This simple idea benefits allYellowknifer - Wednesday, December 21, 2016
It's refreshing to see the territorial government make a simple, common sense decision.
About a month ago, Stanton Territorial Hospital quietly opened its lobby as another option for the city's homeless to stay warm and get some sleep. Obviously, this move benefits people who might not otherwise have a place to keep warm.
The decision also benefits emergency-room staff, who up until recently have been beleaguered by people trying to get themselves admitted to emergency for no other reason than they're cold. According to Stanton's chief operating officer Colin Goodfellow, this has been an issue for awhile.
"Rather than oblige people to get picked up by an ambulance and dropped off at the emergency department or walking in and saying there's an issue - (I said) why don't we just let the people sit over there," he told Yellowknifer last week.
Goodfellow is a relatively new addition to the hospital, having arrived from Ottawa in September. He told Yellowknifer the practice of letting people warm up in hospital lobbies is common in southern Canada.
Good on the Department of Health and Social Services and Stanton Territorial Hospital for showing compassion and a willingness to use resources as needed. There could have been opposition to Goodfellow's idea all the way up the departmental chain from Stanton security to the deputy minister.
Instead, officials at the department realized people continue to use the hospital as a place of last resort and instead of fighting it, gave the idea a green light. It's a simple solution that hospital staff, the public and the city's most vulnerable people will most certainly benefit from.
Indeed, security has not been an issue so far, and feedback has been positive, according to Goodfellow.
It's good to see the territorial government use its resources in a way that benefits people and makes sense. Hopefully the success of this decision will inspire more people within the government bureaucracy to show innovative thinking like this.
A perfect spot for tiny homesYellowknifer - Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Earlier this month, the Top Knight was packed with Yellowknifers eager to hear about tiny homes.
At the design competition and information session, those in attendance heard innovative ideas to help people who might not otherwise be able to afford to enter the Yellowknife real estate market. A tiny home, according to organizer Bronwyn Rorke, can be built for as little as $30,000 to $100,000.
These ideas seem exciting, affordable and innovative. So why isn't the City of Yellowknife rushing out to create tiny subdivisions for the city's tiny-home enthusiasts?
Last March, city council torpedoed an idea for a tiny-home subdivision between Hordal Road and Bagon Drive. According to Jeff Humble, the city's director of planning and development, some councillors felt the area was too remote and not desirable for the tiny-home market.
Now, is Hordal Road and Bagon Drive really that remote? It's a 10-minute drive from downtown. Why would the tiny-home market be any different than any other housing market in the city?
The city has no problem conducting ballot draws on lots for people to build million dollar homes even when it occasionally fails to sell them.
There is clearly a demand and the city might make some money - even if the tiny home lots are out in the 'burbs.'
Reflections, growth and appreciationEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Well, valued readers, this is the final edition of Kivalliq News for 2016.
I know it sounds cliche, but it really is hard to believe another year has passed by so quickly.
Speaking of things that sometimes seem hard to believe, just 11 short days ago, on Dec. 10, I began my 19th year as editor of Kivalliq News.
As my good friend David Tulugak would say, holy smokes!
I know I was here for the entire 18 years, because I can remember each and every one of them with almost absolute clarity.
But, at the same time, they have gone past very, very quickly.
I still remember our family, complete with our four-legged, furry bundle of love, landing in Rankin Inlet on our third attempt during a heavy snowstorm.
My daughter, Lindsey - who now resides in Charlottetown, P.E.I., with her fiancee and my two beautiful grandchildren - and I are all that remain of that family, landing in a snowstorm with no one to meet us all those years ago.
It has been an honour and a privilege to serve this community, and the entire Kivalliq, to the best of my ability for the past 18 years at the helm of this regional publication.
I have met so many wonderful folks, and I've had the chance to write so many great stories about our region and the people who work so tirelessly to improve the overall standard of living for everyone.
These days, I see people every day with their own little ones who had just started their educational journey when I first laid eyes on them, knee high to a grasshopper.
Still others had yet to start school, and wouldn't for a few more years, when I first began to roam the streets of Rankin Inlet.
I've been fortunate enough to meet some true leaders during my time in Rankin; awesome men and women who gave a good chunk of their lives to have the Inuit voice heard and to help smooth the road for those who took, or will take, their torch to carry forward.
