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Over the years, the southern and central portions of the NWT have benefited from the bulk of the NWT's development.

The construction of the Deh Cho Bridge, rich diamond mines, oil and gas development, new construction projects, new roads and road maintenance has meant millions of dollars in jobs and economic spinoffs in the South Slave, Tlicho and Sahtu regions. Unfortunately, the Beaufort Delta has been left to watch and wait from the sidelines.

With the approval of funding for the Inuvik-to-Tuktoyaktuk Highway, people in the Northern reaches of the territory have an opportunity to access the hundreds of jobs that will be created during construction. They will also reap the rewards from the economic benefits the road will create - such as cheaper costs of shipping, increased tourism, more opportunities for resource development and alternative travel options.

The construction jobs might not be permanent but increased tourism, higher levels of disposable income and more development activity will lead to more permanent employment options.

This means more money flowing to the community and staying there, always a good combination.

Some MLAs from Yellowknife question whether the cost of the road is justified and if it will balloon out of control as construction progresses. With the lessons learned from the Deh Cho Bridge, we hope the GNWT moves forward responsibly to keep costs under control and to finish the project in a timely fashion. It should also work to ensure as many jobs as possible go to Northern residents.

Spending nearly $300 million on a single project is a hefty price tag but it is also an investment in the future of the Beaufort Delta.

In 2012, approximately 15 per cent of the territory's workforce involved some sort of skilled labour, according to the GNWT Bureau of Statistics.

That translates into approximately 3,000 workers. As the territory works to expand its resource development activity, increase telecommunications technology and improve infrastructure, the need for skilled labour is not expected to decrease.

With that in mind, the federal government's announcement of financial assistance to support apprentices across Canada is welcome news.

Under the grant program, apprentices are eligible for up to $15,000 in assistance during their apprenticeships.

The funds must be matched equally by the federal and territorial governments and the employer, meaning to receive the maximum each must contribute $5,000.

Although the downside is only apprentices in large organizations will benefit from the maximum amount, every little bit helps.

Skilled job training is essential in the NWT. Mining companies stated earlier this year that finding Northerners with the necessary skills to fill their hiring commitments can be difficult.

Developing incentives to attract people to the trades can only help and bringing down the cost of training is never a bad idea.

Cynicism and doubt will continue to surround Nutrition North until the program's workings, from southern warehouses to subsidized retailers, are laid bare for all to see.

Despite the federal government's assertions of Nutrition North's superiority to Food Mail, and retailers' assurances subsidies are being passed along to consumers, people complain prices remain high.

South Baffin MLA Fred Schell raises an interesting point that these subsidies, on top of discounted bulk freight shipments for Nunavut's large grocers - North West Company and Arctic Co-operatives Ltd. - should be enough to drive prices down.

However, the Co-op's Duane Wilson said fuel and government fees must be factored in. How are we, the public, to know if we are paying fair prices to feed our families?

On one hand we have a very business-oriented federal government running the program, and on the other we have corporations that are, of course, out to make money.

Stuck in the middle are the consumers, many of whom are faced with a rotten combination of low employment opportunities and high food costs.

Premier Eva Aariak said the GN is planning a 10-community survey this month to allow the GN to create a clearer picture of food prices and the cost of living. It's unfortunate this won't cover every community, but hopefully it can be used to help shed light on the effect Nutrition North has had on the cost of groceries.

Either the survey is a success and comprehensively evaluates food prices, subsidies and southern bulk prices, settling the question of whether savings are being passed on to the consumer, or there will be more calls for a full audit by Canada's auditor general.

The auditor general's position has proven itself to be an instrument of reason and integrity, and Auditor General Michael Ferguson has shown he is not afraid to ruffle Tory feathers.

If the GN's survey doesn't determine Nutrition North is working, Ferguson must step in to settle the issue once and for all.

The federal budget's inclusion of $100 million for 250 homes proves the territory's housing crisis isn't off Ottawa's radar. The Government of Nunavut says there is a shortfall of between 3,000 and 4,000 homes in the territory and projects each year an additional 90 will be needed.

A portion of $52 million - the amount yet to be determined - allocated for aboriginal health services, with a focus on mental health, is also a sound investment.

In a budget low on frills, the investment should be appreciated.

