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Monday, November 3, 2014
Feds and ENR still apart on Imperial Oil security
The Sahtu Land and Water Board is considering a 10-year renewal on Imperial Oil Resources Ltd.'s water licence in Norman Wells.
As part of this process, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources recommended a $227 million security to protect land and water reclamation, while Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada recommended $180.9 million. Imperial Oil has proposed a $178.3 million security.
It now remains for the board to set the reclamation security to go with the renewed water licence.
- Walter Strong
Search continues for missing Japanese tourist
Yellowknife RCMP continue to search Japanese tourist Atsumi Yoshikubo, 45, missing since Oct. 22.
She was last seen walking along Highway 4 on the outskirts of the city. Const. Elenore Sturko stated in an e-mail Oct. 31 that there is no evidence of foul play in her disappearance.
Searches in the immediate vicinity of the city have been completed, she stated, adding police think she my be travelling in the wilderness north of Yellowknife.
Police have now expanded their search into that area. Police are using aircraft with forward-looking infrared technology which can detect heat signatures. Anyone who has information that could help in the investigation is asked to call RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
- John McFadden
Salt River First Nation election appeal denied
The appeal from the runner-up in the Salt River First Nation's election for chief has been overturned by the Election Review Committee.
"Everybody has a right to their own views. That's part of our democracy, and I strongly feel that it is part of the whole transition, just like everybody has a right to appeal that ran," Chief Frieda Martselos told News/North. "I'm fine with all of the processes because I think they were fair, done in good faith and with honesty."
The appellant, April McAllister, ran against incumbent Martselos in the August election, losing with 126 votes to Martselos' 135. In the appeal, McAllister said uncounted mail-in ballots and lack of proper paperwork hindered the fairness of the process.
With the appeal denied, Martselos said she was not so much relieved as ready to move on.
"I think it is extremely important for the members of Salt River," said Martselos. "I think it's time that we move on and start doing the work that we were all elected for."
-Elaine Anselmi
Fire tower reaches the sky
Enterprise
The construction of a new fire tower just south of Enterprise was completed in September.
The tower will be ready for operation in the 2015 fire season.
It is 30.5 metres in height and is visible from the highway.
There will be a person working on site to detect fires and report daily weather during the 2015 fire season.
According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the tower has a good view of Enterprise, most of the Hay River/Enterprise corridor, and beyond.
The Hamlet of Enterprise was consulted about the fire tower, and passed a motion supporting the initiative prior to construction.
- Paul Bickford
A chance to get in shape
Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson
Circuit training is beginning at the Fort Simpson recreation centre on Nov. 4. Every Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. a circuit will be set up for people in high school and older. Participants will be able to complete the circuit at their own pace.
As well, for older youth there is an active after school program on Mondays to Fridays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. followed by the Toy Lending Library from 6 to 8 p.m. on Mondays to Thursdays. Super Saturdays run every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m.
- Roxanna Thompson
Ceremony set to remember the fallen
Paulatuk
Staff and students at Angik School in Paulatuk are planning Remembrance Day events, which will take place on Nov. 7, said teacher Alanna Duffy.
A ceremony will take place in the gym from 10:35 until 11:20 a.m. and will include a wreath-laying ceremony performed by local RCMP members, Canadian Rangers and school staff. A minute of silence will be observed.
Duffy said each class will contribute to the events.
- Kassina Ryder
Fisheries officers rescue boaters on Great Slave Lake
South Slave
Three fisheries officers travelled more than 450 km in 24 hours to successfully rescue two boaters stranded on Great Slave Lake last month.
On Oct. 13, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) officers received a call from the RCMP that there was a vessel in distress on the East Arm of Great Slave Lake.
According to a news release from the DFO, officers Gerald Fillatre, Terry Stein and Tim Leblanc flew to Hay River from Yellowknife, where the fisheries patrol vessel Reliance was docked following a series of patrols.
Once the officers arrived, they travelled the 175 km to the last known location of the vessel and searched the area until 5 a.m.
Just three hours later, the three officers set out again and successfully located the vessel with its two passengers on board. The boaters were safe, but cold from being on the water overnight.
The officers towed the vessel and passengers to Yellowknife.
- Paul Bickford
Hand games course continues in Behchoko
Behchoko/Rae-Edzo
Hand games and traditional drumming programs have headed into their third year at Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Behchoko, said vice-principal Chris Cochrane.
High school students earn credits for participating in the class, which also prepares them to take part in hand games tournaments in other parts of the territory.
Instructor Phillip Mackenzie also visits students in elementary grades, including kindergarten, teaching them basic of hand games and drumming techniques. Cochrane said the programming is popular with students in all grade levels.
