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EDITORIALARCHIVES15yearsagoExtendingthegradeLutselKeparentswillnowbeabletokeepmoreoftheirchildrenathomewhiletheyarebeingeducated.CommunitymembersandtheDistrictEducationAuthorityofLutselKeareintheprocessofsettingupcoursesforthehighshoollevelgradestobetaughtatLutselKeDeneSchool.IssueMay5199820yearsagoRoadfromChiptoMcMurraywonthappenforyearssaysAlbertaofcalAttemptstogetanallweatherroadlink-ingFortChipewyanwithFortMcMurrayarecontinuing.InanefforttogettheballrollingtheChiproadcommitteehasformedajointwork-ingcommitteewiththeprovinceofAlbertaandOttawa.IssueMay5199330yearsagoWaterbombersnotsuitedtotheNorthAtacostof14millionthefederalgovern-mentwillprovidetwoCL215waterbombersforreghtingdutiesintheNWT.Thetwonewplaneshowevermaynotbesuitableforthema-jorityofreghtingintheNorth.TheDirectorofFederalOperationsintheNWTJohnMcQueentoldTheJournalthetwoCL215swillreplaceoneDC6forre-ghtingpurposes.IssueMay519834TuesdayMay72013TheNorthernJournalisanindependentnewspapercoveringnewsandeventsinthewesternArcticandnorthernAlberta.VisittheJournalonlineatwww.norj.caAnzacAtikamegBrownvaleCadotteLakeChardChetehColdLakeConklinDriftpileDufeldEdmontonEnildaEnochFortChipewyanFortMcKayFortMcMurrayFortVermillionFrogLakeGlenevisGoodshLakeGrandePrairieGrouardHighLevelHighPrarieHytheJohnDorPrairieAvailableinAlbertaatAklavikBehchokoColvilleLakeDelineEaglePlainsEkatieDiamondMinesEnterpriseFortGoodHopeFortLiardFortMcPhersonFortProvidenceFortResolutionFortSimpsonFortSmithGametiHayRiverInuvikJeanMarieRiverLutselKeNahanniButteNormanWellsPaulatukTheNorthernJournalisavailableinthefollowingNWTcommunitiesRaeEdzoSachsHarbourTroutLakeTsiigehtchicTuktoyaktukTulitaUlukhaktokWekwetiWhaTiWrigleyYellowknifeKehewinKinusoLacLaBicheMornvillePeaceRiverRedEarthCreekSaddleLakeSlaveLakeSt.PaulValleyviewWabasca2011CCNACANADIANCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERAWARD2011CMCAAUDITEDAdvertisingDeadlinesDisplayaddeadlineisThursdayat400p.m.ClassiedaddeadlineisThursdayat500p.m.Emailadsnorj.caSubscriptionRates867872-3000PricesincludeGST.47.25inFortSmith52.50elsewhereinCanada105intheUSAoverseas164.30.LetterstotheEditorPolicyTheNorthernJournalwelcomesletterstotheeditor.Lettersmustbesignedandincludeaphonenumbersotheauthorcanbeveried.Nameswillbewithheldonrequestinspecialcircumstanceswherethereasonsaredeterminedtobevalid.TheJournalreservestherighttoeditlettersforlengthlibelclarityandtaste.Opinionsexpressedinlettersandcolumnsarenotnecessarilythoseofthepublisheroreditor.PublishedweeklybyCascadePublishingLtd.PrintedonrecyclednewsprintwithvegetableinkatWainwrightStarChronicle.PublisherManagingEditorDonJaque867-872-3000ext.21djnorj.caEditor...........................MeaganWohlberg867-872-3000ext.24newsnorj.caReporter.........................ReneFrancoeur867-872-3000ext.25reporternorj.caComptroller...........................DixiePenner867-872-3000ext.23dixnorj.caAdvertising....................JoshuaJorgensen867-872-3000ext.15adsnorj.caAdministration...............AldoLandaverde867-872-3000ext.29adminnorj.caProductionGraphics.......SandraJaque867-872-3000ext.22sandranorj.caPaulBannister867-872-3000ext.27graphicsnorj.caIntern.........................GeorginaSkippingsWeareallofmothers.Everymotherhasexperiencedchildbirth-somemultipletimes.Mostbabiesaredeliveredbymaledoctors.WhyisthatAfterafrustratingdecadeoflobbyingmidwiveswerenallygivenofcialstatusintheNWThealthcaresystemin2005.Thatmeanttheywereactuallypaidfortheirworkbutmoreimportantlyforthemtheywerenallygivenhospitalprivileges.ThatwasonlyinFortSmithhoweveranditwasonlybecausethereweretwoverycompetentmidwivesinthecommunitywhohadworkedunderlessthandesirablecircumstancesforfartoolongpatientlypersevering.HereweareeightyearslaterandtherearenonewNWTmidwives.WhyisthatOneofthetwostalwartwomenwhohavelledthatroleinFortSmithforsolongisabouttoleaveheadingsouth.HalfofthemidwivesintheNorthwestTerritorieswillbegone.KudostoAlbertaforhiringhertoinitiateamidwiferyprograminthatprov-ince-forseeingtheconsiderablevalueandseriousneedforit.Toobadthatcan-nothappenintheNWT.Thepracticeofmidwiferyisthousandsofyearsold.Trainingmidwivestollanintegralroleinthebirthingprocessiscommoninmanycountries.Itisprovenanditissafe.Thatisonlythebeginning.Asanadjuncttobirthingmidwivescarryoutmanysecond-arybutstillimportantrolesthatwarrantevendemandtheirinvolvementTheyempowerwomen.Toooftenmoth-ersgivingbirthareyoungscaredandarealoneintheworldwithlittleornosupport.Theyneedsomeoneknowledgeablecon-dentandstrongduringpregnancydur-ingchildbirthandafterwhentheyhavetocareforthatnewterriblytinysometimesIstheNWTbirthingprogramdyingscaryandoftenverydifcultlittlebeingsuddenlysodependentonthem.Wearewhatweeatandbabiesinthewombsufferfromanybadchoicesmadebymothersyetsooftenthatisdoneoutofignorance.Midwivesadviseondietandexercisekeepingmotherandsotoobabyhealthy.Whattodoafterthebabyisbornisnotinnateinnewmothers.Itisnotanin-stinctivethinglikeitisinanimals.Thewaymotherstreattheirbabieswillhavealastingeffect.Midwivesadviseevendemonstrateintheirwayhowtomaintainapositivelovingenvironment-essentiallyahow-toonnurturing-thatisinvaluableforbothnewmotherandinfant.Thereislikelynomorepainfulandter-rifyingeventformotherandbabythanchildbirth.Havingamidwifereadyandavailabletodowhatneedsdoingintheleadupandtobeapartofthattraumaticeventofbirthingduringthehoursandoftenmanymorehoursofpaininvolvedinchildbirthisagaininvaluable.Importantlymidwivesarewomen.Maledoctorscanbegoodinfactsomeareex-traordinaryintheroleofassistingmoth-ersinthebirthingprocess.Butgenerallyitjustmakessensethatawomangener-allyisbetteratassistingduringchildbirth.Thereismuchmore.Thesefewpointsonlyscratchthesurfaceofwhymidwivesarenotonlyworthwhilebutessentialintheirrole.Whatcouldbemoreimportantthansupportingandassistingmothersduringpregnancyandensuringthatnew-bornbabiesarewelllookedafterusingtrainedcaringprofessionalsOhandlestweforgetmidwivesarecheaperthandoctors.Thediscussionofthehighcostofhealthcarehasfallenoffthepublicradarinrecentyearsbutthosecostscontinuetogrowandgrow.Onewouldthinkasolutionthatreducesmedicalcostsandofferssomanyotherbenetsalongwithaprovenrecordofbeingsafewouldbeembracedquickly.Yethereweareeightyearssincemid-wiferywasnallygrudginglyacceptedandtherearestillnonewmidwivesintheNWT.Thereisnomentoringprogramwhereyoungwomeninterestedintakingupthecareercanbeinterns.Thereisnofasttracktrainingorspecializedcollegeprogramfornursesorevenanattemptatrecruitingtheoneswhomightbeinterestedintakingfur-thertrainingtobecomemidwives.Surelysomesortofeducationandorapprentice-shipprogramcouldbedevised.TherehavebeenconsultingreportsthatsaymoremidwivesintheNWTwouldbeaverygoodthing.Butthereseemstobenocreativevisionnopoliticalwillandcer-tainlynoplantomakethathappen.WhyisthatWhoisdroppingtheballBeforemidwivesbecameacceptedintheNWTsomeoftheobstaclescamefromamaledominatedmedicalsystemwherefeel-ingsranhighthattherewasjustnoplaceforsuchathing.Midwiferywasnotrelegatedasfardowntheladderaswitchcraftbutletsjustsayithaditsdetractors.Whenaftermanybattlesthewarwasnallywonandmidwiferybecameaccepteditseemedthedoorshadnallyopened.Nowthereseemstobeanewformofintransigencethathasinhibitedtheevolution.Itisseem-inglystuckinthemud.Whatapity.Allmothers-to-beintheNWTfathersandtheiryetunbornchil-dren-indeedallNortherners-areworseoffforthat.MayisYoungDriverAwarenessMonthforWoodBuffaloRCMP.MotorvehiclecollisionsarethenumberonekillerofyoungpeopleinAlberta.Crashratesforyoungdriversarehighestwhenthereareteenpassengersinthevehicleandwhendrivingatnight.Oneinvenewdriversisinvolvedinacollisionduringtheirrstyearofdriving.PhotocourtesyofWoodBuffaloRCMP