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Throughout his two decades living and working in the North, Affleck has sought strategies to more equitably and efficiently serve 42,000 people spread across more than 30 NWT communities, a quarter of whom were physically moved for health-care purposes last year, according to statistics the physician shared during the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) conference in Yellowknife last week.

Affleck describes the delivery of health care in the NWT as "a difficulty, a challenge, and a gift all at the same time."

His compassion and creativity have helped him find ways to humanize health care by moving information, instead of patients, over long distances. By promoting modern health information systems, which he pioneered as part of his work for the medical clinic offered to clients at the Centre for Northern Families, his team has managed to digitize records for more than half the NWT patients on the electronic medical record system.

Last week, Affleck also introduced CMA delegates to a mental health pilot program that couples electronic medical records with teleconferencing technology to connect NWT patients with physicians at Stanton Territorial Hospital or at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Stanton's partner facility in the project.

The initiative, which is being designed for two yet-to-be-identified NWT communities so far, will allow follow-up care in cases where personal visits might not otherwise be possible or practical. Digitized charts allow doctors to remotely access patient histories, permitting them to write prescriptions and order lab tests.

The theme of this year's CMA conference focused on how social and environmental factors affect the health of Canadians. Affleck's example offered insight into how obstacles to health care can be overcome with technology and compassion.

What we need to save the Robertson Headframe at Con Mine, shuttered now for nearly a decade, is an eccentric person with money to burn.

If no one fitting that description steps forward then the inevitable day will come when the NWT's tallest structure gets knocked down and another part of Yellowknife's gold mining past will be tossed into the dustbin of history.

The immense size of Robertson Headframe alone has sealed its fate. Who is going to pay to operate and maintain a 76-metre tall building that can serve no apparent purpose other than its original one? It was designed to lower and lift workers and equipment down to underground mine chambers now filling up with water.

A report to the city's heritage committee in 2008 pegged the cost of refurbishing options for the headframe as follows: $20 million for a geothermal plant and indoor gardens; $20 million for a glassed-in lookout on the rooftop; $40 million for a science and technology park; $50 million to build condos in the tower; and $100 million to convert it into a luxury hotel.

These schemes all very nice and grand but every one of them is a deal-breaker, unless taxpayers are willing to foot the astronomical bill any one of them would require. Considering that the city is already borrowing $20 million to build a new water treatment plant and fix crumbling roads and sewer pipes, council is wise to keep this one off the table.

What a shame. Where is a zany, rich admirer of mining heritage monoliths when you need one?

The Rankin Inlet Co-ed Softball League hit the ball out of the park with the Calm Air Cup on the weekend of Aug. 10.

The event itself was a success - only one injury, four of the 10 teams were from out of town, a lucky draw on the weather after storms had been forecast, plenty of attendance and an appropriate amount of good-natured jeering from the beer gardens, which also were very popular.

Tournaments such as this are fantastic and real feats in a region where there are no roads connecting any communities. Calm Air's reduced rates to Rankin for the weekend and continued sponsorship of the tournament also deserve serious props.

Not only was it a chance for softball players, who practise all summer, to compete for a trophy and a spot at the territorials, but it was a chance for the community to get together for one big party. Whether they watched from the bleachers or from the beer gardens, the audience was either constantly entertained or providing its own entertainment.

Teams from around the region had a chance to play on the new field, which, by all accounts, is a marked improvement upon what they'd been playing on before.

As well, a big sports competition like the Calm Air Cup creates a buzz among the kids in the community that lasts past the end of the games. Young softball players could be seen tossing balls around in the streets before the tournament, but afterwards it was hard to find a street where there weren't any kids being baseball stars.

Whether they had real gloves and baseballs or a foam ball and a stick, Rankin Inlet's children had their minds on the sport. Sugary foods and TV have taken their toll on the physical fitness of many of today's young, but tournaments like this help fight back against easy inactivity. The kids see their older brothers, cousins or friends playing well on the field and the kids want to step into their shoes.

So thanks to the league, the volunteers, the Royal Canadian Legion, Calm Air, the teams and the audience - you done good!

- Tim Edwards is the acting editor of Kivalliq News. Editor Darrell Greer will return next week.

Since being elected as president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council on June 22, Robert Alexie Jr. has kept his campaign promise to bring more transparency to the organization.

Recent updates to the GTC's website, a frequently updated Facebook page and an open-door policy with media demonstrates his efforts to keep his people informed.

Last week, during the Gwich'in Assembly in Fort McPherson, Alexie Jr. decided to revisit the GTC's position on devolution. Although prior to the meeting he wouldn't say if he supported the organization's lawsuit against the GNWT over devolution, he expressed concern that the Gwich'in people might not have understood what they were voting on when they supported a motion to sue the territory.

To ensure his people are aware and can make decisions based on accurate information, he said it was his mission to explain devolution in layman's terms.

