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Pipeline spills ve million litres of oil emulsion in Alberta A Nexen Energy pipeline breach in Albertas oilsands resulted in one of the largest spills in Canadian history last week. See page 2. New benets for students in the NWT what to know Postsecondary students and graduates can now nd a suite of new nancial assistance benets in the NWT aimed at boosting the labour force. See page 7. OPEN SKY Festival-goers get artsy at annual summer festival in Fort Simpson. See page 16. Teachers get schooled on the North at Dechinta A new land-based course for educators in the NWT aims to school teachers on the North to take that knowledge into the classroom. See page 10. Premiers discuss Aboriginal issues in Newfoundland NWT Premier Bob McLeod says the territory is a step ahead on the path to recon- ciliation with Canadas indig- enous peoples. See page 3. V IS IT W W W .N O R J.C A A national award winning independent newspaper serving northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories since 1977 1.00 July 21 2015 Vol. 39 No. 12 Miltenberger running for record sixth term as MLA of Thebacha Majority of current MLAs seeking re-election this fall By MEAGAN WOHLBERG ThemajorityofMLAsintheNorth- west Territories plan to run again in the coming territorial election on Nov. 23 including one who is at the tail-endofoneofthelongesttermsin NWT history. Thebacha MLA Michael Milten- bergertoldtheJournalonFridaythat heisindeedputtinghisnameforward forwhatwouldbearecordsixthterm in legislature this fall giving lots of encouragementandlotsofunnished businessashisreasonsforrunning. Thecabinetministerwhocurrently holdsportfoliosinFinanceEnviron- mentandNaturalResourcesandthe NTPowerCorp.isoneofthelongest- servingMLAsinNWThistorysharing theve-termrecordwiththreeothers. Thoughmanysuspectedthiswould behisyeartoretireMiltenberger64 said theres a number of incomplete initiatives coming out of devolution that he wants to see realized before he hangs up his hat. We need to ensure expenditures dont exceed revenues in the coming years he noted as a primary aim alongwiththecompletionoftheout- standingbilateralswithsurrounding jurisdictions over transboundary waterissuesandsignicantpiecesof legislation that will be done over the 18thAssemblydealingwithforestry parks and water. With the NWT nally accessing a higher borrowing limit from the fed- eralgovernmentMiltenbergersaidhe alsowantstobeinvolvedinguidingthe territorytowardsinvestmentsinmore alternative energy that will address thecostoflivingandclimatechange. Wehavetomakeclearcarefuldeci- sionsonenergyinvestmentshesaid. InhishomeridingofThebachahe said he will push for a local re cen- treandthepavingofHighway5to- nally make the capital expenditures list during the next assembly. While its obvious Miltenberger hopes to regain his spot in cabinet likelywiththesameportfolioshesaid hes uncertain about throwing in his hatforachanceatpremier.Thoughhe put his name forward in 2011 if Bob McLeod runs for a second term as premier Miltenberger said he would stand down and offer his support to the incumbent. Stillhesaidheisnotthinkingthat far ahead just yet. Therstchoreistogetre-elected. Majority seeking re-election The majority of the territorys cur- rent19MLAsareseekingre-election thisfall.OnlyFrameLakeMLAWendy Bisaro and more recently Weledeh MLABobBromleyhaveformallyan- nounced they will be retiring from politics this year. EightyearsseemsgoodandIkind ofgotstartedlateinpoliticsBromley toldtheJournalofhisdecisionwhich somewhat factored in the changes happening in his riding. The contro- versial decision to amalgamate part ofWeledehandtheconstituencyofTu Nedhe is already the subject of legal action by the city of Yellowknife and could see more from the chiefs of the Yellowknives Dene Deninu Kue and Lutsel Ke Dene First Nations. It will certainly be different this time with the changes in denitions ofridingswithpossiblymorechanges comingdependingonthecourtreview of Yellowknifes ofcial concern on Aug. 12 Bromley said. NahendehMLAKevinMenicoche who had been sitting on the fence for sometimetoldtheJournallastweek thathisconstituentsfamilyandspouse were pleased he would be seeking mandate for a fourth term as MLA. The only MLAs yet to publicize their decisions are current speaker and Nunakput MLA Jackie Jacob- sonTuNedheMLAandTransporta- tionMinisterTomBeaulieuandHay RiverSouthMLAJaneGroenewegen wholikeMiltenbergerwouldbetry- ing for her sixth term in legislature. PhotoPaulBannister Inuit throat singers Angela Horak Johnston left Tiffany Ayalik Tanya Tagaq and Kathleen Merritt come together as a quartet following Tagaqs electrifying performance on the NWT Pride Stage at Folk on the Rocks this past Saturday. For a pull-out poster lled with photos from the best moments of the weekend-long festival head over to pages 8 9. 2 Tuesday July 21 2015 ENVIRONMENT PIPELINE SPILL NEWS BRIEFS Yellowknife Bay houseboat goes down in flames A houseboat moored next to Joliffe Island in Yellowknife went up in ames last weekend and though its resident was able to escape without injury the oating home was left destroyed.According to the police reportthe local re department received a call to attend the re around 530 a.m. on July 17. Emergency crews used a boat to transport re ghters between the public dock and the island and ew police to the site with assistance from Air Tindi. The re is suspected to have been caused by a propane heater. Police investigate sudden death in Inuvik InuvikRCMPhavecompletedapreliminaryinvestigationinto thedeathofafemalecommunitymemberthoughacauseof death has not yet been determined. The woman was found deceased inside a residence on Boot Lake Road some time before 1200 p.m. on July 15 when police received a call for service.RCMPhavebeenworkingontheinvestigationwith theOfceoftheChiefCoroneroftheNWT.Outofrespectfor thedeceasedthewomansnameisbeingwithheldbypolice. Seven arrested as a result of 856 Gang investigation Seven suspects have been arrested in connection to an in- vestigation into the 856 Gang in Yellowknife. Four suspects were apprehended when RCMP executed two warrants on July16forcrimesincludingdrugtrafckingandpossession possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and pos- session of property obtained by crime. Later that day three more were arrested during a trafc stop. Criminal charges have been laid against six of the seven individuals all of whomhavebeenremandedtocustodyuntilalatercourtdate. INTERIOR HEAVY EQUIPMENT Operator School www.IHESCHOOL.com Call Now 1-866-399-3853 Housing Transportation Packages Available NO SIMULATORS JOB ASSISTANCE FOR LIFE NEVER SHARE MACHINES START ANY MONDAY GET TRAINED. GET WORKING. By MEAGAN WOHLBERG In one of the worst leaks in Albertas history a Nexen Nexen pipeline spills 5 million litres near Fort McMurray Leak detection system failed First Nations worried about permanent environmental damage Energy pipeline spilled around ve million litres of emulsionlastweekatitsLong Lake oilsands facility. The leak was discovered last Wednesday afternoon at a site approximately 36 km southeast of Fort McMurray. The pipeline was carrying emulsion a mixture of bitu- menproducedwaterandsand. Around 31500 barrels are estimatedtohavespilledover anarea16000square-metres in size mostly within a com- pacted pipeline corridor ac- cordingtothecompanywhich said the leak was stopped as of Thursday morning. TheAlbertaEnergyRegula- torAERwhichisconducting its own investigation into the spillandensuringthecleanup of the area issued an envi- ronmental protection order for the company on Friday. TheorderinstructsNexento containthespillalertaffected partiesanddevelopacleanup planincludingtestingforcon- taminantslikehydrocarbons. According to the AER the area impacted is mostly lim- ited to the pipeline right of way which includes muskeg buthasnotimpactedawater- body. There are no reported impacts to the public or wild- life at this time though the AER has directed Nexen to implement a wildlife protec- tion plan for the area. Ron Bailey senior vice president for Nexens Cana- dian operations apologized for the leak at a press confer- ence Friday morning. He said the leak came from a visible burst in the double-walled high-pressure pipeline built in 2014. We are deeply concerned with this and we sincerely apologize for the impact that this has caused he said. We willtakeeverystepthatwesee asreasonableandastheregu- lators help us decide what to do to respond to this. Bailey said the company doesnt know how long the emulsion was leaking be- cause the pipelines warn- ing system failed to detect the break which was only discovered by a contractor walking along the pipeline. Our investigation is look- ing through exactly why that wasnt alerting us earlier Bailey said. AERsprotectionorderalso directsthecompanytodevelop waterbodyandwildlifemitiga- tion plans as well as detailed delineation and remediation plans. Daily reports are to be publishedonlineandanalre- portistobesubmittedwithin 30daysofcompletingthework outlined in the order. Nexen has started uid re- covery installation of a wild- life fence and bird deterrents and is beginning an environ- mental sampling program. The leak is one of the worst in Albertas history. The Plains Midstream Canada pipeline leak of 2011 which saw 4.5 million litres of crude oilspillnearthe LubiconCree community of Little Buffalo in northern Alberta was previously the largest in the province in 35 years. Spills are treaty violations chief First Nations downstream from the leak said the spill highlights the dangers of a poorly regulated industry thatviolatestheirtreatyrights. Leaders of the Fort Mc- Murray First Nation said they are extremely concerned about the magnitude of the spill located 10 km from their reserve especially regarding the impact on the muskeg. The full magnitude of the spillofbitumencouldpossibly be only one fourth of possible volume of tainted water the First Nations industry rela- tions corporation said. FirstNationsfurtherdown- stream agreed. A