A string of offences, including an assault involving a fork, have landed a Yellowknife man behind bars following a sentencing hearing in NWT territorial court Wednesday.
Chief judge Christine Gagnon sentenced the 58-year-old man, who is not being named to protect the identity of his victim, to 60 days in jail for an assault on his common-law partner.
On June 20, 2017, the man threatened his partner with a fork and said he would “poke her eyes out.” Five days later, he grabbed the woman by the throat and told her to “get out of his life.”
The two incidents resulted in one charge but the man pleaded guilty to a lesser offence.
After his arrest, the man sent a letter to his partner in an attempt to influence her testimony – an act defence lawyer Jay Bran said his client recognized as being “stupid.”
The man was also sentenced for two additional, separate charges brought forth in court Wednesday.
He was given another 30 days for breach of conditions after visiting his partner's apartment building and causing a disturbance while intoxicated last November.
Then in August 2017, the man was found to be driving impaired – at double the legal limit – after being pulled over by RCMP in Hay River, which earned him another 120 days.
All together, the offender received a global sentence of 180 days or six months in jail, but with time already served, he'll only spend 88 days behind bars.
He was also handed a three-year driving ban and will be on probation for 12 months following his release.
Nominations for Disability Awareness Recognition Awards sought
With the Disability Awareness Recognition Awards set to take place on May 22, the organization that hosts the annual ceremony is looking for nominations.
The NWT Disability Council, a group that advocates on behalf of people living with disabilities, is calling on residents to submit worthy candidates for a number of awards.
Nominations are being sought for the Minister Responsible for Persons with Disabilities Award, an honour that acknowledges the efforts of an individual who has contributed to making the NWT more accessible and inclusive.
Nominations for the NWT Disabilities Council Community Champion Award are also being sought.
The distinction highlights the efforts of an individual or group that has made a “significant ongoing contribution, as volunteer, to improving life for persons living with disabilities in the North,” states a news release from the council.
Nominations for a third and final award, the NWT Human Rights Commission Accessibility Award, can also being made. The honour is presented to a business or organization that has made accommodations that improve accessibility to the public.
The deadline to submit is March 29 at 4:30 p.m.
Interested parties must download a nomination form at www.nwtdc.net or contact the NWT Disabilities Council at 867-873-8230/toll free at 1-800-491-8885. Nominations can be emailed to admin@nwtdc.net.
'Quick and easy' child benefit application service comes to NWT
On Wednesday, the National Revenue Agency and the GNWT's Health and Social Services (HSS) department announced that NWT residents can now apply for the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) program and other child benefits using the Automated Benefits Application service.
"The Automated Benefits Application Services will make it easier for parents of newborns to apply for all child benefit programs,” said HSS Minister Glen Abernethy in a news release. “This service makes it possible for parents to receive their benefit payments sooner which supports our mandate areas of reducing the cost of living and fostering healthy families."
As of March 21, residents can apply for the CBB by “simply providing their consent on the birth registration form available in health care facilities throughout the Northwest Territories,” states the release.
The information submitted by parents will be relayed to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), which will then process the information and assess whether or not the applicant is eligible for other benefits beyond the CCB, including Northwest Territories child benefit and the child portion of the GST/HST credit.
The system is currently accessible in 10 provinces and in the NWT, and plans are in the works to bring the service to the Yukon and Nunavut.
Fraud prevention month looks to combat 'sophisticated' scammers
As part of a month-long fraud awareness campaign, NWT RCMP are reminding residents to exercise caution when doing business over the phone and on the Internet.
The push to prevent citizens from becoming victims of scams comes after reports of fraudulent activity in the territory.
In one incident, a scam allegedly masked itself as a legitimate northern service provider, “complete with credible account details,” and requested changes to a customer's payment information, a news release from RCMP stated.
Other reports have noted the presence of “sophisticated websites,” that dupe unsuspecting victims into making online money transfers to fraudsters. Subsequent losses, including fraud in the thousands of dollars, have been reported.
RCMP stated they are continuing to investigate these reports.
“Every year, thousands of Canadians fall victim to fraud. Most don't think it could happen to them, but fraudsters use increasingly sophisticated ways to target people of all ages,” the RCMP news release stated.
For examples of scams and tips to recognize the many shapes and sizes they take, visit the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) at www.antifraudcentre.ca. Police encourage residents to report incidents of fraud to their local RCMP detachment.