Arviat Student

Just a video to overcome homesickness. Just for fun. His time in Toronto. Studying Theatre Arts Production at Humber College

MPs from Nunavut and the Western Arctic have the highest office budgets

MPs want bigger budgets, but not now

Many MPs say they want significantly larger office budgets, but will seriously look at it once the economy is stronger.

MPs from Nunavut and the Western Arctic have the highest office budgets at $352,520 ... and the maximum geographical supplement of $52,120 ... also MPs received a basic office budget (MOB) of $280,500 On top of this, MPs received $5,000 for "constituency office furniture and equipment improvements" as well as extra airplane trips and money.

More at http://www.hilltimes.com/page/view/budgets-11-30-2009

Dennis Allen on the http://www.naccnt.ca/ stage in Yellowknife, NWT, presenting CBQM: The Biggest Little Radio Station in the North

DSC_9246_v2
Originally uploaded by The MediaMentor

Dennis Allen on the http://www.naccnt.ca/ stage in Yellowknife, NWT, presenting CBQM: The Biggest Little Radio Station in the North - 'I'm darn proud of it' says Ruth Wright 'I'm darn proud of it'
by Andrew Rankin of Northern News Services nnsl.com
Published Thursday, November 26, 2009
http://nnsl.com/northern-news-services/stories/papers/nov26_09de...
INUVIK - After the movie CBQM: The Biggest Little Radio Station in the North ended at the community centre on Friday evening, Ruth Wright got up from her seat with tears in her eyes.
"It was just gorgeous," she said. "It's real people. We know them. I'm darn proud of it because it captures the beautiful land and spirit of our people.
- - - - - - -
CBQM, a short documentary in which filmmaker Dennis Allen pays tribute to the "Moccasin Telegraph," won the Alanis Obomsawin Best Documentary Award, with a jury member saying, "Through accomplished storytelling, [Allen] has deftly captured the small, yet transformative, moments that make up human experience."
- - - - - - - -
Trailer for CBQM: The Biggest Little Radio Station in the North - on the NFB website

http://www.nfb.ca/film/cbqm_radio_trailer/
Dennis Allen, 2009, 2 min 12 s
Dennis Allen's feature-length documentary is about Fort McPherson, a Teetl'it Gwich'in community in the Northwest Territories, and its citizen-run radio station. A resilient expression of Aboriginal pride, CBQM serves a far-flung and loyal listenership – and plays the best damn country music in the Mackenzie Delta.

IsumaTV: an independent interactive network of Inuit and Indigenous multimedia

http://www.isuma.tv/hi/en

MISSION

IsumaTV is an independent interactive network of Inuit and Indigenous
multimedia. IsumaTV uses the power and immediacy of the Web to bring
people together to tell stories and support change.

Our tools enable Indigenous people to express reality in their own voices:
views of the past, anxieties about the present and hopes for a more decent
and honorable future. Our sincere goal is to assist people to listen to
one another, to recognize and respect diverse ways of experiencing our
world, and honor those differences as a human strength.

IsumaTV uses new networking technology to build a new era of communication
and exchange among Indigenous and non-Indigenous people and communities
around the globe.

-----------------
IsumaTV was launched in January 2008 by Igloolik Isuma Productions,
independent producers of The Fast Runner Trilogy of award-winning
Inuit-language films: Atanarjuat The Fast Runner, The Journals of Knud
Rasmussen, and Before Tomorrow; in association with Nunavut Independent TV
Network (NITV), imagineNATIVE Film+Media Arts Festival, Vtape, Native
Communications Society of the NWT and other non-profit agencies.

www.isuma.ca

OUR SERVICES

IsumaTV is an action-oriented platform that enables users to join and
participate interactively in a collaborative process for change. By
joining the website you are able to:

* Upload and exchange multimedia content amongst individuals and
communities with common concerns and interests worldwide.
* Interact, join channels, or connect with other users and members by
text, audio, or video.
* Create your own channel, group, or blog to share your point of view.
* Allow other users to be members of your channel and update them with
your new posts and activities.
* Import your existing blog from another source.
* Watch indigenous videos and contribute feedback using text, audio or
video.

IsumaTV 2.0 was launched as an updated social networking platform in April
2009 with over a thousand films in thirty different Indigenous languages
free for users.

Live Webcasting, VOD, customized channels and selected advertising are
paid services. Contact info@isuma.tv

Inuit were moved 2,000 km in Cold War manoeuvring

Inuit were moved 2,000 km in Cold War manoeuvring
Uprooted from their homes to the south, the so-called high-Arctic exiles
were promised they could return if they didn't like their new lives. They
were lied to. A half-century later, their stranded descendants are still
waiting for an apology

http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/732175--these-inuit-were-specimens-in-an-icy-lab

NTI to Host Annual Year-in-Review Program Live on CBC Radio Dec. 3 and 4, 2009 from 1:30-3:00 p.m. EST.

NTI to Host Annual Year-in-Review Program Live on CBC Radio

Released | November 28, 2009 |

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. will host its annual Year-in-Review program live on
CBC radio on Dec. 3 and 4, 2009 from 1:30-3:00 p.m. EST.

NTI President Paul Kaludjak will participate Dec. 3. First Vice-President
James Eetoolook and Vice-President of Finance Raymond Ningeocheak will
participate Dec. 4. Both broadcasts will be recorded live on CBC's
Tausunni Program by well-known host Lisa Ipeelie.

The annual Year-in-Review Program gives Beneficiaries the opportunity to
call in and express their concerns and ask questions of NTI's executive
officers. The program also provides an opportunity to update Beneficiaries
on the accomplishments made by NTI in 2008.

Beneficiaries are encouraged to listen to the program and take part by
calling in with questions about issues, including Nunavut Land Claims
Agreement implementation, finances, Inuit and Impact Benefit Agreements,
wildlife, and the lawsuit against the Government of Canada. Audience
members can call toll- free at 1-888-896-4135 or 867-979-6151.

This is the 7th annual Year-in-Review Program hosted by NTI.

For further information:

Kerry McCluskey
Associate Director of Communications
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
Tel: (867) 975-4914
Toll-free: 1-888-646-0006
kmccluskey@tunngavik.com

Bush pilot leaves legacy of determination

Bush pilot leaves legacy of determination

Elizabeth McMillan
Northern News Services
Published Friday, November 27, 2009

[excerpt]

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Jim McAvoy flew planes in a time before satellite phones and GPS systems, before stringent aviation regulations and cargo limits, when paycheques were often dependent on the same gamble that prospectors and fishermen relied on - the balance of weather, luck and determination.

Jim McAvoy greets a young Dene boy in Fort Reliance in 1991 while flying a Single Otter plane for Air Tindi. The long-time aviator died last week at the age of 79. - Photo courtesy of Air Tindi

McAvoy died at his home outside of Thorsby, Alta. on Nov. 21. He was 79.

