Volume 57 Issue 4
Thursday, February 4, 2021
75 CENTS
Ski club reopens News
Children First Society provides an update News
Eric Bowling/NNSL photo
Former jackrabbit Gilly McNaughton and first-time skier Nolan Rainville hit the trails Jan. 31 for the Inuvik Ski Club's opening weekend. Trails are groomed for skiing for the first time since 2018.
Building a bridge to better connectivity News NWT cancer survivors stories compiled in Book of Hope
After two-year hiatus, the trails are groomed, equipment is ready and programming offered by Eric Bowling
Northern News Services
Inuvik's Ski Club is back in operation. A few brave skiers took to the trails on a chilly -33 C afternoon Jan. 30 to test out the freshly groomed trails, which run throughout the hills of Inuvik. "As daylight increases and the temperatures warm up, our hours of operation will reflect that," said ski club president Carolyn Hunter. "So, we will be more accessible throughout February and March. "We kind of have to phase back into being an open operation. We don't have any formal programming ready to go yet, but we're hoping to offer some informal programming to engage members." The last time the ski club was in operation was in 2018 when it held the 50th Top of the World Loppet.
With the ski season already halfdone, the club won't be offering the entire range of services it once did – no jackrabbit classes, for example. However, equipment rental will be offered at a first-come, first-served basis and lights will be kept on up to the tunnel. Filling the gap Informal programming such as a family day on the weekend are being planned to fill the gap. Members who own their own skis will be able to access the chalet off hours by way of a special code and will be responsible for sanitizing the building before they leave. One thing that will be different for skiers this year is the chalet – normally a popular place to gather and socialize, the building will be limited to six people at a time and primarily used for changing
to keep in line with Covid-19 restrictions. Another thing Hunter noted skiers should be prepared for is the low snowpack this year. Many of the trails may have roots or other obstructions that will need to be navigated. "There hasn't been a lot of maintenance over the last couple of years and there's required maintenance in the summer," said Hunter. "Some of the trails won't be in perfect condition. In addition, we've had a very, very low snowpack this year – unprecedented low. We don't even have enough snow to even set tracks yet." Regardless, Hunter said the club was open and renting equipment for all. An adult pass for the season will cost $75. It's $60 youth and Elders, and a day pass will cost $10. Ski rental is $10 and a family pass is $125.
"We have seen a significant increase in programs like Kids in the Kitchen. It's been a huge hit." – Children First Society co-chair Lenora McLeod says moving programming into the home and community has gone well, page 5.
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Did we get it wrong? Inuvik Drum is committed to getting facts and names right. With that goes a commitment to acknowledge mistakes and run corrections. If you spot an error in Inuvik Drum, contact the editor at (867) 777-4545 or email inuvikdrum@nnsl.com.
News Briefs Power outages linked to instrumentation error: NTPC A series of power outages that hit Inuvik between Jan. 28 and 30 was the result of an instrumentation issue at the liquid natural gas facility, according to an NTPC spokesperson. At least seven power outages happened periodically throughout the three days, even after the power grid switched to diesel generation. The spokesperson said the outages were unrelated to the temperature, which averaged less than -30C for the same period. "NTPC has sufficient generation capacity to meet demand load in Inuvik regardless of the temperature," said communications manager Doug Prendergast.
fact file nwt covid-19 situation as of Feb. 3 Active cases: 1 resident, 4 non-resident Confirmed cases: 32 Recovered cases: 31 Completed tests: 12,169 Negative tests: 12,121 Pending tests: 37
Scan for the latest GNWT Covid-19 statistics
Days since first confirmed case: 320 Days since last confirmed case: 1 Common symptoms: Fever, (60 per cent), muscle aches or pain (53 per cent), cough (53 per cent), sore throat (33 per cent), diharrhea (13 per cent), difficulty breathing (seven per cent) Source: Office of the Chief Public Health Officer
Cancer support group pens book to create hope for others
$800,000 granted to Nihtat Energy solar farm project More solar energy is on its way to the North after Natural Resources Canada awarded an $800,000 grant to install a new solar farm. Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan Jr. announced that Nihtat Energy Ltd. (NEL) President Grant Sullivan, one of Canada's Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative Energy Champions, would receive the grant. NEL is the first Indigenous-owned and operated business to be awarded a prize under the Initiative. The funding will be put towards implementation and training for a solar project at the Inuvik Satellite Station and establishing solar farm in Inuvik. The work is expected to be completed by 2022. Inuvik is currently the largest consumer of diesel fuel for heat and power in the NWT.
