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Monday, April 6, 2015
Dene Nation supports Gladue appeal
Following the controversial acquittal of a trucker in the murder of an indigenous woman in Alberta earlier this month, Dene Nation is backing a call for a change in
the way the justice system regards violence against indigenous women.
Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus stated in a news release April 2 he is alarmed with an Alberta jury's acquittal of Bradley Barton, a man who stood trial in the death of Cindy Gladue, a sex worker, in 2011.
The circumstances of her death sparked a discussion around consent and prostitution and the Alberta Crown has since appealed the decision.
- Stewart Burnett
Rash of snowmobile accidents across NWT
Last week saw three snowmobile accidents in the territory.
On March 28 a driver was ejected from his snowmobile in Hay River and needed medical attention for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The next day, a 16-year-old teen driving a snowmobile hit a woman in Fort Good Hope. The woman was transported to the Inuvik Hospital and the driver was arrested.
Charges are pending for impaired operation of a motor vehicle.
On March 31, Paulatuk RCMP co-ordinated a search team to rescue three hunters between Pearce Point and House Point. The group had been on a polar bear hunt when one of their snowmobiles went through sea ice.
One hunter fell through the ice but was not injured.
- Stewart Burnett
Police investigate sudden death
RCMP are investigating a sudden death in downtown Yellowknife.
The body was found in the 5000 block in an alley between 48 Street and 49 Street - near the Safe Harbour Day Centre - on April 3, according to a police news release. RCMP responded to the call shortly after 8 a.m. that day.
A cause of death has not been determined, and the initial investigation - being carried out by RCMP and the Office of the Chief Coroner - has not uncovered any evidence of foul play, states the release.
- Evan Kiyoshi French
Astronomical society elects two directors
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Astronomical Society held its annual general meeting on March 22.
The Fort Smith-based group elected two members to its board of directors, including current chairperson Mike Couvrette and Chris Talbot, a newcomer to the board.
Couvrette has been chairperson of the society since it formed in 2011.
After each annual general meeting, the five directors meet to elect a chairperson, vice-chairperson, treasurer and secretary for the coming year. That meeting is expected to take place in a week or two.
The AGM discussed the society's various events, including its annual Dark Sky Festival at Pine Lake, about 60 km south of Fort Smith in Wood Buffalo National Park. The fourth year of the festival is set for Aug. 21 to 23.
The society also hopes to develop an urban star park in Fort Smith. It would include an area where people could set up their own telescopes.
- Paul Bickford
Writer to give talk at Fort Smith museum
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Noted hometown writer Richard Van Camp will be giving a talk in Fort Smith in celebration of life North of 60.
The talk will take place on April 13, beginning at 7 p.m. at Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre.
As part of the event, Joel Evans, a Fort Smith actor, will also make a presentation. Evans starred in the film The Lesser Blessed, which was based on a Van Camp novel of the same name.
Plus, there will be a showing of Mohawk Midnight Runners, another movie based on a work by Van Camp.
- Paul Bickford
Fellowship opportunity announced
NWT
Northern youth with a deep interest in issues facing the territory and developing policy ideas to address them should consider applying for the Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship.
The search is on for about 10 fellows to join the 2015-2017 cohort. Current or former Northern residents aged 25 to 35 are invited to apply.
The chosen youth will be expected to complete a number of policy analysis or advocacy-focused projects on their own and in a larger group.
"The two-year long fellowship incorporates self-directed study, collective learning and mentorship with the aim of empowering young Northerners to build a healthy, self-reliant and sustainable North," says the fellowship webpage. "We hope to foster a bond among the fellows that will endure throughout their professional lives and incubate a pan-Northern network."
- Miranda Scotland
Aboriginal Head Start graduates sought
Deh Gah Got'ie Koe/Fort Providence
To celebrate 20 years of Aboriginal Head Start in the territory, the Fort Providence organization is looking for graduates.
