Nickel Belt News
Volume Volume 58 59 Number • Issue 14911
Friday, 2018 Friday, March 2, 2018 Friday,March April 5,16, 2019
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Council takes Canada Goose CEO Book a way to preserve and pass on Eight-year-old Wabowden boy first step towards donates $1 million towards memories of growing up in Churchill recovering from dog attack reducing their polar bear conservation facility
ranks in October Zakkari Shlachetka received nine stiches after protecting his cousin
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
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 Council approved fi rst Matechuk said that bear habitat conservation reading of a bylaw to resince the need to cut costs around the world.” The proposed Polar duce the number of coun- is partly due to the new, Bears International House, cillors from eight to six at lower grant-in-lieu (GIL) construction of which is their Feb. 26 meeting by a that Vale Manitoba Operexpected to begin at the vote of 6-3, with council- ations pays the city instead start of the 2018 polar bear lors Ron Matechuk, Dun- of property taxes, the counseason, will be built on do- can Wong and Judy Kolada cillors who negotiated that agreement could make it nated land on Churchill’s opposed. Before the reduction possible for council to go main street and designed becomes reality, however, through a trial period with to be energy efficient and the bylaw must be the fewer members. ecologically sound. It will “If the three councillors serve as a site to educate subject of a public hearing, currently scheduled that negotiated the GIL, this visitors to Churchill about for March 12, and then miserable, this very poor polar bears, climate change and the urgent need to take receive second and third GIL, were to do the honaction, as well as provide reading, which are tenta- ourable thing and resign broadcast facilities for tively slated to occur March from council, we would media, support polar bear 12 and March 26 respect- have a couple of weeks to research and outreach ef- ively. City manager Gary find out whether we want forts, and assist visiting Ceppetelli says the bylaw to proceed all the way to scientists, educators and must be passed 180 days third reading on this,” said other guests whose work prior to the election date Matechuk, who repeated and support are critical to of Oct. 24. If it is, the next comments made Feb. 12 polar bear conservation. election could be a bit of when council voted 5-2 The facility will include a a case of musical chairs, to amend the Thompson workspace, bunkhouse, with the eight incumbent Charter Act, which stipukitchen and storage space councillors, assuming all of lates that council should them decide to run again, have eight councillors and for equipment. Thompson Citizen photos courtesy of Brian Shlachetka competing for only six a mayor, to the effect that “This the single dog lar-March Brian Shlachetka says her eight-year old son Zakkari received nine stiches after being attacked by aisneighbour’s 29. gest donation PBI has available spots, along with reducing the number of the other candidates. positions would received andmet it up is with an all and the boy was already on almost like in a circle.” day. He even Courchaine said April 2 that council and it’s going to be an endBY KYLE DARBYSON council prevent “new blood” from to theEliminating KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET the ground,” she said. “And Zakkari was able to re- amazing Genaille tocommitment let her know he dog’s ownertwo is cooperatless cycle.” would save just coming into council. Eight-year-old Zakkari what it looked like to me is turn home under his own helping was OK.secure the polar positions ing with the investigation. Outside of making sure under $20,000 salarDeputy mayor Colleen future,” Shlachetka had to be treated he was trying to protect his power, and his mother im- bear’s “He came andsaid saw PBI me However, Brianinsaid this that her son receives proper Smook said that isn’t nein hospital for multiple la- little cousin. He kept trying mediately rushed him to the executive yesterday,”director she saidKrista April ies isn’t and goingperhaps to solve theabout probcounselling of Nickel Belt News photoinbythe Ianwake Graham $5,500 to $16,400 in cessarily true as she and Wright. “We’re humbled cerations March 29 after a to block that dog.” local nursing station and 1. “He brought a picture lem in the long term, since this attack, Brian also wants Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing travel up, mostly in Churchill. based Valentino were among the this neighbour’s dog broke loose Even though the younger eventually to Thompson by over thatgenerous he drewgift for and me, she saysexpenses, her neighbour still to work with community on the amounts spent say on topFor three in BY IAN GRAHAM extremely grateful.” all the harsh weather to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people and attacked him on Batch- of the two