Nickel Belt News Volume 9 Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 2711
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Council takes Canada CEO Primrose Former NCNGoose chief Jerry seeking toon Book a way to preserve and pass first step towards donates $1 million towards recapture position in this year’s election memories of growing up in Churchill reducing their polar bear conservation facility
BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Former Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation chief Polar Bears (NCN) International Jerry who (PBI)Primrose, received a $1 stepped million down withtowards five months left donation the conin his termofina 2014 after a struction new facility total of 16 years in thetheir role in Churchill during since the mid-1990s. says Polar Bear Affair gala in he is throwing his hat back Toronto Feb. 27. in Dani the ring to get his former Reiss, president position in thisGoose, year’s and CEOback of Canada chief andascouncil elections. as well a current Polar “I’m not running just for the sake of running,” said Primrose, who served a few terms back when NCN held elections every two years in the late 19090s as well as four–year terms from 2002-2006 and 2010-2014. “There’s reasons, right, there’s causes that I have to think about.” Primrose said he came to the decision after personal reflection and consulta-
tions with family members, brought on by people approaching him and either asking him if he would run Bears International board again or telling that he member and him a former should. chairman of that board “I kind of ignored it for from 2008 to 2017, the longest but which it got pledged the time money, to the point where can’t represents aboutyou half of ignore it,” he said. what the money the “So organIization did thathopes long to weekend of raise for May I went to a ceremony Polar Bears International in the mountains, in the House. foothills of Calgary just for me to make sure that if I’m going to run, am I doing the right thing? It’s not about me. I’ve been there a long time. I don’t have to be there but what came back from the ceremony was that people are crying for help, you know? That’s the message that was received. After that, I met with my family. Basically I had to ask the family members if
it was all right, if they were comfortable for me to run. Not if they’re a hundred per“Over centthe comfortable least decadebut of if there’s with enough ofI them, working PBI, have ‘Hey, go for and see seen filet’s rsthand theit passion what happens.’” and energy that the team Theinto former chief says one puts their important of the major issues he would research and efforts to want to work if he have were ensure polaron bears elected would getting a future,” said be Reiss in a more homes constructed press release. “It is a privon histoFirst ilege be aNation. part of help“There’s a tremendous lack of homes,” Primrose said. “When I left four years ago we were short probably 500 homes. That’s my estimation. It’s not a scientific estimation. I know that in probably some cases there are 15, maybe more, people in a three-bedroom house. I’ve been even told that there are some homes where people sleep in shifts now. Continued on Page 2
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 Council approved fi rst Matechuk said that bear habitat conservation reading of a bylaw to re- since 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 ecologically sound. It will the bylaw must be the fewer members. “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 polar bears, climate change for March 12, and then miserable, this very poor News photo Graham third Belt GIL, were to by doIan the honand the urgent need to take receive second and Nickel reading, which are tentaourable thing and resign Jerry Primrose, who stepped down as chief of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation shortly beaction, as well as provide tively slated to occur March from council, we would fore the end of his last term from 2010 to 2014, intends to seek the position again in this broadcast facilities for year’s media,election. 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 equipment. states that when the re- forMayor Cal Huntley spoke revenues to fund that.” a large portion of our comBY CYNTHIA BIGRIGG competing for only six a mayor, to the effect that serve exceeds $10 million, to “This the Cityisofthe Flinsingle Flon’slarup- available munity that’s retirees that Huntleyspots, said the city has FLIN FLON REMINDER with reducing the number of gest donation PBI has a draft proposalalong any excess may be directed coming proposal for MCRF in place, are going to live here, and The City of Flin Flon is all the other candidates. council positions would receivedduring and the it June is an to assist in exploration pro- funding 19 butEliminating that details two around senwe need the appropriate hoping to learn from the council prevent “new blood” from amazingofcommitment to iors’ housing in the proposal jects that contribute to the meeting council. housing.” City of Thompson’s most positions would save just coming into council. the polar welfare and employment of helping “Ours issecure still a little bit of have changed. Huntley said the city will recent experience tryunder $20,000 in salarDeputy mayor Colleen bear’s future,” said PBI people residing in mining a work in progress, because ies“We originally conpursue the MCRF to whating to access the Mining and perhaps about Smook said that isn’t neexecutive director communities. The act does we’re not going to goKrista down sidered trying to access dolever degree it can. Graham Community Reserve Fund Nickel Belt News photo $5,500 to $16,400 in cessarily truebyasIanshe and Wright. “We’re humbled not state that may not about the road [Thompson] went lars for the Flin Flon Hotel “If they say, ‘That’s it,’ (MCRF). Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles Addictions hasfunds written a book her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. travel expenses, based Valentino were among the by thissaid generous and to modify that into seniors’ we’re not going to take them be used for other purposes down,” Huntley,gift adding The Thompson Citizen on the amounts spent on top three vote-getters in extremely BY IAN GRAHAM the harsh weather just as right?’ was not a grateful.” very safe thing swallow when people say to For if theI’m amount inbad, the reserve the response to Thompson housing,” said Huntley. the all Supreme Court over reported Thompson city to write things that you have ‘Oh, travel by the two lowest- 2014 despite having not 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 dips below $10 million. is based on an interpretation “We did a preliminary it or anything like that, but council recently received spending councillors and been on council before, Though she’s now Dyson, written when I get through.” I need to this capture them for the thought that was exciting should just fi nd somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it Earlier month, Blaine city doesn’t agree with. with our director of works we do believe there should a letter from Dave Erica and Dani Reiss do- the two highest spending while Coun. Penny Byer a book minister about her DeMeulles said she wrote Pedersen my grandchildren really theinterpretation plane landed and and easier to live. … and the be hadaccessibility.” been viable she would said the City of until “Our operations deputy forexperienGrowth, nated $1 million towards in the fiscal year 2016. said fresh faces don’t autoCaltitled Huntley ces growing upTrade in Churchill, Whispers in because they will be alost if they started throwing “To say, ‘Those people have moved back it. to ChurchThompson presented fourour opinions … lead usthe to dollars led you to believe “We’ve started They’re Enterprise and stating her book, Shrinking council to six matically equate to differPolar Bears International’s Addictions of theThe Wind: Stories from the year fuel off and ‘Holy it choose tobelive there. They expecting ill in a heartbeat. I don’t.” Citizen reported plan on how it would believe youI realized, can go below would better to build a proposal from that the CityFoundation of Thompson would put Thompson in ent results. proposed ChurchManitoba northern North - Life in Churchill for spend She also has a reputation cats, I wasfacility probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite us“Iatmiss the shoreline, I currently contains money from the [$10 million] andinthe actual new. We’re in the process some point of time, cannot have accessdirector to the MCRF line with other similarly “I’m not sure that whethill during the organization’s Gisele couple of reasons. a storyteller a bomb.’” It’s the quite disre- miss the we’re rock, I trying miss the The $1.25 mil- as fund, and said herself. the govern- on mining reserve fund itself simplistic. of rejiggering proposal it’s just to MCRFdeMeulles currently,said as itwritcan a$11,257,500. sized communities said er you have new blood Polar Bear Affair galageared inthat To- around ing she lion “I above just sort of thought, “I had such a varied Another thing spectful.the If we were in the polar bearsthe even though the threshold has ment views that plan ashisbe- wasn’t specifically seniors’ houslearn from Thompson onlywasn’t be usedsomething if the balance Coun. Blake Ellis, a com- makes that great a differalways thought she would you know what, this historyinadequate, and I wouldtaking tell people on was and the ing, samewhich boat in another area they’re very before dangerous ronto 27. been allocated to ing into spurred to fundFeb. forher prospecting we believe is a experience we and can is at least $10 million. Ac- already ment reiterated by Coun. ence in what a council is do. this stuff that’sExplorin my stories times facing Isignificant think weleg would scream Iactually really submit miss the Hudson and they Manitoba’s Mineral consideration the would amountgo, of hard for this comthe proposal exploration –Nickel that Churchill was supcording to Dyson, the fund tory, Belt News Kathy Valentino. able to do and accomplish “Innot my youth meet I never ‘That’s not true,place is it?’atI’dVale go, posed about that so why don’t they Bay,” she dotted says. “When go head,Assistance it’s going to be gone layoffs since the Hudson Rail- munity Program. taking to come outBay of other to move forward on, so we’ve our Is Iand does currently that ation “When you look at every depending on what the obphoto courtesy of felt good at writing,” she if IThe don’tMining write it down,” she Manitoba ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, revenues. have thethere option to do that? back home, standing on the way suspended operations Tax Act Operations. We want other because is going to be crossed our Ts.” threshold. other 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 north Polar of Gillam spring. 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 • ELECTRONICS ‘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. ill really want to thrive. one book HELIUM • TOYSThough she’s not there • FRAMES right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try 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! SPECIALISTS clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. you somewhere else and all Maybe in the next five years Some peopleMON say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, yourNORTH! it’s something I’ll focus on OFand THE - THU: 9 am - 9 pm • FRIDAY: 9 am - 10 pm • SATURDAY: 9 am - 9 pm • SUNDAY: 10 am - your 6 pmloved ones 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.”
Flin Flon looking at mine reserve fund, aiming for seniors’ housing funds