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News Briefs: Monday, August 1, 2011
Sexual assault charges
A 54-year-old Hay River man is facing four charges of sexual assault and four charges of sexual interference involving a number of alleged victims under the age of 16.
According to an RCMP news release, the investigation began on July 28, leading to an arrest. The accused was released on his own recognizance with several strict conditions.
His next court date is Oct. 13 in Hay River territorial court. No names will be released at this time.
- Paul Bickford
Water woes in Tulita
The hamlet of Tulita needs to send two consecutive clean water samples to officials in Yellowknife before it can lift its boil water advisory, according to SAO Brad Carlson. The boil water advisory first went into place July 21 after a leak caused the water treatment plant's control panel to short out.
Since then, crews have been operating it manually with successful results, according to Carlson.
They sent water samples July 27 and 28 and expect to lift the advisory early this week.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Plan for Peel watershed
The Peel Watershed Planning Commission has submitted its final land use plan and is proposing 80 per cent of the land be protected from development and exploration.
The 67,000 sq. km area includes the Mackenzie Mountains and Fort McPherson plains.
In 2009, when the draft land use plan was released, some people wanted 100 per cent of the land protected, while others said leaving 20 per cent for development was too low. The commission stuck with its original recommendation of 80 per cent protected land. The commission is made up of representatives from the Gwich'in Tribal Council, the Na-Cho Nyak Dun, the Vuntut Gwitchin, the Trondek Hwechin and the Yukon government
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Vacancy to be discussed
Hay River town council might have decided what to do about its vacant seat.
Mayor Kelly Schofield said a decision in principle has developed among councillors, but he declined to say what it is.
The matter will be discussed at council's Aug. 8 committee of the whole meeting. If there is consensus then, the decision will move to the Aug. 22 regular meeting for ratification. Council has three options - holding a byelection, leaving the seat vacant until the next regular election, or naming a councillor based on the results of the 2009 election.
The seat on council opened when Reiss Kruger resigned on July 11.
- Paul Bickford
Kipotuk at Shingle Point
Aklavik
The annual Shingle Point Summer Games drew more than 100 people to the Arctic coast July 22 to 24.
On Friday, the first day of events, there was a wiener roast and marshmallow cook-out, as well as a rifle shooting competition. Children took part in a scavenger hunt game, where they had to find rocks, feathers, gather ocean water and get a signature from Parks Canada staff.
On Saturday the kipotuk, or ring toss, competition began, and lasted well into the night. More than a dozen teams took part.
In addition, there were a variety of other games, including a three-legged race, apple passing and a bannock-making competition.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Weekend wedding
Tulita/Fort Norman
Judy McPherson and Lawrence Menacho were to be married Saturday in Tulita.
The whole community was invited, according to SAO Brad Carlson. The wedding was scheduled to take place at St. Theresa's, a Catholic church, and the reception was to take place at the community hall.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
AGM for education project
Hay River
The Canada-Ghana Education Project - a Hay River-based registered charity - will hold its annual general meeting on Aug. 18.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at NWT Centennial Library.
The Canada-Ghana Education Project helps send children to school in Cape Coast, a city in Ghana famous for its historic Slave Castle.
The money raised pays for such things as school fees, a daily meal, uniforms, books, a sleeping mat, a bowl and other supplies.
- Paul Bickford
The Sahtu remembers prophets
Deline/Fort Franklin
Planning is already underway for Deline's 20th annual spiritual gathering, scheduled to take place Aug. 11 to 16.
Deline First Nation will host the event and elders
will offer spiritual guidance.
According to organizers, the objective of the gathering is to bring people together, on traditional lands, to share stories and to remember the teachings of Prophet Ayha, Prophet Andre, Prophet Naedzo and Prophet Bayha.
In addition, there will be traditional activities like drum dancing, bannock making, storytelling and hand games.
The gathering will be drug and alcohol free.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
A new SAO in the Delta
Tsiigehtchic/Arctic Red River
After spending six weeks and two days in Tsiigehtchic, interim SAO Elwood Johnston is heading back home. Linda Allen of Winnipeg will take over the position as a permanent member of the hamlet staff, and is expected to arrive Aug. 6.
