Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe announced today that after consulting with First Minister Kate Mitchell a decision has been made to relieve Rachael Saunders of her duties as Minister of Education and Economic Development effectively immediately.

“Members of the Nunatsiavut Executive Council are expected to perform their duties with honour, integrity and dignity, and actions that undermine their positions of authority and leadership have to be dealt with accordingly,” says President Lampe.

“Being in a position of public trust, Ministers are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethical behavior and to be accountable for their actions.” Ms. Saunders will continue to serve as Ordinary Member for Hopedale.

In the meantime, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Tony Andersen will assume the duties of Minister of Education and Economic Development on an interim basis.

The Tradition and Transition are looking for artists to help create a logo or a visual that will be used on printed and digital materials associated with the OkKak 1918 commemoration activities over the coming months.

They will be accepting original artwork submissions from Nunatsiavut beneficiaries in any two –dimensional form such as painting, sketching, or a photograph.

Entries will be brought to the OkKak 1918 Commemoration Committee for consideration.

The selected artist will receive $250.

The deadline for submissions is on Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018, and can be sent to traditionandtransition@mun.ca

Anne Budgell is a well known author and she is very excited to have her new book published in December 2018.

We spoke with Anne about her new book.

Her new book is titled “We all expected to die” Spanish influenza in Labrador 1918-1919.

The Inuit of the area were decimated, and Okak was abandoned.

To find out more about her new book, click HERE.

The TB community meeting that was supposed to take place back in October was postponed a couple of times due to weather.

Since then the TB meeting has been re-scheduled to go ahead in Nain.

It will now be held next week on Tuesday November 13, 2018.

The meeting will be taking place at the NG Administration building boardroom at 25 Ikajuktauvik road at 7 pm.

A new Yoga class in Hopedale will be holding their first session next week.

We spoke with Allision Clarke a Counsellor with the Department of Health and Social Development.

She says that the DHSD held their first Mental Health and Addiction Wellness week in October of this year.

With a great turnout of 16 people there has been a big interest in to continuing Yoga sessions.

Clarke says this yoga session will include simple techniques, a variety of fitness and also a gentle anxiety reducing session.

This is for anyone female or male.

She adds that this will be held on a weekly basis, every Monday evenings from 6-7pm at the Nanuk Center.

For more information about this Yoga session please contact Allison Clarke at 933-3376.

In just a few weeks the very first annual Gussie Bennett Memorial Ball Hockey Tournament will be going on in Nain.

We spoke with William Flowers the Director of Minor Hockey with the Nain Recreation Department.

He says the date has been changed to Friday November 23 to the 25th, 2018.

Everyone is getting excited, and this is something to look forward to.

Flowers say the Co-ed Ball hockey tournament will have two divisions.

The first division will be the adult division for ages 13 and up and the second division will be for youth 12 years and under.

The registration fee is $15 for adults and $10 for students.

He says the deadline is fast approaching so please register your teams.

Deadline will be Tuesday November 20, 2018.

To register your team; or to get more information please contact Flowers via Facebook.

Nunatsiavut Marine would like to advise that passenger service onboard the MV Northern Ranger will come to an end on November 24, 2018.

Upon arrival in Black Tickle, once passengers have disembarked the vessel and cargo has been discharged, the vessel will sail to Lewisporte to assist the MV Astron with freight deliveries of the north coast.

Nunatsiavut Marine is reminding customers that the acceptance of cargo in Lewisporte has ceased.

And the acceptance of south bound cargo in HV-GB will end on or before Friday November 23 2018, subject to available space.

The acceptance of north bound cargo in HV-GB end on or before November 19 2018, subject to available space.

The acceptance of larger items in HV-GB that can only be accommodated on the MV Astron will end on or before the next arrival of the vessel in HVGB, subject to available space.

Please call the freight office prior to dropping off your freight in order to avoid any misunderstanding with regards to the acceptance of your goods for shipping.

Freight from coastal communities will continue to be accepted based on available space, planned routing, and ice conditions.

Please note that guaranteed delivery deadlines still apply to all ports.

Tomorrow marks the 23rd annual Jobe J Flowers Memorial Volleyball Tournament in Hopedale.

The deadline to register your teams was on Wednesday, November 7th, 2018.

Boas Mitsuk who is the Recreation Director for Hopedale.

There is Male and female divisions, each team must consist of a minimum of four players or a maximum of six players.

Mitsuk says right now they have a total of 8 women’s teams that are registered and 4 men’s teams registered.

They have mixed teams consisting of players from Nain, Makkovik, Postville and Sheshatshiu.

Kelly Fraser is a well known Inuit song writer/singer from Sanikiluaq, Nunavut.

She sings and raps in both English and Inuktitut.

We spoke with Fraser about her visit to Labrador.

She says her tour starts in Nain this coming Saturday November 10, 2018.

Fraser will have a live performance at the Jeremias Sillitt Community Centre at 6 pm.

To hear more of what Fraser has to say about her trip to Labrador, click HERE.

Heirloom Portraits is the leading Photography Company of its kind serving a wide area of more than 130 communities in Northern Canada.

We spoke with Michele Gillies who was once a photographer with Heirloom Portraits but now manages the Social Media, Promotion, Graphics, and printing of the photos.

She says they will be in Nain, Hopedale and Natuashish this month.

With over 115 different backgrounds for Family Photos, Passport Photos and the School photos.

They will be arriving to Nain tomorrow Friday November 9, 2018.

Photographs will be taken at the Nain Northern Store from 3 pm to 6:30 pm.

And again on Saturday November 10, from 10 am to 1pm and 2 pm-5:30 pm and on Monday November 12 from 10 am to 1 pm and 2 pm-5:30 pm.

Please come early to avoid a long wait, they also do passport photos which have to be paid at the time of photography.

They are also scheduled to be in Hopedale on Tuesday November 20 & 21, 2018.

She adds the sitting fee is free and there is no charge.

They will be in Hopedale at the Amos Comenius School Tuesday Nov 20 from 5 pm – 8 pm and Wednesday November 21, 2018 from 5 pm – 8 pm.

We will be at the Mushuau Innu Natuashish School on Saturday November 17 at 11 am – 2 pm and 3 pm – 6:30 pm and again on Sunday November 18 from 11 am to 2 pm and 3 pm to 6:30 pm.