Illness is not a pleasant experience, but it is one that becomes even more unpleasant when a patient and health worker don't speak the same language. It's a common Northern experience.

So training more aboriginal health professionals is imperative if we want to fully address and understand the needs of the aboriginal population.

The new plan released by the Canadian Medical Association will hopefully encourage aboriginals to choose a health-care profession.

But the GNWT should have established more training programs years ago.

If nothing else, pre-medical training courses are necessary to give aboriginals the foundation to further their education in health professions at Southern institutions.

The University of Manitoba established a special premedical studies program in 1979.

Over the last 15 years, 21 aboriginal physicians have graduated, the majority of whom participated in the program. The program also prepares students for other health-care careers.

The nursing program at Aurora College is an excellent start to increasing the number of aboriginal health workers, but we have a long way to go when you consider the number of health professions in the NWT that have no or minimal aboriginal representation.

No library can possibly hold all the books in its stacks collection patrons may wish or need to read. To get around the problem, libraries borrow from each other on behalf of the patrons in a transaction known as the inter-library loan.

If these loans between libraries are important in the South -- and they are -- it doesn't take an advanced degree to realize they're essential in the NWT, with its relatively small libraries and sparse population spread over vast distances.

Since 1939, Canadian libraries have enjoyed preferential mailing rates that allow their books to be shipped back and forth at as fraction of the cost of the regular parcel rate.

Last week, the Department of Canadian Heritage and Canada Post inked another three-year deal preserving the Library Book Rate. It will increase by 6.8 per cent Oct. 1 and 6.3 per cent Jan. 1, 2004, but with an average 350-gram book requested from an Ontario library costing about $1.70 for a return mail label under the current rate -- compared with about $6.40 for the same book at the regular parcel rate -- we're still getting a fair deal.

The Aboriginal Healing Foundation has about $250 million left to give to healing groups across Canada before the final deadline in 2004.

A little of that would go a long way in Nunavut. But until recently, groups that applied here found themselves ensnared in the foundation's red tape. Excessively complicated application forms printed in English meant far too few Inuit groups applied or were accepted.

Of the 14 submissions from Nunavut, the foundation has deemed just four worthy of grants.

Critics of the AHF call the foundation a cash cow for the organization's board and administration. Executive director Mike Degagne counters that salaries come off the interest and the board "virtually volunteers" their time.

Not to split hairs, but board members make about $9,000 a year for less than two weeks of work. That's no small drop in most people's buckets.

Meanwhile, the foundation made healing groups here jump through hoops to get money they deserve, while board members collected $500 a day.

Now, finally, the foundation has a simplified application form, publishes information in Inuktitut and provides support and follows up applications.

But we're not going to pat them on the back for doing their job. The foundation's mandate is to heal the social diseases that weaved their way into the people's lives as a result of residential school abuse. Nunavut needs to see more of that happening here.

That's why it's crucial that previously discouraged healing groups continue to apply. The $350 million was intended for victims. They deserve that money before it runs out.

The next two deadlines are Feb. 22 and Aug. 30, but the AHF does consider late applications. The absolute final deadline is Aug. 31, 2004.

We sympathize with air travellers in Cambridge Bay, which recently lost one of three weekly First Air flights to and from Yellowknife. The new schedule will prove inconvenient for a roadless community.

It's also galling to lose that flight while neighbours over in Inuvik are enjoying two new weekly flights from the same airline.

But the unavoidable fact is Inuvik is booming, thanks to renewed oil and gas exploration. Cambridge Bay isn't, and First Air isn't in the business of operating money-losing schedules.

We have no doubt that as soon as it makes sense to resume more frequent flights, Cambridge will see them. That leaves travellers with two options: pay a lot more to fly, or just be patient.

Nunavut's wildly successful feature movie, Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner), is a revealing portrayal of Inuit history, legend and culture. It has equal value as world-class entertainment.

All the movie needed to win an Academy Award was box office sales. As they used to say in Hollywood, "Them's the breaks."

That over-hyped carving named Oscar is probably the only prize Atanarjuat won't get, so that's something left for its producers to shoot for next time.

Now it's going to be an uphill battle for director Zacharias Kunuk and producer Norman Cohn to prove that making an epic movie is no accident of geography. It takes grand vision, nerves of steel, fast-thinking and unbreakable resolve.

Now Kunuk and Cohn face their greatest challenge in re-climbing a mountain they built in the North.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

Repulse Bay is finally getting its own RCMP detachment. That's good news, indeed.

Everyone appreciates the admirable job members of other detachments have done in the community, often under the most trying of circumstances.

For proof of that, one need look no further than the combined efforts of Coral Harbour and Rankin Inlet officers this past month in making a quick arrest in a case of armed robbery in Repulse.

However, while efforts like that are to be commended, they are still a "B Team" approach to community policing. To be truly effective, officers need to have a "feel" for the communities they patrol.

When tough decisions have to be made, it is invaluable for them to have a complete picture of the people, culture and community they serve.

