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Forest resources in the NWT comprise approximately 330,000 square kilometres of land -- a little more than twice the size of Newfoundland. Despite that bounty, logging in the territory is not a thriving industry. Currently, only one commercial sawmill operates in the territory and logs on a relatively minuscule 5,000 cubic metres of forest.

Daniel Patterson, whose family owns the aforementioned Patterson Sawmill, says logging is a tough business in the NWT.

As with most industries in the North, the cost of doing business is high and going head to head with larger southern operations is almost impossible without tapping a niche market. Patterson has been able to accomplish the latter by milling lumber for products such as rig or crane mats. Unfortunately, slow land claim negotiations and land withdrawals have limited the amount of logging land available to his operation.

The combination of challenges has Patterson worried about the future of his business but the key to his salvation might not be in the product he sells but in what he throws away. Patterson says he produces about $100,000 worth of waste wood each year -- money he could salvage if there was a wood pellet production facility in the NWT. Selling the waste to southern pellet manufacturing facilities isn't an option due to the cost of shipping.

Presently, pellets used for heating in the territory are purchased in the south. In 2010, a biomass action plan put out by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources identified wood pellets production as an item for action.

Tom Lakusta, manager of forest resources for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said a lot of work has been done to determine the economic and product viability of wood pellet manufacturing in the NWT using Northern-sourced materials.

A project in Checkpoint is examining the viability of producing wood pellets from NWT-sourced material -- paper and cardboard from the dump in Yellowknife, grass, sawdust from Patterson Sawmill in Hay River and clearing residue from the NWT Power Corp. and Department of Transportation projects.

However, back in October, Bryan Pelkey, an alternative energy specialist with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, told the Deh Cho Drum the demonstration project focuses on research and development and, as of yet, there are no plans to open a production plant.

Lakusta said although the government encourages utilizing biomass to help replace fossil fuel he said it will be the job of private business to establish facilities such as wood pellet manufacturing plants.

He added, enough work has been done to determine producing and selling wood pellets in the North is economically viable and that has generated interest with local entrepreneurs. News/North tried to contact one such businessman but he did not return calls by press time. However, Lakusta said the best-case scenario could see a wood pellet manufacturing facility begin production in the territory by next winter.

The territory needs to capitalize on its forest resources. With the abundance of loggable land not only could we produce our own wood pellets but open up much-needed employment opportunities.

As for barriers such as unsettled land claims, Lakusta said they can be overcome with the proper consultation, land protection and employment benefits for NWT communities.

We agree, so let's do it.

The City of Iqaluit is looking at finally enforcing an existing law requiring residents to wear seatbelts, and it has to happen sooner than later.

In the eyes of many Iqalummiut, wearing a seatbelt is a red flag that a person is from the south, or at least not from Iqaluit. That is a stigma that goes with wearing one.

This is, however, setting the city up for a tragedy. Sooner or later, someone is going to get hurt, and that stigma is going to seem pretty silly and may properly go the other way where people not buckling up are seen as putting themselves or, more importantly, their passengers at risk.

Many may argue there isn't any need for the law, especially when the speed limit throughout most of the city is 30 km/h. People can still be badly injured at those speeds.

More and more, Iqaluit is becoming a venue for conferences, and if it wants to become even more of a tourist destination, road safety has to be taken more seriously.

While Iqaluit is the capital of the territory and the largest community, perhaps its time to start enforcing this law across the territory.

As a huge employer of people in the communities, the Government of Nunavut should enforce the policy that requires adherence to all the territories' traffic laws, which includes buckling up. Often government vehicles dominate traffic in smaller communities and these employees should be setting an example.

Buckling up can hardly be argued to be an inconvenience and it's a good habit to get into. Youth who plan to venture down south for school or to live should be in the habit of wearing seatbelts not only for their own safety but to avoid fines southern police will hand out to people who they see aren't strapped in.

It should not be a sudden crackdown. There needs to be a huge public education campaign, involving government and police, to accompany the drive for enforcement. But it needs to happen as soon as possible.

