Last week, we heard from an Iqaluit resident who said she was unhappy with service at the local post office. After dodging traffic in the congested parking lot, it took her 25 minutes just to buy a package of stamps.

When she phoned the customer service line at Canada Post to express her displeasure with the inadequate service, she was told she was the only person who had complained so far.

Assuming Canada Post has no reason to lie to its clients, we have to believe Iqalungmiut aren't picking up their phones to complain.

Yet we know people find the service to be lacking. On any given day in any coffee shop in the city, residents are sharing stories about long lines, a lack of mail boxes and poor customer service.

We can't let Canada Post continue to shirk its duties. As a Crown corporation, it is mandated by law to provide mail service to all Canadians, not just those one who live in big cities down south.

Furthermore, we must not give them the opportunity to say they haven't made changes because no one has complained about the present state of things.

We also cannot give them the opportunity to put into place services that are not appropriate for our community.

The only way to get what we want and need in our city is to pick up the phone and tell the officials at Canada Post what we're looking for.

The call won't cost any money if you dial the toll-free number at 1-800-267-1177.

If you'd rather complain or make suggestions for improvement in person, feel free to stop for a moment at the counter after you've waited in line for far too long and tell the local customer service representative what you'd like changed.

If enough of us speak out, Canada Post won't be able to ignore our needs a moment longer.

We appreciate how difficult it is to report good news when the news is bad but bad news must still be reported.A press release issued by the minister of education last week regarding the low scores of NWT students on national math test bends goes too far in trying to put a positive spin on a bad situation.

"While NWT students overall scored better in the mathematical content component than in the problem solving assessment, they scored below the Canadian average in both groups."

In fact, NWT students scored more than 20 percent lower than the Canadian average in both categories.

According to the press release, Minister Jake Ootes has instructed the department to come up with strategies to get the scores up where they belong. We hope the approach they take is not influenced by a desire to make the department or the minister look good. There are fundamental problems with the education system in the NWT. What's needed are frank assessments and new ideas, not misleading public relation campaigns.

There's a lot riding on the shoulders of a few Rangers.

It's ironic these days when the mighty American military is talking about continental defence. They will rely on satellites, high-flying planes and other high-tech sensors to keep terrorists and others from infiltrating our shores -- from Mexico to the Arctic.

All well and good. But that doesn't diminish the importance of the women and men in red who have been the guardians of the North for the last 60 years. If anything, it makes the Rangers' role more essential to Canadian sovereignty in the Arctic.

With their .303 rifles, ball caps and sweat shirts these "citizen soldiers" have been Canada's eyes and ears in the North, patrolling on snowmachines for decades.

And for the past two weeks, 29 Rangers from around the NWT, Nunavut and Yukon have been taking part in one of the most ambitious sovereignty patrols in Canadian history, making their way from Resolute to the Magnetic North Pole and back. A publicity stunt? Perhaps.

But such a trek to uninhabited territory -- and publicity that comes with it -- does help establish Canadian ownership to the Arctic and reinforces the Rangers' importance.

Overflights and satellite surveillance are important, but nothing beats a person on the ground for accurate intelligence gathering. Rangers are perfect for the job. They live in the North and understand the land and the climate.

When full-time soldiers come to the Arctic, they turn to Rangers for advice.

They mean as much, and more to their communities.

The Canadian military understands this and has been working to expand Ranger ranks. It's building upon a fine tradition for which all Northerners should be grateful.

With a population of about 650 people, Deline is becoming a player in the global pursuit to attract big-game hunters.

Four members of the community are now certified guides, but they are only beginning. The group wants to build an outfitters camp to draw in those willing to shell out thousands to bag a big-game trophy.

And it's no wonder, guiding and outfitting is a lucrative gig. The average non-resident hunter spends about $7,200 on a Northern excursion, and about $3.1 million was generated in 1999 by only 10 outfitting companies. With those figures it may not be long before Deline's now unhunted muskox population becomes the hunted.

The North, and the arts world at large, mourns the deaths of three artists this month.

Ida Karpik, well-known artist and resident of Panniqtuuq, passed away in Ottawa. Karpik was born in 1939 in Bon Accord, Baffin Island. She resided in Panniqtuuq since moving there with her husband, hunter and carpenter Joannassie Karpik, in 1964.

A self-taught artist, Karpik loved to draw as a child, but it was not until 1974 that she began to sketch seriously. Over a period of 28 years, Karpik completed hundreds of original drawings on paper. Her drawings depict different aspects of Inuit life, lore and tradition, and often feature birds and other animals. Over the past 10 years, 24 of her works have been used for prints included in the annual Pangnirtung Community Print Collection, and 12 have been used for tapestries produced by the weavers who work in the Pangnirtung Tapestry Studio.

Guy Veevee, also of Panniqtuuq, died at the age of 50. Guy was an accomplished sculptor and worked in ivory and antler. His works grace many important collections around the world.

David Panneok of Kimmirut was born in a tent in 1948. While still a young boy, after living in a camp southeast of Kimmirut called Ukiallivilluut, he moved to Iqaluit. Panneok took a fine arts course in jewelry-making in Halifax, N.S. He learned to carve by watching others at work, and began carving stone around 1965. Panneok has represented Nunavut at the Canadian Snow Sculpting Competition held annually in Ottawa.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

We can only hope the Char River Bridge is but one small topic of discussion come May 8. On that day, representatives from the Arctic office of the Canadian Coast Guard's Central and Arctic Region will be in Rankin Inlet. The group will meet with hamlet council and the SAO throughout the day, before holding a public meeting that evening.

