GNWT must stop playing niceNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, December 19, 2016
The year 2016 ended on a darkly melancholy note for the NWT.
Nonetheless, the territorial government showed it was comfortable enough with its relationship with the Trudeau government to sign onto a pan-Canadian emissions control framework that contained no specific guarantees that the territory won't be gut-punched by an economy-killing tariff put in place to restrict the use of fossil fuels.
"Well, in this life you don't always have guarantees but people that reach those levels generally get a lot of support by keeping their word," Premier Bob McLeod said in a year-end interview with News/North.
"Certainly my expectation in dealing with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and (Environment and Climate Change) Minister Catherine McKenna is they have signalled they understand the issues in the North."
A week later, McLeod was given scarce notice — and certainly no consultation or collaboration -- about a federal decision to stop issuing offshore oil and gas licences in the Arctic. McLeod was in Calgary when he heard the joint statement by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama.
McLeod said he was disappointed by Ottawa's "unilateral" move, which he said has set back recent initiatives by Ottawa to give Canada's territories more autonomy.
"We need to have Northerners making decisions about the North that affect them," McLeod told media on Dec. 22.
Indeed. So on just one major file in one week the territory signed a deal based on good faith with the feds and then got a good measure on the flimsiness of that relationship.
The McLeod government struggled on many fronts this year but also scored some minor victories.
However, the elephant in the room of this sparsely populated territory of massive expanse is that it remains entirely at the mercy of whatever whims take fancy in Ottawa.
And it all really boils down to the energy file — from which the territory can reap jobs, economic growth and self-sufficiency.
But as the feds fiddle, the NWT bleeds. The territory is hemorrhaging people as the ongoing economic doldrums and the soaring cost of living make it an increasingly difficult place to live.
Statistics Canada noted the NWT was the only jurisdiction in the country to see its population decrease in the period ending Oct. 1, after figures showed a drain of 222 people from the start of the year.
"The economy is soft," said Mike Bradshaw, NWT Chamber of Commerce executive. "We have to do something to turn the ship around."
What needs to be done? Well, first, the GNWT and all of us who live work and love life in the North have to make it very clear to the Trudeau government that we like it here and don't want southern-styled policies to be forced on us.
Secondly, the GNWT has to quickly identify a laundry list of "clean job" energy infrastructure projects — the big ones, the ones costing hundreds of millions of dollars — that will help employ thousands of people from many communities for many years.
Sure, people here want to do their part to reduce the nation's carbon footprint. And they will even go along with the five-year reviewable offshore exploration deal but the territory will need money and lots of it.
It can't simply sit quietly in this beautiful place waiting for the jobs to dry up, the schools to close, and communities such as Inuvik to turn into ghost towns. The NWT has to start making noise in 2017. It's time to start fighting for our territory.
Wishes for the New YearNunavut/News North - Monday, January 2, 2017
It was a year when Nunavut drew national attention in every arena. Clyde River earned an appeal at the Supreme Court, HMS Terror was found, and Nunavut's MP Hunter Tootoo lost his role in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet.
The year also saw Arctic Inspiration Prizes for Qaggiavuut in January and te(a)ch and SmartICE last month, awards for homegrown films Angry Inuk and Maliglutit, and the formation of Nunavut's first record label, Aakuluk.
Cape Dorset started building its Kenojuak print shop but faced the loss of popular contemporary artist Annie Pootoogook in September, and another star, Tim Pitsiulak, over the Christmas break.
Yogi Berra's famed line, "It ain't over till it's over" certainly applied to 2016. Perhaps 2017 can bring some closure.
Iqaluit will see two major projects, the aquatic centre and the airport, completed in 2017.
The Canadian High Arctic Research Station will open in Cambridge Bay.
Clyde River will get a decision on seismic testing and the duty to consult.
GoSarvaq may get a second life if the competition bureau confirms its complaint that Canadian North and First Air - who dissolved their code-share agreement in November - worked together to push the fledgling airline out of the market.
Nunavut will get new leaders when voters go to the polls in the fall.
While we can only wait to see what happens, we can dream about 2017. We hope that MP Tootoo will either start to make an impact federally or get out of the way for someone who will. Trudeau's punishment is punishing all of us so it is time to turn the corner. Make a case for forgiveness from the prime minister, or start standing up in a significant way as an independent for issues that matter to Nunavut.
