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Squatting has been a persistent issue in Yellowknife even though the city has been unequivocal that squatters' camps are not allowed.

Yet it seems inevitable that such camps will persistently arise in a city with so many homeless people, exceptionally low vacancy rates and so much land that is unbuilt upon.

Enforcement against one homeless couple, as reported in Yellowknifer last month, proved to be too swift. The homeless woman had been undergoing treatment in hospital and was apparently not well enough to respond when the city first warned the couple. The city in turn removed their belongings directly to the city dump a week later.

In response to the issue, the city has since promised to hold removed belongings for a week, giving squatters the chance to reclaim possessions within that time. The couple in question remain homeless, having to resort to living in the streets of Yellowknife or by whatever means they can, by and large relying on the kindness of strangers.

City hall's policy against squatter camps must stand, regardless of campers' physical or mental state of health. Services are in place to help sick and infirm citizens who are homeless - it is not up to the city to make exceptions to squatting laws based upon health evaluations.

However, the city has made a wise move in deciding not to discard squatters' property so hastily. It's an indignity that those already without a permanent place to call home do not need to suffer.

The Department of Transportation is patting itself on the back for pushing through a policy on right-hand drive vehicles in good time.

Presumably, it was at the prodding of two car enthusiasts, Martin Rohac, who recently imported one of these vehicles from Japan, and Jeff Corradetti, founder of the NWT Automobile Council.

Right-hand drive vehicles, which means the steering wheel is on the right, are the norm in certain countries, including Great Britain and India, but are rare in North America. That's because the roads here are built for left-handed cars. There are reportedly fewer than 10 such vehicles in the NWT.

Rohac took issue with the department after he was denied a licence for his 1992 Nissan Skyline. He said it was unfair he should be denied while others in the Territories were allowed to drive theirs.

Rohac has a got a point but with only a handful of these vehicles in the NWT, why legalize them in the first place?

According to the Insurance Corporation of B.C., which the department cites in its information on right-hand drive vehicles, drivers of such vehicles are 40 per cent more likely to get into a collision.

That's because the driver has to go further into the left lane to see if it's safe enough to pass.

If that's the case, why is the department putting other drivers and their passengers at risk by allowing these vehicles on the road?

Other jurisdictions allow them but that doesn't mean the NWT had to follow suit.

Drill core analysis and scoping studies aren't exactly the stuff dreams are made of for most (although they are a bit snore-inducing for some, like me).

That said, even I was a bit surprised by the low turnout to last week's town hall meeting on the Meliadine West gold project.

Located about 25 km from Rankin's back door, a mine could potentially be in production on the site within the next three years, and it's bound to have an impact if it is. The project's presence already has had a major effect if, as the presenter claims, it has already pumped millions into the local economy since it began.

Exploration is big in the region and sure to get bigger. The prime minister announced last week the government would spend $100 million over the next five years to map the minerals and resources across the North.

A 1998 Natural Resources Canada mineral exploration map highlighted close to 30 projects in Nunavut.

By 2006, there were about 60 ongoing exploration projects, with spending in the ballpark of $200 million, according to data from the Department of Economic Development and Transportation.

The government also forecasted five new mines would be in operation in Nunavut by 2010, creating 1,700 new jobs and generating $500 million annually.

As the industry grows, so will its impact on the people it neighbours.

So while it's true the weather could have caused some scheduling problems for the Meliadine meeting, I expected to see more attendees and a younger demographic.

Some of the questions from the audience had to do with environmental impact. But many centred around jobs, particularly jobs for young people - how to get them, and where the training would come from.

Noticeably absent were any of the young people themselves.

Rankin is soon to be home to a major trades training school through the Arctic College, with courses geared toward the needs of these kind of resource projects.

Mining companies in the territory regularly organize class trips to their sites to entice young workers once they graduate.

So it worries me a little when I don't see that generation at these meetings. It's they who will be most affected, and it's they who should be calling those shots.

I'm not sure how it can be changed, but there's got to be a better way than door prizes to bring them in the door.

- Darrell Greer, the regular editor of the Kivalliq News, returns later this month

I was sitting at my desk in Fort Simpson on Tuesday afternoon looking out my office window onto the main street racking my brain about how to best express this editorial when inspiration struck.

