The year of 2023 started, and the Rigolet Inuit Community Government is already busy with projects.
Chesley Sheppard is the AngajukKâk.
Right now, they’re seeking workers, working on the rink, and clearing willows.
Sheppard says there are also tentative dates for a festival in March, but it will be around the winter games.
Click here to learn more on the Rigolet ICG projects with Sheppard.
OKâlaKatiget Radio staff called along the coast to see what the community freezer has to offer.
The community freezer in Nain has moose, char, and seal.
The Hopedale community freezer has moose and fish.
The Makkovik community freezer has char and cod.
In Rigolet, they have moose, porkchops, bakeapples and redberries at the community freezer.
We will have the community freezer in Postville once it becomes available.
Before skulls are cleaned and returned to harvesters, measurements are taken and two teeth are extracted. The growth rings inside the teeth are counted and determine how the bear was.
Since 2011, the harvested polar bears have ranged from 2 to 25 years old, with females averaging 6 years old, and males 11.
By submitting samples or reporting the ear tag and lip tattoo number of the harvested polar bears, hunters gathered important data for the population estimate survey.
The study showed there were approximately 2,015 in Davies Straight polar bears in 2017 and 2018, slightly less than in 2005-2007.
Harvest in Nunatsiavut has remained relatively consistent in the past twelve years with 805 of the harvest being males.
Past participants who would like to find out the age of their harvested bear can call the Wildlife Division at 896-7932.
The province needs a primary Search and Rescue site in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
That comes from Minister of Labrador Affairs, Lisa Dempster, whose department had a busy 2022, especially with the continued call for Search and Rescue Services in the region.
In December 2021, the final report from the Inquiry into Ground Search and Rescue was released with 17 recommendations from the provincial and federal governments.
The minister said a lot of work is underway on the provincially, with many advocating to the federal government to step up and meet the needs of the province.
Dempster said the province earmarked $2 million for ground search and rescue in the spring budget. She said that has lead to further training and resources for local rescue teams.
Currently, SAR teams are set up in Southern Labrador with training beginning this month. And soon her and other representatives from the province will bring the conversation to Ottawa.
Dempster will be joined by Justice and Public Safety Minister, John Hogan, Indigenous leaders, and the parents of Marc Russell, who was lost and was never found after leaving Mary’s Harbor on a fishing trip last year.
Courtesy VOCM.
A new fund has been announced to help community organizations across Canada recover from COVID-19.
The federal government earmarked $400 million for the Community Services Recovery Fund.
Nicole Dawe, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of NL says applications are open to charities, non-profits and indigenous groups to help improve efficiency, sustainability and to cope with financial losses since 2020.
Dawe says they have roughly $3 million to distribute to applicants across Newfoundland and Labrador. She says it’s a one-time benefit meant to be a bookend to previous government funding that was provided throughout the pandemic.
The deadline to submit an application is February 21.
Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement are advised that the 2023 Polar Bear licenses for the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area will be issued under a draw system.
Beneficiaries who are interested to have their name entered into the draw must be present at the Nunatsiavut Government office in their respective community to fill out the application form.
Application forms must be filled out and submitted to local Conservation Officer by 12 noon on February 1, 2023 for names to be entered into the draw. The 2023 hunting season will open on February 2.
If you require further information, contact your local conservation officer or wildlife manager Jason Dicker at 709-899-4553 or 709-922-2942 ext. 249.
The Inuit Community Government in Hopedale also have plans for the year of 2023.
We spoke with AngajukKâk Marjorie Flowers.
She says there has been sickness in the community, so some programs have slowed down.
Advertising is open for positions to work with the Inuit Community Government, and regular programs at the Nanuk Community Centre will continue.
Flowers adds they are gearing up for the winter trails when the ice conditions are good enough.
Click here to hear what plans the Hopedale ICG have in place for their community with Flowers.
The Art Studio is open for the public during the week if anyone want to make some crafts.
John Terriak is the Co-ordinator at the studio.
He says he is trying to find new supplies of Labradorite and waiting on a shipment of silver for people to make silver rings.
They are open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 to 11:30am, and on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s from 1:30pm to 4pm.
For more information, can call Terriak at the local studio at 922-2045.
There is a new Regional Youth Program Coordinator hired on to plan different programs for youth.
Kim Oliver is the Regional Youth Services Manager.
She says Keryn Andersen is the new Regional Youth Program Coordinator and is based at the Youth Centre here in Nain.
She has already started to plan land-based programs for youth throughout the year.
Oliver adds that Andersen might also travel along the coast to partner and help with youth staff along the coast.
Dalhousie University Infectious Disease Specialist and researcher, Dr. Lisa Barrett wants to see higher levels of vaccination in light of a new Omicron subvariant now in circulation.
Only about 24% of the total eligible population in NL is up to date on their COVID vaccines.
Barrett would like to see higher vaccination rate, but she believes it may reflect the number of people who have recently picked up the virus.
She says for those who recently contracted COVID, “that is their vaccine, at least in the time frame.”
That makes the incidence of COVID in the community, who is getting and how their affected “difficult to interpret “due to a lack of regular testing” according to Barrett.
She encourages anyone who hasn’t recently been infected with COVID to get their updated bivalent vaccine.
Story courtesy of VOCM.