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Twice the size twice the price TheGNWTrevealsthatitsnew Stanton Territorial hospital in Yellowknife could cost up to 751 million over 34 years. See page 2. Aurora trades professors take lead on recruitment With low enrolment threat- ening the viability of trades programs at Aurora College professors are taking action. See page 13. LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION Northern stories hit the big screen in Yellowknife. See page 14. What do you do when the unthinkable happens As Fire Prevention Week in the NWT begins a Fort Smith woman remembers losing it all. See page 11. New exhibit on Yellowknives opens in Yellowknife Anexhibitaboutthewayoflife on the land dating back mille- nia opened with prayers and drumming last week. See page 8. 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 October 6 2015 Vol. 39 No. 23 By CRAIG GILBERT A mountaineer at heart Melody Lepine has summited the highest peaks on two continents and in two hemispheres. After climbing Mount Erebus in Russia and Mount Aconcagua in Argentina she believes surviving at 18000 feet prepared her for the 78-day race to become the next MP for Fort McMurray-Cold Lake on Oct. 19 a challenge she shares with ve other people including Conser- vative incumbent David Yurdiga. I tell everybody when Im that high on the mountain and Ive been there for two weeks Im cold Im hungry tired and exhausted 99 per cent of what is keeping me going is my brain telling my body I have to do it the rst-time NDP candidate said. Ive learned that theres noth- ing I tell myself I cant do. A native of Fort Chipewyan and for the past 12 years the director of government and industry relations for the Mikisew Cree First Nation she said the federal government has neglected the riding a con- cern expressed by other candidates. I just really noticed a strong ab- sence from the federal government and basically neglect from them. she said. Being the only candidate from this region and spending my entire life here I am more grounded in seeing the evolution and changes in the community and truly under- standwhatisimportanttothepeople here in Fort McMurray Cold Lake and the entire region. Lepine said industrial develop- ment has been rushed through without enough consideration of the ramications either to the environ- ment or in terms of its potential. Someofthecompaniescanteven obtain enough skilled workers so they have to resort to temporary for- eign workers she said. If we were prepared for all of these opportuni- ties we would have more of a com- mitment to training of local people or Canadians looking at different areas that could benet from good development here as well. I want to see that grow I want to see more local businesses. Obviously I see also a greater attention on the environment. We dont have to sacrice our environ- ment for only the economic benet. There needs to be a balanced ap- proach. Social programs like day- care and childcare especially for single mothers families that want both parents to work. Everything needs to be factored equally to truly benet this region and I havent seen that happening. Giving voters a clean choice Green Party candidate Brian De- heer the treasurer of the Keepers of the Athabasca is also concerned about the environment but said the partys platform available at www. greenparty.caenplatform is about more than that very well balanced and common-sense. It also includes free postsec- ondary education which might seem ambitious and a little un- usual for Canada but its not un- heard of Deheer said. Quebec has had subsidized post-second- ary there was a lot of concern about that when the province was thinking of changing that. Really investment in postsecondary is investment in our youth and in our future and so I think its a hugely valuable investment. I was happy to see that. The president of the partys riding association and a big fan of leader Elizabeth May the reasons he let his name stand include simply giving voters the option to vote cleaner greener and smarter. When it comes to our riding which has the oilsands in it I think there are some things they could be doing cleaner and greener but also one of the smarter things I think is it would make far more sense to process the bitumen in Alberta keep the jobs in Alberta keeping any risks to the environment and population during transportation to a minimum. Deheer does not have much of a war chest compared to the main- stream candidates but he expects to hear about a slowdown in the economy when he starts campaign- ing in earnest. He has lived in Lac La Biche for the past 24 years. See Oil sands on page 15. Runner-up expects another tight race in Fort McMurray-Cold Lake PhotoBillBraden Normally the Great Hall of the Legislative Assembly in Yellowknife is a staid and somber place but last Saturday it was bubbling with the squeals and chatter of dozens of little people and their parents at the Yellowknife Breastfeeding Support Groups annual Parent Awareness Fair. Privately built 300-million hospital to be twice as large 2 Tuesday October 6 2015 HEALTH WELLNESS HOSPITALS NEWS BRIEFS Gloomy haul for Yellowknife RCMP Yellowknife RCMP arrested or issued warrants for 11 peo- ple after drug-related searches. On Oct. 1 police seized 28 grams of packaged marijuana eight Oxycodone pills un- markedprescriptionmedicationstrafckingparaphernalia and about 2000 cash plus 35 mickeys of vodka at a resi- dence on 47th street. One man was arrested and warrants wereissuedfortwoothers.WrappingupProjectGloomier which focused on drug trafcking in Yellowknife another six people were arrested and warrants were issued for two others.DuringthemonthofSeptembersignicantquanti- tiesofcrackcocaineaswellasOxycodoneFentanylmari- huana hash oil Percocet pills and anabolic steroids were seized. More arrests and charges are expected. Sudden death in Fort Liard Police were alerted shortly before 9 a.m. on Saturday that adeceasedfemalehadbeenfoundnearRiverviewRoad in Fort Liard. A cause of death has not yet been determined. Policehadnotreleasedanyotherinformationbeforepress deadline.LocalRCPtheGDivisionMajorCrimesUnitand the Forensic Identication Unit will be working with the Ofce of the Chief Coroner of the Northwest Territories as the investigation continues. NOTICE OF ELECTION TOWN OF FORT SMITH Notice is hereby given that an election for Mayor and Town Council in the Town of Fort Smith will be held on ADVANCE POLL THURSDAY OCTOBER 8 2015 1100 a.m. - 600 p.m. Rec Centre Seniors Room REGULAR POLL MONDAY OCTOBER 19 2015 1000 a.m. - 700 p.m. Rec Centre Gym Dated at Fort Smith on October 1 2015. Margo Harney Returning Officer By CRAIG GILBERT Crews will break ground on a new territorial hospital in Yellowknife this week a facility twice the size of the building it is replacing with a daunting price tag. Someareskepticaltheproj- ect which the government of the Northwest Territories es- timates will cost 751 million over 34 years will be able to avoid overruns. SandyKalgutkardeputysec- retary of the GNWT nancial management board said the new hospital will cost 300 milliontobuild.BorealHealth PartnershipBHPtheconsor- tiumledbyBritishbuilderCar- illon will be paid 18 million per year to run and maintain itafeeoverandabovetheop- erational budget of the hospi- tal. He said half of the money is meant to offset the interest BHPwillincurbynancingthe projectandtherestforregular maintenanceandservicessuch as laundry and meals. Kalgutkar insisted the public-private partnership or P3 model was the cheapest option as a government-only project it would have cost more than 1 billion. Based on our analysis if we did a traditional design and build including main- tenance it would have cost just over 1 billion as a gov- ernment-only project. Budget skeptics have the ghostsofoverrunspastinmind pointingtotheDehChoBridge whichwasprojectedin2002to cost55millionandcameinat 202millionsevenyearslater and more recently the revela- tionthatthecompanybuilding the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk high- waybudgetedat229million may make a claim against the GNWTfora32-millionover- runforextraconstructioncosts. The government said claims are a normal part of construction contracts re- gardless of scope. TheGNWTisdoingitsdue diligence as a government in reviewing the potential claim as part of normal business processes. Concerns were also raised over the track record of Car- illion which led a partner- ship that built Ontarios rst P3hospitaltheRoyalOttawa HealthCentre.Theprojectran overbudgetby51millionor more than half and had 100 fewer beds than promised. Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger said when the contractwithBHPwassigned the new purpose-designed hospital would be state-of- the-art and built to national standards. At more than 280000 square-feet the new hospital willfeatureprivateroomsday procedureandsurgerysuites medicalimagingdialysisob- stetrics pediatric cardio and mental health departments according to the GNWT. Weareveryexcitedtobegin work on the new Stanton Ter- ritorial Hospital and continue to build a long-term relation- shipwiththeGNWTtheBHP consortiumsEdmundMahabir said.BHPhasdevelopedanin- novativesolutionforconstruc- tionofthenewhospitalandthe delivery of facilities manage- mentservicesthatwillprovide excellent value for the people of the Northwest Territories. Kalgutkar said building new was always an option in thetenderforthecontractand BHP would be responsible for the old building. They have to nd an appropriate use for it and demolition is forbidden. TheRFPwasprettyopen hesaid.Wewantedtogetsome innovationsandthebestvalue wecould.Theproponentswere free to submit a design for a new building. Based on our analysis if we did a traditional design and build including maintenance it would have cost just over 1 billion as a government- only project. Sandy Kalgutkar GNWT Yellowknife man charged with second degree attempted murder RCMP announced the name of the man charged with murder in the double-stabbing in Yellowknife Sept. 28. One man was pronounced dead at hospital a woman was transported to an Alberta hospital. Kevin Mantla 36 was charged with second-degree murder attempted murder and aggravated assault. The charges have not been proven in court. Katlodeeche GNWTdisagree over future treatment facility MLAs question possibility of treatment centres in the North Tuesday October 6 2015 3 HEALTH WELLNESS TREATMENT FACILITIES Rethink it. Always remember your reusable bag when you go shopping. www.rethinkitnwt.ca Did you know In the past five years NWT residents have kept over 30 million single use bags out of landfills by remembering to bring a reusable bag.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 TriciaFemaleBaby Calico Looking for a new home Tricia is very well-behaved and loves to be cuddled. Shes only a baby and she needs somebody to love her and take care of her. But you can adopt her and love her. Yay A happy ending The Fort Smith District Education Authority will hold its Annual General Meeting Thursday Nov. 19 2015 700PM at JBT Room 113 Delegates wishing to address the authority may do so by contacting our office in writing 72 hours prior to the meeting at P.O. Box 131 or by fax at 867-872-2448. The public is welcome to attend. By DALI CARMICHAEL OverthelastsixmonthsorsotheGNWTand KatlodeecheFirstNationhavebeenintalksabout reopeningtheNatsejeeKehtreatmentcentrein HayRiveradiscussionthathasbeentemporar- ily put on hold since the Department of Health and Social Services HSS denied KFN the re- quested nances to develop a plan for a revital- ized wellness facility. HSS Minister Glen Abernethy said the ter- ritorial government was not prepared to re- enterorre-establishatreatmentcentreinthat particular facility due to several factors. In2013theexecutivedirectoradvisedthat no further intakes should take place primar- ily due to the risks in client safety he said notingthatrecommendationstoamendsafety risks were made as early as 2011 following an organizational review. Because they werent doing any intake the department notied the board that we would no longer be renewing the contract. As a result we did enter into contract with four southern facilities to pro- vide facility-based treatment. Abernethy further explained that the four centres provide a range of services currently not available in the Northwest Territories due to capacity issues. At any given time about 12 people are using the Alberta-based facili- ties over the last year 109 people have been admitted as had 174 the year before that. Comparatively the cost of sending those who need treatment south is less than what was needed for patients at Natsejee Keh the difference being 155 versus 420 per per- son per day. HoweversomeKFNmembersarenothappy with the GNWTs response and are still call- ing for a healing facility in the North. We have gone from having detox centres and four treatment centres of which Natsejee Keh was considered one of the best in North America with a 43-per-cent success rate to having no treatment available in the NWT at all Chief Roy Fabian said in a press release. Thereleasestatedthebandhaddraftedapro- posaltomeaningfullyincludeallregionsinthe NWT in the development of a plan that would include training and support for clients as they wait for a spot in a southern treatment insti- tution support to interrupt the addiction cycle thathasresultedfromdecadesofpost-traumatic stressdisorderandsupporttocommunitiesof- fering on the land addictions programs. The band was given 44000 to hold meetings and to come up with a plan Ab- ernethy said. Afterthosemeetingsalotofgoodideaswere represented he noted. Wellness centres a trainingcentreaspiritualcentreahome-base for mobile treatment these types of things. UltimatelyAbernethysaidKFNpresenteda 190000plantodevelopaproposalapricetag he was not willing to pay. Instead the GNWT offered another 20000 to develop a proposal an amount that insulted the KFN members. We can only assume that the Department of Health and Social Services does not want to work collaboratively to nd real solutions Fabian said. They offered us 20000 to do a job that would cost 10 times that if meaningful programsaretobephasedinwithsupportfrom allregions.TheGNWTknowshowmuchthese initiatives cost. It was a real slap in the face. A document asking HSS to pursue the pos- sibilityofopeninganAboriginalWellnessCen- tre attached to Stanton Hospital was tabled in the Legislative Assembly last week. At this time no other treatment facility projects are being proposed within the territory. ThroughoutlastweekssessionMLAsAlfred Moses and Michael Nadli echoed Fabians con- cernswhilequestioningAbernethyonthefuture of recovery and treatment centres in the North. OurStandingCommitteeonSocialPrograms didatourononeofourbillsandweconstantly heard the need for a treatment centre here in the Northwest Territories Moses said. He acknowledged the limited availability of on-the-land wellness programming and alter- nativeresources.Theresbeenalotofunderly- ing issues and its not only alcohol addictions butwealsodealwithgriefwedealwithtrauma and more importantly residential school and the experiences people have had with those. Hedescribedalengthyprocesspatientsmust gothroughtoattendthesoutherntreatmentcen- tressometimesneedinguptofoursessionswith counsellorsbeforebeingmovedtosaidtreatment facilityaprocessthatcanbelongerorevennon- accessibletopeoplelivinginsmallercommunities. We have modied our referral process its nowanexpeditedreferralprocesssowecanget peopleintotreatmentwhentheyrereadyin24to 48hoursAbernethysaidaddressingtheissue. ImnotgoingtocommittoreopeningNatsejee Kehhesaid.Iwillcommittoworkingwiththe communitytondauseforthatfacilitythatwill benetallpeoplesomethinglikeawellnesscen- tre a training centre for mental health and ad- dictions or a home location for what will be our mobiletreatmentoptionatsomepointinthefu- turebutnotreopenitasatreatmentfacilityagain because weve failed and well continue to fail. I will commit to working with the community to nd a use for that facility that will benet all people... Glen Abernethy HSS Minister 4 Tuesday October 6 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..................................................................................... Craig Gilbert 867-872-3000 ext.24 newsnorj.ca Reporter....................................................................... Dali Carmichael 867-872-3000 ext.25 reporternorj.ca Comptroller .......................................................Jessica Dell 867-872-3000 ext.23 webnorj.