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There is no place for 'survival of the fittest' when we are talking about people living in a democratic society such as Canada.

Entrenched in our human rights' handbook - the Charter of Rights and Freedoms - is the birthright that every citizen is free from discrimination.

Unfortunately, lurking in the dim cracks and corners of Yellowknife is some contrary reality - specifically relating to the 'freedom from discrimination based on physical disability' touted so proudly within the charter. But one woman is shining a light on such injustices, which may largely fly under the radar of the able-bodied majority.

Elizabeth Portman, as reported in Yellowknifer last week, recently filed a set of human rights complaints against both the territorial government and the City of Yellowknife for what she says are infringements against her as a physically disabled person.

Her complaints against the GNWT stem back to 2011 when she pointed out accessibility deficiencies in the legislative assembly building. In 2013, the GNWT widened the doors, but Portman maintains they remain too heavy.

It shouldn't take loud activists like Portman for government institutions to make accessible spaces for the disabled.

The complaint against the city is related to Yellowknife' Accessible Transit System (YATS), which does not allow users to purchase monthly passes, unlike regular transit system users, who can purchase a monthly pass for $40, although a single ticket on both systems costs $2.50.

Although the city may justify the discrepancy as relative to the higher cost of operation for YATS -that's not known for sure because the city chose not to comment on the matter - the fact is that the transit system is already subsidized by the city, and discrimination could easily be avoided by going that extra inch and offering the same opportunity to disabled transit riders as non-disabled through the monthly pass.

It's unlikely the fee discrepancy will hold up in a human rights challenge. In 2009, a Yellowknife cab company was ordered by the NWT Human Rights panel to pay compensation for "injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect" plus reimburse a physically disabled rider after the company charged a $6 pick-up fee because he required the company's handi-van.

Rather than get into a push and pull with a rider who is only seeking the same right afforded to her non-disabled counterparts, the City of Yellowknife should align itself with the times - and the charter - and adjust its rates accordingly.

After seven months of winter, it's no surprise that Yellowknifers would look forward to a season-ending carnival to help shake off the cabin fever blahs.

Bringing them in is the easy part. Ensuring there are enough volunteers to ensure the carnival is successful, that's the hard part. That was the case with the now-defunct Caribou Carnival and it's no different with Long John Jamboree now that the novelty of the three-year-old event is beginning to wear off.

Last weekend's Long John Jamboree was enormously successful yet again, but Adrian Bell, board member and festival founder, says only around 60 volunteers came out this year - about half of what are need to make sure things run smoothly.

With a number of key departures from the board - including Bell - coming before next year's jamboree, it will be even harder to keep the momentum going.

There were plenty of people on the Yellowknife Bay ice last weekend, but a steady stream of fresh faces will be needed to prevent volunteer burnout and the loss of another great celebration.

Just another reminder that it takes more than last year's success to keep the spring carnival fire burning.

Watching high school graduations in the Deh Cho can be fun.

All of the graduates are so fresh-faced and eager and have their whole lives in front of them -- almost like blank slates waiting to be filled. The events are really joyous occasions.

Watching graduations or completion ceremonies for continuing education programs, like those offered by Aurora College, is in many ways, however, more interesting. Some of the graduates are young, but many have been out of high school for a few years, possibly decades. They aren't as fresh faced, but their achievement in completing a course or program is arguably more commendable.

High school students are expected to graduate. They may face challenges along the way, but as long as they keep attending classes, handing in homework and getting reasonable grades they are likely to earn their diploma.

There are fewer certainties for adult students.

For one, being in school is generally a choice for them. They don't have to be there and unlike high school students there is no one expecting them to be there.

Adult students also usually have more responsibilities apart from education. Some have spouses or children they have to provide for or jobs they have to take a leave from in order to go back to school. Adult students have bills to pay and schedules they have to follow.

That's why it's great to watch Aurora College graduation ceremonies like the one recently held in Fort Providence. All of those participants are people who made a choice to get more training, possibly in an area that interested them.

Ten people finished the Building Trades Helper program and another nine completed Introduction to Office Skills. It was really great to see one woman among the trades program graduates and two men in office skills. Those programs can often be dominated by men and women respectively, so it's good to see students showing that anyone can take them and be successful.

