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The great fear among Yellowknife residents when considering the 2023 Canada Winter Games, is that the city will jump in feet first, costs be damned.

A decision hasn't even been made yet but already the numbers are dancing around like synchronized swimmers without a tune.

Estimates attempting to peg the cost of the games have ranged from $57 million in June, to $52 million in November to $35.8 million earlier this month. That the figures have been trending downward does not relieve the idea that they are being massaged to make them more palatable.

City councillor Niels Konge calls these figures "wild-ass guesses." Considering the cost overruns Yellowknifer has found with other Canada Winter Games events, he may not be far from the mark.

Whitehorse ended up with a $90-million bill when what was said to be a rough estimate pegged the price at $31 million. This year's host, Prince George, B.C., is already $11 million over its $36 million estimate with the opening ceremonies still weeks away.

There's also the matter of the athletes' village -- the cost of which the city says has been subtracted from the total cost by the Games council to give us the $35.8 million figure. The city hopes the territorial government will pay the lion's share of the estimated $23 million cost but the GNWT has not yet confirmed it will be doing so, even though it supports the city's bid for the Games.

There's also big fees to pay before the Canada Winter Games council will even approve the bid.

The Red Deer, Alta., bid for 2019 cost $260,000 to lay the groundwork for technical expertise on renovations and putting together bid documents.

A few hundred thousand dollars has the potential to pack a punch.

The two-year contract for the NWT Disabilities Council to run the Safe Harbour Day Centre, for instance, is $619,400.

With the potential to upgrade the city's sports infrastructure and maybe get some funds from the GNWT to build affordable housing, the 2023 Games is a prospect worth examining, but always with one eye on the costs.

Taxpayers should know exactly what they're paying for and should not be surprised when the time comes to foot the bill.

It's off to the Supreme Court for parents of French students.

The highest court in Canada will soon decide whether to hear a six-year-old case pitting the parents' demands for better schools against the territorial government's insistence that the current facilities are adequate and that it should retain the power to decide who can attend French language schools.

This fight has spilled out into the broader education system as the GNWT - after losing the initial court case in 2012 -- sought a cheaper solution for the French community's needs by attempting to strong-arm Yellowknife Education No. 1 into giving up a school so it could be handed over to the French - all while it was appealing the verdict.

French and English education equality is entrenched in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. But watching the Yk1 board trying to placate angry parents as it agonized over which school to hand over to the GNWT provides a stark lesson in how inconvenient equality can be.

It also shows how uncertain the GNWT was that it would win its appeal.

A re-balance of school facilities is still needed, with William McDonald School hovering at a measly 38 per cent utilization rate and the adjacent Ecole Allain St.-Cyr operating 30 students shy of capacity with enrolment of 130.

September 2015 remains the deadline for the 2012 court order, a now-looming and still-in-effect date for the gym and special needs classroom addition, upheld by the appeals court for Allain St.-Cyr. The deadline is presumably what caused a panicked GNWT to ask Yk1 to give up a school before the NWT Court of Appeal had a chance to consider the NWT Supreme Court's 2012 decision.

This opened a tide of uncomfortable debates and in effect painted everyone involved as a bad guy.

Some Yk1 parents cast the French school board as the villain for wanting to take one of their schools.

Incidentally, it did not want a Yk1 school.

Yk1, although missing the GNWT deadline to hand over a school, nonetheless embarked on a yearlong hand-wringing exercise that led it back to the status quo and no hard decisions made whatsoever.

The GNWT, meanwhile, looked like meddlers, trying to play from both sides of the deck.

Nobody wants to be the bad guy, so it's no surprise the GNWT's initiative ended up a debacle.

In the future, the GNWT would be well-advised to sit tight while the court deliberates cases such as this one before causing disruptions.

Dozens of young people gathered this past weekend in Fort Simpson to learn to fiddle.

The musical lessons in Bompas Elementary drew most of the participants, who paid to attend, from communities in the Deh Cho region. They were able to pick up a fiddle and learn from instructors brought in from across the country.

In a small Northern community, having that chance to explore a new musical instrument is fantastic.

