Remembering Terry Halifax
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Volume 51 Issue 2 THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2015 75 CENTS
Remembering Terry Halifax
Councillor, photographer died suddenly outside town hall
photo courtesy of Elizabeth Fraser
Feature Employment Photos
Feds, Gwich'in
team up to bring Athletes shine at
paid internships Canada Publication mail Contract #40012157
Looking back at 80 to help improve Winter
years of reindeer self-government Games
2 INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 community
Image festival set for big year
Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo
Peter Clarkson, one of the original founders of the Arctic Image Festival, and Weronika Murray, festival co-ordinator, stand with one of Terry Halifax's landscape
photos from the inaugural festival from 2014. Festival organizers plan to commemorate Halifax, who passed away suddenly last week at the age of 54.
Workshops on wildlife, portraits and other styles of photography
to be offered during three-day event
by Andrew Livingstone talent in the town and region. the public to see. to pay tribute to the elders telling through images. thing, but just aren't sure what
Northern News Services “The whole idea of the “With smartphones and and those who take photos of Maja Swannie Jacobs of that will be just yet.”
Organizers of the Arctic festival has been to celebrate digital cameras, photography them,” he said. Prince George, B.C., will Through grant money pro-
Image Festival are preparing photographers,” said organ- has become something people Each display will feature offer workshops on portrait vided by the Department of
to showcase images of life izer Peter Clarkson. “So use all the time now,” he said. a number of images from a photography and Instagram. Industry, Tourism and Invest-
above the Arctic Circle in the many people are taking great “We want to promote the variety of photographers and Jacobs will also ment, festival
event's second year of oper- images and we wanted to Arctic and the people docu- Clarkson said he hopes to be join Inuvik pho- organizers were
ation. allow people to showcase that menting the beauty of the able to display the images at tographer Adri- "We decided able to pur-
Over three days the fes-
tival will showcase photog-
work.”
Clarkson said the festival
region.”
The festival will host two
various other events and festi-
vals throughout the year.
enne Talbot to
teach an intro-
to pay tribute chase a large
printer to repro-
raphy, offer free workshops
for aspiring photographers,
has encouraged a number
of professional and amateur
theme displays during the
three-day event – one on the
The festival will also host
presentations from 20 photog-
ductory work-
shop on photog-
to the elders duce images in
a high-quality
and host a number of themed photographers in the area 80th anniver- raphers who raphy for people and those who manner, up to
displays, celebrating the rich to submit their images for sary of the will present interested in 111 centimetres
reindeer herd's COFFEE a series of 20 learning basic take photos of or 44 inches in
arrival in the images. Each techniques. them." size.
region in 1935,
and one show-
Break presenter
will have 20
A tribute to
town councillor Peter Clarkson
“We thought
it would be a
casing por- seconds to talk Terry Halifax, great asset for
traits of elders in the com- about each image. an avid photog- the community,”
munity. A number of workshops rapher and one of the ori- Clarkson said, adding it's the
Clarkson said the elder on wildlife, portrait, photo- ginal founders of the festival, first of its kind in the town.
portrait display came out of journalism and Northern is currently being planned, The festival hopes to use
Robert Alexie Jr.'s love for lights will be held profes- said Clarkson. Halifax passed it throughout the year with
photographing elders in the sional photographers. away suddenly last week at other organizations, events
communities. Alexie Jr., for- Peter Mather from White- the age of 54. and artists as a fundraising
mer president of the Gwich'in horse will be hosting free “He was an important tool for future festivals.
Tribal Council, died last year. workshops on wildlife and member of the photography Visit the Arctic Image
“Robert really loved cap- Northern lights, as well as community here,” said Clark- Festival website for more
turing elders and we decided photojournalism and story- son. “So we want to do some- information.
feature news INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 3
Correction
In the Feb. 26 story “Town to vote
on Jamboree bingo,” the Inuvik Speed
Skating Club was misidentified. The
Inuvik Drum apologizes for any confu-
sion or embarrassment this may have
caused.
March 6, 1935
NEWS
Briefs
Former MLA and
Drum owner dies
Tom Butters, founder of the Inu-
vik Drum and a former MLA who
held office for almost 21 years, died Dec. 26, 1929
March 2 at the age of 89.
He was also a former town coun-
cillor who started the newspaper in NNSL graphic
1965 and ran it for 13 years before Reindeer herder Andrew Behr travelled more than 2,400 km with some 3,400 reindeer over the course of five years to arrive in
handing it over to Dan Holman in the Beaufort-Delta region in March, 1935. The trip was expected to take only 18 months, however, weather, and the unpredict-
1978 so he could focus on politics. ability of the animals, made the journey far more challenging than anyone had expected. This map is based on historical data
“Butters was one of the more compiled by Dr. A. E. Porsild in the 1930s.
ethical, honest guys that has been
my pleasure to know,” said Hol-
man. “He was the town council, the
Last of the original
mayor, the public works adminis-
tration, he was everything. He was
known so widely in the commun-
ity.”
