Finding the right balanceNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, August 28, 2017, 2017
When the rest of Canada – in fact, the world – thinks of the NWT, what comes to mind?
Natural resources and mining are likely top of the list. First gold and now diamond exploration and mining have been crucial elements of the territory's economy. And a major component to this place's allure and mystique.
The mining industry, according a news release from Wally Schumann, minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, "directly or indirectly employs nearly one-in-10 NWT residents and generates nearly a billion in annual economic activity."
The GNWT is in the process of developing mineral legislation – the Mineral Resources Act – that has begun "public stakeholder engagements." That means online information and a series of public meetings, which start today, Aug. 28, in Yellowknife and continue to Behchoko, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells, Inuvik, Hay River, before ending Sept. 12 in Fort Smith.
The federal government was responsible for fully regulating mining in the NWT until devolution in 2013, when the GNWT became responsible for public land management but the mining regulations remain unchanged. The new resources act will replace the old mining regulations from Ottawa.
The GNWT has been accused for years of not doing enough to carry the torch alight for the mining sector.
For example, NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines president president Gary Vivian and executive director Tom Hoefer appealed to members of the 18th Legislative Assembly in December 2015 to improve the territory's investment climate.
"There are some things the government can do to the inherent problems that are keeping people away from here," said Vivian at the organization's AGM ("Chamber urges focus on mining," News/North, Dec. 21, 2015), while pointing to the closures of the Cantung and Snap Lake mines and a seven-year decline in mineral exploration investment as examples of government ineptitude.
Funny enough, not everyone in the business feels that way.
Vancouver-based mining exploration company Silver Range Resources sang the territory's praises while announcing Aug. 2 that it had signed a letter of intent with GGL Resources, giving the company the right to explore for metals and minerals in its Slave Geological Province greenstone belt property, 250 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife.
"With the increased investment by a number of majors in Canada's North, it's encouraging that people are realizing, 'Hey this is a politically stable environment that has a wealth of resources, it's time to start taking it more seriously,'" said Richard Drechsler, of Silver Range Resources.
For all the bluster from the chamber of mines about the territory being a poor place to invest, the NWT can at least say it's no Venezuela or Kazakhstan. Regulations may be cumbersome but it's becoming clear the mining industry prefers political stability over shaky regimes with loose rules but uncertain futures.
A new Mineral Resources Act must strike a balance between making mining companies happy and respecting Indigenous communities and protecting the environment. This may seem difficult but really, it's the only thing that makes sense in a territory rich in land, resources and responsible government.
Be an advocate for the vulnerableNunavut/News North - Monday, August 28, 2017
It would take a great deal of effort to tally the number of pages this newspaper has dedicated over the years to reports of people in positions of trust who have abused that trust.
There is a special place in hell for those who prey on children in a sexual manner, and too many children here have been the victim of such an abuser.
For those who choose to read the court documents, or sit through testimony from victims, the experience hardens a person's resolve to be the voice for those who can't speak out.
In recent memory, we recall the case of Belgian Oblate priest Eric Dejaeger, who was convicted of abusing boys in Baker Lake, Iglulik and Alberta. At his sentencing, Justice Robert Kilpatrick said Dejaeger's abuse left a "dark legacy," leaving his victims struggling with substance abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and difficulties with relationships.
This time, we are talking of a dental therapist – Daniel Nahogaloak, who died last year –– who abused, in his words, every female patient who sat in his chair. A dozen have come forward. Who can say how many people are struggling to cope in the aftermath of such a predator?
Compounding this scandal is the allegation coming forward that other dental therapists in Nunavut communities were perpetrating similar abuses.
Many kids are taught about "stranger danger" but far more victims are put in abusers' hands by unwitting parents.
There was a time when society trusted its children with doctors, dentists, teachers, priests, hockey coaches and others in power. Today, criminal records checks provide us with some protections. But when is the last time you asked your dentist for a records check?
In 2014, a dental office in Winnipeg was surprised to discover the Manitoba Dental Association failed to tell it that one of its dentists was operating under a restricted licence that forbade him from interacting with children unless supervised by a parent or MDA-approved staff. Imagine how surprised patients must have been to see that in the news.
In Nunavut, there an abundance of vulnerable people, and young people make up almost half the population. The number of children who experience sexual abuse is 4.5 times the national average. Many incidents go unreported.
The vulnerable – children, elderly, those with disabilities – must be protected from predators.
If you are in such a position of trust, the people place the burden of responsibility in your hands. Protect those who were put into your trust. Always have a second adult in the room. Put systems in place to ensure your colleagues follow similar protocols.
Parents, build your trust through facts, not assumptions. Ask to see criminal records checks, stay with your child for medical appointments, teach your child about boundaries, check up on your elders. Know the signs of abuse, speak up if something is wrong, and follow up to make sure changes are made. Become a person your loved ones trust, and teach them not to keep secrets from you.
