Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 4211
Friday,October March 19, 16, 2018 2018 Friday,
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 Ashton way to preserve and MP Niki celebrates 10pass yearson in memories of growing up in Churchill Parliament and looks forward to more
Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham NDP MPs Romeo Saganash and Niki Ashton pose in front of a mural inside the United Steelworkers Local 6166 Steel Centre on Elizabeth Drive in Thompson Oct. 13. non-Indigenous commun- ceptable. You can’t talk the because of the lack of fund- has failed is on the environ- last time.” ities depend on resource talk when you’re continu- ing. It is very frustrating to ment, says Ashton, assertHe also believes that the Churchill-Keewatinook development – mining, ing to discriminate against see the government pretend ing that her party is the only next federal election could Aski NDP MP Niki Ash- forestry, hydro – so I think Indigenous kids. That’s un- as though that’s not the real- one with a principled stand provide the NDP with a ton, who celebrated the we’re pretty similar in that acceptable in a country like ity and use the right words that respects Indigenous chance to gain seats. Canada in 2018.” without actually responding rights. “What we’ve witnessed 10th anniversary of first sense as well.” Nickel Belt News Ian Graham Saganash, who is not Ashton said that most of to the reality that people are “They tell us that there’s over thephoto lastbycouple of being elected Oct. 17 and Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director after Gisele deMeulles hasthat written a book about heronexperiences growing not up, mostly Churchill. seeking re-election the promises the Liberfacing the ground.” enoughin money for hous- years since the 2015 elechas been officially nominWhen it has delivered, as ing for job creation … but tion is not real change as ated as the party’s Northern serving as an MP since als made when they were BY IAN GRAHAM For promised all the harshbut weather to writeand things that youmade have ‘Oh, I’minjust as have bad, right?’ not a did very thing swallow people say recently elected 2015 turned was it recently forsafe Churchill there is when $4.5 billion for they pure Manitoba candidate for the 2011 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 after the Northern Manitoba a leaky pipeline and we disappointment on many next federal election, hosted national headlines for say- out to be empty. Though she’s written through.” capture for thought that only was land exciting find somewhere deMeulles if it ing thatI get Prime Minister Jus- I need “We to have a lotthem of rhetcommunity’s link should levels – electoralsaid reform, are thejust only voice in the bears, fellow NDP MPnow Romeo Sa- when a book about experienshe wrote really landed and easier been viable shethe would Trudeau said “doesn’t give my oric,”grandchildren she says. “What we until to thethe restplane of the province Housetooflive. Commons say- had Indigenous issues, enganash in her her hometown of tinDeMeulles ces growingOct. up in12-14. Churchill, her book,about titled Whispers in because they be lost throwing the ing“To ‘Those people moved name back tothem.” Churcha ****” Indigenous don’t have is will action and ifI they and tostarted Canada – the Hudwe say, oppose this and that have vironment, Thompson Addictions Foundation of the Wind:rights, Storiessays from the Ithink andRailway I realized,–‘Holy to live in a heartbeat. don’t.” Peoples’ there we’re seeing that in fuel son off Bay was choose this is not the there. way ofThey the ill Ashton herself believes Saganash’s riding – AbiManitoba 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, wasn’t any other word to the fact that the federal future, that this is not the that the outcome of theI unusable and not being tibi-Baie-James-NunavikGisele writ- a couple of reasons. a storyteller herself. a bomb.’” It’s quite disre- miss the rock,isI uncertain miss the adequately express the dif- as government isn’t really at on way to respect Indigenous next election repaired for more than a simplistic. Eeyou deMeulles in northernsaid Quebec ing she ference “I justbetween sort of what thought, had such varied his- year Another thing people that spectful. If we werePeoples in the polar bears even though the the“I table witha Thompson – it’s because rights, Indigenous but says she intends to keep – is wasn’t similar something in many ways always thought she would you know what, this history and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous Liberals say and do when it to try to find solutions to pressured them to. and that’s a stand that’s doing what she’s doneand for to Ashton’s. do.“It’s 54 per cent of the tory, this that’sissues, in my stories facing Churchill think we resonated would scream really miss the Hudson and they would go, hard comes to stuff Indigeous the challenges were facing “I times firmly believe we Ivery much with Ithe past decade. “Inmass my of youth I never not true, it?’federal I’d go, wouldn’t thatpeople so why don’t they Bay,” I go it’s going by to be since the Hudson Bayplace Rail- about as exemplified thegone fact ‘That’s right now, that isthe be at the so many that fight “Weshe aresays. in an“When interesting land Quebec,” he head, felt good at writing,” she 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 said in an Oct. 13 inter- that the Canadian Human government isn’t work- [we are] right now if people for the same things here time where the prime minsaid. I moved didn’t do all that, did “My kids arehas not had go- ‘You of Gillam last spring. rightasnow Bay looking out on Rights Tribunal ing with First Nations to north in Churchill had not been Iinthink our north wellthey’re so I’m Hudson ister is shifting in popularview. “But “Ourwhen ridings are said. to Thompson to get from into ing to getrepeated it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to beefforts a really it just gives you an to issue compliaddress the acute crisis in tireless in their to feeling proud oflike the they’re positionpawns we’ve the ity, bay, in many ways not even pretty much similar the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve alold.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so because of things happenall perspectives, in terms ance orders in an effort to housing, in health care, call on the federal govern- taken.” 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.” enforce its ruling that the so there’s a lot of work ment to take action,” AshAlthough he will be ing in our own country but of demography and other for university realized, My mom’s an elderstop and 27,’ they went ‘What?’” small population the people Church- because Now of that she’s got federal government that and remains to be done. to tonsuch says.a “I think it shows think stepping down, of Saganash what’s happenchallenges thatand remain for do. ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so now,” deMeulles says. one book under her belt, Looking back, some of ill really want to thrive. northern communities like discriminating against First In many ways things are really the power that people says he hopes that Ashton ing with Donald Trump or right?’ I certainly developed wonderful be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there built their worlds saysand she so may Nations children stories in the area getting worse because you have to effect change. It’s They’ve is re-elected because he deMeulles with NAFTA a try lot hers ands mine. She has a many a skill in university she always tells her she not do again. longer, herchange parentsbut and Howis would we feel to of child welfare. havemight communities that are any a relief to see it there. thinks she a very capable canproduce changeanother. over the next lotlot of of Indigenous commun- cause and of there with Parks in growing, “I did some sister and family someone came to you and year,” “I have book in “I’m atjust so Canada disgusted youpretty havebizarre many her shouldn’t haveother taken this if Parliamentarian. she another said. “My comities came in herout riding and so do stories a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker members still are. “I ‘ve watched her over mitment is certainly to keep I - 14 Inuit communities in by this government on more young people and yet long or this much stress and writing confidence in many hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic stock at -35,” said this “My ownsto the your homeyears. community about personlevels but includthe housing remains kindcousin of instability get leave the last seven Any story, fightingmore for our north and to Nunavikand – northern Quebec my writing. I write very put on tape, I will against write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth struggles. ing itdiscrimination the same, yet the schools to this point.” portfolio, she delivered. bring strongand leadership at – and nine Cree communclear it. It’s there. because kids,” your story until after. That wasof a says. somewhere else andher all Maybe in thelevel next on fivebehalf years littleyou Indigenous said on areme completely incapable Another area in which you That’s why I supported the federal ities, and twothat’s Algonkian com- for Some people sayofit’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and dangerous thingneeded to do. theBecause of that, your ones and something Saganash. “That’s notshe’s ac- very dealing with what’s federal government in theloved leadership raceyour the it’s of our region.”I’ll focus on munities. Most the other BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
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.”