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 LETTER TO THE EDITOR CPAWS-NWT encouraged by GNWTs commitment to conservation Editor CPAWS-NWT is pleased to see the steps the Government of the Northwest Territo- ries GNWT is taking to continue the work started under the NWT Protected Areas Strat- egy PAS through the Draft NWT Conser- vation Areas Action Plan. TheDraftActionPlanbuildsonconservation workconductedsince1999inthePASbyNWT communitiesincollaborationwithregionalAb- original organizations the federal and territo- rial governments environmental non-govern- mental organizations and industry. It smartly incorporates the PAS into the post-devolution contextbyplanningtointegrateidentiedpro- posed core protected areas into a conservation areas network that will work to achieve inter- national biodiversity conservation targets. As well the plan would create the necessary legis- lativepolicyanddecisionmakingframeworkto supportcomprehensiveconservationplanning. Planning for conservation is critical for the long-term sustainability of our territory. The NWT has one of the greatest opportunities in the world to proactively conserve important places for current and future generations. By setting in place a robust NWT conservation areas plan now we will ensure that our unique biodiversity and cultural heritage can be con- served. Through proactive conservation we can also lay the groundwork for increased land use certainty secure opportunities to diver- sify local economies and provide a broader range of long-term employment opportuni- ties for NWT residents. We know that NWT residents highly value our land water and wildlife and support conservation of important areas in a 2013 survey about the future of the NWT done by EKOS Research the single top concern iden- tied by residents was environmentconser- vationpollution. Many NWT communities have been working for over 15 years to identify special places on the land that are important to them and for which they want protection. CPAWS-NWT looks forward to continuing to work with the GNWT and other interested parties to further develop the Conservation Areas Action Plan to achieve the best possi- ble future for all people of the NWT through careful stewardship of our shared natural and cultural heritage. Kris Brekke Executive Director CPAWS-NWT The Northern Journal acknowledges the nancial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund CPF for our publishing activities. The way it is going those once limitless herds that have been critical to the existence of indigenous Northerners for millenniaarebecomingdiminished to the point where hunting will soon not be allowed. Our world is changing action is needed Why are our rivers so low what is happen- ing to our water and what does that mean for the future Each year there is a spring ood in April. The snow drains from the land in spring and superchargedstreamslltheirbanksturninto small rivers and together rush toward lower ground becoming waterways in their journey tothesea.Riverspeakpushingouttheicethen run swollen and dirty well into May. Each year our rivers have a second peak in June not as big as the rst but enough to again ll the banks and carry sediment and nutrients along with trees and debris down- stream. That second ood is the mountain runoff as the snow load in the mountains succumbs to warming summer temperatures. This year that second peak did not happen. Glaciersareshrinkingsasaresultofthewarm- ing of our world. The mountain snowpack no longerbuildsupthewayitoncedidisnolonger theretofeedourrivers.Addtothathydrodams that are constantly thirsty like the giant reser- voirbehindtheBennettDaminBritishColum- biathatmustholdwaterbackbecausetheWest Coastlackedrainallsummerparchedwiththe droughtthatstretchedthelengthofthewestern slopesoftheRockyMountainsfromMexicoto Alaska.Meanwhileyetanotherhydroprojectis being constructed on the Peace River. All that happensbeforetheoilsandsindustrywithdraws water from the Athabasca to retrieve barrels of oil.Additalltogetherandladiesandgentlemen wehaveaproblem.Theimpactreverberatesall the way to the Arctic Ocean. The Mackenzie River drainage system covers a vast area - one twelfth of the North American continent - and ows down north to the Arctic. It would take a lot to diminish the amount of water this huge area contrib- utes but that is exactly what has happened. For a number of years now there has been talk about how the impact of climate change would be felt rst and most in the far North. For us living in the impact zone it has been hard to understand how that will manifest. It is easy to picture melting permafrost that disrupts roads and affects the foundations of buildings in communities but we have seen that before so what else will happen The loss of the caribou herds is the worst impact so far - and yes although it is not cer- tain that phenomenon is very likely caused by climate change. The way it is going those once limitless herds that have been critical to the existence of indigenous Northerners for millennia are becoming diminished within a decade to the point where hunting will soon not be allowed. How terribly sad that is. Whatifourriversbecomereducedsimilarly Thatwouldbeevenworse.Thereisaneconomic cost for one. The regional drought in the Deh ChoandTliChohasledtoadrasticreductionin theowoftheSnareRiverthatprovideshydro power to many NWT communities including Yellowknife and is already costing millions of dollars in subsidies. That may be a microcosm of what will happen on a larger scale. The volume of ow in the Slave River con- tinues to drop week by week. That means con- tinuinglowerlevelsinGreatSlaveLakewhich has been dropping for a number of years. The Mackenzie too will get lower. The need for dredging will increase in Hay River and barge transportation on the Mackenzie will be more difcult.WhatotherimpactsWillthisworsen in the years ahead Nobody knows. For the last 15 years a team of Japanese sci- entistshasbeenstudyingcarbondepositionin theborealforestandhowthatrelatestoclimate change.TheyhavestudysitesinWoodBuffalo NationalParkandcometoFortSmithannually to check data. They also visit sites in Siberia in northern Russia. They do such things as bury atbedscannersusedforscanningdocuments undergroundandtriggerthemwirelessly.They are transmitted a scan showing the extent of root growth and then calculate the extent of carbon deposition using sophisticated formu- lae. This year they added drones to their arse- nal of scientic tools enabling aerial pictures to calculate forest growth. Their work is funded by the Japanese gov- ernment. It is done they say so that Japan a seafaring nation will better understand what is taking place with climate change to be well informed when making decisions on matters that will impact them in future. The forward thinking by the Japanese gov- ernment to fund such work and other types of studies like it must have come about roughly 20yearsagowellbeforediscussionsonclimate changewerecommon.Whatexcellentforesight Canadas regressive Conservative federal government meanwhile continues to deny climate change is even taking place and is actively muzzling scientists. We Northerners need studies to determine what is happening to the caribou enabling us to take action to save the herds and we need to know what is happening to our riv- ers so we can at least predict the impacts and better deal with them. Not to mention issues with wildres sh stocks and our forests. WebadlyneedanewgovernmentinOttawa. PhotoMicheleTaylor CORRECTIONS In the Sept. 29 story SSDEC Literacy Ini- tiative receives ministerial award the Journal stated the SSDECs award-win- ning literacy program is directed by a regional working committee. To clarify the award went to not only this commit- tee but to the many educators volun- teers and students participating in the program. Also in the story Showing Aurora students they are not alone an old phone number for Fort Smith Victim Services Program was printed. The current numbers are 872-3520 for the ofce and 621-2273 for the cellphone. And in our story about Aurora College learners on the land we misspelled pro- gram coordinator Sheila Wiltzens name. The Journal regrets the errors. Hopes Haven a 12-unit transitional home for youth between the ages of 16 and 24 - owned and operated by SideDoor Youth Ministries - opened its doors in Yellowknife on Sept. 24. The facility the rst of its kind in the territory will provide programs aimed at helping youth to transition to permanent housing and independence. It features a total of 10 emergency drop-in beds including overow ve two-room dormitories with one bed per room sharing a bathroom and one three-bedroom apartment. Tuesday October 6 2015 5 COLUMNS 15 Years Ago... NWT mourns The territorial government issued the following state- ment in response to the passing of former prime minis- ter Pierre Trudeau The Government of the Northwest Territories joins the nation in mourning the death of the Right Honourable Pierre Elliott Trudeau - one of Cana- das great political leaders and