Terrance Mandeville, 32, originally of Fort Resolution, was released from a federal prison more than a year ago, after serving almost four years for two sexual assaults. Mandeville, estimated to have a 100 per cent probability of re-offending within seven years of release, completed his whole sentence behind bars.

When he was released, Calgary police issued a public safety warning. There were threats to his life and he moved to Surrey. B.C., before arriving in Yellowknife last September.

Yellowknife RCMP did not issue a warning for six months, until Mandeville breached a court order by smoking marijuana.

Two of his sexual assault victims were six-year-old girls; the other two adult women. He has committed sex offences under the influence of marijuana and alcohol, as well as when sober.

The decision to issue a public safety warning about Mandeville was made by RCMP Chief Supt. Everett Summerfield, commanding officer of "G" Division.

Information, including Mandeville's photograph, was released by the RCMP from his prison files, pursuant to a section of the federal Privacy Act that allows it where "the public interest in disclosure clearly outweighs any invasion of privacy...."

At the same time, Salvation Army Maj. Karen Hoeft poses valid questions about whether Mandeville poses a risk to children he doesn't know and if the 28 conditions he must abide by rules that are so strict he can't help but break them while living a normal life.

There is also a risk such widespread publicity will drive Mandeville underground or to another community, making him someone else's problem.

Given the nature of Mandeville's breach -- smoking marijuana -- something that had been involved with at least one of his prior sex offences, we believe Summerfield made a close but correct call.

Now it's up to Mandeville to prove he is not a threat. That will take time and a change of behaviour.

He should think about that during the next three months as he sits in jail for once again breaking his court order by smoking marijuana.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

Department of Education staff couldn't have been paying much attention to media complaints concerning a number of Nunavut's ministers during the past few years.

With some, such as Health Minister Ed Picco, a journalist has to look out the window from time to time to ensure the Canadian flag still flies atop the closest government building.

Trying to get Picco or anyone from his department to return a phone call takes about the same amount of time as building a regional health centre in Rankin Inlet.

To be fair to Picco and his staff, when you look at their track record during the past few years, you can't blame them for suffering from an acute case of media paranoia.

And, while it's become painfully obvious Picco and company could stand to take a refresher course in the areas of financial and time management, far be it from us to hint the minister's trips to Ottawa are a waste of time.

In fact, Picco has recently learned how effective an anti-smoking campaign can be in the running of his department.

The campaign is aimed at encouraging current smokers to butt out, and to create a level of heightened awareness to dissuade youth from taking up the habit.

Of course, those are just added bonuses. The real benefit is to keep people's attention on the anti-smoking campaign and away from the numerous shortcomings of the department.

But, we digress.

Many Education workers claimed to be shocked and surprised when they received an inter-departmental memo this past week (marked high priority no less) from Assistant Deputy Minister Naullaq Arnaquq.

The memo informed staff members that new Education Minister Manitok Thompson wants to deal with the press on all issues.

Staff members should inform any journalist requesting an interview that they have to talk directly with the minister.

They should also expect to furnish the minister with all paperwork and information pertaining to an issue so she can be properly prepared when addressing it.

This, as informed readers know, is Thompson's way of running a tight ship.

We're left to wonder how much time Education workers will spend during the next eight months preparing paperwork and briefings for the minister instead of the job they're being paid to do?

Quite a bit, according to a few management types within Community Government and Transportation.

But, we won't complain too loudly -- at least Thompson will occasionally answer the phone!

Editorial Comment
Terry Halifax
Inuvik Drum

The people of the Beaufort Delta presented a strong case against higher power rates in the North, but I doubt that it will be enough to convince the government or the power corporation to give us any special consideration.

The government has pulled the classic stall technique, just as they did during a fight between Northland Utilities and NTPC over Hay River's power franchise.

They said then that we'd wait for the Robertson Report until they made a decision.

Well, we all waited with baited breath for the report that recommended a flat rate for the territory and the government yanked back their outlandish proposal to lure business away from NUL in Hay River.

Now, they yanked back the Robertson Report in favour of the Bevington report that's due ... when is it due?

