So, guess what? I’m proud to say that I have been writing my article for News/North for 10 years. Say what? Yup, my first article was printed on March 10, 2014, and 10 years later I’m still going strong. Woohoo!
The idea to write came to me while I was going to school in Vancouver and learning healing techniques to become a counsellor. I had also survived heart disease in 2011, when blood could not flow to my heart properly.
Doctors inserted a stent into my artery. It’s like a small culvert that was guided through my wrist artery. So, I have a culvert in me and my heart is happy. Eschia (take it easy, eh)!
Well, there I was learning all this stuff and I said to myself, “Geez, I should start writing an article to provide tips on healthy living. I can also tell people about how eating and sleeping properly and being more active helps to avoid what happened to me.”
So, I contacted News/North and they said welcome to NNSL, and here we are a decade later. That’s not as long as Cece Hodgson-McCauley, who tirelessy campaigned for 30 years for finishing the Mackenzie Highway to Inuvik, but pretty cool nonetheless.
I try to write using plain language so my articles are easy to read, and I like to write about things that people across the North are interested in. I also like to add a bit of humour to make things more interesting.
And luckily, Jean proofreads things for me, looking for typos, sentences that do not read well, if I left something out, or something should be deleted.
Research is key to my writing. I try to not simply go by my memory of things or by what people tell me or tell others. I will look things up by reviewing media articles and going to legitimate websites.
For instance, if I’m writing about heart and stroke related things, I would go to the Heart and Stroke Foundation for information. I also try to get Canadian information, but sometimes I can’t find any, so I will use American information.
Topics for articles
In the beginning… LOL. I started out with an article about bannock and how it is best not to eat too much because that’s not heart friendly. Of course, it’s best not to consume too much of anything, especially alcohol. Well yaaaaaa!
Being a recovering alcoholic, I have written about people abusing drugs and alcohol and how it destroys people and their physical and mental health, relationships, employment, careers, marriages and schooling.
I have also advocated for addiction treatment centres and for trauma treatment. Jean and I did a happy dance when the MLAs recently announced that “access to healthcare and addressing the effects of trauma” was one of their four priorities. Very cool.
Seniors are our holders of knowledge and wisdom and should be well treated. I write about things that I think seniors and others should know about, like what it’s like to get older, how to avoid scams, and elder abuse.
When Covid burst onto the scene, it was very dangerous and we went through tough times. I did research and tried to pass on information about what to do and what not to do. I tried to explain the rules simply and that people should not stay home alone, but to safely go on the land, go for walks, and to call, text or write friends and family.
And, I did not stick to health issues. For instance, I was able to write tributes to various people, like for Tlicho Grand Chief Eddie Erasmus and for Eddie Sangris, long-serving chief for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. And of course, my “Farewell to Johnny Noel!”
You’re that eschia guy
I also enjoy writing about community things like when the Deline leadership brought half of its community to hold ceremonies on the land to reclaim the McGill Bay area, where some people died.
One guy from a community stopped me on the street and said, “Hey, you’re that eschia guy!” and he started talking to me about my writing. I had been saying “eschia” in some articles. He told me, “You need to put ‘take it easy’ in there so non-native people know what it means.” Ever since then, I try to say “eschia (take it easy, eh)” in my columns.
Of course, being a former politician, I have written on political issues like what I think people should look for in leaders. I recently wrote about how previous experience as MLA is usually best for territorial ministers and experience as a minister is best when selecting a premier. Yes, indeed.
A lot of people from various communities, especially seniors, thank me for writing my articles and tell me to keep writing. Some people have told me they used what I wrote about to improve their lifestyle.
Some have told me they signed up to take the Northern Indigenous Counselling program after I wrote about it. When I wrote about working on opening a trauma healing lodge, many people told me how it is so needed and that they hoped the GNWT would support the trauma healing lodge.
All in all, it has been a privilege writing for you the people. Thank you for the support. I plan to continue writing as long as people keep telling me that they read my stuff. And, thanks to News/North. Here’s to another 10 years.