Peer Youth Tutors trained in the Northwest Territories

In November Jan Seedhouse and Deby Chamber traveled to Fort Good Hope and Deline to conduct workshops for peer youth tutors. Following is Jan's account of the experience.

Fort Good Hope and Deline are close to the Arctic Circle. Both were reached from Norman Wells. We were a day late arriving in Fort Good Hope because of fog. The pilot of the Canadian North jet could not see the runway to land so we went to the Inuvik airport. On the way back the plane managed to land on the second pass but then our smaller planes could not leave.

Our first introduction to the McKenzie Valley Hotel in Norman Wells was a surprise, as it is made up entirely of construction trailers. However, beds were comfortable, people nice, and the restaurant good. When we made it to Fort Good Hope the hotel had given away our room so we stayed with Ida Marrie, our teacher contact. Nine tutors were trained in Fort Good Hope, one of them a parent. Some of the students arrived late and tired, having spent time up during the night with young children.

Our trip to Deline, via Norman Wells, was uneventful. Travel was in a four seat aircraft and Deby and I each had a chance to sit in the co-pilot seat. Deline is a more prosperous community, being the centre of Sahtu government, and the hotel is very nice. Self-government discussions were going on while we were there. Thirteen tutors were trained in Deline, one of them a teacher. Staff at both schools welcomed us and were very glad to give their students the chance to learn new skills.

It wasn't as dark as we expected. Sure the sun was only up, and not very far, for a few hours but because of the snow it was light much longer than that. We were not above the tree line, but the trees were all evergreens and not very tall compared to what I'm used to in the BC Interior.

Deby was telling some of the trainees about how far she had driven to the airport and they were amazed. Every community has an airport close to town because flying is the only way to get to another community except when the winter road goes in. Between December and mid-March you can drive overland to Norman Wells in 3-4 hours. Because the drive is through wilderness and it is very cold, vehicles travel in convoy. You must travel to Norman Wells, or to Yellowknife, for a hairdresser, a mechanic, a vet, or a doctor. Each community has a nurse practitioner. Within communities you walk, or talk someone into giving you a ride. None of the teachers at either school had a truck as they had come in from outside in September, when there was no way to bring in a vehicle.