When push comes to shove, principles often get the heave-ho. Especially when there's money involved.

Political pensions are a prime example. Look what happened in Ottawa when members of Parliament debated their gold-plated plan. The Canadian Alliance railed against the pension, but when it came time to opt out or in, even the most vociferous opponents signed up.

It has also happened in the Northwest Territories after MLAs passed an improved pension plan.

Five voted against the package that would boost an MLA's pension by $478 a month when they turn 60. Floyd Roland, Sandy Lee, Charles Dent, Michael Miltenberger and Michael McLeod opposed the proposal.

On April 30, they had to decide whether they would stand on their principles or sign on the dotted line.

Only Roland said no to the extra cash. Lee opted in, but will turn the money over to a trust fund to help women run for political office.

There's nothing wrong with the extra pension. People who serve in public office deserve fair compensation.

The people who elect them, however, deserve politicians who stand on their principles.

Voting against the pension then taking the cash is hypocritical. It's the worst kind of politics -- saying one thing then doing another.

Dent, Miltenberger and McLeod could learn something from their Nunavut counterparts who voted against an improved pension and also opted out.

Nunavut MLAs Rebecca Williams, Hunter Tootoo, Paul Okalik and Ed Picco -- and Roland (Inuvik Boot Lake) -- are among a rare breed of politicians indeed.

Our congratulations to MLAs Ed Picco, Hunter Tootoo, Rebecca Williams and Premier Paul Okalik for getting their priorities straight and choosing to forego increases in their political pensions.

We wish all MLAs -- and their counterparts in the NWT and Ottawa -- understood the ethical side of public service as well as they do.

The sad tale of MPs or MLAs voting themselves ever-more generous pensions and pay reappears every few years. It's time they lost that power, which clearly puts politicians in a conflict of interest. Instead, why not appoint an independent panel of experts to conduct a regular review of how much we compensate those we elect to office?

It's not a revolutionary idea, just a matter of common sense.

Those among us who rely on the internal combustion engine to put food on the table -- a group that includes just about everyone from taxi drivers to hunters -- need to be able to trust the fuel we burn. At the moment, that's not easy to do.

Results of recent tests show a lot of the gas that Nunavummiut have been buying this past winter has been damaging engines.

Now the territorial government will have to compensate drivers and try to get the money back from the suppliers. Such a waste of time and money.

In the future, we may have to ask for regular and frequent guarantees that the fuel is clean and safe to burn. The only way to do that is to pay an independent agency to conduct the necessary tests. That will end up costing more, as well, but it will probably be worth the expense.

If Ken Hudson is to ever have a victory party, he's going to need a reason.

The Fort Smith Metis man won the right to hunt in Wood Buffalo Park. Park officials proved Hudson's great-grandfather on his father's side, from Fort Chipeywan, trapped in the area before the park was established. But Hudson wanted the right to hunt to come from his mother's ancestors, Metis from North of 60.

NWT Metis lost their rights to hunt in the park when it was formed 80 years ago. Upset with the injustice, Hudson has been breaking the law in public since 1999.

He was never brought to "justice," even after he called the park wardens on himself.

The federal prosecutor dropped a charge of illegal hunting in 2000, reasoning: "A judgment in this case would potentially have significant ramifications throughout the country ... we do not think the public would be well served if we to proceed with the trial at this time."

When is a good time? After the Crown runs out of ways to buy more legal delays with tax dollars?

In Ontario, a Metis father and son, Steve and Roddy Powley, shot a moose near Sault Ste. Marie in 1993. They were charged for illegal hunting. They fought it with lawyers and appeals and won all Metis in Ontario the same hunting rights as full aboriginals.

The 2001 decision was stayed for a year to give government of Ontario time to change the hunting laws.

How many Ken Hudsons will it take to make Ottawa put court decisions ahead of park rules?

More important, why didn't the South Slave Metis Tribal Council stick to its guns and organize a community hunt in the park last fall, as they said they were going to do?

