The Recreation Department of Postville got some exciting activities for their community for Christmas 2022.

Jacqueline Harris is the Recreation Director.

She says they have a full calendar of Christmas events hosted by the Recreation Department, Department of Health and Social Development, the church, and the B.L Morrison school.

The first event will be the annual tree lighting on Tuesday, December 6th; it will be beside the town office and soup and sandwiches will be served at the community Centre afterwards.

Children ages 0-4years of age will have their Christmas party in the morning, and children 5-11 years of age will have theirs at noon on Thursday, December 8th.

Santa Claus will be leading a parade for the community along with a Christmas supper on Saturday, December 17th.

The Nain Recreation Department got some Christmas activities planned for this year.

Mary Maggo is one of the Recreation Assistants.

She says Seniors 65 years and older will be having their Christmas dinner at the JS Centre on Thursday, December 8 starting at 12pm, followed by merchandise bingo. If seniors require a ride to the dinner, you can call the senior’s van line at 922-2944 before 12pm.

On Sunday, December 11, there will be a Christmas Ugly Sweater party for adults 16 years of age and older from 7-10:30pm. There will be games, dancing and prize draws sponsored by the recreation department.

There will be a giant Christmas radio bingo on December 13 starting at 6pm, with cards selling from 9am to 4:30pm, $100 cards, $1000 mini jackpot, and a jackpot to go of $5000, with 50/50 tickets of a $1 each.

Weather Permitting, youth ages up to 30 years of age will have their annual Christmas supper on December 14, starting 5pm. Meals are provided by Mary Brown’s. Children 8 years and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

On December 18, will be the Santa Claus Parade at 1pm, starting at the airstrip and ending at the JS Centre. Santa will be giving treats and gifts from Toys for North donated by the RCMP, given out to children 12 years of age and younger, along with prizes for the best individual float and the best business float.

There will be a Christmas cash bingo for Seniors 55 years of age and older on Tuesday, December 22 up the JS Centre, at 11am. There will be snacks, games, and prizes.

The Recreation and the Nain Volunteer Fire Department will be hosting the New Year’s Eve Dance on Saturday, December 31, starting at 7pm with dancing and games, along with some hotdogs and juice. There will be fireworks to follow at 12 midnight.

The Nunatsiavut Government will continue to provide financial assistance to the Labrador-Grenfell Regional Health Authority (LGH) in an effort to make much needed health-care services more readily available to all residents of the five Labrador Inuit communities. The agreement allows additional flights to continue up to March 31, 2023. The money is coming from the Nunatsiavut Government’s COVID-19 Indigenous Community Support Fund allocations.

“By extending this agreement, LGH will be able to continue providing two extra medical flights per week. This will result in less time for people having to be away from their families and communities, as well as reduce costs for accommodations.” Notes Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe. “The Nunatsiavut Government is pleased to partner with LGH to make these extra flights possible to lessen the burdens often placed on those who have to travel to Happy Valley-Goose Bay for medical purposes.”

The additional flights will continue to run on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

On November 10, Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe signed an Executive Order declaring into effect Inuit Law 2019-03 An Act Respecting Housing in Nunatsiavut and to Establish a Nunatsiavut Housing Commission.

This historic signing marks the official establishment of the Nunatsiavut Housing Commission (NHC), the new Public Agency of the Nunatsiavut Government responsible for housing. The NHC has the
following mandate:

The Nunatsiavut Housing Commission may acquire, construct, develop, maintain, manage and supply housing in Nunatsiavut for Inuit families and individuals. The Commission is specifically mandated to establish and administer programs and to acquire, construct, develop, maintain, manage and supply housing in Nunatsiavut for Inuit, Inuit households and Inuit families who are members of a vulnerable group.

The NHC has the power to be involved in the construction, development, management, and operations of housing of all types, from emergency shelters to affordable home rentals. The NHC is particularly mandated to respond to the housing needs of Inuit who are vulnerable, meaning those living with addictions, homelessness, disabilities, violence in the home, or those who are on a fixed income or low income, elders, youth, children in need of social protection, and families at risk of being separated from their children.