Madam Nicole Jauvin, Deputy Minister and President of Canadian Northern Development Agency (CanNor)

Madam Nicole Jauvin, Deputy Minister and President of Canadian Northern Development Agency (CanNor)  at a reception given in honor of Daryl Dolynny

Madam Nicole Jauvin, Deputy Minister and President of Canadian Northern Development Agency (CanNor) at a reception given in honor of Daryl Dolynny, Laureate, 2009, acknowledged for his excellence in "commercial services", category of Lauriers de la PME. This national award, organized by RDEE Canada, honors Francophone entrepreneurs for their economic performance and their contribution to Canadian economy.
Madam Jauvin, president of Canadian Northern Development Agency (CanNor) was one of the sponsors of the event and will be the guest of honor.
CDETNO takes this opportunity to recognize and honor Pierre LePage, Laureate 2005, for excellence in the category of "tourism".
The goal of the evening is to meet, in addition to our territorial elected, business representatives of the NWT. This event provides an opportunity to enlarge their networks. Also, at this reception we will recognize the contribution of Francophone businesses to the economy of the NWT. In addition, the reception will provide an opportunity for these businesses to connect to the greater community.
DATE: Thursday, November 26th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
LOCATION:Niko's Market, 480 Range Lake Road, Yellowknife

B.C. firm wins design contract for Arctic naval port

WorleyParsons Westmar Ltd. of North Vancouver, B.C., won the contract for the first of a four-phase design project for the naval refueling facility, to be based at the former Nanisivik lead and zinc mine site near Arctic Bay, Nunavut.

The first phase covers construction requirements and preliminary design work that will set up the remaining design phases, the Defence Department stated in a news release Thursday.

in reference to:

"WorleyParsons Westmar Ltd. of North Vancouver, B.C., won the contract for the first of a four-phase design project for the naval refueling facility, to be based at the former Nanisivik lead and zinc mine site near Arctic Bay, Nunavut. The first phase covers construction requirements and preliminary design work that will set up the remaining design phases, the Defence Department stated in a news release Thursday."
- CBC News - North - B.C. firm wins design contract for Arctic naval port (view on Google Sidewiki)

Bevington urges Harper to act in Beaufort Sea dispute

Oil, gas exploration sale could help resolve disagreement: Alaska

A Northwest Territories MP is urging Prime Minister Stephen Harper to protect Canada's claim to a disputed area in the Beaufort Sea, where the United States wants to drill for oil and gas.

Dennis Bevington, the NDP member for Western Arctic, expressed concern in the Commons this week that the U.S. and Alaskan governments plan to sell oil and gas exploration leases off the northern coasts of Alaska and the Yukon.

The 21,000-square-kilometre area — roughly four times the size of Prince Edward Island — is claimed by both Canada and the U.S. as part of a territorial dispute spanning more than three decades.

Bevington said Harper should at least demand the issue be settled through diplomatic or even legal means before any drilling takes place.

"The prime minister needs to bring this up at the highest level within diplomatic circles with the United States," Bevington told CBC News.

"If permits are given in the disputed area, those should immediately be taken to the international courts for intervention."

in reference to:

"A Northwest Territories MP is urging Prime Minister Stephen Harper to protect Canada's claim to a disputed area in the Beaufort Sea, where the United States wants to drill for oil and gas. Dennis Bevington, the NDP member for Western Arctic, expressed concern in the Commons this week that the U.S. and Alaskan governments plan to sell oil and gas exploration leases off the northern coasts of Alaska and the Yukon. The 21,000-square-kilometre area — roughly four times the size of Prince Edward Island — is claimed by both Canada and the U.S. as part of a territorial dispute spanning more than three decades. Bevington said Harper should at least demand the issue be settled through diplomatic or even legal means before any drilling takes place. "The prime minister needs to bring this up at the highest level within diplomatic circles with the United States," Bevington told CBC News. "If permits are given in the disputed area, those should immediately be taken to the international courts for intervention.""
- CBC News - North - MP urges Harper to act in Beaufort Sea dispute (view on Google Sidewiki)

CBQM: The Biggest Little Radio Station in the North - 'I'm darn proud of it' says Ruth Wright

CBQM (Trailer)
Dennis Allen, 2009, 2 min 12 s
Dennis Allen's feature-length documentary is about Fort McPherson, a Teetl'it Gwich'in community in the Northwest Territories, and its citizen-run radio station. A resilient expression of Aboriginal pride, CBQM serves a far-flung and loyal listenership – and plays the best damn country music in the Mackenzie Delta.

'I'm darn proud of it'

Andrew Rankin
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, November 26, 2009

http://nnsl.com/northern-news-services/stories/papers/nov26_09den.html

INUVIK - After the movie CBQM: The Biggest Little Radio Station in the North ended at the community centre on Friday evening, Ruth Wright got up from her seat with tears in her eyes.

"It was just gorgeous," she said. "It's real people. We know them. I'm darn proud of it because it captures the beautiful land and spirit of our people."

Inuvik filmmaker Dennis Allen shares a laugh with Neil Colin, one of his main characters in CBQM: The Biggest Little Radio Station in the North. Colin had no trouble charming Friday's community centre audience as he and Allen spoke to the crowd about being involved with the film. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

"I can't have any dry fish or dry meat, but just wait boy," she said with a laugh.

She wasn't the only one moved by Inuvik filmmaker Dennis Allen's lively inside look at the extraordinary community radio station based in Fort McPherson.

Inuvik resident Karen Mitchell grew up in Fort McPherson and said the movie offered so much to be proud of.

"It gave me the sense of homeliness," she said. "It didn't just portray one aspect of our community and its people, it included the land, the spirituality, both on the land and of the church and the connection of younger and older generations."

The humorous, often hilarious film, centres on the radio station, which is essentially the heart of the community.

Against the backdrop of classic country western music, the film introduces a range of colourful characters who volunteer to keep the station going, such as a group of local old-time country musicians playing their hearts out in live performances. Then there's the hosts, like the good natured, red-headed constable who urges kids to stop egging home windows and the lively elderly woman, who politely asks drunk listeners not to call and just to enjoy the music.

While radio commentators talk and music plays, hosts are barraged by residents calling in to wish their neighbours luck with bingo or to report on ice break-up on the river.

The camera visits the places in the community where the radio is being heard whether it's the school or beside an elder at home doing bead work. Mixed in are plenty of striking images of the surrounding landscape.

Allen, who was born and raised in Inuvik, was on hand for the showing as he had been present for its world debut more than two months ago in Fort McPherson. After the crowd filed out of the venue, he said he was pleased by the support, although he stopped short of saying he was surprised.

"It's offers a sense of community," he said. "(there's) so many people feel fragmented from their community. After watching this film I think they feel a sense of belonging."

The accomplished Inuvialuit director and musician said for that reason he's been a fan of the station for a long time. A few years ago he got the idea to create the film while driving in his vehicle near Fort McPherson. At the time he heard a particularly funny announcer looking to be relieved from his post so he could feed his dogs.

"It was 5:30 and he said 'I want to go home and feed my dogs, somebody come and relieve me.' Five minutes later he would repeat himself and he was getting more and more desperate.

"He was saying, 'You always want someone on the radio station but no one is phoning.' It was innocent, but it was comical. I wanted to make a film capturing that humour. That was the moment that really inspired me."

Friday's screening was the movie's fifth public showing. It's already been screened in festivals in Calgary and Toronto and will be entered in a variety of other national and international film festivals. Allen said after that the movie will broadcast on some television stations and in about a year will be available on DVD.

The film took two-and-a-half years to make, comprising about 60 hours of shooting. He was allowed up close and personal access into residents' lives because, he said, for the most part they knew him and trusted him.

"I was born and raised in Inuvik," he said. "Fort McPherson is two hours away. I know everybody. I guess they trusted me that I was going to do the right thing. Some people weren't receptive. Most people just opened their doors."

- - - - - - -

CBQM, a short documentary in which filmmaker Dennis Allen pays tribute to the "Moccasin Telegraph," won the Alanis Obomsawin Best Documentary Award, with a jury member saying, "Through accomplished storytelling, [Allen] has deftly captured the small, yet transformative, moments that make up human experience."

