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Rates of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in the North are thought to be the highest in the country.

What makes the problem particularly troubling is it senselessly debilitates future generations - the very ones who are key to the development of Yellowknife and the North overall.

The affliction is often misdiagnosed as attention deficit disorder, which allows people to deny alcohol as a source of the handicap and keeps families and educators in the dark about how to deal with afflicted youth. Caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy, FASD creates learning difficulties in children. Developmental problems are most evident at pivotal points in life - first in infancy, and again when youth hit puberty.

FASD poses challenges in families and society at large. It has negative implications on the development, empowerment and well-being of our population. This makes awareness and proper treatment of the disorder all the more urgent. Yellowknife, home to the largest healthcare and treatment centres in the territory, is the place to start.

The Yellowknife Association for Community Living has taken a prominent role in raising awareness about FASD, drawing citizens, members of government and other community organizations to take part in its yearly FASD awareness campaign. The fifth annual event was held last week and by all counts it was a success. This needs to be followed up on with concrete programs and policies that prevent this avoidable handicap for starters and treat it properly once it is a reality.

To deny FASD is to deny the future of Yellowknife and Northern communities.

Congratulations to city council for approving some fine picks for new street names in Yellowknife.

The names of long-time city councillor Blake Lyons, public health nurse and volunteer extraordinaire Jan Stirling and former mayors Pat McMahon and Bob Findlay were chosen last week to adorn new street signs in the Niven Lake subdivision.

In an age where the names of corporate sponsors are popping up on sports arenas and other facilities across the continent, it's nice to know there are a few areas left where municipalities can honour those who have served their communities well.

More than that, honouring distinguished citizens with street names lends a community some historical context.

However, naming new streets can also be a sensitive business. As it stands, the city's naming committee is made up entirely of bureaucrats. Does the manager of public works need to be on this committee? Why not someone from the business community, a longtime Yellowknifer or someone from a public service group?

In fact, most of the city's committees have ordinary citizens on them: the heritage committee and the development appeal board among others. These committees help legitimize city business and take away the perception of back room dealings.

It's time the city opens up its naming committee to the public.

With September more than halfway over students across the Deh Cho are into the full swing of their classes. Although they're back at their desks again some Deh Cho students had summer adventures they won't soon forget.

Ramona Menicoche from Fort Simpson spent two weeks cruising along the eastern coast of Baffin Island as part of the International Polar Year Arctic Youth Expedition. During the trip, Menicoche learned about the global forces that are affecting the Arctic.

For four students from Fort Providence the summer brought a whole range of new experiences as they travelled in Vietnam and Cambodia. After spending a year fundraising for the trip Audrey Landry, Lawrence Sabourin, Devin McLeod and Rebecca Landry, along with five adults, were ready to play the part of tourists.

Although they saw and experienced a lot of new things the high school students also spent part of their trip volunteering their time to help local children.

While it definitely wasn't Southeast Asia, eight teenagers from Fort Providence also tested themselves during the Raven Aboriginal Youth Employment Program. The participants learned about life in the Canadian Forces while training at a base near Victoria, B.C.

Two of the participants from the hamlet, Allison Minoza and Murina Sabourin, successfully graduated from the program.

Although their experiences were incredibly diverse all of the students commented on how much they learned during their summer trips about themselves and the positive changes they can effect on the world.

Programs and organized trips like these are exactly the kinds of things youth from the Deh Cho need to be encouraged to participate in more. By travelling outside the region and trying new experiences the youth are able to build on the foundations their family, teachers and community have already helped them form.

When they test themselves in different environments youth are able to learn more about themselves while gaining a new appreciation for the things they have in their communities.

After seeing the stark poverty in parts of Cambodia and Vietnam and how people there find happiness in non-material goods the youth from that trip are unlikely to take what they have for granted.

While broadening their horizons is beneficial for any young person their communities will also feel the benefits.

If teenagers are able to look at their possessions and the possessions of others with new respect they'll be less likely to make bad choices.

In the past two weeks, Fort Simpson has had a run of crimes including two break and entries and two acts of vandalism.

A number of younger members of the community are suspected to be the culprits behind the incidents.

Promoting extracurricular trips may be one proactive way to support the region's youth so they gain pride in their communities and become stronger leaders for tomorrow.

The PARTY program - Preventing Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth - is in its third year putting on mock funeral and crash scenarios for the youth of Inuvik.

