Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Wednesday, April 6, 2022
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Volume 62 • Issue 14
New standing hearing date announced for inquest into death of woman who died in Thompson RCMP custody BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
p.m. Prisoners lodged at the Thompson RCMP detachment are supposed to be physically checked every 15 minutes and those in the drunk tanks are woken up every four hours to assess their condition. The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU), which examines serious incidents involving on- and off-duty police officers in the province, said Samuel’s cause of death was a combination of acute alcohol intoxication and a subdural hematoma – a collection of blood outside the brain, usually caused by a head injury. Video footage from McDonald’s, where Samuel was detained for public intoxication under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act (IPDA), showed her falling off a stool twice and appearing to strike her head on the floor, the IIU said. The woman was medically assessed by Thompson Fire & Emergency Services paramedics prior to being placed in cells. Prior to Samuel’s death, it had been 12 years since someone died while in Thompson RCMP custody. Since her death, another person has died while in Thompson RCMP custody — a man detained for intoxication Sept. 13, 2021 died the next day at Thomp-
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
A standing hearing will be held April 12 to determine who can participate in an inquest into the death of a woman who died in RCMP custody in February 2020. The April 12 hearing will give the judge an opportunity to question potential witnesses in the upcoming inquest into the death of 44-year-old Celine Samuel. The standing hearing had previously been scheduled for Feb. 25. Samuel, 44, died Feb. 1, 2020, a little more than three hours after being placed in one of the Thompson RCMP detachment’s drunk tanks. The inquest, called in October, will look into the circumstances surrounding Samuel’s death and what, if anything, can be done to prevent similar deaths in the future. Under Manitoba’s Fatality Inquiries Act, an inquest must be called if a person was in custody of a peace officer when they died. Samuel was lodged in a cell around 8:15 p.m. and observed to be conscious and breathing at 10:49 p.m. Less than 20 minutes later, she was found unresponsive and RCMP and then paramedics attempted to resuscitate her. She was pronounced dead at 11:35
Thompson Citizen file photo A standing hearing to determine who can participate in an inquest into the death of 44-year-old Celine Samuel, who died Feb. 1, 2020 while being held in a Thompson RCMP cell for public intoxication, will be held April 12. son General Hospital. Individuals and groups who want to apply for standing in the inquest can contact inquest counsel Theresa Cannon at 204794-5389 or by email at Theresa.cannon@gov. mb.ca by April 8. The standing hearing will be held at the Thompson provincial court office starting at 10 a.m. April 12.
Second-degree murder charge laid in Thompson homicide A second-degree murder charge has been laid in connection to the March 30 death of a 30-year-old man in Thompson, RCMP say. Shelly Linda Saunders, 25, of Split Lake, was charged April 1 and remanded into custody for a court appearance scheduled for April 8 in Thompson provincial court. Thompson RCMP responded to a report of
a disturbance at a Princeton Drive residence around 11 p.m. March 30 and found the victim with life-threatening injuries when they arrived. He was taken to Thompson General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Thompson RCMP, Major Crime Services and forensic identification services are investigating.
