Reviews

Inuvik: 2007 - The Year in Review

Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

January

A woman and her granddaughter were the only two in a house on Alder Drive when it caught on fire on Jan. 10.

The house was being rented by Frank Edwards, who was not at home when the fire started. The Inuvik fire department was on the scene shortly after the fire was called in by the grandmother.

Sixteen firefighters and the pumper truck arrived on the scene shortly after the fire chief arrived, said Julie Miller, deputy fire chief.

Miller said the fire was contained to the upper bedroom of the house.

"The room of involvement was significantly burned," she said.

"Smoke and water damage could be found throughout the house."

Youth centre gets new program director

Joanna Lehrer of Toronto came to town as the youth centre's new program director.

Lehrer is an art student who wanted to come to the North to learn the traditions and work with young people.

"I was intrigued with aboriginal cultures, which is something I want to learn more about," she said.

With experience bringing youth on wilderness trips, Lehrer planned trips with the youth to go camping and on walks.

Sunrise festival worth $15,000

Rick Lindsay and the crew at the Town office planned a big show for the 20th annual Sunrise Festival.

Each year, the show displays colourful lights and a wide range of firework styles.

Lindsay said the show was upgraded with a new holding rack for the explosives.

"The new racks are required by the government," he said.

Lindsay added a special fuse is used in the act.

"It's called a Brazilian time fuse," he said.

"It always burns at one inch per second. Safety is always our first concern with the show."

Distributor no more

Former Legion president Fred Church brought a motion to town council to change the name of Distributor Street to Veterans' Way.

Church said changing the name would honour veterans who fought in past wars.

The Legion branch is located on the street, as well as the former base for Canadian Forces.

The road was originally named after a paddlewheeler boat that acted as transportation for students from outlying communities.

In a council meeting later that month, the name was changed to Veterans' Way.

Youth group hosts pipeline workshop

The Arctic Indigenous Youth Alliance came to Inuvik to host a workshop for young people, to educate them on the process of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline consultations.

The participants for the sessions came from nearby communities.

Once the young people were brought up to speed on the project, they prepared a presentation to bring to the Joint Review Panel hearings.

Local youth Brent Wolki said he opposes the pipeline due to possible effects on the regional wildlife.

"The project will have dramatic effects on local hunters," he said.

Driver knocks down power pole, causes blackout

An errant driver left 90 customers without power for nearly four hours.

The incident occurred outside a residence on Mackenzie Road.

A 21-year-old man driving a four-door Chevy pickup truck hit a power pole, causing the blackout.

RCMP Cpl. Dino Norris said the driver was to face charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and having a blood alcohol level over .08.

"The vehicle is basically a write off," said Norris.

NWT Power Corporation regional director Herbert Blake said the pole was split in two by the impact.

February

New act shelves cigarette displays

A new tobacco act made the public display of cigarettes and other tobacco-related items illegal.

Senior environmental health officer Chris Beveridge said local businesses were fast and co-operative in changing their stores.

"The idea behind the act is to make tobacco inconvenient to the public," he said.

"Ideally it is to prohibit youth from glancing at the brands and choosing from how they look."

Stores such as the Newsstand and Midtown Market only had to hide the displays.

The NorthMart store had to block and separate the two departments of the building, due to the pharmacy on site.

"I gave them the choice of putting up a barricade, or removing the tobacco products," said Beveridge.

The NorthMart built a tobacco outlet with separate entrance.

Women and youth miss out on caribou summit

The caribou summit that brought in hundreds of people from the region had a women's group upset at the lack of young people and women involved.

Karen Mitchell, vice president of the Native Women's Association said she feels women are integral in handling caribou and should have had more input at the summit.

"We are affected by the caribou, we prepare the meat and sew with the hides," she said.

"We should be included in these talks because we are the ones that pass on the knowledge to the youth."

Janine Olifie was the youth representative for the women's group.

She said she was going to bring the information back to her community of Ulukhaktok.

"I don't see any youth involvement here," she said. "As youth we cannot make good decisions without the proper knowledge," she said.

Long-term service honoured

The Legion was packed with government officials and well-wishers to congratulate employees in the region for long-time service in education.

Inuvik MLAs Robert McLeod and Floyd Roland were in attendance, along with Commissioner Tony Whitford.

Long-time employees were brought into Inuvik for the night so they could celebrate.

The commissioner thanked the workers for their efforts to improve and sustain the education in the North.

"I want to give my heart-felt thanks for your contribution to the region and in this area," said Whitford.

Education Minister Charles Dent echoed the commissioner's comments when he applauded the workers for staying in the North.

"The longer a person works in the North, the more comfortable they feel in the communities, which is important," he said.

SAMS deemed nut-free

Due to serious allergies of a staff member and three students, Sir Alexander Mackenzie school was declared a nut-free zone.

Being nut-free means banning all foods that may contain nuts.

"We currently have people in the school that have life-threatening allergies to nuts," said Principal Janette Vlanich.

"Some people don't know how sensitive their allergy is."

Informing the parents was one of the challenges involved in designating the school nut-free.

"I'm always making sure my child is not coming into contact with nuts," said Trish Allen, a parent of a student who is allergic to nuts.

