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Cece Hodgson-McCauley
Guest comment
Monday, July 2, 2007
Very interesting, when you sometimes meet the average aboriginal local person on the street, most Canadians and government observe them as illiterate, with no clue of governments or what is going on around them and the world!? Well, let me tell you, these average people, especially the older people who have lived the nomadic life, are very keen and observant. They may be silent but their thoughts run deep!
Many stop and question me, usually about the highway!? The question is often "What's wrong with the government??" They are confused by the lack of action by the government. In the Sahtu region they see the good and affordable life enjoyed by other regions when they fly to Yellowknife for medical care. Questions are "Why can't we start building the road ourselves?" We have companies of heavy equipment in each town. Question number two is always, "What's wrong with Arctic College?" They have machines, why not a mobile heavy equipment school in each town along the route?
So I say it is time to shake up Aurora College for once and for all. With common sense most of you young generation never heard of a "Caboose". Years ago when camps were set up for jobs, workers stayed in Cabooses. Four walls that can sleep two to four people, easy to move, were on skids, they were "mobile". And that's what we need Aurora College to look into; a "mobile school on wheels" or skids, students can learn on the job.
We hear many stories from Fort Smith, where Aurora College teaches heavy equipment operators. They dig holes then fill them up, over and over and all over the place. Time to put people in the college with innovative minds. Like Mike Harris used to say when he was Premier of Ontario, he said "Give me engineers, not thinkers!" That's our problem with our GNWT; too many thinkers!
I have all kinds of papers on government thinking. One called 'Planning the Future on Economic Development Strategy', a vision by a 17 member panel, 58 recommendations. And another government economic development advisory forum; a partnership with DIAND, GNWT and Aboriginal leaders. A 20 member panel, plus there are about 80 GNWT public committees, boards, and councils, all created to help the GNWT?? That's the problem, to many thinkers, not enough doers!
I agree with Sheila Fraser, the federal auditor general, when she commented that vast worth in the NWT is un-tapped, due to Ottawa neglect! I truly blame the Federal Government for our dilemma and neglect of our territory. The Federal Government marched into our territory, carrying a government under their arms, with the intention to save and civilize us nomadic people. They gave us the vote in 1960, governed for two years, and then a "brainstorm". Beady eyed civil servants wanted to create "our own government!?" The NWT, a virgin band, no where on earth have so few had the chance to create something out of a wilderness and its gullible people, full of trust. Billions and billions have been spent for forty-seven years and what do we have to show for it?? A big bloated bureaucracy full of thinkers, planners, pushing tons of paper, "that no one reads", an exercise in futility.
The world is moving forward very fast "we must move now in the Sahtu!!" Lets just see what the leaders of government and aboriginal leaders are made of?? If you are a leader, the people who elected you, put you there to make "tough decisions" not to pass the buck and say I must take it back to my people! Time for leaders to act like leaders!
- Cece Hodgson-McCauley is the founding chief of the Inuvik Dene band and will remain honourary chief for life. She can be reached at fax (867) 587-3003 or by phone (867) 587-3037.