Butters was first elected to office
in 1970 and served five terms as an
MLA until he retired in 1991. He
had been minister of finance and
reindeer herders
minister of the Northwest Territor-
ies Housing Corporation in his final
years in office.
He was awarded the Order of
Canada in 1994 for his contributions
to Inuvik through the newspaper and
his decades-long political service.
Bingo decision delayed 80th anniversary of the herd's arrival in 1935 is special for Lloyd Binder
The decision on whether to allow
a second bingo on Muskrat Jam-
and his parents, who have a 70 year connection with it
boree weekend was delayed until
March after town council couldn't by Andrew Livingstone tion, the government-built commun- where you are trying to get through expanding communities of Aklavik
meet quorum Feb. 25. Northern News Services ity where herders and their families each season and its satisfying. It's a and Tuktoyaktuk.
Mayor Floyd Roland was called Failure isn't an option for Lloyd lived and cared for thousands of powerful interaction.
out of town for a family emer- Binder. As the owner of the region's reindeer brought to the region in the “There's a real satisfaction of Deal with Alaskan
gency and wasn't able to attend the long-standing reindeer herd and one 1930s to help stave off starvation. achieving success at a challenging In 1929, the Canadian govern-
meeting where council was to vote. of the few remaining connections He's a third-generation herder project. I was a natural sucker to take ment signed a contract with Alaskan
Councillors Terry Halifax, deputy to its initial arrival to the territory, – his mother's parents were some on the reindeer as a project.” entrepreneur named Carl Lomen to
mayor Jim McDonald and Kurt the Inuvik man has given his life to of the first people to He's one of the last send a herd of 3,400 reindeer from
Wainman were in attendance, but keeping the herd sustainable. come to Canada from original reindeer herd- Naboktoolik, Alaska, across the tun-
five other councillors were away for “You really have to commit your-
a variety of reasons. self to maintaining the herd,” he
Norway to help take
care of the reindeer
"It's a ers in a long and storied
history of a herd of
dra to Reindeer Station, a herding
community located about 100 km
Council needs the mayor or dep-
uty mayor in attendance, and a min-
said. “It's like having 3,000 kids and
you have to take care of them all.”
herd in the early 1930s.
The 63-year-old has
powerful animals that travelled
long distances to call
north of where Inuvik would be
established in the 1950s.
imum of four other councillors, in
order to be able to hold a meeting.
Inside the front door of Binder's a life-long connection interaction." the Beaufort-Delta The Canadian government paid
home are shelves and boxes full of to the reindeer. It's part home 80 years ago on the Lomen Brothers Reindeer Com-
The decision on whether to grant frozen steaks and roasts. Outside in of him and he feels a Lloyd Binder March 6. pany $65 per reindeer at a total cost
the Muskrat Jamboree a special the front yard is a large band saw, strong bond with the In the mid-1920s of $154,050 for the 2,370 reindeer
exception for a second bingo on the used to slice some 300 carcasses and animals that he was the federal government that survived, according to NWT
same day as the Inuvik Speed Skat- 35,000 kg of harvested reindeer that born with, grew up with during the wanted to supplement the tradition- Archives documents from 1955. Fac-
ing Club's mega bingo is expected to will be sold to community members summers as a teen along the Arctic al food source of caribou because tor in inflation, it would have cost
be made on March 11. and others looking for traditional coast corralling and marking the the nomadic herds had become approximately $2.59 million today.
meat. animals, and has now managed for unpredictable due to environmental The expectation was the reindeer
Test projects announced Binder's life has involved rein- nearly 13 years. changes leading to a reduced har- would arrive in the territory in 1931
deer since he was born. “My interaction, it's part of me,” vest. At the time, the caribou har-
for Highway His parents met at Reindeer Sta- he said. “It's a real relationship vest didn't yield enough to feed the Please see Eighty, page 9
Two new projects along the
Inuvik-to-Tuktoyaktuk Highway
will test alternate highway drain-
age structures and innovative tech-
niques for reinforcing deep-fill road
embankments.
The territorial government is
conducting research that will hope-
fully reduce the effects of climate
change on the Northern transporta-
tion system.
Using $669,000 from Transport
Canada's Northern Transportation
Adaptation Initiative, the territorial
government will provide significant
planning, logistics, construction and
monitoring support.
Continuous permafrost con-
ditions in the region make the
highway an ideal location for this
research. These projects will be
constructed next winter and mon-
photo courtesy of Philippe Morin
itored for several years.
The reindeer herd grazing on the tundra where it spends the winter months of the season.
