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AROUND THE NORTH: Band council elected, healing fair set

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New band council elected

Tthek'ehdeli /Jean Marie River

Jean Marie River First Nation has an almost entirely new council following its Feb. 13 councillor election.

Of the six councillors elected, the only incumbent is Isadore Simon.

Other elected candidates include Violet Hardisty who received 30 votes, Jennifer Kraus with 29, Nolene Hardisty with 28 votes, Donna Sake with 27 votes and Tyrone Sanguez with 26.

Simon was elected with 24 votes.

Of the 119 on the voter's list, 30 people cast ballots.

In January, an election for chief of Jean Marie River First Nation saw Stanley Sanguez elected.

– Erin Steele

 

Community Healthy Living Fair set for Fort Resolution

Deninu Ku'e/Fort Resolution

A Community Healthy Living Fair is set for Fort Resolution at the end of February.

The goal of the event is to connect community members with health and wellness ideas and resources.

Exhibitors and vendors are being invited to participate and share their resources and information.

The Community Healthy Living Fair is being presented by Deninu K'ue First Nation, the Department of Health and Social Services, and the NWT Association of Communities.

The fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 28 in the gym of Deninu School.

– Paul Bickford

 

New Horizons funding for Tuktoyaktuk elders' committee

Tuktoyaktuk

The Tuktoyaktuk Elder's Committee received funding from New Horizons senior program in order to provide monthly programs to strengthen the intergenerational connection between elders and youth.

According to Jocelyn Noksana, who works on the Tuktoyaktuk Elder's Committee, the programs will be coordinated by Ada Cockney and will include activities such as sewing, land skill development, painting, gardening and more.

Noksana said the first program will be a traditional clothing project that will be completed over two days. She added the committee is currently looking for two instructors to lead the workshop.

"I think it's important because the elders in our community are very, very well-respected by everybody. The elders have lived a long, hard life compared to what children go through now," said Noksana.

"Through hearing their stories and building a relationship with the elders, that could give them a totally different insight on life altogether."

Noksana said the program will also build mentor relationships between youth and elders.

"Sometimes kids might not feel comfortable going to anyone, and I believe it would be really good for these young people to connect with the elders for support or advice or whatever it might be,"

Noksana said. "They are very, very knowledgeable people."

The programs will be run monthly through the end of 2018.

– Samantha McKay

 

Crib lovers face off

Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard

Crib is a popular game in Fort Liard, so a tournament scheduled for Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 was expected to see players of all ages squaring off against one another.

"A lot of youth and elders will play crib," said Jacqueline Spies, manager of community services with Acho Dene Koe First Nation. "(So we) decided to put it together."

The tournament was scheduled to take place at the Gathering Place in Fort Liard and will take the form of a 2-on-2 tournament.

Entry was set at $20 a person, said Spies, which was divided into prizes for at least first, second and third place.

– Erin Steele

 

Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk highway re-opened

Mackenzie Delta

After being closed for several days due to drifting snow and poor weather conditions, the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk highway was open and in "fair winter driving condition," the Department of

Infrastructure stated in a news release.

The department also noted that winter access to Tsiigehtchic is now open to traffic up to a load limit of 60,000 kilograms, but the temporary Tsiigehtchic winter access below the church on the

Fort McPherson side is officially closed for the season.

The release also states that due to a closure on the Yukon side, the Dempster Highway is closed between Fort McPherson and Eagles Plains, according to the release.

"Please drive according to all road conditions, watch for workers and equipment working, and expect rough, slippery and narrow sections throughout the entire highway," stated the release.

"Remember to use your headlights and seatbelts at all times."

– Samantha McKay

 

Annual ski loppet ready to hit the tracks

Thebacha/Fort Smith

The Thebacha Loppet – an annual cross-country skiing event between Fort Fitzgerald, Alta., and Fort Smith – is set for March 3. This year will be the 43rd edition for the 27-km loppet.

Some participants ski the whole route, while others complete shorter sections. The event is presented each year by the Fort Smith Ski Club.

– Paul Bickford

 

Finding the warrior within

Lli Goline/Norman Wells

Everyone is welcome to participate in an upcoming Positive Lifestyle & Inspiration Talks event in Norman Wells March 2.

Hosted by the Norman Wells Land Corporation, Finding the Warrior Within features aboriginal motivational speaker Mike Scott who founded the Sober is Sexi! social media sensation.

The Sturgeon Lake First Nation native has been sober since 2012 after growing up in multiple foster homes and becoming hooked on alcohol and drugs as a teenager. He now aims to inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle.

