Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 1911
Friday, 16, 2018 Friday,March May 11, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba Thompson, Manitoba
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Book acouncillor, way to preserve on Two-term 40-year residentand Pennypass Byer thinks she has the right stuff to be Thompson’s next mayor memories of growing up in Churchill
BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
The race to become the next mayor of Thompson has its first official candidate: two-term councillor Penny Byer, who announced her candidacy May 7, about five-and-a-half months before the Oct. 24 election. “I am honoured to have served two terms in office, one of them as deputy mayor, and I have learned much about the challenges of serving at a municipal level,” said Byer in a press release. “I feel I am ready to take a stronger position representing our city and helping us grow as a community.” Byer told the Nickel Belt News in a May 9 interview that it had been 40 years to the day since she spent the first night in her Thompson home after having arrived in the community May 8, 1978 to start a job as the announcer-operator at the new CBC North Country Radio studio in Thompson. That history, she says, has given her a perspective about the challenges that face Thompson during the term of the next mayor and councillor and what she can expect the outcome to be. “When we moved here Thompson was just getting
out of that bad time and the only thing that people could talk about was how people had been handing their keys in at the bank or, ‘Give me a dollar and you can take over my mortgage,’ or just up and leaving,” she recalls. “I heard so many stories like that. The workforce at the mine went from 4,000 to 2,000. That was a 50 per cent cut. That’s not counting the businesses that were affected that serviced the mine and that’s not taking into account that the population was quite different than what it is now . The job losses [in 2018] are significant, there’s no question around that, but I think we’re much better positioned to grow out of it.” Similarly, she says that her experience as a councillor during both the second term of former mayor Tim Johnston and the first and only term of current Mayor Dennis Fenske has given her ideas about what it means to lead. “I’ve had an opportunity to compare two leadership styles and numerous styles of leadership from amongst councillors,” said Byer, who says her strength isn’t swiftness but thorough consideration of all the angles. “I feel it’s important to get
all of the facts if you can and as many different interpretations … of those facts as possible to make the best choice possible. Sometimes I am a little slow to make a decision but that’s only because I want to weigh the evidence, so to speak, and I’ve seen what happens on council when you don’t take the time to do that and when you do take the time to do that and the results are generally much better when you take the time.” For all the doom and gloom scenarios that have been put forth for Thompson with the permanent closure of Vale’s smelter and refinery this summer looing over the city, Byer says there are still signs that people in the business of making money believe that the economy of Thompson will navigate the troubled waters ahead. “I think were’ very fortunate that we’ve had the number of people, the number of investors wanting to invest in Thompson,” she said. “We didn’t chase after the liquor store, we didn’t chase after McDonald’s. These are people who believe in Thompson, and Walmart as well, these are people who are making huge capital investments or improvements in Thompson and they did
Nickel Belt News photo courtesy of Penny Byer Two-term Thompson councillor Penny Byer annoucned her candidacy for mayor in the Oct. 24 municipal election May 7.
it because, let’s face it, professional acquaintances I want to continue to grow they are major corpora- as well just to weigh things as a person which you certions, they do their home- out. I had to take a really tainly do when you take on work, they know whether good look at the things that leadership roles. I want to a place is worth investing I’m involved with now and help others grow, which is in or not so obviously they do they really need me or part of leadership. Everythink Thompson is worth are they just as good getting body says they want to give investing in.” in other people and develop- back to their community and True to her nature, Byer ing new people?” I don’t want to just give back Nickel Belt Newscommunity, photo by Ian Graham said she’s been mulling over For Byer, the decision to my I want Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up,about mostlywanting in Churchill. the decision of whether or is to leave to make sure that there’s a not to put her name forth a good community for fu- fantastic community waitBY IAN GRAHAM the harsh weather to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say as a mayoral candidate for ture generations of Thomp- ingFor forallour grandchildren 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 about half of her second sonites, including her own and great-grandchildren. I Though she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it term on council. young granddaughter who just want to make sure that a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would “I’ve been thinking about lives here. we try to put those things in 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 Churchthis for about two years “Different styles of place that, despite the difAddictions 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. A Churchill woman is charged now or maybe longer,” leadership are required at ficult financial times we’re Manitoba 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 with multiples offences after she said. “I had to weigh certain times in history,” going to be facing, that we Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the RCMP executed a search warrant things carefully. I checked Byer said. “I just think that can still prevail over it and 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 May 5 on Radisson Street and with my family and no, not some of the skills that I do I’ve got every confidence always thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and seized approximately 37 grams all of my family is thinking have, some of the successes we will. Thompson has been 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 of cocaine and 10 grams of mathis is a good idea. Some that I’ve had in the past, are in a much worse time than it “In my 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 rijuana along with cash and drug of them are. I checked with the skill set that we need is right now and it came out felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the paraphernalia. family and friends and a few right now in Thompson and of it so we can do the same.” 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 Rose Marie Lavallee, 46, faces 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 four charges of possessing a conthe 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 trolled substance and a charge of 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.” possession of a controlled subfor 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 stance for the purpose of traffick‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, ing and was scheduled to appear right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try in provincial court in Thompson a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. any parents there. would we feel A longer, womanher has been and charged withHow second-degree murdertoinproduce Oxfordanother. House after a May 7. 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 died“Iof have another May book8.in 30-year-old man taken to the community’s nursing station his injuries a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” to she says. in “It’s a darker still are. 30, was remanded Margaret Chubb, into custody and scheduled appear provincial writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said court “Myin cousin owns Thompson Maythe 10. leave your home community story, more about personChurchill RCMP seized cocaine, my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” and we’re going to displace al 8growth Oxford House RCMPshe were called to the nursing station May around and 7:20 struggles. a.m. when marijuana and it. cash arrested clear and that’s It’s and there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. you somewhere else and during all Maybe in thewith nextafiweapon. ve years they received a report of a male with injuries suffered an assault aSome woman during drug raid 5. people say ait’s kind of May is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Police Because of andthat, yourboth loved ones House and your it’s something focus on say Chubb the victim, Oxford residents, knew each I’ll other. blunt or direct. I don’t RCMP tend photo never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles finds it hard and to the history is gone?’” doing.” investigating. Oxford House RCMP RCMP Major Crime Unit continue
Churchill RCMP seize coke, weed and cash
Woman charged with murder after man killed in Oxford House