"We tell anyone who comes into our house to wash their hands."

The school posted signs and sent notices out in the community.

Snow carvers take national prize

The all-star team of Randy Sibbeston, Eli Nasogaluak and John Sabourin wowed the judges and the artists at a competition in Ottawa.

The team took more than 50 hours to complete their entry titled Take Time to Dance. The sculpture won first prize and also won the artist's choice award.

The piece was carved out of a 40-ton block of snow and took the group more than four and a half days to complete.

"You have to work morning to night, have a big meal and go to sleep early," said Sibbeston.

"Then you wake up feeling like you've been hit with a truck."

Nasogaluak said the win was well-accomplished, and he wants to focus on international competitions.

"I'm confident that we can compete on that level," he said.

Pool supervisor passes torch

The Inuvik Family Centre got a new supervisor when Bobby Despres left town, passing on the keys to lifeguard Rob Smith.

Despres had been the supervisor since the pool opened two years before.

Despres moved back home to Fredericton, N.B., to be with his growing family.

Smith, with his experience as a supervisor and lifeguard, was eager to fill the position and introduce some new programming.

"I'll be behind a desk now and won't be spending as much time on the pool deck," said Smith.

Despres said he will miss the North and values the friendships and connections he made while he was in town.

"My best memories will be from playing in the Midnight Sun Slo-pitch tournament," said Despres.

Pipeline plans submitted to town council

Employees of the Mackenzie Gas Project showed the town council a brief outlined plan of what development to expect in the Inuvik region.

Roy Wilson and Grace Blake brought a few drawn maps and plans to a council meeting, to bring council up to speed on the plans.

"We outlined the details of our priorities and brought in artist drawings of what the facility could look like," said Wilson.

With the aid of a map, Wilson explained to council how the proposed pipeline would snake from Inuvik across the Territories and into Alberta.

Completing the regulatory process was a priority shared by Imperial Oil. Imperial Oil representative Pius Rolheiser said securing access and benefit agreements is also important.

"We are working closely with the aboriginal groups to work this out," said Rolheiser.

Rolheiser re-affirmed the company's dedication to the project.

"We recognized six years ago that this would be a tremendously complex project," he said.

The company is expecting a regulatory decision in 2008.

March

Sam Hearne students get the other sex talk

A group of presenters held a few information sessions for the young minds of Samuel Hearne about sexual assault.

The discussions also focused on building healthy relationships.

The presentations were held by Victim's Services and the Department of Health and Social Services.

"The idea is to make clear what sexual assault is and what a healthy relationship might look like," said Joanna Lehrer, one of the presenters.

Lehrer said she got involved with the presentation because not enough attention is paid to the subject in the community.

"I haven't seen this issue raised in the community and we thought this would be a great way to start discussions," said Lehrer.

The group showed two films to the youth, which depicted a sexual assault scenario and one of abuse.

Ophelia Leone of the Family Counselling Centre spoke to the group.

"Just because your body reacts to something doesn't mean you like it," she said.

High speed Internet discussed for the Beaufort Delta

A group of technicians, government officials and business reps met in Inuvik to discuss the possibility of high-speed Internet reaching outlying communities.

The meeting was hosted by Connect NWT, a firm that aims to expand high-speed Internet connections.

Regional Director for the Office of the Executive Peter Clarkson held the meeting in the boardroom of his office.

Clarkson said the discussions would remain in the planning phase until the bandwidth is increased in the region.

"We don't have enough in Inuvik to support our own needs as it is," he said.

"Without the bandwidth, it's not worth banging our heads against the wall yet."

Arctic Digital owner Bernie MacNeil said the existing connection configuration needs to be examined before any other nearby communities are connected.

"The current setup is flawed," said MacNeil.

Sam Hearne track team runs the distance

The track team at Samuel Hearne set out to run the total number of miles from here to Hay River.

The team of young runners set the goal of running the 796 air miles to their final destination: Hay River, for a track meet in June.

Coach Lisa MacKenzie said the group was a strong team of runners, who met twice a week.

"We usually have about 10-15 runners per session," said MacKenzie.

The students averaged about 12 miles per week, with six laps measuring one mile.

Richard Phillips, one of the runners who took part in the program, has been a member of the team for a year and a half.

"It's always fun and a good challenge," he said.

The Wolfman comes to Inuvik

David Wolfman of TV fame was in Inuvik to host a cook-off and teach a few people some new techniques.

Wolfman held an event at the high school, with four teams facing off in a chili/bannock cook off.

The trip was made possible by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

In his four-day trip, Wolfman met with elders at the long-term care ward in the hospital.

"I gave them a good culinary lesson and talked with them for a bit," he said.

The TV host also had some advice for those interested in the cooking profession.

"This field is demanding, you need to have a passion for it," he said.

"I'm lucky to be gifted with the work I am doing."

Perry Building owner seeks back rent from GNWT

Catia Stamatelakis, the owner of the Perry Building, said her only tenant, the GNWT, had not paid its bills.

She said the GNWT offices in her building hadn't paid rent in more than 13 months.

The agreed rent was to be $21,070 per month.

The GNWT had a private engineer assess the building, and the engineer had deemed the building unsafe.