While it can be argued these are just drops in a nearly-empty bucket, the money has the potential to help more than a few Nunavummiut lead more comfortable lives.

Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq and Prime Minister Stephen Harper should be acknowledged for these investments in a time of austerity. That being said, we must continue to make our voices heard. Nunavut's needs are great and have been compounding over the years. However, the problems can't be fixed overnight and it is going to take a lot more investment to make a real dent in the problem.

No one will ever really know why Air Tindi pilot Matthew Bromley chose to ignore his training Oct. 4, 2011 and fly his doomed plane under visual flight rules in marginal weather.

Toxicology reports showed Bromley was 10 times above the minimum threshold for cannabis impairment the day of the crash. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says this caused him to make poor decisions during his fatal flight to Lutsel K'e that killed him and passenger Timothy Harris, plus injured two passengers, Bernice Marlowe and Sheldon Catholique.

It's not unreasonable to conclude that some young people - Bromley was 28 - are a little too casual in dismissing the potential dangers of "light" recreational drugs such as marijuana. It's easy to see why they would. People have been talking about decriminalizing marijuana for decades.

But as the safety board's report alludes, smoking pot and flying planes don't mix. Experiments on individuals involved in complex machine-related tasks, such as flying planes, show significant impairment up to 24 hours after a moderate dose of inhaled cannabis, even though they have ceased to be aware they are the under the influence.

As Bromley's family states in their response to the safety report: "Many people who use it simply do not have knowledge of the impairing influence that cannabis can have on personal and professional judgment."

That said, pilots don't need to be on drugs to make mistakes.

Anyone who has read the safety board's report on the Arctic Sunwest crash in Old Town two weeks prior to the Air Tindi accident, or the First Air tragedy that killed 12 people the month before that, know pilots, even in tip-top shape, occasionally fly into tragic circumstances. This is no less true in the North where flights can go from routine to frightening in a hurry.

What ultimately makes the Air Tindi accident even sadder is that had events leading up to the incident been moved up by a few years Bromley may have had the tools on board to avoid the crash, even if he was flying too low. Last year, Transport Canada ordered private and commercial air carriers operating under instrument flight rules to install terrain awareness and warning systems (TAWS) on board all planes with a capacity of six or more passenger seats within two years. The Cessna 200B Caravan Bromley was flying had seating for up to 14.

It's a wonder it has taken this long. Airplane maintenance in Canada is second to none with basic inspections occurring every 500 to 800 hours of flight. Yet, in the North dozens of airplanes have been allowed to operate without ground detection devices over some of the most hostile flying conditions in the world.

Some airlines have complained about the cost of installing TAWS - up to $100,000 per plane in some cases - but given the tragedies of 2011, installation of this safety technology will go a long way to restoring passenger confidence in Northern air travel.

Discovery Air, which owns Air Tindi, announced in December 2011 that it was investing $2.2 million to install TAWS on 22 planes. Meanwhile, random drug tests and instrument flight rules for all scheduled flights have also been implemented.

The Air Tindi crash follows a long list of Northern air tragedies. It's likely too much to hope that it will be the last but if Northerners can gain anything from it, it's the hope that air travel is getting safer.

What does it take to keep a language alive?

It's a pertinent question. Around the world, thousands of languages are slipping into obscurity.

Young people aren't learning the languages spoken by their grandparents or parents and as the remaining speakers begin to die, their languages go with them.

If people in the Deh Cho want to avoid that possible future scenario, more aggressive steps will have to be taken. Things are already looking grim.

If a survey was taken of all the students in elementary and high schools in the region the findings would likely show that only a small percentage can speak Dene Zhatie, Slavey, with any degree of fluency. Some students may know a few words and others may be able to understand basic conversations in Dene Zhatie, but few could carry on a prolonged conversation.

It's easy to see why. English has become the predominant language in the region. Almost all of the music, television, movies and Internet content that youth see, hear and read is in English.

English is also almost all they hear at home. Partially as a result of the legacy of residential schools, youth have few people they could speak Dene Zhatie to. Their grandparents or great-grandparents may be the last bastion of the language in their family.

And yes, losing a language is a bad thing. Language and culture are inextricably tied together. If Dene Zhatie died out as a spoken language, it would take a portion of the Deh Cho culture with it.

