A sports fieldhouse would be a fine addition to the city, no doubt.

The question is can we afford it? And can the city keep the project within budget, unlike Phase I of the Multiplex arena that went $2 million over budget?

Warning bells should have been ringing after the original upper-end cost estimate for the fieldhouse shot up to $22 million from $11 million last May. After watching last week's city council meeting, it seems clear some councillors are hell-bent on pushing the project through regardless of the cost.

Even a facility at the lower end of scale - $16 million - will probably result in a tax increase.

This bare bones facility wouldn't have much else to offer except to the soccer crowd, who number around 700.

How quickly council seems to have forgotten the warning it received from city officials during budget deliberations last December.

Back then, councillors were rubbing their hands together in glee, wondering what to do with almost $10 million in federal and territorial government grants for building projects and infrastructure improvements.

Administration was quick to remind them that the more buildings they authorize, the more property tax dollars will be needed for operational expenses.

The city covered off a $400,000 shortfall for city operations this year with a 2.47 tax increase.

Administration officials made it clear the problem isn't going away any time soon.

Right now, we are in year two of a three-year rolling tax increase. A $22 million fieldhouse will mean close to a six per cent property tax increase as early as 2009.

Design plans for the fieldhouse are expected to be in city council hands by late September/early October - just before the upcoming municipal election. No decision should be made on whether to proceed before the election.

Coun. Blake Lyons believes the city doesn't have a choice with the fieldhouse - that a promise was made to Arctic Winter Games officials to build one in time for the 2008 games.

If he intends to run again this fall, it's voters he should be worried about, not AWG officials. If he feels so strongly about the fieldhouse, he should seek re-election.

In fact, this is the perfect election issue: a vote between holding the line on spending or going for broke with a plethora of new, pricey facilities.

It will be interesting to see what the voters go for.

Editorial Comment
Andrew Raven
Kivalliq News

There is a little girl in Whale Cove who could use some help.

A few months ago, she accused her father of sexual assault. The allegations shook her family and the tiny Kivalliq community. But they meant, at least, she would fall under the long, protective arm of the law while the charges are proved to be true or false.

Well, that's how the story is supposed to unfold. Reality - as it developed in a Rankin Inlet courtroom last week - was far different. A series of questionable judicial rulings, confusion between the courts police and mind-boggling parental decisions mean the little girl has been living with her father while he awaits trial.

The sordid mess began when Whale Cove Mounties charged the man, who says he is innocent, with sexual assault. His bail conditions barred him from living at home. That kind of ruling is common sense.

But despite that order, prosecutors revealed during the June 13 court hearing in Rankin Inlet the man had been living at home because of a mix-up involving the court and police. The girl's mother had apparently welcomed the man back into the family home; he had been living with his mother.

Mounties declined to comment on the case because, one officer said, they were not sure what was discussed during the Rankin court session.

Whatever the reason, the girl should not have to face the man she has accused of a serious crime until they meet in court.

But things get worse. Nunavut Court of Justice justice Beverly Browne later ruled the man could, legally, return home during the day and visit the girl, so long as there was another adult around.

The decision is stunning. Crown attorney, Patricia Moise hit the nail on the head when she told Browne: "Who's to know what's going on in the house?"

"The court has the power to protect this (girl)," Moise said.

"We can't turn our backs on the person who came to us seeking protection."

And that should be the paramount concern of justice officials.

The much-repeated mantra of "innocent until proven guilty" is more than dialogue fodder for Law and Order. But that pure-as-the-driven-snow principle needs to balance with the realities of life. Courts often place restrictions on people who haven't been convicted of so much as spitting. Suspects are jailed, forced to fork over bail and placed on strict release conditions.

While living at home with his mother might be a drag, the court should order the Whale Cove man to stay away from his house and his daughter. With his trial six weeks away, those conditions aren't too onerous.

And in a messed-up ending to a messed-up story, the Rankin court hearing came to a forbidding close last week. Clearly confused by the legal wrangling going on a few hundred kilometres away, the man asked: "So I have to stay at my mother's for one more night?" Nope. Not even close.

Editorial Comment
Dez Loreen
Inuvik Drum

I spent some time at the high school last week for the year-end celebrations and cleanup.

The faculty of Samuel Hearne held a nice lunch for departing principal David Reid.

