April 6 2023

Nickel Belt News

Manitoba pegs $420M for transportation, infrastructure projects in the north

BY DAVE BAXTER

LOCAL

REPORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

The province announced last week they plan to pump more than $400 million into transportation and infrastructure projects in Northern Manitoba.

JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

“We are making strategic investments that strengthen Northern Manitoba to create opportunities not only to compete today but to build on for generations to come,” Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk said in a March 28 news release announcing $420 million will be invested over five years into Northern Manitoba.

“We believe a stronger, more vibrant northern economy can help propel the provincial economy forward.”

According to the province, as part of their 2023 Multi-year Infrastructure Investment Strategy, the

money will be spent on “strategic initiatives,” which include a plan to improve seven northern airports, with more than

$75 million invested into two new airport terminal buildings and approximately 150,000 square metres of planned runway repairs.

The province will put $74 million towards the development of a “sustainable northern corridor” through the Port of Churchill, and

spend another nearly $250 million to improve five existing northern roadways.

Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill

“We understand the importance of improving transportation linkages today to transport goods and services, promote tourism, mining exploration, and spur economic development,” Piwniuk said. “We are also committing to a bright future by making the Port of Churchill an inter-continental trade gateway.”

As part of the funding, the province said the Thompson Regional Airport Authority will receive $15 million to construct a new terminal building and to redevelop existing infrastructure.

The new terminal will also offer a “culturally sensitive” air travel experience for Indigenous people, and include a dedicated area for elders, the province said.

While speaking to the

Winnipeg Sun earlier this year, Thompson Mayor Colleen Smook said she has been impressed with the amount of money the province has been investing in Northern Manitoba in recent months.

“More and more I believe the government is starting to recognize how important the north is, and that is why you see more investments, and you see more ministers coming to visit the north and acknowledging its importance,” Smook said.

“The province and the federal government are starting to understand the importance of investing in the north, and we will keep pushing and advocating for those investments.”

Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the government of Canada.

Nursing stations sending home patients who later die, chiefs say

BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

The quality of heath care provided by federal nursing stations is declining and costing people their lives, Northern Manitoba First Nations leaders and MP Niki Ashton said during a press conference in Ottawa April 3.

over the phone, he said.

At the nursing stations themselves, examinations are perfunctory, said Shamattawa First Nation Chief Jordna Hill.

“There’s not really much of a proper assessment, maybe half-ass, maybe 40 per cent assessment being done on our people,” he said, with nurses often doubting the sincerity of residents’ complaints. “We do know how we feel in our own bodies when something’s wrong with us.”

Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly

BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

NDP MP Niki Ashton, who represents the Churchill-Keewatinook Aski riding, was joined in Ottawa by the chiefs of two First Nations in her district as well as the grand chiefs of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, Keewatin Tribal Council and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

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.

Nursing stations often seem like little more than Tylenol dispensaries, said Manto Sipi Cree Nation Chief Michael Yellowback, noting that two God’s River residents have died in the last nine months after having been denied further care by nurses at the community’s health centre. One was a 48-year-old man who died two weeks after being sent home and denied a fuller health assessment after going to the nursing station. The other, a 37-year-old mother of five children, died under similar circumstances.

the Wind: Stories from the North - Life in Churchill for a couple of reasons.

She also has a reputation as a storyteller herself.

fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy cats, I was probably sitting on a bomb.’”

swallow when people say that Churchill residents should just find somewhere

“In my youth I never felt good at writing,” she 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

With the number of people who are given Tylenol and sent back home,

“I just sort of thought, you know what, this history, this stuff that’s in my head, it’s going to be gone if I don’t write it down,” she said. “My kids are not going to get it if I don’t do it and it’s something I’ve always wanted my mom to do. My mom’s an elder and she’s an artist, she’s got so many wonderful stories because she always tells her stories at Parks Canada in Churchill and I’ve always hounded her, ‘Please, just put it on tape, I will write it for you because your story is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,

it seems like “they think that is a wonder drug for everything,” said Yellowback, noting that residents of remote and isolated first Nations, particularly those that are fly-in communities except during winter road season, don’t have the option of seeking a second opinion, as it costs over $1,000 round-trip to fly out of such communities and that, in the case of his, 80 per cent of its residents are on a fixed in-

“I had such a varied history and I would tell people stories and they would go, ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, ‘You didn’t do all that, did you? You’ve got to be really old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually I did all that before I was 27,’ and they went ‘What?’”

come. The nursing station is frequently understaffed and a doctor only visits God’s River every two weeks.

Another thing that spurred her on was the hard times facing Churchill since the Hudson Bay Railway suspended operations north of Gillam last spring.

According to information obtained by Ashton, 33 per cent of Indigenous Services Canada-operated nursing stations are not meeting community needs and all of them in remote and isolated communities have had periods of reduced capacity due to staffing shortages in the past two months.

Looking back, some of those experiences are things she might not do again.

“I did some pretty bizarre stuff like fuel hauls into the high Arctic at -35,” said deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn on me until after. That was a very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel

“We know there aren’t enough nurses to meet the community’s needs,” she said, noting that the staff who are working are in danger of experiencing burnout that could prevent them from working down the line.

“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 about that so why don’t they have the option to do that?

“It used to be a really thriving large community and it’s just dwindled down to such a small population now,” deMeulles says.

“All Manitoba and Ontario nursing station ran below capacity for at least one day [in the last two months].”

Though she’s not there any longer, her parents and her sister and other family members still are.

said Grand Chief Walter Wastesicoot of Keewatin Tribal Council, which represents 11 Northern Manitoba First Nations. and unlike Canadians in larger communities, they are often at the mercy of whether a physician decides to accept their case.

For all the harsh weather and the dangers of polar bears, deMeulles said if it had been viable she would have moved back to Churchill in a heartbeat.

In the immediate shortterm, First Nations need full complements of nurses and also at least one full-time physician in their nursing stations, said Yellowback. Further down the line, better health services must be established, said Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick.

On-reserve nursing stations aren’t equipped to do blood tests or give EKGs,

“My cousin owns the hardware store there,” she says.

Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to

“There has to be an attending physician on the other line that is willing to accept you” in order to receive a medical assessment

I think right now they’re feeling like they’re pawns in a political game and that’s really sad for them because I think the people of Churchill really want to thrive. They’ve built their worlds there. How would we feel if someone came to you and said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to leave your home community and we’re going to displace you somewhere else and all your loved ones and your history is gone?’”

“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 Bay,” she says. “When I go back home, standing on the Hudson Bay looking out on the bay, it just gives you an incredible sense. You feel so small and you feel great.”

“We should have full adequate hospitals in our communities where our women can give birth,” Merrick said.

No one wants special treatment, said MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee, just equal treatment.

Now that she’s got one book under her belt, deMeulles says she may try to produce another.

“It’s as if Canada is saying [First Nations residents] don’t matter as much as the people in the rest of Canadian society but we’re here to say our people matter too.”

“I have another book in me,” she says. “It’s a darker story, more about personal growth and struggles. Maybe in the next five years it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”

Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham

in Churchill.

Delivering News to the Nickel Belt since 1960

Thompson Citizen file photo

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk speaks during a visit to Thompson last June.

Thompson Citizen photo courtesy of NDP

Staffing shortages, inadequate services and lacklustre medical assessments at federal nursing stations are costing on-reserve First Nations members their lives, Northern Manitoba chiefs said during an April 3 press conference in Ottawa with NDP MP Niki Ashton.

Fire in Tataskweyak kills young woman, chief says

The chief of Tatasdkwyeak Cree Nation says a fire has claimed the life of a young woman.

Chief Tara Lee Beardy said in an April 3 press release that the federal government needs to fulfill its obligations to First Nations which do not have adequate resources to prevent and battle fires.

Since the time of a February fire that injured a tod-

dler and a 17-year-old and left nine families homeless but did not result in any loss of life, thanks to the teenager’s heroic actions to warn apartment residents that their building was on fire, TCN has purchased a fire truck, Beardy said.

“While waiting for Indigenous Services Canada to act, we scraped together what funds we had and purchased a fire truck and

received it in late March,” she said. “But we had no one available to train our personnel how to property use it. The results were fatal.”

Thompson Rural RCMP received a report of a fire on Airport Road in Split Lake around 11 p.m. April 2 and attended the scene alongside the TCN fire department. Once the fire was under control, fire -

fighters entered the home and found the body of a 25-year-old woman. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Thompson Rural RCMP and the Office of the Fire Commissioner.

Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak’s mobile crisis response team and its MMIWG unit are taking action to support Tataskweyak in the wake of the

loss, said MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee.

“Everyone feels the loss in a small community when something tragic happens,” he said. “We recognize this and we will be doing everything we can to help TCN. This tragedy could have been prevented.”

Grand Chief Walter Wastesicoot of Keewatin Tribal Council, which represents 11 Northern Mani-

toba First Nations, said the fact that little has changed in Tataskweyak since the Feb. 11 fire is appalling.

“Another tragic fire which cost a life this time leaves me disheartened,” she said. “We needed more action from the government and didn’t receive it. We need more action from them to give us the ability to fight fires in our communities.”

Leaf Rapids RCMP officers use snowmobiles to rescue man needing medical care

Leaf Rapids RCMP officers helped get a man in need of medical assistance from a remote cabin to the hospital on March 28.

Police were contacted around 6:15 p.m. that day by a man reporting that a friend of his was in medical distress near Suwannee Lake.

Accompanied by paramedics, officers drove about 40 kilometres south of Leaf Rapids on Highway 391 where they were met by the man who reported the medical emergency. They then snowmobiled with him to the cabin about 6.5 kilometres away to retrieve an 85-year-old man in medical distress, who was then transported back to the vehicles in a sled behind a snowmobile.

He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

“In remote areas it can be a challenge to respond to emergency situations,” said Sgt. Lisa Wowchuk, Leaf Rapids detachment commander. “In this instance, our officers, EMS and community members worked together and were able to get this male the medical assistance he needed.”

FIREFIGHTER / PARAMEDICS

The City of Thompson’s Fire and Emergency Services Department is seeking those unique individuals with a passion for both firefighting and paramedicine. Our department provides EMS and fire protection to Manitoba’s fourth largest City. The City of Thompson offers a competitive salary and extensive benefits package. Join our team for a challenging and rewarding career in emergency services, with the ability to make a difference.

Qualifications:

• Firefighter Level 2 (NFPA 1001).

• Current registration with the College of Paramedics of MB

• Valid Class IV MB driver’s license with air brake endorsement.

• Proven ability to make decisions, initiate appropriate action and perform safely and effectively in stressful, demanding and hazardous situations and ability to deal and communicate effectively with the general public.

• Good interpersonal and communication skills and a commitment to a team oriented approach.

• Excellent physical health, mentally able to fulfill the Fire/Medics duties. Applicants must be able to pass a medical examination meeting department standards.

Preference will be given to those applicants who, in addition to the foregoing, hold: field experience in EMS and firefighting, current ACLS, NRP, BTLS and proven EMS skill progression and performance; NFPA 1031, NFPA 472, NFPA 1006, and NFPA 1035. Posting will remain until all positions are filled. Short-listed candidates will be invited to attend an in-person Recruitment Process, including interview, written test and physical testing in Thompson.

Please send detailed resumes outlining experience, education, qualifications and references to:

Human Resources – City of Thompson, 226 Mystery Lake Road, Thompson, Manitoba R8N 1S6 FAX: (204) 677-7981

E-Mail: jmelanson@thompson.ca

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Those requiring assistance with the application process should call 204-677-7924. The City of Thompson is committed to providing a superior quality of life and unlimited opportunities. We are dedicated to supporting healthy growth and our northern urban lifestyle while providing our residents with high quality municipal services and facilities.

CITY OF THOMPSON BUILDING PERMITS & INSPECTIONS NOTICE OF IMPROVEMENT

The City of Thompson is pleased to offer residents, builders and business owners in our community an online system to apply for and track your building permits.

So if you are in the works of planning your new project whether it is an addition, alteration, conversion, repair, improvement to your principal building or accessory building (commercial or residential) we have made it simple and easy to apply.

The Cloudpermit building permit system allows you to apply for and to see the status of your applications anywhere, at any time. You can start an application and finish it later, and receive email updates on

communications@thompson.ca

the status of your permit application. You can even request building inspections with results sent immediately to your email!

To get started, create your Cloudpermit account by visiting https:// ca.cloudpermit.com/login.

