August 30, 2011

Arctic Sovereignty

Vital to secure Arctic region (August 30, 2011): Prime Minister Stephen Harper observed last week that Canada never will have the capacity to provide rapid emergency services across the vast Arctic. This observation, made in the wake of an air disaster in Resolute Bay and in the midst of his annual northern tour, should have been put in perspective. According to a report from the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, the sea ice cover over the Arctic Ocean is shrinking even faster than predicted by the UN's expert panel on climate. Within the next two decades, the Northwest Passage will likely be ice free throughout the summer. The Chinese, Americans, and Europeans are already counting the savings to be had by shipping goods through the passage rather than through the Panama Canal.

International

Canada tries to force Russia out of the Arctic (August 30, 2011): Late last week, Canadian Prime Minister Harper spent four days in the Arctic. Flying around military bases in the northern provinces of Canada Nunavut, Yukon and Northwest Territories has become a tradition over the years of his stay in power. The current Prime Minister has been in power for six years, and for the sixth time he appeared in the Arctic. Harper has repeatedly said that these visits are made in the framework of the "northern strategy." It includes an increase in military presence, economic and social development and environmental protection in polar latitudes.

Alaska Says Climate Change is no Threat to Polar Bears, Opposes Protection (August 30, 2011): The state of Alaska will appeal a federal judge's ruling that continues to list the polar bear as a threatened species. In a notice filed Friday, the state argued that the bears have successfully survived past climate changes. The threatened species status of the polar bear was upheld by U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan in June, after the state of Alaska sued the federal government in 2008 over the Bush administration's decision to protect polar bears under the Endangered Species Act. The listing was based on the warning by the Department of the Interior that warming of the Arctic climate and the melting of sea ice was threatening the polar bear's habitat.

Chinese tycoon plans to buy part of Iceland: Report (August 30, 2011): A Chinese tycoon is said to have struck a deal to buy a huge tract of Icelandic land for a USD 100 million eco-tourism project, giving rise to fears that Beijing may be acquiring a strategic foothold in North Atlantic. Huang Nubo, a real estate investor and former Chinese government official, has sealed a provisional deal to acquire 300 square kilometres of wilderness in north-east Iceland where he plans to build an eco-tourism resort and golf course, Financial Times reported.

Denmark’s Arctic Strategy invites industry to partner in development (August 29, 2011): "Private funding is seen as a possibility" to build ports, airports Denmark wants to network in the Arctic — and it’s eager for resource developers to kick in money for the infrastructure they need to work in the Arctic. That’s one of the messages from Denmark’s “Strategy for the Arctic 2011-2020,” launched last week, which is intended to guide the future of Greenland and the Farøe Islands “to the benefit of the entire Kingdom, to the peoples in the Arctic and to our businesses.”

National

Elisapie Isaac nabs Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music nomination (August 29, 2011): Nunavik singer Elisapie Isaac is up for an Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award. Isaac has been nominated as Aboriginal female of the year, as part of the Canadian music awards whose winners are decided by voters.

We're pushing our luck in the North (August 30, 2011): After the recent tragic crash of First Air Flight 6560, which resulted in the deaths of 12 people, much of the media attention was focused on the cause of the crash, or "What went wrong?" Little attention has been granted to "What went right?" "What went right" was the extremely fortuitous presence of the Canadian Forces and Coast Guard in Resolute Bay at the time of the crash as they prepared for - of all things - responding to the simulating downing of an aircraft in the area.

Regional

Nunatsiavut Pleased by Report of Muskrat Falls (August 30, 2011): Nunatsiavut Government officials are pleased with the recommendations of a joint panel's environmental report on the Muskrat Falls hydro project. The report recognizes what they say are potential significant adverse effects on Labrador Inuit. Nunatsiavut's minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Glen Sheppard, says that they are looking forward to being an integral part of the lower Churchill River discussions with the provincial government and Nalcor and not being excluded from the table.

