Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Colville Lake

Isolated and expensive, the N.W.T.'s Sahtu riding feels squeeze of climate change

Isolated and expensive, the N.W.T.'s Sahtu riding feels squeeze of climate change

While the southern N.W.T. was battered by wildfires this summer, the territory's remote Sahtu region faced its own climate challenge: a historically-low Mackenzie River. For the first time in living memory, low water caused by extremely dry conditions prevented most of the season's supply barges — hauling everything from drywall to gummy bears — from navigating the Mackenzie. The river is a lifeline for the five communities that make up the N.W.T.'s Sahtu riding: Deline, Fort Good Hope, Tulita, Colville Lake, and Norman Wells, the regional hub of roughly 800 people. And the high cost of living is the number one issue heading into the Nov. 14 territorial election. 

Imperial Oil visiting Sahtu communities in N.W.T. this week

Imperial Oil visiting Sahtu communities in N.W.T. this week

Imperial Oil is travelling to all five Sahtu communities in the N.W.T. this week for what it's calling "neighbour week."  The 143-year-old company says the purpose of the visits are for people to learn about its oil operation in Norman Wells, N.W.T., to ask questions, and to provide feedback. Company representatives will be in Norman Wells on Monday, Fort Good Hope on Tuesday, Tulita on Wednesday, Délı̨nę on Thursday and Colville Lake on Friday.

Colville Lake has been under a boil water advisory since 2004, but chief doesn't care

Colville Lake has been under a boil water advisory since 2004, but chief doesn't care

For the past 14 years, Colville Lake, N.W.T. has been under a boil water advisory.The reason isn't due to lack of access to a water treatment plant or proper training to operate it — the community doesn't bother to send water samples to the territorial government for sampling because residents believe their water is clean enough to drink straight from the lake.

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