spill this size into the muskeg which is an impor- tant part of the ecosystem in the region and house many of our medicines berries and habitat for species our peo- ple rely on for sustenance is extremely serious said Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam of Fort Chipewyan. The muskeg are a part of the basin and feed into the groundwater system the lo- cation of the spill is danger- ously close to the Clearwater River that ows directly into the Athabasca River. The re- percussionsfromtheincident could potentially be felt far and wide by those that rely on the Athabasca Basin. Adam said its time for government and industry to come to terms with the fact that First Nations rights and title are interdependent with healthy ecosystems. Ifwecontinuetoacceptthat thesetypesofincidentsarethe statusquoofdevelopmentwe are also accepting the illegal abrogation of the rights and titleof FirstNationshesaid. Nexen is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese state- ownedcompanyCNOOCLtd. TheLongLakeoperationuses in situ steam assisted gravity drainage as well as hydro- crackingandgasication.Pro- ductionatthefacilityis72000 barrels per day of bitumen. A leak in the pipeline shipping bitumen to Nexens Long Lake oilsands facility near Fort McMurray was discovered last week. PhotoDavidDodgePembinaInstitute Tuesday July 21 2015 3 POLITICS ABORIGINAL RELATIONS Photos wanted for 2016 Fort Smith Pet Desk Calendar Filling up fast Get your pictures in soon Ifyouwouldliketohavephotosofyour petstakenarrangementscanbemade. Please call Chris at 872-5547. Becauseofthehighvolumeofrequests we are on a first come first in basis. Special consideration will be made for pets not in previous calendars. Please submit photos of living pets only. Thereisnofeetohavephotosinthecalendar. If you have any questions or need more information please call Chris at 872-5547 or email dewolfnorthwestel.net Deadline is August 31 This ad sponsored by the Northern Journal NWT leading country on reconciliation Premier By MEAGAN WOHLBERG The Northwest Territories is leading the way for other jurisdictions in Canada to adopt best practices on child and family services and follow-up actions in support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions TRC nal recommendations according to NWT Pre- mier Bob McLeod. McLeod spent last week in Newfoundland and Labrador meeting with Canadas premiers and leaders of the National Aboriginal Orga- nization which he chairs to nd opportuni- ties for cooperation among all of Canadas provinces and territories on a suite of issues. Among those is the concerning issue of high rates of Aboriginal children in state care ac- cording to McLeod who tabled a report last week along with the government of Manitoba outlining best practices for health and social services ministers across the country to adopt in reforming their child welfare policies. The report gives options and best prac- tices to nd ways to reduce the high number of Aboriginal children in care McLeod said. So it has best practices that provinces and territories can choose to model adopt or im- plement as they deem appropriate based on the strengths and weaknesses of their child welfare systems and in consideration of their local and regional needs. We see this docu- ment as only the rst step of many. In the NWT he said those additional steps include the Building Stronger Families plan which involves the overhaul of the current child and family services system to make it more child-centred and collaborative with families. While important steps are being taken McLeod said the territory can also learn from someoftheprovincesthathavesuccessfullyre- ducedthenumberofAboriginalchildrenincare. In our territory we have more Aboriginal children in care than when there was resi- dential schools so we see this as very impor- tant McLeod said. Apart from the discussion on child services McLeod said all premiers agreed to show leadership and take action on reconciliation efforts stemming from the nal report of the TRC through curriculum development mu- tual respect for treaties and a commitment to look at government decisions through a lens of reconciliation with indigenous peoples. Those action items are already well under- way in the NWT McLeod said. We have the enviable position of having started or in fact implemented a lot of the recommendations that have been put for- ward things like curriculum changes and so on and so we think that were ahead of the game. We of course will be responding to all 94 of the recommendations McLeod said. The premiers are also continuing their work on missing and murdered indigenous women hosting a second national round- table in 2016 following the rst one in Yel- lowknife this year despite federal inaction on the issue. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was invited to last weeks meetings but declined saying he meets with the premiers on a regular bi- lateral basis. The prime minister obviously was invited to attend. He chose not to attend McLeod said. We had the option especially with miss- ing and murdered Aboriginal women to do nothing and say this is the responsibility of the federal government but all of the prov- inces and territories felt that this work was very important and its scandalous whats happening with the missing and murdered Aboriginal women. Apart from the focus on Aboriginal issues the premiers also reached consensus on a na- tional energy strategy to promote cooperation among the provinces and territories when it comes to market development and signed a protocol on apprentice mobility that will see trained tradespeople more easily able to work throughout Canada. PhotocourtesyofCounciloftheFederation NWT Premier Bob McLeod centre convenes with Yukon Premier Darrel Pasloski left and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley during meetings in Newfoundland last week. Salt River First Nation teams up with ATCO to build new gas station By DALI CARMICHAEL The Salt River First Nation has partnered up with ATCOs Sustainable Communities arm to build a new Petro-Canada gas station and convenience store in Fort Smith. The two groups came together to nalize a design-build contract for the new 3100 square-foot facility on June 10. The gas bar will be located on Trout Street just off of Hwy. 5 at the site of the existing Salt River gas bar. This is a great economic opportunity for all members of Salt River First Nation and the community of Fort Smith said Chief Frieda Martselos. On behalf of Salt River First Na- tion council and members I am pleased our partnership with ATCO Sustainable Com- munities and Petro-Canada is positive and healthy and look forward to working together on future projects. Construction on the new building which will be composed of prefabricated modules has already begun at ATCOs facilities. Its a very modern Petro-Canada its their best model so to speak said Boris Rassin president of ATCO Sustainable Communi- ties. It will be up to Petro-Canada stan- dards which are probably some of the most advanced in this industry. Ontopofafullystockedconveniencestorethe FirstNationpromisestoprovidethreegradesof gasolinedieselandpay-at-the-pumpservices. In addition to the gas station the building will also house several ofces to be rented out to commercial tenants. The cost of the project has not been revealed. This isnt the first time Salt River and ATCO Sustainable Communities have teamed up on a project. In 2012 the two organizations worked together to design and build the Wood Buffalo Inn a hotel in Fort Smith. We are pleased to work with the Salt River First Nation and Petro-Canada to deliver a state of the art gas station that will meet the needs of the community Rassin said. This gas station will bring to the area a familiar brand teamed with the quality for which ATCO is known. The new facility is expected to be up and running by Nov. 1 2015. Its a very modern Petro- Canada its their best model so to speak. It will be up to Petro-Can- ada standards which are probably some of the most advanced in this industry. Boris Rassin ATCO Sustainable Communities ImageATCOSustainableCommunities INDUSTRY ABORIGINAL BUSINESS A new gas bar and convenience store owned by Salt River First Nation is set to open on Nov. 1. 4 Tuesday July 21 2015 The Northern Journal is an independent newspaper covering news and events in the western Arctic and northern Alberta. 2013 CCNA BLUE RIBBON CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013 C M C A AUDITED The Northern Journal is published weekly by Cascade Publishing Ltd. Printed at Star Press Inc. Wainwright AB. Publisher................................................................................. Don Jaque 867-872-3000 ext.21 donnorj.ca Editor.........................................................................Meagan Wohlberg 867-872-3000 ext.24 newsnorj.ca Reporter....................................................................... Dali Carmichael 867-872-3000 ext.25 reporternorj.ca Comptroller ..................................................... Dixie Penner 867-872-3000 ext.23 dixnorj.ca Advertising.............................. Heather Foubert Hay River 867-874-4106 adsnorj.ca Administration............................................Jeremy Turcotte 867-872-3000 ext.26 adminnorj.ca Production Manager ......................................Sandra Jaque 867-872-3000 ext.22 sandranorj.ca Graphics........................................................Paul Bannister 867-872-3000 ext.27 graphicsnorj.ca Letters to the Editor Policy The Northern Journal welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and include a phone number so the author can be veried. Names will be withheld on request in special circumstances where the reasons are determined to be valid. The Journal reserves the right to edit letters for length libel clarity and taste. Opinions expressed in letters and columns are not necessarily those of the publisher or editor. Advertising Deadlines Display ad deadline is Thursday at 400 p.m. Classied