Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
Serving the Norman Region since 1961
Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Providing you with expert advice & friendly service. Book online at speedyglass.ca or try our free app on your iPhone
We look forward to serving you. Ϳͷ-A Kelsey Bay Thompson, MB R;N ͷS Ph: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͶͺ; Fax: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͷͺ
Serving the Hub of the North since 1960
Volume 61 • Issue 5
First COVID-19 vaccinations given at Thompson Regional Community Centre of this virus, helping the so it will be many months people that can’t get vacbefore a large percentage of people in the north and The first COVID-19 im- cinated as well.” Aubrey Queen, who is the province as a whole are munizations at the Thompvaccinated. son Regional Community also a nursing student and “I think 2021 isn’t goCentre (TRCC) vaccination a health care aide on the ing to be as much of a site were administered to second floor at Thompbanner year as everybody health care workers from son’s hospital, said she is hoping,” Smook said. The Pas and Thompson was surprised to end up “We’re still going to be being one of the first people shortly after noon Feb. 1. pretty much tied to rules Victory Kitzul, a vaccinated. “I already had an apand regulations.” 74-year-old part-time cast As of Feb. 1, 41,817 technician from The Pas, pointment booked [for a doses of vaccine have been made the drive to Thomp- different date],” she said. administered in Manitoba, son and was the first person Once Queen gets the including 32,641 first doses to receive their first dose second dose, she will feel and 9,356 second doses. of the Moderna vaccine at safer caring for patients. “I think it lets me give The first vaccinations adthe TRCC. ministered in Thompson “I was going to wait my patients safer care,” were at Northern Spirit for one in The Pas but I she said. “I don’t have to Manor personal care home thought I’d better get one worry so much about makin late January. here when I had a chance,” ing them sick because it’s The opening of the said Kitzul, who’s worked not only about getting sick, TRCC vaccination site in health care for about it’s about me making their came one day after the half a century and had no situation worse off than it first death of a Thompson/ doubts about his decision was.” As for the injection itMystery Lake resident was to get vaccinated. “I think announced, a man in his it’s a very good thing. It’s self, it “was just like a nor90s. He was the 29th northgoing to help people. They mal flu shot,” Queen said. 350 doses of the Moderna erner to die from the virus. should get it. There’s no Across the province, 832 excuse. If anybody refuses vaccine will be adminispeople have died from the it and they end up on an tered to eligible health care virus since the pandemic ICU unit, I don’t feel sorry workers with appointments in Thompson this week, began.Northern Manitoba for them.” passed 3,900 total cases The first two Thompson said Northern Regional of the virus since the residents to receive the Health Authority (NRHA) pandemic began with the vaccine at the TRCC are CEO Helga Bryant, with announcement of 42 new at the beginning of their 150 to be given to health cases on Monday, 25 of health care careers. Dylan care workers in The Pas them in the Island Lake Stacey, a fourth-year nurs- and Flin Flon next week. health district. There are ing student at University As of early Monday aftercurrently 40 northerners in College of the North and a noon, there were only 14 hospital due to COVID-19, health care aide at the med- appointments unfilled in 35 of them with active inical, surgical and pediatric Thompson. “It’s just a day to celefections. Of those 35, seven ward on the second floor of are in intensive care. Thompson General Hos- brate,” said Bryant. “This Although Northern pital, said he was a little feels like it’s kind of the Manitoba still leads the nervous about getting the beginning of the end of way when it comes to vaccine but hopes that it the pandemic. The public Thompson Citizen photo courtesy of Government of Manitoba new cases, the provincial will be the first step in an health team, everybody eventual return to life as has worked so hard to put Laurel Queen administers the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to nursing student government announced that stores in the north are it was before COVID-19 this together and we’re just and health care aide Dylan Stacey at the Thompson Regional Community Centre Feb. 1. Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham really excited that this is allowed to open to sell esarrived in Manitoba. Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. “I’m honoured to be day one of clinics in North- fact that the whole world site of the main Vaxport by realize this isn’t a magic sential and non-essential in person as of one of the first people to ern Manitoba.” was focused on getting a the airport, came together. potion, that all of a sudden products BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say Although it feels like a vaccine for COVID cer11:59 p.m. Feb. 1. Stores get it in Thompson,” said COVID’s going to go away “It was only two weeks EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar Stacey, who advised people long time since the pan- tainly expedited getting the ago that we found out this in Thompson. It’s definitely must limit customers to 25 Though she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it unsure about whether they demic began, Bryant said vaccine and and getting it was going to be an op- going to be alive and well per cent of normal capacity a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would should get vaccinated to the time from when the first approved and available for tion,” she said. “It’s nice for a little ways, especially or 250 people, whichever 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 moved back to Churchdo research using reput- cases arrived in Manitoba use.” to see we’re still part of if people don’t stay home is lower. The province said Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. to vaccines being adminisit was making the change able sources and to talk the early rollouts through- and follow the rules.” Also on hand to witness Manitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I tered in the north is shorter the first injections at the out the province and, with to discourage people from to doctors and nurses. “I Eligibility for immunizGisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the recommend getting it. It’s than expected. TRCC was Mayor Colleen theAnother Thompsonthing area having ation won’t be expanded travelling outside of the ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied histhat spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though “It often takes much Smook, who was impressed more cases, it’s important. beyond those who can region or the province in definitely going to help in always thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and going back to our normal longer than this to get with how quickly the site, I think it’s really import- currently get vaccinated order to buy non-essential do. 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 lives and just getting rid vaccines developed so the intended to be a satellite ant though for people to until at least early spring, items in person. “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go BY IAN GRAHAM
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
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
if 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!
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?’”
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.”