All it takes is for a patch of ice, a distraction, or a drunk driver, to cause a collision. If no one is wearing a seatbelt, the results are going to be dire and then every one will see clearly why the law should be enforced.

It used to be Yellowknife was the place for many Southerners to cut their teeth in whatever profession or trade brought them up here, and then after a few years it was time to leave.

Not so much anymore it seems. Yellowknife is getting older, which means people are staying longer.

According to the city's 2011 draft general plan, the fastest growing age demographic belongs to residents 45 years or older. They make up 30.2 per cent of the city's population. In 2001 that figure was 22.1 per cent. The percentage of those residents who are senior citizens - residents 65 years and older - has doubled during that time to 4.6 from 2.3 per cent.

The evidence as to why more people are staying in Yellowknife past retirement age is scant but it's a safe assumption that it has to do with improving quality of life. Seniors have more reasons to stay, especially if their children are here and starting families of their own.

Thirty years ago there was no Multiplex or Fieldhouse with an indoor running track; developed parks and trails were few and far in between. The price of goods and services were more expensive in comparison to down south. That means a lot to a retiree on a fixed income.

There are more and better health facilities, and supplement health benefits for seniors is simply superior in the NWT compared to other jurisdictions in Canada. It probably surprised the territorial government how vociferous the reaction was to its attempt three years ago to introduce a user pay system. It's hard to imagine seniors putting up that sort resistance 30 years ago. They simply didn't have the numbers.

But now that more seniors are settling in for the long term, the question begs: How do we accommodate them?

There are between 30 and 40 people on the wait list for seniors' housing at Aven Court and Aven Ridge; there are reportedly three or four seniors awaiting accommodations through the Yellowknife Housing Authority, including units at the Mary Murphy Home.

The demand for seniors' housing is bound to grow, as it will for other services seniors use. This will put further pressure on the city and territorial government, which are already facing difficulties managing escalating costs.

The onus is on them to make sure we're prepared as Yellowknife begins to grey.

Anticipation was high in the city for the premiere this week of CBC's latest television drama, set right here in Yellowknife for the most part.

Was it going to flatter us or slag us? Would it offer a fair portrayal of Yellowknife's flying community or prove itself to be utter bunk?

From our point of view, the season premiere of Arctic Air indulges Canadian viewers with a bit of harmless fun.

Seasoned pilots and veterans of Northern air travel may take exception to all the high-air antics and May Day emergencies crammed into the first episode but hey, that's television.

It was a bit strange to suggest Yellowknife is a boomtown that will rival the size of Calgary in 20 years but if Vancouver producers want to show a Yellowknife to the world that is successful and prosperous, and a good place to invest and visit, we won't protest.

Arctic Air has taken several local filmmakers and actors under its wing, and is spending money here producing the series. This is all very encouraging for our city's fledgling film industry, just as it was to have two reality shows based in Yellowknife over the last five years, Ice Road Truckers and Ice Pilots NWT.

CBC confirmed yesterday that it had broke records Tuesday with 1.05 million viewers. Hopefully, that translates into a bumper crop of tourists and future residents all eager to follow the limelight now showcasing our city.

A question that people often ask at this time of the year concerns what lies ahead for them in the next 12 months.

When you scale that question up to the level of the Drum it can be rephrased as: what does 2012 hold for the Deh Cho region? It's a point to ponder that deserves consideration.

What immediately becomes apparent is that there are few certainties. Think of any large-scale event that you are expecting to happen and it's easy to point out eventualities that would put a hitch in the plan.

One of the more obvious examples, at least by scale, is the Deh Cho Bridge. When 2011 was still new, many people expected to see the completion of the bridge before the end of the year. Those hopes were dashed with the announcement that the bridge was behind schedule.

The latest word is that the bridge will open in the fall of this year and will cost $192 million, $10 million more than the previous figure. Given its track record for not meeting deadlines, residents of Fort Providence and the rest of the NWT will be forgiven if they aren't holding their breaths in anticipation of driving across the bridge this fall.