- - - - - - - - 

Trailer for CBQM: The Biggest Little Radio Station in the North - on the NFB website

http://www.nfb.ca/film/cbqm_radio_trailer/

Dennis Allen, 2009, 2 min 12 s

Dennis Allen's feature-length documentary is about Fort McPherson, a Teetl'it Gwich'in community in the Northwest Territories, and ...
[ more ]

Dennis Allen's feature-length documentary is about Fort McPherson, a Teetl'it Gwich'in community in the Northwest Territories, and its citizen-run radio station. A resilient expression of Aboriginal pride, CBQM serves a far-flung and loyal listenership – and plays the best damn country music in the Mackenzie Delta.

-----

Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=295703175360

STAY COOL: SnowKing Movie

Trailer for the upcoming feature length documentary "Stay Cool" by COLLECTIVE9. Hailing from the frozen land of Canada's Northwest Territories, the SnowKing builds a massive castle every year that the whole town of Yellowknife parties at. The film will be released in the fall of 2009.

November 26, 2009

[excerpt]

Toward North Corps: Nurturing the Spirit of Inuit Independence while Pre-empting a Movement for Inuit Secession

It's time for a circumpolar North Corps program, modeled on the Peace Corps, to help the Arctic to achieve its full potential

By Barry S. Zellen

Securing the Northern Front

In the years since the nail-biter of a referendum on Québec separation from the rest of Canada held in 1995, Québec and Anglo-Canada have worked hard to patch up their differences, and on November 22, 2006, Prime Minister Stephen Harper preempted a renewed effort by Québec separatists to assert their enduring nationhood in yet another referendum that would unravel the Canadian confederation, and "surprised the House of Commons . . . by announcing his party wants to recognize Québec as nation within a united Canada," as recalled by CanWest News' Carly Weeks. (See: "Harper Wants to Recognize Québec as Nation within a United Canada," CanWest News Service, November 22, 2006.)

For the moment, the issue of Québec's distinctiveness, and its yearning for independence, seems to have been alleviated, but the perennial nature of this issue, across so many generations, suggests it will inevitably resurface again, and when it does, the role of the Arctic as a potential strategic counter-balance to an independent Québec will have to be assessed, as will its role as part of what Ken Coates et al. have recently described as the re-emerging "Arctic front" as the world community races to exploit the strategic and economic opportunities of a polar thaw. (Ken S. Coates, P. Whitney Lackenbauer, William R. Morrison, and Greg Poelzer, Arctic Front: Defending Canada in the Far North. Toronto: Thomas Allen, 2008.)

In anticipation of a future secessionist threat from Québec or an external challenge to Canada's Arctic sovereignty, a tighter integration of the Inuit homeland with the rest of Anglo-Canada would go far to enhance the bond that unites Canada, north and south, fostering greater loyalty to Canada among the people of the Arctic. This can be achieved by a closer collaboration between Ottawa and Nunavut in their land claims implementation and co-management efforts, and through continued recruitment, training, and deployment of Canadian Rangers that patrol the Arctic coast, engage in surveillance, and assist in search and rescue in partnership with the crown.

But just as the aspiration of Québec to become independent will likely never entirely be extinguished, it is possible that a genuine desire by the Inuit for independence might also emerge. In Greenland, which is one of the world's largest, remotest, and poorest islands, and which within the context of long-term global warming shows many potential attributes of sovereign independence—with its own language, a distinct culture, vast offshore and potential onshore resources—the case for independence, and to end its colonial dependency on Denmark, is indeed compelling.

Hay River's famous for its Buffalo wings

Hay River's famous for its Buffalo wings

Written by Diana Yeager

Tuesday, 24 November 2009 11:15

"Buffalo" Joe McBryan beams with pride as he stands with two die-hard fans Linda Gallagher and Sheila Cook after the premiere showing on Thursday night.  Dianan Yeager Photo Buffalo Airways is going to put the NWT on the entertainment map, but first it made sure to thank the community it calls home. Hay River was treated to an exclusive viewing of Buffalo Airways' new reality television series, 'Ice Pilots NWT,' produced by OMNI's History Television. The 13-episode show premiered on November 18 nation-wide, but special treatment was given to Hay River. The first showing attracted over 280 excited viewers to the Hay River cineplex, where tables were dotted with black and green cupcakes and free shirts were given out as proof of attendance. The celebration was a completely sold out event.

Read more...

Indigenous Peoples Issues and Resources

http://indigenouspeoplesissues.com/

Indigenous Peoples Issues and Resources is a worldwide network of
organizations, academics, activists, indigenous groups, and others
representing indigenous and tribal peoples. We consist of a concerned
group of social scientists, activists, scholars, laypeople, indigenous
people, and others who all share a combined goal: to provide resources,
news, articles, and information on current issues effecting indigenous and
tribal peoples around the world. Founded in 2007 by Peter N. Jones,
Indigenous Peoples Issues and Resources has quickly grown into a network
of subscribers, contributors, and supporters across the globe. Indigenous
Peoples Issues and Resources has been fighting continuously for the rights
of indigenous and tribal peoples since its inception.

Our mission is to fight for the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples.
We accomplish this mission by:

* promoting full recognition of the rights and territories of
indigenous and tribal peoples
* promoting the development of indigenous and tribal peoples and their
participation in decision and policy making
* establishing effective networks between indigenous and tribal
peoples at regional, state, and international levels
* exchanging information and experiences to empower members to
advocate for the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples, enabling
them to have a positive impact
* to provide articles, videos, resources, news, and information
concerning indigenous and tribal peoples
* promoting worldwide solidarity between indigenous and tribal peoples

Inuit fabric artist Normee Ekoomiak brought the North to the city

Inuit fabric artist Normee Ekoomiak brought the North to the city

He worked through pain and addictions to produce his celebrated wall hangings

BUZZ BOURDON

OTTAWA — From Saturday's Globe and Mail Published on Monday, Nov. 23, 2009
11:03PM EST

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/inuit-fabric-artist-normee-ekoomiak-brought-the-north-to-the-city/article1375055/

or

http://bit.ly/4x8W5w

[excerpt]

Normee Ekoomiak endured a great deal of pain during his life, both
emotional and physical, but no matter how bad things got, he always went
back to his art. Even when eight of his fingers and both legs had to be
amputated in 2007, he tried for months to keep stitching his celebrated
wall hangings before he finally admitted defeat.

Renowned across North America for his paintings, drawings and embroidered
tapestries, Mr. Ekoomiak was an Inuk who illustrated Inuit life, myths and
culture. Praised in 2000 by a critic as "remarkable for their exquisite
use of form and colour," much of his art was autobiographical, displaying
the traditional way of life that he experienced first-hand growing up in
northern Quebec during the 1950s.

Although Mr. Ekoomiak built an enviable artistic reputation with his
colourful wall hangings made of woollen embroidery and felt appliqué, his
serious addiction to drugs and alcohol during most of his life led to
periodic bouts of poverty and homelessness.

Never Been Loved

Leanne Goose and the Big River Band perform a rendition of Never Been Loved at the Inuvik 50th Anniversary celebrations. You can download an MP3 of the single here.
http://www.nnsl.com/nnslmusic/Leanne%20Goose%20-%20Never%20Been%20Loved%20Before.mp3

Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears online magazine

Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears is an online magazine integrating science,
literacy, and the polar regions. In each month's issue, you can:

* Explore the Arctic and Antarctica
* Learn science concepts and literacy strategies
* Read about misconceptions, equity, and technology
* Discover standards-based lessons and resources
* Integrate polar science into your curriculum

http://beyondpenguins.nsdl.org/

While the Arctic may seem bleak and inhospitable, indigenous people have
successfully lived there for thousands of years. In this issue, learn how
the Inuit of northern Canada, Inupiat of arctic Alaska, and Sami of
northern Europe survive in a harsh environment. ...

we've included links to the Feature Stories from the past issues of Beyond
Penguins and Polar Bears. Our stories are available at K-1, 2-3, and 4-5
grade levels in three formats:

* Text only: A pdf file that includes only the text and a glossary.
This prints as an 8.5" by 11" handout and is 2-4 pages in length.