We hope that more women will step up to lead at the territorial level. Two female MLAs at a table for 19 is not enough. There are plenty of reasons to support this and plenty of ways to do so. Find your own. Identify women in your community and embolden them when they decide to run.
We hope communities will get the support they need to build more housing. The shortage of appropriate housing would not be tolerated in non-indigenous communities, yet here we are. The benefits of improved housing extend beyond the immediate, as lack of housing is a contributing factor to poor physical and mental health, addictions and suicide. We hope that you will see the power of the individual and stand up for the causes that matter to you. There is so much room for improvement in our society but it requires everyone to be engaged both at home and in our communities.
Demand lower food prices. Speak up against drugs and violence. Seek out the signs of suicidal thoughts. Be an advocate for our children's safety and education. Fight to protect our wildlife and environment.
Offer your time, your money, your expertise, your voice. Let 2017 be the year you make your mark. Happy New Year.
Time for diamond advantage in the NWT Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, December 23, 2016
Little more than a month ago Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Wally Schumann told Yellowknifer how confident he was in the future of the NWT secondary diamond industry.
This came as a surprise against the backdrop of Deepak International Ltd. finally losing its Polar Bear Diamond trademark after close to three years of CEO Deepak Kumar's failed promises and evasive tactics now being untangled in court.
When Kumar first came on the scene, then-ITI Minister David Ramsay staged an elaborate press conference, hailing the business venture as a rebirth of the secondary diamond industry in the NWT.
In light of last week's news that Almod Diamonds Ltd. will move into diamond row and begin production in the new year, Schumann's enthusiasm can be understood. Perhaps.
As an internationally established diamond manufacturer, polisher and retailer of diamonds and diamond products with more than 3,000 employees, Almod Diamonds looks ready to hit the ground running in a way that Deepak International never did.
Guaranteed access to up to 10 per cent of rough diamonds mined in the NWT and an ongoing boom in Asian tourism seems to be all the incentive Almod CEO Albert Gad needed to set up shop here. Almod has already purchased and taken possession of a diamond row facility.
Gad wants to see Yellowknife become the place where people worldwide come to purchase their diamonds. Godspeed to that.
But the North is a notoriously difficult place to set up shop. The labour pool is small and wage expectations match the high cost of living in Yellowknife (recently named the most expensive city in Canada to rent a two bedroom apartment by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Commission).
The cost of doing business in the North is challenging even for industry players with the deepest pockets.
Note well that both De Beers and Dominion Diamonds have moved large elements of their corporate operations south in cost-saving efforts.
Hypothetically, the secondary diamond industry could be worth over $100 million annually (assuming an equal amount of diamond mine production).
That it has been such a long haul to find a second private industry player - the first being Crossworks - willing to take up the challenge despite this obvious incentive is telling.
This is not to throw shade on Gad's enthusiasm for Almod Diamonds in the North. Without enthusiasm, nothing happens.
But we need to know our elected leaders and ministers of industry are fully awake to the realities and challenges of making a go of it in Yellowknife.
Now is the time for the GNWT to go beyond handshakes and photo-ops and introduce measures that provide these and future companies incentives to operate in the North. Call it the NWT diamond advantage. Without it, the secondary diamond industry in the North is doomed to thin margins and thinner opportunities for growth.
Increase fees to cover equipment move Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, December 23, 2016
Although it was entirely the GNWT's decision to build a new hospital, it seems it neglected to consider all the implications when figuring costs for the $488-million project.
City council was told during recent budget deliberations the city's emergency communication installed on the roof of the present hospital in 2013 will have to be moved to the new hospital.
The series of cabinets wired together is dependent on line-of-sight to city hall. The new hospital now blocks line of sight.
As this detail was apparently overlooked by the GNWT and the location designated for the equipment doesn't allow for the use of freight elevators, the move now will likely involve a helicopter and may cost as much as $150,000. That cost, council was told, is only an estimate and the final bill will have to be borne by the city and its taxpayers. To charge the city to move equipment installed little more than three years ago makes little sense. It was the territorial government's decision to build a completely new hospital rather than renovate the current one.
Coincidentally, council is considering increasing fees it charges the GNWT for ambulance services. The item wasn't added to the 2017 budget but Mayor Mark Heyck said there is still time to look at other options.
