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Whooping cough alert Eight cases have been confirmed in Tlicho, says GNWT 1257+:(677(55,725,(6 Fort Good Hope kids fundraising Volume 74 Issue 33 MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2019 $.95 (plus GST) Halleluljah from the choir Lighthouse Community Church choir member Iganya Abba throws her hands up in joy during the group's performance of Raise a Hallelujah during the 2019 Community Christmas Concert and Sing Along at Igloo Church Dec. 8. See more photos on page 13. Eric Bowling/NNSL photo Sports talk: Former Our Inuvik coach Norman beautiful working to Wells mayor save Team awarded North North court costs Publication mail Contract #40012157 "The silver lining is that there's going to be more demand for wild fur." – NWT fur marketing manager Francois Rossouw is optimistic about the future of the Canadian industry, page 10. 7 71605 00200 2 2 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, December 16, 2019 news NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, December 16, 2019 3 Correction A headline on the front page of the Dec. 9 issue of News/North incorrectly stated half of the GNWT Housing Corporation's stock have problems ("Nearly half of housing corp units have issues"). The statis- tics referred to in the story are related to all housing in the NWT, including privately owned units. News/ Our beautiful North Submit entries via Facebook messenger to our NNSL.com page each week by 4 p.m. Thursday and we'll post the con- North apologizes for the error and any confusion it testants each Friday on our Facebook page. They may also appear in this newspaper and other Northern News Services may have caused. publications. The photo with the most votes at the end of the week's voting will receive $100. NEWS Briefs Christmas tree tips NWT The GNWT has some tips for staying off Santa's naughty list while sourcing a Christmas tree. Know the rules so you stay off Santa's naughty list! No permit is required to cut and transport two Christmas trees less than five metres tall for personal use. Trees should be harvested outside city/town limits. Avoid cutting trees within 60 metres of any water body or public road, or on private prop- erty, traplines or private lands. Do not leave a tree stump taller than 30 centimetres. – Craig Gilbert New phone scam: RCMP NWT NWT RCMP has issued a warning after they say fraudsters posed as police and federal WINNER: LLOYD CASTADA officials in an effort to scam a resident out of Somba K'e/Yellowknife money. A complaint was filed with NWT RCMP Photo was taken at the giant mine boat launch. after the victim – it's not specified whether the scammers actually made off with money from their target – received a call from a phony Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) employee, according to a news release issued by Mounties last week. The resident was told they owed money to the CRA. The fraudster said the victim would be arrested if they didn't pay up immediately, claiming a warrant had already been issued for their arrest, say RCMP. The victim then received a call from a "(1111)" number - a recognizable NWT RCMP number. "After verification, the phone call did not originate from an RCMP detachment," states the news release. The police do not collect money for the CRA. The reported phone scam, which comes on the heels of a sophisticated email scheme in Yellowknife, has prompted NWT RCMP If you think you have been a victim of a scam, contact your local RCMP detachment; call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888- DESTINY THOM 495-8501 or use their online Fraud Reporting Deh Gah Got'ie Kue/Fort Providence System: https://www.services.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ Saturday Nov. 30 drive to the bridge in Fort Providence. chooser-eng.html?ipeReferer=CAFCFRS. – Brendan Burke Aklavik man charged with sex crime Aklavik A 30-year-old Aklavik man has been charged with sexual interference. Police say they received a complaint on Dec. 5 of this year. They allege the man was engaging in sexual acts with a minor for more than a year and began when the victim was a teenager. He is charged with one count of sexual interfer- ence and one count of sexual assault. "The investigation into this incident is ongoing with the assistance of the G Div- ision Internet Child Exploitation Unit," a news release read. "The RCMP will not be releasing the name of the accused to protect the identity of the victim. The RCMP does not believe there is public safety risk at this time." Anyone with information about this, or any other incident is asked to call Aklavik RCMP at 978-1111, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800- 222-8477 nwtnutips.com, (click on "submit a web tip") or text: "nwtnutips" plus your mes- sage to 274637. – Craig Gilbert ROXY KONISENTA Tthenaago/Nahanni Butte Taken in Nahanni Butte Dec. 5, enjoying the beautiful sunshine. 