The Northwest Territories Department of Justice is on the right track with plans for two new young offenders facilities and an adult jail.

It is part of a philosophical shift away from the punitive elements of incarceration toward the restorative.

Guards will not wear the para-military garb inmates are accustomed to seeing in some facilities and corrections' staff will travel throughout the NWT to collect traditional medicines.

The new Yellowknife male adult facility will have a round "spiritual room."

Prisons as an institution of society reflect the culture and communities they are part of. In the NWT that means a respect for aboriginal healing traditions.

Warden Guy Leblanc, of the Yellowknife Correctional Centre, sees the NWT being on the cutting-edge of healing behind bars.

Actually, it is the oft-maligned federal corrections system that has led the way in such efforts, particularly in dealing with female offenders, since 1995.

Out of the shadows of the infamous Prison for Women (P4W) in Kingston, Ont., which opened in 1934 and only closed last year, has emerged the Ochimaw Ochi Healing Lodge on the Nekaneet First Nation at Maple Creek, Sask. and the male minimum-security Pe Sakastew Centre near Hobbema, Alta., on the Samson Cree First Nation.

The needs of offenders are met holistically through aboriginal teachings, ceremonies, contact with elders and children and interaction with nature.

As for punishment, depriving a lawfully-sentenced offender of their liberty is one of the strongest sanctions a civil society can exercise.

Surely this is a preferably humane and sensible alternative to the lock-em'-up-and-throw-the-key-away warehousing philosophy that for far too long dominated correctional thinking in North America.

Is it too much to ask that hunters respect safety restrictions when it comes to our highways? Respecting the needs of the caribou that cross the highway is causing some friction in the Mackenzie Delta. Fair enough. But respecting the safety of humans should be automatic.

Our story last week on the addition of the first Nunavut content to a national magazine for teens raised many issues that go far beyond the attention it will draw to a couple of aspiring journalists, and their efforts to tell the South about their home.

They revive questions we have followed closely in other stories over the past few years, questions dealing with how to go about training the next generation of Nunavummiut for the task of running the territory.

Sooner or later, the territorial government wants to see a workforce fully representative of the population. That means 85 per cent of the civil service should be Inuit. We're a long way from reaching that goal, and whatever deadlines have been set are likely to be moved back, unless the educational and economic climate changes radically.

As the new writers for The Edge magazine have discovered, there is great satisfaction working in the private sector as a story-teller. For example, we will need more youth willing to take up jobs as journalists -- at this newspaper, our competitors and other news outlets across the country. Such jobs don't pay as well as cushy government posts, but they're just as important.

A lot of public attention and resources have been focused on more ambitious educational projects, such as the Akitsiraq Law School, which hopes to make the legal profession more accessible to Inuit. Such efforts are laudable and necessary, but in some ways, they may be jumping the proverbial gun.

Nunavut needs to encourage its youth to explore every possible opportunity to take control of their lives. That means the entire range of professions and trades, not just the most lucrative, prestigious and high-paying ones. In other words, a realistic strategy that works with the private sector to turn today's youth into tomorrow's workforce.

Small examples of this vision can be found across Nunavut. Co-ordination is the key.

Every community has its stalwart volunteers, charities and programs that make it special.

However, two recent examples from Hay River are worthy of praise.

Both reach out to the town's needy. One nourishes the soul; the other nourishes the body.

The new mentoring program that matches adults with youth is a terrific way to build a community.

Kids grow from having an adult friend, a role model who can help through tough times and make good times even better.

The program is still looking for men to take part.

On Woodland Drive, the Soup Kitchen has been feeding people for the past five years.

President Laura Rose leads a dedicated group of volunteers who feed 25-45 people a hearty lunch three days a week.

They do it with help from the Elks and Lions, the CWL, Hay River Bakery and local farmers.

For all, it's a labour of love, a way to give back to the town they call home.

They just go to show that no matter what size the town, it's the size of the heart that counts.

Bill MacKenzie left more than memories when he died in June. He left a cavernous maze of rare books, trunks, movie sets, unsent letters, appliances and tool boxes at his rental Apex home.

Iqalungmiut have picked through the 62-year-old's life at recent estate sales. Friends now criticize the at-home flea market as lacking class.

It's a valid criticism. MacKenzie was a soft-spoken eccentric Scotsman whose passion for story-telling and good will rivalled only his voracious appetite for reading. An intensely private bachelor, one can only imagine the tongue-lashing he'd unleash on the bargain-hunting public sifting through his drawers.

No one disputes the idea of distributing his treasures. And no one, not even the thrifty MacKenzie, would dismiss a good deal. The problem is the most deserving people -- the ones Bill would have wanted his clothes, dishes, books to go to -- were conspicuously absent.

Undoubtedly a different story would have unfolded had he penned a will. Instead, a public trustee is in the unenviable position of distributing MacKenzie's legacy of collecting. Undoubtedly, an estate sale is by far the most efficient, if not the most economical, means of disposing of unassigned belongings.

We watched people elbow one another and gawk at MacKenzie's underpriced souvenirs. It was shopping voyeurism, and it's not how he would have wanted it.

Redemption is still possible. In the event MacKenzie's undisclosed debts exceed his estate's worth, every well-meaning, bargain-shopping Lookee-Lou owes it to MacKenzie to cough up whatever they can afford.

Let there be death without debt for a man who gave so generously to the community.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

You can't fault the hamlet of Rankin Inlet for putting the needs of the community first in signing a two-payment equity lease deal with the Sakku Investment Corp.

The Sakku Investment Corp. is the business investment arm of the parent Kivalliq Inuit Association. As senior administrator Ron Roach points out, the deal should allow construction work to proceed on the health facility and give the hamlet some breathing room with its own debenture payments for the next 14 months.