Touching tribute to pilot draws hundreds at air hangar (August 30, 2011): About 500 friends, family and colleagues gathered at the North Cariboo Air Hangar to honour Capt. Norman (Blair) Rutherford yesterday, who died in a plane crash Aug. 20. Rutherford, 48, was among 12 – along with two flight attendants and a co-pilot – killed when the First Air Boeing 737-200 he was flying crashed in Resolute Bay, Nunavut in dense fog.

N.W.T. now able to sue tobacco companies (August 29, 2011): The Northwest Territories government can now launch lawsuits again tobacco companies to try to recoup health care costs. Last week, MLAs passed legislation allowing the government to sue for tobacco-related diseases. Yukon is the only area in the country that does not have similar legislation.

N.S. man suspected drowned in Nunavut (August 29, 2011): The search for a missing Nova Scotia man in Nunavut has turned into an effort to recover his body. RCMP say Joseph Hart was reported missing last Wednesday night when he didn't return from fishing at Baker Lake. The 51-year-old man is from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, and was visiting family in the community.

Military plane spots missing Nunavut hunters (August 29, 2011): Two Nunavut hunters who didn't arrive at their destination are safe. The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Ontario says the men were spotted from a Hercules aircraft. They had pulled their freighter canoe out of choppy water caused by strong winds and were waiting for the weather to improve before continuing their trip. The military plane dropped food and other supplies to them after the crew was assured the men are OK.

Nunavut kids head back back to school (August 29, 2011): New school year means more educators and community counsellors in schools Schools across Nunavut are welcoming students at staggered dates this year, starting as early as Aug.15 in some communities, while for others, classes won’t begin until Sept. 6. However, some students in the Baffin region may wait to see their teachers for a while yet: the Qikiqtani School Operations said its schools still had 12 unfilled positions as of Aug. 25. This year there are more vacancies than normally seen, said QSO director Trudy Pettigrew, but that’s because the QSO had many more teaching positions to fill than usual.

Iqaluit faces rolling blackouts as power plant sputters (August 29, 2011): Iqaluit faces the prospect of several days of rolling blackouts after the main generator at the city’s power plant broke down during the early morning hours of Aug. 29. Power was out early Monday in the Plateau subdivision, parts of Tundra Ridge and Apex. The Government of Nunavut also announced on Twitter that all schools in Iqaluit are closed. Schools will re-open Wednesday, Aug. 31, the GN said.

Chinese company to sink more money into Nunavik Nickel Mine project (August 29, 2011): The mine would be Nunavik's second operating mine Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Co. said Aug. 29 that it’s ready to invest an additional $400 million in the Nunavik Nickel project in Nunavik, reports Canadian Press. Wu Shu, the mining company’s chief executive office, made the announcement Aug. 29 in Beijing after a meeting with Premier Jean Charest, who is on trade mission that has taken him to Japan and now to China.

Labrador youth explore the north (August 29, 2011): Three youth from Makkovik, Nain and Port Hope Simpson were among a group of students from around the world to embark on a 17-day adventure to the Arctic. Students on Ice organized the expedition that ran from July 23–Aug. 7. The program provides youth from across the country and the world with ship-based educational adventures to the Arctic and Antarctic.

Hurricane Irene Hitting Northern Labrador (August 29, 2011): High winds and strong rains are expected as what remains of Hurricane Irene hits Labrador Monday night. The tail end of the hurricane is expected dump 40 millilitres of rain on northern and western Labrador. Winds gusting up 75 and 80 kilometres an hour are also expected during late Monday and early Tuesday.

Artists Wanted for Northern Lights 2012 (August 29, 2011): Artists, performers and craft producers are being sought for the upcoming Northern Lights 2012 Business and Cultural Showcase. Roxanne Dyson is with the Chamber of Commerce in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. She says they’re seeking artists and craft-producers for the showcase which takes place this February in Ottawa.