"The kids really enjoy it," he said.
- Kassina Ryder
Engaging the village's youth
Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson
The Open Doors Society has launched its full schedule of programming for the year in Fort Simpson.
The society is running a parent and tot program on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to noon and its Busy Bees program every afternoon from 1 to 3 p.m. on Mondays to Thursdays.
- Roxanna Thompson
Girls' club a hit
Whati/Lac La Martre
Girls in Grades 4 to 6 at Mezi Community School in Whati are welcome to participate in a Girls Club hosted by Camilla Vandal, education assistant and life skills teacher.
The club gathers once a week during the winter to do crafts, cook or just talk. Vandal said the main goal is to get girls to socialize together. iPads and other devices are not allowed during the club.
"It's one hour of get-together without technology," she said.
The club is usually hosted on Tuesday afternoons from 3:30 to 5 p.m. for older girls while younger girls meet on Wednesday afternoons. All participants are treated to snacks.
- Kassina Ryder
Electing and thanking
Tthek'ehdeli/Jean Marie River
The election for the community's band council will be held on Nov. 3 and a potluck lunch to thank former chief Stan Sanguez for his years of work as chief is being planned for Nov. 4.
- Roxanna Thompson
Raising funds for graduation
Aklavik
Students and staff at Moose Kerr School in Aklavik held a cake walk last month to help raise money for the school's graduation ceremony, said Bobbie-Jo Greenland-Morgan, administrative assistant at the school.
Parents and students donated baked goods for the raffle and one parent supplied bags of freshly picked cranberries, an especially popular treat, Greenland-Morgan said.
- Kassina Ryder
Murder trial delayed
Iqaluit
Steven Akittirq of Iglulik, charged with first-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Glenna Attagutalukutuk, appeared in Iqaluit court via videoconference Oct. 21.
Attagutalukutuk's body was found outside the community June 9, and Akittirq was charged June 12.
Defence requested a one-month adjournment while it waits for full disclosure of an autopsy report and a forensic report.
Akittirq last appeared in court Sept. 30. His case was adjourned then because his lawyer, Laura Steven, was appointed to the provincial court in Edmonton as a judge. The 24-year old is also facing charges of assault and possession under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act dating from April.
Akittirq is scheduled to appear again Nov. 25.
- Michele LeTourneau
Kidnapping and assault charges laid
Kinngait/Cape Dorset
A 31-year-old male has been charged with kidnapping, forcible confinement, assault, and two counts of failing to comply with a probation order. Cape Dorset RCMP officers responded to a call of a female victim being assaulted in the community on the evening of Oct. 24. She was dragged into a nearby residence where the assault continued, police said. The suspect was arrested and remanded into custody at the Baffin Correctional Facility. He is scheduled to appear in the Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit on Nov. 4.
- Michele LeTourneau
Country food surprise
Kimmirut/Lake Harbour
Kimmirutmiut got a surprise last weekend when a pair of underemployed residents dropped by with free country food, part of an employment and economic development initiative.
"We had some dried muskox, dried char, and smoked Arctic char that was shared within the community," said community economic development officer Petanie Pitsiulak.
The surprise came as a result of funding from Economic Development and Transportation's country food program. The hamlet got $7,000 to buy the food and pay two people to deliver it, and those that couldn't be reached on the first day were visited later in the week.
"People were very happy and a lot of them weren't expecting some, so they were happy and very thankful," Pitsiulak said.
- Casey Lessard
Past leaders honoured
Kitikmeot
Two buildings, one in Cambridge Bay and one in Kugluktuk, will serve as a reminder of past excellence.
The new Kitikmeot Inuit Association (KIA) building in the regional centre was officially opened with a reception Oct. 20. Representatives from the Kitikmeot Corporation, KIA, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and the public attended.
"I am pleased to inform you all that the name that has been chosen as a result of our building naming contest is the Fred R. Elias Centre. As you know he was the executive director of KIA for some 16 years and was instrumental in setting the policies and procedures that we still follow today as an organization," said Dr. Charlie Evalik. The boardroom in the new building was named the Patrick Lyall Boardroom.
"Mr. Lyall was a long-standing board member of the KIA and had contributed greatly during his tenure," said Evalik.
The new Kugluktuk Lands and Environment office in Kugluktuk was named the Ikey Bolt Building.
"Ikey was a respected elder in the community and has many relatives that still reside there today."
Evalik said all names represent a cross-section of people of the Kitikmeot region that have played an important part in moving the region forward in terms of governance and leadership.