Windows adds Inuktitut dictionary to translator software Efforts to retain and preserve the Inuktitut language, spoken by people in the Inuvialuit Settlement region and across the North, just got a digital boost after Microsoft announced it would add the language to its translation software. Documents in more than 70 languages will now be able to be translated into or from Inuktitut. The language dictionary will also include Inuinnaqtun in its database. The dictionary was built through a collaboration between Microsoft Canada and the Nunavut Territorial government.
IRC extends financial help to Elders Inuvialuit Elders are getting some support from the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, which announced on Feb. 1 they would once again be offering financial contributions to Inuvialuit aged 60 or older. Noting Elders were particularly disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, the announcement says the funds are intended to provide support for Elders to access the supplies they need to keep safe while isolating on the land. No application is necessary – the IRC says they will automatically pass the support on to its membership.
photo courtesy of NWT Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research
Agnes Pascal is joined by fellow Inuvik Cancer Support Group members Mary Roland and Ruth Wright at the World Indigenous Cancer Conference in 2019. The support group is working on a Book of Hope to spread success stories of people who overcame the disease.
Authors hope book gives those living with cancer comfort and inspiration when it's most needed by Eric Bowling
Northern News Services
Feb. 4 is World Cancer Day and Inuvik's homegrown cancer support group is using the occasion to announce work has begun on a book to help inspire new patients in their fight against the disease. Called the Book of Hope, the publication will detail a variety of cancer survivor stories from around the Northwest Territories. "Our hope is to reach more people, informing them of what one person goes through when they have cancer," said support group founder and facilitator Agnes Pascal of Fort McPherson. "Another reason is to reach out to patients who are just diagnosed and their family members to give them hope and encouragement." With funding from Hotıì ts'eeda, a health research advocacy group hosted by the Tłıcho Government and overseen by the GNWT, the book's authors hope to interview numerous people of all ages throughout the NWT and detail their experiences with cancer. Pascal said she was inspired to put the book together after her own experience with the disease and the supports that helped her overcome it. "It's such a shame for people not to hear these stories," she said. "You can hear so much of the strength and courage that it took to go through what they went through and what got them through." Knowing others have gone through what one is experiencing and knowing what to expect are two powerful tools to help survive cancer, added Pascal. Founded in 2018, the Inuvik Cancer Support Group traditionally assembles monthly at
photo courtesy of Angiola Harry/Unsplash photo
Inuvik's homegrown cancer support group is working on a Book of Hope to inspire new patients to fight the disease. Ingamo Hall, though the pandemic has interrupted their gatherings. However, the group is planning to resume their meetings in February using the online platform Zoom, until the pandemic is over. Pascal founded the group after winning her own battle with cancer. She said it was important for people who are diagnosed to connect with others, as having more information can be a lifesaver. "You go into shock, thinking that you're going to die," she said. "I had two friends who
experienced the same type of cancer that I had, so I really leaned on them. They were there for me throughout and really made a difference in how I handled cancer. "If I didn't have that sort of guidance and someone truthfully telling me how it was going to be to lose my hair, I would not have built up the endurance to handle those situations as they came. "I wouldn't have handled everything as well as I did and probably wouldn't be calling myself a survivor today."
