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Last year, after a young girl came a heartbeat away from drowning at Long Lake Beach in Fred Henne Territorial Park, a Yellowknifer editorial pointed to statistics showing why lifeguards should be reinstated.

Considering last week's tragedy it seems worthwhile repeating them. According to the Lifesaving Society of Canada, 500 people drown in Canada each year. Drowning is the second leading cause of death for children under 10, and 65 per cent of children younger than five were alone when they drowned. Of all drowning deaths, 59 per cent of the victims were engaged in recreational activities.

At the end of the editorial we argued since, it was an election year at city hall, the lack of lifeguards at Long Lake ought to be a campaign issue. Alas, nary a word was uttered as far as we can tell. And now the inevitable has happened. Seven-year-old Lodune Shelley was around the same age as the girl who nearly drowned last year, as were the three children who were rescued from Long Lake by a pair of older girls in 2003 - the first summer the beach went unsupervised.

But unlike those before him, there was no narrow escape for Lodune. He is dead, gone forever, and his family is shattered beyond grief.

Ten years ago we were told the issue was not related to cost nor the territorial government's liability should someone drown while a lifeguard was present at the beach. Indeed, Phil Lee, the former North Slave superintendent for parks under the old department of Resources, Wildlife, and Economic Development, insisted it was not a lack of will preventing Long Lake Beach from being staffed with lifeguards but a scarcity of lifeguards from the city who were qualified. The city, which supplied the lifeguards from Ruth Inch Memorial Pool, didn't have anyone who could work at the beach, which requires a special open water certification.

But things changed the following year. Suddenly, Lee was saying it was territorial government liability at issue, even while then-mayor Gord Van Tighem insisted it had the lifeguards the territorial government needed.

The true reason for the about-face, however, is revealed in the legislative assembly's Hansard from May 27, 2004 when Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins questioned Brendan Bell, the minister responsible for parks at the time, about the GNWT's new-found aversion to providing beach-goers with lifeguards.

The government had taken over responsibility for lifeguards at the beach from the city some years before. Until 2004, it had split the costs evenly with the city. The city's insistence on seeking "full-cost recovery" that year was a deal-breaker for the GNWT, Bell insisted.

The cost of providing lifeguards for a season? Twenty-one thousand dollars. The government offered the city $15,000 but that wasn't enough for the city, according to Bell.

So because the city and territorial government couldn't come to an agreement over the remaining $6,000 - out of the millions of dollars in programming they do each year -- lifeguard services came to an end at Long Lake Beach. Nine years later it remains the case, and now a Yellowknife family is putting to rest their seven-year-old son. The irony that both Bell and Hawkins worked as lifeguards at Long Lake before going into politics will probably not mean much to them.

We will never know if having lifeguards at Long Lake last Thursday would have saved Lodune Shelley's life but as Hawkins attests, lifeguards, unlike most parents and caregivers, are trained to watch for signs of drowning, which are not always obvious to people, and can whistle swimmers back to shore when there is trouble. They are also trained in CPR.

On Friday, Mayor Mark Heyck told Yellowknifer the city is willing to re-examine the issue. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, now under Kam Lake MLA David Ramsay who we were told was not available for comment, was less forthcoming.

Back in 2004, Ramsay led Yellowknife MLAs in drafting a letter to Bell calling on him to come up with the additional money needed to pay for lifeguards. He agreed that responsibility for lifeguards should be transferred back to the city, but he didn't want to see another summer go by without them.

"It could prove to be a bad thing not to have lifeguards there, that's for sure," said Ramsay at the time.

How prescient. Now that the shame of it all has come full circle, will he be the politician who finally acts?

If parents in this city have their way, nothing less would be acceptable.

The setting sun transforms the sky into a brilliant orange as I start my stroll around the dusty streets of town.

I walk down the road that leads to the dump and instead of enjoying the moment away from the office, I'm saddened by what I see. Pieces of product packaging, plastic bags and other junk haunt my every step and distract me from enjoying Rankin's beauty.

I keep walking until I come across the Rankin Inlet cemetery and discover it too is not immune from the garbage problem plaguing the hamlet.

