It's often said that a house is the biggest investment you will ever make.

That's certainly true in Yellowknife.

Here, land is strictly controlled, and the nature of the city's geology and climate makes the cost of building higher than in southern Canada.

It's also a city where average incomes are relatively high thanks to Northern living allowances, the number of well-paying jobs in government and mining. That may create an impression that people can afford to pay more for housing.

Yet, all factors combine to make the cost of owning a home in Yellowknife almost out of reach. A near-new stick-built home will cost upwards of $200,000. A new or near-new manufactured home costs more than $100,000 on a postage stamp lot.

It all adds up to a simple fact: over the years, people have paid a lot of money for the joys of owning their own home. Now, realtors say it's a seller's market and people are able to recoup their original investment -- and sometimes more.

That's a good thing for homeowners who want to get their money back, but it also represents a tight market that could set the city up for a housing crunch at a time of growing economic opportunity. It also represents a time for a change in direction.

As we've said before, the city needs to get out of the land development business. It showed its business savvy in developing Niven Lake. That was an attempt at a private-public residential subdivision that was virtually ignored by consumers and resulted in the city having to buy out its partners.

While there's little that can be done about the cost of building in the North, the city needs to declare itself open for business to housing developers. Their business is development and they, too, recognize need and the opportunity to make money that will come as Yellowknife grows.

That will include high-end homes, townhouses, condos, and the lower cost housing that comes with competition.

It's not every day that Yellowknifer gets to share two leisurely hours with the likes of Her Excellency, the Governor General, Adrienne Clarkson.

Last Sunday the vice regal and her husband, John Ralston Saul, took time from their flurry of activities to spend a blustery afternoon being interviewed by Yellowknifer's own Fishin' Technician on Great Slave Lake.

Clarkson, who has faced criticism in the past by the media, graciously accepted our offer and not only caught herself a pretty snazzy pike, but was kind enough to answer some pretty down-to-earth questions.

Who knows? Maybe Clarkson and Ralston Saul had so much fun, the couple will think twice next time they head to their cottage on Georgian Bay and decide instead to spend some holiday time here.

Yellowknife's medal-winning cordon bleu chef Pierre Lepage is off to Quebec City to compete in the Tournoi des Chefs Canadiens.

Chef Lepage will represent the NWT and Nunavut in the competition that was won last year by his sister, Marie-Chantal.

Lepage led Team NWT to a gold medal in the Coupe de Nations in 1998, but this time Lepage is solo and the menu is a mystery.

With a box of unknown ingredients, the chef must rely upon the innovation and inspiration that make good chefs great.

Having demonstrated this talent for years in his Yellowknife eateries, we're sure Lepage will be bringing back the gold.

Bonne chance, Pierre!

Fort Simpson has been host to some pretty high-profile people over the past few years.

Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson's sojourn may not have been as momentous as the Pope's visit in 1987, but she was the recipient of a warm welcome and tremendous hospitality.

It was said that she was seeking a traditional, cultural experience during her tour of the NWT. By all accounts she didn't leave disappointed. Besides the drum dance, feed-the-fire ceremony and community feast in Simpson, she had camped in Fort Good Hope and fished and hiked in Holman.

She didn't come alone, either. She was accompanied by her husband, writer John Ralston Saul, who, on several occasions, proudly drew attention to his beaded moose-hide vest designed by Fort Simpson's D'Arcy Moses.

Also along for the seven-community excursion were Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour and award-winning composer Alexina Louie. Part of Clarkson's objective, she told the audience, was to help spread the word about life in the North.

"It's a way to bring the consciousness of the North into the consciousness of the south," she said.

Her press secretary, her official photographer, several security people (some of whom were RCMP members from the NWT) and other members of her entourage also accompanied her.

As the Queen's representative in Canada, Clarkson's job is to represent the Crown.

She celebrates excellence through literary awards, academic medals and, in the case of Fort Simpson's Rangers, she pinned Special Service Medals on their chests. The medals were earned through at least four years of service and a minimum of three completed exercises.

It is also her job to promote national unity. So, it's essentially a ceremonial post.

Nevertheless, Clarkson met with community leaders in each of her stops along the way. In Fort Simpson, she talked behind closed doors with Chief Rita Cli, Mayor Norm Prevost, Jean Lafferty-Gargan of Metis Local 52, Grand Chief Michael Nadli and Nahendeh MLA Jim Antoine.

She said she's interested in the problems existing in Northern communities, particularly among aboriginal people. Issues such as the loss of culture and language, residential schools, healing circles and aboriginal justice are important to her. Asked what she can do to address concerns, she said she is in frequent contact with influential people who have legislative powers.

