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The federal government should look to the GNWT for advice on relationship building with aboriginal leaders. A Jan. 24 gathering between hundreds of chiefs and federal ministers and officials seemed to indicate Ottawa was ready to push for real reform in federal policy and possibly make amendments to the controversial Indian Act.

However, some Northern leaders left the one-day meeting feeling more skeptical than hopeful and few thought the meeting would lead to any significant change. It was little more than a political sideshow.

K'atlodeeche Chief Roy Fabian and Deninu Ku'e Chief Louis Balsillie were two of the more critical Northern leaders following the event.

Balsillie, who did not attend the meeting because he said it would not be a good use of his band's funds, criticized Prime Minister Stephen Harper for ignoring Northern First Nations. He said Harper has not shown any interest in sitting down with aboriginal leaders during past visits to the NWT.

Fabian's belief that the flowery speeches will fall on deaf ears while the status quo remains is likely an accurate opinion. Although Harper stated there will be continued dialogue with aboriginal governments, the Prime Minister's earnestness is lacking considering a date for follow-up meetings was not set.

In addition, his announcement that even a mere progress report will not be forthcoming for another year further demonstrates how far down his priority list the aboriginal community falls.

Unlike the GNWT's demonstrated commitment to meet with territorial aboriginal groups and draft a plan for future communications and partnerships, known as the "aboriginal engagement strategy," the federal government's one-off political charade was simply a public relations exercise.

With that in mind, it is vital First Nations follow the advice of Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus and continue to press for action from Ottawa. It is time for aboriginal groups across Canada to stand with one voice against the federal government.

At the heart of the debate should be the Indian Act and how to either modernize the colonial-era document -- drafted more than a century ago in 1876 -- or scrap it all together.

Aside from being antiquated, paternalistic and arguably racist, the Indian Act is the biggest obstacle to restoring proper autonomy to aboriginal peoples.

Fabian hit the mark when he said the act is hindering progress and preventing change that would not only benefit our first peoples but also Canada as a whole.

"We need to create capacity where we can thrive again, so Canada doesn't have to pay for us," were the chief's heartfelt words.

After 136 years, Canada's aboriginal people should not still be fighting for authority over issues like development or protection of traditional territory, which still requires approval from a federal minister in Ottawa.

Lip service from Ottawa is no longer acceptable; change is long overdue.

It's doubtful anyone was surprised to hear an environmental group in the U.S. is calling for harsh and urgent political action when it heard whispers that the government is allowing more polar bears to be hunted in Western Hudson Bay.

Deputy environment minister David Akeeagok told Nunavut News/North the GN will release statistics next month that will reinforce its stance that the animal's population is healthy. Numbers and hard facts are essential to making decisions on hunt quotas, and releasing them to the public is essential to creating public trust. However, simply releasing these numbers isn't always enough.

The GN must wage a public relations campaign to educate the south and people overseas on the reality of the polar bear situation in Nunavut. If polar bear populations are so healthy that it has become dangerous for humans to even hunt for seals in some communities, that needs to be conveyed. Inuit hunt for sustenance and to make a living, so let's get the word out once again, as vociferously as possible.

The GN should call upon the federal government for support in waging this campaign, because the territorial budget is tight and issues like housing and health care are bound to keep pressure on the territorial purse.

International political pressure against the hunt is often directed at the federal government, and it has a responsibility to defend its Northern residents against unfair criticism of a hunt that offers not only livelihood but also makes communities safer.

The Internet is littered with numerous websites and blog posts espousing a range of opinions on the hunt - from those sympathetic to the Inuit plight while still opposed to the hunt, to those who are downright militant against all hunting in general - and the comments sections of these sites can fill up with heated debate very quickly. Often the arguments are based on emotion, not relying on fact.

It's easy to take a photo of a majestic polar bear, talk about reduced sea ice, and paint a grim picture of the survival of this species, but these are very dangerous beasts with which Nunavummiut share their living space. Their pelts are also a good source of money in a place where income doesn't always come that easy.

