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Holding a placard reading, 'Marijuana is a plant, not a poison,' Yellowknife's Kim MacNearney stood by herself on Franklin Avenue on April 20.

Of course she is not alone. Although nobody joined her demonstration that day, many people quietly use marijuana - including professionals such as doctors, lawyers, teachers and even police officers.

Canada was recognized as number one on pot use in the industrialized world when the United Nations released a report in 2007. It showed that 16.8 per cent of Canadians had admitted to using marijuana or other cannabis products in 2004.

In 2001, it became legal for those with a licence to use marijuana for medicinal purposes. MacNearney, 35, is one of those people, suffering from chronic back pain.

According to Health Canada's website, 4,884 people were authorized to possess marijuana as a form of medicine as of January 2010.

One man who approached MacNearney on the street said he too uses the drug, without a licence, because it's the difference between being functional and non-functional in coping with his own back problems.

Without a prescription from a doctor, he runs the risk of being arrested. In Canada, possession of up to 30 grams of marijuana is punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a fine of $1,000. Many days of court time are used each year as judges hand out fines of a few hundred dollars and admonish everyday people for having an illegal drug. Police invest time and devote officers to chasing after those having small amounts of marijuana.

It's a wasted effort and wasted money, costing the justice system close to $150 million nationally each year to prosecute marijuana offences, according to some estimates.

According to a witness at a trial held in Yellowknife in May, the Hells Angels were involved in supplying a large quantity of marijuana and cocaine to Yellowknife. Making marijuana illegal drives it underground. If it's not controlled by the government, it puts distribution in the hands of the criminal element.

It's not like pot is sold as a "starter kit" by biker gangs and drug lords - they're in it for the profit.

For those who make the link between smoking marijuana and the use of harder drugs, not even a senate committee that examined the issue found any conclusive evidence that pot is a "gateway" drug. The most commonly used drug in the world, alcohol, causes far more crime than marijuana.

Marijuana is not without drawbacks. It does temporarily impair cognitive abilities, making it dangerous to drive. It increases the risk of cancer and other lung ailments, as cigarettes do. It causes some users to have feelings of paranoia and hallucinations, particularly in larger doses.

For those with chronic pain, it's sometimes a better and more effective alternative to pharmaceuticals that come with a disturbing list of their own potential side effects.

Medicinal marijuana should lead us to keeping an open mind on the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of the drug for any citizen.

We often think of pot smokers as having clouded thoughts, but it's really those who stand vehemently opposed to the drug's use that are not thinking straight.

It's encouraging to see that the Nahanni Butte Dene Band has signed an agreement with Selwyn Chihong Mining Ltd.

The resource funding agreement will provide the First Nation with funds so it can negotiate with the company on a larger community agreement. There are a number of reasons the signing can be viewed as a positive development.

Firstly, as Chief Fred Tesou noted, the community of Nahanni Butte needs resources. Nahanni Butte is similar to other small communities in the Deh Cho or for that matter in the territory. There simply aren't enough jobs in the community to employ all the residents who want to work.

By signing the resource funding agreement and working towards a larger agreement, the band is taking active steps to try and secure economic and job opportunities for the community.

The signing is also a positive development because it is an example of a well-rounded approach to resource development. The Howard Pass access road, located in the Yukon, that connects the mine with the Yukon highway system already exists and runs through a portion of the band's traditional land use area.

Tesou said the community recognizes that because the creation of the road can't be stopped, the next option is to work together with the company and Parks Canada to protect the land, water and animals surrounding the roadway. Through the negotiations the band is looking to secure economic opportunities but not at the expense of protecting the natural world. It's a balancing act that has been difficult to reach in the Deh Cho and is still being perfected.

In the future, other First Nations in the Deh Cho will be able to turn to Nahanni Butte for advice on how to keep that balance between protection and development. The Deh Cho is rich in natural resources and, sooner or later, more companies will be looking to draw from those riches.

Deh Cho communities should be able to benefit from those future developments without selling out the values that are important to them. Nahanni Butte is exploring how that can be done. There will likely be a few missteps and occasions where hard lessons will be learned, but along the way, the community will be providing an example that others will be able to learn from and expand on.

It's better to celebrate the past than to dwell on what used to be.

That is the attitude adopted by those preparing to mark the upcoming closures of Sir Alexander Mackenzie School and Samuel Hearne Secondary School (SHSS).

The event organizers, including SAMS' Ruby St. Amand and Angela Young from SHSS, are planning the final send off for the two major Inuvik landmarks.

The organizers are not lamenting the destruction of the buildings, nor questioning the new super school, the second-biggest infrastructure on the GNWT's books. Rather, the closing activities for the schools aim to focus on the good times had in the school, allowing the community to say goodbye and move forward.

This kind of optimism is something that Inuvik could use more of. There is little doubt the economies of Canada's High Arctic are struggling. The proposed pipeline, upon which so many dreams of prosperity were hung, is in limbo. Drilling companies that once operated in the Beaufort Delta have long-since gone. And let's not even get in to the town's energy issues.

