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Monday, July 6, 2015
Charges follow Fort Smith fire
Two men from Fort Smith have been charged following an alleged arson in that community around 4 a.m. on June 30. Richard Whalen, 24, has been charged with break-and-enter, arson and uttering threats according to an RCMP news release.
He was remanded into custody and was expected to appear in court July 3. Darian Laviolette, 18, has been charged with break and enter and was released from custody. He's expected to appear in court again Aug. 17.
- Shane Magee
Toronto strike causes flight cancellations
Yellowknife felt the impact of a last minute strike by refueling staff at Toronto's Pearson Airport which led to more than 200 flights being canceled to and from Toronto's largest airport on Friday.
"(The strike) did have a ripple effect here in Yellowknife," said Lee Stroman, regional airport manager for the Yellowknife airport.
The strike caused an evening flight from Calgary to Yellowknife to be canceled. The return flight leaving from Yellowknife to Toronto via Calgary the following morning was also canceled as a result.
Stroman said the backlog had been resolved by Saturday.
- Cody Punter
RCMP seek suspect after nails found along road
Hay River RCMP are investigating after nails were left on the shoulder of the roadway in the Old Town portion of the town last week. An RCMP news release states numerous vehicles suffered punctured tires from the loose nails.
"It is suspected that the nails were placed in the preceding two days and may have been in response to increased (all-terrain vehicle) activity in the area," RCMP Const. Elenore Sturko stated.
Police stated anyone with ongoing issues should contact police.
- Shane Magee
Fortune Minerals defaults on loans
Fortune Revenue Silver Mines has received notice from its capital financing company that it has defaulted on its loans.
In February, Lascaux Resource Capital Fund LP lent Fortune an additional $6.2 million after already providing two loans totalling $52 million for the acquisition of a silver mine in Colorado as well as operating funds.
As a result, Fortune has come to a settlement agreement with its lender. The non-binding agreement stipulates Fortune's NICO gold-cobalt-bismuth-copper project in the Tlicho region near Whati, all related permits as well as shares of Fortune NWT will be transferred to a subsidiary company.
- Karen K. Ho
Fort Smith musician nominated for award
Thebacha/Fort Smith
A Fort Smith musician is among the nominees for this year's Indigenous Music Awards.
Geronimo Paulette's debut album called Hard Road Out of Hell has been nominated for best instrumental CD.
Paulette wrote all the compositions on the album, and plays lead and rhythm guitar, along with bass guitar, on the seven tracks.
The Indigenous Music Awards will be presented in Winnipeg in September.
Paulette is now getting ready to record his second album.
- Paul Bickford
Smith Seniors' Society elects new executive
Thebacha/Fort Smith
A new executive for the Fort Smith Seniors' Society has been elected following its annual general meeting on June 23.
Leon Peterson was re-elected as the society's president for the coming year.
Marg Shott was elected vice-president for the first time.
Two other members of the executive were re-elected - Beatrice Campbell as treasurer and Darlene Powder as secretary.
The executive is elected each year from the society's 10-member board of directors.
- Paul Bickford
Smith's Landing sets Treaty Day
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Smith's Landing First Nation (SLFN) has set Treaty Day for July 17.
The annual event will be celebrated at the band office just south of Fort Smith on SLFN's reserve land in northern Alberta.
Representatives of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada will be present from 1 to 5 p.m. to disperse the treaty payments.
Once the treaty payments are concluded, there will be a dinner.
In addition, caribou dry meat and other treats will be handed out, and there will be children's games and prizes.
- Paul Bickford
Kakisa re-elects long-serving chief
Ka'a'gee Tu/Kakisa
While many community members spent June 22 in Fort Simpson to attend the Dehcho Annual Assembly, Kakisa held its election for chief and council.
Chief Lloyd Chicot, the longest-serving chief in the Deh Cho, was re-elected. Kakisa also elected all-female councillors, including Sheila Chicot, Nelaine Simba, Terry Simba and Nora Simba. Kakisa also held its District Educational Authority elections. Anita Chicot, Sheila Chicot, Nelaine Simba, Nora Simba and Terry Simba were elected.
The community is wishing a happy belated birthday to Mervin Simba, who celebrated June 19; Anita Chicot, whose birthday was June 22; Gabe Chicot, whose birthday was June 23; and Amanda Simba, whose birthday was June 24.