Any questions or assistance with the system please go to https:// www.thompson.ca/p/permits or give us a call or email:

Danny Haywood, Building Inspector 204-677-7953

RCMP photo

Leaf Rapids RCMP and paramedics used snowmobiles to get to a man in medical distress at a remote cabin and transport him back to their waiting vehicles and from there to hospital on March 28.

Thompson tops Flin Flon in online snowmobile contest vote

BY ERIC WESTHAVER FLIN FLON REMINDER

Flin Flon came up short of defending its SnoRiders Sledtown Showdown title, losing in the provincial final of the annual online poll.

In the provincial final of the vote, Flin Flon faced off against Thompson with the distinction of being Manitoba’s premier snowmobiling destination on the line. Sheer numbers did the trick for Thompson over Flin Flon — the vote was not close, with the much larger community picking up 7,577 votes (65.1 per cent) to Flin Flon’s 4,052 votes (34.8 per cent) to be named Manitoba’s top snowmobiling destination.

Each year, SnoRiders — a Western Canada-based snowmobiling publication — holds a 16-community bracket for each of the four

western provinces to determine the top sled town in all four — online polls are used to determine winners. The winning community receives a Sledtown Showdown trophy, feature articles in SnoRiders and bragging rights for the town and for local snowmobile clubs. Last year, Flin Flon won the national vote in the competition for the second time, which consisted of the winners from all four western provinces going head-to-head.

In the past, people were able to fill the ballot box by voting once per day per device. The rules of this year’s poll had changed from previous editions — this year, only one vote per device could be cast. Flin Flon’s tactics in the past included promoting people to vote several times per day, using different devices — that strategy did not work this time around.

Flin Flon Reminder photo by Eric Westhaver Riders cross Highway 10A on their way out of Flin Flon during the 2023 Lions Club Journey for Sight.

Keep fighting tuberculosis

Keep fi against tuberculosis

To the Editor:

How many more?

is a highly contagious disease, Each year, TB claims the lives people worldwide. TB is not only a World countries, but also here in higher prevalence in the north. vaccination, disease prevention

To the Editor: It is difficult to fathom the mentality of people who tolerate murder in schools, in terms of garnering votes, by support for the NRA lunatic society.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly contagious disease, caused by bacteria. Each year, TB claims the lives of 1.7 million people worldwide. TB is not only a problem in Third World countries, but also here in Canada, with a higher prevalence in the north.

Due to the lack of vaccination, disease prevention is most important. Additionally, some TB bacteria have changed over the years, giving rise to forms of multi-drug resistant TB, which means treatment is lengthy, complicated and accompanied by severe side effects.

Additionally, some TB bacteria the years, giving rise to forms resistant TB, which means treatment complicated and accompanied by severe one in four people in this world is World TB day, raising awarean opportunity to mobilize funds elimination. I am glad to see Canada as global fund to fight tuberculosis. commitment continues in the future our goal to stop TB.

Americans love their heroes, yet armed conflict in elementary schools is unacceptable.

Letting people with mental illness arm themselves with assault rifles and kill children and their guardians — obscene!

Did you know that one in four people in this world have TB? March 24 is World TB day, raising awareness and providing an opportunity to mobilize funds towards TB elimination. I am glad to see Canada as a top donor to the global fund to fight tuberculosis. I hope that this commitment continues in the future so that we can meet our goal to stop TB.

Karolin Klement Calgary

Human life is sacred so to hell with the right to bear arms. How many more?

Angus Campbell Sr. Thompson

School board opts for status quo, which way will city council go?

Thomplocal bodies prothe representathem made not numbers, trustagainst trustee only reof seven to earlier, than a Thompsonvoice prowould from to the of people for-

Funding announcements in an election year? How unexpected!

Before the dissection of their cynical timing begins, let’s say this off the top. It isn’t a bad thing when governments decide to invest in community and regional infrastructure, particularly when it is located in your community or region. Without government funding from both the federal and provincial governments, Thompson wouldn’t be getting 20 kilometres or so of roads redone over last year, this year and the three after that. It wouldn’t also be replacing water and sewer lines over the same time period. And it would be $11 million further away from paying for a pool than it currently is, which may be far from a majority of the money that is needed to complete the project, but it still isn’t anything to sniff at, particularly in a city where the annual budget has never been more than about $40 million and only reached that pinnacle because of the first two infrastructure projects

School board opts for status quo, which way will city council go?

mer councillor Luke Robinson, who served one term on council from 2010 to 2014 before being defeated by Mayor Dennis Fenske in the race to become head of council last time that Thompsonites went to the polls about three-and-half years ago – was in favour of reducing the numbers, with the other seven opposed. Although council hasn’t yet voted on second reading of that bylaw, the next stage towards it becoming official, there’s at least a better than even chance that it will be approved. As watchers of council will have noticed, the proposals that make it to the council floor have a tendency to be approved by at least two-thirds of its members and, given that

Both of Thompson’s local elected bodies have considered proposals to reduce the number of representatives comprising them and one of them made a choice March 13 not to shrink its numbers, as school board trustees voted 6-1 against a resolution by trustee Ryan Land (the only vote in support) to reduce the number of trustees from seven to five.

mentioned earlier in this paragraph.

Citizens need governments to spend money to make their lives better, particularly in unprofitable sectors of the economy that private industry isn’t apt to step in and run because, well, there isn’t any money in it.

many of the people opposed to the plan are the regular critics of council who attend meetings and ask their elected officials questions week after week, their opinions may not be enough to dissuade the majority from forging ahead, especially since the number of people who care about this one way or another doesn’t even reach double digits.

That said, one can’t help but be a little suspicious at the timing of some recent announcements by Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative government, given that an election is expected to happen later this year.

One night earlier, slightly more than a half-dozen Thompsonites showed up to voice their opinion on a proposed bylaw that would see council shrink from eight councillors to six, not including the mayor. Only one of that handful of people with an opinion – for-

Whether or not the number of councillors or school board trustees should be reduced is not the sort of question for which there is a right or wrong answer. On the pro side of keeping the current numbers, the option that all but one of the school board members opted for, is the argument that it spreads the

There are perfectly good and practical reasons why Manitobans are being subjected to a slew of spending announcements now.

By the time summer rolls around, people will be busy doing other stuff like not shovelling snow (potentially) or experiencing 20-degree temperature swings within a 24-hour period.

Many people pay politics very little attention at the best of times, and even

mer councillor Luke Robinson, who served one term on council from 2010 to 2014 before being defeated by Mayor Dennis Fenske in the race to become head of council last time that Thompsonites went to the polls about three-and-half years ago – was in favour of reducing the numbers, with the other seven opposed. Although council hasn’t yet voted on second reading of that bylaw, the next stage towards it becoming official, there’s at least a better than even chance that it will be approved. As watchers of council will have noticed, the proposals that make it to the council floor have a tendency to be approved by at least two-thirds of its members and, given that

workload around and allows for greater diversity of viewpoints, though Ryan Land was mostly correct in saying that, in terms of class and ethnicity, the trustees aren’t really a microcosm of the School District of Mystery Lake’s population as a whole. If you’ve been to many school board meetings (and apart from members of the media, well, you haven’t), you would know that they don’t often feature nearly as much debate or division as city council meetings, at least not over the past couple of years. But they’ve made their decision and it appears there will be seven school board trustees at least until 2022.

fewer do during the few precious warm months that Northern Manitoba receives. Also, because the legislature is in session, the government can actually do things to make these announcements move forward, rather than having them be nothing more than empty words. Lastly, once the election is officially called, government resources can’t be used to promote the Progressive Conservatives’ achievements. Getting publicity for policies you think are good is one of the fundamental cornerstones of electoral politics.

many of the people opposed to the plan are the regular critics of council who attend meetings and ask their elected officials questions week after week, their opinions may not be enough to dissuade the majority from forging ahead, especially since the number of people who care about this one way or another doesn’t even reach double digits.

So anyway, there are definitely reasons why this is happening and it was great to hear, last week, that the Thompson Regional Airport is getting $15 million from the provincial government to put towards its new terminal building and other infrastructure improvements. It’s a far busier airport than the size of the nearest community would necessarily warrant

One of the arguments

Whether or not the number of councillors or school board trustees should be reduced is not the sort of question for which there is a right or wrong answer. On the pro side of keeping the current numbers, the option that all but one of the school board members opted for, is the argument that it spreads the

for reducing members, whether they belong to the school board or council, is that it will save money. The amount is not large overall – about $20,000 in councillors’ salaries per year plus approximately half that amount, on average, for annual travel and expenses. For the city, which has a budget of around $30 million, that represents probably less than a drop in the proverbial bucket, though it is about a fifth of the overall cost of the mayor and council.

were it not such a hub for freight and for moving in and out the people that are needed to do construction or run the justice system and so on and so forth.

Still, the airport terminal replacement project has been in the works for what seems like forever, with much lobbying done for years before the federal government announced that it was putting $28 million towards the project in 2019. That’s nearly four years ago. But of course, the provincial contribution, had it been made back then, would have been overshadowed by the more substantial federal support and besides, governments don’t usually get turfed out after only one term unless they have done something really stupid or performed really badly.

Critics of the proposed reduction say that it will prevent “new blood” from being elected and, theoretically, reduce the diversity of opinions, but that would only be true if

Similarly, provincial funding for the Hudson Bay Railway and Port of Churchill is definitely needed and there are plenty of people who will argue that it will be beneficial

workload around and allows for greater diversity of viewpoints, though Ryan Land was mostly correct in saying that, in terms of class and ethnicity, the trustees aren’t really a microcosm of the School District of Mystery Lake’s population as a whole. If you’ve been to many school board meetings (and apart from members of the media, well, you haven’t), you would know that they don’t often feature nearly as much debate or division as city council meetings, at least not over the past couple of years. But they’ve made their decision and it appears there will be seven school board trustees at least until 2022.

the citizens of Thompson elected more truly independent-thinking candidates who aren’t married to aligning themselves with any particular side, because right now, the number of opinions on council is generally two – for and against.

to Northern Manitoba and the province as a whole to have a well-maintained and reliable rail transportation link through the north and to the ocean via Hudson Bay. That was also true five years ago, when Churchill was without a land transportation link for more than year. At that time, the provincial government had no interest in supporting the rail line to help it get, literally, back on track.

Belated though these investments may be, they are welcome and will hopefully demonstrate to politicians in Winnipeg that supporting northern development is in the best interest of all Manitobans, not just those who live north of the 53rd parallel.

for reducing members, whether they belong to the school board or council, is that it will save money. The amount is not large overall – about $20,000 in councillors’ salaries per year plus approximately half that amount, on average, for annual travel and expenses. For the city, which has a budget of around $30 million, that represents probably less than a drop in the proverbial bucket, though it is about a fifth of the overall cost of the mayor and council.

Maybe the low turnout of people with opinions on how many councillors there should be isn’t an expression of apathy but of pragmatism. Experience has shown quite often that this council – and others before it –is going to do what the majority of its members think is right, regardless of what the most vocal taxpayers think.

If that is the case, does it really matter how many of them there are?

Speaking of the 53rd parallel, it is rather rich for the government to tout its investments in Highway 6 as support for the north, given that much of what is planned in the PCs fiveyear infrastructure investment plan for that particular highway will take place

One of the arguments

Your Thompson Citizen News Team

Critics of the proposed reduction say that it will prevent “new blood” from being elected and, theoretically, reduce the diversity of opinions, but that would only be true if

south of the 53rd parallel, i.e. the official demarcation line between southern Manitoba and the north. Certainly, northerners use that section of the road to get to Winnipeg, but Interlake residents use it more. And while there has been a fair amount of paving work and other improvements done between Ponton and Thompson over the past few years, it would really be nice to have a passing lane, for example, before kilometre 700 of a 736-kilometre drive. Just sayin’.

the citizens of Thompson elected more truly independent-thinking candidates who aren’t married to aligning themselves with any particular side, because right now, the number of opinions on council is generally two – for and against.

Governments do things for people all the time, often because they believe it’s needed or just the right thing to do. Sometimes, however, they feel like that friend that everybody has. You know, the one who shows up to your parties and reaches out when they need a favour but aren’t around to help you move because the relationship is more about what you can do for them than about what they can do for you.

Maybe the low turnout of people with opinions on how many councillors there should be isn’t an expression of apathy but of pragmatism. Experience has shown quite often that this council – and others before it –is going to do what the majority of its members think is right, regardless of what the most vocal taxpayers think. If that is the case, does it really matter how many of them there are?

