 | Home page |  | Text size |  | E-mail this page |
Monday, November 30, 2015
Murder rate rises
The NWT has the third highest homicide rate in Canada.
The numbers from Statistics Canada show that there were three homicides in the territory last year, which translates to a homicide rate of 6.9 for every 100,000 people.
That is up from 4.6 in 2013. Nunavut had the highest rate at 10.9 followed by Yukon at 8.2. The agency also revealed that 23 per cent of all homicide victims in Canada last year were aboriginal. That group makes up only five per cent of Canada's overall population.
- John McFadden
Sewage spill in Mackenzie River
On Nov. 19 and 20, partially treated sewage from Fort Simpson's wastewater treatment plant was released into the Mackenzie River.
A spill report to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, dated Nov. 20, describes resulting hazards as "pathogenic wastewater." Sewage was released for more than 12 hours between 8:32 p.m. on Nov. 19 and an undisclosed time on Nov. 20. Details on the amount of sewage released were not available at press time.
The release occurred after a local contractor struck a water line while doing a dig near the Environment and Natural Resources office.
The village has not heard from Environment Canada but village SAO Beth Jumbo said fines may be coming.
- April Hudson
Top trappers awarded
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has handed out the annual NWT Trappers Awards.
Recognition is given to trappers for highest sales, based on cash value of harvested furs, highest number of pelts sold and senior and youth trapper based on productivity. This year's youth winners are Mackenzie Mandeville of Hay River, Behchoko resident Isaac Mantla, Tia Gully from Colville Lake, Brandon Jumbo from Trout lake and Robert Cole from Inuvik.
- John McFadden
Avalon delists from NYSE
Avalon Rare Metals Inc. has announced it has started the process of removing its shares from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
A Nov. 27 news release from the company states it plans to submit a specific form with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Dec. 7 and expects the delisting will take place approximately 10 days later.
In August, Avalon was deemed not in compliance with NYSE's listing standards due to the company's low share price.
Avalon will continue to be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol AVL.
- Karen K. Ho
Three vie for Enterprise mayoral seat
Enterprise
Three people are running to become mayor of the Hamlet of Enterprise.
The three - incumbent John Leskiw II, Craig McMaster and Amy Mercredi - submitted their names before nominations closed on Nov. 16. The election is set for Dec. 14.
Three seats on the six-member council will also be filled.
There are seven candidates for council - incumbents Chaal Cadieux and John Leskiw III, along with Dinah Carnogursky, John Leskiw II, Amy Mercredi, Gordon Riehl and Lisa Tsetso.
Under election rules, a candidate can run for both council and mayor but can give up the council seat if elected mayor.
Craig McMaster, who currently occupies the other available seat on council, is only running for the mayor's chair.
The terms for mayor and councillors are two years.
- Paul Bickford
Five run for mayor in Fort Resolution
Deninu Ku'e/Fort Resolution
Five people, including incumbent Garry Bailey, are seeking to be elected mayor in the hamlet elections in Fort Resolution on Dec. 14.
The challengers are Louis Balsillie, Sharon Lafferty, Angel McKay and Patrick Simon.
Bailey is the president of the Northwest Territory Metis Nation, while Balsillie is chief of Deninu Ku'e First Nation.
Eight people are running for three available seats on council, including incumbents Dawna Beaulieu, Angela McKay and Patrick Simon. The others are Sharon Lafferty, Dave Pierrot, Robert Sayine Sr., Wilfred Simon and Tom Unka.
As in Enterprise, a candidate can run for both council and mayor. The terms for mayor and councillors are two years.
- Paul Bickford
South Slave school board wins award
South Slave
The South Slave Divisional Education Council (SSDEC) is one of the winners of this year's Canadian Innovators in Education Awards.
The SSDEC won the third-place $5,000 prize for its Leadership for Literacy (L4L) initiative.
In 2006, standardized testing revealed fewer than 50 per cent of students were meeting Alberta standards. The SSDEC board issued a challenge to the superintendent and teachers - improve results and exceed the Canadian average in literacy.
In less than five years, student achievement rates rose to 79 per cent in reading at or above the Canadian average.
Based on those results, the same commitment was transferred to indigenous languages and cultural programming. Linguistic fluency has risen by 18 per cent.
The $25,000 first prize went to the Instructional Leadership Team of the Central Okanagan School District in Kelowna, B.C.
The second prize of $10,000 was awarded to the district-wide blended learning system of the Sun West School Division in Rosetown, Sask. A feature-length article on the three award winners will appear in the December issue of Reader's Digest.
