VEIL OF SMOKE COVERS PROBLEM BENEATH

On the surface, the kerfuffle emanating out of Iglulik this past week over
the comments made by Nunavut's Marijuana Party candidate in the last
federal election are laughable.

Ed DeVries proudly announced to Northern media that he acquired a number of
carvings and artifacts in his personal collection in exchange for marijuana.

DeVries also indicated a number of people in Iglulik are "potheads."

This has, of course, Iglulik Mayor Paul Quassa and hamlet council outraged.

So, we watch as a war of words erupts between Quassa and DeVries, letting
ourselves believe, for entertainment purposes, there's no credibility issue
on either side of the ledger.

Quassa even went so far as to say a number of residents want DeVries banned
from the community.

Let's all take a deep breath and relax a little (no pun intended).

Here in the Kivalliq, we have to marvel at any community that's so law
abiding it's ready to ban a person for ill-advised comments.

While DeVries does owe Iglulik an apology for his remarks, if he can be
banned for tasteless remarks, we've got some serious housekeeping to
address in the Kivalliq.

The notion of banning DeVries for mere words is, of course, nonsense.

But there's a deeper issue at play here.

One that strikes close to home in the Kivalliq and has none of the inherent
humour of a Quassa vs. DeVries debate.

The anger of being labelled as potheads is just a smokescreen (again, no
pun intended) for what has really irked some people in Iglulik.

DeVries broke the rules by speaking publicly about something we all know
happens in Nunavut, but nobody wants to admit.

I travel a fair amount in Nunavut, and, although I've never been to
Iglulik, I've been asked to trade a bottle for a carving in every hamlet
I've visited.

Unlike DeVries, however, I have never consented to the exchange.

Whether Quassa cares to believe it or not, the trading of booze and drugs
for carvings is a problem in many hamlets.

Iglulik council members would be better served to focus their attentions on
how to address the problem, rather than ostracizing DeVries for talking
about it in public.

A number of Kivalliq mayors have been wrestling with the problem for years,
as have members of the arts community who don't appreciate seeing artwork
devalued by such practices.

We don't pretend to have an easy answer to the problem, because there is none.

However, we do know that open discussion, debate and the exchange of ideas
is far more effective in addressing problems in the North than silence.

Granted, you would hope for the debate to be initiated in more accredited
circles than what we witnessed this past week.

In the meantime, let's not pretend how DeVries claims to have secured a few
carvings in his collection doesn't happen in the North.

When you play that game, all your credibility goes up in smoke.