Skip to content

July 2017 - NWT Year in Review

Drunk driving up in Behchoko since booze ban lifted

Fewer Behchoko residents were getting slapped with liquor act infractions since alcohol became legal in the community in 2017, but impaired driving occurrences more than doubled in June 2017 compared to the year before.

Community members voted to remove Behchoko's liquor ban in December 2016, flipping a vote that wedged it into place in 2009. The ban – which outlawed drinking, possessing, buying, selling or transporting alcohol – was officially lifted April 1. In June 2017, there were 37 impaired driving occurrences, according to the RCMP's report to chief and council, up from 17 the previous June.

The RCMP report also showed causing a disturbance/mischief incidents up only slightly in June 2017 over June 2016, at 176 compared to 167, and assaults were down to 35 from 44.

The RCMP report also showed liquor act infractions dropped to 15 from 67 the previous June.

Residents protest NTPC rate hike

A petition on the legislative assembly's website denouncing a Northwest Territories Power Corporation rate hike had 429 signatures by press time on July 13.

The NTPC wanted to increase power rates by 12.8 per cent over the next three years, retroactive to 2016.

The Public Utilities Board had already approved interim increases of 4.8 per cent and four per cent in August and April 2017 respectively.

The power corp. had been pleading its case to the Public Utilities Board, the independent body that would have the last say on whether the rates would be approved.

It was requesting more money to cover revenue shortfalls as a result of a decline in consumption, rising wages, inflation and the cost of replacing aging infrastructure.

Inuvik hosts crime meeting

More than a dozen community members gathered for a roundtable at the Gwich'in Tribal Council offices to discuss how Inuvik can deal with a spike in crime and social problems in the town on July 7.

A number of break-ins and vandalism in town, including at the cemetery, plus concern over ongoing social ills, spurred citizens to try to come up with ways to improve life in the community.

Discussions centred around four categories: youth struggling with alcohol or identity; young adults committing break-ins and vandalism; people on the street in the grips of drug or alcohol addiction; and how best to deal with bootleggers and drug dealers.

There was debate about how to challenge these people in the courts, as many are afraid of facing retribution in the community from people they know.

Call for support for new detox centre

On July 10, Inuvik resident Joey Amos asked Inuvik town council for a letter of support for the Beaufort Delta Detox Centre, a proposed facility that would help people recover from their addictions.

The centre had officially registered as a non-profit society in the territory. The centre would be a co-ed program with between 10 and 20 beds.

Amos told the media he was interested in exploring the possibility of using the GNWT's old youth facility in Inuvik. In that scenario the GNWT would retain ownership of the building and take care of operations and maintenance, while the detox society would seek $400,000 to $500,000 annual funding to run programs.

Former Norman Wells employee sues town

Former town clerk Karel Meulenbroek sued the Town of Norman Wells for $372,000.

According to court documents dating back to last October, Meulenbroek claimed he was owed

$72,000 for six months salary and vacation pay for a breach of contract by the town which he claimed wrongfully dismissed him.

He was seeking another $100,000 for damages, $100,000 for mental distress and a further $100,000 for punitive and aggravated damages. Meulenbroek also sued the town's senior administrative officer (SAO) Catherine Mallon for defamation. The town meanwhile filed a counter claim stating Meulenbroek owed $6,750 for a deceptively claimed travel allowance, $350 to decommission a key and $191 in phone charges. The town has also defended itself against Meulenbroek's allegations.

Impaired driving rises in NWT

The NWT saw a 23-per-cent increase in police-reported impaired driving between 2015 and 2016 despite an overall decrease across the country, according to a Statistics Canada crime report released July 24.

Across the country the report stated the vast majority of impaired driving, 96 per cent, was due to alcohol.

While drug-impaired driving remained low compared to alcohol, it did see an increase of 11 per cent.

The report stated the rise in impaired driving offences reported by police could be caused by a number of factors including changes in laws, police practices or attitudes towards impaired driving.

Direct flights from BC to NWT announced

On July 26, Air Canada said it would be offering direct daily flights between Vancouver and Yellowknife, starting Dec. 15.

With prices starting at $219 one-way, the flights would operate until April 1, 2018, departing Vancouver at 4 p.m. and arriving in Yellowknife at 7:30 p.m., and departing Yellowknife at 7:30 a.m., arriving in Vancouver at 8:53 a.m. The flights were expected to save almost four hours of travel time. They would also connect with Air Canada flights to Asia. According to statistics from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI), the number of tourists arriving to view the aurora rose 48 per cent from 2014-15 to 2015-16, with total visitors to the NWT rising 11 per cent. Many of these tourists originated from Asia, especially China, Japan and Korea. According to the department, as of Sept. 26, 2016, tourists spent $167.1 million visiting the NWT in 2015/16, with tourists coming to see the aurora shelling out $39.7 million.

Antoine Michel dies

Elder and former Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation chief Antoine Michel died on July 24. His death meant the chiefs of the Akaitcho Territory Dene First Nations cancelled the Akaitcho assembly, which Deninu Ku'e First Nation Chief Louis Balsillie said was a rare occurrence.

The assembly was scheduled to run July 25 through July 28. The Akaitcho Territory Dene First Nations chiefs of Deninu Ku'e, Lutsel K'e, Dettah and Ndilo made the decision July 24 out of respect for the community of Lutsel K’e.

Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus issued a statement highlighting Michel’s work as a leader, as well as being a proficient trapper.

The assembly was tentatively re-scheduled to take place in September.

Metis protest lack of information at Wood Buffalo park

The Northwest Territory Metis Nation posted protest signs at key areas of Wood Buffalo National Park highlighting the historical exclusion of Metis from the park.

The signs were titled 'Silencing the Truths of the Metis' and explained how 1,923 Metis families had been forced off of park lands when the park was created.

The Metis Nation board of directors met in mid-June and approved a motion to post the signs around Wood Buffalo National Park by the Fort Resolution Metis Council, Fort Smith Metis Council and Hay River Metis Government Council.

The Metis had for years been asking Parks Canada to include information about the Metis removal from the park on its website.

NWT first to allow third gender on documents

On July 28, the NWT became the first jurisdiction in Canada to allow a third gender option on documents such as birth certificates after changes were made to the Vital Statistics Act. Human rights and LGBTQ advocates are applauding the change, yet questions remained about how this would affect identification issued by the federal government. Federal documents such as passports still require a male or female designation.

The changes also meant individuals could register a single name on their birth documents, as long as the name was based in their traditional culture. Work remained to put in place technology for Indigenous fonts.

The health department stated work would be ongoing to allow for Indigenous fonts on identification documents.