The way some people talk, you'd think Franklin Avenue at 5 p.m. was downtown Toronto, on a Friday afternoon, before a long weekend.

But it isn't, and as much as we grumble, the congestion drivers face on the "commute" home is not the end of the world.

The worst thing is driver impatience. Everyone seems to want to be somewhere else in the next two minutes.

While the congestion in front of Mildred Hall school and Adam Dental Clinic can be frustrating at morning, noon and 5 p.m., we all need to get a grip. The city's doing its part, spending $200,000 to install new energy-efficient lights and traffic controllers.

The controllers are programmed to help traffic flow more efficiently, but with dozens of cars on the road at one time, the rush minute will never end. According to the city, even the pedestrian signals won't interrupt the co-ordination of lights during peak times.

A new backup power supply to keep the lights running during our frequent outages will be a blessing, too.

The real payoff will be 10 per cent less energy needed to run the lights.

Too bad something couldn't be done about the greenhouse gases generated by all those idling cars.

Oops, there is: it's called a bus. And that would ease downtown congestion at the same time.

There's a big difference between the double-wide trailers of old and present-day modular homes.

Possibly it's thoughts of those old tin-sided, flat-roofed, trailers that haunt city councillors as they debate whether to allow modular homes to be mixed in with stick-built (Zoning frustrates mayor, Yellowknifer July 28).

Twenty years ago, it would have been like mixing oil and water. These days, with 2x6 walls, vinyl-siding down to the ground and peaked roofs, modular homes don't look anything like their 1970s-era predecessors. The issue was raised in late July as part of debate over the city's new zoning bylaw, which recently passed second reading.

The city needs to find ways to reduce the cost of buying a home in Yellowknife, and modular is one way to go. Even with some selling for $350,000 and more, that's way less than a brand new stick-built home that could ring in at least $400,000.

The most important factor is not whether modular should be allowed, but how they should be built in a mixed housing area. Rows of modular homes will look just like a trailer park. One put here or there is something else altogether. Done right, they'll blend right in to a subdivision.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

On the surface, the kerfuffle emanating out of Iglulik this past week over the comments made by Nunavut's Marijuana Party candidate in the last federal election are laughable.

Ed DeVries proudly announced to Northern media that he acquired a number of carvings and artifacts in his personal collection in exchange for marijuana.

DeVries also indicated a number of people in Iglulik are "potheads."

This has, of course, Iglulik Mayor Paul Quassa and hamlet council outraged.

So, we watch as a war of words erupts between Quassa and DeVries, letting ourselves believe, for entertainment purposes, there's no credibility issue on either side of the ledger.

Quassa even went so far as to say a number of residents want DeVries banned from the community.

Let's all take a deep breath and relax a little (no pun intended).

Here in the Kivalliq, we have to marvel at any community that's so law abiding it's ready to ban a person for ill-advised comments.

While DeVries does owe Iglulik an apology for his remarks, if he can be banned for tasteless remarks, we've got some serious housekeeping to address in the Kivalliq.

The notion of banning DeVries for mere words is, of course, nonsense.

But there's a deeper issue at play here.

One that strikes close to home in the Kivalliq and has none of the inherent humour of a Quassa vs. DeVries debate.

The anger of being labelled as potheads is just a smokescreen (again, no pun intended) for what has really irked some people in Iglulik.

DeVries broke the rules by speaking publicly about something we all know happens in Nunavut, but nobody wants to admit.

I travel a fair amount in Nunavut, and, although I've never been to Iglulik, I've been asked to trade a bottle for a carving in every hamlet I've visited.

Unlike DeVries, however, I have never consented to the exchange.

Whether Quassa cares to believe it or not, the trading of booze and drugs for carvings is a problem in many hamlets.

Iglulik council members would be better served to focus their attentions on how to address the problem, rather than ostracizing DeVries for talking about it in public.

A number of Kivalliq mayors have been wrestling with the problem for years, as have members of the arts community who don't appreciate seeing artwork devalued by such practices.

We don't pretend to have an easy answer to the problem, because there is none.

However, we do know that open discussion, debate and the exchange of ideas is far more effective in addressing problems in the North than silence.

Granted, you would hope for the debate to be initiated in more accredited circles than what we witnessed this past week.

In the meantime, let's not pretend how DeVries claims to have secured a few carvings in his collection doesn't happen in the North.

When you play that game, all your credibility goes up in smoke.

