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Newsbriefs: Monday, August 14, 2017
Illicit drug ring busted
Hay River
A drug ring operating in Hay River has been "interrupted," with the arrests of 11 people and the seizure of cocaine, morphine and more, the RCMP has announced.
The force is still seeking a warrant to arrest one more person caught up in Operation Grand Slam, which took place from Aug. 4 to 7.
"The focus on this operation was the interruption of an illegal drug trafficking network operating in the community of Hay River," stated Sgt. Dean Riou in a news release issued Aug. 11.
Cocaine, morphine, GHB, codeine, cash and a knife were seized during searches of five residences.
- Michele Taylor
Economy is hot
NWT
With the Gahcho Kue diamond mine entering full production, the territory's GDP is burning hot at 12.2 per cent this year, according to the Conference Board of Canada.
Yukon, by contrast, can expect a mild contraction of 0.7 per cent this year, while Nunavut will expand by 6.4 per cent.
Though growth for the NWT looks high for 2017, the future is not as encouraging. No metal mines have been in operation since the Cantung mine closed in 2015, and oil and gas production continues to decline. The territory's construction industry is expected to continue its decline this year.
- Stewart Burnett
Renaming Darnley Bay
Hay River
Darnley Bay Resources Limited shareholders voted in favour of adopting a new name for the company at a meeting on July 17.
Darnley Bay intends to change its name to Pine Point Mining Ltd.
"The new name better reflects the main focus of the company, which is to bring the Pine Point lead-zinc deposit back into production," stated Jamie Levy, the company's president and CEO, in a news release.
- Paul Bickford
Nominees announced
Tlicho
Four nominees, Russell Drybones, Edward Erasmus, George Mackenzie and Charles Nitsiza, have been announced in the election for the next Tlicho Grand Chief, according to information from the Tlicho Government.
Voting will take place in Whati, Wekweeti, Gameti, Behchoko and Yellowknife with an advanced poll scheduled to run on Aug. 30. The official election is scheduled to take place on Sept. 11.
The grand chief will serve a four-year term.
- Kassina Ryder
Inuvik mother dies in Yukon collision
Inuvik
Friends and colleagues identified Shannon Ciboci as the Inuvik mother who died in a tragic vehicle incident near Pelly Crossing in Yukon.
Pelly Crossing RCMP, along with two community nurses and emergency medical staff, attended the scene of a collision at 6:30 p.m. on July 26.
Upon arrival at the scene, a 23-year-old woman was located deceased outside an older GMC truck from the Northwest Territories. The other occupants of the vehicle, a 33-year-old male driver and two-year-old passenger, sustained injuries and were transported to Whitehorse General Hospital by air ambulance for treatment.
An RCMP collision analyst attended the scene and determined that the vehicle was travelling southbound on the Klondike Highway, heading towards Whitehorse, when it left the road and rolled into the ditch.
There was significant damage to the vehicle. The cause of the collision was still under investigation at press time.
Ciboci was mother to three children.
- Stewart Burnett
Fire season relatively quiet in South Slave
Hay River
The Hay River area - from Fort Providence south to the NWT-Alberta border - has had a slower normal fire season so far. But there's a chance the number of total fires this season will top last year.
That's according to Richard Olsen, the manager of fire operations with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Fort Smith.
Olsen said there have been eight fires in the area since the official beginning of the fire season on May 1.
The majority of the fires in the Hay River area started earlier in the season, pointing to four fires in the Cameron Hills. There have also been other fires around Kakisa Lake and a person-caused fire on the Hay River Reserve.
Throughout the NWT, there have been 180 fires up to Aug. 4, compared to 189 fires last year to the end of fire season on Sept. 30. There have been 66 fires in the South Slave, which includes Hay River, 15 in the Deh Cho, 22 in the Inuvik region, 43 in the North Slave and 34 in the Sahtu.
Fire season usually begins to wind down in mid to late August before wrapping up at the end of September.
- Paul Bickford
Mapping in Akaitcho territory
South Slave
Researchers are using helicopters to map a large swathe of the Akaitcho Treaty 8 territory.
It is a two-year collaboration between the First Nations of Dettah, Ndilo, Lutsel K'e, Deninu Ku'e and conservation organization Ducks Unlimited Canada.
