Sentence for sex offender quashed bobby Zoe Conviction upheld, but indeterminate prison term tossed by appeals court 1257+:(677(55,725,(6 Concern over oil patch mega-mine Volume 74 Issue 39 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2020 $.95 (plus GST) NWT AWG teams set

Comment: No easy fix for foster care system

People Team NT's snowshoeing division, which qualified in trials held in Inuvik Jan. 23 to 25, is ready to rock the Winter Games in in March. Back row, coach David Spears, left, Kierra McDonald, host coordinator Jeffery Amos, Sommer Wiley, Joel Arey, supporter Dayle Cole, and Austin Van Loon. In front, Alternative Sienna Gordon, left, and Ariana Keevik. of NWT See the full story in our section. Eric Bowling/NNSL photo

Publication mail Contract #40012157 "Resource development offers Indigenous governments the ability to top up services hugely lacking from the federal/GNWT funding stream." 7 71605 00200 2 – News/North publisher and CEO Bruce Valpy responds to recent criticism of NWT mining, page 7. 2 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 People of NWT NEWS/NORTH nWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 3 Did we get it wrong? News/North is committed to getting facts and names right. With that goes a commitment to acknowledge mistakes and run corrections. If you 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 soon as we can. People of NWT Everyone has a story to tell. Meet the People of NWT! Tell us your story and show us your photos for a chance to win $100 News every week! We would love to see more of what makes living in the NWT special – the people, the places, the shared experiences. Each week, one story from those submitted to our Facebook Page fb.com/nnslonline will win the prize! Briefs (Winners will be featured in News/North. Photos may be used in other NNSL publications with credits.)

Erica Alanak Ulukhaktok During summer last year, myself and my kids followed my grand- photo courtesy of GNWT parents to their cabin down the Minister of Health and Social Ser- coast by quad, they set nets for vices Diane Thom, second from left, char. Right after my grandpa set front, met with members of the NWT his nets, there was char, so he Foster Parents Association board of took them out on his way back to directors in Yellowknife Jan. 31. shore. My granny started cutting Health minister, premier them up to make piffi. Both my meet foster care board kids started helping her to wash Somba K'e/Yellowknife off the blood, she looked at me The Government of the Northwest Terri- and said "so good, they're so pre- tories health minister and board of the Foster cious to get their hands dirty." Family Coalition of the NWT met recently to discuss some of the most pressing issues related to the delivery of child and family services in the territory. Diane Thom, minister of Health and Social Services, is responsible for the Northwest Ter- ritories Health and Social Services Authority. She was joined by department officials and the Foster Family Coalition NWT. They left the room "agreeing to find new ways to collabor- ate for addressing the on-the-ground and in the home needs of caregivers, and for addressing challenges within the child and family services system," according to the Jan. 31 release. In December, Thom had received a 27-page letter from the coalition demanding that she meet about the failing foster care system. The GNWT stated that the meeting led to both parties agreeing that there was to be work done on the ways the two bodies communicate and that more collaboration has to be done "to address challenges being experienced on the frontlines and in the homes of caregivers and to Thom was expected to visit frontline service workers on late Friday. – Simon Whitehouse Tlicho, GNWT propose wolf cull Henry Tambour plan for caribou herds K'atlodeeche/Hay River NWT The GNWT and Tlicho Government have Community hunt to Buffalo Lake, back in 2013-14. Harvested eight moose for the K’atlodeeche First Nation Community. submitted a joint proposal doe harvesting wolves Every year, a community hunt is hosted and traditional harvests are shared with the elders and community. on the winter ranges of the Bathurst and Blue- nose-East caribou herds. According to a GNWT press release, pro- posed is a five-year plan based on "the best scientific, traditional and local knowledge, including the experience of wolf management programs conducted elsewhere and numerous discussions with harvesters, residents and com- munities." It "prioritizes" the traditional economy of the NWT and the role of wolf harvesters in caribou recovery efforts. The proposal is now before the Wek'eezhii Renewable Resources Board for review. – Craig Gilbert Minister Simpson meets education leaders NWT Elected leaders of education from across the NWT met last week for the first time with Education, Culture and Employment Minister R.J. Simpson to discuss strengthening the junior kindergarten to Grade 12 educational system. Participants included chairs and superintend- ents representing divisional education councils and district education authorities. Their next meeting with Simpson is sched- Winner: Dayton Metz uled for May 27. Norman Wells – Paul Bickford Ice road building in Norman wells on the Mackenzie River. We we're drilling holes to test the thickness of ice. I worked with a couple locals from Deline and Tulita they are in the picture. It was such an amazing experience working up there. 4 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 news Bobby Zoe's indefinite prison sentence tossed on appeal Conviction for 2015 crimes upheld, but new sentencing hearing ordered by Nick Pearce sentencing hearing. from another break-in. Zoe snuck Northern News Services Zoe, born in Yellowknife and into an apartment bedroom, where a Somba K'e/Yellowknife raised in Gameti, was convicted of man and woman were sleeping. The Convicted sex offender Bobby breaking into a Yellowknife resi- woman, who was unknown to Zoe, Zoe has won an appeal of his dence, stealing cash and other items woke up to him touching her. indeterminate prison sentence. and sexually assaulting a woman in She screamed, alerting her part- According to a decision filed in the early morning hours of Feb. 15, ner. The man chased Zoe into a the Court of Appeal of the North- 2015. He was convicted about a year stairwell, where the two struggled. west Territories, Jan. 31, a panel of later and sentenced on Dec. 8, 2017. He then managed to escape with three judges upheld the 38 year old's It was his fourth sexual assault money stolen from the apartment. convictions for break and enter, theft conviction. The incident shocked the capital, and sexual assault. In 2005, he was convicted of causing the RCMP changed its The appeals panel of Justices a sexual assault in Yellowknife, policy on released offenders con- Paul Bychok, Ritu Khullar and receiving a suspended sentence and victed of serious crimes to warn the Dawn Pentelechuk agreed that six months probation. Convicted public when they deem the person is sentencing judge deputy Justice J. later of a 2009 sexual interference at risk to re-offend. Richard McIntosh committed two charge involving an underage victim, The February 2015 attack led errors of law, namely: that he failed he was handed a 15-month jail term. to a conviction and in 2017, judge to consider Zoe's treatment pros- In 2012, he was sentenced for McIntosh declared Zoe a dangerous pects before designating him a dan- sexually assaulting a 23-year-old offender to be imprisoned indefinitely. gerous offender, and "applying the woman, a stranger to him, who was Zoe's lawyer Jennifer Cunning- presumption of an indeterminate walking alone in downtown Yellow- ham appealed the 2017 sentence sentence at the second stage." knife in 2011. Zoe had just recently last October, Zoe also appealed his The second stage refers to the been released from jail for the sex- conviction in the 2015 case but the two-part test a judge must con- ual interference conviction. three-judge appeal panel declined to sider when weighing a dangerous By the time of the 2015 sex- overrule it. offender designation: first, whether ual assault, he was on probation With the 2017 dangerous offend- to apply the designation according for another incident where he had er designation now quashed, sen- to definitions found in the Criminal broken into a Yellowknife home tencing has now been sent back to Code, and second, to determine how in 2013, as a couple and their two territorial court for a new hearing. NNSL file photo long the prison sentence should be. teenage daughters slept. He was "The conviction appeal is dis- Serial sex offender Bobby Zoe lost the appeal of his conviction The judges declared Zoe's sen- sentenced in February 2014 to 21 missed," the appeal court's judge- for a 2015 sexual assault, but his indeterminate sentence was tence quashed and sent his case back months in jail. ment reads. "The sentence appeal is thrown out. He will get a new sentencing hearing in Territorial to NWT territorial court for a new The 2015 sexual assault stemmed granted." court. news NEWS/NORTH nWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 5 Opposition mounts to Alberta oilsands scheme Northerners 'have a right to be concerned,' says former MLA, environment minister by Blair McBride we're closer and we don’t and we're downstream would be tied to Ottawa’s assessment of how "Frontier will incorporate industry leading Northern News Services of all this stuff." Alberta is meeting ’s goal of being net- technologies and techniques for environmental Thebacha/Fort Smith Cheezie fears that opposition from commun- zero emissions by 2050. performance," he wrote, adding 90 per cent of The proposed $20.5 billion Teck Resources ities like his will get swept away in the momen- Teck spokesperson Chris Stannell told News/ the water used in the process would be recycled. oilsands project in faces oppos- tum of the project, a situation he has seen before. North in a Jan. 31 email that his employer spent "This includes having one of the lowest water use ition from NWT Indigenous groups over concerns "Like any project that we've disagreed with in more than 10 years conducting consultations, intensities in the oilsands and safeguards will of downstream pollution. the province and tried to go through the regulatory including with all 14 First Nations within the ensure regional water quality is protected." The Frontier scheme would, at its peak activ- process, it gets rubber stamped and approved. It project area. He pointed out that the process was "We have a proven track record of successfully ity, mine about 260,000 barrels per day of bitu- happened in 1991 with the pulp mills on both the described as "unprecedented" for an oilsands closing and reclaiming sites," he wrote. men from an area south of Fort Chipewyan, and Peace and Athabasca, we fought against that. The development of this type by the joint federal- News/North was still waiting for comment west of the Athabasca River. It would also be Conservative government of the day approved it. provincial panel that reviewed it. from the territorial government at press time. located just east of Wood Buffalo National Park. And that's what happened here as well. Over the 41 years of the mine’s expected life it would employ 7,000 people during the construc- 'Our rights are being trampled' tion phase and 2,500 through direct operational "Our rights are being trampled here. We have jobs. a treaty, we have inherent rights. The government Fourteen First Nation and Metis communities talks about reconciliation, all big fancy words in northern Alberta have signed benefits agree- that don’t mean nothing to us if they're going to ments with Teck over the project. approve this project and kill us." But all those numbers mean little for the com- The NWT Métis Nation and the K'atl'odeeche munity of Smith’s Landing if the price for the First Nation (near Hay River) share Cheezie’s project’s success is contaminated water flowing frustration that their concerns over the oilsands downstream into the Slave River. project are going unheard. "The Peace and the Athabasca flow into the Adding to the stakes of the Frontier scheme is Slave (River) and into Great Slave Lake, and the Mackenzie River Basin Transboundary Wat- flows into the MacKenzie River and eventually ers Agreement that the NWT signed with Alberta into the Arctic Ocean. We're the gatekeepers of and British Columbia in 2015. the water," said Gerry Cheezie, chief of Smith’s That deal commits the signatories to pro- Landing First Nation, at a press conference Jan. tecting the ecosystems and waterways within 14 in Yellowknife. the Mackenzie River Basin, which includes the Blair McBride/NNSL photo His community lies in Alberta just south of Athabasca and Slave Rivers that pass through and Fort Smith and the NWT border and is nestled downstream of the Frontier mine area. Gerry Cheezie, chief of Smith’s Landing First Nation just south of the NWT along shore of the Slave River. Former Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenber- border in Alberta, points to a map showing areas of his community’s traditional ger, who served for more than 20 years in the territory that would be affected by Teck’s Frontier oilsands project. Fighting on behalf of the Dene NWT legislative assembly and who in 2015, as "We're fighting on behalf of the Dene in the Environment and Natural Resources minister, territory ourselves. We're not moving. After the signed the agreements with Alberta and B.C., tarsands are all finished and the companies leave told News/North that the concerns of Indigenous we're still going to be here. We're going to be liv- communities are justified. ing with this thing," he said. "Everybody is watching. We have a right to be "I use the example of the Giant gold mines. concerned. The level of pollution and the spills The arsenic trioxide and the 237,000 tonnes that and the record in Alberta – it's a concern for are underground here, that the taxpayer is paying everybody," he said. for keeping it underground, safe and away from "(Frontier will have) 1.3 billion litres of toxic the environment. That's what's going to happen tailings in their ponds that they’ll want to release here as well. Because there are no monies being into the Athabasca River. They don’t have the put in by the companies for reclamation and if technology yet to clean that up so it can be put they are it's minimal. The taxpayer is going to end back into the water system." up with a major bill down here. The agreement to protect the Mackenzie River "If this project gets the go ahead the CO2 Basin took more than 15 years of negotiations emissions are going to go through the roof as far and while it doesn’t bar resource development it as Canada goes. The accord they signed in Paris does require the parties to monitor and manage is going to be meaningless." pollution. The chief also criticized Teck’s handling of "We have to see. This will be a test of the impact and benefit agreements, which he said trans-boundary water agreement and Alberta's were offered to communities as far south as honouring of that agreement. There's a constant Lac La Biche that lies 435 kilometres from Fort requirement to be vigilant," said Miltenberger. Chipewyan but not his community. A decision by the federal cabinet on the Fron- "They're upstream from the project. They're tier scheme is due at the end of February, though further away and they get benefits from it and it could delay the move. Approval of the mine 6 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 commentary NEWS/NORTH nWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 7 Collateral damage - where do Indigenous economies fit in climate change crusade?

