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21TuesdayJune32014JudgesweighProseConsatYkslampoetrynightArtsCultureSpokenWordByMEAGANWOHLBERGYellowknifeofciallyjoinsthenationwidenetworkofslampoetrythisweekwiththelaunchofitsrstregularspo-kenwordcompetitionnightonTuesdayJune3.TakingplaceontherstandthirdTuesdayofeachmonththenewProseConsslampoetryeventhopestodrawoutYellowknifesclosetpoetsandrowdyfanstocreateanener-geticandinteractiveeveningofstimulatingspokenword.TheresapoetrycommunityinYellowknifeandformeIwantedittobemorevisiblesaidJacqBrassaslampoetwhoisorganizingtheeventalongwithfriendandcreativewritingstudentMakenzieZouboules.Brasswhohasbeencompet-inginslamsinReginawhereshegoestouniversitydecidedthissummertobringtheactionhometoYellowknife.ThoughthecityhasbeenlaggingonthenationalfrontintermsofeventsBrasssaiditsdenitelynotforlackoftalent.PoetryissogreatandIknowtheresalotofpoetsinYellowknifeandalotofevenjustwritersandpeoplewhoareinterestedinwritingandtheliteraryartssoIknewtherewerepeopleherewhowereinterestedshesaid.Eacheventwillallowforaminimumofveandamaxi-mumof10competitorswhosepoemswillbemarkedonascaleof1-10byveaudiencejudgesduringseveralroundsofper-formancethroughoutthenight.Audiencemembersareen-couragedtoparticipatebyshowingtheirappreciationandtakingpartinsomeofthestan-dardslamtrendsfromacrossthecountrylikethetraditionalWewantbloodchantthatkicksofftherstpoemofthenight-whichintheslamsceneisreadbythesacricialpoet.Havingtheaudiencemem-bersasjudgesandactivepar-ticipantskeepstheeventlivelyandfunBrasssaid.Thereallycoolthingaboutslampoetry...isitsmadepoetryreallyaccessibleandthatstheothercoolthingabouthavingaudiencemembersasjudgesyoudontneedtobeanexperttobeajudgeyoujustneedtobeabletocommunicatewithpeopleandhearwhattheyhavetosayandwhateveryouthinkofitiswhateveryouthinkofit.Anyonecanregistertocom-peteeitherbycontactingtheorganizersaheadoftimeorshowingupearlyonthenightoftheslam.Allpoemsmustbeunder3minuteslongandtheresnorequirementthattheybememorized.TheslamnightdrawsitsinspirationfromotherspokenwordeventsthathavebeenheldaroundthecityfromtheannualopenmicsattheNorthwordswritersfestivaltothespokenwordeventorganizedbypoetBatisteFoisyattheSnowCastleeachwinter.Wheretheslamnightdif-fersisthatitsacompetition-onethatcanqualifyindividu-alsorteamstocompeteatthenationallevelunderSpokenWordCanadaSpoCanrules.AllthatmakessomethingaslamisthatitsacompetitiveprocessBrasssaid.Whilecontentcanrangeacrosstheboardshesaiditsthemorepoliticalpieces-theonesaboutracismsexismanti-violencepovertyandaddic-tions-thatdrewBrasstothepassionatemedium.Itsthesepeopletellingtheirstoriesorotherpeoplesstoriesthroughpoetryandbeautifulmetaphorsandreallybeauti-fulwordplayandcreativeuseofimageryandIjustfoundthatreallyuniqueshesaid.Sooftenpoliticsthattypeofpoliticalmindandactivismseemreallyscarytopeoplebutwhenyoubringartintoititmakespeoplemorepassionateandwantingtogetinvolved.ProseConswillbeheldattheTrekResto-LoungeonthethirdooroftheDaysInn.Doorsopenat700p.m.andtheshowstartsat800.Poetsareadvisedtoshowupbefore730iftheywanttosignup.ThoughitsopentoallagesBrasssaidshecantguaranteeallofthecontentwillbeappro-priateforchildren.TosignupemailBrassatjacqbrasseurgmail.comHelmetstobemandatoryforYellowknifeyouthPoliticsMunicipalByJACKDANYLCHUKInamovedrivenbypublicopinionYellowknifecitycoun-cillorsvotedlastweektomakehelmetsmandatoryforcyclistsskateboardersandscooterrid-ersaged18yearsandyounger.ItsanideawhosetimehascomesaidBobBrookswhotoldfellowcouncillorsthatahelmetlawhasbeendiscussedinYellowknifefor20yearsbutduringthelastelectionIheardthetopicraisedatalmosteverydoor.WhatsealedthedealformostcouncillorswasanIP-SOS-Reidsurveythatfound84percentofmorethan800Yellowkniferspolledfa-vouredmandatoryhelmetsforyouthwhile64percentwantedhelmetsforallages.Thesurveyalsoreportedthatmandatoryhelmetuseisleastpopularinthe18to34agegroup.Theonlydissentingcouncil-lorswereNielsKongewhosaidthebylawisasteptowardturn-ingYellowknifeintoanannystateandCoryVanthuynewhowantedanall-agebylaw.IbelieveinhelmetsbutnotallthetimeitsnotthewaytogoaboutitsaidKongewhocitedreportsthatridershipdeclinesinju-risdictionswherehelmetuseismademandatory.KongepointedoutthatHollandandDenmarktwocountrieswherecyclingismostcommondontrequirehelmets.NovaScotiaNewBruns-wickPrinceEdwardIslandandBritishColumbiahaveall-agelegislationwhileAl-bertaManitobaandOntariohavelimitedrequirements.QuebecNunavuttheNorth-westTerritoriesandYukonarewithouthelmetlaws.ThebylawisexpectedtoreceivethirdreadinglaterthismonthandtakeeffectJuly1butwillincludeasix-monthgraceperiodbeforemunici-palenforcementofcersstarthandingouttickets.Themaximumnefornon-complianceis25leviedagainsttheparentsofyoungscoff-laws.TheintentionistobecompliancedrivenratherthanpunitivesaidMayorMarkHeyck.Municipalen-forcementuseitasatooltohelpeducateandencouragetheuseofhelmetsbyyouth.PhotoJamesMackenziePhotoJackDanylchukSlampoetJacqBrassperformsonstageattheNorthwestTerritoriesPrideFestivalinYellowknifelastsummer.VerenaFaberofDominionDiamondshelpsHilaryKolbackadjustherhelmetstrapsatYellowkinfesannualbikerodeo.