Saturday 31 May 2014

Question on the #NWT's "... strategic framework for the elimination of #poverty..."

By the way... When a I posted a question about this a moment ago on this "PovertyFreeNWT" https://www.facebook.com/pages/PovertyFreeNWT/472164742815542 page... not only was it not answered... but it has been deleted by someone in that page who has the authority to do so..


Specifically, how will the  NWT's "... strategic framework for the elimination of poverty..." eliminate this Income Assistance situation so that the GNWT's Income Assistance never again withholds food from any one of its citizens?...
How does this policy support and honour our CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS?
"...7. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice...."
From group: Housing Issues in the Northwest Territories & Nunavut
https://www.facebook.com/groups/211491972278951/
by Clara Anikina https://www.facebook.com/clara.anikina on Saturday, May 31 at 11:15am
".... sorry i know this is for housin issues but i am in a dilemna, i am so worried cause i got refused until aug 1 for income support, i did not get a cheque for june and i won't get one for july. i was out of food for 3 wks already, and bummin around. i don't know how i managed to get by. i just found out yesterday, so i just gave up hope. i didn't know what to do, i wanted to just cry and give up hope...what a hopeless situation i am in, but i KNOW I AM NOT ALONE, an THERE ARE OTHERS IN THIS SAME SITUALTION AS ME THIS MONTH. also i didn't have a chance to go out campin to get well needed fish and i still don't have some geese cause the weather was so bad.
part of the problem was that the Income support worker kept being away from her office for the months of march, an april, most of the time....
[...]
Clara Anikina our mla is jackie jacobson, mr speaker...."

CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS
"...7. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice...."
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/const/page-15.html


Tuesday 13 May 2014

Water Break - Northern Properties REIT Yellowknife NWT 12/05/2014





"...Northern Property in Yellowknife is the landlord of this building. They have offered to move the lady into a more expensive apt (at her cost, plus an increase in rent), or move her to an unsafe apt that is run down and in need of major maintenance. This happened on Monday night and today (Tuesday) they still have not helped her other than to turn off the cold water completely... And they say it's not their responsibility to place her anywhere this evening. Time for newspapers and MLA to be involved!!

Please share this post and make people of Yellowknife aware of the in-humane activity NPREIT is participating in. They refuse to come and soak up all the water, there is absolutely no running water (except hot) and no shower. It is very unhealthy living conditions. As a community, this needs to be put viral!
http://youtu.be/uFAnZ8ibWzE

Hal (the Rental Officer) has been contacted and they will further continue the investigation tomorrow. We have also contacted Environment Canada and they will be sending somebody as well to investigate. Potential arbitration will take place, depending on the severity of the living conditions (which is significant)...."

Friday 2 May 2014

Yellowknife, NWT: Cages the new social safety net, cops the new social workers #YZF #NWT #Homeless

Shelter behind bars
Cages the new social safety net, cops the new social workers
THE ISSUE:
INCREASED POLICE PRESENCE DOWNTOWN
WE SAY:
FIND A BETTER SOLUTION TO SHELTER CLOSURE
Northern News Services Editorial http://nnsl.com Yellowknife, NWT

