Archeologist and elders from Nain returned home yesterday by plane after a long weekend trip to Nachvak Fiord.

Lena Onalik is the Archaeologist for the Nunatsiavut Government.

She says they travelled to Nachvak Fiord by the Polar Prince ship and went to places to look for archeology sites.

Onalik says they had great weather, in their 8 days stay up north.

She adds that she had two Inuit elders join her and told some interesting stories.

Click here to hear Onalik talk about their experience on this trip.

The Provincial Government is now accepting applications for the Community Enhancement Employment Program. Not-for-profit organizations and local governments that wish to sponsor projects funded by the program are eligible to apply.

The Community Enhancement Employment Program provides funding to eligible sponsors including municipalities; Inuit Community Governments; local service districts; community and economic development organizations; and, other non-profit organizations. Individuals can be employed for up to 400 hours in order to become eligible for employment insurance benefits. In 2021-22, the program provided funding for 195 projects, supporting approximately 900 workers.

Applications for the 2022-23 Community Enhancement Employment Program are available at gov.nl.ca/mpa/ceep. Applicants can also email employmentsupport@gov.nl.ca or call toll free 1-866-508-5500.

The deadline for receipt of applications is August 5, 2022.

The Department of Language, Culture & Tourism is seeking one Inuttitut instructor per community to teach Inuttitut lessons to a classroom setting in Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik & Rigolet.

Schedule and ages may vary at each location, depending on what works best for the community.

Please provide skills and experiences in teaching, as well as your interest in teaching when submitting your name.

If you are interested, or for more information, please contact Shirley at 922-2052 or Robyn at 922-2051, or email shirley.jararuse@nunatsiavut.com or robyn.martin@nunatsiavut.com.

Are you a senior age 55 and up and would like to take part in a 2-day forum amongst other seniors and elders living in Nain?

The forum will focus on senior’s programs and services in your area as well as discussions on the previous elder’s conference.

The 2-day forum will be during the days of July 26 and 27, 2022.

If you are interested in attending this gathering, please contact Craig at the Nain DHSD office at 922-2182 and submit your name or if you have any questions.

Limited seats are available and a daily honorarium will be provided.

It looks like gas prices will decrease tonight on the Island and Southern Labrador, it’s at least the market is showing.

West Texas Intermediate is holding at about $100 per barrel but consumer advocate, Dan McTeague says demand has decreased.

He expects gas to cost about 2.5 cents a litre less come midnight and diesel about a penny less. Home heating fuel will go up by a cent.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has jumped to 14 with three people in critical care as the latest sub-variant circulates in the community.

Four people have died due to the virus over the last week.

Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald confirmed last week that the BA.5 subvariant has been identified in the province, leading to predictions of an increase in hospitalizations in the coming weeks.

The subvariant is highly transmissible and appears to circumvent the usual protections afforded by vaccines and previous exposures.

106 new confirmed cases are being reported today, with just over 500 confirmed cases over the last week.

The kinatuinnamut ilingajuk magazine has some interesting stories within Labrador.

There was a letter received from the Labrador Outreach Project in July, 1979.

Donald Dicker was re-hired as Outreach Worker to provide Canada Manpower services to the residents of Nain.

Training courses were also sponsored by Manpower in Happy Valley-Goose Bay or any other schools in the province.

Click here to hear more of Dicker’s position in 1979.

A few years ago, Inez Shiwak and David Borish filmed few people in Makkovik for a documentary film about Inuit and caribou across Labrador.

He says they are really excited to let people know that this film will be shown on CBC Atlantic on Saturday, August 6th at 9pm.

Anyone can check out the poster for more information, and feel free to share it with others.

Follow along on our Facebook and Instagram pages: HERD: Inuit Voices on Caribou @inuitvoivesherd.

The Nunatsiavut Government along with the provincial Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture and Environment and Climate Change Canada are monitoring the presence of the Avian Influenza (HPAI) in wild birds.

Joseph Townley is the Wildlife Facilitator for Nunatsiavut Government.

Townley says that so far, the Iceland gull in Labrador is the only wild bird tested positive with the influenza.

There are a few land birds swabbed to be sent out for testing.

To report a sighting, or dead birds, please contact the following:

For Nain: Simon Kohlmeister at 709-922-2942
Hopedale: Ian Winters – 709-933-3337
Postville: George Gear – 709-479-9763
Makkovik: Errol Andersen – 709-923-2365
Rigolet: David Wolfrey – 709-947-3383

Nunatsiavut Government sent a notice of extension on the Nain Wind Micro-Grid Project Consultation Project yesterday.

In order for consultation efforts to take place, The Nunatsiavut Executive Council has extended the public consultation period for the environmental review of the Nain wind Micro- Grid Project. Nunatsiavummiut now have until August 28 to provide comments and knowledge regarding the proposed project.

Consultation events are being planned for Nain and information will be provided when available. The goal of this public consultation is to gather perspectives from Inuit about the project, as well as knowledge about the environment at the site of the project and potential environment impacts. Comments can be submitted to the Community Liaison Officers at you Nunatsiavut Government community office. Comments can also be sent email at environmentalreview@nunatsiavut.com.

Please note that comments received in writing will be made publicly available.

Led by Natural Forces and the Nunatsiavut Secretariat (the proponent), the Nain Wind Micro-Grid Project is a plan to build wind turbine (s), battery storage and associated infrastructure in Nain to reduce diesel reliance for electricity generation.

The project description and summaries in English and Inuktitut are available on the Nunatsiavut Government website (see links below). You may also request it by email from the proponent at jburne@naturalforces.ca, and a paper copy can be requested from you Nunatsiavut Government Community Liaison Officer (CLO).