Rethink military base locationsNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, July 31, 2017
Since 2007, a military training exercise called Operation NUNAKPUT has taken place on the Mackenzie River, and the North and South Slave regions and Beaufort Delta. This summer, NUNAKPUT took place from June 26 to July 20, with News/North reporter Kirsten Fenn embedded for four days.
To have a reporter spend so many days on assignment and then spend many more days going through notes and writing stories is a significant commitment for Northern News Services. But being able to witness first-hand how the Canadian government asserts its sovereignty over the North helps us better explain how the armed forces work on land and water in co-ordination with the Canadian Rangers and RCMP.
In last week's edition, we devoted News/North's two-page centrefold to some of Fenn's fine photos, ("Operation NUNAKPUT taps into local expertise').
While that was a feature, Fenn also provided a news story when on July 16 the training mission was quickly overshadowed by a real-life emergency after a small Cessna aircraft nearly crashed outside Tulita ("Three safe after engine fails near Tulita"). The aircraft was headed from Norman Wells when it began experiencing engine failure and was attempting to glide into the nearest airport in Tulita. As Fenn reported, firefighters, RCMP, armed forces and rangers were on site, as well as a medic who assessed the passengers. No one was physically injured.
But the incident underlined how having a beefed up military presence could help improve the safety level of the people who help keep the lights on up here in the North.
Operation NUNAKPUT is made up from personnel and assets from across Canada, states the Government of Canada's website, and is drawn from Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force units. About 140 Canadian Armed Forces members and employees from other government departments and agencies took part, according to government information.
That included members from bases in Halifax, N.S., and Esquimalt, B.C. and cities including Montreal and Winnipeg. The Royal Canadian Air Force, 440 (Transport) Squadron, based in Yellowknife, transported people and supplies throughout the operation.
We're pleased to see the beefed up presence during the busy summer season in the NWT. However, wouldn't it be beneficial for both the residents that live in this vast territory and to the nation as a whole to have a much stronger military presence up here year-round?
Is there a reason that Canada's military bases are, for the most part, located in the most populated areas of the country? In areas that already have a strong police and reserves presence.
Canada needs to be ready to defend itself against any challenges to its sovereignty while also protecting civilians who live in the North.
So it just makes sense to us here at News/North that having a small permanent base such as in a place like the town of Inuvik would help place military members in a forward operating position, while also populating the place with their families which would enhance the local economy.
Oh, wait a minute. Inuvik did have a signals intercept facility the operated for about 25 years the largest one that far North in all of Canada. When Canadian Forces Station Inuvik was closed in 1986, about 270 military members left. But some estimates peg the total loss at 700 when families and others are counted. It was a devastating blow to the community, which now has population of 3,400.
The regular presence of the Canadian Armed Forces in the North shows other nations that we indeed do claim the place as part of our country.
The regular permanent presence of those forces in places such as Inuvik shows a much deeper commitment to the nation and the people of the North.
Progress needs to benefit allNunavut/News North - Monday, July 31, 2017
It's summer in Nunavut, and as the beaches fill with sealift containers, the streets in the capital, at least - are filled with visitors and construction vehicles. They're both critical to the Nunavut economy but we can see the fallout when the two clash.
Hotel Arctic is expected to close. Though it would make great student housing to replace the fire-lost Old Res, if local speculation is truth, it is also a loss of a significant space for tourists and business visitors. Is the capacity available elsewhere to replace this loss? Time will tell.
As the hotel closes, the city will likely lose, at least temporarily, a restaurant and a pub, both of which are well-frequented.
It's unfortunate timing in light of the fact the new airport is set to open next month, with the intention to better support visitors to the territory. The loss of amenities makes the city less attractive to visitors and to those considering living here.
At the same time, a new hotel is being discussed for the land currently occupied by the Tukisigiarvik Friendship Centre. Unfortunately, that means the centre could face eviction.
The friendship centre is a significant supporter of Inuit and a safe space to go during the day to reconnect with traditional ways, while providing breakfast, access to country food, counselling, land skills training, and workshops such as kamiik making. The loss of the centre, even temporarily, is sure to have a profound impact on the lives of the people who use it.
