April 8 2016 by Nickel Belt News

Nickel Belt News

Volume 56 Number 14

Friday, April 8, 2016

Thompson, Manitoba

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Liberal candidate hopes to break through in Flin Flon PAGE 4

Susan Aglukark keynote speaker at forum PAGE 7

Kelly Bindle Kelly Bindle, THOMPSON

THOMPSON 204.778.4346 204.939.3803 204.778.4346 votekellybindle@gmail.com 204.939.3803 /Vote-Kelly-Bindle votekellybindle@gmail.com /Vote-Kelly-Bindle

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“I live, work, and shop here in the North, and I’m running because I believe I’m in the best position to make life better for everyone here in the North.” To get results, Northerners need a representative that is a member of the party that is in power. That’s just common sense.

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Common Sense.

We will bring common sense back, with a government that values your money, eliminates wasteful spending, and invests those savings into priorities that matter to Northerners.

A new Progressive Conservative government will bring common sense back to your government by: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Reducing the size of Cabinet by one-third, saving millions of dollars each and every year. Restoring Northerners’ right to vote on tax increases. Rolling back the PST increase to 7% during our first term. Modernizing government contract tendering procedures & eliminate forced unionization which hurts small business and taxpayers.

Unions are Necessary. Unions are necessary to protect workers rights, negotiate fair wages, and ensure safe working conditions.

I feel sorry for Unionized Workers. They pay some of the highest taxes in the province, and on top of that, they pay union dues. Some unions spend much of that money, which could be invested for strike pay or other benefits for their members, on advertisements trying to elect a government that is just going to tax them more. It’s a bigger problem for government employees working for that same government, who are forced to work for years without a contract. But we cannot forget, not all Northerners belong to a union, and many are jobless. With policies to help those desperate to find work, a new Progressive Conservative government will represent ALL Northerners, including non-union & unionized workers.

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News

Friday, April 8, 2016

Learning fire safety: Thompson Scouts visit fire department

IN MEMORY

In memory of

Debbie Lee (Griffiths) Foley March 15, 1963 - April 12, 2003

When thoughts go back, as they often do We will treasure the memories we have of you The day is remembered and quietly kept. No words are needed, we will never forget. Silent thoughts, tears unseen. Wishing your absence was only a dream Today, tomorrow, and our whole lives through. We will always love and remember you. Your family & friends

In memory of

William James Cook

Public education is a large part of any fire prevention program and a group of Thompson Scouts visited the Thompson Fires & Emergency Services fire hall recently to get an “at the station” education. While there, they learned about various fire safety tips like what to do if your house is on fire, smoke detectors, “stop, drop and roll,” 9-1-1 and, most importantly, that firefighters are our friends … don’t hide! After learning about fire safety, the scouts were given the opportunity to wear some of the firefighters’ equipment and toured the fire station, getting to climb up in the fire truck and then concluding their trip by trying out the fire hose. The scouts sat inside the fire engines, looked at the different equipment, watched a firefighter coming down the pole and driving the fire engine and some scouts even went on the platform ladder. Staff and fire fighters were very proud of the scouts for being so sensible, brave and eager to learn throughout the visit. “Our scouts experienced the dangers of a household fire, learned smoke detectors and how to manage during an emergency situation. They worked on their emergency preparedness badge as well. The firefighters are informative and knowledgeable and patiently answered all questions regarding fire safety,” Scouter Humaid Razool said.

Nickel Belt News photos courtesy of Humaid Razool Thompson Scouts got an inside look at firefighting equipment during a recent tour of the Thompson Fire & Emergency Services fire hall.

OBITUARY ROBERT (BOB) ALFRED MAYER, QC

October 26, 1947 - April 8, 2015

December 30, 1944 - April 5, 2016

On Tuesday, April 5 at home with family beside him, Bob left us. It was very hard “changing houses”. He fought long and hard but cancer took him from this home to the next after a twenty month struggle.

Time goes by but memories stay Never more than thoughts away No need for words except to say Still loved, still missed, each passing day.

Bob grew up in Transcona, the son of Alfred and Dorothy Mayer, in a large extended family. He spent many summer months at the family cottage at Albert Beach and it was there that his love for the waterways of the country and the outdoor life began. Every August, including 2015, found Bob, his son Chris and other companions paddling on the rivers of Northern Manitoba, the Yukon and Northern Ontario. The other outdoor activity he shared with his family was skiing. Over the last couple of years he enjoyed seeing his granddaughter, Melanie, learn to maneuver the slopes at Mystery Mountain. The family enjoyed many trips west to ski during spring breaks. Bob also loved camping with his family. The old Jayco camper that is still road worthy (sort of) was purchased when his daughter, Laura, was one year old. She is now a mother herself with a four year old daughter and carries on the tradition of camping using the skills that her father taught her.

Loved and missed by your family and friends

In Loving Memory of a Husband and Dad,

Kevin Ryan June 26 1967 - April 10, 2015

A year has passed but I still feel stuck in time without you, my best friend and husband. My heart feels an ache that will never repair, I keep waiting for you to just walk in the door then I remember that won’t happen. So I walk into my memories even though they may bring tears they also bring a smile because you gave so much to our family and me. Miss you always and forever xoxo Sheri The last year has gone by quick and I can say not a day went by without you being on my mind. Memories that scatter through my head everyday with moments that you filled when you were here. These are memories and life lessons that I will hold onto and cherish forever. You left this world too soon, but your life, your love, and your support will never be forgotten. I miss you more than words can describe. Love always, your baby girl. It is this time near one year ago that I said goodbye to the man I looked up to. I miss being able to call to talk. About hockey or planes or what did not lock. You were the man that

I looked up to more each day. I miss the days of hanging in the garage, with you talking about key stuff as I tried to understand. The days of fishing and having a beer. Even if it meant you skipping off work to come have some cheer. You were always there for support through every decision I chose. I hope to this day I follow in your shoes. The strong, skillful, heart of gold man. I know what I want to be when I grow to be my own man. It’s to be like you, dad. I wish you the best wherever you are. And to the day I get to share once again, by your side and say this is my dad. I love you and miss you like crazy, your son Jordan.

Gone Fishing Dalmar Pepper I’ve finished life’s chores assigned to me So put me on a boat headed out to sea Please send along my fishing pole For I’ve been invited to the fishin’ hole Where every day is a day to fish To fill your heart with every wish Don’t worry or feel sad for me I’m fishin with the Master of the sea We will miss each other for a while But you will come and bring your smile That won’t be long you will see Till we’re together you and me To all those that think of me Be happy as I go out to sea If others wonder why I’m missin Just tell ‘em I’ve gone fishin

Bob received his BA at University College and his law degree through the University of Manitoba. It pleased him that he was able to complete his education at the Law Courts Building on Broadway in 1969 rather than at the new facility on the university campus. It meant something to him to be instructed in the law in the same place where it was actually practiced. In the spring of 1968, he, along with his future law partner, Richard Whidden, travelled to Thompson to work with a single practitioner during the summer months in the booming mining town of Thompson. By the end of the summer he had fallen in love with the north – its people and its beauty. Bob returned to Thompson in the early days of June in 1969 after graduation and after his marriage to Leona Smith. He never left. There were several partners over the years and the ¿rm changed names but Mayer was always a part of the letterhead. During Bob’s early years in Thompson there would not be a week when he did not travel to the remote communities of the north with the court party to provide defense for clients, often on behalf of legal aid. He loved this work, especially the days in Churchill. The stories of Bob’s legal exploits over 45 years are legion. He was the longest serving lawyer in Northern Manitoba, a distinction recognized by his colleagues in June of 2015. A staunch supporter of the New Democratic Party even before he came to the north, he continued his political activity throughout his life. He never missed a campaign. He served on the Provincial Executive of the NDP for over thirty years including two terms as President. He also spent several years on the Federal Council of the party. He was active in every election campaign in Northern Manitoba including the federal campaign of 2015 while he was in treatment. His public service included his membership and leadership on the Thompson City Council for many years, the Thompson Rotary Club, the Communities Economic Development Fund, the board of the Manitoba Telephone System, the Public Utilities Board, and most recently assisting with the amalgamation of the Liquor Control Commission and Manitoba Lotteries Corporation. Bob was very proud of the work the Thompson Rotary Club did with the old Moak Lake camp and the building of the suspension bridge at Pisew Falls on the Grass River. He was named a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International. Bob is survived by his wife of forty-six years, Leona Mayer, his son Chris Mayer (Dyana Lavallee), his daughter Laura Mayer, granddaughters Melanie and Emily, brothers-in-law Fletcher Smith (Janine Carney) and Stephen McKendry-Smith (Leslie McKendry-Smith). He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Richard Mayer. A celebration of life will be held on Monday, April 11 at the Lutheran-United Church of Thompson at 52 Caribou Road. In lieu of Àowers, donations made be made to the Shelley Carey Trust Fund, in care of the TD bank in Thompson, Amnesty International or the Broadbent Institute. A word of explanation: the Shelley Carey Trust Fund was set up by Shelley’s husband for the provision of items for patient comfort in the new chemotherapy room at the Thompson General Hospital. Shelley and Bob were co-travelers on the cancer journey.

