Nickel Belt News Volume 9 Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 2511
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Council takes Canada Goose CEO Book a Iway to preserve and pass on ‘Am upset? Damn right I am,’ first step towards donates $1 million towards Fenske publicly responds to trade minister’s memories of growing up in Churchill reducing their polar bear conservation facility
comments about mining reserve fund ranks in October
Polar Bears International (PBI) received a $1 million donation towards the conBY KYLE DARBYSON struction of a new facility KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET in Churchill during their Thompson Mayor DenPolar Bear Affair gala in nis Fenske had27. some choice Toronto Feb. words Growth, EnterDanifor Reiss, president prise and Trade Minister and CEO of Canada Goose, Blaine andPolar the as well Pedersen, as a current
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 Operprovincial government in already dropped by 20 per expected to begin at the vote of 6-3, with council- ations pays the city instead general, during the June 18 cent from last year’s level start of the 2018 polar bear lors Ron Matechuk, Dun- of property taxes, the counand will drop to half of the city council meeting. season, will be built on do- can Wong and Judy Kolada cillors who negotiated that agreement could make it After several weeks of 2017 level for the next three nated land on Churchill’s opposed. Before the reduction possible for council to go conflicting reports about years before being renegotimain street and designed becomes reality, however, through a trial period with the status of the Mining ated in 2022. to be energy efficient and “We asked for $100,000 Community Reserve Fund ecologically sound. It will the bylaw must be the fewer members. “If the three councillors (MCRF), the topic came up this year,” said Fenske. “We serve as a site to educate subject of a public hearing, currently scheduled that negotiated the GIL, this once again during the cor- asked for a million dollars visitors to Churchill about respondence portion of the in the next three years to polar bears, climate change for March 12, and then miserable, this very poor agenda, when Fenske read a offset the GIL loss. They’re and the urgent need to take receive second and third GIL, were to do the honletter from Dave Dyson, the response wasn’t good. They action, as well as provide reading, which are tenta- ourable thing and resign deputy minister for Growth, didn’t want to cover operatbroadcast facilities for tively slated to occur March from council, we would ing costs.” Enterprise and Trade. media, support polar bear 12 and March 26 respect- have a couple of weeks to Secondly, Fenske went According to Dyson, the research and outreach ef- ively. City manager Gary find out whether we want City of Thompson cannot on to say that this kind of forts, and assist visiting Ceppetelli says the bylaw to proceed all the way to have access to the MCRF response from the govscientists, educators and must be passed 180 days third reading on this,” said right now, since it can only ernment isn’t an isolated other guests whose work prior to the election date Matechuk, who repeated be used if the balance is at incident and represents a and support are critical to of Oct. 24. If it is, the next comments made Feb. 12 least $10 million and “the recurring pattern of behavpolar bear conservation. election could be a bit of when council voted 5-2 fund does not currently iour that comes up whenThe facility will include a a case of musical chairs, to amend the Thompson ever they ask the province meet that threshold.” workspace, bunkhouse, with the eight incumbent Charter Act, which stipuEven though the for help with long-term kitchen and storage space councillors, assuming all of lates that council should them decide to runNickel again, have photo eight by councillors and Belt News Kyle Darbyson MCRF currently stands projects. for equipment. competing for only six a mayor, to the effect that Whether it’s a restorative Mayor Dennis Fenske addresses “This at $11,257,500, a governthe public after reading a letter from Minister Blaine Pedersen’s office, which states is the single larspots, with ment spokesperson told the justice program to help cut that the City of Thompson cannot access the Mining Reserve Fundalong at this time. reducing the number of gest donation PBI Community has available council positions would Nickel Belt News June 13 down on crime or a housreceived and it is an all the other candidates. community,” he be used when the mining the people of Thompson beEliminating two council prevent “new blood” from that that extra $1.25 million ing project that’s meant to be investing $160 million have-not amazing commitment to “We provide a lot to reserve fund is less than cause there’s a pot of money positions would save just coming into council. is already being allocated shelter the less fortunate, into the community this said. helping secure the polar the province of Manitoba. $10 million,” he said. “The specifically set asideColleen for this Deputy mayor to the province’s Mineral Fenske said the city’s calls year alone. bear’s future,” said PBI under $20,000 in salarCombined with the rev- A lot. And it’s about time only part