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A few hundred thousand dollars for a product that prevents cancer is a good investment, but it's not enough.

The federal government is devoting $300 million nationally to help the provinces and territories start vaccination programs against cervical cancer.

A few hundred thousand dollars for a product that prevents cancer is a good investment, but it's not enough.

The federal government is devoting $300 million nationally to help the provinces and territories start vaccination programs against cervical cancer.

The NWT share's of the federal cash to start up its own program amounts to $388,000. However, that's only enough to get through the first year or so.

Gregory Cummings of the Department of Health and Social Services said the GNWT won't get a program started until it is certain there is enough money to keep it going as a long-term project.

Gardasil, the vaccination in question, protects women against human papillomavirus (HPV) - a virus with more than 80 strains. Along with causing genital warts and other symptoms, the sexually transmitted disease can also develop into cervical cancer.

It's estimated 75 per cent of people will be affected by the virus at some point in their lives.

Up to 25 per cent of cases have the potential to cause cervical cancer, which is why the Gardasil vaccine was created.

Gardasil, which is given in three shots, has been available to female Canadians for a couple of years now. But only those who can afford the $430 fee have been able to take advantage of it.

We can't afford to wait for this program.

This isn't the flu we're talking about - it's cervical cancer.

As Wanda White, a communicable diseases specialist said, "talk to someone who's had cervical cancer. Four hundred dollars is not a lot of money."

The government would be wise to take this into consideration. Lives depend on it.

Pauline Cotchilly, who has cerebral palsy, has spent most of her working life in low-paying, menial jobs -- whenever she can find someone willing to hire her.

Cotchilly's affliction affects her co-ordination and motor control, and she could use assistance from the government.

The 39-year-old mother of three, who is currently employed full-time, worries how long she can continue working physically demanding, dead-end jobs to support her children because her condition is worsening.

Cotchilly has applied for Canadian Pension Disability Plan benefits in the past but was denied coverage because she hadn't worked enough to qualify. Yet she says few employers are willing to hire her due to her disability.

There are programs out there to help disabled people - the Yellowknife Association for Community Living, for example, runs the Employability program aimed at matching clients with employers through job training and government funding to subsidize salaries.

But governments could do more to help people like Cotchilly and her children.

She would probably be able to work later into life if she was sitting at a desk rather than vacuuming floors and making beds.

Free daycare for the disabled would help them spend more time upgrading their education instead of lingering in a low-wage job that barely covers the bills.

My dad always told me it was a big mistake for the provincial government in New Brunswick to remove technical and trade classes from the school system. They'll pay for it in the future when we don't have enough people to fix our cars, build our houses and fix our plumbing he would say. As much as I hate admitting my father is right - he is.

There is a serious national concern about the lack of tradespeople and in the North it's an issue multiplied by 10. It's obvious in Yellowknife there is a shortage when you can't make an appointment to get your plumbing fixed until a week after you call. It has to be much worse in the smaller communities.

The baby boom generation is getting older and there is a mass exodus towards retirement. If the territorial government starts to think ahead, they can prepare the youth in the North to take advantage of career opportunities available in the trades industry and rebuild the dwindling workforce.

Youth in the Deh Cho would benefit from early exposure to trades. It opens the door to more opportunities after high school. Instead of working low-paying jobs or being dependent on the system or on their parents, trades work will give them discipline and a desire to contribute to their community.

It's important for kids to have every opportunity available when they choose a career path. Not all students learn the same way. Not everyone is meant to go to university. Some people are intellectually savvy and some are technically savvy. Students deserve to have access to every career opportunity so they can make an informed decision on the best option for their future.

By investing money into trades and technology education at a younger age, everyone wins. The territory wins because it trains a whole new workforce and keeps its residents from leaving for better jobs.

Communities of the North benefit because they get the tradespeople they need to keep their community functioning. Northern businesses will save money because they won't have to fly in a tradesperson to do a specific job for them.

If the government doesn't take action soon, it could take a long time for them to get their toilet fixed.

Andrew Livingstone is the interim editor of Deh Cho Drum. Roxanna Thompson will return in November.

When are we going to see some real enforcement on our streets and maybe a bylaw officer to take down some of the stupid people who hog our roads with their tired antics?