* Illustrated book: A full-color pdf file that can be printed, cut,
and folded to form a 2 1/8" by 2 3/4" book (directions below). Each
book contains color photographs and illustrations; some books contain
activity pages.

* Electronic book: Onscreen versions of the books, accessible from the
Content Clips web site. Recorded narration allows students to listen
to the story as they read along on the screen. Highlighted vocabulary
words have individually recorded definitions so that students can hear
the definition with a single click.

Old Time Family Fiddle Dance # 1

Saturday, November 21, 2009 (8:00 p.m. - midnight) - Old Time Family Fiddle Dance at the Elk's hall with Aurora Fiddle Society in support of the John Howard Society of the Northwest Territories.
Aurora Fiddle Society promotes fiddling in Yellowknife and and throughout the North Slave region. We offer week-end workshops 3 - 5 times/year, with professional musicians from the North and across Canada providing the instruction. These workshops provide fiddling development opportunities for people of all ages and skills. Instruction is provided for beginners (never touched a fiddle before) to advanced levels. Many of our members also attend fiddling workshops in other areas of Canada - from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to British Columbia, and points in-between.
To contact the Aurora Fiddle Society, e-mail aurorafiddle@gmail.com
or http://www.fiddlingnwt.com/

Ice Pilots NWT flies to new History TV ratings record

Ice Pilots NWT flies to new History TV ratings record

http://www.tv-eh.com/2009/11/20/ice-pilots-nwt-flies-to-new-history-tv-ratings-record/

[excerpt]

Ice Pilots NWT Soars, Setting New Ratings Record!

* Ice Pilots NWT delivers highest-ever ratings for a Canadian series
on History Television
* Highest-rated program on Specialty Television during its timeslot

The series premiere of the highly-anticipated Canwest original series Ice
Pilots NWT garnered massive ratings with 459,000 viewers (2+), marking the
highest audience ever for a Canadian series on History Television. The
debut episode, which aired Wednesday, November 18 at 10 pm ET/PT,
hauled-in 174,000 viewers in the A25-54 demographic and achieved a
remarkable 164,000 viewers in the younger, A18-49 category. Ice Pilots NWT
also proved to be a hit with females, pulling in 59,000 (W25-54) and an
impressive 74,000 in the W18-49 demographic. The highest-rated series on
Specialty Television during its timeslot, Ice Pilots NWT also won the
timeslot against conventional network CityTV and sports Specialty TSN.

The epic premiere of Ice Pilots NWT aired after the compelling
viewer-favourite series, Ice Road Truckers, which continues to achieve
huge audience numbers for the channel. An impressive 323,000 viewers (2+)
tuned-in to the eleventh episode of the season on November 18 at 9 pm
ET/PT, creating a powerful lead-in for the premiere of Ice Pilots NWT.
Garnering over 750,000 (2+) viewers between the two shows combined, this
audience success has proven that Canadians are captivated by History
Television's gripping living history series, set right here in the great
Canadian North.

Follow the Trail by Nadine Lamoureux and Lynne S. Rollin of Arviat, Nunavut

Follow the Trail

Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, November 18, 2009

[excerpt]

ARVIAT - A book of stunning photography and illuminating text on the beauty of Arviat will be released later this month by Nadine Lamoureux and Lynne S. Rollin.

Follow the Trail is a new book on the beauty of Arviat which will be available later this month. Lynne S. Rollin (inset) has lived in Arviat for the past 25 years. - photo courtesy of Nadine Lamoureux

The book, Follow the Trail, depicts life in Arviat through photos of people, landscapes, animals and birds.

Lamoureux hails from a small community south of Winnipeg.

She visited Arviat during the summer of 1997 and returned to stay a few months later.

Lamoureux joined the staff at the Catholic Mission and the Mikilaaq Centre, where she became a Jack-of-all-trades. She managed to combine work with studies, and eventually realized her dream of becoming a photographer.

She's shared her talents and knowledge through workshops and classes offered at the Mikilaaq Centre and a local school.

Lamoureux designed the pair's first calendar in 2007, with two more to follow.

The release of Follow the Trail will be a dream come true for her in many ways.

She said the book captures the beauty of simple, everyday life in Arviat.

"The photos are very recent, with most coming from the past year and others from a year or two before that," said Lamoureux.

"It's not a historical book of Arviat, but a fresh look at life in our community.

"Lynne's been here for 25 years and I've been here for 12, so she does write about her stories on the land and different ways we've experienced Arviat.

"With Lynne being here so long, some of the stories do go back a ways, but the photos are new."

Lamoureux said she won't be totally relieved over the book's completion until she sees the final product.

She said the point of the book is to show Arviat's beauty, and she will be proud to accomplish that.

Free Syllabics fonts Downloads (MAC & PC) plus keyboards

Free Syllabics fonts Downloads (MAC & PC)

Canadian Syllabics & Latin Scripts

Euphemia covers most languages which use the Canadian Syllabic script
including various Cree orthographies, Inuktitut and the historical
Carrier/Dakelh script (dulkw'ahke). Three fonts are available with free
end-user licences in TrueType-OpenType format (.ttf).

Pigiarniq, Uqammaq and the Inuktitut Keyboard Driver

Macintosh keyboards for Inuktitut are available with Mac OSX 10.3 or
later. They are compatible with both the version of Euphemia available
here as well as the version of Euphemia that comes with OSX, as well as
any other Unicode-encoded Inuktitut fonts or UCAS fonts. If you wish to
have the latest version, and/or a version of Euphemia that has the extra
features (smallcaps, old-style figures etc.) you can download the version
from this site.

http://www.tiro.com/syllabics/resources/index.html

--
GEORGE LESSARD

Information & Media Specialist
6402135 Canada Inc.

451 Norseman Drive
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
X1A 2J1, Canada

Yellowknife Land Line # (867) 873-2662
Yellowknife Cell # (867) 445-9193

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Member:
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Canadian Artists Representation / le Front des artistes canadiennes
http://www.carfac.ca/
Canadian Artists Representation Copyright Collective http://www.carcc.ca/

