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2014THEYEARINREVIEWSEPT.2SEPT.9SEPT.16SEPT.23ArchaeologistsuncoverInuvialuitdriftwoodhouseAteamofresearchersfromthesouthuncoveranInuvialuitdriftwoodhousethoughttodatebackasfarasthe1500s.Theastoundingar-tifactistotallycompletetheonlyoneofitskind.IqaluithostsrstmeetingoftheArcticEconomicCouncilTheArcticEconomicCoun-cilaworkinggroupmeanttofostercircumpolarbusinessopportunitieshostsitsrstevermeetinginIqaluitbe-hindcloseddoors.DiscoverydredgesupFranklinsviolentlegacyinDelineForsomethediscoveryofoneofSirJohnsFranklinssunkenshipsontheoceanoorbringsupnotjoyoverthesuccessofthemissionbutthedarkcoloniallegacyoftheBritishexplorersim-pactontheNorth.ACFNlawyertakestreatymessagetoUNclimatesummitLawyerMelissaDanielsoftheAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationinAlbertapresentslinksbetweenfreetradeagreementsandclimatechangeattheUNClimateSummitinNewYorkwhichcoincidewithaUNcon-ferenceonindigenouspeoples.NWTOlympicspeedskaterannouncesretirementFollowingaturnatthe2014SochiOlympicsYellow-knifeathleteMichaelGildaychoosestohanguphisspeedskatesafternineyearsofcom-petitiontopursueacommercedegreeattheUniversityofCalgaryfulltime.12TuesdayJanuary132015SEPT.30ThispastyearhasbeenabusyyearfortheTownofFortSmith.Oureagercitizensandourtalentedworkforcehaveallowedustomakesignificantstridesinthepastyearinimprovingourtown.OurtownmottoisPerseveranceandwehaveshownourcommunityspiritaswedoeachandeveryday.Wehavehadtriumphswiththefirst-evervisitofaCanadianPrimeMinistertotheTownofFortSmithaplebiscitethathadanapprovalrateof90percentandtoomanysmalleraccomplishmentstomention.Wehavealsofacedobstaclessuchastheworstfireseasoninover20yearsin-groundinfrastructurebreaksandinadequateGNWTfundingmodelsthatwillnotseein-creasesorchanges.Focusedonourfuturewearecontinuingtodevelopnewinnovativewaystoprovidebetterservicestoyouourcitizens.Wearerenovatingthearenaintoa4-seasonfacility.Cost-savingmeasuressuchasswitchingtoon-demandelectricheatwithbuilt-inredundancyandLEDlightingupgradedinsulationandotherimprovementswithinthetownsbuildingsinfrastructure.WechangedourCommunityServicesratestructuretoincreaseuseforourrecreationcentreandareseeingthatuseincrease.WehaveadoptedaParksandPlaygroundsrevitalizationplanthatwillseeupdatesandrepairstomanyofouroutdoorfamilyspaces.WearentstoppingthereasweareinstitutingaCommunityWasteReductionPlanthatwilllessentheamountofhouseholdwastethatentersourlandfillandothergreeninitiativesthatwillseeFortSmithbecomeoneofthegreenesttownsintheNorthifnotCanada.Wearefortunatetohavethelevelofservicesthatwehaveinourcommunitybutwemustcon-siderthatassuccessfulaswearewedohavefamiliesinneed.TheresidentsofFortSmithpulltogetherwhenwehavetownsfolkinneedandforthatIthankyouIwouldalsoextendmysupportandappreciationtothemenandwomenoncurrenttoursservingintheCanadianArmedForces.Yoursacrificesareappreciatedandadmired.TheTownofFortSmithalsoextendsbestwishestoourcourageousanddedicatedlocalheroeswhogivetheirtimetoprotecttheirfellowcitizens.OnbehalfofTownCouncilIwouldliketowishtheCitizensofFortSmithaJoyousNewYearIgenuinelyhopethat2015bringsyoujoygoodhealthandsuccess.SincerelyB.G.BradBrakeMayorTownofFortSmithHAPPYNEWYEARTOTHECITIZENSOFFORTSMITHACFNrecruitshighprolecelebritiesinoilsandsghtByMEAGANWOHLBERGAfteryearsofuphillbattlesagainstindus-tryandthefederalgovernmentoveroilsandsdevelopmentontheirtraditionalterritorytheAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationACFNofFortChipewyangotamajorboostlastyearwhenseveralHollywoodsuperstarsthrewtheirhatintheringtoghtalongsidethem.TheyearkickedoffwiththehighproleHonourtheTreatiesconcerttourinJanuaryputonbylegendaryrockerNeilYoungwhoplayedfourbenetconcertsfortheACFNwith100percentofprotsgoingtotheFirstNationslegalfund.ThetourraisedhalfamilliondollarsfortheFirstNationandputquestionsaboutthelegiti-macyoftheoilsandsinthespotlightwithsomesuccessinraisingthemoreimportantissuesofACFNstreatyrelationshipwiththeCrown.YounghadpreviouslyvisitedFortChiptoconnectwiththecommunityalongsideAmericanactressandenvironmentalactiv-istDarylHannahknownmostrecentlyfortakingastandagainsttheproposedKeystoneXLpipelinewhichwouldtransportAlbertacrudesouthtoTexasifapproved.StillridingthehighoftheYoungtourACFNwasinforanothersurprisewhenHol-lywoodmegastarLeonardoDiCapriovisitedthecommunityinAugustalongsidedirectorDarrenAronofskytoresearchandlmforanupcomingenvironmentaldocumentary.DiCapriowhowasrecentlymadeaUNMessengerofPeacehasalonghistoryasanambassadorfortheenvironmentandclimatestartinghisownNGOin1998andmorere-centlygivingremarksattheUNClimateSummitinNewYorkinSeptember.WhileinFortChiptheOscar-nominatedactorjoinedACFNChiefAllanAdamChiefSteveCourtoreilleoftheMikisewCreeFirstNationandSierraClubPresidentMichaelBruneinaspecialALSIceBucketChallengevideothatreceivedover650000viewsonline.DiCaprionot-so-subtlynominatedCanadianPrimeMinisterStephenHarpertothechal-lengewhilethechiefsandBrunetookonoilexecutivesandlobbyists.ThevisitwasnotthelastACFNsawofMr.Di-Caprio.DuringtheUNClimateSummithostedinconjunctionwiththeUNConferenceonIn-digenousPeoplesthestarmarchedwithChiefAdamandtherestoftheindigenousdelega-tionattheheadofthePeoplesClimateMarch.ThereothercelebritiesjoinedthegroupincludingiconicmusicianandactorStingac-torsMarkRuffaloandEdwardNortonandmusicianMichaelFrantiboostingmediacov-erageoftheeventthatsaw400000peopletaketothestreetsofNewYorkCity.While2014wasahugeyearintermsofin-ternationalrecognitionforthetinyFirstNationfromnorthernAlbertaitisthenotthersttimethecommunityhasbeenthrustintothespot-lightwithhelpfromacelebrity.DirectorJamesCameronvisitedthecommunityafterreleasinghislmAvatarafantasyanimationlmfea-turingagroupofindigenouspeoplesghtingindustrytoprotecttheenvironmentin2010.WithsomuchattentiongarneredlastyearitisuncertainjustwhomightbepoppingupinnorthernAlbertain2015butwithop-positiontofossilfuelsintheageofclimatechangemountingeveninHollywooditisal-mostcertainACFNshouldexpectmorehighprolevisitorsinthefuture.Eldersleadfact-ndingmissionatAlaskanhospitalAgroupofNWTeldersheadouttoaFirstNationsrunhealthcarefacilityinAlaskatoseehowtraditionalheal-ingpracticescanbebetterintegratedintotheterritorystreatmentoptions.