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News Briefs: Monday, Aug 13, 2012
Murder case delayed
The case against a 53-year-old man charged with murdering two Hay River residents in June has been adjourned for three weeks.
Benedict "Benny" Corrigal, who appeared by video in Yellowknife territorial court on Tuesday, faces two counts of first-degree murder related to the deaths of Garfield McPherson, 64, and Carol Buggins, 48. The pair were found dead in the Mackenzie Place high rise in Hay River on June 28. Corrigal's lawyer, Charles Davison, asked that the case be adjourned because he had not yet received any disclosure from the Crown and would need time to review the material once he had.
Corrigal is expected to appear in court by video on Aug. 28.
- Miranda Scotland
Tlicho tree in progress
The Tlicho government is asking all citizens to send in census information as a first step in a family tree project. The Tlicho office is hoping to update its files to include general birth, citizenship and treaty information, along with information about citizen's parents and children.
This is the first step in an effort to create a family tree that shows how the roughly 4,300 Tlicho citizens are interconnected, said Lena Zoe, administrative clerk for enrollment at the Tlicho government.
"Everybody's related," she told News/North. "Everybody is connected somehow, somewhere."
- Laura Busch
Youth police camp
A group of students from across the NWT and Nunavut will be getting a taste of life as a police officer this summer at camp.
Four high school students from the North will join 28 other students from Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan for the Depot Youth Camp, which is run by Alberta RCMP. Campers will travel to Regina, Sask., to learn what it's like to be a police officer in training by observing and participating in activities such as drill, firearm and driver simulation training. They will also tour the RCMP academy.
Applicants were selected based on academic achievement and their interest in a career in policing.
The camp starts today and ends Aug. 17.
- Miranda Scotland
Bail decision expected
Judge Christine Gagnon is expected to give her decision today on whether former Inuvik teacher Huges Latour will be released on bail. Latour is charged with two counts of possessing child pornography and two counts of making child pornography. A three-day preliminary inquiry is set for Nov. 21 to 23 in Inuvik.
- Miranda Scotland
Generations working together
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
Youth and elders from the Gwich'in Settlement Region met last month to discuss common concerns and possible solutions to social issues they are affected by last week.
The youth and elders' workshop was held for 25 participants in Fort McPherson on July 30 and 31. One purpose of the workshop was "to involve elders and youth in developing a working relationship," said Matilda DeBastien, director of health and wellness programming at the Gwich'in Tribal Council.
Issues discussed during the workshop included alcohol, drug and prescription abuse; domestic abuse, including elder abuse and youth abuse; and the lack of communication between youth and elders in the communities, said DeBastien.
Outcomes from the workshop are still in the process of being assembled, said DeBastien, but there are plans to create elder and youth committees in all the communities to keep the conversation going on these issues.
- Laura Busch
Ball players happy with tournament
Aklavik
Teams travelled to Paulatuk from Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk last week to participate in the third-annual youth baseball tournament in the fly-in community.
Aklavik sent one team of nine youths aged 14 to 25 along with two chaperones, said Jayneta Pascal, summer student supervisor at the Aklavik Arena and Community Hall.
"It was fun - it was really awesome weather and we all came back with a good tan," she said.
When they weren't participating in the pre-tournament baseball tournament or playing ball, visiting teams were given tours around the hills surrounding the community and around the hamlet, said Pascal.
They also spent time swimming in a nearby lake and the community held a special drum dance and square dance for the visitors.
- Laura Busch
Gwich'in assembly underway
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
The Hamlet of Fort McPherson will host this year's Gwich'in Tribal Council annual general assembly, which is scheduled for Aug. 13 to 17.
Final plans were still being co-ordinated, but about 55 delegates from the communities within the Gwich'in Settlement Region were expected. Aug. 13 and 17 are scheduled as travel days and meetings were expected to be held at Chief Julius School in the hamlet from Aug. 14 to 16.
- Laura Busch
Summer games successful
Aklavik
Last month's Shingle Point Summer Games brought visitors into Aklavik from as far away as Alaska.
This year was the 14th time the summer games have been hosted at Shingle Point, an area on the north coast near Aklavik where whaling, hunting and fishing camps have traditionally been located, said Faye Gordon, volunteer organizer for the games.
"When we first started ... elders approached us and said that it would be nice to do something traditional at Shingle Point," she said.
An estimated 170 people attended the event, which has grown steadily over the years, said Gordon. The games were held July 20 to July 22.