ad deadline is Thursday at 500 p.m. Email adsnorj.ca Subscription Rates Prices include GST. 47.25 in Fort Smith 52.50 elsewhere in Canada 105 in the USA overseas 164.30. EDITORIAL The Greek debt crisis is Canadas too If the Harper Conservatives emerge with the greatest number of seats but not a majority look for a Liberal- NDP coalition. Greece defaulting on debt payments to international banks and the prospect of it being booted from the Eurozone is viewed as a crisis. Tremors have reverberated throughout world nancial markets because many countries including Canada are like Greece living far beyond their means and all are interconnected. The great fear of a Greek default is a fear of contagion whereby Greeces debts to other countries with their own huge debt loads might cause them to default as well. Italy Spain and Portugal struggle with oner- ous burdens of debt. Ireland and Iceland have both been on nancial deaths doorstep. Al- most all members of the Eurozone seem ad- dicted to overspending. The United States with over 16 trillion in debt is one of the most vulnerable to any major international default. The causes of Greeces malaise include spending a very large portion of its budget on armaments - second highest per capita in the world after the United States. Greece is also known for inefcient government and widespread cor- ruption. The U.S. has its own corruption is- sues and is a divided country where legisla- tive gridlock and government dysfunction are common. The symptoms of malaise found in Greece are very present in our giant neigh- bour to the south. In fact very few countries are run well enough by their governments to post annual surpluses. Only six of the major economies worldwide can make that claim. Notable among them is Norway a socialist country also known for an overowing oil heritage fund worth over a trillion dollars. Federal government debt in Canada has reached614billiondoublewhatGreeceowes. The Greek debt-to-GDP ratio how much owed compared to how much we earned nation- ally is over 155 per cent compared to 86 per cent in Canada. In Norway it is 26 per cent. Greeces economy fell into recession in 2008 and never recovered and now gen- erates only 240 billion annually. Canada which has three times the population enjoys revenues of 1787 billion one fth generated by natural resources. A big concern in Canada is personal debt compounding the federal governments penchant for over-indulgence. The debt to income ratio of the average Canadian house- hold is over 163 per cent.. The Canadian government recently pushed through legislation making it illegal for a fed- eral government to run a decit. Fiscal re- straint is a fundamental Conservative phi- losophy and failure to live by that for over a decade has appalled many party members yet overspending and decits is in part what has dened their own government. The Harper Conservatives inherited a robust - nancial situation from the Liberals in 2006 and within two years the national budget fell into decit and has continued that way each year since. Under the Harper Conservatives Canada has plunged into debt. The attempt to legis- late themselves into scal responsibility was an obvious but weak pre-election ploy. The Harper government has set out great plans to acquire the very best new military equip- ment including jet ghters and navy ships and has made glowing promises of major new infrastructure developments but so far has delivered little. Those commitments would add billions of dollars more to the decit. It is hard to believe another Harper Conserva- tive government starting in 2016 would be better at exercising restraint. Canadians who feel that the scal poli- cies of the Harper Conservatives are only a brick in their wall of failures and want them replaced have two competing centrist par- ties to choose from. Liberal Justin Trudeau and former Liberal Thomas Mulcair are very close in their politics and philosophies. Mul- cair was a member of the National Assembly in Quebec as a Liberal Party member for 13 years until he was elected an NDP Member of Parliament in Montreal in 2007. Under Mul- cair the NDP have moved closer to the centre and now little differentiates the two parties. Voters disaffected with the Harper Conserva- tives are watchful trying to ascertain which of the two will be the best option. In the next three months as the election looms many Ca- nadians will be waiting to see if Trudeau or Mulcair screw up or preferably does some- thing that inspires. Winner takes all. Likely no one party will rise to the fore and be the victor in October given the three-way tie in popular opinion. A minority government of some kind is more likely. If the Harper Conservatives emerge with the greatest number of seats but not a majority look for a Liberal-NDP coalition. Unlike the previous election where such a prospect was viewed with disdain the feeling that Harper is bad for Canada is so strong within both parties that they will likely set aside their differences - and pride - to work together albeit some- what grudgingly. If a minority Conservative government is elected in October an NDP- Liberal coalition will be very much in play. COLUMN By ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES All Terrain Vehicles ATVs are more pop- ular than ever in Alberta. Albertans make up 11 per cent of the national population but make up 17 per cent of ATV purchases. However the number of serious injuries associated with their use has also increased. According to a recent report from the Injury Prevention Centre in Alberta there were 185 ATV deaths from 2002-2013. That is an average of 16 deaths per year. Each year 680 people are admitted for hospital care and there are 5233 emer- gency department visits as the result of ATV injuries. The most frequent victims of ATV-re- lated deaths were males between the ages of 20 and 24. The leading cause of death was the ATV rolling or flipping account- ing for over half of all fatalities. Fifty-one per cent of ATV deaths involved riders with a blood alcohol concentration greater than the legal limit to drive 0.05. Remember that the rules of the road still apply to ATV users. Each ATV should be the right type and size for the person operating it and most ATVs are designed for a single operator. Passengers increase the risk of injury be- cause they can affect the drivers control of the vehicle and their sense of balance. Always refuse to be a passenger on ATVs built for one rider. There were 22 ATV pas- senger deaths from 20022013 in Alberta. Children under the age of 16 account for 18 per cent of ATV deaths in the province. This age group should not operate any size of ATV because children generally lack the strength to control the vehicle and the skill and experience to quickly judge a potentially dangerous situation. The Canadian Pediatric Society also recom- mends that they should never be a pas- senger on an ATV. Although serious injury can result from the improper use of an ATV drivers can develop safe riding skills. Practice the fol- lowing safety measures Wear an approved helmet with face and eye protection. In 66 per cent of ATV deaths riders were not wear- ing a helmet Drive Sober alcohol drugs and ATVs dont mix Refuse to carry or be a passenger on an ATV built for one person Take an ATV operator training course. For more information on ATV injuries visit the Injury Prevention Centre at www. injurypreventioncentre.ca. For more information on ATV safety visit www.albertahealthservices.ca4861. asp or call Health Link at 8-1-1 for health advice 24 hours a day seven days a week. Its time to take ATV safety seriously PhotoPaulBannister Ice Pilots NWT fans Russ Bell left Bruce Bigelow and Mike Fawbush drove approximately 3900 miles over 10 days to Yellowknife just to get a ride on a Buffalo Airways ight. The men who hail from the state of Kentucky ew from Yellowknife to Hay River and back on the airlines July 16 and 17 ights. Its not unusual for the trio to hit the roads on their hogs previously they have taken extensive tours around the Maritime provinces and along the Mississippi River. As they make their journey home the group will be touring through British Columbia and the northwest states of the U.S. These are just the things we do says Bigelow with a laugh. Were really just looking for a good place to eat Tuesday July 21 2015 5 COLUMNS 15 Years Ago... Anthrax outbreak discovered in Park Eighteen bison carcasses found in two locations in Wood Buffalo National Park last week have initially tested positive for anthrax. Both locations are east of the community of Garden River. Weve taken appropri- ate precautions in handling the bison Josie Weninger WBNPs eld unit superintendent said Monday morning. Issue July 18 2000 20 Years Ago... Bears causing concern Pine Lake a popular swimming and picnicking spot in Wood Buffalo National Park near Fort Smith has been the scene of an unusually high amount of bear activity this summer. Three bears have been trapped and relo- cated since June 29. Issue July 19 1995 30 Years Ago... Buffalo Airways in receivership Buffalo Airways is in serious nancial straits after a major client Exco Energy Ltd. of Calgary failed to pay its bills. The Bank of Commerce took over nan- cial responsibility for Buffalo and appointed a receiver- manager to operate the northern airline when an Exco cheque for 128000 bounced. Issue July 18 1985 ARCHIVES Northern Journal 2015 Join us online Like Northern Journal on Facebook and get the weekly news delivered to your feed FACEBOOK FEEDBACK The lake in the heart of Yellowknife has been dead so long residents likely forget that families used to swim and boat there during the summer and that First Nations once netted jacksh there from camps along the shore. Work underway to revive Yellowknifes Frame Lake Anthony Punko Great to see that work is being done to try and revive the lake. A bison found dead on the beach of Pine Lake late last month sparking concern among campers has tested negative for anthrax. Bison found dead at