Fort Providence Aboriginal Head Start is looking for graduates aged 14 to 25 to participate in a forum in Vancouver from July 7 to 9. Aboriginal Head Start: The Next Generation - Then and Now, will host past graduates in workshops, keynote speaker presentations, traditional games and attend tours of heritage and nature sites while exploring arts and creativity.
Those interested in attending must complete a nomination form by April 10 at the Aboriginal Head Start program office in the community. Nominees must be a role model in the community, be capable of travelling to Vancouver in July and have no criminal record.
- Andrew Livingstone
Belated birthdays in Trout Lake
Sambaa K'e/Trout Lake
March was a busy month for well wishes as a number of community members celebrated birthdays.
Rose Deneron was March 7, Atanda Kotchea's was March 8 and Rita Vital and Paisley Prevost celebrated their birthdays March 11. Willie Chonkolay celebrated his birthday on March 13, while Tabilea Kotchea, Danna Payne and Ty Lewis had all celebrated their birthdays on March 16. Ruby Jumbo had hers March 26, Madison Jumbo, March 27 and Etonda Ekenale, had hers March 31 rounding out a busy birthday month.
- Andrew Livingstone
Nunavut Tunngavik's budget up three per cent
Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.'s board of directors approved its new operating budget March 27 in Baker Lake.
NTI president Cathy Towtongie said in a news release the 2015-2016 budget, which flows from the investment income generated by the land claims money invested by the Nunavut Trust, allows NTI and other designated Inuit organizations to serve the interests of Inuit.
This year's budget has increased by three per cent from last year.
The total budget is $44,885,532 and includes disbursements to NTI itself at $20,089,142, Kitikmeot Inuit Association at $4,847,136, Kivalliq Inuit Association at $4,747,106 and Qikiqtani Inuit Association at $6,384,887.
Other budget items include funding for the Inuit Heritage Trust, beneficiary benefits plan, community liaison officers, economic initiatives, Sivummut and the elders benefits plan.
- Michele LeTourneau
Kitikmeot announce new president
Kitikmeot
Stanley Anablak, a former Kugluktuk mayor, was voted in as the new president of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association in a March 30 byelection.
Anablak, elected as a result of 21 per cent of eligible voters taking to the polls, defeated candidates Joseph Aglukkaq, Jeannie Ehaloak, Joe Allen Evyagotailak, Attima Hadlari, Donald Havioyak, Paul Ikuallaq, David A. Porter and Walter M. Porter. His term ends in December 2018.
Peter Akkikungnaq, elected in December, resigned before he was sworn in.
Anablak won with 165 votes. The nearest contender, Joe Allen Evyagotailak, garnered 138 votes.
- Michele LeTourneau
Nutrition North transparency increasing
Ottawa
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister Bernard Valcourt announced April 1 retailers serving the Nutrition North-eligible communities will now be required to make profit margin information available to independent auditors retained by the department to undertake compliance reviews.
A new clause will be included in 2015-2016 funding agreements to reflect this change.
This new requirement responds directly to a recommendation by the auditor general in of his report released on Nov. 25, according to a press release from Valcourt.
- Michele LeTourneau
25 years of serving breakfast
Taloyoak/Spence Bay
Netsilik Ilihakvik in Taloyoak is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the school's breakfast and early morning gym and games programs.
"Our programs are run by staff with occasional assistance from parents and older students," said principal Gina Pizzo.
"We recently got a grant of $10,000 from the Department of Health for breakfast program enhancement which allowed us to buy the new toaster, bowls, plates and glasses and a very large stockpile of country food, including caribou, and several different types of preparations of char, which the kids love."
Breakfast is served at 8 a.m. and provides choices of cold cereal, porridge, toast, grilled cheese sandwiches, pancakes, orange juice, milk, yogurt, smoothies, fresh fruits and country foods.
"Then they can go to the gym or play board games," said Pizzo.
- Michele LeTourneau
Food store moving
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
The Ikajutit Hunters' and Trappers' Association's frozen food store, which opened after the Arctic Fishery Alliance boat Kiviuq I brought supplies in the summer, is moving out of its current space as supplies dwindle.
