Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

The Ndulee and Liard ice crossings in the Deh Cho region could close as early as today, according to the Department of Transportation.

The Fort Providence crossing on Highway 3 was open on a day-to-day basis as of April 12 and officials were predicting it would remain open throughout the weekend because of cooler temperatures.

The Tlicho winter road system to Gameti and Whati is estimated to close by the end of the weekend.

The Beaufort Delta's ice roads and crossings will likely stay open until the end of the month.

- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison

Long-term care centre work starts

Construction on a new, 18-bed long-term care facility in Behchoko will start this month.

A ground-breaking ceremony was held in the community on April 12 to announce the start of construction, according to a Department of Health and Social Services press release.

Construction of the facility is scheduled to wrap up in September, 2014, and it will replace the Jimmy Erasmus Seniors Home.

Bulatci appeal rejected

Emrah Bulatci's appeal of his first-degree murder conviction has been dismissed.

Bulatci, who killed RCMP Const. Christopher Worden in Hay River in 2007, argued that his conversations with his family members at the North Slave Correctional Centre, which were recorded by police, should never have been admitted during his trial. In those conversations, Bulatci spoke of harming witnesses.

On Friday, the appeal judges agreed with Justice John Vertes, who admitted the evidence because he said it didn't affect the fairness of the trial. They determined that no "fresh consideration" of the trial judge's analysis is required.

Bulatci was sentenced to 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole in November 2009.

- NNSL staff

Elders chosen

Nineteen elders from the NWT have been chosen for the second biennial Elders Parliament in Yellowknife from May 6 to 11. Participants include Georgina Fabian, Yvonne Quick, Cornelius Van Dyke, Delores Downey, Audrey Berens, Lillian Elias, Shirley Kisoun, Robert O'Rourke, Ruth Stewart, Mary Koyina-Richardson, Dolphus Codille, Edward Ruben, Anna Clark, Margaret McDonald, Don Sutherland, Adeline Jonasson, Wayne Balanoff, Kathryn Youngblut and Paul Gard.

- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison

Influenza A virus confirmed in Fort Smith

Thebacha/Fort Smith

The Fort Smith Health and Social Services Authority has confirmed that the Influenza A virus is in the community.

According to a news release issued in late march by the health authority, influenza causes fever, aches and pains, fatigue, and dry cough. It can lead to serious complications that may require hospitalization.

It is not treatable with antibiotics and it spreads easily through sneezing, coughing and even talking.

The health authority advises that people who are ill with the virus should wash their hands often and should stay home, if possible. In addition, they should rest and drink lots of fluids. Cold medication and acetaminophen can also be helpful.

The illness lasts at least a week.

- Paul Bickford

Mad Trapper Rendezvous a hit Aklavik

Aklavik

The Mad Trapper Rendezvous spring carnival in Aklavik was a success, drawing people to the hamlet from Tuktoyaktuk, Tsiigehtchic, Inuvik, Fort McPherson, and more during the first weekend in April.

"It turned out really good - it was a really good weekend and there were lots of people," said Dean McLeod, vice-president of the Mad Trapper Rendezvous Association.

Outdoor events were held on the river, and included dog team races, snowmobile races, and traditional events.

Indoor activities such as the jigging contest and the community feast were held either in the Sittichinli Recreation Complex or in Moose Kerr School.

The Rendezvous took advantage of the long weekend, holding events from 5 p.m. on Friday to 11 p.m. Monday. The festival enjoyed good weather throughout the weekend, said McLeod.

- Laura Busch

Fabric workshop at Fort Smith museum

Thebacha/Fort Smith

A workshop on fabric landscapes will be held at Fort Smith's Northern Life Museum on May 5 and 6.

Instructor Christine Marie Aubrey will show participants how to create hand-sewn artwork using a variety of fabrics, patterns and colours.

The workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on each day.

The fee is $90 per participant.

- Paul Bickford

Support for victims

Tlicho

Tlicho Victims Services is organizing a host of activities in Wekweeti, Whati, Gameti and Behchoko for the National Victims of Crime Awareness Week.

Victim Services, an arm of the Department of Justice, will make presentations in Wekweeti on April 22, Whati on April 24, Gameti on April 25 and Behchoko on April 27 that focus on the services offered to victims of crime.

In addition, there will be drumming and prayers in each community.

For more information, contact Tlicho Victim Services.

- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison

Simple ways to be efficient

Lli Goline/Norman Wells

The Arctic Energy Alliance scheduled an information session in Norman Wells on Saturday.

The focus of the session, which was set to run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Edward Hodgson Building boardroom, was home maintenance and winterization.

The program included general home maintenance, simple ways to stop heat from leaking out of your home and rebates for Energy Star products.

- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison

Second-hand satisfaction

Inuvik

Next to New, Inuvik's second-hand shop located in Ingamo Hall, moved to its current location in September from where it used to reside, at the Inuvik Works building on Berger Street.