Below the choppers are wetlands and vegetation in a 300,000-square-kilometer portion of the territory. When completed, the maps can be used for community land-use planning or to examine the effects of climate change.
Researcher on the project Michael Merchant said concerns were voiced in community meetings about government or industry getting their hands on the maps.
He said the maps will be provided exclusively to these communities and will not be made public.
The project, started last fall, is expected to cost around $500,000. 25.
- Emelie Peacock
Religion conference returns a second year
Hay River
A conference on religion will be returning to Hay River in September.
The World Religions Conference is set for Sept. 25. Representatives of or experts on several religions are set to discuss various belief systems.
"This is going to be the second conference in Hay River, and this year's topic is 'Global Conflict and the Need for Justice,'" said Basheer Islam, a Calgary-based conference organizer with Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Canada.
For the past 35 years, that organization has presented such conferences across Canada.
Islam said the first conference in Hay River last year was very successful.
There will also be a World Religions Conference in Yellowknife on Sept. 24.
That will be its 11th appearance in the capital city.
- Paul Bickford
Science camp comes to town
Aklavik
The University of Alberta's DiscoverE camp, a student-delivered initiative hosted by the faculty of engineering, is coming to Aklavik later this month.
The camp focuses on fun, accessibility and mentorship to deliver programs about engineering, science and technology.
Mary Gordon said youth in the community have been busy so far this summer spending time in the hamlet's seasonal pool.
"We have summer students who do baseball or some activities at the complex and at the youth centre," said Gordon, noting it's a bit of a slow time for bigger events.
- Stewart Burnett
Kayaking makes a splash in Hay River
Hay River
Suddenly and somewhat surprisingly, kayaking on the Hay River appears to have become a popular thing to do this summer.
In fact, a Town of Hay River recreation program had to be revamped because of a large increase in participation compared to last summer.
Dale Loutit, the town's recreation programmer, began the summer by once again offering what she called a Social Paddle. Last year, around five people, including herself and certified kayaking day guide Craig Edwards would turn up to paddle down the river each week. This year, the numbers skyrocketed.
For safety reasons there is supposed to be only five kayakers for each guide - and there is only one guide in Hay River.
Craig Edwards is the only certified day guide available.
"Last year, we never had an issue with going over our guiding ratio of five to one so we never really put any caps on it," said Edwards. "And when we started up this year we had like 30 registrations on the first day."
Because of this summer's large numbers, Loutit changed the activity to the Evening Kayak Tour in mid-July, and limited it to five kayakers who have to register in advance for the Tuesday evening paddles from Bob McMeekin Memorial Chamber Park to the Hay River Beach.
Loutit hopes that more people, including herself, can become trained as certified day guides so next year's paddling on the river can be open to more people.
- Paul Bickford
Youth program seeks applications
NWT
The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is accepting applications for the 2017-18 NWT Youth Ambassador Program.
The program provides youth with opportunities to build leadership skills through participation at special events and through volunteer assignments.
To qualify for the program, youth must be between 16 and 24 years of age on Dec. 31, 2017. The deadline to apply is Sept. 22.
- Paul Bickford
Dark Sky Festival to accept 150 people
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The seventh-annual Dark Sky Festival in Wood Buffalo National Park will take place from Aug. 17 to 20.
Only the first 150 people who register will be able to participate in the festival, which is being presented by the Thebacha and Wood Buffalo Astronomical Society in conjunction with the park.
The registration deadline is Aug. 15.
Registration for the festival is an all-inclusive event package, which covers camping for three nights and activities, presentations and workshops.
This year's guest presenters include Nathalie Sleno of Yellowknife, who in April was selected by the Canadian Space Agency as one of the 17 finalists to become Canada's next astronaut. The other presenters will be Lee Johnson, an astronomer, published author and professor in the Department of English at the University of British Columbia, and Peter McMahon, an award-winning author and journalist who writes about astronomy and space exploration.
- Paul Bickford
Summer Splash back in Fort Smith
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Fort Smith's annual Summer Splash Arts Festival is set to wrap up Aug. 20.
The festival consists of numerous workshops on a variety of topics - painting, jewellery making, drum making, and much more.
