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Friday, February 5, 2016
Trucking pioneer killed in avalanche
A member of the trucking pioneer family that founded RTL Robinson Enterprises was killed Jan. 29 near McBride, B.C. by an avalanche, according to the B.C. Coroners Service. The avalanche hit a group snowmobiling in a gully, killing 55-year-old Ricky Robinson and four others from Alberta. Robinson had been residing in Spruce Grove, Alta. after the family sold the business a decade ago. Richard Robinson, Ricky's father, started the trucking business in Yellowknife in 1968. Today's Trucking reported a service to remember Robinson was to be held today in Stony Plain, Alta.
- Shane Magee
Parents invited to Yk1 info nights
Yellowknife Education District No. 1 is holding a series of meetings in the coming weeks for parents about various programs at its schools. At the meetings will be superintendent Metro Huculak, Yk1 staff and Parent Advisory Council members.
Meetings start Feb. 16 and run through March 1.
- Shane Magee
Young leaders head to Ottawa
Three Yellowknifers are headed to Ottawa this week with a group of 10 Northerners selected as Jane Glassco Northern Fellows.
Catherine Blondin, Dawn Tremblay and Thomsen D'Hont will be joined with fellows from across the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut for the gathering of the next generation of Northern leaders. The fellowship is a development program focusing on policy and leadership, open to Northerners between the ages of 25 and 35. The four-day program will bring fellows together with politicians, advisers and civil servants, to guide them on their paths as future community leaders.
- Elaine Anselmi
Year of the Monkey
Yellowknifers will start ringing in the Chinese New Year this weekend, just before celebrations officially kick off in China Feb. 8 to celebrate the year of the Monkey. In Yellowknife, the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre is hosting a Chinese New Year celebration Saturday afternoon. Performances, activities and storytelling are on the docket and the museum cafe will be offering up a special menu.
- Elaine Anselmi
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Trout Lake pushes name change
During the winter leadership meeting for Dehcho First Nations, which took place in Fort Simpson from Jan. 12 to 14, the Dehcho First Nations leadership agreed to support Sambaa K'e Dene Band's request for an official name change from Trout Lake to Sambaa K'e.
According to a resolution from Dehcho First Nations, the people of Trout Lake decided during a general public meeting on Jan. 13 to change their name. The Sambaa K'e Dene Band endorsed that decision and sent a request to the territorial government that Trout Lake's geographical name be changed to Sambaa K'e.
Census starts
For remote Northern communities, the federal census will commence a full three months earlier than the census for the rest of the country, according to Statistics Canada.
In a Feb. 1 news release, the federal agency stated census representatives will be visiting homes in remote communities in order to conduct personal interviews.
Census questions will be delivered in the Dene language for Dene speakers, as well as 10 other aboriginal languages.
The rest of Canada will have its census start in May.
Traditional games practise begins
At Bompas Elementary School in Fort Simpson, practices began this week for traditional games.
Students between the ages of 10 and 12 could participate, with the ultimate goal of heading off to the Traditional Games Championships in Yellowknife from Feb. 26 to 28.
For the championships, a team of four boys and four girls will be selected by Feb. 12, according to a notice e-mailed out to parents from principal Kelley Andrews-Klein.
Practices began Feb. 2 and will continue Feb. 4 beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Safety upgrade for Deh Cho Bridge
On Jan. 29, the territorial Department of Transportation said in a news release it had installed two emergency phones on the Deh Cho Bridge, which crosses the Mackenzie River just south of Fort Providence.
The installation took place with the help of Northwestel. According to the GNWT, the phones are fully functional and have an expected lifespan of 20 years.
Travellers in distress can use the phones to connect to the local RCMP detachment in Fort Providence.
The news release said the phones "will be instrumental in increasing police response times to the Deh Cho Bridge, and ensuring that every traveller has proper access if assistance is required."
Originals changes hands
Arlene Hansen is selling Originals on Mackenzie to Wynona Beaulieu.
The shop is also moving locations.
"I'm going to mentor her for a year or so," said Hansen.
"I believe that after a year of working with her, she will know what to do and who to call."
The store opened its doors in 1990 and Hansen said she never really put it on the market. She let it be known, rather, that she wouldn't say no to an offer and about a year later, heard from Beaulieu.
"The work with artists is really important," Hansen said, adding that selling their pieces has been a mainstay of the shop and the community since she started the business.
As for what's next, Hansen said she still hasn't made any decisions.
"I know I don't want to do nothing," she said.
"We've had wonderful support in the region and worked really hard for shop local campaigns and I really appreciate it."
Beaulieu could not be reached for comment.
Career fair coming to town
The annual Career Expo and NWT-North Regional Skills Competition is headed to Inuvik Mar. 3.
The events will be held at East Three Secondary School.
The career fair is an opportunity for exhibitors to attract employees and for students to connect with employers and think about their futures.
The fair will run at the same time as the Skills Canada NWT regional competition, in which tradespeople vie for the chance to compete at territorials in Yellowknife later this year in fields like hair-dressing, cooking, welding and carpentry.
The two events will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 3.
Duane Smith steps down to take on new role
The Inuit Circumpolar Council announced last week that vice chair for Canada, Duane Smith, would be stepping down after serving for more than 17 years.
Smith was elected the new chair and CEO for the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation last week, taking over from Nellie Cournoyea.
"I am leaving with some regret, but I believe my contribution to ICC has left the organization with the tools to continue to do great work," Smith stated in the release.
"On the international stage, I always aimed to do things that made a difference at home and in that way, moving to my new role at IRC is simply a continuation of this approach."
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