4 INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 news
Halifax made life better
Town councillor was invested in helping those in need, making Inuvik a better place
by Andrew Livingstone town is great. Not only did Halifax Communities Sustainability Confer-
Northern News Services operate a successful commercial and ences with an eye out for possible
When Terry Halifax believed in artistic photography business, he options for making Inuvik a greener
something, he would sacrifice any- was involved in a number of causes community.”
thing to help. that he believed in, said Clarkson. Halifax was involved in starting
For nearly 15 years, since his “Here you have a person who the Arctic Images Festival in 2013
first days in town as a muckraking doesn't have kids, but comes in and as a means to showcase the beauty
journalist as editor of the Inuvik makes an investment and decides of the North above the Arctic Circle
Drum, Halifax fell in love with the to plant his roots here for 15 years through images, something Halifax
town. He first came to Inuvik in the and finds work in the community was deeply passionate about, said
late-90s to fill in at the newspaper, and in several different capacities Clarkson. He was also a director-at-
and was smitten by its charm and the and volunteers,” he said. “It just large for the Western Arctic Con-
photo courtesy of Elizabeth Fraser
people here. Eventually, he would helped make life better for all the servative Association for more than
call it home, setting up roots in the Terry Halifax, town councillor and avid photographer, is seen residents.” five years.
town, becoming an instant fixture. here with his partner, Elizabeth Fraser. Halifax died suddenly Halifax was first elected in 2004 Clarkson said Halifax was drawn
Teacher, photographer, town on Feb. 25 outside town hall. He was 54 years old. and has sat on council since, a four- to town council after spending years
councillor, volunteer. Halifax was term councillor who contributed to reporting on it for the Drum.
all these things. He saw something Halifax dedicated his time to the glory again and he thought it was a the town and its people for the nearly “He wanted to get involved and
special happening here, underneath youth in the community because he place that deserved it.” 11 years he represented them, said ran in the fall of 2004 and has
the grime and grit of it all. wanted them to have a better chance Peter Clarkson, a former two- Denny Rodgers, a close friend of been on council ever since,” said
Halifax was leaving town hall at a successful future, said his part- term mayor of Inuvik from 2000 to Halifax and a former town mayor. Clarkson. “He wanted to make a
on Feb. 25 after the regular meeting ner Elizabeth Fraser. 2006, said Halifax was an import- “He had a great sense of humour contribution. Terry always wanted
was cancelled, when he fell to the “He'd seen the struggles over the ant member of the community who and was a great community person,” to be fair with people, whatever the
ground in front of the fire hall. Town years being a teacher here,” she said. cared deeply about fighting for the he said. “He's very passionate about issue was.”
senior administrative officer Grant “He wanted better opportunities for vulnerable. the community. Terry was passion- Halifax was rarely seen without
Hood said Halifax was talking with the children, he wanted them to have “He always wanted to make sure ate in his beliefs. He never really a camera, photography a life-long
deputy mayor Jim McDonald when better choices. He had such pride in that the less fortunate had a voice bowed down to many and he stood passion. He operated his own pho-
he just collapsed. himself. I felt proud to call him my and he was very interested in being by what he believed in. He'd always tography business and held dozens
“Up until that moment he was significant other because he cared so that voice,” said Clarkson. “He was defend that.” of workshops for youth and inspired
the Terry Halifax I knew,” said an much and did so much in the com- compassionate and he also had a During his time on council, he many to pick up their cameras and
upset Hood. “There was no indica- munity.” vision for the community and the was chairperson of both the com- document the world around them.
tion something was wrong. It's a He was a giving and selfless region. Whether it was business or munity energy planning committee “His passion was photography
tough day for a lot of people.” man who would do anything for the the arts or some of the performing and also the administration com- and he had a real eye for it,” said
The fire department was holding causes he believed in, said Fraser. arts, he always had an interest.” mittee. Clarkson. “When we developed the
its regular Wednesday practice when “If he believed in it, he'd sacri- Halifax first made his mark as “He brought the same enthusi- festival, not only was he a great
Halifax collapsed and were able to ficed anything to help,” she said. a reporter with the Inuvik Drum in asm to those committees as he did participate and organizer, he entered
perform CPR quickly and transport “He cared a lot about Inuvik's the late 1990s. He had worked in to the full council meetings,” stated some amazing images he's taken.
him to the hospital. However, he growth and services for the people Fort Smith and Yellowknife before the town in a news release. “His “You never, you think you wake
was pronounced dead after doctors and expanding upon things and putting down roots in Inuvik in the knowledge and passion for greener up the next day someone is going to
weren't able to save him. making it a really great place to live. early 2000s. energy was well known and attended be gone. It's an incredibly tragic day
He was 54 years old. “He wanted to see the town in its The mark Halifax left on the a number of Federation of Canadian for Inuvik.”
opinions INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 5
Great man lost
his time to helping make it a better
Northern News Services
One moment someone is here. place. He was involved in countless
The next they are gone. youth workshops on photography,
I sat in town council chambers worked with Children's First Soci-
with councillor Terry Halifax last ety to get the new daycare building
Wednesday night. The finished. He dedicated
meeting was going to be his time to finding better
cancelled because not THE ISSUE: ways to bring affordable
enough councillors were TERRY HALIFAX energy to residents being
available to meet quorum. strangled by high rates. He
However, they had to
WE SAY: wanted to make a differ-
DEDICATED ence because he believed
wait 15 minutes after
TO TOWN in this town.
the scheduled start time
before they could officially Fraser said he wanted to
cancel it. Halifax, Alana bring the town to the glory
Mero, Jim McDonald and Grant Hood it deserved. He worked hard during
sat around with myself and a few his four terms on council to achieve
others talking to pass the time. We that. Sadly, he won't get to see the
joked, and laughed and talked about work he's done in recent years come
council issues. to fruition.
