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A defence lawyer for former Inuvik school teacher Hughes Latour asked the judge assigned to preside over an upcoming preliminary inquiry to remove herself from the case.

Latour faces charges of sexual assault, making child pornography, possessing child pornography, sexual interference and abduction. He is scheduled for a preliminary inquiry into the child pornography charges in Inuvik beginning on Nov. 21. Latour has requested the inquiry be conducted in French.

Latour's defence lawyer, Serge Petitpas, appeared on his client's behalf in territorial court in Yellowknife Sept. 26 and requested that Judge Christine Gagnon recuse herself because she presided over Latour's bail review hearing in August. Gagnon, the only French-speaking territorial court judge, reserved her decision on the matter until Oct. 5. A publication ban is in place on evidence given during Wednesday's appearance.

- Laura Busch

Population declines

The population of the NWT declined within the last year, while populations in nearly all other territories and provinces increased, the NWT Bureau of Statistics stated in a press release.

On July 1, the estimated population of the territory was 43,349. This is down two per cent from last year. During that same time, the population of Canada increased by about 1.1 per cent.

- Laura Busch

Wind flattens trees

The Fort Smith area was hit by a windstorm on Sept. 14 that flattened many trees. Mayor Janie Hobart said she has heard of only one instance of property damage in which a tree fell on a boat and a storage shed. No one was injured anywhere in town.

Even more trees fell on the ski trails and the golf course, just south of the NWT/Alberta border.

According to Environment Canada, an intense low-pressure system, including thunderstorms, passed over the Fort Smith area on Sept. 14 and winds in the 60-70 km per hour range were recorded for about 45 minutes in the late afternoon.

- Paul Bickford

NWT in space

The Northwest Territories has received another nod from NASA as part of its latest rover mission to Mars.

When Curiosity landed on the red planet Yellowknife was selected as a moniker for the area on which it landed.

Last week media reported a rock outcrop, which displays evidence of water, has been named Hottah, after a lake in the NWT.

- NNSL staff

Meeting to restart radio society

Thebacha/Fort Smith

A meeting is planned in Fort Smith to restart the Kaskiw Radio Society.

The society has been dormant since about 2007. When it was operating, it ran a radio station called CHFS that rebroadcasted K-Rock from Edmonton and CKLB from Yellowknife and offered some local programming.

The meeting is being organized by former society president Brad Brake. The gathering will take place at 6 p.m. on Oct. 4 in the Seniors Room at the Rec Centre.

- Paul Bickford

Culture camp a success

Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson

Students at Chief Julius School in Fort McPherson escaped the classroom for one week earlier this month to take part in the first school-wide culture camp.

"I think that traditional knowledge is as important as what they learn in the school," said Shirley Snowshoe, principal of Chief Julius School.

Students in grades 4 to 12 spent the week of Sept. 17 to 21 camping at Midway Lake, where they participated in a successful moose hunt, berry picking and many other traditional learning activities that were facilitated by elders and school staff members, said Snowshoe.

Younger students took part in activities such as a fish camp at Eight Mile, she said.

- Laura Busch

Ready, set, go!

Ulukhaktok/Holman

Students at Helen Kalvak Elihakvik in Ulukhaktok raised an impressive amount of money in about an hour during their annual Terry Fox Run on Sept. 14.

About 80 students participated, said principal Jack Reid. Pledge forms were handed out in the afternoon and students were then given an hour to go door to door raising money for cancer research. In that time, they raised about $616, said Reid. They then returned to the school to participate in the run, which was followed by hot chocolate and hot dogs, he said.

- Laura Busch Willow basketry workshop

Thebacha/Fort Smith

A willow basketry workshop will be held at Northern Life Museum in Fort Smith from Nov. 2 to 4.

The instructor will be Rosanna Strong from Yellowknife.

Workshop participants will learn the ancient and traditional skill of making a willow basket. They will weave using wild Northern willow and learn the process from harvesting to the finished craft.

More information on the workshop, including the cost to register, is available from Northern Life Museum.

- Paul Bickford

Queen's Jubilee Party planned

Enterprise

Enterprise will be celebrating Queen Elizabeth's 60th year as monarch with a Queen's Jubilee Party.

The event will feature a roast beef supper beginning at 4 p.m. on Oct. 14 at the Enterprise Community Centre.

There will also be crowns for the children and fancy hats for ladies.

Someone will be named queen for the day and will be given a special crown to wear.

The fun event is being presented by the recreation department of the Hamlet of Enterprise.

- Paul Bickford

March against violence

Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson

A Take Back the Night march was scheduled to take place in Fort McPherson on Oct. 1.

The band office will also hold an open house in honour of Family Violence Awareness Week, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 5.

The events in Fort McPherson aim to focus on youth and healthy relationships, said Bella Martin, justice co-ordinator at the justice committee.

The march will begin at 3 p.m. at the band office, she said. From there, participants will walk up the main road to the highway and then back into town.

