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News Briefs: Monday, February 4, 2013
Power outage
Part of Behchoko was left without power for 11 hours on Jan. 30.
According to Northwest Territories Power Corporation, a malfunction caused by extreme cold interrupted power to Yellowknife and Behchoko at 3:20 a.m. Service was fully restored to Yellowknife by 4:28 a.m. Behchoko's diesel plant could not be started until 6 a.m.
A line switch would not close and 200 customers remained without service until 3 p.m.
- Paul Bickford
Court orders archives opened to commission
The federal government has been ordered to disclose all relevant archived documents concerning residential schools to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
A judge of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice made that ruling on Jan. 30 based on the agreement that established the commission.
The commission had filed a request for direction on the matter in April. Library and Archives Canada had previously disclosed some 550,000 documents, which were among almost a million documents disclosed to the commission by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.
There is no estimate of how many additional relevant documents might now become available.
- Paul Bickford
Missing persons website
Information on missing persons and unidentified remains across Canada are now posted publicly online for the first time, the RCMP's National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains announced on Jan. 29.
The website, canadasmissing.ca, aims to engage the public and encourage tips and information related to ongoing cases.
The list of cases on the new website is currently incomplete, yet cases may be added at the request of primary investigators, stated the release. Currently, one NWT missing person case is listed, that of Charlene Candace Catholique, who went missing from Behchoko on July 22, 1990.
- Laura Busch
Minor earthquake
A low-magnitude earthquake 112 km southwest of Wrigley was recorded by Earthquakes Canada on Jan. 27. The 4.4-magnitude quake struck at approximately 8:05 a.m. on Jan. 30.
"I didn't feel it," Wrigley resident Lisa Moses told News/North on Feb. 1, adding that she also hadn't yet heard anyone in town talking about the quake. Earthquakes are not new to Wrigley, said Moses. In Oct. 1985 and Dec. 1987, there were two quakes strong enough to be felt in the community, she said.
- Laura Busch
The sun returns
Ulukhaktok/Holman
Ulukhaktok celebrated the return of the sun last week with a traditional Inuit ceremony.
Followed by drummers and singers, the elders gathered on Jan. 23 to feed the sun. They held out a seal skin, upon which were little pieces of meat - including dry fish, caribou and muskox - and then threw the pieces towards the sun, said language officer Emily Kudlak. It was the third year the whole community has revived the tradition, she said.
"That's always been the proper Inuit way in the Kangiryuangmiut (people of the large bay) Inuit tradition when the sun returns. To feed the sun," Kudlak said.
After the feeding of the sun, community members competed to pick up the most pieces of meat to win a prize.
The day of celebration also including soup and bannock served from three tents set up on Queen's Bay by the elders committee, and ice fishing. A traditional foods potluck followed at the school gym with muskox, Arctic char, geese, ducks, seal fat, dry fish and bannock, and the night ended with square dancing, jigging, and western style drumming and dancing.
The sun returned this year on Jan. 16.
- Thandiwe Vela
Animal society to hold annual meeting
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Fort Smith Animal Society will hold its annual general meeting on Feb. 10.
The AGM will be highlighted by the election of officers for the year. In addition, there will be an annual review of the agreement with the Town of Fort Smith under which the society operates an animal shelter, discussion of activities over the past year, a financial report and other business. The annual meeting will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Feb. 10 in the seniors room at the Rec Centre.
- Paul Bickford
Enterprise to assess computer system
Enterprise
The new senior administrative officer for the Hamlet of Enterprise has recommended the community office take a look at its computer system.
"The computers are quite outdated," said Terry Testart at a council meeting on Jan. 21.
In addition, he said the computers are all stand-alone, noting they should be able to communicate with each other through a central server in the office.
That would also allow for backup, including for financial records which are now contained on a stand-alone computer.
Testart said there could be "one big problem" if the financial records are lost in a computer failure and it would take a lot of time to rebuild the information.
"It's not something that I anticipate is going to happen, but it could," he said.
Council directed Testart to contact a consultant to do a general assessment of the computer needs of the Hamlet of Enterprise.
Once the needs are assessed, a request for proposals would be issued for upgrading the computer system.
- Paul Bickford
Puck drops for new program
Tsiigehtchic/Arctic Red River
A new after-school floor hockey program kicked off last month for the children of Tsiigehtchic.
Six to eight students have been participating in the co-ed program every day since it started on Jan. 21.
Two age groups, age nine and under and ages 10 to 15, are developing their floor hockey skills with drills and small games.
"They're learning more about the sport and they're enjoying their time," said recreation co-ordinator Bobbie Jean Van Loon.
The six-week program will wrap up near the end of the month with a final tournament.
- Thandiwe Vela
Cooking for the community
Ulukhaktok/Holman
Helen Kalvak School is hosting a pancake sausage breakfast this week for the community of Ulukhaktok.
