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News Briefs: Monday, August 12, 2013
Five new fires over weekend
Five new fires were reported over the weekend and two of them were person-caused. One person-caused fire was on Kam Lake 10 km south of Yellowknife, and the other was 35 km east of Whati. Both fires were less than two hectares and are being monitored by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR).
There were also three small lightning-caused fires over the weekend near Trout Lake, Jean Marie River, and Tsiigehtchic which are also being monitored. The largest of the three is 12 hectares 35 km west of Trout Lake.
As of Sunday there are 84 fires still burning in the NWT and there have been 238 fires in 2013. ENR is warning of extreme dry and windy conditions throughout the NWT.
- Candace Thomson
Trial of former Inuvik teacher starts today
Hugues Latour, a former teacher in Inuvik, is set to begin trial today in Yellowknife's Supreme Court for sexual interference with a minor.
He is charged with sexual touching and encouraging sexual touching with a person under the age of 16. He is also charged with trafficking marijuana. The trial will be conducted in French and jury members are required to be bilingual. Latour's trial is scheduled to run until Friday.
- Daniel Campbell
Mandatory broadcast
The Northwest Territories legislative assembly channel will be mandatory for satellite television providers as of next January, according to a news release from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
"Citizens of the North will have better access to legislative debates as the service operated by the legislative assemblies of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories will be added to the basic service of satellite television subscribers in those two territories," the release stated.
- Kassina Ryder
Inuvik arson suspect pleads not guilty
An Inuvik man charged with intentionally setting two broken-down buildings alight late July pleaded not guilty in territorial court on Aug. 6.
Mike Patrick McLaughlin, 49, is charged with two separate counts of arson causing damage to property - one for a smaller fire set July 20 and another for a larger fire set on July 22. He elected to be tried by judge and jury in the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. He will be in custody until his next court appearance, on Aug. 27.
- Daniel Campbell
Wellness retreat
Aklavik
The community of Aklavik is currently looking for eight participants to take place in a youth and elders workshop from Aug. 27 to 29.
The workshop will focus on wellness and will be held at Midway Lake, near Fort McPherson.
It is open to three youths ranging in age from 15 to 29, two adults from the ages of 30 to 49, and three elders aged 50 and older.
The event, including travel to and from Fort McPherson, is fully funded.
The deadline for applying for the workshop is Aug. 12 at 2 p.m.
- Cody Punter
Berry-picking day in Sachs Harbour
Ikaahuk/Sachs Harbour
Sachs Harbour was scheduled to host a traditional berry-picking day on Aug. 7.
The event was organized by the nutrition department of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and will be taking place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Angus Lake, approximately eight kilometres east of the community.
There will be two boats provided by the Sachs Harbour Community Corporation to get to and from the site, where the community corporation has a cabin.
"It's the first time we're running it so hopefully we'll get a good turnout," said Manny Kudlak, manager of the community corporation. The event will focus on gathering wild rhubarb and Arctic heather. The rhubarb is popular for flavouring seal oil and the Arctic heather is used to smoke dry meat.
"It's shouldn't take long to fill a garbage bag full of wild rhubarb," said Kudlak.
A barbecue with muskox burgers was also supposed to be at the camp site.
- Cody Punter
Fort McPherson music festival finishes up
Telit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson just wrapped up its annual music festival which ran from Aug. 2 to 5.
The festival featured musicians from the area including Dennis Thompson, Michael Francis, Ben Charlie and Thomas Manuel.
Fifteen boats came in from Fort Good Hope, along with the Fort Good Hope drummers, for the festival as well.
The CC High Riders, a country band from Edmonton, also played. Six-year-old fiddler Donovan Greenland from Fort McPherson made his debut at the festival.
- Cody Punter
Hot hot heat
Tuktoyaktuk
People in Tuktoyaktuk have been flocking to the ocean as they try and stay cool in the midst of the current heat wave. Temperatures have been reaching highs of 29 C, which is unseasonably warm for August.
Some of the popular swimming destinations include Water Creek, Dupkak and Kiniksik, which are all relatively close to Tuktoyaktuk.
Terri Lee Kuptana, an employment and training officer with the community corporation, has been swimming in the ocean and says the water is warm and refreshing.
- Cody Punter
Save the Slave
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Western Arctic NDP MP Dennis Bevington was in Fort Smith Aug. 1 for a public forum on protecting the Slave River.
The forum was held at the Northern Life Museum in Fort Smith.
