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News Briefs: Monday, October 3, 2011
Report on suicide
In her final report on the hanging death of a 14-year-old Dene male in Colville Lake in June, 2010, the NWT chief coroner has released recommendations to the Department of Health and Social Services.
The youth in question had been involved with social services throughout his childhood because his family "struggled with issues related to substance use, exposure to domestic violence, neglect, housing, and absences from school," stated the coroner's report.
In the months leading up to his death, family and friends said the deceased's behaviour had changed, becoming more withdrawn and they suspected him of abusing substances.
These circumstances led the coroner to recommend that the Department of Health and Social Services continue to follow-up with youth and their families after files have been closed with information on the file and support options.
- Laura Busch
Town to be reviewed
The Town of Hay River will seek requests for proposals on an organizational and operational review.
Town council approved the terms of the request for proposals at its Sept. 26 meeting. However, Coun. Andrew Cassidy voted against the terms, noting he supports a review of day-to-day operations and a look at ways to rein in operational costs, but not a review of governance issues.
- Paul Bickford
Ice pilots premiere
A showing of the season premiere episode of Ice Pilots NWT will be held in Hay River on Oct. 12.
This will be the third season of the show chronicling the adventures of Buffalo Airways. Company owner Joe McBryan and other members of his family plan to be at the Riverview Complex premiere.
The show is seen on the History Channel in Canada and on other networks in a variety of countries. Filming has already started for the fourth season of Ice Pilots NWT' The Oct. 12 premiere starts at 7 p.m.
- Paul Bickford
Cost of Climate change
A new report issued by the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRT) warns of the economic impacts if greenhouse gas emissions are not drastically curbed. In Paying the Price: the Economic Impacts of Climate Change for Canada, it states climate change is set to cost Canada $5 billion per year by 2020 and between $21 and $43 billion per year by 2050.
In its recommendations, the NRT highlighted issues that will affect the North: enhancing forest fire management and restricting coastal development in flood-prone areas. To read the full report, visit the NRT's website at www.nrtee-trnee.ca.
- Laura Busch
Cemetery bylaw in principle
Hay River
At its Sept. 26 meeting, Hay River town council accepted in principle a draft of a cemetery bylaw.
Coun. Andrew Cassidy asked why town administration is proposing the bylaw at this time.
Michael Richardson, senior administrative officer with the Town of Hay River, said the municipality is running into logistical issues and financial considerations in the operation of the cemetery.
Richardson, who participated in the meeting by telephone, noted the town's yearly expenses at the cemetery are exceeding forecasts.
"We currently do not collect revenue or collect fees for our time spent in the cemetery," he said, noting that includes opening plots.
"We feel what we proposed is reasonable to begin to recover the costs that the town incurs associated with the site," he added.
The bylaw would allow the town to begin charging fees for services such as $100 for an adult or child burial plot, but there would be no charge for an infant; reservations for a burial plot would be $100; opening or closing a plot would be $1,000 from Monday to Friday and $1,500 for Saturday and Sunday.
The bylaw would also allow for fines for such things as failure to erect a marker or monument, failure to clean up debris and rubbish, defacing any plot, marker or monument, disturbing the quiet of the cemetery, and advertising within the cemetery. The highest fine would be $500 for defacement.
A written document will also help with consistent operation of the cemetery and will take into account the limited capacity for plots, Richardson said. "I think that this is overdue."
The draft bylaw was prepared by town administration with help from community members.
The town has never regulated its cemetery by bylaw.
- Paul Bickford
Training opportunities
Behchoko/Rae-Edzo
The community learning centre is sponsoring two training programs this week in Behchoko at the Tlicho Baptist Church.
On Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 3 and 4, there is a First Aid and Firearms Safety course running from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Later in the week, there is a computer training course to teach entry-level keyboard, MS Word and Outlook to interested learners, also from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Contact the Behchoko Career Development Office to register and to find out more information regarding upcoming programs.
- Laura Busch
Chili cook-off planned
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Fort Smith's Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre will be hosting a chili cook-off on Oct. 15.
The event will be part of the Autumn Festival being presented by the Association des Francophones de Fort Smith.
The museum is currently looking for teams to sign up for the chili cook-off.
It will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 15.
The creators of the top three pots of chili will receive a prize.
The winners will be determined in a vote by members of the public.
- Paul Bickford
Grandparents honoured
Aklavik
On Friday Sept. 30, Moose Kerr School in Aklavik hosted its annual Grandparents Day celebrations. Students from the school were asked to invite a grandparent or elder of their choice to the school for an afternoon to honour the grandparents of the community.
