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Newsbriefs: Friday, August 4, 2017
Man charged after joyride
A Deline man is facing a list of charges after a vehicle was reported stolen in Yellowknife on Monday night. According to an RCMP news release, the Mounties were notified about the vehicle theft and later received a call about erratic driving on Deh Cho Boulevard.
Officers located the vehicle at the sand pits and the driver was arrested. Clyde Takazo, 33, is charged with impaired driving, refusing to provide a breath sample, taking a vehicle without consent, uttering threats and mischief. He was released for a court appearance on Sept. 12.
- John McFadden
RCMP identify cabbie charged with assault
The Mounties have now identified an Aurora Taxi cab driver charged with assaulting one of his passengers. In a news release, RCMP stated Matar Mahamed Mahamud, 48, is charged with assault causing bodily harm and is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 19. Angus Durrie, 31, a Yellowknife restaurant manager, posted on Facebook that he was the victim of the attack which he said was prompted by a fare dispute.
- John McFadden
Changes to Vital Statistics Act
The NWT is the first jurisdiction in Canada allowing residents to put a third gender marker on their birth certificates. People who do not identify as male or female can now apply to use the gender marker X instead. This is one of two changes to the NWT Vital Statistics Act announced July 28. Residents can now also register a traditional name on their birth certificate, which can be used as their legal name. Chelsea Thacker, executive director of the Rainbow Coalition of Yellowknife said the change is an important one but there is more work to be done.
- Emelie Peacock
City butts out
Downtown businesses have an opportunity to purchase wall-mounted, cigarette-butt receptacles through the city of Yellowknife. The receptacles are $250 each and installation and maintenance are the responsibility of the business owner. Earlier this year, the city set up 45 of the containers in public spaces in an effort to curb littering. The deadline to get in on the bulk order is August 13.
- Jessica Davey-Quantick
Newsbriefs: Thursday, August 3, 2017
Supreme Court backs Clyde River
The Supreme Court of Canada quashed the permit of the National Energy Board authorizing seismic testing in Baffin Bay and Davis Straight last week, something the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is calling a win for treaty rights.
"This is a crucial ruling that makes clear the requirement to assess the specific impacts of a project on the hard-won treaty rights of Indigenous peoples," stated Duane Smith, CEO of IRC, in a news release. "The focus is not on environmental effects generally. This is a ruling in favour of the rights of Inuit who rely on the health of our ecosystems, which include marine animals."
The Hamlet of Clyde River, hunters and trappers organization and Greenpeace had joined forces to oppose seismic testing in the waters near the community.
U.S. consulate seeks American citizens
Representatives from the U.S. consulate will be travelling to Inuvik in September in search of American citizens.
The group will be available to conduct routine consular services for U.S. citizens, such as passport renewals and records of births and deaths.
Anyone interested in meeting with the group is encouraged to contact the U.S consulate office in Calgary, Alberta.
GNWT liberalizes gender, name choices
The Government of the Northwest Territories has updated its Vital Statistics Act to allow the use of single names based on traditional culture and changing the sex designation on a birth certificate to better reflect gender identity.
The amendment allows Indigenous people to reclaim their traditional names.
Anyone born in the NWT may now apply to change their gender on their birth registration without first having to undergo gender reassignment surgery.
The NWT is the first jurisdiction in Canada to offer a third gender option, which will be X for individuals who do not identify as male or female.
Children invited to build forts
The Inuvik Youth Centre and Inuvik Community Greenhouse are teaming up to hold a fort-building event for children at the greenhouse this weekend.
Youth will have the opportunity to build garden forts and castle buildings out of resources in the greenhouse.
All children are welcome to the event, which begins at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5.
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