Pancakes, sausages, juice, tea and coffee will be served at the Feb. 7 event. The school aims to host two community breakfasts each semester, said principal Jack Reid.
"It's just a goodwill thing between the school and the community. The community are great supporters of the school and it's just something we do to show our appreciation for the community," he said.
The event takes place from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. in the school's main lobby.
- Thandiwe Vela
Diamond Jubilee winners announced
Ulukhaktok/Holman
Four community members were awarded Diamond Jubilee Medals last month to honour their significant achievements and contributions to the country.
Elders Helen Kitekudlak, Mabel Nigiyok, and Margaret Nutaina were among the recipients, said elders committee chair Agnes Kuptana, adding the Jan. 23 event went very well.
Justin Memogana also received a Diamond Jubilee Medal that evening, for all the drumming and dancing services he carried on after losing his mother and father, and for passing down the Inuvialuktun Western Arctic drumming and dancing style.
Former Inuvialuit Regional Corporation chair Robert Kuptana, who was awarded a Diamond Jubilee Medal last month for his contributions to land claim negotiations and work with elders and youth, hunters and trappers, and the community corporation, said he was proud of last week's recipients.
"I'm very happy for them to have the Diamond Jubilee awards," he said. "I was there - they were so happy."
- Thandiwe Vela
Annual celebration of desserts
Thebacha/Fort Smith
A Decadent Dessert Evening - an annual event in Fort Smith - will be held on Feb. 16.
As in previous years, it will feature delicious desserts, specialty coffee and tea, and a silent auction. The Decadent Dessert Evening is set for 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Anglican Church Hall.
The event, which is held every year around Valentine's Day, will be hosted by the Fort Smith Ski Club as a fundraiser.
- Paul Bickford
Snow gear donated
Nunavut
Winter won't feel as cold for many of the territorial's needy as winter coats, boots, tuques and mitts have been generously donated by Ottawa residents.
The first shipment of winter gear arrived in Iqaluit two weeks ago.
The RCMP V Division teamed up with the Ottawa-based Nunavut Snowsuit Fund and territorial agencies to receive and distribute the winter coats, boots, mitts, tuques across Nunavut. Volunteers collect, package and deliver the donations to the airport, where Canadian North ships it free to Iqaluit, stated RCMP Cpl. Yvonne Niego in a press release.
"The warm outerwear goes such a long way," she stated.
She added one recipient received a winter coat and boots in time for their first day on the job.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Narwhal management plan
Nunavut
An integrated management plan for narwhal was approved by the federal government at the end of January.
The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board and Keith Ashfield, the federal minister of Fisheries and Oceans, approved the plan governing narwhal harvest levels across the territory, stated Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. in a press release.
The plan allocates the total allowable harvests from the summering stocks of narwhal. This will be done through a workshop in Iqaluit from Feb. 12 to 14, with regional wildlife offices and hunters and trappers organizations in attendance.
The management board and the federal fisheries minister has yet to set the total allowable harvest for north Hudson Bay.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Kimmirut mayoral nominations open
Kimmirut/Lake Harbour
After going without an official mayor or senior administrative officer for months, the wheels are now in motion to fill those positions in Kimmirut.
Kimmirungmiut will vote in a mayoral byelection on Feb. 25.
"I spoke with some (of the possible mayoral candidates) and they need to have thorough thought and consider whether or not they want to run," said Saqiqthu Temela, returning officer and acting SAO.
The successful candidate would serve the remaining two years of the term. The closing date for nomination is Feb. 15. The job of SAO is also open and Temela said the hamlet has begun to receive applications.
"Eventually the position needs to be filled along with a few other positions locally," he said, adding he was not in a position to comment on circumstances surrounding why former SAO Akeego Ikkidluak left.
In October, Ikkidluak was removed from her position by decision of the hamlet's council and former-mayor Qinuayuaq Pudlat resigned for reasons which were also not made public.
In the interim former mayor and current councillor, Joe Arlooktoo, filled in as acting deputy mayor. He was mayor of Kimmirut in 2000 and re-elected to another term in 2004.
- Peter Worden
Visiting the military
Qausuittuq/Resolute
Qarmartalik School students and staff visited the Canadian Armed Forces' Crystal City, about 3 km north of Resolute's airport, on Jan. 25.
The military was conducting Arctic air crew survival training from Jan. 12 to 28, when 23 Royal Canadian Air Force members learned how to build and use snow caves and igluit from seven instructors and two Inuit elders. Such training was last done in 1995, explained Maj. Yves Soulard, commander of the Canadian Forces School of Survival and Aeromedical Training. Speaking from Winnipeg, Soulard said such training will be now held annually.
Everyone was impressed with the work the military was doing under the guidance of Inuit elders, stated school principal Vince Pickett.
"Students got the opportunity to see first-hand the military personnel making iglus and snow caves," he stated via e-mail. "The students had an excellent education experience and had lots of fun."
