Wayne Overbo has logged countless hours volunteering for the Yellowknife Slo-pitch Association, but his lack of good judgment was passed onto the membership when it voted to ban pregnant women from playing ball.

Overbo, who put the ruling on the agenda, offered reasons for the ban but it seems that was nothing more than a courtesy on his part.

"I really don't care what other people think," he said. He also said he had spent eight months thinking about the issue, but then added the conclusion, "it was a no-brainer to me." His time could have been better spent thinking about why he feels people are obligated to follow his personal view.

What happens if next season he thinks people with cardiac problems should be banned from playing slo-pitch?

Overbo has no statistics to back his claim that slo-pitch and pregnancy don't mix. At the very least, he should have done his homework and given pregnant women who wanted to play information about potential risks. However, he would be hard-pressed to find such information. Dr. Trevor Cohen confirms that there is no evidence that exercise can be harmful to a pregnancy.

The only people who should be allowed to rule on this issue are pregnant women and their doctors. Our league is affiliated with Slo-Pitch National (SPN) which has a similar ruling about pregnancy. However, players are only obligated to follow those rules if they are competing in an SPN tourney. And Overbo should note that lawsuits are universal -- anyone can sue.

The membership needs to remove the ruling from its book at the next meeting. They have no business making personal choices for others even if they feel it is the right thing to do.

"...I will not consider any additional exemption requests to finance additional costs associated with the Niven Lake subdivision."

Those words were written in June 2000 by then Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Jim Antoine as he reluctantly approved a $3.1 million loan after the city was forced to buy out its partners in the 360-lot development.

Vince Steen is now in charge of the department. Antoine's decision must be heeded as Steen considers a new city request to bypass ratepayer approval to borrow $3.325 million to develop new areas of the subdivision.

Failure to seek voter approval for the loan is bad enough, but it appears city council has yet to fully learn the lessons taught by Niven Lake. They should not be in the land development business.

Instead, hoping to cash in on the current housing crunch, they want to put taxpayers on the hook for more debt. The city's long term debt stands at $13.094 million.

The money would be used to install sewer and water lines and build roads and bring services to two new phases. In most other cities, that work is left to developers. Undeveloped land is sold and a private company, not taxpayers, is responsible for installing the services and building new homes.

That's what has to happen in Yellowknife.

Every time in the last two decades the city has pretended to be a land developer, both with Niven Lake and other real estate adventures, they have lost taxpayers' money.

In the end, it's councillors who end up looking stupid. Will they do so again?

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

It would be easy to fill this space about the wonderful patriotism shown by residents of Rankin Inlet this past week during the Governor General's visit. And, make no mistake about it, local residents did their community proud by turning out in droves to meet and pay their respects to Adrienne Clarkson.

However, we can't help but wonder what the Governor General may have thought had she arrived in the hamlet unannounced a few days earlier and viewed the sorry state of the vast majority of flags flying in the community.

Of course, most of the offices around town unravelled brand new flags for Clarkson's visit -- not an uncommon practice for any municipality in this great nation of ours.

However, what is uncommon is the usual horrific condition of Canadian flags in Rankin.

And that's not to mention the almost total absence of the Nunavut territorial flag.

As an ex-Canadian Forces regular myself (mobile support, Maritime command), I find the state of the flags in most Kivalliq communities appalling at best. One gets a heavy heart when they look up at the symbol of our great nation torn, tattered, and, in some cases, literally ripped in half.

In talking with the hamlets, this newshound was equally surprised and angered to learn the Nunavut government does not supply territorial flags to the municipalities.

Granted, the government has a long list of priorities it must address and flags, apparently, don't rank very high on its list.

However, feeling pride in one's territory, their land, is more than simple words -- words often spoken by a number of our leaders every time they're in front of a microphone or a federal representative.

The hamlets take care of their own municipal flags at a substantial cost. To order one hand-sewn flag runs in excess of $125. Silkscreen flags must be ordered in lots of 10, running in the neighbour of $1,000.

Surely the Nunavut government can find the financial resources to supply the hamlets with territorial flags to fly proudly over the communities? Heck, let's even throw in the resources for the extra flag pole. It's a small price to pay for helping to build territorial pride.

We're quite sure, with a phone call or two, the federal government would be willing to supply the Maple Leaf to our Nunavut communities.

On the surface, it may sound like a small issue, but torn, mutilated and missing flags are a sign of total disrespect for what they stand for.

Oh, for the days of Sheila Copps's unbridled enthusiasm once again.

Editorial Comment
Terry Halifax
Inuvik Drum

There were a few brows raised over last week's guest column in the Inuvik Drum by Jack Cunningham, concerning his views on exotic dancing and also over my choice in running the piece.

