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News Briefs: Monday, Sept 24, 2012
New SAO in Fort Smith
Fort Smith has announced the hiring of Jim Hood as the municipality's new senior administrative officer (SAO). Hood is a long-time resident of Fort Smith with extensive financial and municipal government experience.
- Paul Bickford
Minor hockey AGM
On Sept. 29, there will be a second attempt to hold an annual general meeting for the Fort Smith Minor Hockey Association.
The first attempt on Sept. 16 was postponed because there was no quorum. The Sept. 29 meeting is set for 10-11:30 a.m. at the Rec Centre.
Registration of players for the coming season will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 29 at the Rec Centre. However, registration will only proceed if a new minor hockey executive is elected.
- Paul Bickford
Teen sexually assaulted
A 15-year-old girl was sexually assaulted on a main Yellowknife street shortly after midnight on Wednesday, Sept. 19, according to RCMP. The girl was walking along Franklin Avenue towards the neighbourhood of Old Town between 12:15 a.m. and 12:40 a.m. when an unknown man grabbed her, forced her into an alley and then sexually assaulted her on a set of steps attached to the legion building, Yellowknife RCMP stated in a press release. The assailant then let the teen go, and she contacted police around 1:15 a.m.
The suspect is described as an aboriginal or Inuk man with long hair and a scar on his face, who was dressed in dark clothing at the time of the assault. Anyone who may have seen the man or the victim around the time of the assault should contact police, Staff Sgt. Brad Kaeding told News/North.
- Laura Busch
Dangerous offender hearing postponed, again
A 34-year-old Fort Providence man appeared before the Supreme Court of the NWT on Monday, Sept. 17 to set a date for his dangerous offender hearing - nearly one year after being found guilty.
Robert Walter Bonnetrouge's defence lawyer asked the court to put off setting a date for the hearing, as more time is needed to have an independent psychiatric assessment done. Judge Louise Charbonneau granted the postponement, but voiced concerns about how long this process is taking.
"It's the year since the conviction that's of concern to me," she said.
Bonnetrouge was found guilty of forcible confinement and sexual assault against two teen girls on Sept. 22, 2011. He is scheduled to appear in court next on Oct. 29 to set a date for the dangerous offender hearing.
- Laura Busch
Last day for registration
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Today is the last day for the Town of Fort Smith's annual spring cleanup of Residential Properties.
Residents may have large items and yard work cleaning debris collected by the Town free of charge. No household hazardous waste - propane tanks, batteries, paint, used oils - will be collected by the town.
To register call the town office, registrations close at 5 p.m. today.
- Sara Wilson
Literacy celebrationsthroughout NWT
NWT
This week is Literacy Week throughout the NWT, and celebrations are scheduled throughout the territory to encourage readers to get involved. For more information of the programs available contact the NWT Literacy Council.
Deline:
Events are scheduled every day through the preschool, but today a local resident from Deline will be showcasing a power point presentation from her trip to London, England.
On Sept. 26, the Reading for 15 challenge will be held at the preschool all day.
Ulukhaktok:
A slide show of a trip taken by three community members to London will show photos of aboriginal artifacts.
Fort Smith:
There will be a book give-a-way Sept. 24 at the halfway house for anyone wanting to take part.
Norman Wells:
Author of Flight of the Shadows, Sigmund Brouwer, will be visiting the hamlet today at the Mackenzie Mountain Sept. 24 all day to answer questions and promote literacy.
- Sara Wilson
Gospel workshop in Fort Smith
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Eric Dozier, the former director of the Harlem Gospel Choir and co-founder of the One Human Family Gospel Workshops, will be visiting Fort Smith in October.
Dozier will be presenting his gospel workshop at St. Joseph Cathedral from Oct. 18 to 21.
The workshop will conclude with a rehearsal and performance on Oct. 21.
Everyone is welcome to participate. There will be fees for the workshop - one for members of the Fort Smith Community Fire and another for non-members.
No previous singing experience is necessary.
