Friday 27 March 2009

GN cuts gasoline prices, hints at more to come


GN cuts gasoline prices, hints at more to come
Nunatsiaq News - Iqaluit,Nunavut,Canada
As of last Saturday, it cost 10 cents less to gas up your automobile in Nunavut. Lorne Kusugak, the minister of Community and Government Services,
...
<http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/90327_2023.html>

OTTAWA, CANADA: Nunavut students challenge seal protesters

Students challenge seal protesters
Northern News Services (subscription) - Yellowknife,Northwest Territories,Canada
The Nunavut Sivuniksavut (NS) Training Program students were on the Hill on
March 15 to counter demonstrators who were there in support of the
International ...
<http://nnsl.com/northern-news-services/stories/papers/mar25_09sc.html>


NNSL photo/graphic

A group of about 20 students and staff members from the Nunavut Sivuniksavut Training Program in Ottawa took part in a counter-demonstration to an anti-sealing protest on Parliament Hill earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Murray Angus

Students challenge seal protesters

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, March 25, 2009

OTTAWA/KIVALLIQ - Kivalliq youth played a major role in having an Inuit voice among those heard on Parliament Hill in Ottawa earlier this month.

The Nunavut Sivuniksavut (NS) Training Program students were on the Hill on March 15 to counter demonstrators who were there in support of the International Day of Protest against the Newfoundland seal hunt.

The students sang songs and distributed literature while dressed in beautiful sealskin clothes provided by the Government of Nunavut's Department of the Environment.

Karen Tutanuak and Reanna Sateana of Rankin Inlet, both 20, were among about 20 of the students and staff members at the demonstration.

Tutanuak said she really wasn't too nervous about meeting the protesters.

She said she went to the Hill to display the sealskin clothes and show the seal-hunt protesters how vital seals are to Nunavut's economy and the Inuit way of life.

"We don't go around clubbing seals to death like they do in Newfoundland and we don't leave the meat on the ice to rot," said Tutanuak.

"We eat the meat, use the skins and don't waste any part of the animal."

Tutanuak said the protest was held on a Sunday, so there were a lot of people on Parliament Hill.

She said a number of tourists wanted photos of the Inuit students.

"We sang songs for them while we waited for the protesters to arrive and they asked some questions about life in Nunavut.

"There were about 60 or 70 protesters and, when they arrived, we had to move so they could go up the hill without any direct contact between our two groups.

"Some in our group were a little nervous when the protesters came, but I knew the police were there and we weren't looking for trouble."

Tutanuak said the protesters were very loud as they came up Rideau Street to Parliament Hill.

She said they went from being so loud to almost quiet as they passed the Inuit students.

"They got really quiet as they moved closer to our group, but, as they moved past us, they got really loud again."

Sateana said she was nervous at the start, with everyone wearing sealskins and holding signs.

She started to feel better along the way when people clapped their hands and honked their horns to the Inuit students as they passed by.

"We were told not to interact with the protesters because an argument might start, but a few students did," said Sateana.

"Some protesters said they support how Inuit hunt seals, and they realized we didn't let any part go to waste, but they still didn't realize how bans hurt our economy.

"That's why we didn't really get involved in a discussion with them, because we would have argued with them over how their actions affect our way of life."

Sateana said the students gave out pamphlets about Nunavut and how important the seal is to Inuit.

She said many, many people took the literature and were reading it as they walked away.

"They seemed really interested in the information and trying to understand our point of view."

Tutanuak said the appearance by the Inuit students seemed to make a real difference with the people who weren't on either side of the protests on the Hill.

She said those people seemed to take something from the information they provided, but not the protesters.

"The protesters just support one side and they're not really interested in our viewpoint," said Tutanuak.

Sateana said she was surprised there weren't many media people at the event.

She said it was disappointing that there was no major story on the protest in any of the Ottawa papers.

"Someone gave one of our information papers to a protester and asked her to consider reading it," said Sateana.

"But she didn't want anything to do with it.

"She actually said, 'You're just a cannibal!' and sprayed the paper with Mr. Clean."

Tutanuak said the two groups walked parallel to each other, on opposite sides of the street, as they left the Hill.

She said the students held their own as they jockeyed for public support.

"We were still very active as we moved away, and we kept putting up our signs really high and singing loudly.

"When we got back to NS, we all talked about the whole experience.

"The most disappointing or frustrating part is that the protesters really won't take the time to consider our side.

"They're just so convinced they're right and that's all there is to it."

Thursday 26 March 2009

Iqaluit aggravated assaults 1,033% above the Canadian average

Northern blight - Canada - Macleans.ca
By Nancy Macdonald
Iqaluit, Whitehorse and Yellowknife, the biggest cities in the three
northern territories, with a combined population of around 50000, are too small to figure into the roll, which ranks Canada's 100 largest cities.
...
<http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/03/26/northern-blight/>

The rate of aggravated assault in Yellowknife was more than 350 per cent higher than average. And Iqaluit recorded an aggravated assault rate 1,033 per cent above the Canadian average. Its rate of sexual assault is more than 1,270 per cent above the average—and, according to the RCMP, climbing.

Aggravated assault in Yellowknife: 350% higher than rest of Canada

Northern blight - Canada - Macleans.ca
By Nancy Macdonald
Iqaluit, Whitehorse and Yellowknife, the biggest cities in the three
northern territories, with a combined population of around 50000, are too small to figure into the roll, which ranks Canada's 100 largest cities.
...
<http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/03/26/northern-blight/>

The rate of aggravated assault in Yellowknife was more than 350 per cent higher than average. And Iqaluit recorded an aggravated assault rate 1,033 per cent above the Canadian average. Its rate of sexual assault is more than 1,270 per cent above the average—and, according to the RCMP, climbing.

Child Porn: One person in the Northwest Territories was arrested this week

Police arrest 57 in countrywide child pornography sweep
CBC.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
One person in the Northwest Territories was arrested this week and charged
with possessing and distributing child pornography. RCMP told CBC News that
no ...
<http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2009/03/26/project-salvo.html>

Tuesday 24 March 2009

ALASKA: Redoubt volcano activity - Color Code RED : Alert Level WARNING

http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

Redoubt Volcano Latest Observations
2009-03-24 15:00:50
2009-03-24 13:35:58
2009-03-24 12:53:34
2009-03-24 11:31:58
2009-03-23 06:30:07
2009-03-23 04:37:08
2009-03-23 03:50:00

Follow these updates on Twitter: http://twitter.com/alaska_avo

Arnait Video Collective's “Before Tomorrow” Opens in Canada this Friday, March 27

Arnait Video Collective's first feature Before Tomorrow, directed
by Marie-Hélène Cousineau and Madeline Piujuq Ivalu, will have its
theatrical release through Alliance Films this Friday, March 27. The
film will open in Montreal at the AMC Forum with English and the
Beaubien with French sub-titles; in Toronto at the Cumberland and in
Vancouver at the Tinseltown.

Before Tomorrow, garnered the prize for Best First Canadian Film at
its world premiere at last Septembers Toronto Festival and played at
this years Sundance Festival. It was awarded First Prize at the
ImagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival, Grand Prize at the Native
American Film Festival in San Francisco, Best Feature Film at the
Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival; and named one of Canadas Top Ten
for 2008.

Before Tomorrow is the story of a woman facing with her grandson
the ultimate challenge to their humanity. It is the third feature
film from Igloolik-Isuma Productions and the first in collaboration
with Arnait, the womens video collective of Igloolik, following
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001) and The Journals of Knud
Rasmussen (2006). Based on the novel Før Morgendagen by Jørn Riel,
the film stars Madeline Piujuq Ivalu and her grandson Paul-Dylan
Ivalu. See: www.beforetomorrow.ca <http://www.beforetomorrow.ca/>

Contact: Lucius Barre lucius@rcn.com <mailto:lucius@rcn.com>
+1-917-353-2268

Why won't Ottawa honour its First Nations treaties?