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Book of Hope and all cancer patients deserve our support Northern News Services
NORTHERN NEWS SERVICES LIMITED 100% Northern owned and operated Publishers of: • Nunavut News/North • Inuvik Drum • Kivalliq News • Yellowknifer • NWT News/North • Hay River Hub Member of: • Manitoba Community ALASKANewspapers Association • Canadian Community Newspapers Association • Alberta Press Council NWT
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CANADA Phone: (867) 777-4545 Fax: (867) 777-4412 Toll free: (855) 873-6675 E-mail: inuvikdrum@nnsl.com Website: www.nnsl.com/inuvik Founder (1934-2018): J.W. (Sig) Sigvaldason PUBLISHER, CEO: Bruce Valpy UNITED STATES valpy@nnsl.com Chief Financial Officer: Judy Triffo COORDINATING EDITOR: Craig Gilbert craig@nnsl.com ADVERTISING advertising@nnsl.com Call collect (867) 766-8233 Publishing office: Box 2820, Yellowknife, NT X1A 2R1 Phone: (867) 873-4031 Fax: (867) 873-8507 E-mail: nnsl@nnsl.com Website: www.nnsl.com
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Our Youth of the Week is Anthony Kay of Aklavik. Anthony is a regular competitor in Arctic and Dene games and helps out with coaching younger athletes at Moose Kerr School. Volunteering his time, he breaks the movements down for the students and how to mimic them. Moose Kerr instructor Janine Foley Johnson said the students really respond to his lessons and the school is very thankful for his help.
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Herschel important to emphasize how vital ALASKA Ivvavik Island support from peers is for cancer National ie kenz patients, emotionally and otherwise. Mac ay Cape Bathurst B I also feel it's important to note Tuktoyaktuk o how much pollution we all encounEskim Aklavik INUVIK Lakes ter in our day-to-day lives. While just about everything from processed Fort McPherson meat, to excessive drinking, to Tsiigehtchic smoking tobacco has been linked to cancer, it's worth noting our bodies are also constantly bombarded with microplastics that will still be here in thousands of years and particulate matter filling Dawsonthe air in our City cancer is not Contents copyright. Printed in the North by cities. Our fight against Canarctic Graphics Limited. No photos, stories, just a personal one, it's a societal advertisements or graphics may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written approval Deline one. Tulita of the publisher. (Fort Norman) So, if you know someone involved YUKON Subscriptions One year mail $70 in a project like this, or participating Online (entire content) $50/year in the Terry Fox Run, a pink ribbon fundraiser or anything else related Wrigley to cancer, show them your support Send us your comments Letters to the editor are welcomed by the Drum, Whitehorse however you can. especially new contributors. We attempt to pubYou could be saving a life. lish a cross-section of public opinion. NotRall letNahanni Mac
wards to get chemotherapy and other treatment, which just adds to the already astronomically high stress of living with cancer. Factor in the costs of flights, accommodation and food during such medical trips and you're left with the reality that fighting cancer is not just physically stressful – it can put a pretty big dent in your financial situation too. Even though our public health care system absorbs some of the cost, the outof-pocket expenses for things mentioned above makes one's financial situation a potential factor in surviving the disease. Then there's funding for research. Each year athletes, comedians, actors and other major public figures devote time to help raise money to find a cure. Having lost many a dear friend and loved one to cancer, I feel it's
Peel River
This week we talked to Agnes Pascal of the Inuvik Cancer Support Group about her new project, the Book of Hope. She says the plan is to interview a number of NWT cancer survivors and learn their stories to serve as inspiration for new patients beginning their treatment to help them see through the fog. This is a fantastic initiative that deserves our support. I think it's safe to say no matter who, where or Eric how old you are, Bowling we've all been touched by cancer in some manner. While the chances of surviving cancer are higher than they've ever been, people are still being diagnosed every day and likely will be for the foreseeable future – we'll likely have the world immunized against Covid-19 long before cancer is defeated. In the meantime, from leukemia putting children in hospitals for years, to prostate cancer killing men by the dozens, to breast cancer affecting many women later in their lives, the best we can do is stand together against cancer and show our support for those facing the disease. Inuvik's support group also deserves more recognition and help from the community. As we are by-and-large a community of Elders and people approaching Elderhood, issues that largely affect older people, such as cancer, will be faced by the community. Of course, our limited medical facilities means that in many cases patients will need to travel south-
Published Thursdays Also read in Aklavik • Fort McPherson • Ulukhaktok • Sachs Harbour • Tsiigehtchic • Tuktoyaktuk
Fort Nelson
We acknowledge the Nous reconnaissons
financial support of l'appui financier du BRITISH COLUMBIA the Government of Canada.
gouvernement du Canada.