Interact live with filmmakers Zacharias Kunuk and Ian Mauro

		November 18, 2009
Inuit Knowledge & Climate Change Video Invited to COP15 in Copenhagen Interact with filmmakers Zacharias Kunuk and Ian Mauro during live weekly webcasts from Igloolik every Thursday from 8-10 pm starting November 19. Inuit Knowledge & Climate Change, a new film and internet research project by Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk and environmental researcher Dr. Ian Mauro, has been invited by the United Nations to screen at COP-15, the international climate change negotiations being held in Copenhagen December 7-17. A 15-minute trailer of Kunuk and Mauro's work-in-progress will be presented in the U.N.'s film festival, "Indigenous People and Climate Change," at the National Museum of Denmark. In the three weeks leading up to Copenhagen, Kunuk and Mauro invite viewers to watch, skype in and ask questions during live weekly online webcasts of their editing sessions in Igloolik, Nunavut, every Thursday evening from 8-10 PM Eastern Standard Time at: www.isuma.tv/IKCC "It's important the Inuit point of view on climate change is heard by the international community in Copenhagen," says Kunuk, creator of Atanarjuat The Fast Runner and one of Canada's most respected filmmakers. "Our project offers the voices of Inuit elders, hunters, women and youth to the world." Kunuk, Mauro and their film crew have traveled to Nunavut communities of Pangnirtung, Iqaluit, Resolute Bay and Igloolik speaking with Inuit about thinning sea ice, melting glaciers, changing animal patterns and their impacts on human health and communities. "Inuit are climate change experts," says Mauro, an environmental and social scientist based at the University of Victoria. "Their knowledge of the environment is very rich. Over 4000 years they have weathered past climate changes and have a lot to teach the world about human adaptation." Inuit Knowledge & Climate Change uses the internet to bring Inuit into this urgent global discussion, while offering a worldwide audience the opportunity to understand and engage with Inuit knowledge directly online. Inuit Knowledge & Climate Change will be released as a feature-length film by Igloolik Isuma Productions later in 2010. MEDIA CONTACT INFORMATION Zacharias Kunuk: zkunuk@isuma.ca | Ian Mauro: ianmauro@uvic.ca Igloolik +1.867.934.8809; Montreal +1.514.486.0707 www.isuma.tv/IKCC | Skype ID: InuitKnowledgeAndClimateChange

Unpaid child and spousal support lowest in Northwest Territories, at 54 per cent

Unpaid child and spousal support hits $2.5 billion
Canada.com
The lowest was in the Northwest Territories, at 54 per cent. Ontario was at  63 per cent compliance, BC and Alberta were both at 65 per cent. ...
<http://www.canada.com/news/Unpaid+child+spousal+support+hits+billion/2234045/story.html>

NASA Hosts Native Peoples Workshop to Study Climate Change

Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761
sonja.r.alexander@nasa.gov

Nov. 16, 2009

RELEASE : 09-267

NASA Hosts Native Peoples Workshop to Study Climate Change

WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a second national strategies workshop to
examine the impacts of climate change and extreme weather variability on
native peoples and their homelands. The workshop, which will study the
impacts from an indigenous cultural, spiritual and scientific perspective,
will take place Nov. 18 - 21 at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior
Lake, Minn.

"This workshop will bring native indigenous knowledge together with
science, education, and technologies to address the challenges of climate
and environmental change," said Nancy Maynard of NASA's Goddard Space
Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

The workshop will help ensure participation by tribal colleges and
universities in the development of response and adaptation policies and
recommendations regarding climate change. The goal is to ensure the
survival of indigenous communities. The workshop is being held in
collaboration with the nation's 36 tribally-controlled colleges and
universities, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, and other
partners.

"Tribal college students represent many of the future tribal leaders who
will inherit the consequences of climate change and be responsible for
implementing the adaptation strategies," said Dan Wildcat of Haskell
Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kan. "It is critical that they have
these kinds of opportunities to participate in key climate change
discussions and build their science, technology, engineering and math
skills."

For more information about the workshop, including registration
information, visit:

http://www.nativepeoplesnativehomelands.org

- end -

Can indigenous knowledge reduce climate disaster risk?

Can indigenous knowledge reduce climate disaster risk?

Posted on 17 November 2009. Filed under: Early Warning, Environment

http://kenvironews.wordpress.com/2009/11/17/can-indigenous-knowledge-reduce-climate-disaster-risk/

[excerpt]

"...I have just spent three weeks in Northern Kenya among the Borana
people, followed by three weeks in Mindanao, southern Philippines, partly
with the Higaonan tribe. Vastly different countries yet I was immediately
struck by the similarities in the challenges the communities faced,
including drought, conflict, floods and general environmental degradation.
In my discussions with the indigenous communities I wondered how they had
survived in the past to change with their environment and why they
appeared less able to cope today? The answer lies in the richness of
indigenous knowledge. Indigenous communities had and still have knowledge
that enables them to adapt to environmental change. Indigenous knowledge
can help reduce vulnerability and that is something we need to take into
account as we develop strategies to reduce risk.

'OUR KNOWLEDGE HELPS US COPE'

"Our knowledge helps us to cope. We have strong community support and an
early warning system which helps us be prepared," reported one Filipino
living in a flood- and conflict-affected area in northern Mindanao. "We
used to be able to cope with the effects of drought … they were not so bad
before," said a Borana pastoralist struggling to keep his livestock alive
in northern Kenya. Indigenous knowledge is still relevant, but we need to
be careful not to over-romanticise it. As the Kenyan I spoke with
suggests, indigenous knowledge is perhaps less relevant in the context of
an increased pace of change being experienced today, which could be due to
worsening environmental degradation or climate change. Climate change is
affecting many indigenous communities throughout the world. Environmental
degradation resulting from inappropriate human activity is also a major
threat. For example, the loss of traditional farming techniques can lead
to damage as families adopt modern techniques that are seen as more
sophisticated but are perhaps not suited to the specific context. So given
all these threats and pressures upon indigenous communities to 'change',
the big question is: Can indigenous knowledge still help reduce disaster
risk now and in the future? The fact that indigenous communities have
survived for centuries in hazardous environments suggests it can. So why
are we not utilising this rich indigenous knowledge within international
efforts to reduce disaster risk? The loss, misuse of and general disregard
for indigenous knowledge is partly the fault of 'science'. We in the West
have been quick to dismiss indigenous knowledge as inferior and
insignificant...."

Inuit Style Graffiti

Inuit Style Graffiti
Originally uploaded by Georgie_grrl

Inuit Style Graffiti photo by Georgie_grrl.
If anyone can give me some more explanation behind the characters and the style of this piece, Georgie_grrll'ed really appreciate it. Georgie_grrl thinks it's just beautiful.

Save the Slave full

The Slave River is in danger of falling prey to the greedy developers that are looking to line their pockets. By damming the Slave River these developers will effectively steal a public asset from the people of the north West Territories and destroy a vast number of unique and beautiful eco-systems.

Pauktuutit president Rhoda Innuksuk ousted

Pauktuutit president ousted
Innuksuk accused of misconduct, according to internal documents

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/11/17/pauktuutit-president-ousted.html?ref=rss

Rhoda Innuksuk has been dismissed as president of Pauktuutit Inuit Women
of Canada, as part of a conflict brewing for months at the national Inuit
women's organization.

CBC News has learned that Innuksuk was ousted on Monday night as
Pauktuutit's president for alleged misconduct, citing in part an interview
she did with CBC Radio in July about changes at the organization.

Richard Carbonnier (Nunavut, Canada) Arctic Perspective Initiative announces the winners of its open architecture competition

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Inke Arns <inke.arns@hmkv.de>
Date: 2009/11/1
Subject: <nettime> Arctic Perspective Initiative announces the winners of its open architecture competition
To: Nettime ML <nettime-l@kein.org>




Arctic Perspective Initiative announces the winners
of its open architecture competition

Three architects – Richard Carbonnier (Nunavut, Canada), Giuseppe
Mecca (Italy), and Catherine Rannou (France) – have been selected as
the joint winners of the Arctic Perspective Initiative open
architecture competition. The challenge of this international
competition was to design a zero-footprint mobile research unit for
use by local populations in the Arctic. The unit is intended to
facilitate a diverse range of technological research opportunities,
such as remote sensing, environmental monitoring, video editing and
streaming, and communications systems.

The three winning entries, each awarded €1500, were selected by an
expert jury from 103 submissions from architects and engineers in
more than 30 countries. The competition was the first phase of a
design process, the next phase of which will involve working with the
winning submissions through a collaborative design effort with local
community members from Nunavut, Canada. A prototype unit will be
tested in the field next year in Igloolik, Nunavut, by local media
workers, hunters, youth and elders of the community.