The Canadian Innovators in Education Awards recognize teachers, principals andadministrators who develop new teaching and learning programs.
- Paul Bickford
Meeting on forming Smith potters' guild
Thebacha/Fort Smith
A meeting is being planned in Fort Smith to discuss the idea of forming a potters' guild in the community. The meeting is set for the Mary Kaeser Library on Nov. 30, beginning at 7 p.m.
- Paul Bickford
Skating and fishing on ice
Aklavik
Sticks and skates have already hit the ice but the recreation department was set to officially register hockey players last week, with the senior division scheduled to come out on Nov. 24, followed by the minor division on Nov. 25.
Age is the determinant for the divisions, with those 18 years and older in the seniors and 17 yeas of age and under in the minors, said recreation co-ordinator Dean McLeod.
The groups generally are to play three times a week, McLeod said, with teams formed each night depending on who comes out.
"Because we're a small community, everybody just comes out and gets put on teams," he said. "There's usually a good turnout, enough for a couple of teams all of the time. The minors are a little slower. We're trying to build it up a little more."
As well as hockey, the community's 24th Annual Hannah Stewart Memorial Loche Derby kicked off on Nov. 23.
"People go out fishing lots during the year. They like to eat the meat, liver and eggs - so there's little prizes for them, for the smallest, heaviest, longest, shortest and lightest," said McLeod.
The first place prize in each category is $100 as well as a trophy. The tournament is held in honour of the former recreation co-ordinator who died, said McLeod. The event is held in the same format today as it was when it was first organized.
Staff will be at the recreation complex every day to measure and weigh entries for the tournament up until the final day of Dec. 7.
- Elaine Anselmi
Christmas shoppers get ready
Ulukhaktok/Holman
Ulukhaktok's annual Christmas Bazaar was scheduled to be held at the gym on Nov. 28, giving early shoppers a chance to knock a few items off their Christmas list.
The event, held by the recreation department, was to start at 2 p.m. and run until about 4 or 5 p.m. said co-ordinator Joanne Ogina.
Tables are rented out to anyone looking to sell crafts or baked goods, and Ogina said there is always lots of good food for sale.
"It's a big event," Ogina said. "We usually have 20 or more tables."
- Elaine Anselmi
Opportunities for youth
Paulatuk
Two new seasonal workers have just started their part-time jobs at the arena in Paulatuk, said employment officer Gilbert Thrasher Jr.
The program allows two youth to gain skills and employment as arena maintainer trainees over the winter season.
"They just started their positions yesterday," Thrasher Jr. said on Nov. 24.
As well, postings will be going up this week for the annual fall camp. Thrasher Jr. hopes to have at least 10 youth sign up.
"They'll start camping by December 1," Thrasher Jr. said.
He said one instructor and one helper will lead the group, showing the youth how to track caribou and also pick the best one out of the herd to target.
"Also how to skin and cut up the caribou meat and preserve it for travel home," he said.
The camp usually runs for approximately five days, he said.
- Elaine Anselmi
Feast for all
Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard
More than 200 community members attended a feast and drum dance Nov. 21 organized by Kathie McLeod. The event brought in drummers from Fort Providence.
- April Hudson
Christmas bazaar set
Deh Gah Got'ie Koe/Fort Providence
On Dec. 12, Deh Gah School will be hosting its annual Christmas bazaar at the school gymnasium.
Organizers have put out a call for vendors, including bakers, crafters and more.
On Nov. 24, the Library Club hosted an event for elders featuring tea and snacks.
- April Hudson
Drama meeting gauges interest
Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson
Thomas Simpson Secondary School's new teacher Keinan Driedger is looking into starting a drama club. The club's first meeting took place Nov. 25.
- April Hudson
Homicide rate remains stable
Nunavut
In 2014, police in Nunavut said there were four homicides, the same number as in the previous year, according to a Statistics Canada report released Nov. 25.
That places Nunavut at the top in Canada per capita, with the highest homicide rate at 11.3 per 100,000 people.
The Northwest Territories and Yukon police services each reported there were three homicides in 2014.
A single firearms homicide, stated the report, placed Nunavut at the highest rate at 2.73 per 100,000 population. Another Nunavut homicide was by stabbing, while the remaining two are unspecified. The victims were two male and two female, while all four accused are male.
The highest years for homicide in the territory, with seven each, were 2007 and 2011.
- Michele LeTourneau
Charges laid in two cases
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
Charges have been laid in relation to a number of of break-and-enters at the learning centre, arena and several small businesses in Rankin Inlet.
An 18-year-old male has been charged with break and enter, breach of undertaking, and possession of a controlled substance in relation to one break-in.