A number of these graduates are already making plans for how they can use their new skill sets. Some want to apply for jobs in their chosen fields, while others are thinking about taking additional courses.

Graduates at every level need to be commended, but adult students deserve special recognition for challenging themselves and successfully furthering their education.

Last weekend's tragedy is a sobering reminder that even when people are having fun, safety has to come first.

A fire happened at a small riverside camp some distance outside of town in a location that proved difficult for the fire department to reach.

The authorities haven't officially released the name of the deceased man, although many people know who it is.

The man's death is a testament and a reminder that the safety of these ubiquitous camps and cabins can in some cases be questionable. That means caution and safety should be of paramount importance, even when people are trying to "get away from it all."

According to Jim Sawkins, the Inuvik fire chief, the material used in the small cabin at the site was likely overdue for some repairs and renovations, just as a result of general wear and tear and the limited lifespan of the materials used in its construction.

The town isn't able to provide proper inspections on such buildings, he added, due primarily to resource shortages and accessibility.

While that might make it tempting to let frugality rein, along with a back-to-the basics and minimalist mindset, it's not worth your life to just give in to the impulse.

That's especially true when it comes to heating systems, which are crucial in this climate. A double-walled or insulated stove pipe might have made a life-saving difference in this situation. So, please, take factors like that into consideration when building or renovating cabins.

Sawkins said free smoke alarms are available from the town hall. That's something no cabin should be without either.

One of the attractions of being at a camp is getting back to nature, or on the land, however you wish to put it.

While money is tight and the economy is sagging, people have to ask themselves it's worth a life to economize on safety.

The answer is obvious in hindsight and no one should have to die in a fire a long way from emergency help to remind people.

So please, take a long hard look at your camp buildings, and try to be objective about their condition and what improvements can be made.

It's easier to play safely when you know you're safe.

The downtown day shelter has re-opened after a fresh coat of paint and a change of management, but this is only a temporary reprieve that will last until May 31, with reduced hours.

Now is not the time to forget the facts surrounding this resource for the homeless population. The most conspicuous fact is the shelter is needed and necessary - so much so that the homeless are bravely speaking up, telling their side of the story.

Petition in hand, they came to Yellowknifer's office.

For Mona Thrasher, and others, the shelter is a place to rest during the day because she is often unable to find somewhere to sleep at night. "I'm not ashamed..." she said. Nor should she feel shame.

A man, identified as R.J, said, "We checked out of our tent in October and we've been sleeping in stairwells ever since."

Thrasher, R.J. and his partner wander the night and use the shelter during the day for the basics of life, such as having a toilet to use.

The other notable fact regarding the shelter is the absence of commitment from the powers-that-be for its longevity, not to mention its survival.

Denise McKee, executive director of the NWT Disabilities Council - the organization handed temporary responsibility by the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority to run the shelter - appears to be doing the best she can in a bad situation. But even she lives in uncertainty. "I hope there is a timely answer to ease people's anxieties," she said.

Hubert Humphrey, a former vice-president of the United States, famously stated, "The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped."

The territorial government is in danger of failing this moral test if the day shelter remains closed for long.

Medical marijuana growers are breathing a sigh of relief after a Federal Court injunction halted an order from Health Canada to destroy their so far legally grown plants that would have come into effect yesterday.

Those people include Yellowknife's Kim MacNearney, who obtained a licence to possess medical marijuana to help her with her back pain. Her husband Craig has a licence to grow the plant, even though he says isn't growing any right now. The couple obtained their licences after police raided a small-scale grow-op in their home in 2009. They were convicted of possession and production of marijuana in December - but not trafficking - and sentenced to house arrest after a five-year court battle.

The MacNearneys broke the law, saw the error in their ways, and then tried to comply with the law.

Now the government, in an ill-considered effort to appear tough on crime, wants to change the rules again. Although people would still be able to obtain medical marijuana - providing it has been prescribed by a doctor.

Public opinion was split when cannabis was initially introduced as a potential medical option through Health Canada in 2001. At the time, no medical trials had been done to test marijuana's effectiveness as a treatment option. It's been 13 years, and those trials still haven't been done.

