Nickel Belt News Volume 61 • Issue 6
Friday, February 12, 2021
Thompson, Manitoba
Serving the Norman Region since 1961
Leaf Rapids school getting $2,000 grant for planned workout room
Leaf Rapids Education Centre is getting $2,000 towards a planned workout room from the Physical Health and Education Canada (PHE Canada) Share2Care initiative. One of seven Can-
adian schools selected as recipients of a 2020 Share2Care grant, Leaf Rapids Education Centre was one of two Manitoba schools, along with Gordon Bell High School in Winnipeg, to be awarded by PHE, which cham-
pions healthy, active kids by promoting and advancing physical and health education opportunities and healthy learning environments. “We’re really working towards a facility that the kids and the town can
be proud of,” said Gerald Dillman, chairman of the Leaf Rapids Education centre Wellness Centre project. “Keeping kids fit and energized makes them better learners and just generally happier.” 2020 was the third year
of the Share2Care initiative, which received 199 applications to support teacher and/or student mental health at schools across Canada. Part of PHE Canada’s Teach Resiliency program, Share2Care aims
to recognize and share unique, innovative and promising school mental health programs and initiatives that make a positive impact on students, school staff and the entire school community.
Additional 1,200 Moderna vaccine doses made available to Manitoba First Nations: public health officials BY NICOLE WONG
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, WINNIPEG SUN
Manitoba public health officials have confirmed that an additional 1,200 doses of the Moderna vaccine have been made immediately available for further First Nations prioritizations Doses will be provided to health-care workers in non-remote First Nations communities, First Nations alternative isolation accommodation (AIA) workers and traditional healers and knowledge keepers. “This is to ensure health care workers in non-remote First Nations communities can access appointments at the supersite even while the Pfizer vaccine is delayed,” said Dr. Marcia Anderson, public health lead for the
Manitoba First Nation Pandemic Response and Co-ordination Team (PRCT) during a press conference Feb. 1. “Eligibility includes healthcare workers with direct patient or client interaction, such as doctors, nurses, healthcare aides, home care workers, medical transportation drivers, and other direct service providers.” She added that First Nations AIA workers at sites managed or supported by First Nations organizations will also receive a part of the 1,200 doses. In recognition of the essential role that they play in the First Nation health workforce, traditional healers and knowledge keepers who do not meet the age criteria or who live off-re-
serve can also access the vaccination if they choose. “We support the expansion of eligibility for the vaccination of First Nation people, especially for our traditional healers and knowledge keepers,” said Southern Chiefs’ Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels in a press release. “The data clearly shows that First Nation people are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, regardless of where they live. Therefore, all First Nation people must be vaccinated as quickly and safely as possible to ensure that we can protect our citizens and prevent the further spread of this deadly virus and the concerning new strains.” The vaccines will be available through a popup site in Winnipeg as well
as at hubs in Thompson, The Pas and Flin Flon. First Nations with larger numbers of eligible healthcare workers may get the doses shipped directly to their community. Last week, Churchill began to receive their first Moderna doses for residents of the eldercare ward, elders aged 70 or older, and health-care workers. A Focused Immunization Team also visited the KeKiNan Centre, an assisted-living facility for Indigenous seniors in Winnipeg, to offer immunization this week. In the upcoming weeks, War Lake First Nation, York Landing, Thicket Portage, Pikwitonei, Lynn Lake and Marcel Colomb First Nation, Leaf Rapids
and Fox Lake Cree Nation can expect to receive their first doses of the vaccine. “The vaccine plan being announced today will ensure that First Nations people will have the maximum protection possible,” said Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead for Manitoba’s Vaccination Implementation Task Force. “As a whole, these initiatives will help ensure more Manitobans will have access to the vaccine in an equitable and timely way to protect those at risk.” However, neither Anderson nor Reimer were able to disclose the exact dates as to when these communities will receive their vaccines or how many doses will be sent to these communities. In Stage Two of the vaccine rollout, the province
will begin offering vaccination to those over 80 years of age. As well, people who are 60 years or older will be able to access the COVID-19 vaccine. This ensures that higher levels of risk experienced by First Nations people are addressed based on the epidemiological evidence and disproportional impact of COVID-19 on First Nations people in Manitoba. As of Jan 28, First Nations people made up 73 per cent of all presumed active cases in Manitoba and had an 18 per cent test positivity rate. Nicole Wong is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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Friday,Friday, February March12, 16,2021 2018