Since that report in 2006, the GNWT had been paying her $9,500 per month.

Stamatelakis had hired a lawyer out of Edmonton.

Stamatelakis said the poor safety assessment was due to renovations that were done to the second floor of the building without the knowledge of the landlord.

The lease states that no renovations can be done without the agreement of both parties.

"We needed it in writing and never got it," she said.

"We couldn't approve of renovations that we didn't know of."

Public works regional superintendent Roy Clarke declined to comment on the matter.

Police plan new holding cell facility

The Inuvik RCMP detachment was scheduled to begin construction on new holding cells this year.

Staff Sgt. Sid Gray said the building was more than 50 years old and the rear wing was added on.

"The building itself has gone under many renovations," he said.

"The cells are one of the oldest parts."

A woman who did not wish to be identified said the condition of the cells was horrible.

"Those cells are not fit for use," she said.

"They don't give us enough showers, which I don't think is fair."

Gray said his officers treat everyone with respect.

"We instruct them not to reply to their ranting," he said.

Gray said people being held in custody can only shower when an officer is present, for safety purposes.

"We give them showers on a rotation basis, every few days," he said.

After cabbie shooting, drivers say Inuvik still safe

After a fellow cab driver was shot, Inuvik cab drivers were confident that it was an isolated incident.

According to the family of the victim, Khalid El Khatib was en route to the airport when his passenger instructed him to pull over and threatened him with a gun.

El Khatib was then shot in the back as he ran from the assailant. He called for help from his cell phone.

"The community is not to blame for this," said Mohammed Alley, who had worked as a cab driver in Inuvik for the last 14 years.

"There are crazy people wherever you go in the world."

Alley said he is always aware of what goes on in his car.

"I won't change the way I act, I won't carry a weapon or a gun," he said.

"Inuvik is a great place to work, there are other places to work in the world that have more problems than one single shooting."

Edward Christopher Snowshoe of Fort MacPherson was convicted in June and sentenced to five years in prison.

April

High school students get a taste of legislative assembly

Four students from Samuel Hearne were chosen as pages for the legislative assembly.

The group of students came from a list of possible candidates that was reviewed by Inuvik MLAs Floyd Roland and Robert McLeod.

The job of a page is important to the functioning of the assembly.

"They make sure we have our notes, get us refreshments and keep track of what goes on," said Roland.

"We also give them plenty of time for their homework."

Justine Atkinson said the homework time allowed them to keep in touch with Inuvik.

"Even though we were in Yellowknife, we still had to do our school work," she said.

"We were working for both MLAs, which meant we were meeting with a lot of people.

"We were also given some time for shopping, which was good."

Long-time chef leaves Inuvik

After 17 years, chef Gerhard Erler said goodbye to Inuvik and moved on.

Erler said he first came to the North on a tip from a co-worker.

"I got word that Inuvik was the place to be," he said.

"I came up and liked it right away."

After buying the Raven's Nest and re-naming it The Peppermill, Erler struck a deal with the owner of the Finto Motor Inn.

"We agreed that the restaurant would be moved and located in the hotel," said Erler.

Erler got his start in cuisine at the young age of 14.

"I worked all over Europe and spent some time in the Fiji islands," he said.

In 1980, Erler moved to Calgary, his first home in Canada.

After moving to Inuvik, Erler said it took some time to find the right menu for the people in town.

"I found out right away that I had to cook the food that the people of Inuvik liked to eat," he said.

Erler moved back to his home in Calgary to be with his family.

Inuvik's first boxing club looks for space

Inuvik's boxing club started up in the cold spring months and needed a permanent place to train.

Coach Tim Parker said the club started out using the space at the Inuvik fitness centre.

It began with a small group of interested people, and once word got around, a few more started appearing weekly.

"We need a place to set up our heavy bags and a few mats," said Parker.

With 22 years of coaching under his belt, Parker was preparing a few fighters for some exhibition fights.

"Within the first two weeks, I ask the person if they want to fight, or just train," he said.

"If they don't want to fight, it's okay for them to continue training with us."

The group would later get to use the Aurora College gym as their training space.

Community funding choices made

After a year and a half of meetings and planning, the recipients of Community Capacity Building Fund money were chosen.

The Inuvik working group was made of four governing bodies in town, the town office, the Metis, the Inuvialuit and the Gwich'in.

Chris Larocque, the Metis representative, said the list was ready for submission.

"I think the list is complete," he said.

"Every group that receives funding has met every requirement set for them."

Out of the $35 million distributed throughout the North, Inuvik was to receive $1.8 million. Nine groups were to split the money, depending on what they applied for.

Family centre roof causes water damage

A flaw in the construction of the Inuvik Family Centre caused water damage to the facility and the town was left with the bill.

Mayor Derek Lindsay said the damage was caused by an ice buildup under the roof and above the ceiling of the centre.

"This has been a problem for us every year since it was built," said Lindsay.

"It is being caused by a gap between the new roof and the connection to the existing complex."

The problem became worse as the weather started to warm up.

"We had buckets placed all over," said Lindsay.

"There was a lot of damage to ceiling tiles and drywall."