Northern News Services see substandard housing resources, a broken helping that happen. another barrier to Indigenous self-determina- Editor's note: this column was originally education system, a social safety net that caus- The present project screening boards, tion. published on nnsl.com es dysfunction and encourages dependence and singled out for praise by Kuyek, are doing the Without new approaches and recognition of There has been heavy criticism of now – not news – a child rescue job on the environment front. Add the Indigen- the challenges facing the Indigenous popula- the mining industry in our opinion service that fails both the child ous economic factor and weight it toward self- tions in the NWT, change is just a dream, to news pages lately, notably Yellow- victim and the family volunteers sufficiency. The boards should be a catalyst be followed by a Northern nightmare, if we knifer columnist and community stepping up to help them. for responsible economic development, not yet don’t change. commentator Nancy Vail and Joan In the second story, the local Kuyek, formerly national coordinator angle on the national story about of Mining Watch Canada. the percentage of Indigenous Both are excellent writers and representation in the Canadian passionate advocates of all that is inmate population – 30 percent good and righteous in this day of – and climbing. If that number is climate change. Vail, in her column newsworthy, what are we to make "Our own banana republic," (Yellow- of 83 percent in the NWT? knifer, Jan. 22) is dead set against Vail doesn’t mention the thou- mining while Kuyek in the story From the sands of Indigenous people in the "Former head of mining watchdog NWT who have no jobs or even calls for NWT to change industry" Publisher hopes of getting a job. Kuyek (Yellowknifer, Jan. 24) attempts to Bruce Valpy is the suggests: "You could be build- walk the line between being anti- publisher and CEO of ing your own housing. You could mining and only allowing mining NNSL Media. be growing your own food. You that doesn’t damage or alter the could doing innovative forms of environment, certainly falling on the transportation for the North." So side that less mining is infinitely better than build your own house. Learn about the alterna- more mining, no mining is best. tive energies out of reach. Live the carbon Good reading but I’m left wondering where neutral way in a place where carbon = heat for these thoughtful advocates are coming from you or your family. when I read last week’s News/North. On I consider myself an average non-Indigen- pages 10 and 11: The headline on page 10 is ous person. I would have no idea how to build "Indigenous self-determination in mineral sec- a house other than moving into the crate the tor gets a boost." The page 11 headline is "83 material arrived in and burning everything percent of NWT inmates are Indigenous." else to keep warm. Growing my own food photo courtesy of the Government of the On page 10, Gwich’in Tribal Council Grand would not be an option because I don’t know Charles Klengenberg, IRC director of Lands, Patrick Gruben, IDC chair, Chief Bobbie Jo -Morgan and Inuvi- how to do that eight months of the year while Duane Smith, IRC chair and CEO, Shane Thompson, minister of ENR and aluit Regional Corporation chair Duane Smith paying for heat. What are "innovative forms of Lands, Caroline Cochrane, premier of the Northwest Territories, Bobbie Jo signed off on GNWT regional mineral strat- transportation"? These are not practical solu- Greenland-Morgan, grand chief/president, Gwich’in Tribal Council, Katrina egies designed to allow those Indigenous gov- tions for any population. ernments to develop their mineral resources. Nokleby, minister of ITI and Infrastructure, Joy O’Neill, GTC economic develop- What's left but the status quo? ment officer, James Thorbourne, GTC interim chief operating officer. Ignoring threat of climate change? So to further the discussion brought for- Are these Indigenous leaders ignoring the ward by Vail and Kuyek: How do we address climate change threat? Do they not care what the implications for Indigenous people if we mining can do to the land and animals? Are forbid their government to engage in resource they being bamboozled by royalty hungry extraction for royalties on their land? What’s GNWT politicians and their mining industry left but revenue from the federal/territorial lobbyists? Are they being immoral as Vail sug- governments, the status quo? gests? Naive, as Kuyek explains? The GNWT seems to have learned that I think Greenland-Morgan and Smith are sound planning includes partnership, as sig- looking at the needs of their people. Reluc- nalled with these agreements. tantly, guardedly, they are weighing the bene- Resource development offers Indigenous fits of raising money from the resources under governments the ability to top up services their control rather than depending on colonial hugely lacking from the federal/GNWT fund- governments not in their control. Clearly, rely- ing stream. Premier Caroline Cochrane and ing on the colonial powers leads to perpetual Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment poverty for the majority of their people. They Katrina Nokleby are doing the right thing by 8 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 1257+:(677(55,725,(6 Editorial & Opinions Published Mondays Comments and views from News/north and letters to the editor Yellowknife office: Box 2820, Yellowknife, NT, X1A 2R1 Phone: (867) 873-4031 Fax: (867) 873-8507 Toll free: (855) 873-6675 Email: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.nnsl.com South Slave office, Hay River: Paul Bickford, Bureau Chief Phone: (867) 874-2802 Fax: (867) 874-2804 Email: [email protected] Mackenzie Delta office, Inuvik: Phone: (867) 777-4545 Fax: (867) 777-4412 Email: [email protected] Website: www.nnsl.com/inuvikdrum Baffin office, Iqaluit: Phone: (867) 979-5990 Fax: (867) 979-6010 Email: [email protected] Website: www.nnsl.com/nunavutnews Kivalliq office, rankin inlet: Darrell Greer – Bureau Chief Phone: (867) 645-3223 Fax: (867) 645-3225 Email: [email protected] Website: www.nnsl.com/kivalliqnews NNSL file photo The North Slave Correctional Centre in Somba K'e, or Yellowknife. NWT Department of Justice data indicate there were 97 males and 10 females in NWT corrections facilities on Jan. 23 of this year. Data recently released shows, 83 per cent of Founder (1934-2018): J.W. (Sig) Sigvaldason inmates and every female behind bars in the NWT is Indigenous. PUBLISHER, CEO: Bruce Valpy – [email protected] Chief Financial Officer: Judy Triffo MANAGING EDITOR: Mike W. Bryant – [email protected] Editorial board: Bruce Valpy • Mike W. Bryant • Craig Gilbert ACCOUNTING – [email protected] Indigenous jail rates a Florie Mariano • Cindy Minor • Amy Yang Assignment editor Craig Gilbert - [email protected] Photo: Emily McInnis - [email protected]

