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Last week, Western Arctic NDP MP Dennis Bevington argued against the direction the federal government is moving in as Canada assumes leadership of the Arctic Council for the next two years.

He says there are two roads to travel - one of regulations, research, international co-operation and environmental conservation, and one of "economic-driven development and exploitation of resources."

It's not so cut and dry. The program Canada has developed with Leona Aglukkaq, Arctic Council chair and Nunavut Conservative MP, in the driver's seat, centres around resource development and creating sustainable communities.

Aglukkaq is hoping to develop a circumpolar business forum to bolster economic development and engage business and industry in the North with the council's nations.

While Bevington calls this route "counterproductive and wrongheaded," he offers no alternative other than creating a vague framework of environmental protection and protocols for dealing with southern regions moving in with observer statuses.

The Arctic Council is a forum for discussion of the Arctic region by its nations. It is an important entity which oversees working groups conducting scientific research on pollution, climate change, emergency preparedness and Arctic shipping, to name a few. But it hasn't really done too much in its 17 years.

Spearheading a business forum where Northerners themselves can get involved and benefit from the relationship between the nations is a proactive approach. A job is better than a handout in any community, whether it be Behchoko, NWT, or Kolari, Finland.

Jobs stimulate the economy and give residents a chance to build healthy and sustainable lives. Otherwise, the territory is on its knees waiting for federal support, indulging in a constant hand-to-mouth relationship.

Bevington must instill more of a vision and get to the specifics of what can better the territory, instead of laying out partisan criticisms. He must be more supportive of revenue opportunities and champion the renewable resources that are readily available here such as tourism and non-renewable such as diamonds, gold, oil and gas..

It is a challenge to be heard when you're not in the leading party, but it makes it that much more important for an MP to shout out our needs and push for a better North.

Five communities along the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway - those expected to be most affected by the road's presence - took part in scoping sessions for the project earlier this month.

Wrigley was one of the first to hear plans for the 818-kilometre road. Residents are worried about what the increased traffic from the road will bring to the community - whether it be more drugs and alcohol and, partnered with that, more crime.

This is reminiscent of the 1970s when Highway 1 was stopped before it hit Wrigley, with residents crying out that the connection to the outside world would be detrimental for the area.

But the road did come. Wrigley has been the end point of Highway 1 since 1994. Barges travel the river and in the winter, the ice road winds its way to the Sahtu.

Wrigley isn't in a bubble but it has legitimate concerns about social issues getting worse as the kilometres get tacked on.

Now is the time for the chief, band council and territorial government to get busy developing viable social service capacity in anticipation of what's to come when the $1.7-billion road is eventually built.

Alcohol has a bad reputation in Nunavut, deservedly so.

Since being introduced centuries ago by non-Inuit whalers and traders, alcohol abuse has left a trail of blood and broken people.

By itself alcohol is not evil but it fuels the destructive fires in the hearts and souls of our loved ones, our neighbours, even our leaders.

None of this is news to Nunavummiut. The territory has banned alcohol in most of its communities and closely regulated it in others. Buying a bottle legally is neither easy nor cheap. Forms have to be filled out, shipping arranged, licences granted for resale.

Yet like water finding its way to the sea, thanks to money hungry bootleggers, alcohol still flows into each community, not drowning sorrows but drowning people and destroying lives.

Now that an overwhelming majority of MLAs have voted to loosen the liquor laws, the Nunavut government is preparing to sell alcohol through government run stores, as is done in the south.

It will be up to each community how far they want to go. What's a community to do?

Banning alcohol hasn't solved the problem. Alcohol is here to stay, along with the harm it causes.

But controlling the sale of alcohol can accomplish two things banning does not.

Bootleggers dread the legal sale of alcohol. Community liquor stores will steal the bootleggers' best customers and put them out of business. They might even be driven to use their business experience to start a legal business that helps the community rather than hurting it.

The other significant potential benefit is the money the bootleggers were making will shift to the community liquor store. What should happen to the store profits which promise to be significant?