Of course the bears' population must be safe-guarded and the hunt must be sustainable, that's in the best interest of all Inuit. Yet the GN must not forget the power of public perception and the international outcry that can force governments to change policy. If its decision on raising the quota is backed up by facts, they need to publicize those details nationally and internationally to counter the sensationalism stirred up by some conservation groups.

Residents of Northland Trailer Park are running out of options and falling into a deeper hole by the week.

That might be the good news because at least now we know the bottom is finally in sight. There is no Hail Mary pass from the federal or territorial government coming to the 1,100 people who call the trailer park home.

Ottawa is refusing to provide Northland with any money to cover the estimated $20 million needed to replace the trailer park's aging water and sewer lines. The territorial government won't offer an interest-free loan, or any loan for that matter. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation stopped insuring mortgages for Northland homes in April 2010.

That leaves two players on the field: the owners of the 258 Northland homes and city council.

City councillors David Wind and Amanda Mallon, members of an informal infrastructure committee looking at the Northland issue, are encouraging trailer owners to agree to a municipal local improvement tax. They argue that real estate values will recover once an agreement is signed, and if home owners are having a hard time with the payments - currently estimated at $455 a month - at least they would have a better chance of selling their homes, which is just about impossible right now.

The $455 monthly tax, on top of $220 monthly condo fees, may sound like a lot of money but even with those added costs, Northland will remain one of Yellowknife's most affordable neighbourhoods. People will buy homes there providing the uncertainty over the water and sewer comes to end.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem strongly hinted to Yellowknifer this week that the monthly payments required may be much lower. One way to lower the cost would be to forgo the need for repaving the roads after the pipes have been replaced, which it's estimated will save $4 million.

One thing the city can't do is ask residents outside of Northland to help shoulder the costs. Northland's troubles date back to the trailer park's inception in 1971 when the city agreed to transfer the land to its original owner, Al Marceau. The trailer park sits on private land and even after it changed hands and lots were sold to individual owners and a condominium board was formed, not enough money was put aside to make the necessary repairs. Condo fees were as low as $65 a month just 10 years ago.

The existing predicament may seem unfair to owners who purchased trailers after condo fees starting going up and infrastructure problems began to grow more urgent but Northland's status as a private trailer park means it would be "totally impossible" to pay for repairs with taxpayers' money, the mayor says.

This means the ball is in Northland's court. It's up to homeowners there to decide, and 66 per cent of them are needed to approve the local improvement tax.

Many Northland residents have a history of not taking part in territorial or municipal elections. This is one vote they best not avoid.

The title of a new workshop developed by the NWT Mine Training Society, So You Want to Work in the Mines, cuts straight to the point.

The society is presenting this workshop in four communities in the Deh Cho this week, including Fort Simpson, Nahanni Butte, Fort Liard and Jean Marie River. It's to be hoped attendance at the workshop is higher in the other communities than it was in Fort Simpson.

In the village, the first community where the workshop was held, only nine people attended. Many of those nine were there because their jobs with the territorial government are related to the work the society is doing.

More people in the Deh Cho should be asking themselves if they want to work in the mines. As Candy Brown, a career assessment officer with the society, pointed out, mining is one of the fastest growing industries in the North.

Not only are there jobs in the diamond mines outside of Yellowknife, there are also existing mines, new mines coming on line and proposed mines in the Yukon and Nunavut. Considering the current employment opportunities in most Deh Cho communities, it only makes sense for people to at least give a thought as to whether working at a mine is for them.

As Brown also noted, working at a mine isn't all about being underground or driving giant dump trucks. Mines require everything from cooks to electricians to cleaning staff to environmental monitors.

Apart from the fact that the Deh Cho doesn't have a lot of other current large-scale job opportunities, residents should also be paying attention to this workshop because of what may lie ahead for the region.

