The Language and Culture team is offering their annual program that aims to teach participants Inuttitut from Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville and Rigolet.

Inuttitut Master Apprentice Program will start in September this month to March 2023.

You can now apply individually or you can apply for your whole family to be taught by a Master.

The deadline for applicants is Friday, September 9 this year.

For more information contact Shirley Jararuse or Roby Martin at 922-2051 or 2052, or check out their emails at shirley.jararuse@nunatsiavut.com or robyn.martin@nunatsiavut.com.

The apprentice will also be compensated.

This is another year of their great program. Send them an email of why you would like to participate, priority Nunatsiavut Beneficiaries.

The Nain Daycare Centre registration will be this Thursday, September 8, at 6pm at the daycare.

Parents or legal guardians must be present to register their children. Please bring your child’s MCP’s and NG numbers for the registration forms. They are happy to announce that they will be taking limited number of 18 month old children in their toddler room this year.

Registration will be at FCFS with priority given to working parents and NG Beneficiaries. As a reminder, you must pay any outstanding bill before your child can not be registered.

Language Nest registration will be taking place same day and time. Priority is NOT given to working parent for this program, as it is a Language and Culture enrichment program for infants and NOT childcare.

Daycare thanks you for your patience and they look forward to seeing you there.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can call Melisa at 922-1330 or email her at melisa.mercer@nunatsiavut.com.

The Jens Haven Memorial School students is going down to the Nain Moravian Church to celebrate first day of classes.

The new first Nainimiuk school principal is Julie Dicker.

She says the times for K-Grade 6 were from 10:30 – 11:15am, and 11:00 – 11:45am for grades 7 – 12.

The school did not open for students at 8:20 am. Students, Parents, Guardians, families and teachers all went to church.

Teachers were introduced, the class lists, and students for each grade were announced.

Everyone was dismissed and left the Church together and all students returned to school for the afternoon session at 12:55pm.

A big Congratulations goes to Julie Dicker for her new position as she is the First Nainimiuk Principal!

NL Minister of Education, John Haggie welcomes students in the K-Grade 12 education system back to class for the start of the 2022-23 school year.

As a result of increased enrollment, Budget 2022 included an investment of $3.1 million for teaching services to meet the rising student population.

This year an addition of 28 teachers and specialists have added throughout the system. This follows significant increases between 2017 and 2022 through the Education Action Plan, including over 100 school-based reading specialists, approximately 200 teaching and learning assistants to support K-grade 6 students, and nearly 40 additional teacher librarians and 12 English as a second language to support newcomers.

This year classes return with priority to focus on in-person learning with schools opening under the same conditions as when classes ended in June 2022. As a reminder for all students and families.

Masks continue to be recommended in schools.
Students, teachers and staff should stay home if they become sick. However, people with symptoms related to other known causes, for example runny nose due to allergies or lingering cough from poor illness can still attend.

All students, teachers and staff should stay up-to-date on their vaccination, more on COVID-19 vaccinations.

All classrooms and most common areas in schools throughout have air filtrations and purification systems, which were installed last year.
Junior High and Senior High students will continue to have access to Chromebook devices.

The first day of school is always an exciting time. Having children safely attend in-person learning is a priority for our government as we recognize the significant that plays in children’s learning, emotional and social development.

Minister Haggie wishes all children, faculty and staff a wonderful year. He would also like to say congratulations to those recent high school graduates who are beginning their Post-Secondary Academic Careers and he hopes the students enjoy their studies.

Newfoundland and Labrador reports 5 COVID-19 deaths today, Wednesday, September 7, 2022.

According to the provincial Health Department’s weekly update, 3 of the deaths were in their 80’s, 1 in their 70’s and 1 in their 50’s. Two were in Eastern Health region and 2 in Central Health and 1 in the Western region. The Provinces total number of deaths since the pandemic hit in March in 2020 is now 234.

Hospitalizations have dropped steeply down to three down from 11 a week ago and the lowest since mid-July and there is no one in critical condition.

