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News Briefs: Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Mine ministers met
The 2013 Energy and Mines Ministers Conference wrapped up at the Explorer Hotel on Tuesday afternoon.
"For us to take advantage of the enormous resource wealth in this country, and to do it effectively and responsibly, we have to work together," said federal Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver, during a closing news conference on Tuesday.
The three-day event attracted 220 registered delegates, including industry ministers from all provinces and territories except Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, according to the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
- NNSL staff
Block 501 subsidy
Council voted unanimously Monday in favour of approving a $2.14-million development contribution to Homes North as part of the Block 501 development.
Council also voted in favour of passing the second reading of bylaws 4738 and 4739, which allowed for the rezoning of parts of the development to medium density housing.
Midge Ravensdale, warden at the North Slave Correctional Centre, made a presentation urging council to reconsider the bylaws, citing privacy of both inmates and homeowners.
The bylaws must now be signed by the minister of Municipal And Community Affairs before they are presented to council for a third reading.
- Cody Punter
Back to school
Hundreds of children descended upon Weledeh Catholic School and St. Joseph School on Tuesday as classes started for the Yellowknife Catholic School board's kindergarten to Grade 8 students. High school students had an extra day to enjoy summer vacation - their classes started this morning. Students attending Yellowknife Education District No. 1 schools will begin their academic year on Tuesday.
- Candace Thomson
Fall bus routes are back
The City of Yellowknife switched the Yellowknife Transit schedule back to its winter times on Monday.
Routes 1, 2 and the two express routes have come back from summer vacation. Routes 1 and 2 run Monday to Friday. The 'summer' route, Route 3, will continue service, but only on Saturdays.
There is no bus service on Sundays or statutory holidays.
The bus routes will revert back to Route 3 Monday through Saturday during the Christmas break, the dates of which will be announced at a later time.
- Daniel Campbell
Mountie acquitted
Baker Lake
An RCMP officer charged with sexually assaulting a female prisoner at the Baker Lake detachment of the RCMP has been found not guilty.
The alleged incident took place in 2010.
Const. Justin Dickens had maintained his innocence since the charge was laid.
After finding Dickens not guilty, Justice Bonnie Tulloch did say the Nunavut officer ignored many RCMP policies and she found it defied common sense that an officer would search someone of the opposite gender without another person present.
E-learning radio
Kivalliq
A new e-learning program on running community radio will soon be offered through Nunavut Arctic College (NAC).
The made-in-Nunavut program is designed to support the volunteers who staff, govern and program community radio stations across Nunavut.
The new course is being offered by NAC through a partnership with the Municipal Training Organization.
An introductory module on broadcast law and elections will be launched this coming month, while the full course is scheduled to come online in October.
Students can work at their own pace, but must finish the course within six months.
Proud grad
Chesterfield Inlet
Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet hosted a graduation ceremony for its lone member of the Class of 2013 this past Friday, Aug. 23.
Vanessa Mimialik was the only Chester student to receive her Grade 12 diploma this year.
In other Victor Sammurtok news, the school has a new principal.
Jay Boucher of Ontario is now the school's top administrator.
Elder gets her trip
Arviat
An Arviat elder who fell through the cracks when a special trip was planned will now be going back to her original home.
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development had readied charter flights to take Arviatmiut who had lived at Ennadai Lake, or had relatives who had lived there, to view the area where Inuit (Ahiarmiut) were taken from to be relocated at Nueltin Lake, Henik Lake and Arviat.
Elder Mary Anowtalik was overlooked during the process and not included among the passenger list.
Once the oversight was brought to its attention, the department corrected the situation by sending personnel to Anowtalik's home to issue a personal invitation to join the trip, which the elder gratefully accepted.
The trip gives the Arviatmiut the chance to see the area one last time before its buildings are demolished due to contaminants.
Tundra fire
Chesterfield Inlet
Folks in Chesterfield Inlet were keeping an eye on the land as a tundra fire burned about eight kilometres outside of the community this past week.
High wind kept the flames burning hot for a few days, but the community was not threatened.
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