Yesterday, Tuesday, September 15th, the province continues with no new confirmed cases with two active cases.
266 people have recovered from the virus and to date; 35,791 people have been tested.
In Alert Level 2, individuals should continue to practice good infection prevention and control practices.
Daily preventative actions can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19.
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada is urging the Federal Government to immediately commit $20 million to construct 5 shelters and transitional housing buildings for Inuit Women and Children fleeing violence, including four Inuit Nunangat and one in Ottawa.
In light of the alarming fact that Inuit women experience sexual and physical violence at a rate of 14 times the rest of Canada, Inuit women and their allies have been pleading with federal government for these safe spaces for over two decades.
To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has made life more difficult for those Inuit women and children already living in highly vulnerable circumstances. Their dire living conditions are well known to the government and include overcrowded housing, food insecurity, lack of spaces like shelters and transitional housing, the prevalence of drug and alcohol addictions, and the pervasiveness of violence of Inuit women and girls. All this in against a backdrop of generations of trauma rooted in colonialism.
“We are truly grateful for the positive engagement of many federal ministers regarding this ask”, said Rebecca Kudloo, President of Pauktuutit. “ In recent months, we have had constructive discussions with the offices of Minister Vandal, McKenna, Monsef, Hussen and Miller”.
However, Pauktuutit believes the time for tangible action to improve the lives and outcomes of women in Inuit Nunangat and in urban areas is long overdue. “Pauktuutit’s shelter ask has been longstanding and the need remains urgent – even the June 2019 Missing and Murdered Inuit Women and Girls (MMIWG) report call for this specific action” said Kudloo.” This situation is of immense concern to us and completely unacceptable, since we know maintaining the status quo will continue to cost lives.
Moreover, a May 2020 funding announcement by the Prime Minister to provide more than $85.6 million to build and operate 12 new shelters for Indigenous women and girls made no firm commitment that any of this money would go to shelters specifically for Inuit women. In fact with the exception of two shelters assigned to cover the incredibly vast region compassing all three territories, the funding is mostly destined for areas that fall out of Inuit communities.
“Indigenous women cannot be lumped into one category,” said Kudloo. “While we are supportive of policies and funding that enhance our Indigenous sisters’ well being, we Inuit can no longer afford to be left behind, which has all too been the case. For multiple of reasons- including our troubled history with the federal government, the location of our communities, and our unique culture- our needs tend to differ.”
In its recent pre-budget submission to the Standing Committee on finance (now paused due to the postponement of Parliament), Pauktuutit in reiterated its shelter ask as an urgent priority, along with two recommendations:
That the federal government financially support the implementation of Pauktuutit’s 15 policing recommendations aimed at improving the safety and security of Inuit women (as per the January 2020 report).
That the federal government financially support the creation and delivery of programming aimed at improving the well-being and safety of Inuit women and children living in urban centres throughout Canada, including increasing access to affordable housing and skills training opportunities.
Many organizations recognized as experts in the needs of Inuit families that work to prevent violence against women have expressed their strong support of the urgent need for new investments in shelters and transitional housing. These groups include Inuit Tapiriit Kanadami (ITK), Nunavut Tunngavik Inc (Land Claims Coalition) and Women’s Shelter Canada.
The SmartICE has an Employment Readiness program available for youth ages 18-30.
Rex Holwell Jr is the Northern Production Lead with Smart ICE.
This program will be from September 21st to October 29th 2020.
If there is youth ages 18 years to 30 years that are available to work 15-20 hours a week, interested in working in the technology sector, want to create change in their community, want to develop personal and employment skills and want to understand the importance of job safety, accountability and mutual respect in the workplace, this program is for you.
Youth participants will learn the technical skills necessary to produce Smart BUOYS.
There are two applicants that have applied but the program will be needing at least four.
The program for this fall will be cut off this Thursday if there is not interest.
If there is anyone interested contact Holwell at the Northern Production Centre at 922-2074 or you can email him at rex@smartice.org.
All the units in the Sevenplex are finally moved into in Nain.
Michelle Kinney is the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Development for NG and the Chair of the NG Housing Committee for the 6plex and 7plex’s in Nain and Hopedale.
She says due to water pressure issues and COVID-19, the candidates weren’t able to move clients into those units.
As of September 1st, the candidates are now moved into their units.
Click here to hear more from Kinney on the Six and Sevenplex.
OK Radio contacted the community freezers from along the coast to see what they have to offer.
In the Nain community freezer, they have seal meat, char, mattak, porpoise meat, and fish heads.
In Hopedale, they have char, smoked char, jumper meat, mattak, seal meat, bison meat, chicken and turkey.
They also have a small pantry of food for people with low income and for seniors.
They would like to remind everyone that each person is offered to get some food once a week.
In Postville, they only have char.
The Makkovik ICG has some arctic char.
Anyone wanting to pick up some char is asked to call the ICG to make an appointment.
And in Rigolet, they have some chicken, beef, pork roast, beef roast, bake apples, red berries, crab claws and some stew and beef.
The Nunatsiavut Department of Language, Culture and Tourism held a monthly social distancing challenge.
Shirley Jararuse is the Language Program Coordinator with the NG.
She says participants must be Nunatsiavut beneficiaries.
This challenge was open to all Nunatsiavut communities including the Upper Lake Melville area and the Canadian Constituents.
Every family that participates in the monthly challenge will automatically be added in to the grand prize.
Jararuse will be coming to the OK society to draw the prize of a tent and stove.
So keep listening to find out who will be announced the lucky winner of the grand prize of a tent and stove.
Changes are being made to call 811.
The Health Minister admits that there have been longer-than-usual times for people trying to call the 811 health line in the eastern Health Region.
John Haggie says the start of school, the rotational worker travel and the so “sniffle season” have put a strain on resources, but he says more changes are coming up to speed the process.
He says over the weekend despite added resources, they heard complaints about wait times. They will changing the phone system so you will hear something like rotational workers press one, for symptoms press two, and for school students press three.
Courtesy VOCM news.
Yesterday, Monday, September 14th, Newfoundland and Labrador had no new confirmed cases of COVID-19. The province has two active cases.
266 people have recovered from the virus and to date, 35,470 people have been tested.
In Alert Level 2, individuals should continue to practice good infection prevention and control practices.
Daily preventative actions can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19.
Raise Your Voice is a collaboration Education campaign that have been developed through the SHIELD Project, Violence Prevention Labrador, Nunatsiavut Department of Health and Social Development and the NL Sexual Assault Crisis Prevention Centre.
Denise Cole is the SHIELD Project Coordinator.
The goal for this campaign is to increase the awareness of and to help prevent the online luring and sexual exploitation of children and youth of Labrador.
This campaign will be going on all week, this week since it is Sexual Violence Awareness week from yesterday, September 14th to September 18th.
Tune into the Music Hour show at 3pm to hear more about this Campaign with Denise Cole.
The House of Assembly is back sitting for the fall term.
We spoke with Lela Evans who is the MHA for the Torngat Mountains District.
She says that she is going to be presenting a petition for fairer electricity rates for the North Coast.
Click here to hear MHA Evans tell you more about the Petition.