Johnston said Allen has lots of experience working in the North, specifically during a stint as SAO in Kugluktuk, Nunavut.
The hamlet began looking for a new SAO after Carolyn Lennie left her position June 15.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
A good year for whaling in Brown's Harbour
Paulatuk
The whale harvest in Paulatuk is "basically done," according to Lawrence Ruben, director of the Inuvialuit Game Council.
"Everyone got their whales already, it happened quick," he said.
Ruben estimates that at least 23 beluga whales were caught this year, up from 21 last year. Final numbers will be available once whale monitors, expected back at the end of last week, return to shore.
Ruben said the harvest was especially fast considering the poor weather they had at the start of July.
Some boats were delayed going out because of the strong wind and accompanying waves.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
No boat needed
Tuktoyaktuk
Whale watchers didn't have to travel far to catch sight of belugas in Tuktoyaktuk last Monday.
A pair of the white whales swam up to shore to feed and stuck around for most of the day, according to the local hunters and trappers committee. The beluga whale harvest is still underway in Tuktoyaktuk, and is expected to run for another three or four weeks. It began at the start of July.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
ATV bylaw debated in Hay River
Hay River
Hay River town council has accepted in principle a proposed all-terrain vehicles bylaw, but the move will begin public discussion about whether such a bylaw is needed.
Council unanimously voted to accept the bylaw in principle at its July 18 meeting.
Several councillors doubt the bylaw is needed because GNWT legislation already covers the use of ATVs.
"I'm against this," said Coun. Bernie Langille of a town bylaw.
Coun. Bernard Dueck also said he doesn't see why a town bylaw is needed to duplicate GNWT legislation.
Deputy mayor Mike Maher said he is not in favour of a bylaw either, but would like to get public feedback on the issue and put it to bed one way or the other.
Support for a bylaw came from Coun. Ken Latour, who noted it would cover some areas not dealt with by the GNWT legislation.
"I think there is some dangerous conduct out there that needs to be addressed, Latour said.
- Paul Bickford
A happy landing
Tetlit' Zheh/Fort McPherson
On Sunday participants in the Leaders of the Day program were expected to arrive at Happy's Landing in Fort McPherson, 18 days after they started paddling the Ogilvie River.
The six NWT youth - Arnold Archie, Billy Tyrrell, Tara Wedzin, Bryanna Storr, Karlie Robert and Nathan Francis - completed their 450-km route accompanied by two adult leaders, Kelly Henderson and Scott Caspell of Ontario.
They began on the Ogilvie, past Eagle Plains on the Dempster Highway, and then merged with the Peel River, which took them to Fort McPherson. The trip also included a two-day portage through Aberdeen Canyon in the Yukon.
Organizers were hoping to transport the paddlers to the Midway Lake Music Festival after they arrived, where they could celebrate the trip's end with family and friends.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Police seize marijuana, guns from Iqaluit home
Iqaluit RCMP have charged two city residents with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking after seizing 300 grams of marijuana, scales and packaging material from House 2657 on June 22.
Damien Beauregard, 40, and Alice Pallister, 36, have also been charged with several firearms offences after officers discovered five rifles unsafely stored along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition. The two will appear in court on Aug. 26.
-Terrence McEachern
Community cleanup
Uqsuqtuuq/Gjoa Haven
Kids to adults to elders picked up pop cans, plastics and other garbage as a few hundred people in Gjoa Haven participated in a community cleanup, said the hamlet's senior administrative officer.
Enuk Pauloosie said more than 300 bags worth of garbage was picked up during the annual event, held this year on July 21 and 22. He added he thinks the event was "very successful."
"The community looks a lot cleaner every time they do that," he said. "Outside people's yards, it's pretty clean and it looks a lot nicer. It helps the whole community look nicer and cleaner."
The beach, airport runway and water areas were cleaned during the event, said Pauloosie, adding the litter situation was similar to previous years.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Unwelcome visitors
Salliq/Coral Harbour
The community of Coral Harbour was dealing with a rash of polar bear visits in June.
Four polar bears in as many days were seen dangerously close to the community, with one being spotted right in the community's most popular cabin area and the others within a few kilometres of the town.