Sports: James McCarthy – [email protected] Business: [email protected] colonial consequence Arts: [email protected]

Reporters: Brendan Burke • Simon Whitehouse Indigenous communities must gain some control Nick Pearce • Blair McBride over institutions that produce these outcomes Advertising production Production co-ordinator: Jennifer Reyes Northern News Services and sewers and what they receive Diana Mathisen • Zdena Kunderlik The issue: Randy Hiebert • Joshua Uson Maybe it's the broken system that Indigenous incarceration in funding for that purpose. A social Customer service: Holly Yestrau has News/North sometimes sounding deficit would refer to the gap between [email protected] like a broken record. We say: what the territory should be spending ADVERTISING Homegrown approach [email protected] According to the GNWT Department on services like education or addic- Representatives: of Justice, on Jan. 23 of this year, of needed tions and what the budget actually Petra Memedi • Laura Whittle James Boylan • Echo Xin the 97 males and 10 females in NWT is. Because the government isn’t correctional facilities, 83 per cent of ment of society over another on an investing enough early in the lives of Advertising manager: Zerline Rodriguez Administrative assistant: Emmanuel Ramos them are Indigenous. industrial scale supported by a mas- its citizens, it is spending more on Social Media manager: Vincent De Leon That revelation comes on the heels sive bureaucracy of police, lawyers, responses to social ills through hospi-

CIRCULATION: of an Office of the Corrections Inves- judges, corrections and court staff tals, jail guards, police and lawyers. [email protected] tigator report that found more than largely educated and trained in south- This isn’t to point fingers at who to Circulation Director: Emma Thomas Jewala Jhankur 30 per cent of federal penitentiary ern institutions? blame, but where to best direct what Subscriptions: inmates are likewise Indigenous – a The inter-generational effects of scant resources are available to the One year mail $90 gross over-representation considering such as a system are no less sig- still-new crew of lawmakers in the Online (entire content) $50/year how only about five per cent of the nificant – and complicit – than the legislative assembly. Nor is it to sug- 's population has an Indigen- residential schools and child welfare gest that News/North has all of the ous background. system that fostered this criminality in answers, but the strategy should focus

NORTHERN NEWS SERVICES LIMITED The numbers for NWT jails are no the first place. on children and those critical early 100% Northern owned and operated Publishers of: less troubling, considering that just The consequences live on in the years. Inuvik Drum • Kivalliq News Yellowknifer • Hay River Hub over half the population is Indigenous. education system, hampered par- However, no solution cooked up by NWT News/North • News/North Member of: It’s clear that big changes are needed. ticularly in the communities, where a mostly non-Indigenous, mostly south- Canadian Community Newspapers Association Ontario Community Newspapers Association There is a vicious cycle that touches attendance and achievement trail ern bureaucracy is going to make more Manitoba Community Newspapers Association Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association every stage of human development larger centres in the NWT and across sense than a culturally relevant option Alberta Weekly Newspapers Association Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta Press Councils in the territory, one that must be Canada. Mistrust of schools sown by developed at the community level. Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce Contents copyright – printed in the North addressed at all levels, starting with past residential school trauma cannot It’s not unreasonable to predict by Canarctic Graphics Limited early education and home life, if there be ignored. there is going to be a showdown at We acknowledge the Nous reconnaissons financial support of l'appui financier du is to be any hope of moving the pro- There are gaps in the delivery of some point unless the GNWT is will- the Government of gouvernement du health and social services, mental Canada. Canada. portion of Indigenous people in our ing to cede control over things like jails closer to the actual proportions of health and addictions treatment in health and education to the commun- Member of the Ontario Press Council. The Ontario Press Council was created to defend freedom of the press on behalf of the public the territory's population. particular, and as News/North has ities, which is to say, duly empowered and press alike, and to consider specific, unsatisfied complaints from readers about the conduct of the press in gathering and pub- The fact is prisons are a colonial recently reported, serious concerns to Indigenous governments. lishing news, opinion and advertising. imposition on Indigenous people. be addressed in the foster care system. Current and future Indigenous gov- Complaints should go to: The Ontario Press Council, 2 Carlton St., Suite 1706 Toronto, Ont., There were no jails before European The cost of incarceration, financial ernments, elders and other traditional M5B 1J3 Email: [email protected] Fax: 1-416-340-8724 trappers, traders and prospectors and social, can be described as a knowledge holders have to be at the www.ontpress.com moved into the territory. The Dene and social deficit. Think of the municipal core of any approach.

