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The diamond tourism centre set to open in January, announced last week, is a good idea but one that's long overdue.

It will highlight what has become the NWT's biggest industry, provide an additional attraction for Yellowknife's tourists and create two or three jobs - but you can bet the problems plaguing the industry won't be highlighted in the centre's display cases.

The centre is being created by Crossworks Manufacturing Ltd., the only surviving diamond-polishing business in the NWT after the Arslanian Cutting Works and Polar Ice plants shut down more than a year ago as rough diamonds were sent to bidders elsewhere by the NWT's three diamond mines.

The GNWT and cabinet's handling of the of the secondary diamond industry in the North has been rightfully criticized by MLAs and Yellowknife city councillors. While it's nice Bob McLeod, minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, showed up for the tourism centre photo-op on Aug. 16, Yk's secondary diamond industry has continued to flounder under his watch, as it had under his predecessor, Brendan Bell.

The tourism centre will surely shed light on how the industry works, but McLeod and the other candidates for the upcoming territorial election should be explaining why the secondary diamond industry and mining in general aren't at the level they should be in the North.

Standing out among a myriad of factors are a lack of incentives to keep rough diamonds in the North, lost steam pushing the NWT brand in the global marketplace and a regulatory process that's resulted in only three diamond and one tungsten mine operating in the NWT. That's a total of four mines in a 1.3-million square-km chunk of land that touts natural resources as its main industry.

There's still plenty of metals and minerals in the ground - in other words jobs to be created, and a tax-base to be increased, if only our politicians can start building momentum in a place that bills itself as North America's diamond capital.

One of democracy's strengths is being able to choose the best candidate.

That pillar crumbles when only one person allows his or her name to stand for election.

We're only 39 days away from the Oct. 3 trip to the territorial polls. The nomination period opens on Sept. 5 and closes on Sept. 9 at 2 p.m.

As of press deadline, we have three official candidates: incumbents Glen Abernethy in Great Slave and Bob Bromley in Weledeh as well as Daryl Dolynny, who is seeking Sandy Lee's vacated Range Lake seat.

It would be encouraging to see as healthy a slate of candidates in all Yk ridings as we did in 2007, when we avoided any acclamations.

There's, arguably, an advantage to throwing one's proverbial hat in the ring early, so long as the candidate has a solid platform.

Those aiming to become MLA have to submit a $200 deposit to the returning officer, as well as a list of 15 supporters who are eligible voters in the riding where the candidate is running.

Contenders for public office usually commit a substantial amount of money on campaign signs and advertising. In 2007, Chris Johnston spent the most among Yk candidates at $26,327.53, but did not win a seat.

Dave Ramsay spent the least among those running in this city who did get elected, having spent $13,071.76.

Having a strong financial backing certainly doesn't hurt, but costs can be kept within reason in this age of social media, and with some good old-fashioned door-to-door campaigning.

If you have something to contribute, we strongly encourage you to take the plunge.

With the doors of Kivalliq schools open again and classes back in action, it's time to get kids to bed early. A good sleep is the first step to preparing youth for a day of learning.

In his book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Children, Marc Weissbluth says sleep is what keeps your mind alert and calm, allowing you to learn.

"Every night and at every nap, sleep recharges the brain's battery. Sleeping well increases brainpower just as weight lifting builds stronger muscles, because sleeping well increases your attention span and allows you to be physically relaxed and mentally alert at the same time. Then you are at your personal best."

And we always want kids to be at their best when they're at school. The fewer obstacles we put in a child's way, the better the learning experience will be for them, for their classmates and their teachers.

It's easy to get caught up in distractions, like extracurricular activities, work and homework, making it difficult to ensure kids are getting the sleep they need. But it's a new school year, which means a new beginning. It's an opportunity to start and stick to a fresh routine - a routine that includes a regular bedtime, a standard wake-up time and a nutritious breakfast.

We need to ensure Kivalliq's kids are being sent to school in tip-top condition, so they can continue to grow into successful young adults.

Of course, some of the responsibility lands on the students. They need to take an interest in their studies and they have to pay attention in class and do their work.

But you can't expect a student to devote their full attention to their studies if they're tired and hungry, so parents need to step up and take an interest in their child's health and education.

They need to make sure their kids are going to bed at a decent hour and they need to make sure their kids are getting up in the morning, eating breakfast and making it to school.

As the principal of Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik said, "If we can get them here, we can impact them, and we can encourage them and motivate them and then they're successful."

So, to all the parents out there, help your kids succeed this year and get them to school on time, fed and well-rested.

Imagine living in a little tent on the tundra: wind blowing, temperatures dipping into the single digits during the summer night; no running water and no electricity.

This is reality for a few Paulatuk families ordered out of their public housing units over the past month. A family of six literally did make their new residence in a tent.

Another option is to crowd into the private homes of friends or family members, houses that, if they weren't already overcrowded, would be packed to the rafters with the new guests. In winter, is a tent even an option?

