Run for your livesNorthwest Territories/News North - Monday, September 18, 2017
It's impossible to hear stories about people fleeing for their lives from wildfires - or losing expensive properties, many part of the NWT's tourism draw - without wondering what the heck is wrong with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
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What they're saying
"We're asking, 'why did these mistakes happen and what is going to be done about that? This could have so easily been prevented." - Dave Olesen, who lost his Hoarfrost River home to fire in 2014.
"I don't know if there were lessons learned from the 2014 fires. If there were why weren't they put into practice in 2016." - Rodney Kenny, who lost his Moraine Point Lodge to fire in 2014.
"They did not give us any warning and now ENR will not answer any of my questions." - Bryan Chorostkowski, who lost his Namushka Lodge in 2016.
"Everybody is trying to make decisions and calling me and saying do this or don't go here." - Band manager Mark Pocklington, before Nahanni Butte residents self-evacuated as a wildfire rained embers on them a few weeks ago. |
Predicting Mother Nature's next move is always difficult. But not impossible.
Sometimes, it could require more preventative equipment, such as sprinklers, be placed as fires blaze toward property and people. Perhaps firefighters on the ground and in the air should be called in to try and stop the wildfire, or at least try to change its direction.
At other times, a firm order to evacuate might be needed - even if it is made out of an abundance of caution - as we repeatedly hear of people literally self-evacuating in their own boats at the very last minute.
"Elders, some more than 80 years old, adults, kids and a baby only six months old were among those who had to get loaded into pickup trucks, drive about 10 kilometres to the Liard River, get into several boats, cross the river and then take more community-owned trucks into Fort Liard," said band manager Mark Pocklington ("People flee fire near Nahanni Butte," News/North, Sept. 8), after a harrowing self-evacuation in the dark the night before.
"It was dark. It was windy. The water was rough but no one panicked. We had to hold and carry some of the elders with mobility issues."
Most people fled the thick smoke and hot embers with little more than the clothes on their back. No one was hurt and no structures were lost as winds shifted the fire. Most residents evacuated to Fort Liard.
All returned to Nahanni Butte on Sept. 9. This after more official bewilderment as to when to allow people to return.
In that incident, Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) officials are alleged to have told residents they were not in danger Sept. 7, just hours before they had to flee -- that as those workers were themselves leaving.
Allegations have also been made against the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) for not helping with the evacuation, once the community made the decision to leave.
MACA officials defended their inaction, stating they had received "the best information" available from ENR. But in the end, it was up to the people to make a potentially life-saving decision.
Is that the rule of thumb that needs to be followed in the NWT? While we admire and celebrate the men and women on the front lines - firefighters, pilots and everyone back at the office who does their best to predict and fight fires - we can only surmise that serious communication issues remain in the territorial government's chain of command.
Reports into incidents that caused near loss of life and major property damage have been done. But they aren't made public without a fight.
When leaked to the media, we learn of out of date maps, contradicting reports of radio or phone contact with lodge owners and a lack of equipment.
We urge the GNWT, and specifically Environment and Natural Resources Minister Robert C. McLeod to increase support for ENR -- in money, equipment, personnel and training.
Unless there is change, the GNWT will have done nothing except to fiddle while Rome burns.
Three years to make beer store's caseNunavut/News North - Monday, September 18, 2017
Even if you don't live in Iqaluit, you've probably seen the lineups at Nunavut's pilot project beer and wine store in the capital on social media or on TV.
It's amazing to witness the demand, especially considering the early outcry from factions in the city who overwhelmed government consultations insisting that making alcohol more readily available would create problems.
In response, the government says making the right kind of alcohol - low alcohol content beer and wine rather than hard liquor - is actually a solution.
There is a relevant precedent just across the Davis Strait, as Greenland took a similar approach and found that serious crime dropped.
The whole point of this is to disable bootleggers who can make a hefty profit from each bottle of vodka, to put that money back into the customers' pockets, and to stop said customers from slamming back $300 in vodka in one session. The courts are full of the results of such activities.
We've supported the government's case that this is a good idea. At the very least, they have to do something.
Now the store's doors are open. And already it's the hottest shop in town.
