Now that the legislative assembly is back in session, MLAs should turn some of their attention to the future of Yellowknife Airport.

A nine-member airport advisory panel is to report to Transportation Minister Joe Handley by May 31, but MLAs should be asking questions now.

Does the GNWT intend to establish an airport authority to operate the facility, while retaining ownership?

The Yellowknife Airport had an operating loss of $700,000 in 2001-02 and and a capital expenditure of $929,753, with the tab being picked up by territorial taxpayers.

A recent consultant's report from Hopkins & Associates Inc., authored by Sandy Hopkins, chairman of the Winnipeg Airport Authority, says the current model is "not financially viable today."

An airport authority would be incorporated as an arm's length government corporation, with the GNWT appointing directors from various interest groups such as business, mining, tourism, air carriers, and aboriginal communities to suggest a few possibilities.

Such an authority would be independent of the GNWT and the directors would be required by the Business Corporations Act to "act in good faith in the best interests of the corporation."

Airport authorities are used in a number of Southern cities.

But the North is not the South.

Air isn't just another way to travel, often it's the only way to travel or do business in 33 communities.

That's why 300,000 passengers go through Yellowknife Airport annually -- a number projected to as much as double by 2021.

Is an airport authority what the people of the Northwest Territories want for the Yellowknife Airport?

Handley needs to speak clearly on the subject. Last November he said even if an airport authority was the preferred option -- as it is in the Hopkins report -- it would be impossible to have an independent authority for a relatively small airport like Yellowknife.

"We're not looking at off-loading some of our costs onto the operators at the airport," Handley said.

But in January, at an airport authority workshop, Handley said: "I am also convinced that the time is ripe to consider an alternate governance model for Yellowknife Airport."

Almost in the next breath, he added, "this government does not have a policy to privatize airports."

Arguments can be made for keeping the status quo, choosing an airport authority model -- or some other option.

But Handley needs to make a clear argument that MLAs and the people can judge on its merits.

At some time in Nunavut's future -- and the sooner the better in some minds -- the RCMP change of command ceremony will see the tipstaff passed to the first Inuk to run "V" Division.

At the most recent change of command ceremony we witnessed Nunavut's newest top cop, Chief Supt. John Henderson, express an expectation to see that happen.

Certainly it is inevitable as more Inuit men and women don the famous red serge uniforms of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Eight young Inuit constables joined the ranks at that ceremony. Three more are completing studies before they too will get their badges.

It's not just a start in efforts to make Nunavut's policing reflect the community it serves. There are other Inuit serving, but at 15 per cent of total membership, the RCMP here has a long way to go.

Anyone who cares about such things in the Inuit community has to be looking positively at this increased homegrown presence.

"They look like us. They speak like us. Maybe now we'll have more attention paid to us." These are understandable reactions.

This is not to say the non-Inuit members of the RCMP have fallen down on their jobs.

Absolutely not. But if we're honest, we also know that try as one might, the barrier of "culture" can and will prevent the most hard-working Mountie from "getting his man."

We see this regularly where a certain "cone of silence" in a community keeps a rapist or murderer from being arrested.

The thing is, the newest members of the RCMP will learn their being Inuit will not make the job any easier.

Police are out there to enforce laws created by governments. There is an element in every community North, South, East or West who just don't like cops.

For these people it doesn't matter who's in the uniform. Cops are cops.

The RCMP's policy is to place members in any community but the one they came from to ensure fairness of enforcement.

"They look like us. They speak like us. But they're not us."

The newest recruits are going to see this. They may be Inuit serving an Inuit community, but they're not from that community and so will be seen, by some, as outsiders not to be trusted.

It will be back to square one for our Inuit police -- earning respect by the job they do, not the culture they come from.

Editorial Comment
Darrell Greer
Kivalliq News

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

And, in some cases, what appears to be a desperate measure is, in reality, a calculated risk.

There will be more than a few political pundits maintaining that Jack Anawak got lucky with the fallout after Premier Paul Okalik removed his portfolio last week.

We beg to differ.

What happened last week was evidence of one more ace up the sleeve of a veteran political warrior.

And, politically speaking, it was a stroke of pure brilliance.

Two weeks ago, outside of Anawak's last stronghold in his Rankin Inlet North riding (local elders), the MLA's popularity was at an all-time low among his constituents.

During the past week, petitions have been started in support of Anawak, with everyone from Mayor Lorne Kusugak to potential election foe Tagak Curley having voiced their displeasure over Okalik's decision.

In one fell swoop Anawak has gone from being almost off the political radar screen, to being the most talked about politician in Nunavut.

Make no mistake about it, Anawak knew very well what the ramifications of speaking out against the PPD's move to Baker Lake from Rankin would be after that decision was reached in cabinet.

He's been around far too long not to have realized it, especially with the somewhat strained relationship he and the premier have been enduring for the past while.

He also knew, if he played his cards right, he would be viewed by his constituents as a champion of the people -- the old warrior rising up to defend their dreams for a different type of government against a power-hungry premier.