Meanwhile, Rankin Inlet RCMP have laid charges of sexual assault related to a Nov. 18 incident of an injured female found at a residence by RCMP and an ambulance crew. The woman had a faint pulse and was rushed to medical help, then flown to the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre.
The victim is now in stable condition with non-life-threatening injuries.
A 26-year-old male was arrested and charged with aggravated assault, sexual assault, and two counts of careless storage of a firearm. The RCMP are not releasing any names in connection to the incident.
- Darrell Greer
Three projects in running for $1M
Nunavut
Three Northern projects are vying this year for an available $1 million in funding from the Arctic Inspiration Prize, including one project based in Iqaluit.
One, two or all three project finalists will be awarded the Arctic Inspiration Prize and a share of the associated $1 million at a ceremony to be held in conjunction with Northern Lights 2016, a business and cultural conference and trade show to be held in Ottawa, Jan. 27 to 30.
Qaggiq: Nurturing the Arctic Performing Arts, and team leader Ellen Hamilton of the Qaggiavuut Society, hope to "strengthen Arctic culture and subsequently improve resiliency, self-worth, belonging and pride" with "artist and teacher training, collaborative performance, mentorship and youth programming," states a news release.
Another finalist is audiologist Lynne McCurdy of Wellington Hearing Care in Guelph, Ont. With the high prevalence of hearing loss in Northern children due to chronic ear infections and respiratory illnesses, McCurdy hopes to "improve the lives of youth with hearing loss through a multi-pronged approach."
The third project, titled Tri-Territorial Recreation Training (TRT) Project, is based in the Yukon.
Since its founding in 2012 the Arctic Inspiration Prize has awarded $3 million to eight multidisciplinary teams.
- Michele LeTourneau
Bad weather grounds planes
Kimmirut/Lake Harbour
Stormy conditions on Baffin Island delayed flight travel out of Kimmirut for many passengers.
Wind is exceeded 70 km/hour in many communities on the island during the warm-weather storm, which saw above-zero temperatures combined with high wind.
Many government offices were closed during the stormy conditions.
Temperatures and wind levels have since returned to normal.
- Stewart Burnett
Residents to vote on alcohol policy
Gjoa Haven
When other communities are voting for mayors and council members during hamlet elections Dec. 14, the community of Gjoa Haven will vote on whether it wants to remain a dry community.
The community, along with Arviat, Coral Harbour, Kugaaruk, Pangnirtung and Sanikiluaq, prohibits alcohol.
An advance poll is scheduled for Dec. 7.
Voters will weigh in on whether they want a restricted system, using an alcohol education committee.
Fourteen communities use that system, while Cambridge Bay, Grise Fiord, Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Taloyoak are unrestricted.
In a restricted system, an elected committee decides who receives a permit to import or possess alcohol and how much people can purchase.
To make the change, 60 per cent of voters would have to come out in favour.
- Michele LeTourneau
Chase the Ace planned
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
Nunavut's well-liked Chase the Ace fundraiser is coming to Pangnirtung soon.
The Grade 12s will be introducing the ongoing event, which features an ongoing lottery with a jackpot that accumulates each week until an ace of spades is drawn.
Funds from ticket sales will be divided in three, with half going to the Grade 12s, weekly lottery winners receiving 20 per cent and the remaining 30 per cent going into the jackpot.
- Stewart Burnett
Foundation funds community
Mittimatalik/Pond Inlet
The Seltzer-Chan Pond Inlet Foundation has distributed $50,389 to organizations and individuals in the community this year.
Grants have gone for basketball, volleyball and soccer clubs, the Nasivvik High School Student Awards, a hip hop program at the elementary school, summer outings for elders, the Northern Youth Abroad Program and more.
The foundation helped the Pond Inlet Boys Basketball Team travel to Iqaluit for territorial championships in the spring, where the team had a winning record.
- Stewart Burnett
Refund proposed by Qulliq Energy
Kivalliq
Kivalliq residents may soon be receiving a pleasant surprise.
As a result of the worldwide decrease in the cost of fuel, the Qulliq Energy Corp. (QEC) has filed a request with the minister responsible for QEC to apply a fuel stabilization rider (FSR) refund of 1.8 cents per kilowatt hour to all customers, with the exception of those in public housing who are subsidized under the User Pay program.
In a news release, minister responsible for QEC George Hickes stated this is the first time QEC has filed an application requesting a FSR refund to its customers.
Hickes wrote that the FSR application proposes a refund from Nov. 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016.
A customer who consumes 700 kWh/month will see a credit of $13.23 applied on their electricity bills.
- Darrell Greer
| 