Reports are that the store sold 10 per cent of its annual supply in four days. If this pace keeps up, the warehouse could require an airlift resupply almost every month.
Presumably the long lines will abate once the novelty wears off.
But perhaps the government underestimated the demand and the buy-in from residents.
Lineups show the demand is there but the government needs to work on eliminating that line or risk undermining its harm-reduction goals. An ever-present line will make it appear as if Iqaluit is full of people desperate for alcohol. That's not a win.
Governments are not exactly known for their retail prowess. Lineups at Iqaluit's Canada Post are legend. Equally, the reputations of high-demand licence and passport offices in the south come to mind.
The demand so far in Iqaluit shows even half the demand would still result in a lineup. Retail solutions, such as online and mobile pre-orders, and increased staffing and supply methods, need to be considered at peak hours.
The government gets one chance to get this right, and the project's promise of lowering the possibility of a person getting dangerously drunk - risking their own and others' lives - is too important to fail.
As evidenced by the Greenland example, a beer and wine store, with profits going to government to fund alcohol-education programs, will almost certainly be better than letting bootleggers control the market.
Nunavut has an alcohol problem but this beer and wine store could be part of the solution. And if demand remains this high, all of the funds bootleggers have taken could be used for something good, such as an addictions treatment facility.
If this is done right, and stores open in Cambridge Bay and Rankin Inlet to similar effect, the territory could start to see real change.
Fear of home-grown beer Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, September 15, 2017
The NWT Liquor Licensing Board may very well pride itself in its independence from government or private interference. But it's the lack of transparency that has people upset, compounded by decisions that don't make any sense.
The board recently denied requests from Yellowknife businesses to purchase beer directly from the NWT Brewing Company, a local company that saw immediate success when it opened for business two years ago and now employees dozens of people.
Logic dictates that government, even quasi-judicial government such as the liquor board, would not want to interfere with that success unless there was good reason. The fact is the bars and restaurants wanting to buy beer from the NWT Brewing Company already sell beer so why not beer that's locally produced?
Alas, the brewing company can't compete with major breweries down south, not when it is required to sell its beer through the NWT Liquor Commission which cares not a bit about the unlevel playing field created when charging the same fees for locally-produced beer made by the kegful as it does giant, stadium-sponsoring companies that ship by the truckload.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to recognize how the current regime creates a system that discourages home-grown ingenuity and enterprise while favouring large corporations down south that can afford the territory's fees and taxes -- and then pass them on to consumers in the form of more expensive beer.
Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod tells Yellowknifer the issue is already on his radar. Last week he said a review of the guidelines and legislation the board functions under has already begun, and something should be in place to address the concerns of restaurateurs and the brewing company by the end of the month.
That would be a surprisingly quick turnaround for the territorial government so we hope that is true. Surely, as finance minister he would support practices and policies that favour business growth in the North over suffocating red tape that smothers them.
To be fair, McLeod is at least indicating there is a problem. Hopefully a review will produce legislative or regulatory changes that allow local businesses such as the NWT Brewing Company to succeed and grow.
As for the liquor board, its cone of silence does it no favours. The liquor board is an arms-length quasi-judicial body, and much like the courts, does not comment on its decisions for fear of showing bias. But if it can't comment on its decisions, it should at least provide them, like any other court or public tribunal would. Not providing reasons suggests it doesn't have any good ones - and hence the review.
Fentanyl is out there; deal with it Weekend Yellowknifer - Friday, September 15, 2017
Two milligrams of fentanyl, the equivalent of two grains of salt, is enough to kill a person. It's hard to think of another drug that can hit this hard - fentanyl is about 40 to 50 times more powerful than pharmaceutical-grade heroin.
Alberta reported 368 fentanyl-specific overdose deaths in 2016 - up from 257 in 2015 and 117 in 2016. In November 2016, Yellowknife saw eight overdoses in just 48 hours. During a search of one of the scenes, an RCMP officer was exposed to the opioid. The officer received medical attention and recovered but the near-miss was a wake-up call for the community.
Last week, the fire department talked to Yellowknifer about updating its fentanyl-specific overdose policy. That includes having first responders don appropriate protective equipment -- coveralls, gloves, safety glasses, respirator -- when fentanyl is suspected.