The organizers should be commended for their efforts.

Despite a bus from Yellowknife with most of the instructors breaking down en route to the village Friday, they were still able to get here and hold the lessons throughout Saturday.

It was all capped off by a community concert and dance.

The excitement on the faces in the school gym that evening, especially during the dance, was contagious.

Another benefit, as organizer Gerda Hazenberg points out, is that the event builds connections and friendships between people living in various communities.

The event was but one of several held annually, or somewhat more regularly, that make the region special.

It would be easy to slip under a warm blanket and try to hibernate through the winter.

But as the kids and parents who turned out showed, immersing yourself in the culture of the community is better.

From a coffee house, to the jamboree and upcoming sports tournaments, there's lots to do here in the village for those looking for time away from the computer or television.

For those who are younger, there's the Open Doors Society activities, board game night, sports and more.

The wide variety of activities says a lot about the kind of people in the community, about the time they will spend organizing events to keep people busy.

When asking people in the village what they're looking forward to about the rest of winter, almost every answer was about the Beavertail Jamboree, which is held annually in March and features snowmobile races, traditional games, talent shows and more.

That should say something for the organizers.

There are probably few people out there who would argue in favour of littering. If there are, I would hope they're too embarrassed to voice their opinion. Either way, it's a common discussion that we need to continue having.

During this week's public meeting on economic development in Inuvik, the conversation repeatedly reverted back to beautification and cleaning up the community. For those in attendance, seeing litter on the streets of their town is a shame and a crime. Is that small handful of people who showed up for the meeting - public participation and engagement can be left for another editorial - the only ones who see a need for putting a stop to the trash that litters the streets? Probably not.

A quick walk down Mackenzie clearly illustrates the problem and as people talk about ways to improve the local economy, seeing tourism as a major component of that, an appealing, welcoming and clean community is essential.

But, it isn't just for the tourists. As expressed by those at the economic development meeting, this is your community, and chances are you want it to be kept as clean as possible.

So, what are the options? More garbage cans in the downtown area - sure, that might help. A crew of workers to collect litter from the streets - that would be great, if the money was there. Public shaming of those who litter - I'm a fan of this option but others may not be.

The vast majority of the people of Inuvik probably have enough sense to not toss their candy bar wrapper on the sidewalk, and it's unfortunate that their town is polluted by the minority who just don't care enough to find a garbage can.

Some people at the public meeting were in favour of stringent enforcement of laws against littering. This could be a solution, and perhaps more can be proposed once a community conversation with more than just a handful of voices gets started.

The fact is, wanting to clean up the community is not a superficial interest. If people want to see development and growth in the community, and invite others to visit or perhaps work and stay, the amount of community pride that is present here needs to be a little more conspicuous.

A five-minute conversation with most people I've met in town communicated unquestionable pride. It's unfortunate that a walk through town doesn't do the same.

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau's recent tour of the North was rich in platitudes and photo ops but his plans for the North, should he return his party to power, remain hidden from view.

Yellowknifer had no problem getting access to him during his visit. Our archives are full of pictures of him holding babies, kissing elders and just being a glowing star of attention in general. No doubt many people in the places he visited --- Inuvik, Yellowknife, Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet - can claim the same.

The newspaper was given not one but two interview opportunities with him. Alas, when pressed with questions about what he would do to fix the multitude of problems facing the territory: the untenable cost of living, the failure of Nutrition North, the poor infrastructure, the limitations of natural resource development to maintain economic strength, Trudeau insisted this was a "listening" tour and his party's platform for the North will come at a later date.

Hopefully, that will come before the federal election scheduled for this fall and not after he and his party have been safely ensconced in office.

Frankly, it's not at all satisfying the leader of the number one party in the polls feels the best he can deliver on an election year tour is a promise that he is listening. One would think after running the country for most of the nation's existence, the Liberals would have a better grasp of what the issues are.

Will Trudeau remember the North while battling in vote-rich Ontario and Quebec?