Should it go into the coffers of the territorial government where it will never be seen again? Or should it stay in the community that suffers from the direct negative effects of the alcohol being sold?

We say that money should stay in the community. Treat it like bingo money to be used to benefit community groups that contribute to the heath of the residents.

Of course, the GN will want to keep its hands on all liquor store profits. Nanulik MLA Johnny Ningeongan pointed out that the legislation fails to include a commitment on how the liquor store revenues are to be spent, such as public information campaigns to promote responsible drinking.

Former Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley predicted that those communities opting for a liquor store would create a bootlegging operation by creating a source of alcohol to send to nearby dry communities.

His warning should be taken seriously. It will be up to the RCMP and more importantly, Nunavummiut to step forward and help authorities to shut such operations down in both the communities with the liquor store and the ones without.

For many years, the mantra around city hall and elsewhere about town was a "public market."

If only there was a little more help from the city, a bit more encouragement from the chamber of commerce, would this oft-withering fruit finally thrive, the mantra called.

Occasionally, the idea, most often voiced by former city councillor David McCann, actually happened but inevitably failed every time.

The city offered up its parking lot on Saturdays in 2006, but it's doubtful anyone recalls this asphalt version as being all that great or well-attended.

Since that ill-fated market seven years ago, the city's vast parking lot is now an appealing civic plaza. A gloriously hot and sunny summer led into an equally glorious fall.

Most important, though, is the changed vision of what a public market ought to be and how to maintain its success. The Yellowknife Commons Co-operative, a group of enterprising green thumbs, took the advice of experts from Ontario earlier this year who told them to avoid selling too much arts and crafts, the items typically sold in previous public markets held in the city.

The occasional tourist might be interested in these, but it's obvious the key to sustained interest and success is not homemade jewelry and hand-crafted coffee mugs, but locally-grown, fresh lettuce and tomatoes. That's what brings people back week after week.

This lesson was amply clear at the last farmers market of the season, Sept. 17. As the temperature dipped and the sun began to fail, people were still lining up to buy fresh vegetables and fish, months after the first farmers market of the year.

This is something a Yellowknife public market has not experienced in modern memory.

The farmers market's success this year proves two things: Yellowknife-grown food can sustain it and people will keep coming back for it.

For most, a simple walk to an already-full refrigerator, or a quick trip to the grocery store, satisfies the human requirement for food. When we're hungry, we eat.

For others, hunger is staved off by twice-monthly deliveries from the city's food bank - operating from a donated space in the Overlander Sports basement.

Last year, 200 Yellowknife families - or 8,000 people over the year - received food from the Yk Food Bank. The volunteers have done a fantastic job, and mostly under the radar.

But the food bank is a volunteer organization under stress. As Yellowknifer reported last week, more than half the board members have had to step down due to illness, family emergencies or other personal reasons.

The situation is dire, as there are only five volunteers remaining to do this important work.

As food bank president Grant Pryznyk points out, Yellowknifers volunteer with many organizations and "they're up to their eyeballs in it." However, helping continue the stream of food from the depot to the bellies of Yellowknifers in need would only mean two hours a week of dedicated time.

More people stepping up would help ensure that the current volunteers don't suffer burn-out by overextending themselves. More volunteers would also help avert the worst case scenario - cutting back on distribution days.

The old adage - many hands make light work - applies in this case.

It seemed like Fort Simpson stepped back in time last week. Absent were the familiar sights of people texting, using their cellphones or paying with debit cards as Northwestel's services were cut off.

The outage shows how dependent we are on technology, how unprepared for emergencies many are and how reliant on one company for telecommunications the village is.

This country has used long-distance calling for decades to do business. Then came e-mail and the Internet, which were also affected last week. Without communication, there is not much one can do.

The Northern store had to borrow someone's satellite phone to place orders. As the store is serving our community and others, perhaps the North West Company should have a back-up plan, such as a satellite phone or alternate means of communication, in case something like this happens again.

