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News Briefs: Monday, July 30, 2012
Fire affects highway
A 5,120-hectare fire closed Highway 5, Wood Buffalo National Park's Salt Plains access road and Parsons Lake Road over the weekend. Highway 5 was impassable from 2:30 p.m. Saturday until 10 a.m. Sunday. Intermittent road closures may continue this week
The fire, which is just south of the NWT/Alberta border, is about 45 km west of Fort Smith. A successful burnout operation conducted by Environment and Natural Resources, along with Parks Canada and Alberta provincial workers, helped crews reopen the highway.
The blaze is still considered out of control but it was not moving toward Fort Smith on Sunday morning. Aircraft and crews from the park and the NWT were fighting the fire.
Check the Department of Transportation website for updates.
- Paul Bickford
New fire chief
Enterprise has a new fire chief.
Craig McMaster, who is also a town councillor, took over the role of fire chief earlier this month.
McMaster replaces Mike St. Amour, who was elected mayor of the hamlet in December.
St. Amour submitted his resignation as fire chief at a council meeting on July 9.
- Paul Bickford
Appointment announced for review board
Yellowknife's John Curran has been given a three-year appointment to the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board.
The federal minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development confirmed Curran's seat on the review board on July 23.
Curran, who operates consulting business Curran and Associates, has previously served as executive director for the NWT Chamber of Commerce.
- Sara Wilson
Health centrecontract awarded
A local firm has been awarded the contract for the design and construction of a new health centre in Hay River.
Arctic Canada Construction Ltd., in partnership with Bird Design Build Construction Inc., is expected to complete the $49.5-million project by the fall of 2015.
The new facility will provide residents with a range of support services, primary care, diagnostic and lab services and acute and emergency care services, among other things. To find out more, residents are invited to the Hay River community hall for a presentation on Aug. 13 at 7 p.m.
- Miranda Scotland
Pet photos wanted for desk calendar
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Fort Smith Animal Society, which operates the community's animal shelter, is planning for its sixth annual desk calendar featuring photos of pets.
Community residents are being encouraged to submit pictures of their pets for the 2013 calendar. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 31.
There is no fee to have a photo in the calendar.
Because of the usual high number of photos submitted, the society uses the policy of the first photos submitted will be the first in the calendar.
However, there will be special consideration for pets that have not appeared in previous calendars.
The society requests that only photos of living animals be submitted.
As in previous years, the calendar will be put together by Chris DeWolf, a volunteer with the Fort Smith Animal Society.
- Paul Bickford
Day camp offered for youth
Ikaahuk/Sachs Harbour
A day camp is being held again this summer for youth in Sachs Harbour. Recreation assistant Kyle Donovan said activities take place at the Adjaliaq Centre every day and include board games and arts and crafts. Donovan said at least 10 kids come to the centre each day. The camp is completely free of charge.
- Kassina Ryder
Res fire department seeks volunteers
Deninu Ku'e/Fort Resolution
The Fort Resolution Fire Department is seeking volunteers to join the important emergency service provider.
When asked how many volunteers the department is looking for, Fire Chief Arthur Sanderson said, "As many as we can get."
Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and willing to train as a firefighter.
The department currently has 11 members, a number which it has maintained for a number of years.
Sanderson said it is important to get as many people trained as possible so there will always be firefighters available if other department members are out of the community.
- Paul Bickford
Reaping the summer harvest
Tuktoyaktuk
It's a busy time of year for residents of Tuktoyaktuk, said Noella Cockney, manager of the Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation.
People have been spending much of the summer hunting and fishing. Families have been harvesting beluga whales for weeks and are also catching whitefish and herring.
Cockney said in another few weeks, families will be drying fish and getting ready to put the catch in smokehouses.
Berries are also beginning to ripen, Cockney said.
"Everyone is pretty busy trying to get their winter food," she said.
- Kassina Ryder
Getting ready for Canoe Days
Tsiigehtchic/Arctic Red River
Tsiigehtchic is gearing up for the 21st annual Canoe Days, which will be held from Aug. 24 to 26. This year's event features a new race course and bigger prizes than previous years, said organizer Charlene Blake.
The largest prize this year is $1,000.
A handgames competition will also be held that weekend.
Anyone interested in purchasing raffle tickets can contact Blake, but they are also for sale in Aklavik, Fort McPherson and Inuvik.
