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Newsbriefs: Monday, September 11, 2017
Feds fund gas feasibility study
Inuvik
The federal government is investing $467,200 in a feasibility study that will determine the possibility of natural gas development along the soon-to-open Inuvik-Tuk highway, according to a news release from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor).
Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for CanNor, made the announcement Aug. 31.
As previously reported in News/North (Highway could fuel industry, Aug. 28), the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC) is in charge of the study and has started receiving proposals for the project.
Inuvik currently gets gas from southern sources and from the Ikhil well, which is expected to be empty in five years.
- Kirsten Fenn
GNWT names new deputy health minister
Somba K'e/Yellowknife
Bruce Cooper has been appointed the new deputy minister of health and social services. Premier Bob McLeod made the announcement Sept. 5 in a news release. A career public service executive, Cooper is currently the deputy minister of Newfoundland's Department of Children, Seniors and Social Development. Cooper's first day is Oct. 2. He replaces retiring, long-serving bureaucrat Debbie DeLancey.
- John McFadden
Feedback on proposed species at risk
Beaufort Delta
Residents have a chance to share their thoughts on how grizzly bears and barren-ground caribou should be ranked on the NWT list of species at risk.
The Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board is stopping in Aklavik, Tsiigehtchic, Inuvik and Fort McPherson to gather feedback on the proposed listing of grizzly bears as a species of special concern and barren-ground caribou as threatened.
A meeting was already held in Inuvik on barren-ground caribou, with one set on the topic of grizzly bears on Sept. 11. The board will be in Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson on Sept. 12 for grizzly bear consultations.
- Kirsten Fenn
Territorial parks closure dates set
NWT
With the cool weather having arrived, territorial parks have started to close for the season.
In the Beaufort Delta, three parks closed Sept. 1 and Happy Valley Territorial Park will close Sept. 11.
Parks in the South Slave will close Sept. 12, stated a GNWT news release.
Territorial parks in the North Slave and the Sahtu will close Sept. 17.
In the Dehcho, Sambaa Deh Territorial Park will close Sept. 17, while the Blackstone and Fort Simpson Territorial Parks will close Oct. 1.
People may still enter certain parks to use the trails.
"If a park is closed, it generally means no services are being offered," stated regional manager for Tourism and Parks John Cournoyea in an email.
"Services typically include security, permit sales, firewood, potable water and garbage removal. If you are using a park in the off-season, please pack your garbage out of the park."
- Kirsten Fenn, Paul Bickford
Film industry training gets spotlight
Inuvik
Learn about film production with Kenny Chaplin of Film Industry Training Seminars from Regina Sask.
Chaplin will be in Inuvik Sept. 19 to 22 teaching a three day course which will focus on the roles and responsibilities of assistant director and production assistants. The course is open to the public for registration. There will be an informal meet and greet Sept. 19. For more information or to arrange a spot in the class call Dez Loreen at 867-777-2320.
- Michele Taylor
Cafe Daughter tours
NWT
A play about a young woman of mixed heritage growing up in Saskatchewan is making the rounds in the North.
Tiffany Ayalik stars as Yvette Wong in Cafe Daughter, the story of a girl reclaiming her Cree heritage, produced by The Workshop Playwrights Theatre company. The play, based on the true story of Lillian Eva Quan Dyck, and written by Cree playwright Kenneth T. Williams, will be playing at six communities Sept. 18-27.
Showings will take place in: Fort Smith at the Roaring Rapids Hall, Sept. 18; Norman Wells at the Dennis Drolet Community Hall, Sept. 19; Inuvik Midnight Sun Complex, Sept. 21; Yellowknife at the Northern Arts and Culture Centre, Sept. 23; Fort Simpson at the Bompass Elementary gym, Sept. 25 and in Hay River at the Riverview Cineplex on Sept. 27.
