Investigation, infill and Inuvik
Plus a new residential schools monument on the way
Hello from Inuvik! This is Ollie, Cabin Radio’s editor. Happy National Indigenous Peoples Day weekend to you.
Emily has been away at a wildfire-related conference in BC this week so I’m deputizing as newsletter editor.
I’ll be here till Sunday covering Inuvik’s annual midnight sun fun run, National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations and other events. We also have more coverage coming from the Arctic Development Expo in the town earlier this week.
In Yellowknife, here’s what you can expect from the North Slave Métis Alliance fish fry celebration on Saturday.
We also have news this week of the GNWT taking firm steps toward creating a residential schools monument in Yellowknife.
Meanwhile, some late breaking news on Friday: NWT education minister Caitlin Cleveland is launching an independent investigation into Dehcho education concerns.
Cabin Radio and others have documented a range of issues raised by parents in recent months. The investigation will begin next month, we are told, with a view to a report being filed before the start of the new academic year.
Here’s what else has been keeping us busy this week.
IN THIS NEWSLETTER
Our best stories
What we’re reading
Stories to catch up on
1. Ottawa says it’s ‘exploring more flexibility’ for Jordan’s Principle
The agency that runs Jordan's Principle says it is considering limited changes after NWT ministers complained about cuts. A broader shift might be on the way, but some northern leaders aren’t sure Indigenous Services Canada really understands the North – not least the near-total absence of reserves.
2. Yellowknife RCMP will ‘strive to increase presence in downtown area’
Police in Yellowknife say they are trying to increase their visibility downtown but are also having to manage ongoing vacancies at the detachment.
3. GNWT’s three megaprojects ‘have made federal top 25’
Inuvik's Arctic Development Expo began with news that three major GNWT-backed projects made a federal shortlist. Inuvik also wants to exploit new defence cash.
4. Reclamation work in Fort Smith restores land after wildfire
Work has taken place in Fort Smith to help restore the land after trails had to be bulldozed in May to fight a wildfire near Primrose Lane.
5. Jackfish Lake gets new warning signs over arsenic, algae
The GNWT says it's installing updated warning signs to deter residents from swimming or fishing in Yellowknife's Jackfish Lake over arsenic and algae concerns.
6. Meet Yellowknife’s Walrus and Ho-Ja food trucks
"Anybody who knows me knows that food is a big part of my life." Walrus Fried Fish & Griddle opened in Yellowknife's Old Town, while you'll find Ho-Ja downtown.
7. Beer Barge will be bargeless but beerful in 2025
This year's Beer Barge fundraiser will feature no barge but remain full of beer and good times, organizers said. It’s taking place in Yellowknife on June 28.
8. NWT staring at ‘significant fire risk’ in July, August
So far, the NWT has had a quieter wildfire season than many parts of Canada – but the territory's fire forecast for the next few months does not look great.
9. Willow Flats neighbourhood earmarked for infill rezoning
The City of Yellowknife is proposing to rezone areas around Willow Flats to allow for residential intensification, a move that some people immediately opposed.
10. South Asian group wants to ‘change minds and bridge gaps’
The newly formed Association of South Asians in Yellowknife held its first meeting. Here's how members are approaching issues like racism and assimilation.
What we’re reading
The World’s Hardest Bluffing Game
“When you hear the game described, mheibes doesn’t sound difficult. It sounds impossible.” In Iraq for The Atlantic, Jason Anthony describes a sport that involves dozens of people trying to stop the other team from discovering which one of them is holding a ring – a game with some similarities to hand games.