Given the drug's rise, availability and potency, this is a no-brainer. Organizations should do whatever they can to protect first responders.
The fire department often gets called to overdoses -- more and more they will involve fentanyl. Chief coroner Cathy Menard told Yellowknifer in June opioid deaths were on the rise in the NWT - with five in 2016.
As one of the firefighters Yellowknifer interviewed said, very matter-of-factly: "it's out there."
Fentanyl is just part of the job now for those who risk their lives to help others. It's only right these people should get the education, tools and support they need to do their jobs safely. Good on the department for being proactive about protecting its people.
Let's clear haze around pot talkInuvik Drum - Thursday, September 14, 2017
By July of next year, the federal government will legalize marijuana, making good on a promise that proved popular among many parts of the electorate during the 2015 election campaign.
The Liberal government's aim is to take pressure off the criminal justice system, regulate cannabis sales, restrict access to the substance and tighten laws around impaired driving.
Meanwhile, provinces and territories including the NWT are working to come up with their own laws.
They'll have the power to increase the minimum age of access in their jurisdictions above 18 years old and reduce possession limits.
They'll also be able to restrict where cannabis is used and set rules around growing marijuana at home.
While the debate about whether or not to legalize cannabis is over, Inuvik residents still hold wide-ranging opinions on the pros and cons of that decision.
That much was clear at a public engagement meeting the GNWT hosted at the Mackenzie Hotel on Sept. 11.
While some people worried about the effects of marijuana on young brains, others felt the substance is less harmful than alcohol or cigarettes.
When it comes to law enforcement, some people want to see a zero-tolerance attitude toward impaired driving, while people on the other side of the debate argued marijuana affects everyone differently.
Yet, despite the strong views, many people at the public engagement session were hesitant to speak openly about the subject with media that attended the meeting.
It's clear the subject is still taboo. And their position is understandable.
People are worried about the stigma attached to marijuana or how discussing the issue may affect their jobs.
There's also the fact that recreational cannabis isn't legal just yet.
But with new laws just around the corner, open and frank discussions on the subject are important.
We need strong education and accurate information about marijuana so people can make decisions that are best for their own health and safety, and so policy-makers can make decisions that are best for society.
We need to talk openly with young people about the effects of cannabis so they can make informed choices when they're faced with the opportunity to try it.
Instilling fear will only keep them from asking the questions they need to ask to be informed.
According to information provided by the GNWT, the Government of Canada has already started public education and awareness campaigns on the topic.
In their latest budget, the feds proposed to spend $9.6 million educating the public about cannabis.
Whether people agree or not, marijuana is going to be legal by next summer.
We should continue fostering safe spaces to discuss the issue now, to quell misinformation and stigmatization when it does roll out.
'Perfect southern point of view'Yellowknifer - Wednesday, September 13, 2017
It's good to see Premier Bob McLeod show his teeth a little bit.
On Aug. 31, he teamed up with Yukon Premier Sandy Silver and Nunavut Premier Peter Taptuna to host a news conference at the legislative assembly.
The overarching theme of the conference couldn't be more milquetoast - the first line of the accompanying news release states the leaders met to discuss "how they are working together" to create better opportunities for Northerners.
Luckily, McLeod cut right through the bureaucratic babble to address two sore spots between Ottawa and the North - a ban on Arctic Ocean offshore drilling and the looming carbon tax.
When asked what McLeod would do if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau didn't heed his warning that a carbon tax would be devastating to the North, he said: "We can withdraw from the processes. We can not fly the Canadian flag, like (ex-Newfoundland premier) Danny Williams did. We can take the 'true North, strong and free' out of the Canadian national anthem."
McLeod finished up the thought by backing away from these threats, admitting co-operation is the best way forward.
That said, the frustration palpable in his words billowed up again later in the conference when a southern reporter asked McLeod why he's so upset about Trudeau's unilateral ban on offshore drilling in the Arctic, considering there is no work going on there right now anyway.
"I think you really describe yourself with a perfect southern point of view with that question," he told the reporter.