Next, I climb the rocky hills in the area where once again I find packaging flying around. There are even a number of large discarded items, including a worn boogie board, on the rocks.

When I get to the dump, I realize part of the reason for the garbage takeover is some areas of the fence surrounding the mounds of discarded items have fallen over.

As a result, lighter pieces of garbage are escaping from the area and rolling toward the water's edge.

The hamlet should look into getting this fixed immediately for the sake of the environment and residents.

The other reason there is so much junk floating around town (and most Rankin residents are aware of this) is that there are no lids for the garbage barrels.

This means every time someone puts out the trash, they're actually providing the birds and other animals with a buffet dinner.

I think the hamlet should work on fixing this issue although, if people want to keep using the barrels, they might have to get creative. Some of the bins have been warped and won't take a one-size-fits-all type lid.

Nonetheless, when they do find a solution, the hamlet may want to institute a rule that requires residents to use a garbage can lid or face the risk of not having the garbage picked up.

This will ensure that residents quickly catch onto the new ways.

In the meantime, I encourage residents to construct their own makeshift lids.

Once these two problems are addressed, residents can take the initiative to stop littering and make an effort to have a cleaner community.

Everyone should also gather together for another big community cleanup.

It will take some time and a lot of bags, but it will be so worth it in the end.

Imagine walking down the roads and not seeing pieces of junk caked into the dirt. What a wonderful sight that would be.

• Miranda Scotland is interim editor of Kivalliq News while editor Darrell Greer is on vacation

The Minister's Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness wrapped up its tour in all regions of the NWT this spring, speaking to the public and gathering advice about how the Department of Heath and Social Services should combat addictions.

This is because what is currently being implemented isn't getting the desired results.

Change is needed, a movement to more traditional methods of healing, not more of the same. Developing more treatment centres such as the Nats'ejee K'eh Treatment Centre on the K'atlodeeche First Nation Reserve near Hay River - which offers addiction awareness programs based on aboriginal values - was one consideration brought forward by NWT residents to the 13-member forum.

While it is well-funded and well-executed, it is not suited to the needs of the 30 communities with substance-abuse issues.

It has a vacancy rate hovering around 50 per cent, presenting an illusion that addiction is not, in fact, ripping families apart in the territory.

In reality, it is not culturally-relevant to a diverse territory, and also, not everyone wants to face their demons surrounded by the walls of the treatment centre.

Allowing people to heal away from the draw of the liquor stores and bootleggers, bringing them back to their traditional roots through community-operated on-the-land programs, holds more value.

Elders help out on the land, leading participants through treks, stories, meal, games, dances and prayers.

They are not compensated for their work, which is something the forum is recommending the health minister consider. These elders do not fit the mould of the academic world but many of them hold knowledge equivalent to or more than that of any degree.

There is currently no value in place for services offered by elders, which is at odds with efforts to strengthen the culture. Elders' skills hold considerable value and paying them for the important work they do is not only fair it shows the people of the NWT that their traditional knowledge has worth.

The forum members have presented their report of recommendations to the health minister. The people of the NWT were asked for their collective knowledge about addictions and the most effective way to prevent these diseases. The people have spoken. It is now time to act. This report must not be allowed to collect dust on a shelf.

James Van Camp is reportedly the first person of Tlicho heritage to become a medical doctor. The 31-year-old from Fort Smith recently graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Alberta and started his residency in rural family medicine in Grande Prairie, Alta.

This is a triumph for Van Camp and the entire NWT. With his strong connection to the North and to his aboriginal culture, Van Camp's goal that he will return to the North to practise medicine will benefit the people of this territory.

Van Camp was candid explaining how he did not always pass tests in school, but that his parents instilled the importance of a good education in him and his siblings. He is a role model to aboriginal youth of what can be achieved when you put your mind to something, no matter how arduous the road to success.

There is a severe shortage of aboriginal physicians in the North, coupled with the fact that aboriginal people's health is historically poorer than other Canadians. Hopefully Van Camp's story will not sit on its own, but be followed by other aboriginal residents who garner these critical skills and return home after their training is complete to care for the people of the NWT.

