It appears the legislative assembly of the NWT is full of homophobes -- MLAs with a fear of gay and lesbian couples.

The homophobes came out of their closet during debate on new laws to cement the rights of same-sex couples to adopt children.

Tu Nedhe MLA Stephen Nitah spoke of Dene cultural beliefs that condemn same-sex couples, as does the Roman Catholic Church, he said. This would be that same Catholic Church, some members of which for years at a time stalked and raped Dene boys. These pedophiles posed as priests. They were not same - sex couples.

Nitah also mentioned morality. We wonder if he is suggesting he is a model of morality. We put that question to all the MLAs and demand their morality credentials.

For Leon Lafferty, the new law signals the end of mankind by way of a gay plague. Mackenzie Delta MLA David Krutko said he was embarrassed by such laws passing and hinted it was yet another ploy for babies to be ripped from the arms of Dene mothers. He and Lafferty both feared the children would be held captive in unnatural sexual situations.

The real threat

To answer their unfounded theories, we can only direct them to the staggering statistics on Northern heterosexual men sexually assaulting Northern women. That's where the true threat lies.

Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland also referred to the threat of deadly gay disease. He raised the flag of family values, his family's presumably, and so did Hay River North MLA Paul Delorey.

At least Hay River South MLA Groenewegen, who previously used religion to back her bigotry against same-sex couples, had the sense to keep her indefensible views to herself.

We know the MLAs are decent people, as moral or immoral as the people they represent. So it's baffling they would make the dangerous mistake of sitting in judgment of lawful, peaceful, productive people.

Premier Stephen Kakfwi knows how it feels to be considered unfit by the powerful for reasons of culture, a judgment he did not accept.

He and his cabinet did their democratic duty defending the rights of all Northerners.

Those MLAs bent on promoting such fear and hatred of same-sex couples should also know it's a crime in Canada. They may well be judged as having crossed the line.

There is a cure for homophobia. It's called common sense and a devotion to democratic values. Upholding such values requires guts and tolerance. Hopefully, we will never witness such an ugly debate again.

The city of Iqaluit is working on a bylaw that would phase out smoking in all restaurants in Nunavut's capital. To make sure that doesn't upset too many residents, a public meeting was held in February with business owners and another with the general public last week.

According to Sarah MacRury, who organized the meetings, many business owners surprisingly support the idea.

And well they should. Research from around North America shows banning smoking in restaurants and even in bars does not permanently affect sales. About 50 such reports since 1990 back this up. For example, a 1998 study in the North Carolina Medical Journal found that going smoke-free did not adversely affect restaurant sales even in the top tobacco-producing state in the United States.

Short-term effects generally last no more than a month or two. Over the long-term, going smoke-free is relatively painless -- and in some cases leads to increased sales.

Our current system of separating the smokers from non-smokers isn't working well enough. Air quality studies show that ventilation systems designed to keep toxic smoke out of non-smoking sections are next to useless. One American research team found that the equivalent of about two packs worth of cigarette smoke lingers in the air of non-smoking sections.

And consider this: smoke from the lit end of a cigarette contains 50 times more toxins than the smoke that has passed through a smoker's lungs. That's why restaurant and bar employees have a 50 per cent higher chance of developing lung cancer.

There are those who will argue against applying Southern economic analyses of the effects of non-smoking legislation to Nunavut because the demographics are different here. As we all know, the smoking rate in Nunavut is the highest in Canada. It hovers somewhere between 60 and 65 per cent.

But as MacRury pointed out, that's the reason why we need to do something, not the reason why we shouldn't. Indeed, the challenge is so great we need both a municipal bylaw and territorial legislation.

Still, you can't tell people not to smoke anywhere and then not help them quit. We'll also need stronger education and more effective cessation programs to accompany any bylaw or legislation.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

We don't doubt Rankin Inlet RCMP Const. Mario Vachon's sincerity in addressing hamlet bylaws concerning all-terrain vehicles. And, although we do have reservations, we're not overly concerned with the handing out of a few warnings at the beginning of the spring.

However, we do have a major bone of contention with his assertion that warnings have proven an effective way of dealing with the problem. The ATV scenario certainly isn't indigenous to Rankin Inlet. Riders speeding around hamlets with no helmet on is a common sight across Nunavut. Let's be honest about this -- common sights are three to six people piled on one ATV, young kids at the controls who still have trouble holding their bicycle upright when it's stopped, and people carrying objects that protrude out a good two feet from either side (or both) of the machine.

And, when in comes to a number of riders, hamlet stop signs would be more accurate if they were billboard sized and read: Could you please slow down to at least the hamlet speed limit as you go through the intersection?

Early warnings to riders in the spring are fine, but they should only be issued once with regards to helmets and registration. When it comes to insurance, riding through the hamlet once with no insurance is one time too many.

Ask anyone who has had property damaged or a family member injured by an uninsured driver what they think about warnings over driving with no insurance.

An innocent victim paying the price for an irresponsible driver's actions is unacceptable, regardless of the time of year the accident occurred.

The bottom line in this matter is that it's not like bylaws and the Motor Vehicle Act just came into being during the past few years. You would need a compelling argument to convince us that, youngsters aside, anyone who rides an ATV is not fully aware of the laws governing its use. As such, any spring "grace period" should be an extremely limited one.