Send us your comments Inuvialuit inhabitants of the pre-coloni- funding gap described by the 19th Until Indigenous communities gain Email us at: [email protected] with the subject al NWT policed themselves, and did so Legislative Assembly in their list of line "My opinion"; or send mail to News/North at Box more control over the institutions that 2820, Yellowknife X1A 2R1; or drop your letter off at for thousands of years. It may not have 22 priorities for this term in office, produce these disparate outcomes, our office at 5108-50 Street. All letters submitted must be signed with a return address and daytime resulted in "justice" by today's legal which refers to the difference between the vicious cycle of poverty, lack of telephone number. We will do our best to ensure that letters submitted by 3 p.m. on Thursday are printed in standards but what is justice when it what the communities need to spend opportunity and incarceration will con- Monday's News/North. disproportionately penalizes one seg- to maintain infrastructure like roads tinue. editorial – opinions NEWS/NORTH nWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 9 No easy fix for foster care Northern News Services their families safe. This includes designat- Coalition are doing the real work that needs These are only a few examples of the There is no one solitary solution to solv- ing advocates for children and their families to be done just because they put on a few poor decisions that are happening behind the ing the problem that is the colonial child wel- in the areas of housing, education, mental programs and a check off a box that meets closed doors of the NWT Health and Social fare system. The current system needs to be health and addictions and income support not the needs of their funders. There needs to be Services system. done away with and a new way of caring for just in child welfare. consistent independent oversight and regu- Yet it’s not hard to see in on what is hap- children in need must be rebuilt. Every single person in a child’s life that lar internal reviews on those that have the pening to many children going through the Having been in the foster care is at the throws of becoming a responsibility of determining the best inter- system is extremely grotesque and the worst system as a foster child and hav- ward of the territory needs to be ests of the child. part is there is no one person to blame. ing been a foster parent myself, working together to ensure that No child should be out on the street in the It’s the entire system malfunctioning having also worked within the children in the system are fully cold and told to sleep in a hotel room alone which might just be what is needed to begin rigid child welfare system I see supported. Yet, this is not happen- and expect to wake up and go to school with- to better support the health and well-being the issues that arise in the ter- ing because we are told that the out food. of children in care and, when its best for the ritorial system and what is clearly system is exhausted, but that is no No grandparent should have to turn their child, keep them with their extended families obvious is that, despite supposed excuse. grandchildren away because they can’t afford until their parents get the support they need, best efforts, much more work Most social workers often have to care for them only to have their grandchil- unity rather than separation. needs to be done to ensure the an untrained lack of knowledge of dren placed in a stranger’s home that will be There is an ongoing difficult conversation safety and well-being of children the historical colonial assimilation paid to care for them. that needs to be had with all players at the in care. tactics on Indigenous peoples that No child should be sent halfway across table and we must not forget to include the The current breakdown of the are linked directly to child appre- the country to a modern day residential voice of the children themselves to hear what system is not a centralized issue. Northern hension and they are often ignor- school type boarding home and held against matters most to them. This is happening all over Can- Wildflower ant to the importance of culture, a their will in an institution that claims that We need to keep our Northern commun- ada, not just the North. culture that is crucial to take into they are taking into account the child’s cul- ities healthy and safe for our children and Catherine Lafferty is a It’s not only the government published author who consideration when determining ture when they don’t even know the differ- help each other so that no child is left vulner- that needs to commit to improve- grew up in Yellowknife. the best interests of the child. ence between the and the NWT. able. ment. Indigenous governments Her next book, Land- Those making decisions Water-Sky, is set to be can and should be engaging in released later this year. regarding a child and family rigorous discussions on how best should be observed closely until to protect children in their home they can be trusted to ensure they communities. It should not matter if that are doing their best to support each child and child in need of care is from that particu- family. lar nation or not, if they are living in the If that doesn’t sit well, they might recon- community then they should be protected sider their field of expertise if a little bit of by that community. This is the way things criticism triggers an uncomfortable defense were before the government because we are talking about eroded Indigenous law and making decisions regarding we need to bring it back. people’s lives, and when it Initiating alternative ways "The current comes to deciding to take a to support families is what is breakdown of the child from their home, which needed from our Indigenous is an added traumatic event leaders. Money should be no system is not a that has the potential to option when discussing the further the negative impacts health, safety and well-being centralized issue, that child and their family of our children. The govern- this is happening that will have to incur for ment should be assisting the rest of their lives, there Indigenous governments in all over Canada, needs to be someone the any way they can to imple- child knows and trusts at ment programs and services not just the the end of the day to care for children and families and for them and mitigate that for the overall health of the North." shock, not some uncompas- communities. Indigenous Catherine Lafferty sionate foster parent that is leaders, we are waiting for only in it for the money. you to take the lead on this Organizations that are because the government is claiming to be helping chil- failing miserably. This can no longer wait. dren and families in the child welfare system It is no secret that Indigenous children need to be held accountable to the services are over-represented in the child welfare they are said to provide. These organizations system and that means that our Indigenous are, more often than not, perpetuating the communities need to provide safe places for problem by removing children from their children to return home to or stay. While we families rather than trying to implement pre- wait for Indigenous leaders to recognize the ventative solutions. magnitude of their reach, social envelopes It’s not enough to trust that non-profit need to come together to keep children and organizations such as the Foster Family

We asked you! "What is your favourite event with Eric Bowling in the Northern Games?" [email protected]

Kobe Alexie: Noel Cockney: Sienna Gordon: Byron Kotokak: Brayden Teddy: Dawson Craig: "Probably the head "One hand reach. It "Two-foot high kick. It's "I like them all. It's "Doing them." "One-foot high kick. It's pull. I find it really involves a lot of tech- a fun challenge and a always good to see just fun to challenge interesting." nique." close competition." new generations carry- yourself." ing on the ." 10 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 commentary

OurNorthern News Services prehensiveDene exams. As with most placestraditions in the North Friends, over a decade ago I first In this case this involved letting my we have our share of intergenerational started with this extended post-sec- school, Trent University, know that I school trauma. ondary education. understand our total of 120 textbooks, So far, my research proposal has Since then the Govern- no less, with all of the sup- had to do with helping our youth, ment of the NWT jumped porting materials. strengthen their Dene identity. on board, wanting me to Some questions involved It has always been my belief that work with the five com- finding new ways to we, young and old, already know munities of the Sahtu, approach and involve our whom we are, but we need look ser- Great Bear Lake . Indigenous Worlds. iously at our own selves, to find out With our Sahtu in the Needless to say, it took ways to live positively. Arts we worked to feature some major doing to get For the time being, too, I will be the artists and crafts- this far. working out with my school to find people, in cultural events. One other Northern ways to include my Arts, painting It even resulted in student still at her studies murals, to make these studies move some serious recognition, is Celine Vukson, sister to forward. with the Premier’s Award Tlicho Tribal Council Presi- My main feeling is that we as Dene for Group Activities. MOUNTAIN dent George Mackenzie. can accomplish whatever it is we set Along the way, too, View She has been very sup- our minds to. I’ve earned two degrees, Antoine Mountain is a portive from the first day To this end one of the things our one in the Fine Arts and a Dene artist and writer I started, some five years elders always say is that you need to Masters of Environmental originally from Radilih ago, and saw to it that our just go ahead each time and ‘challenge Koe'/Fort Good Hope. Studies. He can be reached university changed some your life!’ The one which has at: amountainarts.com. parts of these studies, to This is what our People did each photo courtesy of Dolphus Taureau taken the longest is the involve more community in and every day on the land, and how Columnist Antoine Mountain pictured with Cara Manuel present Indigenous Stud- academia. our Dene traditions survived over at the Resurging Dene Youth Conference in Radelie Koe, ies PhD. Too, all this would not be possible these past thirty thousand years and Fort Good Hope. The GNWT-sponsored Sahtu in the Arts Over the last little while I’ve gotten without the input of my home commun- counting. program, which Mountain helps to run, was recognized done with one major hurdle, the com- ity of Radelie Koe, Fort Good Hope. Mahsi, thank you. with a Premier's Award. Former industry watchdog responds to publisher's pro-mining column Dear editor, impoverished by extraction that they feel they these projects is very difficult, and it is not approaches to food production and a univer- I am writing to object to your patronizing have little choice but to accept new mines. Of "naïve" (as you call it - not me) to need more sity. I advocate for substantial and immediate editorial, which completely mischaracterizes course, they should decide if they want them information. government investment in equipping First my position on mining in the NWT. and, if so, regulate them. Most of the mining projects being touted in Nations with the expertise, research and cap- Any mining should take into account the In exchange for the resources and for ruin- the NWT these days have fatal flaws: inability ital needed to explore and develop these kinds awesome costs that are externalized to people ing the land for future use, mining companies to get a refinery built, dependence on shaky of alternatives. and the environment. The money going back provide some jobs, local contracts and a min- markets and so on. The gold projects that are That money should have come from taxing to governments from mining companies has uscule share of revenues (often less than the being proposed will be super pits with serious existing mines, but, of course, it hasn’t. As it to be equal to the terrible costs for this and CEO’s salary). The profits go out of the terri- long-term issues with arsenic and antimony, is, the GNWT has one of lowest "government future generations. tory and the toxic wastes are left behind. like Giant Mine. takes" from mining in the world. I believe that Indigenous governments/ Hopes and money get pinned on mineral The editorial distorts my suggestions for peoples should have their own mineral strat- exploration projects than never become mines, the development of economies alternative Joan Kuyek egies. In the NWT, as elsewhere, most of but cause endless conflict at the commun- to mining: remediation of contamination, Former national coordinator, these nations have been so dispossessed and ity level. Getting accurate information about housing for Arctic environments, creative MiningWatch Canada NEWS/NORTH nWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 11 Around the North If you have an item of interest from your community, call (867) 873-4031, or email: [email protected]

