Message from AngajukKâk Charlotte Wolfrey of Rigolet.

My time here as AngajukKâk is almost done and I wanted to thank everyone for their support.
It was a privilege to serve the residents of Rigolet.
I wanted to let people know that these are the approved projects that the Rigolet Inuit Community Government staff and I have gotten for our community since 2018 when I first came here as AngajukKâk.

Culverts and ditching – $2,566,476.00 (to begin later)
Sewer lift station – $694,058.00 (to begin later)
Valve program – $47,112.00 (to begin later)
Generator pumphouse – $20,000.00 (to be bought)
Communication for tank – $20,000.00 (to begin later)
Land development – $1,500,000.00 (to begin later)
Rink foundation – $65,000.00 (done)
Grader – $286,478.00 (here)
Dump truck – $187,749.00 (here)
3 new vehicles – $175,044.00 (here)
Valve chamber repair – $172,285.00 (done)
Crushed stone – $200,00.00 (being crushed soon)
Booster station for hill – $1,609,272.00 (to begin later)
Leak detector and repairs – $71,242.00 (done)
Rink covering – $1,000,000.00 (waiting to be complete)
Foundation for rink – $165,000.00 (done)

Some of those projects have not been completed because of the pandemic and some are just approved a month or so ago. Most have to be put out on tenders and this is done by the province, because of the pandemic things there were on hold and way behind that’s why the projects are not started. Hopefully, we will see some movement on those projects soon.

These are the major things and even though they were approved and applied for while I was AngajukKâk. These projects total $8,779,776.00. There are also some smaller things I did not list. I want to wish the next AngajukKâk all the best in their tenure.

The National Inuit Youth Council and the Youth Center here in Nain have put out ADs for a new Nunatsiavut Youth representative for the National Inuit Youth Council.

Chaim Andersen was elected for the new Youth representative for Nunatsiavut.

She says that she attended the National Inuit Youth Summit which was just about a month or so ago.

She is in the stage of getting into contact with the council and setting up meetings to get her started on her new position and embedded into the position.

If there is any youth who have concerns or issues that they would like to talk about, Chaim is just a phone call away or a message away.

Click here to hear more information on as the new Youth representative for Nunatsiavut.

An Inuk Woman of the Year award was presented this past Friday that took place at the Nunatsiavut Government board room.

The award went to Eva Obed for Inuk Woman of the Year for 2021.

The 2021 Inuit Women of the Year award was advertised throughout Nunatsiavut and Upper Lake Melville.

It was also announced at the Nunatsiavut Assembly sitting in Hopedale in the month of January 2021.

Click here to hear the award presentation that was held in Nain.

The Nain community freezer has some seal meat, char, pigeons and one porpoise head.

The Hopedale community freezer has a little bit of caribou & musk ox meat, caplin and partridges.

The Postville community freezer has salmon, a small variety of meat that was purchased at the local store, they are hoping to get some char from Nain soon.

The Makkovik community freezer has artic char and smoke char.

We will get the Rigolet community freezer once it becomes available.

Torngat Wildlife, Plants and Fisheries Secretariat says that the goose crew spent a few days on the water last week selecting their sites.

Later, this month they will be working together to capture lesser geese and deploy 25 neck collars.

Each collar records the GPS coordinates of the bird throughout its year, identifying where the geese are spending the important winter and breeding seasons.

Understanding where the geese are coming from was a question across the north coast for many years now and they are very happy to be able to provide some answers on the mystery geese.

Today, the Honourable Siobhan Coady, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, launched the home heating supplement program.

This initiative, with an estimated cost of $31 million, was announced on May 26, 2022, as part of government’s overall plan to help residents with the cost of living, and aligns with the direction of the Health Accord to improve economic security in this province. Since March 2022, government has announced $222 million in targeted cost-of-living measures.

The supplement, which ranges between $200 and $500, is available to residents of the province whose adjusted family income for 2021 was $150,000 or less and have directly incurred costs for the purchase of furnace or stove oil to heat their home.

We are welcoming applications until November 30, 2022. Please include a copy of your invoice for the purchase of furnace or stove oil from the last year. To apply, visit their gov.nl.ca website.

For more information, please email oilsupplement@gov.nl.ca or phone 709-729-4645, or toll-free at 1-844-729-4645.

The Language, Culture and Tourism for Nunatsiavut Government announced the Inuttitut classes will be starting for people aged 16 and up in the following communities:

In Nain at the Illusuak Cultural Centre on Wednesday, September 14 from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

Makkovik on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the school room from 6-8pm.

Postville all this week at the Community Hall from 7-8pm.

Rigolet all this week for an hour a day, will post time once it gets confirmed.

If you have any questions call Shirley Jararuse at 922-2051 or email her at shirley.jararuse@nunsiavut.com.

World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity for all of us, from all walks of society, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to come together to show support, promote an understanding, and to raise awareness about prevention activities and initiatives.

Many of us are impacted by suicide in one way or another during our lives. August 9, 2008 is a day that will forever be etched in my mind. That was the day my son took his life. Not a day goes by when I wonder what I could have done, as a father, to help him. I struggle with trying to understand why he did what he did. Over time, I learned to accept that I cannot change the past, and that I have to find a way to carry on with my life – one day at a time. The support that I have received along the way, from family and friends, from my community and from others also impacted by suicide, has helped me to move forward.

The Nunatsiavut Government has worked very hard over the years to raise awareness of mental health. We continue to provide many prevention, intervention and post-intervention programs, and we work closely with other governments, agencies organizations and groups in dealing with this issue.

As we recognize World Suicide Prevention Day, celebrated each year on September 10, it is important to remember that life is to be celebrated and cherished. I encourage all Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement to come together as one, to support each other, to raise awareness and understanding, and to work together to improve the mental wellness of all of our people and communities.

The Inuit Community Government’s along the coast are moving on to their Fall projects from the summer.

Barry Andersen is the AngajukKâk for Makkovik.

He says the playground was supposed to be put up this month but will be delayed due to the sewer outfall near the church.

They would also like to announce their new floor at the recreation site, where children and youth can play sports during the summer months.

Click here to hear more from Andersen on Makkovik ICG.

The Nain RCMP with the support of DHSD, Northern Store and Goose Bay Home Hardware will be holding a Bike Rodeo for children from kindergarten to Grade 6.

They will be holding the event, rain or shine, on Monday, September 12, 2022 at approximately 3:15pm.

The location of the event will be at the playground if weather is agreeable and will be inside the arena if it is not.

They have several new bikes that have been donated and will be given out as door prizes by ticket draws.

Please note that the door prizes will be only up to Grade 6 as they have no bikes suitable to bigger children, but will be having a BBQ with hotdogs and hamburgers and children above Grade 6 are more than welcome to attend and enjoy some BBQ.

They would like to have as many children attend as possible.