Nickel Belt News Volume 9 Volume 58 59 Number • Issue 1711
Friday, 16, 2018 Friday, March 2,2019 2018 Friday,March April 26,
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Council takes Canada Goose CEO Book a way to preserve and pass on Riverside students headed back first step towards donates $1 million towards memories of growing up in Churchill to Canada-Wide Science Fair reducing their polar bear conservation facility Polar Bears International (PBI) received a $1 million donation towards the construction of a new facility in Churchill during their Polar Bear Affair gala in Toronto Feb. 27. Dani Reiss, president and CEO of Canada Goose, as well as a current Polar
“Over the least decade of working with PBI, I have seen firsthand the passion and energy that the team puts into their important research and efforts to ensure polar bears have a future,” said Reiss in a press release. “It is a privilege to be a part of help-
Burntwood duo also wins chance to attend this year’s national competition in Fredericton
ranks in October
ing them build a muchneeded facility which will serve as a launch site for that’s our size, we have the PBI’s research and educa- BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET most,” she said. tional activities on polar smelting could besaid used to fill BYCouncil KYLE DARBYSON approved fi rst Matechuk that bear habitat conservation KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET potholes, make sandpaperreading of a bylaw to re- since the need to cut costs around the world.” For the second year in like material and help agriThe proposed Polar duce the number of coun- is partly due to the new, acillors row, from Samara Green production. (GIL) eight to sixand at cultural lower grant-in-lieu Bears International House, Anaya Permanand came up Because of their extenconstruction of which is their Feb. 26 meeting by a that Vale Manitoba Operwith one6-3, of the best over- sive research, won vote of with councilations pays thethe citypair instead expected to begin at the all projects at the Northern the chance taxes, to present their lors Ron Matechuk, Dunof property the counstart of the 2018 polar bear Manitoba Regional Science findings alongside 498 other season, will be built on do- can Wong and Judy Kolada cillors who negotiated that Fair and won the opportun- young scientists at the 2019 agreement could make it nated land on Churchill’s opposed. ityBefore to represent their school Canada-Wide SciencetoFair the reduction possible for council go main street and designed district on a national stage. (CWSF), which is taking to be energy efficient and becomes reality, however, through a trial period with During this year’s region- place in Fredericton, New ecologically sound. It will the bylaw must be the fewer members. al competition in ThehearPas, Brunswick Maycouncillors 15-17. subject of a public “If the three serve as a site to educate which ran April scheduled 12-13, the that Green and Permanand ing, currently negotiated the GIL, this visitors to Churchill about Grade 8 students from École are veteransthis heading into for March 12, and then miserable, very poor polar bears, climate change Riverside School and impressed this competition, since receive second third GIL, were to do the honand the urgent need to take judges with their project that they competed in the 2018 action, as well as provide reading, which are tenta- ourable thing and resign asked the question “Is It CWSF in Ottawa based on broadcast facilities for tively slated to occur March from council, we would Possible to Repurpose Slag the strength of their project media, support polar bear 12 and March 26 respect- have a couple of weeks to from the Nickel Mining that studied music’s affects research and outreach ef- ively. City manager Gary find out whether we want Industry?” on heart rate and blood Nickel Belt News photos courtesy of Mervat Yehia forts, and assist visiting Ceppetelli says the bylaw to proceed all the way to Green and Permanand pressure. École Riverside School’s Samara Green (left) and Anaya Permanand (right) won the chance toscientists, attend thiseducators year’s Canadaand must be passed 180 days third reading on this,” said hypothesized that thisdate by- Matechuk, However, the Riverside prior to the election repeated other guests whose work Wide Science Fair after presenting their project “Is it Possible to Repurpose Slag from the Nickel Mining Industry?” at product left over from nickel duo isn’t thewho only local of Oct. 24. If it is, the next comments made Feb. sci12 and support are critical to the 2019 Northern Manitoba Regional Science Fair in The Pas April 12-13. ence team that is getting election could be a bit of when council voted 5-2 polar bear conservation. the chance to represent the The facility will include a a case of musical chairs, to amend the Thompson School of Mystery with the eight incumbent CharterDistrict Act, which stipuworkspace, bunkhouse, Lake (SDML) at a national councillors, assuming all of lates that council should kitchen and storage space them decide to run again, level. have eight councillors and for equipment. Burntwood stucompeting for only six a mayor, to theSchool effect that “This is the single lardents Alliethe Thevenot and available spots, along with reducing number of gest donation PBI has Chelsey Andrews also all the other candidates. council positions would received