statesmen. Mr. Trudeau was a champion of the rights of all Canadians. ... Issue October 3 2000 20 Years Ago... Record number of voters to cast ballots A record 33000 residents will cast their ballots in this years MLA elections. Tu Nedh returning ofcer Violet Beaulieu says theres been an unusually high in- terest in voters making sure theyre on the voting list. Over 100 names were added after voters in Lutsel Ke and Fort Resolution found they were missed during enu- meration. There are 617 registered voters in Tu Nedh. Issue October 3 1995 30 Years Ago... New hospital for Yellowknife The contract has been let and work should start soon on the new 30-million Yellowknife health centre. The territorial government executive announced Friday it would accept a bid from an Edmonton rm P.C.L. for a total of 30470000. Construction is expected to start in the next few weeks and is slated for completion in the summer of 1988. Issue October 3 1985 ARCHIVES Northern Journal 2015 Join us online Like Northern Journal on Facebook and get the weekly news delivered to your feed FACEBOOK FEEDBACK Last year Ty Marten of Fort Smith turned 12 in Zim- babwe. This past August he became a teenager in Sai- gon or as his mom and travel partner Marlene Evans calls it Ho Chi Minh City. Fort Smith teen mom take wanderlust to Vietnam Cambodia Lori Robinson That is so fantastic What great memories for Ty and Marlene A powerful new tool for public engagement the fu- ture of democracy or the fast-lane to its erosion are all possibilities for the software designed to crowd-source opinion on municipal issues in the capital. What is IServeU Depends on which Yellowknifer you ask Nancy Vail Personally I think it is per- haps unintentionally a discriminatory tool of exclusion. By DAWN KOSTELNIK JoelpushespastSimonand yellsatourmomGetthegun getthegunAceischewingup KurtMymomcomesrunning from the kitchen she doesnt stop to question my brother she reaches for the rst gun she sees in the porch. Door ung open wide she brings the gun to her shoulder and takes aim. Its hard to make outwhereKurtstartsandthat goddamed Ace ends. She brings the gun down andthinkstocheckforbullets as she heads out the door the gun is empty where are the bulletswhereintheHELLare the bullets A box of shells sits on the windowsill. She grabs them and tries to load the gun her hands shake in terror and desperation. In haste bullets hit and bounce off of the oor she manages to shove one in the chamber. The bullet jams they are the wrong shells. She grabs the barrel and runs for the door prepared to save her son by using the gun as a club. We are screaming for help dogs are barking howling Ace the lead dog growls deep in his throat. Kurtis is quiet there is no noise. Help help ussomeoneMybrothersJoel andJohnandIalongwithour friend Simon are screaming and yelling and running for the garage. If mom makes it to the dog line with the gun the dog will probably kill her too. We run towards the shop White Girl Biting the hand that feeds you as mom runs toward the dog line. Johnny turns and starts to run with Mom the door to theshopopensandadarkface peeks out. In a ash the door closes and re-opens. Charlie runsfromtheshopwithahuge wrench in his st. My mother has fallen with the gun in her hand the bar- relbreaksawayfromthestock. Sheshavingahardtimegetting upsheishurt.Charlierunsjust out of reach of the dogs snarl- ing at the end of their chains. We have all grabbed big rocks andanytypeofweaponthatwe canndweruntryingtocatch up with Charlie. We will help save our baby brother. Charlie swings the wrench withallofhismightatAcethe dog has a death grip on Kurt. Blowslandwithaloudthudon his hind end but do not seem toaffecthimhehasKurtisby thebackofhisparkieandcon- tinuestoshakehimlikeadead rabbit. Again Charlie swings the wrench and again the dog ignores the heavy armed at- tack.Mymomstandswiththe brokenguninherhandstears streamdownourfacesKurtis isnt moving. Charlie nally lands a blow to a fore leg and the dog drops Kurtis.Mymomgrabshisarm and pulls him quickly out of reach of the dogs jaws. She picks the little body up gently in her arms and we follow her toward the house. Dogs now whimper in the background thereisnomovementorsound from Kurtis. Tears run down our faces no one wants to ask the question... is he still alive What is left of him He is re- ally only a baby. To be continued www.thewhitegirl.ca By LONE SORENSEN As winter arrives here North of 60 the last of my harvest has been brought in. Here is a review of what I planted and how it all fared to give you a perspective and perhaps some ideas on what to grow. Allthecabbageswereeaten fresh as I do not have enough land to grow for lasting the entire winter. I constantly have to prioritize and choose my favorites like carrots and potatoes. Potatoes not only produce a much larger yield than most other food plants but they also have good calo- ries and vitamins especially if you keep the skin on them when cooking. The kale is the only vegetable still standing in the garden and this amaz- ing plant will continue to be alive and well until after the snow ies. Before the snow stays and fall has turned to winter I am in deep gratitude for having an abundance of organic veg- etables and berries stocked to last for many weeks to come. Mother nature was very generous this growing season. The broccoli did par- ticularly well but it was not a great potato year some of that due to my pH being too high. The pointed cabbages producedtotheirnormalsize the kales four varieties did very well the carrots that are the sweetest and crispiest on the entire planet were okay but certainly not to their full- est potential. I had a bad pea year with poor germination in the spring for the rst time in 26 years. The green bush beans Provider did great under the protective tunnel I made of exible hoops and covered with floating row covers. The tomatoes did well in the greenhouse. I grew an heirloom tomato given to me by an Indigenous farmer in Minnesota Kootenay and it liked the North of 60 cli- mate in the greenhouse and also outside where I grew just one pot of it to test it out. It ripened before the weather turned cold in September. I must say it is a true joy to use homegrown sage in stufng for turkey. As I look back over the spring summer and fall to summarize the good things and not so good things I realize that my garden has fed me from a small degree to almost completely later on in the summer for a total of 17 weeks so far totally fresh from the garden right onto my plate As well I have stored more than 100 pounds of carrots and 80 pounds of potatoes. In the pantry I still have tomatoes ripening. In jars I have dried mint and sage and in ice cube for- mat I have parsley that I put through the food processor last month. Also the ber- ries that are in my freezer continue to delight me. The many pounds of raspber- ries I picked throughout Au- gust and September I froze quickly by spreading them in a single layer on a cookie sheet so they would freeze individually and not stick. Now when I reach into the ziplock bag in the freezer I can grab a handful to put into my oatmeal or smoothie along with Saskatoon ber- ries that I got from Paradise Gardens in Hay River. There is nothing better in the mid- dle of the long dark winter than to have a sweet taste of summer. To be continued Lone Sorensen is the founder of Northern Roots andhaslivedandgrownfood in Yellowknife for 27 years. Gardening with Lone Grateful for a good growing season 6 Tuesday October 6 2015 POLITICS NWT LEGISLATURE NATIONAL FIRE PREVENTION WEEK Remember fire safety starts with you. It is National Fire Prevention Week. Residents across the territory are being reminded that this is an important time of year to ensure you and your family are protected against the threat of fire. Checking or installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and ensuring your heating devices are maintained and inspected by a professional are essential steps in ensuring the safety of your home. Parents and their children are encouraged to fill out a Home Fire Safety Checklist which once completed will make your home safer and allow you to enter your name in the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs Fire Prevention Week contest. Entries for the contest can be made at www.maca.gov.nt.ca until October 30 2015. Robert C. McLeod Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. 