BHP's Ekati diamond mine has proven to be a true jewel of the Northern economy.

It employs thousands of NWT residents and the company spent $280 million on Northern goods and services last year. Over the life of the mine, the mine will pump an estimated $4.4 billion in mineral royalties into federal coffers and another $400 million to the GNWT.

On the sidelines, First Nations watch while everyone makes money but them.

From that perspective, it's understandable that Akaitcho Treaty 8 would come to last week's public meeting, at which BHP outlined its plans to expand production, and request a share of the company's profits.

Akaitcho, like other aboriginal groups, did sign an "Impact and Benefit Agreement" with BHP that provides them about $1 million annually, hiring guarantees and training and business opportunities.

From BHP's perspective, the IBA is a "way for benefits from Ekati to flow to the aboriginal groups."

What it doesn't provide is compensation to First Nations for the true value of the resource extracted from traditional lands. That benefit is being reaped by senior levels of government.

And while treaty negotiations drag on, government will continue to benefit from a resource over which Akaitcho, and other First Nations, have a legitimate claim.

BHP has already recognized the ties Akaitcho and other groups have to the land by agreeing to the IBAs. The company's responsibility to the First Nation ends there, because BHP is following the rules set out by the federal government, de facto owner of the land.

If the Akaitcho have a claim for increased benefits from Ekati's mine, it should be directed at the federal government which could be viewed as holding the land in trust for First Nations.

Akaitcho should follow the Deh Cho First Nations lead and go after an interim measures agreement with the federal government. That could, at least, guarantee some of the royalties Ottawa earns now is set aside for the future, when aboriginal title to the land and the resources it holds is determined.

This week Yellowknifers are invited to join in the annual week-long celebration of literacy.

Run by the NWT Literacy Council events include corporate challenges, forums and the popular NWT Writing Contest.

These events should be supported. We only need to look to what's happening in the diamond industry to realize we've got a long way to go.

BHP spokesperson Graham Nicholls recently stated that "low literacy levels" are creating "major challenges" for them when it comes to hiring North.

All the more reason for government, industry and families themselves to take time this week to get involved.

So much for global warming. Winter arrived last weekend and for sheer novelty, it's hard to beat the first snow fall. It was wet and packed easily into missiles. Kids and dogs loved it.

The rest of us were, as usual, in no way prepared. Snow became a four letter word for frustration. Shovels were in the corner of the garage with the garden implements and the lawn mower, buried under camping gear and canoe paddles.

On the streets, it was spinorama. Driving skills went missing, as they usually do in the first snowfall. Cars and trucks without snow tires struggled on roads that were slick as the pitch for a time-share on a tropical beach.

Like everyone else, the city's road crews were off balance. The graders pushed the hard-packed snow off the roads and transformed the sidewalks along Franklin Avenue into an icy obstacle course. But not for long. By yesterday, roads were sanded and the sidewalks cleared -- just in time for a thaw promised this weekend.

Most people can tell you Rome wasn't built in a day.

The funny part is, many of those same people expect immediate results when it comes to programs in our territory.

While there can be no denying our region has fallen a bit behind the Baffin and Kitikmeot in some areas -- most noticeably on the investment front -- we are holding our own on others.

It is just now that some initiatives of the past year are starting to look like they may bear fruit.

Like everything else in life, successful business ventures take time.

Some people in our region have been whispering for the past eight months that various trade missions to Manitoba have been nothing but free trips for the privileged and have produced no results.

The Nunavut Government, led by the Department of Stainable Development, has always advocated trade missions.

And while the approach may not always be perfect, it is starting to produce results.

The seeds to the taxidermy course being taught in Coral Harbour were planted during such a trade mission.

In fact, many seeds revolving around sustainable resources, hunting and tourism were planted during those meetings and they are starting to grow.

Arviat is benefitting from agreements for both caribou and polar bear hunting.

Coral holds the promise of bringing $100,000 a year into the local economy from hunting alone and Repulse Bay is not far behind.

This is not even scratching the surface of spin-off industry such as taxidermy, equipment manufacturing and eco-tourism.

Slowly but surely these operations are coming into being. And slow and steady is the right way to proceed.

It is certainly not inconceivable that within five to 10 years, our region alone could boast a multi-million dollar industry around hunting and tourism.

Having local people trained to support these ventures will increase the benefit to Kivalliq communities even more.

The Nunavut Government deserves straight "A's" for recognizing that for us to succeed, Manitoba has to be a strong partner.

That dedication to creating a strong partnership with our provincial neighbour will pay much larger dividends as time goes by.

Every step forward is a step in the right direction and many of our first steps began during trade missions.