PAID ADVERTORIAL
Sawh withdraws from NDP nomination process and will focus on not-for-profit initiatives
Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. As of March 24, Oswald last year, and leads several for Men. When I look the THS is well positioned offered by the TNRC. “The BYSawh IAN has GRAHAM Forhas all the weather I’morganizations just as bad, right?’ wasthe notarea a very people say TNRC withdrawn from to write things that you have ‘Oh, local such at of safe focusthing of toswallow evolvewhen into an entity hadharsh a long-term 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 the nomination process to as the President for Men the organization and our that operates as a service positive impact for ThompThough 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 be the NDP nominee for Are Part of the Solution needs, I would like to see for all Northern Manitoba. son in the area of housing,if it a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the planeavailable landed and easierare to so live. had been viable would the upcoming by-election (MAPS), an organization our services to There many unwant- community safety,she youth cestogrowing 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 Churchfill the current MLA that provides transitional more Northerners, grow- ed dogs and cats. A long engagement, economic deAddictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I housing don’t.” and counselling fuel I realized, ‘Holy term, choose to live there. They velopment, ill in a heartbeat. position left vacant after ing off it and from its current sustainable spay and cleanliness and Manitoba northern director She alsomen has aand reputation I was probably shouldprogram just leave,’ is quite beautification. “I miss theWe shoreline, the passing of former MLA North - Life in Churchill for for both women cats, geographical focussitting area neuter for Northwill be I Gisele deMeulles said writa couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss the rock, I miss the Danielle Adams. “I have in the area of addictions of the Thompson region,” ern Manitoba is very much starting a new engagement inghad 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 incredible support and intimate partner vio- says Sawh. Oswald was needed and the THS will process to see what thethough prialways she would and Board I would Chair tell people on was the play samea boat in another area orities they’re dangerous and from thought the residents in the you know what, this his- tory lence, for spurred one of a her handful of men, key role in getting of very the TNRC will be do.Thompson Constituency tory, this stuff that’s in my stories hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson and they would go, the Thompson Humane along with the YWCA, this off the ground. I just for Thompson for the next 5 “In youth increase I neverin head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’dDirgo, since the Hudson Rail- came aboutoff thataso why meeting don’t they years,” Bay,” says she says. “When I go withmy a fourfold Society, Executive that started MAPSBay in 2002, great Oswald. feltmembers good atsigned 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 Sawh also talked about up by my ector for the Thompson being President for the or- with the Winnipeg Humane Oswald Sawh said. “But when I moved ‘You didn’t do all that, did said. “My kids are not gonorth of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out team over the current memNeighborhood Renewal ganization for most of its Society, a huge supporter of plans for the Royal Can-on to bership Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be “It used to be a really THS feeling like pawns the bay, it just to gives youaan levels,” says Sawh, ency,” he concluded. Os- Corporation, and thereally cur- existence. over thethey’re years, and I adian Legion play the“Unfortunately 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 the process wald also acknowledged rent President for the RoyAround the same time look forward to working central role in promoting at also that point I had write wanted my momthat to I aldid all that before was and just dwindled down reallythem sad for them small and youand feelNorthgreat.” the many supporters showed metothat this ways Canadian LegionI feels whenit’s MAPS was started up, with and ourbecause other I our Indigenous forwas university realized, Myout mom’s an elder and and wentinitiatives ‘What?’” to such was a small think the people of Church- ern Now that“There she’sis agot took memberships and 27,’ not my and time.” Oswald do. there isthey several Oswald also population part of the partners,” says Sawh. Veterans. ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so now,” deMeulles says. one book under belt, Looking back, some of ill really want to thrive. went on to recognize the individuals in communities that he would still like creation of the Thompson He is also working with history their and it her needs right?’ I certainly developed wonderful be- those experiences are things ThoughSociety she’s not there the They’ve built worlds todeMeulles says she that also help tostories sell memsupport provided by mem- many to work on. “MAPS just Humane (THS). board of the their Thompson be promoted,” he may con-try a lot in university she for always might do again. herOswald parentshas and Neighbourhood there. How would we feel cludes. to produce berships him.tells her she bersofofskill the Thompson NDP cause opened itsnot Phoenix House any Likelonger, MAPS, Renewal Sawhanother. will be proand 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 Sawh, who retired as for Women in October of been the Board Chair for Corporation (TNRC) as its moting progress Association. “They were with book these in 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 members still are. great to work with and are the CEO from the Com- last year, in addition to the THS for most of its 20 new Executive Director to organizations throughdarker his writing confi in hounded ‘Please, just Arctic to at operate -35,” said “Myofcousin owns the put leave your home community personal story, more aboutwww. personmunitiesher, Economic De- high really and focused ondence the needs continuing the years existence. “It has together a long-term website, myofwriting. I write very put it on tape,Fund I will (CEDF) write it deMeulles. “It didn’tHouse dawn hardware store she plan and for we’re to displace al growth and struggles. velopment our Thompson constituexisting Phoenix always been thethere,” plan, and thegoing services being oswaldsawh.ca. clear and that’s it. It’s there. Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
for you because your story is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
on me until after. That was a very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
says. Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
you somewhere else and all your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
Maybe in the next five years it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”