Nickel Belt News Volume Volume 58 58 Number • Issue 3711
Friday, March 16, Friday, September 14,2018 2018
Thompson, Manitoba Thompson, Manitoba
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Boundaries commission hears objections proposed Book a way to preserve and to pass on electoral map at public hearing in Thompson
memories of growing up in Churchill
its 57 electoral divisions, cult for them to access their the Supreme Court has also MLA,” she said, noting that Four Thompsonites made said that, as long as effect- Lac Brochet, Brochet and presentations to Manitoba’s ive representation is main- Tadoule Lake all have winElectoral Divisions Bound- tained, parity must be the ter roads that lead to Lynn aries Commission at a pub- primary consideration when Lake, which is in the Flin lic hearing Sept. 11, with reapportioning districts, to Flon riding. Penny Byer said the inmost saying that the body’s ensure that each person’s proposed retooling of prov- vote carries about the same terests of Lac Brochet and incial constituencies for the weight. Currently, he said, Tadoule Lake, which could 2020 election reduces the a Flin Flon voter has about be included in the Keewatinorth’s importance and cre- one-and-a-half times the nook electoral division, are ates huge, unwieldy ridings. influence of one from The different from those of the Blair Hudson told the Pas because the current Flin Island Lake communities, commission, which is Flon riding is more than 30 which would be in the same headed by Manitoba Chief per cent below the quotient. riding, and that it would be Justice Richard Chartier, He also said that the com- difficult to find an elected that he believes minor mission sought to keep representative who could tinkering could keep the residents with perceived effectively represent such existing northern electoral common interests – such as a diverse group of constitudivisions within the legis- Oji-Cree First Nations – in ents. She suggested that the commission cut their lated population range and the same riding. “I don’t think it’s a good proposed Keewatinook doesn’t support combining Flin Flon and The Pas and idea to separate the constitu- division in half by adding creating a new electoral div- encies by race, frankly,” Churchill to the Thompson division. ision called Kameesak out said Hudson. Danielle Adams, speak“Churchill is such a good of Swan River and much of ing on behalf of herself fit for Thompson,” she said. the Interlake area. “I’m very concerned and former Thompson “It’s a natural corridor and about the changes that are MLA Steve Ashton, said a natural fit.” She also said that somepotentially going to occur,” she knows from working said Hudson. “We’re about for Churchill-Keewatinook times it’s necessary to igto lose 25 per cent of our Aski NDP MP Niki Ashton nore the numbers in favour representation in Northern about the difficulties of of other considerations. “People are not just numManitoba by going from representing a large riding. four to three. Now more She also said the electoral bers,” she said. Dave Turpie, who has than ever we need access to map proposed in the comour provincial government mission’s interim report, served as the returning which includes most of the officer for the Thompson and access to our MLAs.” Chartier said that while north in the Keewatinook electoral division in a past Manitoba’s legislation al- division, stretching from the provincial election and was lows population in each div- boundary with Nunavut to twice assistant returning ision north of the 53rd par- the bottom of Lake Winni- officer in federal elections, allel to range from 16,827 to peg on the east side of the said he supported addNickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham 28,034 – 25 per cent above lake, ignores transportation ing Nelson House to the networks. Thompsonhas riding as the two about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. or below the quotientof of Addictions Foundation Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles written a book “As much as you feel like communities have shared 22,427, which is derived by BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather writeconnecting things thatpeople you have you’re … ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say dividing Manitoba’s popu- to Continued on Page 5 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 lation in the 2016 census by you’re making it more diffiBY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
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Though she’s now written a book about her experiences growing up in Churchill, Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles said writing wasn’t something she always thought she would do. BY“In KYLE myDARBYSON youth I never KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET felt good at writing,” she Following in the footsaid. “But when I moved steps of Mayor Dennis to Thompson to get into Fenske, the schoolCoun. of socialDennis work, Foley participatat thatwon’t point Ibehad to write ing in the 2018 for university andmunicipal realized, election. ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, During an interview right?’ I certainly developed with Nickel News, a lot the of skill in Belt university Foley saidout thatof it’s been and came there witha great a veryexperience strong skillserving in my the community in dence this capwriting and confi in acity since 2014, and very that my writing. I write he wants to use thethere. next clear and that’s it. It’s four concentrate Someyears peopletosay it’s kind of on other local projects. blunt or direct. I don’t tend