- Paul Bickford
Fort Smith museum holds AGM
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre in Fort Smith held its annual general meeting on Sept. 16. The meeting included the election of a board of governors, which in turn chose an executive. Jeri Miltenberger remains chairperson, while Tim Gauthier is vice-chair, Stuart Macmillan is treasurer and Melissa Zimmer is secretary.
The board also includes Chris DeWolf and Jim Green.
The museum is still looking for two more board members.
The annual general meeting attracted 13 people.
- Paul Bickford
Acrylic painting workshop in Fort Smith
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Fort Smith's Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre will present Robbie Craig's Northern Project Workshop on Oct. 13 and 14. Participants will create a winter landscape in Craig's unique style using acrylic paint. Craig is a professional artist in Yellowknife.
More information on the workshop, including the cost to participants, is available from the Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre.
- Paul Bickford
Last week for submissions
NWT
The deadline for submissions is this week for those wanting to take part in the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs' NWT Youth Ambassador Program.
The program provides NWT youth with opportunities to build leadership skills through participation at special events and volunteer assignments.
Applicants are selected based on community involvement, commitment to a healthy lifestyle and a personal reflection on how the Youth Ambassador Program will help them in the future. To qualify for the program, youth must be between 16 and 24 years of age on Sept. 1. The deadline to apply, through their website, is Sept. 28.
- Sara Wilson
Alternate supplier of TB vaccine found
Nunavut
Parents will soon have the option of immunizing their babies against tuberculosis as Health Canada stated it has found an alternate vaccine supplier in Japan.
The federal government has contracted Japan BCG Laboratory of Tokyo to supply this country with the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine.
The territory's BCG vaccination program has been suspended since June 15, the day pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur had issued a nationwide recall of its BCG vaccine.
Nunavut deputy chief medical officer Dr. Maureen Baikie said there is not a firm date on when the first vaccines will arrive, but added it will likely be in early October.
"We're looking forward to receiving the vaccine so we can continue to immunize babies in Nunavut," said Baikie. "We've had no cases of TB in infants who would have been immunized with BCG since the supply ran out. We've had no diagnosis of TB at all in that group."
Sanofi Pasteur had announced earlier this summer it had decided to temporarily suspend manufacturing tuberculosis vaccine to renovate its production facility. That meant the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, which prevents serious forms of tuberculosis, would not be available until late 2013.
- Jeanne Gagnon
GN employees vote on tentative agreement
Nunavut
Unionized territorial government employees voted 72 per cent in favour of accepting the tentative agreement reached this past June, the Nunavut Employees Union stated last week. About 2,700 GN employees are affected.
The new collective agreement, effective Oct. 1, 2010 to Sept. 30, 2014, calls for salary increases but no changes to the northern allowance, said Doug Workman, president of the Nunavut Employees Union.
The agreement calls for a one-per-cent pay increase effective on Oct. 1, 2010, and Oct. 1, 2011, a 2.5-per-cent increase effective Oct. 1, 2012, and a three-per-cent increase effective Oct. 1, 2013, said Workman.
The increases will be paid retroactively to everyone who was an active employee as of July 20, 2012.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Sea ice continues its decline
Nunavut
Arctic sea ice coverage has further decreased by more than half a million square kilometres since it set a now-broken record for lowest summer ice coverage on Aug. 26.
Sea ice extent has dropped to 3.41 million sq. km in the Arctic, compared to Aug. 26's 4.10 million sq. km.
The previous record of 4.17 million sq. km was in 2007, according to numbers released by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Col. This year's minimum ice coverage will be nearly 50 per cent lower than the 1979 to 2000 average.
"We are now in uncharted territory," said Mark Serreze, NSIDC director, in a press release.
Climate models at the data centre suggest ice-free conditions in the Arctic may happen before 2050, according to NSIDC scientist Julienne Stroeve. She noted the observed rate of decline has already been faster than models have predicted.