- Michele LeTourneau
Youth in workshop
Arviat
TakingITGlobal sponsored creative and performing arts workshops in Arviat this past week, and also helped youth in the community celebrate Global Dignity Day on Oct. 22. The workshops saw Arviat youths use painting, storytelling, drum dancing and throatsinging to express their feelings on trying issues such as alcoholism, suicide and food insecurity.
- Darrell Greer
Corporation comes to Qikiqtarjuaq
Qikiqtarjuaq/Broughton Island
Qikiqtaaluk Corporation president Harry Flaherty was welcomed to Qikiqtarjuaq Oct. 20, and discussed how the Qikiqtani Inuit Association's corporate arm can benefit residents.
"Their diversity from developing residential buildings to fisheries and marine development, to food processing plants, to business training, all the way up to a major project like building a deepwater port, certainly piqued the interest of everyone in attendance," economic development officer David Grant stated in a release.
The community is working with the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation to develop a number of joint ventures together, Grant stated.
- Casey Lessard
Graduate celebrated
Kimmirut
South Baffin MLA David Joanasie last week in the legislative assembly congratulated Grade 12 graduate Dustin Joanas of Qaqqalik School in Kimmirut.
"Although the graduation ceremony was held this past summer in June, I want to take this opportunity to extend my congratulation and recognize his accomplishment for graduating high school. Although it was unfortunate I was unable to attend to his graduation, I take pride in his achievement," said Joanasie.
Joanasie emphasized the importance of graduating high school, saying such an important life event needs to be celebrated and children and youth should be encouraged to pursue a diploma.
"Many positions in Nunavut can be held by Nunavummiut who have graduated. This also applies to civil service positions," he said.
"One of the goals of our government is to have a representative level in the public sector, and employment is closely tied to having a good education."
Expressing his pride in Joanas, he wished the graduate well in his future.
- Michele LeTourneau
Bears scaring people
Arviat
Arviat MLA Joe Savikataaq wants to see the quota for polar bears increased for his community and he wants to see it soon. Arviat has been overrun with bears this season.
Things have reached the point where Halloween celebrations will only be held in the community hall for fear of children's safety while walking around the hamlet to trick-or-treat. The total allowable harvest for polar bears in the West Hudson Bay region currently sits at 24, and Savikataaq claims the tags in his community are being used for defensive kills.
- Darrell Greer
Parcel pickup hours extended
Iqaluit
Iqaluit's post office expects to be overwhelmed with holiday parcels, so it is starting extended hours through until Christmas. The post office is now open until 7 p.m. weeknights, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
"We have quite heavy parcel volumes for Iqaluit," said Canada Post spokesperson Eugene Knapik. "We look at the volume on hand and we're anticipating a heavy holiday season. A lot of people are doing online shopping, and people rely on the post office to get their packages."
Knapik said the Internet has changed Canada Post's business dramatically, as most people lining up in Iqaluit's notorious post office line would acknowledge.
"Last year we delivered about one billion fewer letters than we did in 2006," he said. "But we're seeing the parcel portion of the business growing, and growing fast, because of e-commerce."
- Casey Lessard
Anti-suicide team seeks members
Qamanittuaq/Baker Lake
The Baker Lake Against Suicide Team (BLAST) is looking for six youths between the ages of 16 to 21 to join the team.
BLAST has held a number of inspiring events during the past few years, and promotes the power of youth in helping to battle the monster suicide has become in the Kivalliq and across the rest of Nunavut.
- Darrell Greer
Scholarships awarded
Nunavut
There are 18 recipients of the Department of Community and Government Services' (CGS) technical professional studies scholarship. The scholarships are awarded to full-time students from Nunavut who attend university, college, or technical school for programs in engineering, informatics, community planning, business studies, land administration and firefighting. The scholarships consist of $2,500 in the first year, $3,000 in the second year, $4,000 in the third year, and $5,000 in the fourth year.
The 2014 scholarship recipients are William Autut, Michael Johnson, Tony Lee, Peter Aqqaq, Sean Noble-Nowdluk, Joefrey Okalik, Mamatsiaq Kubluitok, Eileen Kilabuk Weber and Lisa Bachelier of Iqaluit, Andrea Carter of Gjoa Haven, Emma Kreuger of Baker Lake, Keenan Lindell of Arviat, Delilah Netser of Rankin Inlet, Adam Lightstone residing in Kingston, Ont., James Pfiueger Anawak residing in B.C., Monzoor Rana and Dheeksha Reddy in Ottawa and Angela Leah Rheaume in Toronto.
- Michele LeTourneau
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