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FortSmithhousingworkersengagepubliconstrikeStrikingemployeesinFortSmithareseekingthesup-portofresidentsinforcingtheHousingAuthorityboardbacktothenegotiatingtable.Seepage2.ResearcherseeksoutAboriginaldiabetesexperienceAboriginalFortSmithersareencouragedtosharetheirex-periencesofdiabeteswitharesearcherhopingtoshedlightonhowthediseaseismanaged.Seepage23.REPRESENTINGTHENORTHTeamNWTcompetesattheCanadaWinterGames.Seepage15.Four-leggedfamilygrowingatHayRiverfarmschoolTwonewcalvesarejustthebeginningfortheNorthernFarmTrainingInstitutewhoselivestockplansincludesheeppigsandevenreindeer.Seepage21.StudentsuccesscelebratedatAuroraCollegeWeekSchoolspiritisontheschedulethisweekascollegestudentsacrosstheNWTcelebrateAu-roraCollegeWeekwithfamilyfunactivities.Seepages8-11.VISITWWW.NORJ.CAAnationalawardwinningindependentnewspaperservingnorthernAlbertaandtheNorthwestTerritoriessince19771.00February172015Vol.38No.40CurlingcancelledafterHayRiverstrikerstargetrinkoverweekendMunicipalstrikenowauthorizedforsevendaysaweekByMEAGANWOHLBERGStrikingmunicipalemployeesinHayRiverareworkingovertimefortheirunionafterbumpingtheirrighttopicketuptosevendaysaweeklastFridayinordertomovetheirlinetothecurlingrinklastweekend.Workersstucktotheirpicketlinesafterreceivingnationalapprovalfromtheuniontoextendthestrikeoperationovertheweekendmov-ingthejobactiontothecurlingrinkonSaturdaywheretheterritorysschoolcurlingchampionshipsweresupposedtobeheld.ButinlightoftheimpendingstrikeactioncurlingassociationpresidentPaulDeloreydecidedtocanceltheeventkeepingthebuild-ingemptyandfoottrafcminimal.YestheSchoolChampionshipshavebeencancelledandyesitwasbecausethepresidentoftheCurl-ingClubreceivedaletterfromToddParsonsindicatingtheywouldbepicketingtheCurlingClubweekendofFeb.14hetoldTheJournalinabriefemailresponse.Thoughthecurlingrinkisrunbyacommunityassociationandnotthemunicipalgovernmenttheicesurfaceisprovidedbytown-ownedrefrigerationequipmentmaintainedandoperatedbytheemployeescur-rentlyonstrikemakingitfairgameaccordingtotheunion.Theintentionwasnottoblockany-bodybutjusttopickettoinformthepeoplegoinginandoutofthebuild-ingthereasonwhytheyreonstrikeandtrytogarnersomesupportsaidJackBourassaregionalvice-presi-dentforthePublicServiceAllianceofCanadaPSACwhichrepresentstheemployeesalongwiththeUnionofNorthernWorkersUNW.UNWpresidentToddParsonssentaformallettertoDeloreylastweeknotifyinghimoftheirintenttomovethepicketlineandtourgehimandhismemberstohelpbringthisdis-putetoanendbycallingthemayorandcouncillorsandtellingthemtore-opennegotiationsandmakeafairsettlementwithourworkers.Accordingtotheuniontheletterispartofongoingeffortstoensureorganizationsdirectlyaffectedbythestrikearenotiedalongwithreghtersandemergencyservicestoassuretherewillbenointerfer-encewithemergencycall-outsiftheyneedaccesstostrikelocations.Noneofthememberswanttopulltherugoutfromunderanyoneinthecommunity.TheyreallfriendsandcolleaguesandneighboursbuttheideaistokeepeverybodyinformedandgofromthereBourassasaid.Itsnotaquestionofaskingpermis-sionmoresojusttoprovideinfor-mationsotheyrenotblindsided.Businessesandresidentshavebeenhandedflyersencouragingthemtogetintouchwithmayorandcounciltoadviseendingthestrike.TheworkersarealsoscheduledtojoinstrikingemployeesoftheFortSmithHousingAuthoritythisweektoshowsolidarityandraisetheracketaroundbothworkstoppages.Joiningourmemberstogetherisagreatwaytoshowoursolidarityandwereinvitingthecommunitytoin-formthemabouttheimportantissueswerestandingupforBourassasaid.SeeDisruptionsonpage3.PhotoDaliCarmichaelAmelieAubrey-Smithsprintsintosecondplaceforthemini-midgetgirls3kmheatattheNWTSkiTerritorialsheldinFortSmithovertheweekend.About30kidsandtheirparentsgatheredfortheeventbeforeskiingtogetherattheannual5kmskitoWoodpeckerPoint.Forstoryandphotosheadtopages1213.