Pine Lake tests negative for anthrax Patricia Sepp Ronald Beaulieu and Miranda Haupt likes this. By ANEGLA SLADEN The summers heat often leaves us with not much of an appetite the need for more liquidsandreducedvitamins andmineralsinourbodiesbe- cause they are released in our sweat. Summeralsobringsus many varieties of lettuce the perfect antidote to the above summer conditions. Lettuce has been grown for thousands of years by many ancient peoples. It is con- sidered a medicinal food by many cultures and for good reason. Here are the main health benets of lettuce Lettuce is a great solution to a reduced appetite because it does not sit heavy in your tummy and you can eat a full plate without feeling stuffed. This is also great for those thatwanttolosesomeweight too. The calories in a full plate of salad is a fraction of the calories in a hamburger or small piece of steak. The reason lettuce does not sit heavy is because it is mainly made up of water approximately 95 per cent exactly what your body needs in the summer heat. A great rule of thumb for those who are watching their weight is to drink a glass of water when you begin to feel hungry. You may nd out you are actually only thirsty. The next rule of thumb is to eat some high water content vegetables lettuce being number one. Lettuce is a great anti-in- ammatory.Ifyousufferfrom arthritisoranysorejointslet- tuce will help to alleviate the swelling to allow healing. A bodycannothealinaninamed state. The rst step to healing is to reduce the swelling. Lettuce helps to keep your brainhealthybyhelpingtopre- serve the neurons that make upmemory. Thisalsohelpsto wardoffAlzheimers. Eatyour lettuce to keep your memory Ifyouhavetroublesleeping tryabigplateofsaladacouple hoursbeforebed. Lettucehelps you sleep as it acts as a seda- tive-ahealthyone. Ithelpsto decrease your heart rate and slowsbloodowwhichmakes youfeelmorerelaxedandcalm. Remember we mentioned that when you sweat you re- lease vitamins and minerals Lettuce is chock full of vita- min K vitamin A vitamin C and folate. It also has high levels of manganese potas- sium iron and calcium. Help keep summer colds away by eating lots of lettuce Lettuceisfullofantioxidants -particularlytheonesthatght certaintypesofcancer leuke- miaandbreastcancer.Lackof sunlightandthereforevitamin D have been linked to higher rates of leukemia. Also lack of darkness at night has been linkedtohigherlevelsofbreast cancer.Weexperiencemoreof both living in a Northern cli- mate. Lettuce will help ght these kinds of cancers. Finallylettucehelpsusfeel happier It is known to help reduce anxiety and also yeast infections. If youve ever had a yeast infection youll never want to have it again. Eat lots of lettuce and you will feel happier more energetic and not so sluggish Come let us eat lettucea food of the gods. Live well eat well and love well. AngelaSladenisanutrition- istandmemberoftheTahltan First Nation in northern B.C. Let us have lettuce By DAWN KOSTELNIK Our puppies warming themselves in the bath and laundry gray water that ows under our house have become frozen stuck to the ground. They are howling and crying frightened. The rest of the dogs staked nearby have joined in a chorus. Dad comes to the rescue trying to squeeze his big frame under the house to reach them. I dont believe this You kids run over to the shop and get a chisel and an axe and hammer. We deliver the tools in a jiffy the dogs con- tinue to howl and carry on too much noise One by one the pups emerge from under the house mufed chopping accentuated with goddamned puppies god- damned puppies continues on under the house until all six pups emerge smiling jumping and - clink clink Theymillaroundourlegsand runovertotheirmomyipping and barking accompanied by the clink clink sound. Clink clink we know where they go. Slabs of ice are frozen to their sides. They had a little nap in the bath water that was drained from our house when it was warm. As they slept the water-cooled and they froze into the ice. My dad is down under the house he has been down there a lot lately chopping- out the puppies. For sure you know what happens next my mom is in the bathtub and lets the bath water go in the tub my dad is under the house under the bath- tub drain lying on the fro- zen ground. DAMN could be heard EVERY WHERE We run over the snow banks howling with laugh- ter out of sight. Rolling on the ground we can hardly stand the pain in our stom- achs there could be nothing funnier. Then clink clink over the hill comes the pup- pies. Tears stream down our faceswearelaughingsohard puppies jump and lick our faces as we roll on the snow. Clink clink. In our backyard lake we oat on the winters garbage. My brother Joel has found some pieces of pallet and scrap wood that are his raft. With a pole he is maneuver- ing around the yard lake. He tentatively maintains his bal- ance. Water is four feet deep in some places and is the tem- perature of liquid ice. Soak- ing wet Kamiks shoes are heavy they have absorbed so much ice water that the cold wins and feet are frozen. We only have one pair of kamiks it takes days for them to dry so there is no choice but to put on gumboots. Black rubber gumboots with brick coloured soles are so very cold even if they are not wet. The teenagers are cool and roll down the tops of them. Hard cold rubber rubs against soft skin and leaves raw sores on the backs of legs. They hurt my feet. I have worn mukluks for years and the shape of the boot feels wrong. My legs and feet ache from the way they ght against the shape of my feet and the cold they attract. Small black plastic bag islands drift about in the deeper lakes and ponds caused by the spring thaw. Boys just need to do weird stuff they poke holes in the islands and raw sewage spills to mix with the oat- ing dog dung. These are the honey bucket bags that es- caped the honey wagon over the winter. Ah-h-h the smell of spring in the Arctic under it the scent of raw sewage the waft of diesel and gaso- line. Simply lovely. P.S. if it is your dog it is your dog poop...pick it up its really gross. www.thewhitegirl.ca White Girl Puppies kids puddles poo 6 Tuesday July 21 2015 ENVIRONMENT REMEDIATION Northwest Territories Power Corporation 201214 Phase II General Rate Application The Northwest Territories Public Utilities Board Board will conduct a public hearing commencing on October 20 2015 to consider the Northwest Territories Power Corporations NTPC or Corporation 20122013 and 20132014 General Rate Application GRA or Applica- tion Phase II filed on June 11 2015. The hearing will be held at the Yellowknife Inn Yellowknife NT commencing at 9 AM. In Phase I of NTPCs GRA the Board approved an overall revenue requirement for fiscal years 20122013 and 20132014 by way of Deci- sion 9-2013 dated July 9 2013. The purpose of the current Phase II proceedings is to determine the amount of revenue that NTPC would recover from each customer class in order to recover the overall rev- enue requirement approved by the Board in Phase I and to determine the design and structure of rates by rate class. Consistent with GNWT policy Directions dated April 10 2015 NT- PCs current Phase II Application is primarily a review of the meth- odology for determining cost of service by rate Zone Comprised of the Snare Hydro Taltson Hydro and Thermal Zones and by rate class with mostly minor adjustments to rate levels. However NTPC has proposed two notable changes to rate levels the Corporation is proposing a reduction of 2.4 in wholesale rates to Northland Utilities Yellowknife Limited and a 55 increase in rates for Government indus- trial Customers Giant Mine. In addition to proposed changes in rates as noted above NTPC is requesting Board approval of the following a 20132014 test year revenue requirement adjustment on a go- forward basis to recognize the Inuvik Gas Engine Conversion and commissioning of the Inuvik LNG Storage and Gasification Facility b Revised Terms and Conditions of Service to reflect updates to the Net Metering Program eligibility and Industrial Customer definition and c The Corporations Net Metering Program Eligibility and Operation Policy. The participation of interested parties is important for a successful review of the Application. Any party interested in participating in the hearing can do so by filing a request for intervener status with the Board by July 15 2015. Parties already on the Phase I mail list will automatically be placed on the Phase II mail list. Registered parties will be notified of any changes in the process schedule. For more information please contact Louise Larocque Board Secretary 203 62 Woodland Drive Hay River NT X0E 1G1 Phone 867-874-3944 Fax 867-874-3639 e-mail Louise-Ann_Larocquegov.nt.ca Alberta oilsands cleanup securities inadequate Auditor General By MEAGAN WOHLBERG Taxpayers may be on the hook for billions of dollars in oilsands cleanup costs due to a risky system of calculating and collecting securities from companies the provinces auditor general warned earlier this month. We have concluded that improvements are needed to both how security is calculated and how security amounts are monitored. Without these improvements if a mine op- erator cannot fulfill its reclamation obliga- tions and no other private operator assumes the liability the province is at risk of having to pay substantial amounts of public money states a report released July 6 by Alberta Au- ditor General Merwan Saher. The audit which looked at the provinces Mine Financial Security Program MFSP found that as of Dec. 31 2014 just 1.57 billion in securities were being held for coal and oilsands mine cleanup compared to the total estimated reclamation liabilities of 20.8 billion. Saher said much of the problem centres on the way the government calculates financial securities for companies which uses an as- sets-to-liability approach rather than requir- ing companies to pay full securities up front. Mining operators are required to pay a base deposit and to provide yearly plans for reclamation to the Alberta Energy