Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 60 Number • Issue 8 11
Friday, March 21, 16, 2020 2018 Friday,February
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Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
Slush puppy Inquest called into Hudson Bay Railway derailment that killed conductor from The Pas
Nickel Belt News photo by James Snell Thompson resident Gina Brightnose isn’t barking mad, she just got creative with a massive pile of snow in her front yard. CTV Manitoba reported that Brightnose decided against the traditional snowman and decided, over the course of three weekends, to make a sculpture of her dog Muskrat. Brightnose will be entering the Winterfest 2020 sculpture contest.
Thompson General Hospital operating rooms damaged by water set to reopen March 9
Manitoba’s chief medical examiner has called an inquest into the Sept. 15, 2018 death of Hudson Bay Railway train conductor Kevin Anderson of The Pas, who died when the train he was on hit a washed-out bridge near Ponton and went off the tracks. Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham An autopsy after Anderson Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. was declared dead Sept. 16 determined that the cause of to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather when people General say The three Thompson Hospital operating rooms the the 38-year-old’s death to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET Churchill residents and the dangers of polar that have been unusable for eight-and-a-half months since was multiple force when I get through.” Though she’sblunt now written I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should justwater find somewhere bears, deMeulles said it suffering damage are set to reopen March 9, ifthe injuries. a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would Northern Regional Health Authority says. John. K. called her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the cesDr. growing upYounes in Churchill, “To say, ‘Those peopleco-ordinator have moved backStorey to ChurchNRHA communications Twyla said the inquest inFoundation accordance of to the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” Addictions fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose liveconstruction there. Theywillillbe in essentially a heartbeat.completed Feb. 18tothat the Fatality Inquiries Act North - Life in Churchill for Manitoba northern director She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should quite “I miss the shoreline, Feb. 24just andleave,’ that theis hospital’s “internal terminal clean”I and it will examine thewritcir- a couple of reasons. Gisele deMeulles said as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite miss I miss the will begin March 2 indisrepreparation forthe therock, operating rooms cumstances of Anderson’s ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were the polar bears even though to be in use again theinfollowing week. death, co-ordinaton of you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same alwaysthe thought she would in another area they’re very dangerous and Theboat NRHA has started the process of booking patients the multi-agency response tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, hard do. times think we would screamand Iwill really miss the Hudson surgeries in the rooms invite selected people, Nickel Beltfacing News Churchill file photo Ifor to “In the derailment in aI remote my youth never head, ‘That’s not true, isFeb. it?’ 19 I’d that go, ansince that so don’tto they she says. “When I go it’s going be gone the would Hudson including thewhy media, viewBay,” the new operating rooms Manitoba’s chiefto medical examiner announced inquest beBay heldRailinto about and difficult-to-access felt good at writing,”locashe 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 Feb. 28. the death of 38-year-old conductor Kevin Anderson from The Pas, who was killed when tion, and policies and said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. I think said. “Butthe when I moved right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on All but one of the hospital's four operating rooms were a Hudson Bay Railway train he was onboard derailed near Ponton in September 2018. protocols usedtobyget police, to Thompson 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 pawns last theJune bay, as it just givesofyou an knockedlike outthey’re of commission a result water paramedics and otherwork, first on Saturday. The I’ve derailsaid Anderson between in the school of social anda it’s something al- and old.’ RCMP I was like, ‘No, actually blocked thriving sometime large community a political game and that’s sense. You feel so damage from a faulty rooftopincredible air conditioning unit. The responders west of the 1 a.m. TheIprovinspection and the really at that pointregarding I had to operwrite ment ways occurred wanted my mom to died I didaround all that before was the and last it’s just dwindled down sad for them because small and you feelhave great.” only surgeries performed in IThompson since then been ating in a potentially danger- junction of Highway 6 and and incial government said first derailment, stopping water think for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population thelimb-saving people of ChurchNow that she’s got life- and surgeries and emergency C-sections. ous setting. 39 about 150got kilothe unflowing under ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, Highway she’s an artist, she’s so responders now,” deMeulles says. the ill By one been bookcancelled under her belt, Looking entered back, some of from really want123 to thrive. mid-July surgeries had and 27 The date and location of metres southwest stories of Thompwreckage and and she’s resulting in it They’ve right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful be- stable those experiences areworked things tracks Though not there built their worlds saysin she may try others performed at other healthdeMeulles care facilities Manitoba. thelotinquest be deter- son. engine cars a pool ofnot fueldo while power washing away the ground a of skillwill in university causeThree she always tells and her in she might again. any longer, her parents and there. How we rooms feel to produce another. While the would operating have been unavailable, the mined by Manitoba’s railatcars, twoCanada of which still running to the supporting them. and came out of there chief with four stories Parks in was “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family if someone toto you andone surgeon “I have another book in hospital hascame aimed keep and one anesthetist provincial courtskill judge carrying went locomotives. The Teamsters a very strong in and my were Churchill andpropane, I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members ‘I’m you have to CEO me,”Helga she says. “It’s atold darker still are. union, to said, on call atsorry, all times, NRHA Bryant the announced at a later date. the track. engineer TheArctic Transportation belonged, writing and confidence in off hounded her,The ‘Please, just high at -35,”Safety said which “MyAnderson cousin owns the leave about personNickelyour Belthome Newscommunity in July, alongstory, with more one obstetrician and a 59-yearand of Canada, which in- asked for an inquest in OcmyAnderson writing.and I write very suffered put it onserious tape, I injuries will write it Board deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and goingroom to displace threewe’re operating nurses. al growth and struggles. old the was airlifted to Winnipeg. aviation clearengineer and that’swere it. It’son there. for you because your story vestigates on me untilmarine, after. That was a tober says. 2018 and Anderson’s you somewhere else and allHospital’s Maybe in the nextroom five years The Thompson General operating area train The train by and accidents, saidtotwo said theyofwanted an your Some when peoplethe sayderailment it’s kind of is going to bewas lost,’spotted and she’s veryrail dangerous thing do. family Because that, loved ones and it’srenovated somethingtoI’ll on was originally built inyour 1957 and thefocus current occurred aroundI don’t 5:45 p.m. helicopter the area about a month later. blunt or direct. tend anever done itflying and Ioverhead thought, culverts Being onina plane fullbecame of fuel inquest deMeulles finds it hard to history gone?’” doing.” layout inis 1972.