Airlines servicing Northern Manitoba receiving $12 million in federal funding to cover losses and ensure continued service BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Five airlines that fly into remote Northern Manitoba communities will receive a total of more than $12 million in federal funding to cover pandemic-related losses in the last six months of 2020 and help ensure that service levels are maintained. The airlines receiving funding include Calm Air, Perimeter Aviation, Northway Aviation, Missinippi Air and Amik Aviation. Calm Air and Perimeter Aviation, both owned by Exchange Income Corporation (EIC), will receive about about three-quarters of Manitoba’s funding allocation – $8.99 million, nearly $7 million of it directed at Perimeter. “Ensuring that people and cargo can get in and out of remote Northern Manitoba communities is at the core of what our airlines do and we’ve been proud to maintain this essential service since the start of the pandemic,” said EIC CEO Mike Pyle in a provincial government news release. “I’m pleased that the federal and provincial governments are partnering with our airlines to ensure they can continue to be there to support Manitobans as we all weather the rest of this crisis.” The federal government announced in August that it was seeking agreements with provinces and territories to ensure 140 northern
out of communities, while providing critical medical evacuations as required,” said AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately affecteducentr.dumont@gmail.com ing First Nations people in Manitoba during its second wave. Sister Andrea Dumont In the summer, the federal government said it was committing up to $75 million for airlines over the first six months of the funding arrangement and up to $99 million over the subsequent 12 months, if needed. Passenger numbers on small airlines that service remote communities dropped by more than 90 percent over the first few months of the pandemic, reducing revenue that previously helped subsidize the cost of transporting essential cargo on the same planes. Manitoba Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler said in a Jan. 22 news release that northern communities would soon have access to Nickel Belt News photo courtesy of Calm Air the winter road network, Exchange Income Corporation, which owns Calm Air and Perimeter Aviation, is receiving nearly $9 million in federal which covers 2,381 kilofunding to cover losses over the last six months of 2020 and ensure that airlines continue scheduled service to remote metres, connects 30,000 Manitobans in 22 comNorthern Manitoba communities. munities to the rest of the and remote communities Feb. 1 will maintain sched- communities, air service represents 63 First Nations province and sees more had adequate airline service. uled service to 21 remote must remain operational in the province, welcomed than 2,500 shipments of “This investment will en- communities, including as residents depend on this the funding arrangement. goods, including construcsure communities in Mani- many Northern Manitoba service for essential goods “For our remote and tion materials, fuel and toba remain connected and First Nations that do not in an out of their com- isolated First Nations, the heavy equipment, while it supported with access to es- have year-round road ac- munities,” said Manitoba airlines provide a lifeline is operational, which can sential goods and services cess. The distribution of the Indigenous and Northern to the outside world, ensur- be as long as two months when they need it the most,” funding was determined by Relations Minister Eileen ing that goods and servidepending ce@gmail.com upon weather kelly.bindle.mla.offi said federal Northern Affairs the provincial government. Clarke. ces are transported in and conditions. Constituency Office: Minister Dan Vandal. “In regions where there The Assembly of ManiUnit 3-40 Moak Crescent The funding announced are no roads connecting toba Chiefs (AMC), which Thompson, MB R8N 2B7 204-677-2066 Kelly Bindle
Spiritual Thoughts
MLA Report
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Man dies of exposure while travelling from Lynn Lake to Pukatawagan by snowmobile
Lynn Lake RCMP are investigating the death of a 37-year-old-man believed to have died of exposure. Police were notified around 10:40 a.m. Feb. 2 that the man who died and a 25-year-old male companion had left Lynn Lake on Monday bound for Pukatawagan by snowmobile but had not yet arrived at their destination. A search party left Pukatawagan intending to meet Lynn Lake RCMP officers along the trail. Officers found a man walking along a roadway who turned out to be the younger of the two missing persons. He displayed symptoms of severe hypothermia and was taken to hospital for treatment. The man told officers that the 37-year-old had continued towards Pukatawagan when he decided to walk back towards Lynn Lake. Continuing down the trail, RCMP met up with the search Thompson RCMP party from Pukatawagan, which had located the other man, TipBighetty Lineof Black Sturgeon Falls, identifiedDrug as Johnson dead, along with the snowmobile. No criminality is suspected in Bighetty’s death but Lynn Lake RCMP and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner continue to investigate while autopsy results are pending.
