Boil water advisory lifted

The boil water advisory in Hay River was lifted on June 8 by the chief environmental health officer with the Department of Health and Social Services.

It had been in effect since May 19 due to muddy water in Great Slave Lake caused by spring breakup.

Before resuming normal usage of water, people are being advised to run all water taps, fixtures and drinking fountains for at least one minute until no cloudy water is visible. They are also advised to drain and flush all cisterns and refrigerator icemakers; run softeners through a regeneration cycle; and drain and refill hot water heaters.

People on trucked water should clean their tanks if they had deliveries during the advisory.

- Paul Bickford

New treatment room

A grand opening will be held on June 14 for a new treatment room at the Hay River Medical Clinic.

The purpose of the room - officially known as the Hay River Hospital Foundation Treatment Room - will be to help patients avoid unnecessary visits to hospital.

The room will be for services such as cast removals, suturing, minor eye exams and wart removal.

The foundation raised $45,000 in its 'Lumps 'n' Bumps' campaign to equip the room.

The opening ceremonies are scheduled for 12:15 p.m. on June 14.

- Paul Bickford

Book launch

Fort Smith author Richard Van Camp has released a new children's book, Nighty-Night: A Bedtime Song For Babies. The 16-page book is a follow-up to his best-selling board book, Welcome Song For Baby: A Lullaby For Newborns. Accompanying his soothing words are photos of toddlers and children with their parents. The book is being launched Wednesday at the Yellowknife Book Cellar. The event runs from 7 to 8 p.m.

- Nicole Veerman

Ancestral journey

Tlicho youth are invited to retrace the path of their ancestors as part of the "Trails of our Ancestors" canoe journey to the seventh Annual Gathering in Whatì. The journey will take place from July 5 to 7, and approximately 100 community members from Gameti, Wekweeti, Whati and Behchoko will take part in the event this year, said Tony Rabesca, Tlicho language, culture and communications director.

Rabesca says the journey gives young people the opportunity to learn the traditional lifestyle of travel by canoe, bush survival skills like trapping and hunting, and provides an opportunity to reflect on their connection to the land. The deadline for application is June 24.

- Sarah Ferguson

Fishing derby results

Tuktoyaktuk

Tuktoyaktuk's recreation co-ordinator Rebecca Pokiak reports that the hamlet's annual fishing derby, which was held alongside the community's Inuvialuit celebrations and cookout held over the June 4 weekend, went "very well."

Pokiak said the largest fish caught at the derby weighed a whopping 32 pounds. She also made special mention of fish caught by the youngsters in the community. James Keevik Jr. caught the largest fish in the 16 years and up category, at 16 pounds. Edward Pokiak's fish was the smallest, weighing 9 pounds.

"We held our annual spring cleanup right before the celebrations. Students picked up garbage around the community and it was nice and clean in time for the party," Pokiak said.

- Sarah Ferguson

Seniors' games in Fort Smith

Thebacha/Fort Smith

The third annual edition of the Friendship 55+ Games will begin later this week in Fort Smith.

The games will be held from June 17-19.

The event, which is presented by the Fort Smith Seniors' Society, mainly attracts participants from the host community and elsewhere in the South Slave, but seniors from anywhere in the NWT are welcome to attend.

The activities for the seniors include golfing, cribbage, horseshoes, swimming and more.

- Paul Bickford

Ice pool winner

Aklavik

Aklavik held its 14th annual David Husky ice pool contest earlier this month, said Dean McLeod, recreational co-ordinator for the hamlet. Patrick Gordon won $100 and will have his name engraved on a plaque, McLeod said.

In the contest, residents estimate when the ice near the hamlet will break and pass by a specific marker, placed in the water near the community. The Aklavik resident who guesses closest to the time when the ice passes by the marker wins. The ice pool contest has been a yearly event in Aklavik for a long time, McLeod said. Aklavik also held its Inuvialuit celebrations on Monday, which featured a barbecue and drum dancing.

- Sarah Ferguson

Fort McPherson swimming pool opens early

Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson

Fort McPherson Mayor Hazel Nerysoo says her community is gearing up for summer.

"The ferries opened this weekend, and people are starting to use them," she said last week.

Nerysoo said residents of Fort McPherson are also excited about their swimming pool, which opened earlier this month.

"We started the season earlier than usual this year, so people have more time to swim," she said. Nerysoo added baseball season has started and community interest in the sport is growing.

"We are hoping to start a league in the future," she said. "A few people are still out on the land, and everyone is really enjoying the weather," Nerysoo said.

- Sarah Ferguson

Lobster Fest raises $37,000

Hay River

Lobster Fest, an annual fundraising event in Hay River, was once again very successful this year when it was held on May 28.

"With the support of all the citizens of Hay River, this event raised $37,000 towards our new arena," Deputy Mayor Mike Maher told town council on June 6.

Maher thanked residents for supporting the event, the town's recreation board for organizing it and volunteers for helping out.