God’s Lake Narrows traffic stop leads to seizure of alcohol, drugs and guns

A 28-year-old man from Stony Mountain was arrested in God’s Lake Narrows March 27 after RCMP officers saw a gun in his vehicle.

God’s Lake Narrows

RCMP stopped the man’s vehicle around 10 p.m. and noticed a firearm in the backseat as they spoke with the driver, who was the only person in the vehicle. They completed police record checks showing that he had two outstanding arrest warrants and was on conditions to not possess any firearms.

A search of the vehicle following the driver’s arrest resulted in police seizing two rifles, ammunition, 31 bottles of alcohol, bear spray and illicit pills con-

taining fentanyl, according to presumptive tests.

Jordan Burton was charged with numerous firearms-related offences and with failing to comply with a release order. He was also

charged with two counts of possessing controlled substances and with possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

God’s Lake Narrows is a dry First Nation where

the sale and possession of alcohol is prohibited.

Burton was remanded into custody for a court appearance in Thompson that was scheduled for March 29.

Police watchdog looking into July 2022 Thompson arrest

Manitoba’s police watchdog is investigating a 2022 arrest that a Thompson man says left him with a fractured skull.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba, which looks into allegations of serious misconduct by on- or off-duty

police officers in the province, was notified of the incident by the RCMP on March 21.

The notification said that the man filed a complaint with the RCMP’s Civilian Review and Complaints Commission on March 10.

The allegation occurred during a July 28, 2022 interaction when the man was arrested on Elk Bay in Thompson. He reported to the CRCC that he sustained a fractured skull while being arrested.

A fracture is a serious injury under IIU regula -

Thompson RCMP seek missing 16-year-old

Thompson RCMP are asking for the public’s help to locate Wilfred “Willy” Spence, a 16-year-old who was reported missing March 18.

After he was reported missing, police used Spence’s social media activity to try to find him but he has still not been located. He may be actively trying to evade police but they need to find him to confirm his well-being.

Spence is 4’9” tall and 143 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on Spence’s whereabouts can call Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477. Tips can also be submitted online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Man arrested after Wasagamack shooting

A 35-year-old man was arrested April 4 after another man was shot in Wasagamack First Nation.

The shooting was reported to Island Lake RCMP shortly after noon on April 3. The 27-year-old victim was transported to the

nursing station and then medevaced to a Winnipeg hospital in stable condition.

Charges have not been laid yet but the 35-year-old remains in custody and the investigation continues.

Police say the two men knew each other.

tions, so the watchdog agency is compelled to investigate.

People who witnessed the arrest or who have video footage or other information that could assist the investigation are asked to contact the IIU toll-free at 1-844-667-6060.

RCMP photo God’s Lake Narrows RCMP arrested a man and seized guns, alcohol and drugs after seeing a firearm in the back seat of a vehicle they had pulled over on March 27.

RCMP photo Willy Spence 16, was reported missing to Thompson RCMP March 18 and police are still trying to find him to confirm his well-being.

One MP on federal ethics committee disagrees with reduced cooling-off periods for lobbyists

BY NATASHA BULOWSKI LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, CANADA'S NATIONAL OBSERVER

All but one MP on the federal ethics committee has agreed with a proposal to reduce cooling-off periods for lobbyists doing political work.

Feedback from the committee on the proposed change was sent to lobbying commissioner Nancy Bélanger on March 20.

Bélanger is in the process of updating the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct, which governs how paid lobbyists operate on Parliament Hill. She previously told Canada’s National Observer her intent with the update is to clarify the rules for the benefit of both lobbyists and the department. This includes rule changes that would reduce the amount of time a lobbyist must wait between helping on a politician’s campaign and lobbying them in government, also known as a cooling-off period.

The Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics wrote a letter to Bélanger after studying the updates to the code and hearing from witnesses. The letter broadly agreed with many of the changes Bélanger put forward and issued recommendations, but noted NDP MP Matthew Green opposes reducing cooling-off periods to one or two years for certain political work and in-

stead would have kept them as is: a full election cycle.

“The last thing somebody wants to see is somebody running a campaign for somebody who becomes minister, and then they have the ability to lobby them on behalf of big corporations or people with a financial interest,” Green said in an interview with Canada’s National Observer.

Under the current code, a paid lobbyist who works on a politician’s campaign can’t contact the individual for a full election cycle afterwards to avoid politicians feeling an obligation to them while in office.

Bélanger’s changes would shorten those limits to two years for lobbyists who work closely with a candidate (for example, on a fundraising campaign) and one year for lobbyists who do less involved activities like canvassing.

This change “raised the biggest flag” for Green, who sits on the House ethics committee. He wanted to maintain the current cooling-off period, at a minimum, the letter noted, while the other 10 MPs on the committee agreed with the commissioner’s proposal.

The letter suggested the code should define certain terms — particularly “frequent and interactive interactions” and “full-time” and “near full-time” — to decide whether a one- or two-year cooling-off per-

iod will apply to political work. Bélanger was already contemplating adding some definitions, according to the committee.

Some groups have advocated for stricter cooling-off periods.

Five years should be the minimum cooling-off period for less significant political activity, and more significant involvement should trigger an extension to 10 years, according to a letter to the lobbying commissioner from Democracy Watch, a non-profit, non-partisan organization advocating for democratic reform, government accountability and corporate responsibility. The letter was signed by 14 organizations, including the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, Climate Action Network, Dogwood, Ecology Action Centre, OpenMedia, Sierra Club B.C., Stand.earth and Unlock Democracy Canada. In early March, more than 30 law and political science professors signed on to a Democracy Watch letter urging the ethics committee to reject the proposed changes.

Lobby groups, on the other hand, argue the cooling-off periods are too stringent and interfere with individuals’ rights to participate in electoral politics under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The committee noted this concern in its letter to Bélanger.

Green’s position is that

Helping Build Stronger Communities

it's a reasonable limit on Charter rights to restrict the way in which professional lobbyists and campaign staffers interact with government MPs and cabinet ministers.

“I think that our democracy is fragile,” said Green. “Canadians are rightfully cynical, and the perception of there being a bit of a revolving door between campaign operatives and paid lobbyists only fuels that cynicism.”

Committee vice-chair and Liberal MP Iqra Khalid told Canada’s National Observer in an emailed statement that the current cooling-off period rule “was not specific and created some measure of confusion for registrants.” The new rules, she said, provide clarity and balance to the “importance of free and open access to government” and “the need for Canadians to be able to recognize who is lobbying the government.” The recommendations in the committee’s letter intend to provide even more clarity on the new rules to ensure compliance, said Khalid.

The new code would also change rules around gift-giving. The commissioner proposed a low-value limit of $40 and would set an annual limit for all allowed gifts at $80 in an attempt to offer lobbyists clear guidelines. The committee recommended increasing the gift allowance to $200 and the hospitality allowance (for refreshments and food provided at receptions or in-person meetings) to $200.

It also suggested exempting sponsored travel — “where it serves a legitimate purpose” — from the gift limits based on con-

cerns raised by witnesses that the low gift limit would effectively prohibit lobby groups from paying for politician’s travel.

This view is not shared by Duff Conacher, co-founder of Democracy Watch and one of the most vocal critics of the proposed changes.

“If a lobbyist or lobby group gives an MP a trip as a gift, it is never legitimate,” Conacher told Canada’s National Observer.

“Lobby groups that give such trips to MPs claim that they are just educating MPs about an issue. If MPs want to learn about an issue, they can travel on their own office budget or apply for money from Parliament to travel and then justify to the auditor general, the media and the public,” he said.

Conacher warns that under the current wording proposed by the commissioner, lobbyists can fundraise an unlimited amount of money during a campaign and lobby politicians immediately after without being subjected to the oneyear cooling-off period, as long as they do it less than near full-time and without frequent or extensive contact with the politician or party.

As lobbying commissioner, Bélanger operates independently and is not obligated to act on the committee’s recommendations and feedback, Green emphasized.

“Commissioner Bélanger appreciates the work of the committee on the Lobbyists’ Code of Conduct and is carefully considering the recommendations before finalizing the code,” the commissioner’s staff told Canada’s National Observer in an emailed statement.

Green thinks there's “larger conversations” to be had around the “unequal and, in my opinion, undemocratic access that some people have to decision-makers.”

He mused that MPs could perhaps respond to that larger issue with a private member’s bill, but said in this moment, it's out of their hands.

“It seemed to me that those with both the most to lose and the most to gain had the most amount of input. And that's part of the problem,” said Green. “The average Canadian should have equal access to the moneyed interests that fund the lobbying ecosystem here in Ottawa, the culture of lobbying. And when you don't have that kind of equity of access and power then that, to me, is a threat to democracy.”

Conacher says the changes to the code are “deeply unethical and will allow for corrupt favour-trading between lobbyists and politicians.”

If Bélanger goes ahead with her proposed changes, “Democracy Watch will file a lawsuit challenging the new rules as they will violate voters’ constitutional democracy rights to government integrity, equal participation in policymaking processes, and adequate information to make voting decisions,” Conacher said in a press release.

“The NDP has said it opposes the changes, but is it going to do anything more to try to stop the changes, like introducing a resolution in the House opposing the changes that dares MPs from other parties to publicly approve them?” he asked.

Box-cutter attack inflicts ‘life-altering’ injuries in Garden Hill First Nation

A 33-year-old woman is charged with aggravated assault, making threats and weapon possession after an April 3 attack in Garden Hill First Nation in which three people were slashed with a box-cutter.

Island Lake RCMP were called to a report of three people being attacked and injured in Garden Hill shortly before 1 a.m. Officers went to the nursing station where a 39-year-old man, a 26-year-old woman and a 24-year-old woman were being treated

manitoba.ca

for life-altering slash wounds.

Police learned that the victims had been at a party that the suspect had ben asked to leave. She left but came back armed with a box-cutter and attacked the victims.

The 33-year-old woman faces three counts of aggravated assault, two counts of uttering threats and one count of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose. She was released from custody and will appear in court in May.

Two arrested for Thompson stabbing

Two people from Thompson were charged with aggravated assault after a 38-year-old man was stabbed March 28.

Thompson RCMP received a call about a man being stabbed in an Ashberry Place apartment building around 6:30 a.m. and attended the scene, knocking on doors to try to locate the victim. Just before 7:30 a.m. they received a report of a man with a stab

wound at Thompson General Hospital and determined he was the victim in the incident they were investigating. The Pimicikamak Cree Nation man was transported to hospital in Winnipeg for further treatment of serious injuries.

A man, 48, and a woman, 25, were charged and released from custody with an upcoming court date.

More than 400 community groups are building, repairing and enhancing projects big and small, thanks to funding from the new Arts, Culture and Sports

Doing it differently: In the days since the AJI, Winnipeg police taking strides to improve relationships with Indigenous people

BY DAVE BAXTER LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

More than 30 years ago in the wee hours of a winter morning in Winnipeg's West End, police officer Robert Cross confronted John Joseph (J.J.) Harper, a gun shot rang out, and soon Harper lay dead on the frozen ground.

An inquiry into his death showed that “racism” had played a role in the shooting that night, and that a whole lot more needed to be done in this city to build and repair relationships and trust between police and Indigenous people and communities.

But now more than 30 years later, where does that relationship stand today? What more can be done to improve it? And is this city’s police force using recommendations made by the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry?

Over the course of several stories the Winnipeg Sun will work to uncover how police and Indigenous people interact in this city, and what the Winnipeg Police Service has been doing and continues to do to try to build and improve relationships with Indigenous people and communities, so the force can do a better job of both serving and protecting those communities.

The Aboriginal Justice Inquiry was a public inquiry first commissioned by the Manitoba government in 1988, and when its final report was presented in 1991, its stated purpose was “to examine the relationship between the Aboriginal peoples of Manitoba and the justice system.”

The AJI was commissioned by the Manitoba government partly in response to Harper’s death, as Harper, a member of the Wasagamack Indian Band in the Island Lake area, and the executive director of the Island Lake Tribal Council, was a well-known leader in Manitoba’s Indigenous community in 1988 when he was gunned down.

According to reports, Harper had spent the night out with friends and was walking in the West End towards his home at around 2:30 a.m. on March 9, 1988, when WPS Const. Robert Cross confronted him, as Cross was, at the time, searching for a suspect in a car theft.

Although Harper had nothing to do with that car theft, a scuffle between the two ensued that ultimately led to Harper being shot in the chest and killed.

A massive public outcry and a demand for accountability in that case was one of the pillars for the Manitoba government commissioning the AJI, and in 1991 the final report from the inquiry painted a grim picture of

the relationship between police in Winnipeg and across the province, and Indigenous people.