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Friday, February 12, 2021
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News • Page B-3
Métis receive $15 million to develop jobs, training
Winnipeg Free Press file photo
Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand. BY MICHÈLE LETOURNEAU LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, BRANDON SUN
The federal government announced a $15-million investment Thursday for Manitoba Métis. The purpose of the financial agreement is job creation and training. Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) president David Chartrand said land and capital investments would figure prominently, as would full attention to both rural and urban areas. "Buildings and lands are going to be fundamental. We’re definitely going to be looking at purchasing land, which will then create opportunities for capital development to occur," Chartrand said. One plan is to build a hotel at 280 Fort St. in Winnipeg, which will create long-term, permanent jobs, Chartrand added. Northern Affairs Minister Daniel Vandal, also a Manitoba Métis, made the funding announcement for Mélanie Joly, the minister of economic development and official languages and minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada. He was joined by parliamentary secretary and Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid, as well as Winnipeg North MLA Kevin Lamoureux. "This partnership with the Manitoba Metis Federation is an important step forward in the shared path of reconciliation and toward a true government-to-government, nation-to-nation relationship," Vandal stated.
"This important initiative will deliver on promoting economic development, closing socio-economic inequalities and creating jobs for members of the Métis Nation in Manitoba. We will continue to work collaboratively with all partners to support and build back even better as we look beyond the pandemic." Will Goodon, minister of housing and property management for the MMF, hosted the Zoom news conference. Chartrand said, keeping in mind the MMF purchased the flagship Bank of Montreal building at the corner of Portage and Main in Winnipeg, that Métis will have an important footprint in that area of the capital. "We will actually categorize all the jobs created with this investment. That’s something we do with the other investments we have," he said. The MMF currently employs roughly 800 people in the province. "There’s not a doubt in my mind, hundreds more will be created," said Chartrand. "For example, we’re going to be creating about 50 jobs. We’re actually building two greenhouses, professional facilities in Manitoba, which will be housing about 25 employed in each of the sites, term and fulltime. We plan to plant two million trees, now, instead of one million trees." Chartrand said that goes hand-in-hand with Canada’s vision to fight carbon. Other plans include
building shelters, such as women’s shelters and addiction foundations. "All of these things are all going to interconnect themselves, so we’re looking for hundreds of jobs (to) be created." As for training, Chartrand said traditional Métis economies have crumbled. He would like to bring some of those back to life. "If you look at the Métis homeland in Manitoba, we are rural and urban, with two different concepts of employment. We go to rural, most of the traditional economies are gone. There’s no factories coming there to replace these jobs," he said. "My big concern as the leader is that we are going to create a welfare kind of concept into our communities if we don’t find economies to be driven in or bought in. So we’re looking at different opportunities that will utilize this capital." Chartrand said he’d like to redevelop the fur trade. "We’re working right now with some co-ordination (with) colleagues from Toronto to Turkey, and other countries, to look at if we can get the fur market back because it’s part of what we still do today. But we get nothing for it," he said. Similarly, commercial fisheries are underdeveloped, he said. "You look at the fishing, we believe that commercial fisheries … There’s only $62 million in sales. We believe should go to $300 to $400 million in sales,"
said Chartrand. "Yet the majority of fishermen today are Métis. So we started looking at it from that concept. The opportunities are there. We just didn’t have the proper resources or
tools to invest in and to hire the expertise around there to get these international agreements in place and get these processes. "Both urban and rural are two different concepts of
21022mm3
trade that we will have to be investing in." The funding, already flowing, is to 2023, and follows the Canada-Métis Nation Accord signed in 2017. The MMF is a signatory.
