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Newsbriefs: Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Dog attacks SPCA worker
A staff member at the NWT SPCA was attacked by a rescue dog Saturday morning.
President of the NWT SPCA Nicole Spencer stated in an email an incident involving a staff member and a rescue dog occurred at 7:15 a.m. Saturday at the organization's shelter on Deh Cho Boulevard.
A workplace safety investigation is ongoing. Kim Walker, manager of communications for the NWT Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission said a safety officer visited the site over the weekend and is inspecting and collecting data.
- Emelie Peacock
Boy hit by vehicle back home
A young boy hit by a vehicle outside Mildred Hall School Thursday is at home recovering.
Superintendent of Yellowknife School District No. 1 Metro Huculak said the boy was released from hospital without needing surgery but will require six weeks of rest.
YK1 and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment are planning to look at traffic patterns in the area to see whether any changes are needed, Huculak said, adding this is the first time a child has been hit by a vehicle in this parking lot. A police investigation is ongoing, no further details were available as of press time.
- Emelie Peacock
Lightning blamed for power outage
The NWT Power Corporation says a lightning strike caused Sunday's power outage. According to power corp. spokesperson Heather Tybring, the Bluefish transmission line was hit by lightning at 9:06 p.m., cutting electricity in Yellowknife, Ndilo, Dettah and Behchoko. Power was fully restored to all customers by 10:10 p.m.
- John McFadden
Frame Lake Trail construction starts
Construction will start on the McMahon Frame Lake Trail tomorrow.
City crews will widen and repave the trail over the next few weeks starting at City Hall, moving towards Stanton Territorial Hospital. The trail will stay open during construction and work will take place from Monday to Saturday during the daytime; however, parts of the trail will be closed at specific times and the city is asking residents to obey signs and follow detours around closed-off areas.
- Emelie Peacock
Impact agreement signed
Kivalliq
The Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement (IIBA) for Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.'s Whale Tail gold deposit, located about 50 kilometres north of the Meadowbank gold mine, was signed on June 15, by the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA) and Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM) in Baker Lake. AEM plans to begin open-pit operations at Whale Tail in 2019.
The IIBA includes a $6.5 million payment to the KIA, which included $3 million paid to a community initiative fund on June 15.
The agreement also provides payment of 1.4 per cent on net gold production, $3.6 million for annual training programs, and a preference point system to Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. registered companies. An additional $1 million in training investment will be provided if Inuit employment goals are not met.
KIA president David Ningeongan stated in a press release that the KIA has striven to balance the need to protect the environment with the promotion of economic development. Ningeongan said the KIA has worked hard to ensure the IIBA works for the benefit of Inuit in the Kivalliq region, and that it is another step toward a better future for Inuit of Nunavut.
Ore from the Whale Tail deposit will be milled at the Meadowbank mine. AEM expects to spend $1.2 billion US developing the Whale Tail and Meliadine (near Rankin Inlet) projects during the next three years.
The company expects about $66 million per year in payroll to reach Kivalliq communities once both mines are operating, with an additional $500 million per year in goods-and-services contracts. The Whale Tail and Meliadine deposits are expected to extend operations at Meadowbank by 14 years.
Scholarship deadline
Kivalliq
The Qulliq Energy Corp. (QEC) is now accepting applications for its annual Laura Ulluriaq Gauthier Scholarship. Nunavummiut students enrolled in a post-secondary-education program for the September 2017 semester are eligible to apply. The successful candidate will be chosen based on a strong academic record and outstanding community involvement. Applications for the $5000 scholarship will be accepted until June 30.
Tootoo honoured
Kivalliq/Nunavut
Rankin Inlet's Jordin Tootoo was among a group of Northerners to be honoured in a ceremony recognizing outstanding indigenous leadership at Ottawa's Rideau Hall earlier this month. Tootoo received the Meritorious Service Medal during the ceremony for his ongoing efforts in Nunavut to promote healthy living and to encourage conversations about difficult topics such as addictions and suicide.
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