While letting someone off with a warning over operating a vehicle in an illegal manner may be great public relations for the police with some community members -- it does very little to convince riders to abide by the rules and regulations concerning their ATVs.

Likewise, RCMP detachments and bylaw officers have to be consistent in enforcing the bylaws and rules of the road in each hamlet.

A violation in October is a violation in July and vice versa. Until people realize they will be charged consistently for not abiding by the rules, they will continue to race around our communities without helmets or insurance.

And that's one warning you can take to the bank.

Editorial Comment
Terry Halifax
Inuvik Drum

The Inuvik Native Band has once again voiced their opposition over the one-third ownership of a proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline.

It comes as little surprise. The band has been steadily courted by the ArcticGas people who offers 100 per cent ownership, while the Mackenzie Valley Group just blew into town last week.

Chief Firth and his people are feeling last in line again, and well they should.

Nellie Cournoyea, chair of the APG, has an office two blocks away from the Gwich'in band and has yet to take the time to walk over for a visit.

Despite numerous requests from the band, neither Nellie, Wilf Blonde or anyone from the producer's group have made any attempt to meet with the Inuvik Native Band to explain their project.

The Inuvialuit and Gwich'in have lived together here since time immemorial and it seems inconceivable to outsiders looking in that the two groups could not get together on an issue so important to them both.

As with many of the signatories to the original memorandum of understanding, the Inuvik band has been kept out of the loop on a project that will likely secure a legacy for their people. They react accordingly.

Perhaps this week's petroleum show will inspire someone to extend an olive branch to the other and show the world that 25 years after Berger, the original people here are ready to do business with the world and with each other.

Dogs on the run

The recent dog attack here rekindles a debate that's been heard all over the North for years about dogs and their owners, but this time the issue is breed-specific.

Debbie Gully wants council to make specific amendments to the dog bylaw that would place special restrictions on so-called "vicious dogs" like pit bulls and Rottweilers.

I think she is spot-on in this assessment. I don't need to be attacked by one to know that these dogs are dangerous and if owners aren't legislated into responsibility, they likely won't take any action.

We people are inherently lazy dogs and we don't tend to roll over unless there's a reward in it for us.

Leaving the responsibility up to pet owners has not been effective here.

Take a five-minute drive and I'll bet you see five loose dogs.

Our bylaw officer picks up roaming dogs every day in this town and most of them are killed because no one wants to pay the impound fee.

Dogs are no longer the work animals they once were in the North and they've adapted quickly to the domestic life, but their owners have been slow to adapt to the responsibility.

As more of these dangerous breeds come North, you can factor in natural selection, add some lazy owners and it won't be long until we see pit bulls, Dobermans and Rottweilers running in packs here.

Making owners pay more for a dangerous dog licence or imposing more restrictions might keep owners in line or, even better, keep these vicious beasts down south where they belong.

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum

If he can't be persuaded not to quit, having Michael Nadli step down as grand chief would be a major loss for the Deh Cho First Nations.

There can be no denying that Nadli has been thoroughly committed to advancing self-government negotiations during his five years in office. While it could be argued that things could have been done more expediently, the grand chief has seemed to genuinely have the best interest of the region at heart, refusing to settle for second-rate terms.

Having chosen to make his family his number one priority, for which he should not be faulted, Nadli decided to move to Fort Providence earlier this year. Consequently, his dedication to the Deh Cho First Nations has been called into question. The organization essentially requires the grand chief to reside in Fort Simpson, where the office exists and the bulk of the work is completed.

Even while Nadli lived in Fort Simpson, the strain of his job was periodically evident in his face. For years he has called for a deputy grand chief. His pleas went unheeded. A deputy grand chief position is again on the agenda for next week's Deh Cho Assembly. It should be examined thoroughly, as the next grand chief could also face burnout.

Don't get rolled

A recent picture of a vehicle wreckage in this newspaper is not pretty.

It's not the only rollover to have occurred recently. In fact it's startling to learn just how many Northern residents have lived to tell about their own near-death experiences on Deh Cho "highways." Not proudly, I became a member of the not-so-exclusive club in October, 1999 on the Liard Trail.

The posted speed limits -- 80 km/h and 90 km/h in most areas -- can be surpassed with the illusion of control. Then hazardous washboard stretches of pitted road can appear out of nowhere, causing the vehicle's rear end to "fishtail," or swing wildly, sometimes practically turning the car or truck sideways. Speed kills -- that is true on the Autobahn, on the 401 and on Deh Cho highways.

No matter how skilled a driver may be, there could be wildlife ready to dart onto the road at any given time. The bushes alongside the highway narrow in places, prohibiting a driver from reacting to a bear or, heaven forbid, a moose that could step into the vehicle's path. It's easier, obviously, to brake in time while driving at 90 km/h than it is at 130 km/h, or at least less damage would be incurred at the lower rate of speed.

Local roads are frequently in atrocious condition, especially after a rainfall. This isn't to fault the department of transportation's crews. They can't work miracles.

The road surfaces can be groomed to some degree, but, as the old adage goes, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

The reality of the matter is that a region of approximately 3,000 people isn't going to justify a multi-million dollar paving program.

Maybe when a Mackenzie Valley pipeline is constructed there will be some real road improvements. Maybe.

Until that day all we can do is slow down. Racing to make the next ferry could put you on a crossing into the great hereafter.