Reg- ulator AER. For all work planned but not completed companies then owe 75000 per hectare in future securities. Companies start paying those securities when there are fewer than 15 years left of reserves those payments gradually increase until they are fully paid with less than six years left on a project. But due to flaws in the calculation and the ability for companies to find other ways to extend their mine life Saher said not a sin- gle company has paid additional financial securities to date. Presently no oil sands mining operator has posted more than the base amount of secu- rity. In other words no security is currently required under the various other forms of deposit based on data submitted by oil sands mine operators he wrote. The problem with the assets-to-liability cal- culation Saher said is that it overestimates the amount of assets in comparison to liabili- ties. Currently the formula counts both proven and probable resources as equally valuable assets and uses a price forward factor to account for fluctuations in the market that Saher said underestimates the impact of fu- ture price declines. The department of Environment has accepted the risk of not protecting against the risk of a broad based and rapid struc- tural decline in the oilsands sector the re- port notes. Saher said companies are able to avoid posting securities by extending their mine life through in situ oilsands extraction pro- cesses and by combining numerous proj- ects into one. Furthermore there is a disincentive for companies to plan and complete early recla- mation since the more they plan and fail to complete the more they will owe in the end. Instead mine operators can defer cleanup until the end of the project placing a greater risk on taxpayers. If incentives are not in place to reclaim lands as soon as reclamation is possible mine sites may remain disturbed for longer than necessary and Albertans face a larger risk that they will end up having to pay the eventual reclamation costs the report warns. Saher also found a lack of auditing of the MFSP by the AER. Though two Level 4 au- dits are supposed to take place each year - one for coal mines and the other for oilsands mines - only two have taken place for oil and one for coal since 2011. There presently is no evidence that the level of audit activity is commensurate with the risks that exist according to the report which noted that the lack of verification has been insufficient especially for coal given the amount of risk posed by a sector where the price of the resource is in steep decline. Saher recommended the AER develop a plan for sound auditing. Without an effective and timely monitor- ing program necessary adjustments to secu- rity amounts may not be promptly identified which increases the risk that Albertans will end up having to pay for the conservation and reclamation of mine sites the report concluded. PhotocourtesyofShell Bitumen is mined from Shell Canadas Jackpine oilsands mine near Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta. The provinces auditor general questions whether existing security deposits will be adequate to pay for the cleanup of Albertas currently operating mines. Tuesday July 21 2015 7 EDUCATION POSTSECONDARY The GNWT is hosting public engagement sessions to discuss a northern conservation approach for the Thaidene Nn TDN Area of Interest including proposed territorial conservation boundaries discussion of northern tools that may be used to address northern conservation interests and the creation of a conservation economy for the area. We need your input about Thaidene Nn Public Engagement Sessions from 700 930 pm July 27 Fort Smith Roaring Rapids Hall July 28 Hay River Ptarmigan Inn July 29 Fort Resolution Community Hall For more information including meeting locations in other communities please visit www.enr.gov.nt.caprogramsthaidene-nene-area-interest. To submit comments and questions please contact Mr. Darin Bagshaw Environment and Natural Resources at Darin_Bagshawgov.nt.ca or 867 920-6336. 128-374 NNSL New NWT student financial assistance benefits what you need to know By MEAGAN WOHLBERG Students who are undecided about moving or returning to the NWT have a host of new in- centivestolurethembackandkeeptheminthe territory starting this fall. Theterritorialgovernmentisbusysettingupits revampedstudentnancialassistanceprogram intimeforSept.1whenthousandsinnewmoney willbecomeavailabletostudentsandgraduates whodecidetoremainintheNWTormaketheir way back North. Whiletheeffortispartlyaboutputtingmoney in students pockets it ties into the wider set of government priorities aimed at addressing the territorys dwindling population and creating a robust labour force not just in Yellowknife but in all NWT communities. Its not just about assisting one student its about a broader strategy of encouraging our Northern students to come back and encour- aging southerners who have studied to come to the NWT said Andy Bevan assistant deputy minister of Labour and Income Security with the department of Education Culture and Em- ployment ECE. Itsreallyimportanttousthatweresupport- ingstudentsnotonlyobviouslytoachievetheir own ambitions but also to the extent that they are interested in returning to the NWT labour market and participating and benetting from the NWT economy. Pay down debts faster with higher remission rates Non-AboriginalstudentsreturningtotheNWT willbeabletopayofftheirremissablestudent loansfasterthaneverbeforewithincreasedrates for communities throughout the territory. For each year spent back in the territory stu- dents will see between 6000 and 12000 of debt forgiven depending on where they live. ThosereturningtoYellowknifeafterpostsec- ondarywillbeabletoshave6000peryearoff theirremissibleloanswhilethoseintheregional centresofFortSimpsonFortSmithHayRiver theHayRiverReserveInuvikandNormanWells will see debt forgiveness in the form of 8000 per year - double the previous rate of 4000. In all of the remaining smaller communities oneyearspentbackintheNWTwillseeawhop- ping12000comeoffstudentsremissibleloans. Thisisinrecognitionnotonlyofgovernments decentralizationpolicybutthebroaderobjective tomakesurethatourcommunitiesarevibrant Bevan said. Remissionisonlyavailableasabenettonon- AboriginalresidentsasAboriginalNortherners receivegrantsforlivingallowance.Forstudents with remissible loans who dont return to the territory those loans become repayable loans. New Northern Bonus up to 10K ForstudentsreturningormovingtotheNWT afterpostsecondaryahighlyanticipatednewben- et is a 2000 annual Northern Bonus which basically amounts to no-strings-attached free money to be applied to your student loans as long as you stay in the territory. Thatmoneywillbereceivedannuallytoalife- time limit of 10000 and is even available to southern students whove lived in the territory continuouslyforoneyearmeaningthebonuswont be in hand until September 2016 at the earliest. Thebonusisaboutencouragingpeopletostay longer Bevan said. We want them to demon- stratea12-monthcommitmenttotheNWTand then they would be rewarded. Zero-percent interest For those Northern students residing in or returning to the NWT an additional benet is thenewzero-percentinterestrateonallstudent loans.Theapplicationprocessforthenewinter- estrateisstillindevelopmentbutofcialssayit will be similar to the current remission process for NWT student nancial assistance. There will be no difference essentially whether somebody is studying in Fort Smith versus studying at the U of A there is no dif- ferencewhethertheycomebackorstayBevan said. Once theyve completed their studies and they start to repay either through remis- sion or through repayment proper their loans will be at zero per cent interest for those who prove themselves to be Northern residents. While the new rate is set to kick in on Sept. 1 2015 students will need to prove 12 months of residency before they ofcially receive the new rate meaning it wont affect payments until Sept. 1 2016. You can receive unlimited loans as long as you keep repaying Students who pay down their loans can now access additional funding regardless of what semester they are on in their education. The previous 20-semester funding limit has been lifted and replaced with a revolving loan limit in order to encourage Northerners to pursue higher levels of education like grad- uate studies and further trades certication. Payment on the loans not only includes ac- tual monetary repayment but also remission. We want to make sure that we incent peo- ple not only to return...but its also actually about encouraging continuing education or re-schooling Bevan said. Larger grants available for Aboriginal and NWT students Basic Grant funding for Aboriginal students from the North and students educated and residing in the NWT will see higher amounts for tuition and books. Eligible students will now receive 2400 a semester for tuition up from the previous rate of 1925 and 550 for books up from 400. Connecting students with employers Students receiving supports through stu- dent nancial assistance are already asked for their consent to be contacted by various territorial government departments about possible employment opportunities. But because GNWT internships summer student positions and jobs are limited ECE wanted to open that up to private employers like mining companies as well. Students can now give permission to be contacted by po- tential private sector employers in the hopes that college and university graduates can nd a job and stay in the NWT. Our mandate as a department also includes makingsurethatthelabourmarketoftheNWT istrainedandsufcienttomeetemployerandin- dustrys needs Bevan said. The application process for student fi- nancial assistance has also moved online simplifying the process and making the pro- gram more accessible. The program also has a new Facebook page NWT Student Finan- cial Assistance to connect more youth with the program. New remission rates will allow students with remissable loans to pay back their debt faster with each year spent