support for hay river wharf Kyle Scott, the interim terminal manager for Imperial Oil in Hay River, presented a $25,000 donation on behalf of the com- pany to Mayor Kandis Jame- son on Jan. 20 to support the ongoing construction of a pavil- ion at Fisherman's Wharf. Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Community meeting held The session for caregivers with children ages zero to three pecting and exploration projects," stated the GNWT website. Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard took place from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The session for caregivers Prospectors are eligible to receive up to 25 thousand dollars. Acho Dene Koe First Nation’s latest community membership with children ages three to six took place from 2 p.m. to 4:30 Fifty percent of eligible project expenses to a maximum of meeting covered a variety of on-going and current events on Jan. p.m. $200,000 is on the table for exploration companies interested in 29. – Erin Steele applying. The meeting took place at the Fort Liard Community Hall Individuals and organizations applying to the Mining Incen- from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. tive Program have until April 24 to do so. Direct flights added The Northwest Territories Geological Survey is a division of The agenda included a review of the election process for the Lli Goline/Norman Wells upcoming chief and council elections and a review of commun- the GNWT Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Those flying between Norman Wells and Yellowknife will – Erin Steele ity member participation on negotiations side tables. be able to take the new direct flight with North Wright Airways Updates on negotiations in the NWT, Yukon and British Col- beginning Feb. 13. umbia and on specific claims submissions to the Government of The flight to Yellowknife will depart Norman Wells at 10 Iron Chef competition Canada were also provided. a.m. and the flight to Norman Wells will depart Yellowknife at The meeting was open to all community and Acho Dene Koe 4:30 p.m. returning to Fort Smith First Nation members. Both flights will be available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Thebacha/Fort Smith – Erin Steele Saturdays. Fort Smith Seniors 55-plus is planning the next Iron Chef "Day trips to Yellowknife! May it be just a day trip for med- Extravaganza! for Feb. 29. February filled with workshops ical appointments, meetings, business, personal care or grocery The theme will be meatballs. shopping," stated a bulletin on social media touting the benefits There will be seven meatball chefs (or teams of two) and four Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard dessert chefs. This February, Acho Dene Koe First Nation is hosting a var- of the new flight. – Erin Steele The event will take place at Roaring Rapids Hall. iety of workshops with each one covering either trauma, parent- – Paul Bickford ing or budgeting. The free Budgeting 101 workshop is scheduled for Feb. 12 Hamlet becomes payment agency from 1 to 4 p.m. and covers how to save money, make a budget Deh Gah Got'ie Koe/Fort Providence and manage money. Customers of Northland Utilities can now come in to the A Parenting Positively workshop will provide 10 participants Fort Providence Hamlet office to pay their bills. with two sessions. The first is scheduled for Feb. 7 and the The Hamlet office began serving as a payment agency for second for Feb. 10. Both sessions take place from 1 p.m. to 4 Northland Utilities on Jan. 27. p.m. "Local customers can now pay their power/electricity bills at The last workshop of the month will be a Women Healing the Hamlet using cash or by debit/credit card," stated a public from Trauma workshop taking place on Feb. 19 from 1 p.m. to notice on social media from the Hamlet. 4 p.m. "We look forward to providing this service to the commun- – Erin Steele ity. Please feel free to call the Hamlet office with any ques- tions." Early childhood development Those utilizing this service are asked to bring their North- land Utilities account number when making a payment at the workshop held Hamlet. Lli Goline/Norman Wells – Erin Steele Parents and caregivers had their chance to take part in a workshop geared towards early childhood development thanks Applications open for to Aurora College. "Join Aurora College Early Learning and Child Care stu- mining program dents for an interactive workshop on how to build trust, stability NWT and connection between you and your child," stated a bulletin Those in the mining industry looking to dig up some invest- on social media. ment cash are invited to apply to the Northwest Territories Geo- The workshop offered sessions for two separate age groups logical Survey’s Mining Incentive Program. on Jan. 25 in the Norman Wells community hall. "$1 million in investment is up for grabs for qualifying pros- 12 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 commentary Affirmative action: how a policy could shape the destiny of NWT As many Canadians from coast to coast to coast were cele- At the senior management level, only 20 per cent is made of the hiring priority and into leadership positions. Instead, brating and thinking about the New Year, I was thinking about up of Indigenous Aboriginal Persons and even that is poor by we are using affirmative action to staff primarily entry level the concept of employer affirmative action policies across our any standards. positions and continue to hire folks that are already overrepre- territory and particularly with the GNWT, which is the single Creating an affirmative action policy is one thing and sented to fill positions that truly matter at management levels. I largest employer in the territory. ensuring that it is serving the purpose it was intended for is am proposing five action item for a start: GNWT prides itself as a government of divers- another. It seems, looking at the statistics, that this • Government should immediately start looking at ways to ity and inclusion and of a workforce that represents policy is being used as a lip service by our govern- improve the quality of K-12 education and graduation rates in the people it serves. Who does its affirmative action ment to defend its hiring responsibilities. our local communities policy really serve? Is this policy not being used Even with the Diversity and Inclusion and Stu- • Government should do more in marketing the northern to disguise its true purpose and suppress the true dent Financial Assistance programs, most of our context of education to increase the chances of direct admis- potential of Northerners? Whether this is truly the Northern youth do not seem to be benefitting from sion into post secondary institutions in the south case is not for me to decide. these programs as intended. • Government has to do more to create jobs in commun- Our government’s affirmative action policy ities, which will provide residents and families in communities offers priority hiring to "eligible designated groups" Need to move beyond lip service the opportunity to gain employment and reduce the rate of that are under-represented within the public service. Our young people are dropping out of middle school dropout because of poverty and the burden of family What is the criteria to qualify as an eligible desig- school or using high school and to a lesser extent, responsibility nated group? GUEST trade programs and diplomas, mainly from Aurora • Government has to recognize and take immediate actions According to the NWT Bureau of Statistics, the College as a benchmark to qualify for entry level to stop the damaging effects of alcoholism, substance abuse population of the NWT is sitting just under 45,000 Comment jobs. How are they supposed to get ahead and and trauma in our communities. We cannot allow this to con- and Indigenous Aboriginal Peoples constitute half become leaders? Our government has to do better. tinue destroying our potential leaders of tomorrow. We have to Ambe Chenemu is a of that number. Ironically, according to the GNWT planner with the Tlicho If GNWT continues with this lip service attitude act now Public Service Annual Report of August 2019, only Government. and will not do more toward a practical implemen- • Government has to do more to increase the number of 30 per cent of Indigenous Aboriginal Persons make tation of the affirmative action policy, then I’m minority and under-represented groups at all levels of the pub- up the GNWT workforce, while a staggering 59 per afraid we may never see a day when Aboriginal lic service, if it truly wants to be a representative employer of cent are non-Aboriginal Indigenous Persons and the remain- Peoples or the truly under-represented and what we could refer the people it serves. ing 11 per cent is made up of the "rest" which I will qualify to to as "minority", will gain a fair representation in our public If truth and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, adopt- mean ineligible designated groups. service. We will continue to steal away the true potential of a ing the UNDRIP and empowering Aboriginal Peoples and the If the purpose of our government’s affirmative action policy majority of young Northerners. minority of our society is truly on the agenda and priority of is to advocate and give priority to under-represented groups, Our government has to do more to give young Northern- this government, then it is not too late to write a new script how then is 60 per cent of our public service represented by a ers especially the opportunity to continue into post secondary going in to this new decade. group that is over-represented? and higher education, in order for them to truly take advantage Wishing you all a happy New Year! photo story NEWS/NORTH nWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 13 Athletes reach high for Games

Byron Kotokak, AWG Trials originally from Tuk- toyaktuk, performs Feature the one-hand reach on day two of Arctic by Eric Bowling Winter Games trials at East Three School Jan. 24. Northern News Services the main event in Whitehorse Inuvik hosted Arctic Win- March 16 to 21. ter Games trials for both trad- Snowshoers plied the itional northern games and Mackenzie River while brav- racing Jan. 23 to 25, ing -27 C winds while trad- bringing out over 50 athletes itional athletes wooed the from across the Northwest crowds with their amazing Territories to vie for a spot at athleticism over the three days.

Mikayla Jacobsen of Tuktoyaktuk performs a two-foot high kick during day two of trials Jan. 24 at East Three School. Jacob- sen will be making her third appearance at the games in Whitehorse.

Jasmin Gruben gets some airtime following the Arctic Winter Games trials Jan. 25 during a dem- onstration of the blanket toss, also known as the human trampoline.