Time to act. This fall gather your 3,000-plus members and invite your Metis brothers and sisters all over the NWT to take part in the hunt. When the shots ring out this time maybe the right people will hear them.

The proposed made-in-Nunavut Education Act passed second reading last month. There's a lot of good in the new act. Although it's based on the old NWT Act, many of the changes reflect Nunavut's culture and language.

But the new version is not without problems. The biggest one is that many people don't seem to understand many of the changes. And that's breeding panic. Parents, teachers and DEAs need to know why the department made certain changes and what impact the changes will have on students. They don't want to sign off on something they're not sure of or don't even understand.

For example, the act guarantees struggling students (and their parents) the right to ask for individual lesson programs. But, curiously, it doesn't guarantee the same opportunity to underchallenged kids.

Education Minister Peter Kilabuk says advanced kids will have "modified programs." But what's the difference between a modified program and an individual program? Regular folks don't get this kind of unnecessary jargon.

Another section of the act states that DEAs must be representative of the community. We understand the department wants to ensure Inuit are on DEAs. But based on the current list, more Inuit than non-Inuit are already DEA members.

More importantly, the department does not have the right to tell the public what kind of people to elect. It's undemocratic and insulting. People can make up their own minds.

A standing committee on health and education will do a last round of consultations in the fall and early winter.

We hope the department explains the changes to the committee chair MLA Jobie Nutarak so he can do his job.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

More than a few people in Rankin Inlet noticed a stronger sense of community spirit at this year's Pakallak Tyme celebrations. It just seemed like people were having more fun at the community hall and on Williamson Lake than during years past. Smiling faces were everywhere as participants competed against each other in games and skill events.

So, what could be behind this sudden display of community spirit and good natured competition? The fact of the matter is, many of the games this year offered material prizes rather than cash awards. And, the events that did offer cash did not offer excessive amounts.

Like it or not, the absence of large cash prizes at most events makes Pakallak Tyme more enjoyable for everyone.

Let's be honest. It's difficult to cheer on your neighbour during the harpoon toss if you stand to lose $500 when they hit the target. It's simple human nature.

Large prizes ignite the super competitive powder kegs in all of us. The events lose their innocence when there's a large pot of gold waiting for the victor.

In such cases, families tend to become bitter rivals trying to outdo each other for the big bucks.

The sense of community spirit the games are intended to instill gets lost in the process.

Think about it. Put four families out on the ice playing a game for big money and watch the take-no-prisoners attitude that encompasses the event.

Pit those same four families against each other when the top prize is a four-slice toaster and the game becomes all about fun and friendly interaction.

There are plenty of top prizes available during Pakallak Tyme in the form of draws for free airline tickets, super giant bingos and the big money snowmobile races.

The snowmobile races are for a select group of superior drivers, while the random draws and bingo games are just plain luck.

Smaller prizes for the numerous games allows the participants to focus on simply having a great time. Not that there's anything wrong with a brand new four-slice toaster!!

If the organizers planned it that way for this year's Pakallak Tyme, they are to be commended.

If not, here's hoping they noticed the positive results of the way things turned out, and winning prizes forever takes a back seat to having a fun family outing.

That, after all, is the true spirit of Pakallak Tyme.

Editorial Comment
Terry Halifax
Inuvik Drum

The nurses of the North sure deserve a big thanks from all of us who count on the work they do.

With staff shortages rampant throughout the profession, our nurses have been doing more with less for far too long.

Some of the new nursing programs through Aurora College will soon start showing some results for the profession and bring some more homegrown help into our hospitals and health centres.

Elegant Inuvik

The Firefighter's Ball sure opened my eyes to what a classy bunch you Inuvikites are!

Just before the ball, I was talking to a friend in Ontario who asked what I was wearing to the soiree.

When I answered a sweater, canvas pants and my best hat, she suggested since it was a ball, I might consider a suit.

"This is the North," I said. "Things are a little more casual here than in the Big Smoke." But when I got to the event, I saw the gowns, suits, ties and even tuxes and tails, I quickly did an about face to dust off the old suit.