Kakisa also wishes a happy birthday to Jeremy Simba, whose birthday was on July 3.
- April Hudson
Wrigley showing national pride
Pehdzeh Ki/Wrigley
On Canada Day, the Wrigley community was out decorating bikes for the kids and trucks for the adults. The celebration included a barbecue and games throughout the day.
This week, nominations wrap up for Pehdzeh Ki chief and council. Nominations opened June 12 and will close July 13.
- April Hudson
Moneybags for garbage bags
Aklavik
Aklavik is looking much nicer after youth picked up 1,518 bags of garbage during a recent community cleanup.
Youth were prodded into to helping with a promise of prizes.
J.J. Stewart collected the most bags and received $1 for each, totaling $304. He also got an iPad mini.
The second place winner among the boys was Coby Elanik with 118 bags, followed by Peter Elanik with 66 bags.
Monica Arey placed first in the girl's category. She brought in 248 bags. Blaise Mitchell collected 174 bags of garbage and Madison McLeod collected 163. Most of the youth chose a bike as their prize, but Mitchell picked an iPod Touch.
- Miranda Scotland
Winners picked for Father's Day fishing derby
Ikaahuk/Sachs Harbour
Three winners have been announced in the Sachs Harbour Father's Day fishing derby. Ryan Lucas won a tent for having the heaviest trout. His fish weighed in at 18.34 pounds.
Richard Carpenter received a portable camp kitchen for his 5.5 pound char, which was the heaviest char entered.
The title of smallest fish went to Charlie Haogak Jr.'s catch. He was awarded a fishing rod for his four-inch fish.
The derby wrapped up June 21 after about two months of fishing and weigh-ins. Residents were allowed to enter more than one catch. Kyle Donovan, community recreation co-ordinator, said the event went well.
"A lot of people caught fish. As soon as Ryan caught the 18-pound one everyone wanted to go out and try to catch a bigger one. There were a few that were 16 pounds but they weren't close to 18 pounds."
- Miranda Scotland
Former prosecutor named as a judge
Ottawa
Former federal prosecutor Paul Bychok, who retired from the public service in April, is the newest judge of the Nunavut Court of Justice, federal Justice Minister Peter MacKay announced in a June 26 news release.
Bychok was appointed to replace Justice Andrew Mahar, who was appointed to the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories on May 28.
Bychok acted as senior legal counsel for the Nunavut Regional Office of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada in Iqaluit from 2003 to 2015, after almost 20 years as a lawyer in Halifax.
- Casey Lessard
National park opens in Naujaat
Naujaat/Repulse Bay
In sync with Repulse Bay officially becoming Naujaat, Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq opened Ukkusiksalik National Park last week.
The park protects approximately 20,880 square kilometres within the Central Tundra National Region.
In the centre of the park is Wager Bay, an inland sea that extends 100 km
westward from Hudson Bay.
A variety of land forms cover the park, including eskers, mudflats, cliffs and rolling tundra hills. Its habitat supports caribou, muskox, wolf, polar bear, grizzly bear and Arctic hare. Along the Arctic Coast, snow geese, tundra swans and other waterfowl nest and moult.
The area is considered to be of scientific and historic importance due to the number of archaeological sites, including an abandoned Hudson Bay post.
- Stewart Burnett
NTI warns about telephone scam
Nunavut
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated sent out a public service announcement last week about a telephone scam going around the territory.
"NTI is not currently conducting a contest to give away free iPads," stated Kerry McCluskey, director of communications, in an e-mail notice. "NTI would never ask people to provide their bank account information to us."
Anyone who receives a call from a person who claims to work for NTI and is running a contest should report it to the RCMP immediately.
- Stewart Burnett
New Commissioner of Nunavut named
Nunavut
Nellie (Taptaqut) Kusugak of Rankin Inlet was named as the Commissioner of Nunavut by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on June 23.
Kusugak had been the acting commissioner since Edna Elias's term came to end on May 12.
Previous to that, Kusugak had served as deputy commissioner since 2010.
She is the territory's fifth commissioner since Helen Maksagak was named as the original Commissioner of Nunavut in 1999.
- Darrell Greer
Pool opening delayed
Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung
Swimmers in Pangnirtung will have to wait a little longer to take a dip in the hamlet's pool after a leaky pipe was found during reopening procedures.