I left before the council- As a teacher, he saw
lors did, as they waited to the struggles youth experi-
briefly discuss an in-cam- enced and wanted to help
era issue. Terry shot me a them find success in their
smile and nodded as I left. lives. He dedicated his
I said goodbye and headed time to making Inuvik a
to my car. place where youth were
It was the last time I'd happy to live and felt they
see him alive. had options to have a
The following day I ANDREW bright future. As former
spent hours on the phone mayor Peter Clarkson
talking to the people who LIVINGSTONE said, he fought for the vul-
knew the four-term coun- nerable, the little guy who
cillor. He had collapsed unexpectedly didn't have a voice.
outside town hall, a building where Terry embodied what it meant
he spent many days and nights fight- to be a member of a community
ing to make Inuvik a better place. -- bold, dedicated, and forward-think-
He died at the hospital after being ing.
rushed for medical attention. He was You will truly be missed.
54.
A photographer, fearless muckrak- NNSL WEB POLL
ing journalist, selfless friend, admir-
able colleague, and firm believer in DO YOU THINK IT'S A GOOD THING
making Inuvik a great place to life. THAT THE IRC CUP A DIVISION IS
This was Terry, a man devoted to MORE COMPETITIVE NOW?
the people of this town – the ones Yes, it's nice to see other teams compete
he knew and the ones he didn't. with Inuvik and Tuk teams that have dom-
Regardless of whether you knew him inated the tournament for a long time.
or not, he cared for each person and
their well-being. 50%
His partner Elizabeth Fraser told Yes, but I prefer that Inuvik still wins, but
me Terry would give his heart and has to work really hard for it.
soul to whatever cause he believed
in. He was fiery and outspoken. 25%
People didn't always see eye to eye
with him. However, his friends and No, I like when Inuvik teams are able to
colleagues said he had the utmost roll over the competition with ease.
respect for their point of view, even
if it wasn't the same as his. He 25%
respected the people he worked Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo
with, a symbol of the type of person HAVE YOUR SAY SLIDING INTO THE WEEKEND
Terry was. Do you think there needs to be more after-
care addictions services in the region? Go Lekisha Raymond, 12, and her brother Keefer, 4, take advantage of the
He genuinely cared about the online to www.nnsl.com/inuvik to vote in this warmer than usual temperatures on Feb. 27 by getting in some sledding on
future of this town, and dedicated week's poll. the snow hill near the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex.
INUVIK OFFICE:
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the Drum, especially new contributors. We whole or in part, without the written approval of the publisher.
169 Mackenzie Road, Box 2719 Inuvik, NT, X0E 0T0
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Website: www.nnsl.com/inuvik Letters of over 200 words, open let- daily newspapers in Alberta and the NWT. The press council encourages the
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6 INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 news
Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo
CASH COMES WITH PRIZE
Leesha Setzer, 12, and Keegan Greenland, 11, stand with the two hockey
sticks being used in a fundraiser during the Gwich'in Cup hockey tournament
March 1 at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex. The winner gets the stick
and all the toonies and loonies taped to it.
photo stories INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 7
Inuvik athletes take on Canada
ATHLETICS
Feature
by Andrew Livingstone
Northern News Services the territory and their town
Inuvik athletes were front with pride, competing at the
and centre at the 2015 Can- highest level of sportsmanship
ada Winter Games in Prince expected of them.
George B.C., from Feb. 13 to Team NWT's women's curl-
March 1. ing team is based in Inuvik,
Seventeen athletes from and two of the four players
Inuvik were part of Team on the men's team, Deklen
NWT at the games, compet- Crocker and Ethan Allen,
ing in both men's and women's represented the town in British
curling, men's and women's Columbia.
hockey, figure skating and Athletes Alex Robertson,
speedskating. Christie Jackson and Winter
While the results weren't Ross competed in individual
what everyone was hoping sports, in speedskating and
for, the athletes represented figure skating, respectively.
photo courtesy of Janice Gilbert
Alex Skinners takes control of the puck during photo courtesy of Canada Winter Games
men's hockey action on Feb. 23 at the Canada Inuvik's Deklen Crocker, a member of the territory's boys curling team, sits on the shoulders of biathlete
Winter Games in B.C. Kjel Crook during the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Canada Winter Games on Feb. 13.
Darcie Setzer, right,
tries to poke the puck
away from Prince Edward
Island's Lydia Schurman
during women's hockey
action at the Canada
Winter Games in Prince
George, B.C. on Feb. 18.
photo courtesy of George Sasaki
photo courtesy of Ian Hyslop
photo courtesy of Bob Steventon Team NWT participated in the opening ceremonies of the 2015 Canada Winter
Rayna Vittrekwa is in the competitive zone as she lets a rock go during girls Games in Prince George, B.C. on Feb. 13. Inuvik had 17 athletes take part in
curling action at the Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C. five sports including figure skating, curling and hockey.
