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News Briefs: Monday, March 19, 2012
Gas warning
The office of the fire marshal is warning NWT residents to be on alert for signs of carbon monoxide leaks from their natural-gas furnaces. All residential building owners with natural-gas furnaces are urged to install carbon monoxide detectors and have their furnaces inspected by a qualified technician. If your detector alarm goes off, evacuate the building and call the fire department. Carbon monoxide is a colourless, odourless and tasteless toxic gas. It can cause drowsiness, pink discolouration of the skin, headaches and nausea.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Stolen truck found
An 18-year-old accused of driving a stolen truck from Tuktoyaktuk has been charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000, impaired driving, flight from police and the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
In addition, three male passengers have been charged with possession of stolen property over $5,000.
Inuvik RCMP were notified that the stolen truck from Tuktoyaktuk was likely heading south on the ice road on March 8. They located the vehicle north of the turn off to Aklavik, but attempts to stop it were unsuccessful. Approximately six kilometres north of Inuvik the truck spun out of control and crashed into a snowbank. All four occupants were arrested and later released.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Band councillor elected
Olga Mansbridge is the newest councillor with Fort Smith's Salt River First Nation. Mansbridge won a March 14 byelection to fill a vacancy on band council. She collected 74 votes, compared to 58 votes for Helen Hudson-MacDonald, the only other candidate in the race.
- Paul Bickford
Delays in Latour trial
Inuvik resident Hugues Latour appeared in territorial court in Yellowknife on March 13 regarding charges of assault, forcible confinement, sexual assault, sexual interference against a person under the age of 14, possession of child pornography and making or publishing child pornography.
Latour, 38, was scheduled to elect how he wants to be tried, either by judge alone or by judge and jury, however his lawyer Serge Petitpas asked the court for more time to consult with his client.
Crown prosecutor Marc Lecorre elected to proceed under indictment, which carries a harsher penalty, on the charges involving sexual assault and child pornography. The Crown is proceeding summarily on the failure to comply, assault, and forcible confinement charges.
This case is scheduled to be in Yellowknife court again on March 20 at 1:30 p.m.
- Laura Busch
Mackenzie Mountain honour roll
Lli Goline/Norman Wells
At Mackenzie Mountain School's monthly assembly in February, 10 high school students were recognized for maintaining averages of 80 per cent or higher.
Hunter Gray, Courtney Small, Meagan Taylor, Kaine Van Rensburg, Madison Gray, Josh Rose, Abigail Small, Kathleen T'Seleie, Laura Wall, and Drayton Walker all received cheques for their efforts from the Norman Wells Land Corporation.
Today the school's track and field team is set to host a fundraising bottle drive from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Contact Wanda Quigg or Devin Roberts for more information.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Empowerment for Northern girls
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Fast and Female, a national initiative for girls, will host its third Northern Youth Empowerment Weekend in the NWT from March 30 to April 1.
Following a successful event in Norman Wells in 2011, Fast and Female is travelling to Fort Smith this year for another weekend of fun and friendship aimed towards Northern girls in cross-country skiing between the ages of nine and 19.
Unlike standard Fast and Female events, which are held on a single day, the Northern Youth Empowerment Weekend in Fort Smith will take place over three days. Participants will have the opportunity to improve their cross-country skiing skills, take part in yoga, dance, and attend various seminars on leadership and personal growth. The weekend will conclude with a ski outing and an outdoor fire-pit lunch.
The Northern Youth Empowerment Weekend is an opportunity to inspire Northern girls by building confidence and leadership skills while showing them how much they have to gain from an active and healthy lifestyle. In 2011, it was recognized by the GNWT in a report on the most effective regional youth programs.
A key component of the event will be the presence of former national team athlete Sarah Daitch and four-time Olympian Sharon Firth.
"I am thrilled to bring this dynamic program for developing the leadership and strength of Northern girls to my hometown of Fort Smith," said Daitch. "One of the most exciting aspects is collaborating with an inspiring group of Northern women to make this event happen."