"Because the pool hasn't been used in so long, we're having some plumbing issues," said senior administrative officer Shawn Trepanier. The hamlet is ordering pipe from Iqaluit or Ottawa, and Trepanier expects it will take a week or two for the pipe to arrive, then a few days to be installed and the pool reopened.
The pool was set to open for the first time in years just before Canada Day.
"By the time we put water in and let the hose pressurize, we didn't notice the leaks until Sunday or Monday," he said. "We tried fixing the pipes (with ones) that we do have in stock. There are some minor cracks in the main piping to the pool. Other than that the main plumbing, the filters and pumps are working well."
Trepanier said children in the hamlet have been asking daily for updates on the pool's opening.
- Casey Lessard
Iglulik water pipe repaired
Iglulik
Almost 13 km of pipeline from Fish Lake to the hamlet of Iglulik is helping ease reservoir concerns in the community.
"We're now pumping and filling up the reservoir," said Brian Flemming, the hamlet's senior administrative officer.
Unsuitable water in the lake that usually fills the reservoir forced the hamlet to retrieve water from Fish Lake, but that created a new problem when the water trucks did not have a screen on their hoses and organisms called flukes were sucked into the water supply.
The hamlet issued a boil water advisory for both tap water and melted ice.
As of press time, the hamlet was arranging further meetings about the water situation and whether the boil water advisory need continue.
- Stewart Burnett
Cambridge Bay cleans up
Ikaluktuuttiaq/Cambridge Bay
Summer in Nunavut means cleanup time for all of the communities, and Cambridge Bay isn't missing out on the tidying-up action.
The annual community cleanup is being held tomorrow, Tuesday, in the community.
Lots of prizes are available, including two bikes for the best local youth cleaners. Two tickets for anywhere Canadian North or Calm Air flies will also be up for grabs.
The cleanup starts at 1:30 p.m. at the community hall.
A community barbecue will be hosted afterward.
- Stewart Burnett
Last chance for PASS
Nunavut
The deadline is approaching fast for Nunavummiut to apply for the Pathway to Adult Secondary School graduation program.
The program helps adult learners complete their high school diploma through online classes. Students use computer equipment to take courses online, completing assignments from their homes.
Participants must be 19 years of age or older, must not have a valid secondary school diploma, be a resident of Nunavut and must be out of high school for at least one year.
Applicants will be required to take an English or math assessment to determine eligibility.
The application deadline is July 15, with classes beginning Aug. 24.
Visitwww.arcticcollege.cato find information on how to apply.
- Stewart Burnett
Canada Day extended
Ausuittuq/Grise Fiord
Grise Fiord had to extend its Canada Day into July 2 due to high winds and a risk of rain showers that forced the hamlet to postpone part of its celebrations.
The hamlet was able to run its bike decorating contest and miniature boat race July 1. The sculpin fishing derby, community picnic, and cake decorating contest were delayed until the next day, recreation coordinator Tivai Kiguktak said.
"They like the sailboat race every year," Kiguktak said. "They expect to see that every Canada Day, and the sculpin derby."
- Casey Lessard
Bake a cake
Iqaluit
Culinary artists are invited to be inspired by the land as they enter this year's Nunavut Day cake decorating contest in Iqaluit.
The annual contest's theme this year is Going on the Land, with cakes judged on overall appeal, creativity, design, neatness and originality, a government release stated.
The winning cake will earn its baker a $300 gift certificate for The Marketplace. Entries need to be taken to the Igluvut building at the capital's Four Corners intersection by 11 a.m. on July 9. Judging will take place at 11:30 a.m. and the winner will be announced at Nunavut Day celebrations.
- Casey Lessard
Standoff ends without injury
Tikirarjuaq/Whale Cove
An armed standoff in Whale Cove ended peacefully when the individual agreed to leave the home unarmed this past month.
The RCMP received a call at about 6 p.m. on June 18, informing the police an armed individual had barricaded himself inside a Whale Cove residence.
Members of the Whale Cove detachment of the RCMP responded to the call and, after several hours of negotiations, the man agreed to leave the residence unarmed.
The police arrested the man under the Mental Health Act shortly after midnight on June 19. There were no injuries as a result of the incident.
- Darrell Greer
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