Half measures do nothingYellowknifer - Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Thanks to a new webpage launched by the territorial government this month, it's possible to look up specific government job titles and see the pay range for that position.
Human Resources Minister Robert C. McLeod lauds the idea as a "good first step" to increasing government transparency.
Hopefully that's exactly what this is - a first step - because this information alone accomplishes nothing. Take for example, the listed salary range for the position of president of Aurora College, between $155,552 and $222,222 annually. The gap between these two numbers is $66,670 - a number large enough to be considered quite a generous salary in of itself.
The benefits to working for the government are unarguably generous. So generous, in fact, that top-level bureaucrats who could be making more than a quarter-million dollars per year need to be willing to accept a modicum of lost privacy in exchange.
Information and Privacy Commissioner Elaine Keenan-Bengts has recommended disclosing full remuneration, including salary, bonuses and discretionary benefits, as well as the dollar amounts of severance packages, as part of updating access to information legislation.
This is the direction the territorial government should go, at least for top-level bureaucrats, if leaders are interested in accountability. Anything less is merely paying lip service to this ideal.
The main objection to this sort of list tends to be a squeamishness at the thought of naming names in a jurisdiction as small as the NWT. The entire territory's population is only 44,000, with about half of these people centred in Yellowknife. But this argument hasn't flown in other small jurisdictions across Canada. Municipal public officials in communities across Ontario, from Perth to Pickle Lake, who make more than $100,000 annually, take these positions knowing their names will be on that province's public salary-disclosure list. If they can do it, there is no reason bureaucrats in the NWT can't.
Rather than scrambling to protect a small portion of privacy for the very individuals who benefit the most from NWT bureaucracy, our leaders should be scrambling to demonstrate the integrity of government salaries for any member of the public who is interested to know.
Public needs details before any pool plebisciteYellowknifer - Wednesday, November 30, 2016
The city needs a new pool, there's little doubt about that. The question is how will the city pay for it.
Ruth Inch Memorial Pool has served the city well as a place for recreation and professional sports development but has become inadequate in meeting the city's needs and lacks facilities such as family change areas.
The good news is the federal government has stepped up to lend a helping hand to replace it. Ottawa is offering up to $12.9 million from its Building Canada Fund to build a new aquatic centre. City council has agreed to accept the funding but there is a catch - the city must contribute a minimum of $4.3 million to get it, and that by itself is nowhere near enough to cover the remaining cost. The agreement also bars the city from diverting money from the tax base or formula funding to pay for it.
Estimates for the total cost of a new pool put the final price at anywhere between $30 million and $55.9 million - a Grand Canyon sized gap that leaves the city with few other options other than to borrow.
And that requires a plebiscite.
The city argues, much like the federal Liberals did in their successful election campaign last year, that now is the time to borrow with interest rates being so low.
The city needs to explain to residents what exactly the city needs to do to get the ball rolling on a new pool - both benefits and risks.
Old dogs, new musical tricks and lots of attitude to go aroundEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, November 30, 2016
While it's true that, for the most part, every generation has its own style of music, it's quite amazing to be watching the "classic" hard-rock bands still out on the road doing their thing and introducing ever-growing numbers of youth to their music.
And when said bands have decided to go into the studio and record new material, the results have been a long, long way from same old, same old.
Black Sabbath released their first self-titled album in 1970. They released their supposedly final studio album in 2013.
The album, titled, appropriately enough, 13, topped the charts in eight major markets, including the U.K. and the U.S.A. The album was certified platinum in Canada, Poland and Brazil, and certified gold in Germany and Australia.
And, if that weren't enough, two singles from the album, God Is Dead (7) and End of the Beginning (38) cracked the American Top 10 and Top 40, respectively.
Not to be outdone, metal masters Judas Priest released Redeemer of Souls in 2014 and a live effort, Battle Cry, in 2016.
The two combined to crack the Top 20 on the charts in a staggering 15 countries, and the Top 10 in a mind-blowing 10 markets, including Canada and the U.S.A., and hitting number one in Finland.
I purchased the Beatles stereo box set for my grandson, Colby, a few years back, and watched from a rather great distance as they began to take more and more of his headphone time, and gangster rap and hip hop less and less.
