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While we were commending the GNWT's efforts to engage aboriginal groups last week, the Gwich'in Tribal Council was launching a court action against the territorial government's push for a devolution agreement.

The tribal council has based its case on a perceived lack of communication between the GNWT and the First Nation in regard to the devolution agreement-in-principle and the shaping of a final devolution agreement.

To open the second session of the legislative assembly, Premier Bob McLeod defended his government's efforts to engage aboriginal governments. He once again cited the number of meetings the GNWT has held in recent months and the Dettah gathering where aboriginal leaders and the legislative assembly met following the Oct. 3 election. He also emphasized the need to push forward with the devolution agenda, reiterating that every day the NWT spends without a final agreement is costing the territory $165,000. McLeod also insisted the government is "inviting all parties to participate" and is ensuring all parties are kept "apprised of the process and any discussions that happen."

Devolution will be the battlefield where the premier's resolve to improve the GNWT's relationship with aboriginal groups will truly be tested. The Gwich'in Tribal Council's court action -- and the support it has received from other aboriginal groups such as the Akaitcho and Dene Nation -- proves not enough has been done to consult with First Nations on the issue. Indeed, coming to an agreement that will satisfy everyone is unlikely, but a consensus must be reached.

Not having a devolution agreement in place might be costing the territory money but we must balance that cost with the cost of legal battles and irreparably damaging relationships with groups such as the Gwich'in.

Here is an opportunity for the premier to put his money where his mouth is and demonstrate he is willing to go beyond meetings and promises and engage aboriginal governments when it counts.

After 10 years the Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council in Aklavik has finally held an election. It's good to see the renewal of the democratic process for the aboriginal government but its unwillingness to be open about the election process is concerning.

Despite numerous requests, the election's returning officer refused to supply News/North with a list of candidates and only after repeated prodding were we given a list of the new council.

The election was spurred when a petition was submitted protesting the decade-long term of then president Charlie Furlong.

At that time, Aklavik Chief Danny Greenland was extremely critical of the situation. However, after being elected to the Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council he also declined to comment about the election process or the goals of the new council.

To be effective, democracy must be open and transparent and in that vein the Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council should come out publicly with its election bylaws so the public will know by what rules the council is governed.

With one jail in Iqaluit sometimes overflowing to beyond double its capacity and another jail opening in Rankin Inlet that is bound to be immediately filled, how can Nunavut expect to handle the influx of inmates a new federal crime bill will undoubtedly create?

According to Justice Minister Daniel Shewchuk, during his appearance earlier this month in front of the Senate committee tasked with reviewing the bill, the Baffin Correctional Centre (BCC) was built for 48 inmates and now holds close to 100 - a point where Shewchuk says safety of staff and inmates has become a concern. That point was already raised in 2010 by former fire marshal Tony Noakes, who maintains he was fired for speaking out. The new 48-bed jail in Rankin Inlet will alleviate existing pressure, but neither facility is prepared for the mandatory jailing of many offenders who, while this bill is not yet in effect, have other options.

Shewchuk said it costs about $200 per day per inmate in jail, and the average stay of an inmate is 12 to 14 months. Under the pending legislation, at least 35 more inmates who received house arrest would have been incarcerated in 2010. According to Shewchuk's numbers, that alone would cost about $3 million.

Shewchuk said 60 per cent of prisoners in BCC are being held awaiting court decisions on their cases, and there are two more judges in the works for the territory. The additional support on the bench will alleviate some of the pressure, but Shewchuk told senators the impact won't be nearly enough to counteract the bill, which will remove the option of house arrest for those guilty of break and enters or producing marijuana, for example.

The territory needs more money to make adjustments. If the federal government doesn't give the GN more cash to handle its new legislation, Shewchuk said this bill will divert funds to incarceration from rehabilitative and preventative programming. This is not a direction the territory wants to go.

Alcoholism is at the root of Nunavut's high crime rates, and it's been proven very often that it is not a problem solved by time in jail. The addicted need treatment and professional help to eliminate their addictions. Victims of domestic violence need support to help them heal, and to help stop what can be a cyclical problem. Those with mental health issues need medical help, not to be warehoused in an overcrowded cell.