It's easy to be pessimistic and think about what was supposed to happen, what was going to happen, what did happen and what is not happening anymore, but that's just not going to do any good.

It's time for the nay-sayers to take the schools' lead and make a conscious choice to celebrate the past and embrace the future. One last hurrah for old time's sake. Then, when the party is over, it's time to move on.

For some people in Inuvik, the steady stream of bad news has them ready to throw in the towel and get out of town. But could Inuvik really ever be deserted? What would that mean for those who stay behind, for the generations of people who have made a life here, and for our country's claim on the Arctic?

Maybe, once the schools are levelled and the promise of major projects like the Inuvik-to-Tuk highway get underway, it will be easier to see what the future of this place will look like.

Enthusiastic 'Eco Wolves' happily lugging buckets of compost to the bins outside Weledeh Catholic School.

That is one of the amazing activities carried out by young students profiled in Yellowknifer's Earth Day special report last week. Our reporters explored several ecological approaches taught in city schools that students appear to be embracing with great gusto.

The lesson from youngsters illustrates what all of us can apply to our daily lives that can actually make a difference for the environment.

Gardening with compost is not as simple as it sounds. Aside from months of gathering leftover fruit and vegetables, people have to purchase seeds, start them indoors, plant the seedlings in the rich cultivated soil, water them, keep the weeds at bay for weeks on end, then finally harvest the edible bounty.

How much easier is it to go to the produce department of your local grocer to buy mass-produced lettuce from Arizona or Mexico?

Yet that is the big picture behind the heated debate about the environment. What, we ask, is the point of philosophical arguments about what is happening to the planet?

Some people are aghast that anyone would deny humans are the driving force behind climate change. Others insist humans aren't responsible, climate change is a result of solar flares and natural planetary shift.

Yet, the signs of climate change are unmistakably visible.

Some roads in the North are crumbling because the permafrost which has supported the pavement for years is now melting. Endless debate about the cause of this is less important than taking meaningful action to lessen the human impact on Earth and adapt to change.

A rebate for purchasing an energy-efficient appliance is a real incentive. Choosing to plant seeds, set up a solar panel, recycle paper and plastic, start a compost pile and use it as fertilizer - these are real and simple methods that make a difference.

We're encouraged by the interest school children have shown for the green initiatives they are being taught. They are not afraid to get their hands dirty and will carry the knowledge and appreciation for what the world provides into their adult lives.

The rest of us can embrace the concept of making meaningful changes in our lives, put aside the temptation to endlessly debate the issue and join in on the growing fun.

The vibrant legacy of the late Yellowknife hockey pioneer Ed Jeske was showcased on Sunday as the Arctic Showdown hockey tournament championship filled the Multiplex.

Teams from Yellowknife, Alberta and Nunavut tangled with enthusiasm and sportsmanship on the Olympic rink that has officially been known as the Ed Jeske Arena since September 2009.

Jeske, whose memorial was held at Northern United Place on Saturday, nurtured countless young players along their journeys through childhood, into adolescence, and beyond. He not only guided generations of local youth into maturity since moving to Yellowknife in 1958, he also helped establish the foundation for the quality, well-structured hockey programs families now enjoy in our city.

Jeske's hard work, commitment and passion for hockey have ensured that many future generations of young people will benefit from the character-building camaraderie and community values.

While it should always be remembered that this exemplary gentleman, who served as a Sir John Franklin High School teacher for more than three decades, contributed his energy to a wide array of community interests, such as Little League, the Yellowknife Softball League, Meals on Wheels, Facilities for Kids, Scouts and Girl Guides, the Yellowknife Elks Club and Lions Club, and various seniors' associations, it is fitting that his memory be honoured through his first love, hockey.

As Yellowknife residents reflect on Jeske's life, we should all remind ourselves of the joy and pride all children experience through participation in community sports.

I'm not really the I-told-you-so type, but, when it comes to how Prime Minister Stephen Harper really views Nunavut, don't say I didn't warn you.

I was slammed pretty good by a number of Nunavut Conservatives when I penned an article pointing out Mr. Harper's roots in the Reform Party, and portraying him as a southern good old boy as only we here North of everything can.

Harper holds precious little sentiment for a territory that owes as much of its existence to Jean Chretien and the Liberal Party as it does to its own Inuit visionaries.

The writing was on the wall should the Tories ever gain a majority government and, now that their day has come, the word of choice for the foreseeable future as far as the North is concerned is cut, cut and cut again.

Cuts to the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami budget, cutting away the community Internet access program, cutbacks to developing the promised naval base at Nanisivik amid claims it's still an Arctic refuelling base (wink, wink), and doing the old political soft-shoe over improved search-and-rescue resources are just the beginning.

And don't get me started on Nutrition North.

Although, on the latter, I must admit I do kind of admire how effectively the Tories slid into just-ignore-them-and-they'll-go-away mode after the program was slammed in almost every community its travelling road show visited.

Snake oil and slight-of-hand gags just don't sell the way they used to.

But, talk about the ultimate cone of silence being employed to encourage quiet resignation by the masses, and this one ranks pretty high on the list.