Whether the GTC decide to suspend its lawsuit against the GNWT and support devolution is important, but it's equally important that the organization made that critical choice while fully informed. With that assurance behind him, Alexie Jr. can move forward with confidence he is fulfilling the will of his people.

So far Alexie Jr. has demonstrated a desire to support the wishes of his constituents without pushing his own agenda. He is clear in his meaning and is not afraid to admit if he doesn't know the answer to a question.

A willingness to learn, communicate and support those who put him into power are the characteristics of a true leader.

Gardeners and berry pickers in the South Slave now have a way to get the most out of their harvests thanks to a mobile commercial kitchen deployed in the region.

The new pilot project - supported by the Territorial Farmers' Association and Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment - will give people the ability to preserve food for longer periods and possibly sell it commercially.

Although creating a business base for food sales is a secondary objective, the commercial kitchen could demonstrate the viability of NWT agriculture, an area the GNWT should be exploring in greater depth. There are too many factors affecting Northern food prices. Not only are we at the mercy of the regular supply and demand issues - drought, loss of farmland and grains being converted to bio fuel - we also bear the cost of increases to fuel prices and shipping fees.

Cutting out the middle man and creating a territory-wide food grower's consortium could save Northerners money and improve health.

Even if the consumer side of the idea doesn't pan out, individual green thumbs in the South Slave will be able to enjoy the fruits of their labour longer, saving them money on groceries.

Hopefully the commercial kitchen concept expands to the northern parts of the territory. Not only will it give people more options to store and possibly sell food, it might also spark more community gardens and greenhouses if people know what they grow will last longer.

After three standoffs involving Nunavut residents and RCMP members in less than two weeks, officials are looking to form a safety committee in Kimmirut.

The territory has endured a recent rash of gun-related violence. One alarming incident occurred in Kimmirut, where 21 bullets pierced the RCMP detachment and a police vehicle after a resident opened fire on July 28.

Another incident took place in Iglulik when a man was arrested after pointing a rifle at RCMP, while the third reckless act involved a man in Hall Beach who, after shots were fired in a residence, had to be talked out of his house before finally surrendering to police.

There are communities in neighbouring NWT that do not have police and are crying out for them.

We don't want to lose this important service. We don't want police to feel unwelcome or afraid for their lives. Officials and residents are brainstorming how to end the attacks involving police, curbing the gun-related violence that seems to saturate the territory.

Creating a safety committee in Kimmirut, and establishing similar committees in other Nunavut communities, could hone in on the most critical resource available: the people.

A safety committee -- presumably made up of the RCMP members who serve in the hamlet and select residents -- could open the airwaves on the issues brewing in the area.

RCMP members routinely spend a stint of only a couple of years if that in one small detachment before moving on.

New officers come in as strangers to the community.

A safety committee, one dedicated to the well-being of the residents and the police, will allow RCMP a smoother transition into the community.

It is the residents in small hamlets such as Kimmirut who know who is agitated, who is having trouble at home, who might be a danger to the community or police.

It is the people who have built their lives together who can feel the tension build, who can read the signs and hear the whispers of the community before tragedy strikes.

Minister of Justice Daniel Shewchuk encourages "Nunavummiut to get to know RCMP members and support them in keeping our communities safe," as he stated in a recent press release.

It's this connection that needs to develop through a safety committee, something built from those living in the communities and those protecting the people there.

Earlier this month, residents were reminded of the cherished history, beauty and ingenuity that make our community such a special place to call home. The sixth annual Old Town Ramble and Ride neighbourhood festival enlivened the city's oldest streets with a rainbow of art and activities, despite persistent clouds and rain on the August long weekend.

More than 1,000 people, many of them toting umbrellas, took in this year's festival, according to organizers' estimates. The healthy participation speaks to the affection people have for Ramble and Ride.

The reason this unique family-friendly event maintains its charm year after year is its simplicity.

Homegrown ingredients contributing to its enduring success include Old Town's heritage buildings, including those in the storied Woodyard, and innovative architecture, such as the houseboat community, all of it surrounded by rock, forest and lake in every direction.

The natural vistas are mystical but the magic is conjured by Old Town's creative artists and businesses.

Early each August, the neighbourhood's artists and business owners prepare new work and design entertaining spectacles to entice visitors from downtown, uptown and beyond. Invited to walk or ride down the hill, residents and tourists are welcomed with free food, free performances, free art demonstrations, walking tours, and free or inexpensive art workshops.

The festival also embraces an eco-friendly attitude, encouraging everyone to experience the neighbourhood on foot, by bike, in a canoe or through other non-motorized means. The pace is gentle and much of the entertainment is educational, such as the do-it-yourself home design course hosted by Nadji Architects and the origami workshops presented by the Gallery of the Midnight Sun.

Growing business sponsorship and support from the City of Yellowknife, the GNWT and Canadian Heritage is money well spent.

Old Town is where Yellowknife as we know it first began, and the people who live and do business there take pride in celebrating it. The rest of us should not wait until next August long weekend to join them.

