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Monday, August 31, 2015
Raw sewage spills in Behchoko
Five thousand litres of raw sewage spilled in Edzo on Aug. 5 after a valve on a pipe failed, according to an official with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR).
The spill area has been treated with lime to neutralize it and then covered with gravel, stated ENR spokesperson Nancy Zimmerman in an e-mail. She added ENR staff will be following up on the repairs and spill area on Aug. 31.
It is not entirely clear if the sewage entered the water table at any point.
- John McFadden
Tulita goes dry for handgames tourney
Alcohol is banned in the Sahtu community of Tulita and within a 25 km radius around the hamlet's band hall during the second annual community handgames tournament scheduled for this week.
The ban, which was requested by the Tulita Dene Band and granted by Michael Miltenberger, the minister responsible for the Liquor Act, took effect at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 30 and remains in effect until 12:01 a.m. on Sept, 7.
- John McFadden
Communications outage hits Fort Smith
Residents of Fort Smith can link to the rest of the world once again after a major communications disruption last week that lasted more than 17 hours.
According to Northwestel spokesperson Adriann Kennedy, cell phone, long-distance calling, Internet, data and cable TV service went down about 11:30 a.m. Aug. 27 due to damage to a fibre line along Highway 5. It was caused by construction work unrelated to Northwestel, Kennedy said.
Service was restored at about 4:50 a.m. on Aug. 28.
-John McFadden
Mint releases latest Northern lights coin
The Royal Canadian Mint has released its final silver coin in the series it's calling A Story of the Northern Lights.
The coin features a soaring raven set against holographic Northern lights.
The coin was designed by Toronto artist Nathalie Bertin who describes herself as being of Algonquin and French heritage.
She was inspired by First Nations storytelling traditions of the Pacific Northwest, according to a news release from the mint.
Only 8,500 coins were produced - they have a retail price of $109.95 each.
- John McFadden
Culture camp announced
Pehdzeh Ki/Wrigley
Pehdzeh Ki First Nation will be running a culture camp at Old Town in September, although exact dates have yet to be announced.
On Aug. 24, the community was visited by Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche as part of his constituency tour.
Community members were also invited to an alternative energy meeting that day with Yellowknife-based alternative energy expert Wade Carpenter, focusing on solar power.
A public meeting was held Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.
Charlie Tale held a traditional community food workshop on Aug. 24 with a second workshop coming up on Aug. 28.
- April Hudson
Camp finishes second week
Deh Gah Got'ie Koe/Fort Providence
Deh Gah School immersion classes for kindergarten and Grades 1 to 3 are set to begin their third week of fall camp Aug. 31. The program is scheduled to run to Sept. 4.
The recreation department held open gym sessions for kindergarten to Grade 6 all last week, except for Aug. 27, when a kindergarten to Grade 12 dodgeball session was scheduled.
There was no school Aug. 25 and 26 while staff were in Fort Simpson for a cultural orientation.
Aug. 30 was the last day the pool is scheduled to be open for the season.
- April Hudson
School back in session
Tthek'ehdeli/Jean Marie River
Back-to-school is in full swing as students return to Louie Norwegian School. The first day of school was scheduled for Aug. 27 at 9 a.m.
A regular band meeting took place Aug. 25 at 7 p.m.
- April Hudson
Trade fair and workshops commence
Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard
Arts and crafts demonstrations and workshops will take place Sept. 5 at the Echo Dene School gym Facilitated by the GNWT Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, workshops will include beading, tufting, printmaking and sewing, among others.
A petting zoo will be set up and workshops will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- April Hudson
Triathlon taking place
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
The Hamlet of Fort McPherson had scheduled a triathlon and fun day this past weekend, starting on the afternoon of Aug. 29.
The annual event is usually held in early July but was moved to early August this summer, and then delayed by rain.
Teams of four were invited to enter in the triathlon, with both a 16-years-of-age and above, and a 15-years-and-under race taking place.
