Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Volume 63 • Issue 21
City reviewing pool construction proposals The City of Thompson is reviewing responses to a request for tenders for the construction of a new aquatic centre this week. The deadline for submissions was May 26 and the review process began May 29. The first step is determining if the proposals satisfy technical requirements. If they do, city staff and Stantec Architecture, which is overseeing design and engineering services for the project, will interview the proponents in Winnipeg. After the technical evaluations and interviews are completed, budgets for the proposals will be compared and final scores calculated prior to any recommendation being forwarded to council. Thompson has secured $11 million in funding
for the new aquatic centre from the federal and provincial governments via the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program, which requires a contribution of at least $4 million from the city. Vale Manitoba Operations has also pledged $2 million for a new city facility to replace the Norplex Pool, closed down for safety reasons in 2019. Stantec’s design and engineering study recommended that the new aquatic centre should be built on land adjacent to the Thompson Regional Community Centre. Features of the pool design include a waterslide, a six-lane 25-metre accessible pool with one accessible lane, a beach-entry recreational pool, a sauna and a multi-purpose room for parties and swim meets.
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill Thgompson Citizen photo courtesy of the City of Thompson A sign by the Thompson Regional Community Centre parking lot highlights the $15 million investment that the city, provincial and federal governments are making in a new aquatic centre. On May 29, city staff began reviewing construction proposals for the new pool, to be built on land adjacent to the arena.
New Book Honours Indigenous War Veterans COVID pandemic, when she was able to travel freely to various Indigenous communAuthor Jean Miso has a ities throughout the country. new book out, which gathers Lieutenant-General Joceand chronicles the stories of lyn Paul, who wrote the Indigenous war veterans from book’s forward, helped concoast to coast. nect Miso to other Indigenous Miso, who isn’t Indigen- veterans and encouraged her ous, said she was inspired to write it. to write about the experienThe author set out from ces of Indigenous veterans northern Ontario, driving while writing a previous book to B.C., and then returning about Canadian Ranger Pa- through southern Alberta, trol Groups, which conduct where the largest reserve in search-and-rescue operations Canada, the Blood Tribe, is in remote areas throughout located. the country. Why would an IndigenThe Ontario 3 CRPG is ous person want to serve the notable for being composed very country that attempted to almost entirely of First Na- eradicate their culture? That tions soldiers. was a question that kept comWhile researching for the ing up for Miso. initial book, she was flown “First of all, they are the Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham in and out of remote Indigen- caretakers of this land, so ous communities aroundofthe they northern felt that ifdirector they didn’t Addictions Foundation Manitoba Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. James Bay area in central go protect the land that there BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to writepotentially things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say Ontario. could be harm EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET figure It’sThey prettysense clear I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar “I saw the situation of their to down theout. road. Though she’s now written I get through.” living conditions and felt that when the urgency of service to pro- I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it a book about her experienDeMeulles saidkeep she wrote had been viable she would we need to draw more atten- tect the land and what my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. ces up them,” in Churchill, book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchtiongrowing to support Miso her they hold sacred protected,” Thompson Citizen photo to by live Jeremy Appel, Local ill Journalism Initiative Reporter Addictions Foundation Stories from the I don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose there. They in a heartbeat. told Alberta Native News.of the MisoWind: explained. Author Jean Miso gathers and chronicles the stories of Indigenous war veterans in her new book "Warriors & Nations:I 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, That’s how her most recent Additionally, Indigenous 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 Voices from the original peoples." book, Warriors Nations: people enlisted for the same ing wasn’t something she reason “I just sort other of thought, had such a varied Another that spectful. we were in the polar bears even though Voices from the original keep theirIfculture alive. highlight and honourhisthe port for the warthing effort through ous monuments and Indigenmany people to “I always thought would hisand IIndigenous would tell people her Some on was the same boatthe in traditional another area very dangerous people came to be,she which the you sacrifices people spurred fundraising. Indian “Within rich they’re ous education initiatives.and do – know moneywhat, and athis sense of tory do. this stuff that’s in my stories think we would nations,” scream I really missfrom the Hudson and for they would But go, hard author described as her effort tory, have made Canada. agentstimes turnedfacing down Churchill the funds, Ifabric of Indigenous Proceeds sales of adventure. I never it’s going gone ‘That’s not true, it?’ I’d go, the“they Hudson Rail- about that so“Iwhy they Bay,” says. “When I go “to“In helpmy drawyouth attention to the head, the purpose of is Warriors & since because knewBay the comMiso writes, havedon’t observed Miso’sshe previous books have According to tothebebook, felt good writing,” if I don’t writepeople it down,”have she ‘Yeah it’sisn’t true.’ They’d go, way therole option do that? home, on the suspended service thatatwas largely she put Indigenous also gone tostanding charity, includNations solely to promunity couldn’t operations afford it,” have that the of a to warrior en- back said. when didn’t doservice all that, did north kids are soldiers not go- ‘You of Gillam last spring. Icompasses think right now they’re Bay alooking outunon under “But the carpet so Itomoved speak, said. ing building home for file Indigenous memMiso said. much more than Hudson served“My as Canadian to Thompson to get into 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 in past military situations, so ing Indigenous people, of combat. Indigenous men and housed veterans in London, since the British Nile Ex- bers. It’s to provide a broader the of socialtowork, it’s something I’vefirst al- old.’ ‘No, actually thrivingaren’t large acommunity a political andto that’s feel so as toschool draw attention their and view Iofwas the like, communities they course, monolith. in women are game selected be- incredible Ont., the sense. Royal You Canadian pedition of 1884 – the at that pointand I had to write wanted my mom to Icame did from. all that before I was Some and it’sIndigenous just dwindled down really sad for them because youFund, feel great.” involvement sacrifice and ways come guardians of all aspectsI small Legionand Poppy and the soldiers time Canadian troops were 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 got service to our country.” Fire Native “I want to show the varia- enlisted under fake names, of community knowledge Toronto Councilshe’s sent overseas – with 86 In‘Holy, bad at this, an artist, she’s got so tion deMeulles says. book under her belt, Looking back, some of now,” to protect thrive. one The I’m booknot is divided into she’s Cultural Centre. of people and the strug“because they knew that they ill … really These want experts digenous men from Quebec, right?’ I certainly stories be- those experiences are things Though not there built worlds may try chapters for eachdeveloped province many gles that they encountered to wouldn’t beshe’s welcomed back They’ve information andtheir guide their deMeulles “I can’t says help she everybody, Ontariowonderful and Manitoba joining 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. and territory, with each ac- a 367-man force to paddle up practice their traditions and into their community, or be people according to ancient but you have to have belief and came out there from with stories in follow “I didtheir somespirituality pretty bizarre and as other family if someone came to you and in “I another in companied by of artwork and her able sister to go back an Indigenwisdom.” thehave power of one book that you the NileattoParks rescueCanada a trapped a strong skill my Churchill and soldiers I’ve always like fuel hauls intolanthe members said, sorry,from you have to me,” she says. “It’s a darker stillshe are. anvery Indigenous artist in based communicate in their ous person,” said. All‘I’m proceeds sales of can make a difference in group of British from stuff writing Arctic -35,” said “My cousin owns solthe leave your&home community morelife about personthere. and confidence in hounded Miso said Indigenous guages,” Misoatsaid. Warriors Nations will go story, someone’s and work toSudan. her, ‘Please, just high myMiso writing. I began write gathvery putAsit aonnon-Indigenous tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn store she and we’re goingworking to displace growth andsaid. struggles. said she diers are one typethere,” of warrior. Many Indigenous com- hardware towards groups on al wards it,” Miso “That’s perclear that’sprior it. It’sto there. because story on me until after. That was somewhere else and all Maybe in my the philosophy.” next five years eringand stories the for Another are those who help you munities also showed sup-a says. the preservation of Indigenbasically son,you Miso felt anyour obligation BY JEREMY APPEL
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, ALBERTA NATIVE NEWS
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.”