Event co-ordinator and Daitch's former coach Juneva Green and Betsy Mawdsley, a biathlete from Fort Smith, are among the mentors who will lead the groups during the weekend. Mawdsley represented Canada at the 2011 World University Games in Turkey. The program has a $10 registration fee for the entire weekend's activities. Accommodation is available for participants and their chaperones.
- Paul Bickford
Fire-damaged building removed
Thebacha/Fort Smith
A building badly damaged by a New Year's Day fire in Fort Smith's Conibear Park has been demolished. The building was removed from the site on March 7 to 9.
On Jan. 12, NWT Fire Marshal Stephen Moss sent an order to the Town of Fort Smith for the building to be either repaired or removed as a safety hazard.
The seasonal-use building, which was owned by the inactive Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce, was known as the visitor information centre, although it had not been used for that purpose in a decade.
Mayor Janie Hobart said there are no plans to replace the building. However, Conibear Park will be included in the town's park development planning, Hobart said.
"As part of our community services master plan, we will be reviewing all of our parks and what kinds of things may go into each park," she said.
- Paul Bickford
Jamboree planning underway
Tsiigehtchic/Arctic Red River
The annual Arctic Red River Mackenzie Jamboree is scheduled for April 20 to 22, and, according to organizer Charlene Blake, planning is already well underway.
"There's something for everyone," she said.
Since December, Blake and Bobbie Jean Andre, the hamlet's recreation co-ordinator, have been setting the schedule of events and fundraising for the jamboree.
Blake said there will likely be a talent show, old time dance, jigging and jiving contests, traditional adult events like jiggling, snowshoeing and tea boiling, and youth events like piggy back and snowmobile races. Three sets of king and queen contestants are busy fundraising, but Blake said they are still looking for more volunteers.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Students to compete in Skills Canada territorials
Beaufort Delta
Six students from the Beaufort Delta's smaller communities will be competing in the Skills Canada territorial competition in Yellowknife on April 17.
Patrick Illasiak of Paulatuk will compete in carpentry; Carmen Green of Paulatuk and Angela Alexie will compete in workplace safety; Kayla Kaodloak of Ulukhaktok will compete in hairstyling; and Elliot Malgokak and Brandon Okheena of Ulukhaktok will compete in small powered equipment repair.
Five students from Inuvik will also participate in the Skills Canada territorial competition.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Holocaust survivor to share stories
Behchoko/Rae-edzo
Holocaust survivor Ben Lesser will be visiting Behchoko in April to share his stories.
Lesser, who has dedicated his life to speaking about his experiences, will be in the community on April 18. He will speak with high school students, elders, educators and other community members about his experiences, including his time in the Auschwitz concentration camp and Durnhau labour camp.
- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison
Pangnirtung fishers get cash injection
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
Pangnirtung fishers are benefitting from $130,000 in government grants handed out this month by the hamlet to help them get their small businesses up and running for the busy ice fishing season.
"That's been a big help. Once you go out to the sound, you see so many shacks down there," hamlet economic development officer Madeleine Qumuatuq said.
At least thirty fishers, including two women, got up to $5,000 each to buy needed gear and shacks.
"It was great to see them benefiting from those programs," Qumuatuq said. "It's really helping the community. We see so much fish now."
- Casey Lessard
Country food program helps in Qikiqtarjuaq
Qikiqtarjuaq/Broughton Island
Those struggling with food security in Qikiqtarjuaq are getting a little help from a country food distribution program that started March 12.
"We've been allotted $10,000," from the Department of Economic Development and Transportation, hamlet economic development officer Mike Cook said, "to buy country food from our local hunters and fishermen to be distributed for free to the poor in the community."
Cook figures 50 boxes of food will be distributed.
"It helps everyone," he said. "The hunters and fishermen have a place to sell their catches, and at the same time, the HTO and the hamlet get to work together to feed some people country foods."
The HTO will store the food, local butchers will cut and package it, and the hamlet will distribute the boxes, Cook said.
- Casey Lessard
Pangnirtung plans 40th anniversary
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
The hamlet of Pangnirtung's recreation department is planning a feast and games for the hamlet's 40th anniversary in early April, likely April 2.
