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EDITORIALARCHIVES15YearsAgo...AdrygraduationForthesixthyearinarowSirJohnFrank-linHighSchoolteacherPamSchlosserhaspromisedanddeliveredbigthingsforYel-lowknifegraduatesseekingalternativestoanalcohol-lledgraduationcelebration.Followingthetraditionaltossingofthecapstudentswereinvitedtoparticipateinadrygrad-onewhichfeaturedanum-berofdifferenteventsbutleftoutthecel-ebratorysuds.IssueJune8199920YearsAgo...BisonescapepointsoutneedforranchTwenty-twobisonwhobustedthroughtwosetsoffencingattheHangingIceBisonRanchoveraweekagopointtothefactthattheranchisindireneedofmoney.ItsasymptomofrunningtheranchonashoestringsaidDerekMeltondirectorofRenewableResourcesWildlifeManagementdivisioninYellow-knife.Hesaidthefundingcanbescuttledfromotherareasinthedepartmentsbudgetbuttheyneedaninjectionsoon.IssueJune9199330YearsAgo...PipelinegetsgreenlightTheNationalEnergyBoardhasapprovedanapplicationbyInter-ProvincialPipelinetoconstructapipelinefromNormanWellstoZamaAlta.Thedecisioncomesafterareviewofenvironmentalandengineer-ingconditionswhichthecompanyhadtosatisfy.PhilErhartmanagerofIPLsNorthernrelationssaysthecompanystimetableisrightontimeandthatcostsarebeingkeptdown.IssueJune1619834TuesdayJune112013TheNorthernJournalisanindependentnewspapercoveringnewsandeventsinthewesternArcticandnorthernAlberta.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....................................JessicaIrvingIthasbeenadecadesincecellularphonesbecamesuchasingularover-whelminginuenceonourlives.Nowwhenwewalkanywherehalfthepopula-tionislookingdownataminiaturescreentheirthumbsswiftlyalmostmagicallyca-ressingatinykeyboarddiligentlytrack-ingthewhereaboutsandemotionalstateoftheirfriends.Somuchforthesmellofowershearingbirdssingingorseeingfacesincloudssetinaclearbluesky.Sensingtheworldaroundushasbeenforsaken.Thedigitalworldofconstantcommunication-howsweetitis.ThroughoutthatdecadeCanadianshavepaidsomeofthehighestcellularfeesintheworld-lockedintolengthycontractspayingadditionalfeesforfeaturesstillmoredollarsfordataandwhenitcametoroamingfeestheripoffhasbeendiabolical.NowthankstoallthatiswonderfultheCanadianRadio-televisionandTelecommunicationsCom-missionCRTChassteppedin.ItisasiftheyslippedintoaconvenientphoneboothandchangedintoatightbluesuitwitharedcapeemergingtoprotectallofusvulnerableCanadiancitizens.Butwait.HowisitthosefeeswereallowedintherstplaceThatsrightitwasthankstothebelovedCRTC.WehavetoaskwhatthehecktookthemsolongtomakethechangesThefactisCRTCruleshavefos-teredaprotectedenvironmentunderwhichthebigthreeRogersTelusandBellhavethrived.UnderthatcarefulnurturingwithitsarticiallackofcompetitionCanadianshavepaidthroughthenose.AgoldengooseanditsnestofshinyricheggsOnewouldthinkthatwiththreemajorcompetitorstherewouldbeseriouscom-petitionthatwouldbringpricesdownbutthereisnt.Somethinginthatcarefullyconstructedpseudo-competitiveworldofwirelesscommunicationinCanadainventedbytheCRTCwasawed.WhydidtheynotseethatanddosomethingaboutitIftheyaregoingtoplayGodwiththemarketatleastdoitright.For2012theprotsofthebigthreewereallinthemultibillionsofdollarscontrib-utedtogreatlybytheirwirelesssegmentswhichareallextremelylucrative.Investorsreceivedwonderfuldividends.Salariesandbonusesrewardedthewell-populatedtoptierofcompanyadministratorsanddi-rectorswithhugesalaries-hundredsofthousandsofdollarsannuallyeach.ToomuchofthatwascarriedonthebacksofordinaryhardworkingCanadianswhoearnafractionasmuch.Wearenotonestodenigrateaprivatesectorcompanyfordoingwell.Infactwerelishsuccessbasedoninnovationqual-ityserviceandcompetitiveprices.WhypraytellhavethebigthreenotofferedthatlastoneCoulditbethecloisteredprotectedandthusarticialmarketfos-teredbytheCRTCprotectsthemWouldtheyhavedonesowellinanopenfullycompetitivemarketplaceIftheyaretobeprotectedhowisittheyareallowedtobecomesowell-offsofastattheex-penseofconsumersThereisagoodcaseforaregulatorybodytoprotectCanadianidentityandcul-tureandthatappearstobetherationalefortheexistenceoftheCRTC.DoesitalsoneedtoprotectCanadianindustryPerhapsalthoughtherearethosewhomakeagoodcasethatCanadianbusi-nessescanhandlethemselvesinanopenmarket.Iftheycantsomesaythatisthewayofcompetitionandtheydonotde-servetocontinue.ThethingwiththeCRTCistheyobvi-ouslycarelittleforordinaryCanadians.IfthatisnotthecasewhydotheytediouslyandexpensivelytakesolongtochangetheunfairratesNowaboutthosenewlowerrates.IsthatallReallyAretheCRTCcommission-erssoself-satisedproclaimedasheroesafterallthattheyaregoingtoleavethestillsomewhatbloatedcellularratestobur-denCanadiansforyetanotherdecadeItshouldbenotedthatCRTCjobsareoftenpoliticalappointments.Theyareplumbpositionswithfatsalariesthathavetoooftenbeendoledouttothosecon-nected.ConsiderforthemostpartthatthoseappointmentstookplacesometimeagobeforetherisetopoweroftheHarperConservativesduringthedecades-longLiberalreigninOttawa.Itmustbealiv-ingandconstantnightmareforStephenHarperandhiscolleagueswhoareinpowerbuthavenosayoverabureaucraticregulatoryagencylledwithLiberalap-pointeeswhocreatelayersofrulesthatstiecompetitivemarketforces.OrdinaryCanadianscarelittleforallthat.Theyjustwantaffordablephonerates.Thatiswhattheydeserveandwhattheyshouldget.Swiftly.KeithBartonandhistrainoflittlepeopleFreyaClaireNoahandMasoncanoftenbeseentravelingthesidewalksofFortSmithonasunnyday.PhotoDonJaque