Many were likely caught off guard by having only cash as a payment option, as many tend to use debit and credit cards. Even today, having a bit of cash in cases of emergencies is necessary.

The village must also be better prepared. The mayor admitted the village does not have a working satellite phone. This needs to change. They need to set the example. They should have the information about what the issue is and relay it to the community.

One should note that during the outage, there was no long distance and Internet service for Northwestel subscribers. Those who received their internet through SSi Micro were unaffected. Should the village consider having at least have one staff member at the office or one councillor or the mayor on SSi Micro at home as backup?

For those who think no Internet nor long distance for a day or two is no big deal, consider this – no outside communication means the village is cut off from the rest of the world. Should an emergency arise, how is the village able to communicate with others to get help? Most likely a number of people trying to check on the welfare of a loved one couldn't get through, resulting in needless worries.

Jeanne Gagnon is the acting editor for Deh Cho Drum while Roxanna Thompson is on vacation.

I have a confession to make.

I find it rather amusing when I hear people in Inuvik grumble "there's nothing to do here."

I'm approaching a full year here in town and I am frankly still amazed that anyone can make that comment with a straight face.

Compared to the rural area where I was working and living before arriving in the North, Inuvik has the proverbial embarrassment of riches.

Over the last week, I've been compiling a list of activities available this fall that would turn most people back in Ontario green with envy.

Indoor soccer at the East Three gym is free two nights a week. So is badminton, sponsored by the college. Ditto for circuit training, offered by Natasha Kulikowski. A season of volleyball is cheaper here than in Ontario. The Delta Divas women's hockey league is firing up at a little more than $100 a season.

That's only starting to scratch the surface of possibilities. There are minor sports, particularly hockey, to an extent greater than I'm accustomed to seeing.

The Inuvik Youth Centre is having open sessions for kids at the East Three gym on designated nights.

The Inuvik Ski Club will soon be opening its season, with the possibility of increased snowshoeing this year.

That doesn't even touch on the gym facilities at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex, or the pool or the squash courts. And, of course, the curling club.

Then there's yoga, and outdoor activities which include walking trails such as Boot Lake and the path to Three-Mile Lake.

Let's not forget about cycling around town, or the fact that Inuvik is one of the most walkable communities anywhere.

How about hunting and fishing, too?

Far from there not being anything to do here, there's a plethora of opportunities too numerous to get to unless you're extremely ambitious.

That's why I smile when I hear people, mostly ones born and raised here, complain about their circumstances.

I've been to places with far fewer recreational opportunities, and I've lived in places that would be delighted to have our Inuvik opportunities.

So I'd like to see people take more of an advantage of what we have here and indulge themselves, perhaps even spoil themselves a little. We shouldn't take the great opportunities we have to enjoy our community for granted.

The grass elsewhere is a lot less green than here, even as the snow begins to fall.

This past weekend, another sexual assault in Yellowknife came to light, this time at Somba K'e Park on September 7.

On September 15, Kelley Hinchey was assaulted while she slept in her home in Range Lake bringing the total of assaults on women over the past few months to five.

"Many of the complaints received are from persons with limited knowledge of the justice system and, as such, are reported as the complainant views the situation to be." That comes from a media release last week drafted by Insp. Frank Gallagher, commander of the Yellowknife RCMP detachment. So, in other words, people are overreacting, sexual assaults are not up.

Whether or not the numbers show an increase, women do not feel safe in our city. That is the problem.

Last week, in the interest of doing something concrete, city councillor Niels Konge introduced a measure to remove many of the benches from downtown, citing his, and many other Yellowknifers', observances that the benches attract those who loiter and drink in public. Yellowknifer spoke to business owners along Franklin Avenue who said such people scare away customers.

Konge's measure was shot down. While he appears to be the only councillor with a firm plan, the benches aren't contributing to crime. It's the lack of a police presence that encourages people to do as they please, whether it's fighting, drinking, passing out or harassing strangers.

At any given time, there are only seven RCMP officers on patrol during a shift. That means there is, approximately, one officer for every 2,750 people in the city. Our police force is spread too thin.