Why won't Ottawa honour its First Nations treaties?
National Post - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
In 2006, an independent study of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement
concluded there was much work to be done to achieve its objectives. ...
<http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2009/03/23/why-won-t-ottawa-honour-its-first-nations-treaties.aspx>

March 24, 2009. Employment Insurance: Northwest Territories

The Daily, Tuesday, March 24, 2009. Employment Insurance
Northwest Territories, 710, 810, 100, 160, 14.1, 24.6. Nunavut, 410, 420,
10, 110, 2.4, 35.5. Initial and renewal claims received. Canada, 274700,
267730, -6970, 53330, -2.5, 24.9. Newfoundland and Labrador, 9450, 9510 ...
<http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/090324/dq090324a-eng.htm>

BHP Billiton's Ekati: Forever can wait

Forever can wait
Financial Post - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
At BHP Billiton's Ekati - Canada's first diamond mine, which it opened to much fanfare in the Northwest Territories in 1998 - production was down 30% in the ...
<http://www.financialpost.com/magazine/story.html?id=1419370
>

Sunday 22 March 2009

The Northern Research Network website

The Northern Research Network facilitates dialogue among researchers conducting work on the circumpolar North in the humanities and social sciences. It is a vehicle for building professional relationships, communicating funding and conference news, sharing resources, and disseminating information on fieldwork and academic writing. As a meeting place for scholars, professionals, and graduate students, the network draws on the collective experience of its members to foster discussion and collaboration across disciplinary lines. Scroll down for news on northern events and research opportunities. To view additional resources, please create a member account.

http://northernresearchnetwork.electrified.ca/


Maps - Magnitude 4.2 Eathquake - HUDSON BAY ISLANDS, NUNAVUT, CANADA

Maps [Click on Maps Tab]
http://www.emsc-csem.org/index.php?page=current&sub=detail&id=122262


First Forum on the Implementation of the Nunavut Official Languages Act to be Held in Iqaluit

Association des francophones du Nunavut
http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Association-Des-Francophones-Du-Nunavut-964410.html

Mar 22, 2009 09:05 ET

First Forum on the Implementation of the Nunavut Official Languages Act to be Held in Iqaluit

IQALUIT, NUNAVUT--(Marketwire - March 21, 2009) - The Association des francopohones du Nunavut, with the support from the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth, and Canadian Heritage, will be hosting the first Forum on the implementation of the Nunavut Official Languages Act on March 27 and 28, 2009.

On June 4, 2008, the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut made Canadian history by passing a new Official Languages Act. Once ratified by the Government of Canada, this ambitious act will grant equal status to Inuktitut, French, and English on the Territory of Nunavut. Organized by the AFN, the Forum will facilitate, stimulate, and articulate the implementation of the new legislation. More specifically, the Forum will inform the public on the prospects and challenges in implementing the act.

A good part of the Forum will be devoted to Franco-Nunavummiut youth, with school visits and information/awareness workshops covering the following topics:

- Respecting differences

- Reconciling two cultures within you: complementarity and conflict

- Assessing your personal identity

Young people will also be invited to share their experience, discuss among themselves, and meet other young people and adults experiencing the same situation.

Various workshops and panel discussions will take place during the two days of the Forum. These events will be hosted by people from the community and the Franco-Canadian sphere. Special guests will also take part in the activities. All participants will have the opportunity to share their opinions in the language of their choice. From the proceedings of the Forum and the testimonies garnered, we will put together a report for the Government of Nunavut and the Association des francophones du Nunavut.

Two large-scale shows are also scheduled: a youth-centered show at Inukshuk High School and another show at the Arctic Winter Games Arena for Forum attendees and the community, featuring La Maison des cultures nomades, with Samian, Shauit, Elby & Woods, and DJ Mad Eskimo, Agiraqtuq Ensemble with Simeonie Keenainak, and Juan Sebastian Larobina. Also, the food fest, and the Artcirq performers will add a carnival touch to the festivities.

For additional information, please visit the Nunavut Francophone Association website at www.franconunavut.ca

For more information, please contact

Association des francophones du Nunavut
Daniel Cuerrier
867-979-4606, poste 29
cuerrier@nunafranc.ca

Magnitude 4.2 Eathquake - HUDSON BAY ISLANDS, NUNAVUT, CANADA

2009 March 21 19:17:54 UTC

# Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 19:17:54 UTC
# Saturday, March 21, 2009 at 03:17:54 PM at epicenter

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2009elbg.php

Location    61.788°N, 79.211°W
Depth    10 km (6.2 miles) set by location program
Region    HUDSON BAY ISLANDS, NUNAVUT, CANADA
Distances    195 km (120 miles) WSW of Salluit, Quebec, Canada
220 km (140 miles) NNW of Puvirnituq, Quebec, Canada
1740 km (1080 miles) NNW of QUEBEC, Quebec, Canada
1845 km (1150 miles) N of Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Location Uncertainty    horizontal +/- 8.9 km (5.5 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters    NST= 41, Nph= 41, Dmin=>999 km, Rmss=1.4 sec, Gp= 65°,
M-type=body wave magnitude (Mb), Version=Q
Source    

    * USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

Event ID    us2009elbg

    * This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.
    * Did you feel it? Report shaking and damage at your location. You can also view a map displaying accumulated data from your report and others.
 ng earthquakeSmall map showing earthquake
Tectonic Summary
    * Earthquakes Canada

    * Preliminary Earthquake Report
    * U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center:
      World Data Center for Seismology, Denver

Saturday 21 March 2009

Alaska Native Perspectives on Earth and Climate

ANKN Listserv -> Forums -> ANKN Announcements and Listserv -> Alaska Native
Perspectives on Earth and Climate
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska Native Perspectives on Earth and Climate
Posted by Alaska Native Knowledge Network - Saturday, March 21 2009, 09:23 AM
---------------------------------------------------------------------
For more inforamtion, please visit:
http://www.teachersdomain.org

+++++++++++++++++



We are excited to inform you that the "Alaska Native Perspectives on Earth and Climate" Special Collection is now live on Teacher's Domain --

http://www.teachersdomain.org/special/ean/

Note that we are in the process of completing two final interactive activities and then those will be published as well.

It has been an honor to work with this material, and we hope you will find it to be a valuable tool in your work and encourage your colleagues to make use of it.

We are now in the process of collaborating with Alaska Staff Development Network (ASDN) to produce a Summer Institute for Alaska teachers that will feature some of the resources in the collection and will serve as a basis for an online course to be available next year. We look forward to having both a collection of media resources and an online course that demonstrates how to use these resources available to the educational community in Alaska.

We hope you enjoy the collection.

Best regards,
Chris

--
Christine Dietlin
Senior Producer, Teachers' Domain
WGBH Educational Productions
10 Guest Street
Boston, MA 02135
tel: 617.300.4279
fax: 617-300-1057
chris_dietlin@wgbh.org
http://www.teachersdomain.org




_______________________________________
Please send your contributions for the ANKN Listserv to Alaska Native
Knowledge Network <fyankn@ankn.uaf.edu>.


This is a moderated listserv. If you have any suggestions, questions, or
comments, please email Alaska Native Knowledge Network
<fyankn@ankn.uaf.edu>.

If you want to be removed from the ANKN Listserv or know of someone to be
included, please contact ANKN.
ANKN website: http://ankn.uaf.edu
ANKN Listserv Archives: http://ankn.uaf.edu/Announcements/

Friday 20 March 2009

Nunavut francos hold confab to ponder rights

Nunavut francos hold confab to ponder rights
Nunatsiaq News - Iqaluit,Nunavut,Canada
If you're a French-speaking resident of Nunavut faced with an urgent health emergency, what are your options? Will you call a toll-free number to
receive ...
<http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/90320_1998.html>

Thursday 19 March 2009

Published: Russian Indigenous Peoples as Political Actors

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Northern Research Network <research.north@gmail.com>
Date: 2009/3/16
Subject: New Material Published: Russian Indigenous Peoples as Political Actors
To: research.north@gmail.com


From: Monica Tennberg [monica.tennberg@ulapland.fi]
 
New Material Published:
Russian Indigenous Peoples as Political Actors
 
An expert seminar was held in Moscow on 18 April 2008 to discuss indigenous peoples' opportunities for political action in Russia from different perspectives. The presentations in the seminar covered topics such as sustainable development, education and political participation. 40 people participated in the seminar representing indigenous peoples' groups and different levels of administration.
 
The material from the seminar has now been published on the Arctic Centre (University of Lapland) website at the following address: http://www.arcticcentre.org/?DeptID=28277.  The material is mostly in Russian but the summary of the presentations is in English.
 
The seminar was organized by senior researcher Tamara Semenova with the support from the INDIPO project, Finnish Academy, and research professor Monica Tennberg, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland. The INDIPO project (funded by Finnish Academy 2005-2007) studied indigenous peoples as political actors, the construction of their political agency, and the participation of indigenous peoples in international cooperation.