- Laura Busch

Student goes aboveand beyond for a cause

Tsiigehtchic/Arctic Red River

While the final tallies are still coming in, Chief Paul Niditchie School will definitely surpass its fundraising goal of $200 for its annual Terry Fox Run, thanks in large part to student Breeanna Lennie who collected $200 for cancer research.

"We're way over our goal but we don't have a final count yet," said principal Darcy Douglas, last week. "For a community this small, it's pretty neat."

Twenty six of the school's 28 students participated in the event on Sept. 21. The walk itself looped from the school to Water Lake and back, a distance of six-and-a-half kilometres, he said. School staff and a few parents joined the students for the walk.

- Laura Busch

Man dies in RCMP cells

Iglulik

A 26-year-old man died in RCMP cells in Iglulik on Sept. 23, according to police.

The man had been arrested for assault at about 5 a.m. on Sept. 23, according to a press release. Police brought the man, who "appeared to be highly intoxicated," to the police station and put him in cells, according to the release. Shortly after that, police found the man unresponsive. The man was examined by RCMP, a guard and a nurse, and resuscitation was attempted, but the man died in the cell.

Out of respect for the family, the RCMP was not releasing his name as of late last week.

"This is a tragic situation and I want to express my sincere condolences to the family, friends and community of Iglulik," stated RCMP Supt. Hilton Smee.

An Inuk RCMP officer was sent to Iglulik to provide support to the community and family.

The RCMP V Division Major Crime Unit arrived in Iglulik from Iqaluit and has secured the scene. An independent investigative team from the Ottawa Police Service was expected to arrive on Sept. 23.

The Ottawa Police Service is now investigating the matter. An independent investigation is necessary whenever a serious injury or death of an individual involves an RCMP member.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Five-plex fire contained

Kangiqtugaapik/Clyde River

No one was hurt after what could have been a disastrous fire in one unit of a five-plex in Clyde River Sept. 23.

The blaze, which started just before midnight, was contained to the laundry room, hamlet spokesperson Nina Qillaq said.

"Just the laundry room, thank God," Qillaq said, noting firefighters were still on scene the following afternoon.

- Casey Lessard

Sheutiapik enters new political job

Nunavut

Elisapee Sheutiapik resigned as president of the Pauktuutit Inuit women of Canada, effective Sept. 21.

Sheutiapik was at the helm of the national non-profit organization for the past three years. She has taken on a new job with Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq at one of her three regional offices, overseeing the Nunavut region as the director of regional affairs.

"The opportunity had always been there. At the time, when I resigned as mayor (of Iqaluit), I was not ready to give up Pauktuutit," she said, adding now the timing is right. "It's nice to be busy again. I'm looking forward to it."

Pauktuutit vice-president Rebecca Kudloo, of Baker Lake, will act as interim president until the next meeting of the board of directors, anticipated this fall.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Troubling rates of suicidal thoughts

Nunavut

Almost half of Nunavummiut surveyed in 2007 and 2008 said they've seriously considered suicide, according to a report released in Iqaluit on Sept. 21.

The report, part of the Inuit Health Survey, showed 13 per cent of respondents had scores on the Kessler's scale indicating serious psychological distress, and 48 per cent of respondents thought seriously about taking their own lives. A quarter of people surveyed reported not having anyone to talk to if they need emotional support.

The data stems partly from a questionnaire 1,700 residents answered on seven topics - community safety, traditional activities, social networks, individual mental health, interpersonal violence, suicide as well as gambling and alcohol or drug use.

On the other hand, 90 per cent of the respondents stated it was important or necessary for them to go out on the land and 69 per cent perceived their communities as peaceful or moderately peaceful places to live.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Firm gets May trial date for Uqsuq fuel farm fire

Iqaluit

In court Sept. 25, Nunavut Construction Limited entered a not guilty plea to eight counts stemming from a July 2, 2011 fire at Iqaluit's Uqsuq fuel tank farm that left one worker with minor injuries.

The Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission laid the charges, claiming the company was negligent in its training and safety procedures.

The injuries occurred while several workers were cleaning an empty fuel tank. Some residual fuel and sludge caught fire, and the fire spread outside the tank, igniting several waste fuel drums. The tank's roof was also damaged. The worker's injuries were treated at the scene.

Nunavut Construction is accused as follows: failing to provide retrieval equipment to employees, instruction on emergency evacuation procedures, and a safe and fast way to communicate with emergency crews; failing to ensure workers were trained in the safe performance of their duties; allowing workers to operate machinery or equipment without adequate training, and to enter a confined space without a body harness, lanyard, and lifeline; and failing to develop and submit a code of practice for entering and working in confined spaces.

Deputy Justice Rene Foisy set aside five days starting May 6, 2013 for the trial, which will be in French.

- Casey Lessard

Victory in the cards for brothers

Kangiqtugaapik/Clyde River

Jusa Iqaqrialu showed his hand to be the best when he won Clyde River's first poker tournament Sept. 15.

About 10 players competed for the $1,300 pot, which came from entry fees. Players knocked out were able to rejoin the tournament once for $50, and then rejoin a second time for an additional $100.