The answer, simply, is that Yellowknife needs more police officers, at least until public confidence returns.

Mayor Mark Heyck's suggestion of two new RCMP police officers with the specific job of patrolling downtown is on the right track. That won't happen unless the Government of the NWT and Justice Minister Glen Abernethy take action.

The GNWT awards the RCMP the contract for policing the NWT. Money talks. The GNWT can tell the RCMP the capital city needs more police officers. If that costs more, so be it. And if cabinet members or MLAs from ridings outside Yellowknife try to block the increase because of the lack of police in their communities, we have to remind them their people come to this city as well. If all Northerners are to be kept safe in the capital of the NWT, more police is the only way to do it.

Studies have shown that an increased police presence in high crime areas helps. A 1995 study published in Justice Quarterly and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice demonstrated just that. Certain areas in Minneapolis that were given an increased police presence saw their crime rates drop versus those that maintained the status quo.

We can't wait for things to get worse, or hope that the problem goes away. If people don't feel safe in Yellowknife, then it's just a matter of time before they leave for a place that feels safer, which makes for an economic loss for the city and the territory through decreased transfer funds.

We encourage the women of Yellowknife to continue speaking out, demanding a safer city. One woman's decision to do so sparked serious discussion.

More such voices are needed to transform our politicians' words into action.

It was interesting to listen to all the talk of the need for a regional athletic centre in the Kivalliq recently.

There's no denying a lot of what was said made a great deal of sense, even if some of the things being described would have to be filed as wishful thinking.

Maybe it was getting caught up in the moment, with all the positive vibes floating around, or maybe it was really nothing more than a case of selective vision.

Whatever the reason, especially during the mayor's meetings, almost everyone gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to the ideas being expressed, while seemingly oblivious to the 7,000 kg white elephant sitting quietly in the room.

It had a Baffin-esque trunk that one could tell from a glance was highly efficient, and large, finely-tuned Kitikmeot-esque ears that missed nary a word being spoken.

While somewhat docile in its overall nature, this particular elephant is known to be fiercely protective of what it views as its personal turf, especially when it comes to a rival herd trying to wiggle a trunk into position for a little sip from the territorial trough.

It has a begrudging respect for the Kivalliq herd, but likes for it to stay in its place and not try to extend its collective trunk beyond its reach.

It's convinced the transportation centre of the Kivalliq already gets more than its share, and its large ears can vibrate wildly at the faintest whisper of gain for the area.

The action produces a virtual whirlwind of hot air, aimed directly at whatever entity it sees as in cahoots with the Kivalliq herd.

While its ears know they are destined to always be behind its own trunk, they have no intention of allowing the Kivalliq herd to slip a trunk past them in the pecking order.

The Kitikmeot-esque ears know the size of the Kivalliq herd's appetite if left unchecked, and have designated themselves Nunavut's balance control committee.

When the words Rankin Inlet and regional centre are used in the same sentence, the white elephant springs into action.

The trunk trumpets its importance as a capital figure for all to hear, while the ears whirl and twirl and do their best to disrupt the process, usually employing woe-is-me as a dependable ally.

Rankin, meanwhile, patiently waits for the done deal of years ago, in the form of a new arena and community hall to materialize.

It was already burned by the white elephant when it allowed itself to dream of a new complex to hold its arena.

But Rankin learned its lesson from that experience, even if the white elephant was aided at the time by a wayward calf who wandered too far from home in Coral Harbour.

As nice as the words sound, and as beneficial to every member of the Kivalliq herd as a regional athletic centre would be, the white elephant need not worry.

It's not going to happen, at least not anytime soon, and if Rankin does get a new arena, the rest of the herd know it will share its new-found wealth with the region.

Best to leave the white elephant be for right now, with an election right around the corner.

Better the Kivalliq herd silently keeps its fingers crossed for one of its own to be crowned dominant male of the entire Nunavut herd.

Then the white elephant can start to worry.

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