in the NWT. ImageGNWT 8 Tuesday July 21 2015 Tuesday July 21 2015 9 FromtopleftAustralianone-man-bandKimChurchillbringshisenergytothemainstageDakkaKwaanDancersinfromWhitehorsepreparetoperformtraditionalTlingitdancesSundaynightheadlinerCorbLundampsupthecrowdfromtheNWT PrideStageSaturdaynightheadlinerDanManganwowswithhissecondperformanceofthedayTheWetSecretsbrasssectiontootstheirhornsSaturdaynightTheMariachiGhostgetsloudintheBeerGardensHometownfavouriteLeelaGildayperforms amid-daysetThecrowdgetsfiredupforShredKellyatthemainstageonSaturdaynightVolunteerstakeabreakfromservingwobblypopsattheBeerGardenTanyaTagaqmesmerizesaudiencesinsideandoutsidetheBeerGardenswithheremotional Inuitthroat-singingMaryCarolineandherbandgetcomfortableontheCBCstageSundayafternoonFivemonth-oldAbbyAiston-ShoichetandhermomHannahenjoythesmoothsoundsofTerraLightfootonSaturdayJimmyD.LanesingstheChicago bluesattheNWTPrideStageRenownedspoken-wordartistShaneKoyczanperformsontheCBCstageLucBrienofLesBreastfeederslivensupthebeergardenswithapunk-popsetExecutiveDirectorDavidWhitelocktakesaquickbreakfromrunning theshowShredKellysTimNewtonisallsmileswhileonthemainstageSaturdaynight. PhotosPaulBannisterandDaliCarmichael NWT 101 Teachers get schooled in up-here education 10 Tuesday July 21 2015 EDUCATION ON THE LAND Nomination forms are available at www.ece.gov.nt.ca the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre website www.pwnhc.ca your local band office or a Regional ECE Service Centre. Deadline for nominations is July 29 2015. For more information please contact ECE at 867 873-7920 or ECEPublicAffairsgov.nt.ca. Call for Nominations The Department of Education Culture and Employment ECE is now accepting nominations for the Ministers Culture and Heritage Circle. The Ministers Culture and Heritage Circle recognizes youth individuals Elders and groups in the Northwest Territories who exemplify excellence and dedication to the promotion and preservation of the arts culture and heritage in their community or region. Please leave a message at 872-5543 for details. WESCLEAN NORTHERN SALES LTD. Ph 867 875-5100 Fax 867 875-5155 Avalon Cat Hair - long Size - medium Gender - female Avalon is a very loving and beautiful cat. She is spayed and is up-to-date with all her shots.If you think you have a home for a Avalon please call the shelter at 872-5543. Please leave a message at 872-5543 for details. WESCLEAN NORTHERN SALES LTD. Ph 867 875-5100 Fax 867 875-5155 E-mail infowescleannwt.com web www.wescleannwt.com Avalon Cat Hair - long Size - medium Gender - female Avalon is a very loving and beautiful cat. She is spayed and is up-to-date with all her shots.If you think you have a home for a Avalon please call the shelter at 872-5543. Please leave a message at 872-5543 for details. WESCLEAN NORTHERN SALES LTD. Ph 867 875-5100 Fax 867 875-5155 E-mail infowescleannwt.com web www.wescleannwt.com Avalon Cat Hair - long Size - medium Gender - female Avalon is a very loving and beautiful cat. She is spayed and is up-to-date with all her shots.If you think you have a home for a Avalon please call the shelter at 872-5543. SpayedNeutered Up-to-datewithroutineshots House trained MinnieFemaleAdult Grey and white Looking for a new home Minnie was a very scared shy cat when she first came in. She had been kept in a bedroom and was not socialized. She has come a long way but will require some patience to gain her trust. She is a great cat just not good with other animals. By MEAGAN WOHLBERG A new postsecondary course is exposing a pilot group of nine NWT teachers to a politi- cal cultural and historical overview of the North with the goal of creating a more sup- portive learning environment in K-12 class- rooms across the territory. The two-week intensive which wrapped up this month at the Dechinta Bush University Centre for Research and Learning brought together a mix of teachers curriculum devel- opers and Aboriginal language coordinators from across the NWT to learn best practices for teaching in the unique context of the North and inspire ways of bringing community and land-based resources into the classroom. Co-organized by the department of Edu- cation Culture and Employment ECE and Dechinta the course recently brought the mix of adults and their kids out on the land at Blachford Lake Lodge and connected them with Aboriginal leaders elders and instruc- tors while providing them with an accredited Masters-level course to advance their post- secondary education level. The course looks at colonization and de- colonization in terms of how we approach the classroomandpedagogythe historyofNorth- ern and indigenous education in Canada and really trying to introduce indigenous world- views on education into teachers tool kits so that teachers who are teaching in the North whoarentfromtheNorthhavemoreresources and more background when theyre coming to teach Northern kids said Erin Freeland- Ballantyne dean of programs for Dechinta. Though the course is designed to be most benecial for southern teachers it is also a way to give local educators a chance to work on furthering their education or careers while contributing to a strong cross-learning envi- ronment Freeland-Ballantyne said. I think the diversity of the cohort is what makes the cohort really strong she said. The pilot group included indigenous teach- ers from Tuktoyaktuk Fort Resolution Fort Providence and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation mixed with non-indigenous teachers working in Aklavik Fort Providence and In- uvik. Two curriculum and policy developers from ECE also participated as well as the Aboriginal Education Coordinator from the YK1 school district. Therstweekofthecoursewasdoneonline followed by a one-week land-based segment at Blachford. Students are now expected to complete a project in their communities that mobilizes new tools for getting students out on the land and harnesses local resources to deepen the classroom and take it beyond the school Freeland-Ballantyne said. A partnership initiative Dechinta was approached by ECE to help teach the course based on the schools expe- rience providing a mix of on-the-land and theoretical programming aimed at empow- ering primarily indigenous community lead- ers in the North. As part of our 10-year education renewal initiative one of the areas that was identied as key for strengthening a Northern teaching force was to have opportunities around post- secondary courses and particularly courses that would be at the Masters level and that would contribute to their better understand- ing of the Northern context in which theyre teaching said John Stewart director of in- structional services for ECE. About 80 per cent of teachers in the NWT come from elsewhere in Canada and so what theyve received in their teaching programs is likelynotmuchfocusedonsomeoftherealities of the North Stewart said. Were convinced thatwillreectthenintheclassroompractice and in their understanding of the communi- ties theyre working in and that would reect then in how they work with their students. Because this is the rst time running the course Stewart said the department will have to evaluate it moving forward but hopes to eventually make the course regularly avail- able to all NWT teachers. The course would be limited to those plan- ning to return to or stay in the NWT for the following teaching year as an incentive to stop the high turnover of educators in the North and to also improve NWT curriculum over the longer term particularly in the area of Northern Studies. A long-term goal is that as we grow a co- hort of teachers who have gone deeper into an understanding of education in a North- ern context and especially a deeper under- standing of Aboriginal pedagogy and world- view - because that is a signicant part of the student population that many teachers are working with in the NWT - those people might become resources to and inform bigger areas of curriculum for sure Stewart said. Extending reach of land-based education While students at Dechinta are able to bring their children to Kids U - a hands- on land-based school for children at Blach- ford - during courses the school only enrolls adults aged 18 and over. This new course en- ables the bush university to extend its reach further Freeland-Ballantyne said. Teachers make a huge difference in the development of children and how children are taught in the North has a huge impact on their identity and how they feel about edu- cation. We really felt that education in K-12 is really changing in the North with the new Northern Studies courses and we really felt that this was an opportunity for Dechinta to invest in K-12 learners and the kind of expe- rience they are having she said. By supporting the teachers Freeland- Ballantyne hopes the same kind of educa- tion central to Kids U is brought into class- rooms across the NWT - something she said is even more relevant following the recent gathering of Canadas education ministers in Yellowknife which focused on Aborigi- nal education. Our communities are so full of resources - elders and the land - and so many skills that we could be using and mobilizing to teach our kids in K-12 she said. And I think that hav- ing a stronger relationship between teachers and the school and communities - and the resources that are in our communities al- ready - can only make education stronger. Teachers make a huge difference in the develop- ment of children and how children are taught in the North has a huge impact on their identity and how they feel about education. Erin Freeland-Ballantyne Dechinta Bush University Centre for Research and Learning PhotocourtesyofDechinta A new partnership between the department of Education and the Dechinta bush university is taking NWT teachers out on the land to learn about teaching in the North. Northland starting school year with 190K decit Tuesday July 21 2015 11 EDUCATION BUDGETS 6.8103 in x 6.3125 in By DALI CARMICHAEL The Northland School Division NSD which serves primarily First Nation and Mtis students in 24 schools