It is a loss for local residents in favour of the construction of a hotel that will benefit visitors. Some of these visitors will be coming from other communities within Nunavut, and others will be coming to do work that support Nunavummiut. But efforts must be made to reduce any negative impact on local residents.
It's a delicate balance to find in the quest to increase economic opportunities for Nunavummiut. Outside of government, resource extraction and construction, promoting tourism is seen as an opportunity worth the investment. The capital certainly needs hotels and restaurants. Communities across Nunavut are building visitor centres and other tourism supports to draw money from outside to local outfitters and artists.
Communities along the Northwest Passage are especially hopeful they will be able to reap the rewards. Gjoa Haven has seen a wealth of investment that was only ramped up in the wake of the discovery of the Franklin expedition ships.
But the promise of big money from cruise passengers and other tourism operations needs to be tempered by the realities on the ground. Various artists and economic development officers have told us that they don't see the benefits if their communities are a middle stop on a cruise itinerary, as passengers tend to spend all their souvenir money at the beginning, or save it for the end.
The growth of the tourism economy is slow here, so it's important to maintain a holistic approach to progress. Just as it is critical to continue to invest in hotels, etc., it is equally perhaps more important to invest in the people here and improving the quality of life.
With this in mind, we call on landlords, politicians, and regular folk to help support organizations survive the changes afoot. Progress is good, but for Tukisigiarvik and others, Nunavut can't let progress mean negative outcomes for the people who need the support of such organizations.
Dawdling puts lives at risk Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, July 28, 2017
A small detail left out of the coroner's report into the death of 19-year-old Timothy Henderson in April 2015 is the fact that he tried to commit suicide after checking himself into Stanton Territorial Hospital.
And then, within a couple days, the hospital released him. No one was called, according to his father, even though Henderson had made several previous attempts on his life and had admitted to family members that he often thought about harming himself.
One of the biggest complaints from Henderson's family is that it is almost impossible to get continuous mental health care under the current system. Privacy issues and dependency on locum doctors for staffing physicians means only a small facet of a patient's history is available to health-care professionals. They say Henderson experienced these shortcomings first-hand, first when transferring from pediatric to adult care and a second time when he moved to study in Alberta.
This is the problem as it currently exists in the Northwest Territories. Loved ones of people expressing suicidal thoughts have little recourse if the person is 18 years or older. The maximum amount of time health professionals can hold a person under the existing Mental Health Act is 48 hours.
Changes to the legislation sailed through the legislative assembly
with solemn fanfare after Henderson's death. The revamped Mental Health Act would allow physicians to hold persons suffering mental health issues for up to 30 days, or longer if necessary. The new law would also allow persons receiving treatment to be discharged but remain under supervision. They can be detained should they stop treatment.
But 22 months later the legislation still hasn't been implemented. Health Minister Glen Abernethy had said the law would be implemented by last January. An e-mail to Yellowknifer yesterday from the Department of Health and Social Services insists progress has been made but "a great deal of work is still needed" before the new legislation can come into force.
The work remaining includes: the establishment of a Mental Health Act review board; finish drafting of regulations; develop and produce new forms; develop and deliver training for staff, practitioners and review board members.
That's a pretty long list. No doubt this is a difficult business but why does it take two years to draft regulations when it only took five months for the legislation to get through the legislative assembly? MLAs must be wondering this themselves.
Lives are literally on the line. The GNWT needs to get on with it.
Yellowknifers definitely give a damn Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, July 28, 2017
According to a 2010 survey by Statistics Canada, 13.3 million Canadians over 15 about 47 per cent of the population -- volunteered their time for a good cause.
About 89 per cent of those people were involved in fundraising or organizing events. On top of that, another 84 per cent of Canadians donated money, to the tune of about $470 on average each year.
Alas, the Northwest Territories isn't pulling its do-gooder weight, according to the survey.
The NWT tied with Quebec for the lowest rate of volunteering, at 37 per cent.
The latest version of the survey, from 2013, didn't even bother to include the NWT but total volunteers across the country only dropped by three per cent, so chances are the NWT still wasn't winning any statistical prizes.
