Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 59 Number • Issue 5011
Friday, March 16, Friday, December 13,2018 2019
Thompson, Manitoba Thompson, Manitoba
Servingthe theNorman Norman Region 1961 Serving Regionsince since 1961
Providing you with expert advice & friendly service. Book online at speedyglass.ca or try our free app on your iPhone
We look forward to serving you. Ϳͷ-A Kelsey Bay Thompson, MB R;N ͷS Ph: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͶͺ; Fax: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͷͺ
StreetReach, safety officers, addiction and homelessness among issues brought up with justice minister Book a way to preserve and pass on
Foundation of Manitoba]. We don’t need to reinvent Manitoba Justice Ministhe wheel, we’ve just got ter Cliff Cullen met with to work better together and Thompson city council, more collaboration.” members of city adminisThe province undertration and Thompson and stand the challenges facing northern district RCMP Thompson as it deals with members Dec. 11 to disa high crime rate. cuss provincially funded “Clearly Thompson is crime fighting and preventhe hub of the north but it tion initiatives including ends up being the hub of the development of a new the north for some of the StreetReach program in criminal activity as well,” the city and the addiction said the justice minister. of two police officers to the “We recognize that’s a northern crime reduction challenge. Our government team. recently released a policing “Just a couple of weeks and public safety strategy ago we announced over $2 and one of the eight elemillion for Thompson for ments of that strategy deals the StreetReach program,” with … communities with said Cullen. “We’re cerhigh rates of criminal activtainly excited about that. I ity and violence and clearly know the community and Thompson falls into that city council is very excited category. We’re making about the StreetReach prospecific investments and gram coming to Thompson. paying quite a bit of attenWe’ve had it here as a pilot Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham tion to the community and project and it worked quite seeing where we can help effectively so what we’re Manitoba Justice Minister Cliff Cullen was in Thompson Dec. 11 to meet with city council and the RCMP about crime address criminal activity.” looking at now is build- reduction programs planned for Thompson, including StreetReach, which aims to prevent youth from running away from Solutions to crime and ing the capacity within home and becoming the victims of sexual abuse and exploitation. some of the other social the community so that we Cullen also said that, problems that contribute have an ongoing Street- who exploit young, high- dictions and spiritual/elder Smook. risk victims. supports. “Every time I come we in addition to previously to it, like addictions and Reach program here in Established in 2009, Another topic for dis- have a discussion about announced renovations homelessness, are going to the city of Thompson. We certainly have seen it being with a team in Winnipeg as cussion was Thompson community safety offi- for the Thompson court require more than just the very effective in Winnipeg well as one in Thompson, community safety officer cers,” said Cullen, who office, the government is city and province working over the years and I think which was later discon- (CSO) program, which made no mention of any expanding bail hearings together, says the mayor. “This has to be a comthere’s certainly a need for tinued, StreetReach brings had eight full-time officers forthcoming funding for from three days a week to pletely northern partnerit here in the city to allevi- together law enforcement, when it was launched as a CSOs. “Certainly they five in the new year to help ate some of the pressure on child welfare and non-gov- pilot project under the NDP have proven beneficial. I reduce incidents of North- ship in order for it to work,” the RCMP in terms of their ernmental organizations to government in 2015, with have been contacted by a ern Manitobans being held Smook says. “We have to help prevent children from Thompson only responsible lot of other communities in custody for weeks be- work with MKO, KTC policing as well.” The province announced being victimized and drawn for half of the program’s throughout the province in fore their bail application [Keewatin Tribal Council] and MMF [Manitoba annual costs. As the prov- terms of community safe- is even heard. Nov. 19 that it is provid- into the sex trade. Metis to get Nickel Belt NewsFederation] photo by Ian Graham Funding to re-establish ince has shouldered less ty officers and I certainly Smook said the province ing $2.1 million over the outlying communities of the financial burden, the Thompson StreetReach thinkher there’s a role forgrowing them has offeredinto provide fathree yearsFoundation to re-establish Addictions of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about experiences up, mostly Churchill. a StreetReach program in team will include one-time the city has reduced the to play and that will be a cilitators to help the city and involved so they have the BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to writeof things that you have I’m just as bad, on right?’ not a that very individual safe thing swallow when people say supports they need. Even number of CSOs the was costs $124,000 plus ‘Oh, decision other community organizaThompson. 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 if somebody wants to go Modelled after the Dal- $225,000 this year, as well street and right now there jurisdictions can decide, tions working on strategies Though nowdepartwritten when I get through.” need to three capture them for thought that to was exciting justhomelessness find somewhere deMeulles said if it home from the downtown as $900,000 in each of the Iare only out of the if they want make that should to combat to bears, las, Texasshe’s police a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my really the plane landed and easier to live. viable she would rightbeen now, there’s really two years. four grandchildren that were budgeted for until investment in community move those strategies from had ment’s high-risk victims next ces growing up in Churchill, book, titled Whispers in because lost if they throwing the ideas “To tosay, ‘Those people have moved backcommunity to Churchnothing in their first step in creatbecause they one iswill on be parental safetystarted officers. We have action. unit, StreetReach’s main herThe Addictions of ing the Wind: Stories from the Ileave fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy to liveabut there. a heartbeat. don’t.” forinresources, be it housing, the new Thompson similar challenges with choose until February. “We talked the They mini ill goals are toFoundation stop children Manitoba director North - Life inteam Churchill She a reputation I was sitting just leave,’ quite mental “I miss the counselling. shoreline, I health, StreetReach will for be “Wealso alsohas talked about the cats, budget justprobably as the City of should Main Street North is project and youthnorthern from running Gisele deMeulles writ- a couple of reasons. a storyteller a bomb.’” It’s disrethe rock, for I miss There’s nothing themthe to community consultations as CSO program herself. and how it on Thompson has challenges simplistic. which would bequite further help miss away from home,said prevent 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 go home to and get help. future sexual abuse and ex- to create partnerships and was beneficial to the RCMP with their budget as well. with addictions,” she said. always thought she would you knowtowhat, this hisand with I would tell of people her onwilling was the boat in another area they’re very dangerous and Not that they’re getting “We talked about utilizing working integrate ex- tory and that some cut- spurred We’re certainly to same ploitation, redirect runaway do. stuff that’s my stories facing thinkofwe scream really the Hudson would in miss Thompson but I istingthis mobile crisisinand backs inand ourthey budget that go, it’s hard work times with them inChurchill terms of Isome thewould facilities we Ihelp children to prevent them tory, “Inbeing my youth I never true, is it?’that I’d go, that so why don’t they Bay,” “When it’s going to be gone the Hudson Baylike Railguess she it’s says. a better placeI go to addiction programs, in- ‘That’s sort of not a constraint we since what policing looks in about have here like Hope North from victimized and head, felt good at to writing,” she if I don’t mental write it down,” They’d go, way theAFM option[Addictions to do that? back suspended operations have intervening stop those cluding health, she ad- ‘Yeah have,”it’s saidtrue.’ Mayor Colleen Manitoba.” and the hang home, out.” standing on the BY IAN GRAHAM
memories of growing up in Churchill
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
said. “But when I moved 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 and came out of there with a very strong skill in my writing and confidence in my writing. I write very clear and that’s it. It’s there. Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population she’s an artist, she’s got so Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there Contact Nelson 204-307-0281 cause she always tells her atshe might not do again. any longer, her parents and stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family pruderspropertyservices@gmail.com Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. hounded her, ‘Please, justproperty high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the to discuss your needs! put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles finds it hard to
Yer snow gotta go!
I think right now they’re 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 if someone came to you and said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to leave your home community and we’re going to displace you somewhere else and all your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
Hudson Bay looking out on 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. “I have another book in me,” she says. “It’s a darker story, more about personal growth and struggles. Maybe in the next five years it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”