The good work of the lawyers who reversed the injustice suffered by Guy Paul Morin and David Milgaard in Canadian courts will be undermined if they attempt to do the same for Giant Mine murderer Roger Warren.

A year after nine men died in the mine, Warren turned himself into police and told how he had planted the bomb that killed them. Police, who had him low on their suspect list, didn't have to pressure him. To say the confession was coerced is to deny the facts.

Some naive people, who seem to care nothing for the families of the dead men or for justice, suggest Warren made a false confession for his fellow workers, to get them back to work. For them, they say, he would destroy his own family and take the fall - 20 years in Stony Mountain Penitentiary.

If such were true, it would make Warren an extraordinary person, certainly a candidate for sainthood. But it wasn't true and he's only extraordinary in killing nine innocent men.

Warren's confession came complete with a videotaped tour of the mine and crime scene with police. Then came the usual change of heart of a coward -- the not guilty plea, the courtroom strategies to cloud the truth and exploit the weaknesses in the system.

None of it worked because Warren is guilty. That's why there won't be any public support to re-open the case. To try to undo the justice in this case, would be a great injustice itself.

Yellowknife Education District No. 1 did the right thing on Friday. It released the full report from its operational review.

They weren't going to at first, wanting to discuss the recommendations before releasing the report to the public. This despite adopting all 24 recommendations.

You'll read about the review in Friday's 'Knifer, but there's one word that was prominent during debate at the school board table last week, and in the report itself.

"Stakeholder" is bureaucratic jargon, a catch-all phrase used to describe just about anyone who has even the most tenuous link to an issue. It's often used incorrectly, applied to the wrong people.

For the sake of the school board, and every other elected board, council or committee in Yellowknife, we'll define what it means.

In the case of the school board, stakeholders are not teachers or principals, administration or maintenance staff who are all hired to deliver quality education and use our tax dollars wisely.

The trustees are elected to represent the real stakeholders, the general public who pay the taxes that fund the education system. They are the parents whose children attend Sir John, J.H. Sissons, William Mac and other Yellowknife 1 schools.

So, next time directors of a public agency want to consult their "stakeholders", do not look within. They must turn to the people who have the most at stake: taxpayers and parents, people to whom administrators, teachers and trustees must be accountable.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

We applaud Community Government and Transportation Minister Manitok Thompson for finally bringing closure to a tragic event.

Hopefully, with Thompson's announcement that CG&T will no longer pursue a search for the sunken Avataq, the family members of the four crew members who perished on the vessel will feel a sense of closure to this tragic accident.

Thompson's decision was not made lightly.

The minister inherited a very difficult situation from her predecessor.

Promises were made during a very emotional time after the Avataq sank -- an event which shocked and saddened the entire territory.

However, the harsh reality of the matter is that these types of accidents happen frequently in Canada.

Many a crew member has been lost at sea, many a miner laid to rest underground -- the list goes on.

All families find it difficult when the bodies of their loved ones cannot be brought home to rest.

That being said, there was nothing to be gained by prolonging the agony of the families with further talk of future searches for the vessel.

As sensitive to cultural aspects as our Nunavut government is, Thompson realized the time had come to put the matter to rest.

Although she knew it wouldn't be a popular announcement and she would face her share of heat from the decision, she had the fortitude to make a decision that was the right one for her department and, in many ways, the family members themselves.

With the announcement, people across the Kivalliq should pause and pay their silent final respects to the four brave men one last time.

Their memory will live on forever in our hearts and minds.

On the right course

The alternate learning course being taught through the industrial arts program at Qitiqliq High in Arviat should be incorporated by more schools in our region.

The program's success rate to date speaks volumes as to the potential many students across our region have, even if they're not leading the way academically in their particular school.

The fact the entire business community is backing the Arviat program also speaks volumes as to the spirit of co-operation within our Kivalliq business community when it comes to developing skilled local employees.

It's a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Businesses get skilled local employees they can count on, and bright futures are created for students who otherwise are in danger of falling through the cracks in our educational system.

Hopefully, the Department of Education will help our other Kivalliq schools incorporate the Arviat model into their own curriculum in the near future.

Editorial Comment
Terry Halifax
Inuvik Drum

There were a few brows raised over last week's guest column in the Inuvik Drum by Jack Cunningham, concerning his views on exotic dancing and also over my choice in running the piece.

As I told someone on the street this morning, it's not my place to defend or condemn Mr. Cunningham or anyone else who wants to have their say in these pages. Nor is it my place to sanitize or censor what happens in this town.

As I perceive it, my job is to hold up a mirror and show you the best reflection of what happened last week in Inuvik.