- Darrell Greer
Pangnirtung sets sights on new quarry
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
Pangnirtung is planning ahead by looking for a new site for the hamlet's gravel quarry when the time comes that one is needed.
During the week of July 18-22, consultants from the Yellowknife-based engineering company Arktis Solutions were in Pangnirtung taking soil samples from a few prospective sites.
Ron Mongeau, senior administrative officer for the hamlet, said given the amount of gravel being extracted from the current quarry for the hamlet's small craft harbour, it makes sense to start looking for an alternative site for the future.
He expects a report from the consultants sometime in the fall.
- Terrence McEachern
Hamlet office construction delayed: mayor
Kugluktuk/Coppermine
Kugluktuk is looking for answers as construction on its new hamlet building has been halted for about a week, said the mayor.
Ernie Bernhardt said he doesn't know why the work stopped.
"We're trying to look for answers but it's kind of hard, you know. We're way behind. We don't know the cause of the problem," he said. "I know the foundation is done,
but they're kind of slow."
Construction of the hamlet's new, two-storey, 780-square metre building started earlier this spring, as opposed to late last year, as "unstable rock formations" delayed the foundations, said Elissa McKinnon, spokeswoman for the territory's Community and Government Services department.
"As far as CGS knows, the construction has not been halted. The construction of the foundation is complete and the framing has begun," she said.
Bernhardt maintains his position.
"I just saw it yesterday (July 25) and it's still got only the foundation," he said.
The community "badly" needs a new hamlet office as it does not own the building, said Bernhardt.
"It's owned by Enokhok Development Corp. and we've been paying an arm and a leg for how many years now," he said.
McKinnon said when the project was tendered, the completion date was set at October 2011, a date that has since been pushed to December as the territorial government feels it's more realistic.
Bernhardt said they were informed either October or December.
"We don't even think it's going to finish by December," said Bernhardt.
The $5.48 million project is cost shared between the federal and territorial governments, with Ottawa funding 75 per cent of the cost and the GN investing the remaining 25 per cent.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Silver anniversary
Salliq/Coral Harbour
Many folks in the community of Coral Harbour came together to help celebrate the anniversary of Noah and Sarah Matoo last month.
The event marked the couple's
25th (silver) wedding anniversary.
- Darrell Greer
Teachers go to school
Nunavut
The Canadian Wildlife Federation held its annual summer program for teachers this year in Nunavut, from July 23-30.
The participants, comprised of educators at different levels (elementary, secondary and post-secondary) from across the country arrived in Iqaluit on July 23 and left for Pangnirtung on July 26, returning on July 29.
The program was held in co-operation with the Nunavut Research Institute, Arctic College and Parks Canada. Garry Enns, external relations manager for Parks Canada in Iqaluit, said the goals of the summer program were to help the educators develop understanding and appreciation for Nunavut's people, places and plant and animal life, so they can then pass on this knowledge to their students.
- Terrence McEachern
Pool re-levelled
Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay
Cambridge Bay's pool had to be jacked up and supports added after it experienced structural problems earlier this year, said the hamlet's senior administrative officer.
The structural problems delayed the pool's schedule, July 1 opening by a few days, said Steve King.
King said either melting of permafrost or shifting of the ground left the pool unlevel.
"The fix may be temporary and may not last any longer than this year. However, we had to do something with our limited resources to fix the pool," he said.
"It would be disappointing if the pool was closed for an extended period of time."
- Jeanne Gagnon
Cabinet ministers visit Sanikiluaq
Sanikiluaq
Two Nunavut cabinet ministers spent two days in the Sanikiluaq on a "listening tour" to hear the resident's concerns about social issues in the hamlet.
On June 16 and 17, Daniel Shewchuk, minister of Environment, and Tagak Curley, minister of Health and Social Services met with residents and hamlet council to discuss various issues, including the environment, housing, the need for additional social workers and mental health issues, said Muhamud Hassan, senior administrative officer for the hamlet.
"The community was really excited not only for the ministers to come but were also satisfied with the answers they got from both leaders," said Hassan.
-Terrence McEachern
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