliqmiut, who have the best interests of our region's youth at heart, point to good parenting as a precious key in allowing our children to grow up to be the best people they can be.
And doing everything you can to give your child a nurturing environment, including instilling an acceptance within them on the importance of education, is part and parcel of good parenting.
The Government of Nunavut has already cut 12.5 teaching positions in Arviat due to low attendance, and both JAHS staff and local DEA members have gone above and beyond the call of duty in trying to encourage better attendance from their community's youth.
So this can hardly be called a knee-jerk reaction by anyone.
Overall attendance in Arviat is nearing 10 per cent less than what is the norm in communities across Nunavut.
And, with less than 100 students combined attending Grade 11 and Grade 12 in the community, the time for excuses is long past.
Far from an attempt at burying other problems, deregistering students is, in many ways, a last-ditch effort in issuing the loudest of wake-up calls to a community.
A healthy community requires parents, teachers, students and administrators working together to create a healthy school environment.
And, when one link decides to not do its part, the chain falls apart.
JAHS has issued a call to action, but are the right people willing to listen?
Treatment centre only one piece of the puzzleNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, November 23, 2015
Just over a month ago, a Yellowknife man was sentenced to prison for the rape and murder of Lutsel K'e elder Yvonne Desjarlais in the downtown core of the territory's capital city.
David Harrison had invited Desjarlais to drink with him late on a December night in 2012. The two were holed up in the confines of a closed downtown restaurant when Desjarlais went to leave. She never made it home.
Alcohol played an obvious role in this tragedy, in that the perpetrator had been drinking when he committed his crime. In fact, alcohol or drugs are involved in this way in most of the assaults, suicides and murders in this territory.
Harrison also has fetal alcohol syndrome, which also came up as a factor in his lengthy, violent criminal record. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FASD) is a condition caused by exposure to alcohol while in the womb. FASD causes a spectrum of symptoms, which can include vulnerability to addiction.
Many with FASD won't end up with any tendency toward violence but many of the people who cycle through the justice system over and over again are struggling with it, whether or not they have been diagnosed. Chances are, they haven't been. Most people with FASD aren't diagnosed and live their lives just like anybody else - except without any extra support. This is a fact about the territory's population base few leaders directly address. Not offering support to people with FASD contributes to lower graduation rates, higher unemployment rates, higher incarceration rates and, of course, higher addiction rates.
In the wake of National Addictions Awareness Week as well as this week's territorial election, many are talking about the tragic consequences - such as the murder of Yvonne Desjarlais - alcohol and drug abuse have on society. To appreciate the complexity of the problem, consider how cyclical and complicated it is.
Many people struggle with addiction. They have children. These children see addictive behaviour at a young age and to them, that's normal. A lot of the time, this behaviour is accompanied by neglect or abuse. Children experience trauma at a young age. They learn to repeat it. The cycle starts anew. Fold FASD into the mix and the prospect of tackling addictions gets even more complicated. Then, fold in the fact many of those who struggle with addiction live in tiny, isolated communities and the complications are exacerbated further.
How can the territorial government reverse this trend? One solution has come up numerous times during the territorial election - a treatment centre. But this is no silver bullet. Even a well-staffed building with quality programming can only help people who are within that building.
Once discharged, a patient's healing has only just begun. He or she must return home. Home could be any of the NWT's far-flung communities where support levels are low, unemployment is high and old friends who still party are still waiting to party.
When the 18th legislative assembly sits down to start their new chapter of governance, they have the opportunity to approach the problem from a different angle. In fact, they have the opportunity to approach the problem from many angles, because a treatment centre may be an important piece of the addictions puzzle but it's only one piece.
Importing booze overtakes responsible drinking planNunavut/News North - Monday, November 23, 2015
There appears to be an unhealthy disconnect between the territorial government's approach to providing access to booze for its residents to purchase and the reality for those who consume alcoholic beverages in Nunavut and want to buy bottles for home consumption.
On one hand we see a territorial government pumping a half-million dollars from the current budget into a campaign to promote socially responsible drinking. Yet the current restrictions placed on consumers who wish to purchase beer, wine or spirits are so onerous, residents are reluctant to listen to a message from government after going through all the steps required to get a bottle.
