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The truth is, asking restaurants to allow no more than a quarter of their customers to smoke is hardly too much to ask.
There are good, if not frustrating, reasons behind our slow approach to one of the world's most deadly health challenges. First, a higher percentage of Northerners smoke than in most parts of Canada and the U.S., where more aggressive no-smoking laws have been introduced. To businesses, that means a bigger threat to their bottom lines.
Smoking is also three-times more widespread among our youth than in the south, meaning it will take longer for smoking rates to decline.
Second, while it is true that bars and restaurants in places like California and Massachussets actually saw their revenues increase by as much as 14 per cent when smoking was banned, we can't assume the same will happen here. Real long-term revenue declines are not realistic either, but the social and political climate in the North doesn't easily accommodate restrictions on personal freedoms.
It may be difficult to adjust, but within a few months, we expect most customers will have adapted to the new rules.
There is one kink in the new law, however, that the city should be prepared to handle. Because bars are exempt from the 75-per-cent-smoke-free rule, restaurateurs will find themselves at a competitive disadvantage, especially with bars that also offer an attractive lunch or dinner menu.
The logical solution is plan for an end to exemption, as soon as possible.
Ndilo and Yellowknife ... talk about two solitudes.
It's part of the city, but it's not part of the city. Yellowknife gets $70,000 -- a pittance -- from the federal government to provide services to Ndilo. The community wants paved streets, neighbourhood parks, and playing fields found everywhere else in the city.
What the Yellowknives in Ndilo and Dettah have is control of some of the best land, precious waterfront, in and around the city. That land is essential to the city's future growth.
That's why tomorrow's meeting between the city and band councils is so important.
It's an opportunity to strike a new government-to-government relationship that will benefit both.
The two could work together to open up the land the city needs for residential development and generate new revenue to improve infrastructure in Ndilo and Dettah.
And it will also give the Yellowknives a base upon which to build when they get true self-government.
Dare-devil pedestrians infest our streets. Most Yellowknife drivers are used to them and demonstrate a degree of courtesy seldom seen elsewhere. They slow down, even stop for jaywalkers. But icy streets and winter darkness can make jaywalking a potential blood-sport. The next driver may not be able to stop in time!
So why do so many Yellowknifers jaywalk? Is it because of the cold, laziness, or perhaps, a Northern tendency to defy authority? Whatever, it won't seem worthwhile, viewed from a hospital bed.
Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News
One has to shake one's head in bewilderment listening to reports of Kivalliq addictions workers who don't want to leave home to receive training in Cambridge Bay.
Worse, they're not alone.
Time and time again we seem to be listening to, or reading about, somebody whining over the fact they have to leave home for a little while to get an education. It seems a year or two away from their friends and loved ones is just too steep a price to pay for a career.
At the same time, some would have us believe public outrage erupts every time another report is issued showing more non-Inuit than Inuit working in any given department or administration. This, apparently, is even more true when we're talking about mid- and upper-management positions.
Unless we're advocating the hiring of people based strictly on their appearance, let's not lose sight of the fact people have to be able to actually do the job they're hired for. The only way to do that is to get an education and, nine times out of 10, that means leaving home.
This is not to say we're not making progress. The announcement this past week in the legislative assembly that Ulaajuk school in Pond Inlet is the first in Nunavut to have an all-Inuit teaching staff is great news.
But triumphs like Ulaajuk school are still too rare to start celebrating. We cannot sit at home and wait for the world to come knocking at our door. Life simply does not work like that.
It just doesn't make economic sense for Nunavut Arctic College, the territorial government, or any other institution to pay an instructor to go into each and every Nunavut community to train one or two students.
It all comes down to choices.
Today's modular systems in education have the ability to dramatically reduce the amount of time a student is away from home at one stretch.
Those who want to better themselves should be willing to make a sacrifice or two along the way, and their closest family members should be there to support them.
This is even more true when one considers how much good they will do in the community when their training is done.
Antiquated excuses or crutches can, themselves, be looked upon as addictions. They keep people from bettering themselves, much the same way as drug and alcohol abuse do.
The positions are out there, as are the training opportunities. If we don't move to get them, somebody else will and then it will be time for yet another report on the imbalance of the Nunavut workforce.
