Jr. kindergarten shell gameYellowknifer - Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Education, Culture and Employment assistant deputy minister of corporate services, Olin Lovely, left, deputy minister
Sylvia Haener and assistant deputy minister Rita Mueller speak to reporters Dec. 5 about the GNWT's plans to bring in junior kindergarten. - NNSL file photo |
Welcome to the junior kindergarten funding fight, part deux. Three years ago, the cabinet of the 17th Legislative Assembly put implementation of the program on pause amid sharp criticism over funding and lack of consultation.
The pause allowed the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to study its implementation plan and determined school boards, communities and early-education providers in fact do need to be better consulted, especially over funding and possible service overlaps.
Fast forward to this summer, when Yellowknifer reported junior kindergarten was ready to begin rolling out once again ("Answers elusive on junior kindergarten," Aug. 31). At the time, Yellowknife Education District No. 1 (Yk1) and Yellowknife Catholic Schools told Yellowknifer they were looking forward to hearing more about how it would be funded and implemented this time around, which begs the question: did the department take its own advice regarding consultation?
We now know the Department of Education, Culture and Employment plans to put up $2 million to fund junior kindergarten with $3.01 million provided by the school boards across the territory. Yk1 chairperson John Stephenson was categorical about what this will mean for his school board.
"The way we understand it, our share of the ($3.01 million) will require us to reduce some staff," he said.
So here we are again, shaking down school boards and Yellowknife taxpayers to implement junior kindergarten across the territory. The territorial government is going to run up against the same problem again and again if it keeps trying to squeeze blood from a turnip.
Nobody - be it the school boards or existing early-education providers - opposes junior kindergarten on principle. Everybody recognizes it's a good thing for the territory's youth, good for parents and good for the communities.
But even after crying poverty earlier this year the GNWT is still stuffed with inefficiencies and redundancies. So why is it so hard for it to come up with its own money rather than insisting on playing this shell game with the school boards?
Maybe cabinet will be successful in steamrolling this junior kindergarten implementation proposal through.
Maybe it won't. It's possible MLA pressure will again be heavy enough to send them back to the drawing board again.
But even if this funding model for junior kindergarten goes through, it's apparent the school boards and existing early-education providers such as Aboriginal Head Start will suffer for it, and that's a shame.
Commerce, tradition boost tourism options Yellowknifer -Wednesday, December 7, 2016
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Still grieving loss of LennonEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, December 14, 2016
I'm really not sure if it's a good thing to have heroes or not as we grow up.
But, being the music fanatic I am, and always have been, I suppose it was impossible for me not to look at some of the world's best musicians as my heroes.
Today, that hero worship always casts an early dark shadow over the holiday season, ever since John Lennon was gunned down in front of his Dakota apartment building in New York City on Dec. 8, 1980.
I was 22 years of age when it happened and a badge-carrying Beatlemaniac, which I remain today.
I loved the Beatles growing up and I could never decide who was my favourite Beatle, John Lennon or Paul McCartney.
It remains that way for me today, but, while McCartney is still out there very much doing his thing, Lennon was taken from us far too early by a cowardly madman.
For the first time in, arguably, more than a decade, Lennon was at peace with himself and his status in life and back recording again.
While his music had changed somewhat, it was far removed from his disaster album, Somewhere in New York City, and he was back recording radio-friendly and easily understood tunes, even if they did continue to focus almost entirely on himself and his life with Yoko Ono.
Who knows what work Lennon would have produced, had he been afforded a natural end to his life.
Most people blamed John and Yoko for the demise of the Beatles.
But I had matured enough at the time of Lennon's death to realize it was more a combined case of business entanglements, George Harrison's growth as an artist (and bitterness toward Lennon and McCartney for, apparently, holding back his career), and the ill-fated decision by Lennon, Harrison and Ringo Starr to hire Allen Klein as their manager following the death of Brian Epstein years earlier.
Although Lennon had become somewhat disenchanted by being a Beatle by 1970, he still saw the Beatles as his band and, had things not become so complicated, he probably would have made room in his life for at least one Beatles' album per year.
And, oh, the mental images when one lets their imagination run wild, and dreams of the Beatles being back on tour in the 1970s with the incredible advances in public-address systems that had taken place since their split.
When one looks upon the body of solo work McCartney has produced throughout the years, you cannot help but wonder if Lennon would have eclipsed it, given the chance, despite the fact McCartney had a decided advantage after his work with his second group, Wings.
One of the things that made the Beatles such a musical phenomenon was the rivalry between Lennon and McCartney when they wrote songs together, or as individuals.
In fact, one of McCartney's best loved ditties from the Wings' Band on the Run album is his tribute to Lennon's style of rock and roll with the spine-tingling, Let Me Roll It.
As I do every Dec. 8, I spent the day listening to nothing but the music of Lennon's solo career and the music of the Beatles that he was most responsible for.
I find it somewhat strange that I still grieve his death so much after 36 years have gone by, but such is the esteem I place upon the man and his music in both my heart and soul.