Originally from Tuktoyaktuk, Byron Kotokak flew in from Yellowknife to show off his knuckle-hop skills at the Arctic Winter Games trials Jan. 23 to 25 at East Three School.

Jessie Hawthorne of Fort McPherson was the first to complete the qualifier for the middle Dawson Craig, representing Yellowknife but born Kobe Alexie of Fort McPherson practises his distance race Jan. 23 on the Mackenzie River. in Inuvik, performs an Alaskan High Kick at over double high kicks in the opening moments of Arc- Hawthorne and his peers each ran 5 kilometres five feet during Arctic Winter Games trials Jan. 24 tic Winter Games trials Jan. 23. Alexie was named in in -27 C weather. at East Three School. to the junior male squad of Team NT. 14 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 Sports & Recreation Sports hotline • James McCarthy Phone: (867) 873-4031 • Email: [email protected] • Fax: (867) 873-8507 Team NT set for Whitehorse Second wave of territorial trials confirm rosters for 2020 Arctic Winter Games by James McCarthy , Dene games, set a new world record in the said. "It wasn’t exactly ideal close and I was getting tired was one of those who con- Northern News Services snowshoeing, speedskating, open men’s knuckle hop as he to go and compete because but I told myself ‘0ne more gratulated Stipdonk on the NWT , table ten- travelled 200 ft., 8 in. Stip- it’s a lot harder than it looks." time, one more time.' I got achievement on Facebook. All of the hard work, nis and rounding donk’s hop bettered the now- The course for the knuckle to 190 and I thought I had "Getting congratulations the sweat and maybe some things out. From that, the former mark of Rod Worl hop followed the lines of the another 10 ft. in me." from him was awesome," said tears have translated into rosters have now been final- of , who had held the court at the East He ended up collapsing Stipdonk. "We’ve been racing what Team NT will look like ized and Team NT now has mark of 191 ft., 10 in. since Three Secondary Gymna- forward, which gave him the against each other for years for the 2020 Arctic Winter its team. 1988. sium. Stipdonk did the entire extra few inches to break the and I was worried he would Games in Whitehorse this Most of the excitement of Stipdonk said it was a course once and another half- 200 ft. mark. do it first because he’s had March. the trials happened in Inu- tough slog, especially con- length of a line. Stipdonk’s record didn’t more opportunities to than I The second wave of trials vik, which hosted the Arctic sidering he was nursing an "I saw the numbers on the go unnoticed by someone have." happened around the terri- sports trials. That excitement injury leading into the trials. tape as I was going around," who’s been chasing that rec- Stipdonk was one of those tory between Jan. 23 to 25 was provided by Fort Simp- "I pulled a muscle in my he said. "I saw 168, then 169 ord for a long time. Kyle Worl with Arctic sports, , son’s Chris Stipdonk, who neck right before I went," he and I knew I was getting of Alaska, Rod Worl’s son, Please see Last, page 15 fact sports Team nt rosters from wave two Check file with James McCarthy Archery Junior female Junior girls email: [email protected] Cynthia White, Fort Smith – coach Taylor McLeod, Aklavik Tegan Konge, Yellowknife Cheuk Pang, Yellowknife – coach Malaenah Alexie, Aklavik Georgia Martin, Yellowknife Kiana Horesay, Behchoko Arctic Winter Games mission staff set Recurve male Jennifer Drygeese-Yelle, Dettah Speedskating NWT Ferghus Rutherford-Simon, Fort Smith Kaitlyn MacLean, Fort Resolution* Kerry Egan – coach Team NT's mission staff for the 2020 Arctic Winter Jack Irwin, Hay River Alexandre Larouche – coach Games in Whitehorse has been finalized. Noah Zoe, Behchoko* Open male The group was made public by Sport North on Wednesday Ryan Tourangeau, Fort Smith Juvenile girls and here's the cast who will be on the ground helping out: Recurve female Frank Elanik, Aklavik Kali Skauge, Yellowknife • Doug Rentmeister, Yellowknife – chef de mission Tayla Minute, Fort Smith Brenden Takazo, Deline Maica McEachern, Yellowknife • Bill Othmer, Yellowknife – assistant chef de mission Delayna Cross, Hay River Brad King, Fort Resolution Rebecca Messier, Yellowknife • Damon Crossman, Yellowknife – assistant chef de mission Abby Venema, Fort Smith* Brent Duncan, Norman Wells* Madeleine Kapraelian, Yellowknife • Thorsten Gohl, Fort Providence Amaria Tanche-Hanna, Fort Simpson* • Val Gendron, Fort Simpson Compound male Juvenile female Josee Touesnard, Hay River* • Stacey Christie, Inuvik Grayson Groenewegen, Hay River Jerrica Sanderson, Fort Resolution • Kevin Smith, Fort Smith SaNaeah Allen, Fort Simpson Monica Arey, Aklavik Junior girls • Kyla Lesage, Yellowknife Jaylen Base-Smith, Yellowknife* Arianna Sundberg-Koyina, Dettah Ava Erasmus, Fort Simpson • Paige McDonald, Yellowknife Danica Fraser, Fort Smith Seigna Hult-Griffin, Inuvik • Glenn Tait, Yellowknife Compound female Sierra Waugh, Lutsel K’e* Mikayla Lafferty, Fort Simpson • Brianna Krekoski, Yellowknife Amy Paziuk, Fort Smith source: Aboriginal Sports Circle Georgia Pellissey, Yellowknife • Rami Ayache, Yellowknife Shanelle Moore, Hay River of the NWT • Joe Borkovic, Yellowknife – GNWT representative Ella Skauge, Yellowknife* Juvenile boys source: Aboriginal Sports Circle Snowshoeing Sage Acorn Yellowknife Team North live on Twitter of the NWT Dave Shears, Yellowknife – coach Noam Duperre, Yellowknife NWT Nicole McDonald, Inuvik – coach Lochlan Dunn, Yellowknife Les Skinner's quest to keep Team North alive for the Badminton Kaleb Picek, Inuvik National Aboriginal Hockey Championships has now hit Julie Jeffery, Yellowknife – coach Juvenile boys Byran Clinton, Yellowknife* social media. Jeremy Kielstra, Yellowknife – coach Austin Van Loon, Tsiigehtchic Maliq Bernard, Yellowknife* Skinner, a multiple-time head coach for the boys team, set up a Twitter account with the handle @TeamNorthNAHC on Juvenile boys Juvenile girls Junior boys Wednesday and is encouraging everyone to follow and spread Ben Naugler, Yellowknife Ariana Keevik, Fort McPherson Dalton McLeod, Inuvik the word. Ty Lafferty, Yellowknife Sommer Wiley, Norman Wells Stryden Hult-Griffin, Inuvik Skinner has become the person leading the charge to Tyler Gordon-Bahr, Inuvik* Sienna Gordon, Inuvik* Luke Dizon, Yellowknife ensure the pan-territorial program continues on following the Sylvain Rourke, Yellowknife announcement by the Aboriginal Sports Circle of the NWT's Juvenile girls Junior boys Lachlan MacGillivray, Yellowknife* decision to step back from fully funding the program follow- Livia Amos, Inuvik Joel Arey, Tsiigehtchic source: NWT ing the 2019 tournament in Whitehorse. Brittany Kendo, Tsiigehtchic Jesse Hanthorn, Fort McPherson Lydia Nelner, Fort Simpson* Keegan Greenland, Fort McPherson* Wrestling Two territorials in one Don Reid, Yellowknife – coach Thebacha/Fort Smith Junior boys Junior girls Sheryl Courtoreille, Yellowknife – Two more NWT representatives will be decided Jason Jones, Fort Smith Julienne Chipesia, Inuvik manager later this week as the NWT Seniors and NWT Mixed Jordan Jones, Fort Smith Kierra McDonald, Inuvik Doubles Curling Championships happen in Fort Smith. Matthew Cazon Vital, Fort Simpson* source: Sport North Boys Everything gets underway on Feb. 6 at the Fort Smith Cameron Courtoreille, Yellowknife Curling and Centre with the seniors playing Junior girls Snowboarding (96-kg) their first two draws with the mixed doubles getting under- Hillary Huynh, Yellowknife Juvenile boys Paul Reid, Yellowknife (78-kg) way the following day. The action will continue for both India Edwards-Loewen, Yellowknife Grayson Marchiori, Yellowknife Jacob Bailey, Yellowknife (70-kg) events through to Feb. 8 with the championship games for Kyra Sanguez, Fort Simpson* Kaleb Major, Yellowknife Quinn Critch, Yellowknife (60-kg) both the senior men's and women's on Feb. 9. The mixed source: Badminton NT Jack Pettipas, Hay River* doubles tournament is a best-of-five as there are only two Girls teams entered. Dene games Juvenile girls Kaitlyn Stewart, Yellowknife (70-kg) The senior men's event has four rinks with Paul Delorey Paul Boucher, Fort Smith – coach Mina Lockhart, Yellowknife Ava Applejohn, Yellowknife (60-kg) of Hay River, Glen Hudy of Yellowknife, Bruce McArthur of Lorna Storr, Aklavik – coach Nina Slagter, Yellowknife source: NWT Wrestling Fort Smith and Ed Sattelberger of Yellowknife skipping their * - denotes alternate teams while the senior women's event has three rinks with Junior male Junior boys Maureen Miller of Yellowknife, Sharon Cormier of Yellow- Keegan Arey, Aklavik Mackynnen MacDonald-Taylor, knife and Judy Goucher of Hay River as the skips. Keenan Andre Blake, Tsiigehtchic Fort Smith The mixed doubles teams are Tristen MacPherson and Riley Modeste, Deline Hawke Williams-Ellis, Yellowknife Virginia Boden of Fort Smith taking on Landon King and Tyrell Coleman, Fort Smith Elizabeth King from Yellowknife. Corbin Sinclair, Fort Smith* NEWS/NORTH nWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 15