As most adult residents know, to purchase booze in Nunavut for home consumption, one must purchase a permit from the territorial government, then wait anywhere from days to weeks for the order to arrive. Not only is there a waiting period, consumers are forced to pay the shipping costs, in a territory where air freight charges are among the highest in Canada, no matter where they live. Those in Iqaluit must order from the liquor warehouse in Rankin Inlet or from outside the territory. But if you live in Rankin Inlet, you have to order from the liquor warehouse in Iqaluit, or place an order from the south.
Logically, one would think a product would be supplied from the closest warehouse. However, there is a level playing field in the sense that the distance barrier experienced by residents of the two large centres is no different than what is faced by residents of the other 19 communities in Nunavut where alcohol is allowed.
The Nunavut Liquor Commission's system is so inconvenient, many people are finding it easier to get their booze from outside Nunavut. The commission sold $779,000 worth of import permits in 2014-15, its highest ever, and saw liquor sales by Rankin Inlet customers from the commission fall by 76 per cent over the past five years.
What's happening is people are buying millions of dollars worth of booze from the south each year. People in the Kivalliq region buy beer, wine and spirits from Manitoba, the Kitikmeot region buys from Alberta and the Baffin buys from Ontario and Manitoba like never before. The shipping cost is similar, the selection is better and orders are filled within a day or two.
Consumers have become accustomed to the process of buying alcohol from outside the territory. The result is problem drinkers have easier access to booze from family, friends, neighbours or bootleggers than ever before, contrary to the government's intention to restrict the availability of alcohol.
Bigger isn't always better Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, November 20, 2015
In the last few weeks talk has turned to the future of the current Stanton Territorial Hospital.
Although the territorial government has brainstormed a number of acceptable uses for the old building, redevelopment will ultimately be the responsibility of a private sector company due to an agreement made with Boreal Health Partnership, which is constructing and operating the new facility.
Some possible options include medical and dental offices, pharmacies, assisted living or accommodations for hospital staff. Other possibilities include space for restaurants, hair salons, gyms or child care.
Recently, Kam Lake incumbent David Ramsay suggested converting the building into a mental health and addictions centre during a territorial elections forum. All of these ideas are no doubt well-intentioned, but the question remains: why exactly do we need a new building anyway?
Up until a few months ago, the GNWT said it would be expanding the existing hospital over the course of five years, doubling its size to 24,000 square metres. Then in October, with little pomp or ceremony, it revealed it would instead be constructing an entirely new facility.
The project went from an estimated cost of $200 million in 2011 to its current $350-million price tag and the reasoning was bluntly chocked up to economic sensibility. With the GNWT clawing back funding across the board and constantly reiterating how strapped for cash it is, what other initiative will lose to make up that extra money? How will it pay staff for the new positions at the hospital and those in this new facility - whatever it may be - as well? Is it forgetting the mounting upgrades the current hospital requires - the very reason a new hospitable was needed in the first place. Will there be money set aside to bring the building up to the standard it needs to be at in order to accommodate any one of those suggestions? Or will it be left empty as has been the case, with other former GNWT buildings.
This isn't the first time the territorial government has embarked on major projects with escalating and unexplained costs. Most recent examples are the Deh Cho Bridge and the Inuvik-Tuktoyuktuk highway.
Given that a new crop of MLAs are set to be elected to the legislative assembly, the GNWT needs to provide justification for any decision to further burden taxpayers. Overspending without explanation never makes economic sense.
Council must be watchdog, not lapdog Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, November 20, 2015
With a draft city budget revealing about $113 million in planned infrastructure spending over the next five years as well as $16.6 million in city capital spending for 2016 alone, city councillor Niels Konge was correct -- and disturbingly alone -- when he asked what the real pocket book impact would be to taxpayers.
According to the draft budget forecast, these projects will mean increased property taxation to the tune of 2.87 per cent in 2016.
On top of tax increases city staff is recommending rate increases over the coming years for water, sewer and solid waste management.
While categorized as "fees" rather than taxes, the semantic distinction loses its significance when it comes to writing a cheque to pay for it all.
