A national shameYellowknifer - Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Around the time the federal government's Canada 150 celebration reached its peak with fireworks, live music and a gigantic rubber duck, the House of Commons released a damning report on suicide rates in Indigenous communities.
The report found Indigenous people face suicide rates three times higher than the general public and among youth, that rate is a whopping six times higher. These numbers have remained shamefully persistent since the 1990s.
The source of this travesty is self-evident. The residential school system ripped children from their families, language and culture, leaving many people abused, uneducated and adrift from their roots and alienated from Canadian culture. When these people went on to have children, many were still struggling with this trauma, which caused higher incidences of substance abuse and mental-health issues, leaving them under-equipped to raise healthy families. When people talk about inter-generational trauma, this is what they are talking about. This phenomenon is at the heart of higher suicide rates among Indigenous people.
Leading up to Canada Day, many people rightfully criticized how tone deaf it is for the federal government to blithely drop a half-billion dollars celebrating a national story while ignoring the more shameful parts of the nation's history that left so many Indigenous people struggling in this quagmire.
Yellowknifer urges territorial and federal leaders to spend some time with this report and follow its recommendations. Yellowknives Dene First Nation Chief Ernest Betsina offers great advice to those who hold the purse strings - he urges leaders to give resources directly to Indigenous communities, where people closest to the problem are. Those at the grassroots level do the hard work and know what is needed to create a robust suicide prevention strategy.
Canada 150 is certainly something to celebrate but it comes with a fraught history from which there are many lessons to be learned. Now that the party is over, it's time to get to work.
Yellowknife's doors are wide openYellowknifer - Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Part of what makes Yellowknife great is its people.
For a remote community hovering around 20,000 residents, the city boasts great diversity which creates an open-minded, cosmopolitan atmosphere.
This is why the territorial government's new immigration strategy is such a great initiative - it builds on what is already one of the positives of living here while helping to solve a labour shortage problem and stagnant population that has plagued the city for years.
The program works like this: in cases where employers are unable to find qualified workers to fill job vacancies, these employers will be able to apply to bring foreign nationals to fill those roles.
The government approved 79 applicants in 2016 and the government hopes to increase this number by 25 per cent per year until 2019. This includes a five-per-cent per year increase in francophone applications.
The territorial government should also heed Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart's advice to focus on family reunification as part of the program. People will find it much more feasible to make the big journey to Canada if they know there is a chance their family might be able to come too.
Families provide support, and can only further increase the local employer pool, so this is a win-win situation.
When it comes to immigration to Yellowknife, the more the merrier.
Last word on Sgt. Pepper Editorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Well, valued readers, as you're reading this, hopefully I'm relaxing on the East Coast and enjoying time with a special gal, my mom.
I will be back in Rankin near the end of August, and look forward to another year at the helm of Kivalliq News.
I'd like to thank all the folks who contacted me about a couple of columns I penned on the remastering of the Beatles wonderful and game-changing album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
I thoroughly enjoyed each discussion on the "Fab Four," and was blown away by how many folks were into the Beatles across the Kivalliq (thanks for the most-awesome quote, Mr. Billard) and how much they knew about the boys.
I'd have to write a special edition of Kivalliq News to touch upon every point and question raised to me on Pepper, but there were a few important enough to touch upon the masterpiece one last time.
The biggest point I did not touch on - if you want a long and complete explanation check out Robby Berman's most excellent "Sgt. Pepper's wasn't broken. So they fixed it." -- was why parts of Pepper are so much clearer now and, no, they did not simply raise the volume.
During the Beatles glory days (musically speaking), the music from Rubber Soul, through Revolver and into Pepper, was getting more and more complex.
This created all sorts of problems in the studio, with the biggest being the addition of track over track. This led to one "bounce" (copying a mix of a four-track machine onto another four-track machine) after another, with the sound quality, especially of the drums and basic instruments, getting increasingly thin.
With today's digital wizardry in the studio, it was possible for Giles Martin to synchronize the original recordings and remove all the bouncing effects, and that's why the remixed Pepper sounds deeper, warmer and a whole lot more fun.
As I've mentioned previously, one must always remember the equipment the Beatles were using back in the day, and that they concentrated all their efforts on mono recordings and paid very little attention to the stereo versions of their work.
So, in effect, you cannot look (let alone judge) the Beatles work through the eyes of 2017, and it drives me crazy how many do and then criticize their music.
And, many of those same people can't, for the life of them, understand how classic rock acts that have been around 40 years or more continue to sell so many albums, especially when it concerns new releases.
Yes, every generation has its own sound but the great classic rock bands were from an era when musicians actually had to play their instruments, and play them well.