Each team was scheduled to have a runner, a biker and two paddlers - although the paddling portion will only be held for the adult race.
Following the triathlon, baseball and other
fun games were planned for participants, as well as a cookout.
Previous years have seen nearly the whole community come out to take part and organizers hope to see a similarly positive response this year.
- Elaine Anselmi
Games in gym again
Ulukhaktok/Holman
Youth in Ulukhaktok were happy to see the school gym open again after renovations and evening gym program started up again on Aug. 25.
The first night of the program that runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays through the school year saw a positive response from children and youth among three age groups.
Beginning at 6 p.m., children nine years old and under played long-run ball (also known as kickball), followed by floor hockey and ball-tag.
At 7:30 youth from 10-to-15-years old play ed skittles - a game similar to dodge ball - and then finished up with the basketball-inspired game of bump.
Lastly, the oldest group of 16-years and above stopped in to the revamped space for an hour and a half of volleyball.
The re-opened gym was a welcome sight.
This is because its closure meant recreation was limited to the community hall on rainy and windy days, when outdoor play wasn't possible.
The gym program will continue to run weekly, with the exception of a few weeks in December when the facility is reserved for Christmas concerts.
- Elaine Anselmi
Fort Smith minor hockey sets AGM
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Fort Smith Minor Hockey Association will hold its annual general meeting on Sept. 10.
The association is seeking volunteers to serve one-year terms as president, vice-president/fundraising, registrar, secretary, treasurer, division director, canteen director and director at large. The meeting will take place at the Fort Smith Rec Centre, beginning at 7 p.m. on Sept. 10.
- Paul Bickford
Good weather for canoe races
Tsiigehtchic/Arctic Red River
People from across the Beaufort Delta came out for Canoe Days in Tsiigehtchic from Aug. 22 and 23.
Jigging contests and a talent show were also on the bill, and the good weather held out for the weekend, allowing events to go on as planned.
One event, the strongman competition, was cancelled due to low participation.
The competition was introduced at the annual event last year, seeing a great deal of popularity.
Unfortunately, this year few were so keen to step up and test their strength.
Despite the one change to the program, organizers said the event was a success with the canoe races seeing high participation and four teams of four signing up to take part in another new event, the triathlon.
- Elaine Anselmi
Fifty years of jamboree
Paulatuk
The annual jamboree wrapped up with the community excited about its 50th anniversary.
In honour of the milestone, images and videos were collected from community members to show off Paultuk's heritage and remember its past. As well as paying respects to the hamlet's history during the four-day event that ended on Aug. 18, fun and games were in no short order at the jamboree. Outdoor events, including canoe races, kept community members busy during the annual event.
- Elaine Anselmi
Acrylic painting lessons coming to town
Thebacha/Fort Smith
An acrylic painting workshop will be held in Fort Smith on Sept. 19 and 20. The workshop will show participants how to take a photo or drawing and create an acrylic painting.
The workshop is being presented by Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre.
- Paul Bickford
Communities rally for tent fire victims
Mittimatalik/Pond Inlet
Communities across Nunavut and even across the country are rallying to raise money for the Kautuq family in response to a recent camp fire tragedy.
The family of six - two adults and four children - were caught in a tent fire in the early morning of Aug. 16 at a camp outside Pond Inlet and medevaced to receive hospital care in Winnipeg and Ottawa.
A news release from the coroner's office stated that the father and three children have succumbed to their injuries, while the two remaining family members are still being treated in stable condition.
People in Kimmirut, Pangnirtung, British Columbia and more have been raising funds to support the Kautuq family.
Ocean Umphrey, a cousin of the mother in the fire, launched a fundraiser on Facebook titled Tragedy in the Arctic.
- Stewart Burnett
Education program kicks off new year
Nunavut
A fresh new year kicked off at Nunavut Arctic College's education programs division Aug 25 when a full slate of staff gathered together in Iqaluit.
Director Brian Manning welcomed the faculty members with encouraging words.