I was trying to decide how to write about the importance of volunteers, particularly members of volunteer fire departments, when the blast of a siren ripped through the air. The sound of the siren quickly faded away but a few seconds later the ambulance, with lights flashing, raced past my window clearly on the way to a call.

The chance timing clarified my jumbled thoughts and illustrated a salient point.

Members of volunteer fire departments and emergency services are easy to forget until you need them.

In day-to-day living most people don't think about their fellow residents who've made a commitment to help keep their community safe. It's often only when people are faced with a medical emergency or are looking at quickly growing flames that they start to wonder who's going to come and help them.

People who live in communities in the Deh Cho with vibrant volunteer fire departments are fortunate. When they reach for the phone to call for help they know that someone will be on their way quickly no matter what time of the day it is.

Fort Simpson is one of those fortunate communities. On Aug. 24 the volunteer fire department threw a surprise retirement party for one of its members, Ernie Loutit.

Loutit retired this summer after devoting 16 years to the department. Loutit said he felt comfortable leaving the department because he knew he younger members were ready to take his spot and have already been doing an excellent job.

Fort Simpson has been lucky to have a relatively steady stream of volunteers stepping up to fill the vacant positions on the department. Some communities in the Deh Cho don't have strong fire departments.

In communities like Fort Simpson it's easy to forget that volunteer firefighters aren't guaranteed. Members of the department give up their own time, which everyone knows there's never enough of, to be part of the team.

The firefighters also commit to carrying radios, waking up at all hours of the night and climbing out of their warm beds to answer calls. Their role certainly isn't the most glamorous or the easiest one.

If the ambulance returned while I was typing this I didn't notice because I was too focused on my computer monitor.

Maybe they carried someone who was seriously ill or injured to the health centre. Perhaps it was just a false alarm.

Either way, when someone picked up the phone and dialed for help, the ambulance started on its way. There's a level of comfort that comes with knowing this.

In the Deh Cho volunteers provide that safety net and their dedication shouldn't be overlooked.

We all feel alone and confused from time to time. It's a natural part of life to face hardships and not know where to go next.

Thankfully, we live in a community where we look after one another. This past weekend's workshop at Ingamo Hall was a perfect example of this.

When I first heard about the workshop, it sounded like a great idea - support group of women who have been through similar life experiences, sharing with each other.

Once the Sunday session had finished, I was able to speak with a few participants of the workshop.

Bringing all those people into one place and letting them express themselves was a great idea, because so many people left Ingamo Hall with a smile on their face.

The wisdom of those survivors of abuse and violence were able to get through to others in a comfortable environment.

I didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable, so I showed up as the meeting was winding down, but there were interesting points being made right until closing time, shortly after 7 p.m.

I also noticed the workshop was being filmed for a future documentary about the issues women in the region are facing.

It will be good to have those stories and accounts of life on file for future generations to see.

The video will also prove to be a great asset when looking for funding in the social sectors.

Nobody likes being a victim, yet there are many people around us who insist on making others feel bad with various types of abuse.

Even in my own life, I find myself using lower-calibre language, often vulgar and mostly offensive.

It's the way I was raised by a ship's cook. He was a sailor and taught me to cuss like one, too. Well, maybe I just picked it up from years of overheard conversations between old-timers.

Nevertheless, my upbringing does not excuse the kinds of behaviour that I display in public.

If I flip someone off, or speak to someone rudely, it's all on me and I most likely hurt someone's feelings.

If you take a look at yourself and see that you might be victimizing the people around you, it might be time to seek some help.

Abuse is a vicious cycle that doesn't know boundaries.

Fuelled by rage and ignorance, abuse comes in many forms and is never acceptable.

Victims of abuse are rarely victims for long. Some people look to vent on others, like parents who hit their kids.

Now, with that hate and anger passed on to another generation, that child passes it along to their friends and classmates.

Pretty soon, we're waist-deep in a pool of agony from compounded frustration, all because that family member wouldn't get help.

You hear a lot on TV about victims speaking out against their aggressors.

The main argument I hear about abusers is that they are small people who need to get help.

While that is often true, there are people who don't even realize they are hurting those around them with their actions.

Once people in the region stand up, like those participants in this past Sunday's workshop, we can move past abuse and its hold on families in the North.