Northern Experience Issue 2 2012

MANITOBAFS

NORTHERN ISSUE 2

2012

E X P E R I E N C E Northern Manitoba: Economic Powerhouse Mining, energy and small businesses make the region a major contributor to the province9s economy 100 Years Strong Premier Selinger outlines economic initiatives for the north on its anniversary

Not Just for Pancakes Birch syrup emerges from the northern forest

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CONTENTS

Issue 2 | 2012

!These are good jobs and Manitoba is blessed with a mineral endowment WKDW FDQ SRWHQWLDOO\ SURYLGH EHQHĆŹWV to many northern and Aboriginal communities.: ; Hon. Dave Chomiak, Manitoba Minister of Innovation, Energy and Mines See page 16

11 14 16 19 22

Cover photo courtesy of Don Peake, Hudbay Photo above by AirScapes International Inc.

25 2 4 6 7 8 32 48 58 64

Whitecaps Skills Training Bringing professional development to The Pas

Northern Nursing Nursing stations and hospitals in northern communities are full of opportunity

Lalor Mine Construction Progressing Smoothly Hudbay aims to duplicate success of LWV KLJKO\ SURĆŹWDEOH 0LQH

Not Just for Pancakes Birch syrup emerges from the northern forest

7KH 5&03 2ĆŞHUV D &DUHHU Like No Other A career in policing provides dynamic and meaningful challenges

100 Years Strong Premier Selinger outlines economic initiatives for continued development in northern Manitoba

28 30 34 37 40 42 44

Onward and Upward Hiring apprentices in the north can work for you

One of Nature0s Great Health Foods Manitoba wild rice is making its way around the world

North of the 56 A look inside the unique Town of Leaf Rapids

7KH :ULWH 6WXĆŞ Mentorship program helps Flin Flon writers hone their craft

Manitoba0s Winter Road System Getting around in northern Manitoba with a little help from temporary roads

Churchill on the Cheap New hostel expands options for budget travellers

Fall and Winter in the North From geocaching to snowmobiling, thereDs a lot to explore

D E PA R T M E N T S

ON THE COVER

A Message from the Premier

0LQHV OLNH +XGED\oV ĆŽDJVKLS 0LQH located in Flin Flon, Man. and pictured here, are one of the many ways northern Manitoba contributes to the provinceDs overall economic success

A Message from the Editor A Message from the Ministers Experience NorMan NorMan News Tourism North

Please see page 16

1RUWKHUQ &RPPXQLW\ 3URĆŹOHV Lodges, Accommodations and Services Listing Index to Advertisers Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

1

Published on behalf of NorMan Regional Development Corporation

Box 700, Snow Lake, MB R0B 1M0 Phone: 204-358-3520 Toll-free phone: 1-800-665-4774 Fax: 204-358-3524

Published by

www.lesterpublications.com 701 Henry Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 1T9 Toll-free phone: 1-866-953-2189 Phone: 204-953-2189 Fax: 204-953-2184 Toll-free fax: 1-877-565-8557

2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the extension of ManitobaDs boundary northward to the 60th parallel

President -Hƪ /HVWHU

Photo by Alex Edwards / Photos.com

A Message from the Premier

Vice-President & Publisher Sean Davis

I am delighted to welcome readers to anoth-

Managing Editor Kristy Rydz

er issue of Manitoba’s Northern Experience magazine.

For years, Manitoba’s Northern Experience has dedicated itself to reporting on the history, opportunities, and magnificent beauty of our North. The year 2012 is special for the region, because it marks the 100th anniversary of the extension of the province’s boundary northward to the 60th parallel.

This issue focuses on the economic opportunities that exist throughout the region. Our government has an unwavering support to developing the vast potential of the North in partnership with northerners and with the needs of future generations in mind. Whether it is hydro projects that will provide good jobs for years to come or the University College of the North’s many campuses that allow northerners to learn today’s skills while staying closer to home, the economic potential of the North is being realized.

I am sure that you will enjoy this issue of Northern Experience.

Design & Layout John Lyttle Myles O\Reilly Account Executives Quinn Bogusky Jill Harris Louise Peterson Accounting Melissa Unrau Distribution Nikki Manalo © Copyright 2012, NorMan Regional Development Corporation.

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of NorMan Regional Development Corporation.

Publication Mail Agreement #40606022 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 701 Henry Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3E 1T9 Printed in Canada.

Please recycle where facilities exist.

Greg Selinger

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Northern Experience Issue 2 | 2012

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A Message from the Editor As a homegrown Manitoban, I couldn’t ask for a better issue of Manitoba’s Northern Experience with which to begin my time as managing editor.

Living my entire life in this vast and beautiful province, sometimes I feel that we, as Manitobans, take it for granted – especially the most northern parts.

While it’s this magazine’s mission to promote and celebrate northern Manitoba each and every issue, I feel this compilation of articles reminds our readers, or perhaps shows them for the first time, how special and crucial the north is to the overall success of the province.

From Hudbay’s success with the Lalor project to a company bringing HR training to the doorsteps of businesses in and around The Pas, we are celebrating a range of economic highlights within these pages.

Find out how products like birch syrup from Rocky Lake Birchworks and wild rice from Cranberry Portage’s Naosap Harvest are not only taking Canada but the world by storm.

We also hear from Premier Selinger about his vision for where northern Manitoba is going and how he sees those developments happening in the years to come.

While you can do them almost anywhere in the province, we explore the unique facets that careers like

apprenticeship, nursing and policing with the RCMP take on in the north.

In a profile of the Town of Leaf Rapids, read about its unique design and how residents have championed many environmental causes while we also peek in at a writer’s mentorship organized by the Flin Flon Arts Council.

And of course, what would an issue be without a little bit of tourism? As the region’s first hostel, Churchill’s Tundra House Hostel is giving travellers an affordable option when venturing in and around the town. We’re also giving you the very best options for how to experience all the north has to offer in our fall and winter activity round-up.

Whether you’re visiting the province or you’ve lived here all your life, I can assure you there’s something in this issue of Manitoba’s Northern Experience that will help you appreciate all the region contributes to making this province a success.

Thanks for reading, Kristy Rydz Managing Editor

“Serving your charter needs in the north since 1987�

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Grace Lake Airport, The Pas, MB

Phone: 1-877-600-7160 www.missinippiair.ca 4

Northern Experience Issue 2 | 2012

“More than an earth moving experience�

Founded in 1959, Hugh Munro Construction Ltd. provides excavation and heavy construction services, HMC operates as a heavy construction contractor specializing in: 4JUF &YDBWBUJPO t 'MPPE &YQFSUJTF 3FDPWFSZ %SJMMJOH "OE #MBTUJOH t "HHSFHBUF 1SPDFTTJOH t 4FBM $PBUJOH t %VTU $POUSPM #BTF -BZJOH t 4VSGBDF 5SFBUNFOU t 'JCSF PQUJD $BCMF -BZJOH )FBWZ &RVJQNFOU 3FQBJS t &RVJQNFOU BOE .BUFSJBM )BVMJOH )VHI .VOSP $POTUSVDUJPO -UE TFSWJDFT HPWFSONFOU FOUJUJFT VUJMJUZ DPNQBOJFT BOE DPNNFSDJBM EFWFMPQFST *U IBT B TVCTUBOUJBM CPOEJOH DBQBDJUZ BWBJMBCMF GPS UFOEFSFE QSPKFDUT

— Committed to Partnering with Aboriginal Communities — Committed to Offering Project Ownership through Joint Ventures with Aboriginal Communities

Phone: 204-224-9218

www.hmcl.ca

Photo by Cindy Creighton / Photos.com

A M E S S AG E FROM THE MI NI STERS

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Welcome to Northern Manitoba Greetings and our thanks to the management and staff of Northern Experience for highlighting the many opportunities awaiting those who choose to live, work, play or invest in Northern Manitoba.

This scenic region of our province is rich in resources – forests, wildlife, hydroelectricity, fishing, mining and world-class eco-tourism destinations. Developing these resources leads to Manitoba’s prosperity for all to enjoy.

Our government partners with First Nations, businesses and communities to ensure northern residents benefit from regional economic growth. A major development, Manitoba Hydro projects in the area generate jobs, provide training opportunities for local residents and create spin-off benefits for local businesses. As well, the mining industry is thriving. At the same time work is continuing

on an Arctic Gateway transportation corridor to improve access to the Port of Churchill. Once completed, the port will serve as an efficient shipping hub to many arctic communities and offer shorter shipping distances to many significant markets in Europe, Russia and Asia.

We are looking forward to working together with members of Northern Manitoba’s trade and tourism industries to further develop and strengthen travel and investment opportunities in this very promising and beautiful region.

Flor Marcelino, Minister Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Tourism Dave Chomiak, Minister Manitoba Innovation, Energy and Mines

Eric Robinson MLA for Kewatinook

943-2274 Eric-Robinson.ca

CLARENCE PETTERSEN MLA FOR THE FLIN FLON CONSTITUENCY Constituency Office: 24 Main Street, Box 331 Flin Flon, MB R8A 1N1 Phone: 1-204-687-3367 Fax: 1-204-687-3398

FRANK WHITEHEAD MLA FOR THE PAS CONSTITUENCY Constituency Office: 234 - A Fischer Avenue The Pas, MB R9A 1L8 Phone: 1-204-623-3358 Fax: 1-204-623-6955

Leg. Rm 234, 450 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8 Toll Free: 1-800-282-8069 Fax: 1-204-948-2005

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Northern Experience Issue 2 | 2012

E XP ERIEN C E N or Ma n

Northern Manitoba: Economic Powerhouse Mining, energy and small businesses make the region a major contributor to the province9s economy

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According to the latest statistics, Manitoba produced the above percentages of CanadaAs minerals in 2010 $398 million to both Canadian and U.S. markets. Since 2002, their export sales have totalled $5.5 billion.

Northern Manitoba plays a major role in this success story as the three largest generating stations, “Limestone (1,340 megawatts), Kettle (1,220 megawatts), and Long Spruce (1,010 megawatts), all on the Nelson River represent 71 per cent of Manitoba’s installed hydro capacity,” according to the Centre for Energy, a not-for-profit Canadian research organization.

Most recently, the Wuskwatim Generation Project, a 200-megawatt generating station located 45 kilometres southwest of Thompson, Man., opened this summer and features a unique equity partnership with the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, says Manitoba Hydro.

Another prominent industry for northern Manitoba is forestry. As stated on the website for the Northern Development Ministers Forum, the compilation of projects and topics from the northern development ministers in each province and territory, “the primary wood product sector generates approximately $900 million in annual sales and directly employs about 5,000 people.”

Commercial fishing, tourism and small businesses, such as those featured in this issue, are other revenue-generating industries that are currently active in the area.

Clearly, this thriving region is successfully creating longterm jobs and revenue that will positively impact not only its communities but the province’s economy for years to come.

Keep reading this issue of Manitoba’s Northern Experience to discover the stories and people making these economic statistics a reality. X Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

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Background images: Neil Walton, Mason Vranish / Photos.com

While northern Manitoba is typically known for its polar bears and gorgeous northern lights, it is also a major contributor to the province’s economy. This issue of Manitoba’s Northern Experience not only celebrates the area’s major industry players but also its entrepreneurs and small businesses that have chosen to make their mark in the region.

Home to numerous substantial industries, every year billions of dollars and critical resources come from the northern-most corners of Manitoba.

The mineral industry, for instance, “is the second largest primary resource sector of the Manitoba economy,” according to the Government of Manitoba’s Mineral Resource Division.

“In 2011, the combined value of mineral production for metals ($1.65 billion), industrial minerals ($188 million) and petroleum ($1.26 billion) totalled over $3 billion.”

With five of eight operating mines in the province located in northern Manitoba and an average of 6,100 directly-related jobs in the field in 2010, it’s clear the industry has its roots firmly planted. And that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon. The Manitoba government projects deposits in Snow Lake, Man. as well as near Thompson, Man. will support mining in the area past 2030.

While mining is often the most talked about, it’s not the only industry contributing to Manitoba’s economy from the north.

Energy is another major player for Manitoba’s economy. In 2010 -11, Manitoba Hydro states their export sales totalled

Statistics courtesy of the Government of ManitobaMs Mineral Resources Division

100

NorMan News Cranberry Portage gets new technical-vocational facility Students at Frontier Collegiate Institute now have a new, modern technical-vocational facility to help them get valuable hands-on learning opportunities, according to a Manitoba government announcement.

“This is a very exciting project because we turned a retired airport hangar into a state-of-the-art technical-vocational facility which will provide students from northern communities and First Nations with the skills they need to contribute to their communities and Manitoba’s economy,” said Minister of Education, Nancy Allan in a media release.

Two main programs will be housed in the new facility: The Building Construction and Trades Program will give students knowledge and practical hands-on training to learn the facets of the building construction trade and work indoors year-round. Students will be able to construct ready-tomove buildings (RTMs) which will

The new Frontier Collegiate Institute technical-vocational facility created from a retired airport hangar help to address housing needs in the region and equip students with much-needed skills to upgrade and maintain existing buildings. Students will learn to operate industry-standard equipment such as table saws, radial-arm saws, planers and a wide variety of hand tools. They will also learn about current, energy-efficient construction methods and high-tech materials. The new facility also has a state-of-the-art dust-collection and abatement system.

The Power Mechanics Program will introduce students to the

mechanical trades, allowing them to work on a variety of equipment, from cars to small engines and outdoor products. Students will learn to use up-to-date equipment such as on-board computer diagnostic engine analyzers, power and hand tools and other shop equipment such as hoists and parts washers.

The minister also noted The Northern Technical Centre will not only be accessible to students in the local area but will also provide vocational training for students in remote communities.

NorMan Regional Development Corporation strengthens economic, cultural ties Manitoba was hit hard by last year’s unprecedented flood, the burdening cost of which saw growing financial pressures on the province, all in the midst of a sluggish global economic recovery. Regional development corporations, which have consistently delivered quality regional economic development to their regions over many years, were not immune to the effects of provincial programming pauses, reduction in grants and delays in the introduction of new initiatives.

Northern Manitoba shares many common cultural values and economic priorities with the rest of the province and as such we recognize the sacrifices and contributions of many Manitobans. It is on this shared foundation that we continue to grow an ongoing commitment. The NorMan Regional Development Corporation (NRDC) remains committed to building on our historical friendship as we work to realize new and enhanced opportunities that will benefit our region. Focused efforts are well underway to identify programs and projects that will strengthen economic, cultural and historical ties between First Nations, communities,

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Northern Experience Issue 2 | 2012

industry, governments and institutions. These partnerships are important because we share many common opportunities in the areas such as natural resources, climate change, building a green economy, transportation linkages, housing, education and training and innovation.

NRDC remains focused on the things that matter most to our northern economy. We’ve worked with the factors that are within our control and there are positive signs that our plan is working. While the global recovery is ongoing and there remains uncertainty for economies everywhere, northern Manitoba is well positioned for opportunity from progressive and shared development of its resource- based assets. In capital intensive resource-based industries like water, mining and forestry, local economic development creates sustainable environments for long-term relations between companies and communities, maximizes transfer of skills, creates local jobs, optimizes company investment and guarantees efficiency in the value-chain, and reduces social risk.

There is reason to be optimistic in northern Manitoba.

Free activities, like arts and crafts, for all ages happened at various venues between Sept. 28 and Sept. 30

Flin Flon’s Culture Days 2012 events included:

Dancing Down Main St. is a mainstay at Flin FlonAs Culture Days

Flin Flon loves culture!

Flin Flon, Man. has been a part of Culture Days, the pan-Canadian celebration of arts and culture, from the beginning and what a beginning it had. In 2010, the first year of the movement, Flin Flon boasted over 25 events, which grew to more than 45 events in 2011 and this year it topped over 75 events from Friday, Sept. 28 through to Sunday, Sept. 30.

Throughout the nation all communities big and small were invited and encouraged to join the party. Culture Days is both a celebration of local arts, culture and heritage as well as an opportunity to learn, collaborate and connect with other arts organizations and individuals across the country. Also its goal is to educate and engage the general public on the significance of arts and culture in their daily lives. Events and activities are free and the form of these events are only limited to ones imagination.

Flin Flon’s Culture Days included activities for all ages and interests. With their running shoes on, The Flin Flon Arts Council, The Flin Flon Aboriginal Friendship Centre, The Flin Flon Public Library, The Central Canada Film Group, NorVA Centre, The Flin Flon and Creighton School Divisions, local museums, service clubs, organizations and over 100 volunteers made Flin Flon’s Culture Days one of the major locations in the province and the nation for the event. In 2011, this community of just over 5,000 residents, ranked eighth in the country for Culture Days events which is pretty amazing since the other members of the top ten ranking included Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Ottawa. None of it would have been possible without the financial support of the province, specifically, Neighbourhoods Alive! The Manitoba Arts Council, Manitoba Film and Music and the Flin Flon Neighbourhood Revitalization Corp.

r &XOWXUHV &RRO )RU .LGV s ĆŹIWHHQ DUWV craft and cultural activities for young families r Activities for all school-age children such as storytelling, museum visits, GLEE! Dance and Choral workshop, WKHDWUH ĆŹOP DQG PDVNPDNLQJ DQG collage r Guest speakers: Doug Evans L NoahAs Last Canoe, The Lost Art of Making a Cree Birch Bark Canoe; Visual Artist L Gerald Kuehl; Manitoba Archivist James Gorton with the rare 1919 Film Footage of The Romance of the Far Fur Trade; Art and Technology L an interactive exploration of computer programming and creativity r CULTURE SHOCK! L a party with local bands and Twitter account with animated Flintabbatey Flonatin r Elder blessing, smudging ceremony, tipi teaching, Aboriginal beading, bannock making, Aboriginal sorytelling r Senior sharing r Check Out a Living Book L Flin Flon Public Library event r Gerald Kuehl art exhibition Literary readings r Arts and craft activities in the Art Hub

Photo by Julian Kolt, Cottage North

r Pictures at an Exhibition: Combining musical improvisation with artwork

Guest speaker visual artist Gerald Kuehl

r Free workshops: Sound engineer L Henry Kreindler; Filmmaker L James Paschke; Choral clinician L Marcia McLean with the Saskatchewan Choral Federation; r And the famous Dancing Down Main St. L This year celebrating Canadian artist, Deadmau5, the community danced to the song The Veldt choreographed by Janelle Hacault Northern Experience

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NorMan NEWS

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Grand Chief David Harper was presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by Niki Ashton, Member of Parliament for Churchill, in a ceremony during the 31st MKO Annual General Assembly, according to an MKO media release. “I accept this honour on behalf of the children and youth of the MKO First Nations�, said Grand Chief Harper. “I look forward to speaking with the Queen about our Treaty relationship

when I am at Buckingham Balance next year during the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Royal Proclamation,� the MKO Grand Chief continued.

Oct. 7, 2013 is the 250th anniversary of the Royal Proclamation of 1763. The Royal Proclamation recognized the aboriginal title and rights of the First Nations in Canada and today forms a part of Canada’s Constitution.

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubliee Medal is a commemorative medal created in 2011 to mark the 60th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II. The medal is to honour significant

Grants to create more healthy opportunities for families, youth Northern and remote communities can now apply for grants to improve their recreational facilities through the new Community Places Program – North, the Manitoba government says. “Making life better for families in all parts of our province is a priority for our government,� said Premier Selinger in an October media release. “This program will make a difference in the lives of northern families by providing more recreational opportunities in their communities.�

Over the next three years, the program will provide planning assistance and $2 million in funding to northern and remote communities for new recreation and community facility construction, upgrading, expansion

or acquisition projects, as well as the purchase of essential non-personal sporting equipment that is directly related to the capital project.

Eligible projects are those that would provide sustainable recreational and wellness benefits to communities, with an emphasis on youth, the premier said, adding non-profit community organizations can apply for assistance with critical building repairs, energysaving initiatives and user-related improvements.