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Flin Flon MLA Report Tom.Lindsey@yourmanitoba.ca Tom Lindsey
providing more supports for business and people, particularly if those businesses didn’t really need to close. The Pallister government still doesn’t have a real plan to vaccinate everyone living in the North. Their “one size fits all” vaccination plan may work in Winnipeg and Brandon, but it doesn’t work up here. Our communities are different because they are spread out across a massive area and many people don’t have access to transportation to take
them to the government’s Thompson supersite. The government should be taking the vaccines into these communities instead of forcing people to travel to the vaccine – that’s just common sense. Despite my requests for who’s on the task force, it’s still unclear whether there is anyone from Northern Manitoba on the Vaccination Implementation Task Force. We have now heard of “pop up” vaccine centres possibly being established in other communities, but again have not seen a plan as to which
communities. There has been speculation that pharmacies may be used but what about communities like Leaf Rapids and Lynn Lake where there are no pharmacies? To date, the Pallister government has not reached out to myself or any of the other three northern MLAs for our input on the vaccination rollout, or on northern restrictions. We’ve repeatedly reached out to try to meet with them, but there has been no response since the North was placed in Code Red. This government claims that we are all on Team Manitoba, but treats Northern Manitobans like an afterthought. I can be reached by phone at 204-687-3246 or email Tom.Lindsey@ yourmanitoba.ca if anyone has any questions, comments or concerns.
Pallister government needs to step up for Northern Manitoba As the pandemic continues, so does the stress, anxiety, and financial hardship for many people. Manitobans have been following the rules, including small business owners who were told to remain closed to limit the spread of COVID-19. People have made a real commitment to keeping each other safe and we need a government that matches that commitment. Unfortunately, the Pallister government continues to show that they aren’t matching Manitobans’ commitment. It’s still unclear whether there is anyone from the north on the Vaccine Implementation Task Force and it shows. This government has not consulted with Northern Manitobans, leading to decisions that make no sense such as their proposed vaccination site at the Thompson airport. Many of our northern communities are a long way away from the vaccine supersites and getting there can be a challenge due to a lack of transportation, time constraints and cost. The government’s
Danielle Adams
MLA Report Danielle.Adams @leg.gov.mb.ca
plan to vaccinate the north should therefore be more focused on bringing the vaccines to people, not the other way around. As they asked businesses to remain closed and for people to stay home, the PCs didn’t provide the supports that businesses needed. The Bridge Grant barely gave businesses the desperate support they need and after extending restrictions longer there was no more money committed. Additionally, at the government’s directive, the Community Economic Development Fund has not been able to loan businesses money since 2017. In recent
years the north has lost a lot of jobs as Vale and other companies have laid people off. The worry is that without supports for our economy, many of these skilled workers will leave the north altogether – leaving us with a concerning skill gap. The Pallister government needs to step up for Northern Manitoba and our economy. Unlike the PCs, we want to hear from Northern Manitobans, to get their input on what can be done. That’s why on we will be hosting a virtual town hall on the topic of small business. We will be sharing what the NDP and I would have done differently and want to hear what supports you think Northern Manitoba needs from the government as well. If you’d like the link for the townhall, please email danielle.adams@yourmanitoba.ca. I hope to see you all at the virtual town hall. Feel free to contact me with any concerns at Danielle. Adams@yourmanitoba.ca or by calling the office at 204-677-2744.
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