It seems completely reasonable that the costs of moving the emergency equipment should be partially, if not fully, offset by increased fees for ambulance services for the GNWT.
Safety first this festive seasonDeh Cho Drum - Thursday, December 22, 2016
As people travel for the holiday season - whether it's to see friends and family, or just to spend Christmas somewhere else - the most important thing is your safety.
On Dec. 17, Sharon Allen, the community leader in Fort Simpson for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, spent a chilly evening out on the streets of Fort Simpson with members of the RCMP doing a checkstop.
That's something Allen does regularly, especially at this time of year.
Her message is a simple one: if you're driving, don't plan on drinking.
Although the biting cold meant they weren't out for too long, the event was still an important reminder of something we often take for granted: our own safety.
With reduced daylight hours thanks to the time of year and icy roads that have seen little in the way of snowfall, a little reminder to drive responsibly can go a long way.
Regularly, RCMP collect and check out various reports of impaired driving.
Sometimes, those reports amount to nothing, but all too often they result in a charge being laid.
Nearing the end of 2016, with the effects of impaired driving well-documented across Canada, it's flabbergasting that this is still a relatively widespread problem in our society.
Christmas means many different things to many different people - some people may be celebrating the season; others may be remembering loved ones they have lost.
It's a very difficult time for many people in our communities.
But however you choose to spend the rest of 2016 and the start of 2017, don't put other people's well-being in danger.
The perils of impaired driving are something Allen has been vocal about for years, after the loss of her daughter Keisha.
But it shouldn't take a personal loss for us to realize the wisdom in her words and actions.
Whether you end up in an accident or not, impaired driving causes harm, if only by making your actions seem socially acceptable. Just because no one got hurt the last time you drove impaired, doesn't mean that'll be the case the next time.
Don't let your choices affect the lives of other people. They deserve better.
It's common sense not to drink and drive. That should come as naturally as keeping your headlights on at night or slowing down when weather conditions get bad.
After all, driving comes with a big helping of responsibility. You don't just need to know how to use your blinkers or your windshield wipers; you also have to choose not to drive if you're in no condition to do so.
If you're someone who enjoys going out to Christmas and New Year's parties, there is certainly no shame in that.
Just have a plan in place for how to get home in the most responsible manner possible.
Your safety, and the safety of people around you, is what is most important.
Don't call me a Grinch, well, maybe...Inuvik Drum - Thursday, December 22, 2016
Please do not take me for a Scrooge, but I am not much for date-based rituals.
The fact that people get so caught up in anniversaries and specific dates of the year has always been a curiosity to me. It gets even more curious with all the particular things they like to do on those dates.
It reads like something out of a history book: "And on this date of this month of the year, everyone gathered in the town square to share this certain food item and celebrate this cause."
For Thanksgiving, we eat turkey, and people get really excited about it. If you like turkey so much, you could have it whenever you want.
It's my birthday, so I must do something particularly special and fun. Because I don't spend the rest of my life doing things particularly special or fun.
New Year's is so special because it's the start of a new year on the calendar and, well, it's a good excuse to drink and party.
Over Christmas, people gather with family members for semi-awkward reunions with the onus to give presents to each other. Love them for being family, but there's a reason you don't hang out with these people all the time.
Music is another curiosity. It's December, so that means we listen to Christmas songs. We don't listen to Christmas songs in January. It's like if March were hip hop month and July all about jazz. My music tastes don't change depending on the month.
I keep a calendar only for pragmatic reasons. One day to the next is no different. The day that marks my birthday is any other Thursday, and I want to make the Wednesday before it as great as possible just like the Friday after it and every other day of my life. There is no special buzz going up my spine when I wake up on my birthday.
It's gotten even more hollow in the Facebook generation. Once a year, you hear well wishes from dozens of people you don't hear from again until that same day next year.
Before you think I'm just a crank, and taking you back from that conclusion if you've already made it, I justify my ritual apathy by saying that you should pursue what you want and believe in every day of the year, not just when tradition dictates.
If you love your family, even the more distant members, let them know all the time, any random Tuesday, in any random way. Don't wait until someone's birthday to tell them how great they are. Give someone a gift because you like them and want to show such, not to tick off the ritual that Date X dictates.
And if you want to dress up in a costume, knock on doors at night and scare people into giving you candy, well, maybe save that one for Halloween after all.
Merry Christmas!
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!
