Articles by James O'Connor

Featured, Housing, News, Politics, Reconciliation September 9, 2024

Homeless encampment in Yellowknife to come down starting today

Authorities will work with residents there to secure housing options; area residents complained of filth and crime


“I’m at a breaking point. I’m out of options. But today we’re supposed to hear news from the GNWT or the City … about finding us a new location or public housing if possible.” – Encampment resident Colton Migwi The homeless encampment on 51st Street in Yellowknife is scheduled to…

Featured, News, Politics September 8, 2024

Pierre Poilievre unpacks parcel of promises during Yellowknife stop

Axe the Tax rally also heard the Conservative's Opposition leader's plans for housing, health-care, addictions and gun control


It was billed as an Axe the Tax rally, and Conservative Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre gleefully chopped away at the ruling Liberal Party’s record on Sunday, just days after the NDP pulled its support for the minority government. In addition to promising to kill the maligned Carbon Tax — which…

Featured, News, Politics September 5, 2024

GTC looks for acting grand chief; electoral dispute now before courts

Petition and Facebook page also launched this week, alleging 'the democratic process of the election is in peril.’


The politically heated 2024 Gwich’in Election of a Grand Chief will now simmer in the courts, after presumptive winner Frederick Blake Jr. was granted a judicial review this week of the Gwich’in Tribal Council’s decision to toss the results of the August 19th visit to the polls by beneficiaries. Incumbent…

Featured, News, Police September 3, 2024

Two loitering teens busted with drugs, a gun and money in Fort Providence

Saskatchewan males aged 16 and 17 now face a host of charges for trafficking, firearms and breaking court orders


Two wanted teenagers were arrested and illegal drugs and guns were seized after Fort Providence RCMP received a complaint about suspicious people last week. On August 30th, which was last Friday, police received a report of two persons loitering around a local business in that South Slave region community, stated…

Culture, Education, Featured, History, News, Politics, Reconciliation August 29, 2024

Indigenous languages in NWT need more than just lip service to thrive

For more than two decades, the GNWT has ignored many recommendations from its own languages commissioner


“The French language community has struggled hard to achieve recognition of their language in the NWT. Their work serves as a model in many ways for the work, which is needed on Dene languages.” Former languages commissioner Fibbie Tatti, in her 2004 report to the Assembly The erosion of Indigenous…

Featured, News, Politics, Weather, Wildfires August 28, 2024

GNWT scorched in critical report over response to 2023 wildfires

Environment and Climate Change Dep't was unable to cope with unprecedented situation; many improvements already made for this year


Misinformation from the public, poor internal communications, contractors “exploiting” the emergency, casual firefighters showing up drunk or high, and a lot of on-the-job stress and subsequent mental health issues were some of the previously unknown aspects from last year’s wildfire season. A 212-page review of NWT’s Environment and Climate Change…

Environment, Featured, History, News, Wildfires August 27, 2024

First independent look behind the scenes of GNWT’s handling of 2023 wildfires out Wednesday

'It is our job as leaders to learn from the challenges we faced in an emergency of this scale and put those lessons to work,' says Minister Jay Macdonald


One-half of the territorial government’s “biggest after-action review” into the historic wildfire season last year will be released tomorrow at noon. Prior to that, there will be a 30-minute media availability with staff members to answer technical questions regarding the review based on an embargoed report sent to media today….

Featured, Justice, Law courts, News August 26, 2024

Zakk Lafferty’s second-degree murder trial to be held in Yellowknife

Behchokǫ̀ man wanted to be tried by a jury in his home community, but Crown concerned over mistrial if impartial panel couldn't be found


A Behchokǫ̀ man charged with murder wanted to be tried by a jury of his peers in his home community. However, while it now has a suitable venue for such a trial – its new cultural centre – the Crown remained concerned over being able to find an impartial panel…

Culture, Featured, History, News, Reconciliation August 25, 2024

Behchokǫ̀ unveils Chief Mǫwfi statue, officially opens $14M cultural centre, offices

'Mǫwfi is a father figure to so many of us, and many of us are directly descended from him.' says Elder Alphonz Nitsiza


The rain stopped, the clouds parted and sun shone brightly down on the bronze statue of legendary Chief Mǫwfi — revealed after years delays from a pandemic and then wildfires — to the delight of the assembled crowd. A rainy and cool community of Behchokǫ̀ had set up tents and…