He has certainly proved he is charming, and not at all afraid to press the flesh with voters. This is a refreshing change from the moated security phalanx that accompanies a visit from Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Of course, a cynic might suggest Trudeau's prince-among-the-commoners approach might all go out the window should he be elected prime minister. Memory suggests there wasn't much difference - security-wise-- between Harper and former Liberal prime ministers Jean Chretien and Paul Martin whenever they came to town.

Trudeau and the Liberals seem to be betting that a charm offensive alone will beat the years of dedicated service provided by New Democrat Dennis Bevington in the NWT and the historic rise of Canada's first Inuk in federal cabinet, Nunavut's Leona Aglukkaq of the Conservative Party.

This strategy may very well work but it would be all the much better if it had some substance. Right now it does not.

Trudeau put on a good show during his visit and he is riding high on the mystique of his father's legacy, but in reality he has yet to prove he has any real grasp of the issues facing Northerners or a concrete plan on how to address them.

The weird world of Beatles dislike
Editorial Comment by Darell Greer
Kivalliq News - Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Square dancing rules in the Kivalliq, with country music hot on its heels.

Hip hop, technopop and gangsta rap live on the teenage dance floor, and hard rock, for all intensive purposes, is only found on the headphones and ear buds of the super-cool kids (of all ages!).

It's a Northern, or, at least, a Kivalliq thing.

While all the above styles occupy the bottom rungs on this music fanatic's priority list -- with the exception of hard rock -- there's no denying the joy seen in gyms and halls across the Kivalliq when the square dance is on or the teens are bumping the tunes.

And that's a very, very good thing.

That being said, I've lived in numerous provinces across Canada, and I've met more people in Rankin Inlet who claim they do not like the Beatles than in every other place I've lived combined!

Now, I've often been told by those less-sunny amongst us that no matter how long I live here, I will never be a true Northerner.

That's a discussion for another day, but, if being a true Northerner -- or a true Kivalliqmiut -- means not loving the greatest rock-and-roll band to ever plug in a guitar, then I accept my fate.

I suspect those who say they don't like the Beatles are really people whose anti-mainstream compass has gone completely and utterly mad.

I've known many a musical anti-mainstreamer during my music-loving life.

I listened (with a straight face, I might add) as they told me the Sex Pistols or the Damned were musically superior to the Clash during the heyday of punk music.

They often speak the names of groups such as The Jesus and Mary Chain, Sonic Youth, the Pixies and Arctic Monkeys in hushed reverence, and they own every song the Smiths ever recorded.

And, of course, they loved Arcade Fire. That is, until they became popular.

But I digress.

It is quite staggering, to this humble scribe, how anyone who professes to like popular music can't find something from the Beatles catalogue that turns their crank.

From the impossible to resist, I Saw Her Standing There, and the jaw-dropping cover of the Phil Medley and Bert Russell-penned Twist and Shout on their first album in 1963 -- through the artistic accomplishments of Rubber Soul and Revolver to the masterpieces of Sgt. Pepper, The Beatles (White Album) and Abbey Road -- the Beatles constantly broke new musical ground while unleashing lyrical and melodic genius upon the world.

Lennon's In My life, Revolution and Nowhere Man; McCartney's Eleanor Rigby, Yesterday and Let It Be; and the songwriting duo's magnum opus, A Day in the Life, will stand forever as pop music classics that changed the musical playing field forever.

Looking at such an impressive list of work, one would think there would be, at least, a healthy portion of acknowledgement and respect dished out for such accomplishments from anyone who claims themselves to be a music lover.

With the exception of Dwight Yoakam, I can't go an hour of country music without leaving the room screaming for mercy, but, I love Johnny Cash.

To deny the man in black would be almost as ludicrous as saying, "I don't like the Beatles."

Nah. Not even close!

It seems the economic outlook for the NWT is quite rosy for the next few years, at least according to a recent report released by the Conference Board of Canada.

On the surface, there is a lot of good news: the Inuvik-Tuk highway and the beginning of construction for the DeBeers-Mountain Province Gahcho Kue Mine will lead to a forecasted 3.5 per cent increase in the territory's GDP next year.