Vale Completes Restoration Work to Area Affected By Tailings Spill (August 29, 2011): Vale has completed its effort to return the area affected by this January’s tailings spill to a natural state. Bob Carter is a spokesperson for Vale. He says crews have completed a re-vegetation program on the affected area. The program included placing topsoil and carrying out hydro-seeding.

Appiks Ready for Picking (August 29, 2011): Bake apple lovers from across Labrador have been taking advantage of the chance get out and pick their favourite treat. We spoke with a couple of berry pickers who recently harvested their share of bake apples, or as they’re better known around these parts: appiks. Juanita Roberts lives in Cartwright, Labrador. She traveled to Hare Island and Hare Harbour by speedboat recently to get her supply of appiks.

Climate Change

Coping with climate change (August 30, 2011): Inuit hunters fighting to continue their traditional lifestyle in the melting Arctic have turned to Colorado scientists for help. In the Arctic, cracks have opened unexpectedly in sea-ice routes the Inuit rely on to track polar bears, caribou and other animals. Each year, the ice melts earlier and freezes later, forcing a shift from dog sleds to boats that require costly fuel. Once-reliable predictions from village elders, based in part on touching and tasting sea ice, increasingly fail.

Ice loss opens both arctic sea routes (August 29, 2011): Two major Arctic Ocean shipping routes have opened simultaneously for only the second time since satellite observation began in the 1970s, researchers say. Satellites in 2008 saw the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic and the Northern Sea Route above Russia were open simultaneously for the first time since satellite measurements started, and researchers say it has happened again, the European Space Agency reported in a release from its Paris headquarters Monday.

Other

In our own backyards (August 29, 2011): Since the days of Samuel de Champlain, Canada has had the opportunity to learn great things from our First Peoples. As we look for solutions to tackle the increasing rates of overweight and obesity in this country, it’s time once again to look to the successes and failures of our native population. As they have moved by choice or by necessity toward a typically North American diet, First Nation, Metis and Inuit communities have experienced unprecedented rates of overweight and obesity, multiple times the national average. Among the many negative health side effects, one of the most profound is the incidence of diabetes. Among Canada’s Metis it is estimated to be three to five times that of the general population.

Local teenager escapes rockfall in the Arctic (August 29, 2011): A DURBANVILLE teenager has dodged a rockfall while climbing a massive wall in the Canadian Arctic before plunging into the icy sea water when he fell while descending. Henko Roukema, 19, a maritime navigation student at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, is one of eight young people from around the world participating in South African explorer Mike Horn’s Pan Global Adventure for Environmental Action (Pangaea) Young Explorer Programme.

Gazprom ready to melt icebergs (August 30, 3011): Technology developers working for Gazprom want to use boiling water to fight icebergs. The researchers believe that the threat which icebergs pose against offshore Arctic installations can be eliminated with the use of hot water. The method includes the use of helicopters to cover an approaching iceberg with a water-proof coat and the subsequent injection of hot water. The icebergs will melt and disappear, the researchers argue.

What is killing killer whales? (August 30, 2011): Killer whales, the ocean's fiercest predators, are easily recognisable by their black and white markings. But their future seems less clearly defined. Marine experts are concerned about an invisible threat to the animals that has been building in our seas since World War II. That was when industries began extensively using chemical flame retardants, such as PCBs.

Russia ready to boost Arctic tourism (August 29, 2011): The authorities of the newly established national park “Arctic Russia” will develop infrastructure so that you can be one of the tourist to explore the earlier closed Arctic islands of Novaya Zemlya and Franz-Josef Land.

Nunavut shorebird flies through Hurricane Irene — and survives (August 30, 2011): A plucky shorebird on its way south from Nunavut’s Southampton Island made headlines this week in the United States when it survived a flight through Hurricane Irene, the same storm that caused New York City to shut down for a day. Whimbrels are long-beaked brown shorebirds, which spend their summers in Nunavut where they seek out wet lowlands and shores.