- Tim Edwards
Drug seizure in Cape Dorset
Kinngait/Cape Dorset
A man is facing a drug-related charge after police made a "substantial seizure" of drugs in Cape Dorset.
Acting on a tip from the public, Cape Dorset RCMP intercepted a male passenger returning to the community from Montreal on Sept. 19. Police stated more than 1.2 kilograms of marijuana, approximately 677 grams of hashish, about 200 grams of hash oil and numerous gram-sized baggies used in packaging marijuana were located in the man's checked baggage.
The amount of marijuana seized can be used to produce more than 5,000 marijuana cigarettes, according to police. A 34-year-old Cape Dorset man has been charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. He has been released and is scheduled to appear in court in Cape Dorset on Nov. 5.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Stabbing victim instable condition
Iqaluit
The victim of a Sept. 14 stabbing in Iqaluit remains in stable condition in Ottawa, as of press time, according to RCMP.
Police were called to the Tammaativvik Boarding Home in Iqaluit to find the victim suffering from life-threatening injuries, according to a news release sent out last week.
"It (the stabbing) wasn't at the boarding home but witnesses saw the person running into the boarding home before he (the victim) collapsed at the lobby there," Cpl. Denis Lambe told Nunavut News/North.
The victim was sent to Qikqtani General Hospital and then flown to Ottawa. A suspect was arrested shortly after police found the victim. George Audlakiak, 45, has been charged with aggravated assault and failure to comply with court conditions, and is to make his next court appearance on Oct. 2.
- Tim Edwards
Man accused in shooting wants trial by judge
Kimmirut/Lake Harbour
The man accused of firing a .303 calibre rifle at the Kimmirut RCMP detachment has chosen to be tried by judge alone, with a preliminary inquiry.
Lawyer Deanna Harris represented Joe Utye on Sept. 11. Utye, 21, did not appear in court. Crown prosecutor Barry McLaren told Justice Robert Kilpatrick the Crown may want to bring in a ballistics expert.
A tentative next court date was set for Nov. 13 in Kimmirut. Utye remains in custody. The accused was arrested on July 28 in an incident where some residents in Kimmirut rallied to help the RCMP. A woman had come ahead of time to warn the RCMP officers their lives were in danger.
When the shooter arrived and opened fire at the RCMP office, causing considerable damage to walls, windows and a police truck, a group of about 10 Kimmirut residents arrived and subdued the shooter. No one suffered serious injuries in the incident.
- Tim Edwards
Escaped prisoner turns himself in
Iqaluit
The 22-year-old inmate who escaped from the Baffin Correctional Centre Tuesday afternoon during recreational time has turned himself, according to RCMP.
At 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, Lucassie Simeonie returned to the correctional centre. He was taken to the Iqaluit RCMP detachment for questioning about his whereabouts for the close to seven hours he was missing.
Cpl. Denis Lambe told Nunavut News/North that "all signs point to" Simeonie having hopped the fenced-in outdoors area at about 3:10 p.m. Tuesday. It's an area where inmates spend recreational time.
According to RCMP, Simeonie will be facing new criminal charges as a result of his escape from custody.
- Tim Edwards
Cellphone service for Cape Dorset
Kinngait/Cape Dorset
Using a cell phone in Cape Dorset will soon be possible after a tower and dish recently arrived on the sealift.
Quebec-based Lynx Mobility will provide the service, said Mike Hayward, the hamlet's acting senior administrative officer. He added the equipment will likely be installed within a month or so.
"The community is excited we're finally getting cellphone (service) over here," said Hayward, adding many residents are talking about it after they saw the tower and dish come off the ship.
Lynx Mobility declined to comment.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Polar bears in Arctic Bay
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
Polar bears have been venturing into the community of Arctic Bay recently, according to economic development officer Clare Kines.
"They're usually on the other side of the bay," said Kines. "It's actually rare that we have bears right in town ... They're in the area, but never right here."
He said one swam by right in front of the community, and a mother and cub were spotted in early September at the point of Arctic Bay.
