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Premier Floyd Roland seems to have a one-track mind. No matter what question he's asked, he can somehow manage to fit the words "devolution agreement" in the answer.

That's looking more and more like an excuse for not getting things done.

His most recent attempt to hide behind those words came in talks about bringing federal government jobs to Yellowknife. Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay expressed concern over dozens of recent job postings for Indian and Northern Affairs being located in Ottawa and Quebec rather than in the North. Too many government jobs related to Northern development are located near the capital when they should be in the NWT.

But when Roland addressed the issue, even though he ultimately agrees with Ramsay's point of view, he couldn't help but play his favourite card. A devolution agreement still needs to be reached, he said, before Northerners can lay claim to these jobs.

We echo Ramsay's sentiments when he responded by saying, "devolution or no devolution, the positions should be in the North," along with the badly-needed millions of dollars they would mean for our economy.

The premier needs to make headway on these matters rather than hanging everything on an agreement that hasn't yet been reached.

Yellowknife is a diverse city. Last Canada Day there were individuals from 31 countries sworn in here as Canadian citizens.

However, Yellowknife isn't the attraction for immigrants that it was during the 1950s when gold mines boomed with workers from different countries, like Italy and Germany, for employment, as Ryan Silke's Miners' Tales column in last Friday's Yellowknifer reminded us.

Yellowknife has been strongly shaped by immigrants and continues to be, although territorial regulations these days make it more difficult for new citizens to settle here.

While the economic downturn has robbed the North of jobs over the past few months, the good times will return when commodity prices are back on the upswing - not to mention what the Mackenzie Valley pipeline or a highway extension could mean. As it is, filling service positions in Yellowknife still remains a challenge.

In the Yukon, the Yukon Nominee Program speeds up the process for permanent residency for successful applicants. Yellowknife and the NWT could benefit from a similar program, and there has been talk among our territorial politicians of following that model. Now is the time to act so we'll be in good position when the economy is red hot once again.

It is not just the economy that would benefit, however. Immigrants are an essential part of making our city diverse ethnically and culturally.

Let's ease their way into our community for the good of us all.

I have been quite supportive of many changes made to hockey during the past few years.

The game is more fun to watch with most of the hooking and holding removed, and the moves to have players keep their helmets on during altercations are long overdue.

However, other areas of the game are being attacked by those outside the sport, and some of the recommendations coming from those quarters will prove themselves quite dangerous if implemented.

The latest hubbub comes from a study led by York University on bodychecking in hockey.

The folks of higher academia, upon completing a thorough study, boldly proclaimed bodychecking is associated with an increased risk of injury in minor hockey.

The study reviewed research from Canada, the U.S.A. and Finland and cited bodychecking as a leading cause of injury in minor hockey in those countries.

The next study is expected to confirm tackling is closely associated with injuries on a football field and if you're beaned with a baseball thrown at 70 m.p.h., it hurts.

The followup to this ground breaking study is to suggest bodychecking not be allowed in minor hockey until at least the bantam age group.

Why do these folks fail to grasp the desire of youth to play competitive sports that involve some risk of injury, and why do they have an obsession to attack hockey?

Where are the studies suggesting sponge balls be used in Little League?

Where are the studies recommending youth be forced to play flag football until high school?

And can we please ban those skateboards and Rollerblades before someone gets hurt?

We need to focus on training enough qualified coaches to teach our younger players the proper way to give and take a bodycheck.

Adults who have been driving for many years are the worst to teach proper driving skills because of the bad habits they've developed.

If bodychecking is eliminated until kids turn 13 to 16, more serious injuries, and lots of them, will result.

Many kids have played for eight to 10 years by the time they reach those ages.

The list of bad habits they will form by that point from playing with no fear of being bodychecked by another player is a lengthy one -- skating with their head down, cutting into the middle (trolley tracks), looking down into their skates to retrieve a poor pass, bending over while facing the boards to dig for a puck, etc.

Add to that the elevated levels of testosterone from finally being allowed to bodycheck, and you have hockey's version of a train wreck waiting to happen.

There are many hockey moms and dads who understand this, but there are others who do not and that's where the danger rests.

Those folks, who often had no exposure to the game until their kids took it up, can be swayed by such biased studies to put pressure on minor hockey associations to change their rules.

There is no such thing as creating the perfectly safe arena without totally destroying the sport.

Now there's a concept these researchers should study for a while.

Health Minister Sandy Lee's dithering on the territorial government's proposed milk subsidy shows a greater concern for the bottom line than the health of Northerners.

Lee's comment that milk is not part of a traditional diet may be correct but it is no excuse to do nothing. People's diets have changed since the introduction of the supermarket. While country foods are still consumed, so are chips, pop and frozen dinners.

Here's the key point: pop and chips are much cheaper to buy and therefore are becoming more commonplace in the Northern diet than healthy food choices.