--  From / via
Northern Research Network
research.north@gmail.com
http://northernresearchnetwork.electrified.ca

Submit inquiries and announcements to:
research.north@gmail.com

Please do not print this e-mail unless it is absolutely necessary.

Fed's Grants for Seniors in the NWT

Northwest Territories
Number of Projects - 3
Total Funding Amount - $26,779

*No applications were received in the Nunavut territory during this Call for Proposals.

Government of Canada invests in projects across Canada for seniors

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, March 18, 2009—The Honourable Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister of State (Seniors), on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, today announced Government of Canada support for more than 900 projects across the country that will benefit seniors by improving the facilities and equipment needed in their communities.

more at

http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?m=/index&nid=437649

Star of Courage for rescue of NWT Polar Bear Hunter

Star of Courage

Sergeant David John Cooper, S.C., C.D., Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sergeant Dwayne B. Guay, S.C., C.D., Comox, British Columbia
Star of Courage

On February 16, 2007, Sergeant David Cooper and Sergeant Dwayne Guay, then master corporal, parachuted in extreme weather conditions to rescue a man who was stranded on an ice flow, in the Arctic Ocean, in the Northwest Territories. After a difficult landing due to the strong winds, the two search and rescue technicians made their way to the victim, provided first aid, and set up shelter until help arrived, some
11 hours later.


http://www.gg.ca/media/doc.asp?lang=e&DocID=5664

Star of Courage

 

Comox-based search and rescue technician receiving bravery award for daring Arctic rescue

 

A Comox search-and-rescue technician will be awarded the Star of Courage, one of the country's highest honours for bravery, for his part in the 2007 rescue of a polar-bear hunter who was stranded on an ice floe in the Northwest Territories.

Gov.-Gen. Michaëlle Jean will give the award to Sgt. Dwayne Guay, now of 442 Squadron at CFB Comox, said press release issued by Jean's office yesterday.

The award is given to those who display "conspicuous courage in circumstances of great peril."

On Feb. 16, 2007, Guay and Sgt. David Cooper were both stationed at 17 Wing in Winnipeg when they were called to help a hunter who became stranded on a floe while attempting to retrieve a dead seal used to attract polar bears.

The hunter's boat broke free, leaving him alone on the floe with the dead seal and no rifle.

The SAR techs parachuted in dark, icy conditions to rescue the hunter. Strong winds made for a difficult landing and the two rescuers made their way to the victim, provided first aid and helped set up a shelter until the three could be extracted 11 hours later, by a Cormorant helicopter based at CFB Comox.

The chopper had been in the area, flying to Whitehorse to participate in an air show, and was diverted to pick up Guay and Cooper.

Guay could not be reached for comment yesterday but in media reports after the rescue, he said: "If there was even the smallest malfunction or problem, we'd be in big trouble. It would have made us casualties for sure."

Three other men will receive the star of courage while 36 Canadians will receive medals of bravery, which recognize acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances.

The date for the ceremony has not yet been set.

Monday 16 March 2009

New Website URL for the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

http://www.pwnhc.ca

Contact Us

Do you have comments, questions or suggestions regarding our website?
E-mail us at pwnhcweb@learnnet.nt.ca

General Contact Information for the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre:

Main Phone #: (867) 873-7551
Main Fax #: (867) 873-0205

Mailing Address:
Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
PO Box 1320
Yellowknife, NT
X1A 2L9

Street Address:
4750 48th Street
Yellowknife, NT

NWT Archives Phone #: (867) 873-7698
NWT Archives Fax #: (867) 873-0660

Heritage Cafe Phone #: (867) 873-7570

To find specific contact information for staff, please visit our staff directory.

http://www.pwnhc.ca/programs/staff.asp

Sunday 15 March 2009

Book Review: James Bond 007: Polestar

» Book Review: James Bond 007: Polestar - Blogger News Network
By Michael Simpson
The tale finds Bond journeying to the Northwest Territories in Canada to
find the perpetrator of missile attacks on Soviet Russia and the United
States. The chief suspect is the owner of Polestar Petroleum, which has a
facility located ...
<http://www.bloggernews.net/120093>

[excerpt]

With the DVD release of Quantum of Solace coming up on March 24th (March 23 in the UK), this seemed like an opportune time to review James Bond 007: Polestar, Titan Books' most recent compendium of 007 comic strips from British newspapers. This book contains five stories that were written in the 1980s. Ultimately only two of them  appeared in newspaper form, however, so fans of the original strips will find added interest in Titan's latest collection.

James Bond 007: Polestaris the 15th collection of 007 newspaper stories that Titan has published. At the end of the book is a checklist of the syndicated strips that are the basis of this series. Britain's Daily Express newspaper began publishing James Bond comic strips in 1958. Initially the stories were adapted from Ian Fleming's Bond novels, beginning with Casino Royale. When the supply of these was exhausted, writers were hired to create original stories. The last few strips to appear in a British newspaper were published in another tabloid, The Daily Star. These were bracketed by seven syndicated strips that were not featured in UK papers. The final five of those stories comprise the contents of James Bond 007: Polestar.

[...]

the Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bond_(comic_strip) for the comic strip series. "I have grave doubts about the desirability of this."

Of the strips included in James Bond 007: Polestar, the titular story is probably the best. The tale finds Bond journeying to the Northwest Territories in Canada to find the perpetrator of missile attacks on Soviet Russia and the United States. The chief suspect is the owner of Polestar Petroleum, which has a facility located in the Canadian Arctic. As is typical in Bond tales, our hero meets and mixes it up with an attractive woman who helps him to outwit the villain in an action-packed finale.

[...]

Titan Book's James Bond 007: Polestar is 128-page large format paperback book. It is currently available and has the ISBN number 9781845767174.

Michael Simpson is the Associate Editor of the Vancouver-based film and TV website CinemaSpy and a freelance writer on a wide range of topics (CinemaSpy; Home).


Grande Prairie 2010 Arctic Winter Games

Grande Prairie 2010 Arctic Winter Games
http://www.awg2010.org/
http://awg2010.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mascot-Aluk/1114702183

Contact:
Linda Craik, Director Volunteers and Protocol
2010 Arctic Winter Games
Phone: 780-518-3410
Email: linda@transdynamic.ca

For further information contact:
Debbie Reid, President
2010 Arctic Winter Games
Cell: 780-512-6346

For further information contact:
April Weavell
Marketing & PR Assistant Director/Media Chair
2010 Arctic Winter Games
Cell: (780) 505-0703 Email: media@awg2010.org



Canada’s Arctic Foreign Policy by Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs

March 11, 2009
Whitehorse, Yukon
2009/11
Check Against Delivery

Notes for an Address by
the Honourable Lawrence Cannon,
Minister of Foreign Affairs,
on Canada's Arctic Foreign Policy

Our North is home to more than 100000 Canadians across three territories—the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and, most recently, Nunavut. ...
<http://w01.international.gc.ca/minpub/Publication.aspx?isRedirect=True&publication_id=386933&language=E&docnumber=2009/11>

[excerpts]

[...]

The Arctic is an emerging region on the cusp of major change. Northerners were the first to notice the effects of climate change on their environment and, more importantly, on their lives. You have shown remarkable resiliency and vision over the years.

I am committed to ensuring that the international spotlight stays focused on the challenges and opportunities facing the Arctic. One way to do this will be through a renewed focus on the role and importance of the Arctic Council—the premier international forum for Arctic cooperation. In addition, enhancing our Northern conversation domestically and with our bilateral partners will be key.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of a famous voyage of Arctic exploration by a great Canadian, Captain J.E. Bernier, on behalf of the Canadian government. With help from Inuit guides, he travelled to the far reaches of the vast territory that Great Britain transferred to the Dominion of Canada in 1880.

[...]

Arctic Council

Canada and Canadians played a leading role in the establishment of the Arctic Council. We would now like to re-energize the Council. This unique organization brings both states and Indigenous peoples to the table. Moreover, it has laid the foundation for strong, responsible and cooperative governance of the Arctic region.

The Council's first mission is to provide a means to promote cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic states, with the involvement of the Arctic Indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants, on common Arctic issues. Since its inception, the Council has successfully developed a common agenda among Arctic states and permanent participants. But as the region changes, so must its institutions.

We need more research on some of the key emerging issues with regard to sustainable development and environmental protection facing the Arctic. We need to deepen our exchange of best practices and explore a more rigorous discussion on policy issues and coordination.

