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4TuesdayNovember42014TheNorthernJournalisanindependentnewspapercoveringnewsandeventsinthewesternArcticandnorthernAlberta.2013CCNABLUERIBBONCANADIANCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERAWARD2013CMCAAUDITEDTheNorthernJournalispublishedweeklybyCascadePublishingLtd.PrintedatStarPressInc.WainwrightAB.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.EDITORIALCOLUMNOnly15percentofCanadianadultsaregettingtherecommendedamountofphysi-calactivityattheappropriateintensities.Consideringphysicalactivityhasmanyhealthbenefitssuchasloweredriskofanxietydepressionobesitycancerandheartdiseasebeingregularlyphysicallyactiveisanimportantthingyoucandoforyourhealthandwellness.Butfindingtimefortherecommended150minutesofmoderate-to-vigorousphysi-calactivityeachweekisnoteasy.Familyfriendschoreserrandsandmanyotherobligationscanmakefittingphysicalac-tivityintoourdailylivesquitedifficult.Findingwaystofitphysicalactivityintoyourworkdayisthebestoptionforpeo-plewhooftenfeelthecrunchofjugglingmultipleresponsibilities.Oneofthebestwaystofitinsomephysicalactivityistouseactivetransportationtocommutefromhometowork.Notonlydoescommutingbycarincreaselevelsofstressbutalsoincreasesyourriskofobesity.Thelongeryourcommutetimethehighertherisk.Ifwalkingorcyclingtoworkisnotanoptionconsiderparkingafewblocksfur-theraway.Walkingfor10minutesatapacethatmakesyoufeelwarmandincreasesyourrateofbreathinghaspositivehealtheffects.YoucanalsosavemoneyRe-searchershavefoundthatdrivingasmallcar18000kmperyearcosts8441.25or0.469perkilometre.Takinganactivebreakisalsoagreatwaytotinphysicalactivityatwork.Youcanstartbytakingawalkduringyourregularcoffeeorlunchbreakdontforgettoinviteyourcoworkers.Ifyoucansqueezeitinoryouremployerhasonsitetnessfacilitiestryashortworkoutduringyourlunchbreak.Workinginanofficecanleadtoverysedentarydaysinfrontofacomputer.Tobreakupthesittingprintdocumentsataprinterdownthehall.Orinsteadofsend-inganemailtoacolleaguedowninthenextofficewalkovertotalktothem.NotonlywillyourhealththankyoubutyouwillimproveyourcommunicationskillsandsocialconnectednessatworkIfyouwouldlikemoreinformationonhowtoincorporatephysicalactivityintoyourworkdayvisitwww.healthalberta.com.Forinformationonnon-emergencyhealthandwellnessvisitwww.myhealth.alberta.ca.SupportingactivelivingatworkRenewjuniorkindergartenandmakeitbetterNWTPremierBobMcLeodwaswisetosuspendtheimplementationofthejuniorkindergartenprogramlastweek.ItwasrapidlyturningintoadebaclereminiscentoftheconflictedWildlifeActthatfosteredtoomuchacrimonyoverthelastfouryears.Theconceptofjuniorkindergartenisagoodonebutitfounderedonimplemen-tation.Ratherthanrammingitthroughaprocessofconsultationwasneededinadvancetorefineitandparticularlytoinvokepublicinvolvement.ThatwastheeventualsolutionfortheWildlifeActalessontobelearnedforallingovernmentthatitsprimaryroleistoservethepeople.EducationMinisterJacksonLaffertyandhisstaffblewanopportunity.IntheNWTwhereconsensusdecision-makingintheNWTsupportedbyparentshasgreatpotential.Theseriousproblemineduca-tionintheNWTisthatmanyAborigi-nalNorthernersdonotfeelthesystemisrelevant.Parentspassthatattitudeontoyouth.Thatmanifestsinpoorstay-in-schoolratesandunacceptablegraduationnumbersamongAboriginalyouth.Thejuniorkindergartenprogramoffersanopportunitytofixatleastsomeofthatbutacriticalcomponentforitssuccessistheinvolvementoffamiliesatinception.Parentsofthosetinynewstudentshavetobeparticipantsnotonlyproudofwhattheirkidswillbedoingbutengagedintheprogram.Atopdownsystemapproachwillneveraccomplishthat.AprimaryconsiderationinallthisistheerosionofAboriginalculture.TheAl-bertacurriculumisthemaintemplatefol-lowedinNWTschoolsanditsapproachisinmanywaysrootedinthecolonialpast.FortheNWTseducationsystemtoworkforallresidentsreconstructionisneeded.Criticallyitnotonlyhastobemaderel-evantbuthastobeseentoberelevantbyeveryonewhousesit.Thatimprovementwillnottakemuchbutitdoeshavetoberefined.Thatiswherecommunityconsultationcomesintofosterinvolvementespeciallyamongparentsofyoungchildren.Itisaboutempowerment.MuchofthefoundationalworkonallthishasalreadybeendonebytheAboriginalHeadStartAHSprogram.Itisexcellentcommunity-baseddevelopedbyoratleastwiththeactiveinvolvementofFirstNa-tiongovernmentswithparentsactivelyinvolvedandrootedinAboriginalculture.Importantlyitispopularandsuccessful.Unfortunatelyitisonlyineightcommu-nities.WhynotworkwiththatprogramtobroadenandevolveitTakeittothenextlevelsothatitisuniversalandworksforallNorthernersinallcommunities.WecallonMinisterLaffertytostaythecoursewiththeplanforjuniorkindergar-ten.Afteraone-yeardelaytorethinktheapproachstartanewandpursueitbutdosohumblyandwisely.Takethenewplantothecommunitieswithanopenmindandlistentoinputsotheprogramcanberefinedandimprovedandmostim-portantlyrelevant.Fightforproperin-dependentfundingforit.LookseriouslyatjoiningwiththeAboriginalHeadStartprogramcombiningresourcessothatitcanspreadtoallcommunitiesandgrowtothenextlevelincludingallNorthern-ersasanintegralpartofthejuniorkin-dergarteninitiative.isingrainedthatprocessofengagingthepublicisessentialininitiatinganewprogram.Theotherfundamentalflawwasthere-quirementthatthenewprogrambefundedfromwithin.Thatapproacheitherassumesthereislotsofsparemoneywithintheed-ucationsystemessentiallyanindictmentofeducationadministratorsasincompe-tentsorthemorelikelyalternativeforcesthecannibalizationofotherprogramsin-cludingappropriatingprogrammoneyandteacherpositionsthatwouldsurelyleadtodeficitsinotherareas.Eitherwaytheap-proachwaspoorlythoughtoutevenreck-less.Juniorkindergartenneedsitsownindependentfunding.AuniversaljuniorkindergartenprogramAfteraone-yeardelaytorethinktheapproachstartanewandpursueitbutdosohumblyandwisely.Takethenewplantothecommunitieswithanopenmindandlistentoinputsotheprogramcanberefinedandim-provedandmostimpor-tantlyrelevant.PhotocourtesyofNWTHumanRightsCommissionAboriginalrapperRobertKASPSawanhitsthestageatBehchokosCulturalCentreonOct.28aspartofcelebrationsfortheNWTHumanRightsCommissions10than-niversary.InadditiontolayingdownhislyricsKASPgaveanti-bullyingworkshopstostudentsinHayRiverInuvikNDiloandBehchoko.