James McCarthy/NNSL photo Paul Bickford/NNSL photo Jack Pettipas of Hay River starts off on his run in the rail jam event in the Noah Zoe of Behchoko takes aim at the target during the archery trials in snowboarding trials in Yellowknife on Jan. 24. Hay River on Jan. 25. Last of AWG athletes catch second wave Continued from page 14 Snowshoeing was the was a lot of help with every- elimination round, where the Canada Winter Games and it’s a sport in the AWG, every- other sport in Inuvik that thing, teaching us the proper medals will be awarded in North American Indigenous one wants to do it," she said. who qualified for the AWG weekend and those in action ways to snowshoe." each category. Games. "It’s a demonstration sport in the open men’s division competed in eight separate Archery was held in Hay Most of those who made White said there were right now but (2022 hosts) and he said he’s looking to go races, starting at the 100- River and from that, eight the team are relatively new plenty of new shooters at the Fort McMurray have already better in Whitehorse. metre race and moving up athletes were chosen along to the sport save for Tayla trials and she’s hopeful hav- expressed the possibility of "The events are spread out to 400, 800 and 1,500-metre with four alternates. Those Minute and Ferghus Ruth- ing the sport on the AWG having it there and five con- over five days at the Games races. Then, the real leg of athletes will make up the erford-Simon, both of Fort program will mean a new tingents have indicated they so I’ll be able to conserve the race began with a 5-km very first Team NT archery Smith and both of who cadre of athletes coming would send teams. I energy," he said. "At trials, race, followed by the 7.5-km team for the Games as the have represented the NWT down the line. everything was close together and 10-km races. sport will make its debut. at major events such as the "Kids love the AWG and if Please see Trials, page 16 so that made my record a In total, seven athletes Coach Cynthia White of bit more impressive, in my were selected for Team NT’s Fort Smith said close to 20 opinion." snowshoeing squad, includ- hopefuls made the trip in and While he has the world ing Austin Van Loon and Joel it was a close call right to record, there’s one record Arey from Tsiigehtchic, Jesse the end. Sports Card Stipdonk wants: the AWG Hanthorn from Fort McPher- "We had plenty of close speedskating record, which stands at 191 ft. son, and Kierra McDonald competition and it was still "I want that one bad," he and Julianne Chipesia from wide open on Saturday (the 1257+:(677(55,725,(6 said. "It’s like the Olympics Inuvik. final day)," she said. – there’s a world record and a "It feels pretty good. I The team was picked meet record so having both of had to race really hard," said based solely on results, she AGE: 14 Community: Inuvik those records would be amaz- McDonald, who expressed added. Seigna qualified for the junior girls speed- ing and going 200 ft. again her thanks to Jeffrey Amos, "If there were athletes skating team at the trials in Yellowknife would be a huge bonus." the host coordinator. "Jeff who weren’t engaged at late last month. any point in the competi- It will be her second trip to the Games tion, we wouldn’t have even for speedskating as she raced with the considered them," she said. Seigna Hult-Griffin juvenile girls two years ago in Fort Smith. "Everyone who showed up was engaged all weekend long and everyone came ready to make the team." Archery will have both recurve (traditional) and compound bow events in the juvenile and junior categories. The competition will follow international archery rules and will begin with rounds of seeding that determine the