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News

Northern CAMP circus program makes surprise stop in Cross Lake BY KACPER ANTOSZEWSKI KACPER@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

The Winnipeg International Children’s Festival’s 16thannual northern C.A.M.P. (Circus and Magic Partnership) made an additional stop this year in Cross Lake, providing the community’s youth with a unique recreational opportunity. Focusing on students from Grades 8 to 11, the camp enabled 400 participants to spend four days learning a variety of circus and performance skills, from more physical skills like aerial trapeze, tightrope walking and unicycling, to more creative aspects like magic, juggling, puppetry and drama. At the end of the camp, every student had an opportunity to perform for an audience in the skills of their choice. When the camp ended, the instructors left much of their equipment – such as modular tightropes, unicycles, stilts, among others – in the community to be utilized by schools or other recreational facilities well after the program is finished. “We were in Cross Lake the first year that we started the program,” said children’s festival executive producer Neal Rempel. “We were already in the process of doing our northern camp this year in Pine Creek two weeks ago when we got a call from the province regarding the tragedy that’s been going on in Cross Lake, to see if we could add a week after our Winnipeg-based camp and put together a program here in Cross Lake.” Over 48 hours, Rempel put together a program that typically takes over eight months of preparation. Once the gears are turning, however, the process is a smooth one: “I have a great group of artists from all over Canada and the United States, and they’ve all been working with me for so many years that everyone knows the drill. It’s a turnkey operation once everything gets going.” Rempel has toured the north extensively over the years, and describes a continuing lack of recreational opportunities across the province: Cross Lake is but one of many. “They’re isolated geographically, but sociologically as well. Often, their only access to arts and entertainment is through TV, and most of them don’t have a lot of facilities. Cross Lake is lucky that it has an arena, but not every kid is good at sports, or is physically able.” Children have a wide range of talent and abilities that often go unnoticed without proper support, and Rempel appreciates the opportunity to allow kids to excel beyond the ever-present hockey rink: “One thing I like is that the circus camp is arts-based, and gives kids that aren’t physically able a chance to express themselves creatively, and get a positive response for that which they might not otherwise get.” The northern C.A.M.P. program started 16 years ago, soon after Rempel and company returned from Guatemala as part of the Clowns Without Borders campaign, where he performed as part of a team for those displaced due to Guatemala’s 36-year civil war. “I thought, well, we have a lot of social ills in Manitoba and Canada, and I thought we could adapt the program to help kids closer to home.” Rempel had already toured the north extensively with the provincial program Concerts in the North, and drew on his connections to extend the program, based in Winnipeg. Cross Lake, as it turns out, was the first northern community to host the program in 2000. Rempel suggests that the program’s success comes with its uniqueness to the area, offering a service few in the north have the opportunity to experience: “I think why it works so well up north is that it’s unlike anything else that tours up north. It’s a great eye-opener for the kids. After touring most of my adult life, it feels like I’ve seen everything, but the reactions we get up north are unlike anything we see anywhere else.”

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Friday, April 8, 2016

News

Annual General Meeting Will be held Wednesday, April 20, 7 p.m at the golf course clubhouse. The last opportunity to buy your 2016 membership at a discounted rate will be at the AGM once the meeting is ﬁnished. Prior to the AGM you can get your membership at the discounted rate from Brian Beauchemin at 204-778-3525 (leave a message)

Skate Thompson AGM is on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:00 in the Mary Fenske Boardroom, TRCC All positions are up for nomination. For more information contact us at thompsonskate@gmail.com

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PUBLIC HEARING As per Section 162 (2) of The Municipal Act, the Council of the Town of Gillam will be holding a public hearing to present the 2016 Financial Plan. The purpose of the hearing is to allow any interested person to make a representation, ask questions or register an objection. The Public Hearing will take place on: Wednesday, May 4th, 2016 7:00 p.m. Town of Gillam Council Chambers 323 Railway Avenue Gillam, Manitoba Copies of the proposed financial plan will be available, upon request. Questions or remarks regarding the proposed Financial Plan can be directed to the Chief Administrative Officer. Dated at the Town of Gillam this 30th day of March, 2016. Jackie Clayton, C.M.M.A. Chief Administrative Ofﬁcer Town of Gillam 323 Railway Avenue P.O. Box 100 Gillam, Manitoba R0B 0L0

Flin Flon Liberal candidate thinks party’s centrist mindset could benefit Northern Manitoba BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Northern Manitoba has long been NDP territory, with three provincial ridings that the party has held for 35 years or longer, but Flin Flon Liberal candidate Leslie Beck points out that hasn’t necessarily been a beneﬁt to the region. “We have the highest child poverty rate in Canada and so I would have to say that that in itself is an overwhelming statement of what’s been happening to us under the leadership, not just under the NDP but under the Conservatives as well,” says Beck, a former RCMP ofﬁcer for 26 years – 21 of those in Flin Flon, where she also served briefly as a city councillor before resigning that position to take a shot at being elected MLA. “Having communities that do not have clean drinking water with those kinds of poverty rates, in this country? I’ve listened to Chief Clarence Louie and he said that when you walk down a street and you see people that are unemployed in places like Flin Flon and Thompson, that should be a concern and a wake-up call to everyone. Why is that happening?” This election, Beck says, there’s a real opportunity for Flin Flon voters voters seeking change to see that ambition realized, with four candidates in the riding, including NDP and Progressive Conservative representatives as well as former NDP MLA Clarence Pettersen, who is running as an independent after losing his former party’s nomination to Tom Lindsey. “It’s exciting for them because they actually have a choice and they get to sit down and actually look at

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the party platforms and make a decision,” she said. “I think our community and, I hope, as well as all the other communities in the north are really seriously thinking, ‘OK, NDP, they’ve done things, yes, and other things, no,’ but now they have other people that have maybe some other ideas.” Beck has been through much of the massive riding – which goes from Cranberry Portage north to the Nunavut boundary and as far east as South Indian Lake – through the course of the campaign, apart from the areas that do not have year-round road access. “The only areas that I haven’t been successful to get to are Brochet, Lac Brochet and Tadoule Lake and I don’t know that I’m going to,” she said. “I’m going to try to reach out to them as best I can but I wasn’t able to do it by ice road and it’s a bit cost prohibitive to charter [an airplane].” That isolation, Beck feels, can explain why some of the communities in the riding have low voter turnout. “It’s because they don’t think anybody cares and I’m not sure that I disagree with them at this point,” she said. “When I went on my travels to find out that half my riding doesn’t have clean drinking water I had to take a bit of a step back and say, ‘Really? ’ We’ve got communities like Lynn Lake that are on boil water advisories and nobody that seems to be really too concerned about that.” Beck said in a March 27 press release that she and the Manitoba Liberal Party would work to bring more training and a more active role for indigenous people in Northern Manitoba’s economic development if elected April 19. “In these tough economic times it is important that new mineral deposits be discovered,” Beck said at that time. “ The answer to Northern Manitoba’s lack of new deposit prospects is having prospectors on the ground. Indigenous people know the land they live on and are in the best position to find new deposits at the grassroots level. Training indigenous people in prospecting techniques and connecting them with the existing natural resources is key to finding new deposits.” To do that, she said, more

Nickel Belt News attempts to be accurate in editorial and advertising content; however no guarantee is given or implied. The Nickel Belt News reserves the right to revise or reject any or all editorial and advertising content as the newspaper’s principals see fit. The Nickel Belt News will not be responsible for more than one incorrect insertion of an advertisement, and is not responsible for errors or omissions in advertisements except for the space occupied by such errors. The Nickel Belt News will not be responsible for manuscripts, photographs, negatives and other related material that may be submitted for possible publication.

