Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Wednesday, June 2, 2021
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Volume 61 • Issue 22
Shoes laid at Thompson City Hall to remember 215 Indigenous children whose remains were located at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill Manitoba politicians say recognizing the tragedy is only first step on path to real reconciliation
215 pairs of shoes were placed at Thompson City Hall May 30 to remember the 215 Indigenous children whose remains were located at at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. last week.
Thompson Citizen photos by Ian Graham Flags at Thompson City Hall were lowered to half-mast May 29 in honour of 215 Indigenous children whose remains were located at at a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C. last week.
and Winnipeg. “The healing works needs why it took this long to do “We can’t do much with to continue. MKO will con- so,” he said in a press reThe discovery of the re- the public health orders but tinue to honour residential lease. “Why did it take a mains of 215 Indigenous we can lay shoes and hon- school survivors and we social media push to shame children at a former resi- our them,” she said. will continue to remember the government into doing dential school in Kamloops, 215 pairs of shoes were those children we have lost. the right thing? This news B.C, revealed by the Tk'em- collected within a few I encourage all Canadians verifies the fact that this was lúps te Secwépemc First hours. to keep learning about this genocide. Young children Nation, which used ground The flags at City Hall important part of our col- and babies were murdered. penetrating radar to survey have been at half-mast lective history and to stand There is no other way to the site, prompted tributes since May 29, when Mayor with us as we work to heal spin that. These were chiland statements by Indigen- Colleen Smook received a from the intergenerational dren that were loved and are ous and political leaders couple of requests asking trauma inflicted upon us still loved and remembered. and residents of Manitoba if that would be possible due to the residential school Families were ripped apart over the weekend, includ- and had Thompson Fire & system.” back then. The aftermath Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham ing a memorial at Thomp- Emergency Services memManitoba Premier Brian is the families still strugAddictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. son City Hall. bers lower them. Pallister said he was deeply gling to cope today. Those Thompson residents were Flags at School District saddened by the discovery memories are hard to shake 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 invited to drop off chil- of Mystery Lake Schools and had the flags at the and those stories are being 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 dren’s shoes starting at 2:15 were also lowered to half- Manitoba legislature and shared now. This was not 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 p.m. May 30 to commem- mast on May 31. memorial park lowered and something to sit silent on, a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would orate the lost lives. FiftyManitoba Keewatinowi the legislative building lit and frankly, the Pallister An honour song is sung and drummed May 30 at Thompson 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 Churchone children are known to Okimakanak (MKO) Grand in orange in honour of the government’s silence is City Hallto during a tribute to 215illIndigenous children whose Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose live there. They in a heartbeat. have died between 1914 and Chief Garrison Settee said 215 children. violence.” 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, remains were located at at a former residential school inI 1963 at the school, which the discovery of the remains Manitoba’s other political “This discovery reminds Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss the rock, I miss the operated as a Catholic was a stark reminder of pro- us all of the tragedy of the parties said symbolic recog- Kamloops, B.C. last week. 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 church-run boarding school longed attempts to wipe out residential school system,” nition is important abut that must not shy away from it. Northern 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 veryManitoba’s dangerous fedand from 1890 until 1969, and First Nations people in Can- he said in an emailed state- more must be done. haveweanwould obligation to eral representative made a do. tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, hard times facing Churchill We I think scream I really miss the Hudson as a day school until clos- ada in the name of religion ment May 30. “We must all “After the flags have been a new peace, tothey the similar demand of the Can“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- forge about that so why don’t Bay,” she says. “When I go ing in 1978. The Truth and and that the news triggered remain committed to right- lowered, we need to commit benefit of all of us.” adianhome, government. felt good at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have the option to do that? back standing on the Reconciliation Commission many emotions and mem- ing this historic wrong and to the real and hard work of “This is a critical “The horrific newsout of the 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 moment they’re Hudson Bay looking on said in its 2015 report that ories among indigenous to ensure that it is never reconciliation, which is an in history that demands 215 children found at Kamto Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an government officials in people who continue to feel allowed to happen again.” ongoing act of justice, heal- more than just words of loops Residential School the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so 1918 believed children at the impacts of residential Assembly of Manitoba ing, care, and mutual sup- solace – it demands action,” has shaken our region,” said 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 really sad for them because I small and you feel great.” the school were suffering schools in their own fam- Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen port,’ said Manitoba Liberal said Manitoba NDP justice Churchill-Keewatinook for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s got from malnutrition as a result ilies and communities. Dumas said the premier’s leader Dougald Lamont, critic Nahanni Fontaine in Aski NDP MP Niki Ash‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, of not begin fed properly. “The impact of these statement should have been noting that the number of the legislature May 31. “The ton in a tweet. “People want right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there They’ve built their worlds deMeulles says she may try The organizer of the City schools continues to affect issued much sooner. First Nations children in provincial government must searches of the grounds of 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. Hall tribute, who said she all of us today,” he said on “While I recognize Child and Family Services respond accordingly and residential schools their and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family if someone came to you and “I have another book in preferred not to be named, behalf of the organizations that the flags were finally care in Manitoba and across make a commitment today families were abducted to. a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker got the idea after seeing he leads, which represents lowered to half-mast late the country is the most im- to search for mass graves at The Feds must pull out all writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the leave your home community story, more about personnews about similar com- more than 20 Northern Sunday afternoon without portant legal and moral all former residential school stops. There must Truth for 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. memorations in Vancouver Manitoba First Nations. any announcement, I ask issue Canada faces. “We sites in Manitoba.” Reconciliation.” clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. you somewhere else and all there Maybetoinbethe next five years BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
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.”