1717 Gordon Ave., The Pas, MB ‡ ,QGRRU 3RRO :DWHU 6OLGH ‡ +RW 7XE ‡ )UHH ´6XSHU 6WDUW¾ %UHDNIDVW ‡ /DUJH 3DUNLQJ /RW )RU 7UDLOHUV 9DQV ‡ 0HHWLQJ 5RRP )DFLOLWLHV ‡ )UHH :LUHOHVV ,QWHUQHW ‡ &RLQ 2SHUDWHG /DXQGU\ Under New Management

(204) 623-1888 For Toll-free Reservations: 1-800- 8000 10

Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

contributions and achievements by Canadians who have made an honourable service in military, police, prison, and emergency forces, or for outstanding achievement or public service. The medal is accorded an Order of Precedence in the Canadian Orders, Decorations and Medals.

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubliee Medal is administered by the Chancellery of Honours of the Office of the Secretary of the Governor General of Canada. The medal is being awarded to 60,000 citizens and permanent residents of Canada who made a significant contribution to Canadians, their community, or to Canada over the previous 60 years.

Grants of up to $75,000 are now being made available to northern and remote communities, with no requirement to match funding, for infrastructure and recreational projects such as playgrounds and outdoor rinks. The projects can include small repairs to things like boards on ice rinks, replacement of old windows and doors or more substantial upgrades to modernize an entire recreational facility. The program is designed to ensure application deadlines and approvals are completed by winter road season so construction materials can be transported to communities with only winter road access.

Applications are now available and are until Nov. 30. Grant approvals will be announced in January 2013. A second intake will take place in June 2013.

All projects are community-led.

Eligible applicants include incorporated recreational, sports, cultural, heritage and other non-profit community organizations, First Nations and local urban districts.

Program criteria calls for applicants to be a northern or remote community located north of the 53rd parallel and exclude The Pas, Thompson and Flin Flon. South of the 53rd parallel, remote communities only accessible by a winter road can apply.

For more information and to download a Community Places North application, go to: www.manitoba.ca/housing/cpp. X

Photo by Frog_atelier / Photos.com

MKO Grand Chief David Harper receives Queen9s Diamond Jubilee Medal

Whitecaps Skills Training Bringing professional development to The Pas

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BY JUDY PENZ SHELUK

Living in the north offers many wonderful things, including ready access to pristine lakes and the boreal forest. But the north can also leave people feeling isolated from the rest of the working world, especially when it comes to professional development training. It was a niche that The Pasnative Bonnie White saw and decided to fill.

“After college, I began working as a training assistant with the NorMan Regional Health Authority in The Pas,” said White. “I provided training in several areas, including basic life saving CPR, non-violent crisis intervention,

emergency response and general orientation. My duties allowed me to meet many different professionals in several areas, both in and out of the healthcare profession. One concern remained constant: there was a need for more leadership training and it was expensive to bring trainers up from the south.”

White decided to embark on her own training initiative, taking a number of courses through distance education with the University of Manitoba and enrolling in leadership and training sessions with a number of companies based in Winnipeg, Man. “I spent a lot time researching the sessions I wanted to offer,” said White.

In January 2010, White registered the company name, Whitecaps Skills Training, and hired Winnipeg-based Dubyts Communications to put together some marketing material.

“The first soft-skills training sessions I offered were How to Deal Northern Experience

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L Bonnie White, Owner, Whitecaps Skills Training

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Ed Sweetman / Photos.com

p2QH RI WKH PRVW GLƯFXOW WKLQJV IRU humans to do is to see and accept the point of view of another._

with Difficult People; Teamwork and Team Building; Conflict Resolution; Effective Communication Skills in the Workplace and Stress Management and Relaxation Techniques,” said White. “I began advertising on the radio and in our local newspaper.

Christine Dubyts talked me into going on Facebook. After one year of business, I had her develop my website.”

Dubyts’ marketing strategy paid off, according to White’s clients.

“We were looking for a leadership/decision making program and I’d seen advertisements for training through Whitecaps on numerous occasions,” said Keri-Lee Zaharia, the human resources officer for the Town of The Pas. “Our preliminary expectations were to come away with some ‘new learning’ which we could apply in our current workplace and Bonnie delivered. The training was interactive and allowed us to approach a variety of scenarios in a different manner, thereby laying out our ‘best resolve’ for each situation.”

White credits her studies in psychology when it comes to some of the technical aspects of socialization, brain function and human interaction.

“I try to be empathetic and engaged when I am listening to the stories others have to tell,” she explained. “One of the most difficult things for humans to do is to see and accept the point of view of another. I encourage relaxed, open communication in all my sessions.”

It’s a common-sense approach that works.

“We were looking for an independent view of some of the issues that were prevalent within our office and some sound options to improve communication,” said Brent Morrish, a chartered accountant with Haugen Morrish Angers, Chartered Accountants. “We came away with some real tangible changes to implement within our office and it helped to have an open discussion amongst staff and owners.”

Company-targeted training sessions are also a specialty of Whitecaps Skills Training.

“Training would be very different for a group of accountants than it would be for a group working in a restaurant setting,” said White. “To be effective, programs must be designed to meet group-specific needs.”

It’s a philosophy that resonated with Lauren Wadelius, a library administrator for The Pas Regional Library.

“I have been to other training sessions that generalize,” said Wadelius. “Bonnie is conscious of who is attending and tailors her sessions to those people and their needs.”

In the end, the success of Whitecaps Skills Training comes down to personalized service and White’s dedication to work with companies for as short – or as long – as it takes to make a lasting difference. For some, that might mean one half-day workshop. For the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg, training began in October 2011 and is ongoing.

“Bonnie has developed and facilitated a number of courses and workshops for us, including Planning and Time Management, Creating a Caring Environment for All, Literacy for Little Ones and Talking So Kids Will Listen, Business Writing, Conflict Resolution and Presentation Skills,” said Della Herrera, assistant director of the Aboriginal Centre of Winnipeg, Inc. (ACWI), which runs the health and wellness centre.

“Every session has had positive feedback from our staff at the centre, not only for the content, but for the professionalism of the facilitator.”

Whitecaps Skills Training is available onsite in The Pas or at local businesses as well as in surrounding communities. For more information, visit http:// whitecapsskillstraining.com or e-mail Bonnie White at whitecapsbw@hotmail.com. X

aWe came away with some real tangible changes to implement ZLWKLQ RXU RƯFH q L Brent Morrish, CA, Haugen Morrish Angers, Chartered Accountants

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Northern Nursing Nursing stations and hospitals in northern communities are full of opportunity Healthcare is a

major player in the northern Manitoba economy and Health Canada employs over 250 people in 21 nursing stations and two hospitals in the north.

Wendy Ducharme, director of Nursing for Health Canada’s First Nations and Inuit Health Branch in Manitoba, says that working in a remote community is a great way to broaden a nurse’s practice. In addition to filling nursing positions, Health Canada also hires community residents to work in clerical, security and caretaker positions.

“Everything you can do as a nurse, you have the potential to experience as a nurse at a nursing station,” she said.

Prior to Ducharme’s current position, she gained nursing experience on 16 different First Nations in Manitoba,

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as well as a number of communities in Ontario.

“As a nurse in a First Nations community, your duties are quite broad. In one day you might immunize a patient, do health teaching with a new diabetic and deal with an acute emergency, such as labour and delivery or a patient in cardiac arrest,” Ducharme said.

Experience and an expanded scope of practice is not all that nurses benefit from when working at a nursing station – they also have the opportunity to build strong relationships with the community residents.

“You get to know your patients on a very personal level and meet people with incredible life experiences. You also truly realize what it’s like to work with a strong team of health care providers and professionals,” Ducharme said.

“The jobs are there. The wages, benefits, access to continuing education and housing are there, but like many jobs in remote communities, it’s often a challenge to staff those positions. Our vacancy rate for nurses is currently at 38 per cent.”

Lionel Duruisseau is the nursein-charge of the Bloodvein Nursing Station, in Bloodvein, Man., located 210 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

He has similar sentiments to Ducharme and says that teamwork is essential when working in a nursing station.

“You just can’t work without it.

It’s incredible,” he said. “As the nursein-charge, I have to wear many hats – from working on anything from the building’s mechanical to cardiac to X-rays – so having good teamwork is everything.”

Photo by Jupiterimages / Photos.com

B Y C A M I L L E D U P A S , C O M M U N I C A T I O N S O F F I C E R , H E A LT H C A N A D A

employment, and in most communities, accommodations are provided for nurses at no charge. Some nurses work in communities for a number of weeks and then fly back to their home bases in locations such as Winnipeg, Man. or Montreal, Que. Many nurses, including Duruisseau, opt to live full-time in the community.

“We’re provided with nice, modern suites. We have wireless Internet and basic Bell Expressvu,” explained Duruisseau, who has lived in Bloodvein for 13 years.

There are also numerous lifestyle benefits to working in a remote community.

“I really enjoy woodworking. I’ve been doing it for the past 15 years. I make everything from carvings to rustic furniture,” said Duruisseau, who also enjoys canoeing and fishing – two popular pastimes in the area. Pickerel, white bass and northern pike are just some of the fish species populating the nearby Bloodvein River and Lake Winnipeg.

Duruisseau says the ideal nursing station nurse is someone with at

least five years of nursing experience because the environment can be quite demanding. However, in his work as a mentor for nursing students in the senior practicum at the University of Manitoba, Duruisseau has also seen first-hand the benefits of introducing fourth-year students to this unique setting.

“The program is the perfect opportunity for student nurses to expose themselves to the north. Some have enjoyed it so much that they’ve ended up staying here,” he said.

As much as Duruisseau enjoys working in Bloodvein, he is ready to pass on the torch to a new nurse-incharge. After 28 years of working for Health Canada, he plans to retire to Grand Beach, Man. at the end of the year.

It’s clear the strength of northern Manitoba’s economy lies within its people – people like Duruisseau, who have dedicated their work lives to improving the health and well-being of northern Manitoba’s residents, all while enriching their own lives in the process. X

Photo courtesy of Health Canada

The Bloodvein Nursing Station’s three-nurse unit is often busy with its daily scheduled programming that runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Programming includes general, prenatal and regular walk-in clinics, diabetes and chronic diseases and immunization. A physician travels to the community for four days every two weeks, while a physiotherapist visits once a month.

Dental services are also provided at the nursing station for five days every two weeks.

In addition to regular programming, the nursing station unit works on an on-call rotation during weekday evenings and weekends. As the nursein-charge, Duruisseau encourages his staff to get out and enjoy themselves when they have time off.

“We live with our work, so it’s very important to get away from it when we can,” he said. “It’s trying to find that balance between work and our personal lives that proves to be the most challenging.”

Nursing in a northern community in Manitoba offers a flexible model of

A nurse admiring the beautiful scenery of northern Manitoba Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

15

Lalor Mine Construction Progressing Smoothly +XGED\ DLPV WR GXSOLFDWH VXFFHVV RI LWV KLJKO\ SURƬWDEOH 0LQH

BY DAN PROUDLEY

Hudbay Minerals Inc. President and CEO David Garofalo wants to leverage what his company does very well. Especially when there’s a lot at stake, like the construction of Hudbay’s $701-million Lalor Mine Project located 210 kilometres east of Flin Flon, Man. So with this in mind, the corporate chief prefers to stick to production methods that have proven successful.

“We are using equipment and processing technology (at Lalor) that we have used very well for many years and that gives me comfort we are going to have a relatively smooth commissioning of new production here without any significant hiccups, which I think is in everybody’s best interest,” Garofalo said.

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The underground mine will tap mineral reserves of copper, zinc, gold and silver and is modeled after Hudbay’s highly profitable 777 Mine near Flin Flon. Construction is progressing well and is on schedule to be completed by the end of 2014.

“What we have installed (at Lalor) is essentially a replica of what we have at 777,” explained Garofalo. “The same personnel that built 777 are building Lalor as well. We have been able to leverage off what we do very well – and have done very well historically. That is why we are able to bring the project on so quickly.”

Lalor is destined to be Hudbay’s flagship operation. The rich ore deposit at Lalor is the largest discovery the company has made in its 85 years

of operation in Manitoba. The mine development is occurring in phases.

Hudbay is expected to spend $350 million on the project by the end of this year, $200 million in 2013 and $151 million in 2014.

During the different stages of construction, there are about 400 to 500 trades workers on site every day.

“We have completed construction of all the surface mining infrastructure including the headframe, the hoist, water treatment plant and polishing pond,” Garofalo said.

A new $144 million processing plant will be built at the mine mouth.

Meanwhile, some production is already underway. The first ore was extracted in August from the ventilation shaft which is being used until

Photo by AirScapes International Inc.

the main production shaft is finished.

To mark the first ore mined, a ceremonial event was held that was attended by community leaders, company representatives and government officials.

The ore is being stockpiled until the new processing plant is ready to go into production. “It’s a staged ramp-up of production. Initially at 25 per cent capacity, then when the permanent shaft is in place, we will be at 100 per cent capacity at the end of 2014,� noted Garofalo.

The mine should produce 4,000 tonnes of ore per day. The shaft is oversized and can accommodate up to 6,000 tonnes of ore per day. “We have headroom to incrementally expand production over time as we hopefully have more geological

Above: 2Q $XJ D FHUHPRQLDO HYHQW ZDV KHOG WR PDUN WKH ĆŹUVW RUH extracted from the Lalor development. In attendance were (l to r) Brad Lantz, Hudbay vice-president, Manitoba Business Unit; David Garofalo, Hudbay president and CEO; Dave Chomiak, Manitoba Government Minister of Innovation, Energy and Mines; Wesley Voorheis, Hudbay board of directors chairman; Kim Proctor, Lalor project manager; Alan Hair, senior-vice president and COO and company employees.

Left: Aerial view of the surface infrastructure of HudbayAs Lalor project, ORFDWHG NLORPHWUHV HDVW RI )OLQ )ORQ 0DQ 7KH ƏUVW IXOO \HDU RI SURGXFWLRQ IURP WKH SURGXFWLRQ VKDIW LV H[SHFWHG LQ { success from underground,� said Garofalo.

Based on today’s metal prices, the Lalor Mine could generate up to $400 million in revenue annually. The deposit is estimated at 32 million tonnes.

The Lalor project has had an enormous economic impact in the area. This year, Hudbay is closing two operations in northern Manitoba after the mines reached the end of their lives. But despite the shutdowns at Trout Lake and Chisel North, no workers lost their jobs. “The workforce at Trout Lake was moved to the Reed Copper Project (a new Hudbay mine) which will operate next year,� said Garofalo. “The workforce from Chisel North will be moving to Lalor and will be doing the

underground development and production there for us. So, we have been very fortuitous in the timing of these new mines in terms of being able to maintain our very experienced and productive workforce.�

Garofalo points out the clear advantages in retaining the workers in wake of the closures. “It’s a matter of transitioning from one area to another and the mining methods are very similar in both those mines,� he said. “It’s not about learning or relearning skills here, it is just a matter of doing what we do very well.�

Hudbay is not only preserving employment, but in fact will be adding 200 employees to its 1,300 workforce in Manitoba. The Lalor Mine will employ 300 people.

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Issue 2 | 2012

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UWe really think that 20 years is just a start for Lalor. We think that there could be many, many more years of reserves there.Y L David Garofalo, President and CEO, Hudbay Minerals Inc.

Currently, the life of the Lalor Mine is pegged at 20 years. However, it’s expected to be in production for much longer. Almost without exception, once underground further testing reveals vastly more ore deposits.

“We really think that 20 years is just a start for Lalor,” said Garofalo.

“We think that there could be many, many more years of reserves there.”

While the Lalor Mine is boosting economic activity in the region, the project is particularly fuelling growth in the nearby community of Snow Lake, Man. which is home to many mine employees. The town with about 750 residents has had its tax base revitalized by new home construction.

“Based on the projections we have seen from the town administrator, it looks like there will be a significant resurgence in the population of Snow Lake going forward with the advent of Lalor,” said Garofalo.

To help Snow Lake through this growth period, Hudbay has funded new infrastructure improvements.

The company shared half the cost of building a new $8-million wastewater

7STRENGTH TO BUILD THE FUTUREC Hudbay Minerals Inc. (TSX: HBM) (NYSE: HBM) is a Canadian integrated mining company with assets in North and Central America principally focused on the discovery, production and marketing of base metals.

Hudbay 25 York Street, Suite 800 Toronto, ON M5J 2V5 Phone: 416-362-8181 Fax: 416-362-7844 Email: investor.relations@hudbayminerals.com Website: www.hudbayminerals.com

treatment plant with the province.

The new facility makes the expansion of the town’s sewage system possible, so more serviceable lots could be made available for home construction.

“It’s a remarkable turnaround that Lalor has delivered to the community,” said Garofalo.

In addition, Hudbay paid some of the cost of improving the provincial highway that goes into the Lalor site.

“The upgrade is needed to accommodate the ore and supplies we will be hauling to the site,” said Garofalo.

Manitoba’s Minister of Innovation, Energy and Mines Dave Chomiak sees Hudbay’s work as an example of what can be possible for other towns in the north.

“The Lalor Mine development project demonstrates the kinds of transformative impacts that responsible resource exploitation can provide to northern communities,” he said.

“These are good jobs and Manitoba is blessed with a mineral endowment that can potentially provide benefits to many northern and Aboriginal communities.” X

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Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

Al McLauchlan tapping a birch

Not Just for Pancakes Birch syrup emerges from the northern forest

BY JIM CHLIBOYKO

make from the humble birch tree.

That’s what foodies are starting to find out.

It may have started with the wine; one of the more surprising products to come out of the boreal forest over the last few years was a brand of locally made birch wine. But the main ingredient of this surprising northern beverage wasn’t grapes. Rather, it was actually created from the sap of the birch tree. But now that the Manitoban vintner that made the birch wine, D.D. Leobard, is no longer in business, the next surprising product that emerges from the birch tree is birch syrup.

“We’ve been doing it now for close to ten years,” said Al McLauchlan. Al and his wife, Johanna, (as well as sons

Photos by Rocky Lake Birchworks

ItFs not just canoes that you can

Johanna McLauchlan in the Rocky Lake Birchworks processing facility Peter and Andy) are behind The Pas, Man.-based Rocky Lake Birchworks, the makers of the birch syrup. “The

first run was 15 trees and then we proceeded to burn the syrup. We‘ve learned lots of lessons since then. Last Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

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Photo by Rocky Lake Birchworks

A crew of McLauchlans, Al and the boys, heading out to check on the birches via airboat year, we had 500 trees. We’re going to 1,000 trees this year.”

But McLauchlan’s interest in birch syrup didn’t just come out of the blue.

“My grandfather used to do sugar maples down in Ontario. I learned the tapping business from him,” said McLauchlan, who also happens to be the mayor of The Pas and an instructor at the University College of the North.

“When I was ending my first career (with the RCMP), I was looking for a hobby. Of course, we don’t have sugar maples in Manitoba.”

After some research, McLauchlan settled on tapping something a little easier to find in northern Manitoba: the birch. But the tree’s ubiquity in Manitoba doesn’t mean the sap is easy to gather. Each of their 500 trees this past spring had a 20-litre pail which had to be visited twice a day. It’s a labour-intensive process with subsequent, manual transfers to containers of increasingly larger capacities. But, hopefully for McLauchlan, next year will be a little different - and easier.

“We experimented last year with a new tubing system. We’re using (it) in such a way that basically sap won’t touch human hands until it is syrup. We hope to hit 1,000 trees this year. Again, the experimenting with the lines, we’re hoping to triple our production, using a reverse-osmosis system. We’re always looking for efficiencies to improve production,” McLauchlan said.

Though the McLauchlans do the hard work themselves, they have also had some helpful people working for them, including the Manitoba-based Food Development Centre (FDC) in Portage la Prairie, Man. “The Food Development Centre was very, very helpful to us,” said McLauchlan. “They have a whole

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cohort of experts in the development of food products. We were able to access info from their library and from their experts.”

Among the kind of help that Rocky Lake Birchworks received included developing a nutritional label for the product, as well as being able to utilize their facilities to bottle their product. The sap is processed into syrup in the McLauchlans’ own facility, but it’s bottled at the FDC. The company was also provided help of varying kinds from the provincial government.

“The government and their entrepreneurial programs and financial incentives for small businesses were a great asset to us. There were a number of programs. There was the Northern Agriculture Program, their small business program, their programs done through MAFRI (Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives)... they were available at our beck and call for our questions,” McLauchlan said.