The event will also include a performance by Saskatoon-based hip-hop duo Brown Can Shine, originally from The Key First Nation in Saskatchewan.

Things kick off at 3 p.m. with a meal at 6 p.m. and fireworks to follow.

Youth under 12 are asked to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

– Erin Steele

 

Tuk woman continues fight for dog bylaw change

Tuktoyaktuk

Tuktoyaktuk's Chukita Gruben is now working with the Tuktoyaktuk senior administrative officer after submitting a letter voicing her concerns about the dog bylaw.

The 1996 bylaw allows bylaw officers to destroy dogs running at large.

Gruben alleges the bylaw officer unnecessarily destroyed her dog, Steel, on Jan. 26. This is the second dog Gruben has lost to the bylaw in one year.

Council discussed Gruben's letter at its Feb. 7 meeting. She said it is up to her to continue to put in the work to get the bylaw changed.

"It's still in process, but I'm going to keep fighting this," Gruben said. "It's mostly a budget issue."

Gruben said she hopes to look at what other communities do to manage loose dogs.

"McPherson does a really good job," Gruben said. "It's doable, it's just a little extra work."

Gruben added the NWT SPCA reached out to her to offer their support in her efforts to change the bylaw.

– Samantha McKay

 

Relief printmaking workshop

Thebacha/Fort Smith

A relief printmaking workshop will be held in Fort Smith from Feb. 23 to Feb. 25.

The workshop, which will take place at Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre, will be instructed by Chris Robson.

More information, including on the fee, can be obtained by contacting the museum.

– Paul Bickford

 

Elder lunch hosted in teepee

Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard

Acho Dene Koe First Nation and the RCMP collaborated Feb. 7 to host an Elder's Lunch in a large teepee the RCMP brought to town.

"Everyone stayed warm and enjoyed some warm soup and bannock, stories exchanged and a good time was had by all that attended the lunch," states a bulletin from the First Nation.

The community came together to make the lunch a success with youth setting up the teepee, representatives from home care bringing the elders to the lunch, and Helena Timbre cooking the banic.

The band provided the soup, states the bulletin.

– Erin Steele

 

Better future for pets' envisioned

Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson

The NWT SPCA is set to visit Fort Simpson in March or April, thanks to the efforts of a concerned community member.

"I try to help with pets who are sick, injured or unwanted," said Troy Bellefontaine, who says he's following in the footsteps of his stepmom Lois Martin who did the same for 20 years before moving away.

"It's really difficult to see pets that are neglected and unwanted so the spay and neuter program is essential to getting the pet population under control."

After giving a presentation to village council Feb. 19, Bellefontaine says the village will be donating $5,000 to the NWT SPCA.

A representative from the Dezoa Gogha group indicated that organization may also make a $5,000 donation, though no further details were available by press time.

The plan is to bring in the organization for four days during the last week of March or first week of April.

"Another benefit of having the SPCA here … (is) to visit the school to teach children about responsible pet ownership which will lead to a better future for pets in Fort Simpson." Bellefontaine says he believes the organization's last visit to the community was 2015.

– Erin Steele

 

2018 Northern Dene Games Summit wraps up

Beaufort Delta

The 2018 Dene Games Summit closing ceremony took place in the East Three Secondary gymnasium on Feb. 14.

The ceremony began with athletes participating in a blanket toss activity. Medals were awarded to the athletes by lead organizer Colin Pybus, and thank-you's were said to all who made the summit possible.

The sixth-annual summit took place over four days, Feb. 11 to Feb. 14. Student athletes from all around the Northwest Territories, as well as one group from Newmarket, Ont., took part in Dene and Northern games.

"It's an awesome opportunity for family and friends to get together and share in this amazing aspect of the two Indigenous cultures that are inherent to the area that we live in," Pybus said of the summit. "I'm very proud to be able to host and showcase our school and the community of Inuvik for everybody."

– Samantha McKay

 

An evening of Zen

Lli Goline/Norman Wells

An evening of relaxation for the ladies in Norman Wells was set to take place Feb. 20.

The Norman Wells Wellness Program Spa Night, organized by the Norman Wells Land Corporation, was set to include a foot spa, pedicures, a massage, plus eyebrow threading.

Sloppy Joes were available for supper during the evening, which was set to take place at the land corp. from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The evening comes on the heels of a similar men's spa night that was scheduled to take place Feb. 9 and included stew and fresh buns, also at the land corp.

– Erin Steele