8 INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 news
Pilot project brings jobs to Gwich'in
New partnership agreement creates nine paid internships
with federal government, tribal council; GNWT set to sign on
by Andrew Livingstone memorandum of understand- “Each successful candidate
Northern News Services ing late last month that will would be familiar with the
A partnership between the provide nine Gwich'in par- three different systems of gov-
federal government and the ticipants of the group's land ernment and also hopefully
Gwich'in Tribal Council will claims agreement with work have picked up along the way
provide approximately $3 mil- experience. a number of skills that would
lion for internship opportun- Valcourt said the federal make them highly desirable,”
ities for council beneficiaries government hopes the pilot Tomlinson said.
with the goal of improving project will help the council The council brought the
self-governance in the future. build a stronger, more experi- proposal to the federal and
The Gwich'in Internship enced governing institution territorial governments more
Pilot Project will play a role in that will better serve its cit- than one year ago and the
healthier, more self-sufficient izens. wheels have been in motion
and prosperous First Nation "Our government is ever since, culminating in Val-
communities by creating job pleased to work together with court signing the memoran-
training opportunities. The the Gwich'in Tribal Council dum of understanding.
project will provide Gwich'in to support Gwich'in partici- “We brought it to both gov-
participants year-long full- pants in the implementation ernments, and frankly, they
time internship positions of the Gwich'in Land Claims were incredibly supportive,”
within Aboriginal Affairs and Agreement and in their efforts Tomlinson said. “The GNWT
Northern Development Can- toward self-government,” Val- and the premier were huge
ada and the Gwich'in Tribal court stated in a news release. champions of this project
photo courtesy of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.
Council. The paid internships “This agreement will enable within their own system for
will prepare Gwich'in partici- Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister Bernard Valcourt, left, the Gwich'in Tribal Council about a year and half and we're
pants for jobs in the public and Gwich'in Tribal Council President James Wilson signed a memorandum of to put trained and experienced planning on signing it with the
service and provide them with understanding on the Gwich'in Internship Pilot Project last week after meetings staff in place to establish its GNWT.”
professional work experience in Ottawa. governance institutions, serve The cost of the program
in a variety of government its citizens and build a pros- will be split between the gov-
functions. trained experienced staff encouragement to develop the truly an example of what is perous future for the com- ernments involved, Tomlinson
Each participant will to implement its land claim plan. possible when an aboriginal munities.” said, which was part of the
receive a year-long, full-time agreement and to operate its “This project was an organization and a govern- Patrick Tomlinson, director initial pitch by the council.
job through paid work assign- governance institutions. idea born at the GTC, it was ment roll up their sleeves and of intergovernmental relations “It wasn't a program we
ments with the federal depart- Gwich'in Tribal Council developed by GTC and the work together.” and land claims implementa- went to them to pay for the
ment and the council. Both vice president, Norman Snow- GTC is paying its share to Aboriginal Affairs and tion for the Gwich'in Tribal whole thing, we wanted each
will hire three interns each shoe, said from first moment make sure it will be a success. Northern Development Min- Council, said the project was partner to cover a third of the
year, beginning in September the council made the proposal “This announcement has ister Bernard Valcourt and born out of the concern of fees and expenses associated
this year. It will give the coun- to the territorial and federal been 18 months in the mak- Gwich'in Tribal Council Presi- building long-term capacity with their part of the project,”
cil the opportunity to employ governments, both provided ing,” Snowshoe said. “This is dent James Wilson signed a within council. said Tomlinson.
photo stories INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 9
photo courtesy of Emilie Migeon, www.lerenardetlarose.com
The reindeer herd moves across the tundra north of Inuvik during the winter season.
Eighty years of reindeer
Last, from page 3
– an 18-month trek, starting in western Alaska.
Their estimations were far from correct. The logistical dif-
ficulties of moving more than 3,000 reindeer across the chal-
lenging terrain of the far North was lost on the government and
Lomen.
Andrew Bahr (or Anders Bahr) was chosen to guide the herd
to the region. Bahr, a Sami from the Arctic regions of Scandinav-
ian Europe, had arrived in Alaska during the Klondike gold rush
in the late 1890s, and was considered the most dependable herder
in the area. According to research published by George W. Scot-
ter in 1982, Behr was in his sixties and retired in Seattle when
the government and Lomen asked him to complete the task.
Hundreds escaped
Scotter wrote that Behr and a dozen men started the jour-
ney on Dec. 26, 1929 and drove the herd northeast into the
mountains, a preferred route for Behr. However, the concerns
that the herd would be difficult to control came true when
hundreds escaped and tried to return to the home range near
the Napaktolik region in Alaska.
Behr and his men had to move the herd in order to encour-
age the others to rejoin. The unpredictable winter weather and
frigid temperatures made it challenging to keep the herd from
breaking into smaller groups.