And, like millions of other Lennon fans around the world, come Dec. 9, I am left to wonder about all the things that could have been had he not been robbed of his life.
Rest peacefully, John. Neither you nor your music will ever be forgotten!
Jr K gets failing grade - againNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, December 12, 2016
One thing is clear when it comes to taking care of children in the NWT - there is a dire need for a strong social safety net in many communities, as traditional family models have broken down in some cases.
Many regions of the NWT government supports are needed, from prenatal care to pre-school to grade school, high school and beyond.
So in theory, providing a junior kindergarten - essentially an optional free daycare for four-year-old children run in NWT schools - is a very good idea and one that we support.
However, the implementation of the program across the territory has been hobbled by the complete incompetence of education department officials.
There have been unanswered questions and serious concerns over a lack of answers about implementation and funding, from Inuvik to Fort Providence to the capital of Yellowknife. The lack of information has inflamed emotions and caused riffs in the very communities such a program is designed to help heal.
We find it absurd that the GNWT - having failed once in attempts to implement junior kindergarten territory-wide two years ago - would allow such festering of ill-will simply because it can't be upfront about jobs and potential program cuts, and transparent about funding.
Here's an example of how the GNWT is still refusing to state in clear and direct terms on how its partial funding of the program - $2 million to junior kindergarten expansion to all communities in the territory from the current 19 communities - would impact various school districts.
Over the course of a few days, the district's portion of funding went to $3 million from $2.65 million. Two different documents with the same cover (just different dates) concealed those numbers - the lower cost one for the "technical briefing" Dec. 5 for media in Yellowknife, the higher cost one for district superintendents and MLAs.
The document presented to superintendents and MLAs also states frankly "changes in the education system will be required."
It lists changes as class sizes and make-up, possible reductions to school administration, staffing "adjustments" and changes or limits on non-core courses schools offer students.
Was this an attempt to shield the media - and by extension, the public - from the destructive impact of the current attempts at implementing junior kindergarten?
The GNWT has to fully fund junior kindergarten so it doesn't negatively impact courses and staff in higher grades.
It also has to be very clear in how it plans to work with Aboriginal Head Start programs, now available in just eight communities.
We believe the two can work very nicely together - perhaps with Head Start moving to support mostly three year olds - but there has to be a much better plan than has been presented.
Junior kindergarten is too important a program to be brought forward in such a clumsy and bullish fashion. Time for the education department to take a time out - again - and complete its assignment properly.
Pension privilege Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, December 9, 2016
The old light bulb joke seems appropriate when pondering how many people it might take to fly down to Vancouver and listen to investment reports on MLA pension funds.
The number is apparently 10. That would be all five members of the legislative assembly's board of management, three legislative assembly staffers, a lawyer, and one former MLA. It was the second time this year MLAs and their entourage felt it necessary to leave the territory to talk about their pensions.
While they were enjoying the sights and sounds of Vancouver and learning first-hand that their pension funds are doing great, Northerners were digesting the news that Diavik Diamond Mine was laying off 51 workers.
This came on the heels of more bad news, that Dominion Diamonds was moving its headquarters to Calgary, taking 100 jobs with it, which follows an all-around uneasy year after the Snap Lake diamond mine closed and put 400 people out of work.
The territorial government's response to the mine closure last December was to issue a dire warning about the need to cut government programs and jobs.
Several people did lose their GNWT jobs and the union representing employees is being told salary increases are out of the question for the next two years.
A crucial element of leadership is showing leadership, to lead by example. Yet, when it comes to enjoying the perks of their jobs MLAs seemingly cannot resist indulging them.
Insisting that taxpayers' money was not used to pay for the Vancouver trip because the return on their investments covered the $14,000 bill simply highlights their arrogance while amplifying their privilege.
Fabulously rich people travel on jets to meet their investment managers. Ordinary people pick up the phone or look at their statements.
Never mind the poor optics of public officials spending three business days out of the territory dealing with what essentially is a personal affair.
That MLAs do not see a disconnect between the financial hardships faced by Northerners and the blatant display of government privilege this trip represents demonstrates a lack of respect for the public they serve.
That this has not been met by howls of outrage shows how Northerners have come to expect nothing better of them.
Nuance needed in budget survey Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, December 9, 2016
So far the city's 2017 draft budget survey seems to be a moderate success in terms of grabbing the attention of residents.
Two hundred and fifty-eight people took the time to weigh in on the detailed version and 77 voiced their opinion on a short form version. Projects that showed the highest approval included water, sewer and paving work, a job creation program for homeless people, work to reduce forest fire dangers and doubling funds the city gives to the Safe Harbour Day Shelter.
Rejected projects included studies on the possibility of a new library and traffic lights at the intersection of Kam Lake Road and Finlayson Drive.
While the survey is a great way to gauge public opinion over which projects the city should consider, there is a problem with the design. The default answer is always "no."
This approach, without nuance, is bound to generate a lot of false negatives. The question should be by how much and when to start.
The existing approach appears more likely to drive the public to automatically answer no without capturing what may often be complex feelings about the project.