These are the choices faced by some families that have, according to the NWT Housing Corporation, already made poor choices by not paying $32 in rent out of several hundred dollars in monthly income assistance.

Instead of paying their rent, they may have splurged on luxuries like peanut butter or bread when they went to the grocery store. They may have purchased some new shirts or pants to replace the threadbare ones their children are wearing. Maybe they spent the rent on cigarettes.

In Paulatuk, 300 people are living in 53 public housing units and only 20 private homes. Close to 60 per cent of the tenants are paying $32 or less in rent each month and about 35 public housing tenants are behind in their rent which adds up to approximately $500,000 in accumulated arrears.

Consequently, the Housing Corp. is cracking down and tossing families out on the street.

But who is this draconian policy serving? Is it making the government's accountants happy? Does it give the bureaucracy some feeling of fiscal comfort?

Whatever purpose it may serve, the eviction policy is surely aggravating the social problems that make other government workers - like health, social and justice department workers - busier.

Northerners don't want public housing tenants to escape any responsibility, but nor do we benefit from a policy that casts a family out onto the street. The mandate of the housing corporation is to give people shelter regardless of their ability to pay.

If the $32 is so critical, why not deduct it from the government cheque many people collect? As well, it's long been argued that the existing rent formula discourages people from working because it's easier to pay $32 per month than 30 per cent of gross income. Is the Housing Corp. brain trust unable to use a carrot and a stick at the same time encouraging employment and collecting reasonable rents?

We need to take a long, hard look at the rental rates and how they are applied.

It's appropriate that the income support program is administered by the Department of Employment, because that's exactly what small communities need to help alleviate the rental arrears problem - more jobs.

There are not many career options in most NWT hamlets.

All of this should be a priority for the next territorial assembly, which will take office in October.

Be sure to ask your MLA candidate what he or she plans to do about public housing and job creation before you go to the ballot box.

There's no doubt David Johnston is the most low-key Governor General Canada has had in a while.

The last two Governors General, Adrienne Clarkson and Michaelle Jean, both came from working in television media and both made big efforts to embrace the north.

When the stylish and plucky Jean ate a bit of raw seal heart at a feast in Rankin Inlet two years ago amid a storm of protest over Canada's support of sealing, she earned a place in the hearts of Nunavummiut. She was welcomed like a rock star in communities for the rest of her trip.

That's a hard act for anyone to follow.

Johnston, 70, is a university professor and was president of the University of Waterloo before his appointment as Governor General. He's been married to his wife Sharon for 45 years and they have five daughters and eight grandchildren. They live on a farm and train horses.

As Governor General, he's the non-partisan human face of the Government of Canada, and in speaking to him, one figuratively has the ear of the nation. His tours bring a little excitement and, more importantly, media attention to the places and people he visits.

Not surprisingly for someone who's been a teacher for four decades, he includes promoting education and research among his key aims for his term in office, along with volunteering and charity, and support for families to create "a smarter, more caring Canada." That he approaches these principles with earnest determination was apparent when he tried to turn down a gift of art from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. in favour of a donation to charity. To his credit, once he understood the gift was also a way for Nunavut to promote the work of its artists to the rest of Canada, he accepted with grace.

He also tasted every country food presented to him - seal meat was not on offer this time - and he and his wife gave rave reviews to a cake prepared by a student in Repulse Bay.

Aside from being weathered out of Qikiqtarjuaq, a disappointment for the community as this was to have been their first visit by a Governor General, the tour went off without a hitch and good first impressions were made both ways.

Johnston appears to have a genuine desire to learn about the North, as opposed to using it as a promotional tool for his own aggrandisement, like so many other federal politicians. We hope he comes back soon, because we have much more to teach him.

The killing of a young bear that wandered into the city last week has upset some people.

Derek Tremblay, who works at the legislative assembly, was among those to express disappointment that the bear was shot dead instead of tranquilized and placed back in the wild.

The decision to kill an animal should not be taken lightly. Most bears that wander into our city are not persistent pests but are just passing through, and go quietly on their way without requiring intervention other than the clearing of a path.

But when they take a wrong turn and end up downtown, where many people are coming and going, the consequences of not taking action could be even more tragic.

Wildlife officers were tracking the bear, which weighed approximately 64 kilograms, for two hours before finally pulling the trigger on it near the tennis courts around 4 p.m. Such an exciting pursuit always attracts the interest of the general public and some curious people follow and potentially put themselves in harm's way.

As well, with summer vacation in full swing, children often pass the tennis courts area on their way to the Ruth Inch Pool or the nearby playground. Chances cannot be taken with children's lives.

Although this particular bear was not described as acting aggressive, it still had the potential to launch a fatal attack very quickly. Bears are incredibly agile, dangerously strong and faster than most people expect - able to reach up to 45 km/h, which the average person has no chance of outrunning.