Inevitably, there is a first time for every abuser. If you are thinking about abusing your position, don't. Get help.
Answers needed in bail case Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, August 25, 2017
Winter is coming, and so is a carbon tax. By the start of 2018, the territorial government needs to have a plan in place on carbon, otherwise the federal government will come knocking and implement one itself.
A carbon tax is particularly problematic for the Northwest Territories where fuel prices are typically the highest in the country. The territory struggles to hold onto its population while a skyrocketing cost of living drives them out.
An estimated $12.6 million could be generated by a territorial carbon tax in its first year and that could either be a boon or a bust, depending where the money goes.
As Yellowknifer reported last week, there are really two options for where to put those pennies: directly fund regular government programs and services – i.e., use the carbon tax to institute another tax grab that will make life even less affordable. Or, recycle it back to residents and businesses through tax credits and rebates for greener homes and vehicles, such as wood pellet boilers and energy-efficient walls and windows, or investments in energy projects that reduce the cost of living and greenhouse gases such as hydro stations and wind farms. According to a GNWT discussion paper, the average household could expect to pay between $168 and $185 in direct taxes (on carbon producing fuels) and indirect taxes (included in the price of goods and services) in the first year the tax is implemented. By 2022, that could rise to $923 per household, as the price of carbon rises.
But in the North, where the cost of living is already punitively high, such an increase will inevitably squeeze out small businesses and individuals. A carbon tax may prove effective at lowering carbon consumption in larger centres where there are more options for travel and heating homes but fuel use is far less voluntary in a jurisdiction where winter lasts six months or more and most of the communities are powered by diesel.
Premier Bob McLeod needs to drive that point home to his brother's boss, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as much as possible. The premier's brother, Liberal MP Michael McLeod, must do the same. They must be ready to fight if Trudeau's promise to consider the North's greater cost challenges proves to be more hot air coming from Ottawa.
Tax breaks and subsidies to encourage people to go green while encouraging the development of cheaper, greener power must be part of any carbon reduction plan in the NWT -- especially if the GNWT is serious about encouraging northern business investment.
Making it too costly to invest here won't help anyone long-term.
But the territory also need long-term solutions, and we don't need to look any further than our next door neighbours on why investment in sustainable infrastructure is crucial.
Nunavut recently shoved the Iqaluit hydroelectric project to the backburner, because funds had to be reallocated to keep the lights on at all the other, aging power plants that rely solely on diesel. That can't happen here: a carbon tax reinvestment in energy needs to go into long-term, sustainable solutions, not just the status quo. Likewise, our politicians must make sure the little guy isn't being turned upside down and shaken by the carbon tax while finding ways to get the fossil fuel monkey off our collective backs.
And this is where the federal government should insert its proboscis: if any territory in this country needs federal investment in sustainable energy, it's the NWT. Without it, we'll be right back here, having this same discussion in 2022.
Don't be a slave to the nameInuvik Drum - Thursday, August 24, 2017
Kylik Kisoun Taylor of Tundra North Tours provided the boldest recommendation during a planning meeting for the 2018 Inuvik Sunrise Festival: change the date, away from the actual time the sun rises.
As heretical as that may sound, his argument had merit.
Typically, the festival is held at the end of the first week in January, when the sun rises again for the first time in Inuvik after the dark polar winter.
Taylor suggested either pushing the festival up and making it a New Year's celebration or moving it back to February when it's brighter out.
The challenge with the current date, he explained, is that most people can't justify taking a third week off from work after the standard Christmas break. It's a poor time of the year to attract tourism and truly, the weather's not that pleasant.
When people come to Inuvik, they actually want to be able to do stuff. As novel as the first sunrise is, tourists want it to be light enough out to engage in Northern activities and see the area.
The debate exemplified the challenge any business or organization can run into when picking a name.
The festival is named after the sunrise, so it has to happen during the first sunrise, right?
Well, no. What's a name? It's just words. It wouldn't matter if it wasn't perfectly in line with its namesake. That or scale the sunrise festival way back to a community event and use those resources for a differently named tourist attraction in February.
The whole concept goes out the window if it's cloudy anyway.
Imagine the tourists who spend thousands of dollars coming up here turning around because of such a semantic issue.
"Hmm, I really want to go to Inuvik for the sunrise festival, but did you know the actual sunrise was a month before? Scrap the plans - I cannot play accomplice to this!"
If you've got a business called the Red Shirt Company, but people are beating down the doors for blue shirts, you can either die waving that red flag or start making blue shirts.
A common mistake in business is getting too attached to a concept.
You start a new company with this incredible vision wherein everything ties back to Concept X. It's a work of art how all aspects of the business centre around this one idea.
