Aurora tourism is shining as brightly as ever, but it's critical that business and government ensure, Yellowknife remains the northern lights tourism capital of North America.

That means working to improve airline connections and looking to other markets keen to experience the NWT's rich First Nations culture and amazing landscape.

Crowds of Japanese tourists have been coming to Yellowknife since 1989, after an entrepreneur looked to the amazing light show and saw more than just flickering space plasma. By 2001, 13,000 tourists, mainly Japanese, were coming North each winter.

The 9-11 terrorist attacks hit the business hard. It has recovered to where 10,200 aurora tourists came to Yellowknife last winter, spending millions of dollars along the way.

Everyone should be thankful for the efforts of aurora entrepreneurs, because it's become a huge part of our city's economy. Without their annual trips to Japan and efforts to keep Yellowknife on top, this business could easily have been lost.

That hard work can't end when there's growing competition for aurora bucks.

An American Press article published on the weekend suggests more and more Japanese are flying to Fairbanks, Alaska to see the lights. This year, 3,500 will fly there on 10 direct charter flights to Fairbanks from Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.

Yellowknife can't offer the same direct flight. That would take a longer runway. To get here from Japan involves 24 hours of travel, with stops in Vancouver and Edmonton.

The land to extend the runway to 3,500 metres is available but the dollars aren't. The price tag was estimated at $19 million in 2004. In comparison, Edmonton's longest runway is about 3,400 metres.

Yellowknife council, MLAs and businesses need to press the government to move ahead with the runway extension so we can compete with Fairbanks.

Perhaps airlines can offer charter flights from Vancouver to Yellowknife during aurora season. First Air tried, but that was after 9-11. Is it time to try again?

As well, tourist companies must look to other markets, in Europe and beyond. Let's use aboriginal culture as another drawing card by developing a First Nations cultural centre as part of Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. There, drummers and dancers from around the North can play, slide shows and lectures can take place.

Business should not have to do this job alone. Tourism has never been a top priority for our government but it should be because it makes all of us and the bottom line look good.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

One learns very quickly in the journalism game that, with a bit of creativity, numbers can say just about anything you want them to.

At the very least, they are capable of giving the reader, listener or viewer a distorted picture of what's really happening in just about any given scenario.

This is a valuable tool for any journalist who might be looking for a sensational approach to draw their listener in.

And, make no mistake about it, it is also a valuable tool to anybody feeding the media information who would like the story to reflect their point of view.

That is why anyone listening to radio broadcasts this past week was probably wondering why anyone in their right mind would want to live in Rankin Inlet.

Or, at least, spend any time there during the holiday season.

You see, the Rankin RCMP, apparently, had a dickens of a time keeping up with all the alcohol-related disturbances in the community.

In fact, the community was so out of control, the number of people incarcerated during the holiday season's big night actually doubled from the year before.

And, the number of calls the RCMP had to respond to also rose some 20 per cent from the previous year.

Of course, all this information was given much fanfare due to the fact there was no ban on alcohol put in place this year.

We have no doubt the numbers are true. However, in a community of about 2,500, you still don't need the fingers on both hands to count the number of people who found themselves incarcerated.

And, of course, if you go to the same address four times, you are well within your rights to count each one as a separate incident.

But Rankin was hardly in the throes of anarchy this past holiday season.

Conspicuous in their absence from these reports were those who worked the Christmas Games and oversaw the community hall during the numerous dances and New Year's gathering, all of whom reported relatively trouble-free events during which everyone had a good time.

And yes, Rankin was only two behind Iqaluit, a community more than twice its size, when it came to people who were nabbed while driving under the influence of alcohol.

Of course, for the past year, the Rankin RCMP have been working under the direct order of hamlet council to be extremely vigilant in their efforts to nab those who make such a terrible decision.

And they've done a great job at it, which has made our community a safer place to be, but that has nothing to do with alcohol bans at Christmas.

Neither Mayor Lorne Kusugak nor the Rankin RCMP were happy about council's refusal to support Coun. Justin Merritt's motion to impose a ban this past year.

And, the release of these statistics, presented in the worst-possible light, almost seems to be a way of telling the community we told you so when it comes to the ban.

Maybe it's time to hold a plebiscite every two or three years during the municipal elections asking the community if it wants a holiday liquor ban during that time frame.

Then, everyone on both sides of the cork can learn to accept the will of the people.