If Canadian Zinc Corporation's Prairie Creek Mine opens, it will create approximately 220 full-time jobs. The company has targeted minimum employment levels of 35 to 40 per cent Northern residents and 15 to 25 per cent aboriginal residents. It would be a waste if those percentages aren't met and the jobs go to people from outside of the region or the territory.

Now is the time for Deh Cho residents to consider if they want to work in the mines. Residents should be taking full advantage of upcoming workshops and training offered by the Mine Training Society so they are in the best possible position to capitalize on existing mining jobs in other areas and ones that may someday exist in the region.

Working in the mines won't be for everyone, but for some Deh Cho residents it could be the path to a bright career.

Athletes across the NWT put their strength and skills into sport this past weekend during the territorial trials for the upcoming Arctic Winter Games.

For all, it is critical to grasp the rules and technique of the sport, and train both body and mind for the challenge of competition.

For a modest number, part of training is to understand the meaning of the games, where they came from and why they are important.

This fact was no clearer than in Inuvik this weekend as youth competed in Arctic sports – the skills which are founded in survival and the demands of living on the land.

Strength games such as the head pull, the triple jump and the knuckle hop are games that represent building physique but also heighten pain resistance – a skill to match the cold temperatures of the Arctic.

The high kicks, or agility games, were played to help develop hunting skills. To hunt an animal, the hunter need to be quiet, stealth and able to move extremely quickly.

In the spirit of these traditional games, camaraderie is at the forefront. It doesn't matter which community the athletes come from, coaches and participants and spectators help ensure the games are carried out to the best of the athlete's ability. Competition in the trials this weekend was significant, but it did not stop the athletes from whispering words of encouragement to each other when the first kick didn't hit the mark, or following the man doing the knuckle hop – his face red with pain and deliberation and entirely focused on the path ahead – and cheering him on, telling him he can go on a little bit further.

Families watched the games this weekend from the circumference of the gym at Sir Alexander Mackenzie School while children played away from the competition.

The Arctic sports allow spectators to encourage their friends and younger ones to watch in awe and learn the ropes – to eventually take part in the games themselves.

It is through watching, encouraging, and listening to the coaches and the older athletes that the knowledge of the culture the games encompass can be passed on.

Hearing the stories of the games makes seeing them before your eyes mean so much more, and although the trials for a large-scale competition are at stake, the real lesson is clear: to keep the games alive by having a good time, understanding the roots of the sports and doing the best you can.

Getting hit in the pocketbook is clearly an effective way to get a business owner's attention.

Case in point is management at Sam's Monkey Tree Pub, who were fined $5,000 and couldn't serve booze for nine days because their liquor licence was suspended. We don't know what not serving alcohol for more than a week cost the pub, but it was probably quite significant. The offence? Getting caught by a liquor regulation enforcement officer with allowing an intoxicated person to remain on the premises.

This was not the first time Sam's Monkey Tree had been in hot water with liquor inspectors. In October 2010 it was charged after Mounties acting on an anonymous tip testified that a doorman was drunk on the job. That charge was later tossed out after it was appealed to the Supreme Court, although a charge of allowing an intoxicated person to remain on the premises was upheld.

Other licensed establishments in Yellowknife have been hit with charges, fines and licence suspensions following random checks by liquor inspectors. The Black Knight Pub was charged for the first time in 15 years of doing business after inspectors found a person who had been attending a memorial for a plane crash victim last October was clearly intoxicated, swaying, burping, gagging and involuntarily closing his eyes. The pub didn't contest the charges and ended up being fined $750 by the NWT Liquor Licensing Board.

Given the history, it is understandable that there is some tension between bar owners and liquor inspectors. This came to a head last week in a meeting called by Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins after several business operators brought concerns to him about how liquor laws are being enforced.

There was a wide range of views at the table. Representatives from the Black Knight, Sam's Monkey Tree, the Elks Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the liquor commission's enforcement co-ordinator, the deputy minister of Finance, which oversees liquor licensing and enforcement, and Yellowknife MLAs Wendy Bisaro and Daryl Dolynny all attended the meeting at Northern United Place.