There was a bit of an elephant in the room, in the form of McLeod's brother, NWT MP Michael McLeod, one of Trudeau's 182 Liberal MPs in the House of Commons. After the November 2015 election, there was a theory that the family ties between the legislative assembly and Ottawa would help with co-operation between the two governments. While the Liberal government has been generous with infrastructure funding, it just doesn't seem like Ottawa is listening on other concerns, including the carbon tax.
The reality is, the North is firmly tied to fossil fuels, whether it be through travel between fly-in communities, diesel energy, propane and oil for heating during long winters, gas for long commutes, or the extraction industry, which drives the economy.
Further raising an already sky-high cost of living through a carbon tax will make life in the North financially untenable for some people.
Trudeau's unilateral offshore drilling ban is equally distressing for the North, for the same reason.
These actions are indicative of Ottawa's "perfect southern point of view" that praises environmental ideals while ignoring realities of life the North. Hopefully Premier McLeod keeps up the assertive attitude because the territorial government will never get through to southern leaders without it.
Diamonds are NWT economy's best friendYellowknifer - Wednesday, September 13, 2017
There is no getting around it, at least for the foreseeable future - the Northwest Territories is primarily a mining economy.
This is why it's such a breath of relief to know Dominion Diamond expects Ekati Mine will continue to produce diamonds until 2042. Thanks to a new mining method, the company expects the mine's Fox Deep pit to increase its lifespan by nine years.
This is great news for Tom Hoefer, executive director of the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines, who explained Ekati's impact on the NWT economy is "hugely" significant.
While there are a number of other mining projects in the works around the territory, such as Fortune Minerals' NICO project outside Whati and the Prairie Creek project in the Deh Cho region, Hoefer said it would take about six of those projects to equal Ekati.
As long as things keep going well for Dominion, it looks like the territorial economy has bought a little more time. Hopefully mining companies keep figuring out ways to get those diamonds out of the ground because they truly are our economy's best friend.
Leafs at pivotal pointEditorial Comment by Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, September 13, 2017
With the new NHL season just a month away, Kivalliq hockey fans, like fans across the country, are hoping for big things from their favourite teams and predicting gloom, doom and despair for their rivals.
For the first time in many-a-long year, a lot of conversation is revolving around the Toronto Maple Leafs, as pundits, fans and arch rivals try to gauge just how good this young hockey club really is.
The Leafs biggest move of the off-season was to bring in aging star Patrick Marleau, who still has some gas in his tank and game in his abilities. Judging by his first few days at training camp, the longtime sniper is quite happy to be a member of the Maple Leafs.
Marleau will provide experience and, hopefully, leadership to the young Leafs. He also still has the wheels to be an effective scorer, especially if he lands on the team's top unit with Auston Matthews and William Nylander.
Make no mistake, Marleau has done pretty much everything an NHLer can accomplish except see his name engraved on Lord Stanley.
This is, in all likelihood, Marleau's final NHL contract and he wouldn't have signed in Toronto if he didn't believe the Leafs could win the Cup in the next three years, no matter how much money was dangled in front of him.
The Leafs have a number of skilled wingers stuck in the AHL given there's no room at the parent club, so fans have been clamouring for general manager Lou Lamoriello to trade a prized winger and draft picks to land a top-four defenseman for the club.
It makes sense on a number of levels, but this is a pivotal time for the Leafs. They could take advantage of their top three stars still being on entry level contracts and add some top skill at the trade deadline, to go for it all as the Chicago Black Hawks did with young Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane leading the way.
But they could also convince themselves the team is better than it is and then be stuck with the big contracts they brought in along with those of Matthews, Nylander and Mitch Marner, which, in the salary-cap era, could be the kiss of death.
Unless a trade is offered he just can't say no to, Lamoriello is making the right move in waiting to see how the Leafs perform before going all-in on a run to the Cup.
But, rest assured, if Lamoriello and Leafs president Brendan Shanahan like what they see and believe the Leafs are Cup contenders, the money will be spent and the players added to give the young team every chance to bring Stanley back to Toronto.
Who would have thought, just three short years ago, we'd ever be talking about this scenario?
It promises to be one of the most exciting NHL seasons in a long time for all those lovable losers who call themselves Leafs fans.