It's a begrudging admiration, however, since my wife and I have seen our own grocery and necessities bill nearly double since this nifty little program came into existence.

And I'd still like five minutes alone to talk to whomever bragged to Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq about having tires shipped to Nunavut, subsidized under the old food mail program.

There was plenty of mileage wrung out of that rubber on her speaking circuit.

It's almost enough to make one long for the days of minority government.

Those were times when every seat was uber-important, and everyone from federal ministers to prime ministers visited our little communities and talked openly about topics of importance such as their favourite pizzas.

And oh how they fed our egos with talks of sovereignty and our importance to the rest of the country.

Heady days, indeed, that now seem so long ago.

With household debt reaching record levels, interest rates staying staggeringly low, and housing prices creating the world's biggest bubble - all to be expected from this government in the near future is the threat of an even bigger ulu, hard at work trimming the excessive fat we in Nunavut enjoy (southern double-dippers working here excluded, of course).

Now our hopes for economic prosperity and vastly improved infrastructure rest in the hands of the mining companies, and we can only hope they deliver a whole lot more than the political talkers in their fancy blue suede shoes.

They came when they needed us, promised Elvis, and dropped Slash at our door the first chance they got!

If you were to ask Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya, the lifting of booze restrictions in Norman Wells is creating chaos in the region.

He told News/North that in the three months since the restrictions have been lifted, he has heard from the RCMP that there has been an increase in public drunkenness, absenteeism at school and alcohol abuse.

The police, however, did not confirm those claims and said it was too early to comment on whether changes in the amount of alcohol that can legally be purchased has had an impact. Sgt. Wes Heron said, as yet, officers have not seen a spike in liquor-related activity.

Yakeleya was one of many opponents who feared unrestricted sales would increase bootlegging to alcohol-restricted communities around the Sahtu and lead to a rise in crime.

Although his concerns at the time were warranted and it is to his credit that he wants to keep an eye on the situation in order to help promote healthy communities, he must be wary of being alarmist.

It's no secret alcohol is a problem in the NWT. According to the NWT Bureau of Statistics, in 2010, 31.6 per cent of the population reported being heavy drinkers. That is a six per cent increase over the previous year and 16 per cent higher than the Canadian rate.

Those numbers are startling and point to a need to focus on the cause and attempt to find solutions. Although Yakeleya's intentions might be good, he should not be warning of dire consequences without concrete evidence.

News/North attempted to determine if liquor sales in Norman Wells have risen substantially since the restrictions were lifted. However, neither the Norman Wells liquor store nor the NWT Liquor Commission would return calls requesting that information.

Whether one agrees with the effectiveness of liquor restrictions, it is easy to argue that increased availability could lead to increased consumption; although personal responsibility must come into play somewhere in the equation.

Yakeleya should pressure all parties to make statistics known publicly - the liquor commission's sales and the RCMP's alcohol-related charges - so thorough tracking and comparisons can be communicated to anyone who's interested.

Alcohol abuse and related crime is not something over which we can afford to cry wolf.

It is an issue that deserves our attention and we must focus on areas that are causing the problem. As far as Norman Wells is concerned, it's prudent to monitor developments carefully but counter-productive to raise the alarm prematurely.

Canadian North is frustrated with airplane breakins in Pond Inlet, and the community itself is frustrated with the bad rap it feels it has received over the actions of a few citizens.

However, doing something about it lies squarely in the lap of the Government of Nunavut. Of course, an individual who commits a breakin is at fault for breaking the law, but the opportunity to access an aircraft should not have been there.

In a territory with no roads connecting its communities, most inter-community transportation happens via airplane. The GN, as the caretaker of most airstrips in Nunavut, bears the responsibility of making sure these airports are secure, and that aircraft can be parked safely overnight in communities.

If someone can break in and steal some pop from a plane, who's to say someone can't break in and tamper with the aircraft itself, making it unsafe to operate? Or tamper with the airport infrastructure? It's possible any breakin and tampering would be caught by staff before becoming a danger, but the strategy should be more preventative than reactionary.

The cameras to be installed at Pond Inlet's airport may act as a deterrent, but a nighttime security guard - which Canadian North has hired and for which the community, taking a commendable stand against the breakins, is generously fundraising to help cover costs - is the best assurance these breakins won't happen, and would be an ideal fixture at airports across the territory.

Yes, these are small communities without the need for the elaborate security systems of the south - no body scanners necessary - but air travel is by and far the main transportation system for travel here, and, consequently, airplanes and runways must be protected by the GN.

Applying for government funding almost always comes with a heavy dose of tedium and redundancy, and it's doubtless community health organizations are welcoming a streamlined application process for federal funds.

The funding categories of mental wellness and addictions, healthy living and youth development, and disease prevention had previously all required different applications for funding. Under the new approach, one application can be made to address all three. As well, reporting paperwork has been dramatically decreased.

While the initiative deserves applause, combining the different streams of funding also makes it much easier to for Ottawa to reduce or cancel the funding when deciding what to put on the chopping block.

While that may sound skeptical, in the mercurial world of politics, what the government touts and holds high one day may be cast aside the next. Let's remain on guard for that.

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