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4 Tuesday October 13 2015 The Northern Journal is an independent newspaper covering news and events in the western Arctic and northern Alberta. The Northern Journal is published weekly by Cascade Publishing Ltd. Printed at Star Press Inc. Wainwright AB. Publisher................................................................................. Don Jaque 867-872-3000 ext.21 donnorj.ca Editor..................................................................................... Craig Gilbert 867-872-3000 ext.24 newsnorj.ca Reporter....................................................................... Dali Carmichael 867-872-3000 ext.25 reporternorj.ca Comptroller .......................................................Jessica Dell 867-872-3000 ext.20 webnorj.ca Advertising........................................................................... 867-872-3000 ext.26 adsnorj.ca Administration............................................Jeremy Turcotte 867-872-3000 ext.26 adminnorj.ca Production Manager ......................................Sandra Jaque 867-872-3000 ext.22 sandranorj.ca Graphics........................................................Paul Bannister 867-872-3000 ext.27 graphicsnorj.ca Letters to the Editor Policy The Northern Journal welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and include a phone number so the author can be veried. Names will be withheld on request in special circumstances where the reasons are determined to be valid. The Journal reserves the right to edit letters for length libel clarity and taste. Opinions expressed in letters and columns are not necessarily those of the publisher or editor. EDITORIAL GUEST COLUMN 2013 CCNA BLUE RIBBON CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013 C M C A AUDITED Advertising Deadlines Display ad deadline is Thursday at 400 p.m. Classied ad deadline is Thursday at 500 p.m. Email adsnorj.ca Subscription Rates Prices include GST. 47.25 in Fort Smith 52.50 elsewhere in Canada 105 in the USA overseas 164.30. The Northern Journal acknowledges the nancial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund CPF for our publishing activities. By ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES With autumn comes a few certainties rst frost Thanksgiving changing leaves... and inuenza. Inuenza often called the u is un- fortunately also often confused with stom- ach illnesses and common colds. The reality is that inuenza is of far greater risk to our communities than the common cold and stomach u. As a severe respira- tory illness that impacts the nose throat and lungs inuenza is a virus that doesnt discriminate. Though children less than 23 months seniors and those with compro- mised immune systems are at greatest risk no matter how healthy you think you are if you arent immunized each season you are at risk for inuenza. Simplyputgoodhealthisntcontagiousbut inuenza is. And chances are your friends colleagues and family members dont want inuenza any more than you do. To protect yourself and others this sea- son please get immunized. Inuenza vaccine will be available free of charge starting October 20. All Albertans six months of age and older are eligible and recommended for immunization. Just as with other immunizations the in- uenza vaccine is your best protection against disease. Each year the inuenza vaccine is developed to protect us against the strains of virus likely to circulate in our community over the next six months. You cant rely on last seasons immunization to protect you this season. Available athundredsofAHSclinicsaround Alberta and through many pharmacists and family physicians as well inuenza vaccine is easily accessible. Last season more than 3900 cases of inuenza were conrmed in Alberta and more than 100 Albertans passed away with the virus. This season dont become a statistic. The vaccine is safe. Inuenza is not. Why chance it To learn more about inuenza and to look- up your local clinic schedules visit www.al- bertahealthservices.cainuenza or www. hss.gov.nt.cahealthdiseases-conditions u-inuenza. Get your inuenza immunization why chance it PhotoBillBraden Liberal Party of Canada Leader Justin Trudeau attracted close to 100 people to a rally at the Mildred Hall School in downtown Yellowknife Friday evening Oct. 9. After a 10-minute speech highlighting the Liberal platform that pinpointed the pledge to raise Northern tax deductions Trudeau patiently circled the room and posed with anyone who wanted a sele. The brief boisterous rally was in support of NWT Liberal hopeful Michael McLeod. Also on hand was Nunavut candidate Hunter Tootoo. Federal elections are exciting times since the future of the country is at stake so we have compiled information from the past present with projections into the future to offer some perspective. The House of Commons has grown by 30 seats to 338 ridings in this election thanks to a bill enacted in the fall of 2011. To win a majority in the newly bolstered Parliament a party will need to garner at least 170 seats. In the last federal election in May 2011 Stephen Harpers Conservatives won a ma- jority for the rst time in their eight years in government winning 166 of 308 seats in the smaller Parliament and earned 40 per cent of the popular vote. Current voter opinion polling as of Oct. 11 show the Conserva- tives at 30 per cent of the popular vote and projected to elect only 118 MPs. Voter opinion ebbs and ows. Only 60 days ago in August the New Democrats were marginally in the lead over the Conserva- tives and Thomas Mulcair was projected to that is anti-women inspired the biggest reaction. They also announced Canadian citizenship would be stripped from any- one convicted of terrorism even some- one born in Canada plus they introduced a plan for a barbaric practices hotline available to report suspicious activities. As a result the popularity of the Conser- vative Party jumped in Quebec while the NDP slipped out of contention as a major rival. Harper is now projected to win 17 seats in Quebec but the divisive debates caused a backlash in other parts of the country resulting in losses of popularity for the Conservatives so they ended up at virtually the same standing in the polls. Another outcome of the niqab controversy was the re-emergence of the Bloc Quebe- cois as a factor in the campaign. Leader Gilles Duceppe had lost his own seat and his party was virtually wiped out in the last election but the niqab debate gave the separatist party traction among conserva- tive-thinking Quebec voters. Now projected to win a substantial portion of the Quebec vote they will once again be a factor on the national stage. Canadians most often vote for the MP already holding a seat. Thirty-three Con- servative Party MPs have resigned or are not planning to run again so Harper has incumbents in 133 ridings. Fourteen NDP MPs are not returning so they have incum- bents in 89 ridings. The Liberals lost five sitting MPs so will offer only 29 incum- bents. For the Liberals to win their pro- jected 134 seats they would have to win in 105 new ridings. For the NDP to match Trudeau they would need to win in 45 new ridings. The Conservatives meanwhile con- tinue to slide and are doing their best to try to stave off losses. It is looking very likely that Canadians will end up with a minority government which means the ruling party will rely on the support of others to stay in power. If Ste- phen Harpers party wins the most number of seats the other parties have vowed not to support him so he will not form a gov- ernment. A coalition government between the Liberals and NDP is the alternative. As there is no love lost between the two they will continue to vy for voter approval at each others expense and withdraw sup- port from the coalition if they think they have a sufficient edge to win on their own. On top of that Conservatives are a major- ity in the Senate and they do what Harper tells them which means gridlock for any new legislation. Most minority govern- ments in Canada last less than two years. We think this one wont make it that long. In the not-too-distant future Canadians will get to vote all over again. One telling statistic throughout the campaign is the solid majority of Canadians consistently 70 per cent who do not want Stephen Harper as prime minister again. The federal election by the numbers win a minority government with 128 seats. Now Justin Trudeau is in ascendancy with a projected 34 per cent of the popular vote winning a minority government with 134 Liberal seats. One telling statistic throughout the cam- paign is the solid majority of Canadians consistently 70 per cent who do not want Stephen Harper as prime minister again. A month ago in an attempt to help their poor numbers the Conservatives replaced the head of their campaign team with controversial Australian campaign guru Lynton Crosby who is credited with the wins of the current Conservative govern- ments in both Australia and Britain. He is known to use tactics that rally voters with hot button issues like fear of im- migration and crime. Since his arrival Harper has introduced three controver- sial issues into the campaign that appeal to anti-Muslim sentiments or play on the fear of terrorism. The practice of women covering their face with a niqab that Ste- phen Harper said is rooted in a culture