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This city needs more homes and an enterprising developer intends to deliver, critics be damned.

The vacancy rate for apartments in Yellowknife stood at a mere 0.8 per cent in April, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

The number of homes on the market, especially those under $350,000, are very few. There's pent-up demand for housing. Proof of that came when dozens of new Copper Sky condos were snatched up within a couple of days earlier this year. Demand for the condos, villas and townhomes being constructed in Niven Lake is also high.

So one would think there would be jubilation when Homes North and the GNWT swung a deal last week to swap land, which would create a new subdivision. Les Rocher, owner of Homes North, exchanged three of his downtown lots - which he had purchased for $642,000 -- in return for a 118,459 square metre tract of real estate in Kam Lake, not far from North Slave Correctional Centre. Rocher plans to put 90 to 120 manufactured homes on the site, which is believed to be valued at a much higher rate than the downtown lots - but few of us know for sure because the appraisal is not being disclosed.

Rocher has been vilified by some, but he is undeniably someone who gets things done. Over the past decade when there have been a housing crunches, primarily caused by the flocks of new workers at the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines, it was Rocher who opened up new subdivisions to relieve the pressure. He has faced controversy over zoning and been accused of encroaching on green space.

While his record is not flawless, he has kept the city out of the development business, which is a good thing. The city failed to recoup more than $2 million it sunk into developing Phase I of Niven Lake almost a decade ago.

Now it's Rocher who takes the risks and reaps the rewards, as he recently did in the Con and Rycon area, installing new manufactured homes.

There's a public hearing for rezoning set for Aug. 8. The city will hear concerns regarding the change in status of Rocher's new lot to residential from public service. That means the process is still largely accountable, which is essential, but so is having more homes for Yellowknife residents.

At a time when many Yk retailers are abandoning downtown in favour of the city's uptown, box-store approach to business, Weaver and Devore remains a testament to the fact that merchants can also thrive in Old Town.

The general store and camp supplier recently celebrated its 75th anniversary and remains a landmark and even a tourist draw.

Through good times and bad, and against growing online competition, Weaver and Devore has somehow carried on, weathering the ups and downs of the North's mining sector and the bounty and disappointment it can bring. The general goods store has succeeded as a family business that has been able to rely on the contribution a large family can make - including "child labour" in the form of younger family members willing to help serve customers, as Ken Weaver recalls.

Weaver and Devore has also lasted this long because it's simply a good business providing a necessary service and paying attention to the needs of both industry and walk-in customers. The crowded store with its narrow aisles - and basic supplies ranging from porridge to parkas as well as specialty items one would not expect to find - is a reminder that business can be bustling, even in Old Town.

Summer vacation doesn't mean it's time to stop learning. It may be a break from school and textbooks for kids and teenagers, but that doesn't mean it's time to turn the switch to autopilot.

Rather, it's a time for young people to try new things and explore. It's time to find out what they're good at and what they like to do. And there have been all kinds of opportunities for youth in the region to do just that this summer.

For example, last week there was a music camp in Rankin Inlet that gave kids aged eight to 16 the opportunity to throatsing, hip- hop dance, play the fiddle or the guitar.

The camp brought the school to life despite it being the middle of summer vacation.

Anyone who walked into the Leo Ussak Elementary School during the five-day camp was greeted with music - whether it was Michael Jackson coming from a stereo in the gym where kids were practising their dance moves, or a few G chords coming from a classroom where they were trying their hand at the guitar.

It was fantastic to see the kids spend five of their summer days having fun while learning new skills. Although the camp is now over, camp facilitator Andrew Morrison and the other instructors took two nights during the week to encourage and instruct musicians in the community, so that they are able to continue teaching youth.

This is the most important part of the camp; It is a way for the learning to continue beyond the five days. Now, it's up to the skilled musicians to step up and take the initiative. They need to encourage the youth to build on their new talents, whether it be with positive words, a few pointers or lessons.