This would be the beginning of a five-year journey for
Behr that was predicted to only take 18 months to complete. photo courtesy of Mike Beaudoin
This was a grand understatement by the government and
Lomen, who had no clue what impact the terrain, weather and Herding company shareholders Ellen (Pulk) Binder, left, chief herder Henrik Seva, Otto Binder and herd
unpredictability of the herd may have on the time line. manager Lloyd Binder, kneeling, visit with a yearling reindeer bull.
According to historical research, a single ice storm in 1934
as Behr tried to navigate the herd across the frozen Macken- Binder said, and was quick to get out of the business that didn't done. Binder, along with a group of investors that included his
zie Delta delayed the herd's arrival by almost a full year. The conform to the traditional lifestyles of the people in the region. parents, purchased the herd and have taken care of it for the last
deep-freeze temperatures and vicious winds scared the ani- The commercialization of the reindeer herd as an industry 13 years. The family had originally tried to buy the herd in the
mals back to land and into a long roundup for Behr. could have been successful and expanded, but Binder said the 1970s, but it never materialized.
This storm closed the window on crossing as winter ended, government didn't offer enough support to make it happen. “We'd always dreamed of owning it,” he said. “My father,
and the weary herding crew chose to station the herd near His father, Otto, had been give his own herd in the 1940s, especially. It had been a big part of his life and I'm happy he got
Shingle Point on the Arctic coast to wait for the following and was set up near Husky Lake, but without a proper summer to see we've turned the corner a little and there is hope.”
winter. grazing range, it was doomed to fail. It hasn't always been a good financial situation, Binder said.
On March 6, 1935, after a seemingly easy trek “The project didn't give enough support for Times have been tough. Binder said up until eight or so years
across the frozen region, moving from island to
island with the herd, Behr and some 2,370 rein-
"People have community-based or individual herds,” he said. ago, the market for reindeer meat was limited. Caribou were still
“The government was quick to get away from it.” plentiful and hunting restrictions and natural resource manage-
deer finally arrived at Reindeer Station. Of the said I'm crazy By 1969 the original station was abandoned, its ment weren't as strict as they are today. But times have changed,
reindeer that arrived, more than three-quarters of buildings and residents relocated to either Tuk- and Binder said business has been improving. In fact, they're
them were born on the five-year journey. for not just toyaktuk or Inuvik due to a short vegetation sea- looking at ways to extend their herding season by a few weeks
He would become known as Arctic Moses,
and is still recognized by his people as one of the giving up." son, the movement of the herd, and more modern on each end to reduce predation on the herd by wolves and bears.
herding techniques. In 1974, the herd was sold to "We lose up to 1,000 head a year and we want to be able to
great herders in their modern history. Lloyd Binder Canadian Reindeer Ltd. reduce that if we can,” he said.
Binder was born in 1952 at the original
Government backs away Reindeer Station. Growing up his nickname was Important task
Laplanders – or Sami – stayed to teach the Inu- quunek, Inuvialuktun for reindeer. His mother, It was never an option for him to fail at this business. Binder
vialuit how to look after the reindeer herd. At its peak, the ori- Ellen, was the daughter of Anna and Mikkel Pulk, who, in sees himself as carrying on a family legacy and dream that puts a
ginal Reindeer Station, some 70 km north of Inuvik, was a small 1932, were among the first wave of Norwegian Sami hired by lot of pressure on him. With the support of his parents, who have
community. With a population of as many as 90 people, mostly the Canadian government to manage the herd when it arrived. given financial support when they could, he's pushed through
herders and their families, it was a self-sustaining community Ellen met her husband, Otto, who was born in Cambridge Bay, the dark days.
with a post office, school, church and trading post. Nunavut, but had moved to the region to herd. “Even in hard times they told me never to give up on it,”
The government was ill-prepared to operate such a project, Binder and his parents moved to Aklavik when he was he said. “It's always been about my parents. I couldn't fail at it.
six, only spending their summers working with the herd, a People have said I'm crazy for not just giving up, but it's import-
time he said he viewed as a vacation from community living. ant to me and to many people.”
It was a chance for him to spend time with his grandparents, Binder knows he can't manage the herd forever. He figures he
who were still living at Reindeer Station and working with the has about 10 years left in him, but admits that might be an opti-
herd. When he reached his mid-teens, he spent his summers mistic time frame. He worries about what will happen when he
at Richards Island, helping with herd management, including can't care for the herd anymore. He worries more about whether
corralling, castration and marking of the animals. someone can throw out the traditional business management
style to operate the business.
Herd changes hands “It has to have some business aspects to it, but the major
It wasn't until 1998 that Binder's long connection with the difference is when you are in tough times, if you're a regular
reindeer herd came full circle. Binder, ready to leave his job with businessperson, you'd just liquidate the herd. But you can't do
the territorial government for something different, was asked by that. It would just be done with and the herd would be gone. The
photo courtesy of the Anchorage Museum of History and Art.
previous owners Canadian Reindeer Ltd., to come in and manage business model today doesn't work with reindeer husbandry.”