And he sees greater economic potential for the northern woods.

“Northern agriculture is a huge movement. We have many opportunities for non-timber boreal forest products: wild rice, birch syrup, medicinal,” he noted.

But, when it comes time to get out to the trees in the early spring, it’s the McLauchlans who do the heavy lifting.

Timing is crucial when gathering the birch sap and the the family’s commitment to the raw material means that they aren’t going anywhere around the month of April.

“We get out there usually by spring break and then we start to run our lines, our lateral lines, then we usually start at the earliest April 7 and the latest is April 17,” said McLauchlan. “For two weeks, the sap is running fairly consistently.”

By that point, it’s a race against time, as well as the warming of the earth. Air temperature is a critical measurement for the team.

“The biggest problem dealing with sap is the yeast in the air; the second problem is air temperature. It can’t go above 5 C, or the sap will spoil on us,” McLauchlan explained. “As soon as it’s in contact with the outdoor air, and the natural yeast in the air, the yeast eats the sugar in the sap.”

Then, using a refractometer, the McLauchlans have to keep an eye on the sugar content of the sap throughout the reduction process using heat and evaporation to raise the sugar level. When the sugar content reaches 67 per cent, it is ready.

So, not only is the birch sap a delicate and labour-intensive thing to gather, but the thinner nature of the birch sap, compared to maple, means that the ratio of raw material to finished product is much higher.

For maple syrup, about 40 litres of sap must be gathered for one litre of syrup. For birch syrup, the ratio is much more like 100 to one, or higher. Yet, the McLauchlans are committed to the challenge.

“We market through the Internet.

We have our own Facebook page. But our biggest market is word of mouth,” said McLauchlan. “Birch syrup was rated the number-one food trend for 2012. That really gave us a big boost.

We’ve got birch syrup in Afghanistan, Spain, China, Japan, all across the U.S. and Canada. I hate to use the phrase ‘novelty item,’ but it’s not something that people are used to and they want to try it.”

There have also been other kinds of promotion of the syrup. The McLauchlans’ product was used in an episode of Get Stuffed on Canada’s Outdoor Life Network.

“Chefs just love it. Our local chefs really enjoy it. We sent some down to chefs in Australia. My wife made a barbecue recipe for pork ribs which won a prize at our local winter fair,” McLauchlan said.

And there’s been other highprofile attention. Constance Popp, a Winnipeg chocolatier who specializes in high-end chocolate, uses the birch

Photo by Constance Popp

syrup for one of her newest products, the birch bark bar. “I knew I wanted to make this for a few years,� Popp said. “The planning stages started a few years ago.

So this literally looks like a piece of birch bark; white and milk chocolate for the first layer and then with milk chocolate and pure birch syrup. And we finished it with a white luster dust. It looks really good and it tastes phenomenal.�

Rocky Lake Birchworks is Popp’s supplier for the birch syrup. “We sampled some of it and we loved it,� said Popp. “It tasted to me like molasses. It has a very, very rich taste. I hadn’t tasted it before. I was hoping it would not be like maple syrup. So I didn’t want anything that would be like what we already had.�

McLauchlan would concur that there is a distinct difference between maple and birch syrup. “It’s not maple and people really need to clear their minds,� said McLauchlan of his product. “It’s as different as garlic powder is to pepper.�

A bottle of the McLauchlan0s syrup and pieces of birch bark chocolate, a speciality made using the syrup by Winnipeg chocolatier, Constance Popp And if things go well next year, with the temperatures staying cool, the sap flowing well and production doubling or tripling, even more

people will be able to taste the difference that birch syrup provides, one of the newer surprises to come out of the north. X

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Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

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The RCMP Offers a Career Like No Other A career in policing provides dynamic and meaningful challenges Unique in the world, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is a federal, provincial and municipal policing body. The RCMP provides policing services to all Canadians, and community policing under contract across the country, except in Ontario and Quebec.

RCMP regular members (police officers) are responsible for preserving the peace, upholding the law and providing quality service in partnership with its communities.

Working for the RCMP offers a variety of dynamic and meaningful challenges, postings across Canada as well as a competitive salary and benefits package.

The RCMP is divided into 15 divisions across Canada.

Manitoba RCMP is known as “D� Division and consists of more than 1,300 employees, including regular members, civilian members and public service employees. In Manitoba, the RCMP provides federal, provincial, municipal and First 22

Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

Nation policing through 52 detachments. The division faces changing demographics, geography, evolving cultures, shifting values, terrorist activities and technological advances.

The RCMP addresses these challenges by concentrating on intelligence-led policing, building strategic partnerships with communities and by using current technological equipment.

The RCMP is committed to front-line policing and using a philosphy of community policing in order to maximize RCMP service delivery. Regular members work closely with their community partners to develop joint initiatives such as crime prevention programs, drug education and awareness programs like D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) and restorative justice which is a philosophy based on community healing to provide resolution for certain criminal matters without formal involvement by the Manitoba Justice Department.

Photos courtesy of the RCMP

SUBMITTED BY RCMP RECRUITING, NORTHWEST REGION

More than meets the eye

Basic and essential requirements

RCMP regular members partake in traditional policing roles and also contribute to: r National security r Education in the classroom r Providing investigation services r Conducting search and rescue services r Conducting crime-scene analysis r Monitoring organized crime r Offering crime prevention and victim services r Preventing vandalism r Auxiliary policing r Offering explosive disposal services r Drug enforcement r Violent crime analysis r Monitoring Manitoba’s highways

To apply to become a Regular Member of the RCMP, applicants must: r Be a Canadian citizen r Be of good character r Be proficient in English OR French r Have a Canadian secondary school (high school) diploma or equivalent r Possess a valid, unrestricted Canadian driver’s licence r Be at least 19 years of age at the time of engagement (may apply at 18 years of age) r Meet medical/health standards r Be willing to relocate anywhere in Canada r Be physically fit For more information about the above requirements, please visit www.rcmpcareers.ca.

Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

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The RCMP advantage By enforcing the law and investigating crime, regular members play an important role in ensuring the safety and secruity of those in the community they serve. Regular members are role models and leaders in their communities by providing advice and guidance to people from all walks of life.

A career with the RCMP brings with it: r Meaningful work serving and protecting the community r Many career specialization choices within one organization r Postings in every part of Canada and around the world r Challenge, variety, and satisfaction r Competitive pay and benefits

:KDW WKH 5&03 RƪHUV r Cadet training allowance, travel to depot, uniforms, training courses, room and board r Excellent pension and generous medical, dental and family health plan r Variety and a dynamic work environment r Incremental vacation , member assistance program, , group life insurance (optional) and clothing allowance (plain clothes duties) r Ample opportunities for promotion, professional development, specialization and personal growth r Support available for continuing education and development r The reward of making a difference in the community

Diversity includes everyone The RCMP is committed to having a workforce that reflects Canadian society. Diversity in our workforce provides the organization with an enhanced understanding of cultural issues and enriches our work with community members.

The RCMP has set the following benchmarks for designated groups: r Women: 35 per cent r Visible minorities: 20 per cent r Aboriginals: 10 per cent

Cadet selection process 1. Career Presentation – Anyone considering a career as a regular member is required to attend an information session. You will have the opportunity to hear first-hand from our regular members and decide if a career with the RCMP is right for you.

2. Application and RCMP Police Aptitude Battery (RPAB) – The RPAB consists of two separate tests that all regular member applicants must complete as part of the recruiting process.

3. Selection Package – Upon completing the RPAB, if you are selected to continue in the process, you will be sent

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various documents that must be completed and returned by a specified date.

4. Regular Member Applicant Questionnaire – The questionnaire explores suitability and reliability and assists with the security clearance assessment.

5. Physical Abilities Requirement Evaluation (PARE) – The PARE is a job-related physical ability test that simulates a critical incident of chasing, controlling and apprehending a suspect.

6. Regular Member Selection Interview (RMSI) – The RMSI is a one-on-one interview that will help determine if you meet the organizational competencies needed to become a police officer.

7. Suitability / Reliability Interview and Polygraph Examination – The Pre-Employment Polygraph (PEP) Interview and Examination is designed to help verify suitability and reliability.

8. Field Investigation and Security Clearance – A thorough investigation into your background is conducted to help assess your character. If you are found to be suitable and reliable, a security clearance is then issued.

9. Health Assessment – The health assessment is completed by RCMP-designated physicians and includes a full medical, dental, and psychological exam.

10. Prerequisites and Enrollment – Once deemed suitable, you are enrolled as a cadet to start your 24-week training program at depot, the RCMP Academy in Regina, Sask.

A challenging and exciting career awaits you! Contact your local detachment or call the Winnipeg Recruiting Office at 1-877-RCMP-GRC (1-877-726-7472) or by email at DDIV-Recruiting@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. X

100 Years

Strong Premier Selinger outlines economic initiatives for continued development in northern Manitoba B Y G LO R I A TAY LO R

Pawistik Falls photo by Peter Herbig / Photos.com

One hundred years ago, the Manitoba government expanded the province’s boundaries northward to the 60th parallel and Hudson’s Bay. It was a defining moment for the province, given the rich resources and people of the north.

On this special anniversary of the province’s history, Northern Experience contacted Premier Greg Selinger to share his vision for the development of northern Manitoba. In a statement submitted through Manitoba cabinet communications, the Premier outlined some of the economic initiatives underway. All have the potential to significantly impact the people of the north, and in so doing, the future of the province as a whole.

Northern Experience

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Some of the recent initiatives include the East Side Road Network, comprehensive infrastructure projects that will connect Manitoba’s east side with the rest of the province; the Pimachiowin Aki UNESCO World Heritage Site; the Manitoba Hydro Wuskwatim Generating Station and University College of the North.

Earlier this year, Canada, Manitoba and the Bloodvein River First Nation announced the construction of a 2.5-kilometre access road from the Bloodvein River First Nation to the rest of the all-season road network that will, at completion, extend PR 304 northward to the Berens River First Nation on the east side of Lake Winnipeg.

The access road was to be a tripartite deal funded by the federal government ($2.67 million), the provincial government ($830,000) and the Bloodvein First Nation ($390,000).

Work began in January and the road was completed recently with about 50 residents working on the project, completing an early phase of comprehensive road works planned for the region which could result in numerous benefits.

“The north has great human potential and we’re working with northerners to realize that potential.

We want the north to be a place where people live because their families can do well there,” stated Premier Selinger.

“Let’s think about the east side of Lake Winnipeg. The winter road system – which was obviously limited – is becoming less reliable, so we’ve announced a network of all-weather roads for this isolated but stunning part of Manitoba. Construction is underway on the first leg, from PR 304 to Berens River First Nation. The benefits for the local residents are enormous.

Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) with area First Nations will bring not just short-term jobs but training in real skills that will yield more work in the future,” he stated.

“And once that road gets to Berens River, Manitoba and the world gets closer to Berens River. Year-round access will mean healthier and more

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Gord Jones

East Side Road Network

This map indicates the proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site bid that the Manitoba government is championing affordable groceries and other goods that families and businesses need.

And finally, those year-round roads will bring tourists to the east side, not just for a year or two, but forever.

People from all over the world dream of seeing our north and learning from the people who live there about both the land and the way of life.”

Protecting the boreal forest In the meantime, the Pimachiowin Aki UNESCO World Heritage Site bid aims to protect an outstanding tract of boreal forest in eastern Manitoba and northwest Ontario for future generations.

The project consists of more than 33,400 square kilometres of land on the Manitoba-Ontario border at the east side of Lake Winnipeg. The

project is a collaboration among five First Nations and the Manitoba and the Ontario governments. The partners are seeking World Heritage status for the land that has been called the largest protected area network in the North American boreal shield.

The world heritage site proposal has been submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for approval.

“Pimachiowin Aki, or The Land that Gives Life, is a boreal shield forest unlike anything else on the planet,” stated Selinger. “At 33,400 square kilometres, it is the largest protected area of North America’s boreal shield.

UNESCO designation will help protect it for years to come and the people who live there will benefit economically, socially and culturally.”

Premier Greg Selinger and MLA Eric Robinson land at St. TheresaAs Point

Throughout the province, Selinger said the government’s plan is to confront challenges in order to diversify the economy and build the necessary facilities to build communities. “Just a few months ago, I was lucky to be part of the official opening ceremonies of the Manitoba Hydro Wuskwatim Generating Station, which will add 200 MW to Hydro’s capacity.

What’s most exciting about it, though, is that it was developed in partnership with the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN). They will have an equity interest in the project, which is a first anywhere in North America. Revenues in the years to come will help make NCN a fuller, richer place to live. They will be able to build the kind of community facilities that best meet their needs,� he stated. “During construction and now that we have reached the operating stage, Manitoba Hydro’s training programs have given area residents the skills and know-how to get and keep good-paying jobs without having to leave home.�

L Premier Greg Selinger

Learning in the north Selinger pointed out that residents who formerly had to go to an urban centre for post-secondary education will now be able to study in the north with the establishment of University College of the North (UCN), which now has campuses in Thompson, The Pas, and a dozen other locations, including ten First Nations communities. “Before now, northerners seeking advanced education had to move south to Winnipeg or Brandon. They had to adjust to an entirely new way of life while and when they graduated, almost none of them went back.

We had to turn that around. UCN brings educational opportunities to the north. Its students tackle the

challenges of university life in familiar surroundings, with family and friends nearby. It will be an anchor in these communities,� he emphasized.

Building the province in tandem with northern residents is not without its challenges, stressed Selinger. “Just like so many other places in Canada, the north has vast economic potential. It can support thriving communities with healthy families and traditional ways. But, again, just like Canada, there are real challenges. It took a massive effort to build the CPR, and government support and investment was needed. It is going to take a similar long-term, substantial, and worthwhile commitment, for the north’s potential to be tapped.� X Northern Experience

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Photo courtesy of the Government of Manitoba

Wuskwatim Generating Station

aPimachiowin Aki, or The Land that Gives Life, is a boreal shield forest unlike anything else on the planet. At 33,400 square kilometres, it is the largest protected area of North AmericaAs boreal shield. UNESCO designation will help protect it for years to come and the people who live there ZLOO EHQHĆŹW HFRQRPLFDOO\ VRFLDOO\ DQG FXOWXUDOO\ q

Apprentices can not only expand your workforce but help you expand your business

Onward and Upward Hiring apprentices in the north can work for you ItFs no secret that becoming an apprentice can be a fast track to starting a career in the trades but what’s in it for the employers who hire those apprentices? In addition to playing a large role in supporting economic growth in northern communities – and in Manitoba as a whole – hiring apprentices can contribute to the bottom line in more ways now than ever before.

Having skilled workers on staff can help to increase competitiveness; improve productivity; improve quality of products and service and increase employee loyalty. The Apprenticeship Manitoba training model ensures that apprentices are trained to industry 28

Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

standards. Mentoring an apprentice on the job also means that employers can mould their apprentices to meet the standards and unique needs of their individual business. The Manitoba government has recognized the need for skilled workers, particularly in rural and northern communities, and is making it a priority to encourage employers to get on board.

Budgeting for success Budget 2012 offers a comprehensive government initiative supporting apprenticeship.

This support includes the Rural and Northern Apprenticeship Training

Strategy which, in part, will enhance three existing components of the Coop Education and Apprenticeship Tax Credits program beginning in 2013.

These credits are meant to put more money into the pockets of employers who hire apprentices in these communities. They include the Earlylevel Apprentice Hiring Incentive; the Advanced-level Apprentice Hiring Incentive and the Journeyperson Hiring Incentive.

The Early-Level Apprentice Hiring Incentive will offer a tax credit on 15 per cent of wages and salaries up to $3,000 maximum. Originally, the incentive offered a credit on 10 per cent, with a maximum of $2,000.

Photo Supplied by Apprenticeship Manitoba

SUBMITTED BY APPRENTICESHIP MANITOBA

The credit is now also extended to employers who are eligible for the federal Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit.

The Advanced-Level Apprentice Hiring Incentive offers a credit on 10 per cent of wages and salaries, up to $5,000 per level per employee. This doubles the original credit, which was previously five per cent of wages and salaries up to $2,500.

Finally, the Journeyperson Hiring Incentive has also doubled, now offering a credit on 10 per cent of wages and salaries per level per employee, up to $5,000.

Capital idea Having apprentices on staff can also help businesses win bids on big-ticket projects. In 2011, a new policy was rolled out making it mandatory that contractors must either currently employ apprentices, or have employed an apprentice in the past 12 months, to be eligible to bid on publicly tendered capital projects. As of April 1, bidding contractors with more than 10 of their own employees as well as subcontractors with more than 20 of their own employees will have to engage in apprenticeship training. Implementation of the policy will expand over the next three years. Effective April 1, 2013, all bidding contractors, as well as subcontractors, with more than 10 of their own employees will require apprenticeship engagement. Finally, effective April 1, 2014, all bidding contractors and subcontractors must be engaged in apprenticeship training.

It is also generally required that apprentices work under a fully certified journeyperson; however, noncertified workers who are interested in training an apprentice may be eligible to apply for designated trainer status.

The criteria for becoming a designated trainer are based mainly on work experience and scope of trade.

Along with its central location in Winnipeg, Man., Apprenticeship Manitoba also has offices across Manitoba, including Brandon, Thompson and The Pas, as well as an Aboriginal Advisor dedicated to supporting rural and northern employers with starting or maintaining an apprenticeship training and certification program.

Getting started In addition to being a sound post-secondary option, apprenticeship allows students to start down their road to certification while in high school. Apprenticeship Manitoba offers a High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP). The HSAP allows high school students to earn hours towards their

trade certification and apply those hours toward school credits in addition to the mandatory high school requirements. The benefit to employers hiring HSAP apprentices is that they can collaborate with the schools to hand-pick students who best fit the employer’s needs. HSAP students are also often ideal candidates for employers who only have part-time work available.

Having the option to hire a post-secondary or an HSAP apprentice gives employers more flexibility to find the right apprentice to meet their needs.

Regardless of which option employers choose, Apprenticeship Manitoba is constantly working with industry to ensure that the program holds apprentices to the highest standards, developing a highly-skilled work force and ensuring the program is mutually beneficial to employers and apprentices alike.

For more information on apprenticeship training and how to make it work for you, visit the Apprenticeship Manitoba website at manitoba.ca/ tradecareers or call 1-877-978-7233, toll-free in Manitoba. X

Additional supports

Photo by Lisa F. Young / Photos.com

Because no two business models are the same, every business has its own unique needs. A one-size-fits-all approach may not always work. There are several solutions that allow employers to tailor their apprenticeship experience to meet those individual needs. For example, a one-to-one ratio is the general certified journeyperson to apprentice requirement for apprenticeship in most trades. However, for employers who are not able to meet this requirement, Apprenticeship Manitoba does offer ratio adjustments on a case-by-case basis.

Northern Experience

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One of Nature’s Great Health Foods Manitoba wild rice is making its way around the world

BY BARB FELDMAN

When Tracy Wheeler-Anderson travelled 800 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, Man. to teach in the small community of Cranberry Portage, Man. in 1986, she thought she’d stay a year. Instead, she met and married Bob Anderson and almost 27 years later she and her family live at the edge of the Canadian Shield on the shore of Lake Athapapuskow, surrounded by boreal forest.

Wheeler-Anderson, who still teaches half-time at Cranberry Portage’s 100-student school, began Naosap Harvest in August 2010 to market organic lakegrown wild rice directly to restaurants and consumers at a reasonable price. She named the new business after one of the lakes originally harvested by her husband - “Naosap” is a Cree counting word meaning “fourteen.”

Bob Anderson and his brothers, who began farming wild rice more than three decades ago, were among the first to experiment with planting wild rice in isolated northern lakes, she says. Wild rice is not actually rice, but a variety of grass that can grow to as much as nine feet high with part of the plant growing above the waterline and three to five feet growing under water. At harvest time, airboats fronted by giant “hoppers” are piloted across the shallow water’s surface, catching the loose ripe seeds from the tops and leaving the semi-submerged plants intact.