The second-hand store took a cut in size by about a half, making it a bit more challenging to rummage through containers and shelves of clothing to find items, but it is still a treasure trove when it comes to good quality items for a cheap price.

Eileen Rogers, co-ordinator of the shop, has been at the Ingamo Hall location since it opened in September.

A handful of people come in a day, according to Rogers, but she hopes if more people know about where Next to New is located and when it is open, the numbers of people using the shop will increase.

"Mondays are usually the busiest," she said.

"There's always people coming in for stuff that's cheaper than at the other stores. This is good for the community. It gives people another option."

- Katherine Hudson

Baking for a good cause

Hay River

As many Hay River residents headed out of town for the Easter long weekend, Bonnie Crowther stayed in the community and helped some people satiate their sweet tooth.

She didn't even have to bring her baked goodies to the supper table. Crowther held an Easter-themed bake sale on April 7 to fundraise for an Alberta race she's participated in for three years now. A table covered with her baked goods sat behind the cash registers of a local grocery store.

Although the sale began early in the afternoon, the supply was dwindling less than two hours later.

Crowther was raising money for the Ride to Conquer Cancer race in Calgary on June 23 and 24. A life-long Hay Riverite, Crowther and her daughter will be taking to their cycles on a 220-km journey through the foothills of Alberta.

Last year, the race had more than 22,000 participants and raised more than $8.6 million dollars. Proceeds raised by racers help 17 cancer treatment centres across Alberta, including the Cross Cancer Institute and Clinic in Edmonton, where patients from the NWT are often sent for treatment.

- Angele Cano

Workshop on painting with beeswax

Thebacha/Fort Smith

A workshop on painting with pigmented beeswax is planned for the Northern Life Museum in Fort Smith. The fee is $150 per participant.

The three-day workshop is set May 19 to 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. The instructor will be Lorna Kemp, an encaustic artist from Alberta. Encaustic painting is also known as hot wax painting.

- Paul Bickford

Peel River Jamboree

Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson

Fort McPherson was ready to host its annual jamboree last weekend.

The Peel River Jamboree was scheduled to kick off Friday evening with the crowning of this year's king and queen, followed by a traditional feast and indoor games.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, outdoor events were to begin at 1 p.m. on the Peel River. These events included tundra races, snowmobile races, a revamped good man/good woman event and more.

One of the highlights was expected to be the snowshoe races on Sunday, said Jackie Pascal, recreation director for the hamlet.

"We're a snowshoe town, so that should be a big event," she said prior to the event.

The Jamboree was slated to wrap up Sunday evening with a talent show featuring Louie Goose and Leanne Goose and the Big River Band.

- Laura Busch

Missing man found dead outside Cambridge Bay

A man missing more than a week was found dead early last week.

A hunter found the body of Johnny Kaosoni about 88 km south of the community at 2:20 p.m. on April 9, RCMP Sgt. Greg Sutherland stated in a press release, adding the cause of death is still undetermined but foul play is not suspected.

Toxicology results are pending, and could take four to six weeks.

Kaosoni had left Cambridge Bay on April 1 for a pleasure trip on his snowmobile and was last seen at a cabin located about 48 km southwest of the community.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Cambridge Bay standoff ends peacefully

An early-morning standoff in Cambridge Bay ended peacefully last Wednesday.

Cambridge Bay RCMP had been negotiating a peaceful resolution to the incident since responding to what police said was an "emotionally disturbed" man with a firearm inside a residence at about 2:23 a.m. on April 11. Sgt. Greg Sutherland said the man was taken into custody without incident at about 8:28 a.m.

The man faces one charge of unsafe storage of a firearm. Police did not release his name by press time.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Accused Kimmirut shooter denied bail

Iqaluit

David Lyta, the 22-year-old man accused of firing a gun at the homes of two RCMP officers in Kimmirut, will remain in custody after Justice of the Peace Nicole Sikma denied him bail April 10.

It was Lyta's second attempt at bail after attempts to reach a woman who was going to act as his guarantor were unsuccessful March 30.

Lyta was arrested after a March 18 incident during which a total of nine bullets entered the homes of two Kimmirut-based RCMP officers.

- Casey Lessard

Kimmirut needs more time to decide SAO's fate

Kimmirut/Lake Harbour

Kimmirut's hamlet council needs more time to consider senior administrative officer Akeego Ikkidluak's future with the hamlet after meeting Wednesday to discuss a petition seeking to remove her from the role.

"We're not finished," Mayor Qinuayuaq Pudlat said through a translator.

Council will meet again April 17 to discuss the six reasons for dismissal mentioned in a public notice distributed in the community ahead of the April 11 meeting.

Those reasons are not being revealed while the council meets.

- Casey Lessard

Health Canada drops aboriginal health organization

Nunavut

Health Canada is cutting its funding to the National Aboriginal Health Organization, a research agency that's been around for 12 years with a mandate to improve the health outcomes for Inuit, First Nations and Metis people. The organization shared the news in an April 6 release.