However, as Yellowknifer has stated before, this simply doesn't jive with what's happening here on the ground. Just ask the YWCA GirlSpace. The group received a donation of more than $18,000 earlier this month, the product of the first 100 Women Who Give a Damn event. Actually, it's more like 131 Women Who Give A Damn, as that's how many descended on the Top Knight to each donate $100 to a good cause. More donations kept pouring in after press time from even more women willing to give. Modeled after the men's group of the same name, the group will meet four times a year to donate to a local charity or non-profit.
Besides 100 Women Who Give A Damn, Pay it Forward NWT celebrated five years of giving back this week but not before organizer Renee Sanderson capped off the latest initiative, 21 birthdays in a backpack kids so every child will get a chance to celebrate. Whether it's writing a cheque or volunteering their time to make massive events, such as Folk on the Rocks or Long John Jamboree happen, Yellowknifers are there in droves, fueled by coffee and a deep-seated love of T-shirts with the word 'volunteer' on them.
Maybe it's about time Statistics Canada figured that out.
Somebody do somethingInuvik Drum - Thursday, July 27, 2017
Inuvik is one of the best places I've ever lived, and it's not just nice for a Northern town.
It's remote but still classically Canadian, a little bit Wild West and extremely friendly.
The only problem is the economy.
I walk around town and wonder, what's someone supposed to do here? What jobs are there? What opportunities do they have if they stay?
Maybe they could get one of the trades jobs or a government position but this town's not screaming opportunity.
I wasn't here when Inuvik was bustling. I can't quite understand why leadership seems so blasι about its current state.
Town council rarely seems in a rush to do anything. They talk about writing letters to various government ministers concerning issues affecting town, but seem slow to follow through, hoping they can bring them up next time the minister is in town
"House is burning down. I'll bring it up when I see the fire chief at the cafι next week."
This place is on its way to becoming a ghost town if something doesn't change.
Only the government can prop up a place like this when there's no natural economy. That's hardly a sustainable long-term plan but in a situation like this, perhaps the GNWT should consider giving the region a shot of life.
It would be a net loss, as all government spending is, but Northern Canada is in a unique situation with regard to usual economic principles. If the territorial and federal governments want the North to stay populated and active, they need to step in when resources dry up.
Canada as a whole hardly needs a lift in the way the North does but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn't have a problem cranking the printing press of fresh dollar bills in an attempt to stimulate the nation.
If anyone in Canada needs a shot in the arm, it's the North.
Though centralizing to Yellowknife may be efficient for the GNWT, perhaps government structure should be reconsidered and the focus should shift to breathing life into the communities.
Money has got to come here one way or another. Inuvik could regain some economic ground by becoming a true regional hub for the GNWT.
Arguably, the historic Dempster Highway access, unique geographical position and vast swaths of open land make this region more attractive to tourists than Yellowknife. As the Town of Inuvik's new tourism site states, Inuvik is truly Arctic. It is at once remote and accessible, mysterious and familiar, unique and Canadian.
Rather than the territory be Yellowknife and the rest, Inuvik should become a bigger player in the North and a focus of government investment.
Ultimately, economics trumps all. You can have the most beautiful piece of land in the world but if no one can afford living there, no one will if they don't have to.
The community puts a lot of focus into nurturing its youth but without opportunities all that investment is going to head south after they graduate.
Ready or not ...Yellowknifer - Wednesday, July 26, 2017
The territorial government is about to set out on a busy few months. Ahead of the July 2018 date for marijuana legalization, the Department of Justice has posted a survey to collect public opinion on what legal marijuana should look like in the territory.
Questions include: Should the minimum age be older than 18? Should people be allowed to possess 30 grams or should that number be lowered? Where should it be sold? Should communities have the power to become smokeless, mirroring liquor legislation that allows for dry communities?
As of last week, a whopping 686 people had responded to the survey, showing there is a very high public interest in the issue. This is great but it's hard to imagine it being a surprise. Legal marijuana is going to change society in a number of ways - it's going to change the criminal justice system, the economy, health, policing and education.
People who plan to partake will want ease of access. Others worry about keeping it out of the hands of youth. On top of the immense public interest, creating new legislation with so many facets is going to be complicated - and the government is going to have to do this in a very small amount of time.