when I get through.” DeMeulles said she wrote her book, titled Whispers in the Wind: Stories from the North - Life in Churchill for a couple of reasons. “I just sort of thought, you know what, this history, this stuff that’s in my “I’mit’s notgoing tired or head, to anything be gone like that,write it’sitjust there’s if I don’t down,” she other aspects the comsaid. “My kidsofare not gomunity that ing to get it ifI Iwant don’tto dobe it involved in and I find and it’s something I’vethat alsometimes being onmom council ways wanted my to has actually me back do. My mom’sheld an elder and from whatshe’s I think she’s doing an artist, gotthe so community needs,” he said. many wonderful stories bePart she of Foley’s cause alwayscontinued tells her community outreach past stories at Parks Canada in the October inChurchill and election I’ve always volves his houndedmaintaining her, ‘Please, just presence on local put it on tape, I willgovernwrite it ment bodies likeyour the city’s for you because story recreation and community is going to be lost,’ and she’s services committee. never done it and I thought,
I need to capture them for my grandchildren really because they will be lost if I don’t.” She also has a reputation as a storyteller herself. “I had such a varied history and I would tell people stories and they would go, Unlike who ‘That’s notFenske, true, is it?’ I’d ango, nounced lateThey’d 2017 that ‘Yeah it’s in true.’ go, he wouldn’t be all seeking ‘You didn’t do that, andid other term asgot mayor, you? You’ve to be Foley really isn’t posold.’ Icounting was like, out ‘No,the actually sibility running for Ioffice I did allofthat before was once again 2022. 27,’ and theyinwent ‘What?’” “My son’sback, in high school Looking some of now, so by the time he’s those experiences are things out then, most she might not dolikely, again.I’ll be“Ilooking at running again did some pretty bizarre in thelike next term,” stuff fuel hauls he intosaid. the “My high political Arctic at aspirations -35,” said for the city “It aredidn’t not done. deMeulles. dawnI plan being a That long-term on meon until after. was a resident.” very dangerous thing to do. For on political Being a planenewcomers full of fuel
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thought that was exciting until the plane landed and they started throwing the fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy cats, I was probably sitting on a bomb.’” Another thing that spurred her on was the hard times facing Churchill who since are the looking Hudson to Baysecure Railaway council seat for the first suspended operations time, Foley said his north of Gillam lastthat spring. advice for these candidates “It used to be a really is they should stay true to thriving large community their values and makedown sure and it’s just dwindled emotions their to such a don’t small cloud population judgement. now,” deMeulles says. “When your Though you she’smake not there decisions, them with any longer,make her parents and the information that you her sister and other family have. Go by members stillfacts,” are. he said. “A“My lot of times owns too many cousin the decisions are made hardware store there,”over she emotional reasons and they says. shouldn’t be.” of that, Because As of this publication, deMeulles finds it hard to
should just find somewhere easier to live. “To say, ‘Those people choose to live there. They should just leave,’ is quite simplistic. It’s quite disrespectful. If we were in the same boat in another area I think we would scream only members ofthey the abouttwo that so why don’t current have conhave thecouncil option to do that? firmed parI think that rightthey noware they’re ticipating inthey’re the upcoming feeling like pawns election. Penny Byerthat’s anin a political game and nounced she isbecause runningI really sadthat for them for backofin May, thinkmayor the people Churchwhile Blake Ellis alill really want to has thrive. ready registered to reclaim They’ve built their worlds his council there. How seat. would we feel The remaining memif someone came to you and bers of the current counsaid, ‘I’m sorry, you have to cil − your Duncan Wong, Judy leave home community Kolada, and we’reColleen going to Smook, displace Kathy Valentinoelse and Ron you somewhere and all Matechuk are either unyour loved−ones and your decided seeking a history is about gone?’”
bears, deMeulles said if it had been viable she would have moved back to Churchill in a heartbeat. “I miss the shoreline, I miss the rock, I miss the polar bears even though they’re very dangerous and I really miss the Hudson nomination or haven’t Bay,” she says. “Whenmade I go their intentions known back home, standing onyet. the However, Hudson Bay senior lookingelection out on official the bay,Dave it justTurpie gives told you the an Nickel Belt NewsYou onfeel Wedincredible sense. so nesday thatyou he feel is expecting small and great.” some these she’s remaining Nowof that got council members to hand one book under her belt, in their paperwork before deMeulles says she may try the Sept. another. 18 deadline. to produce Candidate registrations “I have another bookfor in mayor, councillor me,” she says. “It’sora school darker board will not be acstory, trustee more about personcepted afterand 4 p,.m. that day al growth struggles. The in municipal Maybe the next fielection ve years is to take place Oct. 24. it’sset something I’ll focus on doing.”
Dennis Foley is second member of current council stepping down come election day