James McCarthy/NNSL photo Jason Jones of Fort Smith leans into a return dur- ing the badminton trials in Yellowknife on Jan. 25. 16 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 sports & recreation Trials took place across NWT Continued from page 15 hope the (AWG) inter- national committee makes it permanent." The plan moving forward is to have the team meet up in Yellowknife for a shoot in early March right before departing for Whitehorse. "That’s going to be our prep camp and the kids will get a chance to practise and work out the kinks," she said. Yellowknife hosted four sets of trials, badminton being one of them. In all, eight athletes were named to the team along with four alternates once the action was done. Julie Jeffery and Jer- emy Kielstra are the team’s coaches with Kielstra saying James McCarthy/NNSL photo some of the categories were a Dalton McLeod, left, leads a pack including Luke Dizon and Lachlan MacGillivray, both of Yellowknife, during the junior boys 1,000- bit tighter than others. metre race of the Arctic Winter Games speedskating trials in Yellowknife on Jan. 24. "We had a couple of cat- egories with just four ath- boys was a big group so that some help picking the final good to be able to do," he on doubles teams to see how trials, which also doubled letes so between fitness, was tough. There were a few roster from a couple of said. they fared with each other, as the territorial champion- skills and our tournament, at the top who were pretty evaluators and Kielstra said Once the singles tour- he added. ships. Speedskating had things shook out in a way tight so we had to consider that was a big help. nament ended, the coaches "We wanted to get an idea competitors from Inuvik, that we could choose the all of the variables." "We bounced ideas off of took the potential top ath- of who plays well together," Hay River, Fort Simpson team," he said. "The juvenile Kielstra and Jeffery got each other and that’s always letes and put them together he said. "That’s a large part and Yellowknife duking it of the tournament in White- out over three distances to horse – the two categories earn a place in Whitehorse. of doubles: male and female With the trials now over, and then mixed. It’s import- the job turns to making sure ant to get players who can everyone who made a team Julianne Chipe- play well with each other." gets registered and that’s the sia and Kierra When it comes to the job of Doug Rentmeister, badminton competition, Team NT’s chef de mission. McDonald of Greenland is the presump- But before that happened, Inuvik power tive biennial favourite to the job was about making through the last be at or near the top every sure everyone got home fol- steps of their time. Nunavut is also another lowing the trials and Rent- qualifier race in strong outfit as is Alberta meister said that caused the snowshoeing North. more than one headache. trials in Inuvik Kielstra said he feels the "The weather just didn’t junior division players will co-operate at all," he said. on Jan. 23. be able to hold their own on "It played havoc with the Eric Bowling/NNSL photo the court. charter flights with all of the "We have a strong group snow and freezing rain. We of junior players," he said. were wondering if we would "It’s always hard to make have to pay for a second predictions before the charter flight because there Games and I don’t want to was the worry about planes make any." not being able to land in Fort Wrestling was also in Smith or Fort Resolution, Yellowknife with six athletes not to mention roads being making the team and while closed in Inuvik." they all came from Yellow- Everyone did make it knife, there was a blast from back home safe and sound the past, so to speak, as Ron eventually, he said. Gonzalez, who’s originally In terms of numbers for from Hay River, came back the second wave of trials, North to work with the team Rentmeister said participa- for trials weekend. Gonzalez tion was up across the board now lives in Saskatoon and from two years ago, although led the Saskatchewan team some sports didn’t have as to a gold medal at the 2019 good a turnout as in previous Canada Winter Games last years. March. "Wrestling and table ten- Gonzalez said the North nis were direct entry and was always good to him and that was a surprise with table any chance to come back is tennis," he said. "On the plus one he jumps at. side, we had great turnouts "If I can come back here for Dene games in Fort Res- and help out in any way, olution and Arctic sports up especially in wrestling, I’ll in Inuvik so that bodes well always try and do it," he said. for the future." "Don Reid (head coach) has The registration deadline been such a great influence; for all athletes is Feb. 10 he was doing it when I left and that’s the next big date for university and it’s great to for Rentmeister. There’s also see some of the kids whose the clothing reveal and that’s dads were wrestling here scheduled to happen on Feb. when I was still living here 13 in Yellowknife. doing it and it’s awesome to "Now it’s all about getting see the sport still alive here." the prep work done," said While Dene games in Rentmeister. "We’re starting Fort Resolution saw a packed to work on the charters to competition battling it out Whitehorse for the team so for one of the 16 spots up getting the trials over with for grabs. The snowboarders is good." were in Yellowknife for its – with files from Eric Bowling sports & recreation NEWS/NORTH nWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 17 How important was Kobe Bryant? That important Northern News Services of his numbers, 8 and 24, retired by the Lakers, and you So much has been said about Kobe Bryant over the past have one of the best careers of any player in any genera- week and a half and it’s all been right. tion. He was an Oscar winner for his animated short Dear Here’s my attempt at eulogizing one of the best basket- , which was his farewell to the sport he loved. ball players of my generation. Of course, us Raptors fans will remember the night he First off, we know most of the details already. Bryant dropped 81 points on them in 2006, the second-highest and eight other people, including his daughter, Gianna, total in NBA history behind just Wilt Chamberlain. What were killed when the helicopter they were flying in made that night so impressive was that the Lakers were crashed on Jan. 26 en route to a basketball game. Inves- trailing by 14 at halftime. Bryant simply took things over, tigators have detailed how the chopper went down – the hitting everything. I was watching that game, shaking my pilot was trying to avoid a cloud layer. An air traffic con- head the whole time. As my old phys-ed teacher told us in troller was heard asking what the pilot intended to do. No Grade 9: it’s a simple game … you just put the ball in the response. hole. Bryant was putting the ball in the hole and wasn’t Silence. That’s the scariest thing for an air traffic con- missing. troller to hear when in contact with any Now, I’m not going to be one of these aircraft. people who’s going to tell you to ignore We’ve been told that the debris field Sports the fact that Bryant had his misgivings. extended between 500 and 600 feet, mean- There was that sexual assault allegation ing the likelihood of anyone surviving that Talk leveled against him in 2003 when he was crash was slim to none. in Colorado to have knee surgery. The case Bryant’s death jarred everyone. No one with James McCarthy was eventually dropped after the accuser that I’ve heard or read hasn’t had an opin- refused to testify in the criminal case but ion of him because he was one of the most there was a settlement between the two in indelible marks on the wonderful world we 2005, the results of which have never been call sport. Not just basketball. Sport. You name the sport made public but Bryant never admitted any guilt. and there’s a chance someone or some people have had The alleged details are rather disgusting but Bryant something to say on Bryant. admitted the two had engaged in consensual relations, or I was in high school when Bryant was drafted. That’s so he thought. He would eventually admit that the encoun- probably the only thing Bryant and I had in common: ter wasn’t as consensual as he thought but the damage had we were both in high school when he was drafted. I can been done. His reputation had taken a huge nosedive and remember people talking about how Bryant should have he lost endorsements because of it. gone to college instead of declaring himself for the draft as There have been plenty of people who have said that a teenager. High-schoolers can’t handle that sort of pressure. the two events are mutually exclusive and the rape allega- Well, Wayne Gretzky was able to handle it. He was 18 tions shouldn’t be a part of this but they are. It’s a part when he began his march to hockey immortality. Sidney of his legacy that will never go away. You can mourn his Crosby was also 18 when the Pittsburgh Penguins anointed death and think of his family because they are suffering – him the second coming of Mario Lemieux. Connor a wife has lost her husband, children have lost a father and McDavid? Same deal with Edmonton. parents have lost a son – but you can’t be forgetful about The point I’m making is if we have no problem with what happened in 2003. hockey players wearing a NHL uniform at 18, why was it a The day Bryant was killed saw massive outpourings of big deal when Bryant did it? emotion and tribute. The Toronto Raptors played the San The Charlotte Hornets drafted Bryant 13th overall in Antonio Spurs that day and had perhaps the most fitting 1996 but he would never play for the team and there’s an of tributes to Bryant. Both teams started the game with interesting back story to that. According to Bill Branch, identical shot clock violations. Why? Easy: Bryant wore head scout for the Hornets in 1996, the Hornets agreed to No. 24 and the shot clock is 24 seconds. Several players trade Bryant to the Lakers the day before the draft; the have said they will never wear 24 again in honour of him. Lakers were looking to trade Vlade Divac away to free He’s going to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame up cap space in order to land Shaquille O’Neal, who was this year, which was never a case of if but when. We know about to become a free agent. now. The Lakers actually told the Hornets who to draft The Staples Centre in Los Angeles became the site of a literally minutes before they made their pick (totally not makeshift shrine of sorts as fans paid their own tribute and tampering at all) and the deal for Divac was made. After the game between the Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers on signing his contract – co-signed with his parents because Jan. 28 was postponed. That was a smart decision. he was still only 17 – the legend of Kobe Bryant on court Kobe Bryant’s legacy on the court will never be ques- photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons was born. tioned. He was a warrior who took control of games like This was the scene outside the Staples Centre in Los He would go on to play 20 seasons in the NBA, all with few could. When he was out on that court, you knew the Angeles on Jan. 28: a makeshift shrine to the late Kobe the Lakers, winning five titles along the way. Add to that potential was there for something special to happen and Bryant, who was killed in a helicopter crash along with two scoring titles, 18 all-star game appearances and both more often that not, it did. eight other people on Jan. 26. 18 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 NEWS/NORTH nWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 19 20 NEWS/NORTH NWT, Monday, February 3, 2020 news Fort Good Hope man guilty of manslaughter Colten McNeely, 26, fatally stabbed Lloyd Edgi in September 2017 by Brendan Burke In the early hours of Sept. year earlier. Edgi for the second time in min- the inconsistencies up to the to defend himself. But I can’t Northern News Services 3 2017, 28-year-old Edgi Egdi found McNeely shortly utes. After the initial altercation, fact McNeely was intoxicated accept his actions were reason- Somba K'e/Yellowknife showed up at a party hosted after. He assaulted McNeely, McNeely said he ran into Edgi at the time. able," said Mahar. Colten McNeely, 26, was in McNeely’s "shack," looking headbutting him. McNeely was on a dimly-lit path. He testified While McNeely’s actions Because McNeely’s actions found guilty of manslaughter for his common-law partner, the left with a bloody nose. Egdi pinned him to the ground were "catastrophically stupid," were unreasonable given the cir- last week in the 2017 stabbing trial heard. Several Fort Good while punching him. That’s they didn’t amount to murder, cumstances, Mahar found him death of Lloyd Edgi, a young Hope residents who attended Cries for help when he stabbed Edgi, he said. Mahar said. guilty of manslaughter. father of two, in Fort Good McNeely’s party said Edgi Ten minutes later, cries for Despite inconsistencies in For someone to be convicted Mahar said the case was a Hope. appeared angry and intoxicated. help brought two party-goers to McNeely’s testimony and his of murder, a court must be satis- tough one for prosecutors: there NWT Supreme Court Jus- When he was told his partner a nearby backyard, where Edgi statements to police – including fied they meant to cause death were holes in narratives, most tice Andrew Mahar made the had gone to McNeely’s nearby was found laying in the grass when and how he retrieved the or cause bodily harm likely to witnesses were intoxicated at decision in Yellowknife on Jan. residence, one party-goer said with a large stab wound to his knife used to stab Edgi – Mahar cause death. the time and the Crown had to 28 following a judge-alone trial Edgi started "freaking out." The chest. said there was not enough evi- Manslaughter or culp- rely mostly on circumstantial that wrapped up in November. court heard there was a per- McNeely never denied stab- dence to prove beyond a rea- able homicide can range from evidence. McNeely was charged with ceived infidelity, as Edgi’s part- bing Edgi but testified he was sonable doubt that McNeely near-accident to near-murder. McNeely’s next court date is second-degree murder. He ner and McNeely had entered forced to do so after being intended to kill Edgi. "I accept (McNeely) found him- scheduled for March 20 in Fort pleaded not guilty. into a brief relationship about a assaulted by the much larger Mahar chalked the bulk of self in a position where he had Good Hope.