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A coroner's report released Friday details the final hours in the life of 29-year-old nurse Tara Osmond, who died after a Halloween party in 2009.

Osmond had binged on a toxic combination of alcohol and multiple drugs.

To describe such self-destructive behaviour as "partying" would be to mask the driving force often concealed behind drug and alcohol abuse - mental illness. The coroner's report stated that Osmond had a history of depression and was prescribed the anti-depressant drug Citalopram, which was found in her system, along with alcohol, narcotics, tranquilizers and an antihistamine, during a post-mortem toxicology screening.

Few people who suffer from depression and addiction perish so publicly. Instead, poisoned livers fail, hemorrhaging hearts shut down, or people find quicker means to quietly end their lives in relative obscurity.

As we look for lessons from Osmond's death - as we do from the violent death of Karen Lander, shot by RCMP on March 14 after painful struggles with addiction and mental illness - we should remember the extent to which Yellowknife residents are affected by mental illness.

Many people in our community self-medicate with alcohol and any variety of drugs to numb themselves and to forget their silent struggles with depression and other afflictions. Their substance abuse and emotional suffering are publicly displayed under the guise of a good time at parties and pubs.

The deaths of Osmond and Landers are shocking, providing sensational fodder for conversation, debate and gossip. Those who wish to learn from the tragedies should keep talking about the mental-health struggles these women shared in common, because if we discuss the issue we can keep exploring sober solutions.

We should strive to prevent more deaths in the future among our family, friends, co-workers and neighbours by ensuring mental-health issues remain on the minds of policymakers - including further discussion on the need for increased resources for mental health and addictions treatment - while insisting that society reach out and extend support to those who need it.

The ice on Yellowknife Bay is starting to melt as the power of the changing season takes effect.

While fondly recalling the good times from the 17th edition of the Snowking Festival, and next door at the successful Long John Jamboree, we can look forward with anticipation to the long days of sunshine ahead.

Daytime temperatures are increasingly rising above freezing. Icy blasts of wind are being replaced by warm gusts from the south.

Dripping water is demonstrating Mother Nature's creative side as icicles form artistic wonders.

Traffic is restricted from using ice roads, the Tibbitt-to-Contwoyto winter road has once again served its purpose to supply mines northeast of the city.

Friday will be the first time this year that Yellowknife will surpass 14 hours of daylight, with sunrise at 6:40 a.m. and sunset not happening until 8:42 p.m.

Soon enough the snow-covered streets will clear, the puddles will evaporate, grass will sprout and gardeners will move the plants they started indoors into rich outdoor soil. It's almost time to put the parkas away, store the Sorels and break out the T-shirts and shorts, golf clubs and boats.

As the sun grows stronger, people's spirits soar.

Pity those poor sods in the tropics who never experience a radical change in seasons. Because here in Yellowknife, just as people embrace and celebrate the wonders of winter, so to do they make the most of the long days of summer.

We're not afraid of change, especially when it is the season.

Too many people still view those who don't fit a stereotype as oddities to be ridiculed or ignored.

Fanatical lovers of arts programming, for example, still despise the fact Hockey Night In Canada is aired on what they consider to be a national broadcaster because of its federal funding.

It's actually quite strange to see those who define themselves by their intellect wilfully ignoring the fact the program brings in the cash for the station to be able to air the programming they love.

You see, the majority of pseudo-intellectuals decided long ago that never the twain shall meet when it comes to jocks and brains.

To them, if you love to play and watch sports, you have difficulty following the most basic of discussions (wait, what was I talking about?).

They see sport lovers as a collective group of Don Cherry wannabes, and someone like Ken Dryden is a human aberration at best and an abomination at worst.

They often giggle when Dryden speaks, believing he loses the sports aficionados seconds after his introduction.

Cherry's long-time sidekick, Ron MacLean, is also seen as an aberration because he eats, drinks and sleeps sports, yet is highly intelligent and spends much of his spare time (gasp) reading material far removed from sports.

In his book Cornered, MacLean uses books and essays he's read as segues into his own experiences.