and it is an this opportunity Eliminating two council earned prevent “new blood” from amazing commitment to through showcasing their positions would save just coming into council. helping secure the polar project “EMF Exposed!” Deputy mayor Colleen bear’s future,” said PBI under $20,000 in salarwhich or nenot Smooktested said whether that isn’t executive director Krista ies and perhaps about Nickel Belt News photo byas Ianshe Graham electromagnetic fields weak$5,500 to $16,400 in cessarily true and Wright. “We’re humbled Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. ens a person’s hand strength. by this generous gift and travel expenses, based Valentino were among the SDML students in general on the amounts spent on three vote-getters in BY IAN GRAHAM extremely For all the harsh weather to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a grateful.” very safe thing swallow when people say top made adespite strong showingnot at travel by the two lowest2014 having EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar the regional competition in spending councillors and been on council before, Though she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it Pas, with Penny 22 totalByer subErica and Dani Reiss do- the two highest spending The while Coun. a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would missions and plenty ofautofirstnated $1 million towards in the fi scal year 2016. said fresh faces don’t ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchplace finishes in various age Shrinking council six ill matically equate to differPolaroffBears Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel and I International’s realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. to They in a heartbeat. categories. would just put leave,’ Thompson in ent“Iresults. proposed in ChurchManitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I wasfacility probably sitting should is quite miss the shoreline, I These awheth“Best line with other similarly “I’mthe notincluded sure that ill during the organization’s simplistic. Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” It’s quite disre- miss rock, I miss the in Show” designation for sized communities said er you have new blood ing wasn’t something she Bear Affair gala inthat To- spectful. If we were in the polar “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied his- Polar Another thing bears even though Grade 5that Westwood student Coun. Blake Ellis, a commakes great a differalways thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred very dangerous and ronto Feb.her 27. on was the same boat in another area they’re Coleman for her byscream Coun. IMichelle ence in miss what a council is do. tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill Iment thinkreiterated we would really the Hudson project titled “Water Filters: Nickel Belt News Kathy Valentino. able to do and accomplish “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go Clean what Water.” obGrade 7 Burntwood School students Chelsey Andrews (left) and Allie Thevenot (right) impressed judges photo at thecourtesy Northern regional science fair Finding “When you look at every depending of Manitoba felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended have the option to do that? back home,on standingthe on the operations or municipality in The“But Pas April 12-13 with their project Exposed!” Continued on Page 3 Bears last International said. when I moved said. “Mytitled kids “EMF are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did northPolar of Gillam spring. Iother thinkcity right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so at that point I had to write ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” WE SELL for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s got • HOUSEWARE ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so under her belt, Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says.• ELECTRONICS ill really want to thrive. one book HELIUM right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try • TOYSThough she’s not there • FRAMES BALLOONS! a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. • CRAFT • LINEN and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family if someone came to you and “I have another book in • the STATIONERY • CARDS a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into said, ‘I’m sorry, you WE have toARE me,” she says. “It’s a darker members still are. writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the leave your home community story, more about personTHE PARTY my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. LOOK FOR “GREAT CANADIAN DOLLAR STORE THOMPSON” ON FACEBOOK! clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. you somewhereSPECIALISTS else and all Maybe in the next five years Some people say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, your loved ones and yourNORTH! it’s something I’ll focus on OF THE MON - THU: 9 am - 9 pm • FRIDAY: 9 am - 10 pm • SATURDAY: 9 am - 9 pm • SUNDAY: 10 am - 6 pm blunt or direct. I don’t tend never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles finds it hard to history is gone?’” doing.” Bears International board member and a former chairman of that board from 2008 to 2017, pledged the money, which represents about half of the money the organization hopes to raise for Polar Bears International House.