By resigning as premier yesterday, Tu Nede MLA Don Morin saved his political career, the remaining integrity of the government of the NWT, and maybe even some taxpayer's money, providing all the legal battles are over.
Technically, Morin didn't have to resign. While the report from conflict of interest commissioner had the appearance of an iron-clad judgement that he had broken a lot of rules, it is up to the MLAs to decide if they agree.
Morin is going to sit as an ordinary member where he intends to carry on the fight to clear his name. To that end, his resignation goes a long way in repairing damage to his reputation. By staying on in caucus, he indicates a commitment to helping create the new Northwest Territories.
With the hard part behind him, we hope that Morin resists the temptation to launch personal attacks on either Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen or conflict of interest commissioner Anne Crawford. No matter how he looks at it, he has no one to blame but himself and a few things to learn about conflict of interest, certainly the appearance of, if not actual conflict.
But we hope that Morin pursues his criticism of the conflict of interest inquiry process. Many people are uncomfortable having the inquiry commissioner act as prosecutor and judge.
Ideally, once Commissioner Crawford decided the complaint was worth a judgement, full legal funding for both Groenewegen and Morin should have created a level playing field over which Crawford could have presided with unquestioned impartiality. The outcome may well have been the same but the process would have been far more defensible.
In the end, the legislature should end up with a wiser ordinary member who has shown he is cabinet material, should he run again successfully for the next government.
However painful, yesterday's resignation is a much needed sign that consensus can work.
A hundred years from now, when Edmonton is a suburb of Yellowknife, and the principal industries are financial services and satellite manufacturing, kids will learn in history classes about the discovery of gold.
Mining is what made this town. The city is bracketed by mines and mining is still a major chunk of the economy. Establishing a mining museum is one of those ideas that makes so much sense it seems unnecessary to discuss its merit.
Spirit Yk is getting organized to find an appropriate location and raise the money required. If there is any doubt about the need to enshrine the region's history, you only have to think back to the historic camps and sites that were destroyed last summer in the encroaching forest fires. The lesson is right there: no more time to waste.
Next Wednesday marks national Aids Day and Northerners should take the time to realize its significance. Recent medical breakthroughs coupled with the simple passage of time seem to have, in some quarters, lessened the magnitude of the threat AIDS poses.
Awareness is still the key to defeating this disease, especially amongst our youth.
Abstinence, safe sex and knowing of the dangers associated with intravenous drug use are still our biggest weapons in battling AIDS.
Editorial Comment
Glen Korstrum
Inuvik Drum
Last winter, two elders died of exposure in Colville Lake. Their snowmobiles had broke down and the two were found in the morning in a snowbank.
Each year, as temperatures plunge, the danger of death in the outdoors becomes more acute and the need for motorists and Ski-Dooers to take precautions rises proportionately.
Northerners can learn from the death of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau's youngest son, Michel, earlier this month in an avalanche in British Columbia.
It is not that there is much danger of an avalanche here, Trudeau's lesson is twofold.
First, his group smartly carried safety equipment including shovels and probes and were savvy to potential hazards.
Second, he still died with his skis on in rugged wilderness despite taking all reasonable precautions. The lesson here is similar to the bush-smart elders -- everyone is vulnerable to the elements.
Some answers could be for Ski-Dooers to make sure their snowmobiles are in good repair, have enough gas and that they are dressed warmly. For those going out on the land, going in a group or with an experienced guide could be good advice.
That said, the best solution is to visit elders. Time spent slowly absorbing nuggets of knowledge from their past experience provides both a sense of how to survive and also an appreciation of the power of nature.
Citizens of the world
At council's Nov. 23 committee of the whole meeting, Mayor George Roach initially brought up the need and devastation in Central America and Mexico due to November's Hurricane Mitch.
Deputy mayor Peter Clarkson was then quick to voice support for organizing some sort of community event where proceeds could go to those affected by disaster to give them the dignity of hope for the future.
That option means individual charity and not taxpayer dollars will head to help survivors in that area's emergency.
Natural events such as Hurricane Mitch are one more example of how much at mercy we all are of the elements.
For example, the Hurricane virtually destroyed all of Honduras, leaving about 700,000 people homeless.
Sure, there are people in Inuvik who have needs. And work helping ensure the Next to New Shop finds warm quarters can go a long way to keeping everyone warm this winter.
But, I have not seen anyone in Inuvik lowered to the destitution of having no home, food source or clean drinking water -- a situation Mitch all too often left in its wake for people to grapple with.
Part of everyone's responsibility as a citizen of the world is to help each other with clothes, canned goods and medicines to combat diarrhea, fatal flu viruses and other infections.