- Kassina Ryder
Gathering means fun for community
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
The 2012 Gwich'in Gathering means a wealth of activities for Fort McPherson residents, according to Nina Francis, band office receptionist.
There have been games such as egg tossing and three-legged races, as well as competitions for the funniest storyteller. Community feasts were also held in the evenings and included traditional foods such as caribou, moose, ducks and geese.
Participants also chose a prince and princess for this year's gathering. Jayrin Snowshoe was crowned prince and Jessyca Itsi was crowned princess. The gathering was held from July 22 to 28.
- Kassina Ryder
Two applicationsfor Enterprise bursaries
Enterprise
Two students have applied for the new bursaries being offered by the Hamlet of Enterprise to help community residents obtain post-secondary education.
The two - both of whom plan to attend college in the fall - were the only applicants as of the July 20 deadline.
The hamlet council approved the bursary program in April. It offers a maximum of three annual bursaries of up to $1,000 each for full-time students in college or university.
The council will review the applications at its Aug. 13 meeting.
Senior administrative officer Peter Groenen said the hamlet is pleased to have received two applications for the bursaries in the first year they have been available.
- Paul Bickford
Murder trial ordered
Mittimatalik/Pond Inlet
A Pond Inlet man accused of killing his brother will go to trial following a preliminary inquiry in the hamlet during the week of July 16.
Ruben Arnakallak, who faces a second-degree murder charge in connection with the Nov. 25, 2011 death of his older brother Esa, will return to court Aug. 13 to set a trial date, Crown prosecutor Barry McLaren said.
When setting the preliminary inquiry date, Chief Justice Robert Kilpatrick expressed concern that holding the hearing in Pond Inlet would taint the jury pool, since he suggested the trial should be held there as well. As a result, he barred the public from attending the inquiry.
- Casey Lessard
Stabbing was self-defence
Iqaluit
RCMP investigators say a woman acted in self-defence when she stabbed a man to death in Iqaluit last fall.
Police were called to an Iqaluit home just before midnight on Oct. 21, 2011. There, they found 50-year-old Sangani Osuitok had been stabbed. A carver originally from Cape Dorset, Osuitok was pronounced dead at Qikiqtani General Hospital.
The woman, 21 at the time, was arrested at the scene but released the same day without charge.
After an investigation, the V Division major crimes unit and RCMP forensics investigators found the woman acted in self-defence, and closed the case, the RCMP stated on July 24.
Police say the stabbing was an isolated incident.
- Casey Lessard
Mountie pleads not guilty
Baker Lake
An RCMP constable accused of sexual assault pleaded not guilty in court last week.
Const. Justin Dickens, 31, was charged following a complaint from a woman this past April. The complaint relates to an alleged incident two years ago in Baker Lake.
The matter has been set for trial in Baker Lake on Dec. 4. Dickens, who has four years of service with the RCMP, is suspended with pay and is on administrative leave.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Dangerous buoy removed
Iqaluit
A mooring buoy involved in a fatal boating accident 18 months ago was successfully removed from the water off Iqaluit earlier this month.
The Canadian Coast Guard Ship Terry Fox, with the help of divers from the Royal Canadian Navy, removed the sunken buoy from the bottom of Koojesse Inlet on July 21, stated Carol Launderville, spokesperson for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The Terry Fox was the only coast guard vessel able to haul the buoy from its sunken location, she added.
The coast guard removed two similar steel buoys last year out of the three in the area, explained Launderville. The third, which had sunk after the fatal accident, was located by the Canadian Hydrographic Service last year, but the coast guard couldn't get close enough to it at the time to remove it, she added.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Hospital contract awarded
Iqaluit
The Government of Nunavut has awarded NCC Dowland Construction Ltd. with the contract to renovate the old wing of the Qikiqtani General Hospital with a tender of slightly more than $19.7 million.
The Inuvik-based company acquired the contract on July 12. The construction project involves renovation the 2,682 square metres of the existing Baffin Regional Hospital wing into clinics and offices as well as building two additions, according to tender documents.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Mosquitoes buzz into Grise Fiord
Ausuittuq/Grise Fiord
Nunavut's northernmost hamlet used to be the last place you'd see mosquitoes. But it seems they're making their mark even in Grise Fiord.
"We're beginning to get a bit uncomfortable," said Larry Audlaluk, a long-time resident, "because we've never had mosquitoes before."