children managed General Hospital. because he knew I was hav- owns other pit bulls and has members invote-getters Wabowden and travel by the two lowest2014 despite having not EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET all these stories and ing figure out. pretty clear I have to do but time. I jumped it. I a that Churchill residents and the dangers elar Road in Wabowden. to escape, theIt’s medium-sized The eight-year-old ended a hard Afterat I gave history of treating them Thompson to make of surepolar that spending and been on council said before, Though she’s to noweyewitwritten dog, whendescribed I get through.” I need to capture them for thought was exciting should justcouncillors find somewhere bears, deMeulles if it According by Zakkari’s up getting nine stitches in Erica him a and bigthat hug I felt much poorly. her neighbour isn’t allowed Dani Reiss dotwo spending while Coun. Penny Byer a book about her experienDeMeulles she wrote my arm grandchildren until the plane landed and the easier to highest live. had been viable she would ness Mary Genaille, Shla- mother Briansaid Shlachetka as his and some skinreally glue better.” When she served as the to own dogs anymore. nated $1 million towards the fisay, scal ‘Those year 2016. faces don’t ces growing up in Churchill, Whispers in for because they Although will be losthis if they started the in “To people said have moved back to Churchchetka was returning from aher pitbook, bull, titled still did a number his hand. community’s dog catcher “Iffresh you’re going toautoraise Brian went throwing on to say that Shrinking council six matically equate to differBears Addictions Foundation of on theZakkari’s Wind: Stories from and the neck fueldog off and IInternational’s realized, ‘Holy choose to Brian live there. ill in a heartbeat. I don’t.” his aunt’s house across the didn’t require any Polar the that attacked her son last year, had to toThey get your arm, hand dogs to be vicious you in ent“Iresults. facility in ChurchManitoba director neck Northuntil - Life Churchill for stiches, She also hastook a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should put just leave,’ quite misshave the shoreline, street withnorthern his seven-yeartheinowner finally it still a couple proposed is currently locked up in a would another oneThompson of herisneighshouldn’t dogs at all,”I with other similarly notrock, wheththe organization’s Gisele deMeulles said writ- intervened a couple of and reasons. as hours a storyteller onduring a bomb.’” simplistic. quite disrethe Iwant miss old cousin in tow around managed to of beforeherself. the wound ill 10-day quarantine, and she line bour’s dogsIt’sput down be- miss she“I’m said. “Isure don’tthat to the see sized communities said er you have new blood ing wasn’twhen something she contain Bear Affair galawill inthat To“I justthesort of thought, stopped “I had bleeding. such a varied his- Polar Another thing spectful. If we in the polar even lunchtime the incident animal. expects that animal be cause it was toowere aggressive. my sonbears like that everthough again, Blake Ellis, a comthat differalways thought she would you and I would tell people ronto spurred onthis was the Coun. same boat another area makes they’re very great dangerous and took place. “I know was sowhat, shakenthis up hissee- tory Luckily, Zakkari bounced put down when period “This is ingoing to hapso I’m going to takea all posFeb.her 27. ment reiterated byscream Coun. ence in what a council is do.“This yelling kept get- tory, this stuff that’s in my hard times facing Churchill I think we would I really miss the Hudson stories and they would go, ing that dog pull that boy by back rather quickly, so expires. pen again,” she said. “He sible actions to ensure that Nickel Belt News Kathy Valentino. able to do and accomplish “Inlouder my youth I never ‘That’sso notthat true,he is it?’ go, since about that so why don’t they this Bay,”doesn’t she says. “When I go head, it’s said going to be gone the Hudson Baymedia Rail- has ting and louder, so the arm,” Genaille. “He much wasI’dable Manitoba RCMP more [dogs]. They’re happen again “When you look at every on what the photooperations courtesy of going felt good out at writing,” she was if I don’t write ithim down,” she to ‘Yeah it’s true.’ go, relations have the option to do back home, standing onobthe way suspended I looked the window dragging around, attend schoolThey’d on Monofficer Cpl. Julie to be raised likethat? that depending for any other kid in town.” city or municipality Continued on Page 3 Bears last International said. “But when I moved said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did northPolar of Gillam spring. other I think 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 • STATIONERY • CARDS a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. said, ‘I’m sorry, youWE have toARE me,” she says. “It’s a darker 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.
“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-