So, you may have noticed (at least I hope you have) that I haven’t been around much lately. I have been spending more time touring around with The Giant Colon of the CCAC and planning the logistics in between, so not a lot of time available to write a column. And that’s a pity, because I miss that part of my professional life... six years-plus of writing Briefly Bram has been a real pleasure for me.

It is with that sense of pleasure that I write again this week, following my return from the Northwest Territories on The Giant Colon Tour. I had the amazing experience of taking this ultimate educational exhibit to Inuvik and then to Yellowknife, two places where it made quite the splash and educated many people about the need for colorectal cancer screening. The rates for this form of cancer are quite high here.

I was also very happy to be seeing this part of the country, a region I would probably never have visited had it not been for my burgeoning career with the CCAC. Inuvik is a small burb, population about 3,500, but featuring some very impressive services, including an amazing recreation centre where our exhibit was displayed for a day, and The MacKenzie, one of the nicest hotels I have ever experienced. What I loved even more was the sunlight you find here as you hit the sheets around 2:00 a.m. In a few weeks, there will be 24 hours of sunlight per day, yet in the winter the views of the Northern Lights are spectacular in an environment where almost total darkness prevails. There is also a Catholic church here, the renowned Igloo Church (Lady of Victory Church) that is an architectural marvel and one of the northernmost houses of worship in the world... most impressive.

Yellowknife, which tallies about 35,000 people, is more the sort of city we are accustomed to, albeit smaller. It’s a thriving municipality showcasing the loveliest provincial Legislative Assembly building in Canada, the people are terrific and it’s got a movie theatre with three screens, a must for someone like me, at any rate. And some really nice vacation packages are available should you decide to come here in the winter to see the Northern Lights.

And here’s where my little travel piece becomes a rant, which I also haven’t done in a while: if you fly here, choose any airline BUT Air Canada. In fact, don’t use Air Canada for anything if you can avoid them. It was during my 21-day Giant Colon Tour to Northern Ontario recently that I learned Air Canada had suspended its practise of giving you small bags of pretzels or other snacks. Seems this cost-cutting measure is more important than keeping clients comfortable and, well, from gnawing on their seats. Add to that the nastiest flight attendants in the industry – and they have always had a difficult time cracking a smile or appearing anything BUT haughty and obnoxious, appearing as if they are doing you a great favour merely fulfilling their role- and various other cost-cutting measures, and I wish they would just close down the shop already. Good riddance.

Westjet is, as far as I am concerned, the best national airline in the country, for many reasons. But it’s the two airlines serving NWT, First Air and Canadian North, that will really astound anyone yearning for the good ol’ days. Hot towels handed out just after takeoff, HOT MEALS, with your choice of 2-3, even during shorter flights, and flight attendants who, as with Westjet, are happy to be serving you.

The Giant Colon Tour may be a miracle; but flying either of these two airlines is a penultimate one.

bramsbriefs@yahoo.ca