The feast will include caribou from a recent hunt, and there will be other activities, such as games on the ice, hamlet economic development officer Madeleine Qumuatuq said.
"Usually, it's just stuff happening down at the ice and up at the school, and that will be games for all ages," Qumuatuq said.
She expects the planning committee will have details of the event in the next week.
- Casey Lessard
Winter carnival fun
Kinngait/Cape Dorset
From decorating T-shirts to enjoying an afternoon of skating, Cape Dorset elementary school students are set to enjoy some winter carnival fun for two days.
Sam Pudlat School principal David Webber said the school will hold its inaugural winter carnival on March 15 and 16. For the two-day event, the school will be organized into groups named after communities in Nunavut - for instance, the Cambridge Bay team - with two students from each grade. The first day of activities include a morning stake at the arena and an afternoon spent decorating a white T-shirt with paints and dyes, said Webber. He added March 16 activities include 12 stations, with activities such as storytelling, drumming, relay race, making maple taffy on the snow, carving and iglu building. Webber said the activities tie back to the curriculum one way or the other. For instance, the teachers will be doing social studies around the communities used as group names during the carnival, he added.
"You go so many weeks without a break and you need something to get spirits going. It's a great spirit builder," said Webber.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Pennies for patients
Iglulik
High school students will learn more about leukemia and raise money for research during the last two weeks of March.
Vince Pickett, principal at Ataguttaaluk High School, said students can donate money in boxes set up in every class from March 19 to 30. They will also learn more about leukemia, a form of blood cancer. The class that raises the most money will get a prize and the school will match the students' donations. He said it is the fourth year they are participating in the pennies for patients campaign of the Leukemia and Lymphona Society of Canada.
"We don't have a goal. Whatever it is, we get. Usually, we raise about $300 to $400 every year for that," said Pickett. "It's important for the school to be participating because every family is affected by some form of cancer. It's important the students be aware of the importance of research and the importance of trying to find a cure for cancer."
- Jeanne Gagnon
Square dance showdown
Uqsuqtuuq/Gjoa Haven
Many people, of all ages, will be dancing during the Easter weekend as Gjoa Haven is hosting a square dance showdown.
Dancers from Arviat, Baker Lake, Kugluktuk, and Taloyoak will join those in Gjoa Haven to participate in the showdown, featuring nightly dancing and one night of jigging, said Elizabeth Anavilok, part of the Amauligak Dancers, organizing the event. She added this year's edition, believed to be the fifth, will be held at the gym of Qiqirtaq Ilihakvik from April 6 to 8. Anavilok said cash prizes will be awarded.
"I'm pretty sure it's going to be pretty packed," she said, when asked how many dancers they're expecting. "Most people in Gjoa Haven are excited about that square dance showdown because they are kind of expected to see these little kids that are going to square dance. And they're all excited they're going to see their relatives too when they come here to Gjoa Haven for the square dance showdown."
- Jeanne Gagnon
Dump fire in Rankin Inlet
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
Members of the Rankin Inlet Fire Department smothered a dump fire by using bulldozers and front-end loaders to dump mounds of snow over the burning areas.
The fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m. on March 7, but local firefighters could not extinguish the blaze with hoses despite their best efforts.
The heavy machinery was called in the next day to take care of the problem.
Luckily for local residents the wind was blowing away from the community while the fire was burning, keeping the smoke from enveloping the town.
The local detachment of the RCMP is investigating the cause of the fire and is asking local residents to come forward with any information they may have on the incident.
- Darrell Greer
Repulse Bay school on hold
Naujat/Repulse Bay
The community of Repulse Bay won't see construction begin on a new school for at least another year.
The delay came about as a result of the Department of Education having to cut costs for the 20122013 fiscal year, but Education Minister Eva Aariak indicated in the Nunavut legislature that the school will be included in the capital plan for 201314.
Two portable classrooms will be added to Tusarvik School to accommodate the students until the new school is constructed.
Repulse has seen its population increase by about 26 per cent in the past six years.
- Darrell Greer
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News desk 
