Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 4511
Friday,November March 16, Friday, 9, 2018 2018
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
Book a waycelebrates to preserve first and pass Churchill trainon memories of growing up in Churchill in 17 months on Halloween night Regular service expected to begin by end of this month, visiting prime minister says 30 days in order to enable a train to travel to Churchill and that he believed this Churchill residents finally would be the start of a brightheld the party they’ve been er future. awaiting for more than a year “We believe through this Nov. 1, when the Northern investment we can, along Manitoba town celebrated with our partners … genthe first train to roll into town erate substantial economic since flooding suspended serprosperity for the Arctic revice on the Hudson Bay Railgion and Canada by building way (HBR) in June 2017. export and import activity The train arrived in the through Canada and North Hudson Bay port town Oct. America’s only rail-linked 31, exactly two months afdeep sea Arctic port, the Arcter a deal for former owners tic Gateway,” he said. “The OmniTrax to sell the rail line rail line and the port have and port to the Arctic Gatebeen dramatically underway group was announced. utilized by the previous Prime Minister Justin Truowners.” deau, who was in Churchill The federal government to announce nearly $4 milalso announced $3.8 million lion of economic developin economic development ment funding for projects for projects and organizaand organizations in Northtions in Northern Maniern Manitoba, said that regutoba through the Churchill lar passenger and freight rail Regional Economic Deservice is expected to resume velopment fund. by the end of November. “We’re looking forward “I know that things haven’t to continuing to utilize the been easy for the past yearand-a-half for the members Thompson Citizen photo courtesy of Prime Minister’s Office fund to help the dreams of the community. You all Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left with Churchill Mayor Michael Spence, centre, and Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand of local entrepreneurs beknow too well the kind of far- Chief Arlen Dumas, right, in Churchill Nov. 1. Trudeau announced nearly $4 million of economic development funding for come a reality, and to help reaching consequences this projects and organizations in Northern Manitoba and said that regular passenger and freight rail service on the Hudson them capitalize on the opportunities that will arise has had on your community,” Bay Railway is expected to resume by the end of November. as Churchill’s access to the said Trudeau,. whose Liberal government committed $117 development for others to ceive a 10 per cent top-up to support of the government of was chief of Mathias Colomb world is expanded through Arctic Gateway,” said Commillion for the purchase and follow.” this climate action incentive. Canada. They have a bigger Cree Nation. News Futures photo by Ian Graham munity Manitoba repair of the HBR as well Trudeau also praised the “Everybody knows the picture vision of Canada’s “It is the people of Nickel the Belt Addictions Foundation of Manitoba director Gisele deMeulles hasour written a book about herThe experiences growing north up, mostly in Churchill. as the Churchill marine effortsnorthern of the Arctic Gateway challenges communNorth. prime minister who have come togeth- and Community Future tank farm and the Port of group to restore rail access. ity’s faced lately but our called me over a year ago er historically to provide for Saskatchewan executive BY IAN GRAHAM For allJason the harsh weather write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say director Denbow. Churchill, which were also to “They were more than up community was resilient,” and made a commitment to ourselves and this is another 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 Approved projects polar from owned by OmniTrax since to the task,” said Trudeau, said Churchill Mayor Mi- our community. Your gov- example of how our comThough she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just fi nd somewhere bears, deMeulles said total if it fund to date 1997. “Our government was adding that the people of chael Spence. “We knew ernment has delivered.” mitment our tenacity and our the CRED a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would determined to restore land Churchill had seen firsthand that once we got through this The deal to acquire the refusal to accept no provides more than $4.6 million and ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the say, ‘Those people have moved back toasbestos Churchmould and access to Churchill. We the effects of climate change. we would be positioned for railway and port, which in- for“To success,” Dumas said. “It include Addictions 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. know that nobody is more He said Manitobans would a greater future, not just for volves private companies, is through the sheer will of removal and heavy equipManitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite ment “I miss the shoreline, operator training inI vested in the future of this be receiving an average of usShe but also for Canada’s north. Churchill and First nations the people of the north comGisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the Churchill, as well as about rail and this port than the $339 per year for a family of as The infrastructure was not as partners, was also praised ing together in such a posiing 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 people who live here. The four to help them cope with just built for Churchill, it was by Assembly of Manitoba tive way that has allowed us $300,000 for the Boreal 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 veryCentre dangerous and Discovery sturgeon rail line is now partly owned the costs of Canada begin- built for Canada, it was built Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen to be here today.” do. tory, this stuff that’s in my hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson stories and they would go, habitat and planned Wolf by the community. This has ning to tax carbon emissions for Canada’s North, let’s not Dumas, who first began tryArctic Gateway CEO “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,” “When I go Excellence in been a model of community in 2019. Remote commun- forget that. We would not be ing to acquire HBR and the Murad Al-Katib said crews Centresheofsays. 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 empowerment and economic ities like Churchill will re- here today without the strong port from OmniTrax when he had repaired 29 washouts in Thompson. BY IAN GRAHAM
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. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on 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 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 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.” 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 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, many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. stories at Parks Canada in someone came to you and “ITAKOUT, have another book in DELIVERY, DINE-IN 10”“I did some pretty bizarre 12” her sister and other 14” family ifsaid, 16” Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the leave your home community story, more about personTOPPINGS put it on tape, I will write it Salami, deMeulles. didn’t dawn hardware there,” she Tandoori and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. Pepperoni, Ham, Donair“It Meat, Italian Sausage, Bacon, store Beef, BBQ Chicken, Chicken PUBLIC for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. you somewhere else and all 1Maybe inROAD the next five years Mushrooms, Onions, Green Peppers, Cooked Tomatoes, Fresh Tomatoes, Pineapple, OPEN UNTIL 11 PMI’ll focus on is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, your loved ones and your it’s something Black Olives, Green Olives, Jalapeno Peppers, Hot Peppers, Feta Cheese (1 AM FRI-SAT, 12 AM SUNDAY) never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles finds it hard to history is gone?’” doing.”
WITH UNLIMITED TOPPINGS!
$
10 99 $ 13 99
$
15 99
$
1899
677-1122