It's like the old adage "it takes a village to raise a child." In this case, it takes the effort and care of experienced musicians to foster the interest and excellence of those that are just beginning.

With a small effort from the community, youth will gain a great deal from learning an instrument or learning to throat-sing or hip-hop dance.

It can provide youth with a constructive summer activity, a retreat from stress and an outlet for anger, frustration and sadness. It teaches them patience, concentration, co-ordination, creativity, rhythm and tone.

It also helps them gain self-confidence, not only from the positive reinforcement they receive from their families, friends and community members, but also from the knowledge that they are able to learn and succeed.

Nearly 8,000 aboriginal people in the NWT over the age of 15 do not have a high school diploma, representing almost half of that demographic's total population.

In comparison, a little more than 2,100 non-aboriginals -- only 12 per cent of that population -- in the same age bracket are without a high school diploma, according the NWT Bureau of Statistics.

The statistics are alarming and point to an urgent need for more programs, funding and awareness to help improve the academic success rate of aboriginal students.

Earlier this month, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment signed a declaration with the Dene Assembly to create a partnership to help close the education chasm between aboriginal and non-aboriginal students.

Since 2001, the number of aboriginal graduates in the NWT has been steadily increasing. In 2009, 222 aboriginal students received a high school diploma compared to 106 in 2001. Although a marked improvement, ECE still reports only 44 per cent of aboriginal Grade 12 students are graduating compared to 70 per cent of non-aboriginal students.

The Department of Education's Aboriginal Student Achievement plan outlines strategies and pilot projects that have been initiated in various NWT communities. Aside from improving access to education, the plan also tackles key areas such as attendance, parental education, nutrition and incorporates aboriginal culture in the classroom.

This latest declaration could prove to be the biggest step to ensuring the Aboriginal Student Achievement plan is successful. Garnering the support and input of the aboriginal leadership will go a long way towards building the trust needed to engage the First Nation community in the territory's education system.

It is vital that this partnership is supported by the necessary finances, culturally-aware educators and programs to make a real difference.

Northerners will head to the polls this October to select the members of the next legislative assembly.

A few candidates, including incumbents, have already announced their intentions to run.

Now is the time to consider whether a role in territorial politics is right for you. There are many issues facing Northerners and each constituency has a variety of needs and concerns, ranging from health care and education to housing and utility rates. Improving our territory and the quality of life for all NWT residents takes the dedication of a responsible and accountable government. Declaring your candidacy is as important as casting a ballot.

In the 2007 election, three of the territory's 19 constituencies were won by acclamation, meaning only a single person vied to represent those regions. Ideally, there will be a race in each constituency this year.

Voting turnout sends a strong message. The number of votes a candidate wins or loses by is, essentially, a constituent's report card for incumbents and sets a mandate for new MLAs.

Aside from the number of candidates vying for seats, demographics are also important. We need our assembly to represent the diversity of the NWT. Of the 55 candidates in 2007 only 10 were women and of those, only three were elected.

If you're planning to run in the upcoming election we encourage you to announce your intentions early. Putting your name, face and ideas out there sooner could improve your chances.

About 130 people die in Nunavut every year.

The remains of those who die in Qikiqtani General Hospital in Iqaluit are stored in the facility's morgue. In most of the rest of Nunavut's communities, no such facilities exist.

Bodies may be picked up by the same hamlet staff who deliver water and pump out sewage. They get stored in a variety of makeshift places such as the garage of the RCMP detachment, a hamlet cooling unit or once, regrettably, in a community's country food freezer.

This is a less-than-ideal situation in terms of the dignity and security of the deceased, as well as for public health.

Some hamlet workers are livid that the Department of Health and Social Services hasn't stepped up to take charge of this necessary service. Hamlets aren't responsible for handling births in the community, so why are they being tasked with caring for the dead?