Nickel Belt News photo courtesy of Leslie Beck Flin Flon Liberal candidate Leslie Beck wants to get more of Northern Manitoba’s population involved in the economy. funding must ﬂow to grassroots prospecting to enable people who are interested in pursuing that path. “I work as a service provider for the Northern Manitoba Mining Academy (NMMA) where prospector training has been developed,” she said. “Unfortunately, three intakes in the past year have been cancelled due to the high cost and lack of student housing. The NMMA recently became aware of a fully stocked, 24-person mining camp that was not being utilized. Inquiries have been made and the NMMA would like to bring the camp to Flin Flon to provide students with a learning opportunity and I will advocate for this.” Beck became interested in running for the Liberals through her experience in municipal politics. “As a councillor I would attend the Association of Manitoba Municipalities [meetings] and when I was in Brandon this last fall they had a debate between the three parties and after listening to [Manitoba Liberal leader] Rana Bokhari speak I felt that for myself it would be a good opportunity to bring the values and the concerns of our north through her because I believe that she is something new and different,” Beck says. “We’re kind of stuck in a rut up here in the north. We’re

always on that path with the NDP and I felt moving maybe a little bit to centre would be a good avenue to move forward.” Part of the plan to develop Manitoba’s northern communities – and the province’s other communities as well – is to provide stable municipal funding. “This is really exciting for them that a government wants to give them one per cent of the PST per capita with no strings attached,” she said. Currently, municipalities are only receiving about eight to 10 cents per dollar of the tax revenues that the higher levels of government receive. Even though she can’t make it to communities without road access, Beck says they are still on her radar, noting March 30 that she was trying to ﬁnd out the results of the Sayisi Dene First Nation vote on a $33.6 million settlement for the federal government for their forced relocation to Churchill in the 1950s, which took place the previous day. “These settlements, as they happen, are, for them, empowering,” she said. “They’re going to beneﬁt from the money now but for every day moving forward as well so we should be talking about that because it certainly could be an opportunity for the other communities. They could be the ones leading by example.”

All of the Nickel Belt News’s content is protected by Canadian Copyright laws. Reviews and similar mention of material in this newspaper is granted on the provision that the Nickel Belt News receives credit. Otherwise, any reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. Advertisers purchase space and circulation only. Rights to any advertisements produced by the Nickel Belt News, including artwork, typography, photos, etc., remain the property of this newspaper. Advertisements or parts thereof may not be reproduced or assigned without the consent of the publisher.

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Columnists

Increasingly difﬁcult to be truly free Spiritual Thoughts dosedependent@hotmail.com

Julie A. Desjardins

“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” George S. Patton Jr. Citizens of Stepford, something strange is happening in our country; where MPs spend their days compromising in order to toe the party line and every Canadian acts like love is just a feeling, devoid of reason or sound wisdom. Where a young person learns that freedom to choose is dictated by the herd. And sees the silence engulf her best friend, her parents, her church and her community, and realizes that any moment, any second – her turn is coming. We live in a world where it is increasingly dangerous to be truly pro-choice. In an ever-shrinking world where we are connected electronically but not relationally, we do not realize that we are no longer choosing. While people have always been inﬂuenced by prevailing culture, never before has there been social, cultural, religious and political pressure of such global proportions. We are being molded and inﬂuenced in this giant, unprecedented thought experiment every time we click refresh. Everything is instantan-

eous; there is no time to properly process or ﬁlter the barrage of ideas or invitations. Click like. Retweet. Share. Repost. Reason or logic need not prevail in order for us to choose. The incessant stream of popular thought on our unsuspecting psyches is enough to deceive us into thinking that our thoughts are our own. But what about when we consciously disagree with mainstream society, when we would choose otherwise if we felt free to choose; how many of us actually would say so, publicly? How many of us stay silent? How many of us would be fearful of posting an unpopular statement or article? I am afraid. But then I did it anyway. Last summer after the same sex marriage ruling in the United States I decided to share or like articles that supported the traditional deﬁnition of marriage. And I felt very real pressure, if not to conform then at least not to actively or publicly oppose the majority. I admit to not posting anything on this subject since then. On Oct. 19, 2015, Canadians ushered in a government that is ironically anti-choice about pro-choice. Liberal MPs

have no choice but to vote pro-choice. Soon they may also have no choice where physician-assisted dying is concerned. I wonder how many are staying silent. I wonder how many are willing to trade someone else’s life in order to keep their career. I wonder how we can trust a person who puts their career ahead of their convictions. And I wonder when the same question will be asked of me. Will I trade my moral convictions and the commands of God in order to be accepted or liked or to keep my job

or to avoid prison? A long time ago I did just that. I traded someone else’s life to be accepted. I chose an abortion. It was my right to choose, not because the government said so but because God gave that right to everyone, the right to choose, even if we choose to disobey Him. Today I choose to believe in the sanctity of every life - born, preborn and those who are dying, because I met a Man who traded His life for mine when my life was not worth saving. I owe my life to Jesus and I gladly choose

to obey Him. The rulers of His day killed Him because He also did not conform to the popular culture. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke not only into his day but also into the future when he said that “history will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period (…) was not the strident clamour of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.” I am pro-choice and I choose life. What do you believe? What will you choose? Will you stand up and be heard or will your silence speak

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for you? “If serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve (…) but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15 Julie A. Desjardins has lived in Northern Manitoba for over four years and loves to encourage people to grow in their faith. You can follow her blog at: www.dosedependent.me or contact her by e-mail at dosedependent@ hotmail.com.

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Friday, April 8, 2016

Columnists

Chamber to hold ‘Chuck Davidson Golf Day’ My Take on Snow Lake mjaxon@gillamnet.com Marc Jackson The Snow Lake Chamber of Commerce recently announced that they will sponsor a “golf day” on June 24 at the Snow Lake Golf Course. No ordinary event, this one has been named for a former Snow Laker who was instrumental in the resurrection of the chamber and the man who was guest speaker at their organizational drive several years back. The annual event will be called the “Chuck Davidson Golf Day!” For those who are unaware, Chuck Davidson grew up in Snow Lake, attended school here, then went on to Red River College, where he majored in journalism and graduated with a creative communications degree in 1993. From there, he worked in communications as a reporter at 680-CJOB, as the press secretary for then Progressive Conservative Opposition Leader Stuart Murray, and as the vice-president of policy and communications at the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. In May 2013, Davidson was hired as the

president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce (MCC). MCC is the umbrella organization for 66 local chambers throughout the province, which represent close to 10,000 businesses. “I left Snow Lake in 1990, but went to school there from Grade 3 until I graduated in 1987,” said Davidson in an email interview. “Even to this day, I still consider Snow Lake my hometown and bring it up in virtually every speech I give. I have great memories of Snow Lake – playing hockey, fastball, golf, volleyball, and basketball in high school and could never imagine growing up anywhere different.” The idea of the “Chuck Davidson Golf Day” (CDGD) resulted from a meeting of the local chamber at which they discussed ideas that would boost the presence of the group within the community. President Gerard Lamontagne came up with the idea of a golf date and as soon as he did, Chuck Davidson’s came to mind

Nickel Belt News photo courtesy of Chuck Davidson Former Snow Laker and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce Chuck Davidson and his wife Jennifer. as someone who should attend. Being a notable person on a provincial and national scale as well as a Snow Lake boy, the naming of the tournament seemed a natural ﬁt. So the the “Chuck Davidson Golf Day” it is and the inaugural event will take place this summer.

