The incredible disappearing $32 millionNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, November 2, 2015
Great news for those concerned about cost overruns on the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highway project - the territorial government has made them disappear.
This announcement comes about a month after contractor E. Gruben's Transport and Northwind Industries Ltd. indicated to the Department of Transportation in e-mails leaked to News/North they were preparing to submit a claim for $12 million in budget overages and warned the project could be $32 million over budget by the time it was complete.
The territorial government has refused to comment on the cause of these overruns to media but leaked e-mails reveal them. The three factors include costs incurred by winter access road construction, pit development and early break up/late freeze up shortening the construction season.
The government also won't comment where the overages to cover these incidentals have gone, while insisting the project will finish with its original timeline and budget. It doesn't take an accountant to determine this does not add up.
The thing is, the public wouldn't have even known the contractors had determined the Inuvik to Tuktoytaktuk project was over budget if it weren't for the fact that the e-mails were leaked. In fact, Range Lake MLA Daryl Dolynny, deputy chair of the committee that oversees the project, came forward at the time to say even he didn't know about the possible budget overage on which his committee should have been briefed.
In response to this criticism, Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger claims the committee was in fact briefed on the situation, which only confuses things more.
These criticisms do not mean the project is not worthwhile in of itself. An all-weather link from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk will no doubt do great things for both Beaufort-Delta communities and could be a tourism boon for the entire territory, as tourists will be able to drive the entire Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean.
But hope for a new highway doesn't mean constituents shouldn't continue to question how the government made such a significant overage disappear, especially as the territorial election looms.
The estimated overage is equal to 10 per cent of the entire $299 million project budget, so that money had to go somewhere -- even if that place happens to be the to-do pile for the next government.
It's a thought worth remembering if the road comes in over budget in 2017, when all is said and done.
Balancing act for municipal leadersNunavut/News North - Monday, November 2, 2015
It is a challenging but rewarding job to be an elected leader at the municipal level.
It is the first experience as a politician for most people who are elected as councillor.
Often they are motivated by a desire to help their family, friends and neighbours, to fix problems they see in the way things are done by the hamlet or city, or because they have been recognized by others as a natural leader and encouraged to seek elected office. Sometimes it is a combination of all these factors.
In most cases, the heady few days following a positive election result are filled with elation, a feeling that changes for the better are inevitable, and an eagerness to get down to work.
Then the first few meetings of council happen and the first-time politician wonders where all the misconceptions came from.
Representing the public in an elected position is no picnic.
Sitting on council is part of a democratic process, which means each councillor has only one voice and has to go along with the result of a majority vote. Sometimes other councillors don't agree with a stated point of view, speak against it and vote for a different action to be taken. That can be frustrating if you are the councillor making a proposal.
Then there are communication issues. Councils come and go but staff members stay the same in many hamlets. Some staff members have the patience to explain details about expenditures, operations and technicalities to new members of council. Others not so much.
One Iqaluit city councillor explained his reasons for not seeking re-election on Oct. 19. One of Kenny Bell's main observations is that councillors tend to learn on the job while tasked with making decisions that potentially have a profound impact on residents. He said new councillors were not provided with bylaws and legislation related to municipal responsibilities.
All municipalities are corporations, accountable for millions of dollars worth of infrastructure and operating costs. The municipality is responsible for delivering a wide range of services to residents including sewer pumpout, water delivery, community freezer and garbage pickup. The municipality maintains roads, delivers recreation programs, operates the arena and plays a role in the provision of heat and electricity.
Strong leadership is required. Sometimes tough decisions need to be made, especially when there is not enough money to go around, a common occurrence. Municipalities are not supposed to run a deficit but many find themselves with shortfalls. Several had to turn to the Department of Community and Government Services for assistance to get out of perilous situations.
In a perfect world, councillors, municipal staff and residents would all work together toward a common goal.
When that doesn't happen, it is up to the mayor and council to make decisions which provide the best quality of life for all residents.
Squeaky wheel time Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, October 30, 2015
Put most free creatures into a cage and expect a long, painful racket.
Put the City of Yellowknife into a cage and, apparently, it will go to sleep.
The door to the cage was opened in 1995 when the territorial government, along with all other provinces and territories, signed the Agreement on Internal Trade, which allowed companies to become more footloose in their business dealings across Canada.
In 1999, the territory shoved the city into the cage by signing away the city's right to show preference to Northern companies, even if it ends up costing a tad more.
Now fast-forward to 2013, when these implications came to life.
Not long before that, the territory took it upon itself to adopt federal guidelines for drinking water which pushed the city to a precipice - namely, the purchase of a $30-million water treatment plant.
The bars of the city's cage were never as strong as when it awarded the contract to Ontario company NAC Contractors Ltd. Helplessly witnessing the purchase from the sidelines were local companies Det'on Cho and Clark Builders, whose bids on the project were only $697,928 and $872,805, respectively, higher than the southern company's bid, which was more than $30 million.
Cue the outrage.
The business community led by the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce and the NWT and Nunavut Construction Association circled the city's cage, creating a ruckus.
"I don't believe the city does enough to ensure this work stays North," said Bob Doherty, president of the construction association at the time.
"What can council do going forward to make sure this doesn't happen again?" asked Leslie Campbell, then-executive director of the Yk chamber.