This issue will only become more and more pressing as the population grows, and as Nunavummiut become more mobile. Nowadays, people travel for medical treatment, for school and for work. Family members elsewhere have to make arrangements to fly in, and funerals are delayed until they arrive - in the case of Resolute, sometimes up to two weeks. Safe storage of the deceased in the meantime is essential.

The Nunavut Association of Municipalities has asked the Government of Nunavut to provide an inventory on the status of existing morgues. The association also wants the GN to address the lack of morgues in most hamlets. For its part, the government has stated its intention to eventually equip each nursing station with some kind of morgue in which to store the dead prior to burial.

That's news grieving families will be happy to hear, as long as the work begins sooner rather than later.

This year's edition of the Alianait arts festival gave Iqaluit what it had asked for: a shorter, more intense festival with more music.

Despite being compressed into three days instead of spread out over a week, the festival retained its laid-back charm and still managed to wow audiences with its dynamic diversity.

By day, workshops and events took place under the circus tent and by night, musicians from around the world and from just around the block performed at the main stage at Nakasuk School.

Any festival board has a lot of people with differing interests to please. Alianait attracts Iqaluit residents, Nunavummiut artists and those from elsewhere in Canada and abroad, as well as tourists from all over.

Shortening the festival will also, in time, help draw more visitors. The cost of accommodations and meals in Nunavut is astronomical, so spending three days in Iqaluit rather than a week significantly reduces the costs for travellers, making the trip far more attractive.

Many emergency protection orders have come and gone without any backlash.

As of April of this year, 469 had been granted while 33 were later cancelled - that's since the NWT legislation came into existence on April 1, 2005. Since then, only one case, as far as the Department of Justice is aware, has resulted in criminal charges for perjury against the person who applied for the order.

Surely many of those documents signed by a justice of the peace and a Supreme Court justice have forced the separation of couples who were destined for a violent eruption. No judge wants to be the one to deny the order only to have the applicant be brutally beaten at the hands of his or her spouse a short time later.

Justice officials, often relying on a man's word versus a woman's word, tend to err on the side of caution. That would explain why the 469 emergency protection orders were endorsed out of 529 applications -- that's an 89 per cent approval rate.

Then along comes the recent case of a 40-year-old Yellowknife man who successfully fought to have the emergency protection order against him dropped. He told Yellowknifer he suffered "three months of hell" in the process to clear his name. He also said he lost thousands of dollars as he chose to hire a lawyer in filing his appeal.

His situation involved a woman who claimed they were in a relationship, which he refuted all along. At a hearing to state her complaint, the 32-year-old woman could not correctly spell his last name, give his proper address, didn't know his age, height, weight, the names of his two children, couldn't specify where he had tattoos and piercings on his body and did not correctly identify his place of work. She also admitted they did not live together.

Yet the justice of the peace approved the emergency protection order, in place for 90 days and preventing the man from being within three metres of the woman.

The order was forwarded to a Supreme Court justice, who granted it.

Now, a complainant may be nervous during a hearing and may not remember every detail, but a failure to recall so many basic details should have been a red flag.

This case did not force the man to leave a shared residence since the two were not cohabitating, and it did not deny him daily contact with his children since they weren't raising any together. Other cases do involve such circumstances.

This man's plight should, at the very least, bring about two results: justices of the peace should make a greater effort to assure details are solid, or at least recommend a further investigation ASAP; and those inclined to file an emergency protection order should be aware that providing false statements can bring about charges of public mischief and perjury.

Our justice system is not foolproof. Too often in Yellowknife we have spouses who are assaulted by their partners and we need to offer them a measure of protection. However, we also must do our utmost to ensure we do not create a second victim due to a lack of care or diligence when such allegations are thrown around recklessly.

It's that time of the year again, the time when the Deh Cho becomes a tourist destination.

In Deh Cho communities it's not hard to pick out the tourists. In communities where everyone knows everyone else it's nice to see a few new faces.