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Asked about the format the golf day will follow, Lamontagne said that they have arranged for Davidson to be present this year. “Obviously Chuck won’t be able to attend every year, but he’s going to start it off, and I’m sure he’ll make as many as he can,” said Lamontagne. “Chuck was the guy who came out to Snow Lake and got us started again with the local Chamber of Commerce, so who better than him?” The CDGD will be a oneday event, open to anyone and everyone and take a best-ball format, Lamontagne says. The local chamber will let other northern chambers know about the day and their members would be welcome to participate as well. However, local participation will be the focal point. “And not just chamber members,” said the president. “We want to get local people out … give them a better

idea of what the chamber is all about, who is in the organization, the role that we play and the role we want to play within Snow Lake. There may even be some out there who don’t realize that everything we do within and for the chamber is volunteer work, no one is getting paid.” The CDGD will start with a luncheon as the chamber normally does with their events, only at this one the day’s honouree will be the speaker. “I’m sure he’ll speak about how the local chamber got started and his roles throughout the years; from radio to politics and then the chamber on a provincial level,” said the chamber president. “Then we will carry on into an afternoon of ‘best ball’ and a few cocktails for those who wish.” Being unfamiliar with the intricacies of golf, Lamontagne has recruited Terry Hornyak to help set

the day up. “Terry is a good citizen, a great volunteer, and a ﬁne golfer … and if he wants to stick around and be on my team, that would be fine,” joked Lamontagne. Davidson stated what a privilege it was to be honoured with the day. “I do have to admit when Gerard indicated the local chamber wanted to name the golf tournament after me, I was quite humbled and honoured,” he said. “I honestly feel there are many other people in Snow Lake that are worthy of something like this. I am happy to support the local chamber and business community and am looking forward to coming home to take part.” The cost of the one day event will be $20 for the lunch and speaker; members and others that participate will be responsible for paying for their own golf green fees and cart rentals.

Friday, April 8, 2016

Nickel Belt News • www.thompsoncitizen.net

Page 7

News

Seventh-annual Hope Forum hosts Susan Aglukark as keynote speaker BY KACPER ANTOSZEWSKI KACPER@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Susan Aglukark, distinguished Inuk musician and sought-after motivational speaker, is the keynote speaker at the seventh-annual Hope Forum in Thompson April 14.

Environment and Climate Change Canada

Environnement et Changement climatique Canada

PUBLIC NOTICE

AVIS PUBLIC

Environment and Climate Change Canada has proposed a Recovery Strategy and Management Plan for the Red Knot, as required under the federal Species at Risk Act.

Environnement et Changement climatique Canada a proposé un programme de rétablissement et plan de gestion pour le Bécasseau maubèche, comme l’exige la Loi sur les espèces en péril du gouvernement fédéral.

Recovery Strategy and Management Plan for the Red Knot (Calidris canutus) in Canada

The Red Knot is a medium-sized shorebird that migrates between its Arctic breeding areas and its southern wintering areas. Three subspecies of Red Knot occur in Canada: the rufa subspecies breeds in northern Canada and is listed as “endangered” under the Species at Risk Act, the islandica subspecies also breeds in northern Canada and is listed as “threatened,” and the roselaari subspecies breeds in Alaska and Russia and migrates through British Columbia. It is listed as “special concern.” One of these subspecies, rufa, migrates through Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The proposed Recovery Strategy and Management Plan outlines steps to conserve the Red Knot and identifies areas of critical habitat important for the species’ recovery. Critical habitat for this species consists of stopover habitat used by birds to forage and roost during migration. You are invited to comment on the proposed Recovery Strategy and Management Plan for the Red Knot and get involved in its recovery. View the strategy and provide your comments online at www.sararegistry.gc.ca (click on link in “New Publications & Reports” section). For more information, please contact: Canadian Wildlife Service Environment and Climate Change Canada 115 Perimeter Road Saskatoon SK S7N 0X4 Email: ec.leprpn-sarapnr.ec@canada.ca Tel.: 1-855-245-0331 (toll free) Please provide your comments by May 29, 2016. Thank you for helping to conserve Canada’s species at risk.

Programme de rétablissement et plan de gestion du Bécasseau maubèche (Calidris canutus) au Canada

Le Bécasseau maubèche est un oiseau de rivage de taille moyenne qui migre entre ses aires de reproduction dans l’Arctique et ses aires d’hivernage dans le Sud. Il y a trois sous-espèces de Bécasseau maubèche au Canada : la sous-espèce rufa, qui niche dans le nord du Canada et est inscrite parmi les espèces « en voie de disparition » en vertu de la Loi sur les espèces en péril, la sous-espèce islandica, qui niche aussi dans le nord du Canada et est inscrite parmi les espèces « menacées », et la sous-espèce roselaari, qui niche en Alaska et en Russie et traverse la Colombie-Britannique pendant la migration; elle est inscrite parmi les espèces « préoccupantes ». Une de ces sous-espèces, rufa, migre en passant par l’Alberta, la Saskatchewan et le Manitoba. Le programme de rétablissement et plan de gestion proposé décrit les mesures qui seront prises pour conserver le Bécasseau maubèche et désigne les aires d’habitat essentiel importantes pour le rétablissement de l’espèce. L’habitat essentiel de cette espèce est celui où les oiseaux font halte pendant la migration pour s’alimenter et se reposer. Nous vous invitons à nous faire parvenir vos commentaires sur le programme de rétablissement et plan de gestion du Bécasseau maubèche et à participer au rétablissement de cet oiseau. Veuillez consulter le programme et le commenter en ligne à l’adresse www.registrelep.gc.ca (cliquez sur le lien dans la section « Nouvelles publications et rapports »). Pour obtenir plus de renseignements, veuillez communiquer avec le : Service canadien de la faune Environnement et Changement climatique Canada 115, chemin Perimeter Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) S7N 0X4 Courriel : ec.leprpn-sarapnr.ec@canada.ca Tél. : 1-855-245-0331 (sans frais) Veuillez fournir vos commentaires d’ici le 29 mai 2016. Nous vous remercions d’aider à conserver les espèces en péril au Canada.

The seventh-annual Hope Forum & Youth Anti-Stigma Summit will be hosted in Thompson on April 14 this year, carrying the theme of “Journeys to Recovery.” Featured as a keynote speaker is Susan Aglukark, distinguished Inuk musician and sought-after motivational speaker. Aglukark’s list of accomplishments is impressive: she’s performed for illustrious figures such as Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela, two Canadian prime ministers (Jean Chretien and Brian Mulroney), and former governor general Adrienne Clarkson, among others. Her medal case is overflowing, featuring, but not limited to, three Junos, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal, the Order of Canada, and honorary degrees in both law and fine arts from three different universities. But Aglukark followed a long road to the success she’s achieved today: a victim of sexual abuse, her participation in her abuser’s trial was her first prolonged venture venture to the urban south. But as a witness against a fellow member of the community, Aglukark said that getting involved with the trial was not an easy experience: the trial was still over a year away, and without institutional supports, Aglukark was at the mercy of the tight-knit, and sometimes hostile community. “There’s only so much a family can do without the means and training to support you. There was no place to go to keep you strong enough to follow through. Every day, when you went to the local co-op, or the local church, there was a pretty good chance he was going to show up.” A strictly Christian upbringing had reinforced the shame. Though Aglukark’s abuser was convicted, he was quickly released and returned to Arviat, prompting her to leave the community for Ottawa as an interpreter for the federal government. From her traumatic roots, it was here that Aglukark’s story really began, and it’s that story which Hope Forum attendees will hear: not only of her rise to success, but the emotional and spiritual journey towards accepting that success. “It’s only been in the last 10 years that I’ve really fallen in love with my career. The first 10 years was being afraid of it a lot of the time, and what I’ve taken from the journey is why I was always so afraid: I had all sorts of things going on in my head that I had to resolve enough to keep this career. It really came down to as simple as understanding the fear, and committing to live in a different place, a place that wasn’t controlled by it.” Aglukark promises to be a compelling speaker, dripping with experience and world-wary wisdom. Even when discussing the challenges of being an artist in the north, Aglukark seemed to be speaking to an entire generation of millenials that have come to expect instant success: “A career in the arts industry is really a business. That’s not to say that artists need to know how to run a business, but I was one of those really lucky stories that I was in the right place, and the right time, with the right producer, the list goes on. It wasn’t a conscious decision to write a hit song. We need to teach our young people to fall in love with the art, learn that art and business go hand in hand, but also that a hit does not guarantee a lifelong career. Just because I’ve been on television several times doesn’t mean I’m set for life. You need a day job along with the night job, and I’ve had to do that, even at my level.” Aglukark’s last sojourn to Manitoba was in 2005, and though it was 11 years ago, I couldn’t help but feel her experiences were relevant as ever. Speaking as she is at a conference surrounding mental illness in the north, I asked Aglukark what she felt was the root cause of depression and despair among northern youth: “There is so much recycling of the abuse. So much of it stems from the residential schools. When they went ahead with those schools, it was beyond psychological: it was physical, cultural, sexual, spiritual.” Aglukark sees a meaningful discourse between frontline workers and federal and provincial authorities as a critical first step towards resolving social issues in northern reserves and remote communities, one involving an earnest commitment. “I’m still stunned by how housing has been a crisis for over 30, 40 years, and still hasn’t been resolved,” she says. “If we could just address the housing crisis, that’s one area where some anxiety and stress could be alleviated, so that we can begin to work with the real stuff.” But at the core of the crisis, Aglukark feels it is necessary for aboriginal people, whether youth, parents, or grandparents, to regain a sense of agency and mastery over their destinies. “I think for the most part, many of us don’t want to be seen as broken, and we don’t want to be seen from a perspective that we didn’t have a choice. To me, that means we’re not broken, and if most of us are healthy enough to be thinking from that place, we can work with that. We can say, ‘I trust the heart in you, that isn’t broken.’ For many of us who have had children, our decision has been to break the cycle, and we have.”