But a year in, you start finding out that people prefer a service that doesn't tie to that concept. If you want to grow, forget your personal pride and follow the market.
A rigid vision sounds beautiful on paper but can become a ball and chain around your neck.
What matters is the product, not the concept, name or vision.
If moving the sunrise festival to a different date brings more money into town, that's worth any nitpicking about the name.
World doesn't stop spinning in summerYellowknifer - Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Summer in Yellowknife is so glorious and so fleeting, one could forgive anybody who lets him or herself believe the world actually stops for it.
Unfortunately, that's not the case. The world keeps turning. Residents keep using city facilities and infrastructure. Construction drones on.
Businesses keep their doors open.
Speaking of businesses, city council definitely owes an apology to Twist & Shout owner Jason Perrino, who recently showed up to not one – but two – municipal services committee meetings only to find these meetings didn't have quorum.
The handful of councillors in attendance couldn't do anything but passively listen to his presentation. Nobody had bothered to contact Perrino beforehand to let him know this.
The municipal services committee sits at noon, which also happens to be the start of any restaurant's lunch rush, so for Perrino to take time out of his day to make his presentation is no small effort.
Yellowknifer isn't suggesting councillors shouldn't be able to take vacations in summer. But becoming a councillor is a commitment and each person elected does get paid for his or her work.
So how hard can it be to organize vacations so there aren't so many councillors away at one time that council ends up hamstringing itself?
Last Monday, it was a personal emergency that lead to a lack of quorum. Personal emergencies happen. But maybe a little more planning could be done to make sure council doesn't grind to a halt over a single councillor's emergency.
As well as better organization, perhaps city council could do a better job at communicating. In the event where quorum won't be met, for example, somebody should be contacting those scheduled to make presentations.
In response to the quorum issues, Coun. Adrian Bell suggested people schedule their presentations in the fall, when there is a higher likelihood all councillors will be available to hear them out. As much as this is a fair and no doubt accurate observation, it's unrealistic. Things are going to happen in summer, people are going to need things from council in summer.
The world may slow down but it isn't going to stop just because the mercury passes 20 C. Maybe not all councillors will be around all summer long but enough of them should be so as to not hobble city business.
Aurora College review drags on and onYellowknifer - Wednesday, August 23, 2017
In March, Education Minister Alfred Moses announced a review of Aurora College in the wake of controversy over the cancellation of its bachelor of education and social work programs.
The review was to be finished by fall and implemented in the 2018-19 school year.
Here we are, on the cusp of autumn, and the contract has yet to be awarded. While the public awaits the outcome of this review, the bachelor of education and social work programs remain in limbo.
This may not be the intention of the government, but while the review stalls, these programs are withering on the vine.
Yellowknifer wouldn't blame anybody for their cynicism in thinking this is intentional.
Aurora College cut the two programs earlier this year after Cabinet slashed the school's budget by $1.89 million. The public outcry was intense, and rightfully so. The North needs social workers and teachers – especially Northern ones, who understand the specific challenges of this region. By keeping these programs available in the North, not only do Northern students have the opportunity to study close to home, these young professionals have a higher chance of staying up here, where they are so desperately needed.
Letting a review stagnate will lead to more of a likelihood that this is the end of social-work and education studies in the North. Whether or not this is intentional, the territory deserves better leadership than this.
One big familyEditorial Comment by April Hudson
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, August 23, 2017
As the summer comes to an end, so does a season of short-sleeved sports and warm-weather events.
In Rankin Inlet, the Calm Air Cup has capped a competitive co-ed season of softball, Family Fun Day brought people together one last time before classes begin and autumn is well and truly in the air.
School has started in all Kivalliq communities now and as students return to their classrooms I'm reminded once more of how people in the North live up to one of their greatest attributes.
People who visit the North often return home with stories of how friendly it is, the warmth of strangers and how many communities seem like one big family. It's something uniquely Northern - something you don't hear about from most other areas of Canada.
Now I can say I've experienced it for myself.
When I arrived here five weeks ago, I was genuinely and pleasantly surprised to find myself in a place where people still really do say hello to you on the street, wave at you as they drive past or throw out a "good morning" - with feeling - at the grocery store.
People routinely went out of their way to help, to chat and to make me feel at home.
I found that warmth at the post office, hotel, at events and even when I was carrying my groceries home.
I also had people open up to me with their stories of hardship and success.
It was the extension of a close-knit community and made me realize just how happy most people are to live here. Despite the hardships of the North, there's a lot of beauty in the love people hold for their land and for each other.
Those are some of the most important building blocks to a healthy society, where people build each other up and invest time into connecting with one another.
This fall, take the time to appreciate what you have here - and include the contributions you personally make to this community by attending events, speaking up when needed and remaining so welcoming and positive.
If you keep talking to each other and keep that warmth flowing, then anything is possible.