Another area to consider is the economic opportunities the Deh Cho will meet in 2012. When focusing on Fort Simpson, Kirby Groat, the president of the Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce, said he's upbeat about the future. Groat's comment was primarily based on the economic spin-offs that a fully operational Prairie Creek Mine would deliver.

In early December, the Canadian Zinc Corporation overcame one hurdle in opening the mine when the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board ruled that an environmental impact review isn't necessary and the project should proceed to the regulatory phase for approvals.

Anyone waiting with their resume in hand, however, should note that any one of a handful of responsible ministers at the federal and territorial level could order a review, not to mention a variety of other factors that will have to fall in place in order for the mine to ramp up to production.

Finally, there's the political scene. Anyone who predicts that once again there will be a lot of talk about the Dehcho Process but little headway made is probably on the right track. A number of major issues still have to be resolved before the process will be anywhere near an agreement-in-principal.

These glimpses into the year ahead for the Deh Cho suggest that for the most part it will be business, so to speak, as usual. If there are any major developments they will likely come from unexpected quarters.

Who hasn't stopped to admire the sun in the past few days when the clouds have cleared?

Have you ever seen anything so splendid? A four-hour sunrise/set of golds, purples, pinks and deepest blues, all with the orange orb at the centre of everything. How beautiful is it?

It's amazing how distance really does make the heart grow fonder. A month without the sun has made strangers rejoice over its reappearance and made newcomers appreciate the strength that is needed to survive those darkest weeks.

It may not be completely dark all day, with clouds blocking even the strongest rays trying to peep over the horizon, but it's definitely nice to welcome back the sun.

And what a welcome. Saturday's Sunrise Festival celebrated everything needed to survive December when the sun left Inuvik: community spirit, outdoor activities and artificial light. The pancake breakfast had a great showing and support from volunteers, while the outdoor activities kept kids busy during the first daylight hours in weeks and the fireworks and bonfire were spectacular! That massive fire seemed almost like a pagan-ritual – a worship of the sun and its heat. Kudos to all who helped bring this celebration together.

What's nice is how the return of the sun ties in with the new year and end of the holidays. It's like a renewal, a chance to start over. The sun has returned and so have hopes, dreams and resolutions to improve.

Take this time of returning light to look around for a clearer view of your community and life – what's changed over the past few months? What could do with a change? If the new year isn't motivation enough for improvement, maybe the return of the sun is.

Sunrise resolutions? They could be easier to hold to.

Thanks, Inuvik

Hello Inuvik! Your Inuvik Drum editor Samantha Stokell here. I'd just like to say thank you for taking the time to share your stories and answer my questions. I've learned a lot about the community and met some incredible people.

It's because of the people here that, while I'm leaving the Inuvik Drum, I won't be leaving the community. The past nine months have been a great experience and I'm looking forward to being able to participate in the many activities of Inuvik, not just observe and report on them.

I'd also like to introduce your new interim editor, Katherine Hudson. She originally hails from Halifax, N.S., but has spent the past year working at News/North in Yellowknife. She'll be here to tell your stories, so please be kind!

Thanks again and see you around town.

The roads should be safer in the NWT in 2012, thanks to the Department of Transportation's ban on hand-held electronic devices while driving.

The legislation, which imposes a $115 fine and three demerit points for any driver caught using devices such as cellphones, Mp3 players and laptops, came into effect Jan. 1.

Just because digital technologies allow us to communicate at most times in most places, it doesn't mean we have to.

Driving is a complicated activity and thus the driver's seat is no place for multi-tasking.

Anyone who has watched or participated in Dene hand games recognizes that the sport requires players to make quick decisions while monitoring and responding to a complex system of rapidly changing signals. Surely hand game players attempting to win the game as they listen to someone recite a shopping list or respond to texts about the latest celebrity gossip will suffer a disadvantage and probably fail miserably in their task.

Drivers require the same level of engagement and attention as hand game players, but on the road there is a lot more at stake.

While Yellowknifer applauds the government's ban on hand-held devices, we wonder if the legislation didn't go far enough. Perhaps the territory should look to Saskatchewan's model, where young and new drivers are banned from using even hands-free cell phone devices as part of the province's Graduated Licensing Program.