It also showed that there were inequalities throughout the entire criminal justice system in the province that were negatively affecting Indigenous people in “grossly disproportionate numbers.”

“The justice system has failed Manitoba’s aboriginal people on a massive scale,” the final report stated. “It has been insensitive and inaccessible, and has arrested and imprisoned aboriginal people in grossly disproportionate numbers.

“Aboriginal people who are arrested are more likely than non-aboriginal people to be denied bail, spend more time in pretrial detention and spend less time with their lawyers, and, if convicted, are more likely to be incarcerated. It is not merely that the justice system has failed aboriginal people; justice has also been denied to them.

“For more than a century the rights of aboriginal people have been ignored and eroded.”

The AJI’s final report included hundreds of recommendations for improving the relationships be tween Indigenous people and police forces and the entire criminal justice system, but in Manitoba and across the country, In digenous people continue to be greatly overrepre sented in the justice sys tem, both as offenders, but also as victims of crime.

According to a recent federal report, Indigenous people make up around 30 per cent of the feder al prison population in Canada, while making up just five per cent of the country's population, but those numbers rise steeply here in Manitoba, where it is estimated that at Stony Mountain Penitentiary, this province’s largest fed eral penitentiary, as many as 70 per cent of inmates are Indigenous.

Federal data from 2014 also showed that 28 per cent of Indigen ous people over the age of 15 reported being vic timized in the previous 12 months, compared to 18 per cent of non-Indigenous people. That rate of vio lent victimization among Indigenous people was more than double that of non-Indigenous people.

And Indigenous women had an overall rate of vio lent victimization close to triple that of non-Indigen ous women.

One longtime advocate for Indigenous people in Winnipeg says he knows that to this day there are many in the Indigenous community that still feel uncomfortable being around uniformed police officers, and that discom fort continues for many

reasons.

“I’d have to say that the uniform does present, very clearly, a challenge to many Indigenous persons,” Damon Johnston said.

“They would shy away from it, and they would fear it.”

Johnston speaks from experience working in the community and with local police, as he is currently the president of the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, which works to represent and advocate for urban Indigenous community members living in Winnipeg, while he also sits on the Winnipeg Police Board.

According to Johnston, who stressed he was speaking to the Sun in his role as president of ACW, there are always going to be issues of systemic racism in any police forces, and at all levels of society, but he said it is not fair to paint Winnipeg’s police service with a “broad brush” when it comes to its dealings with Indigenous people.

“We know there is racism in our society, there is prejudice, and discrimination towards certain groups, and we are one of those groups,”

on the streets that Indigenous people can start to see as “peacekeepers,” rather than strictly as law enforcement officers.

“Some will see a uniformed officer and not want to do anything to engage with that officer, because they fear that if they do, things will not end well for them,” he said.

“The uniform has represented official police in our society for a long time, and I don’t think any of us when we talk to officers, aren’t a little more careful about what we say and do.”

He said that plans are currently in the works to train 20 Indigenous people that, once trained, will hold security guard and First Aid certificates, and will work on the streets of Winnipeg as what Johnston said will be in the role of “peacekeepers.”

He also knows that statistics back up the fact that outcomes for Indigenous people when they engage with police officers across this country are far worse than they are for non-Indigenous people, as data released in 2020 showed that Indigenous people in Canada were 10 times more likely to be shot by a

reports of situations regarding Indigenous people and police can often work to engrain fear of officers into some.

“There are reports every day in the media about individuals interacting with police, and we know that some of it is not good,” he said.

“It causes some trauma and that leads to some anxiety in our communities.”

One high profile incident that led to the death of a teenage girl in Winnipeg has put the issue of police and their dealings with Indigenous people in the public eye, when on April 8, 2020, a Winnipeg police officer shot and killed 16-year old Eisha Hudson.

Police have said the shots were fired because Hudson along with others was fleeing police after a robbery at a nearby liquor store and at one point she attempted to drive into police officers in a stolen Jeep near the corner of Fermor Avenue and Lagimodiere Boulevard in southeast Winnipeg, where she was shot and killed.

While an investigation by Manitoba’s Independent Investigation Unit determined that no

son, some have continued to question what factors motivated the shooting.

Johnston said he knows that some have come forward with opinions that Hudson was shot because she was Indigenous, while others have said Hudson’s own actions led to her death, but he said in any high profile situation people on all sides are often far too quick to rush to judgment and form strong opinions that are not always based on the facts.

“What I say to myself is, ‘I was not there, and I don’t know what happened,’ ” Johnston said. “I have to rely on other people who were there telling the truth about what happened.”

He added that he hopes to see the relationship between Indigenous people and WPS as one that always continues to improve, because there will be no single moment where people will decide that it has been fixed.

“It’s always about continuous improvement,” Johnston said. “I have always tried to apply that in my life and thought, ‘if I am doing something, is there a better way I can do it?’ And police should be working with that same

Continued on page 16

Justice ‘has been denied’ to Indigenous, problems persist as inquiry recommendations are ignored

BY DAVE BAXTER LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

It has been more than three decades since the shooting death of J.J. Harper, and since the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry shone a light on how Indigenous people in Winnipeg and the province have been treated by the criminal justice system. The statistics show it and it can be heard in the words of Indigenous leaders today — the same problems and inequalities that persisted in the justice system three decades ago continue today, despite the efforts of many, not much has changed.

The AJI was a public inquiry commissioned by the Manitoba government in 1988 the final report was released in 1991. Its stated purpose was “to examine the relationship between the Aboriginal peoples of Manitoba and the justice system.”

The AJI stated that inequalities throughout the entire criminal justice system in the province were negatively affecting Indigenous people in “grossly disproportionate numbers.”

“The justice system has failed Manitoba’s Aboriginal people on a massive scale,” the final report read.

“It has been insensitive and inaccessible and has arrested and imprisoned Aboriginal people in grossly disproportionate numbers.

“Aboriginal people who are arrested are more likely than non-Aboriginal people to be denied bail, spend more time in pre-trial detention and spend less time with their lawyers, and, if convicted, are more likely to be incarcerated. It is not merely that the justice system has failed Aboriginal people; justice has also been denied to them.

“For more than a century the rights of Aboriginal people have been ignored and eroded.”

When the inquiry’s report was released, it gave several recommendations for improving relationships between law enforcement, the criminal justice system and Indigenous people and communities, also providing steps that could be taken to make those improvements.

But even today, 32 years after it was released, the “grossly disproportionate numbers” that were talked about in the AJI persist, and Indigenous people of all ages continue to be greatly overrepresented in all areas of the justice system, both

OBITUARY

JOHN BARNOWICH

Suddenly, John lost his battle with cancer on March 24, 2023. A service will be held in his honour on April 8, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at Chapel Lawn Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please donate to CancerCare Manitoba.

For those who wish to sign the online Guest Book please visit: www.chapellawn.ca

Chapel Lawn Funeral Home

204-885-9715

4000 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg MB, R3K 1W3

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as offenders and as victims of crime.

According to recent federal data, Indigenous people make up around 30 per cent of the federal prison population in Canada while making up just five per cent of the country's population, but those numbers rise steeply in Manitoba, where it is estimated that at Stony Mountain Penitentiary, this province’s largest federal penitentiary, as many as 65 to 70 per cent of inmates are Indigenous.

Federal data from 2014 also shows that 28 per cent of Indigenous people over the age of 15 reported being victimized in the previous 12 months, compared to 18 per cent of non-Indigenous people, and that the rate of violent victimization among Indigenous people was more than double that of non-Indigenous people.

The AJI was also commissioned in response to the brutal beating death of

Helen Betty Osborne in The Pas in 1971, and the ensuing investigation and legal proceedings which saw one of four men involved in the incident face any jail time, and not until more than 16 years after Osborne’s gruesome death.

Many Indigenous women in Manitoba say they do not feel safe and have not felt safe for a very long time, and the issue of violence against Indigenous women has actually gotten worse and not better since the AJI was released.

Indigenous women in Canada currently have an overall rate of violent victimization close to triple that of non-Indigenous women and continue to fall victim to domestic abuse, violent crime, and murder.

“The AJI was predicated upon the murder of Helen Betty Osborne, and is one of the blueprints on protecting Indigenous women, girls and two-spirited,” NDP

MLA and Sagkeeng First Nation member Nahanni Fontaine said in a recent interview.

“And yet, 50 years after her murder, I would submit the issues of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and twospirited are exponentially worse than they have ever been.”

Statistics paint a grim picture of a justice system in Manitoba where Indigenous people are greatly overrepresented, and Indigenous leaders in the province said recently that they have not seen a whole lot of change in the more than 30 years since the AJI was released.

On Feb. 24, in a joint statement, leaders with the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, the Southern Chiefs Organization and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak all reflected on the implementation and the impacts of the inquiry, and all said they believe there isn’t much to show for it.

ing to Fontaine, they often work with little money or resources.

“Currently, community-based programs tell me they are working on shoestring budgets,” Fontaine said. “These programs are our community centres, after-school programs, landbased programs, programs for youth, young adults, programs for the unhoused, and those dealing with substance use.

“What these groups need is strong, core-based funding to pay qualified staff a decent wage and just to keep up with inflation.”

MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee said he places much of the blame for that lack of progress on the “systemic racism” that he said continues to plague all areas of the justice system and Canadian society, and said that is the reason many believe there has been little progress since the AJI was released.

Cleaning and House Services!

Celebrate Education Week: April 16-20, 2018

The Board of Trustees invites you to celebrate Education Week 2018 in our schools.

Happy Education Week to all of the District staff.

It takes everyone to support our students in their learning.

Registration for the 2023/2024 School year is being accepted at all School District of Mystery Lake schools, during regular school hours. Please call the school to make arrangements. Registration must be completed for your child at your catchment school. Applications for School of Choice must also be submitted to your catchment school on or before May 15, 2023. The School Of Choice form can be found at https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/schools/choice/index. html#apps

Thank you for all that you do to enrich the lives of our students.

School District of Mystery Lake will be offering half-day Kindergarten programs at all schools for the 2023/2024 school year. Students entering Kindergarten must be five years old by December 31, 2023 (born 2018)

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.” Clay P. Bedford

Welcome to Kindergarten events for the month of June will be posted on the District web site www.mysterynet. mb.ca and school web sites.

Thank you.

The person registering the child must;

• Be a parent or legal guardian.

Board of Trustees

The School District of Mystery Lake

School Contact information:

École Riverside School .........119 Riverside Dr...............204-677-6115

Wapanohk Comm School ....453 Princeton Dr ............204-677-6140

Juniper School........................306 Juniper Dr .................204-677-6242

Deerwood School .................101 Beaver Cres ...............204-677-6125

Burntwood School ...............103 Arctic Dr ....................204-677-6100

Westwood School ................46 Mallard Cres...............204-677-6190

Available all summer. Now-August Welcome

“It has been over 30 years since the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry, and our people continue to be disproportionately arrested and incarcerated,” AMC Grand Chief Cathy Merrick said.

“Both the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action and National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls calls for justice continue to highlight the lack of progress that has been made since the AJI.”

The lack of progress persists despite the many community organizations, not-for-profits, advocates and volunteers in this city and province that work to help people and help entire communities that are struggling.

But those organizations struggle as well, as, accord-

“Incarceration rates for First Nation people have only worsened,” Settee said. “To date, most of the 296 recommendations have not been implemented.

“Our citizens remain disproportionately overrepresented in the justice system, and our staff continues to work diligently with First Nations to address the systemic racism and discrimination that still exist to this day.”

“We all have a responsibility to stand together and work towards immediate and significant changes for our people within the justice system.”

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the government of Canada.

Thompson Citizen photo by Dave Baxter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee says he believes that “systemic racism” plays a role

people in the justice system in Manitoba.

Restorative justice programs showing positive results in Manitoba

BY DAVE BAXTER LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

At one of the lowest points in his life, Sean Rayland Boubar was a convicted criminal with a lengthy criminal history serving time alone in solitary confinement.

But it was in jail that he would get in touch with his culture and his background for the very first time, something that finally put him on a different path, and changed the course of his life.

“Very early on in my life, I got involved in gang life, in trafficking, and all that came along with that lifestyle, I started selling crack when I was 12 years old,” said Rayland Boubar, a Winnipeg resident and Sagkeeng First Nation member.

“It was just a part of my life, my role models were guys that taught me how to sell drugs, how to rob people, and I don’t blame them because that’s all they knew.”