In past years, I missed the opportunity to see the event in person, but heard about the impact it had on those who participated.

It was some time last week when I was given the information about the group and their activities planned for Monday.

When I arrived at the rec complex on the morning of the pretend funeral, I wasn't sure how to feel. There were a lot of people there I hadn't seen in a while, so it was only natural to do some socializing.

After sharing a few laughs and talking with some old friends, the funeral was about to start so I took a seat near the back where I could move around easily once the show started.

I remember looking at one of the organizers and cracking a joke about trying not to enjoy myself and smile during the mock service.

Boy, was I in for a seriously eye-opening experience. As soon as the music hit and Sarah McLaclan's voice filled the community hall, I got chills down my spine. I turned around and saw four students carrying the casket, led by two candle-bearers.

I snapped a few shots of the boys walking with the box and sat back down as Doug Robertson led the room with his memorable words of belief and sadness.

Robertson spoke solemnly, with such class and charisma that it was surreal.

This fake funeral was turning into something totally unexpected.

It's been a long time since I've been to a funeral and I didn't have any short-term plans of attending another one.

Once the lights were dimmed and the candles were shining, it didn't take long for me to start running through forgotten, repressed memories of the funerals I had been to in the past.

For better or worse, the organizers played their part and kept in role for the rest of the short funeral.

It really hit home for me, seeing those young people gathered in such a depressing environment.

Looking back over the years at those we have lost due to reckless behaviour, it's such a shame.

Robertson said something that still sticks to my inner being.

"This has nothing to do with God's plan for anyone."

Like Robertson said, they are well-intentioned people who don't want to cause any harm, they just want you to know that everything happens for a reason.

There is no reason why anybody should be risking their lives for excitement or bragging rights. Unfortunately, one of the biggest issues facing our young people today and for a long time has been peer pressure.

Do what it takes to get the girl, to become popular and most importantly, don't look like a wimp.

I'm not sure if such bravado is still relevant in the halls of our schools, but if my time in this community has taught me anything, it's that things don't change all that much.

It seems like every year, we have some horrible incident involving youth and illicit drugs or alcohol.

We don't have any room in our community for show-offs or over-board alcoholics.

What we need is more people to come together and work for the greater good: our future.

Thanks to those who helped organize the PARTY program for this year. Your hard work and dedication will not be lost on this young mind.

They say three times a charm, but maybe this time it'll only take two to make it stick.

If Baker Lake MLA David Simailak does make the foolhardy decision to run for re-election on Oct. 27, it'll likely be very difficult to sweep the years of misconduct under the rug.

Nunavut's interim integrity commissioner - in a report requested by a regular MLA - aimed to ensure that accountability last week.

All that's left now is for the remaining members of the legislative assembly to approve the recommendations and findings. This, with any luck, has already been done by the time you read these words.

In his report, Pickell found Simailak for two years regularly received information that he should not have been privy to - information related to businesses which he had been required to place in a blind trust the moment he stepped into office.

The report also outlined a number of occasions when the Kivalliq politician used his influence to further businesses in which he has an interest, and even to get jobs for his friends.

But none of this should have come as a surprise to anyone, since Pickell was drawing in large part from the same information made public months ago in the legislative assembly.

Where was the public outcry then?

If the report is now accepted, this will be the second time Simailak will apologize for his wrongdoing.

In February, he made a formal apology to his peers, his constituents and family for breaching the territory's Integrity Act when he failed to disclose one of his business interests.

His defence at the time, as accepted by then integrity commissioner Robert Stanbury, was that it was an "honest error."

There would be no similar excuse this time, however.

"I do not believe that Mr. Simailak is as naive about blind trusts as he wants me to believe," Pickell wrote.

That old apology rings a little insincere now, huh?

Even if he does have the gumption to run in the next election, Pickell's report suggested a solution to make certain that no one can choose to tick his name in good conscience.

If the document is accepted by MLAs, Simailak will have to deliver his apology door to door in the form of a letter explaining what he has done.

True, everyone deserves a second chance. Technically, he's had his. He could have come clean months ago, when the correspondence was tabled at the legislative assembly in June. He should have seen the writing on the wall and bowed out when he had a chance.

Members of the Standing Committee of Government Operations and Accountability, which had the wherewithal to subpoena the material and push forward with the investigation, should be applauded for their work.

They stuck with it to the dirty end, and man, some of Simailak's conduct was dirty.

- Darrell Greer, the regular editor of Kivalliq News, will return next week