Editorial Comment
Dez Loreen
Inuvik Drum

Just when you thought it would be a good time to watch the movie Half Baked and play some X-Box, you realize the brutal truth.

Your stash can is empty and no one is holding.

Inuvik has been depleted of weed once again, at least that is the word on the street. Stoners and dopers alike have been without their fix for at least a week, and it may be time for a replacement pastime.

It is during the dry-spells that I see a more active Inuvik. More people out on the streets walking around town. Sure, maybe they're just looking for the herb, but at least they got out of the hot box long enough to breathe some fresh, crisp air.

This weekend was a busy one, with people up and about in every part of town.

I saw a lot of people out watching the slo-pitch tourney this weekend and enjoying the beer gardens as well. I'm not saying they're all getting high, but everyone seemed in a pretty elevated mood.

Maybe the absence of reefer in our town is one of those supposedly positive things, like the pipeline. But wait, aren't people debating that as well? My ideals are being challenged and I don't know how to deal with it. Maybe this town is fuelled by weed.

I know that dope has always been around and always will be, but it's during the droughts that we see the true beauty of the town as the haze is lifted from our eyes.

We are all affected by weed and know people who use the plant, be it recreationally on the weekends, or habitually. It would be blind to say that the younger generation haven't been touched yet.

Hopefully though, the younger people realize the long term effects of taking the drug and are aware of the costs involved.

I'm sure there have been lots of you who have been slaving over your pipes, scraping resin deposits. Maybe as I write this, another shipment will arrive and people will clam back up in their smoke pits and watch the same episodes of Family Guy over and over again.

I know what it feels like to play soccer for hours on end and walk around the Boot Lake trails, regardless of bear warnings.

After getting a pretty good farmer's tan this weekend from being outside, I think I prefer the latter of the two choices.

Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum

f you have the right kind of calendar, you will find at the bottom of almost every date a list of events that belong to that day.

Some are celebrated in other countries such as Independence Day on July 4 in the United States of America and many are related to medical conditions such as World AIDS Day on Dec. 1. Many more past by unnoticed, but one occurs this week which should be brought to attention.

On August 12, it's International Youth Day. The day was proclaimed by the United Nations and first observed in 2000. The United Nations define youth as people between the ages of 15-24.

There, of course, is no need to rush out and start planning parties with streamers and cake, although I am sure many youth would enjoy that quite a bit. Instead, people should take a moment to reflect on where youth are fitting into their communities.

The saying is very old, but often youth are seen and not heard unless they are blasting music out of their car and truck speakers or making too much noise on the streets.

In the summer, they are a bit more visible as they roam the streets on foot, bike, skateboard and scooter searching for ways to stave off boredom. On Saturday, parents and child-free people alike should set aside a moment to consider issues that affect youth.

This year, the focus of International Youth Day is tackling poverty together. Around the world, over 200 million young people, 18 per cent of all youth, live on less than one dollar a day, according to a report issued by the United Nations. Luckily, in the Deh Cho matters are not that desperate, although there are still those youth who belong to families who struggle with finances. That is one issue.

Another important issue that is often brought to light is how youth are being affected by drugs and alcohol. Most alcohol, tobacco and drug use starts early. Are the right signals being sent out by role models about the inappropriateness of these substances? Are drugs more readily available than many would expect?

Cultural identity is a third topic that is often raised as a concern where youth are involved. People worry about how many youth are learning and using Slavey and how many are choosing to practice traditional lifestyles.

Every generation seems to hear stories from their parents and grandparents that start, "When I was your age..." and end with a disparaging comment about the current state of affairs. Because comments like these are bound to do little to convince youth that the old ways are better, considerable thought should be given to whether current initiatives are succeeding.

Many problems and challenges face today's youth that were not issues for previous generations. As they find their path, they should be both guided and encouraged. If nothing else, International Youth Day should provide an excuse to recognize the achievements, accomplishment and aspirations of youth. These items need to be celebrated and nurtured, including everything from excellence in sports and academics to talents in the arts and music.

In the July 27 edition of the Inuvik Drum, Marnie Hilash was mis-quoted. She said planning the Great Northern Arts Festival took nine weeks of planning, not nine months. We apologize for the mistake and any confusion this may have caused.

Also in the July 27 edition, Mary Inuktalik was incorrectly identified as Bessie. We apologize for any embarrassment or inconvenience this may have caused.