Early in his life, he said gang activity and drug dealing were a means for “survival” and over the course of many years, Rayland Boubar would be arrested multiple times, and be in and out of jail on charges including robbery, trafficking, and assault with a weapon.

The last time he was incarcerated, he was thrown into solitary confinement at Winnipeg’s Remand Centre, because of his gang ties, and he said he spent six months locked in “the hole” sitting alone in a small and isolated cell.

“I had just exited the gang, and when you are an ex-gang member, they keep you in the hole,” he said. “Solitary is torture, it’s inhumane, but you have to get through it, so I came up with a bit of a routine and I survived.”

But while behind bars there was one opportunity Rayland Boubar found — one he said changed the course of his life — and finally pulled him away from the criminal lifestyle.

“They have an elder on hand, and I started talking with the elder and started learning about history and about colonization, but he had a very different story and different history than what I had heard about my people in the past,” he said.

“I believed everything society said about my people when I was growing up, I was told I was a savage and I believed it, but then I met someone with a new history.

“That was the moment I woke up, that was the moment everything changed.”

He said he also learned that what he was doing

when he sold drugs was harming him, but also harming the people around him.

“The way I had been surviving was exploiting me and exploiting my people. I’d been selling drugs to my friends, my aunties, my cousins, and once I finally figured that out, then I knew that I could never go back to that.”

After getting out of jail in 2018, Rayland Boubar went to Red River College, completed a degree in Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship, and he now runs Red Rebel Armour, a successful streetwear business that is run as a social enterprise.

He uses his business to offer jobs to those who have just gotten out of jail and need an opportunity for employment because he said he knows how very difficult it can be for someone with a criminal record to get a job.

But while Rayland Boubar does what he can to offer those opportunities, he said he knows that under the current judicial system, Indigenous men and women will continue to get involved in the justice system at high rates, and continue to reoffend and be in and out of jail.

“We need a new approach, and I think we need to look at the whole justice system differently because these men and women get out of jail and just keep going back, so what we’re doing now isn’t working,” he said.

And statistics back up what Rayland Boubar is saying, as in Manitoba it is estimated that 70 to 80% of

adults currently in custody are Indigenous.

But Indigenous people in Manitoba are also going in and out of jail, according to statistics released in 2019, there is an approximately 30 per cent recidivism rate for offenders in Manitoba who receive a jail sentence as part of their criminal conviction, meaning about 30 per cent of offenders are charged with a new offence and returned to custody within two years of release from jail, or other correctional supervision.

Kate Kehler, the chair of the Restorative Justice Association of Manitoba said one of the reasons she believes recidivism rates are so high in this province is because there is too much focus on punishing offenders and not enough focus on rehabilitating them.

“The conditions in our jails and in our prisons are inhumane,” Kehler said. “And it’s not working because we send them to these places and treat them inhumanly, and then we tell them they have to do better and be better.

“Prison does harm, it does significant harm to people, and then we send them back out into society after they have had no control over their decisions and tell them to get on with their lives, and you can see why it is so easy for them to get involved in criminal activity and back in jail.”

Kehler said she and others believe the solution to recidivism rates in Manitoba lies in offering restorative justice, while also offering more programs and services in and

out of jail.

“We want restorative justice to be the justice system,” Kehler said. “What we have right now is not working for anyone, so we want to see a move away from that system, and a move to one that is restorative.”

Restorative justice is defined by the government of Canada as “an approach to justice that seeks to repair harm by providing an opportunity for those harmed and those who take responsibility for the harm to communicate about and address their needs in the aftermath of a crime.”

“With restorative justice, we need to help the person that has done the crime, the person who is the victim of the crime, and the larger society as a whole, because currently there is a lack of balance in the justice system, and a focus on punishing the offender,” Kehler said.

But although restorative justice has been defined by the federal government, Kehler said that kind of justice can mean many things, and in some cases can mean an offender and their victim communicating or even getting together in the same room, so they can both better understand what the other person has been through, and understand why the crime happened.

“It’s about accountability and offenders taking accountability for their actions, and one way to heal both the victim and the offender is for the victim to understand this person has taken accountability for what they have

as a “soft on crime” approach, but she said that view is not accurate.

“We have politicians go out and do that law and order talk and the tough on crime talk, but those strategies aren’t tough on crime, they’re stupid on crime,” Kehler said. “It makes it sound like you are doing something, but you’re really not helping anything.

“We need to be smart on crime.”

University of Manitoba professor of sociology and criminology Andrew Woolford said restorative justice works best when it is “flexible and used as a framework,” because it can mean very different things to different people and different communities.

“We need to be flexible in how we interpret restorative justice, it’s adaptive to context and it’s adaptive to communities, and communities can have restorative justice programs adaptive to their situations and their needs,” Woolford said.

done, and to understand why they did it,” Kehler said.

“When we do this we restore that balance between victim and offender, and the larger society, and if an offender can look their victim in the eye, often that’s a lot more impactful than sitting in a jail cell.”

But not all victims want to meet with offenders, and Kehler said that is understandable, so she said another part of restorative justice and what RJAM would like to see is the offering of more and improved services inside and outside of jail, so those who have been released from prison don’t end up back behind bars.

“Those services are essential because sometimes people spend decades in prison and then we just drop them on the streets,” she said.

“So when they are in and when they are out, it’s so important to have connections that can meet them and work with them without judgment so they know what they have done is in the past, and they can move forward.”

Kehler said she knows some like to refer to restorative justice strategies

“Essentially the idea is working through different stages in the aftermath of a criminal event, and when programs are well-resourced, we have seen that they can be very successful.

“It’s strategies that are smart on crime, not soft on crime, and that is what we need to understand.”

And as Rayland Boubar continues on the path he is now on running his business, helping others, and leaving the criminal and gang life behind, he said had an elder not been available when he was locked up in solitary conferment, life would probably look a whole lot different for him than it does now.

“No I would not be on this path if I had not met the elder,” Rayland Boubar said. “And that is why those kinds of services and those opportunities are so important.

“That was the moment I woke up, but if it never happened I would be either be locked up now or I would be dead.”

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the government of Canada.

Thompson Citizen photo by Kevin King/Winnipeg Sun Red Rebel Armour founder Sean Rayland-Boubar looks at the four sacred Indigenous herbs pictured on its Protection Path design at his shop on Century Street in Winnipeg on March 29.

BY JEREMY APPEL LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, ALBERTA NATIVE NEWS

Less than half of First Nations reserves have access to high-speed internet and cellular connectivity, according to a March 27 report tabled by Canadian auditor general Karen Hogan.

“These findings emphasize

Less than half of First Nations have high-speed internet: auditor general

the persistent digital divide for people living on First Nations reserves and in rural and remote communities, compared to people who live in urban areas,” Hogan said in a news release.

“The government needs to take action so that there is affordable, high-speed connectivity coverage for

Stittco Utilities and Stittco Energy Thompson, Manitoba

Office Clerk/Administrator

Full-time 40

The successful candidate will be responsible for answering phones, filing, account reconciliations, collection of accounts by means of small claims court and garnishments, letters and phone calls.

Customer service is a must. This job involves assisting customers with purchases, inquiries and concerns in person or by phone.

Other responsibilities include: Accurate and timely processing of payments and invoices, data entry, daily cash reports and deposits, providing assistance and support to co-workers and other administrative duties as required. Must be skilled in oral and written communication. Work with little or no supervision and be self-motivated. Familiar with MS Office and the use of office equipment will be an asset.

This position is 40 hours per week with benefits. Salary will be based on experience. References will be required. Email resume to: scott.scaddan@stittco.com or drop off at 31 Gay Street, Thompson, Manitoba

CREE NATION CHILD & FAMILY CARING AGENCY

Family Enhancement Worker –1-Term Position/1-Permanent Misipawistik Cree Nation

Grand Rapids, Manitoba

Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency (CNCFCA) is responsible for administering and providing for the delivery of Child and Family Services. CNCFCA is dedicated to providing comprehensive CFS Services that are community-based and incorporate both protection and prevention services.

Our agency will strive to maintain family unity.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the supervision of the Service Manager, the Family Enhancement Worker is responsible for providing and administering CFS Services in accordance with the Child & Family Services Act. The Family Enhancement Worker will develop and implement intervention plans within program guidelines and provide referrals, support, guidance and problem solving to families to address issues related to family functioning and mitigate the risk to children. The goal of the program is to increase family capacity and prevent children coming into care.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

§ Assessment;

§ Intervention Planning;

§ File Documentation;

§ Follow Up.

QUALIFICATIONS

§ Work experience in Child and Family Services with demonstrated knowledge of child development, family centered service, early intervention, family support and community-based services;

§ Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or related undergraduate degree in Human Services (preferred);

§ Ability to converse fluently in Cree (preferred);

§ Excellent assessment, intervention and writing skills;

§ Knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act and provincial standards;

§ Ability to use a variety of computer applications including CFSIS and FACTS.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

§ Must pass a criminal records check, child abuse and prior check;

§ Cannot be active on a protection case;

§ Maintain absolute confidentiality;

§ Varied amounts of travel required;

§ Must have a valid Manitoba driver’s license;

§ Must be able to provide own vehicle for work;

§ Required to provide on-call services on a rotating basis;

§ Other duties related to the position may be assigned.

Deadline: April 14, 2023 @ 4:00 pm

Submit cover letter & resume along with three (3) references marked

“personal & confidential” to:

Human Resource Manager

Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency Box 10130, Opaskwayak, MB. R0B 2J0

Fax: 204-623-3847 Email: hr@creenation.ca

We thank all who apply and advise that only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

“Please visit our website at https://creenation.ca”

Our office ensures that best practices in COVID-19 are observed. Under Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency’s COVID-19 vaccinations policy, all applicants are required to be fully vaccinated.

Canadians in all areas of the country.”

According to the report, there’s a growing divide between urban, rural and First Nations communities, despite the federal government’s 2019 connectivity strategy.

The government defines high-speed internet as 50 megabits per second for downloads and 10 megabits per second for uploads. Its long-term goal is to have 90 per cent of households con-

nected by 2021, 98 per cent by 2026 and 100 per cent by 2030.

The report notes that the government hasn’t accounted for whether this speed will be a sufficient minimum by the time its goal of full highspeed connectivity is reached.

Overall, access to highspeed internet has improved across the country, reaching 90.9 per cent nation-wide by 2021, a 4.7 percentage point increase from the previous

Frontier School Division is seeking applicants to join the “Frontier Family” for the following position: Guidance Counsellor (Teaching)

Chan Kagha Otina Dakota Wayawa Tipi School

Chan Kagha Otina Dakota Wayawa Tipi School is a Nursery to Grade 12 school located in the Birdtail Sioux First Nation, approximately 4 hours west of Winnipeg. The school has a student population of 150 students with 15 teaching staff members.

The Division provides a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, transportation and moving expense reimbursement, subsidized housing or housing allowance and isolation allowance in qualifying communities, annual travel reimbursement, reimbursement for approved courses and more!

To apply for this position please visit our website at www.fsdnet.ca and select “Careers”.

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

AWASIS AGENCY OF NORTHERN MANITOBA

THOMPSON CENTRAL OFFICE (TCO)

year, yet connectivity remains at 42.9 per cent on reserves and 59.5 per cent in rural and remote communities. Urban connectivity, by contrast, is 99.3 per cent nationally.

In Alberta, 98.65 per cent of urban households have high-speed connectivity, compared to 40.74 per cent of rural and 26.91 per cent of First Nations.

P.E.I. and New Brunswick are the only provinces where First Nations connectivity exceeds rural and remote.

In Yukon, no First Nations reserves have high-speed internet access.

While the government has dedicated $8 billion to expanding internet and cellular access across the country, it’s unclear how much more funds will be required to reach its 2030 goal, the report notes.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the ministry responsible for the connectivity plan, tracks limited measures of connection quality and affordability across the country. For instance, it doesn’t track how many people with access to the internet have actually purchased inter-

AD PROOF & ESTIMATE

Position: Accounting Clerk

701 THOMPSON DRIVE, THOMPSON, MB

One (1) Full-Time, Term Position (To February 2, 2024)

Reporting to the Finance Officer, the Accounting Clerk is responsible for assessing, processing, preparing and completing accounts payable and receivable documents, journal entries, and sharing with the finance department the posting functions on a daily basis into the Accounts Payable system.

There is a requirement for thorough knowledge of the policies, procedures and regulations of the agency. The position involves public contact which requires explaining or defending relatively complex or controversial regulations or procedures. There is a requirement to demonstrate initiative by offering solutions when problems or discrepancies are identified in the system. There is a requirement to be a team player.