In addition to being unfamiliar, tourist's clothing choices can also make them stand out. In Fort Simpson, at least, the majority of tourist walk the streets looking as if they're ready to jump in a canoe or go hiking in the woods at any minute. Considering that many are in the village to reach the Nahanni National Park Reserve it all makes sense.

Their choices of vehicles can also be a dead giveaway for tourists, the most obvious being RVs. Few, if any, people in the Deh Cho own a full-size RV, so when you get caught behind one on the highway they might as well be flying a flag that says tourist.

Non-local licence plates are also a tip-off. Vehicles with plates from any of the states in the United States are normally filled with tourists.

After you've spotted them the question is what to do next.

The best answer is strike up a conversation. Sharing a few polite sentences serves a number of purposes.

Firstly, chances are the tourists in question have come a long way to be in the Deh Cho. Those of us who live here can admit that the Deh Cho has its draws, but few of us choose to spend our vacations here. The burning question is what drew the tourists here.

Two weeks ago while on the Merv Hardie, I talked to a tourist who was taking photos of the Deh Cho Bridge. Her licence plate was from Maine and I commented she was a long way from home.

She and her husband were on a summer-long road trip. The Northwest Territories was somewhere she'd always dreamed of coming since she was young.

For residents of an area or community, it's always surprising to hear the place where you live and take for granted is part of someone's dream trip. Finding that out is like receiving a compliment.

While a casual conversation with a tourist can help you look at the Deh Cho with refreshed eyes, it also helps ensure tourists will continue to come back. Tourism is not a core industry for the region but it is important and with some luck, and work, will grow.

The Deh Cho prides itself in being welcoming and it's important to include tourists in that feeling. A smile on the street or a wave as you pass on the highway will help keep the Deh Cho in tourists' travel plans.

Yes, that's right. Election talk.

Yet another election, you ask? So soon? Didn't you promise there wouldn't be another one for years to come after that one in May?

Sadly, yes, another election is on the books, set for Oct. 3. This one, however, is one step closer to home. The territorial government will change for the first time since 2007 and with Floyd Roland stepping down from his position as both premier and the representative for the Inuvik Boot Lake constituency, things can get interesting for Inuvik residents.

While NWT residents are never separated by much from their politicians, this election will have an impact because so much is changing. Roland has held the constituency of Inuvik Boot Lake for the past 15 years and, with him in power for the last four, it's going to be an interesting race.

But what Inuvik Drum is really excited for is a chance to start harassing/motivating people to get all their documents in order so they can exercise their democratic right to vote. It seems like maybe Inuvik doesn't need much motivation, since in the 2007 territorial election, 94 per cent of voters turned out. Well done! But it's you last six per cent that we want to reach.

This year, changes are in place for ways of identifying yourself, which means if you haven't got yourself organized with an NWT driver's licence or identification card, this is your warning. You've got just more than two months to get that organized and unless Canada Post does another lock-out, you should be in luck.

It's also important to register. If you don't know if you're registered you can do so online at the Elections Canada website. Type in a bit of personal information and it's as easy as that. Registering now means you won't have to do it later.

Other things to keep in mind before the actual election hype starts is that there are many different ways to vote other than on election day. If you want you can visit the returning officer Ð the person who oversees the election in each constituency Ð at their office between Sept. 21 and Oct. 1 and vote there. If you know the returning officer, you don't even need identification. For Inuvik, they are Arlene Hanson and Juanita Bourque.

There are also the advance polls, held on Sept. 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. Beat the lineups and rush in there to get 'er done.

If you are or know an elder, someone in hospital or someone who has mobility issues, they can vote through the special mobile poll. These people will have the polling station come to them.

The candidates you vote for in the territorial election are closest to the funding that can affect your community, so make sure you have your say. Get organized now so that it won't be a hassle in October. and make Inuvik proud by having as many people turn out as possible.

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