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Some patients aren't showing up for medical appointments at the hospital and that's a problem.

Stanton Territorial Health Authority's 2010-11 annual report states that for the one-year period ending in March 2011, 4,537 appointments were missed at the hospital. Of that number, 321 were for surgeries, one of the most expensive procedures at the facility.

No-shows cause longer wait times for other patients, have a negative impact on staff schedules, and drive up medical care costs.

Whenever there is doubt that an appointment will be missed, contact with the hospital or clinic beforehand would allow for someone else to take the available time slot, if the hospital is prepared to get another person in place.

Kay Lewis, Stanton's CEO, said there is a need to educate the public about the importance of not missing appointments and how an absence affects the care of other patients as well as increases costs.

Stanton should take a page out of the book from the private sector. Adam Dental Clinic, for example, makes it a priority to call each patient at least 24 hours before their appointment as a reminder.

It also gives patients a chance to cancel, allowing the office ample time to book someone else and avoid a wasted appointment.

The clinic's owner told Yellowknifer that no-shows are now a rare occurrence.

Whether the hospital uses existing administrative staff or hires someone to keep tabs on appointments, patients can use something in addition to the education Lewis would like to provide - a reminder phone call.

The City of Yellowknife has a duty to maintain streets and has a bylaw in place to fine litterers, but how far should it go to try and quell a problem bred solely of ignorance and laziness?

City councillor Paul Falvo's proposed refundable five-cent tax on takeout containers is motivated by noble intentions - to lessen litter on city streets and encourage the use of things like reusable coffee cups - but ideas of this nature would be better left to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The city's duties are to maintain Yellowknife's growth in a responsible way, and to keep municipal infrastructure running. It has bylaws in place to deal with speeding within its jurisdiction, to deal with some neighbourly disputes and to deal with some minor aspects of maintaining order in the city.

Expanding its mandate to environmental monitoring and policy-creation is unnecessary - the Department of Environment and Natural Resources already has such a mandate, and the staff with expertise to fulfil these duties. If the City of Yellowknife thinks there should be more done to encourage recycling, it should, as the largest municipal government overseeing the largest community in the NWT, be able to lobby the GNWT to create such policy. That will allow city hall to concentrate on the issues that rightfully fall within its powers.

They really had no other choice.

Perception and, yes, jealousy can be powerful foes in the North.

And nowhere does that ring more true than with a successful hamlet trying to improve itself even more.

Throw hockey into the mix, and you have a daunting task on your hands.

The first problem faced by those who took on the challenge of coming up with the predesign for a community complex in Rankin Inlet was the perception in some corners that this was all about hockey.

That segment of people in Rankin is divided into two groups.

There are those who have nothing against hockey -- and realize the community does need a new arena -- but don't want other areas of community life overlooked in the process.

They realize the value in having additional recreational facilities and a community hall that can accommodate cultural and traditional activities, while at the same time, representing the pride and stature of a growing regional hub.

They're not vindictive, greedy or overreaching.

They simply want a venue that reflects the diversity of their community and offers something for everyone, and for that, they are to be commended.

The other group is comprised of people who have no affinity for hockey and are sick and tired of Rankin being called Hockey Town.

To them, too much time, energy and (most of all) money are already being spent on a game that's contributions to the community are grossly overrated.

The members of this group are openly critical of anything having to do with furthering the sport in Rankin.

What people in both groups have in common is a vote, the ability to sway public opinion and, in some cases, a financial say in what goes in Rankin Inlet and what doesn't.

One would be hard pressed to find a member of the committee not affected by two of the three commonalities.

So, in the big picture, not only did a predesign for a complete complex make sense for the project moving forward in the future, it was, pretty much, imperative to popular public opinion (and support) at the community level.

However, public opinion at the community level and good sense often come to a screeching halt when they enter the political arena.

Then it becomes, if I may borrow a line, time to play the game.