Qualifications:

• Post-secondary education in finance, accounting or related field

• A minimum of 2 years of experience working in accounts payable / receivable

• Experience with accounting software

• Exceptional attention to detail and assessment skills

• Experience with data entry

• Analytical problem solving and conceptual skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of Northern communities

• Ability to speak Cree/Dene preferred

Working Conditions:

• Fast-paced child welfare environment

• Confidentiality environment with access to sensitive information

• Provide satisfactory Criminal Record, Child Abuse Registry and Prior Contact checks prior to starting the position, and throughout employment as required.

Salary: Awasis Agency offers a competitive salary and employee benefit package. Salary will commensurate with education and experience

Closing Date: Thursday, April 13, 2023

Awasis Agency provides service to Indigenous children and families, therefore preference will be given to Indigenous applicants. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify. Individuals interested in this challenging opportunity please reference Competition Number 2023-032 on your resume/cover letter and include it in the subject line of your email in confidence to:

Human Resources Department

Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba Competition #2023-032 701 Thompson Drive, Thompson, MB R8N 2A2 Fax: 204-778-8428 Email: hr@awasisagency.ca

We thank all applicants who apply, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may request reasonable accommodation related to the materials or activities used throughout the selection process

**Note: Awasis Agency Vaccination policy mandate: fully vaccinated plus booster

net services, nor does the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

While a community might technically have high-speed internet, it’s of little assistance if the connection is of poor quality or prohibitively expensive, the audit notes.

This is particularly concerning as increasing numbers of people work remotely, participate in the digital economy, and access education, medical care, and government services online.

Cellular connection, defined by access to the 4G network, is more equitable, with 99.2 per cent of Canada covered, 100 per cent of urban areas, 96.3 per cent of rural and remote areas, and 87.6 per cent of reserves.

In Alberta, those figures are 98.69 per cent for rural and remote areas and 91.51 per cent of reserves.

While no First Nations communities in Yukon have high-speed internet connectivity, they have 100 per cent cellular coverage.

The report found, however, that the government has no strategy for reaching full cellular connectivity.

UCN is building better futures for a stronger North. UCN provides learning opportunities to northern communities and its people offering more than forty academic degree, diploma, and certificate programs.

We commit to offering a safe, welcoming and inclusive work environment where innovation and creativity is welcomed. We offer a generous Total Compensation Package with health benefits, great pension plan along with the opportunity for personal and professional growth.

DIPLOMA IN PRACTICAL NURSING INSTRUCTORS FACULTY OF HEALTH

Full Time Position

Swan River & Thompson, Manitoba

Competition No: 23-026

Closing Date: May 7, 2023

Please visit our website for more detailed information about UCN and this employment opportunity. At http://www.ucn.ca, select “UCN Careers”, and select from the list of positions to view. Thank you for your interest in UCN.

UCN is building better futures for a stronger North. UCN provides learning opportunities to northern communities and its people offering more than forty academic degree, diploma, and certificate programs.

We commit to offering a safe, welcoming and inclusive work environment where innovation and creativity is welcomed. We offer a generous Total Compensation Package with health benefits, great pension plan along with the opportunity for personal and professional growth.

KENANOW ASSISTANT PROFESSOR / UNIVERSITY INSTRUCTOR

Kenanow Faculty of Education

Full Time, Perm, Position

Thompson, Manitoba

Competition No: 23-011

Closing Date: May 12, 2023

Please visit our website for more detailed information about UCN and this employment opportunity. At http://www.ucn.ca, select “UCN Careers”, and select from the list of positions to view. Thank you for your interest in UCN. HERE

Thompson RCMP find missing teen dead

A 15-year-old girl who was reported missing after not making it home from the rec centre the previous night was found dead in Thompson’s off-leash dog park March 28.

Her body was discovered around 8 a.m. in the park on Baffin Crescent after a night in which

temperatures dropped to as low as -24 degrees Celsius.

The girl had been reported missing just before midnight the previous day.

She had been with friends at the Thompson Regional Community Centre grounds and was reported missing when she did not

We’re Hiring

make it home. She was last seen near where her body was found and police had conducted extensive patrols and made numerous inquiries trying to find her throughout the night.

An autopsy was scheduled to be performed and Thompson RCMP continue to investigate.

Cross Lake-bound booze seized in Thompson

Four people from Cross Lake were arrested in Thompson March 26 because they intended to return to the dry community with numerous bottles of liquor.

Thompson RCMP pulled a vehicle over on Mystery Lake Road around 5:30 p.m. and saw several bags containing liquor in plain sight.

The 25-year-old driver said they were returning to Cross Lake to attend a wedding. He and three passengers — two males aged 20 and 21 and a 17-year-old female, all from Cross Lake — were arrested for Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act offences

Alcohol headed for Cross Lake was seized by Thompson RCMP on March 26.

because the possession and sale of alcohol is prohibited in Cross Lake.

When the officers searched the vehicle, they discovered more alcohol in it.

The driver was charged with unauthorized sale of liquor and delivering liquor to a place where it may not be lawfully kept or possessed under the LCGA. Each charged carries a $2,542 fine.

Police say the estimated resale value of the seized alcohol in Cross Lake is about $3,600.

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

AWASIS AGENCY OF NORTHERN MANITOBA BUNIBONIBEE SUB OFFICE OXFORD HOUSE, MANITOBA

Position: Case Aide

As one of the world’s largest producers of high-quality, low-carbon nickel, copper and cobalt, Vale mines the critical minerals essential to building a greener future. We are focused on developing our people and our workforce to build a truly inclusive and diverse workforce.

Our operations in Thompson are located in the heart of the Northern Boreal Region — the Hub of Northern Manitoba. Vale’s Thompson Manitoba Operations are now hiring for the following positions:

Position: Receptionist

One (1) Full Time Permanent position

Summary of Position:

As a member of the administrative team, the Receptionist is the important first contact for clients, visitors, and the public. The incumbent uses good customer service skills to manage calls, visitors, and admin related requests. The Receptionist is responsible for administrative support to staff and assists with projects and events for the Agency. This includes coordinating and communicating office activities, preparing correspondence, and maintaining office, and equipment supplies. The Receptionist is well organized and demonstrates strong interpersonal skills to effectively communicate with a variety of people in an environment where confidentiality is required.

Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or equivalent

• Experience living/working in northern First Nations communities an asset.

• 1-2 years office experience preferred.

• Demonstrated time-management skills.

• Good understanding of Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams).

• Dene or Cree language preferred.

Working Conditions:

• Child welfare office environment.

• Highly emotional situations may occur occasionally.

• Provide satisfactory Criminal Record, Child Abuse Registry and Prior Contact checks prior to starting the position, and throughout employment as required.

• Travel, overtime, and on-call responsibilities may be required occasionally.

• May be located in a remote community office or in an urban office.

Salary: Awasis Agency offers a competitive salary and employee benefit package. Salary will commensurate with education and experience.

Closing Date: Friday, April 21, 2023

Awasis Agency provides service to Indigenous children and families, therefore preference will be given to Indigenous applicants. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify. Individuals interested in this challenging opportunity please reference Competition Number 2023-028 on your resume/cover letter and in the subject line of your email in confidence to:

Human Resources Department Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba

Competition #2023-028

315 McGee Street, Winnipeg, MB R3G 1M7

Fax: 204-790-4455 Email: hr@awasisagency.ca

We thank all applicants who apply, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Applicants may request reasonable accommodation related to the materials or activities used throughout the selection process

**Note: Awasis Agency Vaccination policy mandate: fully vaccinated plus booster

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

AWASIS AGENCY OF NORTHERN MANITOBA

UNIT/OFFICE: THOMPSON SERVICE DELIVERY OFFICE (TSDO) LOCATION: THOMPSON, MB

One (1) Full Time Permanent position

Summary of Position:

The Case Aide provides practical and administrative support to the Worker(s) and Supervisor(s) in their assigned Unit. While following guidelines related to clients’ safety and privacy, the Case Aide is responsible for facilitating case-related activities on behalf of the unit when working with families and children. Demonstrating a working knowledge of legislation, Agency policies and practices the Case Aide is responsible to check case progress, conduct interviews, assist with compiling case particulars for Court, ensuring accurate and timely documentation, among other tasks.

Qualifications:

• Some post-secondary education, or an acceptable combination of education and work experience.

• 1-2 years of experience in an administrative role or child welfare work environment.

• Proficiency in use of Microsoft office (Excel, Word, Teams, and Outlook).

• Valid Class 5 Driver’s License.

• Good understanding of Northern First Nation cultures and communities.

• Ability to speak and write Cree/Dene an asset.

Working Conditions:

• Fast-paced, time-sensitive child welfare working environment.

• Provide satisfactory Criminal Record, Child Abuse Registry and Prior Contact checks prior to starting the position, and throughout employment as required.

• Independent work performed as part of a team.

• Access to highly sensitive and confidential material for which privacy must be maintained.

• Performing on-call rotations, and overtime required.

• Occasional lifting to 30 lbs.

• Up to 20% travel, some of which may be remote and overnight.

Salary: Awasis Agency offers a competitive salary and employee benefit package. Salary will commensurate with education and experience

Closing Date: Friday, April 14, 2023

Awasis Agency provides service to Indigenous children and families, therefore preference will be given to Indigenous applicants. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify. Individuals interested in this challenging opportunity please reference Competition Number 2023-029 on your resume/cover letter and in the subject line of your email in confidence to:

Human Resources Department Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba Competition #2023-029

701 Thompson Drive, Thompson, MB R8N 2A2 Fax: 204-778-8428 Email: hr@awasisagency.ca

We thank all applicants who apply, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may request reasonable accommodation related to the materials or activities used throughout the selection process

**Note: Awasis Agency Vaccination policy mandate: fully vaccinated plus booster

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

AWASIS AGENCY OF NORTHERN MANITOBA

SHAMATTAWA (UNIT OR THOMPSON)

SHAMATTAWA OR THOMPSON, MB

Position: Intake Investigator

One (1) Full-Time Permanent Position

***Preference to Local Applicants***

A key member of the Child & Family Services (CFS) Unit, the Intake Investigator ensures that the appropriate range of services and programs to children and families are delivered in accordance with the philosophy, practices and policies as set forth by Awasis Agency First Nations and the Child and Family Services Act of Manitoba. The incumbent performs the work from a prevention and trauma-focused lens, acting on referrals, and completing thorough assessments to ensure the safety of children. The position requires critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills. The work is performed in an environment requiring collaboration with others, and confidentiality.

Qualifications:

• BSW, or in progress of attaining a BSW in combination with relevant experience.

• 1+ years’ experience within the child welfare field.

• Knowledge of CFS legislation, standards, and regulations.

• Experience with using the CFSIS database, including IM an asset.

• A valid drivers’ license and access to a reliable vehicle.

• Knowledge of, or work experience in northern Manitoba communities preferred.

• Demonstrated understanding and respect for Indigenous culture.

• Ability to speak Cree an asset.

Working Conditions:

• Fast-paced child welfare environment with a focus on prevention and trauma informed interventions.

• Overnight and remote travel approximately 40% of the time.

• Some overtime required.

• Access to very sensitive information for which confidentiality is required.

• Provide satisfactory Criminal Record, Child Abuse Registry and Prior Contact checks prior to starting the position, and throughout employment as required.

Salary: Awasis Agency offers a competitive salary and employee benefit package. Salary will commensurate with education and experience.

Closing Date: Friday, April 14, 2023

Awasis Agency provides service to Indigenous children and families, therefore preference will be given to Indigenous applicants. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify. Individuals interested in this challenging opportunity please reference Competition Number 2023-031 on your resume/cover letter and include it in the subject line of your email, in confidence to:

Human Resources Department

Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba

Competition #2023-031

701 Thompson Drive, Thompson, MB R8N 2A2

Fax: 204-778-8428 Email: hr@awasisagency.ca

We thank all applicants who apply, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Applicants may request reasonable accommodation related to the materials or activities used throughout the selection process

**Note: Awasis Agency Vaccination policy mandate: fully vaccinated plus booster

We’re changing with the world. Be a part of our evolution.

Biden, Trudeau promise upgrades to Arctic defence

BY JEFF PELLETIER LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, NUNATSIAQ NEWS

U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have committed billions of dollars in spending to bolster defence in the Arctic.

The announcement came in a joint statement March 31 following Biden’s address to Parliament, the first president to speak before Parliament since Barack Obama in 2016.

