An electoral commission is recommending that Yellowknife get another MLA, but the legislative assembly would be unwise to do so.

There is no danger that this city -- with its current crop of seven MLAs -- will be bullied around by the rest of the territory. As long as there is a Northwest Territories, Yellowknife will always be the centre of the universe, its government brain trust and economic engine.

Back in the late 1990s, before division with Nunavut, Yellowknifers -- led by Friends of Democracy -- were up in arms about the city's lack of representation in the legislative assembly. They argued that four members were not enough to ensure the voice of city residents were heard.

The group was ultimately successful in getting a court ruling requiring Yellowknife be given three more. A compromise in the legislative assembly added another each for Inuvik and Hay River.

Getting to that point was terribly divisive. The process floated a stink across the territory that never really went away.

MLAs from Yellowknife and the rest of the territory were at odds and remained so for quite some time; the city's sense of entitlement led to resentment in smaller communities where there are no hospitals, colleges and other central government bastions.

It's generally accepted in the rest of the country that rural areas need better representation in government than urban centres. Cities are already developed, both politically and economically, while rural areas are not.

Could one imagine the hue and cry that would occur if a report came out saying it's unfair that the NWT and Nunavut each get their own seat in the House of Commons because their populations far underweigh the super-ridings of Toronto or Montreal?

Rural NWT needs a strong voice in the legislative assembly. The fewer the MLAs outside of Yellowknife, the easier it is for bureaucrats here to ignore them.

Besides, there is no advantage in Yellowknife getting another MLA while raising the ire of smaller communities a second time.

An extended showdown with the communities will only further sour attitudes towards diamond mines and oil and gas companies, plus hamper any other investment in the territory.

The Tlicho, with four growing communities, needs another seat.

Yellowknife, with all its money, jobs and a mayor at the helm of the NWT Association of Communities, is doing just fine at seven.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

There are precious few places that resist change as strenuously as Rankin Inlet often does.

A love for bygone days, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing, unless it gets in the way of changes that improve the standard of living in the community.

In fact, there is often a wistful form of romanticism surrounding those who long for simpler times.

However, there is no romanticism surrounding those in our community who simply refuse to recognize a good thing when it's standing right in front of them.

And, the job full-time Rankin fire chief Rick Penner has done for this community during the past 42 months is a good thing.

Penner has every right to be a little bitter these days.

We join him in wondering what it takes to have those in power realize he's worth every penny of the salary he's being paid.

Mayor Lorne Kusugak is right when he says our volunteer firefighters and ambulance attendants did their jobs before Penner arrived.

That being said, they've become a hundred times better at those same jobs since his arrival.

All the training these members have put in under Penner's watch have made them true professionals, and they should be proud of their current ability to deal with emergency situations.

The fact of the matter is, the increase in their abilities is the type of stuff that saves lives - if it hasn't already.

This brings us to the age-old question of what price do you put on a person's life?

In this case, the answer is the $50,000 needed to keep Penner in place as our full-time fire chief.

I could relate to Penner when he said he doesn't need to make friends to do his job and, in fact, his position almost prevents that.

I have struggled with the strain of personal relationships put in jeopardy over stories that as a professional journalist I had to write.

We can only hope there is no one on hamlet council who would vote to remove Penner based on any personality clash that may have transpired over the execution of his duties as fire chief.

Unfortunately, sometimes feelings get hurt when a job is being done right.

Rankin hamlet council should do everything in its power to retain our full-time fire chief's position.

Mayor Kusugak was bang on the mark again when he said $50,000 is a small price to pay for what the position brings to the table.

And, while we appreciate budgets are more than a little tight these days, maintaining Penner's position is a sound investment into Rankin's future.

A sad fact of today's society is that lives can often hang in the balance when tough decisions are being made based strictly on finances.

Who knows which one of us may have a $50,000 price tag hanging over our head should an emergency situation loom in our future?

Editorial Comment
Dez Loreen
Inuvik Drum

Last week, our boys in blue, the RCMP, seized two pounds of dope and a lot of cash. The RCMP say the bust was a result of an ongoing investigation that ended in charges being laid against two men.

Looking at the facts, I agree with the RCMP that it was a pretty large bust. It has become apparent that pot has a grip on the community.

