United for Literacy is seeking applicants to become Camp Counselors for the Literacy Camp programming, offered in collaboration with the Nunatsiavut Government.

These literacy and wellness camps aim to promote a love of reading and learning for children between the ages of 5-12 years old.

This opportunity has 4 positions available, open for youth as well as adults.

Successful candidates will work together with other camp counselors to run the summer reading camp in the community.

Together, they will plan and run activities such as reading, writing, storytelling, arts, crafts, music/songs, and games for the children.

Camp counselors will also try to include as much community participation in the camps by inviting parents, elders, and other community members.

All counselors will attend an all-expenses paid training in Makkovik in July.

The Literacy Camp Counselor salary will be $20 an hour, and the contract will be from July 6 to August 14 of this year.

To apply, you can visit www.tfaforms.com/5054846, and can be sent to Brenna McIntyre by email at bmcintyre@unitedforliteracy.ca, or give her call at 1-514-528-1001, and her fax number is 1-866-300-1431.

Canada’s largest public service union announced yesterday, Tuesday, April 18, that it will be going on strike at midnight.

More than 155,000 workers at the Canada Revenue Agency and the Treasury Board will hit the picket line today as part of their push for better pay and flexibility around remote work.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is still hoping for a ‘fair deal.’

Employees with the Canada Revenue Agency are going on strike just two weeks before the tax deadline.

The CRA said access to online services will remain available during the strike, but there may be increased wait times for call centres. Delays are also possible for processing income tax and benefit returns – particularly those filed by paper.

A licensed insolvency trustee suggests filing online, but if you need to use mail, be sure to keep copies of everything.

Stories about back then is always good to hear, especially of on the land.

Today we have Buddy Merkuratsuk of Nain, telling a story of how spring season was for him and his family.

Merkuratsuk says that these days, we have skidoos and gasoline; when he was growing up, they had dog teams and food to fuel them.

He says in one part of his story how it use to take them up to 2 weeks to get to Hebron, traveling by their dog team, and how today, we could leave from our home towns and get there in a day or so.

Click here to listen to Merkuratsuk’s story of how spring season was back then, verses how it is today.

The Annual RCMP volleyball tournament is happening this weekend in Hopedale.

We spoke with Jacqueline Dicker of Hopedale, who’s currently in charge of this tournament.

She says there are 9 women’s teams and 4 men’s teams registered so far.

The deadline to register your team is today, April 18 at 3pm.

Prizes for first place will be a gold medal and a t-shirt, and second place with silver medals.

They will have the Most Sportsman like awards for both men’s and women’s teams along with MVP.

The start date for the RCMP tournament is Friday, April 21st at 6pm at the Nanuk Community Centre.

Join in on Labrador in Focus for a photography exhibit by local youth, capturing the beauty in everyday life.

The Labrador in Focus Photography Exhibit will be held on Saturday, April 22nd from 2-4pm at the Lawrence O’Brien Arts Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

This will be open to the public, and soft drinks and snacks will be provided.

Print and digital photography will be on display.

For the second time, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is expanding the Come Home Incentive to help attract health care professionals’ home to work in Newfoundland and Labrador. To date, 79 individuals have accepted offers from the Come Home Incentive, at a value of approximately $5.16 million.

The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services, announced today that due to the success of the program, the incentive has been expanded to include Registered Midwives, who are now eligible to receive:

• A $50,000 incentive, subject to a three-year return-in-service agreement for those with applicable ties to Newfoundland and Labrador; or
• A $25,000 incentive, subject to a three-year return-in-service agreement for those with no ties to Newfoundland and Labrador.

A comprehensive recruitment and retention package is essential to bridging the gap in earnings between midwives in Newfoundland and Labrador and other jurisdictions, and is part of the way forward in Newfoundland and Labrador’s health system transformation.

In addition, the incentive amounts available for Radiation Therapists have increased to:

• A $60,000 incentive, subject to a three-year return-in-service agreement for those with applicable ties to Newfoundland and Labrador; or
• A $30,000 incentive, subject to a three-year return-in-service agreement for those with no ties to Newfoundland and Labrador.

This increase will further incentivize Radiation Therapists, including Dosimetrists, living outside the province to come home and work.

The Come Home Incentive was initially announced in October 2022 and was expanded in January 2023 to include Clinical Psychologists, Radiation Therapists (including Dosimetrists), Cardiology Technologists, Medical Physicists, and Respiratory Therapists.

Public Health officials are working on a new population health assessment for the province.

As Newfoundland and Labrador settles in to living with COVID-19 in the community, Public Health officials can turn their attention back to some of the tasks that were relegated to the backburner during the early days of the pandemic.

A population health assessment is part of Public Health’s mandate and Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says, it’s something that takes on greater importance with the recent merger of the regional health authorities.

They’re in the process of developing a plan to update public health programs across the province.

It’s that time of the year when the ice conditions deteriorate and travelers are advised to be cautious when traveling by skidoo.

AngajukKâk of Nain Joe Dicker says it is the end of the year for the trail markers before the ice gets bad, and says they were taken down as far as Natuashish.

We spoke with AngajukKâk Marjorie Flowers in Hopedale; she says their trail markers will be taken up on Monday, April 24th and Tuesday the 25th.

AngajukKâk Barry Andersen from Makkovik says they will start to take theirs up on Friday, April 21st, weather permitting.

The trail markers outside of Postville, Separation Lake, Little Neck, and Drunken Harbour will be removed today, Tuesday, April 18.

New signage will also be installed between Postville and Separation Lake.

The trail markers in Rigolet has been taken up as of last Friday, April 14.

We had the privilege to speak with AngajukKâk Joe Dicker for updates on any upcoming projects.

Dicker says they will have work this upcoming summer, for anyone and everyone who need to get hours for EI.

Dicker also mentions that they will start as soon as the supplies come in, and you will work from start to finish this year.

Click here to hear the update with AngajukKâk Joe Dicker.

In accordance with applicable sections of the Municipalities Act (1999), and the Act Respecting the Taxation of Utilities and Cable Television Companies, the Postville Inuit Community Government has imposed the following taxes and fees for the 2023 fiscal year of January 1 to December 31.

Poll Tax: At a rate of $50 on all residents between the ages of 18 years and older whose annual gross income exceeds the Basic Personal Income Tax Exemption.

Please note that all persons aged 18-64 whose income in 2022, under the Income Tax Act, was less than the Basic Personal Exemption ($14,398), can fill out an application for exemption and provide his/her previous years assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency to the Postville Inuit Community Government on or before July 1, 2023.

All persons who are 65 years of age and over are exempt from paying Poll Tax.

Water and Sewer Tax: At a rate of $200 on all residents and $500 on all business connected to the system and not otherwise specified at a different rate. Unoccupied houses and pieces of land are charged at $100.

Business Tax: At a rate of .005% of 2022 gross revenues carried on in Postville.

Utility Tax: At a rate of 2.5% of 2022 gross revenues of business derived within Postville on all utilities and cable television companies: Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, Bell Aliant, and Bell Mobility.

The Garbage Disposal Fee: At a rate of $150 on all business and public institution unless otherwise specified at a different rate. There is also a rate of $10 per month for homes being rented. This applies to where garbage is collected by Council.

A rate of $40 per month will be charged to business who take away their own garbage.

These taxes and fees are effective and are dur from January 1, 2023 and are payable in full no later than June 30, 2023.