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Time for a change
Cece Hodgson-McCauley
Guest comment
Monday, June 9, 2008
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I'm flying on cloud nine. I think the good Lord had pity on me and sent me some good luck.
I got a phone call about 4 p.m. yesterday. A plane full of senators from Ottawa was flying in from Yellowknife, and would I have dinner with them at 7 p.m. They want to talk about the highway! Wow, I was in a mess. I was babysitting. I said "Yes, I'll be there" and then I had to move fast.
I got the children settled, pulled myself together and was there at 7 p.m. sharp. My luck. Their plane was half an hour late in landing. The wait was worth it.
You all know Senator Tommy Banks. He sat across from me at dinner. I couldn't believe my luck. They really wanted to know all about the road. They joked that we should say 'road' not 'highway'. Maybe because a road doesn't sound so costly? Anyhow, I told them we would be happy even with a dirt road.
Senator Banks seemed to be the leader of the group because he really drilled and wanted all the information on what has been done so far. I mentioned the four inch binder that we passed around to every senator and about 80 parliamentarians in 2001. He wants an updated binder which he will have copied and passed around to other senators. I must have talked 10 miles a minute! You all know me. I call a spade a spade. I think I shocked them sometimes but we finally have some power behind us in our fight for the completion of the road to Tuk. So we must take advantage of it.
In the meantime, in Norman Wells we are getting ready for the first barge. They are busy clearing the ice from the docks. Times have sure changed. I was reminiscing about the days before civilization and the government entering our territory about 50 years ago. About this time of the year we just couldn't wait for the first boat; sometimes a small scow by an enterprising business man loaded with oranges, eggs, etc... Things we never had all winter. We ate eggs and more eggs, until we couldn't look at another egg for a while, same with oranges. Today they fly everything in so the first barge is no big deal anymore.
You know, I was reading about all the madness in the paper regarding complaints about government cuts and you could read in the last paper about all the suicides, rehabilitation places and they mention sports etc. Sports made me think of Father Ruyant and remember our first, huge recreation complex up from Grollier Hall, which is torn down now. But, Father Ruyant realized the arena rink was 20 feet too short for international hockey. He thought his boys shouldn't be deprived of a proper sized skating rink if they wanted to train properly. So he raised money and built his own international sized skating rink right beside Grollier Hall. Now that international sized skating arena has been turned into a public garden in the summer time. That means it sits empty all winter?
Of course I started to wonder about Father Ruyant arena and also Herb Mathisen's coverage in News/North of the MLA from Tu Nedhe, Tom Beaulieu and the need for cultural sensitivity. We need diversion. Anything to keep youth busy physically and mentally. Can that arena become an arena in winter, for skating, and a roller skating rink in summer?
We must start thinking and getting input from the grassroots level and to work with the highly educated professionals. When all is said and done year after year and nothing changes, it's time to try something different. Give the money and the power to local people. I'll bet they will be tougher with more sensible solutions to the many problems. But it's just a dream because bureaucrats will never give up their own power and money.
- 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.