in the Northern half of Alberta is facing a decit in its 2015-2016 budget recently approved at a regular board meeting held on June 27. Thebudgetpresentsrevenuesof64163310 and expenses of 64356912 for a total de- cit of 193602. The largest source of revenue for the divi- sion comes from Alberta Education at 38.3 million. The federal government and First Na- tions also contribute roughly 22.2 million. BackinMaythenewNDPgovernmentrestored educationfundingfollowingcutsannouncedby the previous Conservative government. While superintendent Donna Barrett was comforted by the move she admitted the NSD is still fac- ing numerous nancial challenges. Weve lost staff from central services weve lostpositionsinschoolswevelostinstructional supportsandadministrativesupportsshesaid notingthecutsamountedtoabout1.7million. Oneofthemajornancialburdensidentied bythedivisionisthesystemofsalaryincreases andgridmovementforcertiedteacherswhose collectiveagreementcallsfora2percentincrease in salaries this year plus an additional 1 per cent this coming November. All in all the cost forthedivisionisaround1.2millionthisyear. Signicant salary costs also come from having schools in remote regions where class sizesarewellbelowtheprovincialaverage.The provincial funding model for schools is based on enrollment rates creating a difcult for- mula for those schools in small communities. Services could be impacted Some basic services provided by the school board are dangerously close to being impacted by its nancial situation according to Barrett. Schools in the NSD provide in excess of 475 hours of instructional time for Early Child Services students but current fund- ing makes this a challenge. AswellthedivisionoffersahighschoolCredit EnrollmentUnitsprogram-amethodofallocat- ingfundstoschooljurisdictionsforseniorhigh school courses - but has low completion rates affecting the projects funding. The budget re- portsthatwiththecurrentmonetarymodelthe NSDs high school program is unsustainable. Were working with the department of Education to address the concerns we have so it can understand our needs. Were very pleased about that Barrett said. She was un- able to give any further details on the discus- sions regarding amendments to the funding model but said government representatives had been very open to hearing the implica- tions for us. A small break for the NSD recently came in the form of teacherages new modular homes supplied to teachers living in remote communities with limited housing options paid for by the Alberta government. We are replacing 30 of our teacherages Barrettsaid.Therearealsoplaceswhereweve soldsomeofourteacherageswheretheschools arenowcloseenoughtoplaceswhereteachers can live so we dont need to provide housing. However even with grants from the govern- ment the NSD still faced a bill of 850000 to move the units into place. Maintaining the roughly 150 teacherages owned by the NSD - in addition to the educa- tion facilities themselves - remains a matter of importance as well. Balancing responsibilities Meanwhile the division is working to up- hold its priorities outlined by the Northland Inquiry Team Report a list of recommenda- tionsfordivisionimprovementscreatedin2010. At the top of that list is encouraging literacy improving abysmal student attendance rates andpromotingindigenousculturallearningby hiring teachers from within the communities. We have a salary incentive for staff who are uent in either Cree or Dene Barrett said. We receive dollars from the province to support First Nation and Mtis students and we allocate those dollars to schools to promote language and culture programming. Its a lot to deal with on a decit budget but Barrett is optimistic that with a little time and some intense planning the future of the NSD could be bright. Recently the division released numbers from its Literacy Initiative indicating the number of students in Grades 1 through 8 reading at their appropriate level had in- creased by 19 per cent in the last three years. Its an ongoing process she said. Were seeing good growth with our students but there is still lots more work to do and were going to sustain that emphasis on literacy language and culture. Northland School Division superintendent Donna Barrett says the school board is working with itsschoolsandAlbertaEducationtomeetitsmanystudentimprovementgoalsonatightbudget. PhotocourtesyofNorthlandSchoolDivision Say it in 25 words or less for only 3.50 Extra words are 20 centseach.Businessclassifieds are 10 for 30 words and 25 centsforeach additionalword. Email your advertising to adsnorj.ca or fax it to 872-2754 or call 872-3000 ext. 26 FOR SALE FIREWOOD. Cus- tom cut sizes - split green dry bagged. Wood Gasification Outdoor wood boilers. Delivery from Fort Smith to Hay River Yellowknife. Contact Dave at 867 872-3435 or cell 872-0229 or email dhehnnorthwestel. net. UFN FORT SMITH CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING BLANKET CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Blanket advertising reaches all 122 weekly newspapers in Alberta and the NWT with a combined circulation of over a million readers. Call our Northern Journal sales desk at 867-872-3000ex.26fordetails. COMMUNITY TRADING POST 12 Tuesday July 21 2015 Home Heating Oil For on-time or anytime delivery...call 100 Locally owned and operated 1 Breynat Street Fort Smith NT 872-4567 Petroleum Whispering Pines Cottages Serving you with 50 years experience Please Contact Sandra Robichaud PhoneFax 867 872-2906 - Cell 867 621-0254 85 Pine Crescent P.O. Box 300 Fort Smith NT X0E 0P0 sandralee.robichaudgmail.com Safe Travels Enjoy Private clean comfortable year round accommodations with Free WiFi and HD Relax with our jacuzzi tub fireplace BBQ yard dishwasher great parking and plug ins Affordable Rates daily weekly monthly stays available. 4 private units. 1 2 3 and 4 bedrooms to choose from. www.whisperingpinescottages.ca 867-765-2020 salescascom.ca 116 Nahanni Dr. Yellowknife NT X1A 2R1 www.cascom.ca Please contact us for information on how we can help make your project a success Providing connectivity - telephone and internet - solutions for industry in remote locations. SERVICE DIRECTORY If you operate a business and need affordable advertising call the Northern Journal. Find out how to have your business listed in our Service Directory. Call 867 872-3000 or email adsnorj.ca. Northern Journal Directory Get your name out there Auctions AUCTION FOR Albert Rose Smith. Sat. July 25. 2011 Ford King Ranch 07 Kustom Koach 5th wheel JD Gator high-end equipmenttools furniture household. Details www. spectrumauctioneering.com. 780-960-3370 780-903-9393. COLLECTOR CAR auction. 9th annual Red Deer fall nale col- lector car auction. Westerner Park Sept 11 12. Last year sold over 80 percent.Time to consign all makes models welcome 888- 296-0528 ext 102. Consign egauctions.com. EGauctions. com. STATE FARM AUCTION Sat Aug 8 2015 10am. For the late Walter Chimera. 54159 R.Rd 225 Fort Sask. Farm equip vehicles grain bins etc. For detailed listing and photos visit andruchowauctions.ca. 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In Smoky Lake Currently has 2 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY TECHNICAL SUPPORT ANALYST Corner of Highways 3 and 4 Yellowknife NT X1A 2P7 Reporting to the Director Information Technology the Technical Support Analyst provides effective and timely operational and technical support to computer users concerning system applications hardware and software. They also contribute to the efficient allocation of computer hardware and software resources develops and maintains business applications and ensures the reliability and sustainability of information and communication resources through system administration responsibilities. Education Diploma in Computer Science from a recognized university or college institution. ITIL certification encouraged. Qualifications Good project management and system development experience applicable to information system deployments. Excellent communication interpersonal customer service and problem solving skills in order to listen to train and assist users in identifying needs and resolvingproblems.Excellentanalyticalhardware and software troubleshooting skills to address problems presented by users. Over 10 years of IT systems and technical support experience related to business and systems applications tele- communications and minicomputers preferred. Salary and Benefits Salary range is 43.34 to 52.67 per hour plus location and accommodation allowances of approximately 8592 per annum. This is a full-time permanent position. We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes health and dental benefits long-term disability life insurance paid sick days and a defined pension plan. Please send rsums to Human Resources Northwest Territories Power Corporation 4 Capital Drive Hay River NT X0E 1G2. Fax 867 874-5229. Email careersntpc.com. Competition 10-YK-15 Closing date Open until suitable candidate found. Affirmative Action Employer - Candidates must clearly identify eligibility status in order to receive priority consideration. We thank all those who apply and advise that only those selected for further consideration will be contacted. Empowering Communities positions available A Class 1 Truck DriverFarm worker for balessilagesuperbeegraintrail- ersmanure spreaders.AYard shop mechanic maintenance repair person to service trucks tractors.25-35hr.forbothposi- tions depending on experience. Call Willy at 780-656-0052. EMPLOYMENT TENDERS AND LEGAL NOTICES Tuesday July 21 2015 13 VISIT WWW.NORJ.CA EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY WOODSMAN Full-Time Term Position 40 hoursweek August October with opportunity for extension 25 - 35hour based on experience The Northern Farm Training Institute NFTI is an incorporated not-for-profit society that aims to empower northerners strengthen our communities and create sustainability through local food production. Learn more about NFTI at www.nftinwt.com. NFTI has been providing immersive farm training in Hay River for local residents of the NWT since 2013. This year we are building a 260-acre dedicated working farm campus to expand our programming. Responsibilities will include Firewood Collection and Planning Coppicing Tree FallingChippingBrushing Trail Construction Land Planning and Clearing Supervising Farm Hands if needed Requirements 5 years experience working in similar job Chainsaw training Tree Falling training Experience running small log chainsaw mill Deadline for applications is July 31st 2015 To apply please send a cover letter and resume to Kim at adminnftinwt.com or fax 867-874-3641. Come and join our exciting team 77A Woodland Drive Box 4386 Hay River NT X0E 1G3 Tel 867 874-4706 Fax 867 874-3641. Email Adminnftinwt.com. Website www.nftinwt.com 12345 12345 3 wide version 3.75 wide version 7804404037 SEACAN.COM WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. Steel containers from 8to 53. 