There were no ways to disguise the music in their day, and they certainly didn't have records out on which the "songs" were stitched together piece by piece from the best performances over 40 takes, usually involving the band's vocalists.
Until Rubber Soul, the Beatles pretty much recorded all of their work live off of the floor. An incredible accomplishment when you appreciate, song by song, the quality of their work.
And many of the classic giants that came up with them were basically doing the same thing until Pepper and the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds came along.
It's the little things you have to learn how to enjoy.
See you in August!
Problem solving time for Jr. KNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, July 10, 2017
Junior Kindergarten is a worthy educational tool that has been a long time coming for communities across the NWT.
For some families it will be an extension of day-care programs already offered. Hence the concern from some of those providers, including those involved with the Aboriginal Head Start program. Since Junior Kindergarten is optional, it can be argued all of the early childhood care providers should be able to find some form of accommodation
Of course, there will be an adjustment period.
In fact, News/North continues to hear from, and report on various people and groups who are identifying areas where the introduction of territory-wide junior kindergarten is posing problems. For some it's akin to fitting a square peg into a round hole.
News/North suggests these people get out the carpenter's tools and start shaping that square peg as the next school year is coming fast.
In recent time News/North has reported concerns that some schools in the South Slave region may not be ready for junior kindergarten students next year unless bathroom and classroom renovations are undertaken this summer ("Last-minute renos for Jr. K causing concern," July 3).
It sounds as if there could be some real problems in terms of accommodating the junior kinders, as GNWT's bureaucratic wheels aren't moving any faster than their usually speed of dead slow. Those renovations were apparently caught up in red tape and are intended to be made - at one point.
Territory-wide junior kindergarten is a major government initiative - a sea-change for the education department - that had rough start since expansion of Jr. K was halted in 2014.
So there has been a fair amount of time for the GNWT to get things right for this re-launch.
But it just seems that Jr. K is being rushed. Such as how are the tykes going to travel to Jr. K? In some communities, it won't be a problem. And in some families, since the children are already attending some form of day-care, it also shouldn't pose a worry.
The South Slave Divisional Education Council has determined it will not bus junior kindergarten students to Harry Camsell School ("Safety a main reason Jr. K students off buses," News/North July 3).
Concern about safety of three and four-year olds (yes, there could be some three-year olds, depending when their birth dates are) on buses and at bus drop-offs, particularly in the winter, was pointed to as a primary concern.
Overall, if some facilities aren't quite ready come the first day of school, then other accommodations will have to be made. Ones that don't involve having the kids staying at home with their families.
Junior kindergarten is a necessity in a region that sees a shocking number of students dropping out of school and very low rates of students going on to post-secondary education. We have high rates of drug abuse and our justice system is extremely busy dealing with young people who have fallen off the rails.
The issues are varied and also change from community to community but the GNWT has correctly determined that many children need to get involved with a structured system early on in life.
So we ask that all people involved with setting up Jr kindergarten programs do their best to get the program started, as it will offer uniform early education for children across the territory.
The next generations of young people in the NWT need to have all the tools needed to survive and thrive. Their success will be the key to a stronger, happier and healthier society for everyone.
Energy corp must think beyond dieselNunavut/News North - Monday, July 10, 2017
The Iqaluit hydroelectric project is dead in the water - and that's very unfortunate.
The project is on hold because funds were not available to continue. Bruno Pereira, president of the Quilliq Energy Corporation, said it didn't seem "appropriate" to invest further in the project, which has an estimated total cost of $356 million.
Part of his argument is that the power company is spending "significant money" on rebuilding aged power plants across the territory relying solely on diesel. According to the Climate Change Secretariat at the GN's Department of Environment, QEC is responsible for maintaining 26 stand-alone diesel plants in 25 communities, including two in Iqaluit. There is no back-up grid, and most of those facilities are starting to look their age. Power plants have an expected lifespan of just 40 years but Grise Fiord's plant is 54 years old, while Cape Dorset's is a spry 53, Cambridge Bay's is 50, Kugluktuk's doesn't look a day over 49. Nine other plants were built in the 1970s and are due for a facelift.
The Secretariat reports that in 2012-2013 Nunavut imported 180 million liters of fuel, including 44 million liters of diesel used for electricity generation and 63 million litres for heating. That's a huge number, with an even bigger impact-- climate change is very real, and the North, as the canary in the climate change coal mine, is literally melting under the heat. Over a decade ago, the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change started predicting the Arctic could be ice-free by 2100 but now, it seems almost every year those dates are clawed back. Some scientists clock the start of year-round shipping through the Northwest passage as early as 2040.
The time for sustainable energy was yesterday.