He is now eagerly awaiting a rather large box from his grandpa, stuffed with CDs of classic albums from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s that I've transferred to my music server and backed up twice (just to be sure).
Most summers I get to spend a week, or so, with him, and I still get excited when time after time he reaches into the case to see what CD I have on after hearing the first two or three tracks.
The generation gap was further shrunken between the two of us during the summer of 2014, when those old fogies, AC/DC, went 11 times platinum across the globe with the release of Rock or Bust, with the two-fisted attack of the singles Play Ball and the title track each cracking the American Top 10.
There is no feeling in the world like driving down the highway and singing at the top of your lungs with your grandson. Well, OK, the air guitar feud we had at home later was pretty cool too.
The musical tastes across the Kivalliq are wide and varied, but there still seem to be as many classic rock fans in the region as anything else.
Being a popular music fanatic for anything except country, I've been intrigued by numerous Northern artists during my 18 years in Rankin, whether it be a band, solo artist or a more collaborative approach.
I've been particularly intrigued by a handful of newer artists who combine traditional approaches with modern arrangements, and serve it up with excellent showmanship and more than a little attitude.
After all, I've been a lover of rock and roll for many a rollicking year and what is rock and roll if not attitude? Although, I must admit, as much as I love the attitudes put on display by some of these young artists, it bothers me a bit when most of their best work seems to be always based in anger.
My grandson should receive his CD bonanza before Christmas, and I'll be more than a little interested to see what his preferred listening is among them come the summer.
I'm quietly hoping he moves toward the artists from the 1970s, as that will mean plenty of days belting out songs together this summer.
But any way it plays out, we are never more like friends than when we're enjoying music together.
Real rock and roll attitude, bridging a generation gap four-decades wide.
Now that's the kind of attitude coming from a young person I can really get into!
The North is hungry Northwest Territories/News North - Monday, November 28, 2016
Anyone reading this who has a crammed fridge and bulging cupboards must fully realize that many of your fellow citizens in the NWT aren't as lucky.
While charity-fatigue might come into play after reading repeated stories of the less-fortunate, especially at this time of year, it's an issue that can't be ignored.
Men, women and children going hungry in a first-world country such as Canada is a disgrace.
The Hunger Count 2016 report from Food Banks Canada shows the sharpest spike in usage in the three Northern territories - 24.9 per cent over last year.
While stats weren't broken down by territory, there are about 18 organizations offering meal programs or food bank services in the NWT ("Empty shelves are Canada's shame," Oct. 3), with demand outpacing supply in places such as Inuvik and Hay River.
Apart from the need for governments, community groups and individuals to come to the immediate rescue of food banks, much more must be done so we don't have people turning to them in the first place.
One initiative that has been in place for a few years is Nutrition North. It's a subsidy program that we're sure looked great on bureaucrats' spreadsheets in Ottawa when it was designed. In the real world, it isn't performing as planned.
Launched in 2011 to replace the Food Mail Program, the often-criticized national initiative was expanded this year by $64.5 million over five years.
Apart from ongoing complaints from consumers who either don't know how the program works or who haven't seen any real, consistent improvements in pricing or availability of nutritious foods, there has also been at least one incidence of abuse by retailers.
One such case turned up in an audit of a store in Norman Wells ("Nutrition North fed bad claims," Nov. 21).
The new owners of Rampart Rentals say the store's subsidy reporting system has been improved after an audit revealed former management had been submitting thousands of dollars in ineligible claims. The auditing firm Deloitte also found subsidies for items on the store's shelves were not applied consistently.
Even in communities where all retailers are complying, harsh terrain and brutal winter weather conditions make getting affordable food into Northern communities a challenge that hasn't yet been met.
Access to traditional or "country" food is an option for many people in the NWT. But hunting and fishing can only partially feed some members of a community while gas, boats, motors and snow machines are expensive.
Is there one answer to the food security issue in the North? No. Will giving more money to families through the new Canada Child Benefit help? A bit. Will ongoing tinkering with the Guaranteed Income Supplement help? Somewhat.
How about looking at suggestions for a basic income? Improvements to traditional transportation infrastructure including a serious look at new forms of all-season transportation, such as airships?
How about more investment in locally grown and produced food?
No one answer can address food security in the vast North. But a more effective overall strategy has to be developed to ensure people can eat nutritious food, regardless of income or social status.