As usual, the main event was the Kipotuk - the ring toss - which had about 70 competitors in the adult event alone. All participants went away with a prize this year, said Gordon.
- Laura Busch
Operation Nanook moves out
Tsiigehtchic/Arctic Red River
The Canadian Armed Forces were expected to move in to Tsiigehtchic last weekend as Operation Nanook gets underway in the hamlet.
The military exercise is expected to arrive in the hamlet on Aug. 10, and will be conducting a scenario exercise for about 19 days.
One-hundred-and-fifty to 200 military personnel are expected in Tsiigehtchic during the exercise - doubling the population of the hamlet.
"Their presence will definitely attract some media coverage, so it will boost our town and community," said Eugene Peroy, finance manager for the hamlet. "So, there is the chance that it will bring in more tourists."
The Armed Forces have been consulting with hamlet officials such as the chief and council and are attempting to minimize their impact on the community.
"Whatever way you look at it, it will definitely have some impact. But, you know, the people are excited that they are coming," said Peroy.
- Laura Busch
Zamboni on the sealift
Kugaaruk/Pelly Bay
The sealift coming to Kugaaruk next month will bring new vehicles and construction material for the hamlet.
A new water truck, sewer truck, two pickups, along with a new Zamboni for the arena, are on the sealift boat arriving at the beginning of September, said Gordon Dinney, the hamlet's acting senior administrative officer.
He added the Zamboni is important for the community's recreational activities.
"Out there on the ice, trying to clean the ice with an old piece of metal. Now, we're going to have a nice Zamboni," said Dinney. "We're looking forward to that. That's a nice addition."
He added construction material to renovate the hamlet building, which is around 35 years old, is also expected on the sealift.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Polar bear dip fundraiser
Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay
There were no blue lips or toes it seems, but there were some shivering people as 25 participants plunged into 10 C waters to raise money for a recreational facility.
Laura Dunn, the community's pool supervisor and event organizer, said the Aug. 3 event raised $2,675.
She added they wanted to raise awareness of the project which is still in the very early stages.
"I thought it was a great success," she said. "We had so many people participating, way more than we expected. And then we had some many people who came out to our barbecue and so many spectators cheering us on, it felt great."
Dunn took the plunge herself, staying in the water about one minute.
"It was pretty chilly," she said. "I was excited to take the plunge but I was keen to get back out again."
- Jeanne Gagnon
Arctic Bay men hunt bowhead whale
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
Hunters in Arctic Bay headed out Aug. 9 to hunt the hamlet's first bowhead whale since quotas were introduced decades ago.
"This is our first time since they've been regulated," said Qikiqtani Inuit Association community liaison officer Niore Iqalukjuak ahead of the hunt.
He was one of nine men set to travel about 120 km southwest of Arctic Bay to find a whale.
- Casey Lessard
Bowhead whale hunt planned
Taloyoak/Spence Bay
Taloyoak will experience its first bowhead whale hunt in recent memory this month.
The exact date when hunters will head to the Gulf of Boothia, about 35 kilometres north, for the hunt is still unknown, explained Abel Aqqaq, chairperson of the bowhead whale committee, because lots of preparations are still needed. He added ice conditions in the area also need to be assessed. Twelve hunters are currently assigned to the traditional bowhead whale hunt, said Aqqaq, but other people will also help out.
"We're excited," said Aqqaq. "Very hard to say right now (whether a whale will be caught) because of the ice conditions. There is quite a bit of ice in that area right now."
He added if they catch a whale, they plan to share the meat with the other Kitikmeot communities.
- Jeanne Gagnon
More narwhal success in Arctic Bay
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
After a fairly slow season, four narwhal were killed in Arctic Bay on Aug. 6, said Clare Kines, economic development officer.
"There were only three taken in the spring from the ice," Kines said, "and these were close to town."
Darryl Levi, Roger Taqtu, Steven Taqtu and Jason Qaunaq were the lucky hunters, he said.
- Casey Lessard
Supervisor safety course
Nunavut
Northern workers in leadership roles have the opportunity to take a supervisor safety familiarization course this fall, offered through the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.
The three-day course familiarizes its participants with general safety regulations and the Nunavut Safety Act, as well as tools, techniques and leadership methods geared toward ensuring safety in Northern workplaces.
The course will take place in Rankin Inlet from Nov. 6 to 8, after stopping in Iqaluit from Oct. 16 to 18, and registration will open in late August.
- Tim Edwards
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