The Arctic Council needs to play a greater outreach and advocacy role, making sure that the interests and concerns of Arctic inhabitants are reflected in the deliberations of other multilateral institutions. For example, Canada will continue to build on strong foundations such as the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change to respond to emerging issues and meet the needs of Northerners.

The Arctic Council must have the necessary strength, resources and influence to respond effectively to emerging challenges affecting the Arctic. It must be able to turn the high-calibre scientific work produced by the Council's working groups into information that Northern communities and peoples can effectively use.

Canadian leadership will continue to facilitate good international governance in the region.

I pledge Canada's continued high-level commitment to the Arctic Council through a renewed emphasis on its effectiveness as an international policy-making forum for Arctic cooperation.

I look forward to discussing these issues with my counterparts and with permanent participants when I attend the Arctic Council Ministerial in Tromsø, Norway in April, 2009.


USGS PODCAST: Arctic Heats Up More than Other Places

Arctic Heats Up More than Other Places

Posted: 14 Mar 2009 10:37 PM PDT

US Geological Survey, Department of the Interior [USGS] PODCAST: "Temperature change in the Arctic is happening at a greater rate than other places in the Northern Hemisphere, and this is expected to continue in the future. As a result, glacier and ice-sheet melting, sea-ice retreat, coastal erosion and sea level rise can be expected to continue. USGS scientist Joan Fitzpatrick discusses a new report on past climate variability and change in the Arctic." [...]
http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/details.asp?ep=82

Download directly (10.38 MB) (right-click to save)
Type: audio/mpeg
File Size: 10880493 bytes
Duration: 11:15
Released: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 12:00:55 UTC
<http://gallery.usgs.gov/audio/corecast/ep82/20090202_82_SAP.mp3>

USGS CoreCast

USGS Podcasts Home > CoreCast Home Page

Can't see Flash? Install Flash Player.


82
Arctic Heats Up More than Other Places
Host: Jessica Robertson
Tagged: Arctic  ClimateChange 

Temperature change in the Arctic is happening at a greater rate than other places in the Northern Hemisphere, and this is expected to continue in the future. As a result, glacier and ice-sheet melting, sea-ice retreat, coastal erosion and sea level rise can be expected to continue.

USGS scientist Joan Fitzpatrick discusses a new report on past climate variability and change in the Arctic.


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Duration: 11:15
Released: Mon, 2 Feb 2009 12:00:55 UTC

Transcript: [excerpt]

<http://www.usgs.gov/corecast/details.asp?ep=82>


[Intro Music]

Jessica Robertson:  Hello and welcome to USGS CoreCast, I'm Jessica Robertson.  Today's CoreCast is the first of a three part series on recent USGS-led reports on climate change which were developed under the US Climate Change Science Program.  The report we will be discussing today focuses on past climate variability and change in the Arctic and high latitudes.  Temperature change in the Arctic is happening at a greater rate than other places in the northern hemisphere and this is expected to continue in the future.  A new scientific synthesis of past Arctic climates demonstrates for the first time the pervasive nature of Arctic climate amplification.

Today, I'd like to welcome and introduce you to our guest, USGS scientist Joan Fitzpatrick, who was the agency lead for this report.  Thank you for joining us today.

Joan Fitzpatrick:  Thank you for inviting me to do this, Jessica.

Jessica Robertson:  First, can you provide us some background information and an overview of this report?

01:00

Joan Fitzpatrick: Sure. This particular report is a synthesis of what's currently known about past climate history of the Arctic.  Specifically the report focuses on the past history of temperature and precipitation changes in the Arctic, changes in the Greenland ice sheet, past rates of change and changes in sea ice.

Now, the focus on past rates of change is actually shared with the single topic of another one of the USGS led reports, which is entitled "Abrupt Climate Change".  This report is one of 21 climate reports that were commissioned in the strategic plan of the US Climate Change Science Program or CCSP.

The general purpose of these reports is to provide the nation's policy makers with in-depth assessments of specific topics in climate change that touch upon the national interest.  They cover a broad diversity of topics, everything from the impacts of climate change on agriculture and land and water resources and biodiversity to the strengths and limitations of climate models.  The USGS has a lead responsibility for three of these assessment reports [...]



[...] Jessica Robertson:  Well thank you for joining us today.  And thank you to all of our listeners who joined us for this episode of CoreCast.  Don't forget to listen to our upcoming CoreCasts on the other two USGS led reports under the US Climate Change Science Program. Those reports focus on the potential for abrupt climate changes in the 21st century which would pose clear risks to society in terms of our ability to adapt and climate changes to ecosystems and resulting responses including insect outbreaks, wildfire and forest dieback which are not easily reversible.

If you'd like to know more about this report and other CCSP products, visit htp://www.climatescience.gov .  The report discussed today is Synthesis and Assessment Product 1.2 "Past Climate Variability and Change in the Arctic and at High Latitudes".

As always, CoreCast is a product of the US Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

Fwd: BBC World Service's citizen journalism project

Your Story is the  BBC World Service's citizen journalism project, running since June 2008. Anyone can send in ideas for stories and news reports, or personal stories, photos, audio and video.
More at
<http://www.journalism.co.uk/5/articles/533793.php>

Your Story
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/indepth/your_story.shtml>

Your Story is a fast-developing multimedia website offering a unique place for BBC World Service listeners and potential citizen journalists to contribute directly to our output.

You can send us your photos, video and ideas for news stories. If you think you would like to be one of our citizen journalists we will try and work with you to conduct interviews and provide recording equipment, advice and support to get your voices onto the radio and broadcast around the world.

To find out more please visit the website
http://www.bbcworldservice.com/yourstory
and also have a look at the photos in this Your Story flickr collection to look at what other people have already done for us.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/bbcworldservice/collections/72157608617769756/>


Polar bear hunter rescued from ice pan

Polar bear hunter rescued from ice pan
Globe and Mail - Canada
Coral Harbour, Nunavut -- Two Inuit polar bear hunters were rescued yesterday after being stranded on an ice pan since Thursday. ...
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090314.NATS14-2/TPStory/National>

Saturday 14 March 2009

3rd annual Polar Film Festival

http://www.polarfilmfestival.org/img08/eatitup.gif

The best of Scandinavian and European cinema mixed with cutting-edge American independent and international film will take centre stage at the 3rd annual Polar Film Festival to be held May 21 through 25, 2009 in Turku Finland.

Sponsored by three Scandinavian Film Councils and the EU Media Fund, the festival plays in a different Scandinavian city every year.   The Polar Film Festival is the premier independent film event in the Nordic countries.

Submit your film today and register for the Festival newsletter to receive the latest information about the 2009 festival.

http://www.polarfilmfestival.org/


Researchers plan cold trek across Northwest Passage in a Humvee

Researchers plan cold trek across Northwest Passage in a Humvee
The Canadian Press - VANCOUVER, B.C.
The trek begins in Kugluktuk, western Nunavut and ends at the Haughton-Mars Project Research Station on Devon Island in eastern Nunavut.
<http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gTIzIMLYAhOMLesokLwG8G5kUNrA>

Expedition seeks to drive through the Northwest Passage for first time Vancouver Sun - British Columbia, Canada
... western Nunavut to Devon Island in eastern Nunavut, where researchers plan to employ the vehicle as part of the Haughton-Mars Project Research Station. ...
<http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Expedition+seeks+drive+through+Northwest+Passage+first+time/1386889/story.html>

Whitehorse daytime drama to feature Inuit cast

Whitehorse daytime drama to feature Inuit cast
Globe and Mail - Canada
An Inuvialuit television production company in the Northwest Territories is teaming up with another native broadcaster in Yukon to develop a daytime drama ...
<http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090314.ABUZZ14-1/TPStory/TPEntertainment/Television/>

2008's lowest return airfare

2008's lowest return airfare


2008's lowest return airfare

Andy Wong
Guest columnist
Monday, March 9, 2009

Some days you feel like a rolling stone - I can't get no satisfaction. If you decide to spend your career dealing with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), it may be more like most days.

Satisfaction or not, at least we now have clarity. I am talking about the Northern resident travel deduction.

Northerners who have lived in the NWT or Nunavut for at least six months qualify for a travel deduction if they receive a Box 32 travel benefit from their employer reported on their T4 slip.