As soon as the first big snowfall of the year came down, I knew we were in for another season of showboaters.

The only problem is, the show-offs aren't limited to staying on their beefed up Ski-Doos.

Just this afternoon at around 4:30 I took a drive for a photo opportunity at Ingamo Hall.

As I approached Samuel Hearne on Kingmingya road, a white pickup truck slid into the road from Berger Street.

This clown thought it would be cool to slide his back end across the street and try to straighten himself out before the next turn.

Right there, in front of the high school, in the middle of the day. I remember looking to the left of the driver and seeing a young boy who could have been 10 years old.

He was walking by and looked like he approved of his actions.

I couldn't believe it, this man slides a corner, almost loses control and passes by a kid while doing it? What are we teaching the young people of this community?

Is stunting going to get you anywhere except a hospital bed? I'm not one to wish bad things on people, but that person needs to be stopped.

I've been behind the wheel since I was fifteen, learning to drive from my grandfather. The week I turned sixteen, I had my license. On my first attempt.

I'm not trying to brag, but I'm a confident and safe driver who knows the rules of the road.

I wish we had some serious driving lessons being taught in this community, because without a strong education, how are the idiots who are out spinning their tires going to learn?

Call me angry, but I really got upset when I saw this person skid past the school with no regard for the safety of others.

But, with all the open-water skipping with snow machines and racing that happens in this town, I don't think anyone really cares about the safety of those daredevils.

How is it justified?

"Oh, I could have died, but at least that girl will drink with me tonight?"

In a town that is suffering a supposed syphilis outbreak, I wouldn't be so hot to get dirty if I was that guy.

This town does not need another death on its hands due to the irresponsibility of people who are dumb and crazy enough to put their lives at risk.

If all our kids have to look up to are a bunch of gas-guzzling idiots who risk it all for a good show, we need to start looking for new role models.

If you're out on the streets and you see some clown sliding around with his back end out, call the cops before they hit someone.

I'm confident that we can get past this season without any unnecessary deaths or collisions.

I have a friend whose favourite saying revolves around it being a sad day when the Government of Canada stopped allowing everyone to wear six-shooters in public.

To his way of thinking, a few wrongful deaths a year were a small price to pay for petty criminals thinking twice about entering private property, and most people keeping their insults to themselves unless they were prepared to back them up.

Barbaric? Yes. Draconian? Absolutely.

But these days the worm has completely turned in the opposite direction.

Now it's the criminals walking around with the hardware, while average citizens are scared to do anything lest they end up in more trouble than the lawbreakers.

Now, even though we have our share of violent deaths in the North, we're not talking about bad guys running around with guns and knives.

But, as anyone living in fear of having their possessions stolen in Rankin Inlet these days can tell you, these criminals are not breaking into buildings with their bare hands.

They're walking around the hamlet with crowbars, pry bar, iron claws; all manners of tools of the criminal trade.

That's why, as much as we'd all like to see those responsible for the Rankin crime wave get theirs, we have to wait for the police to apprehend them and hope the courts hand down a significant sentence when they do.

The RCMP, the municipality and our business leaders are absolutely correct when they warn against vigilante justice.

The problem with taking on anyone who has broken into your dwelling is that if they decide to fight, it's not going to be a fair one.

And, again, they're the ones hiding the steel bars under their jackets.

A crowbar can do an awful lot of damage when it comes in contact with its intended target and, in this case, we're not talking doors or deadbolts here.

We're all frustrated by these robberies and, let's be honest, many of us have lost faith in our judicial system.

When someone can be found guilty of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in this territory and not spend a day behind bars, how much time can we expect these thieves to receive if they're ever apprehended?

Still, there's no tolerance for vigilante justice in today's society, at least not by law enforcement and the courts.

But those with information about the break and enters in Rankin have no excuse for not informing the RCMP.

This is your town being dragged down. Honest people in need suffer when the food bank is closed due to the breaks, and it's your recreation programs that will suffer as the hamlet continues to lose money in robberies and repairs.

It will be money coming out of your pocket when local businesses raise prices to recoup their losses.

Shawn Maley hit the nail right on the head when he said a message has to be sent to show this type of behaviour will not be tolerated in Rankin.

Every day these thugs are on the street everyone is in danger, so let's all do our part.

It's time to take back our town.