What the deal also does is enable the Sakku Investment Corp. to show the people of Rankin Inlet it can play a positive role in a business project, especially with how far the hamlet has bent for the corporation.

And the hamlet has bent in the interests of the community.

The equity lease agreement was entered into about four years ago with a previous council and the price fixed at that time. In today's market, an equity lease on that property would be worth a whopping $1.8 million, or roughly a fifth what Sakku is actually paying. With such a bargain-basement price on the lease, one would think an investment firm could up the $350,000 in one lump sum.

However, with Sakku's well-documented financial problems of the past few years, the two-payment plan is understandable. At least the hamlet wouldn't give in to Sakku's original request for the payments to be made on Dec. 31, 2002, and Dec. 31, 2003.

That being said, the hamlet can't put on Superman's cape all by itself in this deal either, because council had an ace up its sleeve. The hamlet's deal with the Sakku Investment Corp. is one of relatively low risk thanks to the territorial government.

From what we hear out of the capital, Finance Minister Kelvin Ng has an escape hatch for the Rankin project built into his preliminary budget in the form of $1.5 million.

The money is a sort of an ill-health slush fund, which allows the GN to cover Sakku's investments should the government, for whatever reasons, decide to cancel the Rankin health-care-facility project.

This, of course, would include the $350,000 for the equity lease.

This little security blanket allows the hamlet to enter into the payment deal with Sakku with little or no worries of receiving payment.

It also puts a little extra pressure on Health Minister Ed Picco to actually start constructing something in the near future. And that, to us, is definitely a win-win situation.

Editorial Comment
Malcolm Gorrill
Inuvik Drum

Learning takes many forms.

In the case of democracy, young people get to read about it, and maybe watch television newscasts on the subject.

That's a good start, but there's nothing like experiencing it firsthand to drive the lesson home.

Students at Samuel Hearne got a real taste of democracy recently, when they held an election for the student position on the Inuvik District Education Authority.

An assembly was held, and speeches made by the two candidates. Candace Ciboci emerged victorious.

Incidentally, another lesson was provided by a non-election. Dez Loreen won the town council youth position by acclamation.

Rumor has it some other students thought about running for the position, but after conducting rather unofficial polls, decided their chances of victory were too slim.

Thus this provides a good example of what can happen when one candidate jumps out of the starting gate early and emerges as the clear front-runner.

The young often argue, sometimes rightly, that their views go unheard and their concerns ignored. These two positions show an important effort within town to provide a direct voice for youth.

Plus, the fact these positions are open for students to run for provides a worthwhile introduction to the workings of democracy. That's one subject they should get a good handle on before they graduate.

Literacy is the goal we aim for

Events took place recently in Inuvik and surrounding communities to do with NWT Literacy Week.

The occasion serves as a good reminder of the importance of reading and writing, especially in today's technologically driven world.

Besides which, a good book can be a great way to wile away the evening, especially now that the days are getting shorter.

It is said literacy is an ongoing process. A good example of that is Mabel English, winner of the Canada Post individual achievement literacy award.

Some time ago English returned to school after having dropped out early about 40 years before. Now she's the excited recipient of her first computer.

Clarification

Due to a production error some text was omitted in the story, "Household hazardous waste fix," (Inuvik Drum, Oct. 4).

Part of what was omitted included acknowledgement of a partnership reached between WasteCo and IMG Services Ltd.

The Drum apologizes for the error.

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum, Fort Simpson

Now more than ever, Fort Simpson needs MLA Jim Antoine to go to bat for the community.

With another session of the legislative assembly to begin later this month, it's imperative that Antoine rise from his seat in the House and let his colleagues know that MACA's proportional funding scheme must be reassessed. It's not that the proposal is without merit, but its inherent flaw is in its unrealistic funding cuts of $1 million to Fort Simpson over the next two years. That would assuredly paralyse a community of 1,200 people. The ripple effect would be substantial.

As a minister with two portfolios -- Justice and Aboriginal Affairs -- Antoine undoubtedly feels pressure to toe the government line. Incidently, Antoine was also minister of MACA until a week or two before this proportional funding scheme became public. Was it sheer coincidence that the cabinet post was turned over to Roger Allen when Fort Simpson was about to be levelled by the news of such staggering funding cuts?

Be that as it may, Antoine is not the sabre-rattling type. Soft-spoken by nature, nobody is expecting him to pound his desk for emphasis or to be hostile in his approach. He doesn't need to be a brash, grandstanding politician to be effective.

In his third term representing the Nahendeh riding, Antoine has earned a great deal of respect from his colleagues. Remember, they selected him as premier in 1999 after Don Morin was forced to resign. He served a short term as government leader until a territorial election was held. At that time, he decided not to let his name stand for premier again. He explained that he preferred to concentrate on the needs of his riding. What greater need exists now?

Surely Antoine has enough clout to convince his peers to take another look at funding cuts that will severely harm his home community. Yes, the natural resources in the area make for a promising future, but there are no guarantees when the prosperity from those resources will be realized.

As Mayor Tom Wilson said, even if the reduction in funds can't be eliminated, just to have the $1 million in cuts over 10 years would make the situation more manageable.

The legislature will resume its sittings on Oct. 23. We'll be watching.

Day care woes

The Kids' Corner Daycare is encountering some of the same problems that forced Melaw Child Care Centre to close its doors. Will the new day care persevere? Well, that largely depends whether parents want to see it succeed. Parenting is one of life's greatest commitments. A day care is a vital service in a community, not just a place where children are dropped off and picked up every day. Parents must get involved.