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4TuesdayJanuary202015TheNorthernJournalisanindependentnewspapercoveringnewsandeventsinthewesternArcticandnorthernAlberta.2013CCNABLUERIBBONCANADIANCOMMUNITYNEWSPAPERAWARD2013CMCAAUDITEDTheNorthernJournalispublishedweeklybyCascadePublishingLtd.PrintedatStarPressInc.WainwrightAB.Publisher.................................................................................DonJaque867-872-3000ext.21donnorj.caEditor.........................................................................MeaganWohlberg867-872-3000ext.24newsnorj.caReporter.......................................................................DaliCarmichael867-872-3000ext.25reporternorj.caComptroller.....................................................DixiePenner867-872-3000ext.23dixnorj.caAdvertising..............................HeatherFoubertHayRiver867-874-4106adsnorj.caAdministration............................................JeremyTurcotte867-872-3000ext.26adminnorj.caProductionManager......................................SandraJaque867-872-3000ext.22sandranorj.caGraphics........................................................PaulBannister867-872-3000ext.27graphicsnorj.caLetterstotheEditorPolicyTheNorthernJournalwelcomesletterstotheeditor.Lettersmustbesignedandincludeaphonenumbersotheauthorcanbeveried.Nameswillbewithheldonrequestinspecialcircumstanceswherethereasonsaredeterminedtobevalid.TheJournalreservestherighttoeditlettersforlengthlibelclarityandtaste.Opinionsexpressedinlettersandcolumnsarenotnecessarilythoseofthepublisheroreditor.AdvertisingDeadlinesDisplayaddeadlineisThursdayat400p.m.ClassiedaddeadlineisThursdayat500p.m.Emailadsnorj.caSubscriptionRatesPricesincludeGST.47.25inFortSmith52.50elsewhereinCanada105intheUSAoverseas164.30.EDITORIALCOLUMNTimeforAlbertatomanageitsmoneywiselyThesuggestionbyAlbertapremierJimPrenticethatheisopentodiscussiononaprovincialsalestaxbecauseoftheprojected500-milliondecithisgovernmentfacesafteroilpricescrashedisverylikelyaploybyawilypoliticianwhoknowshewillbeforcedtoinitiateprovince-widecutbacks.Holdingupthespectreoftaxesisadistraction.Prenticewillbetruetohisconservativerootsandcutprogramsservicesandthesizeofgovernment.Governmentprogramspend-inghasincreasedbyawhopping25percentinAlbertainthelast10years.ThePrenticeConservativeshavetogetthefattrimmingknivesout.Introducingtaxeswouldresultinstiffop-positionfrommuchofhiscaucusparticu-larlythegroupofMLAswhorecentlyde-fectedfromtheWildroseParty.AlbertaistheonlyprovinceinCanadawithoutasalestaxandhasthelowestincometaxwithits10percentatrate.PrenticeknowsincreasingtaxesforAlbertanswouldbepoliticalsui-cidebuthavingadiscussionthatincludestheoptionandthenchoosingnottodoitwillmakehimlookgood.Albertanswhoareproudoftheirtaxfreestatuswillbepleasedinspiteofanycuts.BesidesAlbertatheonlyotherjurisdic-tionsinCanadawithoutasalestaxarethethreeNorthernterritories.ThehighcostoffoodacrosstheNorthhasbeenwidelypubli-cizedinthelasttwoyearsathorninthesideofthefederalgovernmentwhosefoodsub-sidyprogramNutritionNorthintroducedin2011hasbeenafailure.Asalestaxwouldworsenthat.Theterritoriesreceivefederaloperatingmoneybasedontheirpopulationswhichisanincentiveforthemtoincreasethenumberofresidents.TheNorthwestTerrito-riesasanexamplehasbeenactivelypromot-ingitselfasaplacetocometoliveandwork.Thelastthingtheterritorieswantistofur-therincreasethecostoflivingbyintroduc-ingaconsumptiontax.EvenifAlbertadidtheunthinkableandintroducedasalestaxresidentsofthethreeterritoriescanbecon-denttheywillremainsalestaxfree.NotmanyCanadiansorevenAlbertansknowWildrosePartyinterimleaderHeatherForsythaCalgaryMLAwhohassaidshehasnoplanstoruninthenextprovincialelection.WildrosehasbeendepletedsobadlyitnowhasonlyfiveMLAsthesamenumberastheAlbertaLiberalsbutthehousespeakerruledtheywillremaintheofficialopposition.ForsythwillleadthefightagainstanynotionofincreasedtaxesforAlbertansapawninPrenticesgameasheconsolidatestheprovincialConserva-tivesintoapowerhouse.Forsythmadenewsin2010bycrossingtheoorfromtheConservativeswhobackthenweremovingmoreandmoretothecen-tremuchtothechagrinofmostoftheAl-bertaelectorate.Wildrosecounteredwithamovementtorestoreconservativevaluestoprovincialpoliticsandsurgedinpopularity.TalkwasrampantthatthelongProgressiveConservativePartyreignwasover.ThatpavedthewayforPrenticetorideinfromhisroleasafederalcabinetministerlikeaheroonawhitestallionintheoldwest.Thereareru-moursmoreMLAdefectionsfromtheirpro-spectivepartieswillshakeupthelegislaturebeforethenextelectionintwoyears.AndsoitgoeswithAlbertapolitics.OnethingPrenticeisnotdiscussingisachangetotheroyaltyregimewhereoilcompa-nieswillhandoveragreatershareofrevenuetoprovincialcoffers.Otheroilrichjurisdic-tionsenjoyoverowingheritagefundswhileAlbertassavingsforthefuturearemeagre.NorwayandKuwaiteachhavefundsclosetoatrilliondollarstoassurefutureprosper-ity.EvenRussiahassavedover180billion.AfterdecadesofoilwealthAlbertahasyettohitthe20billionmark.TherewillcomeatimewhenAlbertasoilisallgoneandtheircurrentbudgetarycri-siswillbeapermanentfeature.Theybadlyneedawiserapproachtomanagingresourcerevenuesothereissomethingleftforfuturegenerationsbesideshigh-costmaintenanceandexpensivecleanups.Albertascurrentapproachistoencour-agemultinationalcorporationstoextractresourcesinordertocreatejobsandfueltheeconomybutthatisonlyshort-termgain.Inthemeantimethegovernmentspendsmorethanitearns.Thatissimplypoormanage-ment.Overspendingintodebtandsquander-ingwealtharebothcontrarytofundamentalconservativephilosophy.Albertahasmisman-ageditsnancesandresourcesfartoolong.Keepingagreatershareofresourcerevenueinordertobuildabetterfutureshouldbeakeylong-termstrategyforPrenticeashegetshisprovincesscalhouseinorder.IntheJan.13storyTrudeauseekspublicopiniononNorthernnetwork-ingtourTheJournalfailedtoclarifyKieronTestartspositionasoneoftwocontendersintherunningfortheterri-torialLiberalleadershiptheotherbeingcandidateRobertHawkins.TheJournalapologizesforanyinconvenienceorof-fencethisoversightmayhavecaused.CLARIFICATIONTheHarmsofSmokingforNon-SmokersAlbertahasmadeprogresstobecomingsmoke-freethroughtheevolutionofsocialnormsandlawsrelatedtotobaccouse.ThiscanbeseeninthedecreaseinthenumberofAlbertanssmok-ingfrom27.7in2001to20.6in2013Sta-tisticsCanada.Andwhenitcomestosupportingsmoke-freeplacesinAlbertathemajoritydo.InitiativesandeventssuchasNationalNon-SmokingWeekJanuary18-242015anditsMajorityDocampaignhavehelpededucatethepublicabouttheharmsassociatedwithto-baccoandhavebroughttheimportanceofbeingsmoke-freetotheforefront.ThisyearthefocusofNationalNon-SmokingWeekissmoke-freehomesandvehicles.ButalthoughthemajorityofAlbertansdosupportsmoke-freeplacestherearestillthosewhochoosenotto.Thosewhochoosetosmokeindoorsinvehiclesnearentrancesorairin-takesarenotonlyputtingthemselvesatriskfortobacco-relatedhealthissuesbutalsoput-tingothersatriskthroughsecondandthird-handsmoke.Oftenpeopledonotthinkabouttheimpli-cationsofsmokingaroundothersbutsecondandthird-handsmokeposegreatdangerstonon-smokers.AlbertaHealthServicesdenessecond-handsmokeasthesmokethatcomesfromtheburningendofacigaretteaswellasthesmokeexhaledbythesmoker.Itismadeupof4000differentchemicalshastwiceasmuchnicotineandtarthanthesmokethatisbeinginhaledandcanbedetectedinnon-smokersevenafterasmallamountofexposure.FACTMorethan300non-smokersdieeachyearinCanadafromlungcancerthatisrelatedtosecond-handsmoke.Infantsandchildrenarealsohighlysuscepti-bletotheharmsofsecond-handsmokeastheirbodiesarestilldeveloping.Theyalsodonothavetheabilitytoleaveplaceswheresmokingistak-ingplaceieinsidecars.FACTSecond-handsmokemaycauseahighriskofSIDSSuddenInfantDeathSyndromeaswellasrespiratoryinfectionsbronchitisandpneumoniaininfantsandchildren.FACTChildrencaningesttobaccoresiduebyputtingtheirhandsintheirmouthaftertouchingsurfaceswiththird-handsmokeonthem.Third-handsmokeistheresidueandgassesfromsmokethatcollectsonsurfacesfurnitureclothingandotherfabrics.Nicotinecanlastformonthsonindoorsurfacesandwhenitreactswithotherenvironmentalelementsitcreatescancer-causingsubstancescalledtobacco-spe-cicnitrosaminesTSNAs.FACTThereisnosafelevelofsecondorthird-handsmokeandtheonlywaytoescapeisbeingina100percentsmoke-freeenvironment.Formoreinformationaboutsecondandthird-handsmokeorresourcesthatareavailabletohelpAlbertansquittobaccousepleasevisitwww.AlbertaQuits.caorcontactHealthLinkAlbertaat1-866-408-5465LINK.JanineGrayPublicHealthPromotionsAlbertaHealthServicesNoteTheJournalwouldliketoreminditsreadersintheNorthwestTerritoriesthattheycancalltheNWTQuitlineat1-866-286-5099forhelpwithquittingsmoking.NewGwichyaGwichincouncilelectedFromleftJohnNorbertJohnFirthGraceBlakeandMaureenClarkareelectedasthenewGwichyaGwichinCouncilinFortMcPhersononJan.9.Blakethepresident-electandthethreecouncillorsweresworntotheirelectedofcebySgt.GrantThomNCOicRCMPFortMcPhersonDetachmentatacommunitygathering.PhotoLawrenceNorbert