Editorial Comment
Malcolm Gorrill
Inuvik Drum
Some powerful words echoed off the walls at Ingamo Hall on Sunday afternoon.
The occasion was the Sober Walk, which kicked off National Addictions Awareness Week.
The true costs of addictions were revealed. Some spoke who had personally struggled with addictions, and explained how they lost touch with family and friends as they got more and more involved in their habit -- whether that be alcohol or drug abuse, or gambling.
Also brought up was the pain felt by those who have lost friends and family members who struggled with addictions.
The point was made that addictions within homes can lead to a vicious circle, where children grow up and develop problems of their own, thinking such behaviour is normal.
It all adds up to a lot of time and money wasted, plus a lot of sorrow.
The Sober Walk and other events taking place this week perform a useful service by bringing attention to a truly international problem. The messages sent out Sunday and during this week need to be repeated again next week, and beyond that, so that the true costs of addictions are realized by more and more people.
Match more than just a game
The hundreds of people who saw the Legendary Hockey Heroes play at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex witnessed more than just a fun-filled game.
It also served as a reminder of so called "simpler times" in the National Hockey League, when by and large players played for the love of the game, as hard as they could, every shift.
That attitude perhaps is not as common within the NHL now as before, with well paid players often squabbling about terms of their contract, or publicly asking to be traded.
Some of those players, as well as local young people, could learn something from the Hockey Heroes. Even though their NHL days are behind them, it was clear these players still can not get enough of their sport, and they also did not mind signing autograph after autograph.
The game also allowed people to meet their idols, some for the first time.
Whether watching the pros battle it out on television, taking part in matches at the local arena, or practicing in the backyard rink, the good old hockey game still creates lots of great moments and memories.
Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum, Fort Simpson
If a 50-50 royalties sharing agreement were signed between the Deh Cho First Nations and the federal government tomorrow, the First Nations would derive nothing.
That's right, zero, at least initially. Reason being, there's currently no development occurring outside of Fort Liard, which has made it clear it doesn't intend to share royalties from its oil and gas with the rest of the region.
However, the 50-50 proposal would seemingly provide plenty of incentive to open up some land for development. Fifty per cent of royalties would be extremely lucrative.
Even if the deal were signed, it wouldn't necessarily be a permanent arrangement. With a Deh Cho government (acting as a regional public government) eventually assuming power, enough revenue would have to be flowing into the region to ensure programs and services are viable. It's uncertain whether splitting royalties alone would be adequate to run a regional government.
The individual subject matters have yet to be negotiated as well. Will the Deh Cho oversee education, health care and transportation, and how? Those variables will be sorted out in the years to come. The land and resources matters have to be settled first. It's a daunting task in itself, but if it can be done it would allow some economic development to occur. At least that would grease the wheels for the rest of the lengthy negotiations process.
Gambling rarely pays off
A Fort Simpson resident wins $30,000 on a scratch ticket and it's a story in the newspaper. Why is it a story? Well, the answer is because it's extraordinary.
What's not featured in the newspaper are the hundreds of people who have spent a pile of money on lottery tickets and never won a thing. It's been several years since another community member won $10,000 on a lottery ticket. In between there have been many people redeem tickets for $2, $5 or $10, but the vast majority have walked away empty-handed.
This is National Addictions Awareness Week. It tends to conjure images of alcoholism, but let's remember that gambling is another form of addiction -- and that would most certainly include bingo.
Every individual has the right to plunk down some of their hard-earned money on lottery tickets in hopes of hitting the jackpot. And many people enjoy playing bingo, win or lose, for its social aspects. The problem arises when basic needs are neglected in favour of buying tickets or bingo cards.
After all the scratching, dabbing number picking, gambling is a losing proposition.
The executive director of the NWT Seniors Society was incorrectly identified in a Nov. 23 story headlined "Public housing changes ahead."
Barb Hood is the executive director of the society. Also, Yellowknifer wrongly identified the Yellowknives Dene chiefs of Ndilo and Dettah on Nov. 23.
Chief Peter Liske is chief of Ndilo and Chief Richard Edjericon is chief of Dettah.
Yellowknifer apologizes for any embarrassment or confusion these errors may have caused.