An engineer was called to fix the problem.

Town councillor George Doolittle said the problem should have been addressed earlier in the construction phase.

"The centre was built too quickly," he said.

Rec complex kitchen starts renovations

Renovations began at the kitchen at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex to increase its capacity.

A walk-in cooler and deep freezer were some of the additions to be made to the kitchen.

The total cost of the work was $558,000.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) provided some of the funding for the changes.

ITI Regional Superintendent Roger Israel said the renovation would increase the centre's hosting capabilities for future events.

"We wanted to further the theme of the conference centre," he said.

"We're looking for the southern conferences to come North."

May

Review of animal control bylaw upsets dog owners

Proposed changes to the animal control act had some pet owners concerned that the bylaw was missing the target.

Dog owner Dave Musselwhite said the changes were more appropriate to an SPCA act.

"I agree that there are dog problems in town, maybe some people might not be looking after their dogs properly, I agree with that, but it shouldn't be in a dog control bylaw," he said.

The proposed change would allow for the animal control officer to investigate yards and issue permits for dog owners.

Musselwhite said the bylaw should focus on dog tags, loose dogs and dogs that bite.

"It shouldn't be concerned with dogs in the back of trucks, dogs being left in vehicles for too long and dogs not getting enough exercise," he said.

Dog musher Herbert Blake said the document needed to be agreed upon by the dog runners in town as well as owners.

"There are clauses and amendments that should be addressed," said Blake.

"This just reads like some bastardized document from other communities in Canada."

Bylaw committee member Chris Larocque said the bylaw would face more meetings before being approved.

Construction begins on Aurora dorm

Construction on a new Aurora College residence began and it should be ready to house students in 2008.

The project cost $4 million.

Campus director Doug Robertson said modifications had been made to the original design.

"The building we have now is different from the plans made 10 years ago," he said.

The facility will have 30 single residence rooms, four kitchens and two living areas.

The buildings will be connected with a large yard and walkway.

Bertha Allen awarded Order of Canada

Bertha Allen was honoured with the Order of Canada for her work for women's rights in the North.

Allen said she was happy to hear about the award and was surprised.

Allen's work for the North began in 1976, when she was one of the initial members of the NWT Native Women's Association.

Allen travelled to Ottawa to be given the award by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean.

Now Allen spends her days with her family, teaching them the traditions and values that were taught to her.

"I'm enjoying my retirement surrounded by my family," she said.

Vet keeps ties with Inuvik pets

Veterinarian Dr. John Overell visited to tend to the animals in town.

The Dawson City vet has travelled to Inuvik for the past six years.

"I know a lot of the older animals in town, which is good for me because I know what to deal with and the animal is comfortable," he said.

"Actually, I can remember the animal's name before the person's sometimes."

Though he tries to advertise his visits as much as possible, Overell said he still gets a fair volume of walk-ins.

"Some people don't even know I'm in town until they see a dog wearing a safety collar," he said with a smile.

During a visit to the community, Overell acted as a mentor for a high school student who wanted to learn more about pet care.

Active living recognized

Two members of the community were acknowledged for their work promoting healthy lifestyles.

Shane Brewster of Sir Alexander Mackenzie School and Josh MacDonald of the Town of Inuvik were given awards for their work promoting active living.

MacDonald said it was good to know his work was appreciated.

"I like meeting new people and seeing them enjoy themselves," he said.

Brewster was thanked for his work in the school and for setting a positive example for those in the community.

"I run a few times a week and play basketball with a few people in town," said Brewster.

Frosty's to close after owner acquires Mad Trapper

Rick Adams made the choice to shut down Frosty's Arctic Pub after making a deal to buy the Mad Trapper bar.

After weeks of speculations on whether both bars would run, or if the Trapper would be renamed, Adams straightened it all out.

"Only having one bar makes sense," he said.

"Both bars have their own busy nights, so it will be good to focus that on one place."

Working on the entertainment schedule was a priority for Adams and his crew.

Eventually, the furniture and décor from Frosty's would be incorporated into the Mad Trapper.

Adams said he kept the Mad Trapper name because of the history.

"People are familiar with the name and it is well-known," he said.

Golf association looks for input on course

A plan to make the most of Old Baldy was the reason for a planning session held by the Inuvik Golf Association.

Association president Al German said the group wanted to incorporate much more than just a golf course into the park design.

A designer was brought in to take ideas from the group and bring back plans for possible themes.

"Among our plans are a walking trail, sliding hill, ski trails and the golf course," said German.

German said it was Peter Clarkson who thought of increasing the area to include recreational activities.

The association planned to start working on the putting green, driving range and the snow hill this year.

June

Teachers bid farewell

After six years of service in Inuvik, Jerry and Susan Woolridge left Inuvik to start their family.

Both were heavily involved in Sir Alexander Mackenzie School.

Jerry was a music teacher and also served as a core instructor for Grade 5 and 6.

Susan was a Grade 1 teacher, program support specialist and vice-principal.

"We made a lot of friends and had a great time here," said Jerry.

Principal Janette Vlanich said that even though she had only known the couple for a year, she could see their accomplishments and thanked them for their work.

"This is a great loss for the school," she said. "We wish them the best."