4 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, December 16, 2019 news NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, December 16, 2019 5 Judge slams 'miscarriage of justice' in Norman Wells Judge takes rare step of awarding court costs to former mayor, SAO of Norman Wells by Brendan Burke town failed to provide key disclosure "Yes," replied Clarke, a transcript front of judge, I doubt very much emblazoned on it, wiped away tears Northern News Services in an application that ultimately froze of her cross-examination shows. the order would have been granted," in court. Lli Goline/Norman Wells the assets of Watson and Mallon for Questioned further by Woodley, lamented Shaner. "I was emotional in the courtroom "Reprehensible." months – a move their respective Clarke went on to admit she had no Shaner, stressing the need to deter because this has had a profound effect "Troubling." lawyers said had devastating conse- knowledge of any illegitimate pay- the kind of behaviour that led to a on not just my life, but my kids, "A miscarriage of justice." quences for the pair. ments to Watson, nor did she have "miscarriage of justice," in this case, my friends, my friend, everyone who Justice Karan Shaner didn't hold Clarke's affidavit relied heavily any knowledge Watson's trucking ordered the Town of Norman Wells to cares about me and knows about me," back in admonishing the Town of on what she described as a "foren- company benefiting from the alleged cover solicitor-client costs racked up Watson told News/North outside the Norman Wells for providing incom- sic" audit – a report, not provided to fraud. by the defendants during the course courthouse Dec. 4. plete, "sloppy," and "downright mis- Mahar, drafted by an accounting firm of the freeze order, a step rarely seen. Watson said the order, which halt- leading" information in an ongoing – to back up the town's allegations of Audit wasn't actually forensic Mallon, sitting in court, was vis- ed activity with his trucking business, lawsuit against ex-mayor Nathan Wat- fraud. Furthermore, the court heard there ibly emotional throughout the hear- hurt him and his family financially. son and former senior administrative In July 2017, a MACA-appointed was nothing to support the relied-upon ing. She broke down in tears when He's spent "tens and tens of thou- officer Catherine Mallon. inspector probed the town's bylaws, report being qualified as a "forensic" the order – after seven months – was sands," in legal fees. Watson said he's Both Watson and Mallon, who are policies and financial and administra- audit. lifted. often called a thief online. accused of defrauding the town out tive records from Jan. 1, 2015 to July Shaner, left "extremely troubled" As a result of the allegations and "Clearly it's tough to get behind the of $1.25 million, had their assets fro- 31, 2017, following conflict of interest by Clarke's discrepancies and omis- the subsequent freezing of Mallon's guy whose name has been splashed zen in May following an application and breach of confidentiality com- sions made by the town, noted the assets, Woodley told the court his across the front page as the guy who brought forth by the town. plaints and allegations of improper report was only a draft. client has had her reputation tarred – stole $1.2 million from the town he The injunction, invoked only when council procedures, Mallon's lawyer, It was never finalized – a fact rendered unemployable and restricted was mayor of," said Watson. a judge is convinced there is a risk of Matthew Woodley, said. Clarke confirmed under cross-exam- from accessing her own property. Watson continues to "categoric- a defendant moving assets or abscond- The review found no evidence of ination. Watson, clutching a baseball cap ally" deny any wrongdoing in relation ing before a civil judgement is made, fraud on the part of Mallon during "Had the whole picture been in with the words "Read the Transcript" to the ongoing fraud case. was granted by Justice Andrew Mahar. that period, the court heard. At the time of the application, legal Rather, inspector John Hazenberg counsel for the town indicated Watson praised her performance, according to and Mallon had likely absconded, cit- his affidavit. ing an inability to locate them to serve But Mahar never saw the report. notice of the legal action. It wasn't included in the town's dis- In granting the order, Mahar relied closure. on materials submitted by the town: In her sworn affidavit, Clarke a statement of claim and a sworn alleged Watson signed a new employ- affidavit from current Norman Wells ment contract for Mallon behind SAO Cathy Clarke.

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