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Children First Society turns to remote programming during pandemic New offerings for kids and seniors have 'been a huge hit' by Eric Bowling
Northern News Services
Inuvik's Children First Society is going strong, having only missed two weeks of operation in 2020, though some programming has shifted towards teaching youth at home to keep pace with Covid-19 restrictions. That's the latest update from Children First Society, which began the first of what they anticipate will be regular presentations to Inuvik town council at its Jan. 11 Committee of the Whole Meeting. "With Covid-19, this fiscal year has been quite interesting," said Children First Society executive director Patricia Davison. "We closed for two weeks at the start of March to take stock of the situation and write some protocols. "We re-opened again on April 6 for essential services work. As we got closer to the summer, we opened up again for all the members of the community and have remained open. We've been pretty much at capacity during that time." Founded in 2015, the Children First Centre has spaces for up to 127 children, which includes the Aboriginal Head Start program and the Gwich'in Tribal Council's Language Immersion Nest program. Currently the centre is hosting 75 children with 11 on the wait-
ing list, and have staff for up to 83 children. From administration to custodial staff, the centre currently employs 33 people. Six of those employees have been with the centre for at least five years. Several programs are run out of the centre, including several outreach programs. As a sign of the times, the volume of programming being done outside the building has increased significantly. "Because of Covid-19, we had to move a lot of our programming into the home and out into the community," said society co-chair Lenora McLeod. "With this we have seen a significant increase in programs like Kids in the Kitchen and Budding Arts in Home. It's been a huge hit." Another area the centre has been helping get youth active in are on the land activities through the centre's partners. While in previous years the society took kids out to specific camps twice a year, this year they opted to take kids to a day camp at Gwich'in Territorial Park to help connect them with nature. "Unfortunately, this year having Elders visit was not an option," said McLeod. "Looking into 2021, we hope to be able to visit Elders' camps again. If this is not possible, we will
Eric Bowling/NNSL photo
Inuvik's Children First Society had a few minor bumps in the road from Covid-19 but has sallied forth with its programming throughout 2020. The society gave Inuvik's town council an update on its operations at its Jan. 11 Committee of the Whole meeting. continue to use the Gwich'in camp site as our alternative. Programming has been so popular at the centre a scholarship was
started in 2019. So far, the scholarship has allowed four children to access the programming. The funding covers youth for
up to six months of early childhood education. McLeod added the centre was currently accepting applications for the scholarship.
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alternatives
Community Calendar
Neighbourly News Eric Bowling is editor of the Inuvik Drum. Send your ideas to inuvikdrum@nnsl.com
Friday, Feb. 5
Virtual Legal Aid Clinic Mac Travel Building – 152 Mackenzie Road A web-cam will be set up for anyone in need of confidential time with a lawyer to discuss family law, child protection, notary services, wills and estate planning, housing and landlord tenant disputes, employment rights, Elder/child abuse law, small claims or other non-criminal issues. Anyone interested should contact Jeannie Showshoe at 777 7378 or by email at Jeannie_Snowshoe@gov.nt.ca
Saturday, Feb. 6
Culture Connections – Embroidered Card Holders Midnight Sun Complex 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Get in touch with your creative side with Trista Ipana. Only 10 spots available, first come first served. Preregistration required. Cost of the class is $25 and the class will be catered by Noura Abdalgader. To sign up, visit www.inuvik.ca, email tourism@inuvik.ca or call 777-8618.
Thursday, Feb. 11 and 18
Nihtat Gwich'in Self Government Negotiations Consultation Nihtat Gwich'in Council cultural room 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Update on self-government negotiations for Nihtat.
photo courtesy of Aklavik Rangers
Community Service
The talks will include an information session, an explanation of what has been discussed to date and potential governance models. Anyone who cannot attend in person is invited to join by way of Zoom or phone. Contact NGC at 867-777-6650 for more information.
To have an event listed in this free feature, call (867) 777-4545, or email inuvikdrum@nnsl.com. Submissions should be received two weeks prior to the event. Non-profit or community events only please. There is no guarantee submissions will be published.
Members of the Aklavik Rangers cut wood as a service to the community. The rangers set up a support station on the path up the nearby mountains for any travellers heading on the land.