Designers bring new plans for super school

Architects Simon Taylor and Gino Pin brought their plans for the new school to a community meeting.

The meeting was held in the foyer of Samuel Hearne, the site of the new double school.

After a previous plan for the site was changed, the pair of designers were eager to bring forward the new layouts.

"The next stage of design development is to make working drawings," said Pin.

"Those will take almost a year to complete."

The working drawings will include interior design, a detailed floor plan as well as a conceptual look at the outside of the school.

Beaufort Delta superintendent Dennis Parsons said the changes to the design were from community input.

"Since the meeting in 2004 and last year, the architects took the community input and changed the design for the building," he said.

A gift from Ontario

The Inuvik Youth Centre and other groups in town benefited from a visitor who donated computers and sports equipment to the community.

Peter Paumier of Waterloo, Ont., had been watching TV when he saw a program about the youth in Inuvik.

It inspired him to gather donations from his local businesses and contacts.

"I called the youth centre to find out what they needed," said Paumier.

"I went to a few businesses in Waterloo and told them about my plan."

Seventeen computers were sent to Inuvik, but when they arrived, Paumier found there was no longer a need.

They were distributed to the library in Aklavik.

Petroleum show presenters stay positive

Despite the announcement that the Mackenzie Valley pipeline would be delayed until at least 2014, presenters at the seventh annual Inuvik Petroleum Show were strong in their commitment.

A week prior, Imperial Oil announced the updated costs for the project. The gas transportation system would cost $3.5 million, the pipeline itself would be $7.8 million and the anchoring fields would cost $4.9 million.

Inuvialuit representative Nellie Cournoyea told the audience that despite the hold ups, the people of the region are still committed to the goal.

Gwich'in leader Fred Carmichael told the crowd that the pipeline will become a reality.

"We deserve nothing less," he said.

Hockey team gets a gift from the Great One

The Wayne Gretzky Foundation came through for the Inuvik midget hockey league.

Coach Mike Gravel submitted a request for the annual gift that is given by the foundation.

"We are the only team from the North to get this equipment this year," he said.

"I think the equipment is a great perk, but I think being recognized as a future Team Canada is what the guys are really excited about."

The team submitted their proposal early in the season and only got the gear at the end, so it will help them next year.

Player Sean Alldridge said he was looking forward to the next season.

"This is great for team support, we feel good about being awarded with this," he said.

Literacy challenge met by preschoolers

The Inuvik literacy circle held a challenge for young readers, which was won by the Aboriginal Headstart program.

To complete the challenge, each group had to demonstrate how they loved literacy, through reading, drawing or trips on the land.

The prize for the event was $500 worth of books, backpacks and reading materials.

Suzanne Robinson was one of the organizers of the event.

"We wanted to promote literacy in the community with this," she said.

Robinson said the headstart program won because of its entries.

"Their entries were the most charming," she said.

The program serves children aged three and four.

Mobility issues raised through wheelchair challenge

A fundraiser to get a new wheelchair for accident survivor Chris Schab had many people using a wheelchair to perform every day activities.

A few participants had to travel from a hotel to the bank, or to the Inuvik Drum office to buy a newspaper.

It proved difficult, due to barriers in accessing businesses and the shoddy shape of the sidewalks.

Beaufort Delta math and science consultant Reg Carpenter said the challenge opened his eyes to the problems in the community.

"I found the challenge to be very difficult," he said.

"Inuvik needs to be handicapped-conscious about what is out there."

Mike Orbell, another participant, said his trip wouldn't have been possible without the full power of his arms.

"It opened my eyes and made it apparent how limited the North is," he said.

July

Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

Cemetery restoration raises community concern

When the Town of Inuvik started to refurbish the cemetery in July, residents were upset that they were not given enough notice.

Mayor Derek Lindsay said the cemetery was getting new soil in which to grow grass and the damaged crosses would be replaced with new ones.

Patricia Allen said she was upset because she felt the town didn't advertise well enough.

"Some people don't have cable, so meetings should have been announced," she said.

"This has made me feel hurt and angry. I've left messages at the Town Hall. They know how I feel."

Lindsay said the markers would be placed back exactly where they were taken from.

Councillor Jim McDonald said the crew should have worked in smaller areas, instead of the whole lot at once.

"It wouldn't look so devastating," he said.

Four more roads paved

A few more of Inuvik's roadways got a fresh coat of pavement as the Skookum crew of Whitehorse finished up another year of work.

Director of Public Services for the Town of Inuvik Rick Campbell said a plan is being made for the roads that will be done next year.

Skookum's crew has done work on Inuvik roads for the past seven years.

Skookum asphalt manager Darrell Stone said the company has done both cold and hot mixes in the community.

The firm also provided private paving for driveways.

Whalebone tradition continues

The Great Northern Arts Festival starts every year with a ceremony unveiling a carved whale vertebra.

The tradition goes back eight years, when visiting carver Ike Angotautok held a carving clinic.

When the show was done, he donated the bone to the festival society, which has used it in the opening ceremonies ever since. Each year the piece is carried out by a returning veteran artist and a new face to the show.

This year, William Gruben of Inuvik and Steve Nande of Fort Liard got the honours.