Edmonton-Strathcona NDP MP Linda Duncan attended to discuss her private member's bill introduced in June and seconded by Bevington. It includes measures intended to protect the Slave River.
More than 50 people attended and some gave presentations about the importance of the Slave River, Bevington said.
- Lyndsay Herman
New recreation centre floor
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Fort Smith Recreation Centre is scheduled for updating from Aug. 20 to Sept. 3.
The centre's gymnasium will be getting a new floor and will be closed during that time, according to an announcement released by the Town of Fort Smith on Aug. 2.
- Lyndsay Herman
Staying active in Fort Liard
Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard
A multisport camp is being offered in Fort Liard from Aug. 6 to 9.
The Hamlet of Fort Liard's wellness and recreation department, together with the NWT Recreation and Parks Association, is organizing a canoe trip for youth on the Petitot River.
The trip will begin with an orientation and safety day on Aug. 29 followed by two days on the river.
Twelve youth from the community have already signed up for the trip.
- Roxanna Thompson
Taking driving into their own hands
Tthek'ehdeli/Jean Marie River
An instructor with Aurora College was to lead classes in the community from Aug. 7 to 11 so residents could obtain their Class 7 learners' permit.
On Aug. 12, the courses' participants were scheduled to go to Fort Simpson to write their test at the Department of Transportation's office.
- Roxanna Thompson
Death being investigated
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
RCMP are investigating a sudden death in Pangnirtung.
An adult, whose name and age have not been released, was found dead at a residence in the early morning hours of Aug. 8. According to a resident, the deceased is a woman from the community.
The RCMP Major Crimes Unit and Forensic Identification Services is assisting the local detachment with the investigation.
- Miranda Scotland
Clams safe to eat
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
Pangnirtung clams are safe to eat, stated a Nunavut Department of Health news release on Aug. 7.
"Clams, scallops and water were tested from the areas where the suspect clams were harvested," the release stated. "The results of the tests did not find anything that indicated any ongoing risk to the people at this time. People, who became sick after eating clams, were interviewed. The investigation did not show a cause for the illness in people."
Fifteen Pangnirtung residents became sick in late June after coming into contact with clams.
- Myles Dolphin
Feed My Family protest
Iqaluit
Members of the Feed My Family Facebook group have announced a peaceful protest to take place in front of the Iqaluit Northmart on Aug. 15.
The group is protesting the high cost of food in the North. The event is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
- Myles Dolphin
Bowhead congratulations
Nunavut
The Qikiqtani Inuit Association released a statement on Aug. 7, congratulating the Pangnirtung bowhead whale hunters for their catch on Aug. 6 near Kekerten Island.
"On behalf of Inuit in the Qikiqtani region, I congratulate the Sarpigait hunting committee for a successful hunt," said QIA president Okalik Eegeesiak. "These events bring Inuit together and are a perfect time to celebrate community spirit and pride. I look forward to joining the celebrations this weekend in Pangnirtung." The whale was approximately 40 feet in length.
- Myles Dolphin
Prime minister to visit Gjoa Haven
Gjoa Haven
Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to visit Gjoa Haven later this month, according to community members.
"I think he's going out with the Rangers on the field overnight out there somewhere and then coming back in the morning," said Joseph Aglukkaq, economic development officer for the hamlet. "There will be some activities ... shows, performances, traditional drum dancing,"
Three other residents have also told Nunavut News/North of the prime minister's expected visit.
Aglukkaq said he believes Harper will arrive on Aug. 19.
The prime minister's office said it could not comment until Aug. 12.
- Miranda Scotland
Sprucing up the elders centre
Sanirajak/Hall Beach
The old, neglected elders centre in Hall Beach is being renovated so it can be used once more.
When work is finished, the structure will be used as an elders centre during the day and as a youth centre after school, said Tracy Laine, acting senior administrative officer and director of finance for the hamlet.
"It's been a rundown elders centre for a long time that wasn't being used and I just decided that was just a waste of a building," Laine said. "We have a lot of plans for this little building."
In July, artists Patrick Thompson and Alexa Hatanaka worked with 10 youth to decorate the outside of the building.
They used leftover plywood from last year's sealift to create cutouts of walruses, a narwhal and caribou.
Next, the group screwed the wood pieces onto the walls and painted them.
More work still needs to be done to get the building ready but it will have to wait until the sealift arrives with the construction materials, including doors, windows and plumbing parts.
