Harassment allegation at treatment centre Employee let go; RCMP investigating Alberta centre frequented by Northerners in recovery 1257+:(677(55,725,(6 Three NWT projects get federal cash Volume 75 Issue 32 MONDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2020 $.95 (plus GST) A Run to Tuk photo courtesy of Thorsten Gohl Youth in Fort Providence at the 2020 Walk to Tuk kick- off community celebration. Walk to Tuk officially opens for registration Dec. 1 and will accept teams until Jan. 15. Counsellor GNWT denied Meet NWT responds to essential Tourism's the federal worker new CEO budget status Publication mail Contract #40012157 "We believe that making a personal connection throughout self isolation will encourage compliance." 7 71605 00200 2 – Health Minister Julie Green announces that new check-up protocols will be used for those in self-isolation, page 4. 2 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, December 7, 2020 news NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, December 7, 2020 3 Did we get it wrong? News/North is committed to getting facts and fact FILE names right. With that goes a commitment to acknowledge mistakes and run corrections. If you NWT covid-19 sitUation AS OF DEC. 3 spot an error in News/North, call (867) 873-4031 and ask to speak to an editor, or email editorial@ nnsl.com. We'll get a correction or clarification in as Active cases: 0 Days since first confirmed case: 258 soon as we can. Confirmed cases: 15 Days since last confirmed case: 21 Recovered cases: 15 Common symptoms: Fever, (60 per cent), muscle NEWS Completed tests: 7,787 aches or pain (53 per cent), cough (53 per cent), Negative tests: 7,772 Scan for the sore throat (33 per cent), diharrhea (13 per cent), latest GNWT Briefs Pending tests: 20 Covid-19 statistics difficulty breathing (seven per cent) Blizzard strikes Delta Source: Office of the Chief Public Health Officer as temperatures warm Ulukhahtok and Sachs Harbour A spike in temperature has led to blizzard warnings in Ulukhaktok and Sachs Harbour. Environment Canada issued the warning at Harassment allegations 10:30 a.m. Dec. 3, asking residents to avoid travel if at all possible. With the blizzard comes winds gusting up to 110 kilometres per hour and up to 15 centimetres of snow in Ulukhaktok. With visibility reduced to at Poundmaker's Lodge less than 400 metres, the blizzard was expected to last two days. Sachs Harbour also got hit with high wind, blasting up to 100 km/h and bringing between Half of NWT residents sent south for addictions five and 10 cm of snow with it. Anyone who needs to travel during these con- treatment go to Poundmaker's Lodge ditions is recommended to drive slowly and keep a sharp look out for tail lights on the road ahead. Pets should be kept indoors or provided with by Natalie Pressman proper shelter until the storm subsides. Northern News Services – Eric Bowling Sturgeon County, Alta Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Centre, Former MLA hired as an addiction treatment facility in Sturgeon Dehcho FN chief negotiator County Alta., is being investigated on alleg- ations of staff sexually harassing treatment Dehcho patients. Michael Nadli, former two-term MLA for the The treatment centre, which caters spe- Dehcho is returning to the employ of the Dehcho cifically to Indigenous clients, is one of six First Nations. southern treatment facilities in contract with According to a news release from the Fort the NWT department of Health and Social Simpson-based organization, Nadli, who served as Services (HSS). Last year, of the 192 NWT grand chief at the start of the Dehcho Process for patients travelling south for treatment, 92 land use and self-government, is a fluent speaker of them attended Poundmaker's. Of the 55 of Dene Zhatie and a "champion for Dene rights. NWT residents who have sought treatment "Through his past roles in leadership and so far this year, 23 of them attended Pound- ability to speak our language, he has a strong maker's. connection to our culture and Elders," grand chief Patty Piche, a resident of Edmonton, Gladys Norwegian said. received a call from her sister who told Nadli served as CEO of the Dehcho Land Use News/North she is in treatment at Pound- Planning Committee from 2007 to 2011 and has maker's on Nov. 20. Piche's sister said that been "helping build capacity" in his home com- her and an Elder had been talking just munity with Deh Gah Gotie First Nation. the two of them in a room when the man Nadli served eight days of a 45-day jail sen- expressed having "desires" beyond just his tence for assault in 2015 after breaking his wife's wife and asked if she wanted to see him wrist. The incident took place in April 2014; naked. Piche said the man began to force Nadli was a sitting MLA when he was sentenced himself on her sister who ran out