684-118E NN NJ www.auroracollege.nt.ca Fire Prevention Week 2015 Theme Every bedroom needs a working smoke alarm Aurora College would like to thank all professional and volunteer fire fighters whoworktirelesslytokeep our communities safe. We appreciate your service. NWT MLAs return for busy eight-day session By CRAIG GILBERT OnSept.28FrameLakeMLAWendyBisaro said student nancial assistance SFA pre- vented a mother from spending Christmas with her children last year. It was one of two cases she heard of over the summer that convinced her that the SFA rules needsomeattention.Thestudentinthiscasewas asinglemomfromtheNWTstudyinginAlberta. Single students can return at Christmas and at the beginning and the end of a school year but not so students with dependents Bisaro said. So this student who could not afford a ticket to come home spent Christmas by herself without the company of her kids and other family members. I struggle might- ily Mr. Speaker to see the logic in the Student Financial Assistance decision in this case. She said a straight dollar limit on SFA travel would have allowed the student to travel at Christmas and make adjustments to move the children at the end of the school year. Consensus government opaque says Bromley Outgoing Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley won- ders whether cabinet has any use for regular members of the Legislature after learning about two major government issues along with the general public. It would appear that our presence here is superuous as its apparent that Cabinet nei- therrequiresnorwelcomesourinputintomat- ters of state that we are an annoyance to be swatted away like a mosquito or we are to be best treated like mushrooms kept in the dark and well fed he said Sept. 28. There appears to be clear and deliberate intent to bypass any involvement of MLAs in the decision-making processthattheprinciplesofconsensusgovern- ment dene and all of us are sworn to uphold. Mental Health Act goes to committee TheGNWTs30-year-oldMentalHealthAct isastepclosertobeingreplacedasproposedleg- islation passed a second reading was advanced to standing committee work last week. Therearegapsinourcurrentmentalhealth system and residents are falling through the cracks Health and Social Services Minister Glen Abernethy said as he presented the bill. Its clear that change is urgently needed and the time is now. This legislation will ll those gaps and modernize the current mental health framework.Toprotecttherightsofpatientsand those acting on their behalf the bill includes modern and comprehensive rights for patients and their substitute decision-makers. Bisaro said she is looking forward to work- ing on the bill in committee. There are many of our residents who dont get the treatment they need because the cur- rent Mental Health Act is outdated she said. Does the GNWT need an ombudsman Bisaro said on Wednesday she intends to table a draft act to establish an ombuds- mans ofce for the GNWT which she said MLAs have been mulling since the 1990s. She said her draft bill addressed one of the excuses used by cabinet for avoiding start- ing the groundwork to create the oversight ofce in the past. It may not be perfect she said it may not reect precisely how an NWT ombuds- man ofce would operate but the ground- work has been done. It can be with political will presented for the rst reading during the winter 2016 sitting of the 18th Legisla- tive Assembly. Shesaidanombudsmansofcewouldbean avenue of last resort for members of the public with concerns for the government in a num- ber of areas including landlord-tenant issues outside the jurisdiction of the rental ofce and housing or income support. Dolynny premier spar on protected lands strategy RangeLakeMLADarylDolynnyquestioned Premier Bob McLeod on the recently released protected areas draft action plan which caught industry groups including the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines by surprise. The recent draft Protected Areas Strategy has been deemed by some as a clear indication of this governmentwe are closed forbusiness. McLeodstressedtheplanisstillonlyadraft and that the GNWT was working with a very large group in developing this draft plan so it shouldnt have been a surprise to anybody. GNWT posts fourth surplus in a row Finance Minister Michael Miltenberger said last week the GNWT posted a 120-million surplus in 2014 the fourth in a row. However this is not enough he said in the Legislature.Thepublicaccountswillalsoshow thatournetdebthasincreased37million.This meanswecontinuetorelyonshort-termdebtto payforourcapitalexpendituresandweremain in a cash decit position. In 2015-2016 we will continue to meet our scal challenges in spite of extraordinary expenditure pressures result- ingfromresuppressionactivityandlowwater levels at our Snare hydro system. There appears to be a clear and deliberate intent to bypass any involvement of MLAs in the decision- making process. Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley Sisters in Spirit vigils mourn missing murdered Indigenous women Tuesday October 6 2015 7 JUSTICE MISSING MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN NORTHERN OWNED AND OPERATRED FIRE PREVENTION SERVICES LTD. 1 Melville Drive P.O. Box 2422 Yellowknife NT X1A 2P8 Phone 867 873-3800 TOLL FREE in NWT Nunavut 1 888 202-4091 www.ykfireprevention.ca Design Install Verify Inspect Maintain Fire Alarm Systems Sprinkler Systems Industrial Commercial Special Hazards Fire Suppression Systems Portable Fire Extinguishers Training Fire Protection Products Services Protecting your people and property with fire protection systems that are efficient effective and reliable. THANKINGvolunteers and firefighters across the North this Fire Prevention Week. Fire Prevention Services Ltd. is the Norths only full service company offering design installation and servicing of all your fire protection system requirements. THANK YOU FIREFIGHTERS Fort Smith appreciates your dedication to keeping our Town safe. WALLYS Drugs Pharmacy . Souvenirs . Magazines . Newspapers Toys . Cards . Stationery . Lottery Ticket Centre Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday CLOSED 867 872-213468 Breynat St. Fort Smith By DALI CARMICHAEL Advocates across the country gathered at vigils over the weekend in honour of the Sis- ters in Spirit movement in remembrance of missing and murdered indigenous women. Thisyearmarkedthevigils10thanniversary. The Native Womens Association of Can- ada has been doing research for a long time said Marilyn Napier a long time volunteer with the association and speaker at the com- munityvigil.Howeverpartwaythroughtheir research the RCMP took their information away. Since then the information that they gatheredwasapproximately380womenmiss- ing and murdered across Canadas provinces and territories. Women who have been mur- dered who could have been our sisters our aunties our nieces and those family relatives that have left and never returned. The candle lighting ceremony and vigil was quiet and intimate in Fort Smith. After saying a few prayers the small group remembered local cases of lost women over bowls of stew. Inourowntownwehavefoundthereissome missingwomenmurderedwomen.Somedont want to admit it but its a fact Napier said. She took special care to remember one individual whose death had never been ad- dressed at the annual vigils. In the early 1980s Helen Heron was killed in Fort Smith. No one is quite sure how she died. She was murdered alongside the road in thistownandtothisdaynothinghaseverhap- penedtothatNapiernoted.Nothinghasever comeofitandIprayforher.Iprayforhersoul that one day something may happen that we can get that person or persons who did that. Helens story is one of many across Canada aboutmissingandmurderedIndigenouswomen whose cases have not been solved. RCMP have countedabout1181casesofmurderedormiss- ing Indigenous women since 1980. Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus attended a vigil held at Samba Ke Park in Yellowknife the afternoon of Oct. 2. Everylifematters.Weneedtomeaningfully address the issue through a comprehensive national inquiry Erasmus said in a release. We need a national action plan that is nec- essary to address the scale and severity of violence faced by Indigenous women. Indig- enous nations are calling for a crucial but co- ordinated and demanding step to be taken by all levels of government to come forward on such a move. Napier agreed with the sentiment and asked folks attending the vigil to reach out to their government to indicate their desire for an inquiry. The NWAC and other womens groups such as sisters in spirit unknown faces un- known sisters - are working together to lobby the governments again to go into the inquiry. Politicians continue to say its on the table its on our agenda thats what we want to ght for but in the end what happens when they get elected in We are forgotten Napier said. Today if you can write to your MP and ask them. Just in pencil and paper please open up an inquiry into missing and murdered Ab- originalwomenof Canada.Thatsall we need. PhotosDaliCarmichael Marilyn Napier left addresses the crowd at the Fort Smith Sisters in Spirit vigil Oct. 4. Eileen Beaver left Sarah Robson and Kimberley Lusty work together to block the wind and light materials for a smudge. 