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Nickel Belt News • www.thompsoncitizen.net

Friday, April 8, 2016

News

More mobile crisis team workers and faster all-weather road construction among NDP promises BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Expanded suicide prevention programs in

Northern Manitoba and an accelerated East Side Road Authority construction schedule are among

School District of Mystery Lake Change in Location for Regular Board Meeting on April 12, 2016 The Board of Trustees of the School District of Mystery Lake will be holding the April 12, 2016 board meeting in the library at Burntwood School. Meeting time is 7:00 p.m. and everyone is welcome to attend.

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Sayisi Dene First Nation

Full scale election for positions of (1) Chief and (3) Councillors

the promises announced by the NDP as the calendar turned to April and the provincial election draws nearer. A re-elected NDP government, the party said April 1, would expand the Telehealth program and add two more staff to the Northern Regional Health Authority’s mobile crisis team. The NDP would also provide $400,000 of funding to the First Nations caring Society Touchstones of Hope program, develop an emergency response plan to help high-risk communities when suicides occur, and spend at least $10 million on expanding recreation programs in Northern Manitoba, as well as double funding for the Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre North (WASAC North), which provides programming and summer jobs in communities including Shamattawa and Lac Brochet. “I’ve seen ﬁrsthand the damage suicide can do to families and communities,” said Fort Rouge NDP candidate Wab Kinew in a press release. “That’s why I know how critical it is for the NDP to help young people create hope and opportunities for themselves

through these gamechanging investments.” The NDP would also increase the Manitoba Prenatal Beneﬁ t maximum rate to $162 per month and extend it to more families, including those in all of the province’s indigenous communities. “The NDP will give northern communities the immediate help they need, while also giving young people more opportunities going forward,” said Kinew. Also announced April 1 was accelerated construction for the East Side Road Authority (ESRA) al-weather road network to improve transportation options for 34,000 indigenous Manitobans in 13 isolated communities. The NDP would spend $95 million annually for four years to support ESRA road construction, which has received about $350 million since the ESRA was established in 2009. “East Side residents living in remote communities are forced to rely on temporary winter roads and air transportation for all of their supplies and to access the services that other Manitobans take for granted,” Keewatinook NDP candida Eric Robinson said. “Only the NDP

Fort Rouge NDP candidate Wab Kinew will build the East Side road network, a huge opportunity to reduce transportation costs for goods, improve access to health care and create jobs and economic opportunities for local people.” The NDP would also negotiate with Norway House Cree Nation to speed up work on an eastwest all-weather road. The ESRA has overseen the relocation of 600 kilometres of winter road routes from ice to land and the installation of bridges to extend the winter road season and begin to lay the foundation for

all-weather roads. The work has created more than 1,000 person-years of work and training to 325 people from the region the road network will service, the NDP says. Other recent announcements by the NDP include plans to help up to 1,500 more apprentices get apprenticeship training, a proposal to require each hospital and regional health authority to employ a patient advocate to help people access health care services, and bringing yurts to Paint Lake Provincial Park and other provincial parks.

Nominations on April 15, 2016 in Tadoule Lake, Manitoba for information please contact Electoral Ofﬁcer: Corinna Powderhorn Deputy Electoral Ofﬁcer: Jesse Anderson 204-684-2022 email sdfnelection@gmail.com

Faculty of Social Work

Northern Social Work Program The University of Manitoba, Faculty of Social Work at Thompson has EXTENDED the date for accepting applications for the Northern Social Work Program. The deadline for submitting applications is April 11, 2016. The program is scheduled to begin September 2016. Students may complete the Northern Social Work Program as a full-time or part-time student. The program provides post-secondary education for Residents of Northern Manitoba, in particular those who have not had the opportunity due to economic and cultural reasons, lack of formal education, linguistic barriers or residence in remote areas. Relocation to Thompson will be required. Individuals can apply either under ACCESS or EXTERNAL categories. The ACCESS category is for mature students, 21 years or over, who have under 30 credit hours of university level courses. The EXTERNAL category is for regular students who have 30 credit hours or more of university level courses and are in good academic standing. For both categories, applicants must have resided in Northern Manitoba for 6 months or more prior to the application deadline or have been a long term resident of the North. For information or applications contact the Faculty of Social Work at Thompson at 204-677-1450 or No Charge Dial 1-866-2375509 or visit umanitoba.ca/faculties/social_work/programs/ northern/591.html

Greens would ban mining and logging in provincial parks BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Manitoba’s Green Party said March 31 it would ban mining and logging in provincial parks if elected as the province’s government in the April 19 election. “Our parks were created to preserve biodiversity and provide Manitobans with a place to relax, and to enjoy and learn about the wilderness,” Dauphin constituency candidate and Green Party deputy leader Kate Storey said in a news release. “And yet our 14 parks contain 792 mining claims, 22 mineral exploration projects, four mineral exploration licences, and extensive logging. Manitoba is one of the few places in the world which allows mining or logging in provincial parks.” Resource management areas in northern provincial parks, where resource extraction is permitted, comprise 75 per cent of Grass River Provincial Park and 12 per cent of Paint Lake Provincial Park, both of which are designated to allow min-

Green Party deputy leader and Dauphin candidate Kate Storey ing activities, the Green party says. And in the case of wilderness parks, where resource extraction is not allowed, the provincial government in the past has simply changed designations, as it did in 2003 when it split Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Provincial Park in two and created South Atikaki Provincial Park

where mining activity is permitted. The old Spruce Point copper mine site in Grass River provincial park was found to be leaching high concentrations of heavy metals, the party says, despite having only operated for five years and having been closed down since 1993. Grass River Provincial Park is

also the site of Hudbay’s Reed Mine copper project, which the government approved in 2013. “Our parks are being sacrificed for shareholder profit,” said Storey. “But Manitobans are starting to realize that responsible environmental use actually creates more jobs in the long term than resource extraction. Mining and logging do not support healthy ecosystems and do not fit into the vision of our provincial park system. The majority of Manitoba is already open to mining and logging. Surely we can keep these destructive industries out of our provincial parks. The Green Party calls for a ban on mining and logging in all provincial parks.” The Green Party also unveiled its platform April 5, which includes a pledge to place a moratorium on new hydroelectric dam construction and diversify Manitoba’s electricity production by promoting solar and wind generation capacity.

Friday, April 8, 2016

Nickel Belt News • www.thompsoncitizen.net

Page 9

Columnists

A ‘kingdom divided’ BY DANIEL MCSWEENEY

Four years ago, we visited Brussels in Belgium, the de facto capital of Europe. At about 3 a.m., thunder roared and lightning lit up the blackened Brussels sky. The winds blew so hard curtains stood out straight and rain wafted into our hotel room through an open window. In hindsight, that tempest was no more than a breezy Belgian night compared with the political storm now raging in the United Kingdom over British membership in the European Union. From my perspective as a recent arrival in Great Britain, it is providing political theatre that makes our recent federal election in Canada seem rather tame. The drama is incredible and after the British public has had its say on the issue in June, my bet is some of the key players normally playing on the same teams will no longer send each other Christmas cards, such is the acrimony of the debate. Unless people are on planet Mars, it’s impossible to escape the EU debate bubbling away in Parliament and in the media. It’s an issue characterized as a huge “economic gamble” or conversely a last chance for Great Britain to maintain sovereignty; a cornerstone value in a storied kingdom that once ruled a global empire. Indeed, the whirlwind is in the thorn trees and those hunkering down in Westminster and at 10 Downing Street are feeling the painful stings from its pricks. For with each passing day, the people want British leadership to show them (in a factual way) what’s best for the country. Since a June 23 referendum was announced, however, it’s just been a steady stream of rhetoric. Admittedly, Britain is in the EU from its own volition. In 1973, it seemed like a great idea given the poor shape of the UK compared with Europe. It was, though, never a comfortable seat in the EU club. So by 1975, British Prime Minister Harold Wilson gave Britons a chance to vote themselves out. The country stayed, however, with a 66 per cent vote in favor of retaining membership. It did, however, continue with its own currency and remained out of “the Schengen” area where free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is permitted.