He effectively notes people won't always back you, even if they know you're right. They'll side against you if you're mindnumbingly boring, arrogant or allknowing.

I had deep respect for MacLean before I read his book, and that grew when he referenced a piece written by Anne Wortham (an African-American associate professor of sociology).

I was already familiar with Wortham's take on black victimhood versus black individual responsibility.

While the short piece, obviously, focused on AfricanAmericans, most of its points can be applied to others.

Wortham often discusses the differences between real and perceived victims – and how the latter use their status for personal or political gain by scaring into silence those who would debate them (playing the race card).

It's a discussion readily applicable to the North, where perceived victims, using status as an advantage, outnumber true victims.

Perceived victims are often identified by their use of half-truths.

Those who use the perception of victimhood as a tactic will tell you African-Americans account for nearly half the American prison population, even though they only represent about 13 per cent of the entire population.

What they don't mention is about 90 per cent of African-Americans never spent a day in jail in their lives.

Like a vindictive arts lover with no use for sports, they use the fear of being labelled to silence the majority and perpetuate the stereotype.

The perception of victimhood is a dangerous game.

It slows acceptance, denies self-sufficiency, revives racism, fuels reverse discrimination and feeds the sense of entitlement.

It favours none, benefits few and hurts many.

Hopefully, someday, the majority will realize those who wield and yield to its power are the true oddities who should be ridiculed or ignored.

Poor management, myopic foresight and simplistic thinking by the NWT Power Corporation might have devastating results for the territory.

If the NWT Public Utilities Board approves an application to increase power rates by nearly 30 per cent over the next four years, it will severely hamper communities, families and eventually the NWT as a whole.

The GNWT is reviewing its policy of only conducting reviews on the power system every five years to avoid such large increases in the future, but we are at the stage of too little, too late and the consequences may overwhelm the pocketbooks of residents and businesses alike.

A third of the expenses driving the rate increase is going toward repairs and replacement of existing infrastructure; half of that cost is earmarked for the Bluefish Dam, 20 km north of Yellowknife.

Where is the power corp.'s capital replacement plan? How were funds not set aside earlier to help cover these costs? Allowing equipment to fall into such disrepair and then calling on the public to cover $70-million worth of costs all at once is inexcusable.

The fact fossil fuels have increased 57 per cent over the past five years and are expected to contribute an additional $10 million to expenses between now and 2015 should have come as no surprise.

Planning for alternative sources of energy might have offset future costs. Instead we have chosen the path of forking over the money to cover the ever-rising cost of diesel. Hydro power and biomass solutions -- such as wood pellets systems -- are proven alternative energy sources which have saved the NWT millions in diesel expenses.

Power won't be the only extra burden as rates rise. People can expect the cost for food, taxes, goods and services and rent to also increase as governments and businesses are forced to pass on the extra expense to consumers.

The result will increasingly force people to choose between utilities, food and rent -- a predicament that already exists for many families. Eventually the cost of living will simply drive people from the territory along with their federal transfer dollars, forcing more tax increases and rate hikes as revenue falls.

The lack of planning is evident in the urgency of the power rate application. Not only has the power corp. requested an interim increase in advance of the application's approval, the deadline to register as an intervener was only a week after the application was made public.

Some community leaders have already stated they will intervene and others will hopefully take up a similar cause.

Another solution must be found or the only power we're going to have to worry about is making sure the last person out of the NWT turns the lights out.

Legendary Northerner Mike Krutko died late last month but his memory will live on not only through members of his family but his memoirs -- Mike Krutko's Amazing Adventures.

After 97 years of life in the North, he became somewhat of an icon in the NWT, especially in the Beaufort Delta and Fort McPherson.

As our elders die, a piece of the North's history goes with them.

Over the years projects have been initiated to record the stories of our older generations, in both print and film. Continuing that important work is vital to ensuring their stories and lessons remain with us well into the future.

Take the time to listen to an older member of your family and record or write down their stories. You never know when you might want to recall a certain tale or piece of advice, and the day will come when they won't be there to remind you.

A lifetime of history lives in the minds of our grandparents and great-grandparents, and that knowledge is invaluable. We should all find ways to hang on to it before it is too late.