8 Tuesday October 6 2015 The Northwest Territories Fire Chiefs Association would like to remind everyone to check your smoke alarms once a month change the batteries in your fire alarms once a year and replace your smoke alarms after 10 years. One life lost due to fire is one life too many. Northwest Territories Fire Chiefs Association By DALI CARMICHAEL For thousands of years ancestors of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation YKDFN have made their homes in the area now oc- cupied by the territorys capital. That history is thoroughly explored in the new Wldeh Yellowknives Dene exhibit at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. The new exhibit opened its doors on Oct. 3 with prayers drum and cleansing ceremonies to honour the artifacts within. Following the ceremonial services YDKFN members shared some of their traditions that have survived throughout the ages including a tea dance demonstration and hand games hosted by young drummers. Elders have been talking about the his- tories of the people. Even in the 70s there were documents about anthropologists said former YKDFN chief Fred Sangris one of the exhibits curators. He referred to research conducted by Beryl Gillespie an American anthropologist who claimed that all those of true Yellowknives descent had died out. It is a perception the Akaitcho people assert is dead wrong and continue to battle today. They said All you people are supposed to be gone It is rumours like that Sangris wants to dis- pel by putting the many stories of his people on display. History of Yellowknives D ARTS CULTURE EXHIBIT Judy Charlos Singer sewing machine circa 194 by Jennifer Drygeese left her daughter Naka Yellowknives Dene youth David Sangris 12 left and Donovan Black 13 embrace a life-sized replica of a white spruce tree the centre piece of the exhibit. The tree which still stands at the mouth of the Yellowknife Wiilideh River has great cultural significance as it is part of the legend of the creation of the Wiiliideh people. Its true age is not known but could be centuries says exhibit designer Terry Pamplin who built the replica. Yellowknives Dene Elder Fred Sangris centre w Wiiliideh drummers offer prayer songs to open the new exhibit. Tuesday October 6 2015 9 FIRE PREVENTION WEEK HEAR THE BEEP WHERE YOU SLEEP EVERY BEDROOM NEEDS A WORKING SMOKE ALARM. THE HAY RIVER FIRE DEPARTMENT will be conducting school visits to talk about fire prevention smoke alarms escape routes and more. What were trying to do here is correct that history Sangris continued. It only makes sense to do a history of who we are because the population in the city of Yellowknife is encroaching on the lands and areas that the Yellowknives Dene use. Many people includ- ing the visitors the tourists that come here have no idea that theres indigenous or Ab- original people living there. Sangris worked with local elder Mary Rose Sundberg to gather other elders from the re- gion in an effort to piece together the ele- ments of the exhibit and ultimately their cultural history. We want to be able to expose who we are and how we lived here from the beginning of time up to thousands of years ago he said. We talk about the tree on the Yellow- knife River it was related to a man called Yamashaa. He was a living legend thou- sands of years ago in the time of the giant beavers thats the beginning of our story. The elders have been telling us these sto- ries since I was a child and Im almost 60 years old. Efforts to compile sources for the exhibit ofcially began about two years ago however Sangris noted preserving the Yellowknives history became a real priority as far back as 1972 when elders started recording their sto- ries audibly. Transcripts of these recordings informed much of the exhibit. Dene on display in new Prince of Wales exhibit 40 is among the artifacts on display seen here Kevin OReilly and Bobby Drygeese. You have to do research you have to go through church records you have to go and look at treaty records you have to read the records of the old people where theyre bur- ied their history their stories Sangris said. It was a lot of going back and forth and a lot of research. It wasnt like walking into a library when you nd a book and every- thing is there. In addition to their knowledge some of the contributing elders shared their most prized possessions donating tools clothing and other items that had been passed down through the generations to show at the exhibit. Tying the whole display together is a map listing all of the Dene villages - as many as 27 - that formerly occupied the region before a devastating u and colonial practices wiped out many of the people starting in 1928. The graphic includes traditional names of other landmarks - like the many lakes of the North Slave - all recorded in the Weledeh language a mix of Dogrib and Chipewyan. The exhibit will be housed in the PWNHC for the next three years. This is one of our rst engagements with the Prince of Wales museum Sangris said. Because were the indigenous people that lived around Yellowknife Bay before the arrival of Europeans were going to probably do more exhibits like this in the future to talk about the land and the histories around this area. PhotosBillBraden welcomes guests at the opening of the new cultural exhibit. Elder Mary Louise Drygeese front and Madeline Beaulieu offer tobacco for the feeding the re ceremony. Fred Sangris left said the ceremony was to honour the many artifacts and animals housed at the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre. Recruiting to ever-evolving fire service poses unique challenges in the NWT 10 Tuesday October 6 2015 FIRE PREVENTION WEEK 2015 15101CE0 If you got this card youre ready to vote Federal election day is October 19. Did your voter information card arrive in the mail It tells you that youre registered to vote and explains when and where you can vote. If you didnt receive one or if it has the wrong name or address check update or complete your registration at elections.ca. Or call 1-800-463-6868 TTY 1-800-361-8935. Elections Canada has all the information you need to be ready to vote. Tema Trust as it is also known has become Canadas leading provider of peer-support family assistance and training for pub- lic safety and military personnel dealing with operational stress with its Heroes are Human campaign. Last week it was reported eight of the 15 paramedics who responded to the fatal collision that killed a grandfather and his three grandchildren in Ontario Sept. 27 have taken time off to seek help for PTSD. Already in 2015 30 first responders and eight mili- tary members have died by suicide. Right across Canada there are chal- lenges recruiting volunteers Dewar said. There are a lot of organizations compet- ing for the same volunteers. Yellowknife has challenges retaining and they have a full-time and paid on-call service. It is ex- tremely challenging in smaller communi- ties. Recruitment is an ongoing continu- ous endeavour. Dewar said that despite the challenging nature of the work or maybe because of it being a firefighter is a rewarding experience. As fire marshal I encourage all NWT residents to get involved in the fire ser- vice he said. There are a lot of benefits - community pride comradeship both with the local fire department and as part of a larger community across the country and there is potential for those with career as- pirations as well. He said MACA offers an extensive list of fire service educational opportunities certi- fied and non-certified available to all NWT communities through the MACA School of Community Government. There is a range of other positions available in any fire service too the department needs more than firefighters to operate including communications and desk work. There is a place for anybody in the fire service Dewar said. It takes everyone in the community to have a successful fire department. By