Whether denied publicly or not, it really came as no surprise to anyone who understands this particular game when the MLAs dumped the $500,000 for planning and design from the Government of Nunavut's (GN) capital plan.

It really doesn't matter if the move was prompted by jealousy over Rankin's continued prosperity or the success of its hockey program, petty politics, the true belief many other hamlets have more pressing needs, or distrust in Rankin's contention it wasn't expecting the GN to pay for the entire complex.

What does matter is the ball is back in Rankin's court and, hopefully, a revamped arena-only approach will get the promised support.

Then the local planning committee can roll up its sleeves and get down to the business of raising private funding for the rest of the complex.

Its members never really had any other choice.

Holding true to the status quo, MLAs selected our premier and cabinet in a secret-ballot process on Oct. 26.

That secretive process was heavily criticized by a good number of people during the 2011 territorial election. Another blow to government accountability was the fact Bob McLeod became the third consecutive NWT premier to lead the territory after gaining his seat by acclamation. Again, not a single vote was cast by the people of the NWT to decide the top job in our government. We're counting on forward-thinking MLAs to insist that the selection process for premier is thoroughly reviewed.

The debate of how McLeod gained the premiership aside, of the three who let their name stand for the job, he is arguably the safest choice.

Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger has built a reputation for being a rigid leader who doesn't necessarily take public input into consideration. He was removed from cabinet in 2006 after making a "threatening" gesture towards Yellowknife MLA Dave Ramsay in what was said to be an intimidation tactic to stop him from asking questions.

Kevin Menicoche has had his own troubles over the years. In 2008, he came under fire after $1,300 worth of unauthorized charges were put on a GNWT credit card during a trip to China with an aboriginal business delegation. What the expenses related to was never publicly revealed but Menicoche did pay back the money. He also narrowly avoided personal bankruptcy in 2005 when he reached a deal with creditors to reduce more than $160,000 worth of debt.

Born and raised in Fort Providence, McLeod has two decades of public service under his belt, which can be a blessing as much as a detriment. With so many years of government experience, he is well-versed in the inner workings of the territory. Although that experience gives him insight to navigate red tape, it also might make him prone to accept the status quo. If he is going to be an effective leader, he will have to challenge the established way of doing things.

However, one encouraging comment on McLeod's premiership has come from Dene leader Bill Erasmus who said "I think our (aboriginal) leadership is comfortable with him being in office as the premier." It's a ringing endorsement considering the Dene Nation says its relationship with the GNWT is at an all-time low. Our premier will need to rebuild the government's ties with aboriginal government, especially if he hopes to reach a devolution deal this term.

As for our next cabinet, it is unfortunate no women MLAs will be managing portfolios, but it is good to see three rookie cabinet ministers crossing the floor. Yellowknife MLAs Glen Abernethy and Dave Ramsay along with Tu Nedhe's Tom Beaulieu will hopefully bring new ideas to cabinet. We hope Beaulieu continues to champion the need to improve housing in the territory as he stated as priorities during both his campaign and during his pitch for cabinet.

There is a lot of work ahead for the 17th legislative assembly and the public is demanding this government be more accountable and transparent than the last. Only time will tell if the injection of five new MLAs and three new cabinet members will improve on past failures.

South Baffin MLA Fred Schell danced a fine line and was caught crossing it.

Having been promoted to cabinet prior to the integrity commissioner's finding, Schell must now make sure he stays firmly on the ethical side of that line.

Norman Pickell, Nunavut's integrity commissioner, found Schell guilty of sending an intimidating e-mail to a territorial government employee while Schell was a regular MLA in 2009, which, according to Pickell's report, contained "demands and threats." In the e-mail, Schell wrote that his lawyer was ready to take a matter of the GN siding with the Hamlet of Cape Dorset, in a dispute between the hamlet and Schell's company Polar Supplies to the "next level" unless the department corrects its errors. He also passive-aggressively stated he was "looking forward to your support in making sure that the hamlet starts to treat us fairly."