"It's good that we all talk about these things," she said.

It seems Clarkson is particularly fond of travel. She claims to be an adherent of meeting people and the places in which they live. There is, of course, an existing argument over whether the money used to compensate the Governor General and pay for her travel, as well as that of her staff, could be better spent elsewhere.

A former journalist, who emigrated from Hong Kong as a child in 1942, Clarkson seems like a genuinely caring person. Whether or not she truly has any political clout, and even though the monarchy isn't as revered as it once was, the Governor General was treated as a distinguished guest in Simpson. Of that, we can all be proud.

The Millennium Trek Celebration held last Friday in Fort McPherson was not lacking in spirit.

Those who attended were able to sink their teeth into great food and hear what various speakers had to say about the trek.

The event, which had began in Aklavik last Thursday, is a journey being made -- mostly by boat -- to Arctic Village within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska.

The refuge is where the Porcupine caribou calve, and many groups, including the Gwich'in and several environmental organizations, want the U.S. government to grant permanent protection from oil exploration and development to the area.

Otherwise, they fear the caribou may avoid the refuge, which will lead to a reduced herd and hardship for those who rely on the caribou.

Gladys Netro told those assembled she'd been involved with the effort to protect the refuge for over 10 years, and that at first she thought it would only take a year or so to achieve.

A member of the Porcupine Caribou Management Board, Netro said those involved in safeguarding the refuge many have been away from home a lot, which makes it difficult for everyone.

"All the work that's been done over the past 15 years, we're seeing the results now," she said.

The event wrapped up with a moving tribute to the roughly 15,000 young caribou that perished this year because heavy snow prevented the herd from reaching the refuge in time.

Candles were distributed throughout the hall and then lit. The lights were then extinguished, resulting in 100 candles shining throughout the room. It was not a sight that will soon be forgotten by those present.

On Saturday, trek participants continued their journey. It will be interesting to discover how much publicity and support for their cause they gather along the way and after the final celebration is held in Arctic Village.

Visiting from Ottawa

A rare sight greeted residents in Inuvik (and several other NWT communities) last week when Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson paid a visit.

As a rule, the Governor General doesn't often make his/her way here, but it seems safe to guess that those who saw Clarkson at various functions were glad she's made an effort to visit all parts of the country within her first year of office.

Clarkson said her NWT tour, and others, gives her the chance to see the country and meet the people. At the same time, meeting the Governor General in the flesh can give people a better idea of what this job entails, aside from giving a seal of approval to legislation.

Clarkson has said she intends to keep touring as long as she's in office. Perhaps one of her most important legacies will be to set a new standard for exploring this nation that future Governor Generals will feel obliged to follow.

My summer in the Kivalliq region has been nothing less than spectacular.

It is an experience I will never forget. The weather has been fabulous since I arrived, the people have been incredibly friendly and helpful, and I had the wonderful opportunity to travel outside the community.

During the past six weeks, I've been given the chance to work and live in a different region of Nunavut and truly realize the expanse and diversity of our territory.

Over the summer I visited the amazing Marble Island, rented a Honda and spent a day on the land, enjoyed a sunny afternoon on the beach at Sandy Lake and, the best part of all, met hundreds of great people.

Thanks to those in Rankin and the outlying communities who were helpful with directions; asked me to their homes and offered fresh bannock; invited me to weekly parties; suggested news and feature story ideas; told me about boat and plane charters; and to everyone who subjected themselves to a little bit of celebrity by letting me take their pictures each and every week.

Special thanks

Work just won't be the same without those who made every day a little more interesting and a little bit funnier.

I want to say a special thank you to my friends Thomas Angoshadluk, for his daily efforts in trying to outsmart me (unsuccessfully, I might add). To Wendy Kappi for all of the posters she made and our daily chats at my office; to Gary Noolook for his interest in photography and daily visits; to Johnnie Naukatsik for his crazy jokes and contagious smile; and to Sarah Hodgkins, who came all the way from Fort Smith, NWT to visit me.

I want to thank Randy Miller, who was always friendly and helpful and went the extra mile to save my film and my job one frantic Friday morning.

A special thanks to shutterbug Noel Kaludjak, who never had a problem getting me a picture, or 10, from Coral Harbour and always by deadline.

By now I have returned to Iqaluit to continue working for the Nunavut edition of News\North, but I am happy to have had the opportunity to work and live in your region.

I will always remember my summer in the Kivalliq. Qujannamik.