Even then-relatively-new Mayor Mark Heyck told Yellowknifer council would "have that discussion" and "see if there's an appetite to see some changes there."
And then, it seemed, the city drooped its head and went back to sleep.
Until last week.
Gord Olson, Polar Tech Recreation owner, learned very quickly while considering a bid to supply the city a fire truck, the municipality has no program in place that prefers Northern businesses, which grapple with a higher cost of doing business.
The Agreement on Internal Trade makes it nearly impossible for them to compete with southern corporations.
The GNWT's business incentive policy was exempt from the agreement, meaning Northern companies have a leg up bidding on contracts - with the territorial government -- but the Northern advantage wasn't passed onto municipalities, presumably over fears the smaller entities wouldn't be able to afford Northern prices.
The thing is, the 2013 cries were not in vain - the GNWT never threw away the key.
While the idea of amending the national Agreement on Internal Trade is daunting at best and impossible at worst, the treatment-plant-induced uproar exposed a portal to a Plan B. Yellowknifer was told at the time the GNWT could review and make changes to its business incentive policy to include the City of Yellowknife.
In the legislative assembly, David Ramsay, minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, confirmed that if the will is there, such a review could be done.
But then, nothing.
While the city has to constantly juggle business-community interests with keeping costs down for taxpayers - ie., choosing the lowest bidder - the difference truly is minimal as evidenced in the water treatment plant bid. Yet, the value of supporting the North's local businesses can't be quantified.
Although a loud advocate in the past, the chamber's cries seem muffled at best, with now-executive director Deneen Everett telling Yellowknifer last week the chamber has no plans these days to advocate for change.
It's due time the city arise from hibernation, stretch out and start fiercely rattling its cage.
Good cause, fine lineDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, October 29, 2015
In response to what Deh Gah Got'ie Koe Chief Joachim Bonnetrouge refers to as a rash of recent break-ins on weekends, community members in Fort Providence are finally taking matters into their own hands.
They have had it with assaults and thefts and plan to do something about it.
Citing a lack of RCMP response and frustration with perpetrators not being brought to justice, Linda Croft and other unhappy residents are creating "Citizens on Patrol."
Under this program, involved residents will be able to keep an eye out for troublemakers and lawbreakers.
They will be able to patrol streets at will and, perhaps, discourage would-be vandals and thieves from hitting their marks.
As Croft has said, the group intends to do things "by the book." However, difficulties could arise when community members begin to butt heads with local RCMP -- which is bound to happen the closer they work together.
Citizens on Patrol is a great initiative and if ever there were a situation where it should be employed, this is it. But in order to be successful, involved members will need to put aside any hostility toward law enforcement officers and agree to be team players, and vice versa.
The two groups will have to work together in order to truly see a good outcome. This means accepting an RCMP decision on whether or not to investigate something.
The concerns community members have expressed cannot be ignored. If, indeed, there is distrust between residents and RCMP, a Citizens on Patrol program alone will not fix that.
As long as members are aware of this and still work within the boundaries of the program, it will likely be successful.
But if they fail to do that, the program could fall apart as quickly as it started.
On a more positive note, it is possible Citizens on Patrol will bring about mutual respect between RCMP and community members, as they work more closely together.
If that relationship improves, it could lead to better reporting of crime and encourage more witnesses to come forward.
When the group meets on Nov. 9, they need to ask themselves exactly why they are starting Citizens on Patrol. If it comes from a positive place with good intentions, all should be well.
This is how the seeds of trust are sowed, which can then result in a fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship.
An Ingamo renaissanceInuvik Drum - Thursday, October 29, 2015
Seeing organizations like the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre back in the black is a good sign for the community. If the organizations that provide programming and support for residents are doing well, it only makes sense that those residents will feel that change.
Ingamo Hall has seen an increase of a whopping $250,000 in government funding in one year, along with a massive bump in funding from the Friendship Centre's national association. These were somewhat balanced by drops in other funding, like that from the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and general donations. But still, the final result is a boost in the bottom line and a resulting boost in programming.
Ingamo runs regular activities for young people, elders, and moms and babies. It is a rallying point for the community, serving as a gathering space for celebrations, but also for more sombre occasions such as funerals and wakes.
Its employment roster has increased along with its funding, with many people who provide services on hand at the centre's annual general meeting last week.
Executive director Brenda Jerome made a point of having them stand up to be introduced, crediting them with Ingamo's success recently.
Jerome herself is by all accounts tireless in rallying her staff as well as finding all that extra funding.
It was certainly not automatically doled out, she told the Drum, but gathered from a whole slew of different programs and funding pots.
Although receiving funding is the goal really, for all non-profit organizations, it is rarely realized so effectively.
When core funding dollars are so difficult to come by, and when are only awarded on a year-by-year basis, organizations need to cover their administrative, staffing, and building costs first, leaving the rest to develop programs.
This makes it exceedingly difficult to plan for the long term.
Ingamo seems to have bucked the trend, but the same cannot be said for other organizations in town.
Places like the Inuvik Youth Centre provide equally essential services to an important target audience, but struggle to maintain enough cash flow to fully staff their facilities without a horde of volunteers. Still, Ingamo has shown that it can be done and that in itself is a positive thing.
The result is a greater variety of things to do for everyone in the community, from babies to elders, and that is good news for all.
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.
