Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
Serving the Norman Region since 1961
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
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Serving the Hub of the North since 1960
Volume 60 • Issue 51
Manitoba one death shy of 500 since COVID-19 pandemic began as of Dec. 14
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
With Christmas less than two weeks away and New Year’s a week after that, Manitoba’s chief public health officer said he was concerned about the upcoming holiday season Dec. 14, the same day that nine more deaths due to the virus were announced, bringing the province’s total to 499 since the pandemic began. “If we let our guard down we could see a lot of transmission,” said Dr. Brent Roussin, noting that despite a small drop in the number of new daily cases and hospitalizations due to the virus recently, the test positivity rate remains high, at 13.6 per cent. “I’m still concerned about the test positivity.” Manitoba saw 241 new cases of COVID-19 announced Monday, including 23 in the Northern Regional Health Authority. The new northern cases included eight in the Island Lake digenous Services Minis- plumbing that make it diffi- to March to economically imperative that all levels of available in and outside health district, and four each ter Marc Miller spoke with cult to self-isolate. move building supplies into government work together the community. This crisis in the Bunibonibee/Oxford Shamattawa First Nation “In some communities, their communities via tem- and have ongoing and clear also highlights the fact that House/Manto Sipi/God’s Chief Eric Redhead the pre- we have heard of people porary winter roads. communication so we can First Nations must receive River/God’s Lake, The Pas/ vious weekend to confirm covering bedroom doors The grand chief also mitigate the impact of this the vaccine they need and Opaskwayak/Kelsey and that the Canadian Rangers with plastic to create a space urged the federal govern- deadly virus on First Na- deserve on a priority basis.” Thompson/Mystery Lake would be providing support where someone can self-iso- ment to give First Nations tions people living in NorthKeewatinook NDP health districts. and that more was being late away from the rest of people priority when the ern Manitoba.” MLA and Indigenous relaThe Shamattawa/York done. their loved ones,” he said COVID-19 vaccine starts Ashton said Dec. 14 that tions critic Ian Bushie said Factory/Tataskewyak/Split “An evacuation of vulner- in a Dec. 7 press release. being administered. the chief of Red Sucker Monday that First Nations Lake health district led the able community members “Many homes only have “First Nations people Lake First Nation, another people can’t rely on Premier north in active cases with has already begun with ef- one bathroom so unfortu- face ongoing issues related remote fly-in community Brian Pallister to support 252 as of Monday, most forts underway to increase nately, in some cases people to poverty that absolutely near the Manitoba-Ontario them through the outbreaks. of which are in the remote the isolation capacity within are using pails within their impact our health status,” boundary, is battling an out“Rather than do the right fly-in Shamattawa First Na- the community,” said Tru- rooms so they can keep said Grand Chief Settee. “It break of the virus. thing and put jurisdictional tion, about 360 kilometres deau. “We will be there for themselves separated from is for these reasons that First “People are telling me questions aside to act quickeast of Thompson near the them.” others in the homes. This Nations people must be pri- they are terrified of what is ly on behalf of Indigenous Manitoba-Ontario boundRoussin said at his Dec. is extremely disappointing oritized when the provincial happening,” Ashton said in families, he has tried to ary, which has about 1,300 10 press conference that the and impacts people’s over- and federal governments a written statement. “The avoid responsibility and photo by residents. situation in Shamattawa is all dignity and safety. We are determining who will First Nation has calledNickel for Belt sowNews division in Ian ourGraham provAddictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. Churchill-Keewatinook concerning. are aware there is a large receive the vaccine on a assistance from the feder- ince,” said Bushie, who has Aski NDP MP Niki Ashton Shamattawa is also a demand for alternative priority basis. We are ur- al government including written to federal IndigenBY all the harsh weather write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say saidIAN Dec.GRAHAM 9 that she appre- to major area of concern for isolation accommodations ging both the province and military assistance. I have ousFor Services Minister Marc EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET I have all these stories and to fi gure out. It’s pretty clear to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the polar ciated that a reconnaissance Manitoba Keewatinowi and there is a need to work feds to include us and cre- been advised by the com- Miller to dangers ask him toofget the Though she’s nowsent written I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it mission was being into when Okimakanak (MKO) Grand to continue to create more ate a seat for First Nations munity that a military mis- Canadian military make an a book about herand experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. been viable she would the community asked Chief Garrison Setteee, spaces for isolation.” leadership and expertise at sion will be arriving. The had immediate assessment of ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have back to ChurchPrime Minister Justin Tru- whose organization repreSettee also said that the the tables they have creat- crisis in Red Sucker Lake, each moved First Nation’s needs. Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. deau during question period sents 26 Northern Manitoba federal government must fuel ed for developing vaccine like in Shamattawa, points “I am confident that Manitoba northern director - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I if he would do whatever it North quickly to address rollout plans. Unfortunately, to how quickly a spread just as the assessment in First Nations. The problems move Gisele deMeulles said writa couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss the rock, I miss the takes to saves the lives of plaguing the community are the housing shortage in First Nations leadership in of COVID-19 can occur. Shamattawa First Nation ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though people in Shamattawa First similar to those in many places like Shamattawa, Northern Manitoba have This crisis also highlights showed, there is an imalways what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and Nation. thought she would you otherknow First Nations, includ- which have less than two not been included in these the critical need for med- mediate need for additional do.Trudeau noted that In- tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson ing inadequate housing and months from about January discussions to date. It is ical resources to be made Continued on Page 5 “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
head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Railif I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population Contact she’s an artist,Nelson she’s got so at 204-307-0281 Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there pruderspropertyservices@gmail.com cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family to discuss your property needs! Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles finds it hard to
Yer snow gotta go!
about that so why don’t they have the option to do that? 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?’”
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.” Now that she’s got one book under her belt, deMeulles says she may try to produce another. “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.”