Grandparents were invited to sit in on their grandchild's classes during the afternoon, meet their teachers and get to know more about the school. There was then a luncheon held in the foyer with snacks and refreshments, along with door prizes.
The event began at around 1 p.m. and was tied in with Moose Kerr School's general open house, where all parents are invited to stop by the school for a meet-and-greet with teachers and other staff.
- Laura Busch
Muskox hunt planning underway
Ikaahuk/Sachs Harbour
Organizers for the annual commercial muskox harvest in Sachs Harbour are gearing up for this year's harvest. While the harvest needs enough snow to be on the ground to water the muskoxen once they are corralled - usually in early November - organizers are currently hiring to be prepared. There are 20 to 30 open positions for tasks such as shooting, butchering and herding. Many positions have on-the-job training and the hope is to hire as many people from the community as possible before looking outside.
The harvest will take place over three to four weeks and will bring in up to a maximum of 400 muskoxen.
The commercial harvest was established in Sachs Harbour in 1981 to provide sustainable income for the community, and satisfy the commercial demand for muskox meat, leather, fur and other goods.
Those interested in working for the harvest should contact the Inuvialuit Game Council or the Sachs Harbour Hunters and Trappers Committee.
- Laura Busch
Mass community elections in Fort McPherson
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
Multiple community organizations recently held elections Sept. 29 at the Johnny D. Charlie Community Centre. Appointments were selected for the Gwich'in Gathering Planning Committee, the Youth Council, the Elder's Council, the Justice Committee, the Rat River Development Corporation, the Renewable Resource Council, the Peel River Watershed Committee and the Tl'oondih Healing Society with results of the elections to come.
The Justice Committee is hosting a Spirit of Youth workshop on Oct. 4 to 6 with the goal of bringing youth together to develop community spirit, self-esteem and leadership.
- Laura Busch
Attendance low for Literacy Week
Ulukhaktok/Holman
The Helen Kalvak School is struggling to get students and residents interested in activities for NWT Literacy Week this week.
After-school events were held each day from Sept. 26 to 30, starting at 3:25 p.m. Last monday's theme was "feed your brain," where an elder came into the school to tell a story. Only about five after-school students attended the event.
Tuesday was comic book day. On Wednesday, there was a flash mob scheduled on Main Road. with a backup location of the school gym in case of bad weather. Thursday's event had a guest speaker who will now be travelling from class to class throughout the day due to the low attendance of the other events. The final event on Friday was slated to be a show-and-tell in honour of multicultural day.
All events were open to the public and followed by a light snack.
- Laura Busch
Second AGM for Fort Smith
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Town of Fort Smith will hold its second annual general meeting sometime in October.
A date has yet to be determined.
The AGM was originally set for Oct. 3, but has been delayed because the town has not yet received its financial statements from an auditor.
The town's first-ever AGM was held last October.
One of the goals of the annual meeting is to make the municipal government more accountable to town residents.
This month marks the 45th anniversary of the Town of Fort Smith, which was incorporated on Oct. 1, 1966.
During October, there will be a variety of events to celebrate the 45th anniversary.
- Paul Bickford
Annual meeting of community leaders
Ulukhaktok/Holman
The community of Ulukhaktok was scheduled to hold its inter-agency community meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. in the community hall. Attendants were to be leaders and chairs of different organizations within the community such as elders, youth, the RCMP, the Ulukhaktok Community Corporation and the health centre.
- Laura Busch
Manslaughter conviction in Arviat
Sam Kinak of Arviat was sentenced to 14 years in prison by Judge Neil Sharkey on Sept. 30.
A day earlier, an Arviat jury found Kinak guilty of manslaughter in the death of Lisa Malla.
She was found deceased in her residence on Sept. 22, 2008.
New prefixes for Iqaluit
New phone numbers in Iqaluit after Oct. 1 will have the 974 prefix.
NorthwesTel announced on Sept. 30 it would start using the new prefix for new lines as needed sometime after Oct. 1.
The new prefix is necessary to ensure the community does not run out of phone numbers.
The territorial capital already has the 975, 979 and 222 prefixes.
Men found dead identified
Kinngait/Cape Dorset - Police have confirmed they are investigating the deaths of Pauloosie Parr, 44, and Mathewsie Joanasie, 56, after their remains were found outside Cape Dorset on Sept. 26. Cape Dorset Police said they were notified at about 2:50 p.m. on Sept. 26 that two deceased males were found approximately one kilometre outside the community, near Tea Lake.