The result is an increasing level of obesity, diabetes and other diet related health issues in Northern children and adults.

Nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin D and calcium are essential to healthy bones, vision and organ development. Vitamin D - found in sunlight - is also said to protect against disorders like multiple sclerosis and is more difficult to come by during the dark Northern winters.

Lee argues that there are other subsidies presently in place to offset the high cost of living in the North. She cites the NWT power subsidy, nutritional food promotion program and the income support food basket as examples.

Although all valuable programs, they fall short of meeting their intended goal. For one, children don't run on electricity; two, at $6 to $9 a litre in remote communities, some people who don't qualify for income support still can't afford milk; three, it does no good to promote food people cannot afford.

Then there is food mail. It's Indian and Northern Affairs' and Canada Post's program that apparently reduces the cost of food in the NWT. A lot of retailers in the territory already use it, yet people still pay ridiculously high costs for anything healthy.

Another of Lee's weak arguments is that the GNWT should not focus a program on one product (what about the power subsidy?) and there are other ways to get the same nutrients that milk provides.

As the health minister, one would think Lee would know a little about health. A nutritionist interviewed by News/North agreed that traditional foods, such as fish heads, can provide the same nutrients as milk. However, that same professional added that acquiring those traditional foods can be difficult -- not to mention not everyone is eager to enjoy such delicacies in their diet. Vegetables and fruit are not always available in the communities either.

Yes, the $1.5 million price tag for the milk subsidy is steep, but it's nothing compared to the cost burden for Northern families forced to choose between the health of their children and paying the bills.

In some communities the cost of milk is outrageous. Nearly $10 for two-litres is a travesty that the government must address.

If Lee doesn't want to apply a subsidy to one product maybe it is time to implement a program that subsidizes the price of milk and all other healthy foods by imposing a sugar and fat tax.

Doing more to promote healthy diets will help offset escalating health costs incurred by the growing number of obese and diabetic individuals in the NWT.

A proposed European Union ban on sealskins threatens to destroy the market for sealskins.

Even though European legislators have added an exemption to allow Inuit to trade seal products for cultural, educational or ceremonial purposes, commercial sales would still be banned.

About 11,000 skins - the entire 2008 Nunavut inventory and leftovers from 2007 - were unsold in January at the annual fur auction in Ontario.

Prices will fall, and, as a result, the Government of Nunavut may drastically cut what it pays hunters for the skins.

Hunters have seen this happen before, in the 1980s when a ban on white-coat seal products in Europe made sealskin unpopular. It's worth noting that the white-coat ban also included an exemption regarding Inuit hunters, but communities were still hit hard by the market crash. Prices dropped as low as $15 a pelt by the mid '90s.

But then the global money market began booming, and the demand for luxury items surged. Fashion designers began featuring real fur, including sealskin, on the runways of Europe. Sealskin sales and prices bounced back, averaging around $70 a pelt in 2005.

But fashion is fickle. The impending ban in Europe has once again made seal unpopular, even though politicians apparently have no similar qualms about leather or silk.

Other seal products have few ready markets. The meat is not popular; Atlantic sealers sell it to be ground up for animal feed. The Asian market for seal penises as aphrodisiacs shrivelled when Viagra came out. And though seal oil is a good source of the omega-3 fatty acids that are a health food trend, omega-3 is also available from fish oil and flax seed oil.

Though designers in Russia and Turkey often use seal in their clothing - and the Russian and Norwegian markets should be explored as alternatives -- the one steady market for sealskin that has endured is that of Nunavut's seamstresses, crafters and artists.

Traditional clothing is arguably superior to those made of modern materials. After all, it has been refined and adapted over thousands of years for protection against one of the harshest climates on Earth. Sealskin mitts, for example, are far warmer and more comfortable than any synthetic product on the market.

Contracts to supply items of winter clothing to mine workers, explorers, or even the Canadian Forces would economically benefit both hunters and craftspeople while helping sustain traditional skills.

As European parliamentarians prepare to vote on a sealskin ban on April 1, which coincides with Nunavut's 10th anniversary, one thing is for certain: Inuit ways are far more enduring than European fashion.

Thank heavens for Walt Humphries.

Without his keen eye and inquisitive nature we may never have learned that the jail was throwing hundreds of books into the dump because corrections officials considered maintaining a library to be a waste of time.

Humphries argues that throwing books out is a crime against humanity because so many people and communities outside of Yellowknife don't have easy access to books.

Let's not forget the dismal literacy rates in the territory. The NWT Literacy Council reports that 42 per cent of working adults - never mind prison inmates - don't have enough literacy skills to function in today's world.

Eric Kieken, warden of North Slave Correctional Centre, said he hasn't heard any interest from inmates to have a library but so what? He's not a cruise ship event planner, he's a jail warden and part of that job is to see that inmates are rehabilitated. And by rehabilitated, that means on a path away from crime and towards getting some bona fide education and work skills.