"We still have some stuff, not much anymore," HTA manager Doreen Irqqarqsaq said, but most of it has sold, with remaining frozen foods being moved to a cold storage sea can, and other goods into her office.
This was the first year the HTA ran its own store, and it has been a success, she said.
Plans are not in place to open again next year, but she indicated it was likely.
"People like the prices," she said, confirming the main mission of the store is to reduce food prices for Arctic Bay residents.
- Casey Lessard
Bowhead quota doubled
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
The Kivalliq quota for bowhead whales was doubled to two March 27, from the one whale allowed the previous year.
The quota increase was recommended by the Nunavut Wildlife Board and accepted by Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea.
The additional bowhead will benefit the Kivalliq by supporting the traditional diet of beneficiaries, and allowing the various hunters and trappers organizations to further develop effective strategies for the utilization of the whale.
- Darrell Greer
Military operation underway
Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay
A large-scale military exercise called Operation Nunalivut began in and around Cambridge April 1.
The operation brings together Canadian Armed Forces members from the Third Battalion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Royal Canadian Navy divers from both Pacific and Atlantic fleets, as well as airmen and airwomen from across the Royal Canadian Air Force, including Yellowknife-based 440 (Transport) Squadron, to demonstrate the readiness and ability of the CAF to operate effectively in Canada's Arctic region, according to a press release.
Operation Nunalivut is a sovereignty operation conducted annually since 2007 in Canada's North, providing an opportunity for the Armed Forces to assert Canada's sovereignty over its northernmost regions, to demonstrate the ability to operate in the harsh winter environment in remote areas of the High Arctic, and to enhance the forces' capability to respond to any situation in Canada's North.
This year, the exercise includes ice diving operations with Parks Canada's underwater archeologists and navy divers on sea ice in the vicinity of Victoria Strait in a joint archeological effort at the HMS Erebus site. Operations run until April 22.
- Michele LeTourneau
Rock expedition planned
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
Geologists looking to map the landscape between Iqaluit and Pangnirtung visited Pangnirtung last week to discuss their plans with hamlet residents. Between 15 and 20 residents attended the meeting.
"The two questions that were raised at the end of it, they were curious to know what kind of helicopters were going to be used, what type of aircraft they should be expecting to see around," community economic development officer Jason Harasimo said. "The other thing was work, to see if they were looking for bear monitors."
Harasimo did not get an indication that anyone would be hired from the community.
The study will involve a team of 16 people - geologists, a helicopter pilot and engineer, a cook and assistants - from the Geological Survey of Canada and the Nunavut-Canada Geoscience Office collecting small rock samples between Clearwater Lake and Sylvia Grinnell Lake from June 22 to Aug. 17.
- Casey Lessard
Electricity disrupted
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
A failed generator was the main culprit in a series of power outages in Rankin Inlet last month.
A number of Rankin Inlet businesses closed for the day on March 23 due to the power outages, as did the hamlet office.
In addition to the failed generator, another was down for regular maintenance and was awaiting the arrival of a new component from Winnipeg.
- Darrell Greer
Workforce estimated
Iqaluit
The Qikiqtani Inuit Association is moving ahead with phase two of its plan to determine the available beneficiary workforce for work at the Mary River iron ore mine and other special projects.
The Baffin Inuit Labour Understanding and Gap Analysis (BILUGA) started in 2013 with QIA staff interviewing more than 750 beneficiaries in Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Hall Beach, Iglulik and Pond Inlet to determine "employment and training characteristics, interest in employment opportunities with the (Mary River) project, and any barriers to employment that may exist," according to a release.
An analysis of the Iqaluit workforce will make the work complete. The BILUGA survey will be available at various locations in the capital from April 13 to 19, including at the Nunavut Mining Symposium.
- Casey Lessard
Official name change coming
Naujaat/Repulse Bay
The community of Repulse Bay will officially see its name changed to its traditional name, Naujaat, during its July 2 Hamlet Day celebration, it was announced last month
Repulse will become only the 10th Nunavut community to change to its traditional Inuktitut name.
- Darrell Greer
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