If the federal government is serious about maintaining marijuana solely as a medical option, it should be treated no differently than other treatment options, which means proper testing by Health Canada. Putting the issue into the hands of doctors who may or may not have confidence in the so-called health benefits of the drug puts them in an awkward position. What if they don't want to prescribe it?

On the flip side, public opinion has softened since 2001 - a Forum Research poll from last year found more than two-thirds of Canadians support the decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana, while nearly 40 per cent support outright legalization.

So why is it that the government fighting public sentiment? Alcohol statistically is far more dangerous.

Unfortunately, all decisions on marijuana to date - from criminalization to medical liberalization to the government's recent attempt at restrictions - have been based more on politics than common sense.

It would be far easier on society if the government simply allowed people to grow a few plants at home if they so desire - as medicine or otherwise. <

The hockey-blood-seeking wolves have been out in full force the past 10 days.

They refer to themselves as sport journalists, as they gleefully await news of a wound they can turn against the hockey establishment.

And, the deeper the wound, the more fervent their efforts in exploiting it.

Time has shown us nothing is off-limits to these poison scribes when it comes to discrediting hockey and its culture.

One of the deepest wounds they use to attack the game is one we know all too well in the North - suicide.

Shortly after Saginaw Spirit Terry Trafford was found dead of self-inflicted asphyxiation this past month, sport journalists were quick to place blame.

Competitive hockey has too much pressure, they claimed, and players view any of their peers as weak if they seek help for addiction or depression.

And, apparently, those who surround hockey should be able to recognize, properly address, and successfully deal with any affliction being suffered by the millions who play the game.

Trafford's tale is a tragic one.

He was missing for more than a week after being sent home for the balance of the season for breaking team rules.

Trafford was not, however, removed from the team's roster until after his funeral, and head coach Greg Gilbert invited him to his summer skating sessions to get ready for the following season the last time the two spoke.

No, the hockey career of the 20-year-old veteran of four OHL seasons with the Spirit was not over, and he had his whole life ahead of him.

There have been 17 elite hockey players known to have committed suicide.

That number jumps to 67 in baseball and more than 70 in football.

But high suicide rates are far from being the private domain of elite sports.

Physicians have one of the highest suicide rates in the world, along with sales-related positions, dentists, law enforcement, protective services, finance workers, veterinarians and electricians.

The leaders all very by category - white males and females, black males and females, aboriginal males and females, etc. - but remain consistently high across the recorded spectrum.

All range from honourable to prestigious lines of work, and all have more than their share of smart and caring people surrounding them.

Yet the numbers continue to climb.

To take the tragic loss of a young man's life, and use it to point the finger of blame at the game of hockey, serves absolutely no useful purpose in our ongoing struggle against suicide.

Far more productive are the directions taken by people like Larry Pegg, who extol the virtues of competitive sport through programs such as the Hockey Project, while getting the message across that life is above everything.

All of us, from every walk of life, are affected by suicide.

Hopefully, poison-penned pundits aside, we'll continue to focus on communication, compassion, recognition, acceptance, love and support as our keys to understanding.

There should be no room on our team for those who just want to play the blame game.

An idea may seem good from a bureaucratic point of view, but doesn't pass muster on closer inspection.

That could be the case in Fort Smith, where talk of moving a wellness program might give users seeking discretion some unwanted scrutiny.

The idea would be to run the program out of the health centre starting in June rather than out of the Jack Taylor Building, its current location, which also houses the South Slave Divisional Education Council. But community member Clayton Burke says not so fast.

"The big problem is the personal counselling service will not be confidential. Meaning that, if you go to the hospital, it's going to be very, very obvious that you're going for counselling."

He's not alone. David Poitras, who used to work with the program, praised the current location, calling it central but off by itself.

Burke praised the program from first-hand experience, but others might not feel like disclosing such information.

The Minister's Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness noted that the connection between mental health and addictions is not well-understood among Northerners, and that stigma and stereotyping are obstacles to treatment.

Even the best program in the world won't be any good to people who don't use it, and that's more likely to happen if people feel embarrassment or shame getting the help they need.