This complexity can be observed every time city council sits down for a budget debate.
The purpose of council budget discussions is to look at what projects are on the docket and go though them line by line to decide what should be cut, deferred or have their funding reduced.
The online survey should be implement the same way, with an adjustable tax rate attached to it that rises or falls depending on the cuts or additions made.
It would likely offer a clearer picture on public attitudes city spending while giving the public a better understanding of council's job at budget time.
Keep kids consultedDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, December 8, 2016
Fort Simpson's curfew bylaw is one step away from being repealed now that councillors have done an about-face on the issue.
After fierce debates on the bylaw - particularly on the subject of handing down fines and potential jail time - council was poised to push an amendment to the bylaw through on Dec. 5 and also make it an active, enforceable bylaw.
The idea was to give the village's bylaw officer - although there currently isn't one - as well as RCMP the authority to send youth ages 16 and under home if they are seen out late at night.
It does not make allowances for unchaperoned youth who may be out late for legitimate reasons, such as returning home from a babysitting job.
Councillors ultimately failed to pass the amendment in question, which would have struck a section allowing children to be returned to Dehcho Health and Social Services, and instead ruled to repeal the bylaw in first and second readings.
Before the bylaw is struck from the village books, its repealing will need to be ruled on a third and final time.
During the Dec. 5 meeting, as councillors discussed the bylaw, a few young faces joined those in the audience.
Although council has, up to this point, not discussed the view of the village's youth, the youth in question have certainly been discussing council's decisions amongst themselves.
Sylvia Pascua-Matte, Katrina Deneron and Elliot Betsaka, accompanied by Val Gendron, all sat through the meeting.
They did not appear as a delegation to present information to councillors, although perhaps they should have, given the reasonable and well-thought-out views they expressed to Deh Cho Drum later that evening.
What these youth felt, after canvassing the opinions of the junior high and some of the senior high students at Thomas Simpson Secondary School, was that repealing the bylaw altogether leaves provlems unsolved.
In the words of Pascua-Matte, "modification would have been more effective."
Realizing the problems faced in the community by break-and-enters and petty thefts, these youth have given this issue a lot of thought, and ought to be heard.
The modifications suggested by Pascua-Matte are not huge, sweeping changes. She says students want a later curfew - the current one begins at 11 p.m. -- and allowances in the summer for activities, such as drum dances, that might keep them out late. They also want the age dropped to 15.
Both are reasonable solutions and - given the amount of time the village has spent on this particular bylaw - ought to have been discussed during the many meetings councillors have had on the subject.
But the actual views of the village's youth are largely unrepresented at the council table, even though they would have been the only group impacted by the bylaw.
That may be due in part to the fact that until recently, council did not have a representative sitting on Fort Simpson's district education authority.
It is truly unfortunate that the council table did not hear from the school or affected youth on how the bylaw could be modified, instead of repealed.
Fascinating biologyInuvik Drum - Thursday, December 8, 2016
I couldn't help but smile while listening to Willy Simon tell me how much he liked whiskey jacks.
They had been his consistent friend during his trapping years and time spent in the bush.
Looking skyward and eyes glinting, this 75-year-old Gwich'in elder talked about the bird with the same expression you see on awe-inspired children portrayed in Disney theme park commercials.
It's nice to have that kind of connection with nature.
Having grown up fishing on the coast of B.C., I have a special place in my heart for the humble rockfish.
A bit of a difference in my experience and Simon's is he fed the whiskey jacks, and I only pretend to feed the rockfish before painful reality hits them.
But that's the life of a fish, and rockfish have been one great constant in my life and, best of all, are an indicator for the bigger fish I'm really after.
During my time in Iqaluit, I tried to make friends with the many ravens.
I never knew they could make such a wide range of sounds, and they clearly played in pairs in the wind.
Like Simon, I acknowledge the more spectacular creatures such as the white owl or polar bear, but I find myself more drawn to the working-man kind of animal, the one you salute on your way to the office and feel a kinship with over the daily grind.
One mammal I will rant about any chance you give me is the whale.
I imagine it's a bit like polar bears: a lot of people love them because they've never been too close to them.
I've had many close encounters with whales, both humpback and orca, during fishing in B.C. and off the coast of Mexico.
One of the most traumatizing moments in my life was leaning over the front of our boat while we were trolling off Puerto Vallarta, watching the water go by, looking for marlin or what have you, when all of a sudden I saw a spotty grey mass.
When I realized it wasn't a rock but a humpback whale directly underneath us, I fell straight backwards, squeezed my eyes shut and screamed at my dad to get us out of there.
He, like my mom and everyone else I've been on the water with, doesn't get too concerned about whales, even though I'm convinced they present a clear danger.
That was years ago and I still have trouble looking into the water, always waiting for some massive shadow to appear.
The more spectacular, zoo-tier animals get most of the media play, something Simon maligned about with the whiskey jack's lack of popularity as well.
But give me the humble, friendly, small, non-dangerous, working-man's animal over the lions and tigers any day.