For this deduction, you claim the lower of three amounts: the Box 32 benefit, trip expenses and a controversial amount described in the Income Tax Act as the "lowest return airfare ordinarily available, at the time the trip was made." If your travel benefit was $1,500 and you spent $1,600 on a trip, you want to know what that "lowest return airfare" is, wouldn't you?

The CRA states - which we agree - the "lowest return airfare" is the lowest regular fare available at the time of your trip to the nearest city, i.e., Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal or Ottawa (depending on where you live). In English, the "lowest return airfare" is the last-minute airfare you would have paid at the counter at the time you started your trip, regardless if you flew, drove, paddled, cycled or boated.

For Yellowknife taxpayers, the CRA said the "lowest return airfares" were $1,209 for 2006 and $756 for 2007.

You are already thinking there must be a typo. It's improbable that an average last-minute counter fare for a 2007 Yk-Edmonton return ticket could have been purchased for only $756, considering the numerous busy travel periods. It's even more improbable for a last-minute fare to have fallen from 2006 to 2007.

Furthermore, those "lowest return airfares" were never provided by the CRA at the start of the tax season.

Actually, they were never provided at all. You found out what CRA's "lowest return airfare" was after you were reassessed because you used a higher "lowest return airfare."

I wrote the CRA in Winnipeg in September 2008 and asked, "Look, what is your 2008 lowest return airfare? We need some clarity." As expected, their logical response was, "2008 isn't over yet." That was a good start because the query forced this controversial issue onto their agenda.

Over the past two months, after lengthy phone discussions, the CRA has informally agreed to use the following amounts as the "lowest return airfares" for 2008.


  • Yk-Edmonton: $983.15

  • Inuvik-Edmonton: $1,529.85

  • Cambridge Bay-Edmonton: $2,009.35

  • Kugluktuk-Edmonton: $1,984.85

  • Rankin to Winnipeg: $2,232.30

  • Iqaluit - Montreal: $1,958.08

  • Iqaluit - Ottawa: $1,951.25

  • Hay River - Edmonton: $817.95

  • Norman Wells - Edmonton: $1,405.95

  • Fort Smith- Edmonton: $1,188.60

  • Fort Simpson - Edmonton: $1,699.25

    Fort Smith's fare is an anomaly because $1,188.60 is the only available fare. For the rest of the communities listed above, the listed fares are the lowest economy fares generally available throughout the year.

    The CRA will not publish this information. Does this seem odd to you? Perhaps, but the 2006 and 2007 "lowest return airfare" were never published either. These 2008 amounts were wrought out of a CRA officer, and I was assured Northerners using these 2008 "lowest return airfare" will not have their 2008 travel claims reassessed.

    Next week: My thoughts on CRA's 2008 "lowest return airfare" and a few more things.

    Andy Wong, CGA, CFP, is a tax consultant at MacKay LLP, Chartered Accountants, in Yellowknife. He can be reached at: andrewwong@yel.mackayllp.ca.


  • Friday 13 March 2009

    Nunavut - Wise Woman award honours the courage of youth

    March 13, 2009

    Wise Woman award honours the courage of youth

    "It takes a special and strong young woman to share her story," says Nunavut Status of Women Council

    JOHN BIRD


    http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/90313_1971.html

    The Qulliit Nunavut Status of Women Council has honoured an 18-year-old woman for showing courage and wisdom beyond her years - in refusing to remain a victim of the multiple sexual abuse she suffered as a young girl.

    The council named Iqaluit's Levi Nowdlak their 2009 "Wise Woman of the Year" for the courage she found to bring her sexual abusers to justice, and to speak publicly about her experiences of abuse.

    Beginning when she was seven, Nowdlak was sexually abused many times by several different men, including a member of her extended family.

    But when she was 16 she said "enough," and went to the police, beginning a two-year process that ended last November when she faced the abusive family member in court and he was convicted.

    When their eyes met in the courtroom, she recalled in an interview published last month in Nunatsiaq News, "it was like this time he was the little one. I wasn't the helpless little girl I once was. He was the helpless one now."

    When she heard that her assailant had been abused too, she realized that "he felt the same way I felt." She felt sorry for him, but knew that she would never excuse what he did.

    "I would never wish what happened to me on my worst enemy. It makes you feel worthless."

    That's when she said she knew, "I need to break the cycle." She decided to tell her story under a pseudonym to the public in the newspaper interview.

    And on Saturday she took the next step in her healing, coming forward in public to accept the council's award under her own name. She received the award in a ceremony at Inuksuk High School last Saturday to mark International Women's Day.

    "I want to show girls that they can step up and say this is what happened to them, without being scared, or afraid of being judged," she said after accepting the award.

    "I want to show people hope."

    "It took a lot of courage and strength for my girl to speak up," Her mother, Evie Nowdlak, added, her arm around her daughter for support.

    Nowdlak "is an incredible role model to the girls and women in Nunavut who share her experience, but who are perhaps not sure if they have the strength and support to speak out about what happened to them," Qulliit council vice-president Trista Mercer said in making the award.

    "It takes a very special and strong young woman to stand up and talk about her own experiences, to share her story with others, in the hope of encouraging others to come forward and break this cycle of abuse."

    In the public presentation, Mercer explained that the Wise Woman of the Year Awards are intended to recognize and honour "women's contributions to happy and healthy communities throughout our territory."

    She said that although wisdom and courage often come with age, "there are also many young women and girls in this territory who have courage and wisdom, who stand up for what they believe in, and who speak out against injustice."

    The Qulliit Council also honoured the 11 other women who were nominated for the Wise Woman award. They are: Maria Kripanik; Celina Irngaut (Igloolik); Judy Gabuna; Annie Nattaq; Elisapi Davidee Aningmiuq (Iqaluit); Leah Kalluk; Audrey Qammaniq (Arctic Bay); Emiline Kowmak (Rankin Inlet); Lena Kamoayok (Cambridge Bay); Beatrice Bernhardt; and Marion Bolt (Kugluktuk).

    The awards ceremony included musical performances by women, particularly highlighting throat singing, drum dancing and choral singing by high school students Christine Tootoo, Kailey Arreak, Eden Tootoo, Crystal Mullin, Marley Dunkers and Shirley Kunik.

    Other performers included Lena Evic, and Ellen Hamilton, and Karen Mackenzie.

    The event was preceded by a sale of women's crafts, and donations collected at the door for the Aggvik society's women's shelters amounted to $1,053.


    These materials are Copyright © 1995- 2009 Nortext Publishing Corporation (Iqaluit). These materials may not be reprinted for commercial publication in print, or any other media, without the permission of the publisher.

    Nunatsiaq News
    PO Box 8
    Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0
    Ph. (867) 979-5357
    Fax (867) 979-4763
    Editorial e-mail editor@nunatsiaq.com

    Thursday 12 March 2009

    Sabina Silver Announces New Nunavut Hackett River Mineral Resource Update

    Sabina Silver Announces New Hackett River Mineral Resource Update
    SABINA SILVER CORP SBB
    3/11/2009 8:30:28 AM
    Increases of 3% Silver, 10% Zinc and 34% Copper

    Open Pit Portion Increases by 40% with No Significant Grade Change

    Resource tonnes increase by 7% results in increase in contained metal

    VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Mar 11, 2009 (Marketwire via COMTEX News Network) --

    Sabina Silver Corporation (TSX VENTURE:SBB) announced today an updated mineral resource for its 100% owned Hackett River silver-zinc project in Nunavut, Canada.

    More at
    http://www.stockhouse.com/News/CanadianReleasesDetail.aspx?n=7240735

    Nunavut commission to work on territory-wide land-use plan

    Nunavut commission to work on territory-wide land-use plan
    CBC.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
    The Nunavut Planning Commission is working on creating one land-use plan
    for the entire territory, officials say. Currently only two of Nunavut's
    six ...
    <http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/03/11/nunavut-plan.html>

    Asbestos to get stripped from Iqaluit high school

    Asbestos to get stripped from Iqaluit high school
    CBC.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
    Nunavut government officials say the the school currently has asbestos
    around its pipes, in the walls and in some ceiling tiles. "We're actually
    quite aware ...
    <http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/03/11/inuksuk-asbestos.html>

    Sign Up For An Inuit Homestay in Kimmirut & Follow In Billy Connolly’s Footsteps

     Jetsettersblog » Sign Up For An Inuit Homestay
    By jetsetters
    It may not be the igloos or sod houses of yore, but signing up for a home
    stay with a local family and getting an insider's look at the workings of
    a typical Nunavut hamlet (Kimmirut, NU) is definitely an intense cultural
    experience. ...
    <http://www.jetsettersblog.com/blog/2009/03/11/sign-up-for-an-inuit-homestay/>
    Jetsettersblog
    <http://www.jetsettersblog.com/blog/>

    The community's Hunters and Trappers Association (HTO) will arrange homestays for guests to stay and eat with a local family. Phone the HTO at 867-939-2355 for more information.

