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Monday, September 28, 2015
Search for two near Tsiigehtchic
A search and rescue effort began on the Mackenzie River for two people presumed missing near Tsiigehtchic, according to an RCMP news release sent Sept. 25.
On Sept. 23, police in Fort McPherson were told a capsized canoe had been found about five km upstream of Tsiigehtchic, RCMP stated. Fishing gear and other supplies with the canoe led police to believe two people had fallen into the river. The search was being carried out with boats and aircraft from the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association and with help from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The names of those presumed missing were not released.
- Shane Magee
Go Auto donates $1M for Hay River project
Go Auto of Edmonton - the purchasers of Kingland Ford and most of its associated operations - introduced itself in style to Hay River.
At a Sept. 23 meeting of the Hay River Chamber of Commerce, Lee Cawson, who will become the new manager of the businesses to be sold, announced Go Auto will donate $1 million to a proposed project to renovate the Don Stewart Recreation Centre.
- Paul Bickford
Hay River man to remain in custody
NWT Court of Appeal Judge Shannon Smallwood ruled Sept. 25 that Michael St. John of Hay River, convicted in June of sexual assault and sexual interference, will remain in custody pending the outcome of his appeal.
He had sought to be released from custody - he's serving three years in prison - until the appeal is heard. St. John's case is likely to be heard in April next year, the judge said.
St. John is expected to go to trial in Yellowknife in November on another charge of sexual assault.
- Shane Magee
Morels rake in millions
The territorial government is reporting that between 280,000 and 300,000 pounds of morel mushrooms were harvested this summer in the NWT.
On-site buyers bought fresh mushrooms for $6 to $7 per pound, according to a news release from the GNWT. Flash-dried morels will sell in the market place for about $170 per pound.It takes about 10 lbs. of fresh morels to produce 1 lb. of dried morels.
The end market value of morels harvested in the North Slave Region is estimated to be between $4 and $5 million dollars.
- John McFadden
Scholarships still accepted
Deh Gah Got'ie Koe/Fort Providence
Deh Gah Bridge Ltd. scholarships will be open until Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. for Dene and Metis residents from Fort Providence.
Deh Gah School is offering a variety of night classes on weekdays, including psychology, Science 10, ELA 30-1 and Social Studies 20-2.
- April Hudson
AWG soccer camp
Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson
An Arctic Winter Games regional development camp will take place in Fort Simpson from Oct. 2 to 4 courtesy of the NWT Soccer Association.
Alcoholics Anonymous have meetings on Sept. 24 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Stanley Isaiah Building.
Environment and Natural Resources will be running a Fire Smart workshop on Sept. 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- April Hudson
Culture camp finishes
Pehdzeh Ki/Wrigley
Students and staff at Chief Julian Yendo School returned this week from the school's culture camp, which was held from Sept. 10 to 15 in the Old Town.
September is a birthday month for Wrigley, with the community wishing happy birthday to Thelma Ekenale on Sept. 8, Alfred Clillie on Sept. 10, Kayden Antoine on Sept. 12, Amber Clillie and Gabe Hardisty on Sept. 21, Hanna Ekenale on Sept. 22 and Ruby Watt on Sept. 23.
- April Hudson
New faces in school
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
Five new teachers from outside the territory were introduced at Chief Julius School in Fort McPherson on Sept. 23.
The parent and teacher meet and greet happens every year, although vice-principal Frank Galway said this year there has been a higher turnover, bringing more new faces into the building.
"It does help acquaint and it is intended more to get it off the ground this year, to get teachers familiar with parents and parents familiar with teachers," said Galway.
The event was open to students as well, and Galway said games and activities were planned for the parents and teachers to take part in.
"There are new community members working in the school who might be new this year as well," he said. "It's also an opportunity for them to meet the parents and explain their role in the school."
- Elaine Anselmi
Historical activities planned
Lli Goline/Norman Wells
The Norman Wells Historical Society has a lineup of activities for community members involving traditional crafts and activities.
On Sept. 23, artist Loretta Wiley was scheduled to lead a group through fish and bannock making at the school and planned to follow that up with a loom-beading session on Sept. 26 at the museum.
Classes are ongoing through the historical society, said manager Peggy Chubb, with the schedule being updated regularly.