I talked to a member of the RCMP about it, who noted people are going to keep dealing pot until the community intervenes.

I don't see that happening anytime soon, simply because of the volume of people suffering from addictions in town.

It's all about supply and demand. By looking at the magnitude of the stash seized, it would seem that the demand is quite high in our Northern community.

It seems as though people don’t care that pot is illegal.

It's a controlled substance that is addictive and it does ruin lives.

Some minor possession charges may not result in hefty jail sentences, but trafficking is serious.

Pot dealers create an underground economy which is fuelled by addiction.

What might start off as a $20 front for some joints, could turn into the loss of a television set. It all depends on how bad you want it.

The network of dealers in town will continue to work together to stay in business.

I have a feeling that if the stoners of Inuvik lived in a place where dope was permitted, maybe this issue would be harder to keep under control.

It’s up to all the citizens of Inuvik to ensure the fight against drugs continues for the benefit of everyone.

The high school students who went out to shovel the Legion's parking lot did the right thing.

After years and years of supporting the sports programs in Inuvik, the Legion should not have to worry about clearing snow from its lot.

The cadets usually do the job, but because of a low turnout this year in the cadet troops, the job was given to the athletes.

If you ask me, this cycle of helping works out great for everyone involved.

The school got money for travel, the Legion got their parking lot cleared of snow.

While the athletes were shoveling, they also got exercise which is good for them, too.

This all just proves the old adage; "Do onto others as you would have done to you."

Hopefully other organizations in town will take a page from the Legion's book, and give support for our youth.

Youth in the community often get a bad rap, but if you treat them with respect, like the Legion did, the rewards will be there.

Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum

The stuff history is made of arrived in the Deh Cho on Monday.

The community hall in the Fort Simpson Recreation Centre was transformed with tables, chairs, posters and a lot of electronic equipment to become the site of the Joint Review Panel hearings.

Those in attendance, even if they were just there to observe, were part of more than just a community hearing. It's often hard to look beyond the present, the here and now, but the hearings have to be viewed with a wide angle lens.

History is taking place right now.

Someday, no matter what the outcome is, these hearings will be written about in history books and be the subject of countless documentaries and papers. If it hasn't already happened, there are probably a multitude of university students sitting about sharpening their pencils and warming up their keyboards, planning to write their theses on the hearings.

It's almost hard to think about something happening locally in that manner, but just look at the example set by the Berger pipeline inquiry and the subsequent Berger report.

Did all of the people taking part and watching those hearings think that it would have the effect that it did, or still be talked about so many years later? Maybe some people did, but surely not everyone had that kind of foresight.

Just think, the comments made by anyone who decides to talk while the hearings are in the Deh Cho, and not just important people with big job titles, could be recorded and preserved for future generations to look at.

It's also humbling to think that people have the chance to participate in something that could change the face of the Deh Cho as it is currently known. Many people keep reiterating all the possible effects the pipeline could have environmentally, economically, socially, and culturally.

But there could also be a lot of what ifs. If the pipeline isn't built, think of all the future questions about what could have been.

Would a future with the pipeline turn out to be better than a future without it? Short of inventing a time machine, we will never know that answer.

What is clear is that today's younger generations may one day start stories with the line "When I was young, before the time of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline..."

Also humbling is the prospect of what the members of the Joint Review Panel have in front of them. Their task is not an enviable one.

Some people have trouble in the morning deciding what outfit to wear. The members of the Joint Review panel need to listen and mull over all the presentations given at all the hearings in order to come up with their decision.

Even watching one three-hour session gives a person a taste of the amount of information that is being imparted to the panel members.

As the panel moves around the communities, take a moment to pop in and watch. Even if you don't say anything, or don't stay for long, someday you will be able to say that you saw the Joint Review Panel in action.

An error appeared in an article in Wednesday's Yellowknifer ("Northern women find guidance in Texas," May 10). Raquel Nuttall's name was spelled incorrectly. Yellowknifer apologizes for any embarrassment or confusion caused by the error.

In the May 11 issue of the Deh Cho Drum, the incorrect picture was run with the article "Spring run-off causes headaches." The picture actually showed the Hagglund used by Enbridge Pipelines (NW) Ltd. during their mock oil spill exercise.

The Drum apologizes for any confusion this may have caused.