    Follow In Billy Connolly's Footsteps

    Dive into Nunavut culture with a home stay and long-distance dogsled race.

    Curious about everyday Inuit life in the North? It may not be the igloos or sod houses of yore, but signing up for a home stay with a local family and getting an insider's look at the workings of a typical Nunavut hamlet (Kimmirut, NU) is definitely an intense cultural experience. Think eating traditional "country foods" (AKA caribou and Arctic char), dropping in on carvers at work, ice fishing, scanning for seal and whales at the ice-floe edge and learning to navigate the Inuit's quirky sense of humour.

    Time it right in March, and you can combine a home stay with the third annual Qimualaniq Quest, a challenging 320-km (199-mi) dogsled race from Iqaluit to Kimmirut and back. It was started by Iqaluit's culturally savvy Association des francophones du Nunavut and the Mayukalik Hunters and Trappers Association of Kimmirut, with the mission of keeping dogsledding traditions alive on Baffin Island.

    While you're with your family, the dogsled teams begin to arrive. Mingle with mushers and enjoy the rare chance to join a big, down-home community feast in the high school gym. Locals will be sawing seal meat with their half-moon-shaped ulu knives and slurping caribou stew with fresh bannock bread. Dig in! With daylight lingering as the midnight sun moves in, there's plenty of time for drum dancing and throat-singing. Elders are into storytelling. And someone always shows up with a fiddle.

    www.nunavuttourism.com
    http://www.kimmirut.ca/about/Accomodations.html


    Roberta Bondar Post-doctoral Fellowship in Northern and Polar Studies, Trent University, Canada

    ---------- Forwarded message ----------
    From: Northern Research Network <research.north@gmail.com>
    Date: 2009/3/12
    Subject: Roberta Bondar Post-doctoral Fellowship in Northern and Polar Studies, Trent University, Canada
    To: research.north@gmail.com


    From: Jim Struthers [jstruthers@trentu.ca]
     
    Roberta Bondar Post-doctoral Fellowship in Northern and Polar Studies
    Trent University
    Peterborough, Ontario
    Canada

     

    Trent University is seeking applications for the post-doctoral Roberta Bondar Fellowship in Northern and Polar Studies. The position is for a 1-year term at a salary of $42,500, plus research allowance. This position is aimed at recently graduated Ph.D.'s (within 5 years of graduation) with research specialties in any area of northern and polar studies, focusing on, but not strictly limited to, Canada's North. The candidate is expected to reside at the university and participate in the general milieu of Trent and especially its Northern Studies activities. Specific duties consist of teaching one course equivalent in the area of the candidate's specialty and two public lectures. Requests for more information and applications (including statement of interest in Northern Studies and curriculum vitae) should be directed to Dr. Jim Struthers, Director, Frost Centre for Canadian Studies and Indigenous Studies (jstruthers@trentu.ca) no later than 24 April 2009.



    --
    Northern Research Network
    research.north@gmail.com
    http://northernresearchnetwork.electrified.ca

    Submit inquiries and announcements to:
    research.north@gmail.com
     

    Wednesday 11 March 2009

    Inuit say EU anti-sealing bill won't protect them

    Inuit say EU anti-sealing bill won't protect them
    Toronto Star - Ontario, Canada
    IQALUIT, Nunavut – Inuit leaders say European legislation intended to ban seal products will damage Arctic communities despite exemptions designed to
    ...
    <http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/599891>

    Tuesday 10 March 2009

    Satellite Cosmos 2251 debris about to reenter Earth's atmosphere over NWT & Nunavut on March 12, 28 & 30

    From  http://spaceweather.com/

    COSMOS IS FALLING: The first fragments of shattered satellite Cosmos 2251 are about to reenter Earth's atmosphere. According to US Strategic Command, fragment 1993-036PX will reenter on March 12th, followed by 1993-036KW on March 28th and 1993-036MC on March 30th. These are probably centimeter-sized pieces that will disintegrate in the atmosphere, posing no threat to people on the ground.

    Cosmos 2251 was shattered on Feb. 10th when it collided with another satellite, Iridium 33. Cosmos 2251 possessed about one and a half times more mass than Iridium 33 and to date appears to have produced more than twice the number of fragments. Click on the image
    http://spaceweather.com/swpod2009/10mar09/deak1.gif?PHPSESSID=q6naqco92jer6kfo9d2p9jrtq2  to view a map of the debris orbits:

    "As of March 7th, there were 355 catalogued fragments of Cosmos 2251 and 159 fragments of Iridium 33," says Daniel Deak who prepared the orbit-map for readers of spaceweather.com. "The Cosmos fragments are not only more numerous, but also more widely scattered, ranging in altitude from 198 km to 1689 km. For comparison, Iridium fragments are confined to altitudes between 582 km and 1262 km."

    The extra scatter of Cosmos debris is not fully understood. Impact geometry could explain the spread, but no one knows exactly how the two complex vehicles struck one another. A factor of possible importance: Cosmos 2251 was internally pressurized. Once ruptured, it may have blown itself apart.

    The International Space Station is in no immediate peril. "NASA has recognized from the first day [of the collision] that the risks to both ISS and STS-119 have increased," says Nick Johnson, Chief Scientist for Orbital Debris at the Johnson Space Center. "However, those increases have been relatively minor in comparison to the background environment."

    Updated debris maps: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5.

    http://spaceweather.com/swpod2009/10mar09/deak1.gif?PHPSESSID=q6naqco92jer6kfo9d2p9jrtq2

    http://spaceweather.com/swpod2009/10mar09/deak2_iridium.gif?PHPSESSID=q6naqco92jer6kfo9d2p9jrtq2

    http://spaceweather.com/swpod2009/10mar09/deak2_kosmos.gif?PHPSESSID=q6naqco92jer6kfo9d2p9jrtq2

    http://spaceweather.com/swpod2009/10mar09/deak3_iridium.gif?PHPSESSID=q6naqco92jer6kfo9d2p9jrtq2

    http://spaceweather.com/swpod2009/10mar09/deak3_kosmos.gif?PHPSESSID=q6naqco92jer6kfo9d2p9jrtq2


    Court begins hearing in N.W.T. Mountie shooting death

    Court begins hearing in N.W.T. Mountie shooting death

    Last Updated: Tuesday, March 10, 2009 | 10:52 AM MT

    [excerpt]

    Emrah Bulatci enters the Yellowknife courthouse on Tuesday morning for a voir dire hearing.Emrah Bulatci enters the Yellowknife courthouse on Tuesday morning for a voir dire hearing. (CBC)

    An Alberta man accused of shooting an RCMP officer to death in Hay River, N.W.T., in 2007 returned to court Tuesday morning for a hearing on what evidence will be admissible at his trial.

    [...]

    At the Crown's request, the judge presiding over the voir dire imposed a publication ban on any evidence presented during the hearing, CBC News reporter Richard Gleeson reported from the courthouse.

    In one of Bulatci's previous court appearances, the Crown described the case against Bulatci as circumstantial, meaning it has not found anyone who witnessed Worden being shot.

    Bulatci's trial is scheduled to begin in October.

