Court must suspend licences of snowmobile speed demons Consider the facts:

The man was on the lake at 3:40 p.m., right after school, a time of day when daylight begins to fade. The lake is frequented by other snowmobilers, walkers and skiers.

The man said he didn't know there was a speed limit on the lake.

Municipal enforcement officer Doug Gillard testified it was the highest speed his department has ever brought before the court. Gillard added that the snowmobile appeared to pick up speed after registering the 148 km/h on radar.

It was only in March when a man was killed while speeding across Frame Lake.

In early November, after a sled vandal ripped up a new waterfront park, Mayor Gord Van Tighem challenged snowmobilers to smarten up.

It's time for the court to send a stern warning to snowmobilers. In this case, the speed demon should have lost his licence and been ordered to take the City of Yellowknife Snowmobile Safety Course.

Canada's music industry is where it is today because the federal government believed it needed a boost 30 years ago.

The Canadian content rules were controversial then, but without them radio airwaves would likely have been overwhelmed by American musicians.

Likewise Canadian diamonds. If the Competition Bureau of Canada continues to stick to its definition of what makes a diamond 'Canadian,' Yellowknife and other centres, will never fully benefit from the gems being mined from our ground.

Right now, a diamond can be mined here, then sent to low-cost cutting houses overseas, sent back to Canada and qualify as 'Canadian made.'

That's fine for the diamond mining companies who make money on the stones no matter where they're sold.

It's not fine for cutting and polishing firms. It costs more for Yellowknife-based companies to turn the rough gems into jewelry-quality stones. They must compete with the lower-cost gems that are shipped out of Canada.

There's no incentive for anyone to develop a secondary diamond industry.

It's time for the territorial government, Northern Members of Parliament and ordinary folks to put the pressure on the federal government to give our diamond polishing industry a boost.

That means changing the definition for a diamond that's mined, cut and polished in Canada to be truly 'Canadian Made.'

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

Well, it's that time of the year once again, valued readers -- time to send out our annual Kivalliq News Christmas gift list.

And what better place to start than at the top?

To Premier Paul Okalik, we send a brand new Spiderman costume so he can easily blend in with the guests at his next constituents party.

To Akulliq MLA Ovide Alakannuaq, we send a complete bound set of every bill passed during the past two sittings of the legislative assembly for his reading pleasure during the holidays (better late than never).

To Nunavut MP Nancy Karetak-Lindell, we send a giant catching mitt to protect her Northern counterparts just in case Prime Minister Paul Martin's lacrosse skills are no better than Jean Chretien's.

To outgoing Baker Lake MLA Glenn McLean, we send a copy of Janet Jackson's golden oldie, What have you done for me lately?, personalized with the inscription, Out of sight, out of mind!

Looking for answers

To Arviat MLA Kevin O'Brien, we send a magic 8-Ball in hopes we may finally get a decision on his intentions for the next territorial election.

We won't, however, send O'Brien the 8-Ball until we know Karetak-Lindell has received her catcher's mitt.

To outgoing Rankin Inlet North MLA Jack Anawak, we send one hour's worth of surgical time to help dig the knife out of his back before he assumes his new position.

We also offer to read him the initials engraved on the handle.

To Rankin South/Whale Cove MLA Manitok Thompson, we send a new electronic locomotive set so she can finally stop using her old one-track train of thought.

Of course, that would mean her old steam whistle would have to go back in the closet.

Bright ideas

To Minister Ed Picco, we send one 100-watt light bulb from the Nunavut Power Corp. in hopes he will finally have a bright idea on how to lower the health deficit.

To outgoing Finance Minister Kelvin Ng, we send four former members of the Sakku Investment Corp.'s board of directors to be his new poker playing buddies.

We also include a straight-face mask for Ng to wear at the table when he realizes the other players always think he's bluffing.

And, finally, to Rankin Inlet Mayor Lorne Kusagak, we send a brand new Toronto Maple Leafs hat to be worn on special occasions when he absolutely, positively has to look impressive!!

May these gifts be received in the spirit for which they were intended.

Editorial Comment
Jason Unrau
Inuvik Drum

I have always found travelling to different places and learning about different cultures to be a rewarding experience.

