Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Volume 64 • Issue 2
Thompson Humane Society breaking records in animal care BY MATTHIAS J. JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, THOMPSON CITIZEN
The Thompson Humane Society (THS) Health and Wellness Center’s animal health clinics has been a service in high demand as record breaking appointments have kept the Winnipeg Humane Society (WHS) veterinarians, support staff as well as volunteers with a full pressing calendar. Since Friday January 12, 126 surgeries have been performed along with 37 wellness checks. In addition one veterinarian, along with THS Shelter Administrator Pam Lawhead, performed 32 health checks and vaccinations for animals for members from both Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) and the Incorporated Community of Nelson House (ICNH) with vaccinations and health checks done at the ICNH’s Administration Building. This incredible workload has been divided up between the small staff of only 2 veterinarians, WHS’s Chief Veterinarian Gina Bowen and Veterinarian Lesley Goethals and one vet technician, Shannon Dyke. They were assistant by
North Central Development, and the Thomas Sill Foundation for believing in our vision. We are now looking at a long-term plan of regular clinics with Thompson being used as a hub for animal health care services for our region,” continues Sawh giving us all that breath of relief and anticipation for the future. Speaking to the veterinarians, it’s evident their busy schedules are their labor of love, “I really enjoy what I do” expressed Gina Bowmen as she walked through the last few busy days. Even though Gina is Head Veterinarian for the Winnipeg Humane Society, she frequently travels outside of Winnipeg to other animal health facilities in need of support. Gina concludes “We want more of a connection to Thompson, we want to come here more often. I feel it’s important to the Province that we support the Hub of the North”. With the last remaining appointments at it’s close we anticipate the next THS Animal Health and Wellness clinic, scheduled for February, so we can entrust our beloved animals to their proper care.
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
Thompson Citizen photo by Matthias J. Johnson Kristen Ford who provided Administrative Support for WHS and Jenn Werrell who managed the clinic on behalf of the THS. There were several volunteers who worked tirelessly throughout the 5 days including Wendy Mercier, Vicky Barns and Donna and Ron Dyer along with
others with several youth volunteers. THS Co founder and long time Board Chair, Oswald Sawh stated that the past 5 clinics taking place from January of 2023 to January of 2024, resulting in over 538 cats and dogs being provided health services such as spays,
neuters, health checks and vaccination is the result of a “4-way partnership between the Thompson Humane Society, Winnipeg Humane Society’s One Health Program, NCN, and the Petsmart Grant.” “I believe the THS is delivering on its promise of
affordable animal health services for our region when we approached funders to assist us in purchasing the old Thompson Veterinarian Clinic building, now rebranded as the THS Health and Wellness Center. I want to once again thank Vale, the Thompson Community Foundation,
Thompson Hospital suffering with low staffing A gaping problem that has taken a fearful turn
According to Jackson, if tem, and often times in the son. “This was highly ef- ment and retention incenIn November 2020, the doctors or nurses haven’t same building where they fective” Jackson addressed, tives,” said Jason Linklater, lab’s seven technologists lived in Thompson their were employed previously. “However, with the cost of President, MAHCP. “Sas- flagged the seriousness It’s alarming to see the whole life or have someWith such a mad rush living and inflation rising katchewan is offering lab of the crisis in a letter to lifeline of Thompson barely thing to keep them there, from one patient to another all over this country, those technologists a $40,000 WRHA leadership. Then, treading water as the under- often nurses come for only a complaints of neglect have initiatives are just not ad- incentive, yet Manitoba is in April 2023, MAHstaffing issue continues couple of years and leave as filed in along with charges equate enough any longer” still not doing anything to CP launched a campaign to be a growing concern. quickly as they came. “So to improper care, this reOne department that has address grave deficiencies with the goal to secure Where nurses have been a it’s difficult to recruit and sulting in a vast majority recently suffered in the in staffing and working con- much-needed staffing shortage for nearly a dec- retain in the North”. traveling the extra 8 hours Thompson General Hospital ditions to ensure we retain resources for the team, ade, the past few years have “We’re seeing many to Winnipeg to ensure a is the lab for essential health these professionals.” which was down to just two Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham taken a drastic dip making nurses from the public more trusted service. care services and testing. MAHCP confirmed that technologists. the Thompson Regional “MAHCP is once asking heathnorthern care system move to deMeulles “So what we seea is a about With her onlyexperiences two employees in technologists were not Addictions Foundation of Manitoba director Gisele has written book growing up, mostly in Churchill. Hospital on the brink of a private for profit agency domino effect into the ER total over a 24/7 operating available to perform ur- again for Shared Health and BY IAN changes, GRAHAM For all the harsh writethen things that I’m just Room) as bad,in right?’ notthis a very safe thing say government massive including to rather work inyou the have pub- ‘Oh, (Emergency Win- was system, section is at risk swallow gent tests when on twopeople emergency to takeweather action. EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET I have all these stories and to fi gure out. It’s pretty clear to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers potential bankruptcy. lic system, and that’s very nipeg” Says Jackson, “This of collapse following years room patients, after working We can’t afford to of losepolar any Though now written I get through.” to capture them for thought was exciting deMeulles said if it Darleneshe’s Jackson; Presi- when problematic for the health Iisneed putting more pressure of chronicthat understaffing and should severaljust daysfind in asomewhere row with- bears, more technologists.” a book about her experienDeMeulles she grandchildren really the plane landed and easier to live. time to rest. had been viable dent of the Manitoba Nurses care on us because we’re not until system. said When wewrote talk my departure of technologists. out adequate Focussing onshe thewould preces growing upexpresses in Churchill, book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to ChurchUnion (MNU) her her about the tax dollars of in much better shape then According to the Mani- Lab technologists perform ventative needs on the subAddictions of the Wind: Stories from don’t.” fuel and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. in Jackson a heartbeat. deep concernFoundation for Thompson Manitobans it comes outthe of Ithey are” tobaoff Association of Health vital diagnostic tests They used ill ject, stated that the Manitoba director - Life in Churchill for She hasyears a reputation was probably(MAHsitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, even fromnorthern her residency in North our Manitoba Health Care For also many now, a cats, Care IProfessionals in emergency patient care Thompson General Hospi-I Gisele deMeulles said writa couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss the rock, I miss the Winnipeg. “Thompson is budget to pay these agen- 5% increase in salary has CP), the union representing to assess life-threatening tal needs Government intering wasn’t something she cies “I tojust sort staff, of thought, “I had a varied his- 7,000 Another thing health that spectful. If we wereasincarthe polar bears though suffering a very large nurse provide and it’s been thesuch bonus of nurses specialized conditions such vention; “We even need the Govalways what, when this hisand I North would tell people her across on was the same boat in renal another area they’re dangerous and staffing thought shortageshe rightwould now. you very know problematic we tory working of the 53 spurred professionals 44 prodiac failure, failure, ernmentvery to look at a way to do. tory, this stuff that’s in my hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson stories and they would go, The Vacancy rate in the start seeing nurses leaving parallel, along with an an- fessions, lab technologists pregnancy complications, retain nurses, because if we “In my youth I never it’s going be gone not true,allowance is it?’ I’d go, Bay Rail- about that so whycaused don’t they she says. I go Emergency Department in head, the public healthtocare sys- ‘That’s nual retention to since are in the highHudson demand. Shared internal injuries by Bay,” don’t retain the “When nurses that felt good atiswriting,” she if I don’t down,”sysshe ‘Yeah true.’ They’d go, way the option to do that? back home, standing the suspended operations Thompson 50%” tem to gowrite to theit private beckonit’s workers to ThompHealth has not taken suf- have we have in the systemonright accidents, and more. said. “But when I moved said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on ficient steps to recruit and “The reality is that now then there’s no way the to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really retain “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an diagnostics profes- Thompson General Hospi- system is going to survive. the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving community political game andable that’s sense. You so sionals inlarge the North, despite in talalab has only been to incredible The Government is feel going at that point I had to write ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down sadoperating for them because andtoyou great.”in the deteriorating situation in really continue becauseI small to have be feel creative for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think people of ChurchNow up that got Thompson. of thethe superhuman efforts coming withshe’s initiatives ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so now,” deMeulles says. one book under her belt, Looking back, some of ill really want to thrive. “We are burning out our of two remaining technolthat will make nurses stay”. In our January 12 issue of the Thompson Citizen, we published an article titled right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things labThough she’s not built their worlds deMeulles says she mayistry technologists withthere un- They’ve ogists. Imagine performing ~Matthias J. Johnson a “Polar bear sighted near Leaf Rapids” which contains inaccurate information. a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. sustainable overtime and intensive work that requires Local Journalism Initiative After the article was published, further information came to light that proved and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in didconfusion some pretty bizarre her sister and otherby family someoneand came to you and “I havewho another overwork caused not if accuracy attention to reporter worksbook out in of the source unreliable and the story false. We apologize for “I any caused a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker still are. detail with one hour of sleep filling critical vacancies. the Thompson Citizen. The by the article. writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said Meanwhile, “My cousin owns the leave your homeofcommunity more aboutInitiative personother jurisdicover the course 48 hours? story, Local Journalism We take full responsibility for this and want to assure our readers that we are my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. tions are outcompeting us The current staffing situa- is funded by the Governimplementing additional measures to prevent future misinformation. clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. else and all Maybe the next five years when it comes to recruit- you tion somewhere is unsustainable.” ment ofinCanada. BY MATTHIAS J. JOHNSON LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, THOMPSON CITIZEN
Correction
Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”