And I have gained knowledge and understanding on so many issues.
Some necessary, some heart-warming, some painful, some legal, some spiritual, some deeply complicated and some surprisingly simple, but all of them relevant to where we all find ourselves today.
And, like everyone else who calls Kivalliq home, I find some issues easy to examine, analyse and discuss, while others are more difficult, due to the fear of hurting someone who has already been deeply scarred by another's actions or decisions.
The North is a beautiful yet complex place to move to and eventually call home. It is a place that demands self-reflection and examination if one hopes to have any true peace of mind.
And it is both comforting and challenging for many of us one-time outsiders, growing to call the Kivalliq home while remaining comfortable in our own skin, whatever shade that may be.
I have much to be thankful for, living in the Kivalliq as 2016 enters the history books.
I know I am a better person for making my home in Rankin, and I have learned to always look at the other person's perspective before coming to a decision or voicing my opinion.
And that is, definitely, one heck of an invaluable trait that I did not possess when I first moved here.
So, thank you valued readers, for letting me be a tiny part of your lives for the past 18 years, and, to each and every one of you, I wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Trip down greener road a long oneNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, December 19, 2016
Premier Bob McLeod has spoken out against a tax on carbon dioxide emissions for years, as recently as last July, stating along with Yukon and Nunavut it would hurt our way of living and wouldn't have the desired effect of reducing pollution.
However, on Dec. 9 in Ottawa he joined with a majority of Canada's premiers and signed the pan-Canadian agreement on climate change.
McLeod has always maintained that any taxation measure - or pricing scheme - on carbon dioxide emissions would have to recognize the unique position faced by the territory. That means the NWT would need some kind of subsidy, exception or waiver. McLeod has also stated "until there are economically viable alternatives," the territory would still be polluting the atmosphere with diesel fuel emissions.
So what has changed? Does this mean he has secured those alternatives? Until they are in place, will consumers and corporations be shielded from new burdensome taxation in this already expensive part of Canada? Especially at a time when the United States, our largest trading partner, appears set to ease regulatory burdens on industry and slash corporate taxes.
And what exactly is a tonne of carbon dioxide? How do you weigh a gas? Well, about one-third of every tonne of carbon dioxide is carbon. Or soot. A tonne is a metric measurement of 1,000 kilos.
Some estimates - and they vary considerably - state the average household's vehicle emissions could fill their average house with solid carbon in one year.
People are seeing the effects that changes to the climate are having first-hand in the NWT. For example, cruise ships are now eager to sail through the Northwest Passage in summer and caribou numbers are in decline. Sure, it would be ideal if the territory could show it is doing its part to stop the air pollution.
Alas, far into the foreseeable future, the NWT will clearly need to continue throwing soot into the atmosphere with its reliance on diesel power plants that provide heat and light in many communities.
The NWT would need millions, if not billions, of dollars from the feds to invest in the infrastructure needed for increased hydro dam production, wind turbines, and solar panel arrays. The territory will need millions more to better insulate buildings and homes. And even then, it is difficult to imagine how the NWT will be able to do anything more than modestly reduce our diesel consumption - and only after many years of planning and construction.
"We can work together with the Government of Canada so that we can have clean growth and also deal with climate change," McLeod told News/North after his return from Ottawa. "The government would work with us to invest in energy or electricity efficiency and heating so that we will have clean growth that creates jobs and enhances our economy."
We certainly hope the premier has enough goodwill and political currency built up with the Trudeau government that he can obtain both financial subsidies for any tax imposed on the NWT and, most importantly, significant capital funding for infrastructure to set us up for that long trip down a greener road.
Give your time and effortNunavut/News North - Monday, December 19, 2016
If you are feeling overwhelmed this Christmas by a multitude of gift suggestions for your loved ones, one only has to look through the pages of recent issues of Nunavut News/North to see what is truly valued in Nunavut.
Last week, we told you about Johnny Mamgark of Arviat, an unemployed hunter who hoped to recoup the costs of a recent and bountiful caribou hunt by selling some of the meat online.
A request by a Baffin Island elder for a donation made Mamgark realize his own fortune.