Although we sometimes see large animals drop quickly from tranquilizers on TV and on movie screens, wildlife officer Ian Ellesworth said it can sometimes take five to 10 minutes for the sedative to take effect.

It's a shame a wild animal had to die, but the story would have been much worse had a child been maimed while wildlife officials tried to spare the life of the bear.

It's a place for those who are welcome in few other places to grab coffee, sober up, to use the bathroom or protect themselves from the rain; for that alone, Yellowknife's Dene Ko day shelter is inherently a success.

It could be improved upon -- limited by its budget, it lacks professional counselling services that could help its homeless patrons.

This week the shelter returned to operating from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. -- back to normal hours after experimenting with opening from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The shelter, funded as a three-year pilot project, serves close to 70 people a day, feeding sometimes 40 at mealtimes. According to one of its patrons, some employers arrive in the early hours of the morning to recruit for casual labour. These factors contribute to the success story.

Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce executive director Tim Doyle has questioned the usefulness of the shelter. He pointed out that downtown violence has not decreased, and in fact spiked in June this year; the exodus of retailers from the downtown core has not abated; and drinking, drug-use and fighting still happen in plain sight, sometimes in front of the shelter itself.

These are the symptoms of huge social issues that must be dealt with, but that responsibility lies not with the day shelter. The facility is exactly what its name suggests - a shelter, a haven for those who would otherwise be on the streets.

There's little doubt that the shelter enriches the lives of the 70 people who stop by every day, and the city would be worse off if it ceased to exist.

There was one comment that particularly stood out when Enbridge representatives participated in a community meeting in Wrigley on Aug. 11.

From the third row of seats, Morris Moses stated that Enbridge should have arrived in the community with a cheque in hand.

With passion and possibly anger audible in his voice, Moses said after years of operating a pipeline in Wrigley's backyard, the company has given the community nothing – not a skating rink, not a pool, nothing.

"You insulted us again by coming here empty handed," said Moses.

It was a statement that deserves consideration and one that First Nations and companies that want to do business in the North and in the Deh Cho will need to consider more and more.

If nothing else, the Enbridge pipeline oil spill is a cautionary lesson. It's showing First Nations that it's imperative that agreements are made before a project or development begins on their traditional land and definitely not put off until something goes wrong.

Many of Pehdzeh Ki First Nation's concerns related to the oil spill could have been dealt with quickly if the band and Enbridge had a pre-existing agreement.

Pehdzeh Ki's current concerns have shown that such an agreement should have precisely laid out how Enbridge would consult with the band in the case of a spill. Clear channels of communication and the community's expectations regarding what consultation means should have been laid out.

The question of what resources the band and its companies could provide in the case of a spill as well as who would have preferences for contracts should have also been nailed down. Finally, expectations about what forms compensation would take, whether it be a monetary payment or other options, should have been discussed.

For Pehdzeh Ki, it's already too late. The spill has happened and the band and Enbridge are struggling to see eye to eye. Even the basic question of what consultation involves, a point that everything else hinges on, hasn't been clearly answered more than three months after the spill.

First Nations and companies alike need to take notes from the hard lessons that Pehdzeh Ki and Enbridge are learning. Development projects will likely become more common in the Deh Cho as companies seek to harvest the region's resources.

By establishing clear agreements before projects begin, both First Nations and companies will benefit and some future conflicts may be avoided.

The Sunchild E-learning program is one of those stories with a happy ending.

It began in 2010 when the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation received funding from the federal government and decided to funnel it toward a program that, in essence, improves literacy levels in its students.

In its first semester in February 2010, not one of its 12 students completed a course.

In its second semester in September 2010, course completion rose to 33 per cent and in its third semester last February, that number rose again to 80 per cent.

Now, not only are students passing their courses, they're excelling.

Candace Morgan, who helps manage the program, said that last semester, the top three students had averages above 85 per cent.

In addition, students are provided with a full-time, on-site mentoring and counselling services for both mental health and career planning, and a tutor is available as well.

Word has spread so fast around town that, for the upcoming semester, they have received 30 applications for the three available spots.

In an interview with News/North, Morgan said enabling students to succeed in class is just part of the puzzle.

"This isn't just about passing, it's about passing and doing well. The potential for them to go on to whatever it is they want as a career is very, very possible," she said.

"I can only see onward and upward with the program."

The fact the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is taking in dropouts and making stars out of them is tremendous. The fact they will have to turn away at least 27 people in September is tragic. Nearly 8,000 aboriginal people in the territory over the age of 15 do not have a high school diploma, and sunchild has to turn 27 people willing and able to graduate away at the door.

At $600 a pop, Sunchild's online courses don't come cheap, and the IRC has stretched whatever funding it has to the maximum.

The GNWT, federal government, local businesses and anyone else with a stake in promoting education in the North needs to step forward and make it possible for anyone who wants to complete their high school diploma to do so. The IRC has, against all odds, found a recipe for success, and funding shouldn't get in the way of writing more happy endings.

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