New research by Jack Hicks, a social research consultant living in Iqaluit, Nunavut, tracks how suicide trends in the Arctic correlate with increased colonialism and modernization in the Arctic. Historically, suicide in the Arctic was uncommon, but the suicide rate dramatically increased when national governments forced Inuit people in Alaska, Nunavut, and Greenland off the land and into larger communities. Read more in a CBC article, "Research tracks Inuit modernization with suicide, offers hope for improvement" or you can listen to a interview with Jack Hicks on the CBC show, As it Happens. You can also download a copy of the journal, Indigenous Affairs (in PDF) with Jack Hicks' paper, "The Social Determinants of Elevated Rates of Suicide Among Inuit Youth," or you can download a copy of his slide presentation (in PDF).

According to a press release put out by the Yukon Health and Social Services ("Proposed Social Assistance Reforms Announced,") the ministry has reviewed social assistance rates and programs and has proposed some changes including:

• Eliminate the three-month waiting period for the earned income exemption;
• Allow those working recipients to keep $2 out of every $4 earned for three years;
• Increases in rate categories to reflect current costs;
• Increases to the food allowance to reflect the "market basket" calculation;
• Enhanced services with improved access for persons with severe disabilities.

Read more on the Canadian Social Research site under "Yukon: Proposed Social Assistance Reforms Announced."

Last week, at the National Aboriginal Women's Summit, the Minister for Heritage and the Status of Women announced five years of funding to build and support women's shelters on reserves. According to the Indian and Northern Affairs Canada news release, $56 million dollars will support 35 existing women's shelters and build up to five new shelters on reserves. Aboriginal women who live in the northern communities and off reserve are concerned because the funding does not include all aboriginal women. Read more in the CBC article, "Northern women 'excluded' from federal shelter announcement."

Bishop Gary Gordon, who recently moved to Whitehorse, believes that a food bank would be a large help to the community. He is working with local anti-poverty advocates urging the establishment of one. For more information, read the CBC North's news story on the subject.

A Whitehorse chatolic mission that originally opertated to give out emergency food to the city's needy has begun to operate as a food bank. As the numbers of people who came to recieve emergency food grew the mission tried to supply them with the food they needed, however, they no longer have the resources to continue. This made the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition set up a meeting on how to set up a proper food bank. Read a CBC story on Whitehorse's food bank need.

The increased cost of fuel has made it difficult for Elders and low income earners of the Yukon's Kwantlen-Dun nation to pay their energy bills. The First Nation's Director of Finance is very concerned about how those with limited resources will afford fuel during the coldest months of the year, especially since her department has already run out of fuel assistance funding. A CBC article has more information on affects increased fuel prices.

Yukon's Social Assistance payments are not meeting the needs of people who live in the community. Many of those on welfare would like to work, but live in small communities with very few employment opportunities and cannot afford to move somewhere that has available jobs. For more information read the CBC article regarding Yukon's welfare system.

A Salvation Army homeless shelter in Whitehorse managed to avoid having to close down for the summer. It looked like the shelter wasn't going to have enough money to provide services to the city's homeless for the summer months, but luckily the government ended up paying for the shelter to remain open. It acknowledged the importance of the shelter's work and the need for more services for the homeless. For more information, read the CBC's article on the issue.

The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition made several recommendations to the Federal Health Care Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada during the Commission's public consultations. Among others, recommendations included: restoring long-term federal funding; expanding the Canada Health Act to reflect changes in health care (e.g. 24-hour clinics); establishing a progressive tax system; and finding a way to constitutionally entrench our most cherished social programs. Read the summary of the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition meetings (in PDF).

The days of slow connections are a thing of the past for Dawson City. October saw highspeed access available to Dawson City residents in the form of cable and DSL.