Andrew Behr, holding the reins of two reindeer, led the herd with the idea of taking it over. Finding someone who is willing to give their life to keeping
Binder was asked to handle the land access issues that had the herd in the region is the most important part of the future
nearly 3,400 deer across 2,400 km of tundra from come up when the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation had become success.
Alaska to the Beaufort-Delta from December 1929 owners of the land through their claims agreement. “We need to find someone to work their way in as chief
to March 1935 at the request of the Canadian Binder said it took four years of negotiations, securing finan- herder and look at taking it over,” he said. “That occupies a lot
government. cing and environmental assessments before all was said and of my thinking about the future.”
10 INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 alternatives
Horoscopes
STREET talk Which NHL team is going
ARIES - Mar 21/Apr 20 You impress everyone
with your creativity this week, Aries. Allow this
creativity to be the inspiration behind projects you
with Andrew Livingstone
to win the Stanley Cup? have been putting off of late.
TAURUS - Apr 21/May 21 Keep your goals rela-
inuvikdrum@nnsl.com
tively simple for the next few days, Taurus. You
can benefit from the positive reinforcement of
completing tasks and getting things done.
GEMINI - May 22/Jun 21 Gemini, you have been
immersed in work and are starting to show the ill
effects of keeping long hours. Now is a great time
to take a few days off or enjoy a mini-vacation.
CANCER - Jun 22/Jul 22 Cancer, you have a lot
to get done, but resist the urge to micromanage
every detail, as this could be a surefire path to
burnout. You need to take a few breaths.
LEO - Jul 23/Aug 23 Leo, avoid the temptation to
get started on another new project. You already
have plenty of other things on your plate. Finish
those tasks before moving on to something new.
VIRGO - Aug 24/Sept 22 It is sometimes easy
to miss the forest for the trees, Virgo. Try taking
a step back so you can look at a puzzling project
from a new perspective.
Delani Elias Everett Elanik Jayden Clarke LIBRA - Sept 23/Oct 23 Libra, you may be
"The Pittsburgh Pengiuns." "The Montreal Canadiens." "The Montreal Canadiens." searching for a new adventure, but try to appre-
ciate the here and now as well. It's easy to get
swept up in fantasies, but don't let them carry you
too far away.
SCORPIO - Oct 24/Nov 22 Scorpio, you suspect
that someone is hiding something, and that very
well may be the case. Perhaps a welcome surprise
is coming your way. Resist the urge to dig too
deep.
SAGITTARIUS - Nov 23/Dec 21 You can probably
talk your way out of trouble, Sagittarius, but this
time it's better to let things play out. Keep conver-
sations light and free from controversy.
CAPRICORN - Dec 22/Jan 20 Capricorn, find bal-
ance between your personal ambitions and things
you have to accomplish at work and at home.
Finding a middle ground is the best approach.
AQUARIUS - Jan 21/Feb 18 Aquarius, you need
a few extra people to contribute to a special task,
but you do not know who to ask. If you think hard
Kristen Harder Justin Amos Paris Wainman enough, you will know who you can depend on.
"The Montreal Canadiens." "The Chicago Blackhawks." "The Vancouver Canucks." PISCES - Feb 19/Mar 20 Your demeanor makes
it easy for others to enjoy your company, and that
will come in handy as your social schedule fills up
in the days ahead.
Caught in between two lazy coworkers
My boss would like me to write a letter of complaint on crazy. Without authority, you might be writing yourself out of
what goes on when he is away from the office and I am left a job if you write them up. With proper authority, you could
alone with two younger coworkers.
When they arrive at the office and clock in, they eat their DIRECT stop them from doing what they are doing.
If you are granted authority, the first thing to say would
breakfast in the break room, go on the computer and do per-
sonal things, like plan vacations, pay bills and read personal Answers be, this is an English-only office. Not because I am biased
against Spanish but because you speak in code to hide your
e-mail. Sometimes they nap or leave the office for personal with Wayne & Tamara Mitchell remarks from me. Employees are not allowed to do that dur-
errands. At lunchtime we clock out for 30 minutes, but they ing working hours. Then make it clear, when the boss is out
confidential@nnsl.com
continue their lunch break after they clock back in. of the office, it is just another day at work.
They are best friends and hang out together. We all do Getting these two to work when the boss is absent is
the same work, and even though they see me working they equivalent to increasing productivity by 20 per cent. That
continue to text, talk about their love life and plan what to do ten away with this. kind of performance can get you your next, better job.
after hours. Evaluating their actions one day a week is not what you You can't write a report a supervisor would write without
By the time they decide to work, half the day is gone. were hired for. If it were me, this is what I would tell the being a supervisor. As a supervisor, you would have protec-
One will work while the other stands there and continues to boss. Unless I am their supervisor or manager I do not feel tion against these two. As an equal, you have no protection.
gossip, text or listen to iTunes. When they don't want me to it is appropriate to report on their activities. But as a super- Tamara
listen to their conversation, they speak in Spanish, a language visor, with an appropriate title and compensation, I will get
I don't speak. Next day, when the boss arrives, he wants to them to work on the days you are gone. If you have any questions or comments for Wayne or Tamara, please
know what we each did because so little was accomplished. These two are not your friends. They are like misbehaving forward e-mail to confidential@nnsl.com or write to Wayne &
I started this job a few months ago and they have been schoolchildren. Teacher is out of the room and they've gone Tamara Mitchell, Station A, Box 2820, Yellowknife, NT, X1A 2R1
here over a year. They work on the days the boss is in. It's
the day he is out of the office that they abuse the system.
