Across the NWT, adults are complaining that youth are running around late, skipping school and getting into mischief.

Instead of providing youth more facilities and positive outlets, what happens? Funding for proven and much-needed programs disappears.

Six youth friendship centres -- in Hay River, Fort Smith, Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Fort Providence and Yellowknife -- had their federal funding cut at the end of March. Some of these centres are now closed.

At least 22 jobs are lost and youth have one less place to go because of the cuts by the Department of Canadian Heritage to its Urban Multipurpose Aboriginal Youth Centres program.

Now, instead of youth going to these centres during the evenings, they'll be wandering the streets, looking for something to do. And that may mean trouble.

In Hay River, as many as 50 youth a night took advantage of the Youth Resource Centre to play games, do homework and participate in cultural, educational and recreational programs.

In Inuvik, the Ingamo Hall youth program was cut. The Inuvialuit Regional Corp., which also received funding from the same program, provided $20,000 as a lifeline. Ingamo Hall is now seeking funding from businesses, government departments and other organizations to stay open.

In a time when money seems to be pouring into the Northern economy thanks to oil and minerals, it's a shame to neglect the future.

Territorial MLAs were in Ottawa recently bragging about the booming economy to the prime minister and the MPs as they tried to get devolution and revenue-sharing agreements on track.

So how can a territory bound to become a major source of income for the country not receive the help it sorely needs?

Economic development is attracting money, but social programs are being left behind, to the detriment of those who need them most.

The federal government has a tendency to start up programs, run them for a couple of years and then leave everyone dangling when the cash runs out.

In this case, that can't happen. The role of friendship centres in the NWT is too crucial for us to lose.

The territorial government, band councils or regional First Nations will have to step in. Someone has to recognize that our kids need these centres, and that takes money. It has to come from somewhere.

The May 3 by-election to select a new mayor could be the most important vote in Kugluktuk's history.

The three candidates face difficult times with a $900,000 deficit that won't go away without drastic measures. Businesses and residents are being hit by licence and fee increases and the arena and curling rink will close as part of plans to pay off the deficit in two years. It got so bad the territorial government had to appoint an administrator to put the books back in order. That's taken him 10 months.

It's ironic that the deficit is due to costly overruns on a concrete pad installed in the arena in 2001.

Now, youth won't have a place to play and practise, shattering their dreams of representing Nunavut in curling or hockey at the 2006 Arctic Winter Games. There's talk of volunteers and fundraising to keep the arena and curling rink open, but that's a tall order in a small community.

Voters had better demand solid answers and a plan for getting the hamlet back on a solid financial footing from Peter Taptuna, Stanley Anablak and Eric Powers.

The community can't live without its arena for very long.

He came from Naujat, Repulse Bay, or, as he likes to call it "heaven."

He insisted on being called Peter.

Born in an iglu, raised in the traditional Inuit way, Peter Irniq eventually discovered journalism and politics, writing for News of the North, then working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) before becoming an MLA.

It wasn't easy to make the transition from life on the land to a life behind a desk or speaking in public. But Peter did it.

And many would say it was the Commissioner of Nunavut role he was appointed to in 2000 that suited him best, with its busy travel schedule, speaking engagements in both English and Inuktitut, and opportunities to drum dance for a wide and often international audience.

He travelled all the communities except for three - Arctic Bay, Hall Beach and Sanikiluaq - handing out about 400 bravery and volunteer awards to people he calls "heroes." He did the job from the heart, made himself approachable by everyone and made his role one people could identify with.

Now that the five-year term has ended, Peter hands the commissioner's role over to Ann Hanson, another former journalist and political person.

Let's hope Hanson has wheels on her suitcase and embraces the commissioner's role with the energy and passion Peter did. Nunavut deserves nothing less.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

Before getting to my topic this week, I'd like to make something perfectly clear right from the start.

Those who know me away from the office realize I'm the referee-in-chief (RIC) for Hockey North, covering both Hockey Nunavut and NWT Hockey.

That being said, this column concerns officials involved with all sports in Nunavut, not just hockey.

And, I'm writing this with my editor's hat pressed firmly down around my ears, and my RIC helmet tucked safely away in my kitbag.

I felt a wave of emotions when I read the list of awards given out by Sport Nunavut this past month for the years 2003 and 2004.

Other than a smile crossing my face for Kivalliq youth taking both male and female Athlete of the Year awards for 2004, none of those emotions were positive.

The reason for my dismay? Not one, repeat, not one official from any sport was recognized by Sport Nunavut for the effort they put in every year to help develop Nunavut's various sporting programs.

It's hard enough to attract new officials, let alone have the few who are putting in hundreds of hours every year be completely ignored by our governing body.

In fact, so little is being done to encourage new officials to get involved with the sport of their choice - and to help existing officials further develop their skill level - thousands of dollars are being spent every year on officials from other provinces to help with our tournaments.

The message volunteers, who run virtually every sporting program in Nunavut, always send to their young athletes is to respect the officials in their sport.

However, that same respect has to be shown by the adults in our programs and that includes Sport Nunavut.

What kind of message does it send when amateur officials aren't thought enough of in this territory to have one "awarded" with a $20 plaque or T-shirt every year?

The message it sends is one of total disrespect.

Those involved with sports realize how much the level of play is improved with good officiating.

And the vast majority of parents, whose kids are on the playing field, are more at ease when competent officials provide as safe an environment as the rules of a sport allow for their children to compete in.

Obviously, this is all lost on Sport Nunavut.