This week, you'll notice a feature with the dancer from Frosty's Pub and that's sure to raise some brows as well, but before you grab the phone, or your pen and poison ink, I'll tell you why. The manager at Frosty's told me Ms. Hautka wanted to tell her side of the story, and, since the dancers weren't represented at the meeting or the subsequent story I wrote, I agreed.

At the public meeting and in this week's letter from Pam Harry, people are accusing the dancers as being people of loose morals, drug addicts, prostitutes and blaming them for increasing alcoholism in this town. If someone accused me of those things, I think I might want to respond as well. In between the extremes of name calling and finger pointing, we'll find a reasonable solution to this issue, but not by whispering innuendo in the video store or even worse, giving credence to those rumours. I'll do my best to show you the graduations, celebrations and other proud moments, but it's my responsibility to show the rest as well. And sometimes that will include the opinions of the people. Yours, mine, Ms. Hauka, Mr. Cunningham and Ms. Harry.

What goes in the Drum is up to all of us. If you have something to share with the town, don't keep it a secret.

I'll always welcome your words in these pages as long as they are concise and don't outstep the bounds of good taste, slander or libel.

The only route

There were some eyes opened Monday night to a real contender in the race to transport gas south of 60.

The Arctic Gas proposal has some real potential, and, at the very least, it may raise the stakes for what's being offered by the competition. Some very interesting ideas were presented by Arctic Gas, but the plan has no support form the producers, who will have to finance the project, buy guaranteeing bonds through the shipper contracts. Hall says those contracts won't be secured by either pipeline for another two-to-three years, but it would sure lend credibility to the line if even one producer was backing them. Producers want control of the line for good reason -- they have billions at stake in the delivery of their product.

Last week, ExxonMobil backed off on the Alaska route, saying that even with the subsidy, the Alaska Highway pipe is not economical. Further Exxon's brass thinks the subsidy will distort the gas market and It appears the Mackenzie Valley route is the only choice left for a pipeline, but what's left to decide is which group will lay that pipe. Chief James Firth of the Inuvik Native Band is supporting the ARC plan and if other aboriginal groups decide to back the Arctic Gas proposal, this could spell big trouble for Imperial Oil and the other producers.

That's trouble; big trouble, with a capital 'T', and that rhymes with 'P' and that stands for 'Pipeline.'

Editorial Comment
Mike W. Bryant
Deh Cho Drum, Fort Simpson

Four hours in a police truck. Probably not everyone's idea of a good time on a Friday night.

However, as a reporter, meeting different people from all walks of life is my bread and butter, and spending time with officers from the Fort Simpson RCMP detachment was no different, and certainly no less enjoyable.

Constables J.F. LeDuc and Jason Gott were frank and accommodating in their conversations with me, and clearly love their jobs.

Both officers expressed the frustration at times when encountering people -- particularly young people -- who automatically assume they are hell-bent on making trouble for them.

The fact is, stopping to ensure people are going about their business safely and responsibly is part of their jobs.

If no one did, it would be mob rules, and if any of those individuals were to tune into the 10 'o'clock news lately, say a news clip from the West Bank or Zimbabwe, it would quickly become apparent that anarchy isn't very much fun -- or healthy.

Many of us in our younger days may have had brushes with the law, and resented it.

But the fact of the matter is, they are here to make people feel safe and sadly, from time to time, clean up the mess others have left behind.

Accidents involving drunk drivers comes to mind.

Fort Simpson RCMP officers may not always stay for very long, which lends to their "outsider" image, but until the region or territory implements its one regular local police force, if that happens, the RCMP have a job to do.

And have every reason to feel proud.

Dodging a bullet

To fine or not to fine, that is the question.

Apparently, DIAND doesn't feel it warranted levying a fine against the village for allowing five weeks worth of raw sewage to flow into the Mackenzie River.

The village is lucky. The maximum fine for such an infraction is $125,000, and judging by the present condition of the roads, Fort Simpson council is in no position to pay out such a huge fine.

Administration says they were within their water licence guidelines not to report the spill. DIAND appears to think otherwise.

Regardless, DIAND seems willing to turn their cheek, and hope things go better in the future for Fort Simpson's trouble sewage plant.

It's probably wise the village do the same.

A quote saying an anti-poverty group needs to do a better job in Nunavut (Poverty could deepen, News/North May 13) was attributed to the wrong person. Pam Kapoor, acting executive director of the National Anti-Poverty Organization, was the one who said "We've identified the North as a priority area. NAPO doesn't do a good enough job representing the North."

News/North apologizes for any embarrassment or confusion caused by the error.