Wheeler-Anderson buys her wild rice exclusively from her husband’s operation, which in a typical year harvests close to 100,000 pounds and also sells to other distributers.

“I know all their experience with harvesting and that they wait until the rice has the optimal flavour and size,” she said. They are certified organic through the Organic Producers Association of Manitoba, “and that’s very important to me,” Wheeler-Anderson noted.

Because its moisture content can be as high as 80 per cent, freshly-harvested wild rice must be dried to prevent spoilage. Forty to 50,000 thousand pounds at a time are taken to a certified-organic processing facility about 45 minutes north of Cranberry Portage, says Wheeler-Anderson. As the grains tumble-dry in a machine “like a giant heated cement-mixer,” their outer hulls peel off and the green shells become shiny black. Two pounds of green rice produce one pound of

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UOur biggest challenge is our isolation, and our biggest obstacle is the cost of shipping.Y L Tracy Wheeler-Anderson, Owner, Naosap Harvest

Tracy Wheeler-Anderson markets her rice all around the world as well as right here in Manitoba

Photo by Tracy Wheeler-Anderson

finished rice with about seven to nine per cent moisture content, which will keep almost indefinitely in a moisture-tight container.

People assume that something that is called “wild rice” is always “natural,” but, in fact, some paddy-raised wild rice grown in the U.S. has been genetically modified to ripen all at once, making the crop cheaper to grow and harvest. But in order to earn its organic certification Naosap Harvest wild rice must also be verified as nongenetically modified.

“If you saw a pile of our rice and a pile of California organic paddy wild rice, it’s like night and day—ours is dark brown, almost black. Theirs is a different colour, skinny and even the protein and nutritional levels are different,” she said, noting that even in southern Manitoba, lakes may be exposed to fertilizer or manure runoff from nearby fields or pastures. “We’re extremely blessed to live where we do and to be able to produce a food that’s still in an area that’s so pristine and our long summer days just seem to produce a plumper, longer grain.”

Selling directly to restaurants and customers ensures that her prices are the lowest they can possibly be for organic Canadian lake-grown wild rice, says Wheeler-Anderson.

“I started off small, built my website, started cold-calling businesses and restaurants and sent hundreds of e-mails—and so far, so good!” she laughed.

Winnipeg restaurant owners have been very supportive and Naosap Harvest has loyal Facebook fans across North America as well as in Britain, Australia, South Africa and Europe.

“I’ve had customers from China, we did a bulk sale to Malaysia—the Internet is amazing,” she said. “Our biggest challenge is our isolation and our biggest obstacle is the cost of shipping.”

Although the average cost of shipping one kilogram across Canada is more than eleven dollars, most customers will buy five pounds at a time.

As more people around the world look for alternatives to genetically-modified foods, Wheeler-Anderson has seen a growing willingness to pay a

At harvest time, airboats fronted by giant ahoppers_ are piloted across the shallow waterAs surface, catching the loose ripe seeds from the tops and leaving the semi-submerged plants intact premium for products that are certified organic.

“People think of wild rice as expensive but a pound will yield nine cups of cooked rice,” or about 18 servings for six dollars, she noted. With the help of the Food Development Centre

in Portage la Prairie, Man., she is working on ideas for new ways to present wild rice products. Gluten-free and a great source of fibre and iron, wild rice is “one of nature’s great health foods,” she said, “I would love for more people to really enjoy it.” X

APPRENTICESHIP

A Smart Investment.

AMBITION, WILLINGNESS TO LEARN AND HARD WORK got you where you are today.

Now, you can build on these qualities – and build your business – by hiring and training apprentices. Apprentices’ knowledge and skills – coupled with the on-the-job training – make for a profitable and smart investment for your business.

FORGING STRONGER COMMUNITIES. Exciting new initiatives are coming to support apprenticeship training expansion in rural and northern communities including: z

A new Journeyperson Business Start program to provide support for rural journeypersons to start their own business.

z

Tax credits for apprentices and employers who hire apprentices and journeypersons.

z

Greater accessibility to quality training through alternative program delivery options.

For more information about apprenticeship in Manitoba, including rural and northern initiatives, visit our website at: manitoba.ca/tradecareers or call 1-877-97-TRADE

Apprenticeship Ad Issue 2 | 2012 31 Northern Experience Ad Ad size: 4.75”w x 4.75”d

Northern Experience

the

Northern Experience NATI ONA L & P R OV I N C I A L PA R K S Clearwater Lake Provincial Park

Located just 20 km north of The Pas on Highway 10, WKLV SDUN KDV VRPHWKLQJ IRU HYHU\RQH 7KH SDUN RĆŞ HUV ĆŹ VKLQJ VZLPPLQJ ERDWLQJ KLNLQJ RYHUQLJKW ORGJLQJ and camping with basic and electrically serviced sites at Campers Cove or walk-in tent sites at Pioneer Bay.

Grass River Provincial Park

Just 80 km north of The Pas on Highway 10, take the ĆŹ UVW ULJKW DQG IROORZ +LJKZD\ LQWR *UDVV 5LYHU 3DUN This wilderness of lakes and evergreen forest is home to woodland caribou, moose, wolves, bear and a variety RI ZDWHUIRZO $OVR LGHDO IRU FDQRHLQJ DQG ĆŹ VKLQJ IRU northern pike, walleye, lake trout and perch.

Zed Lake Provincial Park

Just 20 km northwest of Lynn Lake on Highway 394, this park has 35 unserviced sites, beach, boat launch and barbecue SLWV 7KLV LV DQ LGHDO ORFDWLRQ IRU ERWK KXQWLQJ DQG ĆŹ VKLQJ DQG for scouting the surrounding clear lakes and vast wilderness.

Paint Lake Provincial Recreation Park

This park, which extends over 56,000 acres of Precambrian Boreal Forest, is located 32 km south of Thompson RQ +LJKZD\ *UHDW ĆŹ VKLQJ ERDWLQJ ZDWHU VSRUWV excellent camping and cabin rentals await you. Many winter activities are also available throughout the park. Some of these include snowmobile trails, crosscountry ski trails and a sliding area for children.

Berge Lake Provincial Park

Located 5 km northwest of Lynn Lake on Highway 394, this SDUN KDV XQVHUYLFHG VLWHV D EHDFK ERDW ODXQFK D ĆŹ VK cleaning building and barbecue pits. Hiking in winter or summer on eskers left by glaciers is just minutes away.

Wekusko Falls

/RFDWHG NP VRXWK RI 6QRZ /DNH WKLV SDUN RĆŞ HUV modern bathrooms, water standpipes and a sewage dump for campers with 112 sites available. Also hiking trails featuring suspension bridges and a ERDW ODXQFK D EHDFK DQG D ĆŹ VK FOHDQLQJ KRXVH

Pisew Falls & Kwasitchewan Falls

Visit ManitobaAs highest road-accessible waterfalls. A boardwalk and a suspension bridge will keep you busy as you look and listen for the hissing sound of the falls. A 22 km overnight hiking trail will take you to Kwasitchewan.

Wapusk National Park

Located 45 km southeast of the town of Churchill, Wapusk (the Cree word for awhite bear_) is one of CanadaAs newest national parks. It is a fitting name as the park protects one of the worldAs largest known polar bear maternity denning areas.

Bakers Narrows Provincial Park

Located 19 km south of Flin Flon on Highway 10, WKLV VPDOO SDUN LV LGHDO IRU FDPSLQJ ERDWLQJ ĆŹ VKLQJ and other recreational activities. This campground has 40 electrical and 28 non-electrical sites with barbecue pits and modern washrooms also a convenience store, playgrounds and boat launches.

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North of the 56 A look inside the unique Town of Leaf Rapids % < - 8 ' < 3 ( 1 = 6 + ( / 8 . : , 7 + 3 + 2 7 2 6 % < 5 2 1 * $ 5 1 ( 7 7 ǖ $ , 5 6 & $ 3 ( 6 & $

A thousand kilometres north of Winnipeg, nestled within the heart of the boreal forest, lies a community surrounded by pristine lakes and seemingly endless rivers; a hardy, picturesque country where not so long ago, wild bear and moose, wolf packs, lynx and fox hunted and fed where the town now stands. This is the Town of Leaf Rapids, incorporated on Nov.18, 1971. Twenty-one kilometres to the east is the reason for the town’s creation: the Ruttan Mine, a copperzinc massive sulphide deposit which operated from 1973 to 2002.

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Yet from its inception, Leaf Rapids was much more than just another mining town. The result of a partnership between Manitoba’s provincial NDP government of the day and Sherritt Gordon Mines Ltd., the open pit phase of the mining operation was well underway when sod was first turned for Leaf Rapids, with miners living in bunkhouses next to the mine site.

Had this been any other mining town built in the 1970s, the town would have grown around those bunkhouses.

Those who designed Leaf Rapids had another vision, one which offered

miners separation between where they worked and where they lived – a revolutionary concept for a mining town. In 1974, Leaf Rapids was awarded the Vincent Massey Award for Excellence in Urban Design. For the next two years, Leaf Rapids hosted government officials, architects and town planners from across Canada and around the world.

What those visitors discovered was a town that respected the integrity of the forest; only those areas necessary for the construction of roads and homes were cut to clear the

way. A 210,000-square foot town centre complex replaces the traditional small town main street and is surrounded by a semi-circle of residential bays. No home is more than ten minutes walking distance to the centre; lighted bush trails lead the way into the forest. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The complex is truly the heart of our town,â&#x20AC;? said Lianna Anderson, community economic development officer (CEDO) for the Town of Leaf Rapids. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Housing the bulk of the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s service and retail outlets, residents walk or drive to the town

The Town Centre Complex. The tennis/badminton court located at bottom left hand side of photo; the track course located at bottom ULJKW KDQG VLGH RI SKRWR EDVHEDOO ĆŹHOG ORFDWHG FHQWHU ERWWRP RI SKRWR RXWGRRU ULQN ERWWRP ULJKW KDQG VLGH RI SKRWR MXVW DERYH WUDFN ĆŹHOG

Churchill River Bridge; the water body on left side of bridge is Granville Lake and to the right hand side is the Churchill River. Leaf RapidsA unmanned airport can be seen to the mid left hand side of photo.

The Town of Leaf Rapids. Provincial Highway 391 north is on left side of photo; about 100 kilometres north on this road will take you to the Town of Lynn Lake. The upper right upper hand of photo captures the great Churchill River and its close proximity to the community

The Town Centre Complex with surrounding bays of houses Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

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centre on a daily basis to shop, pick up mail, attend school, browse through the town’s library and National Exhibition Centre, watch a movie, attend to medical concerns or simply to share a conversation with friends and neighbours over a cup of coffee. Over the years, other towns have followed suit and today Leaf Rapids is not alone in offering a combination of modern urban convenience in the midst of a commanding wilderness, but Leaf Rapids was the first.”

During its mining heyday, the population of Leaf Rapids was primarily Euro-Canadian. But in 2002, the copper ore at the Ruttan Mine played out and Hudbay Minerals Inc. closed down the operation. The population of Leaf Rapids was decimated, dropping from 3,000 to less than 300.

“Our population is gradually starting to climb again, as emigrants from outlying communities come to Leaf Rapids in search of affordable housing,” said Anderson. “We now have approximately 450 residents and the population has blended into a multicultural mixture of Euro-Canadian, Aboriginal – both status and non-status – Métis and non-Aboriginal people.”

There are homes and business opportunities for plenty more; besides rental housing, currently more than 40 houses are available for immediate purchase, priced from $20,000 to $40,000. And while the homes may need some TLC, there are local contractors and handymen ready to do the work.

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p:H ZHUH WKH ƬUVW community in North America to ban singleuse plastic bags.Y L Lianna Anderson, CEDO, Town of Leaf Rapids

Environmental stewards Despite a greatly reduced tax base, Leaf Rapids has never forgotten its commitment to the environment.

“We were the first community in North America to ban single-use plastic bags,” said Anderson with obvious pride, noting that the program, implemented in 2007, was embraced by residents and merchants alike.

A more recent green initiative is composting cardboard.

“Leaf Rapids has a very effective recycling program, but shipping cardboard to Winnipeg is extremely costly,” said community advocate and long-time resident Chuck Stensgard.

“The inks used on cardboard today are non-toxic and so the town purchased a chipper shredder. By working with the University of Manitoba we were able to formulate a mixture of ground cardboard and peat moss, thereby creating an organic material to supplement our growing base. I’m told that (our) soil produces the best strawberries in the province.”

A recreational paradise The proximity to the Churchill River and the boreal forest provides a recreational paradise for anglers, hunters and sports enthusiasts. Four kilometres south of the town is Turnbull Lake, which offers boating, crystal clear water and sandy beaches. A free nine-hole golf course is surrounded by breathtaking scenery; like the town itself, the Leaf Rapids Golf Course was designed to preserve the integrity of the natural environment.

Closer to the town centre there are tennis courts, playgrounds, ball diamonds, track and field facilities, a soccer field and a youth centre. Two gyms provide modern basketball, volleyball and badminton courts. Winter activities include cross country skiing and ice fishing; snowmobile trails crisscross the forest.

Leaf Rapids is accessible by vehicle along Highway 391, north of Thompson, Man. There is a float plane base and a non-serviced airport with a 3,000-foot runway. For more information, visit www.townofleafrapids.ca. X

Photos by Ron Garnett / AirScapes.ca

Churchill River Bridge; on left is Granville Lake and on the right is the Churchill River

Stensgard’s commitment to growing things doesn’t stop at strawberries. Long involved with Manitoba’s Northern Healthy Food Initiative, Stensgard took on the role of gardening coordinator for the Frontier School Division in 2006.

“Until then gardening was strictly a hobby for me,” said Stensgard. “My kids and I ate healthy, but I was also aware of the epidemic levels of diabetes in obesity in our northern communities. Leaf Rapids was the first Manitoba community to sign on to the Manitoba Food Charter.”

With Leaf Rapids as his home base, Stensgard has designed courses that teach high school students to collect and harvest seeds which will grow in a challenging climate and the town’s sandy esker soil.

“Broccoli and radish love to grow in the snow,” said Stensgard. “We also grow bok choy, ten varieties of lettuce and several varieties of strawberries and raspberries. Everything is grown organically and in a sustainable way.

We don’t use pesticides or fertilizer.”

The Write Stuff Mentorship program helps Flin Flon writers hone their craft Gerry Clark has

Pencils: Boarding1Now / Photos.com

lived in Flin Flon, Man. for almost 45 years, but he traveled the world while working as a high school history teacher and organizing a travel club that took students and chaperones to places all over Europe as well as Tunisia, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico and the southern United States.

After he retired, Clark decided to write his autobiography so that his grandchildren could someday read about his life. But after he finished the book, he was unsure of what step to take next – who to talk to about getting it published, how many copies to publish and so on.

So, Clark participated in the writer’s mentorship program organized by the Flin Flon Arts Council at the beginning of October.

“If someone can give me some advice on how to do a few things, that’s why I put my name in,” Clark said.

Clark was one of ten participants in the program. They ranged in age from 25 to 66 years old and hailed from Flin Flon, Denare Beach, Man. and Creighton, Sask.

Crystal Kolt, the Flin Flon Arts Council’s cultural coordinator, says the goal of the program was to help participants grow and develop in their ability as writers, as well as give them the opportunity to network with other writers.

“It’s important to support, invigorate and cheer on talents in all parts of Canada,” Kolt said. “We want to expose all the jewels that are in the north.

This is, of course, the tip of the iceberg – talent and excellence is everywhere.”

Kolt notes that the Royal Bank of Canada’s Emerging Artists Project, which provides grants to programs that support emerging artists, funded the program.

“It’s great that they were willing to take a chance on a small community and give [us an] opportunity like this,” Kolt said.

The mentorship program took place over the course of the first week in October and was led by Jeanette Lynes, who coordinates the Master’s of Fine Arts in Writing Program at the University of Saskatchewan.

Lynes is also the author of six books of poetry and her first novel,

Photo courtesy of Crystal Kolt

BY AARON EPP

Crystal Kolt, the cultural coordinator at the Flin Flon Arts Council, hopes Jeanette Lynes inspired participants in the WriterAs Mentorship Program

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L Crystal Kolt, Cultural Coordinator, Flin Flon Arts Council

2009’s The Factory Voice, was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize.

Lynes says one of the reasons she wanted to lead the program is because she enjoys mentoring writers.

“I learn a lot about the writing process from mentoring and teaching,” she said. “And, it’s gratifying to see a writer perhaps have a breakthrough in their project or feel like they’re making some progress.

If I can facilitate that, that’s quite gratifying to me.”

Before meeting as a group in Flin Flon, each writer submitted work for Lynes to review in advance of her trip to the city. She describes the work as diverse, covering a range of styles and genres and adds that some of it is “very interesting and very strong.”

During her week in Flin Flon, Lynes met with the group each morning to discuss the nuts and bolts of writing. She says she didn’t want to enter the week with a prescribed agenda, but rather, she wanted to let the writers dictate what each session would look like in terms of the topics covered.

Lynes wanted to “generate a lot of discussion in the group and address challenges writers [were] having with their projects.”

Afternoons were reserved for one-on-one sessions where Lynes met with each participant to discuss their work.

Lynes, who is currently working on her second novel, says a constant need to be original is what keeps her writing.

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ArtmannWitte / Photos.com

UIt9s important to support, invigorate and cheer on talents in all parts of Canada. We want to expose all the jewels that are in the north. This is, of course, the tip of the iceberg a talent and excellence is everywhere.Y

I learn a lot about the writing process from mentoring and teaching.

And, it9s gratifying to see a writer perhaps have a breakthrough in their project or feel like they9re making some progress.Y

“It’s just that push, that constant push into new frontiers,” she said. “To try to write a sentence or story that no one has written before, or to break out of the mould and write poems that are just different than others have done.

And there’s limits to what you can do.

It’s a constant negotiation with literary tradition and doing something original, but I like the challenge of trying to do something new and original.”

Kolt, from the Flin Flon Arts Council, hopes Lynes has inspired the writers from the mentorship program to do the same.

“Excellence breeds excellence,” Kolt said. “That’s an important thing the arts council really tries to stand by.” X

Photo by Deb Stagg

a Jeanette Lynes, Writer

Jeanette Lynes, author of six books of poetry and a Giller Prize-nominated novel, OHG WKH :ULWHUoV 0HQWRUVKLS 3URJUDP RƪHUHG E\ WKH )OLQ )ORQ $UWV &RXQFLO DW WKH beginning of October

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Northern Experience

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Manitoba’s Winter Road System Getting around in northern Manitoba with a little help from temporary roads While road construction generally begins to wane with the onset of winter, the opposite is true for the construction of Manitoba’s winter roads. Constructed in cold weather, the Manitoba winter road network follows the path of least resistance, traversing natural terrain features such as muskeg, lakes, rivers and creeks.

With the first snow of the winter, lightweight equipment such as snowmobiles are used to pack the snow on both land and ice areas to lessen the insulating effect and thus allow the frost to penetrate deeper into the ground. As the ground hardens, heavy graders and snowplows are used to scrape away excess snow while ensuring that the roadway is sufficiently covered with snow to remain reflective, so that heat from the sun is not absorbed and the road remains frozen.

For long ice crossings, such as over a lake, tree markers are placed to define the route, which is typically about 60 meters wide. As soon as the ice is capable of supporting snow removal equipment, the path is plowed clear, so as to allow the ice to form naturally.

On short ice crossings, such as across a river, the ice is cleared and flooded one or more times until it reaches the required thickness. Ice crossings must be able to support loads of up to 37,500 kilograms providing the speed of vehicles is kept to a maximum of 15 kilometres per hour and vehicles are spaced at least one kilometre apart.

These winter roads not only facilitate the hauling of freight to northern and remote communities, but also provide the residents with temporary inter-community travel as well as road access to the rest of the province.

Northern Manitobans in nine eastern and sixteen northern Manitoba

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communities are served by these roads during a brief period of about eight weeks from mid-January to midMarch, however, the prevailing weather conditions can shorten or extend this period by as much as two weeks.

