In 2020-2023 Strategy and Action Plan, ITK committed to the establishment of an ITK emerging leader’s program.

Objective 6 of the Strategy and Action Plan relates to empowering Inuit through education, research and data and information access, ownership and dissemination.

As such, ITK has a role to play in developing the experience and capacity of emerging Inuit leaders through mentorship and professional development.

This placement will run from May 2023 until August 2023.

This experience will be dedicated to professional development, learning and training opportunities and focused on working on files related to your field of interest at ITK and contributing to the work of the organization.

This is an exceptional learning opportunity for Inuit youth who possess a willingness to learn and work as part of a team.

They are looking for Inuit 18-30 years of age who have:

• Excellent oral and written communications skills
• Interest in conducting research.
• Strong prioritization and time management skills
• The ability to coordinate and/or support project activities.
• A willingness to problem solve and engage in training sessions

This opportunity is open to Inuit youth who are enrolled with one of the four Inuit Land Claim Organizations – Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, Makivvik Corporation, and the Nunatsiavut Government.

Deadline for applications: Friday, March 31, 2023.

Story courtesy of the ITK.

An employee with the Nunatsiavut Government is the first Beneficiary of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement to receive the “Pride in Profession” award, presented annually to a registered social worker who promotes the advancement of social work in their workplace, community and province, and demonstrates outstanding pride in the profession.

Rita-Ann Voisey, Family Connections Manager with the Department of Health and Social Development in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, received her award virtually yesterday from the Newfoundland and Labrador College of Social Workers.

“As a registered worker, it is excellent to see a Beneficiary of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement honored in this way,” says Health and Social Development Minister Gerald Asivak. “Congratulations to Rita-Ann on this achievement, and thanks to all social workers in Nunatsiavut, as their work impacts to many throughout the region and beyond.”

Newfoundland and Labrador has recorded 12 new deaths due to COVID-19 since the last pandemic update.

The provincial Health Department, in its biweekly COVID-19 update, announced seven new deaths for the two-week reporting period of Feb. 26-March 11, but data in the regional and age breakdowns province’s COVID-19 website reveals 12 new deaths.

Since the provincial government moved to biweekly pandemic updates, the number of announced new deaths has been consistently underreported.

The Health Department says the discrepancy is due to deaths that were reported since the last update but which happened before the two-week reporting period.

Four of the new deaths were in the Eastern Health area, seven were in Central Health area and one was in Labrador-Grenfell Health.

By age, five people were 80 years old or older, five were in their 70s, one was in their 60s and one was in their 50s.

The new deaths raise Newfoundland and Labrador’s total since the pandemic began to 333, with 38 reported in 2023.

Public Health also reported 19 new hospitalizations in the two-week period, including four that required critical care.

Story Courtesy of the CBC Newfoundland and Labrador.

The NG Assembly Sitting was delayed earlier this week due to weather and took place yesterday.

President Johannes Lampe attended the sitting in Hopedale and had a few things to say about language.

He also says that he was glad that he was invited to attend the Inuktitut Terminology Workshop that was held in Nain last month.

Click here to hear more of President Lampe.

Here is an update on the coastal community freezers and what they have to distribute in each community.

Joseph Onalik is the Research Technician for the community freezer in Nain.

Onalik says they are having technical issues with the freezer at the moment, so the community freezer isn’t open to the public.

He says once it’s fixed, they will reopen to the public.

We also spoke with Matilda Dicker from Hopedale who is the Radio Producer, Community Freezer Worker and Janitor for the Hopedale Inuit Community Government.

Dicker says they have moose meat and margarine to distribute to the community.

We also spoke with Paula Flowers of Rigolet who is the Town Clerk.

Flowers says they have a variety of fish, fresh cod loins, crab claws, cod nuggets, and scallops.

They also have other meats including chicken legs, chicken thighs, pork roast, beef stew meat, and beef steaks.

Flowers says each community member has a choice of picking one fish item and another meat item.

We will get the Postville and Makkovik’s community freezer updates once they become available.

The National Inuit Health Survey officially begins today. The start of data collection will be celebrated with an open house at the Strathcona House on Thursday, March 23 at 5pm.

All community members are welcome to attend. Similar open houses will be held in other Labrador Inuit communities later this spring once data collection gets underway in each community.

The QNIHS aims to address the health and wellness needs across Inuit Nunangat; it is a permanent survey with data collection taking place every 5 years, and will create an up-date dataset that reflects the status of Inuit health.

Qanuippita National Inuit Health Survey is completely Inuit owned, led, and determined, and will refine Inuit health-determination in health research. Inuit of all ages from every community across Inuit Nunangat are included in the survey.

Participants in the survey are voluntary and are selected randomly based on the survey demographic requirement. If your name is randomly selected, a representative from QNIHS team will reach out to you.

There will be wellness reports and transportation available at each data collection site. Surveys can be taken anywhere from 60-90 minutes, and Inuktitut translation will also be available when needed.

To learn more visit inuithealthsurvey.ca or nunatsiavut.com/qnhis.

The Labrador Aboriginal Training Partnership are still providing financial support for Innu, Inuit and NunatuKavut members.

Financial support for the following safety courses.

• Emergency or Standard First Aid
• WHMIS
• Fall Protection
• Powerline Hazards
• Transportation of Dangerous Goods
• Back Injury Prevention

To qualify you must be a member of one of the 3 Indigenous groups, be unemployed/underemployed (example: working minimum wage; part time work), and complete an LATP application.

For more information, please contact the head office in HVGB at (709) 896-3500 and follow the directory to speak to the counsellor for your Indigenous group; or email admin@latp.ca

The 2023 High Efficiency Woodstove Replacement Program is now open for applicants to residents of Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet, who are beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement and who meet the requirements of the program.

Households that meet the program requirements and make less that $100,000 a year will receive high efficiency woodstove for free, all costs covered by the program.

Households that meet the program requirements and make more than $100,000 are still able to qualify for a woodstove but will need to pay 25% of the stove and installation costs.

Applications will be accepted until April 28 of this year, and can be submitted to woodstoves@nunatsiavut.com.

For an application, please print the online version or contact your Community Liaison Officer.

For general inquiries, please contact Jamie Hewlett at 1-866-922-2942 ext. 280, or by email at Jamie.hewlett@nunatsiavut.com. Or Stuart Michel Stuart Michel at 709-947-3558, or by email at stuart.michel@nuntsiavut.com.

Some issues on the North coast were raised at the House of Assembly that took place yesterday.

Lela Evans is the MHA for the Torngat Mountains District.

She says the biggest issue that we’re dealing with is the changes in weather, where people are traveling to get to their appointments or sports events.

Evans adds that there was a power outage in Nain last week and people were concerned about their phone lines and internet.

Click here to hear more from Evans later in the program.