An all too obvious characteristic of the new Northwest Territories is the jumble of different needs, strengths and weaknesses among the various regions and urban centres.
On the surface, it seems there will be no basis for consensus and it will be left up to the federal government to supervise the playground politics threatening to stifle stability and torpedo progress in the "New North."
Now from Finance Minister Charles Dent we have dire warnings of future financial ruin for the NWT.
After presenting the $743 million budget last week, Doomsayer Dent declared we have a year to either squeeze the federal government for more money in the annual operating grant or squeeze the federal government for a larger share of the resource royalties Ottawa now pockets, or both.
The prospect of getting more out of the federal government's annual operating grant, 73 per cent of territorial revenue, is grim. We are one small territorial voice among much louder provincial cries for more cash.
Making a case for giving the NWT more of the royalty pie (natural gas, oil, and diamonds) will carry more weight, especially if the potential for more development is apparent.
The major stumbling block to plan B is the lack of agreement between aboriginal and territorial governments. Similar attempts with the federal government under the label of the Northern energy accord failed when the aboriginal groups could not be brought onside.
Dent doesn't know if the aboriginal leaders are ready to talk about resource royalty sharing North of 60. But it's a safe bet considering the ill will the territorial government has generated at the self-government table that the aboriginal leaders are going to want something more in return than a share of the royalties.
They are going to want the power to spend the money as they see fit on programs they deem necessary for their people.
That means more territorial government co-operation on self-government. That means a big change in territorial government thinking. That might as well begin immediately.
What's the Sin? Few Northerners in positions of responsibility can avoid potential conflicts of interest. That's the weakness of a small, closely connected population. What counts is whether or not such conflicts lead to abuse.
Charges of political interference with CBC North programming warrant serious investigation. The marital connection between a territorial cabinet minister and a senior CBC manager is clearly a conflict, but so too is the motivation of those employees and ex-employees making the accusations.
It is the responsibility of the Canadian Heritage Commission to investigate.
Check it out, Sheila Copps! Don't chicken out under political pressure, but don't over react either. Eliminating all such potential conflicts of interest is totally impractical. It would rob the North of valuable services by dozens, perhaps hundreds of competent people.
The issue here is not whether there is a potential conflict of interest. That's obvious and no attempt has been made to hide it. But whether any action is warranted should depend upon whether or not there was abuse. Does CBC programming reflect political interference?
The GNWT's recent announcement that it will be introducing a "made in the North" strategy to control harmful greenhouse gases is a wise, albeit late move.
Similar initiatives, being launched by other provinces and territories, are now under way and are aimed at helping Canada reach the goal of reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2000 and six per cent below 1990 levels by 2008-2012.
As we all know from the global warming that has already surfaced in the North -- temperatures are rising here faster than anywhere else in the country -- the North's strategy is an important one in helping ensure Canada gets with the program.
When the idea of an RCMP apology to the Inuit of Nunavut first surfaced in February, it appeared to be a simple matter to be taken care of before the territory separated and the RCMP's new V division was created.
But the short timeframe made it seem as if the apology was simply a matter of whipping up a tearful little "we're so sorry" and passing it along to any and all Inuit residents of the new territory who disagreed with the way they were policed in the past.
Because apologies have become so fashionable lately, such an entreaty might have made the relationship between the people and the police run a little smoother -- at least on the surface and at least for a few months.
Yet, as in any situation when amends are glossed over and not heartfelt, it would only be a matter of time before that relationship further deteriorated.
The new V division is to serve people in a more culturally-sensitive way. The last thing anybody needs is for the gap between people and police to grow any larger.
Someone with brass on their shoulders in the RCMP must have sensed this because the apology has since been put on hold until more research can be done.
C/Supt. Chris Bothe said that he wants to visit all 29 of Nunavut's settlements before a route of restitution or healing is chosen. He wants to hear -- bad and good -- what each resident of each community has to say about the past, present and future performance of the RCMP.
And for those more skeptical, yes, this could be a stalling tactic. The police might just be looking for a way to delay an apology.
But hopefully it is a method that will ensure everyone gets a chance to have their say and to express concerns or gratitude for the work the RCMP have done over the last several decades.