Manitoba’s winter road system dates back to the 1950s. It was built by private construction companies to provide a means of transporting freight to isolated northern communities that would be less costly than air transport. Freight was transported on a string of sleighs (cat trains) pulled by track dozers. However, the cat train method was slow and cumbersome, restricting the amount of freight that could be transported.

In 1971, the province, through its Department of Northern Affairs, assumed responsibility for construction and maintenance of the winter road network. Under provincial auspices, the roads were upgraded to a standard that would accommodate truck access. Supervision of the system was transferred to the Manitoba Department of Transportation in 1978, where it remains today.

Use of the road system requires considerable safety precautions. Adverse weather conditions and wave action on ice crossings can seriously affect the viability of the route. The Department of Infrastructure and Transportation schedules pre-season meetings with truckers to acquaint them with the prevailing conditions and the precautions to be taken. Generally, inspectors assess all sections of the winter road system at least once every 48 hours, weather permitting.

Portions of the road may be closed as deemed necessary.

The construction and maintenance of Manitoba’s winter roads are

examples of projects that reflect the remote access and northern development strategies for meeting the transportation needs of each community on the winter road system. The province recognizes the important role the winter road system plays in overcoming social and economic challenges facing the northern and remote communities in Manitoba.

Since 1999, spending on the seasonal road system has tripled, with the aim of using more overland routes, improving safety, allowing the roads to stay open longer each season, reducing construction difficulties and addressing environmental concerns. To achieve these objectives, the province has identified a number of strategies, including the relocation of existing winter roads, the construction of new roads as well as upgrading existing winter and forestry roads, and exploring enhanced rail and ferry services.

The initiative is a part of the government’s broader access and northern development strategies, which require that government departments co-ordinate their efforts to meet the objectives of the strategies and make northern development a priority in their everyday decision-making.

The winter road system, the majority of which is funded jointly with the federal government, is managed and monitored by the province. The construction and maintenance work is generally contracted out to the communities involved, creating local employment opportunities.

The Manitoba winter road system, far from typical in its mode of construction, maintenance and use, provides an excellent example of adaptation to unusual circumstances. X

Compass: Ozge Karzan, Background: Irina Khudoliy / Photos.com

S U B M I T T E D BY M A N I TO B A I N F R A S T R U C T U R E A N D T R A N S P O R TAT I O N

Key facts on Manitoba9s winter roads: r The winter road system serves over 30,000 Manitobans in more than 20 communities with no permanent roads r System is normally open for six to eight weeks between December and March (weather permitting) r The winter road system is approximately 2,500 km constructed mostly over frozen lakes, rivers and muskeg; however, more than 600 km of WKH V\VWHP KDV EHHQ PRYHG Rƪ LFH VXUIDFHV and onto land to further improve safety and reduce environmental risks r Approximately 2,500 shipments of staple items such as fuel, groceries, construction materials and general freight are transported each year by commercial trucks across the system r The budget to open and maintain the winter road system is approximately $9 million, costshared with the federal government

Map and information courtesy of Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation

ConferenceCallSections.dgn 1/24/2007 2:49:04 PM Northern Experience

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Churchill on the Cheap New hostel expands options for budget travellers

BY MARK HALSALL

ItFs a question

Belinda Fitzpatrick gets a lot.

How does someone from half a world away in balmy Queensland, Australia end up in Churchill, Man.?

“People always ask ‘So why did you come here?’ and the answer is I just wanted to do something different,” she said. “I actually came up in the middle of February just to see how cold -40 C was and to see the northern lights.”

That was back in 2006 when the affable Aussie was seeing the world out of her backpack.

“I knew I didn’t want to go to Banff and Lake Louise with all the other Australians. I kind of wanted to experience something really unique,” she said.

Fitzpatrick liked what she experienced in Churchill so much she

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UI love living in Churchill and I love sharing this unique place with people who come up. I wanted to share it with everybody, not just the people who can pay $200 a night or whatever.Y a Belinda Fitzpatrick, Owner, Tundra House Hostel decided to lay down some roots – she’s lived there the past six years.

Now, Fitzpatrick is banking on the unique travel experience offered by Churchill to lure more backpackers to northern Manitoba – and to her new low-rent guesthouse, the Tundra House Hostel, which opened this past June.

Fitzpatrick and her husband Parker – along with their partner Frontiers North Adventures – own the hostel and the nearby hotel, the Tundra

Inn. Fitzpatrick says she was drawn to the idea of running a hostel because of her backpacking background.

“I love living in Churchill and I love sharing this unique place with people who come up,” she said. “I wanted to share it with everybody, not just the people who can pay $200 a night or whatever.”

Accommodation at the Tundra House Hostel costs $35 per night for a bunk in a shared room or $80 per

do is push all the people who are on a budget into the bed and breakfasts that time of year,” she said.

Fitzpatrick maintains their aim is to attract low-budget travellers with a yen for experiencing the rugged beauty of the Canadian arctic along with natural wonders like beluga whales and northern lights.

Demand growing for northern travel experiences

“It’s a great initiative,” said Joel Marier, the national executive director of HI-Canada. “We need to diversify the experience offered to travellers from Canada and abroad. There’s more and more interest for the North of our country and travellers are looking for inexpenUIt9s a great initiative. We need sive alternatives.”

While there are into diversify the experience dications of growing deRƪHUHG WR WUDYHOOHUV IURP mand, Fitzpatrick knows the biggest obstacle facCanada and abroad. There9s ing the Tundra House more and more interest for Hostel is the cost to get there. the North of our country, “Definitely, that’s the and travellers are looking for biggest challenge for inexpensive alternatives.Y Churchill, for everybody trying to get up here,” she a Joel Marier, National Executive said. It costs $1,000 or so Director, HI-Canada to fly there round-trip,

while a return train ride on Via Rail costs around $360.

Fitzpatrick points out that many backpackers travel with a rail pass, which they can use to journey to Churchill if they have time for the two-day trip.

Fitzpatrick says the type of people who frequent Tundra House aren’t put off by the long train ride, perhaps because hostellers tend to be more sociable and adventurous travellers.

“I think it’s definitely a more social experience,” she said. “People come up and they meet and then they just go and travel somewhere else together…

You just sort of have to be relaxed and go with the flow. It’s definitely more of an adventure.”

It may have been adventure that brought Fitzpatrick to Churchill in the first place, but she says it’s the people who convinced her to stay.

“Everyone is really friendly and it’s just a nice place to live,” she said.

“I also like the change in seasons. We didn’t really have seasons where I was from in Australia -- it was just hot and rainy.”

Churchill may be the polar opposite of that in winter, but Fitzpatrick is used to the weather by now. However, she still has a very clear recollection of that fateful day when she first experienced -40 C. As Fitzpatrick says with a laugh, “I wore everything in my backpack.” X

Photos courtesy of Tundra House Hostel

night for a private room. There are discounts for students and members of backpacking networks like Hostelling International (HI).

Up to 16 people can be accommodated in the five-bedroom hostel which features shared kitchen facilities, a common living area with cable television, wireless Internet and two full baths. On-site laundry services and linens are also provided.

Fitzpatrick says Tundra House is open for business every month of the year except October and November, when the hostel shuts down to accommodate extra hotel and restaurant staff brought in during the peak polar bear season.

“Churchill has a lot of bed and breakfasts that only operate during October and November, so what we

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Fall and Winter in the North From geocaching to snowmobiling, there:s a lot to explore B Y G LO R I A TAY LO R

When the temperatures drop, life can be fun for those who enjoy fall and winter activities. Northern Manitoba is a beautiful playground that offers lots of opportunities for residents and visitors to keep busy and happy – from geocaching to snowmobiling. Enjoy!

GPS Wolf Hunt

0LNH 1HDOH KROGV D FDPRXƮDJH painted geocache hidden in a park in Winnipeg, Man. Do you geocache? If not, maybe you should.

Geocaching is a real-world outdoor treasure hunt that is growing at a rapid pace. Finders use GPS devices to follow coordinates to locate caches that other players hide. There are about 1.8 million geocaches throughout the world and Mike Neale, president of the Manitoba Geocaching Association, says about 5,000 of them can be found throughout Manitoba near Churchill, Thompson, Flin Flon and other areas. “Flin Flon has about 150,” he noted.

Finders can register at www.geocaching.com before they set off to locate their geocache. The Manitoba Geocaching Association’s

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Photo courtesy of V. Beckmann

EWe do have caches that encourage cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and travelling over trails, all sorts of things.L M Mike Neale, President, Manitoba Geocaching Association

website at www.mbgeocaching.ca is where people can join other enthusiasts to share, learn and promote the sport.

“Once a finder registers with a club online and then locates a cache, they sign a log book that is in the cache and later they can post the results of their search online to share with other finders,” Neale said.

Part of the fun for someone who likes to travel is the opportunity to search for geocaches anywhere in the province, including northern Manitoba.

“We do have caches that encourage cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and travelling over trails, all sorts of things,” Neale said. He offers a tip to northerners: “If you want to see southern Manitoba show up more in the north, hide lots (of geocaches).”

Some examples of the painted wolf statues in the GPS Wolf Hunt In a hunt that is related to geocaching, you may choose to take part in the GPS Wolf Hunt. The event has no time limit and involves tracking wolf statues in Churchill, Thompson and Winnipeg – just for the fun of it and the travel opportunities.

Participants buy a GPS Wolf Passport then use coordinates to find the 49, 7.5-foot tall Spirit Way individually-painted wolf statues in the participating communities.

Once they find the statues, they record the titles of each in order to be recognized as a GPS Wolf Master Tracker with a personalized certificate and their names posted on the Master Wolf Tracker web page, according to Volker Beckmann, project coordinator for Spirit Way

Background: Jordana Meilleur / Photos.com

Photo courtesy of Mike/Lisa Neale

Geocaching

Inc. Find more detailed information at: www.thompsonspiritway.ca/ take-the-walk/ wolves-along-the-way or call 204-677-1490.

EAnd this is the best place from which to enjoy the Northern Lights from an outdoor hot tub at Bakers Narrows Lodge.L

Walk with the Wolves!

M Peg Baynton, Principal, Bakers Narrow Lodge

While in Thompson, Walk with the Wolves! along the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famed Spirit Way. The award-winning 2.5-kilometre walking and biking path is a designated Manitoba Star Attraction and one of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Top 20 Places to Visit in Manitobaâ&#x20AC;?. Purchase the Official Spirit Way Guide for information on the 16 interesting and scenic points of interest with historical, cultural, geological, industrial and artistic perspectives. More information can be found at: www.thompsonspiritway.ca/ take-the-walk.

,FH ĆŹVKLQJ Northern Manitoba boasts some of the best fishing in Canada, even in the winter.

Lake Athapapuskow near Flin Flon and Clearwater Lake near The Pas have proved to be great ice fishing retreats that provide outstanding lake trout and other species, while Cedar Lake near Grand Rapids yields good winter catches of pike. There is a wealth of lakes throughout northern Manitoba where you can set up your

shelter, cast your line and catch a variety of species.

You will need your fishing gear and some shelter, such as a tent or wooden hut, and can heat your enclosure and fish in relative comfort, even in sub-zero temperatures. If you want to invest even further in your winter sport, you can purchase aids such as super depth finders that let you know what is happening beneath the ice. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Flin Flon area is great for fishing all year round,â&#x20AC;? said Peg Baynton, one of the principals of the family-owned-and-operated Bakers Narrow Lodge, just south of Flin Flon on Highway 10.

Visitors can also enjoy the great cross-country ski trails and snowshoeing opportunities that abound in the area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are trails that are groomed and monitored within a half mile of the lodge,â&#x20AC;? she said.

If you prefer to rent your equipment rather than carry it in, the lodge has equipment for rent.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;This includes fishing gear and a wooden shack for ice fishing. For people who like snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, we have snowshoes and skis they can rent,â&#x20AC;? Baynton said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And this is the best place from which to enjoy the northern lights from an outdoor hot tub at Bakers Narrows Lodge,â&#x20AC;? she added.

For a change of pace, try a bombardier tour on the ice of beautiful Lake Athapapuskow. The lodge can arrange tours for four or more people.

Brian Zuk, who operates Tonapah Lodge near Cranberry Portage with his wife Tammy, says there is plenty of opportunity to ice fish in the area. Later, visitors can cook up their catches in the kitchenette of one of Tonapah Lodgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s motel units. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They can bring their own rods and augers or we can supply them to visitors,â&#x20AC;? Zuk said, adding that visitors will also find amenities such as a grocery and hardware store in the community.

Photo courtesy of Travel Manitoba

:KLOH ĆŹVKLQJ LQ WKH QRUWK LV D \HDU URXQG DFWLYLW\ LFH ĆŹVKLQJ LV particularly popular

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Snowmobiling And don’t forget to take someone along when you go snowshoeing in sparsely-populated areas.

Paint Lake Provincial Park, about 25 miles south of Thompson, is just one developed area where people can snowshoe, but they can also take advantage of facilities to go cross country skiing, ice skating and tobogganing in the park. For a winter map of facilities, please see: http://bit.ly/ winter-map-PL. More information is available at 1-800-214-6497 (204-945-6784 in Winnipeg) or at www.manitobaparks. com.

Snowshoeing and tobogganing are some of the activities you will also find throughout the winter in Gillam and the surrounding area. Call Delanie Allan, recreation programmer, at 204652-3168 for more information.

Snowshoeing

Cross country and downhill skiing

Photo courtesy of Travel Manitoba

There are thousands of kilometres of groomed trails in northern Manitoba for your enjoyment. Sled from town to town or enjoy an incredible 144-kilometre trail from The Pas to Flin Flon. There are numerous ski clubs throughout the province that maintain the groomed trails and provide information for sledders.

Snoman Inc. (Snowmobilers of Manitoba)’s Executive Director Ken Lucko looks forward to this season and says that snowmobiling was big in northern Manitoba last year despite the fact that there was not enough snow in southern Manitoba for prime riding conditions.

Check out the organization’s website at http://snoman.mb.ca for a wealth of useful information like where to buy a Snopass, trail conditions and how to obtain a map.

Snowshoeing can burn more than 600 calories an hour Wherever there’s snow, chances are you can go snowshoeing. And you won’t need expensive equipment, just your snowshoes, warm clothes and maybe a backpack to carry any needed supplies.

The sport is relatively easy to learn, inexpensive compared to many other sports and offers phenomenal health benefits.

According to Snowsports Industries America (SIA), snowshoeing can burn more than 600 calories an hour – 45 per cent more calories than walking or running at the same speed.

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Mystery Mountain Winter Park, 22 kilometres north of Thompson, is an outdoor oasis for winter fun. It features 18 ski runs, a tobogganing area and more than 25 kilometres of cross country ski trails. Facilities are open from about December to mid-April.

Check out the website for more information: www.mysterymountain.ca.

Flin Flon is home to some of the best cross country ski trails in the province. Maintained by the Flin Flon Ski Club, the trails have hosted numerous competitions thanks to the quality facilities.

There are 27 kilometres of trails ranging in difficulty from beginner to challenging. The trails include the Race Loop, Carlisle Loop, Boundary Trail and Valley Loop. Try some evening skiing in the Valley Loop (2.3 kilometres / 1.5 miles) which is lighted until 10 p.m. on nights that are suitable for skiing.

Non-club members can use the trails but are encouraged to make a donation in the outdoor box to help pay the costs of maintaining the trails.

More information can be found at www.flinflonskiclub.com.

Walk/photograph the great white bears There are numerous companies that offer intriguing eco-tours throughout the province. You can book a holiday for anything from viewing the polar bears to enjoying local attractions. Polar bears are a great draw for tourists around the world and most often visitors view the great white bears from the vantage point of a tundra buggy.

Manitoba-based Churchill Wild however offers participants an opportunity to view and photograph the bears on foot through its Polar Bear Photo Safari (October/November) and its Mothers & Cubs Safari (August/September).

“According to our research, we are the only company offering polar bear tours on the ground,” said Rick Kemp, director of marketing and communications for Churchill Wild, calling the tours “the world’s next great safari.”

Experienced bear guides make the trip safe and productive for all travellers.

“We have bear guides who are probably the most experienced bear guides in the world,” Kemp said.

The Polar Bear Photo Safari will take you to the Seal River Heritage Lodge, a 30-minute flight north of Churchill, and other destinations that dedicated wildlife photographers – and non-photographers alike will love.

This will appeal to those who want to get up close and personal to the bears and other wildlife, marvel at the northern lights and enjoy the stunning landscapes.

Expert guides on the Polar Bear Photo Safari will lead visitors on walking/photographic tours of the bears in their natural habitat.

The Mothers & Cubs Safari will take travellers to Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge, 250 kilometres southeast of Churchill on the Hudson Bay coast.

This fall, Manitoba Conservation officials discovered a large number of polar bear dens along the coastline near the Ontario border, increasing the estimated numbers of polar bears in the area.

More information on these and any of the company’s tours can be found at http://www.churchillwild.com or by calling 1-866-UGO-WILD (846-9453).

Photo by Katherine Johnson

In just a one-day excursion, you could view polar bears from a tundra buggy

Day tripping with the polar bears Too busy for an extended holiday but need a quick get-away? Consider the Churchill Polar Bear Day Tour offered by the Great Canadian Travel Company. The unique one-day excursion starts before 7 a.m. when you board a Calm Air flight to Churchill and includes a full day of polar bear

viewing in a tundra buggy until you finally leave Churchill at 8 p.m.

The company also offers a twonight, two-day excursion called the Bear Country Adventure, which offers travellers an extra day in Churchill.

Participants would take the tundra buggy tour one day and enjoy a second day of other planned activities.

“We can customize activities for the second day,” said Holli Sodomlak,

Alternate activities could include a helicopter ride, dog sled ride or others. For more information, log on to: www.greatcanadiantravel.com/ bear-country-adventure, www.greatcanadiantravel.com/home or call 204-949-0199. X

CARAPACE

Explore the rich heritage of the Town of The Pas on the banks of the historic Saskatchewan River.

Experience the eclectic collection of Mr. Sam Waller.

®

FREEZE PROTECTED POLYETHYLENE WATER PIPE

2 Certified to CSA B137.1 2 No Need to Excavate Below the Frost Line 2 No Blasting Required 2 Labour & Cost Savings 2 Reliable & Energy Efficient 2 Rural & Municipal Grade Available

306 Fischer Avenue The Pas Manitoba Open daily 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Summer hours 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Historic Walking Tours available Web: www.samwallermuseum.ca Phone: 623-3802

manager product development, who adds that the trip is also economical at under $2,000 per person.

Manitoba Star Attraction

(800) 584-4944 www.heatline.com Northern Experience

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northerncommunityprofile

CHURCHILL

Slogans: kPolar Bear Capital of the Worldl and kBeluga Whale Capital of the Worldl

A variety of services and products can be found from groceries to general goods; from liquor store to banking facilities

Tundra buggy, helicopter tours are available

Town centre is connected to a local health centre

Population: 813

Major sites: Polar bears, beluga whales, bird watching, northern lights, Wapusk National Park, York Factory fur trade centre, Fort Prince of Wales, Cape Merry stone battery, Eskimo Museum, Rocket & Research Range, Miss Piggy airplane wreck, MV Ithaca shipwreck

Tourism Mecca

K

nown as the Polar Bear and Beluga Whale Capital of the World, Churchill boasts a thriving tourism industry that is associated with growth. New markets such as northern lights (January to September) and North AmericaMs foremost bird watching location (May to July) have served to inspire the development of yearround eco-tourism opportunities.

Historically, Churchill has also been on the cutting edge of research and development, commencing with the construction of the Prince of Wales Fort in 1732 and followed by the development of the rail line and the grain port at the start of the 20th century g both still in full operation today. As a result, Churchill has become an international transportation hub that could easily be complemented by a variety of manufacturing opportunities.