From a social aspect, this bill will do nothing to stop criminal behaviour. It might be rational to think a stiffer sentence would dissuade a potential offender from breaking the law, but usually a person is not thinking rationally when committing a serious crime.

If the territory is to jail its troubled people, it must be given resources so it can do so without cancelling its existing rehabilitative and preventative programming, which really needs to be expanded upon.

Hopefully the senate committee saw this and will remember it when suggesting amendments to the bill.

How does a Crown prosecutor justify a sex offender being released on the streets after his conviction?

In the case of Anthony Griep, we cannot tell you. We can only tell you Griep was released by Judge Bernadette Schmaltz after pleading guilty and was let go until he is to be sentenced with no objection from the crown.

The Crown prosecutors' office could not be reached to explain its willingness to have Griep await his punishment outside of a jail cell.

Griep, 25, is guilty of having grabbed a woman on the Frame Lake Trail on June 5, 2008, pulling her into the bushes and sexually assaulting her. The guilty party remained a mystery until April 2011 when police obtained a DNA sample from Griep following his arrest for an unrelated offence.

The sexual assault, as disturbing as it was, could result in up to 10 years of imprisonment.

Were that the extent of his criminal behaviour, it would be enough of an argument that Griep should not be roaming the streets until a judge sentences him, regardless of conditions to report to the RCMP a few times per week. Then, last November, Griep was fined $300 for failing to attend court. Continuing with his abysmal track record, he was in court again on Jan. 31 to be sentenced for uttering threats.

It turns out that he was busy last November, as that's also when he made a threat on Facebook to rape an acquaintance's mother. For this too he was fined $300 and given nine months probation.

However, he was still allowed to walk out of the courtroom until his March 6 sentencing for the Frame Lake Trail sexual assault.

We can only hope his victim does not come face to face with him on a city sidewalk.

It's clear to us this individual has not earned the right to enjoy his freedom, even with limitations. We'd like to hear from the Crown prosecution or the courts how it could be viewed any other way.

For more than 25 years, the NWT tourism industry has promoted our territory to Japanese travellers as an aurora viewing vacation destination. Chinese travellers are also now being courted by at least one area business.

Yellowknife Tours, a two-year-old tour company whose employees are fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, has hosted about 200 Chinese guests who travelled from Hong Kong, Beijing and other parts of Canada.

It might be time for the rest of the NWT tourism industry to broaden its reach in Asia.

In 2007, then premier Joe Handley and a GNWT delegation visited China to pitch aurora tourism, though NWT Tourism has not dedicated funds to developing a sustained Chinese-oriented marketing campaign.

It might be time for NWT Tourism to broaden its reach in Asia.

In 2008, perhaps due in part to competition from Alaska's aggressive marketing of aurora tourism in Asia and direct flights from Tokyo to Fairbanks, visitors to Yellowknife declined for the first time since the 2001-2002 season.

Shifts in Japanese tourism numbers won't be felt as acutely if the territory attracts increasing numbers of Chinese visitors in coming years.

Yellowknife businesses and entrepreneurs that benefit from tourism, including hotels, restaurants, tour guides, gift shops, art galleries and even individual artists, do not have to wait for the government to launch a Chinese marketing campaign to act.

Businesses such as the Gallery of the Midnight Sun in Old Town have worked hard in recent years to welcome Japanese patrons in their own language.

The tourism industry can follow Yellowknife Tour's lead by reaching out to Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking visitors, as well.

It's always interesting to see what's new at Deh Gah School in Fort Providence.

The school always seems to have new and often times unique programs in the offering. The latest program to emerge at the school is no exception.

In January, Deh Gah School started its alternative high school program. The program is aimed at young adults ages 18 to 23 who haven't achieved their high school diploma for a variety of reasons.

Through the program, the school is offering students a completely customizable way of working towards their career and education goals. Participants can aim to achieve their Grade 12 equivalency or they can start with something smaller such as getting their driver's licence.

How the participants go about reaching their goals is also flexible. Students can come to the school every afternoon and work in a classroom environment or they can choose to do their schoolwork at home and bring it in once a week for a check-in.