The spending includes $7 billion for surveillance-system modernization and acquiring new over-the-horizon radar systems.

Biden and Trudeau also announced $7.3 billion to go toward aircraft modernization, including preparation for Canada’s purchase of F-35 fighter jets.

In his wide-ranging speech to Parliament, Biden touted the importance of defending the Arctic through improvement and modern-

ization of the North American Aerospace Defence Command, or Norad.

“We’re working in close co-ordination to steward and protect the northern-

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

AWASIS AGENCY OF NORTHERN MANITOBA

UNIT: SPLIT LAKE (TATASKWEYAK)

SUB-OFFICE LOCATION: SPLIT LAKE, MB

Position: Child & Family Services Worker

One (1) Full-Time Permanent Position

Reporting to a Unit Supervisor, the Child & Family Services Worker (CFS) is responsible to implement the policies, procedures and specific direction of Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba when working with families and children in child protection. Duties include managing a case load, conducting interviews and assessments, compiling case particulars for Court, investigating/follow up on allegations of child protection issues, maintaining regular visits, providing accurate and timely documentation, developing long/ short term case plans, developing/facilitating workshops, community education and networking with collateral resources/services.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Social Work Degree (BSW) with experience in child welfare preferred, or a combination of experience and training.

• Commitment to community-based service delivery.

• Working knowledge of CFS legislation, standards and issues.

• Knowledge of Child & Family Services Information System (CFSIS) an asset.

• Assessment, interviewing, and counselling skills.

• Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills.

• A strong work ethic and reliable.

• Proven ability to prioritize workloads and meet deadlines.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.

• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently, as well as part of a child protection unit team.

• Sensitivity to, and an understanding of First Nations culture and values.

• Ability to speak Cree and/or Dene an asset.

Working Conditions:

• Fast-paced environment.

• Confidentiality environment with access to sensitive information.

• Overnight and remote travel approximately 20% of the time.

• Provide satisfactory Criminal Record, Child Abuse Registry and Prior Contact checks prior to starting the position, and throughout employment as required.

• Maintain a valid driver’s license and have access to a reliable vehicle.

Salary: Awasis Agency offers a competitive salary and employee benefit package. Salary will commensurate with education and experience.

Closing Date: Friday, April 21, 2023

Awasis Agency provides service to Indigenous children and families, therefore preference will be given to Indigenous applicants.

Applicants are encouraged to self-identify. Individuals interested in this challenging opportunity please reference Competition Number 2023-033 on your resume/cover letter and include it in the subject line of your email, in confidence to:

Human Resources Department

Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba

Competition #2023-033

701 Thompson Drive, Thompson, MB R8N 2A2

Fax: 204-778-8428 Email: hr@awasisagency.ca

We thank all applicants who apply, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Applicants may request reasonable accommodation related to the materials or activities used throughout the selection process

**Note: Awasis Agency Vaccination policy mandate: fully vaccinated plus booster

most regions of our world,” Biden said.

“Soon, Norad will have a new next-generation over-the-horizon radar to enhance our early warning capacity, upgraded under-

sea surveillance systems, modernized infrastructure necessary to host the most advanced aircraft.”

Over-the-horizon radar has the capability to detect targets hundreds of kilo-

CREE NATION CHILD & FAMILY CARING AGENCY

Family Enhancement Worker –Permanent Position Thompson Sub Office Thompson & Lynn Lake, MB

Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency (CNCFCA) is responsible for administering and providing for the delivery of Child and Family Services. CNCFCA is dedicated to providing comprehensive CFS Services that are community-based and incorporate both protection and prevention services.

Our agency will strive to maintain family unity.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the supervision of the Unit Supervisor(s), the Family Enhancement Worker is responsible for providing and administering CFS Services in accordance with the Child & Family Services Act.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

§ Responsible for gathering information and assessing child and family functioning problems;

§ Responsible for the development of case plans for children and families within program guidelines and provide referrals, support, guidance and problem solving;

§ Responsible for all file documentation, referrals, ensuring services are applied;

§ Case Monitoring, Risk Assessment & Follow up;

§ Provides case management and support for children in care and families.

QUALIFICATIONS

§ Work experience in Child and Family Services with demonstrated knowledge of child development, family centered service, early intervention, family support and community-based services;

§ Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or related undergraduate degree in Human Services (preferred);

§ Ability to converse fluently in Cree (preferred);

§ Excellent assessment, intervention and writing skills;

§ Knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act and provincial standards;

§ Ability to use a variety of computer applications including CFSIS and FACTS.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

§ Must pass a criminal records check, child abuse and prior check;

§ Cannot be active on a protection case;

§ Maintain absolute confidentiality;

§ Varied amounts of travel required;

§ Travel is required to work in Lynn Lake office one week per month;

§ Must have a valid Manitoba driver’s license;

§ Must be able to provide own vehicle for work;

§ Other duties related to the position may be assigned.

Deadline: April 7, 2023 @ 4:00 pm

Submit cover letter & resume along with three (3) references marked

“personal & confidential” to:

Human Resource Manager

Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency Box 10130, Opaskwayak, MB. R0B 2J0 Fax: 204-623-3847 Email: hr@creenation.ca

We thank all who apply and advise that only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

“Please visit our website at https://creenation.ca”

Our office ensures that best practices in COVID-19 are observed. Under Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency’s COVID-19 vaccinations policy, all applicants are required to be fully vaccinated.

metres beyond the scope of ordinary radar.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to work in close partnership with Canada as we deliver on these needs so that our people can continue to rest soundly knowing Norad is on the watch,” Biden continued.

His speech received a standing ovation from the audience of MPs and invited dignitaries.

Trudeau echoed Biden’s comments on Arctic security.

“We’re continuing our work to meet the evolving security challenges we face today,” Trudeau said in a press conference after the speech.

Strengthened northern security was a concern for the MPs from Nunavut and Nunavik ahead of the presidential address. Nunavut Sen. Dennis Patterson said so directly to Biden, in a greeting line on Parliament Hill March 31.

“We’re going to modernize Norad and guard North

America for you,” Patterson said while shaking Biden’s hand.

Biden covered several topics in his speech.

The war in Ukraine was top of mind. The president reaffirmed the U.S. and Canada’s support for the country in its fight against the Russian invasion.

Biden also used his speech to touch on trade, resource extraction, job growth, and Canada and U.S. involvement in the ongoing conflict in Haiti.

The speech held an overall optimistic tone for the future of the Canada and U.S. relationship.

“The world needs Canada and the United States working together with our partners around the world to rally strong and effective global action,” Biden said.

He also threw a humorous jab at the Toronto Maple Leafs, saying that as a Philadelphia Flyers fan the Leafs are the only Canadian NHL team he doesn’t like.

CREE NATION CHILD & FAMILY CARING AGENCY

Human Resource Generalist–Permanent Position

LOCATION: Regional Office OFFICE: The Pas, Manitoba

Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency (CNCFCA) is responsible for administering and providing for the delivery of Child and Family Services. CNCFCA is dedicated to providing comprehensive CFS Services that are community-based and incorporate both protection and prevention services.

Our agency will strive to maintain family unity.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Human Resource Generalist facilitates and provides a full range of HR services to CNCFCA and all employees in various locations. Provides guidance, support and direction regarding all Human Resources matters to all CNCFCA.

RESPONSIBLITIES:

§ Employee Attendance

§ Training and Development

§ Benefits Administration

§ Compensation

§ Recruitment and Selection

§ Employee Communication

EDUCATION & TRAINING

§ Human Resources Management Diploma or related equivalent education (preferred)

§ Minimum three years human resources management experience is required

KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE

§ Ability to use a variety of computer applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and database systems

§ Ability to deal effectively with a variety of visitors and circumstances

§ Knowledge of customer service (preferred)

§ Good organizational skills and working knowledge of office and administrative procedures and related equipment (preferred)

§ Excellent oral and effective communication skills (preferred)

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

§ Must pass a child abuse registry check and prior contact check

§ Cannot be active on a protection case.

§ Must maintain absolute confidentiality in accordance with agency requirements.

§ Varied amounts of travel required

§ Must have a valid Manitoba’s driver’s license

§ Must be able to provide own vehicle for work

§ Other duties related to the position may be assigned

Deadline: April 14, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

SUBMIT COVER LETTER & RESUME ALONG WITH THREE (3)

REFERENCES MARKED “PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL” TO:

Human Resource Manager Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency Box 10130, Opaskwayak, MB. R0B 2J0 Fax: 204-623-3847 Email: hr@creenation.ca

We thank all who apply and advise that only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

“Please visit our website at https://creenation.ca”

Our office ensures that best practices in COVID-19 are observed. Under Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency’s COVID-19 vaccinations policy, all applicants are required to be fully vaccinated.

Thomson Citizen photo by Jeff Pelletier, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Nunatsiaq News U.S. President Joe Biden, left, speaks alongside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after addressing Parliament on March 31.

Steven Guilbeault disappointed Bloc, NDP, Greens supported Tories’ carbon price exemption bill

BY NATASHA BULOWSKI LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, CANADA'S NATIONAL OBSERVER

A bill exempting fossil fuels used for certain farming activities from the federal carbon price is headed to the Senate after the Conservatives, Bloc Québécois, NDP and Greens joined forces to pass it on March 29.

If it becomes law, Bill C-234 will add natural gas and propane used to dry grain and heat livestock barns to the list of exempted farm fuels, which already includes diesel and gasoline.

“It’s disappointing to see the NDP, the Green Party and the Bloc — parties who claim to be progressive — vote alongside the Conservative Party to effectively weaken climate action in Canada,” Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault said in an emailed statement to Canada’s National Observer.

“Our government will always stand up for putting a price on pollution, which has long been recognized by people

on both the right and the left as the best market-based approach to cutting greenhouse gases and driving cleaner technologies.”

Guilbeault went on to reference the high cost of climate-related disasters like floods, storms and wildfires, which often hit farmers hard.

Three Liberal MPs voted in favour of the bill, which was sponsored by Ontario Conservative MP Ben Lobb: P.E.I. MPs Heath MacDonald and Robert Morrissey, and Kody Blois, MP for Kings-Hants, N.S.

Because the carbon price is a “highly charged issue that matters in an agrarian riding” like Blois’, it made sense for him to vote against his party, said Alex Marland, professor and head of the department of political science at Memorial University. As Marland pointed out, Kings-Hants has some Progressive Conservative voting history. The federal Conservatives have made the carbon price a key issue, with leader Pierre Poilievre and his caucus harping on it at every opportunity.

In a news release, Warren

CREE

Intake Worker –Permanent Position

Designated Intake Office

The Pas, Manitoba

Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency (CNCFCA) is responsible for administering and providing for the delivery of Child and Family Services. CNCFCA is dedicated to providing comprehensive CFS Services that are community-based and incorporate both protection and prevention services.

Our agency will strive to maintain family unity.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the supervision of the DIA Service Manager and as required under the Child and Family Services Act, the Intake Worker assesses requests for service with reference to risk of children, functioning of families and service needs of families, provides crisis intervention, initiates child protection investigations, apprehends children at risk and places them in appropriate and/or available placements, initiates referrals to other community collaterals as required, and completes written reports, file recordings, forms and correspondence.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

§ Receive & Assess Requests For Service

§ On-Site Risk Assessment

§ Determine & Implement Service

§ Documentation, Practice & Relationship Building

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

§ Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or related undergraduate degree in Human Services

§ Work experience in Child & Family Services with demonstrated knowledge of child development, child abuse, family-centered service, early intervention, family support and community-based services

EXPERIENCE

§ Excellent assessment, intervention and writing skills

§ Knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act and provincial standards

§ Understanding of child development and child abuse theory and practice

§ Knowledge of available resources within the community

§ Ability to use a variety of computer applications such as CFSIS and FACTS

§ Ability to converse fluently in Cree (preferred)

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

§ Must pass a criminal records check, child abuse registry check and prior contact check.

§ Cannot be active on a protection case.

§ Varied amounts of travel required within this position.

§ Must have a valid Manitoba driver’s license.

§ Must be able to provide own vehicle for work.

§ Other duties related to the position may be assigned.

Deadline: April 14, 2023 @ 4:00 PM

Submit cover letter & resume along with three (3) references marked “personal & confidential” to:

Human Resource Manager

Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency Box 10130, Opaskwayak, MB. R0B 2J0

Fax: 204-623-3847 Email: hr@creenation.ca

We thank all who apply and advise that only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

“Please visit our website at https://creenation.ca”

Our office ensures that best practices in COVID-19 are observed. Under Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency’s COVID-19 vaccinations policy, all applicants are required to be fully vaccinated.