This free movement makes perfect sense to me; no need to line up at border points and show passports and papers to stern-faced custom officials. It’s just like passing across provincial borders in Canada. That’s the simplistic view, however, from behind the wheel of the family station wagon hauling a caravan across Europe. At a much higher level, the growing immigration crisis causes many a British politician to lose sleep at night – just like that storm that storm in Brussels. The European Union The European Union is a rather cumbersome political institution comprised of well-heeled politicians and armies of bureaucrats. These “super government” elite thrive in great numbers and cost a pretty penny to taxpayers. In fact, there are 25,000 EU employees; 6,000 EU Parliament workers; more ambassadors than Washington, D.C; a cadre of 10,000 lobbyists and a press corps of 1,200. It is truly “the big leagues of governance;” the stadium where the World Series of European politics is played. Membership costs in the billions for member countries deluged with EU rules and regulations some claim hinder rather than help. Some members worry they are evolving into becoming just one of many states in a “United States of Europe.” And that’s a hard pill to swallow for a country that once ruled the seas! That’s just one side of the coin, however, because EU membership creates trade benefits – and the “stay” side insist that losing them could be disastrous for Britain’s economy. And they worry about the consequences of not sitting at the EU table where they will lose all influence over EU decisions. Buzz on The High Street My daily routine in Solihull involves trundling over to one of the local coffee shops. With a national referendum slated for June 23, people are beginning to mull over this issue that could change their future. It is indeed an historically important matter given that the EU market for British goods and services is a staggering 500 million people. Depending upon whom you listen to, pulling out could be a protracted 10-year period of agony; or an extraction, not without some grief, that

Dan McSweeney in the long run will make life better for Britons. “All this has to stop,” an older man with bushy eyebrows and thick glasses says while sipping his coffee. “It’s about time we got back in the driver’s seat.” And then a younger man on the High Street warns a friend that an EU exit will have dire consequences for Britain. “We’re going to lose jobs,” he said. “Markets for our goods might disappear. We can’t take that chance. I think that leaving the EU is complete rubbish.” And another young man has a personal reason for not leaving. “My mother’s work is funded by the EU,” he tells me. “I reckon she would lose her job if the country votes to leave.” Indeed, the British dining table of political discourse will be heaped full of rhetoric; a main course of either “a leap into the dark” or a generous helping of “a stride into the light.” Like most Britons, I hope hard facts about the issue one way or the other will lead to a selection with the least indigestion. Allies divided Even the Conservative government is split on the issue with some ministers defying their own prime minister who is adamantly in favour of staying in the EU. PM David Cameron in-

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sists Britain must not retreat into a cocoon. Issues about economy, defence and security need to be addressed through a uniﬁed approach as part of the EU, not from outside. One of his key ministers, Michael Gove, and the inﬂuential mop-topped rucksack carrying, bike-driving Conservative mayor of London, Boris Johnson, feel differently. Boris, strangely enough an old school chum and close friend of Cameron’s, has a huge wealth of “star power” that could sway voters. Others suggest the mayor is embracing the “leave” position because Cameron will be toast if voters decide to leave the EU; and that will open the door of 10 Downing Street for Mayor Boris. Immigration crisis Underlying this intrigue is the most serious immigration crisis since the end of the Second World War. The “exit” proponents fear more immigrants than Britain can handle will enter their country through the auspices of the EU. They want such immigration decisions (amongst others) to be made by Britain without EU imposed quotas. On the other hand, PM David Cameron insists a Britain within the EU will bring the 2015 “net” immigration number of 330,000 down to 100,000 by 2020. Skeptics suggest, however,

Britain’s lack of traction as an EU member will work against such reductions being realized. Consider that about 70 per cent of British initiatives advanced to the EU Parliament go nowhere. Concern about immigration prompted me to chat with a fellow on The High Street. At ﬁrst, he winked joking about keeping “those damn Canadians” out of Britain. And then he admitted we were square with him. He worried, though, about others. “I know your good lady has work here and is going to help us,” he said. “I have a problem though with people who come to Britain without jobs. Frankly many of us are struggling ourselves.” On the other hand, we both admitted

many immigrants find success and become valued citizens. As a Canadian of Irish heritage, I am proud my ancestors helped build Canada. Some immigrants of the past did not – as will some today not fi t into either of our societies. That is the normal distribution on any bell curve, no matter what is measured. We can vote too In closing, I must admit to having an inordinate amount of interest in this issue. That’s because we are able to vote in the referendum from “leave” to stay in the UK up to 2021. By the time we cast our ballots, we and 50 or so other million people here will hopefully better understand the issue from “facts” provided by both sides. In my view, such facts, though, may be questionable. There are too many variables where sands are constantly shifting in what has to be one of the most volatile and chaotic times in history. It will therefore be more of a high stakes roll of the dice in a “kingdom divided.” But then that’s just me talking through my hat, a winter tuque from my Northern Manitoba days – someone known as “Canada Dan” in a Solihull, England coffee shop. Dan McSweeney, a Halifax native, first worked as a reporter at the old Halifax Herald, then got a taste of public relations work at Canadian National Railway in Moncton, before coming to Thompson in 1980 to work for Inco. He retired back home to Bridgewater on Nova Scotia’s south shore in June 2007 after 27½ years with Inco here. He blogs at mcsweeneysdiversion.wordpress.com.

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Please

Second Grand Rapids shooting suspect arrested and charged BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Manitoba RCMP announced via Twitter March 31 that Alex Sanderson, wanted in connection to a December shooting in his hometown of Grand Rapids, has been arrested and charged with attempted murder. The Dec. 11 shooting resulted in a gunshot injury to one man while another suffered stab wounds. The victims received

medical attention for their injuries, which were not life-threatening. The Winnipeg Police Service received a tip Dec. 13 that the other suspect, 26-year-old Charles Kelsey Ballantyne of Selkirk, was in an establishment on Keewatin Street in Winnipeg and members of the Winnipeg Police Service Tactical Unit took him into custody in the parking lot. Ballantyne was trans-

murder without a ﬁrearm, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and failure to comply with a probation order.

ferred to RCMP custody and is charged with aggravated assault, attempted

Photo courtesy of RCMP Alex Sanderson of Grand Rapids was arrested March 31 and charged with attempted murder in connection to a December shooting in the Northern Manitoba community.

Committee wants party leaders to commit to completing treaty land entitlement claims within 10 years BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

The Treaty Land Entitlement Committee of Manitoba (TLEC) is calling on all provincial party leaders to commit to completing Treaty Land Entitlement (TLE) claims under the 1997 Manitoba Framework Agreement on TLE within 10 years. TLEC president Chief Nelson Genaille of Sapotaweyak Cree Nation sent a letter to NDP leader Greg Selinger, Liberal leader Rana Bokhari, Progressive Conservative leader Brian Pallister and Green Party leader James Beddome asking them to match the

federal government’s campaign pledge to fast-track treaty land entitlement in Manitoba to completion within the next decade. The TLEC wants Manitoba’s party leaders to agree to renegotiate the terms of the 1997 framework agreement, allow all TLE selections in provincial parks to become reserve lands, to agree to sell available surplus Crown land for $1 an acre to First Nations that can purchase lands under their TLE agreements, and to stop renewing existing mining claims and leases on all TLE Crown land se-

lections. TLE agreements in Manitoba are signed between the federal and provincial governments and First Nations that did not receive their full allotment of reserve land under numbered treaties signed with Canada between 1871 and 1910. Canada, Manitoba and 29 First Nations in the province agreed upon TLE settlements between 1994 and 2009 – eight through individual TLE settlements and 21 through the TLE Framework Agreement. The framework agreement pledged to pro-

vide 1.1 million acres of land to 21 First Nations. To date, Canada has set aside a total of 462,727.45 acres of land as reserve land for 14 of the 15 First Nations that have signed their individual TLE agreements. “Given that there remains a total of 500,369.75 acres of land selections and acquisitions to be converted to Reserve status for these 15 [Entitlement First Nations], and in light of the time it took to convert the current acreages to date, Manitoba must do more,” said Genaille’s letter.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

recycle and keep our earth

Green

Need to ﬁll a Marymound is presently seeking:

Church Services ST. JAMES ANGLICAN Rev. Jean Arthurson-Ouskan 10 Caribou 677-4652 11 am Sundays also 7 pm 1st & 3rd Sundays ST. JOSEPH UKRAINIAN CATHOLIC 340 Juniper Drive 778-7547 ST. LAWRENCE ROMAN CATHOLIC Fr Subhash Joseph and Fr Guna Sekhar 114 Cree R. 677-0160 Sat. 6:30 pm & Sun. 10 am THOMPSON PENTECOSTAL Pastor Dan Murphy Youth Pastor Lawrence Stratton Children’s Pastor Karen O’Gilvie 126 Goldeye 677-3435 Sunday Service at 11:00 am Sunday School 9:45 am ST. ANDREWS PRESBYTERIAN 249 Thompson Drive 204-677-2799 Pastor Murat Kuntel Regular Hours: 11 am Church Service CHRISTIAN CENTRE FELLOWSHIP 328 Thompson Dr. N. 677-4457 Sun. School 9:45 am • Service 11 am FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 456 Westwood Dr. S. Ph. 778-8037 Service @ 11 am LUTHERAN - UNITED CHURCH OF THOMPSON Congregations worship at 52 Caribou Rd. at 10:30 am Sundays. Phone 204-677-4495

Friday, April 8, 2016

LIVING WATER CHURCH Pastor Archie McKay Ph: 677-2469 Sunday services @ 7:00pm. LIGHT OF THE NORTH CHURCH 32 Nelson Road GATEWAY BIBLE BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor Dave Cook 159 Cree Rd 204-677-3000 Sunday School 10:00 am AM Service at 11, PM Service at 7 Prayer Meeting - Wednesday 7 pm THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS everyone welcome sundays at 10 AM 83 Copper Rd For more information, church tours or home visits call the Missionaries at 204-939-4382 or visit Mormon.org THE SALVATION ARMY Thompson Corps (Church) 305 Thompson Dr. - 204-677-3658 Worship services every Sunday at 11 am APOSTOLIC FAITH CHURCH 111 Goldeye Crescent Sunday 11:00 am Worship Service 3:00 pm Sunday School 7:00 pm Evening service Wednesday: 7:00 pm Bible study followed by prayer time. Contact us at 204-679-2693 or 204-677-5003

Youth Recreation Activity Worker – Term Full-time position ending August 2016 –Marymound Receiving Home Competition # YRAW16-32 (80 hours bi-weekly, Days, Evenings). Youth Recreation Activity Workers are responsible for planning programs throughout the summer which enhance the Marymound client’s ability to enjoy creative leisure time pursuits alone, in a small group, or in a an organized group. Must have excellent physical & emotional health. Education and experience considered.

JOB?

Satisfactory Criminal Record and clear Child Abuse Registry/ Prior Contact checks are requirements of all positions as well as emergency first aid, valid driver’s license, and abstract. Knowledge of Indigenous customs, traditions, and beliefs will be considered an asset. For more information about Marymound, visit www.marymound.com Submit cover letter and résumé quoting Competition # to: Competition No. YRAW16-32 Human Resources 442 Scotia Street Winnipeg, MB R2V 1X4 By 4:00 pm, April 12, 2016 - anything submitted after the deadline will not be considered e-mail: careers@marymound.com or online at www.marymound.com Marymound is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are encouraged to self-declare.

ADVERTISE with us call 204-677-4534

Friday, April 8, 2016

Nickel Belt News â&#x20AC;˘ www.thompsoncitizen.net

Page 11

Careers

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES At the Quality Inn & Suites we pride ourselves on customer service. We are currently looking to fill a housekeeping position for day shift, must also be willing to work weekends. If you are an honest, reliable, hardworking, friendly individual who would like to be part of a great housekeeping team this may be the job for you. Housekeeping experience an asset. Starting wage $13 per hour.

University College of the North (UCN) is committed to building a workforce that is representative of the populations we serve. Applications are invited from individuals who have a demonstrated interest and ability to work with Aboriginal learners and mature students. Preference will be given to Aboriginal candidates.

ASSISTANT OR ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR FACULTY OF ARTS BUSINESS AND SCIENCE

ACADEMIC ADVISOR/COUNSELOR

Classification: Assistant or Associate Professor Full-Time Tenure Track Position Thompson, Manitoba Competition No. 16-039 Closing Date: May 2, 2016 or until the position is filled.

Subject to Funding Classification: Guidance Officer 1 Full-Time Regular Position The Pas Manitoba Competition No. 16-038 Closing Date: April 15, 2016

Please visit our website for more detailed information about UCN and this employment opportunity. At http://www.ucn.ca, select â&#x20AC;&#x153;UCN Careersâ&#x20AC;?, and select from the list of positions to view. Thank you for your interest in UCN.

Thompson (866) 677.6450

Please drop off your resume to Sharon Sheppard, Housekeeping Manager, 45 Moak Cres. The interest of all applicants is appreciated, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT The successful candidate must be a highly motivated individual who can work with minimum supervision and able to manage multiple projects. This individual will assist in the clerical organization of the sales and finance department. Your area of responsibility will be: management of website and vehicle photos, social media, processing paperwork, management of monthly marketing plans and Inventory control. Required Experience: Ideal candidates will have: â&#x20AC;˘ Leadership abilities and people skills that contribute to effective communication in managerial responsibilities and in creating a positive working environment. â&#x20AC;˘ Managerial skills. â&#x20AC;˘ Organizational and multi-tasking abilities. â&#x20AC;˘ Proficiency in Microsoft Applications. â&#x20AC;˘ Appears for work on time, dressed appropriately and ready to work. â&#x20AC;˘ Follows directions from a supervisor. â&#x20AC;˘ Interacts effectively with co-workers. â&#x20AC;˘ Understands and follows posted work rules and procedures and all company policies. â&#x20AC;˘ Accepts constructive criticism with motivation towards improvement in job performance. Required Education: High school education or equivalent

Comments: Due to the high volume of resumes we will receive only certain candidates will be selected for an interview. Please submit for resume VIA E-MAIL to jpelk@twinmotors.ca

CAREER OPPORTUNITY t $PNQFUJUJWF 4BMBSJFT t 3FMPDBUJPO "TTJTUBODF t $POUJOVJOH &EVDBUJPO t 3FNPUFOFTT "MMPXBODF t &YDFMMFOU #FOFĂśUT

>Recruitment Officer '5& 'VMM 5JNF 1FSNBOFOU /3)" "ENJOJTUSBUJPO 4FSWJDFT t 5IPNQTPO .BOJUPCB The Recruitment Officer develops, implements, and maintains the recruitment plan and process of the NHR; represents NHR as an Employer of Choice; designs and executes career advertisements in newspapers, journals, web-sites, etc; and makes initial contact with applicants and refers qualified applicants to proper level of management for review. Schedules interviews, books meeting rooms, and maintains job competition files; assists with the interview and selection process as required; and visits colleges, universities, job fairs and related functions as part of the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recruiting efforts. Qualifications: t (SBEF PS FRVJWBMFOU t )VNBO 3FTPVSDFT DFSUJĂśDBUJPO GSPN B SFDPHOJ[FE TDIPPM TVJUBCMF combinations of education & experience may be considered). t 7BMJE .BOJUPCB $MBTT 7 ESJWFS T MJDFOTF BDDFTT UP B WFIJDMF BOE XJMMJOHOFTT to travel within the region year round. t 1SFWJPVT FYQFSJFODF JO SFDSVJUNFOU TUSBUFHJFT BOE XPSLGPSDF QMBOOJOH t ,OPXMFEHF PG WBSJPVT IFBMUI DBSF DBSFFST t %FNPOTUSBUFE XPSLJOH LOPXMFEHF PG 8JOEPXT .JDSPTPGU BOE B HSBQIJD EFTJHO QSPHSBN TVDI BT 1VCMJTIFS 1PXFS1PJOU BOE UIF *OUFSOFU For complete list of qualifications please visit our website www.nrha.ca. 1MFBTF TVCNJU SFTVNĂ? CZ April 12, 2016 to: Holly Rousson, RPR, Recruitment Officer Box 240, The Pas MB R9A 1K4 Fax: (204) 627-6810, Email: recruitwest@nrha.ca

$BMM VT UPEBZ -PDBM PS 5PMM 'SFF Northern RHA has a Representative Workforce Strategy, we encourage all applicants to self-declare. Criminal Record, Child Abuse, & Adult Abuse Registry Checks are required. We thank all candidates for applying. Only those selected for interview will be contacted.

www.nrha.ca

WORK WITH US & GROW A CAREER

www.glaciermedia.ca/careers

OFFICE ASSISTANT INSTRUCTOR

Classification: Instructor Full-Time Term Position Norway House, Manitoba Competition No. 16-040 Closing Date: April 18, 2016 or until the position is filled. Please visit our website for more detailed information about UCN and this employment opportunity. At http://www.ucn.ca, select â&#x20AC;&#x153;UCN Careersâ&#x20AC;?, and select from the list of positions to view. Thank you for your interest in UCN.