of the and was suspended from the legislature as a room and informed other staff members. result. The other Poundmaker's employees alleged- He was also placed on probation after plead- ly told the woman to keep quiet about the ing guilty to assaulting his spouse in 2004. incident. Nadli said in a news release issued Dec. 2 that NNSL file photo News/North is choosing not to name the Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Centre in Alberta is being investigated negotiating "is a common day occurrence. alleged offender as RCMP investigations "I feel I can be a positive asset to the Dehcho are ongoing. for claims of sexual harassment against clients. Almost half of all NWT First Nations. At a deeper level my work is driven On Nov. 23 Piche took to Facebook to residents seeking addictions treatment at a southern facility attend Pound- by a passion for justice and fairness." post about her sister's experience. As of Dec. maker's. – Craig Gilbert 3 the post had 376 reactions, 84 comments and more than 1,100 shares. Since posting, ka told News/North that the staff member cess," he said. RCMP begins impaired driving Piche said at least 15 others have come for- in question is no longer an employee of In response to Poundmaker's statement, blitz, Operation Gingerbread ward about their own experiences of harass- the treatment centre. She said that Pound- Piche said her comments are all based on NWT ment at the treatment facility. maker's "primary focus continues to be pro- people's testimonies that she is "just voicing The NT RCMP's annual Operation Ginger- "These people are vulnerable and in that viding support to our clients in care." for them. bread traffic campaign launched Dec. 1 with a program to help better themselves," Piche On claims that other staff members "Why would any of these people lie?" goal of limiting impaired driving throughout the said. "They're all fighting their own battles instructed the alleged victim to keep the When it's the victims' word against the holiday season. and going there for help and being put incident to herself, Szarka said "at no time staff, Piche said the addiction centre clients From Dec. 1 to Jan. 1, NT RCMP said resi- through more trauma." whatsoever would a client be silenced. Cli- may struggle with credibility. dents can expect to see more traffic enforcement On Nov. 27, Poundmaker's Lodge pub- ents are encouraged to seek out staff for "This is why they all stay quiet, they patrols and check stops from local detachments lished a Facebook "response to media" support as part of the therapeutic process." think no one is going to believe them." and NT RCMP Traffic Services. addressing "a Facebook post" that "made "The treatment team is comprised of Piche's sister is still a client at the facility. "We want to maintain a high visibility profile false accusations against Poundmaker's therapists, psychologists, social workers, She is set to complete her treatment on Dec. throughout this busy season and educate our driv- Lodge Treatment Centres. nurses, and counselors who are all bound by 9 so Piche said she is "trying to stick it out ers on the dangers of driving impaired," Cpl. Sam "Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Cen- their respective regulatory bodies," she said. so she doesn't have to start from square one Munden stated in a news release Dec. 2. tres is dedicated to ensuring that it is a HSS spokesperson Damien Healy again (at another treatment centre)." According to police, impairment can be place for healing, wellness and spiritual- advised that the department has followed up Lillian Shirt, Piche's late grandmother, caused by a number of different things including ity," the post states. "Poundmaker's Lodge with NWT clients at Poundmaker's Lodge was one of Poundmaker's co-founders. alcohol, prescription and non-prescription drugs Treatment Centres has in place policies and all have confirmed their intention to Of the treatment centre, Piche said "there and fatigue. and procedures designed to provide a safe continue treatment. are good workers there for sure," but that if RCMP also advise that since the legalization and healthy environment for their clients "We have encouraged clients to bring any her grandmother were still alive "she would of cannabis their members have received addi- and staff and remains in compliance with complaints forward to the appropriate chan- have had this all over everywhere." tional training in the use of Standardized Field provincial legislation. We take all concerns nels," he said, adding that there are "other While investigations continue, Piche Sobriety Testing (SFST) and Drug Recognition seriously and ensure prompt appropriate options if clients prefer another one of our encourages others to speak up and come Enforcement (DRE) as enforcement tools against action is taken.