All proceeds will be used to support the eventual replacement of the recreation centre.

The Lobster Fest had previously been held for over 25 years as a fundraiser by the Hay River Knights of Columbus.

- Paul Bickford

Unsightly premises identified

Hay River

As of June 6, the Town of Hay River had identified 27 unsightly properties in the community.

Letters - along with photographs of the properties in question taken by the town's bylaw officer - have been sent to owners asking them to clean up the properties. They were each given about three weeks to comply. Afterwards, the bylaw officer will check out the properties for a second time and take additional photos.

If a property is found to be in satisfactory condition, a letter will be sent to the owner indicating the bylaw file is closed.

If the property is still in unsatisfactory condition, an extension may be granted if a reasonable cleanup attempt was made.

The process may eventually lead to the issuing of a 30-day clean-up order by the town.

If the clean-up order is not appealed, arrangements can be made by the town's senior administrative officer for the property to be cleaned up at the owner's expense.

Town council was given a written update on the initiative against unsightly premises at its June 6 meeting.

- Paul Bickford

Bike rodeo

Lli Goline/Norman Wells

Norman Wells was planning to host a bicycle rodeo on June 12, according to recreation director Lindsey Blake.

"The main focus of the bike rodeo is safety," he said.

The rodeo will include a bicycle decorating contest, and a barbecue with free hotdogs and hamburgers for children. There will also be bike and helmet give aways, the director said.

The rodeo is hosted by the RCMP.

As well, softball season in Norman Wells started on Thursday. "We have seven teams competing this year, one more than last season," Blake said.

- Sarah Ferguson

Iqaluit councillor resigns

Mary Akpalialuk has resigned from Iqaluit city council effective June 1, citing personal reasons.

A councillor since 2009, she started a medical travel specialist position at the end of January.

"I thought it was going to work out but I am so busy with work, I had no energy," she said. "That's why I resigned from city council."

Iqaluit Mayor Madeleine Redfern said the council thanked for her work.

"She indicated she was resigning because of the difficulty she was having in having sufficient time to balance her new job responsibilities, her personal life," Redfern said.

Redfern said city council is looking at options to replace Akpalialuk, including holding a byelection, leaving the seat vacant or appointing the candidate with next highest number of votes from the last election.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Pond Inlet man charged

with kidnapping

Pond Inlet RCMP report a man stole a Ski-Doo, fired a rifle and kidnapped another resident in the community on May 29.

The detachment received a call at 9:03 a.m. that day that rifle shots had been fired outside, said RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Jimmy Akavak.

Akavak said the individual kidnapped was known to the suspect.

Jeremiah Atagootak, 19, was arrested 20 kilometres east of the community at Mount Herodier.

He has been charged with pointing a firearm, careless use of a firearm, disturbing the peace, kidnapping with a firearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and theft of a vehicle over $5,000.

He will remain in custody in Iqaluit until his next court appearance in Pond Inlet for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 9

- Emily Ridlington

Police make arrest in Pang for drug trafficking

RCMP arrested a man inside the Pangnirtung NorthMart May 15 and charged him with selling marijuana.

Police made the arrest at 3 p.m. on May 15.

According to RCMP, the man had nine grams of marijuana pre-packaged for sale and $737 in cash in his possession at the time of the arrest.

The 26-year-old Pangnirtung resident, has been charged with possessing an illegal substance for the purpose of trafficking, and for possession of proceeds of crime and resisting police.

He is scheduled to appear at the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit on Aug. 30.

- Emily Ridlington

Nurse's licence revoked

A male nurse convicted

of sexually assaulting a female patient in Iqaluit earlier this year will no longer be able to practise nursing anywhere in Canada as the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut revoked his licence April 1, said the association's executive director.

Raymond Labrecque, 51, of Iqaluit pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault in March, related to an incident that happened in June 2010 at Qikiqtani General Hospital. He was sentenced to three months in jail.

Steven Leck said Labrecque co-operated in the alternative dispute resolution process.

"His licence has been revoked," said Leck. "He's no longer able to practise as a registered nurse."

Labrecque's nursing licence in Nunavut was initially suspended after the association was informed about the charge in December 2010, added Leck.

Labrecque had no prior criminal record but had had his nursing licence suspended for two months in 2003 after he was disciplined for sexually inappropriate behaviour with a patient in Quebec while working as a psychiatric nurse.

He had worked as a nurse for 23 years in various locations across the country and had worked as a general duty nurse at the Iqaluit hospital since 2004.

A 2006 disciplinary decision by the College of Nurses of Ontario states his employers and supervisors in Nunavut were aware of the prior disciplinary actions against him.

-Jeanne Gagnon

Child hit by motorcycle

A three-year-old was injured after being struck by a motorcycle on June 2 in Cape Dorset, stated police.

RCMP Sgt. Jimmy Akavak stated following the collision at about 7 p.m., the injured child was medevaced out of Cape Dorset for further treatment.