- Michele Taylor
Training for complaining
NWT
The department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) is helping people complain, properly, thanks to a new guide about consumer protection released on Sept. 5. The guide, called, Hey! That's Not Fair!, explains consumer rights and responsibilities, provides easy-to-access information about consumer services available in the NWT and helps people pursue complaints about a product or a service effectively. In a news release, the department stated the guide will not replace regularly released consumer information bulletins issued by Consumer Affairs.
- Jessica Davey-Quantick
Lights On wins award
Hay River
The Lights On program of Hay River was named one of two winners of the 2017 Excellence in Education Award from the South Slave Divisional Education Council on Aug. 25.
"Lights On is a truly exceptional program in Hay River that is made possible with the support of well over a dozen outstanding community partners," said Curtis Brown, superintendent of the education council, in presenting Lights On the partner in education division of the award.
"Now entering its 10th year, the program offers youth in the community a supervised, program-based, and safe environment in their school after hours on Fridays and Saturdays where they can play sports, make music, use the kitchen and enjoy a full meal," Brown said.
"The program has helped curb underage drinking and illicit substance abuse, as evidenced by the results of student surveys."
The program may receive 50 students at a time at Diamond Jenness Secondary School on Friday and Saturday evenings. Funding ensures paid staff provides a high level of supervision, while volunteers make it possible to always have five adults on site.
A sister program also opened at Princess Alexandra School so that younger students would also have a safe space to get together, stay active and have fun.
The winner in the program staff division of the Excellence in Education Award is Pam Walsh of Fort Smith.
Walsh has spent 27 years in education, including 25 years in the NWT, and most recently was literacy co-ordinator at the education council.
She played a key role in implementing the education council's nationally recognized Leadership for Literacy initiative, and has been instrumental in the initiative's success, joining the regional office just as it was being rolled out in 2007.
For the 2017-2018 school year, she will be returning to a literacy coach position at Paul William Kaeser High School in Fort Smith.
- Paul Bickford
World Suicide Prevention Day
Hay River
A fire-feeding ceremony was scheduled to take place on the Hay River Reserve last week to pay tribute to family members, friends and community members who lost their lives to suicide.
The ceremony, part of World Suicide Prevention Day, was at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 8 at the arbour of K'atlodeeche First Nation.
- Paul Bickford
Pool closed for maintenance
Inuvik
The swimming pool at the Midnight Sun Complex is closed temporarily for annual maintenance.
It shut down Sept. 2 and will reopen for regular hours on Sept. 20, according to the Town of Inuvik.
"We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause," stated a message on the town's Facebook page on Aug. 29.
- Kirsten Fenn
Cleaning up the shoreline
Taloyoak
Youths in Taloyoak maintained a longstanding show of respect for the land recently.
For more than 25 years, students at Netsilik School have held an environmental camp for a week in August. Every class, from kindergarten through Grade 12, goes out to the camp for a day.
Part of the time is devoted to removing litter from the shoreline as Netsilik School is registered with the Vancouver Aquarium Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.
The remainder of the day is spent on science and culturally-related games and activities such as pond study, shoreline study, water sampling, a nature scavenger hunt, amaruq ("wolf," a variation of tag) and building sand castles.
The students are treated to a lunch of caribou soup, fish soup, bannock, Klik and biscuits, juice, tea and hot chocolate. It's a challenging and busy day, which surely leads to a good sleep after all that fresh air.
- Gina Pizzo
Nunavut artists featured in Winnipeg gallery
Winnipeg
The work of Nunavut artists are on display in a contemporary Inuit arts exhibit that opened Sept. 8 in Winnipeg.
Floe Edge: Contemporary Art and Collaborations from Nunavut, featuring 19 artists, is on display at Urban Shaman Contemporary Aboriginal Art until Oct. 14.
Among the artists featured are Iqaluit's Nicole Camphaug and Nala Peter. Camphaug's contribution is a pair of ruby-red stilettos while Peter's is a bra and panty set - both artists work in sealskin.