Last volley against GoliathNunavut/News North - Monday, November 21, 2016
The hamlet of Clyde River gets one last chance to stop seismic testing in Davis Strait and Baffin Bay when the Supreme Court of Canada hears its case starting Nov. 30.
The case has been compared to David vs. Goliath - with the tiny Arctic hamlet going up against multi-national energy companies - and the court's decision is significant for Canada's indigenous communities and the energy industry.
The case is a test for the duty to consult with indigenous peoples and is being heard in tandem with a similar complaint from the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation near London, Ont. They're fighting against a planned pipeline crossing their lands.
The Federal Court of Appeal threw out Clyde River's case last year, setting up the Supreme Court battle. In its decision, the federal court said the duty to consult did not give indigenous peoples a veto over projects. The court said the hamlet and the local hunters' and trappers' organization refused to participate in Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit consultations related to the project.
Seismic testing requires powerful underwater sonic booms that create echoes to measure oil deposits hidden under the seabed. Clyde River says the National Energy Board (NEB) cherry-picked research supporting its claim that these blasts do not injure sea creatures or cause them to leave their habitat.
So many of these projects start with the assumption that the project will go ahead, regardless of protest. Get on board, or get out of the way. If that's the case, how can indigenous peoples truly expect to get a fair consultation?
The NEB licence was given under a Stephen Harper government that rejected the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, which states that indigenous people have the right to "free, prior and informed consent" regarding such projects.
Upon election last fall, the Trudeau government said it would implement the declaration.
Clyde River says its concerns have not been heard. The Qikiqtani Inuit Association says the same. What's wrong with seeking more consultation where the environment is sensitive?
All eyes are on the Arctic and there is little support for risking an oil spill off Nunavut's shores. If Clyde River loses, the Trudeau government needs to show it is committed to improved relations with indigenous people by ensuring there is full and proper consultation and benefits to any developments that takes place.
The Supreme Court has the power to give Canada's indigenous peoples more say, not less, over the projects that will happen in the places where they live. Despite setbacks in every fight to this point, the Supreme Court believes Clyde River has a case.
Clyde River gets one last shot. But it looks like this time, it has a lot more firepower behind it.
Solid business for more borrowing Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, November 25, 2016
MLA Kieron Testart is correct when he says the territory's debt ceiling is a significant restraint on financing large-scale infrastructure projects ("MLA calls for change to debt limit criteria," Yellowknifer, Nov. 16).
And thank heavens for that.
The GNWT seems to have an itchy trigger finger when it comes to launching multi-million dollar projects.
Among candidates for territorial spending are the Mackenzie Valley Highway ($700 million), the all-weather road to Whati ($150 million), the road to the mineral-rich Slave geological region (up to $300 million), or perhaps a new Aurora College campus in Yellowknife ($60 million).
None of these projects have yet been shown fiscally responsible with hard, audited, numbers.
The territory received a $500 million bump last year that raised the territory's borrowing limit to $1.3 billion. The GNWT is expected to close in on $782 million of debt against that $1.3 billion limit by the end of this fiscal year.
A cushion of $318 million may sound like comfortable breathing room, but a large project coupled with unexpected costs, like a bad forest fire season or a draught that forces reliance on diesel instead of hydro power, could cause serious fiscal discomfort.
In light of this, Testart wants the GNWT to once again take up the line of reasoning initiated by former finance minister Michael Miltenberger where self-financing debt, like the Deh Cho Bridge for example, should not be counted as part of the territory's overall debt.
The line of reasoning has its merits and there's no harm in trying to get the federal government to see it that way.
If self-financing debt were to be reclassified, it would give the territory more room to maneuver. Premier Bob McLeod has said previously this would be a boon for the territory.
But even if the feds were to go for this reclassification of debt, the mere fact of more borrowing power is only a "boon" if it is used responsibly.
Boon can quickly bust, especially if an unplanned-for spike in interest rates makes debt loads unmanageable.
Grand infrastructure projects are an important part of the territory's future. They go hand in hand with growth, but only when based on a sound fiscal model.
The territory's reasoning when comes to infrastructure shouldn't start with the question, "What can we afford?" It should begin with, "Here is a project that makes sense, and this is how it pays for itself."