Typically, young people are the heaviest users of the latest communication gadgets, talking, texting and Googling during all parts of the day and night. We should anticipate that computers will become more and more integrated into their daily lives. We must remind the next generation of new drivers that the driver's seat is a unique space with special responsibilities.

No matter how convenient or accessible digital communication technologies become, there is no allowance for distraction behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.

The vision is for a green estate-residential development at Grace Lake, which would arguably become Yellowknife's first suburb.

City hall pulled out all the stops - LEED rating, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and sets strict standards for mechanical design and construction material, a minimum rating of 85 under the EnerGuide for New Homes system, R-2000, water-saving devices, grey water recycling, energy audits, light-pollution restrictions, solar-facade requirements and more.

The development would likely result in stick-built homes starting at $500,000 in an upscale waterfront community. It all sounds good, except for the lack of balance.

The vision had been included in the city's general plan for 2011, a document which identifies areas for future growth and is intended to result in orderly development.

First city councillor Cory Vanthuyne, late last year, and then Coun. Mark Heyck last week, criticized the strict environmental regulations, leading the city to rethink its stance.

Vanthuyne referred to the last council's handling of Phase VII of the Niven Lake development, which resulted in such heavy-handedness in regulations that the proposed costs scared developers away.

"I think we have the potential to have a great waterfront community here, but I think we could potentially ruin it if we regulate eco-energy requirements," Vanthuyne said.

Heyck thought a better place for such restrictions were in a development scheme or the zoning bylaw. Both councillors are correct in saying the general plan is too broad of an instrument to micromanage these kinds of developments. Although green initiatives are philosophically popular, specifically mandating them in a planning tool goes too far.

Council's move to remove the strict environmental regulations for Grace Lake from the general plan opens the door for future developers to gauge the market for potential buyers before proceeding.

That's when the balancing act between environmental issues and economic considerations should happen.

No matter how you feel about seeing southern workers on Kivalliq job sites, there can be no denying the effort a good many of them have been making lately to give a little something back to the community.

Not only is that a good thing, but it's also the way things should work most of the time.

We all know these companies make darn good money plying their various trades in our region, and their employees, in the vast majority of cases, make darn good wages with a qamutiik full of benefits to boot.

And, as much as it can pain us to admit it, we also know deep down inside we're still at the point in our territory's development where we need these outfits.

An argument can certainly be made that there's a fair amount of responsibility on the part of, for example, mining companies that plan to be here for decades to ensure they contribute to a community's infrastructure and overall good health while doing business in our region.

In fact, such arrangements should be vigorously pursued by our Regional Inuit Association while hammering out negotiations with such companies, and that's on and above local employment, Inuit content and monies paid to be working the land.

If they weren't making money, they wouldn't be here, so it's only right some of that profit remains here in the form of tangible benefits long after they leave.

Smaller companies, only here for a couple of years, are a

different story, however.

Many are subcontracting their work through a bigger, more well-known outfit in the territory.

Though still lucrative, their profit margins are more narrow and they don't have the same long-term vested interest in our territory's success.

In short, it's harder to argue their contributions to our communities are expected.

They could, like many who came before them, simply complete their work (some much better than others), collect their stipend and be on their way.

Many wouldn't even notice at the end of the day, if we're going to be completely truthful about this.

How many Nunavummiut could name the southern companies conducting work in their community at any given time?

Yet, more and more of these companies are taking the steps on their own to contribute to our communities.

Not only does this establish good will among those who truly care about our own communities, but they, more often than not, benefit our youth.

In no area is this more true than sports.

Now, please excuse me if you couldn't care less about sports, but this is about the many youth in our region who do and who benefit from these acts.

There are numerous areas that have been, or that could be, helped, including hockey, soccer, volleyball, gymnastics equipment -- the list goes on and on.

No matter how you look at it, donations, big or small, help youth participate and benefit from the positive atmosphere sports provide.

Idle hands are the devil's workshop, and every youth who benefits from an act of kindness takes a giant leap away from the dark side of life.

And that's something we all benefit from when these companies lend a helping hand.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.