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Friday, June 10, 2016
RCMP warn of suspicious man
Yellowknife police are providing tips to prevent property crime after reports circulated about a suspicious male knocking on doors.
According to RCMP, the suspect says he is looking for employment and usually offers yard work. Similar circumstances in the past have resulted in a break and enter when the door was not answered, according to police. To prevent property crime police suggest not leaving obvious signs you are away and installing good locks.
- Robin Grant
Union rallies to support workers
About 35 Public Service Alliance of Canada union members rallied in front of the Greenstone Building on Franklin Avenue Wednesday as a show of solidarity during ongoing labour talks with the federal government.
The members who work with the federal Treasury Board sought "a quick and fair resolution to contract negotiations with their employers," according to a news release.
The rally was one of several across Canada held that day, including the other two territorial capitals.
- Shane Magee
Dominion reports $35.9M loss
Dominion Diamond Corporation reported Wednesday a pre-tax loss of US$35.9 million during its first fiscal quarter. That compares to US$8.5 million pre-tax profit for the same period last year. It reported US$178.3 million in sales for the quarter, down from $187.7 million. The loss comes as the market for diamonds has begun a tentative recovery. For 2015, the company had reported a US$27.9 million pre-tax loss.
Dominion is majority owner of the Ekati diamond mine and minority owner of Diavik diamond mine, both northeast of Yellowknife.
- Shane Magee
Miners compete
The Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission (WSCC) of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut is holding its 59th annual Mine Rescue Competition today and tomorrow.
Teams will participate in competitions, collaborate to understand how others work and test their own mine rescue skills, according to a news release. The WSCC is inviting the public to attend on Saturday.
- Robin Grant
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Fort Simpson gets FireSmart
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources launched a FireSmart question-and-answer and information session in Fort Simpson on June 8 after hearing concerns from village residents about the dangers of wildfires.
The event, which was set to occur after press time, would include a review of the village's community wildfire protection plan, an overview of how the department can help homeowners FireSmart their buildings and a look at the NWT forest fire management policy principles and direction, according to regional superintendent Carl Lafferty.
Pool undergoing maintenance
The Village of Fort Simpson was still waiting on repairs to Fort Simpson's swimming pool as of June 6.
Senior administrative officer Beth Jumbo said the concrete at the pool suffered small cracks throughout the winter – a regular occurrence for the pool, due to the fact it is not heated year-round. Before it opens, those cracks have to be repaired so swimmers don't injure their feet.
The issue is being addressed "immediately," said Jumbo, who added the village was working to get the pool open before Thursday or Friday.
The village has also hired a supervisor, assistant supervisor and two lifeguards to work at the pool for the summer.
Kakisa ripe for solar pilot: MLA
If the GNWT is looking to get communities off diesel and onto electrical power, Kakisa may be the place to start, according to Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli.
In his member's statement to the legislative assembly on June 1, Nadli said Kakisa would be a sensible place to look at small-scale power generation.
He compared Kakisa to Colville Lake, which recently installed solar panels to help power the community.
"Kakisa in the sunny Deh Cho is an ideal place to repeat the successes we're seeing in Colville Lake," he said.
Nadli also questioned Public Works and Services Minister Caroline Cochrane on the government's plan to develop a new energy plan this year.
Cochrane said small communities such as Kakisa would be considered within that energy plan.
She added the GNWT is currently talking with the federal government about providing funding which could see the transmission line from Enterprise extended into Kakisa and Fort Providence.
Family law office faces cutbacks
The territorial government's new budget was presented last week and among the proposed cutbacks are positions in Inuvik's family law office.
Brad Patzer, director of the legal division for the GNWT, said the office would retain its court worker, but the administrative assistant position would be eliminated and the lawyer's position moved to Yellowknife.
"The court worker would stay and facilitate public access to the court," he said. "And the lawyer would travel to Inuvik for court days."
While Inuvik has had a full-time family law lawyer in the community, Patzer said many individuals were represented by lawyers from out of town for logistical reasons. One lawyer cannot take on all cases, and can't represent both sides of a dispute.
"It's already happening," he said. "This would be a minor change in the way service is delivered by legal aid."
Patzer said that, dependent on whether or not the legislative assembly approves the proposed budget,the changes could come to Inuvik's family law office in the next few months.
Energy conference promises a show
Next week Inuvik will host the newly revamped Arctic Energy and Emerging Technologies Conference and Tradeshow, with delegates coming from all over the North and Canada to participate.
While day passes are priced at several hundreds of dollars, the show will be open to the public from 3:45 to 6 p.m. June 14 and from 3:45 until 5 p.m. on June 15.
Organizer Vicky Gregoire-Tremblay told the Drum that among other attractions, attendees will be invited to play around on a giant map of Canada, which will then be used for the "youth engagement" portion of the conference.
Legend honoured
Fred Carmichael, legendary pilot and Inuvik community leader, is to be inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame this week.
As the Drum reported in December, Carmichael was selected for the honour for his accomplishments as an aviation entrepreneur, search and rescue pilot, and pioneer aboriginal commercial pilot.
The ceremony will take place in Ottawa June 9 at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum. Guests from all over the country are expected to be in attendance. Other inductees include Kathleen Carol Fox, William Ross Lennox, and Beverley Strahan Shenstone.
In December, when the award was announced, Carmichael said he did not envy the selection committee their task.
"A lot of people out there deserve it," he said. "The way I look at it, it wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the people around me. I'm accepting on behalf of everyone who supported me."
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