On any given weekend throughout the year, Old Town offers workshops, art demonstrations, fun food and breathtaking scenery. Enjoy it.

There was more than Adam Beach's charisma and the excitement of the film crew for the hit TV show Arctic Air on display on the streets of Yellowknife earlier this month.

Many Yellowknifers also experienced the thrill of being part of the action. Up to 120 residents were cast as extras, members of the crew, production assistants, makeup artists, wardrobe assistants and even bit-part actors. They got to say a few lines and may appear in an episode of the show's second season.

Our hat is off to the Vancouver-based production company for using local talent rather than bringing up actors and extras from Vancouver. It is also gratifying that the company, shooting the first of three planned segments, is contracting many Yellowknife companies to supply goods and services during its production schedule.

Between $150,000 and $200,000 is injected into the local economy each time the crew films in the city, according to figures from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

More eight to 10-day shoots are planned for the fall and will hopefully be included in the 13 episodes being produced.

The casting calls and shooting segments have drawn throngs of onlookers and star-struck residents, many keen to see what a television show set looks like and capture a glimpse of the actors they've seen on TV.

And it doesn't hurt that, according to many female admirers, Beach is hot.

The territorial government seems to have some explaining to do.

Last week, Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche took Premier Bob McLeod and cabinet ministers David Ramsay and Glen Abernethy on a tour of the six communities in the riding. These tours are relatively common and normally follow the same pattern.

Menicoche, either alone or with a variety of ministers, arrives at a pre-arranged community meeting and listens to the concerns of community members. There are generally few surprises. Variations on the same issues arise again and again -- the most common being housing, transportation, economic development and education.

The recent tour between Aug. 7 and 9 followed the pattern perfectly in all but one community -- Nahanni Butte.

Nahanni Butte, as most Deh Cho residents are aware, suffered a significant flood in early June. Rising water levels forced the evacuation of the majority of residents who were not able to return home until almost the end of the month.

The list of damage is well known. Casualties of the flood water included the band office, local store, new gymnasium and the crawlspaces and ground floors of many houses.

With such significant damages happening to such a small community, it would be reasonable to think the territorial government would be keeping close tabs on the recovery efforts. This doesn't appear to have been the case.

Menicoche said at the meeting in Nahanni Butte the community representatives greeted them and then immediately explained how no one had been taking care of them for the last two months since the flood. Outstanding issues include the community access road and road to the landfill, which are both still partially under water, and houses that haven't been repaired, among other things.

Speaking later, Menicoche, McLeod and Ramsay all expressed their surprise about the situation and the level of frustration among Nahanni Butte residents.

None of this should have been a surprise, especially not to the MLA for the region or the premier of the territory. The territorial government should have had someone monitoring the rebuilding efforts and liaising with the appropriate departments and officials.

In light of what elected government leaders now know, the territorial government clearly needs to reassess how it has addressed the aftermath of the flood in Nahanni Butte.

Changes need to be made so the community receives the assistance it needs quickly and to prevent future frustration in other communities hit by natural disasters.

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Raise your voice
Editorial Comment
Danielle Sachs
Inuvik Drum - Thursday, Aug. 16, 2012

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Important issues were covered at the most recent constituency meeting held by MP Dennis Bevington on Monday.

Subjects included the high cost of living, the imminent depletion of natural gas and impacts of the new omnibus budget Bill C-38.

Too bad there were only seven people in the room, or five if you don't count Bevington and this one humble reporter.

Actually, it was only four participants if you don't count one person who had to leave a few minutes into the meeting to make it to Fort McPherson. Coming for part of the meeting is better than not showing up at all.

The event was advertised on Facebook, in the newspaper and on the community channel.

"Focus discussions on economical and energy issues as well as the Conservative budget cuts," read the ad.

These are issues that affect all Inuvik residents and everyone in the North. It was a good opportunity to make your voice heard and share ideas. Instead, everyone stayed away.

Inuvik has a population of 3,500. Four people at the constituency meeting represents 0.1 per cent of Inuvik. Do you really want less than one per cent of the population representing what matters to the community?

That's not to say good ideas weren't exchanged between the few who did clear a couple of hours off their schedule to come.

Yes, it's summer and a lot of people are on vacation. It can also be hard to find a babysitter. But it was sad sitting there with empty chairs outnumbering the taken ones.

Without speaking up, people give up their right to complain. Sure, it could be argued that one meeting doesn't make a difference. Bevington is here to bring the voices of Northerners to Ottawa – a place that barely recognizes the existence of the region until new resources are discovered.

Bevington admits that when speaking in Parliament he only has one voice. But the more people that go to him, the more weight and power that voice has.

If it's impossible to make it out, there are other options. Start a discussion online, throw ideas around when talking to friends, family and loved ones.

When talking about things that matter to everyone there aren't any bad ideas.

The only bad idea is staying silent.

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