No one seems to know, because there is no firm date on the completion, but you can bet Mr. Bevington will wait until long after his employers are safely elected.

Until hired by the government, Bevington ran Stand Alone Energy in Fort Smith, a consulting firm that acted more as a dissenter of government power strategies than anything.

Bevington and Stand Alone fought every rate increase ever imposed by the power corp. and they were a major thorn in the side of the territorial government and NTPC.

I've seen the discussion paper prepared by Bevington and it has some thoughtful ideas on wind and solar energy, some pretty graphs and a legend on how the Energy Secretariat has spent its budget, but nowhere in there does it detail why we can't have one rate for the whole territory.

It seems to me that Bevington was hired by the government to shut him up for a while and to be the fall guy for a cabinet on the brink of political disaster.

A proposal by the hotel group and the McPherson Co-op is about the most sensible thing to escape the utility cash grab.

These guys are planning to grow their own power, using generators and micro turbines.

It's happening in Norman Wells and it's going to happen here, because some people just can't wait for reports to be written and governments to kiss babies.

The monopolies can only remain so until people get pushed too far and start to push back with ingenuity and seek alternatives.

What's gone on here with this Crown corporation must be quite a joke to outsiders looking in and it might be to us, if we didn't own the white elephant.

How many other corporations won't allow their stockholders to vote?

Well, I guess we'll all have that chance in November.

In the meantime, call your MLA and let him know you'd like to see a fair power price for everyone. While you're at it, you might even call Dennis Bevington and ask if his fridge is running.

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum

Smaller communities in the NWT get few, if any, perks. So there's a legitimate concern that gravitation towards Yellowknife will continue. Many people are attracted to opportunities in the capital.

If nothing is done, some people fear the NWT will wind up like the Yukon, where more than 70 per cent of the citizens live in Whitehorse.

It's been noted with envy that Yellowknife, even though it's not on the Mackenzie Valley pipeline route, will be getting the pipeline readiness office.

There are politicians in Yellowknife who have, it's been reported, fiercely defended the capital's right to retain the NWT Development Corporation when it merges with the Business Credit Corporation and Community Futures. It seems the suggestion that the new entity might be moved to Hay River has ruffled some feathers.

So when the little voice of Fort Simpson cries out for a share of rough diamonds, there's a perception that it's heard as nothing more than a faint whisper in Yellowknife. That's the easy thing to believe. The only problem with such a perspective is this: the GNWT can pressure the mining companies to turn over a certain percentage of rough diamonds, but it should not dictate to whom.

How badly do we want government to interfere with free enterprise? Where is the line drawn? The government could help the smaller communities in other ways, such as implementing a flat rate for power. Does that sound familiar? That would help lure businesses. However, in this case, the investors are already determined to base their enterprise in Fort Simpson.

There's no question the proposed diamond plant would be a huge boost for the community. The processing plant would employ upwards of 200 people, some of them locally trained. We'll definitely need to get to work on improving infrastructure to accommodate such an influx of people (that's not to mention the boom, however temporary, that will be created by the pipeline).

The fact that ground won't be broken tomorrow for the diamond facility is unfortunate. But it's not the end of the dream, as investor Leo Cordero has pointed out. Only time and economics will tell if this business proposal will sink or float. That's the way it should be.

Fort Simpson's firefighters aren't known for their fiery tempers. But the volunteer brigade sure didn't take kindly to a few village councillors so much as suggesting that the community's ambulance service should be sloughed off elsewhere.

At Monday's committee of the whole meeting, the firefighters expressed their resentment over a lack of consultation before the issue was broached by council. The volunteers also stated in no uncertain terms that they have raised enough money to cover the cost of a new ambulance. With generated revenues of approximately $50,000 annually, they also aim to pay for the extension on the fire hall. The firefighters took the issue so seriously that most are prepared to quit if council doesn't butt out.

Let's hope this hot spot has been extinguished.

In the April 14 article review on health finances it states that Victor Tootoo is a Certified General Accountant. The correct title is Level 6 certified general accountant student.