He added the motorcycle driver received minor injuries.

No charges have been laid and the investigation continues, stated police.

-Jeanne Gagnon

Spring Games well attended

Uqsuqtuuq/Gjoa Haven

Dog team and relay races, ice chiselling, harpoon throwing and other events were some of the Spring Game activities Gjoa Haven residents enjoyed late last month.

Enuk Pauloosie, the hamlet's senior administrative officer, said from May 20 to June 3, many people were on the ice, on the land and in the community hall to participate in the Spring Games that also included cod fishing, tea boiling, bannock-making outside with Coleman stoves and a long-distance run.

"They were all attended," he said. "The weather was co-operating ... Everybody was really enjoying the games."

- Jeanne Gagnon

Narwhal meeting

Qikiqtarjuaq/Broughton Island

A meeting between the Nattivik Hunters and Trappers Organization, members of the community and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans about the narwhal tusk ban went well, said the HTO chair.

"The hunters are really concerned about it and hopefully (DFO) understood what we were saying," said Samuel Nuqingaq.

In December, DFO said it will only issue export permits on narwhal tusks under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for narwhal tusks harvested from Kugaaruk, Taloyoak, Gjoa Haven, Iglulik and Pond

Inlet.

A meeting with the HTO was held in the afternoon and a public meeting on May 31 drew about 50 people, Nuqingaq said.

He said the community gets 90 tags a year and if all the whales had tusks on them, that would mean $90,000 in income for community members.

"I'm pretty sure the government officials would feel the same thing if they lost their salaries," he said.

- Emily Ridlington

Dare to say no

Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet

A group of Grade 7 students at Simon Alaittuq School in Rankin Inlet completed their RCMPdelivered Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program this past week.

A number of program graduates were selected to read their essays on saying 'no' to drugs and living a healthy lifestyle during the event.

- Darrell Greer

International delegation to visit

Kugluktuk/Coppermine

An international delegation is set to visit Kugluktuk on June 20 as part of a tour by the federal Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, stated the hamlet's economic development officer.

Stephen Novak said about 20 people, including ambassadors to Canada, are expected for the one-day visit. He added that, to his knowledge, it's the first time in three years Kugluktuk is part of the tour.

The annual tour exposes the foreign heads of missions to the North.

"We're trying to put together something that really shows off the community culturally, giving them a good idea of what traditional Inuit life was like," he said. "We're going to have some traditional food there and people dressed in traditional dress. We're really looking at giving them a good idea of the culture."

- Jeanne Gagnon

Springtime means fishing

Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay

The warmer weather means it's time for camping and fishing in Arctic Bay.

"People are starting to head out to their spring camps," said Joeli Qamanirq, senior administrative officer.

He said they head about 50 to 100 miles (80 to 161 kilometres) out from the community.

He added there are plenty of seals at the floe edge, only 60 to 80 miles (97 to 128 kilometres) away.

- Emily Ridlington

Ottawa team sends hockey gear

Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet

Rankin Inlet Minor Hockey Association (RIMHA) president Ken Beardsall said this was the second year the Ottawa team donated gear to Rankin Inlet players.

He said the team was known as the Novice Blazers when it sent equipment in 2010, but is now the Ottawa Centre Atom B Warriors.

"My good buddy, Geoff (Red) Tomlinson, and his brother-in-law, Jeff Pouw, are based in Ottawa, and they did a big equipment drive for Rankin this past year," said Beardsall.

"They collected even higher-quality gear this year and Canadian North was nice enough to fly it in for us."

The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees female hockey team sent kit bags along with the donated gear.

"We don't expect to have any gear left, but, if we do, we'll look at sending it to a Kivalliq community that could really use it."

- Darrell Greer

School to start radio station

Kinngait/Cape Dorset

Cape Dorset residents might be interested in joining the Friends of Sam Pudlat School, a group mainly geared at parents who want to get involved or play a more active role in the school, said the principal.

David Webber said FOSP members will get involved in school projects such as recycling, class parties and outings and help with the library. It will start this fall.

"As the principal of the school, I firmly believe the more parents you have involved directly with your school, the better your school is," he said.

And residents will soon hear Radio 99 on the airwaves as the school will transmit on 99 FM from a low-power transmitter, said Webber. He added the radio station should be on the air later this month.

"We will be broadcasting things about school - meetings, school closures, that kind of thing," he said. "It will be primarily student-focused and student-run."

- Jeanne Gagnon

One man celebration

Ausuittuq/Grise Fiord

Everyone in the community was celebrating the graduation of Daniel Flaherty on June 6.

He was the lone graduate from Umimmak School.

"It was awesome," said principal Leslie Turpin.

There was a ceremony with an awards presentation followed by a community feast.

Flaherty was given the Governor General's medal for academic excellence and $1,000 to purchase a computer.

"He was very happy," she said.

- Emily Ridlington