The survey is going to be online until Sept. 22. In the fall, the territorial government is going on a tour of nine communities to collect public input in person.
Then, government staff will metabolize all of this data into a report, which deputy justice minister Mark Aitken hopes will be translated into legislation by the first sitting of assembly next year -- Feb. 7. This gives the government a four-month window to translate government research and hundreds of voices worth of public input into a report and flip that report into legislation, not counting a two-week break for Donny Days in December. To this Yellowknifer says, good luck with that.
It's logical to think a little bit of proactive work in spring would have loosened this tight timeline a bit.
As it is now, the territorial government seems as though it is definitely behind the eight-ball. Hopefully those who make up the marijuana working group are ready to roll their sleeves up and get to work on legislation that will portend a major change in society.
One piece of a big puzzleYellowknifer - Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Last week, Health Minister Glen Abernethy told Yellowknifer if he had a magic wand, he would wave it to offer better care for mental-health and addictions problems in the territory.
When it comes to these problems, which lie at the root of the city's homelessness problem, we all agree. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a magic wand the government could wave to eradicate homelessness?
Unfortunately, there is no one solution to homelessness - there are many small solutions that need to work in concert over a long period of time.
Yellowknife got one of those small solutions last week with the opening of the city's sobering centre.
The accommodations are Spartan - visitors occupy a thin foam mattress in half a tent with a dividing screen. But visitors get a medical examination, a clean and safe place to sleep, a small, healthy breakfast and a ride to the Safe Harbour Day Shelter in the morning if they need.
For people who up until now had no options at the end of a night, this is a critical facet of immediate emergency care many of the city's vulnerable population need.
It's wonderful to see the sobering centre open. Every project the government follows through on as part of the all-encompassing homeless plan is a small step leading toward what will hopefully be a huge leap in quality of life for all of us but especially for the city's most vulnerable residents.
No stereotypes allowedEditorial Comment by April Hudson
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, July 26, 2017
As seven girls in Rankin Inlet worked to develop music videos this week, their true objective was deeper and much more important: creating a space where they could see themselves reflected back.
It is no secret that there is an appalling lack of indigenous faces in media. Advertising and other forms of media play an undeniable role in how people see themselves and others, yet the people represented often belong to a very narrow and specific group.
That is why it is so inspiring to see young indigenous people embracing their own forms of representation.
Over the course of two evenings, these girls were able to create a mirror of how they view themselves and their community.
They drew and took pictures of the things that are important to them as individuals and compiled these images into short videos of various lengths, punctuated with music.
The videos involved experiences you might not see represented elsewhere: candid photos of friends and family members laughing and dancing; the unfiltered and unedited beauty of Northern landscapes; in some cases, music written and performed by themselves, for themselves.
Who needs anything else?
The instructor for the music camp, Cassidy Glennie, told me the project was about challenging stereotypes in a media world populated primarily by people with pale skin.
This group accomplished that by aiming to show what life in the North is really like on a very personal level - no stereotypes allowed.
The unfortunate part of this, of course, is that all of the girls who took part in the camp knew of stereotypes that exist, many of them negative. That alone shows how prevalent - and often damaging - such preconceived notions can be.
Thankfully, the opposite of stereotypes is individuals. That's what the videos showed, fearlessly and on-key (although occasionally a little off-key): individuality in spades.
Despite some shyness, these girls shared their videos - parts of which may have been deeply personal and closely held visions of themselves - with each other, their parents and with me. Each one was perfect in its own way.
Embracing individuality can be difficult at any age, let alone when you are young. It requires a level of confidence that may be hard to muster for many people. But it's inevitably a good thing, in the end, as it can help to raise self-esteem.
We should all take the time to celebrate the things that make us unique. But we need to start celebrating the things that make other people unique as well. The differences that set us apart can also bring us together.
It would be nice to be able to wave a wand and have all people everywhere represented in media. While I'm wishing, it would also be nice if that magic wand could make all negative stereotypes disappear.
In the meantime, we need more girls like these seven to throw away the stereotypes they see and hear, and instead take photos, draw and dance to the beat of their own drum.