The program's two teachers are seemingly willing to shape the program in whatever way necessary to help participants succeed.

The other Deh Cho communities with high schools and educators across the territory should be taking note of the program and following its progress.

It's nice to think that with the support offered in normal high schools that students will graduate Grade 12 with their peers or at least shortly later. Experience, however, shows that this is often not the case.

For a variety of reasons there is a population of young adults in the Deh Cho and the North who haven't completed at least high school. The reasons they don't have their diplomas vary. For some, problems with literacy or academic difficulties are responsible.

Some didn't have the motivation at the time to finish their necessary courses. For others, life simply happened and barriers made completing high school unattainable.

Programs such as the alternative high school in Fort Providence are a way to reach out to that population and help them to achieve their potential that might otherwise be underdeveloped and wasted. One of the best parts of the program is participants get to choose what they are looking to achieve. If getting their driver's licence is their initial goal and they achieve it, just imagine what other goals might stem from that.

Young adults who haven't finished high school are still valuable resources for their communities and every effort, such as alternative high school programs, should be made to help them develop and reach their goals.

One week later, the charred house on Gwich'in Road still gives off the bitter smell of burnt wood. One week later, the fire department is instilling new proactive measures to ensure they are prepared for what the frigid climate dishes out to them. One week later and the town of Inuvik, once again, has rallied to the aid of those lives left in shambles.

The temperatures caused a harsh working environment for the firefighters who had to deal with a frozen hydrant and a frozen pumper. Some residents might be perplexed by the fact that, for a window of time, water was unavailable to fight a fire.

It is important to note, however, firefighters deal with an array of conditions making it difficult to contain fires quickly – harsh winds, downed live wires, the location of a house in relation to other obstacles, and freezing temperatures.

Extenuating circumstances beyond anyone's control, such as a winterized hydrant locking up in the cold, come with the territory of the Arctic. Faith should not be lost in the department, which attends every call – no matter how many are false.

The fire department can always be counted on to get to the scene of a fire and, before attempting to save a house, save lives.

The community, in turn, can always be counted on to be there to pick its people up when they fall. One day after the volcanic-looking cloud billowed above Inuvik, cast up from the raging fire on Gwich'in Road, organizations throughout the town were making phone calls and sending e-mails and the donations started rolling in.

The generosity and support flows naturally, like a coping mechanism; as if there's no question this is where the energies of the town must be invested.

It happened last week and it happened in October's devastating house fire – the community gathered together for those left homeless by fire.

Being a close-knit town, the connections are strong between people. A victim of a fire is not just a victim, but someone's relative, someone's co-worker and someone people recognize on the street or in the grocery store.

It's through these actions that the survivors realize the true meaning of the word "community" and can take that first step away from a taxing event. The support of their neighbours helps them move forward.

After 12 years on the job, Gord Van Tighem will end his reign at city hall this fall as the most successful mayor in our city's history.

Not even the colourful Fred Henne, who presided over the city in three different decades, had the sort of winning knack that Van Tighem did.

After only eight years in Yellowknife, the former banker made his first run at the mayor's seat in 2000 and bucked the natural law of small-town politics by beating two-term incumbent and lifelong Yellowknifer Dave Lovell.

That was followed by two acclamations and a stunning 74 per cent victory over two challengers in his last election in 2009.

He suffered one significant defeat, the voters' rejection last year of the city's plan to borrow up to $49 million to build a district energy system to heat the downtown core.

All in all though, it has been a very successful run. If Van Tighem viewed the lost referendum as his signal to call it a day, he can count on a long list of milestones and achievements to elevate his mayoralty: the construction of two major facilities, the Multiplex and Fieldhouse; the development of Niven Lake, and perhaps most importantly, Yellowknife's transformation from gold town to diamond capital, despite a lack of assistance from the GNWT in building upon the latter title. Oddly enough, it's not leadership that defines Van Tighem's success but rather his ability to facilitate.

City council was much more conservative during his first two terms. When a majority of councillors wanted balanced budgets with no tax increases, even if it meant program and service cuts, Van Tighem merrily slashed away with them.