Not that I would have felt out of place in my usual work clothes, but it's a rare occasion I get to use those fancy duds. It was indeed a classy affair and a real treat to see everyone dressed-up.

For most of us, it's not something we'd like to do everyday, but it is fun once in a while.

Trade wars

It was refreshing to see someone from the federal government finally taking a stand for Canada against our largest trading partner.

Our federal natural resources minister made his thoughts very clear last Thursday at the meeting with his G-8 counterparts and his tough talk brought about a quick and hasty retreat from the Americans. Herb Dhaliwal threatened to fight subsidy with subsidy over the Alaskan gas tax credit proposed by U.S. Alaskan Republican Senator Frank Murkowski.

Likely fearing reprisals from the World Trade Organization rather than the Canadian threat, the American energy boss announced the next day that the Bush administration would not support the amendment.

The Americans have been stomping Canada hard lately over softwood lumber and now a farmer's subsidy and it's about time a Canadian politician stood up to the big bully.

This is just the kind of tough talk we'd love to hear from our Prime Minister, but he's too concerned over losing some votes for his Liberal buddies in the Yukon.

The Alaskan pipeline means a few jobs for a few years in the Yukon, but in the grander scheme, what's best for Canada is the Mackenzie Valley route.

Despite pleading, prodding and poking from our ministers and premier's recent visit to Capital City, the Prime Minister has remained quiet on the whole pipeline issue.

Granted, trying to trade Twinkies for Ding-Dongs with the biggest bully in school doesn't come easy when you're a little guy from Shawinigan, but what's at stake here is worth the risk of a black eye or a few lost votes for the Yukon's Pat Duncan.

Editorial Comment
Mike W. Bryant
Deh Cho Drum, Fort Simpson

Growing up in the North means never being surprised with the richness it has to offer.

I stepped off the plane last week, leaving the hustle and bustle of "big city" Yellowknife behind, where diamond dreams and government schemes abound, into the heart of the Deh Cho. A world, despite my aforementioned upbringing, I'm scarcely familiar with.

It only goes to show how vast this territory really is.

Attending last Monday's village council meeting, where Mayor Tom Wilson and council pointed out to Nahendeh MLA Jim Antoine the disparity between Fort Simpson and that gilded castle built on bedrock on the shores of Great Slave Lake -- that little Camelot we call Yellowknife -- brings a now popular cinema quote to mind. Although, I must say, I'm loathe to give Hollywood credit for anything.

"Show me the money," Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character, Rod Tidwell, tells his agent in the film Jerry Maguire.

Earlier this year the territorial cabinet was in the throes of one big, happy love-in. And why not? The purse was full. The NWT thumped the rest of Canada last year with a 20 per cent GDP growth rate.

In Yellowknife, one school board is clamouring for a new school to be built. The chamber of commerce wants to see 600 new homes built to accommodate all the mining personnel expecting to arrive on the crest of good fortune the diamond industry promises to offer.

To top it off, a new twin pad arena -- to go along the other two already there -- is being constructed as we speak.

Yellowknife's a biiger town, of course, but from what I gather, Fort Simpson council would be happy to simply have some of their capital funding revamped -- after taking a $500,000 hit last year -- so they can fix the roads.

And of course, a few more government jobs in the area wouldn't hurt either.

Christmas may have past, but I am told it didn't come here this year. One has to wonder if Santa Claus is still licking his wounds after the mugging he suffered upon climbing down the chimney at Yellowknife City Hall.

Anyway, I am here for the rest of the month, and I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as I can while I am here. I am anxious to learn as much as I can about the Deh Cho, so drop me a line any time.

One more thing. My birthday was last Friday, and while goodwill may be in short supply in the territorial capital, it certainly wasn't here.

Thank you Randy, Stephanie, Glen, Sue, Janis, Tim, John, Arthur, Karen, Vera, Crystal and the kids for the party and your most gracious welcome.

I love moose steaks.