We Are Speaking the Dene Way, a DVD-ROM, website and now an app created by Anyes Fabre-Dimsdale and the Deh Cho Friendship Centre, is one example of how the Deh Cho can choose to fight back against language loss. The program uses the very technology that is contributing to the loss of Dene Zhatie to help turn the tide.

Children enjoy using computers and tablets so it only makes sense to create digital resources that promote learning the language of the Deh Cho region. Children can use the program at home and at school. Even parents who want to brush up on Dene Zhatie can learn a thing or two.

If people see the value in Dene Zhatie and are willing to fight for it, promote it and create inventive ways to teach it, there is no reason why it can't continue as a strong and vibrant language that is a core part of the identity of the Deh Cho region.

Sometimes when you're out for a walk, humorous things can happen.

Last week, the late evening sunshine proved to be irresistible. I bundled up and worked my way down to the ice road.

I headed north, walking briskly for maybe a couple of kilometres in the -17 C temperature.

For me, bundling up means protecting my airways. I'm extremely prone to bronchitis, but I've dodged it in the two months I've been in Inuvik. Evidently the climate agrees with me.

My facemask of choice is a Cold Avenger, which bears a striking resemblance to a Darth Vader mask. I always enjoy the novelty of the looks it attracts as I walk around town, and it's a good conversation starter.

I had turned around after walking for perhaps 15 or 20 minutes, having worked up a bit of a sweat by then, and headed back.

A young woman driving a snowmobile roared by me suddenly. I didn't think much of it until I noticed she had slammed the brakes on and turned around.

She pulled up beside me and asked if I was all right and where I was going. Baffled, I said I was fine and I had walked from downtown.

"Are you (expletive deleted) kidding?" she asked. "It's too (expletive deleted) cold out here to be walking. I'm (expletive deleted) freezing!"

Coming from a resident of Inuvik, I thought that was a bit of a compliment.

We chatted for another few minutes, and then she roared off again, leaving me to ponder her questions.

I'm not sure which she thought was more baffling, that I was walking, walking that far, or walking in the cold. Maybe it was all of the above.

I've noticed there's a good chunk of the population here that doesn't seem to do a lot of walking. That's unfortunate, since Inuvik is a very walkable community. In fact, it's one of the best I've seen anywhere.

After years of driving, I'm appreciating the chance to walk more. It's a good way to learn my way around and meet people, and it's reducing my mid-section a bit.

I've also noticed something I didn't expect: many people here seem to hibernate through the worst of the winter months. That's understandable in a way, but I was surprised to see it. I've been out in every kind of weather since my arrival, treasuring the chance to experience an Arctic winter.

It would be nice if there were more people to join me.

Last week, city council grappled over possible locations for bike lanes in the city. Councillor Dan Wong proposed seasonal lanes from Latham Island to the Multiplex, along Franklin Avenue - the city's main drag.

However, other councillors took issue with lanes going on the busy street, pointing to the potential cost of removing parking meter areas to allow space for the bike paths. The cut to parking on Franklin Avenue would add yet another nail in the coffin of the deteriorating downtown shopping district, where business after business have been closing their doors -- many moving uptown away from loiterers and towards bountiful parking spaces.

This isn't the first time bike lanes have been brought forward at council. Last summer, Ecology North brought forward a pilot project for bike lanes on Franklin Avenue which was shot down. There were also reports in 2007 and 2008 recommending more bike lanes in the city.

Cycling as a mode of transportation has grown in popularity. It has environment benefits through reduced emissions and economic benefits to the commuter when the car is parked at home, not too mention it is good exercise.

Top reasons people opt not to bike is because they feel it is unsafe or the distance to travel is too far, according to a 2008 Montreal transportation plan. In this city, distance is rarely a deterrent when it comes to cycling. However, Franklin is an often intimidating road to bike on and that won't change with bike lanes.

City council should avoid Franklin Avenue in its plans for a more bike-friendly city. The thoroughfare was not built to accommodate this type of traffic, and the focus should be on the side streets. Councillors point to 52 Avenue and Veterans Memorial Drive, which leads to McMahon Frame Lake Trail, as possible bike lane areas. This option would provide a cycling link from one end of the city to the other.

While Wong argued cyclists use the city's main artery to get around, balancing the needs of motorists, cyclists and the revitalization of downtown - which includes a need to continue to allow parking on main street - means bike lanes off Franklin would benefit everyone.