where it says that purpose.” ies and perhaps about Smook said that isn’t neExploration Assistance for assistance constantly executive director Krista Nickel Belt News photo byasIanshe Graham enue that Northern Mani- somebody came back to us you can’t access the fund Moving forward, Fenske $5,500 to $16,400 in cessarily true and fall on deaf ears. Program. Wright. “We’re humbled Addictions Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her ‘Thanks. experiences growing up, mostly toba provides through and said You’re in for projectsinifChurchill. it’s less than said he hopes that this un“Prior to the election, PedersenFoundation said backofon by this generous gift and travel expenses, based Valentino were among the mining, forestry and hy- tough times. We’re going to $10 million applies to exback-and-forth on the amounts spent on productive top three vote-getters in there was a housing proJune 7 that Thompson city extremely BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a grateful.” very safe thing swallow when people say dro, Fenske said it isn’t help you out.’” ploration But the over MCRF can not be travel byinitiatives. the two lowest2014 the despite having ject on Cree Road next to officials have only presented EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar for the city to NDP leader Wab Kinew act itself says very clearly has already spending councillors and resolved, been on and council before, Fas Gas that was slated unreasonable them withshe’s a four-year plan the Though now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought was exciting just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it Ericathat andthat Dani Reiss do- should ask for a little bit of assist- said the Progressive that this fund exists to help scheduled a face-to-face the two highest spending while Coun. Penny Byer to tear down that existing on how they are going to a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would nated $1 million towards mining government’s with Pedersen June when meeting in the ficommunities scal year 2016. said fresh faces don’t autoand rebuild it. The ance from the government Conservative spend that money, which the building ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchwhen they are undergoing handling ofInternational’s the MCRF they’re on tough times in Winnipeg. Shrinking council toand six 26 matically equate to differcurrent government put that Polar Bears government views as an inAddictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. unprecedented economic stems from a fundamental so I don’t the minisfor Thompson city would putbuy Thompson in entAs results. in mothballs.” adequate the enormity proposed in ChurchManitobagiven northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I wasfacility probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I challenges. misunderstanding of the ter’s argument. We know council, they have line with other similarly “I’m not sure thatofficialwhethHowever, Fenske said of the layoffs taking place at ill during the organization’s simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” rock, I miss the “Am I upset? Damn right Mining Tax Act, which the Pallister government ly transitioned into their sized communities said er you have new blood that the city is far from a Vale Manitoba Operations. Bear Affair gala inthat To- spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied his- Polar Another thing I am. Is this council upset? originally established this is always looking save monthly summer Coun. Blake Ellis, to a commakes that greatschedule, a differshort-sighted entity that Fenske responded to always thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred ronto Feb.her 27. on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and ament buckreiterated but in thisbycase it’s with meetCoun. ence the in next whatregular a council is constantly looking for They should be. Is the com- fund back in 1970. Pedersen’s comments dur- is do. tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson Nickel Belt News the munity upset? We should “There’s no prescription wrong approach. The ing July 16 Kathy Valentino. ableset toto dotake andplace accomplish handouts, since governing“In his my mayor’s report at the youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go sayscourtesy it can’t beattoevery help at City Hall. “When should you look depending on what the obment and businesses will be, because we’re not a in there thatphoto end good of Monday’s meeting of approach felt at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended have the option to do that? back home, standing on the operations other city or municipality Continued on Page 3 Polar Bears International said. “But when I moved said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last 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.” Bears International board member and a former chairman of that board by saying that they from 2008 to cannot 2017, reasonably plan pledged the money,beyond which arepresents four-year about period half for the of MCRF. the money the organThis ishopes because city’s ization to the raise for grant-in-lieu (GIL) agreePolar Bears International ment House.with Vale in 2018
“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-