"I'm surprised they asked me to do it," said Nande.

Naked man found in woods

After searching for a man with a history of disturbing behaviour, RCMP found the man naked in the bush.

"They found him naked as a jaybird, covered in mud," said Mayor Derek Lindsay.

Staff Sgt. Sid Gray said the man was believed to have been from northern Ontario.

Earlier in the year, the same man was found on the land as he attempted to walk to Paulatuk.

After they apprehended him, he was taken to the homeless shelter.

Another time, he tried to leave Inuvik to walk to another community and was found with severe frostbite on his hands, legs, feet and face.

"You have to understand, this is someone on a different plane, we have no way of knowing what he was thinking," said Gray.

The man taken into custody on June 29 under the Mental Health Act. He was sent to Edmonton for further examination.

Tattoo artist visits Inuvik

Uwe Vullings and his wife Mel Emdee came to town to visit some friends and leave their mark on the people of Inuvik.

Vullings works as a tattooist and his wife does piercings.

With 20 years of experience under his belt, Vullings said he was used to travelling with his art. The high volume of customers had the artist working until the wee hours of the morning.

"We kept going until five in the morning once," he said.

The shop was set up in a friend's storage room, which was checked by the health inspector.

August

Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec

Healthy food tour of the North

Barb Armstrong and her husband Albert Bernhardt spread their message of healthy traditional foods in town and took their cause to other communities as well.

The pair held a cooking demonstration at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex earlier in the year to show people that Northern foods are a healthier alternative to junk foods.

"We're taking our show to Aklavik and Paulatuk now," said Armstrong.

Their studies also spawned an easy-to-read cookbook, which uses both modern and traditional foods to create a healthy menu for families in the North.

"You can supplement country foods with those bought in a store," she said.

Leadership expedition proves good for youth

A group of Inuvialuit youth who took part in the annual canoe trip down the Horton River said it was a great experience.

The trip was hosted by Outward Bound Canada and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation.

The goal was paddling the river near Paulatuk.

"We would leave at 10:30 in the morning and stop around 6:30 at night," said Jodie Maring, a participant.

The trip also proved to be a great way to see the land and local wildlife.

"We were close to the coast and saw a lot of wildlife," she said.

Being no stranger to the land, Maring said she was familiar with the surroundings, but this was her first time in a canoe.

A reception for the group was held when they arrived back in town.

MLA fights for Dempster improvements

Inuvik Twin Lakes MLA Robert McLeod voiced his concerns to the Legislative assembly about the state of the Dempster highway.

"I've been gathering information to bring from members of the community," he said.

In June, McLeod took a few MLAs out for a drive on the highway.

"They couldn't believe the condition of the road," he said.

"I've been getting complaints from people that this is the worst it has ever been."

McLeod challenged the minister of transportation to take action on the state of the highway.

According to then-transportation minister Kevin Menicoche, the GNWT had put $35 million into the highway since 1990.

"We have plans to put $5 million into it this year and another $5 million for the next year," he said.

Return of the demolition derby

Organizers set up a demolition derby in the summer of 2007.

The derby had taken a break after the last show in 2002.

Father of the derby Kurt Wainman said the break was due to a high level of development in town.

"We've all been busy with the recent development and business in the area," he said.

The first derby was held in 1991 and featured a good number of participants.

"We started with 15 cars, which was a lot," said Wainman.

Wainman said a car can last a long time, or be done with one good hit.

"I've had one car that lasted three years," he said.

"I've had others that were done in the first heat."

The pit at Navy Road was the venue for the event, and the proceeds from admission charges went to the fire department.

Kurszewski enters MLA race

Former educator Denise Kurszewski was the only candidate to run against Robert McLeod for the seat of Twin Lakes MLA.

Boot Lake MLA Floyd Roland was acclaimed to his position.

Kurszewski said she was a strong candidate who knew the community and would act on their behalf.

"I know I have a strong voice in advocating on behalf of the people," she said.

In the weeks to follow, Kurszewski and McLeod would be busy on the campaign trail, talking with residents.

September

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Teen drowns in Mackenzie River

The body of Kendra Sittichinli was recovered from the Mackenzie River after a 12-hour search.

Sittichinli had been swimming with friends in the East Channel of the river.

Her mother Greta Sittichinli said she felt broken-hearted over the loss of her eldest daughter.

"You always hope it will never be your family, but when it's your own child, your heart gets broken," she said.

Kendra had been about to enter her studies at Lethbridge College for geomatics engineering.

"She was going to continue to university and get her degree," said her mother.

"She wanted to be on the land."

Two young players looking for a chance

Two of Inuvik's promising youth were seeking plane tickets for their soccer team to attend a tournament in Hay River.

After talking with the Drum about their fundraising initiatives, Lance Gray and Dwight Carpenter were able to secure a spot to play in the tournament.

Once businesses and organizations heard about the pair and their goal, they assisted with funding.

Samuel Hearne gets new principal

Roman Mahnic took the helm of the high school for the new school year.

Mahnic had experience working in the region, having just left Tuktoyaktuk to join the teaching ranks in Inuvik.