There are a number of topics on the agenda to be discussed. The Coast Guard representatives will introduce a number of issues pertaining to environmental response, including a number of training opportunities.

However, the flap over the Char River Bridge is symptomatic of one issue that will be discussed, and that's the outlining of the Canadian Coast Guard's roles and responsibilities in the North.

The fact the hamlet of Rankin Inlet still has not received any information outlining the proper way for them to proceed at Char River should come as no great surprise to anyone.

One of the main beefs of Kivalliq residents, when it comes to water and boating regulations, has long been the lack of information in the region. For the most part, the Coast Guard and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have been more willing to enforce various acts than they have been to provide information on them.

The May 8 meeting will be a perfect time for local boaters and fishers to get answers to their many questions. It will also be a perfect opportunity to stress the need for better information in our region concerning marine acts and regulations.

In September of 2000, Victor Santos-Pedro, the marine regional director for the Prairie and Northern regions of Transport Canada, went on record in Kivalliq News, saying his department was looking at ways to convey better information to Northern boaters on proper certification for hauling cargo.

At the time, Pedro was addressing concerns surrounding the Avataq tragedy. And, while shortly thereafter boats were turned away from Churchill for not having proper certification, precious little in the way of information has ever perforated the region.

The Canadian Coast Guard has undertaken a number of positive steps in the Kivalliq during the past few years.

The next one would be to use its influence to ensure Kivalliq boaters and fishers receive the proper information regarding marine operations.

And, more importantly, that they are shown how to implement the requirements to ensure safety on the water for everyone.

Editorial Comment
Terry Halifax
Inuvik Drum

I have to tip my Pendleton to the fortitude of the first novelist from Fort McPhoo.

Robert Alexie is a guy who wrote for the sake of the story; because the words that mattered flowed from his heart, to his veins to his brain to the pages -- pages that were printed by one of the country's most respected book publishers.

What's more, he did it without a government grant, a scholarship or a bursary. He told the story because that's what great storytellers do.

Before the book, he wrote for those who knew him; his friends, family and even politicians. Those who read him, inspired him and that was enough of a grant to him.

Now he writes for the world.

I haven't yet had the pleasure of reading his work, but meeting the man, I know it came straight from his heart.

I hope like hell Alexie makes a pile of money off this book and inspires every other would-be writer out in the Delta to do the same. Good luck on this one and the even more for the next one Robert!

Muskrat love

Last week's rant ran a little long and I never had space to tell you how much I enjoyed the Muskrat Jamboree.

It was a great time, despite what the blizzard threw at us.

Huddled inside the recreation centre kinda brought the town a little closer and I think that's what we all needed anyway -- some time to rub elbows with the people you've missed all winter.

Sunday and Monday were a little kinder and the organizers never skipped a beat, catching right up with all the activities that couldn't be done indoors.

While I got my butt kicked in the log sawing, it sure gave me a greater appreciation for this dense Delta timber. I have a whole year to train for next year and I intend to give that MLA a run for his money.

Recycled romance

There's something sweet out at the dump that's gonna draw more honey bees than ravens. It was my sincere pleasure to meet Inuvik's newest newlyweds last week.

This work often mires us in the weight of our world of politics, cops, courts and other social disasters, but meeting folks like Barb and Albert really keeps me in the game.

You can see it in their eyes and hear it in their voices, that true love has found a home at the landfill.

I couldn't help but get misty when I saw those work-mittened hands slip together, when they thought they were alone, and when I watched them kiss, even when they knew they weren't.

Thanks for sharing that sweet love of the land and love for each other, kids. You give us all reassurance that true love exists.

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum, Fort Simpson

Courage comes in many forms.

Baring the most excruciating details of your life in hopes of affecting change - that would definitely qualify as courage. That's exactly what Stan Sanguez has done.

The husband, father and chief of the tiny community of Jean Marie River has stepped forward with a poignant personal account of the devastating effects his addictions have had on him and those around him.

It's a powerful story, at times heartbreaking, but with a potentially happy ending. It won't be easy, though. Sanguez has taken the first crucial steps toward sobriety by admitting he has a problem and seeking help. But it's 28 days of treatment versus 32 years of habitually drinking to excess.

The road to recovery is long and full of temptation. Many people have started out on that journey only to go astray, others continue to press ahead, never looking back.

It's with great sorrow that we observe people lost to addictions: eyes glazed, gait unsteady, babbling incoherently. Sometimes it leads to violence, sometimes to death.

We feel powerless to help these people. Their requests usually sink them deeper in their dependency: a loan, more alcohol, a place to stay.

Then, once in a while, someone finds the wherewithal to fight back, to take control of his life. He seeks counselling, attends a treatment centre.

It's at these times that we must listen when needed, be morally supportive and offer encouragement.

Stan Sanguez has told his story candidly. It is one of many such stories in the Deh Cho, across the country and around the world. No matter the location, the scars are hideous and the root of the problem must be brought out into the open and vanquished. That won't happen on one's own.

Blending of cultures

It was reassuring to hear elder Leo Norwegian speak of the need for aboriginals and non-aboriginals to have mutual respect and help each other. Addressing delegates at a governance conference in Fort Simpson, Norwegian said there's no desire among aboriginals to return to life in the bush on a permanent basis. He added that there's no need to try to drive non-aboriginal people from the Deh Cho either. Rather, he suggested that the best of both cultures can be united in what will be a future regional Dene public government.

Those are undoubtedly the sort of words that will be welcome by non-aboriginals, some of whom have received mixed messages -- or at least inferred a degree of hostility -- about their presence in an aboriginal homeland.