The fact there was already friction that had previously been brewing between his company and the hamlet adds gravity to his comments. That friction led to a court case in April of this year, though by that time, Schell had put his company in a blind trust. As a regular MLA, he was not required to hand over the reins of his company, though he did so in late 2009.

Although he had been able to retain operational control of his company, that does not negate the status he attained when he became an MLA.

Regardless of the nature of the dispute between his company and the hamlet, he should have known better than to be hostile with the GN in pursuit of his private interests - this inclination may come naturally as a businessman, but when he took public office to represent South Baffin, which includes Cape Dorset and Kimmirut, he gained power and the responsibility to use it in the best interests of his constituents, not for his own personal gain.

Nevertheless, it is reassuring these matters led to a finding of guilt by the integrity commissioner. Matters like this prove the value of that system in maintaining transparency and, of course, integrity in the territorial government. As well, when the report was tabled, Schell did not shy away. Though he claimed he did not think he was in the wrong at the time, he ultimately accepted the findings publicly.

Findings of guilt, however, are just that, and the legislative assembly should think very carefully of public perception when deciding whether or not to exact punishment in this instance. The system has worked thus far, but consequences are necessary to discourage this sort of conduct.

Pickell did not recommend Schell lose his cabinet seat. He suggested a $500 fine, an apology and refresher on existing integrity rules would be fitting. The minister should jump at the chance to make whatever amends are deemed necessary. He must view this incident as a wake-up call as to how he should be conducting himself as an MLA.

There's no doubt Les Rocher and his Homes North company have played a critical role in bringing affordable housing to Yellowknife.

More than a few people over the years, including some on city council, have complained about the perceived lack of aesthetic appeal of his modular homes and his "blast and build" development methods.

What was forgotten amid all this high-mindedness was how tight the real estate market was in January 2005.

The situation was so dire council was forced to rezone Phase VI to allow Homes North to lay down its steel-framed homes on about 60 lots there. Many people in the city were angry at council for that, especially after a Supreme Court ruling the year before determined that the city's development appeal board erred in allowing changes to the development scheme without council approval. There was a feeling that the city was bending the rules while sacrificing development standards to push through Phase VI.

Despite the initial outcry, Phase VI worked out reasonably well in the end. The homes sold quickly, mainly because it gave home buyers a lower priced option in a tight real estate market. Certainly, the housing situation would have been a lot worse had Rocher and his supply of pre-fabricated homes not been around to meet the demand. Bearing this in mind, consider Homes North's latest request for a subsidy to build a new modular home subdivision near Kam Lake with 178 lots.

The city calculates Homes North's subsidy request at $3.8 million, more than triple that offered for Niven Phase VI. The request includes $700,000 for parks and trail development, $685,000 for off-site tie-ins for water infrastructure from Bourque Drive and Demelt Crescent, $650,000 to install power lines underground, and $1,850,000 for paving, curbing and sidewalks.

Homes North is required to pay for all of this under the city's new land administration bylaw, passed into law in October of last year, which states all new development in the city must proceed under a policy of full-cost recovery.

This means that every inch of asphalt, and every sewer pipe and power line installed in a development is paid for by the developer, who presumably would pass the cost on to whoever buys these properties.

It wasn't too long ago that the city did provide subsidies, and naturally Homes North would like to see a return to that arrangement. Homes North can argue with certainty that full cost recovery will lead to higher purchase prices for its modular homes, possibly putting them out of the reach of modest home buyers. The city will argue that the subsidy adds an unfair tax burden to Yellowknife ratepayers, a more than 17 per cent increase, according to the city's figures.

While there was a 12 per cent "transitional" subsidy in place for Phase VII of Niven Lake, the cat is already out of the bag on full cost recovery.