That is probably why I find myself in this line of work as it offers me an opportunity to travel and learn.

And I want to underscore the word 'learn', as there seems to be a common misconception that journalists are some omniscient species.

For example, the other day a person asked me why the heck I was here, as a journalist, if I didn't know anything about the region's land and its people. It must be noted that this person just assumed that I knew nothing after I asked a question about settlement areas.

And to be fair, that assumption was nearly correct. But, as any newcomer should endeavour to do, I'm getting to know Inuvik and, because of the nature of my work, I'm sure to become acquainted with the area faster than other first-timers.

To do this, however, I must ask questions -- as ridiculous as these questions may sound to some, it is one of the methods in which to learn about this place where I now live, and to do my job.

Now, if I did know everything that really would be some bonafide White Man magic. I could just sit in my office all the live-long day and write glorious stories about what I was already aware of. (Come to think of it, I could simply bet the wad on the next Super Bowl and retire).

For the record, I'm from Southern Ontario, a place where the Northwest Territories is seen more as a concept rather than an actual place.

Similar to those Americans who believe that all Canadians live in iglus and ski to work, many folks in my hometown would have trouble locating Inuvik on a map, much less identify the ethnicity of the aboriginal people who call this place their ancestral home.

A few years back, I would've fallen into that same category -- hence the reason for coming to live in the North.

When I inform friends back home that in Inuvik the vehicle of choice is a pick-up truck and that I can get the 11 herbs and spices across the road from my office, the enthusiasm in their voices tends to drop off as hopes of hearing tales of dogsledding down main street and other such Jack London-inspired visions fade.

I began my sojourn in the North a little more than a year ago, arriving in Fort Smith to work at the local paper there. Each day since then, I've felt privileged to be living in the territories and, to me, it is Canada's best kept secret. It is a converging point for diverse cultures, landscapes and wildlife.

More importantly though, it is home to many interesting people who have many interesting stories to tell. And while I've had the opportunity to hear a few, I'm always keen to hear another and I look forward to the chance.

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum

Those two words have surely been uttered thousands of times in the Deh Cho over the past five years, especially pertaining to the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline.

Well, there was finally some movement on the capacity building front over the past week. Nogha Engineering and Environmental Services Ltd. got the ball rolling by offering a week-long training program -- six days of which were devoted to practical learning. Twelve men from Fort Simpson, Wrigley and Nahanni Butte were introduced to surveying, drilling and soil sampling.

It's true, it was just a taste of the occupations. The trainees worked with engineers, they didn't become certified, but it's a starting point. There was plenty of enthusiasm and commitment during that short span. The participants have been encouraged to pursue a technology diploma, perhaps work six months and then go to school for six months. Some may do just that, others may be content to work as helpers to those who are fully qualified.

Either way, while many of us are at a loss to define anything "geo-technical," these individuals cannot only explain it, they can roll up their sleeves and do it, at least the basics.

Of course, that training program is far from being the only example of capacity building in the Deh Cho. In essence, capacity building is education and training for local people so they can advance on the career track. By that definition, the graduates from Aurora College's three-month programs (also featured in this issue of the Drum) have also broadened their skill set.

Season's greetings

No bombs obliterating buildings and killing people, no sporadic gunfire and no land mines to worry about.

These aren't images that one associates with Christmas, but they are the reality for some unfortunate people around the world during the holidays.

Christmas isn't Thanksgiving or Remembrance Day, but it is a poignant time of the year to reflect on why we should be grateful for our lives here in Canada. That said, our country, like every other nation, has its problems: people living in abject poverty or just scraping by on minimum wage, those with addictions, others whose physical or mental health is failing.

For those who have lost a loved one over the past year, this Christmas won't be the most joyous of occasions, understandably.

If reaching out to someone on the other side of the globe seems too distant -- many students have done it through Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes -- there are likely people in your own neighbourhood who are down on their luck.

Whether you can write a cheque, donate some food or old clothes or old toys, there are plenty of ways to help. Maybe volunteering to help an event is more appealing. Extending an invitation to others to come and visit during the holidays may brighten their Christmas. It may prove more worthy than any merchandise wrapped in glossy paper.

To all readers of the Deh Cho Drum, we wish you the best of the season.