Strides are being made -- QEC installed 11 solar panels in Iqaluit connected to the power grid; the project will be monitored to assess the potential for people to connect their own solar panels to the grid. Similarly, a SolarWall project at Alaittuq High School in Rankin Inlet has been going since 2002. A 2016 report determined that Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, Arviat and Sanikiluaq had the best conditions for a wind power project in Nunavut.
And while costs are initially high for these types of projects - getting new infrastructure in place doesn't come cheap - long term, the cost will be much lower. While it's important to keep the lights on today, the territory and the federal government needs to be investing in alternative solutions - whether large or small scale - to start changing how electricity is generated in Nunavut. If not, we'll be talking about this exact issue in another 40 years.
Downtown depression Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, July 7, 2017
According to a new survey, the majority of people dislike downtown Yellowknife. The survey, conducted by Ipsos Reid, found 73 per cent of respondents disagreed that downtown is "vibrant and exciting."
Of the 600 people contacted, 29 per cent said that their quality of life had worsened over the past three years.
Catherine Knaus, director of polling at Ipsos Reid, told city council the results indicate a pessimism present in Yellowknife not seen in other communities.
Downtown, do you need a hug?
Frustration has been growing downtown as more and more businesses close their doors or move. The malls are one zombie short of a wasteland, populated only by tumbleweeds and errant A&W wrappers.
The high cost of living is part of it; rents in the downtown core have continued to hover between 'totally ridiculous' and 'ludicrously unattainable.' When the cost of living is so high, it's much harder for people to pump their disposable income back into things like local restaurants and independent businesses, because - once more with feeling - there's nothing disposable about it.
Coupled with the perception that homelessness and vagrancy downtown is expanding, is it any wonder that people aren't exactly skipping with delight down Franklin Avenue?
But that perception might not be reality. At the same council meeting where the survey results were discussed, council also praised municipal enforcement and the day shelter for changes that significantly decreased the number of calls to the public library. Municipal enforcement calls to the library decreased by more than 50 per cent compared to last year, partially due to "proactive patrolling" by officers and the Safe Harbour Day Shelter extending its hours.
That's a good thing. But Yellowknife needs to do more if it wants to breathe life back into downtown. The solution isn't just warehousing homeless people or constructing some sort of elaborate Potemkin facade on the malls. City officials pointed out that the high cost of living, poverty and homelessness were issues the city "does not have full control over" - but that doesn't mean council doesn't have a pony in this particular race. Nor does it put all the pressure on the city or the GNWT to fix these problems.
A downtown core is more than just a collection of brick and mortar buildings. It's a community. Let's act like it.
A great honour for a great woman Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, July 7, 2017
Of all the influential Northerners to be honoured for their work, Marie Wilson is as deserving as they come.
She helped lead the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, she was appointed to the Order of Canada and now she has been recognized by Governor General David Johnston.
In June, Johnston announced Wilson as one of the winners of the Meritorious Service Cross (Civil Division) for her efforts to examine the effects of residential schools and pursue reconciliation.
It is encouraging and inspiring to see continued federal recognition for a formidable woman who has done a lifetime's worth of great work in pursuit of the advancement of indigenous people.
Her work has undeniably left a lasting impact on the North, where the Truth and Reconciliation Commission held more meetings per capita than anywhere else in the country.
We hope Wilson continues to leave her considerable mark in the future, giving a voice to people who need it the most and working toward healing the scars of the past.
This award is a well-deserved honour commemorating an impressive career.
Life is full of tragedyInuvik Drum - Thursday, July 6, 2017
Losing a 19-year-old son is tragic, and so is any loss.
During the memorial and road naming last week, it was hard not to get swept up in the emotion the Vinnicombes displayed as they talked about the loss of David, who died in a June 2016 heavy machinery accident.
"Davey boy, God bless," choked out father Robbie Vinnicombe at the end of his short speech. "Rest in peace, son."
Renee Vinnicombe, David's mother, spoke afterwards of her positive outlook for the future. There was nothing to be gained digging at the wounds and David wouldn't have wanted everyone to be sad for eternity either.
Life is full of tragedy, accidents, pain, stress and problems. But to get a chance to experience it is the greatest gift possible.
Every day we get to wake up and think about anything at all is a good one.
On another note, you'll not find many communities in the country that revere their elders more than people in the North, so the fact that some of the graves of Inuvik matriarchs were desecrated is particularly disturbing.
It's hard to get into the head of someone who would do such a thing and isn't just a bored child.
This petty crime wave reveals an ugly underbelly in Inuvik, one the rest of us don't interact with at community events and the grocery store. Beyond the smiling faces at the mud bog or those parading during Canada Day, there is clearly a dissatisfied segment of the population that has taken to lashing out and hurting others.
Hopefully, those people can find their way into the fold of the happy, through introspection, counselling or assistance in some manner.
Either that or get out and leave the rest of us in peace.