As Canada Day celebrations are held from coast to coast to coast today, no where is there more reason to feel hope and pride than in Nunavut.

Nunavummiut are poised to recognize the 14th birthday of the formation of the territory during Nunavut Day, on July 9. The amount of progress that has been made since division from the Northwest Territories is simply extraordinary. There are many people who have played significant roles in the development of Nunavut as the land of the Inuit people.

Each of its regions has its own strengths and unique contributions to the territory as a whole. There is a solid mix of traditional hunting, fishing and trapping activities, along with more modern ventures, including a healthy mining, construction, exploration and arts and crafts industries and a robust civil service, which employs hundreds of people in branches of the territorial and federal governments. Although there is still work needed to meet the government employment goals enshrined in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, progress has been made and must continue to be made.

The creation of Nunavut marked the beginning of autonomy for the Inuit people, an opportunity to manage their own destiny and chart a future filled with prosperity and independence. The result is a plethora of Inuit-owned companies which hold dear the teachings of the elders -- to respect the land, to take only what is needed and to experience and take pride in the result of hard work and perseverance.

There are challenges, without a doubt, related to food security, the incidences of substance abuse which lead to addictions, and the need to adapt to more modern technologies.

However, on the occasion of Canada Day this week and the advent of Nunavut Day next week, it is important for Nunavummiut to pause and take stock of the many accomplishments made with an eye to making the territory even stronger in the future.

It is a time to recognize the unique people and lifestyle of the North, the territory's unique system of self-government, a prosperous economy, its continued growth and development, while respecting its history and traditions.

There is much to celebrate.

Michele Childs' guest comment in Wednesday's Yellowknifer advocating for the licensing of cyclists draws attention to the elephant in the room.

With all the focus this summer on bike lanes and the expansion of multi-use paths in the city, nothing has been said about the responsibilities of cyclists. True, there has been an emotional debate concerning the proposed need for bicycle helmets - spurred by the family of a Yellowknife teen who died last summer in a longboarding accident - but the licensing of cyclists has not been a squeaky wheel with this city council.

Considering that the city is spending $1.5 million over the next three years on "streetscaping" plans, which includes trail development for pedestrians and cyclists, not to mention the pilot project coming next month to paint bicycle lanes on Franklin Avenue from Latham Island to 44 Street, it seems only fitting that such endeavours include a discussion on the rules of the road - and sidewalks. This is particularly important when it comes to children's cycling activities. Safety is the paramount consideration but since taxpayers' money is being used to accommodate cyclists, how these civic improvements could be compensated through licensing fees would also seem to be a worthy point of discussion.

It's difficult to give bicycle registration or cyclist licensing a full-hearted endorsement - not until there has been ample discussion on what is most suitable for Yellowknife. Many cities around North America have tried various forms of licensing but have wound up repealing them. Earlier this year, San Diego, Calif., tossed out its bicycle licensing requirement after concluding that registering all bicycles in the city was practically impossible, and similar to helmet laws, was driving down ridership. One is also left wondering what would happen to the occasional unlicensed visitor ambitious enough to pedal to Yellowknife. Will our bylaw department ticket them?

Still, there are issues to consider, particularly as they pertain to Yellowknife. For example, should children, if supervised, be allowed to ride their bicycles on our sidewalks? Should riders undergo competency tests? Many cyclists, particularly children, are observed breaking the rules of the road on a daily basis but cyclists in this city are rarely penalized.

These are all things worth considering as Yellowknife begins setting aside parts of the street for cyclists.

For more than half a century, the Association for Community Living has supported children, youth, and adults with intellectual and other disabilities and their families to achieve independence. The organization assists clients as they pursue productive employment and participate in daily activities alongside their fellow Yellowknifers.

Before the association was established in 1962, many young people with intellectual disabilities were sent south for special needs education, often with their families in tow. Today, clients of all ages participate in job skills and entrepreneurial training, study as part of a literacy program in conjunction with Aurora College, seek independence with help from supported living services, and take part in other personal development opportunities.

Families caring for people with special needs are offered respite support and clients demonstrate their abilities every day by working in a wide variety of jobs.