Iqaqrialu took $1,100, while his brother Jassie took home $200 for placing second.

Recreation co-ordinator Nina Qillaq, who organized the tournament with Anna Churchill, said the hamlet will run such tournaments again, but with different games, such as Yahtzee.

- Casey Lessard

Qikiqtarjuaq celebrates hamlet day

Qikiqtarjuaq/Broughton Island

It's hamlet day in Qikiqtarjuaq, which celebrates its 32nd anniversary Oct. 1.

The hamlet planned to celebrate with a parade, games, and a feast, finance director Rikki Butt said.

The afternoon feast at the community hall will include caribou, seal, fish, clams and maktak, Butt said.

- Casey Lessard

Hamlet officials to meet next month

Iglulik

Senior administrative officers from across the territory will meet in Iqaluit next month.

The Nunavut Association of Municipal Administrators will hold its annual meeting at the francophone centre in the territorial capital from Oct. 16 to 19, NAMA president and Iglulik SAO Brian Fleming said.

The association will discuss the municipal insurance program, meet with the Municipal Training Organization as well as the territorial departments of Community and Government Services, to discuss water quality, and Health and Social Services, regarding wellness programs.

Fleming said he is looking forward to the meeting, which is also a networking opportunity.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Caribou crossing

Qamanittuaq/Baker Lake

Wildlife protection protocols were in effect at the end of last month on the Meadowbank Road at Baker Lake with the arrival of the annual caribou migration.

Thousands of tuktu are expected to cross the road on a daily basis during the next few weeks.

Caribou and all wildlife are to be given the right of way on the road, with vehicles expected to stop until all caribou are off the road. When up to 50 caribou are spotted within 100 metres of the road, vehicles must reduce their speed to a maximum of 30 km/h.

When more than 50 are spotted, the road supervisor may exercise the right to suspend all vehicle movement until the caribou move further away from the road.

- Darrell Greer

Truth and reconciliation in Gjoa Haven

Uqsuqtuuq/Gjoa Haven

It was an emotional two days for residential school survivors in Gjoa Haven as they recounted their experience to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Inuit subcommission last month.

The commission was in the community from Sept. 17 to 20, said Enuk Pauloosie, the hamlet's senior administrative officer. He described the morning of hearings he attended as emotional.

"Just listening to people talking, what they went through. Although I never experienced it myself, I was sitting there for the morning and it was pretty emotional, even for myself," he said.

Pauloosie said he was unsure exactly how many statements were collected in Gjoa Haven but a "good number" of people participated. He added the commission was happy to have visited the community.

"A lot of people were appreciative of the fact they came here. They were able to speak out the experience they went through in their early years," said Pauloosie.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Land-use planning a priority for new hamlet official

Kugaaruk/Pelly Bay

An opportunity to do something different brought Greg Holitzki to Kugaaruk as the hamlet's new senior administrative officer.

The former housing manager at the Taloyoak Housing Authority started in his new role in Kugaaruk on Sept. 10. He said the job has been very good so far and he and his wife love the community.

"We're really enjoying the community and the friendly people that are here," he said. "We're enjoying the scenery. It's absolutely breathtaking over here."

He added he looks forward to travelling on the land once his snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle arrive.

Holitzki would like to see more land planning in the hamlet.

"The problem I see in the hamlet of Kugaaruk is we have no available land left. All the subdividable land, pretty well, is used up," he said. "And we have to get into some land-use planning where we put thought into the future."

He added he brought the issue at council.

"I enjoyed being with the housing corp. They're a good organization. They have their challenges with trying to provide public housing for a lot of people when they don't have any money," he said.

"But an opportunity arose where I could change my direction and facilitate more things to happen rather than trying to focus on a small portion of the issues of the community but try to envelop the whole community. "

- Jeanne Gagnon

Cleaning up the Kivalliq

Arviat

Students at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay weren't the only ones to help keep Kivalliq shorelines clean early last month.

A number of students and teachers at John Arnalukjuak High School in Arviat also chipped in and did their share to support the national Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup initiative.

- Darrell Greer

Sanikiluaq radio station relocates and upgrades

Sanikiluaq

The community radio station in Sanikiluaq is moving and getting upgrades.

"The current radio equipment we have is extremely outdated," said Sean Phillips.

The station is moving from the community hall, which is accessible to the public and therefore poses privacy issues, he said, to the unused ground floor of an employee's home, which has a separate entrance.

"We're in the process of soundproofing everything so sound from the upstairs doesn't disturb the radio," he said.

The hamlet is also investing in a radio-approved music library so music will stop being broadcast from the disc jockeys' iPods, he said.

The radio station broadcasts five hours a day, six days a week, with most time devoted to community chat, music and emergency announcements.

- Casey Lessard

KIA to meet

Rankin Inlet/Kivalliq

The Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA) will host its annual general meeting in Rankin Inlet from Oct. 2 to 4.

Anyone seeking further information on the meetings may contact KIA executive director Annie Tattuinee in Rankin.

- Darrell Greer

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