An Artists' Market, including live performances, and a Farmers' Market was held Aug. 12 at Mission Park.
The festival is presented by Northern Life Museum & Cultural Centre in partnership with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
- Paul Bickford
Iqalukpik Jamboree opening with Oceans Day celebration
Paulatuk
The 31st Iqalukpik Jamboree in Paulatuk will be kicked off with a celebration of Western Arctic Oceans Day and the creation of the Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam Marine Protected Area Aug. 11.
A parade will start things off in the afternoon followed by entertainment, games and a traditional feast down by the bay.
Amberley Buray gives a big thanks to all the funders and donors who are helping make the jamboree happen, including Canadian North, Imperial Oil and Aklak Air.
The weekend will include a king and queen, fire-starting competitions, bannock making, boat races and other traditional activities.
- Stewart Burnett
Community-built greenhouse in full swing
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
Community members at the Fort McPherson greenhouse have been busy this summer, growing potatoes, cabbage, turnip, kale, lettuce, radishes, beans, peas, beets, herbs and more.
The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment funded the construction of the greenhouse, which community members then built. The GNWT also purchased equipment and supplies for the facility, such as water pumps and tanks, hand tools, soil and seeds.
- Stewart Burnett
Species at risk identified during BioBlitz
Lli Goline/Norman Wells
The yellow-banded bumblebee and the Transverse Lady Beetle are just two species at risk identified in the Northwest Territories during this summer's BioBlitz activities, said Runel Jimenez with the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
"They found a few species that are not really found down south as much. Their numbers have declined, but we have quite a bit here in the North," he said. "The North is the last stronghold for species at risk."
BioBlitz events took place throughout the NWT as a partnership between the Canadian Wildlife Federation and the Government of Northwest Territories as part of Canada 150 celebrations this summer. Members of the public joined scientists to name as many species as possible within an assigned area.
Data collected during the events will be uploaded to iNaturalist, an app and website that keeps track of information about each event.
BioBlitzes took place in Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells and Yellowknife.
- Kassina Ryder
Whati prepares for gravesite cleanup
Whati/Lac La Martre
Whati is hosting a Trip Around the Lake program from Aug. 14 to 24, said Anita Daniels-Black, director of community programs with the Tlicho Government (TG).
Participants spend 10 days on the land paddling to sites on the shores of Lac La Martre and learn about their cultural and historic significance, as well as helping to remediate grave sites.
"They go out and pay respects, clean the grave sites," said Daniels-Black. "There's a lot of storytelling with that program from the elders."
The program is available to youth between the age of 15 and 19.
- Kassina Ryder
Windy Island trip celebrates end of summer day camp
Tulita/Fort Norman
Tulita's annual trip to Windy Island on Aug. 8 marked the end of the community's summer day camp, said recreation director Kelsey Dayler.
Around 11 children and youth participated in the trip, which included a boat ride to and from the island. Once there, participants played games and went swimming.
"The weather was perfect for the day," said Dayler. "We enjoyed the sun."
- Kassina Ryder
$300 million airport open for business
Iqaluit
Iqaluit International Airport - the new one - took over from the iconic yellow terminal Aug. 9.
The grand opening event will take place Sept. 13, when all MLAs are in town for session, said the Government of Nunavut's director of communications Catriona Macleod.
The first jets to arrive, First Air, then Canadian North, received an inaugural water cannon salute from two of the airport's fire trucks stationed on either side of the approach runway. The jets travelled toward the terminal between the plumes of water forming an arch.
The baggage collection area features two carousels. According to several witnesses present on the first day, baggage pickup by passengers has been cut down to nine minutes from beginning to end, down from one hour at the old terminal.
The Iqaluit International Airport is a $300 million project, and includes expanded aprons for aircraft to park, three new taxiways, new lighting systems and a new combined services building, which holds maintenance vehicles and acts as a fire hall.
- Michele LeTourneau
New 'Nunavut' awaits final vote
Nunavut
A second "Nunavut" came into being in early August.
KYUK, the media outlet for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in Alaska, reported a treaty was signed to form the Provisional Nunavut Alaska Government uniting the 56 village tribes in the region.