“As each day brings the city closer to the social disgrace of being without a homeless day shelter, police are amping up their downtown patrols.
With 70 users daily at the shelter - which keeps people off the street, gives them a warm, safe place to retreat to use the bathroom, sleep or sober-up - there is bound to be a substantial impact come May 31, and Yellowknife needs to brace for it.
Although the RCMP does make up a portion of the resources such a population requires, its role is decidedly short-term. To remove a drunk and disorderly person from a downtown street, place them in a jail cell for the night and release them when they're sober, is addressing an immediate issue but ignoring an underlying cause. Valuable police resources are being diverted to putting the same Band-Aid on the same wound again, and again and again.
Without the shelter to supplement police enforcement in addressing complex social issues, the problems only perpetuate, putting a strain on our courts and jails, while doing absolutely nothing constructive for those caught in the vicious cycle of poverty and addiction.
This failure in services for the city's most vulnerable falls right onto the shoulders of the territorial government and the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, for not finding an alternative when help was discovered the shelter was set to close and its building demolished.
When government fails to take care of its citizens who need it most the problems do not just go away -the costs linger through increased policing, ambulance calls and hospital visits.
While the homeless day shelter is not a standalone solution, it does help alleviate some of those costs -a person able to sleep off their drunkenness on a couch at the shelter is not going to be on the street and at risk of being taken to a jail cell to do that very thing - or at risk of consuming more alcohol, which could manifest into worse consequences.
It takes a balance of resources to achieve long-term solutions to the problems of addiction and homelessness. A four-pillar approach, like how the City of Vancouver tackles its addictions problems, means enforcement when it's due, harm reduction which would include the day shelter
when it helps, treatment when it's needed and prevention when it's possible.
Take away one of those legs and the whole thing topples. Increase enforcement, but eliminate harm reduction, and one is left with an imbalanced approach less likely to lead to a solution.
Unfortunately, the territorial government's view on this problem appears to amount to little more than substituting police officers for social workers and the city's safety net for homeless people with jail cell bars.
Last week, Yellowknife resident Kyle Thomas released his self-published book - Yellowknife Street Stories - which shares tales from the local street people population, bringing them to life and shedding some of their stereotypes.
It is this non-judgemental view those with the power to implement solutions must take, ensuring they help - rather than hurt - the population. Users of the doomed day shelter need social supports and structures rather than more officers, handcuffs and jail cells.”

The NWT's Caribou Legs by Dennis Allen

Thursday 1 May 2014

Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Extraction in Canada

Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Extraction in Canada
April 30, 2014
Expert Panel finds monitoring, management, and oversight critical for responsible shale gas development in Canada
http://www.scienceadvice.ca/en/assessments/completed/shale-gas.aspx

A new expert panel report, Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Extraction in Canada, concludes that shale gas development must be supported by well-targeted science and management strategies to understand and mitigate potential impacts. The report, released today by the Council of Canadian Academies, addresses environmental and associated health impacts and offers insights regarding public engagement and trust.
[…]
"For Canada, regional context matters. A one-size-fits-all approach will not work to address the various potential environmental impacts that may exist across Canada's diverse regions," said Elizabeth Dowdeswell, President of the Council of Canadian Academies. "As such, communities and decision-makers will need to consider potential environmental impacts within their own contexts and decision-making processes."

The Panel's report sheds light on a variety of potential environmental impacts associated with well integrity; groundwater and surface water; greenhouse gas emissions; land impacts and seismic events; and human health. The report also addresses the importance baseline and ongoing monitoring, and the need for research and data-gathering.
[…]
Key findings
Although the technologies and techniques used in extracting shale gas are understood, more research and information is needed on the potential environmental impacts that could result from this process. In Canada, shale gas development has moved forward in British Columbia and Alberta while potential development is still being explored in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Unlike the United States, Canadian development has moved at a slower pace. This slower pace of development presents a unique opportunity for Canada to take the time to explore and determine the proper management practices to develop its shale gas resources responsibly.
For Canada, regional context matters. Environments, ecosystems, geographies, and geologies are not uniform across the country. Therefore, consideration of different potential regional impacts need to be closely considered when determining the suitability for shale gas development.
Overall, the Panel found that well-targeted science is required to ensure a better understanding of the environmental impacts of shale gas development. Currently, data about environmental impacts are neither sufficient nor conclusive.
The Panel's assessment focused on a number of environmental impacts. They include:
- Well Integrity
- Water (groundwater and surface)
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Land Impacts and Seismic Events
- Human Health
- Monitoring and Research..."
[…]
Question
What is the state of knowledge of potential environmental impacts from the exploration, extraction, and development of Canada's shale gas resources, and what is the state of knowledge of associated mitigation options?
Report and related products:
-Environmental Impacts of Shale Gas Extraction in Canada
http://www.scienceadvice.ca/uploads/eng/assessments%20and%20publications%20and%20news%20releases/shale%20gas/shalegas_fullreporten.pdf
-Executive Summary
http://www.scienceadvice.ca/uploads/eng/assessments%20and%20publications%20and%20news%20releases/shale%20gas/shalegas_execsummen.pdf
-Report in Focus (abridged version)
http://www.scienceadvice.ca/uploads/eng/assessments%20and%20publications%20and%20news%20releases/shale%20gas/shalegas_rif_en.pdf
-News release and backgrounder
http://www.scienceadvice.ca/uploads/eng/assessments%20and%20publications%20and%20news%20releases/shale%20gas/shalegas_newsen.pdf