While the athletes, coaches and volunteers should always get top billing in any sport, to ignore those who ensure a level playing field is a gross oversight.

It has now been about three weeks since Sport Nunavut promised Kivalliq News an explanation as to why Nunavut's sports officials were overlooked.

And, while taking the time to explain the reasoning behind the decision to ignore their officials would be nice, admitting it was a booboo and correcting the situation would be a lot better.

As it sits right now, Sport Nunavut deserves a gross-misconduct penalty from every official in the territory.

Editorial Comment
Chris Hunsley
Inuvik Drum

"It's all about the kids. It's so great to hear them laugh and give them a place to go. It's wonderful."

Since the moment Inuvik's Family Centre opened, sentiments like these have been heard many times, from many different Inuvik residents.

The countless times elders have said they couldn't have wished more for the kids, have not gone unrecorded by these ears.

The community, council planners, local businesses and designers came together with special effort to build a facility that would seem more likely for a large urban centre or beach-side resort.

Beaufort-Delta residents for generations to come have been given way more than just the resources to be healthy and fit. They will have vivid memories of howling laughter and children's smiles to look back on and cherish.

For this, I say kudos to you all!

This project came about through more than just effort and vision, it required some pretty big personal sacrifices by some pretty special people.

The pool would have been built without their donations, but many of the bells and whistles might be missing now without them.

"For the extras we tried to find extra sources of funding," said Jerry Veltman, Senior Administrative Officer.

Veltman and his wife Antje gave $10,000 to help purchase two chairlifts for the disabled and an aquatic wheelchair.

Longtime resident and businessman Danny Smith lobbed a weighty cheque at the town to the tune of $100,000.

Those are major bucks yet he seemed overjoyed to have been able to sign over the donation.

"The Family Centre is a really positive aspect for the Town of Inuvik," said Smith, who has lived here for 25 years.

Town council puts its sweat and tears into all the programs around the community, be it garbage or paving the streets, he noted.

"They get a lot of negative feedback and it's not always right. Peter and the rest of the council do a great job," Smith said.

Speaking modestly, Smith added that he just wanted to reward them with a little "boost."

All the dollars in that little boost will no doubt go far.

Perhaps the most touching tribute came from the Billingsley family.

The open-spaced foyer with grand mural and flowing walls came courtesy of a $50,000 donation in memory of Doug and Vicky Billingsley, who moved to the community with their family in 1973. Both have now passed on and a plaque near the front entrance explains why the donation was made: "In appreciation to the people of Inuvik for many good times."

The spectacular Playland may not have materialized without the help of Michael Fabijan, whose $20,000 donation went a long way towards the $60,000 cost of the play area.

"A lot more people gave more money than me," he said.

This attitude of dowplaying their contributions to the centre seems to be common among the donors. None of them wanted to make a big deal about their donations or see themselves in the spotlight but how could we simply ignore this amazing thing they've done for their community?

There has to be a way we can express our gratitude.

As I drive by the Family Centre daily and see the parking lot packed with cars and kids with beach towels amidst the falling snow, I can only think, this is exactly the thanks these quiet philanthropists want in return for their generosity.

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh cho Drum

Two sides that have had plenty to say about each other finally met face to face last week.

Grand Chief Herb Norwegian acknowledged that it was his first meeting with the Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce. He sat down with Chamber members on their turf - their monthly meeting at the Nahanni Inn boardroom - with only his assistant, John Holman, accompanying him.

One might have expected "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" to have started playing when the grand chief walked into the room. Despite a bit of a rocky past, the meeting wasn't all that adversarial, and, really, there was no need for it to be.

What was important was for Chamber members to convey their concerns to the person at the helm of negotiations for a future regional government.

To recap a bit of the history, Chamber presidents Duncan Canvin and Andrew Gaule have, over the past several years, expressed frustration with the lack of economic development in the Deh Cho.

They've openly questioned the Dehcho First Nations' resistance to fostering, if not outright stunting, commerce in the region. The grand chief, although he never met with the Chamber, was obviously aware of the business organization's position.

During a flare-up over big-game hunting last year - an issue that had local charter airlines worried about losing long-term, valued customers - Norwegian took a swipe at the Fort Simpson business community. He said local merchants, who have made plenty of money from First Nations people, should be supporting the Dehcho First Nations (DFN) in its efforts to get maximum benefits from government and industry. For some added colour, for which Norwegian is infamous, he added that local businesspeople should stop "lurking in the coffee shops and talking about (their) withering little bank accounts."

It's unlikely anyone at last Tuesday's meeting had forgotten those words, but the dispute wasn't rehashed. No, it was on to bigger and better things. Chamber member Peter Shaw expressed misgivings over certain elements of a Dene regional government, particularly the prospect of non-aboriginals becoming second-class citizens.

That's the kind of concern that the Dehcho First Nations will likely hear more frequently as it expands its consultations.

Norwegian said DFN representatives received a less-than-enthusiastic response after discussing self-government with Hay River town council.

"They really didn't want anything to do with it," he admitted.

In an interview with News/North, Hay River town councillor Vince McKay referred to the DFN's proposed constitution as racist and discriminatory for the restrictions it places on non-Dene residents.

Dealing with backlash is just one more aspect of becoming a government.

Norwegian reiterated the need for ongoing dialogue and insisted the DFN is trying to be inclusive of others.

Public forums on self-government, when they take place, ought to be firecrackers, explosions of ideas and opinions.

Then the DFN will have to figure out how to best meet the needs of all people without compromising its values.