Second chances are rare in business and politics but the GNWT has a shot at redemption with the impending re-emergence of Yellowknife's secondary diamond industry.

Diamond cutting and polishing factories tumbled like dominoes earlier this decade. The city went from four plants employing about 200 workers and contributing approximately 65 per cent of the NWT's manufacturing exports in 2006, to merely one operation - HRA Group's Crossworks International, in 2009.

Now that Deepak International Ltd. is preparing to open two diamond cutting and polishing plants in buildings formerly occupied by Arslanian Cutting Works and Polar Ice Diamonds at the Yellowknife Airport, the territory and the capital have an opportunity to rebuild the secondary diamond industry in combination with the still-operating Crossworks facility.

Range Lake MLA Daryl Dolynny's call for the GNWT to expedite its economic strategy to help reboot the industry should be heeded. Dolynny's motion, supported by a majority of regular members, seeks to keep rough diamonds, and thus sorting and polishing jobs, in the North while improving the marketing of the revived NWT's Polar Bear Diamond brand.

Diamonds from the NWT make up roughly 15 per cent of diamonds on the world market, and many of them are shipped to Europe for processing, which represents lost potential revenue for the territory.

The diamond mines, meanwhile, seem by reputation to be in a strong position to fuel the economic benefits of a Northern cutting and polishing industry. A recent report released by the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines characterizes the contribution of Ekati, Diavik and Snap Lake mines to Northern employment and aboriginal business development as well beyond expectations.

Under these conditions, and with the wisdom of its past failure, the GNWT should be prepared to articulate its vision for the continued growth and strengthening of NWT's cutting and polishing plants.

I've said before it's only a matter of time until another target is identified as the golden goose of tax revenues with tobacco products being at the tipping point of taxation on a legal product.

I've also suggested obesity and its related illnesses are the true number one drain on the Canadian healthcare system, and fast food or sugar would likely be the taxman's next target.

It's now reached the point where sugar lovers had better brace themselves for one heck of a rise in prices on the foods they love, coming in the notsodistant future.

And, let's be honest, we here in the Kivalliq love our sugar.

A growing number of scientists (they need funding from somewhere, right?) are jumping on the bandwagon to suggest it's time for sugar to be regulated like alcohol and tobacco and taxed accordingly.

Once that begins, it won't be long before said tax more closely resembles that of tobacco than alcohol.

If you're thinking of sugar substitutes as a way to beat the coming tax, you may not be adding a healthier choice into the mix.

If you decide to go this route, research before buying those pretty packets.

Many researchers advise consumers to stay away from the few remaining products with the original artificial sweetener, saccharin, and its highly controversial past that once saw it banned or sold with warning stickers, only to be reinstated with the stickers taken off (conflicting science, go figure!).

Many researchers also give aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal, etc.) thumbs down, while ranking sucralose (Splenda) as the best choice.

While it must be said scientific studies to date appear inconclusive, aspartame accounts for about 70 per cent of all complaints concerning artificial sweeteners.

Critics of the sweetener, which has two amino acids, have grave concerns about these amino acids because, on their own, they enter the central nervous system in very high concentrations, unlike the many amino acids naturally consumed in food that cancel out negative effects.

And a full 10 per cent of aspartame is absorbed into the blood stream as wood alcohol. The recommended daily limit of wood alcohol (methanol) is about 7.8 milligrams. A onelitre beverage containing aspartame has about eight times the recommended amount.

Sucralose is 600 times as sweet as sugar, calorie free, doesn't increase one's blood sugar nor promote tooth decay, and it's safe to use during pregnancy.

As a bonus, unlike the vast majority of artificial sweeteners, you can even bake nicely with it.

And, to date, there are far fewer concerns linked to sucralose than its rivals.

Artificial sweeteners are complex subjects.

In a study done at Purdue University in the U.S., lab animals given foods with an artificial sweetener gained more weight than those that consumed sugar.

As any addicted smoker will tell you, our body learns to expect certain things, including a blast of calories when it tastes something sweet.

When the blast isn't there, the body makes you hungry to get you to eat more.

At the end of the day, while the product Kivalliqmiut choose may be artificial, you can bet your doughnut the tax looming ahead won't be.

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