"Nothing suspicious at this point, from what I know," said Sgt. Jimmy Akavak. "An ATV was (found) nearby but we have yet to connect the two deceased males and the ATV, as to how it happened."
The incident is under investigation with assistance from the territory's major crime unit.
Final sealift brings last key to runway
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
The last sealift of the year in Pangnirtung will bring a much-needed road grader, which will assist in smoothing out the hamlet's airport runway, one of the smallest in Nunavut at 2,850 feet long. The $300,000 machine will play a key role in upgrading the airstrip, which will require 50 days of work next summer. Crews will resurface and re-crown the runway for 12 hours a day, 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily, starting in July.
"All of the gravel is crushed for that project," hamlet senior administrative officer Ron Mongeau said, "but we're not going to start it this summer because we won't be able to finish it."
The surface will also get a dust suppressant, he said. The sealift will also bring a new water truck valued at $200,000.
- by Casey Lessard
Sound equipment en route
Taloyoak/Spence Bay
Sound equipment is coming to Taloyoak after recently-formed community group Taluq Rocks managed to raise the $15,000 needed to bring the technology to the North.
Gina Pizzo, one of the group's members, said the sound equipment, such as mixers, amplifiers and speakers, will be used by the community and musicians during Christmas concerts and talent shows. She added the first event with the new equipment will be at the end of September or early October.
"We had enough money to buy new sound equipment. We achieved our first goal ... to get the new sound equipment," she said.
Taluq Rocks will now look at acquiring some instruments and perhaps invite entertainers for a special event.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Pangnirtung hosts promising bureaucrats
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
Rising stars in the federal government were in Pangnirtung on Sept. 15 as part of a grooming program called the Advanced Leadership Program. The ALP aims to broaden the worldview of its top public servants, the program's website says, and Pangnirtung is a regular part of the training, hamlet senior administrative officer Ron Mongeau said.
"We spent the day with them in the community talking to them and giving them updates on what we see are the issues here in Nunavut," Mongeau said.
Among those on the trip were the Canadian ambassador to the European parliament, a rear admiral from the navy, and a few deputy ministers, he added.
- by Casey Lessard
New full-sized school bus
Kugaaruk/Pelly Bay
Kugaaruk School students were excited to see a new, full-sized school bus arrive in Kugaaruk late last month.
Principal Michael Bartley said the school had previously been using a school bus from the 1990s.
"It was just terrible. It really needed to be replaced," he said.
He and the district education authority put in a request for a new bus with former Nunavut Education Minister Hunter Tootoo and the 54-seat bus arrived with the sealift late last month. Bartley said K-4 students will probably start riding to and from school in the new school bus in late October or early November.
"They (students) all gathered around. They were really excited to see a new bus. It's much bigger. It's a beautiful new bus," he said.
- Jeanne Gagnon
New library
Qausuittuq/Resolute
Qarmartalik School students will soon be able to read literature in both Inuktitut and English in a new library area within the school.
Principal Jennifer Borden said a portion of the computer lab will transform into the library, using existing and new shelves to display the books. The whole school will use the library but the focus will be on books geared for K-5 students. The goal is to make it a friendly children's library area with couches and mats.
"We're just going to make it a really friendly reading corner," she said. "With the increased focus on the Inuktitut for the K to 2 this year, we've really wanted to make sure we had a good selection of Inuktitut resources and a nice area for the kids to put a focus on that literacy area. We are planning on, I would say, 300 or 400 new books."
Students, especially the younger ones, are excited about the new library, she added, which is expected to be functional sometime this month.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Sanikiluaq SAO moving back home
Sanikiluaq
The man who brought Sanikiluaq out of a deficit position and into a healthy surplus is returning home to his wife and daughter after three and a half years running the hamlet.
Muhamud Hassan is moving back to Edmonton on Oct. 3, and his first order of business will be to spend time getting reacquainted with his wife and his daughter, now almost 13.
"I'll spend a lot of time with them on the simple stuff, like taking my daughter to school and spending time with my wife," he said. "It's been long and unfair to them, but this was a place I wanted to come and make a difference."
Hassan came to Sanikiluaq to tackle a $250,000 debt, and brought the hamlet into a surplus position almost right away, citing figures of $350,000 in 2009, $800,000 in 2010, and $1.1 million for 2011. After eliminating the debt, the hamlet has reinvested $1 million in infrastructure and has a reserve fund of almost $1 million.
He says he has a job lined up in the private sector, and the hamlet is still looking for a replacement.
- by Casey Lessard
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