The previous territorial government abandoned the Taltson hydro grid when it realized the federal government was not going to increase the territory's borrowing limit enough to finance it.
Now the government is looking to see what it can afford to finance in the sub billion dollar range if the feds agree to jig some numbers.
The GNWT would have better success with the federal government if it could provide a sound business case for a specific infrastructure project instead of a long wish list of dubious projects and a blank cheque in the form of more borrowing power.
Managing bad habits is a challengeDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, November 24, 2016
Listening to people describe their battles with addiction at Ingamo Hall Sunday, Nov. 20, was a good opportunity for reflecting on my own challenges.
Luckily, I've never taken to alcohol, but I have a very addictive personality in other ways.
This ranges from what I consider a harmless addiction to rockhounding, which will get me crawling through river beds all day and dragging buckets of rocks back to my car, to the more dangerous fact that I am susceptible to performance enhancers.
When I first got into journalism at 19, I was a very nervous person and was not yet comfortable speaking in front of people or on the phone.
I found that getting myself as energized as possible helped my brain work fast enough to get through any stuttering.
I far over-consumed energy drinks, which are relatively benign in the grand scheme of things, but they did eventually culminate in about a month of disturbing heart palpitations.
Before I hit drinking age, I had drawn a line in my head at hard drugs, because I knew that if I found something that helped my stutter, it would be a fast spiral downward.
These days, I most struggle with a tendency to binge eat. I have a bit of an oral fixation and always want to be chewing something.
The more I eat, the more I work out, though, so it's an okay cycle if I can maintain it.
However, I'd prefer to live a simpler, less-guilt-trippy life of moderation.
Environmental constraints help me manage my bad tendencies.
If I can't get something, or if people are around, I'm good at living the straight and narrow life. Leave me alone with bad influences in my face and it's a real battle of willpower.
I find it's good to pretend I'm being watched.
Managing my thoughts has also been important.
When I was younger, I often got caught in repetitive loops of bad ideas going around my head.
I had to mentally confront those thoughts and tell myself, "No, that's not what we think."
I still have to control myself and tell myself what to think.
Your mental state is your reality, after all.
Though alcohol gets much of the airplay, addiction comes in many forms.
People who struggle with alcohol are not alone even if surrounded by sobriety.
Everyone can relate, and being the best version of ourselves is an everyday challenge for life, but one very much worth pursuing.
Gas deposits everywhere but not a drop to burnInuvik Drum - Thursday, November 24, 2016
Underground gas deposits surround Inuvik in such abundance that methane bubbles up to the surface of some lakes, yet the town imports fuel from the south.
It is beyond unfortunate that a community can be so plentiful in resources but so unable to take advantage of them.
But under the circumstances, it's understandable.
Petroleum resources are very expensive to tap into in the first place, even more so in an Arctic environment. This doesn't even take into account the drop in the price of oil from record highs of more than $140 a barrel in 2008 to its current $47 a barrel.
It's hard, if not impossible, to justify a mega project like the Mackenzie pipeline under the current economic circumstances.
Mayor Jim McDonald thinks the pipeline's prospects are a distant hope at this point.
Though understandable, that's a shame, because projects like this are nation-building opportunities.
For the North to survive not just on its own, but to find its role in Canada and the globe, it needs to capitalize on its assets.
Efforts to promote sealskin across the world do just that, as do the successful diamond and other mining operations in the North.
For the nearer-term option, developing a gas-to-liquids project to meet the region's needs sounds more possible.
Either way, the economic lesson here is resources don't make you wealthy. What contributes to wealth is the ability to harvest or extract them, and use them in an efficient manner. This extends from natural resources to human labour and beyond. The gas in the ground is not worth anything, and neither is the idle worker, speaking in economic terms.
The Northern lights aren't worth anything in themselves, yet a flourishing tourism industry centred on the aurora borealis draws visitors and their dollars from Japan and across the world to the North.
From unemployment to natural resources, the North needs to turn its unproductive assets into wealth-building ones. That's a big job, with many organizations involved and many unique issues making it a complicated endeavour, but it's the only way toward self-sustainability and a more independent North.
Hopefully, there's a path for Inuvik to capitalize on its own resources soon, at least the ones so plentiful they bubble on the lakes.
