Six times as many young people kill themselves in Canada's North-western territories than in the rest of the country. However, youth suicide was almost unknown until the 1970s. There is a reasonable explanation as to the causes of this increase. The majority of people who live in this sparsely populated province are of either Inuit Eskimo or Dene Indian descent. ................... . They are now living in permanent settlements, jobs are scarce and the sense of worthlessness which youngsters feel all too often leads to depression.