Letter to the editor submitted by reader Mike Vaydik.
Julie Green lets her deputy minister of health go on vacation as the Covid vaccine is being shipped to the NWT. Caroline Cochrane lets the head of the Covid secretariat, the costly government group of some 150 public servants hastily hired to fight Covid, go on vacation as Covid rates are increasing across Canada. Green now clams up when asked about this. Cochrane gives answers to questions from the media that even her children can’t believe. Remember, we are all her children now (based on September 2020 remarks in the Legislature).
Both these ministers ran on a platform of transparency and openness in government. Can it be only be 13 months since we elected them? Do they think we have forgotten or that we are just plain stupid?
As a final bit of irony and hypocrisy, Julie Green renewed the state of public health emergency on January 5. According to the release, this was necessary to “decisively respond to shifts” in the territory’s health situation and “maintain preventative measures” as the Covid-19 pandemic accelerates across Canada. One might think we would be more responsive if our team “leaders” were in Yellowknife rather than in Kelowna or St John’s.
Thank goodness we have a real leader in the NWT. Her name is Dr. Kami Kandola. She has steadfastly guided us through the pandemic. Has it all been popular and perfect? No. But she has immediately corrected any (minor) missteps along the way and gotten us firmly back on track. Those of us who have followed her advice have remained safe so far. That’s leadership.
Mike Vaydik,
Yellowknife