Some said there is a communication gap between pub owners and liquor inspectors.

Chamber of Commerce executive director Tim Doyle, who had a representative at the meeting, is hopeful the relationship between liquor sellers and regulators will improve over time. A desire was expressed to hold more meetings in the future.

We're pleased to see a positive outcome from the initial meeting. The Chamber has committed to help form a hospitality committee made up of representatives of the bar, hotel and restaurant industry. The plan is to create policy and work with regulators.

We question whether contracted liquor enforcement officers are adequately trained and wonder why some licensed establishments are targeted for frequent inspections based on their history of infractions.

We applaud efforts to improve the dialogue between liquor sellers and regulators. But we'd also like to see proactive measures undertaken to protect the safety of patrons in licensed establishments.

Given that the NWT Liquor Commission has a mandate to actively and continuously promote the responsible use of alcohol, its inspectors should be encouraged to not only enforce liquor legislation but also help to educate bar staff about their roles and responsibilities.

In turn, bar and restaurant owners need to be diligent about training their staff to ensure patrons consume alcohol responsibly and have an enjoyable experience.

The liquor commission offers a free voluntary training course for bar staff, which covers such things as recognizing intoxication, identifying minors, serving responsibly and managing crowds. And each licensed establishment is given a handbook which outlines its responsibilities under the liquor act and regulations.

In short, instead of being quick to using the stick of enforcement, perhaps using the carrot of education, for inspectors and bar staff alike, might be a more effective way to protect patrons and prevent more costly penalties to the hospitality industry for liquor infractions.

I stare blankly at the screen wondering how anyone believes these ridiculous claims during the vast majority of, supposedly clever, TV commercials that attempt to erode the ability to reason from our thought process.

Yet every now and then, I must admit, one comes along which is truly masterful in its delivery.

Not only is it entertaining, and often worthy of a chuckle or two, but it also gives you pause for thought.

One of my all-time favourite TV commercials is a pitch for a particular brand of potato chip.

It begins, filmed rather closely, with two Inuit out on the land for a day of ice fishing.

Casually, one produces a bag of potato chips and begins to munch happily away, savouring every bite, as the other looks on with obvious longing.

Finally, he works up enough courage to ask his friend if he could have one of the potato chips.

The man continues to munch slowly, lost deep in thought, before softly responding, "Well, if I give one to you, I'd have to give one to everybody."

At that point the camera moves back, unveiling the vast Northern landscape surrounding the two solitary figures sitting at their fishing holes.

Companies can often face the same dilemma, only under more realistic circumstances.

On the one hand, they want to support a worthy cause and may even appreciate being recognized publicly for their good will.

But, on the other, they fear if others find out the deal they gave one organization or event, then they, too, would expect the same preferred treatment.

And nowhere is that more true than in isolated areas where something like air travel transcends convenience to the level of mandatory status.

But, in these fiscally-challenged times, credit should be given to those doing their best to help, whether it furthers their own corporate agenda or not.

During the past few years, our airlines have really stepped up their efforts to help Kivalliq youth compete at sporting events, especially hockey and its small mountain of associated equipment.

And, as some of you may have noticed, there are those who regard me as a bit of a hockey guy, with more than a passing interest in what happens at our Kivalliq arenas.

I'm also a big believer in growing local, regional and territorial programs and events before worrying about competing (read getting your behind kicked) at prestigious tourneys in other provinces.

We've all had days when we walk around grumbling after purchasing our ticket to travel south.

But air travel in the North is expensive, and these companies are under no obligation to help anyone, when it comes right down to it.

Yet, they've been constantly helping our youth attend tournaments and other events around the Kivalliq, and have taken up sponsorship of most of our major tourneys.

They may not be able to help everybody, but they have helped many.

Food for thought the next time you're upset over having to pay more for your potato chips.

Sometimes, they really can't afford to give one to everybody.

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