20 40 skids with optional 4 landings available. Mount with twist locks. Customizable and secure. From storage to workspace. 7804404037 SEACAN.COM WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING. Steel containers from 8- 53. 20 40 skids with optional 4 landings available. Mount with twist locks. Customizable and secure. From storage to workspace. 0652-218 ITEM_11_PSA-01-VT 1 COLUMNS X 42 AGATE LINES 1.58 IN X 3 IN_FINAL Keep heat in by caulking and weather stripping around doors and windows. Page 1 of 1 upplied . com Tell us what you would do. Email carolab.lung.ca or go to www.poweredbybreathing.com Tell us what you would do. Email carolab.lung.ca or go to www.poweredbybreathing.com G. O W H A T W O U L D Y O U D O I F Y O U C O U L D B R E A T H E B E T T E R POWERED BY BREATHING. W H A T W O U L D Y O U D O I F Y O U C O U L D B R E A T H E B E T T E R POWERED BY BREATHING. Advertising and marketing Book design Brochures posters Business cardsStationery Logo design Photography Promo material Signs Banners Stickers Magnets Wedding invitations Contact Cascade Graphics at 867 872-3000 or graphicsnorj.ca 207 McDougal Rd Fort Smith NT We offer a range of custom design services cascade graphics 14 Tuesday July 21 2015 Tuesday July 21 2015 15 NORTHERNERS VOLUNTEERS Rosalind Dorothy Russell Gordon age 71 of Devon AB passed away peacefully on July 16 2015. She was surrounded by her loving family and in deepest sorrow they gave her kisses and hugs and told her how much she was so greatly loved. RosalindRozzwasbornonNovember 24 1943 and raised in Fort Smith NWT. Rozz was always very athletic. She played fastball basketball and curling. The love of curling was her passion. She traveled across Canada to various Brier tournaments. In 1961 Rozz married the love of her life Alex Gordon from Caslan AB. They settled in the Northwest Territo- ries serving communities along the MacKenzie the High Arctic and Eastern Arctic. Rozz and Alex raised four children Bill Wendy Alex and Scott. In 1977 they moved to Fort McMurray where they lived for 18 years and Rozz worked in the Catholic Schools. Rozz and Alex retired to Nanton AB in 1995 and then on to Devon AB where they have resided for the past 14 years. Rozz was a devoted and loving wife mother and grandmother. She loved family get-togethers and holidays with many family and friends around the dining table. She spent hours preparing the most wonderful meals and baking for her family. Rozz took joy in baking pies and other special goodies for her grandchildren to their particular tastes. Rozz was so welcoming to everyone that visited her. She was known for her amazing sense of humor for caring deeply for others for cultivating lifelong friendships and giving selflessly to her family and friends. And she loved to laugh Rozz is survived by her loving husband Alex her four children Bill Gordon Wendy Colin Anderson Gordon Alex Gordon Scott Angie Gordon her brother Jack Russell her sisters Stella Buck Dahl Ann Gary Lobb Rosalind Gordon her grandchildren Meghan Logan Gregory Conner and Reece. She also leaves behind numerous loving relatives and friends. Rozz was prede- ceased by her parents Bill and Bertha Russell and her sisters Mona Jones and Norma Little. Everyone is welcome to attend the Memorial Service for the Celebration of Rozzs Life to be held on Saturday July 25 2015 at 1100 a.m. at the St. Maria Goretti Catholic Parish 8 St. Clair Street Devon AB. Donations in Rozzs memory may be made to the Stollery Childrens Hospi- tal Foundation 8440 112 Street NW Edmonton AB T6G 9Z9 or the San- dra Schmirler Foundation 18 Burn- dale Road Ottawa ON K1B 3Y5 or a charity of your choice. Condolences www.serenity.ca Serenity Funeral Service Leduc 780 980-3688 Off-season elf holds Christmas in July for homeless By DALI CARMICHAEL For the third year running one of Santas busiest elves is delivering presents to Yel- lowknifes homeless population through a Christmas in July donation drive. Over the past several months Yellowknife resident Renee Sanderson has been collect- ing monetary and clothing donations from people across the NWT and northern Al- berta. On July 25 she and a handful of fel- low volunteers will stand outside Safe Har- bour Day Shelter handing out gifts to those who need them most. Her goal this year is to hand out 200 goody bags as she calls them stuffed with hotel- sized toiletries feminine hygiene products snacks and clothes. Last year she donated 178 packages up from 73 during the rst year of the operation. Its only this time around that Sanderson started collecting clothing for the cause after receiving a request made from shelter staff who say it is one of the harder items for Yel- lowknifes homeless to access. Throughout the year Ive been collecting clothes shoes backpacks stuff like that she said. Were kind of a little bigger than last year. Were getting more sponsorship from more companies. The majority of non-edible products were donated by regional organizations and businesses including Yellowknife Mo- tors Glens Independent Grocer Wal-Mart and Adam Dental Clinic among others. Additionally individually packaged food was purchased using almost 800 in do- nations Sanderson collected through a Go Fund Me page. Learning to be compassionate It was a mix of her parents compassion and her own experiences that inspired Sand- erson to start the Yellowknife Christmas in July three years ago. I was raised by two very generous parents who - still to this day - have an open door policy when it comes to helping family and friends she said. Having gone through my own trauma in my life it has made me more empathetic to what one can go through. Its especially harder if they have no support systems in place or if they have exhausted all their support avenues. The people on the streets have been so disenfranchised and poverty stricken that we need to remember that they are still human and we need to show them more compassion understand- ing and respect. Its a lot of work but when Sanderson - nally gets to play Santa and distribute the packages the reactions she gets makes her efforts worthwhile. To be able to share that moment with them and see the excitement on their faces when they receive a goody bag is just a fantastic feeling Sanderson said. If people would just give a bit of their heart rather than a piece of their mind what a better place we would be living in. To those considering ways to give back to their own communities Sanderson says to think realistically about projects that can be completed locally. A quote that resonates with me is I always wondered why somebody didnt do something about that and then I realized I am some- body Sanderson said. You dont need to be rich or famous to help make a difference in your community. I really enjoy doing this every year but if we can come together and make this an event where businesses and organizations commit to supporting it an- nually we could accomplish so much more. Sandersons charitable spirit isnt only pres- ent in the holiday off-season. She encourages her fellow employees to participate in an- nual fundraisers as well like the Movember movement for mens health and the Canadian Cancer Societys Relay for Life. Giving out goody bags to the homeless in July is just the beginning she said. To donate or to learn more about how help with Christmas in July head to httpwww. gofundme.comrsx5t8. Over 170 goody bags stocked with food and toiletries were handed out to Yellowknifes homeless at Christmas in July 2014. This year volunteer Renee Sanderson is aiming for 200. PhotoReneeSanderson ARTS CULTURE OPEN SKY 16 Tuesday July 21 2015 HUGE SUMMER SAVINGS 17 DAYS SAVINGS JULY 15 31 2015 I Ser ving For t Smit h since 199 0 872 -2568 Monday - Friday 9AM - 8PM Saturday 9AM - 6PM Sunday 11AM - 6PMBreynat St. Fort Smith Open Sky festival returns to summertime slot for 15th anniversary By DALI CARMICHAEL After a year without Fort Simpsons fa- vourite summertime jubilee the Open Sky Festival has returned to its regular season. A slew of musicians and artists came to- gether at the Fort Simpson ats on July 11 and 12 to celebrate Open Skys 15th anniversary. Patrons of the arts took part in a weekend of musical performances workshops and pe- rusingthroughthewaresofnorthernvendors. At the same time they were welcome to explore an exhibit of artist Joseph Purcells prints and paintings which opened on July 10 and will run through August. Last year organizers chose to put on an autumn-themed event in lieu of the sum- mer celebration. The new Harvest Festival will live on in 2015 according to organiz- ers and will be held over the weekend of Sept. 12 and 13. PhotoscourtesyofJackieZingerOpenSkyCreativeSociety Open Sky Creative Society president Jackie Zinger shows off festival t-shirts at the merch tent. Lindsay Waugh Pat Coleman James Ross Linda Duford and Murray Dyck jam together in a collaborative performance. DehchoartistPhoebePunchleadsaworkshop on how to craft a traditional birch bark basket. Instructors Rosalind Mercredi and Sheila Bassey-Kellet take the lead on a community mosaic project.