This is Drowning Prevention Week in Canada. Residents and visitors are urged to practice water safety while boating, fishing and swimming in the Northwest Territories (NWT).

YELLOWKNIFE (July 11, 2013) – Last month, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA), in cooperation with the Northwest Territories Association of Communities (NWTAC) and the Local Government Administrators of the Northwest Territories (LGANT), held a workshop that focused on defining roles, responsibilities, and relationships between the three organizations.

PAULATUK (June 28, 2013) – A new approach to preparing communities for transportation-related emergencies was successfully launched in Fort McPherson on June 11-13.

A live exercise held to meet Transport Canada requirements for airport emergency exercises was preceded by training for community first responders who were taught basic emergency scene management and how to safely transport victims to the local health centre. A recently completed review of the results from these exercises confirms that the training has met organizers’ objectives.

YELLOWKNIFE (June 12, 2013) – Youth are encouraged to develop their leadership skills by applying for the Youth Ambassador Program. Youth Ambassadors develop significant life and job skills and participate in special events across Canada. In the past, they have attended the Arctic Winter Games, Canada Winter Games, and the North American Indigenous Games.

WHITEHORSE  (June 7, 2013)—Following a decision from the Arctic Winter Games International Committee (AWGIC), the ministers responsible for sport in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, along with the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska, will work together to ensure that the sports eliminated from the 2016 Arctic Winter Games (AWG) in Greenland will have an alternate multi-sport venue.

YELLOWKNIFE (June 6, 2013) – Workshops being held across the NWT will help residents identify hazards and risks in their communities. Information gathered during these regional hazard identification risk assessments will be used to improve emergency planning and preparedness in the Northwest Territories. The workshops are being hosted by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.

YELLOWKNIFE (May 30, 2013) – Safe Kids Week is May 27 to June 3 in the Northwest Territories (NWT). The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is marking the Week by encouraging NWT residents to show that they have the helmet habit and post a video or picture of themselves wearing a properly fitting helmet online.

YELLOWKNIFE (May 7, 2013) – NWT volunteers will be recognized at the 2013 Outstanding Volunteer Award ceremony in Hay River on Friday, May 10, 2013. The annual awards provide an opportunity to recognize volunteers and volunteer organizations for their outstanding contributions in communities across the territory.

YELLOWKNIFE (February 26, 2013) – A new traditional games championship hosted by the Aboriginal Sport Circle and sponsored by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) and Sport Canada begins this Friday, March 1st in Yellowknife.

(February 22, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to speak about the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs’ upcoming Good Governance Conference. This year’s conference theme is “Community Ownership.” The conference will take place at the Explorer Hotel in Yellowknife from February 26 to 28, and 165 participants representing all 33 communities are expected to attend.