Fort Smith Health and Social Services CEO misses the point when she assures us that confidentiality will be maintained.

"Confidentiality is a key, fundamental principle."

Such assurances do not address Burke's concern that people will see their fellow community residents go in and out of the health centre during meetings and make the logical leap that they are there for counselling.

Getting people the help they need has to come before efficient use of space. Setting aside the human cost, mental health resources are wasted when they go unused.

It can only be hoped the local authority considers its response carefully, and that health officials do the same all the way around the territory.

That local perspective can offer the most critical information of all, information that can't be gleaned from a report on efficiency.

After your lungs, the first organ of your body to be supplied with oxygenated blood is your heart.

It's what keeps us alive, and so it only makes sense that the organ that sends it throughout our body gets first dibs.

And yet, it is easy to forget that in order to help those that people care about, they must first care for themselves.

Take Roy Erasmus Sr., who worked long hours as assistant deputy minister of education, as he cared about the education of aboriginal people. He used his holiday time to go to Yellowknives Dene First Nation band meetings, and noticed his health take a turn for the worse in 2010.

Shortness of breath, and a tingly sensation in a time of physical exertion prompted him to seek medical attention that eventually led to a conversation with his doctor where he was told he narrowly missed a heart attack.

He hadn't drank or smoked since 1985. He already avoided salt. Aside from that, he said he was already following most of the recommendations given to him by his doctor.

What's concerning is that it puts him ahead of many in a territory where heart disease is a leading cause of death.

Thirty-six per cent of NWT residents older than 15 smoke, according to a 2011 fact sheet from the Department of Health and Social Services.

And a 2009 survey shows 62.8 per cent of NWT residents age 18 and older are obese or overweight - a risk factor in heart disease and diabetes.

If more of us quit smoking, controlled our diet and got out more, that might still not be enough - Erasmus needed to take more steps to control his heart disease.

But it would still be a good starting off point.

It is indeed tragic that a search and rescue technician lost his life on Oct. 26, 2011 while on a mission to rescue two Iglulik hunters whose boat became stranded in an icefield in the Hecla Strait.

Among those who feel the pain of the loss of Sgt. Janick Gilbert of Baie-Comeau, Que., besides his family and friends, are the two hunters themselves, who witnessed his lifeless body being hoisted from the icy water into a helicopter. No one is taking his death lightly.

Earlier this month, in a report released as a result of an investigation into the mission, the military states that it is considering changes to its regulations as a result of the incident. One of the purposes of an investigation is to find the cause of the fatality and make recommendations to prevent a similar death.

The report is wide-ranging and in depth. It looks at the details of the mission from start to finish, including the background and training of each of the Armed Forces personnel involved.

One of the most telling details is the revelation that the zipper of Gilbert's dry suit was not fully closed and that his life raft survival kit strap was loose. Gilbert was told twice about these deficiencies but did not address them, the report states. The reason why he did not pull up his zipper or secure the kit strap is unclear. What is clear is that failure to seal his dry suit was a major contributing factor in Gilbert's death, which investigators determined was by drowning. Other factors include the fact that Gilbert had never performed a water rescue jump of this kind before, although he was trained to do so.

Twelve measures have already been implemented as a result of the investigation. But what is concerning is a suggestion that changes to regulations are needed so that operations would be restricted "when the risk is predetermined to be too high."

The assessment appears to be that the loss of Gilbert was too high a price to pay for the success of the mission, which was to save the two Nunavummiut in distress. This logic leads to the conclusion there should be no rescue missions that involve high risk to rescuers, which is contrary to the whole idea that extracting people from what are by definition life-threatening situations is what the job entails.

By the same logic, should the military be prevented from engaging in combat or peace keeping missions for the same reasons?

Gilbert and the search-and-rescue team made a fatal mistake by not ensuring the proper deployment of his survival suit. This is a training issue and should be addressed, as should any equipment deficits.

The notion that an operation can be restricted before an on-the-scene assessment can be made is bound to put lives at risk in the future. People make the call for help because they are stranded in inclement weather and fear for their safety. Regulations that require a risk assessment before a mission is launched is a recipe for disaster. It would be tragic should stranded people not be rescued because the risk was deemed to be too great to send help.

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