The centre is expected to reopen by fall, said Laine.
- Miranda Scotland
Severed cable disrupts airport
Qausuittuq/Resolute
Efforts to tear down an old NAV Canada flight services building caused a disruption at the Resolute airport last week after workers severed important cables.
The mistake rendered the airport's instrument landing system unserviceable, said Shawn Maley, director of Nunavut Airports.
"The ILS (instrument landing system) will guide the aircraft and the pilot down an approach path. It will bring you through more inclement weather to where the pilot can see the runway environment," he said.
Without the landing system, pilots had to abide by visual flight rules.
The cable was severed on Aug. 7 and fixed the following day.
Maley couldn't say for certain whether any flights were impacted by the ILS being out of service.
- Miranda Scotland
Boarder heaven
Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay
Hamlet workers have constructed a half-pipe for skateboarders and bikers to make use of this summer.
The ramp, which measures almost five metres by five metres (16 feet by 16 feet) was ready to be set up last week, said Stephen King, senior administrative officer for the hamlet.
It was to be placed beside the basketball courts near the community's youth centre.
The project was made possible using the hamlet's materials and in-house labour, said King.
There aren't any plans to hold a special opening for the ramp, said King, adding he figured they would just "let the kids go at it."
- Miranda Scotland
Successful sisters
Arviat
It's been a year to remember for the successful Arviat sisters Fiona and Heather Main.
Fiona graduated from medical school (Northern Ontario School of Medicine in Sudbury) as a family physician.
Not to be outdone, Heather graduated from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education in Toronto, Ont., with a master's degree in child study and education.
- Darrell Greer
Baffinland workshop
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
Baffinland Iron Ore Mines is holding a nine-day workshop in Arctic Bay, which is ending on Aug. 16.
Twenty-five residents are taking part in the work-ready program, which will prepare them to work at the Mary River Project, an iron ore mine.
Baffinland community liaison officer Matthew Inuutiq said the workshop is taking place at the Arctic College building and a variety of programs are being offered by three facilitators from Pond Inlet and Clyde River.
"Everything is offered from learning how to be a dishwasher to being a heavy equipment operator," he said.
The workshops are also being held in Iglulik and Hall Beach.
- Myles Dolphin
On to winter games
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
Arctic Bay resident Donovan Qaunaq qualified for the 2014 Arctic Winter Games in Fairbanks, Alaska, after a successful tryout in Chesterfield Inlet at the end of July.
Qaunaq will take part in the traditional Inuit Games events such as the high kick, kneel jump and head pull.
He will be participating in the 18-and-under competition from March 15 to 22, said Arctic Bay recreation co-ordinator Thomas Levi.
- Myles Dolphin
Grizzly bear meets end
Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay
A grizzly bear was killed near Cambridge Bay Aug. 6 after the animal came too close to town.
The animal was seen swimming toward shore.
Two hunters jumped in a boat, chased the bear to the other side and killed it, said Stephen King, senior administrative officer for the hamlet.
- Miranda Scotland
Diamonds in the rough
Iglulik
A prospecting introduction course will be offered in Iglulik later this month.
Residents can sign up for the five-day course at the hamlet office.
Lucie Idlout, economic development officer for Iglulik, said there has already been a lot of interest.
Approximately 25 people have signed up, she added.
Participants of the course, which teaches mining and prospecting basics, are eligible to apply for up to $8,000 to cover their basic expenses while exploring for new mineral occurrences in the territory.
The course will run from Aug. 26 to 31 in Iglulik. It is also being offered in Pond Inlet from Aug. 12 to 17 and Clyde River from Aug. 19 to 24.
- Miranda Scotland
Raising awareness
Kivalliq
A number of Kivalliq communities are trying to ramp up their efforts, once again, to increase awareness on the ongoing plague of suicide in the region.
A young anti-suicide, enjoy life dance group was busy raising funds in Rankin Inlet during the first week of August while organizers in Baker Lake were busy planning a walk against suicide in that community for this past week.
The majority of Kivalliq communities have held some form of anti-suicide, celebrate life event during 2013.
- Darrell Greer
Trying for the Games
Chesterfield Inlet
A large group of young athletes from a number of Nunavut communities descended upon Chesterfield Inlet over the Aug 3-5 weekend.
The athletes were in Chester to compete for spots on Team Nunavut's sports squad for the 2014 Arctic Winter Games.
- Darrell Greer
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