A man was arrested in downtown Yellowknife after RCMP seized a cache of alcohol and cash.At around 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, police spotted suspicious activity in the area of 50 Avenue and 49 Street – a vacant parking lot – and intercepted, "what appeared to be the alleged sale of illegal alcohol," stated a news release stated.
One man, arrested by police, was found to be carrying a duffel bag with 17 bottles of liquor and cash. He was later released and charges are pending.
– Brendan Burke
March is Fraud Prevention month
Incidents of fraudulent activity have recently been reported in the Northwest Territories, and police suggest residents use extra caution when dealing with businesses, organizations or persons, whether on the phone or online.
In one report, a scammer was apparently posing as a northern service provider, complete with credible account details, requesting changes to the payment information, RCMP stated in a news release this week.
No dollar value loss was reported in this incident.
In other reports, sophisticated websites led persons to send money to fraudsters. There were dollar value losses reported, including losses in the thousands of dollars. Investigations into these reports continue.
– James O'Connor
Canadians hold record levels of personal debt
The latest figures from Statistics Canada reveal the debt burden among Canadians remains at a record high of 170.4 per cent of disposable income in the fourth quarter of 2017, stated a recent Equifax Canada report.
"Although this record-breaking household debt ratio remains relatively unchanged, Canadians have been skirting with danger for a number of years and we're not making progress in reducing our average debt loads," Scott Hannah, president of the Credit Counselling Society, stated in a news release this week.
Canadians continue to live paycheque to paycheque without a budget or spending plan in place, stated the release.
"The recent figures are troubling, but not surprising as Canadians continue to live beyond their means and rely on credit products from lines of credits to credit cards for their daily expenses," states Hannah.
– James O'Connor
Mineral exploration projected down in NWT
Recently released federal government projections for 2018 mineral exploration and deposit appraisal spending project decreases in Nunavut and NWT, but an increase in Yukon and Canada.
Natural Resources Canada estimates there will be $81.3 million spent in NWT – a decrease of $8.7 million from 2017 expenditures, stated a news release from the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines this week.
"Our members tell us that uncertainties and difficulties around accessing land is a major contributor to reduced exploration investment in both territories," stated chamber president Gary Vivian. "We continue to advise governments – both public and Indigenous – that they can turn these statistics around by taking actions to regain investor confidence."
– James O'Connor