    Ft. Smith: ATCO’s planning a ‘long-term hostile takeover with roses’, says MLA

    ATCO's planning a 'long-term hostile takeover with roses', says MLA
    Slave River Journal - Fort Smith,Northwest Territories,Canada
    MAR.09 ATCO's proposal to share ownership of the Northwest Territories
    Power Corporation (NTPC) came under fire in the legislature last week, ...
    <http://www.srj.ca/link.asp?smenu=88&twindow=Default&sdetail=3486&mad=No&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=>

    Sunday 8 March 2009

    Alberta Oil Sands Pictures Fort McMurray, Alberta 2007

    Alberta Oil Sands Pictures Fort McMurray, Alberta 2007

    http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/WORKS/Oil/Oil.html#
    http://www.edwardburtynsky.com/


    Yellowknife Watercolour Society: UFO weekend

    Yellowknife Watercolour Society: UFO weekend
    By Yellowknife Watercolour Society
    Yellowknife Watercolour Society: We are a group of new watercolour painters who are interested in learning new skills, providing educational opportunities, and creating space and time to paint during out monthly  Painting Saturdays. ...
    <http://ykwatercolour.blogspot.com/2009/03/ufo-weekend.html>

    First Air continues Nunavut expansion

    First Air continues Nunavut expansion with introduction of Baker ...
    Aviation.ca (press release) - Canada
    "This service to Baker Lake is a key addition to the First Air route
    network, connecting one of the largest communities in Nunavut to our
    extensive route ...
    <http://memorial.aviation.ca/content/view/6976/117/>

    Forum Uranium Corp Announces Agreements with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated

    Forum Announces Agreements with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
    Baystreet.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
    Forum Uranium Corp (FDC: TSX-V) is pleased to announce that it has entered into definitive agreements with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated ("NTI")  ...
    <http://www.baystreet.ca/users/newswire/viewarticle.aspx?id=18198>

    Eyeing coal on Ellesmere

    Eyeing coal on Ellesmere
    Northern News Services (subscription) - Yellowknife,Northwest Territories,Canada
    With the thawing of the Northwest Passage, some interest is being drawn to
    another Arctic coal deposit right here in Nunavut. This one is located at
    the ...
    <http://nnsl.com/northern-news-services/stories/papers/mar4_09gawor.html>

    Saturday 7 March 2009

    Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada: Inuit employment: Is the glass half-full?

    Inuit employment: Is the glass half-full?
    Nunatsiaq News - Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada
    But those are the areas where Nunavut and aboriginal communities have been
    left well behind national averages. "Employment will eliminate two-thirds
    of ...
    <http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/90306_1966.html>

    Iqaluit, Nunavut, Canada: John Ningark is Akulliq’s new MLA

    John Ningark is Akulliq's new MLA
    Nunatsiaq News - Iqaluit,Nunavut,Canada
    It took nearly seven months from start to finish, but on March 2, they
    elected Ningark to represent Akulliq riding in the Nunavut legislative
    assembly. a ...
    <http://www.nunatsiaq.com/news/nunavut/90306_1950.html>

    Edmonton men sentenced in Iqaluit crack bust

    Edmonton men sentenced in Iqaluit crack bust
    CBC.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
    A Nunavut judge has given a tough sentence to one of two Edmonton men who pleaded guilty to trafficking crack cocaine in Iqaluit in 2007. ...
    <http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/03/06/drug-sentence.html>

    Funding shortage cancels Qimualaniq Quest

    Funding shortage cancels Qimualaniq Quest
    CBC.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
    A 320-kilometre race — from Iqaluit to Kimmirut and back to Iqaluit —
    the Qimualaniq Quest began in 2007 to revitalize dog sledding in Nunavut's south ...
    <http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/03/06/qimualaniq-quest.html>

    Some Gameti residents share responsibility in woman's death

    Some Gameti residents share responsibility in woman's death: group
    CBC.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
    Terry Vital, centre, enters the Yellowknife courthouse on Tuesday to face
    second-degree murder charges in the Feb. 27 death of Alice Black, 31. ...
    <http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/03/06/gameti-death.html>

    Complaint filed against NWT premier over housing allowance

    Complaint filed against NWT premier over housing allowance
    CBC.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
    Three months ago, Roland, the MLA for Inuvik Boot Lake, moved out of the Yellowknife home where his wife and children are living. ...
    <http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/03/06/roland-housing.html>

    WHAT WAS REALLY BEHIND PETER MACKAY'S "RED DAWN" MOMENT?

    WHAT WAS REALLY BEHIND PETER MACKAY'S "RED DAWN" MOMENT? - David ...
    By Dave Pugliese
    Canada has four Forward Operating Locations (FOLs) in Inuvik, Iqualuit,
    Yellowknife and Rankin Inlet. These are places where Hangars for a few
    F-18s are located. From what I gathered, they are un-manned most of the
    time, but a few times ...
    <http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/archive/2009/03/06/what-was-really-behind-peter-mackay-s-quot-red-dawn-quot-moment.aspx>

    Incident: Arctic Sunwest DH8A at Yellowknife on Mar 4th 2009

    Incident: Arctic Sunwest DH8A at Yellowknife on Mar 4th 2009, took ...
    The Aviation Herald - Salzburg,Austria
    An Arctic Sunwest Charter de Havilland Dash 8-100, registration C-GASB, was on the takeoff roll on runway 27 in light snowfall and a visibility of about 3-4 ...
    <http://avherald.com/h?article=41612da0>

    By Simon Hradecky, created Friday, Mar 6th 2009 21:10Z, last updated Friday, Mar 6th 2009 21:12Z

    An Arctic Sunwest Charter de Havilland Dash 8-100, registration C-GASB, was on the takeoff roll on runway 27 in light snowfall and a visibility of about 3-4 miles, when the crew noticed a snow sweeper on the runway as the airplane just accelerated through 80 knots. The crew deemed it safer to continue the takeoff and climb over the snowplough than to reject takeoff. The airplane passed the sweeper at a height of about 50-100 feet.

    The sweeper had been told to hold short of runway 09/27 and read back the instruction correctly, but did not comply with the instruction and entered the runway at a constant speed, monitoring the performance of the sweeper carefully as the sweeper had been shutting down intermittently. The driver was listening to the ground frequency, the airplane was on the mandatory frequency (MF).

    The Canadian TSB reported, that the incident took place in twilight about 15 minutes before the tower was manned. Data gathered from this investigation may be used in the investigation of a similiar event as well, The Aviation Herald reported: Incident: Sunwest B190 at Ft. McMurray on Feb 9th 2009, takeoff over snowplough.

    Friday 6 March 2009

    Dr. John O’Connor returns to Fort Chipewyan for documentary premiere.

    Subjects gathering for doc premiere

    'Fitting' documentary being showcased in Fort Chip, says whistleblower doctor

    Posted 1 day ago
    [excerpt]
    http://www.fortmcmurraytoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1464834

    By CAROL CHRISTIAN

    Today staff

    Anticipation is riding high for Friday's premiere screening of Downstream as key players in the real-life drama prepare to return to Fort Chipewyan, the documentary's focal point.

    "I'm really looking forward to going to Fort Chip," said Dr. John O'Connor, the local doctor who first raised the alarm on elevated rates of rare cancers in the First Nation community. O'Connor will be joined at the screening by Downstream writer and director Leslie Iwerks. Producer Phil Alberstat will be joining Iwerks and O'Connor at subsequent showings and panel discussions in Edmonton on Sunday and Calgary on Monday.

    "I'm very, very glad that the documentary is being premiered in Fort Chip because so much in the past regarding Fort Chip has been premiered elsewhere," he added. "Seeing as it's all about the community, it's only fitting Fort Chip be the first to view it."

    Community spokesman George Poitras of the Mikisew Cree First Nation added, "People are very much looking forward to this. Many people in Fort Chip have heard about this documentary … and the whole story about Dr. O'Connor and the fallout of his making public what Fort Chipewyan was observing in terms of cancers is very important a story to them."

    After he alerted the provincial medical and scientific communities to a possible link between unusually high levels of carcinogens in the Athabasca River and rare forms of human cancer in Fort Chip, O'Connor was promptly labelled a whistleblower. Health Canada filed four charges against him, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta was asked to investigate. Three charges have since been dropped, though the charge of causing undue alarm in the community remains.

    [...]

    A synopsis of the documentary reads "at the heart of the multi-billion dollar oilsands industry in Alberta, Canada, a doctor's career is jeopardized as he fights for the lives of the aboriginal people living and dying of rare cancers downstream from one of the most polluting oil operations in the world." Once the Alberta showings are finished, Downstream will have its international premiere on Babelgum.com tentatively scheduled for March 20, followed by screenings at film festivals around the world.

    "Anyone that's seen it so far, it's been the same sort of laughing and crying, and in the end pretty much coming to the same conclusion: it's time to do something, and why aren't they moving on it?" said O'Connor, back in Fort McMurray this week making his patient rounds.

    While anticipation is high in the First Nation community, the oldest settlement in Alberta, O'Connor said it's hard to predict reaction to the showings in Edmonton, home to the Alberta legislature, and Calgary, where many energy companies are headquartered.

    "It could really be a surprise to all of us," he said.