Anawak must now work hard to hold onto his regained popularity until it's time for voters to go to the polls.

As for the premier, he's busy lobbying behind closed doors to have a non-confidence motion tabled against Anawak when the legislative assembly reconvenes March 4.

If he doesn't get the 10 necessary winks to oust Anawak from cabinet, the premier will face an in-house crisis of his own.

Anawak has taken a potentially career-ending situation and turned in into a political rejuvenation.

His title, be it minister without portfolio or MLA, for the rest of this government is immaterial.

In fact, he would be better positioned to voice the concerns of his constituents simply as an MLA for the rest of the term.

What matters most to Anawak is that he positions himself for another election win so he can continue to voice those concerns.

Editorial Comment
Terry Halifax
Inuvik Drum

Hi again Delta folks. I'm back from an almost-too-long holiday down south and it feels good to be back.

I toured much of Western Canada and spent a couple weeks on the beach in Mexico with my fishing buddy and legal advisor, Carlos Roja.

Touching down here in time for the Northern Games was a great welcome back, with the spirit and sport almost as rich as Nellie's char chowder.

While I did enjoy the time with friends and family down south it always feels good to fly back north.

Thanks to Tara for holding down the fort and taking the heat from the dog debate.

This job is never easy and being new makes it that much tougher. I've travelled to most of the NWT communities and lived in the territory almost seven years now and I still feel pretty new.

In the rough

The recent staking rush that hit the NWT and Nunavut with diamond exploration should bring a lot of new money into the territories and even into the Delta.

Along with Leon La Prairie slugging away up at Darnley Bay, we now have Randy Turner and his crew coming north of 68 to search for the sparkle.

A real Delta Diamond boom may be years away, but it is comforting that the economy is getting diversified.

Liberal let-down

The recent snub of the North by Jean Chretien on medical benefits (News/North Feb. 10) is much more of the same from the little Liberal who brought us the White Paper and gun registration.

The legacy of neglect Chretien leaves on the North will dovetail well with what the Liberal Party has done for the health care of aboriginal people across the country.

Non-insured health benefits are shrinking while health costs are soaring -- a good indication that the feds are getting ready for aboriginal self-government.

Rather than pay the true cost of health care to aboriginals, the Liberals have been shrinking payments to medical and dental coverage nation wide to people on and off reserves.

When aboriginals finally do get to exercise their inherent right to govern, the feds will transfer the payments they've determined, instead of what the real costs of health care are.

Neither the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapirit Kanatami or the Metis National Council were asked for their input on the First Ministers conference on health care.

Last year's speech from the throne, studded with promises and hope for the North and aboriginal people was cast off by NWT Premier Stephen Kakfwi as "just so much talk," and it looks now that he was right.

So file your Red Book along with your White Paper, Jean, and get on to writing your memoirs. This country needs a leader that cares about all her people, including her original people.

Editorial Comment
Derek Neary
Deh Cho Drum

The grand chief has a grand idea.

Rather than continuing to fight the federal government for a few extra peanuts, Michael Nadli is proposing that the Deh Cho take the plunge into business.

Over the past year or two, the Deh Cho First Nations' negotiating team has been trying to pry the lid wide open on resource royalties. Yet the government has stood firm. Ottawa's argument has been that even though the percentage of royalties offered to the Deh Cho is rather paltry, it's also unprecedented. No other claimant group has ever received a share of royalties prior to signing a final agreement. So the government line is essentially, "Be happy you're getting that much."

Rather than persist, which could derail negotiations, Nadli is recommending that the Deh Cho form its own company. That way the region can benefit substantially from development opportunities. This Deh Cho company would work with an established industry partner, which would provide expertise and resources.

It will take an enormous amount of work and cooperation among the 10 Deh Cho communities to make such a company take shape, but it could pay off in a big way. Each community has a choice of proceeding with its own development projects or working as a cohesive unit at a regional level, which gives the Deh Cho more leverage and bargaining power with industry.

That aside, what's puzzling is Nadli's contention that industry isn't waiting to barrel though the door.

Really?

Hasn't the grand chief been listening to his fellow leaders at the assembly table over the past few years? Some of them have repeatedly mentioned the pressure they face from uninvited business officials who covet their land. The chiefs have mentioned all sorts of propositions floated before them.

Nadli's argument that industry isn't currently willing to invest due to political uncertainty in the region holds true only to a certain extent. Some companies have come and gone due to the political climate. However, the situation is analogous to a homeowner with a guard dog out front stating that the a salesman doesn't want to come to his door. Sure that salesman wants to make a buck, but you'll have to call off the dog before he comes knocking. In this case, the salesman has obviously been slipping around to the back door and making his sales pitch to the chiefs.

Regardless, as it has been stated in the past, it wouldn't take many industrial projects to maximize employment and utilize all the equipment and resources in this region. A Mackenzie River bridge or a Mackenzie Valley pipeline, two projects with much promise, will easily absorb everything the Deh Cho has to throw at it.