Let the children inYellowknifer - Wednesday, August 2, 2017
Of all the territory's liquor laws, the one that defines liquor permits might be the most archaic.
As it is written right now, if an NWT restaurateur offers a full menu but won't necessarily derive his or her profits primarily from food, that business will be granted a Class A, or 'liquor-primary' liquor licence.
For example, there are a handful of restaurants in town that see a bustling brunch, lunch and dinner service but stay open past the dinner rush to serve drinks through the evening.
One of the catches of having this licence is the establishment - being bureaucratically designated "liquor primary" - cannot allow customers under 19 inside.
This blunt dividing line puts bustling pubs with full menus such as Twist & Shout, the Black Knight, the Woodyard Brewpub and The Cellar on the same level as a place such as The Raven, which is essentially a venue and dance club.
The territorial government - its politicians at least - love to make a big show about making the territory more business friendly and welcoming to tourists.
But there is nothing more unwelcoming to business than forcing restaurant owners to turn away families. As well, there is nothing more unwelcoming to tourists than to be denied service at one of the city's fine establishments because parents might have a toddler, pre-teen or (gasp!) an 18-year-old in tow. Now, Yellowknifer isn't suggesting allowing babies to belly up to the bar or junior kindergartners to sing karaoke on Saturday nights.
But many of the city's 'liquor primary' establishments offer a great brunch, and there is no reason to bar kids from eggs and pancakes, even if there is a side mimosa for mom or dad.
Many other Canadian jurisdictions now allow families to dine in pubs. The solution is simple - amend the NWT's Class A liquor licence to give business owners the option of allowing children in until a certain time - say 9 p.m. That way, families can partake in brunch, lunch and dinner service and establishments turn into adult-only affairs after youngsters' bedtimes.
Loosening the laws should be a simple fix, so hopefully the Department of Finance, which is responsible for the Liquor Act, is listening.
New home needed for visitor's centreYellowknifer - Wednesday, August 2, 2017
One of the few economic success stories to come out of the territory over the past few years is tourism.
People love the aurora, the fantastic hunting and fishing opportunities, the beautiful lakes and trails, camping and Indigenous culture. According to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment website, the tourism industry pulled in a massive $146 million in 2015 and the department hopes to see that number rise to more than $200 million in 2020.
Considering tourism has become a beautiful cash cow for the territorial government, it's mind-boggling there are no plans publicized to replace or rebuild the Northern Frontier Visitors Centre.
Whether they stay in Yellowknife or head out to the communities, the capital city is a hub for tourists. In fact, the visitor's centre saw 50,000 of them walk through the door last year. An industry this size deserves a well-funded, well-maintained and welcoming spot to guide tourists to Yellowknife's best restaurants, galleries, trails, camping sites, swimming holes and everything else the territory has to offer. A temporary desk at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre is certainly appreciated, but a lack of a long-term plan to back it up is unfathomable.
Whether the centre, which needs space for RV parking, is rebuilt in the same spot, down Highway 4 or along Highway 3 heading into the city is neither here nor there. Yellowknifer just wants to see the territorial government get proactive in supporting an industry that has grown to provide such a big economic support for government and private sector alike.
Loud and clearEditorial Comment by April Hudson
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, August 2, 2017
The second of two public information sessions to deal with work happening at the Itivia site for the Meliadine mine was packed full of people who brought questions, concerns and advice for mining company Agnico Eagle.
It was a welcome sight, if a little surprising given the first meeting hadn't elicited anywhere near such a response. The meeting went late into the night, stretching for hours as the Kivalliq Inuit Association, the Hamlet of Rankin Inlet and Agnico Eagle sought to address numerous issues.
People who attended made one thing loud and clear: they're not happy with the current state of affairs.
One of the most contentious issues, of course, was the well-used Itivia boat launch, a location that has become congested this summer as Agnico Eagle offloads barges full of sea cans for the construction phase of Meliadine mine.
Having only been here a few weeks, I don't personally know how bad that congestion is. But it was bad enough to bring dozens upon dozens of people out for a discussion on how to improve the situation.
One suggestion in particular struck me as a good compromise: if the boat launch area reserved for public use could be widened and expanded, that could alleviate pressure on the site.
2017 is a very busy year for Agnico Eagle, and mine traffic at the Itivia site is not going to slow down any time soon.
When a private company relies so heavily on important public facilities, it is of vital importance that they mitigate their impact as much as possible.
That is ostensibly what the meeting was for: to come up with solutions on how to move forward, now that congestion has presented a problem at the site.
Any action Agnico Eagle takes will surely cost the company a fair amount of money. Hopefully that is seen as simply the cost of doing business in the North.
What was not made clear at the meeting was whether that's something the company is prepared to do.
It would have been re-assuring if company representatives had come with their own suggestions, or at least an idea of how far Agnico Eagle is willing to go to ease pressure - and by extension ease frustration - stemming from mine operations.
What also wasn't clear at the meeting was exactly how much of this congestion should be considered the "new normal" - whether this uptick in mining traffic will persist as the mine rolls into production.
Another important point brought up during the meeting was the simple fact this community is growing.
As one participant noted, the very presence of the mine bringing money into the community means more people will be able to afford boats and trailers to haul them on in the future.
That will inevitably cause more strain on already limited resources.
For now, the most important thing Agnico Eagle can do is follow up with the community.
Community members need to know just how dedicated the company is to building a positive relationship. They need to know the company has listened, and that means Agnico Eagle needs to present real, feasible options they are willing to undertake.
If that doesn't happen, these meetings will have been an unfortunate waste of time.
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.
