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NorthernersRadio2TuesdayJune102014NEWSBRIEFSYellowknifeconstructionownerfacingcommunityserviceTheownerofYKConstructionisfacinganeandcom-munityserviceafterpleadingguiltytoachargeundertheNWTSafetyActthatledtoaworkersustainingseriousinjuryataworksiteinYellowknife.DennisTungpledguiltytoonechargeoffailingtoensuresafepracticesandprocedureswerefollowedwhileoneofhisworkerswasattemptingtocutafueldrumtosizeinAugust2012.Theworkersufferedseriousburnsafterthefueldrumexplodedwhenhewascuttingintoitwithapowertool.Tungwasned15000andsentencedtosevenmonthsofprobationandcommunityservice.Highway63constructionbackinfullswingthissummerWithsummerworkingconditionswellontheirwaythe1-billionHwy.63twinningprojectfromHwy.55toFortMcMurrayiskickingintohighgear.ThedepartmentofTransportationiswarningmotoriststotakecautionwhendrivingintheconstructionzonewhichiscurrentlya173-kmstretchbetweenGrasslandandFortMcMur-ray.Around650workersand470piecesofequipmentareexpectedtobeoutduringthesummerconstructionseason.Highwayconstructioniscurrentlyonscheduleaccordingtothelatestupdatefromthedepartment.Byfall201570percentofthe240-kilometrecorridorwillbecompleteandopentotrafc.NewCEOforDehchoHealthandSocialServicesAuthorityAnewfacewilljointheDehchoHealthandSocialSer-vicesAuthorityDHSSAaschiefexecutiveofcerthisfall.JimAntoinepublicadministratorfortheDHSSAannouncedonMay28thatDonnaAllenwillbeleavinghercurrentroleasdirectorofTerritorialHealthServicestotakeontheCEOpositionfortheauthorityinSeptem-ber.AllensresumincludesjobsasanursemanagerofhomecarefortheStantonTerritorialHealthAuthorityvicepresidentofoperationsfortheWorkersCompen-sationBoardoftheNWTandmanagerialpositionswiththeYellowknifeHealthandSocialServicesAuthority.TheTownofFortSmithNorthwestTerritoriesUNEXPECTED.UNFORGETTABLE.ishostingaVisitorInformationCentreOpenHouseAspartofTourismWeekcelebrationstheTownofFortSmithisinvitingeveryonetovisittheirOpenHouselocatedattheWoodBuffaloNationalParkVisitorCentrefrom2pm4pmonSaturdayJune14.ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheNWTsonlyindigenousradiostationcouldpulltheplugbeforesummersendifthefed-eralgovernmentdoesntcomethroughwithfundingitneedstokeepprogrammingaoat.CKLBRadiowhichoper-atesundertheNativeCom-municationsSocietyNCSiscomingtotheendofits-nancialropeandprayingthatthefundingitwassupposedtoreceivemonthsagofromCKLBradioonbrinkofshutdownLackoffederalfundingcouldseestation101.9FMofftheairbyJulyCanadianHeritagearrivesintimebeforestafflosetheirjobsandthesignaturedialof101.9FMtypicallyboomingwiththevoicesoftheNorthgoessilent.Asfortheimmediatefu-tureIthinkweprobablyhaveenoughmoneyinthebanktopayourstaffmaybeupuntiltheendofJulysaidradioprogramdirectorDenezeNakehko.Itsprettytough.Nakehkosaidthelastfund-ingCKLBreceivedfromthefederalgovernmentwasinJanuary.Additionalfundingwhichcomesinquarterlyin-stallmentswasexpectedbe-foretheendofthescalyearbutnevercame.AnddespitelingthenecessaryquarterlyreportstherehasstillbeennowordfromCanadianHeritageastoifwhenorhowmuchfundingiscoming.Werereallybehind.ThathandcuffsusforalotofthingsNakehkosaid.ThisisnotthefirsttimeCKLBhascomedangerouslyclosetocallingitquits.Thesta-tionshutdownforaweekoverChristmasin2012afterfailingtoreceivearound80000infundingfromthetail-endofthe2011scalyear.Nakehkoattributestheproblemtobu-reaucracyinOttawa.WehaveaprogramthatsbeingoperatedinanotherpartofthecountryandIdontbe-lieveanyofthosepeoplework-inginCanadianHeritagehaveeverbeenuphereorhaveanyideawhatitslikeuphereyettheyreresponsibleforadminis-teringthefundsthatweneedtooperateinthispartoftheworld.Sothereschallengeshesaid.Nakehkoalsosuspectsthereissystemicdiscrimi-nationtakingplaceagainstindigenousorganizationsinCanadaatthepoliticallevel.EversincetheHarpergov-ernmentcameinitsbeenharderandhardertooperate.AnditsnotonlyusitsalltheFirstNationsthetribalcoun-cilsthefriendshipcentres-eventheliteracycouncilsareinthesameboathesaid.FundingrequestbeingassessedOttawaCKLBlike13otherAb-originalbroadcastersinthecountryreceivesfundingthroughtheNationalAb-originalBroadcastProgram.LenWesterbergaspokes-personforCanadianHeritagesaidNCSrequestfor2014-15fundingisstillintheas-sessmentprocessrequiredtoensurethateverytaxpayerdollarisspenttoachievere-sultsthatbenetCanadians.Doingsorequirestheex-erciseofduediligencewhichincludesobtainingrelevantdocumentationfromorga-nizationsinordertosupportfundingdecisionsandpay-mentshesaid.AccordingtoWesterbergNCShassubmittedthere-quireddocumentsforthedepartmenttoreleasealmost80percentofitsfundingfor2013-14.TheremainingeligibleexpensesaretobepaiduponreceptionoftherequirednalreportsdueJune30andAu-gust312014.ExpensesstretchingstationthinEvenwiththecorefund-inganditsadvertisingrev-enueNakehkosaidthesta-tionstillstrugglestowalkthelineasbothaprivateoutletandnon-protorga-nization.Whileafullstaffwouldcostaround2mil-lionperyearthefundingfromHeritagetotalsaround620000.Andastechnol-ogychangesthosegrowingcostsmeanCKLBisgettingstretchedthin.ThepolicyCanadianHeritageoperatesunderis30yearsold-beforecellphonesbeforetheinternetandbeforeallofthisdigitaltechnologyNakehkosaid.Itdoesntreallyaccommo-dateallthechangesthathavehappenedinthebroadcastindustrysowegetthesameamountaswedidbackthen.Actuallyweregettingless.Asaresulthesaidthesta-tionsabilitytopayforstafftotravelandxorreplaceout-datedequipmentin30com-munitiesacrosstheterritoryhasbeenimpededdrasticallydespiteassistancefromtheTlichoGwichinandSahtugovernments.WehaventbeeninFortSmithinoveracoupleofyearsbecausewedonthaveourcorefundingnotonlytotravelbuttobuytheequip-mentthatweneedinordertoinstallsowehaveareli-ablesignalNakehkogaveasanexample.Ifeelter-ribleaboutthatbutIcantdoanything.Myhandsaretiedandwaitingandhop-ingourcorefundinggetsinsowereabletodothosethings.StationlookingforsupportThestationhasbeensteadilyworkingtowardsbecomingmoreself-sustain-ingovertheyearsevenre-centlyhiringanextraadsalesemployeebutNakehkosaidtheystillneedmoretime.CKLBisplanningacrowd-sourcingcampaigntogetthepublicshelptokeepitalive.Thestationisalsointalkswiththeterritorialgovern-mentinhopesthatitsstatedpriorityofculturalrevitaliza-tionwillresultinnancialsupportespeciallytoupgradebroadcastingequipment.RetainingindigenouslanguagesissupposedtobeapriorityfortheGNWTandthefederalgovernment.Thatswhatwedowedothateverydayhereatthestation.IfthatsgoneIdontknowwhatsgoingtohappenwiththelanguages.Itcouldbeoneofthenailsinthecof-nNakehkosaid.ThatsaidnosidefundinghasbeenpromisedasofyetNakehkosaid.WerekindofinwaitingmodeonalotofdifferentthingsandIdontknowhowmuchlongerwecanwait.PhotoLesleyJohnsonCKLBtheNWTsonlyindigenousradiostationisfacingpossibleshutdownduetolackoffederalfunding.