"We use our elders and local people here, to teach whatever they're comfortable with," said Chubb.
The classes are always free with all materials supplied by the museum.
"There will be other things coming up but nothing is confirmed yet," she said. "There are always things happening."
- Elaine Anselmi
Capital projects completed
Ulukhaktok/Holman
Although the snow has already started to fall, there should be a few good weeks left for youth in Ulukhaktok to take advantage of the brand new playground completed on Sept. 21.
The hamlet invested more than $60,000 in the structure, said senior administrative officer Bill Bennett, and it is complete with playground essentials such as a slide and monkey bars. Administration is also looking forward to the completion of a new garage that will be used for repairs on hamlet vehicles.
"The mechanics garage will probably be finished in the next week," Bennett said. "We'll probably have some kind of grand opening because that's a big project."
The old garage, Bennett said, wasn't large enough to have the doors closed when a vehicle was inside - a challenge during the cold winter.
- Elaine Anselmi
A successful run
Tuktoyaktuk
The Terry Fox Run was a success in Tuktoyaktuk with more than 25 people coming out on Sept. 20.
"Last year we had only six attend," said organizer Katrina Cockney. "We did more education to the public, more postings went out."
The weather was good for the run, which started at Kitty Hall, continuing out to the tank farm on the way to Reindeer Point subdivision.
In total, Cockney said it was approximately seven kilometers long, taking nearly an hour and a half to run.
The annual event has been held in the community for between 15 and 20 years, Cockney estimated.
"We have a few dedicated people that come out every year," she said.
Participants enjoyed snacks and refreshments after the run and Terry Fox Foundation prizes were given away.
A final count on the money raised wasn't available by press time, but Cockney said the organizers were very pleased.
"It was a great turnout and we're hoping for double maybe for next year," she said.
- Elaine Anselmi
Fall cleanup approaches
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Town of Fort Smith has scheduled its annual residential fall cleanup from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3.
Residents may have large items, such as washers, dryers and refrigerators, and yard-work debris collected by the town for $40. No household garbage will be collected.
However, tipping fees at the landfill will be waived for residential customers for the duration of the fall cleanup.
- Paul Bickford
Friendship centre wins national award
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Uncle Gabe's Friendship Centre in Fort Smith has been recognized by the National Association of Friendship Centres with the 2015 Award of Excellence.
The award honours Uncle Gabe's for demonstrating excellence in leadership, program delivery and services.
- Paul Bickford
Nunavut Green candidate still in the game
Green Party candidate Spencer Rocchi says he's still in the race for the Oct. 19 federal election.
Rocchi, who currently lives in Alberta but lived in Nunavut for three years, has until 2 p.m. Sept. 28 to file his nomination papers. The final list of candidates will be available Sept. 30.
"I'm still working to get signatures," Rocchi told Nunavut News/North by e-mail Sept. 24. "We are much closer. I am still running."
For the electoral district of Nunavut, nomination papers must include the names, addresses and signatures of 50 electors from the district who consent to the candidacy. The territory, as a larger and remote electoral district, is one of 35 requiring only 50 signatures, according to the Canada Elections Act. Other districts require 100.
Rocchi has said he is running as a paper candidate, which is a term given to a candidate who stands for a political party in an electoral district where the party in question enjoys only low levels of support.
- Michele LeTourneau
Building fire deemed arson
Iqaluit
A fire at a building site in Iqaluit is being called an act of arson.
The fire happened Sept. 19 across from the Arctic Ventures The Marketplace, where a new residential building is being constructed.
RCMP said the fire was deliberate, and have charged a 12-year-old with arson with damage to property.
Police are continuing to investigate, according to a news release.
- Casey Lessard
Mine mishap victim named
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
Michael Levi, 51, has been identified as the man who died after a workplace incident at the Mary River Mine site on Sept. 20.
"We are all enormously saddened by this event," stated Tom Paddon, president and CEO of Baffinland Iron Mines in a news release. "Michael was a part of our site team and we are focused on supporting his family and coworkers at this difficult time."
Grief and counsellors were brought on site and support counsellors were present in Arctic Bay to help coworkers, family and community members cope with the incident.