Highstreet Developments' Copper Sky Niven Heights project on School Draw Avenue and in Phase VII were built with full cost recovery, and both projects - consisting of rowhousing and condo units in the $200,000 to $330,000 range - are selling like hotcakes.

For city council to give Homes North a subsidy now would put the city in an impossible position with Highstreet Developments and any other developer who's already proceeded under full cost recovery.

This may put a wrench in Rocher's plans for Kam Lake, but council will lose all credibility if it begins fiddling with development rules it struggled long and hard to pass, despite the above-noted past contribution of our homegrown developer.

Are boys in the Deh Cho being left behind?

That questioned was posed to me over the weekend and although I'm unsure of the answer and its implications, I do know that across the NWT girls and women have more support than ever before.

There was the territory-wide Family Violence Awareness Week. There are prenatal classes, classes for new mothers and in nearly every school, girls are edging out boys academically.

We have had a Status of Women Council of the NWT since 1990, but in those 21 years its counterpart hasn't been formed. Why is that?

The reverse argument is that family violence rates in the NWT are still five times the national average. Three out of four single parents in the territory are women, according to the council, and just two out of our 19 MLAs are women – so why not give girls everything that we can give?

There are enough programs out there; men just need to take advantage of them.

What I say is this: the social problems that plague our communities are fueled by drugs and alcohol, among other things, and we need strong men and women working together to combat them.

There is a need for more shelters, and more protection for families escaping family violence, but there is also a need for a place for the boys to go.

This year's theme for Family Violence Awareness Week was "Calling all men to stand with us! Stop family violence" – but some men need help standing.

On Saturday nights is there a place to turn -- to gather and hang out and talk -- that isn't the bar, the Xbox or the bingo card? The result is that so many men, too many of them, are ending up in trouble and in jail.

After spending an hour at a judo class for students in grades 4 to 7 in Fort Simpson on Saturday morning, it was clear to me that there needs to be more programs created that are catered to boys.

There were girls that attended the class too, and they thrived, but it was amazing seeing how the boys reacted to the activities. They got to play, wrestle, jump around and be horrendously rowdy. There was a strong, kind, male role model there to guide them, and they were in heaven.

I don't know where the solution lies, but I can guess it starts with men. Take initiative, be a role model, volunteer in your community and, perhaps above all else, have the courage to ask for help.

The safety net we've created to support women in the territory is far from perfect, but it's come a long way. Now is the time for us to start helping men.

By the time this paper comes out, the cabinet and premier of the 17th legislative assembly should be selected.

Just prior to Inuvik Drum's press deadline, Yellowknife MLA Bob McLeod was chosen as premier and Nunakput MLA Jackie Jacobson was named Speaker.

We, the public, don't know who voted for who and their reasons why. It's not really clear why this secretive process is such a sacred tradition or why we, the public, can't choose our leader.

Some MLAs have argued that if the public trusted them enough to elect them, shouldn't they trust them enough to choose a leader from among them? That kind of misses the point, however. This is a democracy, or so we like to think. We should be able to choose our own leader.

With party politics, we know if we support this party, then that corresponding person will be the leader.

The candidate can represent territorial or national views as well as local interests.

Inuvik was lucky in the last election that Floyd Roland, from Inuvik, represented the territory. We knew he would always have a little compassion for the Beaufort Delta.

It did work in our favour, but now what? Premier Bob McLeod is not from our area. How will we know that he'll represent us up here?

That's an argument for the current system. If the vote went to the public, wouldn't Yellowknife candidates automatically win because of its population?

Who knows, but that's not really the point. The point is that something is wrong with the system. The constituents, the people, are not happy about it. According to an online poll on the Inuvik Drum website, 72 per cent of respondents want to see the premier on the ballot next to the candidates.

This next assembly should take a look at the election process and what changes they could make, although the likelihood of that happening isn't so positive.

The process worked for them. All we ask for now is to make the process more transparent. Get rid of the secret ballot and give the residents of the NWT enough respect to show us how the vote went.

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