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4 Wednesday October 28 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 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 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. Editor Thank You Need to say a big thank you to Mark Wig- glesworth from Worth ICT Inc. For the past four years I knew something was wrong with my communication accounts. When I talked to my former providers representative it got more confusing using terms and language I did not understand answering my questions with more questions so that I really did not know what to do. Mark did an independent evaluation of my accounts thoroughly listening to my concerns andidentiedveryquicklywhereIcouldmake somecostsavingchangestoallofmyaccounts. Iamnowgoingtosaveanestimated5500to potentially13000annuallywiththechanges to my service. That is over 1000 a month That means if I had done this when I started thinking about it four years ago I should have cut my expenses by 52000 As a small business operator in the North that is big money to save. Marks rates were fair and it cost me 1165 for his work on my accounts and I think it is worth it to nally realize the savings I have missed. Shame on you former provider. You knew four years ago when I started asking questions about my account. You could have done some investigating and you could have been the ones being thanked right now. In addition after I got back to my sales representative with Marks recommendations she asked why did you have a third party do this I can give you all this information for free. Are you kidding me I have been asking you for four years for this information. I felt like I was on a merry-go-round with the cryptic answers and trade language For anyone if you too are nding it difcult to work out cost savings with your current sales representative give Mark Wigglesworth a call - best decision ever Dana Fergusson GM Pelican Rapids Inn Fort Smith Kudos Fort Smith IT company saves Pelican Inn thousands The non-democratic election in the NWT Missing too in the leadup to election day in the NWT is that bubbling cauldron of ideas that so engaged Canadians in the federal election forcing the politicians to become better or lose. Energy excitement drama joy for the win- ners and consternation even angst for those who didnt win emotions at their peak - all that was encompassed in the recent federal election a great experience invigorating Canadian democracy. Unfortunately little if any of that will emanate from the territo- rial election when a new NWT government is chosen on Nov. 23. Granted not many elections in Canadian history reached a climax like this federal one did thanks to the sense of urgency from a ma- jority of Canadians to eject Stephen Harper plus the charisma of Justin Trudeau as a suc- cessor. It will long be remembered. The NWT is a smaller political arena and the stakes are not as high but the main reason its election will be a staid affair is it will lack the cut and thrust of party politics. Missing in the leadup to election day in the NWT is that bubbling cauldron of ideas that so engaged Canadians in the federal election forcing the politicians to become better or lose. As par- ties strategically released their platforms and made promises enthusiastic media pounced on each analysing and challenging them then voters got a chance to pass judgement. Polls came into play along with social media. Opinions swirled. Like an instant acid test in some cases they were rejected and back- tracked on in others they proved popular and the parties ran with them pushing them harder. It was a vital process at once invigo- rating demanding judging and evolving. It would be good to capture aspects of that in the NWTs territorial elections. This is not a pitch for party politics. The NWTs population is too small to eld capa- ble candidates in each riding from several different parties. Furthermore as we have seen in the last 10 years in the federal Parlia- ment partisan wrangling created gridlock the downside of party politics. The smart thing to do with the NWT election process is adapt the good incorporating it as much as possible into consensus government. Inparticularakeycomponentofdemocracy is missing in the selection of the NWT pre- mier. The way the NWT process is structured there is nothing in advance no requirement for premier candidates to present a platform for consideration and debate by the people or even by MLAs who make the selection no mechanism for choosing from alternatives to try to dene a better path to the future. Currently the choice of premier by the 19 members is based on popularity and what- ever lobbying and deal making that might go on behind closed doors. Nine or more votes are required to win assuming the candidate votes for herhimself. Notably the people are not involved. After a premier is selected the winner and new premier picks an executive council or cabinet. The remaining ordinary members assume the role of opposition. This time round to facilitate the transi- tion to a new assembly a Special Commit- tee on Transition Matters was struck com- prised of six MLAs and several members of the civil service. Its role is to provide the new assembly a roadmap to move forward. It describes the circumstances and context of the last assembly and highlights what should be priorities for the new one then presents that to the current assembly for consideration and ratication. The work of the committee essentially replaces any ad- vance election process. Again no role for the public and certainly no invigorating chal- lenging idea-generating exercise is involved in the committees work. The committee put forward its recom- mendations in early October and those were adapted and passed. Included is a new step- by-step program for how cabinet will for- mulate a platform for the new government. The new premier after having selected the cabinet will present the assembly with a draft plan from cabinet on what it intends to do in the coming term. Input is then re- ceived from ordinary member MLAs. Those ideas are considered and may be added to the nal document. Following that it is - nalized by cabinet then presented for the record as the governments mandate for the coming term. All that happens post-election. No creative dynamic process no cauldron no bubbling. The ideas MLAs put forward may invoke de- bate but that is all and public engagement and participation is completely excluded. It actually appears less like a government and more like a large corporations new chair and executive seeking input from the board of directors that they may or may not heed. All of it is based on a loose concept of con- sensus government. The changes presented by the committee that were adapted by the assembly amount to an evolution of the gov- erning process essentially changes to the con- stitution but then the NWT does not have a constitution. Maybe it is time that discus- sion was renewed. PhotocourtesyofAlDumont Coats for kids The Knights of Columbus of Alberta and NWT district has been busy the last few months gathering coats and donating them to children in Fort Smith and other communities for its annual drive. Pictured above are volunteers Ray Currie left Joanne Gauthier and Al Dumont. With some nancial assistance from their counterparts in Edmonton the Knights were able to pull in 103 coats 80 per cent of which have already gone to deserving homes. A big thanks from the Knights to Lous Small Engines which donated the cost of shipping the winter jackets.