Kines said the bears looked fairly healthy.
- Tim Edwards
Literacy-week activities
Iglulik
A giant Scrabble game, subtitles-only movies and other activities are planned at Ataguttaaluk High School for literacy week.
The school will have interactive activities in the gym on Sept. 26 as part of Nunavut Literacy week, which runs this year from Sept. 23 to Sept. 30, said Larissa MacDonald, the school's literacy co-ordinator.
"We're going to do like a giant Scrabble on the wall. Students will be writing opinion paragraphs, so they can posted as well. We're going to be watching movies - subtitles only," she said. "Just a variety of reading-related events."
She added they will also hand out healthy snacks with the recipes and participate in the Read for 15 Challenge, where students read for 15 minutes. MacDonald said the school wants to make more time for fun, literacy-related activities - not always reading a textbook but playing games with words.
"In general, drawing attention to literacy as well as having students take the time to make time for reading and writing is really, really important, especially when it's done in a fun way," she said.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Land trip for students
Kugluktuk/Coppermine
High school students seemed to enjoy their day-trip on the land - although the fish were not biting.
Kugluktuk High School principal Gary Kennedy said students in grades 10 to 12 spent Sept. 14 at the Bloody Falls Territorial Park with elders. He added the weather co-operated but not the fish - as only three were caught.
"It was a good day and everybody was out but we didn't catch anywhere near the amount of fish we thought we would," said Kennedy.
He added the trip included as much Inuinnaqtun as possible.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Keeping the shore clean
Naujat/Repulse Bay
Students at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay were active in helping to clean the community's shoreline this past month.
Senior science students at Tusarvik also took part in a cultural program that saw them go seal hunting, and then learn how to get the carcass ready for cooking and properly prepare the skin.
- Darrell Greer
Breastfeeding challenge
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
The Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre will be hosting its annual Breastfeeding Challenge in Rankin Inlet on Oct. 5 at a site to be announced this week.
The Breastfeeding Challenge is a national event, and the Rankin gathering has earned a gold certificate three years in a row for coming in first in the 10,000 participants and under category for having the most babies latching on at the same time.
The event is held across the nation to raise awareness on breastfeeding, which is best for babies.
According to medical statistics, babies who are breast-fed tend to be healthier and sick less often. Anyone seeking more information on the event can contact Bertha Nakoolak or Amy Ikakhik at the friendship centre.
- Darrell Greer
Paatsaali School starts year off with cleanup
Sanikiluaq
The doors opened at Sanikiluaq's Paatsaali School on Sept. 6 and students conducted a community cleanup on Sept. 14.
Principal Tim Hoyt said enrolment at the school - which runs from Grade 7 to 12 - sat at about 175, though he expects that number to rise by about 15 as high school students come back from trips out of town and register for classes.
He said the school had 10 graduates last year and looks to surpass that this year.
"There are three guaranteed already, and another 20 potential that are within striking distance of graduating," said Hoyt.
There are also two new teachers at the school, filling new positions granted to the school as it has seen rising enrolment numbers.
Scott McFadden teaches English and Louisa Oqaituq teaches Inuktitut. Both split their days between teaching Grade 7 and Grade 8.
- Tim Edwards
Sanikiluaq school looks to boost library
Sanikiluaq
Sanikiluaq's Nuiyak School is appealing to the online community to help fill the shelves of its library, according to Deborah Thomas.
The school has created a page on the bookstore Indigo's Adopt a School website, with different ways for people to donate and provide the school with books, whether it be a free adoption, a small cash donation, or through buying an Indigo gift card through the website.
According to the website description, the school - which holds kindergarten to Grade 6 - has been without a functional library for 10 years as its previous library was converted into a high school classroom as the community grew.
Last year, Paatsaali School split off to accommodate grades 7 to 12 and Nuiyak School once again has the space to start building up reading material for its students in both English and Inuktitut and catering especially to those with low levels of English literacy to give them a head start.
- Tim Edwards
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