During the Cold War, Churchill was the ideal location for upper and lower atmospheric research, which produced an infrastructure unlike any other in northern Canada. Today, a fully functioning rocket and research facility waits for its next opportunity, and scientists and researchers from around the world gather to use the facilities at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. Equipped with dormitories, fullservice kitchen facilities, research science labs, observatory domes, a reference library, computer lab and equipment and vehicle rentals, the FHQWUH LV ZHOO SRVLWLRQHG WR KDQGOH DQ\ VFLHQWLĆŹF UHTXLUHPHQW For those looking to visit or relocate to Churchill, the community has a superior standard of living and is bursting with recreational opportunities for families. The jewel in ChurchillMs crown is a 240,000-square-foot Town Centre Complex, equipped with an indoor playground, daycare facilities, a curling rink and lounge, arena, gymnasium, swimming pool, library, restaurant, video rental, 300-seat WKHDWUH D . VFKRRO WKH 5HJLRQDO +HDOWK $XWKRULW\ DQG WKH RĆŻFHV for the Town of Churchill. X

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Getting there: 970 km north of Winnipeg by air and 1,700 km by rail

Major events: r $XURUD :LQWHUIHVW 1st week in April r +XGVRQ %D\ 4XHVW late March/early April r %D\ 'LS -XO\ VW

Website: www.churchill.ca

northerncommunityprofile

CRANBERRY PORTAGE

Founded in the mid-M50s Slogan: The New Wilderness Adventure

Home to Frontier School Division and the Frontier Collegiate Institute Residence for northern students

Population: 575

Getting there: Near Hwy. 10 south of Flin Flon

Major sites: r &RWWDJH ORW GHYHORSPHQWV r &RPPXQLW\ SOD\JURXQG r 6FKLVW /DNH 'HYHORSHUV titled lakefront lots.

Major events: r &XUOLQJ %RQVSLHOV ODGLHVo mixed, menMs r %RPEDUGLHU 5DOO\

Website: www.cranberryportage.net

Outdoor Playground

L

ake Athapapuskow and the Cranberry Lake/Simon House Lake area are on a divide, with water from the Cranberrys running east to the Grassy River chain, into the Burnt Nelson chain, and /DNH $WKDSDSXVNRZoV SULVWLQH ZDWHUV ĆŽRZLQJ VRXWK LQWR WKH Saskatchewan River. Cranberry Portage is on a route that was used by Henry Kelsey years ago and it is one of the most beautiful areas in the North.

The Cranberry Portage area began to expand its tourism potential around 2004, when the premier of Manitoba announced the development of 1,000 lakeside cabin lots. Since then, two more GHYHORSPHQWV KDYH EHHQ SXW WRJHWKHU RĆŞHULQJ WRXULVWV ORRNLQJ IRU D peaceful spot in nature many exciting choices.

Aside from tranquil settings and peaceful spots, Cranberry Portage RĆŞHUV D QXPEHU RI ORFDO DWWUDFWLRQV JXDUDQWHHG WR NHHS WRXULVWV coming back. In September 2012, the Northern Technical Centre opened its doors in the hangar on the Frontier Collegiate property.

Cranberry Portage has 140 surveyed lots developed with roads and hydro to most of them. The areaMs canoe routes, camp spots, ORGJHV F\FOLQJ DQG ZDONLQJ WUDLOV DORQJ ZLWK EHDFKHV RĆŞHU ERXQGOHVV recreational opportunities. The scenery and wildlife add to oneMs enjoyment.

The community is also home to the WorldMs Largest Tipi, (which is approximately 2,800 square feet); it was erected during the National Aboriginal Artist Administrators Gathering that was held in Cranberry Portage in August 2007. X

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northerncommunityprofile

Mascot: Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin (Flinty) Flin Flon Tourist Park and &DPSJURXQG RĆŞHUV QRQ electric and electric sites, picnic and tenting areas

Population: 5,363

Getting there: Saskatchewan/Manitoba border

Bbob/Flickr

FLIN FLON

Located north of the 55th parallel of latitude, the City of Flin Flon is part of the Precambrian Amisk Volcanic Belt

Major sites: Flin Flon Station Museum, Joe Brain Petting Zoo, Flinty Boardwalk, Phantom Lake Golf Club

Major events: r 4XHHQ (OL]DEHWKoV Diamond Jubilee celebrations, May 25 to 27 r 7URXW )HVWLYDO June 28 to July 1 r )OLQ )ORQ -XQLRU +RFNH\ Action, September to March

Website: ZZZ FLW\RĆ°LQĆŽRQ FD

Visit the Shield

F

lin FlonMs unique placement, built upon rock at the edge of the Precambrian Shield, makes the city as scenic from all angles as it is rich in mineral deposits. Thanks to solid infrastructure and abundant recreation opportunities, the area is a wonderland for businesses and vacationers alike.

Flin FlonMs population of about 5,363 makes it one of the provinceMs most thriving communities. Mining has traditionally been, and remains, the City of Flin FlonMs main industry. But Flin FlonMs economic success is built on more than mining. Tourism is a strong secondary industry in the area.

Canadians, and American travellers from the northern states to as IDU GRZQ DV 7H[DV YLVLW )OLQ )ORQ IRU DEXQGDQW ĆŹVKLQJ DQG KXQWLQJ opportunities. Recreational opportunities also abound, with an indoor swimming pool, campgrounds, curling rinks, a junior hockey team, ski club, Ski-Doo club, sailing club, and many other activities available in the city.

Flin FlonMs residents have access to many quality services. A 68bed hospital employs doctors, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. In addition, the city has two dentists, a denturist, an optometrist and two chiropractors. Education options are plentiful for all age groups, with elementary schools (including French Immersion Curriculum), a high school, an alternative learning centre and a University College of the North campus.

The cityMs public transportation system and daily air service ensure easy access to Flin Flon and all its amenities.

Flin Flon has already begun to see its economy diversify as new businesses and industries begin to take notice of the area. Unique business opportunities such as non-timber forest products that are harvested in the region provide some supplementary income to residents.

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7UDYHOOHUV YLVLW )OLQ )ORQ IRU DEXQGDQW ĆŹVKLQJ and hunting opportunities.

In addition, anticipated upgrades to highways throughout the city should continue to make the cityMs infrastructure desirable for those looking to invest in northern opportunities. X

northerncommunityprofile Population: 1,281

Getting there: 730 kilometres north of Winnipeg

Jasonbook99 / Wikimedia

GILLAM

Named after Captain Zachary Gillam and his son, Benjamin, 17th century fur traders on HudsonMs Bay. First settlement started in 1912-13.

Once a migration route for Barrenland Caribou

Major events: r :LQWHU &DUQLYDO r 1HOVRQ 5LYHU )LUHĆŹJKWHUV 5RGHR r $79 5RGHR DQG 5DIW 5DFHV r &DQDGD 'D\ &HOHEUDWLRQV

Major sites: r Manitoba Hydro dam site tours r +XQWLQJ r )LVKLQJ

Website: www.townofgillam.com

Relax in the Power Capital

G

illam, the Power Capital of Manitoba, is a small but growing community located north of the 56th parallel, approximately 300 kilometres north of Thompson. The townMs main industry is power generated by Manitoba Hydro, and Gillam has grown along with the need for hydro.

Gillam began as a small Aboriginal and MĂŠtis community, but has grown to a town of more than 1,200 people. Gillam boasts an indoor swimming pool g the Nelson River Aquatic Centre g located next to the Gillam Recreation Centre. Open for public swimming for all ages, the SRRO DOVR RĆŞHUV VZLPPLQJ OHVVRQV DQG SULYDWH ERRNLQJV 7KH SRRO FDQ comfortably accommodate 50 swimmers and also houses a waterslide and a kiddie pool. $V SDUW RI *LOODPoV EHDXWLĆŹFDWLRQ SODQ VHYHUDO OLJKWHG ZDONZD\ SDWKV are planned for the town. A new kWelcome to Gillaml sign will be installed at the entrance to the town. Also adding to the appeal of Gillam is the townMs driving range, which opened in August 2007. The WRZQ LQFOXGHV D FUHGLW XQLRQ KDUGZDUH VWRUH DQ LQVXUDQFH RĆŻFH DQG SRVW RĆŻFH LQ D FHQWUDOO\ ORFDWHG PDOO 7KH PDLQ WRZQ DUHD LV KRPH to a beauty shop, grocery store, convenience store, garage, motor VSRUWV VKRS OLTXRU YHQGRU JLIW DQG ĆŽRZHU VKRS D KRWHO PRWHO DQG three restaurants. *LOODP KDV LWV RZQ KRVSLWDO DQG RĆŞHUV UHJXODU GHQWDO FKLURSUDFWLF massage therapy and optometrist visits. The town also has a large school accommodating students from nursery through senior four.

There are several ways to get to Gillam. An all-weather road, PR 280, is a wonderful way to see the beautiful terrain surrounding the area.

Gillam also enjoys regular air service with Calm Air, daily bus arrivals and departures with Greyhound, and service with Via Rail. You can also travel on to Churchill, the Polar Bear Capital, from Gillam with Via Rail. X

Gillam is known as kthe Power Capital of Manitoba.l

THE TOWN OF GILLAM Welcomes you to fishing, hunting and camping country.

Explore the road to Gillam then relax on the train to Churchill.

Town Office: 204-652-3150 Website: www.townofgillam.com Location: 730 kilometres north of Winnipeg by air, 1,065 kilometres north of Winnipeg by road, 1,401 kilometres north of Winnipeg by rail.

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northerncommunityprofile

LEAF RAPIDS

Slogan: The NorthMs Hidden Treasure Founded: 1971

First municipality in North America to ban single-use plastic shopping bags

Population: 453

Major sites: r Churchill River, Churchill River Lodge r $QFLHQW 5RFN 3LFWRJUDSKV r 7KH PRVW QRUWKHUQ National Exhibition Centre in Manitoba

Getting there: Northwestern Manitoba on Hwy. 391

Major events: r Winter Carnival r %LOO $QGHUVRQ 0HPRULDO Fishing Derby

Website: ZZZ WRZQRĆŽHDIUDSLGV FD

Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hidden Treasure

T

he townsite of Leaf Rapids is situated on D JODFLDO HVNHU ĆŹYH NLORPHWUHV IURP WKH beautiful Churchill River. The location is an idyllic playground for outdoor activities.

In summer, the mighty Churchill River provides hundreds of kilometres of navigable waterways.

7KH DUHD LV D ĆŹVKHUPDQoV GUHDP FRPH WUXH because of its abundant northern pike and walleye. Several lakes in the area boast LQFUHGLEOH ODNH WURXW ĆŹVKLQJ DQG WZR VWRFNHG ODNHV RĆŞHU WKH WKULOO RI ĆŹVKLQJ IRU UDLQERZ trout. A variety of hunting opportunities exists, including spring and fall black bear hunts, moose hunts and game bird hunting. For families, tenting facilities are available along with safe VDQG\ EHDFKHV WKDW RĆŞHU TXLHW UHOD[DWLRQ 7KH walking trails are a delight to the nature lover and berry picker alike.

The crystal clear tranquil lakes are ideal for canoe enthusiasts. In winter, cross-country ski trails and snow machine trails criss-cross the area, providing recreation for everybody. A major attraction is the Leaf Rapids Winter Carnival in March, and scenic photo opportunities abound year round.

Recreational paradise Nine holes of golf are played on a course surrounded by breathtaking scenery.

Turnbull Lake meanwhile lies four kilometres VRXWK RI WRZQ DQG RĆŞHUV VDQG\ EHDFKHV DQG crystal clear water for great family fun and entertainment.

Unparalleled sunsets, hiking trails and

Natural resources, vegetation and wildlife

canoe routes. Trophy fishing and hunting with bountiful natural resources.

Leaf Rapids lies in the northern boreal forest region, which is predominantly comprised of jackpine, spruce and tamarack, as well as a variety of low berry bushes, such as blackberry, wild strawberry, gooseberry and high bush cranberries. It extends over northern Manitoba and transitions to the treeless tundra characteristic of the Churchill area. Prominent features in this northern landscape are sandy ridges or peskers,M which often extend for miles.

Welcome to beautiful Leaf Rapids. X

Come Home To The Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hidden Treasure For a complete listing of homes/cottages available for $35,000 & less visit our website â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.townofleafrapids.ca Town of Leaf Rapids 204-473-2436

Northern pike and walleye are abundant.

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Located 1,000 km north of Winnipeg

northerncommunityprofile

LYNN LAKE

Slogan: Sport Fishing Capital of Manitoba Founded: 1951

Cartoonist Lynn Johnston (For Better or Worse) lived in Lynn Lake for many years.

Rock star Tom Cochrane was born in Lynn Lake.

Steve Andreychuk, former WHL and NHL hockey player, was raised in Lynn Lake.

Population: 482

Getting there: 1,100 km north of Winnipeg, 311 km from Thompson

Major sites: r 7KH PXUDOV GHSLFWLQJ WKH regionMs natural beauty r 0LQLQJ 7RZQ 0XVHXP r /LQQ 7UDFWRU 'LVSOD\

Major events: r *UHDW 1RUWKHUQ 3LNH Fish Derby r /\QQ /DNH :LQWHU &DUQLYDO r $QQXDO +DW 3DUW\ r /\QQ /DNH $QQXDO 3RZZRZ r &DQDGD 'D\ &HOHEUDWLRQV

Website: www.lynnlake.ca

True North Adventure

U

nwind g Touch eskers of sand and gravel crafted by the powers of retreating glaciers millennia ago; be mesmerized by the incredible northern lights; breathe the fragrant purity of the northern boreal forest; taste the delicacy of fresh pan-fried walleye; listen to the enchanting sunset calls of loons . Once you arrive in Lynn Lake, there is no mistaking that you are in CanadaMs true north: free, rugged, and breathtaking.

Experiencing the pristine lakes and rivers surrounded by the rugged northern boreal forest provide memories to treasure for a lifetime. Majestic wilderness in an XQWRXFKHG VHWWLQJ RĆŞHUV VROLWXGH and an opportunity to become one as a family, and with nature. This is the Land of Little Sticks, where spruce trees have adapted to cope with WKH IRUFHV RI QDWXUH s WKH IRUHVWoV ĆŹQDO KXUUDK EHIRUH JLYLQJ ZD\ WR WKH barren North.

Lynn Lake is the regional service centre in northwest Manitoba with a hospital, paved 5,000-ft. runway, k-12 school, Manitoba Hydro, SURYLQFLDO &RQVHUYDWLRQ DQG 7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ RĆŻFHV &DQDGD 3RVW ORFDO DQG UHJLRQDO 5&03 VHUYLFHV DPEXODQFH DQG ĆŹUH SURWHFWLRQ Serving residents, visitors and out-of-town workers alike, the selection of businesses here include lodges, short- and long-term accommodations; restaurants and licensed establishments; automotive

VHUYLFHV DQG IXHO DQG D YDULDQW RI VWRUHV RĆŞHULQJ JURFHULHV JHQHUDO PHUFKDQGLVH JLIWV DQG MHZHOOHU\ KDUGZDUH KXQWLQJ ĆŹVKLQJ VXSSOLHV convenience and healthcare/pharmacy.

Lynn Lake is your portal to true northern adventure. Whether you DUH ORRNLQJ IRU D UHOD[LQJ GD\ DV WKH RQO\ ĆŹVKHUPDQ RQ D WUDQTXLO ODNH RU WKH FKDOOHQJH RI ZKLWH ZDWHU FDQRHLQJ \RX ZLOO ĆŹQG LW KHUH Annual caribou migrations to the north, abundant moose, bear and wolf populations, extreme snowmobiling, hiking along eskers and, of FRXUVH XQSDUDOOHOHG DĆŞRUGDEOH DQG URDG DFFHVVLEOH VSRUW ĆŹVKLQJ LWoV all here. X

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northerncommunityprofile

OCN

Population: 2,319 Getting there: West-central Manitoba across Saskatchewan River from The Pas

OPASKWAYAK CREE NATION

Slogan: kProgress and Independencel Founded: 1906

Mission: To have true Aboriginal Self-Government as determined by the people, which incorporates our cultural values and traditions and is based on our own unique history

Major events: r 7UDSSHUVo )HVWLYDO WKLUG week in February r 2SDVNZD\DN ,QGLDQ 'D\V mid-August r +RPH RI WKH 2&1 %OL]]DUG Jr. kAl Hockey Club

Major sites: r Kikiwak Inn r 2WLQHND 0DOO r $VHQHVNDN &DVLQR

Website: www.thepasarea.com

Building on Success

B

lessed with a rich heritage and strong culture, and led by a strong business development organization, the Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) has become an economic leader among Manitoba First Nations.

PBDC activities include planning and implementing business initiatives and overseeing growth of businesses, including several retail and service outlets. The organizationMs leadership and vision has allowed many businesses to thrive in the area, creating a social and economic environment that is well equipped to serve new business interests.

The areaMs retail centre is the Otineka Mall. While originally envisioned by the Otineka Development Corporation as a community grocery VWRUH WRGD\ WKH FRPSOH[ FRYHUV DFUHV DQG KRXVHV VWRUHV DQG RĆŻFHV throughout its three levels. The PBDCMs newest ventures include Sports Traders, Your Dollar Store with More and the Big kEl Mart.

The IGA grocery store offers the only scratch bakery in town (specializing in wedding and all other occasion cakes), a fresh meat counter and wide deli and produce selections. In addition, personalized calendars and photo greeting cards can be made here.

In a corner of the mall parking lot lies another PBDC success story. The OCN Shell Gas Bar opened in November 1998. When the organization took control of the struggling business, they were told it would sell no more than four million litres of gas annually. The PBDC added pumps, VSDFH DQG VWDĆŞ DQG LW SDLG RĆŞ 7RGD\ WKH ORFDWLRQ VHOOV PRUH WKDQ eight million litres each year, and the confectionery sells more than $100,000 worth of goods annually.

Sports Traders is one of the newest ventures located inside the mall and specializes in team orders and new or used sporting equipment.

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Photos.com

The Paskwayak Business Development Corporation (PBDC) was founded in 1987 to promote economic development for the membership of its First Nation. The organization is run as a commercial holding company and is fully owned by members of OCN. The Kikiwak Inn has 60 guestrooms, a pool, hot tub and exercise facilities.

The store also takes trades and has a full-service repair depot and RĆŞHUV VNDWH VKDUSHQLQJ LQ WKH ZLQWHU 7K H %LJ p(q 0DUW LV ORFDWHG LQ %LJ Eddy and services the people in that area with groceries and snacks.

Your Dollar Store with More has many items for all age groups at a very DĆŞRUGDEOH SULFH The Pas Food Town, which has the new name Paskwayak Convenience Store, is another convenient location. The store, located on Hogan Avenue, opened in December 1997 and is another successful PBDC EXVLQHVV 7KH IDFLOLW\ RĆŞHUV JURFHULHV WREDFFR SURGXFH DQG IUHVK meat and has a lottery ticket outlet. It is open seven days a week and during all holidays for the convenience of its customers.

For those who have business clients travelling to OCN, there is a comfortable place to stay. The 3½ star Kikiwak Inn opened in 1996 and features 60 guestrooms, a pool, hot tub, exercise facilities and a full-service restaurant and lounge. The hotel also has meeting facilities, so important business decisions can be made without even leaving the building. ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR 2&1oV HFRQRPLF EDVH RI UHWDLO RƯFH VSDFH DQG accommodations, PBDC business Northland Redi-Mix Concrete & Gravel Operations can supply material to be used for new business construction. If youMre interested in exploring the economic opportunities that lie in OCN, call Paskwayak Business Development Corporation at 204-627-7200. X

northerncommunityprofile

SNOW LAKE

Rich mining history with gold discovered 98 years ago The slogan is kHeavy Metal Paradisel

Land of opportunity with four mineral projects and $1 billion in investment

Population: 800

Getting there: Central Manitoba, Provincial Road 392

Major sites: r Manitoba Star Attraction r 0LQLQJ 0XVHXP r 7UDPSLQJ /DNH 3HWURJUDSKV r :HNXVNR )DOOV ZLWK suspension bridges r Numerous trails

Major events: r /DGLHVo DQG 0HQoV Bonspiels, February r :LQWHU :KRRW &DUQLYDO r 6QRZ 'ULIWHUV 5DGDU 5XQV

Website: www.snowlake.ca

The Land of Opportunity

S

Lalor Mine photo by AirScapes International Inc.

now Lake is the land of opportunity. With a billion dollars of investment, Snow Lake is at a key point in its history. The development of the Lalor Mine, the re-opening of the Snow Lake mine, the eminent production at the Reed mine and the FRQVWUXFWLRQ RI WKH ZRUOGoV ĆŹUVW ELROHDFK UHPHGLDWLRQ IDFLOLW\ SURYLGH D powerful framework for growth. Each of these mineral development SURMHFWV ZLOO EULQJ VLJQLĆŹFDQW UHYHQXHV DQG MREV LQWR WKH FRPPXQLW\ DQG ZLOO WULSOH 6QRZ /DNHoV SRSXODWLRQ LQ WKH QH[W WKUHH WR ĆŹYH \HDUV The town is actively engaged in building on the economic opportunity.