This is significantly better than the forecasted increase to Canada's overall GDP growth, set at 2.6 per cent.

However, upon closer inspection, the organization has made a lot of assumptions in its longer term forecast for how the NWT's economy will fare moving forward.

It assumes three more mines - not including Gahcho Kue - will begin construction within the next year. That kind of boom would be nearly unprecedented in the territory's history. The trouble is, it probably won't happen.

Canada Zinc's Prairie Creek Mine is most likely to move forward, but the company still has to raise more than $300 million in capital before it can afford to begin construction.

Despite receiving all the proper permits required for Fortune Mineral's NICO mine to begin construction, that company needs to raise more than $600 million before the project can get off the ground.

Perhaps least likely of all to go ahead any time soon is Avalon Rare Metals Inc.'s Nechalacho mine. It needs a stunning $1.5 billion in capital.

Given the current market, it's difficult to believe anyone is going to raise that kind of money in the near future.

Northerners should all have learned by now the whim of major corporations can change quickly.

Even if all the proposed mines go through, the Conference Board of Canada is forecasting a sharp downturn in the NWT economy starting in 2020.

In light of all this why exactly is it that people keep pointing to mines as the way of the future for the NWT?

The assertion that enough mines will open before the diamond mines close for good to pick up their slack is dubious at best. Also, once mines enter production, they tend not to provide jobs to communities outside of Yellowknife, as there are few scheduled flights that pick up employees elsewhere.

The real question, however, is what are the alternatives?

Even if Northerners can all agree that it's a bad idea to pin all their hopes and dreams on mining - or even non-renewable resource development in general - what would the NWT economy look like?

Small businesses, tourism, trapping and trades can only go so far.

In the absence of any sure things on the horizon, News/North suggests residents and government shift their focus from mining to projects that will get us ready for what is to come. That means building quality roadways in every region and reducing costs, especially in energy.

It's refreshing and inspiring to see Nunavut through the eyes of one of the most influential group of people in the territory.

Youth are not only where the future of the territory lies, they are the largest demographic group in the territory, with almost 25,000 of about 32,000 residents under the age of 35, according to the 2011 census.

Sarah Jancke is a prime example of a person who provides hope for the future. The Cambridge Bay woman is a board member of the National Inuit Youth Council and has been described as a social activist and an educator. Currently a programs co-ordinator with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, Jancke has attended a range of conferences over the past few years and has a unique perspective on the place Nunavut and its people have in the world.

"Unless you leave Nunavut you don't realize just how lucky we are. We live our lives knowing we have rights as Inuit." She compared the lot Inuit have in life to indigenous people in Australia, who have

"zero recognition."

Jancke admits there are no easy answers to the issues facing Nunavummiut but readily accepts and embraces the notion that it is up to the people of Nunavut to identify the leadership within to make changes and improvements. Her perspective is realistic with the knowledge that her grandfather was born on the land, as many parents were, and that it takes time for people to evolve from a way of life that revolved around traditional activities such as hunting, fishing and trapping.

Thankfully, Jancke is not alone in being an inspiration to youth in Nunavut and beyond. There are many young people in the territory who have the betterment of their communities at heart, including those who are famous.

Throatsinger Tanya Tagaq of Cambridge Bay is an outspoken defender of the Inuit way of life. Award-winning recording artist and motivational speaker Susan Aglukark shipped thousands of pounds of food to Nunavut communities before Christmas through what she called the Arctic Rose initiative.

Professional athlete Jordin Tootoo has shown leadership by being frank in his book, All The Way, about what he had to deal with while growing up in Rankin Inlet. It is amazing to see someone so celebrated say he came from the same place that many Inuit youth now experience.

Tootoo had his own demons to wrestle, not least of which was the suicide of his brother. The first Inuk in the NHL opens up and details his struggles with alcohol, including receiving an ultimatum from the Nashville Predators to get help with his drinking problem. His honesty, courage and willingness to reach out has the potential to change lives.

If a positive attitude is a significant marker when measuring the likelihood for success, the future looks bright for the youth of Nunavut.

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