As I told someone on the street this morning, it's not my place to defend or condemn Mr. Cunningham or anyone else who wants to have their say in these pages. Nor is it my place to sanitize or censor what happens in this town.

As I perceive it, my job is to hold up a mirror and show you the best reflection of what happened last week in Inuvik.

This week, you'll notice a feature with the dancer from Frosty's Pub and that's sure to raise some brows as well, but before you grab the phone, or your pen and poison ink, I'll tell you why. The manager at Frosty's told me Ms. Hautka wanted to tell her side of the story, and, since the dancers weren't represented at the meeting or the subsequent story I wrote, I agreed.

At the public meeting and in this week's letter from Pam Harry, people are accusing the dancers as being people of loose morals, drug addicts, prostitutes and blaming them for increasing alcoholism in this town. If someone accused me of those things, I think I might want to respond as well. In between the extremes of name calling and finger pointing, we'll find a reasonable solution to this issue, but not by whispering innuendo in the video store or even worse, giving credence to those rumours. I'll do my best to show you the graduations, celebrations and other proud moments, but it's my responsibility to show the rest as well. And sometimes that will include the opinions of the people. Yours, mine, Ms. Hauka, Mr. Cunningham and Ms. Harry.

What goes in the Drum is up to all of us. If you have something to share with the town, don't keep it a secret.

I'll always welcome your words in these pages as long as they are concise and don't outstep the bounds of good taste, slander or libel.

The only route

There were some eyes opened Monday night to a real contender in the race to transport gas south of 60.

The Arctic Gas proposal has some real potential, and, at the very least, it may raise the stakes for what's being offered by the competition. Some very interesting ideas were presented by Arctic Gas, but the plan has no support form the producers, who will have to finance the project, buy guaranteeing bonds through the shipper contracts. Hall says those contracts won't be secured by either pipeline for another two-to-three years, but it would sure lend credibility to the line if even one producer was backing them. Producers want control of the line for good reason -- they have billions at stake in the delivery of their product.

Last week, ExxonMobil backed off on the Alaska route, saying that even with the subsidy, the Alaska Highway pipe is not economical. Further Exxon's brass thinks the subsidy will distort the gas market and It appears the Mackenzie Valley route is the only choice left for a pipeline, but what's left to decide is which group will lay that pipe. Chief James Firth of the Inuvik Native Band is supporting the ARC plan and if other aboriginal groups decide to back the Arctic Gas proposal, this could spell big trouble for Imperial Oil and the other producers.

That's trouble; big trouble, with a capital 'T', and that rhymes with 'P' and that stands for 'Pipeline.'

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

Four hours in a police truck. Probably not everyone's idea of a good time on a Friday night.

However, as a reporter, meeting different people from all walks of life is my bread and butter, and spending time with officers from the Fort Simpson RCMP detachment was no different, and certainly no less enjoyable.

Constables J.F. LeDuc and Jason Gott were frank and accommodating in their conversations with me, and clearly love their jobs.

Both officers expressed the frustration at times when encountering people -- particularly young people -- who automatically assume they are hell-bent on making trouble for them.

The fact is, stopping to ensure people are going about their business safely and responsibly is part of their jobs.

If no one did, it would be mob rules, and if any of those individuals were to tune into the 10 'o'clock news lately, say a news clip from the West Bank or Zimbabwe, it would quickly become apparent that anarchy isn't very much fun -- or healthy.

Many of us in our younger days may have had brushes with the law, and resented it.

But the fact of the matter is, they are here to make people feel safe and sadly, from time to time, clean up the mess others have left behind.

Accidents involving drunk drivers comes to mind.

Fort Simpson RCMP officers may not always stay for very long, which lends to their "outsider" image, but until the region or territory implements its one regular local police force, if that happens, the RCMP have a job to do.

And have every reason to feel proud.

Dodging a bullet

To fine or not to fine, that is the question.

Apparently, DIAND doesn't feel it warranted levying a fine against the village for allowing five weeks worth of raw sewage to flow into the Mackenzie River.

The village is lucky. The maximum fine for such an infraction is $125,000, and judging by the present condition of the roads, Fort Simpson council is in no position to pay out such a huge fine.

Administration says they were within their water licence guidelines not to report the spill. DIAND appears to think otherwise.

Regardless, DIAND seems willing to turn their cheek, and hope things go better in the future for Fort Simpson's trouble sewage plant.

It's probably wise the village do the same.

A story in the hardcopy edition of Wednesday's Yellowknifer headlined "Speak up!" included a photo that was incorrectly identified due to a production error.

The person in the photo was Bev Speight.

The Yellowknifer regrets the error and any confusion it may have created.