    O'Connor said the 33-minute documentary has no editorializing; it just features different people speaking, and has "some nice footage that kind of gives you an idea of what's going on. … You draw your own conclusions." That's especially after listening to Alberta Energy Minister Mel Knight and Greg Stringham, vice-president of the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers.

    According to Poitras, Downstream is causing some concern for the Alberta government as well as the energy industry "for very obvious reasons," said Poitras, who suspects the government will have representatives in the Edmonton and Calgary cinemas to see the documentary and "reporting back to them."

    [...]

    Downstream is the forerunner to a feature-length movie, Upstream, scheduled for release this summer.

    Iwerks said teasers of Upstream may be shown after Downstream but she wasn't certain.

    Upstream is currently being edited, and Iwerks described it as much different than Downstream in that it offers a more global picture of the entire oilsands industry. That includes the impacts on land and people as well as the surrounding communities including Chicago and the Great Lakes when it comes to U.S. refining.

    After fully reading the second cancer study including the comments by the peer reviewers, O'Connor said the foundation has been laid for further assessment and a baseline healthy study. "I think that's what's going to come out of Fort Chip on Friday."

    The Downstream premiere marks the first time the community has gathered since the Feb. 6 release of the second cancer study by the Alberta Cancer Board. The study into elevated rates of rare cancers, namely cholangiocarcinoma, found higher rates of three different types of cancers than expected. Despite those findings, Alberta Health Services maintained there was no cause for alarm. But the study recommended continued surveillance of cancer rates in the community for at least another decade based on the findings and "soft" warnings.

    The cancers that were more evident than expected were biliary tract cancers as a whole, cancers of the blood and lymphatic system, and soft tissue cancers. Fields said the higher rates could be the result of chance, increased detection or lifestyle choices. He added the provincial investigation really couldn't go any further in distinguishing them. While the study looked at elevated cases, it didn't look at causes such as environmental impacts, and based on what researchers saw in this study, Fields said there was insufficient evidence to launch such a study.

    However, this latest study says the initial 2006 study — which gave the community the all-clear — was wrong.

    Article ID# 1464834

    The Cape Farewell Photography Exhibit visits Yellowknife March 6 to 13

    Cape Farewell visits Regina and Yellowknife

    The Cape Farewell Photography Exhibit is heading to Yellowknife and Regina. See excerpts from the press releases below.


    Yellowknife (March 6, 2009) – The Legislative Assembly of Northwest Territories is hosting an exhibition of photographs taken during the British Council-organized Cape Farewell Youth Expedition 2008. Last fall Northwest Territories high school student George Bailey joined an international group of students who journeyed to the Arctic on a youth expedition that raised awareness of climate change in Canada and abroad.

    The photographs will be on display in the Great Hall at the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly from March 6 to 13, and available for public viewing on weekdays from 8:00am to 9:00pm and weekends 8:00am to 7:00pm.

    http://www.vanwaardenphoto.com/2009/03/cape-farewell-visits-regina-and.html


    Canadian Couple Lose Children over Medical Marijuana Garden

    Canadian Couple Lose Children over Medical Marijuana Garden ...
    By Radical Russ
    On Thursday, February 19, a human resources manager for the
    government of the North West Territories (NWT), her husband and their
    two boys (age 1 and 3), were shocked when the RCMP burst into their
    Yellowknife home ...
    <http://stash.norml.org/canadian-couple-lose-children-over-medical-marijuana-garden/

    Pre-birth cigarette smoke exposure increases risk of aggressive behavior in children

    TOBACCO CIGARETTES CIGARS AND SMOKING:
    HEALTH AND MEDICAL ISSUES :
    WOMEN: PREGNANCY: HEALTH ISSUES :
    MEDICAL: GENETICS :
    ADOLESCENT: BEHAVIOR:
    Combination of Genes and Prenatal Exposure to Smoking Increases
    Teens' Risk of Disruptive Behavior

    Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 12:32:38 -0500
    From: "NIH OLIB (NIH/OD)" <olib@OD.NIH.GOV>
    To: NIHPRESS@LIST.NIH.GOV
    Subject:  Combination of Genes and Prenatal Exposure to Smoking
    Increases Teens' Risk of Disruptive Behavior

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
    NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News

    National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
    <http://www.nida.nih.gov/>


    Embargoed for Release: Wednesday, March 4, 2009, 12:00 a.m. EST

    CONTACT:
    Kim DiFonzo, NIDA
    301-443-6245
    e-mail:
    media@nida.nih.gov

    COMBINATION OF GENES AND PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO SMOKING INCREASES
    TEENS' RISK OF DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR

    NIDA Study Shows Different Gene Variants Influence this Risk for Girls and
    Boys.

    A study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a component of the
    National Institutes of Health, shows that prenatal exposure to smoking
    combined with a specific genetic variant places children at greatest risk
    for behavioral problems. Many studies have established that there is an
    increased risk of aggressive behavior in children exposed to cigarette
    smoke before birth, a significant problem given that many women still
    smoke during pregnancies. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and
    Health, in 2006-2007 slightly more than 16 percent of pregnant women aged
    15-44 (426,000) were current cigarette smokers.

    A team of researchers led by the Institute for Juvenile Research,
    University of Illinois at Chicago, identified a long-lasting influence on
    behavior of the monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene variant following tobacco
    exposure before birth. MAOA is an enzyme which regulates key
    neurotransmitters*, or chemical messengers in the brain. Strikingly, the
    genetic variant that confers this increased risk differs between boys and
    girls.

     "These findings illuminate how the interaction between genes and the
    environment can mold behavioral patterns very early in development," said
    NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow. "This research provides a foundation for
    studies of the impact of these interactions on brain development during
    pregnancy."

    The researchers studied 176 non-Hispanic white youth, whose average age
    was 15, and their biologic mothers. In contrast with previous studies of
    prenatal smoking that have measured exposure based on the mother's
    recollection of past smoking, this study obtained accurate measurements of
    smoking behaviors during the actual pregnancy.

    In boys, with the low-activity MAOA (MAOA-L) gene variant, exposure to
    prenatal smoking was associated with increased disruptive social
    interactions, including aggressive behaviors and serious rule-violating.
    "Low activity" means that the gene produces less of its product, the
    enzyme monamine oxidase A. In contrast, exposure to prenatal smoking was
    associated with increased disruptive behavior in girls who had the
    high-activity MAOA (MAOA-H) variant. For both boys and girls, the more
    their mothers had smoked during pregnancy, the higher the risk of
    disruptive behavior.

    Additionally, on computerized tasks, girls with both the MAOA-H variant
    and prenatal exposure to smoking had a greater tendency to perceive anger
    in a range of facial expressions, a tendency that researchers term
    "hostile attribution bias."  This effect was not seen among boys.

    "The tendency to over-perceive anger suggests the possibility that the
    combination of prenatal tobacco exposure and the MAOA risk variant affects
    the brain's processing of emotional cues," said the study's principal
    investigator, Dr. Lauren S. Wakschlag, associate professor of psychiatry
    at the Institute for Juvenile Research, University of Illinois at Chicago.
    "Individuals with a greater tendency to perceive hostility in others are
    more likely to respond aggressively. These findings provide us with clues
    to the possible mechanism by which prenatal exposure may exert its effects
    on brain and behavior. Clearly, close attention to sex differences in
    these patterns will be critical for future studies."

    Dr. Wakschlag led the study in collaboration with colleagues from the
    Institute for Juvenile Research as well as researchers from the National
    Institute of Mental Health (which is also a component of the National
    Institutes of Health); the University of Chicago; Harvard University
    Medical School; and the University of York, England.

    The National Institute on Drug Abuse is a component of the National
    Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA
    supports most of the world's research on the health aspects of drug abuse
    and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to
    inform policy and improve practice.  Fact sheets on the health effects of
    drugs of abuse and information on NIDA research and other activities can
    be found on the NIDA home page at


    <http://www.drugabuse.gov>


    To order publications in English or Spanish, call NIDA's new DrugPubs
    research dissemination center at


    1-877-NIDA-NIH

    or

    240-645-0228 (TDD)

    or

    fax or email requests to

    240-645-0227

    or

    e-mail:

    drugpubs@nida.nih.gov

    The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research
    Agency -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the
    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal
    agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational
    medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures
    for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its
    programs, visit


    <http://www.nih.gov>

    ---------------------------------

    * i.e., dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin

    ##

    This NIH News Release is available online at:
    <http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2009/nida-04.htm>