It more or less resembled a roast, which is always a good time.

I know that through most of my high school life, I asked myself questions about Sammy and why our school was named after him.

Turns out he was an explorer in the early days of the Mackenzie River and this area.

I guess he was such a stand-up guy that the powers that be flexed their bureaucratic muscles and named a high school after him.

After a brief read through a biography I found on Google, I found he was instrumental in Northern exploration.

Good for him and I'm sure he deserves to have his name on a school.

So, I was in the high school, and talked to a teacher who had some questions regarding the new "super school" that will be erected here in the future.

She asked me what the new school should be named.

I quickly replied that the names might stay the same, Samuel Hearne and Sir Alex, respectively.

She told me that we had the only schools in the region that were named after explorers like them.

Not to be proven wrong, I made my way back to my office post haste.

Sure enough, nearby communities like Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtchic, Tuktoyaktuk, Ulukhaktok and Aklavik all had their hometown heroes named on their schools.

Now I understand that this town was built by the government, for the government, so I'm not going to question their choices for school names.

But maybe, just maybe we could name the new schools after some local flavour from the area.

Since we became a community, there have been many great elders and local people who have made their mark on our lives.

Why not name the school after the people who actually taught there?

Now while I'm not old enough to start spitting out names, I'm sure many of you can think of a couple right now.

All I am saying is this: The new schools will need a name.

Now what can they be called? I'm sure they didn't let the town decide on the current ones.

Not to draw too much attention to myself, but I was born here and I am a Samuel Hearne alumni.

Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum

On July 1, 139 years ago a collection of governments and people on the upper half of the continent of North America joined together to become the Dominion of Canada.

A new nation was born on that day. It included the areas that today make up New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec.

The decision to become a nation was not an easy one, but three significant factors that still affect us today played a role.

For one, the province that would later become Ontario and Quebec, was having political problems. Leaders on both sides of the language divide had disagreements with each other and thought joining with the other colonies might help.

There was also the problem of economics. Each colony needed a market to sell their goods to and wondered if they could make life easier by selling to each other.

Then there was the issue of unstable relations with the U.S. Britain didn't want to pay to defend the colonies any more so joining together was seen as a way to increase protection.

The legacy of Confederation is still with us today and extends much further than having a reason for a long weekend in July.

Notable in its absence during the process towards nationhood was any sort of consideration or consultation for the numerous aboriginal people on the continent. In the Deh Cho this is still being dealt with today.

While most of the provinces and territories have had a long time to adjust to life within the larger entity of Canada, the Deh Cho is still trying to address and clarify how it fits.

It's not uncommon for Deh Cho leaders to phrase their struggles in the terms of the Deh Cho versus Canada. This wording can sound strange to newcomers from the south who are used to a stable concept of Canada as a nation.

But the Deh Cho is working through a process much like the Fathers of Confederation did. The notable difference is that the Deh Cho is already part of the country that it's in negotiations with to hammer out land and self-government rights.

Just as the original colonies had to compromise when creating Canada, it appears that either the country or the Deh Cho will have to do the same on their positions.

Tim Christian's presentation during the Dehcho Assembly in Kakisa was notable for its clarity and straightforwardness.

As the chief federal negotiator on the Dehcho process, Christian stated that he wanted to be honest that neither this government nor the previous one is prepared to accept the Dehcho proposal as it stands.

Canada is not willing to offer anything more than land selection instead of jurisdiction over all the land that the Dehcho leadership has asked for.

What is to be done?

Canada has set forward its firm stance and leaders from the Deh Cho, particularly Grand Chief Herb Norwegian, have maintained that they are sticking to their guns.

Somewhere something will have to give. The two key questions will be, how long will it take and who will come away with the most satisfaction?

In the end, the best possible outcome will be an agreement that will be as enduring as Canada has proven to be as a country.

An error appeared in an article in Wednesday's Yellowknifer, ("What's next for the Workers' Compensation Board?" July 5). Last year, the WCB spent $319,000 on training and $302,000 on office furnishings. Yellowknifer apologizes for any confusion caused by the error. Also, a clarification is needed for a photo caption appearing in the June 28 edition of Yellowknifer. The student pictured from Sprott Shaw community college received a certificate not a diploma.