"A new academic year ... presents opportunities for various beginnings - new classes, new faces, sometimes new courses and often new materials. Summer and vacation can be great healers; and as we approach a new academic year, the end-of year pressures in June seem quite remote and inconsequential," he said.
Manning said the program will continue to evolve and improve
"We can be very proud of what we achieve in the education programs division and, thereby, in the Nunavut teacher education program and early childhood education program. However, our achievements are not due to complacency and satisfaction with the status quo. Our division is what it is because a staff of dedicated, aspiring educators have a common goal - to do what is best for the students entrusted to our care - and are always looking for ways to achieve that goal."
- Michele LeTourneau
Review board hosts meeting
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
The Nunavut Impact Review Board has announced it will be hosting a community information session in Rankin Inlet on the Meliadine Gold Mine Project on Sept. 2.
The session will be held at the Rankin Inlet community hall, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m.
The session will focus on the monitoring of the Meliadine project.
Simultaneous interpretation will be available, refreshments will be served and prizes given away at the session.
- Darrell Greer
Summit advocates for standardized writing
Nunavut
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami announced Aug. 27 that participants in the Summit on the Unification of the Inuit Writing System agreed on Aug. 26 to recommend "that jurisdictions formally explore the implementation of an Inuit writing system that is rooted in a standardized form of Roman orthography, developed by Inuit for Inuit and introduced through the education system."
"I would like to thank summit participants and everyone who has contributed to this work, including participants in consultation sessions, for their time, energy and expertise," said ITK president Terry Audla.
Audla is also chairperson of the National Committee on Inuit Education (NCIE), which spearheaded the project.
"The consensus reached today builds on decades of work by many exceptional leaders and language experts. Today we honour their dedication and thank them for helping us to get to this point," said former committee chairperson Mary Simon, who co-chaired the summit with Audla.
Members of ITK's Atausiq Inuktut Titirausiq Task Group will formally present this recommendation to the National Committee on Inuit Education, which is made up of representatives of Inuit organizations and the governments responsible for delivering education at the provincial and territorial level on Sept. 9.
Audla is expected to present the recommendation to delegates attending the ITK annual general meeting on Sept. 16. As well, he will forward the recommendation to governments and language authorities throughout Inuit Nunangat and ask them to report progress within a year.
- Michele LeTourneau
Youth culture camp held by Inuit association
Naujaat/Repulse Bay
The Kivalliq Inuit Association wrapped up its annual Puunnaqsiniq Culture Camp at the Niaquungut-North Pole River outside of Naujaat earlier this month.
The camp provides an opportunity for Inuit youth ages 15 to 29 from the Kivalliq region to learn traditional and cultural skills out on the land with a group of elders. The youths learn to sew traditional Inuit clothing, prepare and use marine and land-mammal skins, and prepare and preserve traditional foods.
They also learn survival skills on the land, as well as fishing and pipsi-making skills, land and sea mammal harvesting/hunting skills, traditional Inuit weather observation and attend workshops on grief, loss and healing.
- Darrell Greer
Wildlife monitors sought
Kangiqtugaapik/Clyde River
The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board is looking for active harvesters in Clyde River who would be interested in participating in a community-based monitoring network.
The Community-based Monitoring Network brings together respected Nunavummiut harvesters to share their knowledge and observations about wildlife, stated a news release from the board.
"Rather than rely on interviews to collect this information, participants are trained to use specially designed hand-held computers to record wildlife sightings, harvests, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and other observations while out on the land," the release stated.
The board will be in Clyde River during the week of Oct. 5 to train interested harvesters on data collection.
Anyone interested in the program should contact the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board.
- Stewart Burnett
Gospel revival planned
Arviat
St. Francis Anglican Church will be holding a Gospel Music Revival from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2 in Arviat.
Everyone is welcome to attend this fall event.
A special guest, to be announced, will be attending the event and counselling will be available from qualified counsellors.
- Darrell Greer
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