Steinley, the Conservative’s associate shadow minister for agriculture, declared the bill’s passage a “big win” that will “put tens of thousands of dollars back in the pockets of Canadian farm families.”

Many environmental groups, including Environmental Defence, warn the bill will erode the power of carbon-pricing signals used to drive innovation for low-carbon solutions.

While farmers “do not yet have a full suite of options available to replace fossil-fuelled grain dryers and barn space heating,” tax rebate programs have, and can, be used to support farmers without weakening the carbon price, Tim Gray, executive director at Environmental Defence, said in a news release.

“Exempting these high-emission activities from carbon pricing for farmers will only further encourage other sectors to demand similar treatment,” he said, pointing to ongoing problems with this in other sectors, in particular, the oil and gas industry.

The environmental organization is urging the Senate to make amendments requiring the federal government to change the tax and regulatory regime to accelerate the development and adoption of clean energy technologies that can be used in farm operations.

Last year, the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food amended the bill to include a sunset clause that will end the natural gas and propane exemption eight years after the bill comes into force. It also includes the option for Parliament to extend the exemption if viable technologies are not available.

This means the industry will get “a little break right now, but it's not going to last forever,” NDP agriculture critic Alistair MacGregor said in January. In response to concerns about the erosion of the carbon price signal, MacGregor has said the carbon price isn’t incentivizing farmers to switch technologies because there’s a lack of commercially viable alternatives to propane-run grain dryers.

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

AWASIS AGENCY OF NORTHERN MANITOBA

UNIT/OFFICE: WINNIPEG SERVICE DELIVERY OFFICE (WSDO)

315 MCGEE STREET WINNIPEG, MB

The same day Bill C-234 was passed, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced up to $22.2 million for 45 new projects related to farmers adopting more efficient grain-drying technology across the country.

Geerts Farms Ltd. is receiving up to $2 million to purchase and install a new grain dryer and biomass boiler powered by locally sourced wood waste, thus completely eliminating the need for propane to dry its crops, according to the release.

To date, the adoption stream of the department’s Agricultural Clean Technology Program has supported 99 grain dryer projects across the country, according to the federal agriculture department.

Over the last two years, the federal government has invested more than $1.5 billion in programs to help farmers reduce emissions, including the aforementioned nearly half-billion-dollar Agricultur-

al Clean Technology Program, which helps farmers purchase more energy-efficient grain dryers and heating systems, said Guilbeault.

Liberal NDP Ryan Turnbull told Canada’s National Observer the eight-year exemption does not encourage farmers to change or invest in new technology because it takes away the power of the carbon price signal.

Disincentivizing investment in developing alternative technologies is only one of several problems with the bill, Turnbull told Canada’s National Observer in late January.

“One other big problem with this bill is that it actually double compensates, because we've already offered farmers a rebate in the last federal budget,” said Turnbull. “So it creates problems and confusion, because now we're going to have a rebate and an exemption … it doesn't work. You can't have both.”

PROFESSIONAL

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AWASIS AGENCY OF NORTHERN MANITOBA

OFFICE: FOX LAKE SUB-OFFICE

LOCATION: FOX LAKE, MB

Position: Family Enhancement Worker

One (1) Full-Time Permanent Position

Position: Case Aide

One (1) Full-Time Permanent Position

Summary of Position:

Reporting to the Regional Unit Supervisor the Case Aide is responsible for facilitating case-related activities (on behalf of their unit) when working with families and children in the field of child protection and must follow all guidelines related to clients’ safety and privacy. The duties would include, but not limited to assist with case management administration, provide administrative support to case workers/Unit, including developing strong relationships with clients, acting as a liaison for Agency and clients, preparing reports, check progress and reports about cases, conducting interviews, assisting with compiling case particulars for Court, ensuring accurate and timely documentation, assist with developing long/short term case plans, developing/facilitating workshops, community education and networking with collateral resources/services.

Qualifications:

• Combination of education and experience in related field

• Previous experience in child welfare is preferred

• Knowledge of CFS legislation, Regulations and Provincial Standards

• Knowledge of Child & Family Services information System (CFSIS) would be an asset

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Excellent assessment skills

• Good organizational, time management and prioritizing skills

• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, and Outlook)

• Must be self-motivated with the ability to work independently and in a team setting

• Sensitivity to and an understanding of First Nations culture and values

• Ability to speak and/or understand the Cree or Dene language would be considered an asset

Working Conditions:

• Fast-paced environment

• Confidentiality environment with access to sensitive information

• Overnight and remote travel approximately 5% of the time

• Satisfactory Criminal Record, Child Abuse Registry and Prior Contact checks prior to beginning work and throughout employment as requested.

• Maintain a valid driver’s license and have access to a vehicle

Salary: Awasis Agency offers a competitive salary and employee benefit package. Salary will commensurate with education and experience

Closing Date: Friday, April 14, 2023

Awasis Agency provides service to Indigenous children and families, therefore preference will be given to Indigenous applicants. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify. Individuals interested in this challenging opportunity please reference Competition Number 2023-027 on your resume/cover letter and in the subject line of your email in confidence to:

Human Resources Department Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba Competition #2023-018 315 McGee Street, Winnipeg, MB R3G 1M7 Fax: 204-790-4455 Email: hr@awasisagency.ca

We thank all applicants who apply, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may request reasonable accommodation related to the materials or activities used throughout the selection process

**Note: Awasis Agency Vaccination policy mandate: fully vaccinated plus booster

Reporting to a Family Enhancement Supervisor, the Family Enhancement Worker will provide children and families with support services to keep them from entering the child and family services protection system by providing preventative service opportunities and resources, facilitating awareness and education, advocacy and counselling. The overall aim is to engage parents, extended family, and community partners in identifying problems and participating in services and supports that address family needs. The Family Enhancement Worker will utilize a continuum of resources, develop case plans, coordinate the resources and supports needed and arrange linkages/connections to other community resources such as day programs, respite services and other culturally appropriate resources. The Family Enhancement Worker will possess and utilize the interpersonal skills to work with children, families, staff, and collaterals.

Qualifications:

• • Bachelor of Social Work Degree (BSW) with experience in child welfare preferred, or a combination of experience and training

• • Commitment to community-based service delivery

• • Working knowledge of CFS legislation, standards and issues

• • Knowledge of Child & Family Services Information System (CFSIS) an asset

• • Assessment, interviewing, and counselling skills

• • Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills

• • Demonstrated crisis intervention and conflict resolution skills

• • A strong work ethic and reliable

• • Proven ability to prioritize workloads and meet deadlines

• • Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook

• • Self-motivated with the ability to work independently, as well as part of a prevention unit team

• • Sensitivity to, and an understanding of First Nations culture and values

• • Ability to speak and/or understand the Cree language would be an asset

Working Conditions:

• • Fast-paced environment

• • Confidentiality environment with access to sensitive information

• • Overnight and remote travel approximately 20% of the time

• • Maintain a satisfactory Prior Contact check, Child Abuse Registry Check, Criminal Record Check and Driver’s Abstract prior to starting the position and throughout employment as required.

• • Maintain a valid driver’s license and have access to a vehicle

Salary: Awasis Agency offers a competitive salary and employee benefit package. Salary will commensurate with education and experience

Closing Date: Friday, April 14, 2023

Awasis Agency provides service to Indigenous children and families, therefore preference will be given to Indigenous applicants. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify. Individuals interested in this challenging opportunity please reference Competition Number 2023-030 on your resume/cover letter and include it in the subject line of your email, in confidence to:

Human Resources Department

Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba

Competition #2023-030

701 Thompson Drive, Thompson, MB R8N 2A2 Fax: 204-778-8428 Email: hr@awasisagency.ca

We thank all applicants who apply, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may request reasonable accommodation related to the materials or activities used throughout the selection process

**Note: Awasis Agency Vaccination policy mandate: fully vaccinated plus booster

Doing it differently: In the days since the AJI, Winnipeg police taking strides to improve relationships with Indigenous people

Continued from page 7

“I want to listen to their side of the story and be able to tell them our side of the story, and see if we can meet someone in the middle. It’s those kinds of things that can lead all of us to a better place.”

One way WPS has been working to improve relationships with Indigenous people and with all communities is by creating the superintendent of community engagement position and appointing long-time WPS police officer Bonnie Emerson to that role.

Emerson, a Métis woman, said police want to improve relationships with any and all groups that have been historically marginalized.

“We have looked at, ‘Who are the leaders in the diverse communities, including Indigenous people, people of colour, LGBTQ and other groups so we can have collaboration, and have a police service that hears diverse views and opinions,” Emerson said.

According to Emerson, in interactions that Winnipeg police have in the community, the goal is always conflict resolution, and never conflict.

“It’s a timely trend that

we’re seeing now across the country with police figuring out, ‘How do we respond with a measured approach using education before enforcement wherever possible, and with the goal always being to de-escalate?’ ”

Emerson said she believes WPS should be recognized as a police force finding unique and effective strategies to work with Indigenous communities.

“I will never say any organization is perfect,” Emerson said. “But I think more and more here in Winnipeg, police are seen as an example of how you can take steps to decolonizing the system, and an example of how things can be done differently.”

She did admit she wishes more police officers on Winnipeg’s force would be willing to share the things they do to help people in the community, but said often officers don’t want publicity for doing their jobs.

“I’m blown away by the caring of police, but we don’t often hear those stories because we will say, ‘Let’s put out a release’ and a lot of officers will just say, ‘No we were just doing our job.’

“But in the absence of

hearing those positive things it’s a lot easier to focus on the negative.”

She said that high profile incidents like the death of Eisha Hudson do put more focus on the interactions of police and Indigenous people, but she said it is important for people to form opinions based on facts.

“First of all, the effect of anyone losing their life is deeply, deeply disturbing, and I think that police officers care and we absolutely want to do the right thing,” she said.

“But more and more the extreme hostility on either end is completely inappropriate. Asking your police to be accountable and to be transparent is absolutely appropriate, but extreme hostility is not.”

NDP MLA Nahanni Fontaine, who is a member of the Sagkeeng First Nation and a long-time advocate for rights and justice for Indigenous people under the criminal justice system, says it is also a long and disturbing history that continues to have Indigenous people lacking trust of police officers, and something that is engrained into many Indigenous people.

“There still is longstanding distrust of the WPS or

any policing institutions for that matter,” Fontaine said.

“It cannot be overstated enough the role police played in the oppression of our peoples. Most Canadians don’t realize or know the North-West Mounted Police were solely created and established as the vehicle and the means by which western settlement was executed.

“The North-West Mounted Police cleared lands to make way for Euro-Canadians westward.”

She said police also played a role for generations in forcing Indigenous children into residential schools, and that’s not something that can be easily forgotten.

“The RCMP was implicit in the theft and forced removal of our children to residential schools, and with parents and grandparents often put under the threat of arrest if they didn’t give up their own children.”

And although she said she has seen WPS implement strategies to better work with Indigenous communities in Winnipeg, she does not believe those strategies always translate into positive changes on the city’s streets.

“I believe the WPS have developed strategies or engaged on a more respectful relationship with Indigenous peoples at the executive level,” Fontaine said.

“But I suggest that doesn’t necessarily always get translated into those interactions on the ground, in the street, in general patrol.”

She added she is often concerned because that lack of trust leads to some Indigenous people avoiding contacting the police, sometimes even in emergency situations, which could leave some in dangerous situations, and feeling they have nowhere to reach out for help.

“No one should ever feel they can’t reach out to police,” Fontaine said.

Fontaine does believe changes and improvements could now be “sped up” because more Manitobans of all backgrounds understand the history of Indigenous people in this country, and understand they have historically been marginalized by systems including police forces and the criminal justice system.

“I think what’s changed in the last many years is a sense of awareness and solidarity from settler

Canadians who are beginning to see and somewhat understand colonial Canada, the Indian Residential School system and its intergenerational harms, and that the system is set up to favour non-Indigenous people.

“This new awareness and understanding manifests agency from these folks demanding better from governments, education, health care and themselves.”

And although she said the relationship has “ebbed and flowed” over the years, what she says has never changed is the over-representation of Indigenous people within the justice system in Winnipeg, the province and across the country and until that is dealt with no one can say that any relationship is improving.

“Despite having the blueprint, we still have a system that discriminates against Indigenous peoples,” Fontaine said.

“That’s the bottom line, and that fact remains.”

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the government of Canada.