Editorial Comment
Dez Loreen
Inuvik Drum

From what I can see in my social circles, people may be done with cigarette smoking altogether. I think it's about time we all got on the same page.

We live in a town with so many youth who smoke cigarettes, that it's all too routine to be harassed for a loose smoke on the street.

Our territorial government finally got a clue and has banned display and advertisement of tobacco products.

That means that I can now walk into the Newsstand without seeing their wall of death, the stacks upon stacks of dirt sticks that you call cigarettes, waiting to be sold to the majority of people in town.

In a press release from the government, it states that our lovely territory has twice the national average of smokers. This is just embarrassing and dangerous.

Now for the hard part for those of us in this town who choose not to give in to the crippling weakness of tobacco. We are given the task of converting the masses.

Call your friends, convince someone to put down the pack of smokes. It will be hard, but we know it's worth the trouble.

I'm happy to say that though I tried smoking, I did not get hooked like so many in my generation.

For those of you who are probably smoking right now, why not just lose the habit for a day? How about an hour? The first smoke you pass up is the first step to quitting.

Since I never had to quit, I admit I don't fully understand the difficulties.

Over-the-counter aids will not replace will power. You have to want to quit, so don't try just because your friends are quitting. Being a sheep is what got you in this terrible mess.

Nicotine is in your system and you are dependent on the drug. Just stay strong and remember to keep yourself motivated. Having positive family support is also important. Tell your siblings or children about your choice to quit.

Those of you who want to keep smoking, please do it privately.

It was your choice to smoke, but it's also our choice not to. Secondhand smoke is dangerous. Why expose me to that? Go light up outside.

We've already kicked smoking out of our restaurants and our bars. Now we've put our foot down once again and forced the displays out of our stores.

Remember this, young ones look up to the older generation. Don't be responsible for yet another smoker in Inuvik. Tell younger ones about the dangers, let them make informed decisions.

I am happy now because my little sister can walk into a store and not see any cigarettes. Looking at her group of friends, I am sure they will avoid the nasty habit altogether. What a future we could be looking at.

Editorial Comment
Roxanna Thompson
Deh Cho Drum

There seems to be a uncanny truth in the theory that people who live in an area never appreciate its attractions as much as those living elsewhere.

A person can live for years, maybe all of her life, near a spectacular piece of scenery or an event and never get around to seeing it. Meanwhile people from halfway across the country or the world will go to great lengths and expenses just to get there.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly how or why this happens.

Maybe people count on the fact that they'll get there one day and that day hasn't arrived yet, or maybe they've heard about the place or event so often that it seems commonplace.

Last week 29 people from Fort Simpson and Nahanni Butte learned during a workshop about how to act as ambassadors for the region and provide higher levels of customer service. They certainly have a lot that they can be ambassadors for in the Deh Cho.

As workshop instructor Phyllis Radchenko said, when tourists arrive in a community and inquire about the kinds of things they can do, the answer should be, "How much time do you have?"

Usually the question of what there is to do catches me off guard and all I get out is "ummmmm," but clearly that's not the right answer.

Every community in the Deh Cho has something to offer. There are scenic points like the Nahanni National Park Reserve, Virginia Falls and the Mackenzie River. There are also festivals and events like the Open Sky Festival and Mackenzie Days.

Handmade crafts are always a welcome souvenir and gift. The Deh Cho is full of talented artisans who do beautiful work with a variety of natural products like moosehair and porcupine quills.

The whole area also has Dene cultures and traditions that many visitors have never learned about and find fascinating.

These, however, are just the most obvious draws. Radchenko mentioned how her husband is delighted to now live in the Northwest Territories and wants to visit the Deh Cho because a number of important migratory bird paths cross through the area. As a birder, he can't wait to come with his binoculars.

I'd never thought of bird-watching as one of the Deh Cho's draws and many long-term residents might not have either, so goodness knows what other tourist draws are waiting to be marketed.

With so many things going for it, the Deh Cho needs little help to attract higher tourism numbers. Things as simple as a smile can go a long way, said Radchenko.

So the next time you see a tourist -- you know, someone you've never seen before who may look a little lost or in awe -- just smile and nod hello.

With continued uncertainty over future economic developments such as the Mackenzie gas pipeline, tourism seems like a more sure bet. The attractions aren't going anywhere and can only be enhanced. All that remains is for everyone to brag more and work what we've got.