The other 17 artists are: Shuvinai Ashoona, Igah Hainnu, Niore Iqalukjuak, Qavavau Manumie, Sarah McNair-Landry, Raven Chacon, Danny Osborne, PA System (Alexa Hatanaka and Patrick Thompson), Erik Boomer, Eric McNair-Landry, Mona Netser, Mathew Nuqingaq, Jamasie Pitseolak, Tim Pitsiulak, Tanya Tagaq, Ningeokuluk Teevee and Lavinia Van Heuvelen.
The Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association's Kathleen Nicholls curated the show, which arrived in Winnipeg from its premiere last year at Ottawa-area gallery AXENÉO7 and a spell at the Canadian embassy (Canada House) gallery in London, England.
Floe Edge is a metaphor for the way in which a new and adventurous generation of Inuit artists work - constantly developing and re-forming as they move fluidly among various artistic disciplines and between artistic pursuits and everyday life, according to the news release.
- Michele LeTourneau
Caribou hunt nears end
Iglulik
Iglulik's allotted quota of 12 tags for Baffin caribou was expected to be exhausted as of mid-last week. George Qattilik, manager of the Igloolik Hunters and Trappers Association, said he was waiting for hunters to return to report their kills on Sept. 6.
Gusty winds, reaching around 40 km/h, made for challenging passage as hunters headed for Baffin Island and the mainland last week.
"(The wind) stops a lot of boats going out. There's boats that go seal hunting," Qattilik said, but added that some of the activity has shifted inland.
"The fish are on the lakes now, not much on the ocean anymore," he said.
- Derek Neary
Plenty of activities
Gjoa Haven
Gjoa Haven was buzzing with a week full of Franklin ship celebrations in early September, but there will be a wealth of ongoing activities for youths and others in the community for many months to come.
The community hall, the elementary school gym and the high school gym are all sites of afternoon and evening programs. Volleyball, basketball, soccer, floor hockey, dodgeball, movie nights, elders' games and "stay active" programs are among the offerings.
At least one of the facilities is open seven days per week, said recreation coordinator Caroline Anivalok.
"There's different activities for all groups of ages," she said.
- Derek Neary
Nunavut celebrates life
Nunavut
Embrace Life Day was Sept. 10 in Nunavut.
In the capital, the annual walk was scheduled to take place from 6 to 7 p.m.
The walk was set to depart from Inuksuk High School parking lot and take participants around the Ring Road, returning to the Inuksuk High School parking lot.
As for the rest of Nunavut, Isaksimagit Inuusirmi Katujjiqatigiit/Embrace Life Council executive director Kim Masson says the communities organize their own specific events.
"We encourage communities to have Embrace Life Day activities that are appropriate for their community. After, they send us photos and information on events they ran," Masson said.
"Some communities have already completed their activities. They did their walks earlier in the week or last week. Some are doing it later."
In Iqaluit, Alianait concluded the events of the day with a concert at the high school, featuring indigenous musician Nick Sherman from Sioux Lookout, Ontario. Colleen Nakashuk was scheduled to open for him.
- Michele LeTourneau
QIA awards Amagoalik scholarship
Qikiqtaaluk
The Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) awarded its $5000 John Amagoalik Scholarship to a future lawyer.
Nastania Mullin was accepted into the law program being offered at Nunavut Arctic College beginning this month.
"This scholarship is going to be a big help to me as I transition from full-time work to law school, especially because I'm a single father," stated the father of three, originally from Resolute Bay.
Most recently Mullin was a project manager in the Government of Nunavut's Devolution Secretariat in Iqaluit.
The scholarship honours the efforts of John Amagoalik towards the betterment of Inuit in Nunavut.
In his winning essay, Mullin made the connection between his work on devolution and John Amagoalik's work on the negotiating team that created Nunavut, according to a news release.
"Devolution is the next step in the process," stated Mullin.
Amagoalik said he is "pleased to see that young students, like Nastania Mullin, are continuing the legacy of the work started by my generation to build Nunavut as a strong, independent and prosperous region."
- Michele LeTourneau
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