Just as importantly, if not more so, when officers are stationed in a community full time, residents see other sides of their duties.

Whether it's a Christmas Hamper program, teaching driver or boating safety, helping tend to the injured or even handing out toothbrushes at the local school, they're seen caring about the community they serve. It's all part and parcel of the numerous services the RCMP provide to a community.

And, it shows the youth in our communities that the police officer is a friend.

With the Repulse situation resolved, it's time for the Nunavut government to look at Chester and Whale Cove. Insp. Jim McDougall is bang on when he says those two communities deserve the same level of policing every other hamlet of their size in Nunavut enjoys.

We certainly appreciate the budget constraints the territorial government must work with, but it's never too early to put the plans in place for the 2003 fiscal year.

With the logistical problems the force has to deal with, such as housing and moving costs, the earlier the start of moving an officer or two into these communities, the better for all concerned.

Our Kivalliq communities are growing and our efforts to provide reliable, adequate policing must grow with them. People should have the right to feel they live in a well-policed community.

And that includes much more than the solving of crimes.

Editorial Comment
Malcolm Gorrill
Inuvik Drum

The first seven months have not been easy for Darrin White and Gail Hodder.

Late last July the husband and wife team took over as executive director and artistic director, respectively, of the Great Northern Arts Festival.

Currently they are the only paid employees there, as the GNAF Society copes with a shortfall in anticipated revenue.

Their situation is a reminder of the somewhat precarious position such societies can find themselves in, as they rely upon government grants and corporate donations. Once the current crunch is behind them, White and Hodder hope to chart a smoother course for the festival, and the best of luck is wished to them.

This is also a good reminder for people that organizing this annual event takes all year long, and is by no means a task just assigned to the summer months.

Wiling away the hours

Delta residents find all sorts of ways to pass the time during the long winter months.

One example would be the afternoon course offered last week on painting on silk at the Inuvik campus of Aurora College.

Around 10 people tried their hand at a new art form, and seemed to have a lot of fun while doing so. Even if none ever paint on silk again, they'll have memories to treasure from the weekend.

Sports is another great way to pass the time, and get some exercise along the way. The Inuvik Dart Association playdowns wrapped up and the NWT Fire Fighters Bonspiel was held over the weekend.

People can and do play these sports for years, forming great friendships along the way. Comments were made also about how enjoyable the territorial and national events are.

Name change debate unnecessary

The idea of coming up with a new name for the NWT seems misguided.

The Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk councils have spoken out against any change, and the word on the street suggests strong support for maintaining the status quo.

It could be a complicated, messy and expensive undertaking to arrive at a new name -- especially one that would please everyone.

On a more practical level, it would cost a lot to change signs and logos, and would take time for people outside the NWT to learn the new name.

There are far more pressing matters to spend time and money on.

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum, Fort Simpson

It was a pleasure to talk to three long-time Fort Providence couples last week. Did they interrupt each other on occasion? You bet they did. Do they still have arguments? Of course they do. But the couples also support each other and laugh together. A sense of humour is so important.

They exchanged knowing glances from time to time. Living together for 50 years takes a combination of hard work, sacrifice and compromise. Yet when two people love and appreciate each other that much, their devotion outweighs all else.

How humbling

Sometimes you just have to laugh at life. Take last Thursday morning for example. I was at Deh Gah school in Fort Providence when I realized the zipper on my winter coat had split. This had nothing to do with excessive weight gain.

I fought doggedly with the cursed thing, which was still held together at one point by the slider (I have since looked up the parts of the zipper on the Internet). As I made my way down the quiet hallway -- school was in -- I made some progress. Having an appointment to interview a staff member, I entered the classroom. By that point I had wrestled the slider halfway to the bottom, at which point I could slip my coat off, but I was still struggling.

As is customary, several young students raced to greet me, each asking if I remembered the last time I took their picture. They quickly realized my predicament and a few of them offered this advice: pull the zipper all the way to top and then ease it down. At that juncture I was reluctant to give it a try, having spent the past five minutes making headway. Teacher Catherine Mains, standing at a distance, noted that one of the students experienced the very same problem earlier that morning.

"Well," I reasoned with myself. "these kids must know what they're talking about then."

After all, none of them was still trapped in a coat. That was reassuring.

So, with a little effort, I managed to return the zipper to its upper limit. The problem was that it still wouldn't go down.

Classroom instructor Fern Elgar came over to lend a hand. After a few minutes of futility she gave up. Then Catherine gave it a shot. She did her best to even up both sides, but she too was unsuccessful. Thankfully the students had lost interest, turning their attention back to their Valentine's artwork.

There I stood truly ensnared in my coat. I couldn't even pull it over my head now with the zipper enclosing the material snugly around my neck. I had no choice but to yank the loathsome zipper apart, tearing one of the teeth off in the process.

Now my coat is fastened by the snaps I had previously never used. I'm grateful to be able to pull it on and off without trouble, but I'm praying that we've seen the last of the -40 C weather. The gaps between the snaps sure don't compare to the buffer offered by a zipper.