Before working in Tuk for a year, Mahnic spent 15 years as a school administrator.

He said he applied for the position because he liked being in the region.

"I like it here in the Beaufort Delta," he said.

"I'm very pleased to be the instructional leader in this school."

During his year in Tuk, the school had its highest number of graduates.

"We had 10 grads, which is good. We had a big celebration for them," he said.

Town council starts work on curfew bylaw

The first stages of the eventual curfew bylaw took shape at a town council meeting that was full of debate.

The first step was to get community involvement and input, so the council put their discussions on hold until a forum could be arranged.

"It's important that we work with the community for their involvement and to see what they want in it," said Mayor Derek Lindsay.

Empty oil tanks taken down

The big empty oil tanks that sat outside of the Power Corporation were taken down by a crew of seven workers.

Two of the three tanks have been empty for years and were taken down, while the last one still houses diesel fuel.

Site foreman Oakland Valleau said the tanks were cut down by welders and then broken into pieces that could be taken out with trucks.

Once the decision was made to tear down the two tanks not being used, they needed to be cleaned out.

Valleau said his crew wore special suits so they could breathe easily and still be able to work inside the huge tanks.

Family entertainer returns to Inuvik

Al Simmons made his return to the town to perform for the fun fair.

The fair was held by the Children's First Society.

Simmons was last in Inuvik for a performance at the elementary school.

Simmons said his act resembles that of the vaudeville era, with props to amuse the crowds.

"It certainly comes from another culture," he said.

"It comes from British music halls and North American comedy."

The audience loved his performance and showed it by cheering and laughing hysterically.

October

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McLeod takes back Twin Lakes

After a month of campaigning and one forum, incumbent Robert McLeod retained his seat by less than 50 votes over challenger Denise Kurszewski.

McLeod and his family gathered in the same house where they celebrated after the last election in 2004.

"We got together at Edward Lennie's place, because someone said it worked last time," said McLeod.

McLeod was ready to return to office and said he would bring the concerns of his constituents to the new session of the assembly.

"I got a mandate from the people to bring their issues forward and I plan to do that," he said.

Youth gather to remember their friend

A group of youth who wanted to honour the life of the late Kendra Sittichinli got together at the youth centre for a dinner.

The youth invited Kendra's mother Greta to participate in the night of games, dinner and a ceremony afterwards.

"It took about two and a half weeks to plan," said Trista Arey, one of the youth who took the event to heart.

"We did this to help each other through the passing of our friend."

After the dinner, the group gathered at the Mackenzie River, where Kendra had drowned, to talk about their commitments to leading safe and healthy lives.

"It was a nice time for all of us," said Arey.

SAM school raises money through chocolate sales

For many years, the students of Sir Alexander Mackenzie School have raised money for sports programs through the sale of candy bars.

This year was a bit different due to the recent ban of nuts in the school.

Organizing teacher Shane Brewster said that the popular almond bars were removed from the choices.

"We took them away to follow the rules of the school," he said.

"Instead, another caramel bar has been offered."

The money raised goes to various things, from travel to in-house tournaments or equipment.

Each participating student was given chocolates and a sheet to track their sales.

"The students go out in the community and sell as much as they can," he said.

Curfew meets public concern

The Town council held their regular meeting at the community hall to accommodate an expected large audience.

A public question session for the proposed curfew bylaw took place that evening.

Resident Mary Jane McDonald said the curfew would help the RCMP deter youth vandalism and violence.

"I live downtown and I always see kids bothering people who live in nearby apartment buildings," she said.

McDonald agreed with Coun. Clarence Wood that parents should also be held accountable for their child's behaviour.

Wrestling coach Steve Baryluk said council should be careful with the subject of a curfew.

"Be sure of your aim with this," he said.

"Just because they're at home doesn't mean they are sleeping."

He added that only the good kids would obey the new bylaw.

"The bad kids won't follow this, the only ones that will listen are the good ones," he said.

Members of the Samuel Hearne student council met with the bylaw committee in charge of the curfew proposal.

Student Peter Lennie agreed the committee had the right idea.

"You hit the nail right on the head with this," he said.

A few other students were concerned about being harassed at night, if they were walking home with a good reason for being out late.

Coun. Terry Halifax said the curfew would only be used to punish those bad kids causing trouble.

"The police know who is getting into trouble, this is only a tool for them to keep those kids off the streets," he said.

Young boxer prepares for his first fight

Brent Feniuk spent the better part of the year training to become one of Inuvik's toughest boxers. Training with coach Tim Parker, his routine consisted of daily exercise and training with the boxing club a few times a week.

Parker said he ideally needs six months to train a boxer for a fight.

"I want at least four months to train them first," he said.

"If the person is already active, it makes everything smoother."

Floyd Roland elected premier

After beating Michael Miltenberger in the legislative assembly vote for premier, Floyd Roland returned to Inuvik for his first visit since the election.

He was greeted by a large number of people at the airport and live musicians.

After meeting with the public and doing a quick jig, Roland met with town council for dinner and a talk.

Deputy mayor Chris Larocque said they talked about issues pertaining to the town.

"It was a good meal, we got to talk with him about some issues and about how he has been doing," said Larocque.