The correctional centre does teach a basic literacy program, and at least had the sense not to throw all its books away. Inmates are encouraged to stay busy and out of trouble because if they do, their prison sentences are reduced.

The territorial government should encourage this incentive to a greater extent through reading and educational programs.

Some may argue that spending money on criminals to put them in a classroom or buy them books is being too soft on them, but what would you rather have? Criminals that remain ignorant and commit more crimes or functioning people who have turned their lives around?

Yellowknife Catholic Schools has gone to the courts twice in order to keep non-Catholics off its board of trustees - and twice the board has lost.

Since announcing it will be attempting to take its battle to the Supreme Court of Canada, YCS has refused to respect the fact that, up to this point, the law has made it clear non-Catholics are to be accepted on the board.

On Feb. 24, Amy Hacala, the only non-Catholic on the board, requested the school change its policy through a motion that would reflect the court rulings. This was denied.

This disrespect of the courts' rulings can only work to further alienate non-Catholics, both young and old, from the school system. YCS says it wants its constitutional rights respected and this fight is also about the battle against the board merger.

The Catholic school board has every right to take its case to the highest court; that's what the Supreme court is there for. In the meantime, disregarding existing rulings from the NWT courts makes the school board appear as if it's above the law.

Children should be taught to abide by the rules set by authority, even in situations where one does not get what one wants. How can students be expected to abide by the rules if the school won't set the example?

The countdown to the Dehcho First Nations' elections for the grand chief is on. While candidates in this campaign are unlikely to gather the kind of cult following that Barack Obama received, even in the Deh Cho, there should still be some exciting moments to come over the next four months.

It's been a while since the Dehcho First Nations (DFN) has held an election for the grand chief. When the current grand chief, Jerry Antoine, was put in the position in February 2008 it was with the understanding that there would be an election held at the next annual assembly. When June came around, however, delegates at the assembly voted to give Antoine a full year in office.

The last election was actually in June, 2003, when Herb Norwegian was chosen from amongst four other candidates. In 2006, the next election year, Norwegian was acclaimed when he was the only person to submit an application by the nomination deadline.

There's no way to predict how this year's elections will play out.

As Richard Lafferty, a member of the election committee, pointed out every DFN election has been unique. The variety is primarily because the election policy has always been changed between each three-year term, but the differences extend farther. There have been quiet elections and contentious ones. One year there were eight candidates running for the position, but there have also been acclamations. If more than one person steps forward this year, which seems highly likely, residents can look forward to some candidate rivalry. If the new election policy is followed candidates will have a month to campaign.

As in any election there will be hand shaking, baby kissing, speeches and promises made. Candidates will highlight their qualifications while referring to the weaknesses of their competitors in roundabout ways.

During all of the smoke and mirrors, the Dene and Metis residents of the Deh Cho will have a job to do. Notably this election won't involve a regional vote with a ballot for every band and Metis member, but there's still a way for residents to have a say. During the month of campaigning residents of the various communities will have the opportunity to direct their annual assembly delegates on how to vote.

In order for this election to be meaningful, and for the grand chief to actually represent the people of the Deh Cho, those very people will have to play an active role in the election.

Throughout his short term as grand chief, Jerry Antoine has continuously spoken about the need for all DFN members to become involved and make their thoughts and opinions heard. The upcoming election will provide residents with the chance to exercise their rights and to have a say in the path that DFN will take over the next three years.

It would be easy for me to speak virtuously about the fact that the town lacks some basic infrastructure to ensure disabled residents can thrive in our community. But to be honest, as of late, I've been too busy to look or think about that.

That is until Monday night, when I attended a town council meeting and heard from a small community group working on behalf of local residents with disabilities.

For quite some time this local committee of the NWT Persons with Disabilities has been working to provide our fellow community members with regular and adequate transportation. They met with United Taxi owner Abdalla Mohamed recently to see if he could provide an appropriate vehicle complete with a ramp for wheelchair access. Sure enough he was game.

All that's needed now is the council's blessing in the form of a simple bylaw addition and Inuvik will finally have a disabled-friendly taxi, perhaps as soon as the start of summer. It's a long time coming and it speaks clearly to what a little co-operation can achieve.

But that's only half the battle because such a vehicle can only do so much good when many of the community's most-frequented buildings aren't outfitted with enough elevators and ramps to service a significant portion of our community.

It's easy to lay blame on council's shoulder; indeed it deserves some. But responsibility in large part should also fall on community residents because if installing ramps and elevators in Inuvik was seen as a priority, we would already have them.

Patricia Davison, a supporter of the local disabilities lobby group, raised an important point at Monday's meeting when she said that without adequate transportation and necessary infrastructure, the disabled are being shut out of their community and some are essentially being sentenced to house arrest.

Maybe Monday's council meeting and the commitment shown by Mr. Mohamed will be the spark that's needed to get the ball rolling.