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2014THEYEARINREVIEWJANUARY14JANUARY21JANUARY28PrimeMinisterlaunchesworkonInuvik-TukHighwayPrimeMinisterStephenHarpervisitstheArctictolaunchconstructionontheInuviktoTuktoyaktukhigh-wayconfirmingCanadascommitmenttoinvestinginanddevelopingtheNorth.YellowknifechefcompetesonTVsChoppedCanadaTerritorialchefRobinWasi-cunaknownforhiscompanyWiseguyFoodssharpenshisknivesandshowshisstuffontherstseasonofChoppedCanada.Hewouldgoontonishinsecondplace.MusiciansgatherforprofessionaldevelopmentNorthernartistshostthesecondannualGreatNorth-ernMusicConferenceinYel-lowknifeachanceformusi-cianstonetworkandhaveaccesstoprofessionaldevel-opmentresources.Albertawildfoodscontaminatedbyoil-sandsstudyAstudyconductedbytheUniversityofManitobandsthatmanywildfoodsnearFortChipewyanAlta.arecontaminatedwithchemi-calsaresultofoilsandsin-dustrylocateddownstream.AboriginalgroupslesuitsoverPeelwatershedTheGwichinTribalCounciljoinsYukonFirstNationsintheirlegalchallengeagainsttheYukongovernmentslanduseplanforthePeelwatershed.NeilYoungdedicatestourtoAlbertaFirstNationCanadianfolk-rockleg-endNeilYoungraisesover500000insupportofnorthernAlbertasAthabascaChipewyanFirstNationandtheirmultiplelegalbattlesagainstoilsandsexpansionontheirtraditionalterritory.6TuesdayJanuary132015TownofFortSmithNoticetoResidentsDEADLINE500PMFEBRUARY12015PrepaymentofUtilityChargesResidentialusersandsmallbusinessusers5orlessemployeesoftheWaterandSewersystemmayprepayeleven11monthsandhaveonemonthfree.Thisdoesnotincludeexcesscharges.Prepaidaccountsarestillsubjecttometerreadingsonoverusage.Pleaseleaveamessageat872-5543fordetails.WESCLEANNORTHERNSALESLTD.FemaleAdultgreyandwhitemixLookingforanewhomeThenexttimeyouseeParisyourheartwillbebrightandgay.HercuddlesandherlittlepurrswillbrightenupyourdayNorthernJournals2014NewsmakeroftheYearCaribouheartBradCaribouLegsFirthrunsforlandandpeopleofthePeelwatershedByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheGwichinoftheNorthhaveforgedsuchadeepconnectionwithcaribouoverthecen-turiesbeliefstillholdsthateachGwichinpersonhasbeenbornwithhalfacaribousheartandeachcaribouwithhalfahumans.ThatunitybetweenanimalandhumanlandandpeopleisrmlygroundedinGwichincommunitiesacrossAlaskaYukonandtheNWTbutperhapsnoonetakesthatembodi-mentofthecaribouheartmoreseriouslythanultramarathonrunnerandGwichinactivistBradleyFirthbetterknownbyhisNorthernsuperheronameCaribouLegs.Theformeraddictturnedrolemodelandenvironmentalactivistracedacrossheadlineslastyearonhisepic1200-kmtrekbyfootfromInuviktoWhitehorseaimedatbringingawarenesstoseveralYukonandNWTFirstNationsghttoprotectthePeelwatershed.AGwichinfromInuvikFirthlacedupafterlearningtheYukongovernmentwasenactingitsownlanduseplanfortheun-developednorthernregionoftheterritorywhichshareswaterwayswithcommunitiesonbothsidesoftheborder.Despiterecommendationsfromthelanduseplanningcommissiontoprotect80percentoftheregionfromdevelopmenttheYukongovernmentdecidedtoringin2014bycreatingitsownlanduseplanwhichwouldopenup71percentofthepreviouslyuntouched68000square-kmwatershedtodevelopment.DecidingtodowhathedoesbestCaribouLegssetoffonajourneyfromcommunitytocommunityjoinedbysupportvehicleswherehewasgreetedwithfeastsandpoliti-calralliesinsupportofhiscauseandyouthwhoteameduptorunwithhimforlegsofthejourney.HewasevengiftedwithOlympianskierSharonFirthscompetitorbibfromthe1984gamesinSarajevo.After28daysofrunningFirtharrivedinWhitehorseonApril29carryingheapsoflettersinsupportofprotectionforthePeelwatershedwhichhehand-deliveredtoYukonPremierDarrellPasloski.FirthsRunforthePeelwasconsideredamajorinspirationforpeopleacrosstheNorthandgarneredsupportfromFirstNationsleaderslikeformerGwichinTribalCouncilpresidentRobertAlexiewhotooktimeoutofhisownscheduletodriveCaribouLegssupportvehicle.UponnishinghistrekmanyexpectedFirthsmissiontobeaccomplished.ButnosoonerhadhearrivedinWhitehorsethantherunnerannouncedhewouldkeepcarryingontheghtforthePeel-tothenationallevelifrequired.AgainhelaceduphisrunningshoesandmadethejourneyfromVancouvertoWhitehorseendinglastfall.Hewasrewardedforhiscommitment.AYukonSupremeCourtjudgegavethemanwithhalfacaribousheartandasetofcariboulegsanearlyChristmasgiftinDecemberquashingtheYukongovernmentslanduseplanandcall-ingthembacktotheinitialplanningprocess.ThoughtheYukongovernmenthasappealedtherulingisconsideredamajorvictoryfornotonlyYukonandNWTFirstNationsbutindigenouspeoplesacrossCanada.FirthrstmadeheadlinesintheNorthafterreturningtotheNWTinthefallof2013todoa720-kmpracticerunbetweenFortSmithandYellowknifeinpreparationforhisdreamjourneyVancouvertoInuvik.TherunnerfoundhisfeetafteryearslivingasadrugaddictintheDowntownEastsideofVancouverandisnowinspiredtosharehisloveofrunningwithyouthacrosstheNorth.DuringhisFortSmithvisitin2013hemetwithyouthatUncleGabesFriendshipCentrewherehedonatedmoneytothecentresyouthprogram.HecontinuestoactasamotivationalspeakerforyouthintheNorthandhasplanstobringhisloveoftnesstocommunitiesacrossbothYukonandNWTin2015.AndasifheneededmoremotivationtorunarecentapplicationbyNorthernCrosstodoseismicdrillingnearEaglePlainshastherunneronfullalertoncemore.ThoughtheapplicationisstillinitsreviewstagesFirthhasalreadythreatenedtoruntheDempsteragaintoraiseawarenessforthePeel.Withthatkindofdedicationitsnearlycer-tainanydoubterswillbeleftbehindinthedust.SportinggenuinecaribouhideshinpadsInuvik-bornGwichinrunnerandenvironmentalactivistBradCaribouLegsFirthheadsintoWhitehorseonApr.29thelastlegofhis1200-kmjourneybyfootinprotestoftheYukonGovernmentslanduseplanforthePeelwatershed.PhotoMaryWalden