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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.

The federal government should look to the GNWT for advice on relationship building with aboriginal leaders. A Jan. 24 gathering between hundreds of chiefs and federal ministers and officials seemed to indicate Ottawa was ready to push for real reform in federal policy and possibly make amendments to the controversial Indian Act.

However, some Northern leaders left the one-day meeting feeling more skeptical than hopeful and few thought the meeting would lead to any significant change. It was little more than a political sideshow.

K'atlodeeche Chief Roy Fabian and Deninu Ku'e Chief Louis Balsillie were two of the more critical Northern leaders following the event.

Balsillie, who did not attend the meeting because he said it would not be a good use of his band's funds, criticized Prime Minister Stephen Harper for ignoring Northern First Nations. He said Harper has not shown any interest in sitting down with aboriginal leaders during past visits to the NWT.

Fabian's belief that the flowery speeches will fall on deaf ears while the status quo remains is likely an accurate opinion. Although Harper stated there will be continued dialogue with aboriginal governments, the Prime Minister's earnestness is lacking considering a date for follow-up meetings was not set.

In addition, his announcement that even a mere progress report will not be forthcoming for another year further demonstrates how far down his priority list the aboriginal community falls.

Unlike the GNWT's demonstrated commitment to meet with territorial aboriginal groups and draft a plan for future communications and partnerships, known as the "aboriginal engagement strategy," the federal government's one-off political charade was simply a public relations exercise.

With that in mind, it is vital First Nations follow the advice of Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus and continue to press for action from Ottawa. It is time for aboriginal groups across Canada to stand with one voice against the federal government.

At the heart of the debate should be the Indian Act and how to either modernize the colonial-era document -- drafted more than a century ago in 1876 -- or scrap it all together.

Aside from being antiquated, paternalistic and arguably racist, the Indian Act is the biggest obstacle to restoring proper autonomy to aboriginal peoples.

Fabian hit the mark when he said the act is hindering progress and preventing change that would not only benefit our first peoples but also Canada as a whole.

"We need to create capacity where we can thrive again, so Canada doesn't have to pay for us," were the chief's heartfelt words.

After 136 years, Canada's aboriginal people should not still be fighting for authority over issues like development or protection of traditional territory, which still requires approval from a federal minister in Ottawa.

Lip service from Ottawa is no longer acceptable; change is long overdue.

It's doubtful anyone was surprised to hear an environmental group in the U.S. is calling for harsh and urgent political action when it heard whispers that the government is allowing more polar bears to be hunted in Western Hudson Bay.

Deputy environment minister David Akeeagok told Nunavut News/North the GN will release statistics next month that will reinforce its stance that the animal's population is healthy. Numbers and hard facts are essential to making decisions on hunt quotas, and releasing them to the public is essential to creating public trust. However, simply releasing these numbers isn't always enough.

The GN must wage a public relations campaign to educate the south and people overseas on the reality of the polar bear situation in Nunavut. If polar bear populations are so healthy that it has become dangerous for humans to even hunt for seals in some communities, that needs to be conveyed. Inuit hunt for sustenance and to make a living, so let's get the word out once again, as vociferously as possible.

The GN should call upon the federal government for support in waging this campaign, because the territorial budget is tight and issues like housing and health care are bound to keep pressure on the territorial purse.

International political pressure against the hunt is often directed at the federal government, and it has a responsibility to defend its Northern residents against unfair criticism of a hunt that offers not only livelihood but also makes communities safer.

The Internet is littered with numerous websites and blog posts espousing a range of opinions on the hunt - from those sympathetic to the Inuit plight while still opposed to the hunt, to those who are downright militant against all hunting in general - and the comments sections of these sites can fill up with heated debate very quickly. Often the arguments are based on emotion, not relying on fact.

It's easy to take a photo of a majestic polar bear, talk about reduced sea ice, and paint a grim picture of the survival of this species, but these are very dangerous beasts with which Nunavummiut share their living space. Their pelts are also a good source of money in a place where income doesn't always come that easy.

Of course the bears' population must be safe-guarded and the hunt must be sustainable, that's in the best interest of all Inuit. Yet the GN must not forget the power of public perception and the international outcry that can force governments to change policy. If its decision on raising the quota is backed up by facts, they need to publicize those details nationally and internationally to counter the sensationalism stirred up by some conservation groups.

Residents of Northland Trailer Park are running out of options and falling into a deeper hole by the week.

That might be the good news because at least now we know the bottom is finally in sight. There is no Hail Mary pass from the federal or territorial government coming to the 1,100 people who call the trailer park home.

Ottawa is refusing to provide Northland with any money to cover the estimated $20 million needed to replace the trailer park's aging water and sewer lines. The territorial government won't offer an interest-free loan, or any loan for that matter. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation stopped insuring mortgages for Northland homes in April 2010.

That leaves two players on the field: the owners of the 258 Northland homes and city council.

City councillors David Wind and Amanda Mallon, members of an informal infrastructure committee looking at the Northland issue, are encouraging trailer owners to agree to a municipal local improvement tax. They argue that real estate values will recover once an agreement is signed, and if home owners are having a hard time with the payments - currently estimated at $455 a month - at least they would have a better chance of selling their homes, which is just about impossible right now.