The association's clients feed and serve diners every year at the popular Abe Miller Summer Cafe, inform residents of coming events by distributing posters as part of a paid poster service, and work hard to contribute to life in Yellowknife.

The association celebrated its milestone anniversary earlier this month with a day-long block party on 53 Street, on June 14. True to its philosophy of inclusion, the association invited everyone to come out to join in the party.

Now that the festive hullabaloo has passed, residents and business owners should continue to remember the work the association and its clients do in this community every day.

For the span of a weekend, Fort Simpson made a significant link with its past.

Liidlii Kue First Nation's first traditional spring gathering from June 21 to 23 reflected a time when the community was a gathering place for people throughout the area. People used to arrive in the spring to celebrate surviving another winter on the trap line and to honour those who didn't.

There are few trappers these days, but just as many people who enjoy gathering together, visiting, watching and participating in a variety of events. By all accounts, the gathering was a marked success. Many Fort Simpson residents took in the activities and the handgames tournament drew in 14 teams including some from as far away as Alberta and the Yukon.

Liidlii Kue First Nation plans to make the gathering an annual event and to add a similar gathering in the fall. Both will be valuable to the community.

Jerry Antoine, a Fort Simpson resident, said the traditions of the Dene people have never been lost. However, they have not always been as strong or prominent as they once were.

Gatherings similar to this one, are extremely important teaching tools. They offer a chance to revive Dene traditions and introduce them to younger generations.

The tea dance on the evening of June 21 was a prime example. It was requested that a traditional tea dance be held before the drum dance. Liidlii Kue First Nation's Chief Minnie Letcher provided a brief explanation for those who had never seen a tea dance before.

The handgames tournament also offered learning opportunities as some young men got their first introduction to a large tournament setting and the call signs used in different communities.

In addition to the cultural benefits, there is also a more modern, economic benefit that derives from holding large gatherings.

People who travel to events need places to stay, things to eat and gas to return to their home communities. Gatherings can become tourist draws and have significant spin-off economic benefits for local businesses.

This was only the first year for the gathering, but already it was well attended. As it becomes an annual event, numbers will likely grow and Fort Simpson will once again be a place to gather and celebrate together.

It's a jungle out there.

To my eternal surprise, my garden plot in the Inuvik Community Greenhouse is proving to be quite the survivor.

Not only are the varied vegetables alive and resisting my black thumb of doom, they're thriving to an embarrassing degree. I say embarrassing because now I have the unenviable task of remembering exactly what I planted, identifying the plants, weeding if necessary, and then harvesting.

Luckily, at least I knew enough to plant the seeds in rough rows, which at least means there will be some consistency in what's there.

So it looks like I should have a good first harvest of lettuce, spinach, beans, radishes and so on.

The greenhouse is an amazing project, even with the organization in a little bit of turmoil at the moment with the unexpected departure of co-ordinator Geoff Johnson. The board is trying to sort out how to proceed for the rest of the season without any full-time help.

I find it interesting that there were leftover plots by the end of May when the advantages of joining are fairly obvious. Yes, you could argue the cost of joining is a little excessive, I suppose. The basic cost is that members pay $75 a year for the plot, and have to put in 15 hours of volunteer labour.

However, if you know what you're doing (which excludes me), you can grow approximately $1,000 worth of produce in the greenhouse during the season. That makes it worthwhile right there.

There are definitely ways the greenhouse could improve as an organization. I've been surprised that some form of semi-formal mentoring program hasn't been implemented, where experienced members can earn their volunteer hours by working with the newbies.

Or, equally beneficial, the board could adopt some better marketing strategies. From several conversations, I know a lot of people aren't well informed about the greenhouse. Considering some of those involved spend time in their working hours doing marketing, that's a huge surprise and an indication perhaps the board needs to focus on its objectives more sharply.

Other people view the greenhouse as an elitist project that could be used to grow food for the entire town. There's a certain merit to that idea as well, but at least the current configuration rewards people for showing an interest in ambition and self-sufficiency.

So are there things the greenhouse can do better? Certainly. That's no excuse, though, for not taking advantage of an opportunity to do something for yourself instead of just grumbling about the cost of Northern food.

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