Despite his financial situation, he honoured the request, and his charity was contagious. Other Arviat hunters and one from Whale Cove followed suit, and that led to offers to pay the freight to give Baffin Island elders, for whom caribou is a rare treat, a Christmas feast.
We are blessed to be able to praise such charity, and there's so much good work to honour in Nunavut.
In her film Angry Inuk, Alethea Arnaquq-Baril shares the story of hunters struggling to make a living by hunting seals, while sharing their harvest with those in their communities who are unable to spare the expense of fuel or bullets. Like Mamgark, these hunters share what they can, even at their own expense.
It's little wonder the film is earning Arnaquq-Baril accolades wherever it goes. She has chosen to tell the story of how the seal ban affects not only the ability of Inuit to survive in the modern world but also to preserve the Inuit way of life, including the ability to share the bounty of nature.
Iqaluit's Elisapi Aningmiuq has spent years working to support the Inuit way of life, viewing culture as a way to save lives. Her team has helped many Iqalungmiut reconnect with traditional skills, often praised as a way to prevent suicide. For her work at the Tukisigiarvik Wellness Centre, she received the Governor General's Polar Medal this month.
At the same ceremony, Niqinik Nuatsivik Nunavut Food Bank founder Jen Hayward was honoured with the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers for helping others share their blessings.
We can't forget Arviat's Ruth Kaviok, honoured this month for working to show the way climate change will affect the Inuit way of life, or the teams from Pinnguaq and SmartICE, both of which won a share of the Arctic Inspiration Prize. All three should be honoured for sharing their skills to help other Nunavummiut.
You can make Nunavut a better place for those who are struggling. Consider the needs in your community, and ask how you can get involved.
Is there an issue not being addressed? Start a project, and get others on board. Or even stop in and spend time with someone who needs a visit.
This is the time of year to remember that you can make a difference for our territory.
Whether you want to share the results of a hunt or volunteer each week on a project important to you, your time and skills are gifts that will be truly cherished.
Council steps up on social issues Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, December 16, 2016
Social issues involving addiction and homelessness remain one of the city's most challenging and pressing difficulties.
It is therefore heartening to see the City of Yellowknife taking strides toward improving the living conditions for the city's most vulnerable.
The Housing First project, a city initiative funded through successful federal grant applications, now has at least six people placed in homes. The goal is to have 20 people living in homes by 2019.
This is all part of the city's homelessness action plan, a five-year program of improved services that target Yellowknife's homeless and alcohol and substance-addicted population. The plan includes improved day shelters, a sobering/detox centre, youth outreach programs and the Housing First initiative.
The extent of the city's success with this plan will depend largely on federal and territorial co-operation but the city at least is recognizing it must lead the charge if it hopes to apply some relief on the city social ills.
Scrapping the $1.9 million development of the controversial 50/50 lot purchase shows the city has its priorities straight, at least in this case. Rushing into a multi-million dollar development project without first addressing downtown social realities would have been ill-advised and likely ill-fated.
By placing this large-scale beautification project on the back burner while taking concrete steps toward making Yellowknife a safer place for all, this city council has shown itself to be prudent, wise and compassionate this budget season - much like the Yellowknifers they serve.
The 50/50 lot will remain a parking lot and a revenue generator for the city while city council and administration continue to work with federal, territorial and community counterparts and partners to turn its homelessness action plan into a reality.
This is a win-win for everyone in the city and looks good on council at the same time.
First refugee family opens door for more newcomers Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, December 16, 2016
The NWT is a vast territory with a tiny population.
With a little less than half the population living in Yellowknife, immigration is the faster way to increase numbers.
The Alhajy family recently arrived in the city, although not under the greatest of circumstances. They fled their native Syria amid growing violence of a years-long civil war. They received a very warm welcome recently, with well-wishers packing Northern United Place to meet the family of six. According to Rami Kassem, who translated for the family's father, Mustafa, the family is settling in nicely, even enjoying the cold and snow of the Northern winter. Well-wishers were told his main priority was to learn English and find a job. He is currently working at Javaroma and his children are attending school.
There is another family on the way, among them is one of Mustafa's sisters.
There is more to this story than welcoming a long-awaited and highly publicized family. It is the latest example of how the city and the territory thrives on immigration.