Casting call in Paulatuk Paulatuk Inuvialuit Communications Society is on the hunt for some actors and actresses for an upcoming film production. Part of the "Northwest Terror Stories" television series currently in production, the episode in question takes place near Paulatuk and the society is hoping to film with a cast of completely local actors. Shooting is expected to take place in late February. Six roles are up for audition. Anyone with questions is asked to contact Dez Loreen at nwterrorstories@gmail.com or by phone at 867-777-2320.
Biggest Loser Challenge underway Tuktoyaktuk A year-long contest has kicked off in Tuktoyaktuk as people race to shed weight for big prizes. Kicking off Feb. 1, the Biggest Loser Challenge in Tuktoyaktuk runs until Dec. 1 to see who can lose the most weight in the year. The contest is organized by the Hamlet's recreation office and Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation. The winner will receive a $2,000 trip voucher to anywhere in the world. Second place is $1,000 cash and a month-long membership to Nanook's Den Fitness Centre. Third place also gets a month member-ship with a $500 cash prize, while the fourth place will get a one-year membership to the fitness centre.
Home Chef Challenge hosted by GTC and Nutrition North Aklavik A creative culinary contest is underway in Aklavik, as the community hosts a February Home Chef Challenge. Open to all families in the hamlet, the challenge provides a fresh food box of secret ingredients. Contestants must cook a healthy meal with the ingredients. Anyone who joins the competition will be entered into a draw for a gift certificate. The contest is being put on by the Gwich'in Tribal Council and Nutrition North. For more information, contact Autumn Storr on Facebook or by calling 867-978-2090. Deadline to sign up is Feb. 5.
Online class in office skills offered Tsiigehtchic An online class in office basics is being offered throughout the Delta to anyone interested. Offered through Aurora College, the course provides entry level skills in computers and digital technology, professionalism, time management and organization, numeracy and communication strategies. Access to an internet connection is required. The course involves up to 12 hours of homework per week and runs from Feb. 15 to March 31. Deadline to apply is Feb. 8. To apply, call 1-833-700-0565.
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Society offers to assist establishing Internet 'XChange Point' in Inuvik Town pens letter of support for idea that would expand internet activity in Delta by Eric Bowling
Northern News Services
Council has penned a letter of support for establishing an "Internet XChange Point" (IXP) in the Beaufort Delta, should one or more of the NWT's telecommunications companies choose to pursue it. Internet Society of Canada director Hosein Badran explained what an IXP is to town council during their Jan. 25 Committee of the Whole meeting. Effectively, it's a bridge that allows for faster internet. Its main purpose, Badran said, "is to save bandwidth on the transit capacity and also to improve experience for the end-user by eliminating a significant portion of the delay that is endured." An IXP is a collection of servers that handle internet traffic locally instead of sending it out to a larger node. Currently, internet traffic in Inuvik is routed down south, even if it is something completely local such as emailing someone across town. Consequentially, a lot of energy is lost moving data around. With an IXP, Badran
explained, information would be processed locally, speeding up internet connections considerably. "The higher the throughput, the lower the delay," he said. "And the better user experience in terms of accessing online platforms, be it for shopping, movies, education, financial services. "The closer you bring them to the end-user, the better the performance is." Another benefit he noted was increased local internet traffic. He cited Kenya as an example, which installed an IXP in the year 2000 and has since seen an explosion in .ke domain names and locally hosted web sites and business. Before, just about all of the country's traffic was routed to South Africa and back. Badran added that major content providers like Google, Amazon and Netflix also tend to establish localized cache service on IXPs, which also speeds up connectivity. All that is needed, he said, was for local expertise to pick up the project – which the society has already offered – and required hardware for is
photo courtesy of Town of Inuvik
An info graphic explaining how an Internet XChange Point (IXP) would work in Inuvik. The IXP serves as a local internet for local traffic and communicates with the larger internet only when traffic connects to something outside of the area. already on the way to town. The system would be a server kept in a neutral location, most likely run by a non-profit established to maintain it. After hearing Badran's
presentation, town council returned on Jan. 27 and passed a motion to pen a letter of support towards the project. The town will not be required to spend any money on the project.
Mayor Natasha Kulikowski added she had been in discussion with representatives of the Aurora Research Institute, as well as with NorthwesTel and New North Networks, since November in
regards to the project. "The town's role is more in an advocacy and keeping the information alive," she said. "We wouldn't be interested in a monetary part, but we would support it."
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