Anticipating a surge in population, the town has already constructed a new water plant is now building a state-of-the-art waste treatment plant. Three housing subdivisions are under construction and a new industrial park has been mapped out.

As Snow Lake grows to become a pivotal resource centre in Manitoba, akin, but admittedly smaller, to Fort McMurray in Alberta; the opportunities to explore and mine the Snow Lake Greenstone Belt will prove attractive to investors, businesses and human capital across Canada.

2YHU WKH QH[W WKUHH WR ĆŹYH \HDUV WKH 6QRZ /DNH *UHHQVWRQH %HOW is poised to become the home of one of CanadaMs most successful PLQLQJ YHQWXUHV 7KLV H[FLWLQJ QHZ SRWHQWLDO DQG GLYHUVLĆŹHG HFRQRPLF opportunity will build towards a successful rolled-out expansion that increases jobs, strong business community and for ongoing community development and sustainability. X

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northerncommunityprofile

THE PAS

Population: 5,513

Slogan: kThe Gateway to the Northl Town was incorporated in 1912

7KH ĆŹUVW QDPH of the town was Paskoyac

Getting there: 630 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg

Major sites: r Sam Waller Museum r Devon Park r Via Station r One of two main campuses for University College of the North

Major events: r Northern Manitoba Trappers Festival r Opasquia Indian Days

Website: www.townofthepas.com

Gateway to the North Beckoning visitors from near and far with one of only three true blue lakes in the world, The Pas possesses an abundance of natural allure. With a bevy of nearby lakes and rivers, The Pas is home to a wide variety of game animals and waterfowl, including moose, black bear, deer, elk, Canada geese and ducks. Trophy-caliber lake trout, northern pike and walleye also heavily populate the area.

<HDU URXQG DFWLYLWLHV DUH RĆŞHUHG WR WKH RXWGRRU HQWKXVLDVW UDQJLQJ IURP ERDWLQJ FDQRHLQJ VZLPPLQJ ĆŹVKLQJ DQG VDLOLQJ LQ WKH VXPPHU WR FURVV FRXQWU\ VNLLQJ VQRZPRELOLQJ DQG LFH ĆŹVKLQJ LQ WKH ZLQWHU 7KH VXUURXQGLQJ ZLOGHUQHVV QHYHU IDLOV WR RĆŞHU XS D PXOWLWXGH RI RSWLRQV for healthy entertainment.

This multi-industry town is more than just a hunterMs dream, however, and is sure to delight any visitor who makes the journey to this yearround paradise. A variety of unique cultural activities awaits you throughout the year, including the agricultural fair, Opaskwayak Indian Days, Cultural Days and the Northern Manitoba TrappersM Festival, which is the second longest running annual winter festival in Canada.

With some of the most northern farming lands in all of Canada, as well as pulp-and-paper- making giant, Tolko Industries Ltd., The Pas is blessed with a wide diversity of industry. This diversity extends to the cultural world as well, where the Saskatchewan River runs between The Pas and the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, which is home to local junior A hockey team, the OCN Blizzard.

The OCN Blizzard isnMt the only form of local sporting entertainment as The Pas is home to more than 60 sports and recreational clubs, as well as excellent facilities, including the Roy H. Johnston Arena, Winton 3RRO DQG WKH QHZO\ RSHQHG ZHOOQHVV FHQWUH $GGLWLRQDOO\ VRIWEDOO ĆŹHOGV VRFFHU SLWFKHV WHQQLV FRXUWV WUDFN DQG ĆŹHOG IDFLOLWLHV VNDWLQJ SDUNV DQG D quarter-mile stock car oval can be found in or around The Pas.

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Between The Pas and OCN, there are two shopping malls, over 200 retail stores and several well-known chain restaurants, stores and hotels, making The Pas not only the retail and service centre hub for northern Manitoba, but also a must see destination for any traveler looking for adventure and the comforts of home perfectly blended as one. X

Lake photo by David Cobb. Museum photo by Bobak HaMEri / Wikimedia. Stock images: Photos.com

F

amously credited as the kGateway to the North,l The Pas stands SURXGO\ DV RQH RI WKH ĆŹUVW VHWWOHPHQWV LQ QRUWKHUQ 0DQLWRED

northerncommunityprofile

THOMPSON

Slogan: kHub of the Northl Mascot: King Miner

Incorporated in 1970

Population: 12,839

Getting there: Hwy. 6 north, 740 kilometres north of Winnipeg

Major sites: r 0LOOHQQLXP 7UDLO r 7KRPSVRQ =RR r +HULWDJH 1RUWK 0XVHXP r 3DLQW /DNH 3URYLQFLDO 3DUN r 6SLULW :D\ :DONZD\

Major events: r 1LFNHO 'D\V -XQH WR r &HOHEUDWLQJ 75&& *UDQG Opening at the Health and Leisure Mart Sept. 7 and 8

Website: www.thompson.ca

City Meets Pristine Wilderness Statue and City Hall photos by Jasonbook99 / Wikimedia. Scenic photos: rights managed by Thompson Unlimited, Š Larry Hall

T

hompson, Man. is a beautiful northern city with all the city amenities to make life comfortable, but the unique northern city is also VXUURXQGHG E\ ZLGH RSHQ VSDFHV WKDW RĆŞHU unparalleled recreation opportunities.

Thompson is a vital northern regional service centre for key economic sectors such as transportation, education and medical services. It is also a centre for First Nations leadership and numerous government and business services and can rightly lay claim to being called ManitobaMs kHub of the North.l When it comes to recreation, Thompson and DUHD RĆŞHUV VRPH RI WKH EHVW ĆŹVKLQJ KXQWLQJ snowmobiling and cross-country skiing opportunities found in the North.

The city is located 830 kilometres north of the American border and 750 kilometres north of Winnipeg. Several towns and First Nation communities located in northern Manitoba have established transportation

links with Thompson, either by road, train or air. The city is located in the Precambrian Shield on the shores of the Burntwood River.

It is nestled among numerous lakes and rivers and is surrounded by the boreal forest. The community rests alongside one of the largest nickel ore deposits in Canada.

The city courts investors. Big box retailers, real estate developers, and franchise owners are invited to check out the opportunities.

Meanwhile, development of the new UCN Thompson Campus and hydro dam construction are some of the larger public and private sector developments that promise to keep people working.

Vale, a nickel mining company in the northern city, the tourism industry and expansion of the cold-weather testing centre contribute to the economy on an ongoing basis.

Meanwhile, Thompson is committed to maintaining positive relationships with First Nations peoples. In 2009, the city entered

into an agreement that states that positive relationships must grow between the city and Aboriginal communities. X

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Lodges, Accommodations and Services Listing Churchill Adventure Walking Tours Ph: 204-675-2147 Fax: 204-675-2103 Nature hikes, birdwatching Arctic Trading Company Ph: 204-675-8804 Fax: 204-675-2164 www.arctictradingco.com Canadian indigenous art Aurora Inn Ph: 204-675-2071 Toll free: 1-888-840-1344 www.aurora-inn.mb.ca Spacious suites Bear Country Inn Ph: 204-675-8299 26 cosy rooms, courtesy van BearFs Den B&B Ph: 204-675-2556 Blue Sky Bed & Sled Ph: 204-675-2001 www.blueskymush.com Dog sledding/B&B Boreal Projects Ltd. Ph: 204-675-8866 July and August by appointment Calm Air International LP Ph: 204-778-6471 or 1-800-839-2256 Fax: 204-778-6954 www.calmair.com Charters, air service in Manitoba/Nunavut Caskey B&B Ph: 204-675-2962 Churchill Arctic Travel Ph: 204-675-2811 Toll free: 1-800-267-5128 Churchill Chamber of Commerce Ph: 204-675-2022 Toll free: 1-888-389-2327 Churchill Motel Ltd. Ph: 204-675-8853 Fax: 204-675-8228 26 rooms, shuttle service

Churchill Wild Ph: 204-377-5090 Toll free: 1-888-UGO-WILD (846-9453) 5HPRWH Ʈ\ LQ HFR ORGJH

Northern Nights Lodge Ph: 204-675-2403

Cormorant

Parks Canada Ph: 204-675-8863

Churchill Wilderness Encounter Ph: 204-675-2248

Pizza by the Bay Ph: 204-675-8262

Cormorant Lakeshore Guesthouse Ph: 204-357-2218 (evenings) Cormorantlake@mts.net www.mts.net/~bshlache/

'\PRQG /DNH 2XWƬWWHUV Toll free: 1-888-WEBBERS (932-2377) www.webberslodges.com 5HPRWH Ʈ\ LQ ƬVKLQJ DQG hunting packages

Polar Bear B&B Ph: 204-675-2819

Eskimo Museum Ph: 204-675-2030 Great White Bear Tours Ph: 204-675-2781 Toll free: 1-866-765-8344 www.greatwhitebeartours.com GypsyFs Bakery Ph: 204-675-2322 Fax: 204-675-2413 Hudson Bay Helicopters Ph: 204-675-2576 Toll free: 1-867-873-5146 www.HudsonBayHeli.com Helicopter charters and tours Hudson Bay Port Company Ph: 204-675-8823 Iceberg Inn Ph: 204-675-2228 8 rooms, Sears outlet Kivalliq Air Ph: 204-675-2086 Toll free: 1-877-855-1500 Lazy Bear Lodge & Café Ph: 204-675-2969 Toll free: 1-866-OUR-BEAR www.lazybearlodge.com Lodging, dining and tours Nanuk Entertainment Ph: 204-675-2303 North Star Tours Ltd. Ph: 204-675-2356 Northern Ph: 204-675-8891 Northern Images Ph: 204-675-2681

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Polar Cinema Ph: 204-675-8452 Polar Inn & Suites Ph: 204-675-8878 Toll free: 1-877-765-2742 www.polarinn.com Sea North Tours Ph: 204-675-2195 Fax: 204-675-2198 www.seanorthtours.coms Tour boat/snorkeling Seaport Hotel Ph: 204-675-8807 Fax: 204-675-2795 21 rooms/licensed dining Tamarack Rentals Ph: 204-675-2192 Vehicle rentals The Tundra Buggy® Adventure Toll free: 1-800-663-9832 Fax: 204-667-1051 www.tundrabuggy.com Tundra Inn Ph: 204-675-8831 Toll free: 1-800-265-8563 Fax: 204-675-2764 www.tundrainn.com VeraFs B&B Ph: 204-675-2544 Wapusk Adventures & General Store Ph: 204-675-2887 Fax: 204-675-8042 Dog sledding/souvenirs and gifts Via Rail Toll free: 1-888-842-7245 www.viarail.ca WatFchee Lodge Ltd. Ph: 204-675-2114 www.watchee.com Winter wildlife viewing

Cranberry Portage Caribou Lodge Ph: 204-472-3351 Constables Lakeside Lodge Ph: 204-472-3241 (summer or winter) Cranberry Portage Park Ph: 204-472-3219 Ludcran@mts.net Northern Spirit Lodge Ph: 204-472-3285 www.northernspiritlodge.ca Tonepah Lodge Ph: 204-472-3372 Viking Lodge Ph: 204-472-3337 www.mts.net/~viking/ index.htm

Flin Flon Aberdeen Lodge Ph: 204-687-0495 (summer) or 204-623-6710 (winter) AmigoFs Pizza and Tacos Ph: 204-687-6241 Bakers Narrows Lodge Ph: 1-866-603-6390 info@bakersnarrowslodge.com www.bakersnarrowslodge.com Bearskin Airlines Ph: 204-687-8941 Calm Air International LP Ph: 204-778-6471 or 1-800-839-2256 Fax: 204-778-6954 www.calmair.com Charters, air service in Manitoba/Nunavut Chicken Chef Ph: 204-687-3779

Donut King Ph: 204-687-8522 Flin Flon Station Museum Ph: 204-687-2946 Friendship Center Restaurant Ph: 204-687-4525 Gateway Drive-In Ph: 204-687-4338

ACE Wilderness Guiding Service Ph: 1-888-286-0433 204-383-5628 (seasonal) Aurora Gardens Motel Ph: 204-652-6554 Motel and restaurant ChowFs Chester Fried Ph: 204-652-5050

KingFs Boat Repair Ph: 204-639-2279 Manitoba Hydro Ph: 204-639-4138 Moak Lodge Campground Ph: 204-739-2669 www.moaklodge.com

DougFs Lodge Ph: 204-652-2259

Misipawistik Cree Nation Ph: 204-639-2219 Fax: 204-639-2503

Greenstone CFDC Ph: 204-687-6967 Fax: 204-687-4456

)R[ 5LYHU 2XW頭WWHUV Ph: 204-652-6441

Northbrook Inn Ph: 204-639-2380

Hong Kong Restaurant Ph: 204-687-4941

Gillam Air Services Ltd. Ph: 204-652-2109

Pelican Landing Restaurant Ph: 204-639-2184

Kelsey Dining Room Ph: 204-687-7555

Gillam Co-op Ltd. Ph: 204-652-2661

Pelican Landing Gasbar Ph: 204-639-2402

KFC Ph: 204-687-6078

Gillam Motor Inn Ph: 204-652-2670 LuckyTs tavern, licensed

Town of Grand Rapids Ph: 204-639-2260 Fax: 204-639-2475

Grey Goose Ph: 204-652-6395

Leaf Rapids

0RQNPDQ 2XW頭WWHUV Ph: 204-444-4025

Centre Auto Ph: 204-473-8116

MikeFs Ice N Burger Hut Ph: 204-687-8600 Missinipi Airways Ph: 204-687-8000 Mugsys Caf辿 & Deli Ph: 204-687-7676 Oreland Motel Ph: 204-687-3467

&

Consumer Co-op Ph: 204-473-2411 Groceries, hardware, clothing, appliances, furniture Fields Ph: 204-473-2783 Department store GFs Place Ph: 204-473-2754 Gold Cook OlF ManFs Restaurant Ph: 204-473-8276 Grey Goose Ph: 204-473-2754 KingFs Health & Variety Ph: 204-473-8111 Lakeland Air Service Ph: 204-473-2963

Town of Gillam Ph: 204-652-2121 TrapperFs Shack Ph: 204-652-2160

Paradise Lodge Ph: 204-687-8175 (summer) or 204-687-3070 (winter)

Via Rail Canada Inc. Ph: 1-888-842-7245

Phantom Lake Golf Club Ph: 306-688-5555 Fax: 306-688-3104

Westwood Lodge Ph: 204-687-6307 www.westwoodlodge.ca

Pizza Hut Express Ph: 204-687-8522

Grand Rapids

Royal Ribs & Steakhouse and the Royal Hotel Ph: 204-687-3437

ET Trucking Service Inc. Ph: 204-639-2386

Subway Ph: 204-687-5558

Churchill River Lodge 2XW頭WWHUV Ph: 204-473-2362 403-932-1237 Accommodations, boat rentals, gas

G.R. ConsumerFs Co-op Ph: 204-639-2434

Victoria Inn Ph: 204-687-7555 Fax: 204-687-5233

Grand Rapids Esso Ph: 204-639-2459 Open 24 hours, gas, diesel, garage, towing, restaurant, etc.

Wings over Kississing Ph: 204-687-8247

Grand Rapids Taxi Ph: 204-639-2338

Gillam

Grey Goose Bus Lines Ph: 204-639-2459

ACE Gillam Bed & Breakfast Ph: 1-888-286-0433 204-652-2623 (Seasonal) hunting@mts.net

Hilltop Cabins Ph: 204-639-2380 Hobbs Resort Ph: 204-639-2266

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Leaf Rapids Community Development Corporation (LRCDC) Ph: 204-473-2978 Social and economic development, apartment rentals, housing sales, small business loans

Lynn Lake

Halstead Motors Ph: 204-356-2703

Atiik Askii Adventure Tours Ph: 204-356-2500 Summer and winter tours

Laurie River Lodge Ph: 1-800-426-2533 www.laurieriverlodge.com

BettyFs Bed & Breakfast Ph: 204-356-8328 Fax: 204-356-8328 Home-cooked meals, cable

Leaf Rapids Education Centre Ph: 204-473-2403 Leaf Rapids Health Centre Ph: 204-473-2441 Leaf Rapids National Exhibition Centre Ph: 204-473-8682

BettyFs Country Cooking and JenniferFs Lounge Ph: 204-356-8050 Fine dining, lounge with VLTs

Leaf Rapids Public Library Ph: 204-473-2742

The Bronx Ph: 204-356-2471 Housekeeping suites, cable

Leaf Rapids Town Properties (LRTP) Ph: 204-473-8118

Cat Train Tours Ph: 204-356-8845 Fax: 204-356-8845

Leaf Rapids Youth Centre Ph: 204-473-8861

ClarkeFs Health and Variety Ph: 204-356-2572

Natural Resources Ph: 204-473-8113 Town of Leaf Rapids Ph: 204-473-2436 Wistoba Connection, LLC Ph: 608-356-0243 Ph: 202-473-8837 Vacation rental, fully furnished, ĆŹVKLQJ IDPLO\ IXQ ZLOGOLIH ERDWLQJ JROI KXQWLQJ RXWĆŹWWHUV Yves Plumbing and Heating Ph: 204-473-8837

Lynn Lake Air Service Ph: 204-356-8805 Lynn Lake Airport Ph: 204-356-2900 or 204-356-8552 Flight services and air service information Lynn Lake Esso Ph: 204-356-8692 Fax: 204-356-8259

PattyFs Place Ph: 204-356-2918 Fax: 204-356-8408 Groceries, video Perimeter Aviation Ltd. Ph: 1-800-917-2555 Royal Canadian Legion Ph: 204-356-2238 Sanche Hardware Ph: 204-356-2428 Fax: 204-356-8066 Town of Lynn Lake/ Lynn Lake Campground Ph: 204-356-2418

Lynn Lake Fly-In Outpost Camps Ph: 1-800-700-3807

Transwest Air Ph: 204-356-2457 Fax: 204-356-8018 Charter air service

Lynn Inn Inc. Ph: 204-356-2433 Fax: 204-356-8780 25 rooms/suites, licensed

Wolverine Lodge Ph: 760-770-0810 320-732-6843 www.wolverinelodge.net

Gloewen Enterprises Ph: 204-356-8511 Propane Distributor

Lynn Lake Mining Museum Ph: 204-356-8302

Norway House

Grand Slam Lodge Ph: 204-356-8648 (winter) or 306-758-3188 (summer)

Lynn Lake Video Ph: 204-356-8051 DVD, VHS video and game rentals, gift shop

Anderson Car Wash & Store Ph: 204-359-4270

Grey Goose Ph: 204-356-2918 Fax: 204-356-8408 Bus depot

Northern Store Ph: 204-356-2272 Groceries, retail

*UH\ 2ZO 2XWĆŹWWHUV Ph: 204-356-8261

Nueltin Fly-in Lodge Ph: 204-356-8805

Anderson Towing Ph: 204-359-4296 ApetagonFs Ph: 204-359-6696 Gas/propane Chicken Chef Ph: 204-359-6646 Fort Island Auto Group Ph: 204-359-6503

See for yourself why Lynn Lake is the Sportfishing Capital of Manitoba

W

ith clean lakes speckling the landscape and pristine rivers meandering throughout the area, the Lynn Lake area is home to some of Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest trout, pike and pickerel. And, with rolling eskers and

the untamed northern boreal forest making up rest of the landscape, the majestic beauty of Nature in every glance will exceed your imagination. Local lodges offer a wide range of services and free camping is available at two road-accessible campgrounds complete with boat launches. But if you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait until summer to visit, there are winter tourism operators and outfitters awaiting your patronage, along with welcoming snowmobile trails providing access to lakes and vistas throughout the area.