When a perception arose that council was too developer-friendly and didn't care enough about greenspace, parks and trails, Van Tighem sidestepped the fate of other councillors who went on to drop out or lose their seats and he became the greenest mayor this city even saw.

It is with a deft hand that Van Tighem rules. Good luck to any who wish to emulate it.

It's tough to make progress in the face of confrontation.

The Yellowknives Dene are protesting against plans by the territorial Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to allow more cabin leases on land north of the Ingraham Trail.

Former Ndilo chief Fred Sangris is adamant that land proposed for cabin leases "still belongs to the Yellowknives Dene."

"Before any of you buy any of the titles, don't do it," Sangris told about 65 people who gathered at Northern United Place Feb. 1 for a public meeting to hear from people about the government's plan to allow more cabin leases.

We recognize the Yellowknives Dene claim to the land but wonder whether best efforts are being taken to manage the resource.

Among the complaints raised by Sangris, and Tlicho First Nation member Michael Black, who lives in Ndilo and operates a trapline in the area, is that non-Dene recreational users trespass and "Ski-Doo all over the place. There's no respect for the lands, or for anything." Black told Yellowknifer that 25 traps were stolen from his trapline near the eastern shore of Prosperous Lake last week.

Sangris said, "If people want to go out and enjoy our lands, then they should consult with us first."

Is there is a mechanism in place for communication by recreational users with the Yellowknives Dene? Further, what about the existing cabin leaseholders? Why, we wonder, are lease payments going to the GNWT instead of to the Yellowknives Dene?

Perhaps Sangris and Black would get more support for their position if they approach situations such as these with less of a confrontational attitude and more of a desire for meaningful dialogue.

Best intentions are all well and good, but things can go terribly astray when they're not very well thought out.

The same is true when the purveyor of those best intentions doesn't take human nature into account.

And, as shocking as it might be to some in the North, the term human nature applies to us all.

The good folks at Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and those in charge of the Nutrition North program should have a close eye on the situation unravelling in Coral Harbour concerning the Southampton Island caribou herd.

Those behind the airline decision to offer $1.50 per kg in cargo rates to ship country food around Nunavut probably thought it would allow families to help each other.

They also may have thought some folks would want to lend a helping hand and send country food to places without much right now, like in and around the Iqaluit area.

Unfortunately, however, the aforementioned human nature kicked in and precious few things distort some people's ability to reason than the chance to make money, ethical or otherwise.

So now we have the entire Southampton herd being pushed to extinction by one of the darker traits of human nature - greed.

Yes, hunting caribou to make a fast buck would be fine if the herd was healthy. And the outbreak of disease is primarily responsible for the rapid decline of the island herd's population and its prospects of survival.

That's not the point.

The herd is not healthy and its numbers are in rapid decline.

For the vast majority of island residents, the issue is now about just wanting to ensure they can continue to put food on their table.

It must be a bitter pill to swallow, knowing a handful of neighbours are pushing you toward a harder life every time they pull the trigger for a buck.

And that's just one example of the complexity of this issue.

When it suits our purpose - that is, when things are going well - we have no shortage of folks willing to tell the rest of the world how efficient we are when it comes to managing wildlife.

But when things take a turn for the worst, run for cover and don't come out until you have an explanation that absolves your department, group or organization of any and all blame for the collapse.

Let's pretend for a moment there isn't a single person at any level of government, in our top land claim organization or business community who sees the potential for abuse with low shipping rates for country food. Let's also pretend we live in a perfect world where everyone only looks at the health benefits and sharing of food, and no one sees the chance of making a good buck from shipping meat cheaply.

That still doesn't excuse "partners" who haven't done much effective managing lately, and who seem intent on sitting on the sidelines as the herd disappears one shipped package of meat at a time.

What's the good of Inuit hunters having the right to dispose freely of any wildlife lawfully harvested, if that right means a minority of people profit at the expense of a herd's survival and a community's wellbeing?

It's time the partners did a little proper managing, before a small group of hunters write a cheque the majority of people on Southampton Island can't afford to cash.

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