"I wish him all the best.

November

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New youth rep to sit on council

The Inuvik town council got a new student representative.

Peter Lennie first took the seat, stepping up from his position on the student council.

"A few of my friends and I wanted to be involved with the council," he said.

But due to previous commitments, Lennie had to step down as student rep.

A few weeks later, Grade 12 student Cam MacDonald took the seat.

Fire chief celebrates 20 years with town

Fire Chief Al German was recognized for his work over the last two decades, serving the town.

"We've been very fortunate; we don't have trouble recruiting for firefighters," he said.

German oversees the training of the 33 members of the volunteer force.

In his time in Inuvik, German said he had seen his share of volunteers and staff come through the ranks of town office.

"You see a lot of people come and go," he said.

"I've seen seven mayors in my time."

He added the department is always looking for new members to add to their ranks.

"Anyone with good health, a good mind and good attitude can be a firefighter," he said.

Youth beat teachers in exhibition hockey game

The game was quick, but both the students and the teachers of Samuel Hearne had a good time facing each other on the ice rink.

The friendly exhibition game was held on Nov. 23.

The game ended with a score of 6-4 for the younger players.

The game was only two periods, each lasting 22 minutes each.

Hockey coach Maia Lepage said there is a possibility for a rematch in the new year.

Owner upset after dog killed

Paul Petrin was upset to find his dog Thunder's partially burned carcass at the town dump.

Petrin said he had not been informed that the town's animal control officer had captured his dog.

Petrin was told by the town office that they had euthanized it.

"It was a total denial until I showed up with it in my truck," he said.

After meeting with the town about the issue, Petrin was given an undisclosed settlement and the case did not go to court.

Beating sparks change in youth centre policy

After a youth was beaten in front of the youth centre, the governing board reviewed its policies.

Youth centre board chair Rob Smith said the centre had a zero tolerance policy towards violence.

"If a fight breaks out in the centre, we call the police," he said.

"If someone is fighting outside and it needs police attention, we call as well."

Smith said the policy was re-examined by the board.

"I think they need to toughen the policy up a bit," he said.

He said a lot is left to the judgment of the worker on duty.

"I don't think that is fair to the workers," said Smith.

December

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French students raise money for Montreal trip

The Grade 5/6 French immersion classes at Sir Alexander Mackenzie school are looking for community support in their efforts to travel next year.

The group of students wish to visit Montreal in 2008 to get a feel for the cultures of Quebec.

Principal Janette Vlanich said the group wants to go in May 2008.

The class has held bake sales and has a program with the recycling depot.

"So far it looks like the trip will cost $50,000," said Vlanich.

To prepare for the trip, the students have been sending letters to pen pals in the school they plan on visiting.

Inuvialuktun gets new words

Language specialists brought a few new terms into the Inuvialuit language. They did so with the help of locals and elders.

The workshop was a week long and took place at the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre. Centre manager Cathy Cockney said the sessions proved to be challenging, but the participants were eager to help.

Cockney said the workshop started with concerns from language teachers in the region.

"The teachers wanted a terminology workshop because there are English terms that we don't have Inuvialuktun words for," she said.

A list of words that needed translations was made with the contributions of the elders of the region as well as the teachers.

Now, the words will be verified by other specialists and then should be circulated throughout the region.

Bear kills two dogs

Willie Simon was returning home from a routine fishing trip when he found a grizzly bear attacking his three dogs.

"I was back from checking my nets, going back in when I saw the bear attacking the dogs," he said.

Simon said he has never seen a bear come that close to his property on the top of Navy Road.

"It's the closest I've ever seen one in Inuvik," he said.

After getting his gun and unlocking the separate cabinet for ammo, Simon killed the bear before it killed his last dog.

"He was in bad shape," said Simon.

After the bear had been killed, Simon called the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, who took samples from the bear and disposed of it.

Food bank looking for help

The Inuvik Food Bank had some empty shelves and was looking for community support.

The food bank board held their AGM to elect a new chair.

"We could use a few more people to sit on the board and volunteers are always welcome," said Alexa Pitoulis, the new chair. The food bank gives out bags of non-perishable food to families twice a month.

The food bank is open one night a week, on Wednesdays, from 7-9 p.m.

Bullying workshop opens hearts to problem

A four-day workshop at Samuel Hearne brought out the strongest of feelings for many students and staff.

The sessions were hosted by Turtle Concepts, a group that travels across Canada to deliver their message of trust and confidence.

Session leader David Jones said he was happy to work with the youth of the school and help them reach inside and talk about their problems with bullying.

"I couldn't understand why people put each other down over positive things," he said.

"I found that teasing was getting out of control."

After the four-day intense workshop was done, Jones and his partner were recognized in front of the school at an assembly.

"I want the students to remember that everyone has the right to feel good about themselves," he said.

School community counsellor Samara Carvell said the school was in need of the group and their talks.

"I was happy to see the changes in the students, the progress they made from the first day," she said.

Carvell said the moderators were a good choice, because they were from outside of the community.

Grade 10 student Hayley Rogers agreed that the sessions opened up the topic for free discussions between the student body.

"I think it really hit home for the Grade 8 class," she said.

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