Starting with the First Nations who settled there, then fur trappers, all the way to the gold and diamond miners and their families. Many of them settled here because they knew someone who was already here and told them what a great place it is to live and raise a family. This city thrives on diversity and there is plenty of room for people from all over the world.
Seasonal spirit spreads aroundDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, December 15, 2016
In Fort Providence, a newly formed student council for Deh Gah School is getting ready to open a Christmas store with presents for children to buy for their parents.
The twist on present-giving - most children receive presents from their parents, not the other way around - aims to bring a smile to the faces of families in the community.
It ties in with the efforts of Beverley Hope-Bagnall, who is helping to co-ordinate the store, to teach traditional parenting methods to some of Fort Providence's families - which in itself is tied to a desire to help youth, in the face of a year frought with break-ins and alleged youth crime.
And as students wait for that store to open, another local woman, Paschalina Nadli, has already sent off a sleigh full of presents to Nahanni Butte.
It's the second year in a row Nadli has blessed a small community with a Christmas surprise - unbidden, expecting nothing in return.
This is, as Nadli calls her gift-giving, the Christmas spirit of the North.
In Fort Simpson, meanwhile, students at Bompas Elementary School recently collaborated to raise money for the Deh Cho Friendship Centre's Christmas hamper program. They took the time out of their schedules to run a cake walk at the school's weekend bazaar.
And in order to give the community its annual Christmas parade, Fort Simpson Metis Nation's Lisa Lafferty took on the burden of organizing the event, to the delight of the numerous clusters of children who spent a cold evening on 100 Street watching brightly-lit vehicles drive by.
That's not to mention the plentiful Christmas open houses that have taken place so far, and the ones yet to come.
These bits of Christmas cheer are more important in the North than anywhere else in Canada, and we are lucky to have people in our midst who go to great lengths to spread that cheer.
When isolation sets in and the long days of winter stretch before us, personal connection can mean the world.
Especially for those of us who may not have a home to call our own, or our own bed to sleep in, the opportunity to share the holiday spirit can itself be a rare gift.
And as the Deh Cho wavers between bone-chilling cold and relative warmth, it is important that we reach out to those people in particular.
Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, this should be a season of hope and renewal as we move into the new year.
It is a season of compassion and giving.
It is a reminder for those of us who are fortunate enough to have loving family members and a safe home that there are plenty of people in our own communities whose day can be brightened by an unexpected gift, a smile or a conversation.
The Christmas spirit of the North is enormous, and it grows every day.
Community spirit is still aliveInuvik Drum - Thursday, December 15, 2016
Inuvikians' engagement level in community events and activities continues to amaze me.
I was glad I didn't drive to the Christmas parade on Sunday, Dec. 11, as it looked tough to find parking. I wasn't expecting the lineup of viewers.
Later, the Midnight Sun Complex was filled to the brim with children, around whom I was carefully attempting to navigate to finish my assignment, and the igloo church had just about no space left after everyone got in for the night of songs.
Whenever I cover community events, whether they're sports-based or otherwise, I always think about the fact these people all have jobs and take part in these activities in their spare time.
I'm there because that is my job, but they're there for fun.
I find it impressive to see how many people with high-powered career lives still find the time to come out on a weekly basis to play squash, practise yoga, sing in a choir or what have you.
Perhaps I haven't hit that stage of adulthood yet.
I often think I'd love to be in some of these groups, but when I'm done work I just want to sink into a never-ending bubble bath. I do have hobbies, but they're not as time-sensitive as many of these activities.
People were all over the place for the events last Sunday, which is typically your top day off in the week, supposedly the primary time to relax.
If I don't have anything to cover, good money says I won't even get out of my pajamas that day. But these people all lead busy lives during the week and come out for community events in their off time.
Many of them don't just come to watch, either, and actually put in a fair amount of work, such as some of the groups who sang at the concert Sunday night.
Behind my camera I often ask myself, "Is this part of the job description or do they really have that much energy and enthusiasm for extra-curricular activities?"
Kudos to the people who make the world go round like that.
We had one of those guys in our friend group in high school. He was the only reason the rest of us got out of the house.
Inuvik seems to be made up of them.
I'm glad work forces me to view and appreciate all your effort. That's something I haven't seen everywhere I've reported.