API is committed to the empowerment and sustainable development of
Northern communities through the collaboration and combination of
science, arts, engineering and culture. The unit aims to serve as a
model for mobile research in the north, incorporating proven local
expertise, sustainable resources, and high tech solutions, while
promoting open source data sharing strategies and management. All
required power will come from green sources.

The Arctic Perspective Initiative (API) is a transnational art,
science, and culture work group composed of HMKV (Germany), The Arts
Catalyst (UK), Projekt Atol (Slovenia), Lorna (Iceland) and C-TASC
(Canada). API is the brainchild of Marko Peljhan and Matthew
Biederman, who met and worked together for the first time as
crewmembers of the Makrolab mkII in Blair Atholl, Scotland in 2002.
API intends to direct attention to the global cultural and ecological
significance of the Polar Regions. In light of the effects of climate
change, the Arctic is simultaneously a zone of crucial contemporary
geopolitical controversy and a space with an opportunity for
transnational, circumpolar, and intercultural cooperation and
collaboration. API aims to do this through the empowerment of the
local citizens of the North via new communications, sensing,
aggregation, transmission and information sharing through
participatory and open technology methodologies.

The design competition is but the first step towards what will
develop, in 2010, into a large-scale (artistic) research project, the
results of which will be documented in the exhibition ARCTIC
PERSPECTIVE – THIRD CULTURE 2010. The exhibition will be on view from
11 June - October 2010 at PHOENIX Halle Dortmund, Germany, during the
European Capital of Culture RUHR.2010 as well as the international
media-art conference ISEA2010 RUHR.

ARCTIC PERSPECTIVE – THIRD CULTURE 2010 is funded by the European
Commission, the City of Dortmund and by the Ministry of Culture of
the Republic of Slovenia.

For more information:

http://www.hmkv.de/dyn/e_program_exhibitions/detail.php?
nr=3594&rubric=exhibitions&
http://arcticperspective.org/



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

Dr. Inke Arns
Kuenstlerische Leiterin / Artistic Director
Hartware MedienKunstVerein (HMKV)
Guentherstr. 65 (Buero / office)
44143 Dortmund, Germany
T ++49 - 231 - 823 106
M ++49 - 176 - 430 627 93
inke.arns@hmkv.de
www.hmkv.de

Yellowknife region earthquakes... Historical earthquakes magnitude 5.0 and larger - Largest earthquakes in the region

Yellowknife region earthquakes...
Historical earthquakes magnitude 5.0 and larger
and
Largest earthquakes in the region

from
http://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/recent_eq/2009/20091114.1808/seismicity-eng.php

Earthquakes magnitude 2.0 and larger, 1980 - present
Largest earthquakes in the region Date Magnitude Longitude Latitude 1924/10/17 5.0 ML -118.00 60.00 1983/03/23 3.3 ML -111.56 65.69 1990/03/30 3.5 MN -116.63 60.39 1992/05/02 3.3 MN -120.43 59.28 2001/11/28 4.5 Mw -113.66 64.96 2001/11/28 4.2 ML -113.48 64.94 2001/11/28 3.9 MN -113.67 64.91 2001/12/10 3.8 MN -119.24 61.11 2007/02/02 3.4 ML -119.98 65.25 2008/06/12 3.8 -117.87 60.99 2008/06/12 3.8 ML -117.87 60.99

“THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE” now on "IFC on Demand" in the US!

From the New York Times' "The Week Ahead: Nov. 15 — 21"
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/arts/15weekahead.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

"... At a time when fewer and fewer foreign films enjoy a theatrical release in the United States, IFC on Demand, the video-on-demand service of IFC films, is a godsend. This month [...] [an]  excellent [film] — [...] the luminous, humane Canadian drama "THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE," [is available] for the first time outside of the festival circuit.

[...]

"The Necessities of Life," set in the early 1950s, stars Natar Ungalaaq (from "Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner") as Tivii, an Inuit hunter suffering from tuberculosis and forcibly removed by the Canadian authorities from his home on Baffin Island to a sanitarium in Quebec City. Away from his family, unable to communicate because of the language barrier, he falls into a deep depression from which he emerges with the help of Kaki (Paul-André Brasseur), a young orphan and fellow patient who speaks both Inuit and French. Canada's official Oscar entry last year for best foreign-language film, this beautifully acted movie, directed by Benoît Pilon, is a heart-tugging near-masterpiece...."

How to get IFC Films on demand in the US [not available in Canada]
http://www.ifcfilms.com/get-ifc-films-on-demand

Is there an earthquake preparedness plan for Yellowknife or the NWT?

This time I was at a Francophone Arts, Culture and Education forum in a multistory concrete and steel building used as a church/apartment/college building with about 30 other folks. I thought for a moment it was snow falling off a roof... because that is what it sounded/felt like... rejected the idea because of the building type... then thought nothing of it until the Google alert from http://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/recent_eq/2009/20091114.1808/index-eng.php came in... then I realized that it had been an earthquake!

The first one I felt in the NWT was several years ago in Inuvik late one night when Iwas living in a three story stick-built apartment building. More than that... it was built on telephone pole sized pilings. I was on the Internet and suddenly felt drunk... when I stood up I noticed that a pot of water on the stove (and not heating) was rippling... so I did a search and found the http://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca site and discovered that Inuvik was in an earthquake zone... That building whould have been destroyed in an instant had the quake been any larger. Then i tried to find out if, as in other earthquake zones, the gas connections to all those buildings in Inuvik had automatic, quake sensitive, shut-off valves to stop gas from causing earthquake damaged buildings from blowing up... asked a guy installing the pipes.. he didn't know anthing about it. I still don't know.

The first time I ever felt an earthquake was at my parents house in the Laurentians north of Montreal... also an earthquake zone...

Ever since the one in Inuvik I've been trying to get the local media to report on the state of earthquake preparedness in the Territory by sending reports to them when I see them. (There is none that I've eaver heard of) It should be interesting to see the what the local media reports on it this week as the epicentre was only a few clicks from Yellowknife.

I'd hate to hear of deaths in the territory caused by lack of planning for the aftermath of an earthquake because back when I was in Iuvik I found out that even local media did not have any plans in case of an earthquake. Hello CBC are you listening? And that's not hard... see EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS CHECKLIST FOR MEDIA http://www.johnmartin.com/earthquakes/EQGUIDES/eqgui_4401.htm

When will we see / hear something on earthquake preparedness fron the GNWT?
See "Before an earthquake: Home preparedness checklist"

http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/knw/ris/eq-eng.aspx#a3

See also
Rock and Roll in the N.W.T.: The 1985 Nahanni Earthquakes
[excerpt]

A remarkable and unprecedented sequence of earthquakes is shaking the mountains west of Fort Simpson in the Northwest Territories. A magnitude 6.6 earthquake on October 5, 1985, and an even larger magnitude 6.9 event on December 23, 1985 disturbed the beautiful and mysterious Nahanni region of the Mackenzie Mountains. Between these earthquakes, and still continuing today, a long succession of aftershocks rumble and jolt the area.

I felt / heard the earthquake in Yellowknife today!

