 | Home page |  | Text size |  | E-mail this page |
News Briefs: Friday, October 21, 2011
Social networking survey
A masters student in Yellowknife is asking NWT residents to participate in an anonymous survey about their use of social networking technology.
Michel Adam, a database architect for the GNWT, is collecting the online responses as part of his distance education dissertation at the University of Liverpool in England.
The survey takes about three to four minutes to complete and participants must be 19 years of age or older to complete the survey. A link to the survey can be found on the Oct. 7 issue of Bear Facts, the GNWT newsletter.
Interested participants who complete the survey may enter an optional draw, which will make them eligible to win gift cards from Javaroma and Tim Hortons.
Adam plans to share his findings with the GNWT after his project is graded by his professors later this month.
- Daron Letts
Legislature sits next week
The 19 newly sworn-in MLAs will be choosing a speaker, premier and cabinet ministers at a territorial leadership committee meeting at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26 at the legislature. The opening of the first session of the 17th legislative assembly will take place on Thursday at 1:30 p.m., to be followed at 3 p.m. by the swearing in of the premier and ministers and the Commissioner's Reception at 4 p.m. in the Great Hall. The second day of session is scheduled to begin on Friday at 10 a.m.
- Galit Rodan
Heavy fog closes airport
Heavy fog Wednesday closed the Yellowknife Airport from 1:22 to 1:56 p.m. and again from 3:33 to 3:42 p.m., said Steve Loutitt, manager of the airport. Some flights were delayed or cancelled but Loutitt said that most large planes were able to continue flying their scheduled routes.
- Galit Rodan
Career fair for youth
The National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation will be hosting an aboriginal youth career fair Saturday at St. Patrick High School. The fair is titled Blueprint for the Future.
According to the foundation's website, the fair is designed to attract First Nation, Metis and Inuit high school students to an array of potential careers. The fair will begin at 9 a.m. and run until 3 p.m.
- Kevin Allerston
News Briefs: Thursday, October 20, 2011
MLAs sworn in
On Monday, the territory's 19 MLAs were sworn in to office, marking their first official day in the legislative assembly.
Kevin Menicoche, who was elected to this third term in Nahendeh, and Michael Nadli, who was elected to his first term in Deh Cho, will be Deh Cho's representatives in the 17th legislative assembly of the Northwest Territories.
The territorial leadership committee is scheduled for Oct. 26, which is when members will elect a new speaker, premier and cabinet.
The first session of the legislative assembly is scheduled to begin on Oct. 27 at 1:30 p.m. and the new premier and cabinet are set to be sworn in at 3 p.m. The second day of session will begin at 10 a.m. on Oct. 28.
Seatbelt contest
Buckle Up NWT, a public awareness campaign designed to encourage drivers and passengers to use their seatbelts, is holding a contest between the communities.
On June 21, 2013, the community with the highest percentage of seat belt users will win a concert by Leela Gilday, as well as $5,000 for the community's fire department.
Currently, only 38 per cent of drivers and passengers in the territory's smaller communities buckle up, compared to a 90 per cent national average.
Checkstops will be conducted throughout the campaign to determine which community has the best record, according to Earl Blacklock, manager of public affairs and communications for the Department of Transportation. The campaign has already started and will run through 2012.
Chief election
Jean Marie River was set to elect a new chief today.
Polls were scheduled to be open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the Henry Ekali Memorial Hall.
Next month, the community will also be electing a new band council. Nominations for the council's six seats will open at 9 a.m. on Oct. 23 and close at 9 a.m. on Oct. 28.
Keep dogs inside
A lone wolf has been attacking dogs in the Wild Rose area of Fort Simpson, according to Doug Villeneuve, manager of wildlife and environment for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. He said it's early for wolves to be in the area.
Two dogs have been attacked in the past week, he said, with one sustaining minor injuries and another recovering from more serious injuries. In both instances, the owners scared off the wolf. The department is attempting to snare the wolf and is advising all dog owners to keep their pets inside after dark.
Get the shot, not the flu
Residents of Inuvik can get the flu shot for one more day at Public Health.
Public Health, now located on the bottom floor in the new government building on Veteran's Way, has hosted a walk-in flu clinic since Oct. 17. It continues today and tomorrow, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Ferry closure looms
The 10-year average for the closure of the Dempster Highway ferries is Oct. 24, and he Department of Transportation warns that the ferries could close earlier at little or no notice if the river ice becomes hazardous to the operations.
Currently the ferry is in normal operation, with the Arctic Red River ferry operating from 8:15 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. and the Peel River Cable Ferry operating from 9:15 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. Delays can be expected due to slippery and rough landings.
Greenhouse Film Festival
The Inuvik Community Greenhouse will host a film festival at the Aurora Research Institute this weekend.
The films focus on green living. The first film, The Clean Bin Project, features a couple in a light-hearted competition to see who can produce the least landfill garbage by swearing off consumerism. It plays Friday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 22, at 11 a.m.
On Oct. 22 at 1 p.m., the film Chemerical will be shown. The family in the film adopts a chemical-free lifestyle and looks at how many chemicals average families use.
At 3 p.m. Food Matters will be shown. It looks at nutritionally-depleted foods, chemical additives and the tendency to rely upon pharmaceutical drugs.
Admission is by donation, with funds raised going towards the greenhouse. Seating is limited to 50 people per show and there will be door prizes.
Children First Society in Aviva
The Children First Society has finished in the top tier in a national competition and will move on to the second level.
The Aviva Community Fund provides organizations the chance to receive up to $150,000 for its project – an early childhood development centre – based on votes. Children First placed in the top 30 with at least 2,900 votes according to Paula Guy, chair of the Inuvik Child Development Centre. The organization will move on to the semifinals. If it can make it to the next level, it will be among 10 others to be looked at by a panel of judges, which will choose the winners.
Voting closed on Oct. 19, but community members can visit the Aviva Community Fund's website to see more details. The second round of voting starts on Oct. 24 and will continue until Nov. 9.
| 
News desk 
