Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 3211
Friday, March10, 16,2018 2018 Friday, August
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Book a way to preserve and pass on Bell Mobility awarded tender to replace Manitoba’s public safety communications memories of growing up insystem Churchill BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
A new public safety communications system will benefit first responders such as police and firefighters while costing less than previously estimated thanks to a competitive bidding process, Premier Brian Pallister said at an announcement at Thompson’s RCMP detachment Aug. 8. Bell Mobility was awarded the $380-million contract to replace the outdated FleetNet system used by fire, ambulance and police services as well as the VHF radio system operated by Sustainable Development conservation officers and firefighting crews. “Practically speaking right now RCMP personnel could be up in Tadoule Lake and they’re out of cell service and they’re out of luck,” said Pallister. “With the new system that were going to have we’ll equip people in particular in northern communities to be better connected as they go about their work. Put yourself in the position of a firefighter or a police person that’s going out to work in the midst of the chaos of a disaster where every second counts, where every conNickelBelt BeltNews Newsphoto photo by by Ian Ian Graham Graham nection matters, and to be Nickel able to haveFoundation that interoperAddictions of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister announced Aug. 8 in Thompson that Bell Mobility had been granted a $380 million contract to replace the province’s ability where you can talk to public system thebad, nextright?’ three years. BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to writesafety thingscommunications that you have ‘Oh, I’mover just as was not a very safe thing swallow when people say each other is really critical EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET I have all these stories and to fi gure out. It’s pretty clear to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar and this will enhance that will be phased in in difence to do the job, having ity personnel and one anThe users of thesaid system 1962 vehicle and so it perThough she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just fi nd somewhere bears, deMeulles if it ability. Sadly, disasters hapferent parts of the provother as one of the highest are eager to see the new installed these systems in forms like a 1962 vehicle. a book her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would pen andabout we know that. This ince at they different three started other provinces. they ‘Those hold sopeople for us have one moved in place, McIt needs be Whispers repaired ina because ces up in Churchill, her book, to titled will be times lost if they throwing the values “To say, back said to Churchwillgrowing save lives.” over the next three years, Pallister said the Fleetto kick this can down the Keen, saying RCMP oflot, it costs a lot in parts, it Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. I don’t.” Bell MTS Western CanMcKeen said the radios Net system has needed to road wasn’t happening,” ficers at the announcement doesn’t have the performManitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I ada vice-chair Dan McKeen be replaced he said, noting thatdisrethey miss were the asking him, “When area storyteller backwards compat- on thatofthe new one will as Gisele writcouple reasons. herself. a bomb.’”for a long time simplistic. It’s quite rock, I miss the said thedeMeulles FleetNet said system is aance ible so that the old system but that the previous NDP saved $40 million from do I get my radio that have. It’ll have better range, ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though the oldest in North America canpeople work spurred government make it what the NDP had been better, that I and can and and always thought shewill would you have knowbetter what,clarity this history new and Isystem would tell herdidn’t on was the same boat in another area works they’re very dangerous and the new system be a it’ll together until everybody a priority. willing to spend by awardhear better that helps, me most importantly it’ll have do. tory, this stuff that’s in my hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson stories and they would go, technological leap forward. is equipped with new ra“Our government feels ing the contract through do my job better because interoperability with other “In my youth I never ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go head, it’s going to be gone since the Hudson Bay Rail“The biggest difference dios. He also said that Bell that Manitobans value a competitive bidding that’s what they’re interagencies.” felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, have the option to do that? back home, standing on the way suspended operations is it’s new,” he said. “What experisafety of their secur- process. in.” While said. when ‘You didn’thas do the all that, did the “Mythe kidsnew are system not go- Mobility north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re ested Hudson Bay looking out on we’re “But driving nowIismoved like a said. to Thompson to get into the school of social work, at that point I had to write for university and realized, ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, right?’ I certainly developed a lot of skill in university Garrison Settee has and came out of there with succeeded Sheil North as a very strong skill in my Manitoba Keewatinowi writing and confidence in Okimakanak (MKO) my writing. I write very grand chief after receivclear and that’s it. It’s there. ing 53 out of 89 votes Some people say it’s kind of cast on the second day of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
ing to get it if I don’t do it and it’s something I’ve always wanted my mom to do. My mom’s an elder and she’s an artist, she’s got so many wonderful stories because she always tells her the MKO annual general stories at Parks Canada in assembly in Opaskwayak Churchill and I’ve always Cree Nation Aug. 8. hounded her, ‘Please, just “I ran on a platform put it on tape, I will write it of transformational for you because your story change,” said Settee in a is going to be lost,’ and she’s press release. “I did not never done it and I thought,
you? You’ve got to be really old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually I did all that before I was 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” Looking back, some of those experiences are things she might not do again. run for the title, but for “I did some pretty bizarre the north. It will be my stuff like fuel hauls into the focus. Making Northern high Arctic at -35,” said Manitoba a better place deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn for First Nation families on me until after. That was a is my ultimate goal. That very dangerous thing to do. will mean that Canada Being on a plane full of fuel
“It used to be a really thriving large community and it’s just dwindled down to such a small population now,” deMeulles says. Though she’s not there any longer, her parents and will have to pay more her sister and other family attention to our treaties, members still are. to our issues and to our “My cousin owns the concerns. I want to thank hardware store there,” she Grand Chief Sheila North says. for all her contributions Because of that, to the Keewatinowi terrideMeulles finds it hard to
feeling like they’re pawns in a political game and that’s really sad for them because I think the people of Churchill really want to thrive. They’ve built their worlds there. How would we feel tory. I also want to thank if someone came to you and my fellow candidate, Ted said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to Bland, for running an leave your home community honourable campaign. and we’re going to displace Thank you to all the you somewhere else and all chiefs who supported your loved ones and your me, including, those that history is gone?’”
the bay, it just gives you an incredible sense. You feel so small and you feel great.” Now that she’s got one book under her belt, deMeulles says she may try to produce another. nominated me. Now it is “I have another book in time to close the MKO’s me,” she says. “It’s a darker circle, present a united story, more about personfront and work towards al growth and struggles. a better future for First Maybe in the next five years Nation families in the it’s something I’ll focus on north.” doing.”
MKO elects Garrison Settee as new grand chief