2009-11-14: M=1.0

- 6 km SE of Yellowknife, NT

- felt  in Yellowknife

More information on ... nearby locations

http://earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/recent_eq/2009/20091114.1808/index-eng.php

Earthquake Information Saturday November 14, 2009 Local Time: 11:08:54 MST Magnitude: 1.0 ML Latitude: 62.4 North Longitude: 114.31 West UT Date and Time: 2009-11-14 18:08:54 UT	Did you feel it ? Fill out our questionnaire
6 km S from Yellowknife, NT Felt in Yellowknife
--- GEORGE LESSARD Information, Communications and Media Specialist Spécialiste en l'information, communications et  medias 451 Norseman Dr. Yellowknife, Northwest Territories X1A 2J1, Canada Yellowknife Land Line # (867) 873-2662 Yellowknife Cell # (867) 445-9193 E-mail: mediamentor@gmail.com http://www.google.com/profiles/mediamentor http://www.netvibes.com/mediamentor http://lessardcard.notlong.com SKYPE: themediamentor http://twitter.com/mediamentor

« Il ne faut pas s'étonner que la direction de la santé publique et la direction de mine Raglan voulaient éviter à tout prix que Mine Raglan soit un vecteur important de cette pandémie de grippe dans les communautés où on retrouve des populations à risque. »

— Francis Beauvais, porte-parole de Xstrata Nickel-Mine Raglan

Vaccination des travailleurs du Nord-du-Québec

La direction de la santé publique du Nord-du-Québec offre le vaccin de la grippe H1N1 aux travailleurs qui ne résident pas en permanence sur ce territoire.

Les agences de santé de la Baie-James et du Nunavik veulent ainsi réduire les dangers que les communautés à risque soient contaminées.

http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/Science-Sante/2009/11/13/004-vaccin_travailleurs_N-du-Qc.shtml

A punk-rock fisherman casts for fame

A punk-rock fisherman casts for fame

He's Yellowknife's Fishin' Technician, landing lunker trout and charming the pants off VIP visitors. Now if only he could make his mark.

By Nathan VanderKlippe ©Up Here Publishing 2009

[excerpt] More at:

http://www.uphere.ca/node/468

Mike Bryant wants to make one thing clear. He did not call Survivor. Survivor called him. That is, until they stopped calling.

But that part comes later, after one of television's best-known reality shows started courting the Fishin' Technician, a man who qualifies for the somewhat lesser standing of being Yellowknife's beloved fishing columnist and, somewhat by default, one of the Northwest Territories' better-known personalities.

Boreal Forests: The Carbon the World Forgot

Press Release >           (Download DOC)
Key Findings Q&A >

Executive Summary >  (Download PDF)
Full Report   >              (Download PDF)

http://borealbirds.org/carbonreport.shtml

Boreal forests store more carbon than any other terrestrial ecosystem on earth – twice as much per area as tropical forests. Past estimates of this carbon greatly underestimated the amount, depth, and longevity of this carbon. As the most intact remaining forest on earth, the boreal forest also has exceptionally high potential to accommodate plants and animals forced to shift due to climate change.

This report questions whether international negotiations on carbon and forest protection have adequately considered boreal forests in light of the scientific findings outlining their significance.

Expert Contacts for Interviews

Steve Kallick, Director, International Boreal Conservation Campaign, Pew Environment Group
206-327-1184, skallick@pewtrusts.org

Dr. Jeff Wells, Report author and Director of Science and Policy, Boreal Songbird Initiative,
207-458-8492, jeffw@borealbirds.org

Larry Innes, Executive Director, Canadian Boreal Initiative,
416-575-6776, 613-230-4739 ext 226, linnes@borealcanada.ca

For further information and assistance contact:

Sue Libenson, Media Director, International Boreal Conservation Campaign, 907-766-2841, sue@interboreal.org or Suzanne Fraser, Director of Communications, Canadian Boreal Initiative, (613) 232‐2530, sfraser@borealcanada.ca

Interviews can also be arranged with report reviewers Dr. Stuart Pimm, leading conservation biologist and tropical forest advocate, Duke University and Dr. Andrew Weaver, lead author for the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which was awarded the Nobel Prize, University of Victoria.

Nunavut seal pelt sales plummet

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2009/11/11/nunavut-seal-sales.html?ref=rss

Last Updated: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 | 10:19 AM CT

CBC News

[excerpt]
The price of a Nunavut seal pelt has dropped from as high as $70 to as low as $25 over the past year or so, according to a Canadian fur auction house that sells the pelts. (CBC)

Sales of seal pelts from Nunavut have plummeted in the past year and a half, in the wake of the European Union's move this year to ban the trade of seal products.

The impact of worldwide publicity surrounding the ban, which EU parliamentarians passed in May, is already being felt in Nunavut, where Inuit sealers have made a living harvesting seals for the fur market.

Fur Harvesters Auction Inc. in North Bay, Ont., would usually sell most of the 10,000 to 12,000 seal pelts it receives from Nunavut each year, at an average price ranging from $50 to $70, said Ed Ferguson, a fur technician with the auction house.

"Now, in the last year or so, we've sold probably maybe 25 or 30 per cent, and it's at a $25 or $30 number," Ferguson told CBC News.

Homo Toxicus

Homo Toxicus

2008
Distributed by Bullfrog Films, PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547; 800-543-FROG (3764)
Produced by Les Productions ISCA, Carole Poliquin and Isaac Isitan
Directed by Carole Poliquin
DVD, color, 88 min. and 52 min. versions
College - Adult
Health Sciences, Environmental Studies


Reviewed by Lori Widzinski, Health Sciences Library, University at Buffalo, State University of New York
http://libweb.lib.buffalo.edu/emro/emroDetail.asp?Number=3816

The amounts of chemicals that the Canadian governments allows in consumable goods is very small…but scientists have proven that even small amounts of certain chemicals, or the mixture of small amounts may build up and cause severe public health problems. Poliquin visits two different Canadian regions where environmental chemicals are changing the population. One, a tiny Nunavut village where the people have the world's highest concentrations of PCBs and mercury in their bodies. Here the children are experiencing a weakened immune system towards ear infections, causing a significantly high percentage of deteriorating eardrums and hearing loss.

Canada signs on to continent-wide wilderness protection deal

'...The Canadian government is being singled out at the Merida conference for its decision to expand the Nahanni National Park Reserve of Canada, making the World Heritage site and the sixth largest national park in the world...."


Canada signs on to continent-wide wilderness protection deal

(CP) – 1 day ago [excerpts]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5gMxeE3vmmTAq4qru_10Rtkm2-5kw

MERIDA, Mexico — The federal government has agreed to what's being billed as an unprecedented commitment to wilderness conservation in North America.

Environment Minister Jim Prentice today announced he's signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States and Mexico that binds the three countries together in defending uninhabited spaces.

Much of the recent debate over the environment has been framed around climate change and Prentice says the Conservative government and Canada as a whole have not received enough recognition for conservation efforts.

He said Parks Canada has roughly 300,000 square kilometres of land under protection, a space bigger than many European countries.

It is Europeans who count themselves among the Conservative government's biggest international critics on climate change, especially over its abandonment of the Kyoto Protocol targets.

That conservation is thriving is something "Canadians need to crow about it a bit more," Prentice said Saturday.

Inuktitut - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Inuktitut (Inuktitut syllabics: ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ (fonts required), literally "like the Inuit") is the name of some of the Inuit languages spoken in Canada. It is spoken in all areas north of the tree line, including parts of the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, to some extent in northeastern Manitoba as well as the territories of Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, and traditionally on the Arctic Ocean coast of Yukon.

It is recognised as an official language in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. It also has legal recognition in Nunavik—a part of Quebec—thanks in part to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, and is recognised in the Charter of the French Language as the official language of instruction for Inuit school districts there. It also has some recognition in Nunatsiavut—the Inuit area in Labrador—following the ratification of its agreement with the Government of Canada and the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Canadian census reports that there are roughly 35,000 Inuktitut speakers in Canada, including roughly 200 who live regularly outside of traditionally Inuit lands.[1]

For more information on the relationship between Inuktitut and the Inuit languages spoken in Greenland and Alaska, see Inuit language.

