Leaders caught 'off guard' by Dominion Ekati mine owner files for insolvency protection, but plans to reopen Online first at NNSL.com Merchants vs. Merchants for greatest of all time Volume 49 Issue 10 FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2020 75 CENTS ($1.00 outside city) Together on the front line Blair McBride/NNSL photos Supervisor Angela Watson, above, and cashiers Donna Panela, top, Pamela Olimpo and Gabriel Fabros have been keeping a brave face as they serve as essential workers at the Yk Co-operative grocery store during the pandemic. Read all about them on page 4. $1.00 outside Yellowknife Publication mail Contract #40012157 "It makes me feel great because I know everyone is trying to help everyone else." 7 71605 00100 5 Bullock's Bistro owner Jo-ann Martin was lifted by the number of people telling her about new federal cash for businesses, page 13. 2 YEllowKNIFER, Friday, April 24, 2020 news YEllowKNIFER, Friday, April 24, 2020 3 Corrections A column published in the April 15 issue of Yellowknifer, "Homeless still out in cold after Arnica Inn announcement," wrongly indicated that Yk nursing students the YWCA is responsible for the Arnica Inn. The Yellowknife Women's Society is. A column published April 22, "Hey, public health police: we are not the enemy," indicated that tickets had been issued related to the social distancing orders issued by the chief public health officer. This was also receive $20,000 health wrong. No fines/tickets have been issued in the NWT under those orders. A number of verbal warnings, and one written warning, in the Sahtu, have been issued since the orders took effect, according to the GNWT. Yellowknifer apologies for the errors and any confusion they may have caused. research 'studentships' NEWS Briefs Intoxicants a factor in fatal rollover: RCMP A Behchoko woman is dead after a rollover on Highway 3 south of the community. Police say they responded to the crash at about 5 p.m. April 22. The vehicle was found about 150 feet off the roadway on its roof, 15 km south of the hamlet near Mosquito Creek. Two occupants of the vehicle were trans- ported by ground ambulance to Yellowknife for medical treatment of non-life threatening injur- ies. A third occupant, a woman from Behchoko, was located, deceased. Two other occupants of the vehicle were unaccounted for when the RCMP arrived on site and efforts are being made to locate them. Behchoko RCMP is investigating the inci- dent along with the territory coroner's office. "It is believed alcohol and/or drugs use is a factor in this incident," a police release read. Behchoko ambulance and Fire Department members were also on site to assist the RCMP, as well as the GNWT Department of Transpor- tation, who provided traffic control. The high- way remained open during the investigation. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Behchoko RCMP at 392-1111, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 nwtnutips.com, (click on "submit a web tip") or text: "nwtnutips" plus your message to 274637. – Craig Gilbert Youth charged with sharing intimate images, extortion A young person who can't be named is charged with a number of serious crimes. The RCMP is not releasing the area of jurisdiction to prevent possible identification of the youth charged April 18 with distribution of intimate images without consent, extortion, assault, voyeurism and uttering threats. The Northwest Territories RCMP Child photo courtesy of Erica Abel Exploitation Unit (ICE) laid the charges. Erica Abel, an Aurora College nursing student is one of the recipients of the 2020 Edets'seèhdzà Studentships offered "We want to bring these charges to the by the Hotıì ts'eeda health research organization and Aurora College/Aurora Research Institute. public's attention, to show that our unit can, and will, thoroughly investigate this type of file," Cpl. Sandi Nischk said in a news release. "We Erica Abel and Marisa McArthur are both third-year hope that these charges will both prevent this type of crime and provide hope to those who Aurora College Bachelor of Science in Nursing students have been victims, that there may be justice." The investigation is ongoing and anyone by Blair McBride ing this recognition. I am eager to be able to in June. with information on suspicious activity is asked Northern News Services work alongside with great minds whose heart "The opportunity to engage in health- to call their local RCMP detachment, contact Two Yellowknife nursing students have is to better the people of the North," she said related research while pursuing studies Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 nwtnutips. been awarded studentship stipends worth in a phone interview. provides Aurora College students a rich com, (click on "submit a web tip") or