Good on Konge for voicing concern over the impact of both potential tax increases and user fee increases. He takes his role as administration watchdog seriously.
That's his job and the job of each council member. It's a big part of what they were elected to do.
Every line item in this draft budget represents taxpayer dollars. Our councillors were elected to watch over how those dollars are spent and to keep an eye to how they are raised, whether through taxation or borrowing.
Administration and council are bound to clash in coming budget deliberations, and clash they must if councillors are to be watchdogs and not mere lapdogs.
Domestic violence absent from
election talksDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, November 19, 2015
Candidates for the Deh Cho and Nahendeh ridings have circled the spectrum on social issues they feel should be addressed in the next legislative assembly.
Housing, youth and health care have all appeared regularly in campaign messaging; however, the discourse around one of the territory's largest social issues is seriously lacking.
Domestic violence is difficult to address because it so often happens behind closed doors.
It happens to families you would never expect.
It happens to the poor, rich and middle class.
It happens to same-sex couples and it happens to men.
The failure of candidates to raise their voices about domestic violence reflects the failure of the GNWT to fully address these problems and find effective solutions.
Admittedly, Deh Cho Drum contributed to this silence with a recent profile of Deh Cho incumbent Michael Nadli.
The profile failed to address Nadli's recent conviction for assault causing bodily harm -- an omission that slipped past many eyes on the way to print.
Those of us who fail to speak up about domestic violence enable the abuse to continue.
Deh Cho Drum has taken steps to rectify this by reaching out to Nadli about his conviction, asking if he would make domestic violence a priority if reelected. He responded, "given the opportunity, I am committed to help in addressing the high levels of domestic violence and ensure that programs and services are in place to assist people that find themselves in those situations."
Often, we hear advocacy organizations refer to "breaking the silence" surrounding domestic abuse. The silence they refer to is a personal one, individualized for every victim. The silence is disenfranchisement, fear and hopelessness.
It must be broken over and over again if our society ever hopes to address this issue.
In the final days of the election campaign, candidates should focus their time and effort on engaging with community members about domestic violence.
Perhaps it will give them perspective into how rampant an issue it is and how many lives it has scarred.
It may also give them a way forward, if elected, to bring potential solutions to the next legislative assembly.
A place to growInuvik Drum - Thursday, November 19, 2015
No longer homeless itself, the Emergency Warming Centre Society can resume its important work of helping those who need it most.
Last week, the society and Ground Search and Rescue organizations went before town council to ask for the use of the Berger Building, more commonly known as the former home of Inuvik Works. Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) withdrew its application and after some discussion, the building was sold to the society for $1, allowing it to get underway with preparations to open by the end of the month.
While it's good that the situation did not result in two groups scrapping over limited resources, it did highlight the needs organizations in town are facing and the help that is needed to meet them.
Community groups are always looking for more resources and more options. While a building is a major commitment, it can also lend itself to an increase in programming as well as -- obviously -- a concrete space around which to gather.
The now-defunct Inuvik Works program was brought up at both the most recent MLA candidates' forum and the municipal forum last month. People spoke of it as something that truly worked for this community and regretted it was no longer operating, all the while pointing towards the successes that are still apparent.
While there are certainly many more hurdles than just a building to getting such a program up and running again, it may be worth considering now that the program's former home is back in public discussion.
There is nothing to say that a single group could -- or should -- take on this admittedly large task. As we keep hearing, going it alone rarely results in longevity of organizations and their initiatives. When people and groups work together, however, much more can be accomplished.
Those partnerships are already in place simply by the nature of living in a small community. Often boards share members with each other as there are a limited number of people who are truly active in such things. On the one hand, this makes it easier to communicate between organizations, but on the other, it means the same people are always the ones doing the brunt of the work. While the tireless volunteer is an attractive narrative, it's tough on the ones living it.
At the candidates' forum Nov. 12, a resident asked a heartfelt question about homelessness in the community and received a round of applause from the audience and passionate answers from the candidates. Hopefully that sentiment and outpouring of concern for the people who need a second chance or a helping hand will extend to action with an existing group seeking to help those in need, or perhaps even to new initiatives with fresh ideas.