The Thompson Golf Course is now accepting applications for an experienced cook in our clubhouse. Please contact Brian Beauchemin at 204-778-3252

Thompson (866) 677.6450

Manager of Infrastructure

Compensation: We offer competitive pay, health, dental plans.

Glacier Media Group is growing. Check our job board regularly for the latest openings:

The City of Thompson is seeking a Manager of Infrastructure to join our execuĆ&#x;ve team and invites qualiÄŽed applicants to submit a resume for consideraĆ&#x;on: The City of Thompson is commiĆŠed to establishing the appropriate infrastructure to promote the conĆ&#x;nued growth of this dynamic city which is the prime service centre supporĆ&#x;ng central and Northern Manitoba. The Manager of Infrastructure coordinates and implements the delivery of technical services to the City based on the policies adopted by City Council. This posiĆ&#x;on plays a central role in the implementaĆ&#x;on of the UĆ&#x;lityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Capital and Surface Capital projects and ensures that planning for replacement, acquisiĆ&#x;on, maintenance and improvements to the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infrastructure and assets is completed. Supervision and leadership experience in a municipal environment and a post-secondary degree in Civil Engineering ÄŽeld with an emphasis on Project Management, and experience in human resource, ÄŽnancial management, planning and administraĆ&#x;on are required. The successful candidate will have membership or be eligible for immediate membership as a registered Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with the AssociaĆ&#x;on of Professional Engineers and GeoscienĆ&#x;sts of The Province of Manitoba (APEGM).

BRANCH MANAGER & OUTSIDE SALES Moffatt Supply & Specialties Thompson, Manitoba Moffatt Supply & Specialties has an opening for the position of Branch Manager/Outside Sales at our Thompson, Manitoba location. Moffatt Supply & Specialties is a mining supply company with 9 branches across Canada catering to the various needs of local mine sites and contractor needs in the geographical location of the branch. Moffatt Supply & Specialties specializes in ground engaging components, wear materials, valves, piping products, and value added services. Reporting to the Regional Manager, the Branch Manager/Outside Sales responsibilities include: â&#x20AC;˘

The salary starts at $71,900 and the right candidate can expect a salary that reĹ&#x2021;ects their level of experience. The City of Thompson also oÄŤers an extensive beneÄŽts package.

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Please send detailed resumes outlining experience, educaĆ&#x;on, qualiÄŽcaĆ&#x;ons and references by Friday, April 15, 2016 at 4:30pm.

â&#x20AC;˘

Focussing on and managing all sales functions including achieving growth and proďŹ t targets while maintaining current business Managing the overall operations of the branch Cultivating and managing key business accounts Providing direction, training, and leadership to branch employees Creating and maintaining strategic alliances with vendors

QualiďŹ cations: Deanna Kondakor HR Manager City of Thompson 226 Mystery Lake Road Thompson, MB R8N 1S6 Fax: 204-677-7981 Email: cmaclean@thompson.ca We thank all interested applicants; however, only those considered for interviews will be contacted. The City of Thompson is commiĆŠed to providing a superior quality of life and unlimited opportuniĆ&#x;es. We are dedicated to supporĆ&#x;ng healthy growth and our northern urban lifestyle while providing our residents with high quality municipal services and faciliĆ&#x;es.

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Demonstrated ability to achieve sales and proďŹ t objectives within a competitive market Highly motivated with excellent communication skills Exceptional customer service skills Demonstrated ability to lead and build a successful team Knowledge of the mining industry is preferred Computer skills in OfďŹ ce and Accpac an asset

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious, career-oriented individual desiring to be part of a successful and evolving organization with the ability to greatly impact the future success of the business. Our competitive compensation package includes base salary, commission, beneďŹ ts, and a bonus structure. Pay package is commensurate on qualiďŹ cations and experience. Please forward resume and cover letter to bhaight@moffattsupply. com While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those candidates chosen to be interviewed will be contacted. Moffatt Supply & Specialties is an equal opportunity employer.

Page 12

Nickel Belt News • www.thompsoncitizen.net

Friday, April 8, 2016

News

Council approves resolution to sign agreement for community safety ofﬁcer funding BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Council unanimously approved a resolution to enter an agreement with province of Manitoba and the RCMP for the operation and funding of its community safety officer (CSO) program, a twoyear pilot program that saw eight CSOs hit the streets of Thompson last June. The agreement stipulates that the province will contribute up to $300,000 per ﬁscal year between now and the conclusion of the twoyear pilot program on May 24 of next year towards eligible costs of the program, which include salaries and

benefits, as well as uniforms and equipment, travel and training costs, vehicle and office expenses and evaluation activities. If the City of Thompson spends less than $300,000 per fiscal year on the program, the provincial contribution will be reduced. “This agreement will recognize the funding on a 50-50 basis with the province over that twoyear period which really is an annual cost for the program at $600,000 annually,” city manager Gary Ceppetelli told councillors prior to voting. “This formal agreement is required prior to receipt of the provincial funding and administration recommends that

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Don’s Rooﬁng & Exteriors Don Park – Owner/Operator 204-679-6503

Amy Lawhead & Zack Pitman wish to announce the birth of their son

Keegan James Pitman Born on April 1 at Thompson General Hospital, 7 lbs 14 oz.

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Large 1-bedroom available Onsite security 7 days a week Large salt water pool Fully equipped fitness room Smart card onsite laundry All utilities included

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Contact Edith @ 204-677-9880

suites.forestview@shaw.ca

Thompson RCMP Drug Tip Line

204-677-6995

council pass the resolution approving entering into the agreement with Manitoba.” Coun. Duncan Wong asked the city manager if $600,00 was enough to cover all the costs and Ceppetelli told him that is was. A budget in the draft agreement available from the council meeting agenda on the city’s website pegged the total costs of the program at $689,000 in the ﬁrst year and $626,000 in the second year. After accounting for the province’s contribution and a training grant, that budget pegged the costs to the city at $346,065 in the ﬁrst year and $326,000 in the second year. The province will con-

tribute $300,000 within 30 days of the agreement being signed, another $150,000 in September of this year and $150,000 on May 24, 2017. The city and province will meet before next January to discuss if the program will continue beyond May 2017. The agreement between the city, province and RCMP also includes a process for dealing with complaints against CSOs. Non-criminal complaints for actions such as unwarranted arrests, excessive force, abusive language, bribeseeking and discrimination must be submitted to the public safety manager for investigation and, if the

complainant is unsatisﬁed with the results of the investigation, they can appeal to the director of ﬁre and public safety. Criminal complaints that the city becomes aware of must be forwarded to Thompson RCMP for investigation. Mayor Dennis Fenske said the program is an important part of the city’s downtown strategy. “It’s a long way to go in regard to the social issues that we have in the downtown area and in our community but I think this is one of the steps –I want to echo, one of the steps – that we will use to combat the issues and help and assist people get through deci-

sions or lifestyle choices that haven’t been in the best interests of themselves or others,” he said. During question period following adjournment of the meeting, Chiew Chong asked how the city knows if the program is money well spent. “Do we have a report of the success of this program?” he asked. “We at the public safety committee receive a report every month from the supervisor as to the program itself and the public safety meeting is open to the general public,” said Fenske, adding that there will also be annual reports on the CSO program.

Hope North Suicide Prevention Committee PRESENTS

Songs & Stories An evening with Legendary Canadian Inuk Singer, Songwriter and Public Speaker

Susan Aglukark Thursday, April 14, 2016 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm Letkemann Theatre, RDPC This is a Community Event. All age groups are welcomed and encouraged to attend this evening of inspiration and HOPE!