Iglulik has divided itself over whether it wants to keep or force out its head nurse, who has worked a decade in the community.

Two opposing petitions, one of which was tabled in the legislature last month, have been the recourse taken by the community in airing its frustrations with the level of health care residents receive. Should this really be the length a community has to go to in order to be heard?

With the dissolution of regional health boards and the creation of the Nunavut Department of Health during division, the government may have created a body easier to budget and keep cost effective, but it lost an avenue for patients to air grievances they may have with the system.

Amittuq MLA Louis Tapardjuk tabled a motion last month for the government to review its patient complaint process - the motion narrowly passed, with chair Johnny Ningeongan casting the tie-breaking vote - and he told media afterward that the patient complaint gap has not been filled since the boards' demise.

Health Minister Keith Peterson sympathized, but opposed the motion, saying his department was just too swamped to undertake such a review at this point. This is understandable, since the health department is one of the GN's more overburdened arms.

However, the situation in Iglulik illustrates the need for a proper, speedy and accessible complaints process. Dividing a community and turning the issue of staffing and services into practically a popularity contest should not be necessary before an issue is addressed.

There are many factors to consider when these issues arise. Are conflicting personalities at the centre of the dispute? Are staff becoming scapegoats for lack of resources, or are there actual management issues degrading the health services being provided?

These questions will not be answered by looking at which petition has a longer list of signatures. These issues need to be discussed by the department and Nunavummiut accessing health care.

Perhaps an ombudsman's office or complaints board is needed.

A body to hear complaints would not only give patients an avenue to air grievances and problems the government may be unaware of, it would also be a measuring stick for determining how well the department is run and where priorities should be when setting policies and budgets.

The resources to run the review MLAs have asked for may be scarce, and the task may be daunting for a department bearing a lot of pressure at all times, but these are necessary growing pains for the GN, and the department must find a way.

The motion has passed, and it is a worthwhile one.

Trustee Rose-Marie Jackson's decision last week to leave the Yellowknife Catholic school board is another reason to scrutinize the board's accountability.

Certainly, board members face limitations in publicly discussing personnel issues, specifically related to the recent prospect of parting ways with superintendent Claudia Parker and assistant superintendent Johnnie Bowden.

That said, trustees during public school board meetings have not been forthcoming on whether the contracts for the senior administrators should have been renewed, an issue that tipped off a public outcry. A group of determined citizens forced a school board meeting Jan. 18 to be relocated to a larger venue at St. Joseph School to accommodate those who wanted to speak to the issue.

The public doesn't need to know the personal, and rightly confidential, details surrounding the board's original wish to no longer retain the services of Parker and Bowden. However, that doesn't mean the trustees can't make individual comments about whether they supported the removal of the senior administrators.

We believe the public has a right to hear opinions from each trustee. Further, by virtue of their election in a free and open democratic society, the trustees have an obligation to keep members of the public informed on matters of public interest - at the very least to express where they stand on the issues.

In the three months since the Parker/Bowden issue began, there has never been public disclosure of what trustees had to say during in-camera meetings regarding the senior administrators' continued employment, or public statements regarding their perceived value or detriment to the school district.

The issue of public accountability ought to be part of a platform for those letting their names stand for election to the Catholic school board in October. Certainly, hiding behind public statements by the board chair should not be tolerated.

Privacy is an increasingly cherished right in the information age. Like all things valuable and fragile, privacy should be vigorously protected.

Unfortunately, the NWT's privacy watchdog has more bark than bite when it comes to advocating for complainants who feel they've been wronged by public institutions, either by having their privacy breached or by being denied access to government information.

Elaine Keenan Bengts, information and privacy commissioner for the NWT and Nunavut, lacks the kind of order-making authority wielded by her counterparts in places such as Alberta, B.C. and Ontario. Consequently, it is up to the GNWT to adopt her case-by-case recommendations or simply shrug them off.

