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4TuesdaySeptember302014TheNorthernJournalisanindependentnewspapercoveringnewsandeventsinthewesternArcticandnorthernAlberta.2013CCNABLUERIBBONCANADIANCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERAWARD2013CMCAAUDITEDTheNorthernJournalispublishedweeklybyCascadePublishingLtd.PrintedonrecyclednewsprintwithvegetableinkatWainwrightStarChronicle.PublisherManagingEditor........................................DonJaque867-872-3000ext.21donnorj.caEditor.........................................................................MeaganWohlberg867-872-3000ext.24newsnorj.caReporter.......................................................................DaliCarmichael867-872-3000ext.25reporternorj.caComptroller.....................................................DixiePenner867-872-3000ext.23dixnorj.caAdvertising867-872-3000ext.26salesnorj.caAdministration............................................JeremyTurcotte867-872-3000ext.26adminnorj.caProductionGraphics...................................SandraJaque867-872-3000ext.22sandranorj.caProductionGraphics..................................PaulBannister867-872-3000ext.27graphicsnorj.caLetterstotheEditorPolicyTheNorthernJournalwelcomesletterstotheeditor.Lettersmustbesignedandincludeaphonenumbersotheauthorcanbeveried.Nameswillbewithheldonrequestinspecialcircumstanceswherethereasonsaredeterminedtobevalid.TheJournalreservestherighttoeditlettersforlengthlibelclarityandtaste.Opinionsexpressedinlettersandcolumnsarenotnecessarilythoseofthepublisheroreditor.AdvertisingDeadlinesDisplayaddeadlineisThursdayat400p.m.ClassiedaddeadlineisThursdayat500p.m.Emailadsnorj.caSubscriptionRatesPricesincludeGST.47.25inFortSmith52.50elsewhereinCanada105intheUSAoverseas164.30.EDITORIALLETTERTOTHEEDITORInlastweeksarticleOppositionmount-ingagainstproposedNWTpowerratein-creaseitwasstatedthatresidentsinHayRiverandEnterprisewhoarecustomersofNorthlandUtilitieswouldnotbeimpactedbytheproposedratehike.TheJournalwouldliketoclarifythatthoseresidentswouldbeindirectlyaffectedastheTerritorialPowerSupportProgrambaserateincreaseswhenYellowkniferatesincrease.CLARIFICATIONDenepeoplewantcontrolofDeneeducationThecondescendingdouble-speakrebuttaltothequestionlastweekinParliamentfromtheleaderoftheOppositionontheextentandtimelineofthecurrentCanadianForcesmissioninIraqfromtheprimeministersprincipalsecretaryPaulCalandraledtoafurorthatcontinuestoresonate.ThatCalandrasbehaviorisunderscrutinyisagoodthingforheandotherslikehimaredenigratingParliamentandthatdisrespectsallCanadians.TwodaysafterhisridiculousperformanceinquestionperiodCalandrawhoisknowntobetheprimeministerspartisanpitbullintheHouseofCommonsastonishedoppositionMPsandhisownpartymembersalikewhenhegotupinthehousetounconditionallyunreservedlyapologizetothisHouseforhisbehaviour.Hewasveryemotionalalmosttothepointoftears.TheapologyincludedhiscolleagueshisconstituentsandtheleaderoftheOpposition.WhatpromptedthatextremeturnaboutwhetheritwasfeedbackfromunhappyConservativepartymembersadressingdownbyStephenHarperwhohadjustreturnedtothecountryorperhapsadmonitionsfromhisfatherwhohesaidlaterwouldbeunhappywithhisperformancesomethingobviouslysnappedinthemansmind.MakingamockeryofParliamentdisrespectsallCanadiansMPsarecarefullybriefedinadvanceofquestionperiodandtheirresponsesareprepared.Calandramusthavehadassistanceinformulatingtheanswershegaveaswellasthestrategyofansweringimportantquestionswithsomethingcompletelyunrelated.AftertheresponseinspiteofthefactitwasobviouslyfoolishhewasloudlyapplaudedbyhisfellowConservativescompletewithdeskthumping-typicalbehaviourbyallpartiesduringquestionperiod.ItisunfortunatethatgongshowandclownactaredescriptionsusedbyCanadianswhentheyreferenceParliament-whatshouldbethemostdistinguishedandrespectedinstitutionintheland.WhatgoesonduringquestionperiodintheHouseofCommonsthepublicviewofParliament-isnotatalldistinguishedandthereisverylittlerespect.Canadiansdespiseit.Calandraoftenthespokespersonfortheprimeministerhasahistoryofprovidinggoofyanswerstoveryimportantquestions.ThislatestincidentwhenthequestionissoveryimportantCanadasmilitarymissioninIraqisanindicatorthatParliamentarybehaviourisgettingworseandmaybecomecompletelyoutofhand.TheofficeoftheSpeakeroftheHouseissupposedtomaintaindecorumandorder.Inteamsportslikehockeywherethereisabadrefereethingscangetoutofcontrolquicklyandthequalityofthegamesuffers.Scrappyplayandcheapshotsbecomethenormreducingthequalityofthegame.Fightscanevenbreakoutiftimelyinterventionsbytherefereedonotputplayerswhotakethingstoofarintheirplace.Itisnotunusualformayhemtoresult.Wehaveallseenthatandnobodylikesit.ThatiswhereParliamentisnow.TheSpeakeroftheHousewhoissupposedtobetherefereethereisnotdoinghisjobwell.Hehaslostcontrolofthegame.ThereareanumberofreasonsCanadiansshouldbeoffended.Oneiscost.Parliamentisextremelyexpensivetorun.Itgoeswithoutsayingthattherulingpartyhasitswaybuttheremustbeacollaborativeandcooperativeelementtothegiveandtakebetweenmembersandpartiesinordertogetthemostvaluefromtheproceedings.AllmembersofParliamenthavepositivethingstocontributeandifitisrunwellthosecontributionsarewelcomedandintegratedintodecisionmaking.ThatiscompletelymissingnowandParliamentislesserforit.PartisandivisionswithinParliamentaremainlytoblame.TherulingConservativesseemtobetheworstoffendersbutallpartiesareguilty.Ithasbecomethenormtobevehementlypolarized.WhenMPsfromanotherpartyareunderminedbyridiculeandtauntingsolelyforpartisanreasonstheCanadianswhoelectedthosepeoplearealsobeingattacked.Democracyisdisrespected.Wehavetowonderatthetollitmusttakeonthosededicatedrepresentativesofourcommunitiesacrossthecountrywhoaresubjecttothatboiler-roomatmosphere.Surelyfewexpectedbrazendisregardandridiculewhentheyenteredpoliticallifetoserveandimprovetheircountryandgetimportantthingsdone.Howfrustratingitmustbe.WewantourbestandbrightesttorepresentusinParliamentbutwhywouldanyonewanttosubjectthemselvestosuchanegativecounter-productivealmostpoisonousatmosphereTheproblemisnotjustPaulCalandra.Hisbehaviourisasymptomofthediseaseandhisapologyshouldnotendamatterthatismuchbiggerthanhe.TheSpeakeroftheHousehastotakecontrolendthecatcallsandtauntingandbringorderandrespectintotheHouseofCommons.Hemustalsoforceresponsestobeontopicwithlegitimatequestions.WecallonPrimeMinsterStephenHarpertotemperthepartisandiscordthathangslikeapallovertheinstitution.WealsocallonHouseofCommonsSpeakerAndrewScheertostepupanddohisjobproperly-enforcetherulesofformanddecoruminParliamentsoitcanbetheconstructiverespectfulinstitutionworkingonbehalfofallCanadiansthatitissupposedtobe.CanadasParliamentneedstobemuchbetterthanwhatyouaregivingusnow.WhenMPsfromanotherpartyareunderminedbyridiculeandtauntingsolelyforpartisanreasonstheCanadianswhoelectedthosepeoplearealsobeingattacked.EditorWeagreewiththeeditorialinyourjournalregardingJuniorKindergarten.TheGNWThasmovedtooquicklyinputtingaJuniorKindergarteninplace.ItwouldmakesensetoworkwiththeexistingAboriginalHeadStartprogramsthathaveprovedthatahalfdayinschoolfor4year-oldsisplenty.TheGNWTwouldhavebeenwisetoopenupmoreHeadStartprogramsinthecommu-nitiesthatdonthavethem.ThisweekIwasfortunatetostopinFortProvidencetoseetheprogramrsthandwherecommunitywomenwithearlychild-hoodtrainingwerelookingaftercommunitychildren.Theyhadaculturalcampsetupinthebackoftheirfacilitycookingforthechil-drenandcommunitymembersthatdroppedin.Itisveryobviousthattheyhaveagoodthinggoing.ThequestioniswhyinstituteaJuniorKindergartenprogramforthersttimewhentherearemixedreviewsonitseffectivenessinotherpartsofthecountryTheDeneNationalAssemblywasheldinFortSmiththissummerandpassedamo-tioninoppositiontotheimplementationoftheJuniorKindergartenprogram.AftertwomonthswestillawaitaresponsefromtheMinisterofEducation.Asyouknowwestrugglewiththeafteref-fectsofthelegacyoftheIndianresidentialschoolsandweallwanttodoitright.ShawnAtleoresignedastheNationalChiefoftheAs-semblyofFirstNationsbecauseofeducation.OurpeoplewantIndiancontrolofIndianeducationasallFirstNationsdo.ItstimetheGNWTworkedwithourcommunitiesespeciallybecausetheDenenevergavethemtheauthoritytoimposeeducationonthem.SincerelyBillErasmusDeneNationalChiefAFNRegionalChiefNWTSeveralhundredsandhillcranesgathertogetherinaeldabitnorthofFortNelsonB.C.ontheirwaysouth.Thoughtypicallylivinginpairsorfamiliesduringtheyearthecranescometogetherduringwinterormigrationtoformsurvivalgroupsthatforageandroosttogethersometimesinthethousands.PhotoMyrnaBlake