Whatever your outdoors pleasure, Lynn Lake awaits â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;At the end of the road.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Brochures: Call 204 356-2418 or visit www.lynnlake.ca 60

Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

LowFs Family Foods Ph: 204-359-6689 Northern Ph: 204-359-6258 Norway House Community Council Ph: 204-359-6719 Norway House Co-op Ph: 204-359-4633 Gas bar Norway House Cree Nation Ph: 204-359-6786 Norway House Riverside Outdoor Adventures Ph: 204-359-4444 or 1-877-778-4447 www.norwayhouseriver.com Perimeter Aviation Ph: 204-359-6311

Playgreen Inn Ph: 204-359-6321 16 rooms, beverage room Riverside Restaurant Ph: 204-359-4866 Skyward Aviation Ph: 204-359-4900 Super Video World Ph: 204-359-6089 York Boat Inn Ph: 204-359-6550 Fax: 204-359-6444 32 rooms, cable TV

Opaskwayak Cree Nation Aseneskak Casino Ph: 204-627-2250 or 1-877-627-2267 Kikiwak Inn Ph: 204-623-1800 or 1-888-545-4925 kikiwak@kikiwakinn.net www.kikiwakinn.net Opaskwayak Cree Nation Ph: 204-627-7100 Otineka Mall Ph: 204-627-7230

Snow Lake AngilinaFs Pizza Ph: 204-358-2611 BartlettFs Fishing Camp Ph: 204-358-2383 Bluenose Bed & Breakfast 107 Cherry Street 204-358-7305 Email bluenbb@mts.net Website http://web. me.com/gzamzow/ Bluenosebb/Home.html Burntwood Lake Lodge Ph: 204-358-7114 burntwood@burntwood.com

Diamond Willow Inn and Willow House Ph: 204-358-2842 diamond_willow@mts.net

Wekusko Falls Lodge 204-358-2341 toll free 877-358-2341 info@wekuskofallslodge.com

FranalFs Snow Lake Service Ph: 204-358-2325

Wekusko Falls Provincial Campground Ph: 204-358-2521 1-888-482-2267

Gogal Air Service Ph: 204-358-2259 burntwood@burntwood.com H.D. Central Express 100 Elm St. Ph: 204-358-9743 Giftware, aesthetics, and bus freight Lakeshore Bed & Breakfast Ph: 204-358-6501 Main Street Laundromat Ph: 204-358-9797 Manitoba Star Attraction Mining Museum Ph: 204-358-7867 slmuseum@gillamnet.com Multicrete Concrete Hwy. 392 Tyler: 204-358-0135 Northern Mist Wild Rice Ph: 204-358-2131 Snow Lake Art Gallery Ph: 204-358-2533 Snow Lake Golf Club Ph: 204-358-2744 Snow Lake Home Building Centre Ph: 204-358-2343 Fax: 204-358-2770 Snow Lake Motor Inn Ph: 204-358-2331 Fax: 204-358-7449 simpsone@mts.net 11 rooms, dining, licensed Sunset Bay Bed & Breakfast 204-358-2145 or 358-0065 or 358-0071 Email: sunsetbaybb@mts.net

ChellFs Sled Shed 204-358-7911

Sweet Nothings Florist & Giftware Ph: 204-358-7659

Clovelly Lakeshore Apartments Ph: 204-358-2846 lakeshoreapts@mts.net

Tawow Lodge Ph: 204-358-2485 candyce@tawowlodge.com

ConnieFs Taxi Ph: 204-358-2933 Fax: 204-358-2004

Town of Snow Lake Ph: 204-358-2551 www.snowlake.com

Cornerview Family Foods Ph: 204-358-2928 Fax: 204-358-2055

Evergreen Resort Ph: 204-624-5750 Fax: 204-623-4686 fkobelka@mts.net www.evergreenthepas.com &DELQ UHQWDO KXQWLQJ DQG ĆŹVKLQJ Fat Boy Restaurant Ph: 204-623-6322

For further information, contact the community GHYHORSPHQW RĆŻFHU at 204-358-7630 or snowlake_cedo@mts.net

Golden Arrow Motel Ph: 204-623-5451 Fax: 204-623-5457 Rooms 39.95 single or double. _A clean, quiet place to stay`

The Pas

Golden Star Chinese Food Ph: 204-623-7879 Fax: 204-623 5111

A&W Restaurant & Drive-Thru Ph: 204-623-2246 www.aw.ca Alouette Hotel Ph: 204-623-2272 Fax: 204-623-6873 Atikameg Forest Centre Ph: 204-623-3983 Forest tours, in-town tours Aseneskak Casino Ph: 1-877-627-2267 www.aseneskak.ca/main.htm Bearskin Airlines Ph: 204-624-5106 Fax: 204-624-4108 Airport Missinippi Airways Ph: 204-623-7160 Fax: 204-623-3635 Burger Ranch 2000 Ph: 204-623-1451 Canadian Territorial Helicopters Inc. Ph: 204-624-5776 Fax: 204-624-5761 Carpenters Clearwater Lodge Ph: 204-624-5467 Fax: 204-624-5606 cclodge@mailme.ca www.carpenterslodge.com TV, convention/banquet facilities, games room, beach, boats, motors &OHDUZDWHU &DQRH 2XWĆŹWWHUV Ph: 204-624-5606 or 204-624-5647 Custom Helicopters Limited Ph: 204-623-4595 Fax: 204-623-4595 Dutch Drive In Ltd. Ph: 204-623-3721 Drive-in restaurant, chicken, ĆŹVK VKULPS LFH FUHDP EXUJHUV home style chips

Good Thymes Restaurant & Bar Ph: 204-623-2412 Fax: 204-623 4008 Gourmet Pizza Ph: 204-623-5469 Grey Goose Ph: 204-623-3999 Fax: 204-623-4533 www.greyhound.ca Halcrow Lake Golf & Country Club Ph: 204-627-2300 Huskie Travel Services Ltd. Ph: 204-623-3414 Fax: 204-623-3416 Kelsey Bus Lines Ltd. Ph: 204-623-2161 Fax: 204-623-4810 Kentucky Fried Chicken Ph: 204-623-2120 Fax: 204-623 3712 www.kfc.com Kikiwak Inn Ph: 204-623-1800 or 1-888-545-4925 Fax: 204-623-1812 Kikiwak@kikiwakinn.net /RXQJH ĆŹWQHVV IDFLOLW\ RXWGRRU pool, WC access La Verendrye Motel Ph: 204-623-3431 Fax: 204-623-6873 Mr. Ribs Ph: 204-623-4888 Fax: 204-623-6475 New Avenue Hotel Ph: 204-623-6255 New Colony Restaurant Ph: 204-623-1674

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61

New Vickery Lodge Ph: 1-888-624-5429 Fax: 204-624-5429 Full service, drive-in, guides, VWRUH KXQWLQJ ĆŹVKLQJ open May-October North Country Air Service Ph: 204-623-7594 Fax: 204-623-3857 Adventure Territory j The Pas & Area Tourism Group Ph: 1-866-627-1134 towntp@mts.net Pizza Hut Express Ph: 204-623-7888 Fax: 204-623-3055 R.M. of Kelsey Ph: 204-623-7474 Rupert House Hotel (1984) Ltd. Ph: 204-623-3201 Fax: 204-623-1651 Daily, weekly, monthly rates, kitchenettes Sam Waller Museum Ph: 204-623-3802 Fax: 204-623-5506 www.samwallermuseum.ca Small admission fee; admission by donation on Wednesdays Super 8 Motels Ph: 204-623-1888 or 1-800-800-8000 Fax: 204-623-4488 www.super8.com Indoor pool/waterslide, free breakfast, computer ports, conference room, WC access The Pas Curling Club Ph: 204-623-3813 www.thepascurlingclub.com The Pas & District Chamber of Commerce Ph: 204-623-7256 Tolko Pulp & Paper Mill Ph: 204-623-8659 Tours during the summer Town of The Pas Ph: 204-627-1100 or 1-866-627-1134 TrappersF Festival Headquarters Ph: 204-623-2912 Venus Ristorante & Pizzeria Ph: 204-623-6673 Fax: 204-623-3615 Via Rail Canada Inc. Ph: 1-888-842-7245 Weathered Welcomes Ph: 204-623-1764

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Issue 2 | 2012

Wescana Inn Ph: 204-623-5446 Fax: 204-623-3383 wescana@mts.net Full service, dining room, lounge, VLTs, cable TV, sauna, laundry room. CAA approved. WC access Wildlife Adventure Tours Ph: 204-623-6513 Wildlife and birdwatching tours

Thompson A&W Ph: 204-778-6500 Fax: 204-677-9182 www.aw.ca Fast food, burgers, chicken

&OLĆŞoV 7D[L Ph: 204-677-2543 Club Fire & Ice Burntwood Inn Ph: 204-677-4551 Fax: 204-778-6219 Corner Deli Ph: 204-677-3997 Fax: 204-778-5145 Country Inn & Suites By Carlson Ph: 204-778-8879 Fax: 204-677-3225 www.countryinns.com Suites, indoor pool, pets allowed Culture, Heritage & Tourism Ph: 204-677-6780 Fax: 204-677-6862

Adventurers North Dining Room Ph: 204-677-3662

Custom Helicopters Ltd. Ph: 204-677-3720

Arctic Trading Post Ph: 204-677-2026 Fax: 204-675-2164

Days Inn & Suites Ph: 204-778-6000 or 1-800-DAYS-INN Fax: 204-778-6999 www.daysinnthompson.com

Baaco Pizza Ph: 204-778-4444 Fax: 204-677-8630 Lounge, pizza/pasta Bankside Bar & Billiards Ph: 204-677-0101 Fax: 204-677-0103 Boston Pizza Ph: 204-677-0111 Fax: 204-677-4411 doic@bostonpizza.com Burntwood Curling Club Ph: 204-677-2580 Calm Air International LP Ph: 204-778-6471 or 1-800-839-2256 Fax: 204-778-6954 www.calmair.com Charters, air service in Manitoba/Nunavut Chicken Chef Ph: 204-677-2331 Fax: 204-778-6499 www.chickenchef.com/ index.html Family restaurant Chicken Delight Ph: 204-677-2692 www.chickendelight.com Fast food, chicken City of Thompson Ph: 204-677-7910 www.thompson.ca City of Thompson Recreation Centre Ph: 204-677-7952

Driftwood Nickel City Taxi Ph: 204-677-6000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car 93 Commercial Place Ph: 204-778-3111 Flight Aviation Services Ph: 204-677-4920 Fax: 204-778-5917 Airport Grapes Grill & Bar Ph: 204-677-3333 Huskie Travel Ph: 204-677-0777 Ilios Restaurant & Lounge Ph: 204-778-4332 Interior Inn Ph: 204-778-5535 Fax: 204-778-6658 54 rooms, queen-size beds, GRXEOHV VXLWHV FRĆŞHH FDEOH Internet access, fridge/ microwave available Grey Goose Ph: 204-677-0360 Fax: 204-677-0370 www.greyhound.ca Bus charters, regular bus service +DQVRQoV %HDU &UHHN 2XWĆŹWWHUV Ph: 204-778-5037 Heritage North Museum Inc. Ph: 204-677-2216 Fax: 204-677-8953 hnmuseum@mts.net

Hub of the North Ph: 204-778-5630 Fax: 204-778-7897 Full-service restaurant/lounge, Greek, lunch/dinner Hudson Bay Railway Ph: 204-778-6253 J-Del Aviation Ph: 204-677-2337 Fax: 204-677-5794 KFC Ph: 204-677-4664 Fax: 204-778-4069 www.kfc.com Fast food, chicken Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre Ph: 204-677-0950 Fax: 204-677-0970 www.mamowwetak.mb.ca Hostel, aboriginal services, kitchen-restaurant McCreedy Park Ph: 204-778-8810 Camping & RV storage McDonaldFs Restaurants Ph: 204-778-7779 Fax: 204-778-6101 bigfry@mts.net www.mcdonalds.ca Fast food, burger chain Meat Eater Deli Ph: 204-778-7726 Fax: 204-778-8683 Meridian Hotel Ph: 204-778-8387 Fax: 204-677-4087 www.thompsonmb.com/ hotels/meridian.htm Free parking, rooms with or without meal plan, 41 modern rooms Millennium Trail Ph: 204-677-7952 rec@city.thompson.mb.ca www.thompson.ca/dbs/ millenniumtrail Also recreation, parks and culture Multiculture Centre Ph: 204-677-3981 Fax: 204-677-3980 Mystery Country Lodge & Outposts Ph: 1-888-246-9749 www.mysterycountryoutposts. com Mystery Lake Motor Hotel Ph: 204-778-8331 Fax: 204-778-4193 Bar, microwaves, VCRs, laundry room, and exercise room

Mystery Mountain Winter Park Ph: 204-778-8624 info@mysterymountain.ca www.mysterymountain.ca Ski hill, rentals, lessons, x-country, snowtubing, chalet National Car Rental 40 Station Road Ph: 204-677-2312 NC Crossroad Lanes Ph: 204-677-4415 Norplex Swimming Pool Ph: 204-677-7963

Precambrian Art Centre Ph: 204-677-1940 mcarroll@digistar.mb.ca

Thompson Lanes Ltd. Ph: 204-677-3005 Fax: 204-778-6866

Ramada Burntwood Inn Ph: 204-677-4551 Fax: 204-778-6219 www.ramada.com/Ramada/ control/home Indoor pool/waterslide, whirlpool suites, hot tub, newly renovated, lounge

Thompson Ski Club Inc. Ph: 204-778-8624

Riverview Restaurant Ph: 204-677-2525 Roadside Restaurant Ph: 204-778-7172

North Knife Lake Lodge 1-888-WEBBERS www.webberslodges.com UHPRWH ĆŽ\ LQ ĆŹVKLQJ SDFNDJHV

RobinFs Donuts Ph: 204-677-4444

North Star Taxi Ph: 204-778-3333

Santa Maria Pizza & Spaghetti House Ph: 204-778-7331 Take out, delivery

Northern Flavours &RĆŞHH +RXVH Ph: 204-677-8281 Northern Inn & Steak House Ph: 204-778-6481 Fax: 204-778-7601 Northern Lights Bed & Breakfast Ph: 204-677-4111 Fax: 204-677-8027 nlights@mts.net www.mts.net/~nlights 7 rooms, 2 common rooms, 2 kitchens OxieFs Ph: 204-677-3711 Paint Lake Provincial Park Ph: 1-888-482-2267 Campground, beach Paint Lake Resort & Marina Ph: 204-677-9303 Fax: 204-677-5573 Cabins, restaurant, bar, patio, boat launch Perimeter Aviation Ph: 204-778-5924 Airport

Sasagiu Rapids Lodge Ph: 204-677-9351 Conference facilities, wheelchair accessible, out-post camps, JXLGHV KXQWLQJ ĆŹVKLQJ

Wawatay Inn Ph: 204-677-1000

Thompson Zoo Ph: 204-677-7982 www.thompson.ca Free admission

TomFs Restaurant & Pizza Place Ph: 204-677-1999

WebberFs Lodges/Dymond Lake 2XWĆŹWWHUV Ph: 204-377-5090 1-888-WEBBERS info@webberslodges.com www.webberslodges.com UHPRWH ĆŽ\ LQ ĆŹVKLQJ DQG hunting packages

Trappers Tavern Ph: 204-778-8331

WongFs Asian Bistro Ph: 204-778-8880

Twilight Water Ski Club Ph: 204-778-6301

Wonton Place Ph: 204-778-5578 Fax: 204-778-6648 Chinese food

Tim Hortons Ph: 204-677-8467

Vale Inco Ph: 204-778-2326 valeinco@valeinco.com Venture Air Ph: 204-778-8225 Fax: 204-778-8243

YWCA of Thompson Ph: 204-778-6341 Fax: 204-778-5308 ywca@mts.net www.ywcacanada.ca WomenTs shelter

ShinookFs Bed & Breakfast Ph: 204-677-3563 Strand Theatre Ph: 204-677-8301 Subway Ph: 204-677-2222 Fax: 204-677-2222 www.subway.com Fast food, subs, sandwiches, soup Thompson Cabs (1987) Ltd. Ph: 204-677-6262 Thompson Chamber of Commerce Ph: 204-677-4155 or 1-888-307-0103 Fax: 204-677-3434 commerce@mts.net www.thompsonchamber.mb.ca Tourism information Thompson Golf Club Ph: 204-677-3250

Pizza Hut Ph: 204-677-7888 www.pizzahut.com 3L]]D OXQFK EXĆŞHW

Thompson Golf Course Ph: 204-778-5537

Popeyes Ph: 204-677-5575 Homemade burgers/fries.

Seasonal business

Thompson Inn Ph: 204-677-2371 Fax: 204-778-8442 tinn@mts.net Cable TV, queen-size beds, a/c, 35 newly renovated rooms

Poseidon Restaurant Ph: 204-677-2558 Greek

Via Rail Canada Ph: 204-677-2241 or 1-888-842-7245 www.viarail.ca Train service in Manitoba

THOMPSON  YWCA  Making  a  difference  in  the  community   Â

Affordable  &  Clean  Rooms  Daily  &  Monthly  Rates  Available  Men,  Women  &  Children  Welcome   Cafeteria  Laundry  Facility  Boardroom   Check  out  our  free  programs!   Â

204-­778-­6341  204-­778-­6341 Â

www.ywcathompson.ca    Thompson  YWCA  39  Nickel  Road   Thompson,  MB,  R8N  0Y5 Â

Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

63

Your Propane Specialists In Northern Manitoba STITTCO ENERGY LIMITED Thompson Snow Lake Churchill Flin Flon The Pas

(204) 677-2304 (204) 358-2530 (204) 675-2645 (204) 687-3493 (204) 623-3493

Index

TO ADVERTISERS Apprenticeship Manitoba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Calm Air International LP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outside Back Cover Churchill Wild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

www.stittco.com

Cook & Cooke Insurance Brokers . . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover Crane Steel Structures Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Eric Robinson, MLA for Kewatinook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 First Peoples Economic Growth Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Heat-Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Hudbay Minerals Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Full Lotto Service – Cosmetics – Home Health Care Carlton Greeting Cards – Toys – Boxed Chocolates Baby Care – Health and Beauty Aids

Otineka Mall, Opaskwayak, The Pas, MB Fax: 623-2812 Monday – Wednesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Thursday / Friday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Pharmacist – Warren Hicks: 623-5150 PRESCRIPTION ORDERS: 623-2381 AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCY: 623-6588 Compliance Pill Paks upon request

Hugh Munro Construction Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Keewatin Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Lakeview Inn & Suites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Manitoba Hydro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Missinippi Airways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 MLA for the Flin Flon Constituency X Clarence Pettersen . . . . .6 MLA for The Pas Constituency X Frank Whitehead . . . . . . . . . . .6 Nickel City Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Paskwayak Business Development Corporation Ltd. / Otineka Mall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Sam Waller Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Sasa-ginni-gak Lodge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 St. John\s-Ravenscourt School . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover Stittco Energy Ltd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Super 8 Motel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Super Thrifty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 The Standard Resort Insurance Program . . . Inside Back Cover Thompson YWCA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Town of Gillam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Town of Grand Rapids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Town of Leaf Rapids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Town of Lynn Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Town of Snow Lake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Town of The Pas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 University College of the North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 USW Local 6166 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Wings Over Kississing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

64

Northern Experience

Issue 2 | 2012

Celebrating 23 Years Insuring Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resorts, Guides & Outfitters

The Standard Resort Insurance Program Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s #1 Insurance Program For Resorts, Guides, Outfitters & Campgrounds

Program Coverage t 1SPQFSUZ t -JBCJMJUZ t $SJNF t -PTT PG FBSOJOHT t 8BUFSDSBGU 0QUJPOBM $PWFSBHF "WBJMBCMF

Special Program For Small Outfitters & Guides

For more information call: Cliff Cook / Curtis Cook

Kent Cook / Laurie Clarkson

1

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4XBO 3JWFS .# 3 - ;

www.cookandcooke.com