This new Agency represents years of effort and brings to life the right to adequate housing all Beneficiaries have pursuant to Article 2.4.28 of the Labrador Inuit Constitution. This is a real example of self-determination in practice and marks an important moment in the realization of the promises of self-government.

The transformative potential of the NHC allows for the creation of new housing programs that can be specific to the housing needs of the five Labrador Inuit communities. Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement can expect two such programming announcements in the coming weeks.

The Department of Health and Social Development (DHSD) got some fun activities for the community of Makkovik

Kim Andersen is the Team Leader

Andersen says there’s a wide variety of events planned with different lead roles like mental health and community health.

There are events such as adult paint night, a community breakfast, Christmas parties and much more.

Click here to hear more from Andersen on their Christmas activities with DHSD.

Torngat Wildlife, Plants and Fisheries Secretariat is reminding people to mark their calendars in Upper Lake Melville.

The Moose Information Session has been moved to tomorrow Thursday, December 1st this year at 6:30pm at the North West River Community Center.

Their wildlife analyst, Meredith Purcell will be there to discuss the aerial survey results from MMA’s 89 in Rigolet and 88 Backway.

There will be snacks and some great door prizes.

Girl Guides and brownies started in Hopedale yesterday, November 29th at the Nanuk Centre in the youth room.

Guides will begin teaching the brownies basic life skills such as tying shoes, reading books, hygiene practice & building friendships.

Once they get consistent numbers, they will start fundraising for items and clothing for the guides and brownies. There will be no profit made. Whatever is made will go towards little awards and achievements for the girls.

Anyone who signed up their girl, can give them a heads up about what is going on for the girls today at Nanuk Centre.

There will be weekly attendance sheet.

The Nunatsiavut Minister responsible for helping to preserve the language on the north coast of Labrador is insulted by virtual language classes being offered to members of the NunatuKavut Community Council.

Nunatsiavut does not recognize NunatuKavut proposed land claims as the Inuit of Southern and Central Labrador.

The Nunatsiavut acknowledges that some members of the rival group have some Indigenous ancestry and back ground but they are not entitled to Inuit rights.

Nunatsiavut Language Minister Roxanne Barbour says in teaching Inuktitut to its members, Nunatsiavut is appropriating the language and culture of the Inuit on the north coast of Labrador.

Barbour says on page six of the NCC’s document claiming southern Inuit heritage they claim a different language system than those in Northern Labrador, but are using northern Labrador’s language system to revitalize and reconcile their own language.

Tomorrow marks the second annual and 17 years later of the Nunatsiavut and the establishment of self-government.

December 1, 2005 was a momentous day for Labrador Inuit, as it marked the end of more than 30 years of negotiations and hard work on the part of a lot of people, and began a new chapter in our history.

We have made significant strides over the years addressing the many social and economic needs of our people and our communities. While we still face enormous challenges, we realize we are the architects of our own fate, and history has demonstrated that we are resilient, determined and, above all, proud.

The challenges we face will make us much stronger tomorrow as we continue to adapt to modern society. While we remember those who survived before us, and acknowledge the hardships Inuit have overcome over the years, we must also look forward and appreciate just how far we’ve come.

And continue to embrace all of the positive changes that are taking place around us.

The Honorable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador will join leaders of Indigenous Government and Organizations for the Premier – Indigenous Leaders today.

Premier Furey along with the Honorable Lisa Dempster, Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation and Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs and participating Indigenous Leaders will hold a media availability via zoom at 3pm.

To participate, please RSVP to Jillian Hood at jillianhood@gov.nl.ca who will provide the required information.

Also joining the roundtable discussions will be the Honorable John Abbot, Minister for Children, Seniors and Social Development and Perry Trimper, MHA for Lake Melville.

The session will take place at Hotel North Two, at 382 Hamilton River Road in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

The Premier – Indigenous Leaders Roundtable provides an opportunity for the Provincial Government to collaborate with Indigenous Leaders on matters of mutual interest.