[excerpt]

Full story at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuktitut_language

Natives want PM to screen northern Quebec projects

What has been called Canada's largest construction project came under fire from aboriginal groups Friday, who called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to protect their treaty rights in the face of a Quebec government plan to develop the province's north.

The skirmish threatens to end an era of amiable relations between the province and aboriginal groups in a return to old feuds that dominated hydroelectric power discussions in the past.

Premier Jean Charest's Plan Nord, a showpiece project that was announced with great fanfare during last year's provincial election, is part of the government's goal for massive resource development in the north.

The plan includes $19 billion in new energy projects, which would add 3,500 megawatts to Hydro-Québec's grid by 2035 — enough to power roughly 600,000 homes.

'Our relationship must be one of nation to nation, government to government.'—Chief Ghislain Picard, Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador

But some aboriginal groups contend it will bulldoze their traditional way of life and steamroller their treaty rights.

Five Innu communities boycotted a closed-door meeting hosted by Quebec Natural Resources Minister Nathalie Normandeau in Quebec City on Friday to discuss the project. But about 200 people from northern Quebec did attend the gathering.

Chief Ghislain Picard, head of the powerful Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, called on Harper to intervene.

"The time has come to correct a degrading and unhealthy situation for the development of both First Nations and Canada," he wrote to Harper in a letter released Friday.

in reference to:

"What has been called Canada's largest construction project came under fire from aboriginal groups Friday, who called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to protect their treaty rights in the face of a Quebec government plan to develop the province's north. The skirmish threatens to end an era of amiable relations between the province and aboriginal groups in a return to old feuds that dominated hydroelectric power discussions in the past. Premier Jean Charest's Plan Nord, a showpiece project that was announced with great fanfare during last year's provincial election, is part of the government's goal for massive resource development in the north. The plan includes $19 billion in new energy projects, which would add 3,500 megawatts to Hydro-Québec's grid by 2035 — enough to power roughly 600,000 homes. 'Our relationship must be one of nation to nation, government to government.'—Chief Ghislain Picard, Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador But some aboriginal groups contend it will bulldoze their traditional way of life and steamroller their treaty rights. Five Innu communities boycotted a closed-door meeting hosted by Quebec Natural Resources Minister Nathalie Normandeau in Quebec City on Friday to discuss the project. But about 200 people from northern Quebec did attend the gathering. Chief Ghislain Picard, head of the powerful Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, called on Harper to intervene. "The time has come to correct a degrading and unhealthy situation for the development of both First Nations and Canada," he wrote to Harper in a letter released Friday."
- CBC News - North - Natives want PM to screen northern Quebec projects (view on Google Sidewiki)

<a href="http://ykonline.ca/">http://ykonline.ca/</a>

A great free website to find information about Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada

in reference to: Yellowknife Online (view on Google Sidewiki)

Unmarked graves of aboriginal people who died in government care a disgrace

I was struck by the similarities of that story to the tales I heard last spring from residents of the Eastern Arctic communities of Rankin Inlet and Arviat whose loved ones, killed in a Northern Manitoba plane crash in 1949, were buried in a mass, unmarked grave at the nearby Norway House reserve. The seven Inuit passengers, on their way to polio treatment in Winnipeg, were the only ones of the 20 Canadians aboard the plane whose bodies were not transported back to their home towns for burial. All others were non-aboriginal.

Canada was quick to assert its authority and responsibilty to "rescue" the sick, but its humanity had limits. In death, a body became an inconvenience.

How many died in government "care" remains to be documented -- the story yet untold from Canada's sorry history of inhumane treatment of indigenous people, a local historian told me. They were buried in fields adjoining schools, or municipal cemeteries. Most of those schools have been torn down and the plots forgotten and grown over.

in reference to:

"Unmarked graves of aboriginal people who died in government care a disgrace"
- Long buried truths emerging - Winnipeg Free Press (view on Google Sidewiki)

Funding Available for Northern Youth Participation at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen – December 7 to 18

Funding Available for Northern Youth Participation at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen – December 7 to 18

 

You are a young person from Northern Canada that cares about climate change and wants to be part of the upcoming United Nations climate change summit in Copenhagen to help out and learn more.

We are a network of leading Canadian organizations working on climate change and we are hoping to sponsor a young Northern Canadian to come to Copenhagen and join our team for two weeks in December.

 

If this interests you, please read on. You will need you to apply for this funding by submitting your resume along with a one page letter explaining why you want to attend the UN negotiations. You must submit this no later than November 16, 2009 to mburgess@climateactionnetwork.ca
 

What follows describes the qualifications we are looking for and then provides more information on who we are.

 

Qualifications:

Preference will be given Northerners of Aboriginal, Metis and Inuit descent and we are seeking to support the development of a young leader between the ages of 18 and 30.

 

You will need to be available to leave for Copenhagen some time between December 3 and 7, and return some time between December 18 and 20.

 

The successful candidate will have some combination of the following experience and qualities:

• Able to effectively communicate in English. French and Northern indigenous language skills are a strong advantage.
• Highly organized. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple demands effectively, while staying focused on delivery of priority tasks.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work independently with little supervision as well as contribute to the functioning of a team (keeping in mind that the successful candidate will receive active support from Climate Action Network staff).
• Current computer and internet skills.
• Strong commitment to the struggle to stop climate change.
• Familiarity with climate change policy is an asset, but not essential.
• Experience working in not-for-profit networks is an asset, but not essential.

 

This internship is designed in large part to provide experience to a Northerner that will be useful to their professional development in the years ahead. We are seeking a candidate that is articulate, passionate and able to communicate effectively. Experience is an asset, but the successful candidate does not need to have extensive experience on climate change or significant work experience.

 

About Climate Action Network and the Northern Voices Coalition:

Climate Action Network Canada is a coalition of more than 50 environmental, Aboriginal, youth, health, faith-based, labour and international development organizations working together to promote action on climate change. The member organizations of Climate Action Network Canada will be sending roughly 60 to 100 people to the upcoming United Nations climate change negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark (December 7 to 18). See:www.climateactionnetwork.ca

 

Climate Action Network Canada is also a member of the Northern Voices on Climate Change Coalition, which also includes the Gwich'in Council International, the Arctic Athabaskan Council, the Pembina Institute and Ecology North.

 

Thanks to the support of the Northern Voices Coalition, the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation and the United Church of Canada, Climate Action Network Canada will cover all costs (travel, accommodation and per diem).

 

Opportunities and Responsibilities will include:

• Attend negotiating sessions and learn more about how the global climate change negotiations work.
• Meet with representatives from other Arctic countries and find out more about climate change initiatives in those countries.
• Support the work of Climate Action Network Canada and its members as needed, including helping to organize meetings, drafting and disseminating material, and other similar tasks. You will particularly be asked to support on an as needed basis the work of our Northern members and partners, including the Assembly of First Nations and the Arctic Athabaskan Council.
• Communicate with and reach out to Northern organizations, governments and media on how the negotiations are progressing and what they can do to help move the world towards a fair, ambitious and binding international agreement on climate change.

 

How to apply:

If you are interested in being considered for this funding support, send your resume along with a one page letter explaining why you want to attend the UN negotiations. You must submit this no later than November 16, 2009 to mburgess@climateactionnetwork.ca

 

 

Climate Action Network Canada -

Reseau action climat Canada

Tel: 613-241-4413

 

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Check it out and sign-up at: http://www.climateactionnetwork.ca/e/news/climate-action/index.html

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