The province also reported 154 new cases over the last week: 30 on Thursday, 20 Friday, 36 Saturday, 16 Sunday, 8 on Monday, 26 Tuesday and 10 Wednesday.

With school re-started for K to Grade 12 system and Post-Secondary levels this week, officials have warned there maybe another spike in COVID-19 cases as the weather cools off and people move indoors and congregate in in large settings such as schools and classrooms.

In July, during COVID briefing about the expansion of the second booster shots, Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald said Public Health are preparing for an expected surge in cases this fall.

The English River Fish Count started in July this year and will be finishing in October.

Todd Broomfield is the Director for Renewable Resources for the Nunatsiavut Government.

He says they are getting really good return at the fence this year compared to last year.

Last year, they had a total of 513 salmon returned, and this year have doubled with a total of 1,150.

Broomfield adds that the domestic fishery is now closed and is asking beneficiaries to return their catch logs to their NG office by the end of September.

Click here to hear more from Broomfield on the English River Fish Count.

The Nunatsiavut Government has launched a 45 minute online course introducing community members to the concept of Indigenous Tourism.

The course was created to help residents gain a better understanding of tourism development in Nunatsiavut, and incorporates a blended format of self-pace, coaching and support to the Division of Tourism Team to build their skills and confidence.

Indigenous Tourism is one of the fastest sectors of the Tourism Industry.

Minister of Tourism, Roxanne Barbour says that they hope the course will help advance the region’s ‘tremendous tourism potential.’

The 5th assembly-, 1st session, 3rd sitting of the Nunatsiavut Govt. is meeting in Hopedale today, September 6, 2022.

Some of the items being addressed are as follows:
1. Oaths of office, Ministers statement, Members statement
2. Oral questions and Written questions, and Returns of written questions
3. Petitions and Responses to petitions
4. Reports of standing and special committee, Tabling of documents
5. Notices of motion on Approval of testing sites within 50 metres of water in relation to the feasibility study for the proposed Nain airport.
6. Notices of motion for first reading of bills
7. Motions, First reading of bills, Second reading of bills and Assent to bills

The Hopedale Inuit Community Government has quite a few projects on the go in their community.

Marjorie Flowers is the AngajukKâk for Hopedale.

She says the groundwork for the outdoor rink has started in their community and will finish next year.

They are also in the process of filling the vacant positions advertised for a town clerk and recreation.

Click here to hear more from Flowers.

On behalf of the Nunatsiavut Government and Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement, President Johannes Lampe extends his warmest and sincerest best wishes to Muriel Andersen who celebrates her 105th birthday today.

Born on Dunn’s Island in 1917, Mrs. Andersen left home to attend boarding school some 30 miles away in Makkovik. As a child she worked at splitting fish and cooked for Newfoundland fishing crews while they were “on the Labrador”.

At the age of 21, Mrs. Andersen fell in love with John Edgar Andersen, who was 11 years older than her, and the couple moved to Adlavik, just south of Makkovik. The couple had six children, two of whom are now members of the Nunatsiavut Assembly – Wilson “Wally” and Anthony “Tony”. Her husband passed away when Tony was three-years old, leaving her to raise the children on her own. Her grandson, Thomas Evans, is also a member of the Nunatsiavut Assembly, and her granddaughter, Lela Evans, is the legislative member for Torngat Mountains in the House of Assembly.

Mrs. Andersen was well known for her crochet work, and for making sealskin boots and other clothing to support her family. She also worked for the Moravian Mission, and provided interpretive and translation services for the medical clinic in Makkovik, as well as for the courts.

She has survived two world wars, two global pandemics and residential school. She has 21 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and 28 great-great grandchildren. She is currently residing at the long-term care facility in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Mrs. Andersen’s family will be gathering in Happy Valley-Goose Bay on September 3 to celebrate her birthday.

“Mrs. Andersen truly is an inspiration in every meaning of the word,” says President Lampe. “She has endured much during her life, yet persevered and continues to be a role model to many. Best wishes to her on her special day.”