"The tribal members that were here, and the people that came to witness the event, gave Nunavut the direction and the powers that it needed to get these things going that are needed," the new chairman Chariton Epchook is quoted as saying.
Nunavut News/North contacted the reporter asking if people of that region were aware a large territory in Canada went by that name.
"Yes, we and many in the YK Delta community are aware of the Nunavut in Canada. There is a different pronunciation and we clarified early on in our reporting on this. We've also reported that this was selected as a working name for the provisional government, that may change come the November 7 vote," stated Christine Trudeau by e-mail.
Nov. 7 will see all enrolled tribal members of the 56 villages voting on the provisional government.
Meanwhile, here in Canada, the Government of Nunavut did not have a response to the news by press time.
- Michele LeTourneau
Bowhead attacked?
Iglulik
A dead bowhead, possibly the victim of an attack by one or more killers whales, temporarily washed up on shore near Iglulik Point in early August.
"It's been dead for over a year, I think," said George Qattalik, manager of the Igloolik Hunters and Trappers Association. "It had no back fin. The stomach, all the guts were out. What used to be a white blubber on the bottom was now yellow, kind of old."
His best guess is that the bowhead was killed by at least one killer whale, possibly multiple predators.
Seagulls were swooping in on the carcass, Qattalik noted.
He added that there is no bowhead hunt for Iglulik hunters this year. They harvested an 8-metre specimen last summer.
- Derek Neary
Making kakivaks
Kugluktuk
A spear-making workshop was set to take place in Kugluktuk over the weekend.
James Algona was recruited to lead up to a dozen participants between the ages of 15 and 25 on Saturday and Sunday at the elders' centre. Four hours of instruction was budgeted for each afternoon.
"The youth themselves posted on Facebook that they wanted to learn how to make kakivaks... and we responded," said Jodi Alderson, project coordinator with the Moving Forward Together program, a five-year crime prevention initiative funded by the government. "(It's) the right time of the year, people will start using kakivaks shortly (for fishing), if they haven't already."
Moving Forward Together - known as Hivumut Aulaniq Atauttimut in Inuinnaqtun - has organized numerous other projects, such as ulu-making and sewing.
- Derek Neary
Aid for Kugaaruk
Apex/Stratford, Ont.
A retailer in Stratford, Ont., and a 12-year-old in Apex have teamed up to raise money to help rebuild Kugaaruk's school.
Karena Watson, a budding artist in Apex, has created a T-shirt design that is being sold through Treasures store in Stratford, with proceeds going to the new educational facility in Kugaaruk. The community's former school burned to the ground in February in what was determined to be an act of arson.
Watson's design depicts a caribou and a traditional Inuit dog team with a Canadian flag in the background. Across the top, in both syllabics and Roman orthography, it proclaims: "Piliriqatigiiniq," which means "together we achieve more." That slogan is also written in English across the bottom of the T-shirt.
Treasures co-owners Jackie Catania and Cathy Brubacher supported the act of charity "in a desire to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Canadian Confederation while also celebrating and honouring Indigenous peoples... the project came together in the spirit of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples for Canada Day," according to a statement.
The first batch of T-shirts sold out, but more were ordered and have arrived at the store in Stratford.
- Derek Neary
Beer and wine store set to open in late August
Iqaluit
There are two steps to take for those interested in purchasing beer or wine at the new store in the capital: create an account and have photo identification.
The customer account application is available at the Nunavut Liquor Commission office in the Parnaivik Building or on the commission's website.
To get an account, the potential customer must sign off, saying they understand the commission and the GN may use the account to record alcohol purchases and other customer-specific data, that a purchase limit may be applied and that they authorize the commission and the GN to share customer-account information with law enforcement as a way to reduce bootlegging.
To purchase at the store, a valid photo identification is needed.
"You can get a Nunavut general ID card at the Iqaluit Motor Vehicles Division office, at 1104C Inuksugait Plaza," Department of Finance manager of communications Denise Grandmaison stated in a news release.
"Two pieces of government-issued identification are needed, and at least one must show your date of birth. Please note that it can take up to four weeks for your ID card to be processed."
A sign at the commission office says the store will open in late August, but a date has not yet been set.
- Michele LeTourneau
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