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5OPINION15YearsAgo...NewsymbolsTheNWThasthreenewofcialsymbolsthedia-mondtheArcticGraylingandthetamarack.MembersoftheLegislativeAssemblyapprovedthesymbolslastweekfollowingrecommendationsfromtheSpecialCom-mitteeonWesternIdentity.ThismarksthersttimeagemstoneandashhavebeenrecognizedasofcialsymbolsoftheNWT.IssueSeptember14199920YearsAgo...ClarktochairconferenceFormerPrimeMinisterJoeClarkwillchairtherstofthreeconferencesdesignedtosetuptheconstitu-tionalframeworkforanewterritoryintheWesternArctic.TheannouncementwasmadelastweekinYel-lowknifebyConstitutionalDevelopmentSteeringcom-mitteechairmanFredKoe.IssueSeptember14199430YearsAgo...NotextbooksnoclassesAbout25angrystudentsappearedbeforetheTheba-chaCollegeBoardofGovernorsthreateningtoboycottclassesiftheydidnotreceivetheirtextbooks.Thedel-egationfrompublicandbusinessadministrationsaidtheyhadnotextbooksforoneoftheirclasses.Itsnotjustanisolatedsituationrstyearstudentandspokes-manforthegroupBobDowdelltoldtheboard.IssueSeptember131984ARCHIVESNorthernJournal2014JoinusonlineLikeNorthernJournalonFacebookandgettheweeklynewsdeliveredtoyourfeedFACEBOOKFEEDBACKItsraretoseeacomplexconstructionprojectsuchasahospitalstayonbudgetandrunaheadofsched-ulebutHayRiverHealthandSocialServicesCEOAlWoodssaysthatisexactlywhatshappeningwiththetownsnewhealthcentre.HayRiverhealthcentreconstructionrightontargetAnneGillExcellent.WonderingwhereSocialServiceswillendupHeardru-mourthattheymightleavetheminthatdecayingcrumblingbasementTuesdaySeptember162014DebEdwardsInteresting...Andmuchneededtoobadseveralprogramswillnolongerbeinthesamebuildingtheyshouldputsocialservicesnextdoortohumanresourcessotheywillfullyappre-ciatehowhardpeopleatsocialservicesjobsarethereToniHeronHayRiverisagreatplacenexttoFortSmith..CongratsHayRiverBeaLepineToniHeronandEileenGourlikethis.AstheMinisterofEducationCultureandEmploymentaproudDenemanandfatherofveandaresidentialschoolssurvivorIwasoffendedbytheeditorialNewNWTJuniorKindergartenneedsreconsid-erationinyourSept.9edition.Themistruthsandfear-mon-geringfoundinthiseditorialunderminethehardworkofsomanypeoplearoundthisterri-torytobuildabetterfutureforourmostimportantresourceourchildren.TheeditorialsaidthereistruthtotheideathatJuniorKindergartenislikeresiden-tialschools.Thisisjustplainwrong.Thesekindsofmisun-derstandingsshouldbecor-rectedbynewspapersnotre-peated.ButsinceitwasnotIwillgiveyourreadersthefactsJuniorKindergartenisoptional.ThatmeanschildrenwillonlygotoJuniorKindergarteniftheirparentsorguardianswantthemto.Nooneisgoingtotakechildrenfromtheirhomes.Thisisnotresidentialschools.Itsdisappointingthatany-onewouldsaythis.ItisalsoextremelydisrespectfultothethousandsofNorthernerswholivewiththelegacyofresiden-tialschools.ThisisalegacyIhavetriedtoaddressbyen-suringthattheNWTteachersandstudentslearnaboutthisdarkchapterinourhistory.TheNWTisnowleadinganationalefforttobringthisawarenesstotherestofCanada.TheothermistakeistheideathatJuniorKindergar-tenwillharmtheAboriginalHeadStartprograms.JuniorKindergartenandAboriginalHeadStartarenotcompetitors.AboriginalHeadStartistypi-callyahalf-dayprogram.SoincommunitieswithAboriginalHeadStartthelocaleduca-tionauthoritycanchoosetorunJuniorKindergartenasahalf-dayprogramaswell.Kidscangofromonetotheotherbutagainonlyiftheywantto.IncommunitiesliketheHayRiverReservewehavealreadyseenthatJuniorKindergartenandAboriginalHeadStartcanworksmoothlytogether.IamabigsupporterofAb-originalHeadStart.Mydepart-mentoffersmoneytohelpruntheseprogramsandsomeareevenlocatedinschools.ButletsrememberacoupleofthingsAboriginalHeadStartisonlyineightofourcommunitiesandthespacesareforFirstNationsMtisandInuvialuitchildren.Shouldtheother25communi-tiesandthechildrenwhocantgetintoAboriginalHeadStartprogramsmissoutonafreeoptionalplay-basedprogramlikeJuniorKindergartenIdontthinkso.AndImsuremostNorthernersdonteither.Itstimetofocusonwhatre-allymattersofferingparentsandchildrenallofourchil-drenmorechildcareoptions.Andgivingourkidsthebestchancetosucceedinschoolandinliferightfromthestart.Masi.MinisterJacksonLaffertyEducationCultureandEmploymentNorthernJournalfear-mongeringByDAWNKOSTELNIKDrivensnowlashesbod-ies.RippingandtearingthefingersofthefuriesgrabatthehollowinsulatinghaironthebacksofthousandsofGodscreatures.Howl-ingwindssendstingingparticlesoficethatsand-blastandfreezehumanskinoncontactandhurlfrozenglasslikeshardsthroughtheair.Thiscuttingiceblindsbigbrowneyesandcoatslongeyelashesthatarenothuman.Ancientgeneticsbecomeconfusedintheswirlofsnowandwhite.Apathwaytoooldtorememberthebe-ginningsofislostinawaveofsnow.Asageleaderwithdowncastheadattemptstocatchaglimpseorthescentofhistrail.Heturnsbackonhimselftheherdfollowsandtheybegintocircle.Tighterandtighterthousandsuponthousandsofcariboubegintobuildavortex.TheyhavestruggledtofindfoodfordaysandnowtheystumbleandfallinweaknesslostinahighArcticwhiteout.Wordpassesasquicklyasathoughtthroughthesmallcommunitysmocca-sintelegraph.Tuktucari-bouarenearby.Hunterswithancientbloodcours-ingthroughtheirveinsareonalert.Aherdthisclosetothevillageisnotusualex-citementbuilds.Skidoosarefuelledandriflesloaded.Indaysofolddogswerehar-nessedandspearssharp-ened.Agoodhuntermighthavesparespearsorhar-poonsandarrowsbutnotasmanyasbullets.Aspearcouldequatetoasinglekillanddogsdonttravelasquicklyasaskidoocan.Thebalancehasshifted.Twohuntersperskidooonedrivesonehashissealskincladfeethookedthroughthebarsontheside.Hestandswithhisriflereadyeyesstrainingforaglimpseoftheherd.Exhaustionhasslowedthemillingcariboutoastandstill.Enginenoiseandthesmellofhumansiscarriedonthewindcausingcon-fusionandtheherdtrem-bleswithfear.Escapees-capedangercomesmanapproaches.Banganervousyounghunterngersthetrigger.Likeastartgunatahorseracethissetstheherdinmotion.Aroundandaroundtheygopresentingabroad-sidetargetforbullets.Theyareasbigashugeoversizedbirdsinashootinggalleryandaretotallyvulnerable.Bodiesfallandpanicbuildsasindividualstrynottotreadonhurtfamilymem-bers.Thrashinghoovesaddchaosastheherdbeginstobreakrankandeefortheirlives.Allorderhasbecomediscord.Bodiesfallandbloodcov-erstheeyesofthehunters.Shotaftershotisredintotheherdanimalspilinguponeachotherlikebadlystackedwood.Woundedcariboustruggletoescape.Bloodlustcoversmensheartsandllsthemindsofthehumanhunt-ers.Likeabaddrugkillingowsintheirveins.Shotaftershotanimalafteranimalfallsanddiesorstrugglestoes-capethekillers.Tobecontinuednextweek.WhiteGirlBloodLustEditorsNoteInadvanceofrunninglastweeksedito-rialwecontactedthedepartmentofEduca-tionandforewarnedthemitwouldcontainconstructivecriticismsoftheJuniorKinder-gartenprogramandofferedthemthespacetorespond.Ourconcernsabouttheprogramwereareectionofwhatwehadheardfromteacherseducationadministratorsandwork-ersintheAboriginalHeadStartprogram.Itwasourintenttofosterdebateonanewprogramthatwefeelcouldbeimprovedinimplementationandwithoutachanceforpublicinputmightbecomecontentious.ThereferencetoresidentialschoolscamefromacommunityeducationcommitteeinasmallAboriginalcommunity.Thewaythatwasfollowedupintheeditorialwaspoorlystated.ItwasnotatallourintenttosuggestthatthenewNWTJuniorKindergartenprogramwillinanywaydowhatresidentialschoolsdidtoCanadasFirstNationscitizens.Weapologizeifthatwastheimpressiongiven.