As Keenan Bengts has pointed out, issues related to privacy and access to information have evolved considerably since the NWT adopted the Access of Information and Protection of Privacy Act 14 years ago. She is calling for a review of NWT access and privacy legislation. What happens next will be the responsibility of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, which will table a response to Keenan Bengts' December report in the legislative assembly later this spring.

One of the committee's priorities should be to insist the privacy commissioner's powers be expanded to include enforceable orders, rather than recommendations that can be easily ignored.

There are a number of topics that are difficult to broach with people, especially if you think they are the victim or perpetrator of family violence.

Family violence can take a variety of forms including physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse and neglect.

Communities in the Deh Cho are undoubtedly affected on a daily basis by family violence and it's heartening to see steps being taken to address it in Fort Simpson. The 10 agencies comprising the Fort Simpson Interagency Committee have created and signed onto a Fort Simpson Interagency Family Violence and Abuse Protocol.

The protocol's goal is to improve the delivery of services to adult victims of family violence.

The document outlines the responsibility of each first responder agency to victims of family violence and also support from other agencies.

It is undoubtedly difficult for victims to come forward and now, when they do, agencies participating in the protocol will have the knowledge to help. The protocol should eliminate any cases of people being shuffled back and forth between agencies.

If victims of family violence know they will receive help and support quickly once coming forward it will undoubtedly remove one of the barriers from them reporting the abuse.

While the protocol is good, what's even more exciting about the collaboration between the agencies is the awareness campaign that is being launched.

The Fort Simpson Interagency Committee has developed a series of posters and brochures to promote the idea of Fort Simpson being a strong community where family violence will not be tolerated.

To provide an even more visible sign to show that people are taking a stand against family violence, the committee will be distributing green plastic bracelets that carry the message, "We choose a strong community."

Family violence exists, in part, because both victims and bystanders allow it to. Hopefully, the protocol and awareness campaign will empower people to tell the perpetrators of family violence their actions won't be tolerated and encourage victims to report abuse to the appropriate authorities.

Residents of Inuvik have been hit with a lot recently, and they want to know what to expect in the murky aftermath of revelations on dwindling gas supplies and rising utility rates.

First, there was the announcement in December that the town's natural gas supply was diminishing at a much faster rate than first expected – the supply will dry up in about a year and a half.

The Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC) then made the switch in January to diesel to lengthen the life of the well which was compromised due to water inflow.

On Friday, the NTPC announced its general rate application for a seven per cent rate increase April 1 and additional seven per cent increases April 2013, 2014 and five per cent in April 2015. The proposed rate changes are due to increased cost in generating/distributing electricity as well as the natural gas situation here in Inuvik.

Monday night brought residents out to hear about a proposed new well that Ikhil Joint Venture – which sells natural gas to both NTPC and Inuvik Gas – is hoping to drill next winter at South Parsons Lake. Those who attended the meeting implored Colin Nikiforuk, Ikhil Joint Venture's general manager, to give them any information that would give them an idea of what the future holds for their homes, their bills, and therefore their lives.

They were told they must wait for these answers. In a little less than two weeks, the Town of Inuvik is hosting a public information session on Inuvik's natural gas supply. All associated organizations – the town, the GNWT, Ikhil Joint Venture, Inuvik Gas's managing partner ATCO Midstream NWT and Inuvialuit Petroleum Corporation – will be there and will be put on the spot to answer all residents' questions.

These answers are due. As fears grow and patience fades, residents are completely justified to be chomping at the bit to raise their concerns and get the answers they deserve.

It's fair to give the town time to gather as much information as it can before relaying it to the community, and the community can be sure that over the next two weeks, the natural gas proponents will be working day in and day out to put that together, but the clock is ticking. Families need and deserve to know how the gas issue will affect their bills, to know whether this is something they need to prepare for or, in extreme cases, if it will be something their household can even afford. Businesses need to know what their operating costs are going to be. These are valid questions with potentially life-altering answers – answers which need to come as soon as possible.

Those heading to the meeting on April 10 should be well aware that the frustration, uncertainty and anxiety about the natural gas supply for Inuvik, and the financial implications it might carry for residents, will be heard loud and clear. It's on the people behind the gas project to bring clarity to the issue.

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