Last week, the RCMP Northern Search and Rescue team held a recruitment drive to establish a SAR team made up of members of the community. Anyone interested will receive training in search and rescue operations.

There are so many Northerners who head out on the land all year round to hunt, fish and trap. When they go, there is always the risk that, for some reason or another, they'll go missing. According to statistics given by an emergency measures co-ordinator, 51 searches took place in the NWT last year.

Having organized search teams can only increase the chances of finding missing persons.

Back around Christmas, I found a Jonny Lang CD on my sister's CD player. I bought the disc and played it a few times but what caught my laser more than anything was probably the funky calypso-like Brand New Heavies.

Then, I caught the 18-year-old blues sensation on Jay Leno a couple weeks back and his soulful and weighted voice has started filtering through the office here on a regular rotation.

Many have probably noticed Dave Lang (no relation) has stopped writing his creative music reviews. I hear he has left Inuvik too.

But since his departure, there has not been anything in the Drum to introduce readers to new or relevant area music.

Some people have expressed an interest but so far, no reviews have actually been written. As such, here is sort of an open message to people who similarly believe that music is a large part of life itself and who would be interested in expressing themselves on the topic.

For those interested, give me a call so we can discuss it -- hopefully a reliable and interesting columnist will emerge from this.

I think of music also partly because I just finished talking with a woman whose first language is Inuktitut. She suggested I check out the throat singing CD at Boreal Books.

If I do, I suppose I'll have something to celebrate the creation of Nunavut with.

As for the looming April 1 date for the parallel creation of the new NWT, it's creeping up fast but no one I'm talking to seems to be too caught up with anticipation or excitement -- or at least any more so than they are for Chinese New Year.

If the thought ever comes up, it's usually pretty matter-of-fact.

That may be because we have a structure already in place and the new NWT political entity will not be walking as much on untreaded ground.

I haven't heard of any big celebrations around town yet.

If westerners had actually gone ahead with the much tossed-around proposal of calling the territory Bob, then maybe there would be a greater sense that something to get all stirred up about is on the horizon.

A smaller, more manageable NWT seems less inspiring than it is practical. And practical things are less exhilarating than steps into the unknown.

Sunny thoughts

It's amazing how much difference a little bit of sun makes.

Only yesterday it seemed like the middle of the day was dark enough for Christmas lights to shine brightly throughout.

Now, as I look out, I notice the town has still not taken down their light strands, but instead of the sombre dim glow from the December sky, it almost looks like spring.

After a while in the -30 Cs and -40 Cs, the -18 C we had this weekend felt balmy.

With luck, the good weather will hold up and I'll be able to give the new Drum vehicle -- a blue Chevy Cavalier -- a run up the ice road.

It's the $64,000 question. Perhaps it's the $64- million question. Maybe even the $640-million question.

Trailblazers or hasty decision-makers?

The topic of logging and oil and gas development in Fort Liard seems to be a surefire way to get a good debate raging. There are many business owners in the Deh Cho who watch in envy as they pass through the southernmost hamlet in the region and see the hustle and bustle of industry.

Then there are those who argue adamantly that it's all smoke and mirrors. Sure, there's plenty of activity, but they argue that the percentage of industrial revenue going into the community is minimal. The majority of the money is going south, they say.

Of course, dollars are only one aspect of the deal. What about environmental concerns? The Department of Fisheries and Oceans recently executed a search warrant and seized documents from the Liard Valley Band office. No charges were filed. Rather, a DFO official said the department was gathering evidence. Apparently, a road built by band members leading to the resources violated one or more environmental regulations. Is this an aberration or the tip of the iceberg?

What sort of deal has been made by the Acho Dene Koe leadership in Fort Liard? I think only a privileged few outside the community know the answer to that question (and only a privileged few within the community as well, for that matter).

I'm sure the leadership negotiated the best possible terms it could manage, but are those terms anywhere near what the Deh Cho First Nations will ultimately attain through self-government? Only time will tell.

No matter how you look at it, Fort Liard is undoubtedly better off economically today than it was several years ago. There are more than enough jobs to go around. Yet even that fact is contentious. I've talked to people from the community who have expressed concern that some young men have been working as slashers, clearing brush, for years now. Is there truly upward mobility to be found? Some people have also complained of being overworked. A few people who have performed support work in the camps told me that they put in long hours for near minimum wage.

On the other hand, there is plenty of training being offered. Many people are being offered the opportunity to work on the oil rigs. Yes, they inevitably start at the bottom, but isn't that true of practically any job? I recently asked a certified training consultant with NWT Community Mobilization if the oil and gas industry is one where an employee can start at the bottom and work his or her way to the top. He responded with an unequivocal yes, providing that the employee is willing to really invest the time and effort.

It shouldn't be forgotten, either, that the Acho Dene Koe are looking into the prospect of joint ownership of oil rigs, through which they could derive even greater profits.

Now, Acho Dene Koe leaders are seeking a comprehensive land claim of their own. It is unprecedented for a single community in the NWT to receive its own land claim.

One thing is clear, leadership in Fort Liard can never be accused of sitting on its hands.