- Jeanne Gagnon
No one injured in fire
Uqsuqtuuq/Gjoa Haven
No one was injured after a fire broke out in a single-family dwelling in the evening on Jan. 27 in Gjoa Haven.
Gjoa Haven's volunteer fire department arrived at 6:04 p.m., close to five minutes after the flames erupted, said municipal supervisor Gord Dinney. They extinguished the fire in a bedroom of a single-family dwelling in about 45 minutes.
He added the fire was limited to the bedroom and was caused by an overloaded heater.
An adult female, the only occupant at the time of the fire, got out safely, said Dinney.
"There was smoke damage throughout the house but the fire was restricted to the (bed)room," he said. "She was alerted by the smoke detector and that's a good thing."
- Jeanne Gagnon
Pang's 'highway' on thin ice
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
After two weeks of high tides and strong sea currents, the ice at the mouth of the Pangnirtung Fiord has been eaten away from the bottom.
Hunters and fishers relying on the passageway are cautioned by search-and-rescue personnel to stay on its main trail. The nearly non-stop traffic of hunters travelling to the floe edge, and turbot fishers, is the country food lifeline and local "economic highway," said Mayor Sakiasie Sowdlooapik.
"Hunters and fishers are being very careful, staying on the main trails," he said. "It's not only happening in Cumberland Sound, it's also happening in Pangnirtung Fiord going up toward the park. That point did not have a freeze-up until January and is still quite thin."
One hunter went through the ice recently while travelling at night at the mouth of the fiord, said Sowdlooapik, but luckily he was with another hunter who managed to rescue him with a rope.
"He was very lucky to be rescued. It was very cold. The current was very strong. It was a happy ending," said Sowdlooapik, adding the man had to recover from hypothermia. "I just want to caution fishers and hunters to tell someone where they're going and when they expect to be back and travel with someone or a radio or SPOT and emergency equipment. It may be very cold but the current is what causes the ice to stay thin and you can't see it from the top."
- Peter Worden
Report on the land
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
After a year-and-a-half of tabulation, Arctic Bay's coastal inventory of animals and resources has been published in a new report available at the hamlet office and free to anyone.
Interviews, done several years ago by the Government of Nunavut for Arctic Bay, are available in both Inuktitut and English, and feature the combined wisdom and compiled reports of inventory-takers such as hunters and trappers organization board members, elders committees and other community members.
"It was most of the groups in town," said Jack Willie, who wasn't with the working group but is with the local HTO. "I haven't had time to read it yet."
Anyone interested in reading the 150-page report - also available on DVD - can contact Nunavut's Department of Environment.
- Peter Worden
Curlers depart for Alberta
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
The Rankin Inlet junior boy's curling team will leave Rankin on Feb. 1, to compete at the Canadian Junior Men's Curling Championship in Fort McMurray, Alta.
Fourteen teams - 10 provinces plus Northern Ontario, NWT, Nunavut and Yukon - are seeded into two pools of seven teams each at the event.
They will play a six game round-robin within their pool from Feb. 2 to Feb. 5.
The top four teams from each pool then advance to the championship pool, which will be played from Feb. 6 to Feb. 8.
The two teams with the best overall wonloss record from their 10 games will advance to the final on Feb. 9.
- Darrell Greer
Book fair in Iglulik
Iglulik
Iglulik students and residents had the chance to buy new books in the community on Feb. 1 and 2 as Ataguttaaluk High School is hosting a Scholastic Canada book fair.
Elementary students will be invited to participate in the fair, set up in the high school's gym, on Feb. 1, said high school vice-principal Patricia Tidd. Senior students in the reading program will help out with the book fair, and on Feb. 2, the community will be invited to purchase books at the fair, said Tidd.
"We have been buying Scholastic books the whole time through the classrooms but we've never done a fair, per say, in seven years," she said.
Having a fair is not always financially feasible, because sending the books back can sometimes become cumbersome, she said, but this year, the English language co-ordinator has taken the lead in the project. She said she hoped the fair would be popular and it would give students and residents the opportunity to physically see the books, as opposed to just ordering from a flier.
"We're all going to see new, nice, shiny books. It might be a little bit of a treat - something different for the students," she said last week, before the event.
- Jeanne Gagnon
Still fiddling in Pond Inlet
Mittimatalik/Pond Inlet
Since fiddlers Greg Simms and Gordon Stobbe left Nasivvik school last fall, students just can't put the instruments down.
The two Nova Scotia music instructors, who visit Nunavut and Northern communities twice every school year, gave workshops to students at Nasivvik late last year. Vice-principal Susan Burnie says the students haven't stopped fiddling.
"It turned some students who have never picked up a fiddle into players," she said. "The interest grew after our Christmas concert."
The Pond Inlet Fiddler's Club meets Tuesday with a few guitarists and lots of fiddlers.
- Peter Worden
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News desk 