My boss told me he wants me to write up these women in a
report and they will not be fired. Student of the week
But they will know who complained about them. I'm
afraid of retaliation. I want to keep this job. I feel the boss
should know what is going on but not use me. How can I
ADRIANNA HENDRICK
write a report against them without them knowing I did it?
Lizzie
AGE: 9
Lizzie, we all have an internal gauge, that no one gave us,
which says this is fair and this is not fair. Fairness is valued GRADE: 4
in business and in life. When it is not met, everyone with a Adrianna loves math and gym, but when she talks about what she
sense of justice notices. "It's not fair." That's where our head learns about numbers, she gets excited. Challenged to find the answer,
goes. Adrianna is always eager to learn more and apply it to her life outside of
You weren't hired to make these two do their job. They the classroom. She really enjoys the tough questions she's been getting
have been there longer and you are not their supervisor. You while learning multiplication. One day, she hopes to be a math teacher.
come to work to do your job and get a pay cheque. But for
some reason, perhaps your boss's shortcoming, they have got-sports & recreation INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015 11
Walter Strong/NNSL photo
SKATING FOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Inuvik speedskater Braeden Picek leads the way against Wren Acorn of Yellowknife at the Speed Skating Championships in the Ed Jeske Arena in Yellowknife on
Feb. 28.
East Three wins Cager titles
Senior boys win championship while junior girls bring home single-A banner
by Andrew Livingstone aggressive in rebounding and coach, he said implementing the banner coming back with but the fact we put the effort ous games of the tournament.
Northern News Services putting back points in domin- a number of defensive looks them to Inuvik. in made it that much sweet- “They played so strong
Inuvik was the big winner ant fashion. was crucial to dealing with “We learned a lot and er,” she said. and you could tell by the
last weekend at the Yellow- “I played Ye l l o w k n i f e got better,” she said. “Our Hvatum said the final was result of the final,” he said. “I
knife Cager basketball tour- big,” he said. teams built dribbling and ball movement their best game all season. couldn't be more proud. They
nament, bringing home two “I'm a big "We don't on strong shoot- improved with each game.” “We started strong and left it all on the court.”
championship banners and rebound guy, ing and ball Mackenzie McDonald finished strong,” she said. The junior boys team
making a deep run to the the garbage shoot the control. said despite the scores, the “We ran hard and there was came up on the end of a
semi-finals with the junior
boys team.
man.”
Coach Wil-
strongest, so “Being fun-
damentally
team never stopped hustling
and were happy with how
a lot of movement and a lot
of cutting.”
20-point semi-final loss to
eventual champs St. Pat's,
The East Three Second- liam Logan we worked sound in our far they came from the first Coach Steve Wagar said but Nick Badgley said they
ary School U-19 senior boys said the team defence and game all the way to beating the team never gave up, even played hard and were pleased
team used strong defence and has been on our playing an Fort Smith in the final. when down by 20 or 30 with their results in the week-
quick transitions to put up
points and lead them to the
built around
the defensive
strengths." aggressive style
of basketball
“We were happy we won points in some of the previ- end tournament.
school's first title in at least scheme of help- William Logan was what we
20 years, beating St. Patrick ing the helper wanted,” he
High School of Yellowknife -- when one said. SPORTS CARD
61-56. guy gets beat, The junior
The team pushed the ball another player steps in to stop girls team brought home the BASKETBALL
up the court in quick transi- the shot or to close up lanes single A banner after a deci-
tion after rebounds in order to to the net. sive win against Fort Smith in GRADE: 6
get quick points, said guard “It's been our plan for the final. The girls had played According to her basketball coach, Kian-
Cody Greenland. Doing so three years,” he said. “We their first four games in the na is an animal on rebounding. When she
kept St. Pat's from setting up don't shoot the strongest, so double-A division but were started playing basketball she didn't think
on defence and slowing down we worked on our strengths. unable to put up a win. she would develop into a good player.
the pace of the game. The boys will tell you it's all Chris-Lin Hvatum said However, with hard work and a drive to
“We worked the ball about our defence.” despite the lop-sided scores learn, Kianna has improved dramatically.
quickly and got our shots Coach Allan Gillis said he in the first four games of She said she's gained a lot of self-confi-
off,” he said. knew going into the tourna- the tournament, she said the dence from playing the game, which lets
her get her aggressive athletic approach
Tournament MVP Liam
Larocque played a strong
ment the team needed to have squad plugged away hard on
an edge, and being a defence- the court to improve their KIANNA GOESON out on the court.
game under the basket, first, offence-second style games each time, resulting in12 INUVIK DRUM, Thursday, March 5, 2015
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