The Qikiqtani Inuit Association stated it "mourns the news of the workplace incident" at the Mary River Mine site in a media release.
Baffinland and the RCMP are currently conducting an investigation into the situation.
- Stewart Burnett
Youth centre celebrates first birthday
Kugluktuk/Coppermine
The youth centre in Kugluktuk, located in the community's recreation centre, celebrated its first birthday Sept. 19.
Housed in the centre are a theatre for viewing films, a playroom for the younger ages, complete with jungle gym, a craft room, a computer centre, a gym space, with gym equipment donated by Dominion Diamond Corporation's Ekati mine, and pool tables and other such games.
The centre is a location for both play and education.
- Michele LeTourneau
Raising dough with cookies
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
Rankin Inlet was one of three Tim Hortons locations in Nunavut to take part in the launch of the Tim Hortons annual Smile Cookie fundraiser from Sept. 14 to 20.
Tim Hortons in Pond Inlet and Iqaluit also took part in the fundraiser.
The participating Tim Hortons restaurants at Northern and NorthMart stores will donate all proceeds from the sale of a special smiling chocolate chunk cookie to a local charity.
The $1 treat helps charities, hospitals and community programs across Canada in cities where they're sold.
- Darrell Greer
Sewage truck breaks down
Ausuittuq/Grise Fiord
Grise Fiord residents were forced to conserve water to avoid filling up their sewage tanks when the hamlet's sewage truck was down for almost a week starting Sept. 16.
A broken starter was the issue.
"It arrived today, and within an hour or less it was running," senior administrative officer Marty Kuluguqtuq said Sept. 22. "All's good. No worries. Everybody co-operated, no overflows. No emergencies."
Bad weather in Resolute stopped the aircraft from bringing the part, Kuluguqtuq said.
- Casey Lessard
Crochet program strengthens women
Sanikiluaq
Women in Sanikiluaq will have warm wrists this winter thanks to a grant that will help them learn how to crochet.
"Every three or four weeks it will be a new project," said mental health worker Jennell Bayne, noting the first project is making wrist warmers. "If people see a project on an advertisement on television or Facebook, they can have a finished product in three or four weeks, depending on the project. I'm hoping to run it now until June."
A mental health grant provides the resources for eight women to participate in the free ongoing program.
"I'm just providing an opportunity for people to start things, finish things, change chaos into order, a sense of accomplishment, all of those things that build strong women and strong communities," Bayne said.
- Casey Lessard
Trawler purchased for Baffin fisheries
Iqaluit
The Baffin Fisheries Coalition is adding to its fleet with the recent purchase of the MV Sivulliq.
The 100 per cent Inuit-owned freezer factory trawler will be used for turbot and shrimp, a Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated release stated.
"This will enable Inuit to have full control over fishing the quota we hold in waters that are adjacent to Nunavut," NTI vice-president James Eetoolook stated. "This will create much needed jobs and will enable Inuit to further participate in the territory's developing fishery."
The purchase helps implement Article 15.3.7 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement by increasing economic independence by providing access to fish quotas, he stated.
- Casey Lessard
Students tour Meadowbank
Qamanittuaq/Baker Lake
Students from across the Kivalliq region took part in the annual Kivalliq Science Culture Camp on the land near Baker Lake earlier this month.
The camp, sponsored by the Kivalliq Science Educator's Community, ran from Sept. 9 to 14.
Highlights from the event included a tour of Agnico Eagle's Meadowbank Mine, first-aid training, rocks and minerals classes on the land, a GPS challenge, and experiential education that focused on learning to survive, cook, clean, camp and work together in a non-traditional school setting.
- Darrell Greer
Outstanding students
Kivalliq
Listed below are the students who were presented with awards for their outstanding contributions during the annual Kivalliq Science Culture Camp on the land near Baker Lake earlier this month.
Leadership award (displays leadership throughout the camp) Simone Bruce (Rankin Inlet)
Master Chef (most willingness and dedication to cooking) Tino Teenar (Whale Cove)
GPS Challenge Whale Cove (first) and Coral Harbour (second)
Hunting and Fishing Award Phillip Okatsiak and John Tugak (Arviat)
Tunnganarniq Award Ethel Ford (Rankin Inlet)
- Darrell Greer
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