text: $20,000 to support them while they conduct For her research project she wants to study opportunity to anchor learning in Northern "nwtnutips" plus your message to 274637. health research projects. issues related to addictions in the North. communities," said Aurora College president – Craig Gilbert Erica Abel and Marisa McArthur, both "We have such high rates (of addiction) Andy Bevan. "Aurora College and Aurora third-year Aurora College Bachelor of Sci- and there's a lot of unresolved trauma in the Research Institute are proud to support the ence in Nursing students are the recipients of North and there are no treatment centres. Edets'seèhdzà Studentship and our two out- Land and Water Board awards the 2020 Edets'seèhdzà Studentships, accord- Hopefully I can find out the reasons why. standing recipients, Erica Abel and Marisa permits to rare earths project ing to a news release from the Hotıì ts'eeda Maybe it's a government problem? Maybe the McArthur." The Mackenzie Valley Land and Water health research organization, which funds facilities haven't been upgraded?" The students will work with Dr. Pertice Board authorized two land permits and one the studentship and provides it jointly with McArthur is interested in social epidemi- Moffitt, Aurora Research Institute manager water permit for the NWT's only rare earths pro- and Aurora College/Aurora Research Insti- ology and said in the news release about the of health research programs. Moffitt's team ject – NWT Rare Earths Ltd – at the proposed tute. awards that "locally driven Indigenous health recently received funding from the Canadian signed southeast of Yellowknife. This is the second year the Edets'seèhdzà research has the power to cultivate meaning- Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) for Shelagh Montgomery, executive director of Studentship program has been running, after ful change in the communities in which we the project Welcoming the Sacred Spirit, a the land and water board confirmed that the Aurora College nursing student Allison live." three-year collaborative project looking at authorizations were issued on April 12. Forbes was its first recipient in 2019. The studentship of Edets'seèhdzà, which Indigenous maternal health care in Canada. The completed applications allows the com- Abel, a member of the Yellowknives Dene means "stepping forward to challenge your- Last year, Moffitt worked with pany to begin a three-year demonstration min- First Nation, was informed she was a winner self" in the Tłıcho language can be complet- Edets'seèhdzà recipient Forbes in the sum- ing project this summer at the Nechalacho site on Tuesday and said she was "speechless" at ed part-time while a student is in the nursing mer on research related to actions against at Thor Lake about 100 kilometres southeast of the news. program or full-time during the summer. family violence. Yellowknife. "It was quite a bit of money and I'm cer- Abel said she would be better prepared Hotıì ts'eeda is funded by CIHR and is a – Simon Whitehouse tain quite a few people have applied for that. to do it in the summer after she finishes her research support unit hosted by the Tłıcho I'm extremely grateful and humble in receiv- program's consolidated practice experience Government. 4 YEllowKNIFER, Friday, April 24, 2020 news On the retail frontlines during a pandemic Health precautions, customer interactions keep cashier staff on their toes by Blair McBride In such an extraordinary time their jobs thought, 'These guys seem to be going above and Northern News Services demand more resilience as they face the social beyond.' I think they're doing very well, for us as With supermarkets like the Yellowknife distancing requirements and deal with cus- cashiers and for the public with social distancing Co-op being designated as essential servi- tomers who are sometimes agitated. to curb the number of people inside. A lot of ces, staff interact daily with the public and But they keep working with their heads people are scared of the unknown and Co-op must take extra health precautions during the held high and smiles on their faces. tries to take care of their feelings." Covid-19 pandemic. Brooke Vallis, cashier Donna Panela, cashier Panela works 40 hours a week, sometimes longer, and has worked at Co-op since last August. What has been your experience of working during the pandemic? "It has been pretty good. It's busy. The Co-op has treated me well especially with the situation going on now. As much as possible we try to keep our customers safe as well as our cashiers and staff so we can go forward until this Covid thing is done. "The first two weeks were rough ever since Covid started because people were panic buy- ing. We were very busy but actually I wouldn't say 'busy' I would say it was crazy.