News

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…

Featured, News, Police August 27, 2024

Two Inuvik women charged with murder, performing an indignity to human remains

Thirty-nine-year-old man found dead behind a building early Sunday morning; court later issues publication ban on details of scene


Two Inuvik women are charged with murder and performing an indignity to human remains after a man was found dead behind a building early Sunday morning. After Inuvik RCMP received a report that a body had been in the Beaufort Delta community, they discovered the 39-year-old man. As a result…

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, Education, Featured, News, Reconciliation August 26, 2024

Indigenous languages in NWT receive $17.7 million over three years

‘We will continue to work with Indigenous people and governments to ensure Indigenous languages are protected, promoted and celebrated,’ says Minister Caitlin Cleveland


The Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories have signed a new Canada-Northwest Territories Agreement on Indigenous Languages from 2024-25 to 2026-27. Under the new agreement, $5.9 million will be invested per fiscal year, for a total of $17.7 million over three years. Caitlin Cleveland is the…

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…

Featured, Law courts, News, Police August 23, 2024

Convicted Edmonton drug dealer barred from NWT for three years after he serves jail sentence

Nineteen-year-old Abel Leule initially slipped past RCMP after raid on Fort Smith residence in fall of 2023, to be later arrest in Fort Resolution


The general public is the best source of information police have in combating drug trafficking, and the RCMP have a recent conviction as an example of that co-operation. And a recent sentencing of a dealer who last year was peddling crack and Percocet pills in Fort Smith – and later…

Featured, Law courts, News August 21, 2024

North Slave child molester guilty of six counts against young Indigenous girls

On the stand, a mother’s ‘upset and anger … even some 12 years later, was palpable,’ says judge


  CONTENT WARNING: The following story contains descriptions of sexual assaults against children, which may be triggering to some readers.   A resident of a North Slave community who molested three young girls over several decades has been found guilty after trial of three counts each of sexual assault and…