The $455 monthly tax, on top of $220 monthly condo fees, may sound like a lot of money but even with those added costs, Northland will remain one of Yellowknife's most affordable neighbourhoods. People will buy homes there providing the uncertainty over the water and sewer comes to end.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem strongly hinted to Yellowknifer this week that the monthly payments required may be much lower. One way to lower the cost would be to forgo the need for repaving the roads after the pipes have been replaced, which it's estimated will save $4 million.

One thing the city can't do is ask residents outside of Northland to help shoulder the costs. Northland's troubles date back to the trailer park's inception in 1971 when the city agreed to transfer the land to its original owner, Al Marceau. The trailer park sits on private land and even after it changed hands and lots were sold to individual owners and a condominium board was formed, not enough money was put aside to make the necessary repairs. Condo fees were as low as $65 a month just 10 years ago.

The existing predicament may seem unfair to owners who purchased trailers after condo fees starting going up and infrastructure problems began to grow more urgent but Northland's status as a private trailer park means it would be "totally impossible" to pay for repairs with taxpayers' money, the mayor says.

This means the ball is in Northland's court. It's up to homeowners there to decide, and 66 per cent of them are needed to approve the local improvement tax.

Many Northland residents have a history of not taking part in territorial or municipal elections. This is one vote they best not avoid.

The title of a new workshop developed by the NWT Mine Training Society, So You Want to Work in the Mines, cuts straight to the point.

The society is presenting this workshop in four communities in the Deh Cho this week, including Fort Simpson, Nahanni Butte, Fort Liard and Jean Marie River. It's to be hoped attendance at the workshop is higher in the other communities than it was in Fort Simpson.

In the village, the first community where the workshop was held, only nine people attended. Many of those nine were there because their jobs with the territorial government are related to the work the society is doing.

More people in the Deh Cho should be asking themselves if they want to work in the mines. As Candy Brown, a career assessment officer with the society, pointed out, mining is one of the fastest growing industries in the North.

Not only are there jobs in the diamond mines outside of Yellowknife, there are also existing mines, new mines coming on line and proposed mines in the Yukon and Nunavut. Considering the current employment opportunities in most Deh Cho communities, it only makes sense for people to at least give a thought as to whether working at a mine is for them.

As Brown also noted, working at a mine isn't all about being underground or driving giant dump trucks. Mines require everything from cooks to electricians to cleaning staff to environmental monitors.

Apart from the fact that the Deh Cho doesn't have a lot of other current large-scale job opportunities, residents should also be paying attention to this workshop because of what may lie ahead for the region.

If Canadian Zinc Corporation's Prairie Creek Mine opens, it will create approximately 220 full-time jobs. The company has targeted minimum employment levels of 35 to 40 per cent Northern residents and 15 to 25 per cent aboriginal residents. It would be a waste if those percentages aren't met and the jobs go to people from outside of the region or the territory.

Now is the time for Deh Cho residents to consider if they want to work in the mines. Residents should be taking full advantage of upcoming workshops and training offered by the Mine Training Society so they are in the best possible position to capitalize on existing mining jobs in other areas and ones that may someday exist in the region.

Working in the mines won't be for everyone, but for some Deh Cho residents it could be the path to a bright career.

Athletes across the NWT put their strength and skills into sport this past weekend during the territorial trials for the upcoming Arctic Winter Games.

For all, it is critical to grasp the rules and technique of the sport, and train both body and mind for the challenge of competition.

For a modest number, part of training is to understand the meaning of the games, where they came from and why they are important.

This fact was no clearer than in Inuvik this weekend as youth competed in Arctic sports – the skills which are founded in survival and the demands of living on the land.

Strength games such as the head pull, the triple jump and the knuckle hop are games that represent building physique but also heighten pain resistance – a skill to match the cold temperatures of the Arctic.

The high kicks, or agility games, were played to help develop hunting skills. To hunt an animal, the hunter need to be quiet, stealth and able to move extremely quickly.

In the spirit of these traditional games, camaraderie is at the forefront. It doesn't matter which community the athletes come from, coaches and participants and spectators help ensure the games are carried out to the best of the athlete's ability. Competition in the trials this weekend was significant, but it did not stop the athletes from whispering words of encouragement to each other when the first kick didn't hit the mark, or following the man doing the knuckle hop – his face red with pain and deliberation and entirely focused on the path ahead – and cheering him on, telling him he can go on a little bit further.

Families watched the games this weekend from the circumference of the gym at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School while children played away from the competition.

The Arctic sports allow spectators to encourage their friends and younger ones to watch in awe and learn the ropes – to eventually take part in the games themselves.

It is through watching, encouraging, and listening to the coaches and the older athletes that the knowledge of the culture the games encompass can be passed on.

Hearing the stories of the games makes seeing them before your eyes mean so much more, and although the trials for a large-scale competition are at stake, the real lesson is clear: to keep the games alive by having a good time, understanding the roots of the sports and doing the best you can.

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