In addition to employing 30 health-care research specialists, NAHO has more than $60 million worth of knowledge-based research.

The organization is funded until June 30, and hopes to be able to release a planned Inuit health edition of its Journal of Aboriginal Health in the fall.

The organization is looking for a succession plan to keep the journal in publication and its archives intact, acting CEO Simon Brascoupe said in a release.

"Since we announced the closing of NAHO we have received inquiries from universities, research institutes and a medical school as possible homes for the journal and our other holdings," Brascoupe said.

Despite NAHO's commitment to distinguishing between the three categories of aboriginal people, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and other aboriginal organizations called for NAHO to be split into distinct agencies that represent Inuit, First Nations and Metis separately.

- Casey Lessard

Health fair

Iglulik

From healthy eating to country food and sex education, Iglulik high school students learned a wealth on information during a health fair held at Ataguttaaluk High School on April 5 and 6.

Principal Vince Pickett said the students and the community learned more about all aspects of health during the inaugural fair, held in the school gym. He added the students would stop five minutes at each of the approximately 12 stations, discussing the various health components with elders or people working in the fields of health and social services.

"It was a huge success so we are looking forward to do it again next year," he said. "It looked at all the various components of health, from healthy eating to brushing teeth to sex education. The students enjoyed very much. It was a very important event and a great learning experience for the students."

- Jeanne Gagnon

Narwhal quota drop

Naujat/Repulse Bay

The community of Repulse Bay could see its narwhal quota cut in half this coming summer.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans informed the community this past month that it wants to drop the number of narwhals harvested to 57 from its current 102.

Many Repulse residents are strongly opposed to the reduction in harvesting the narwhal, which could soon find itself protected by the Species At Risk Act.

- Darrell Greer

Easter games and gifts

Kugaaruk/Pelly Bay

It felt like Christmas this Easter weekend in Kugaaruk as the community's children received Christmas presents from the hamlet, gifts postponed by tragedy this past fall.

Gordon Dinney, acting senior administrative officer,

said the distributed some 300 gifts.

"Lots of smiling faces yesterday evening when all the kids came and picked up their gifts. It was nice," he said.

The community hosted Easter Games from April 7 to 9 for the first time in a couple years, said recreation co-ordinator Otto Apsaktaun. He added the event, attended by about 200 to 250 people, featured indoor and outdoor activities such as iglu-building and sliding contests, ski-doo races, a kids' race indoors and others. Apsaktaun said Easter Games are now planned to be held every year.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Old water for fresh tea

Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay

Arctic Bay residents are taking advantage of nice weather to have tea using water that is thousands of years old, economic development officer Clare Kines said.

"We have an iceberg frozen in Adam Sound, not too far from here," Kines said, "so lots of people are going out there for tea or a picnic. Everybody likes making tea out of iceberg ice."

People can snowmobile to the iceberg, which is ice-locked.

"It's been frozen in there all winter," he said. "It's huge - I don't know, maybe 150 feet high. It's an old iceberg."

Kines thinks it's the same iceberg he's seen the last three winters.

- Casey Lessard

Pangnirtung fiord gets dangerously slushy

Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung

Mild weather last week triggered concerns about the mouth of the fiord near Pangnirtung, as thin ice verges on breaking and turning to slush.

"We had a bit of a warm week, -5 C or -10 C, and with the new moon, you get very high rise and fall (in the tide)," Pangnirtung Fisheries manager Don Cunningham said. "They go down lower than they normally do and they rise higher. When that happens, the ice breaks up a lot. It did open up some areas. It's mostly at the mouth of the fiord here, where there aren't a lot of options on how to get around it."

Trails around the problem area seem to be safe, he said. The concern is the area at the mouth of the fiord, where there is an underwater shelf where currents melt the ice from the bottom.

"That area is special, and they have to be careful," he said. Otherwise the season should continue because "the ice is very thick, well over 3 feet thick, they tell me."

Cunningham hopes the ice will hold for another month to ensure anglers can get out to ice fish.

- Casey Lessard

Six out of 10 bear tags used

Kangiqtugaapik/Clyde River

Clyde River still has a few polar bear tags to give community members permission to shoot a bear this season.

The season started with 10 tags, and hunters have two days left to make their kills. All six who have had a tag have successfully done so, as of April 10, hamlet representative Nina Qillaq.

Hunters need to be 16 and over, and can pass the tags to their children, but no one else, she said.

- Casey Lessard

Northern summit

Churchill, Man./Kivalliq

More than 100 representatives from the public and private sector joined mayors and municipal officials from a number of Nunavut communities, including the Kivalliq's Rankin Inlet, Arviat, Chesterfield Inlet and Coral Harbour, in Churchill, Man., this past month for a threeday discussion on moving forward in partnership to strengthen Canada's North.

A number of specialized workshops were held during the event, which featured discussions surrounding the high cost of living, food security, health, employment, training, infrastructure and transportation.

- Darrell Greer

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.