CRAIG GILBERT The work of a fire marshal is never done. It includes responsibility for investigating fires overseeing fire prevention efforts en- forcing fire safety regulations for buildings and fire service training. Municipalities in the NWT are not le- gally required to have fire departments but those that do are subject to strict regula- tion and receive funding to help stay up- to-date. Fighting fires is a tough job that is constantly evolving and finding and retain- ing volunteers is a challenge especially in smaller communities. Its a constantly moving target NWT Fire Marshall Chucker Dewar said. Thirty years ago if you had a fire hat a jacket and an extinguisher you were a firefighter. Its not like that anymore. Times change and we need to evolve. To do so the Department of Munici- pal and Community Affairs MACA has developed a toolkit to help local fire de- partments recruit and retain the bravest among us with resources to help with se- lection orientation training retention and evaluation. It takes a certain breed of individual Dewar said. You have to be physically fit and adapted to the Northern climate. With upwards of eight months of winter the NWT is a difficult place to conduct fire operations. With the efforts of groups like the Tema Conter Memorial Trust the mental health effects for first responders including post- traumatic stress disorder PTSD are start- ing to get the attention they deserve. The PhotoMicheleTaylor Events such as the open house at the Yellowknife Fire Department on Oct. 3 are designed in part to promote the service to potential volunteers current or future like Isaiah Foss 6 who got a giant hug from YKFD mascot Sparky. Have lines of defence in your home place re ex- tinguishers smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors strategically. Inspect your home and property so you know where the liabilities or hazards are. Havemajorapplianceslikeheatingstovesandfurnaces serviced at least once a year. Keep combustible items away from heat sources. Have an evacuation plan in place and make sure everyone in the household understands. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Ensure your insurance is current. If you do not own yourpropertytakeoutrentersinsurance.Understand what is and isnt covered. After a re contact your insurance company quickly so you can be assigned an adjuster. In case of a re contact emergency services as soon as possible. Check in with community organizations and drives to see if they can support you after a re. What to do when a house fire happens to you THE FIRE MARSHAL RECOMMENDS Tuesday October 6 2015 11 FIRE PREVENTION WEEK 2015 684-117E NN NJ 2015 Fire Service Merit Awards The 2015 award recipients are Jim Sawkins Fire Chief of the Inuvik Fire Department and President of the NWT Fire Chiefs Association Sherry Beard Fire Chief of the Yellowknife Airport Fire Department Bradley King Volunteer Firefighter at the Fort Resolution Fire Department The Fort Simpson Fire Department Each year through the Fire Service Merit Awards we recognize individual firefighters and fire departments for the important work they do in our communities. The Honourable Robert C. McLeod Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and the NWT Fire Marshal would like to congratulate the winners of the 2015 NWT Fire Service Merit Awards for exceptional efforts in promoting fire safety and fire protection in their communities. Thank you for your dedication. Robert C. McLeod Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs By DALI CARMICHAEL You could pull all the stops buy all the bells and whistles decorate your home with re extinguishers carbon mon- oxide detectors and alarms and still a house re could happen to you. This was the case for Dot- tie Hawley and her family. Hawley her husband and theirsonwerejusttuckinginto Saturdaynightdinnertogether ontheeveningofMay9when theyweretoldtogetoutofthe house by some passers-by. They emerged with noth- ing but the clothes on their backs only to look up and see ames licking out of the top oor of the neighbouring unit in their duplex. Thank God for that re wall Hawley said describ- ing the slab of cinder blocks that climbs the height of her home a barrier that helped to blocktheamesfromspread- ing between the two units. Reports say the re was started by a cigarette thrown away in a trash can. Smoking material has caused a lot of damage in the territory for improperly dis- posed cigarettes said NWT re marshal Chucker Dewar. Itscausedalotofpeoplegrief. Cautious of their belong- ings and well supported by their landlords the Hawleys were always prepared in case of re. Smoke detectors were locatedoneveryooraswere CO2 monitors. Weevenhadreextinguish- ers everywhere it would make sense to have them Hawley proclaimed. I was uprooted from my home of almost a de- cade.Everythingweownedwas affectedbysmokeandasbestos. Perhapsthemostimportant defenceHawleyhadtakenwas buying renters insurance. It has covered almost ev- erything so far Hawley said. If we didnt have renters insurance wed be hooped. Itpaidfortheirhotelstayat thePelicanInnforalmostthree weeksasthefamilystruggled tosearchfornewaccommoda- tionsinatightrentersmarket eventuallysettlinginanunoc- cupied trailer. Itcoveredthereplacementof thefamilysmattresseswhich were smoked out as the re started climbing its way over the re wall through the attic and upstairs bathroom. Theinsuranceeventookcare ofthecollectionoftheHawleys belongings.Thosesalvageable pieceswerecleanedandplaced in two storage units. Following the re at their home Hawley said she was honouredwhenthecommunity pulledtogethertosupporther familythroughclothingdona- tions nancial support even checkinginatherplaceofem- ployment-theliquorstore-to make sure she was doing ok. Thanks to the quick action of the Fort Smith Volunteer FireDepartmentmuchofthe buildingwassalvageable.After months of work the family is looking forward to moving intotheirhomeonceagainthis coming November. Itcouldhavebeensomuch worse she said. Everyone was safe and at the end of the day thats whats important. According to the re mar- shal the family took all the right steps to prepare them- selves in case of re. PhotocourtesyofRamandaSanderson Dottie Hawleys posessions were ruined by smoke when her neighbours unit caught re in May. 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. 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For more information By DALI CARMICHAEL Facing low enrolment rates Aurora Col- leges trades programs are stepping up their game and ramping up efforts to recruit stu- dents from the territory. In response acting chair of Trades Ap- prenticeship and Industrial Training Duane MacDonald along with a team of instructors and marketers from the college is working to roll out a series of recruitment initiatives to encourage future tradespeople to train at Thebacha Campus. The numbers are definitely lower than I would like to see I would welcome more students to come here McDonald said. Our school is modern and were up-to-date. We have all the latest technology in our shops. Our instructors are trained and they are current coming out of industry. We work with the apprenticeship depart- ment and try to prevent this from happening but we have had to cancel some deliveries due to low enrolment MacDonald said. We had to cancel one carpentry delivery this fall due to this. We deliver three block deliver- ies per year and in each block there are six eight-week trades programs offered. For our October-to-December block there will only be five programs offered. In the near future the school will be hold- ing an open house for students which will in- clude walkthrough tours through the various workshops including carpentry electrical plumbing heavy duty equipment and more. People in Fort Smith can actually come here and say they are interested in for ex- ample heavy equipment technician and I can take them to the shop or the instructor can he said. For people in Inuvik or Hay River or Fort Providence who want to look at what the college has to offer there really isnt anything. Thats why the team also has a series of videos in the works created to give those potential students in remote communities a up-close look at Auroras trades facilities. In addition to their modern selection of equipment MacDonald ensures his teach- ers - who arrive fresh from working in the field - are up to par by sending them to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology for instructional certification. To help his efforts MacDonald would