By Grise Fiord standards, increasingly warm temperatures are welcoming the pests.
"Each year they seem to be more and more," he said. "We're warming up. There are mosquitoes further up in the park, and mosquitoes on Devon Island, so as it gets warmer, they're bound to eventually get here."
On the plus side, the warm weather - the high this month was 14 C on July 18 - is getting people excited about summer.
"People are talking about fixing boats and some seals are starting to swim by," Audlaluk said.
- Casey Lessard
Three narwhal caught near Repulse Bay
Repulse Bay
Three people caught narwhal near Repulse Bay about two weeks ago, according to hunters and trappers association chair Michael Akkuardjuk.
"There were a few down eight or 10 or 12 miles down," said Akkuardjuk. "Not in one group. There were two here, three over there."
He said the community had previously caught four in spring when there was still ice on the water, but they haven't yet seen a large group of narwhal pass by the community.
- Tim Edwards
Arctic Bay cleans up
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
Arctic Bay picked up trash July 24 as part of a territory-wide community clean-up effort.
"There are people wandering around with garbage bags everywhere," economic development officer Clare Kines said.
The morning weather turned for the better mid-day, bringing more people out, he said.
"I hardly saw anybody this morning," he said that afternoon. "It was rainy, windy, and cold, so it's not surprising. But now I see the sun's out and people with garbage bags in hand."
He added the community wasn't in desperate need of cleaning other than the junk that accumulates on the streets after the winter melt.
A barbecue and draw was set for the following day.
- Casey Lessard
ATVs tear up park marshland
Iqaluit
All-terrain vehicle drivers in Iqaluit have torn up parts of the marsh near Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park, prompting Nunavut Parks to issue a public service announcement aimed at stopping off-road ATV traffic.
"The marsh next to one of the park roads has been significantly damaged during the past few weeks," a July 20 government release stated.
Nunavut Parks called on drivers to stick to designated roads within the park, and to keep to the posted speed limits.
- Casey Lessard
Medal for an elder
Taloyoak/Spence Bay
An elder who worked at the women's shelter for more than two decades was honoured earlier this month with a Diamond Jubilee medal.
Anaoyok Alookee, who is in her late 60s, said she was surprised to receive the medal commemorating the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the Throne in 1952.
"My goal was to just to help people that I can," she said. "If I could help one person, that was most important for me so I never thought of getting the medal for anything that I do. But I was really glad somebody thinks of me that way."
Born in the Taloyoak area, Alookee started designing clothing and making dolls in the early 1970s before running the women's shelter in 1989 until it closed in 2009.
She married in 1964 and has seven children, including four adopted, 27 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, adding she's lost count.
"I use my own experience. I am just using my own experience from my childhood up to my adult years," said Alookee.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Hamlet gets a dozen summer student workers
Uqsuqtuuq/Gjoa Haven
Some work with recreation, others perform office work but all of the 12 high school students are earning extra money working for the hamlet this summer.
Senior administrative officer Enuk Pauloosie said some students clean up the community, some work with recreation, one works with the mechanics, another with the hamlet maintainer, while others work at the hamlet or economic development offices. He added it was "very important" to hire summer students.
"This is to try and encourage some of them to stay in school, to make a little bit of extra money during summer break," said Pauloosie. "The main thing is to try and encourage them to finish their schooling."
- Jeanne Gagnon
New outfitter guide training course offered
Sanirajak/Hall Beach
Catch-and-release fishing, no-trace camping and travel safety were some items covered during a new outffitter guide training course offered in Hall Beach from June 20 to July 19.
Ice conditions prevented the students - Trevor Alorut, Bruno Immaroituk, Enoki Irqittuq, Isaac Issigaitok and Issaccie Qanatsiak - from walrus hunting, but they are expected to try again next summer.
Alorut and Immaroituk are from Iglulik while the other three are from Hall Beach.
Shelly Brake, the hamlet's community economic development officer, said the graduates should be proud of what they accomplished. She added outfitting is popular in Hall Beach.
"I know there are people who are always looking for guides to take them out to see different things. (Whether it's to go) out on the land to look at birds, wildlife, to go fishing, hunting for caribou or polar bear or to go out to take pictures of walruses, seals or to hunt for these animals," she said. "I know this is something you need a trained guide for and to have a few of these in the community will be great, especially in Hall Beach because we have a lot of the North American walrus population here in our area. "
- Jeanne Gagnon
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