like to see more attention drawn to opportuni- ties like the Schools North Apprenticeship Program SNAP to get kids on an early career path. If theres a student who is really interested in cars but he wants to get his Grade 12 diplo- ma he can enrol in SNAP and line it up with a garageintownMacDonaldsaid.Everyhour he works after school he counts towards his apprenticeship.Ifhecontinuesoncehegradu- ates hes likely accumulated enough hours to enterdirectlyintoourfirst-yearprogramhere. By combining initiatives like SNAP with college-hosted opportunities like the Trades Awareness Program - which brings high school students in from the South Slave and the Dehcho for a week of hands-on experi- ence - MacDonald looks forward to seeing the enrolment rates improve. I think if we can get people into our school here and let them see what we have and prove it is an awesome school our numbers will come up. EDUCATION TRADES PhotosCourtesyofSSDEC StudentsfromtheSouthSlaveDivisionalEducationCouncilparticipateintheTradesAwareness Program a two-week initiative that exposes youth to the trades at Aurora College. Riis Schawb and Cameron Enzoework on one of the TAP carpentry challenges. By allowing youth to explore the trades in the college the school hopes to increase its enrolment rates. Aurora College trades profs get proactive on enrolment Film Fest screens multi-layered Northern talent issues 14 Tuesday October 6 2015 ARTS CULTURE FILM FESTIVAL 15101CE0 You can vote in advance. If youre ready to vote early you can vote at your advance polling place between October 9 and 12 from noon to 800 p.m. Or you can vote at any Elections Canada office across the country any day until October 13 at 600 p.m. For all voting locations check your voter information card visit elections.ca or call 1-800-463-6868 TTY 1-800-361-8935. Elections Canada has all the information you need to be ready to vote. Away or busy on October 19 By BILL BRADEN The depth and breadth of video storytell- ing across the NWT is gaining momentum as shown in the ambitious week-long event staged in Yellowknife last week. TheYellowknifeInternationalFilmFestival after nine years is generating an impressive line-up of talent and sponsors with no short- age of serious political and social messages. Hosted by the Western Arctic Moving Pic- tures Society in partnership with the NWT Professional Media Association the event strives to provide valuable professional de- velopment opportunities for local content creators and inspire creative networks said festival director Jeremy Emerson. Indeed its gaining traction and support with sponsors like Canadian North Dominion Diamonds Bell Media and the Canada Media Fund step- ping up to the table. A total of 39 films were screened nightly from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 with daily workshops ranging from film rights to crowdfunding to stunt acting. The films showcased an impressive range of themes and topics from personal dramas encountered living in the North to suicide the struggles of a lesbian couple in a remote Arc- tic Inuit camp the toxic legacy of Giant Mine and a post-apocalypse comic book fantasy. One of the closing films was the premiere showing of Way Up North a fast-moving 75 minute documentary featuring big Northern names such as Tanya Tagak Leela Gilday and Leanne Goose and wintery community vis- tas from across the NWT. It revolves around the 2013-14 tour called Listen Up NWT a collaborative musical adventure that toured NWT regional centres and pulled original compositions together from junior high school students. Their live concert was performed in Yellowknife in May of this year. The festival will take a selection of films to regional events in the near future. PhotosBillBraden Audiences enjoyed some 39 films over seven evenings at the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre. GNWT associate film commissioner Camilla MacEachern. Tuesday October 6 2015 15 POLITICS FORT MCMURRAY-COLD LAKE 6.8103 in x 6.3125 in Continued from page 1. I dont mean to be ippant to those people who are struggling but I also want to empha- size that there are also jobs in the green sec- tor solar wind and geothermal and theres a lot we could be doing that could start mov- ing us toward those technologies and they would create jobs. Liberal candidate Kyle Harrietha would already be an MP but for about 1400 votes in last Junes by-election. He plans to beat Yurdiga who did not respond to a pair of messages left at his campaign ofce before press deadline with a shoulder-down cam- paign full of door-knocking long drives and long walks. Im running because the communities of northeastern Alberta are being stiffed by the federal government and they are being treated like work camps not like places where people raise families and own homes he told theJournal.ImrunningfortheLiberalParty because it has a plan to invest in Canadians to investintheregionandmakeabettercountry. Harrietha has been a Liberal since 1996 and has worked as an assistant to a number of MPs. He said Liberal leader Justin Trudeaus plan to run decits and spend on infrastruc- ture and social services should be welcome in Fort McMurray-Cold Lake which has been frozen out of federal funding. TheyhavenorailcrossingsinLacLaBicheso four times a day the community is cut off from its hospital for 15 minutes at a time Harrietha said.EvenonthelittlethingstheConservative government hasnt been getting the job done. ColdLakehasbeenstiffedoverandoveragain. He said Fort McMurray would be more likely to see the federal government fund much-needed ood mitigation work too and if elected the whole riding would see a harder-working MP. We have a Conservative member of Par- liament who skipped all the debates last year hes skipping all the debates this year and in total during his entire time in the House of Commons spoke for a grand total of eight minutes and one second Harrietha charged. You can speak for eight minutes in one speech. That works out to 20000 a minute. In northeastern Alberta weve just had an appalling lack of care or concern or any sort of action by those that have represented the riding or the government in general. Roelof Janssen is one of 28 Christian Heri- tage Party candidates in Canada running in ridings selected for their weak Conservative candidates. Janssen was at the partys found- ing convention in Hamilton in 1987 the same year the Reform Party of Canada was created. He said Christian Heritage values align with those of Prime Minister Stephen Harper per- sonally but that left-leaning candidates had made their way into the Tory tent. The government should uphold the laws above all the law of God and the law of life belongs to God. The partys priorities include defending innocentlifefromconceptiontonaturaldeath by banning abortion and assisted suicide. Im in it to win he said. If we get 10 or 15 members in the House we could form a coalition with the Conservative government. A vote for us is a double vote for Harper. Libertarian Scott Berry agrees and he has no illusions about the fact that it probably will not be him that makes that change this time. A resident of Fort McMurray and a project managerforapavingcompanyBerryisabuilder focused already on the next federal election. This election for me is about getting on the ballot getting some signs up and making a lit- tle bit of noise. This is my rst rodeo and the beginning of my political career. I have a lot to learn and I hope to make as many mistakes as possiblewhenitdoesntcountsowhenthelime- light is really on me I have my stuff dialed in. The Libertarians are all about smaller gov- ernment as little as possible in fact allowing people to do anything they want as long as it doesnothurtsomeoneelseandpayingalotless income taxes in the process. What the govern- ment should do Berry said is pay more atten- tiontothecommunitiesintheoilsandsregion. This riding singlehandedly pulled this nation out of a recession and it really really bothers me that we are still getting the tax rates were getting he said. I just dont see anybody caring about the people who saved Canada from disaster. Oil sands saved Canada but residents stiffed by feds candidates Re-elect Kevin Smith Councillor Town of Fort Smith Working to ensure we live in a healthy active safe sustainable community Find me on Facebook Councillor Kevin Smith or call 867-872-2732 16 Tuesday October 6 2015 Advertising is the LIFE BLOOD of the newspaper industry. The Northern Journal depends on and appreciates its advertisers. We cant do it without them.