Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Volume 63 • Issue 18
Red Dress Day a time for remembrance, awareness and action Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
Thompson Citizen photos by Ian Graham Thompson residents marched downtown and gathered at Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak’s office to mark the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People on May 5. case.” The inclusion of two-spirThompson residents it people in Red Dress Day marched through downtown made Francis Budd get on the afternoon of May 5, emotional during a speech the National Day of Aware- to the crowd, ness for Missing and Mur“It is so so important that dered Indigenous Women two-spirit and gender-diand Girls and Two-Spirit verse people are included People, also known as Red when we talk about disDress Day. proportionate violence,” Starting and finishing Budd said. “The most funat Manitoba Keewatinowi damental thing that we must Okimakanak’s office on remember is the way that Selkirk Avenue, the march we regard one another as proceeded down Mystery human beings can someLake Road, along Thomp- times be a matter of life son Drive and up Public and death.” Road, with speeches, a More than just a day to barbecue and entertainment raise awareness, however, in the MKO parking lot on Red Dress Day is also a an unseasonably warm and day to remind governments sunny early May afternoon. about their obligations, said “I think about our young MKO Vice-Chief Shirley The City of Thompson has announced that a boil Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham people,” said Heidi Spence, Ducharme. water advisory is now in effect for its water system director of MKO’s MMIW“As we near the fourth Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up,until mostly in Churchill. further notice. G2S liaison unit. “We want anniversary of the final The advisory was say issued inFor theall late on BY GRAHAM theafternoon harsh weather writeof things you have when people themIAN to grow up in a com- to report the that National In- ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow May 10. EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET figure It’s pretty Churchill residents and the dangers of polar munity that’s safe. We don’t to quiry intoout. MMIWG andclear the I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Until notice, city residents are beingsaid askedif it Though she’s written through.”of the I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should justfurther find somewhere bears, deMeulles want young girlsnow to have to when secondI get anniversary to boil tap water for cookinghad or been drinking forshe at least a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. viable would worry about what’s going to release of the subsequent one minute prior topeople consuming it. moved Water to be used for ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those have back to Churchhappen to them. We can’t let national action plan, we brushing teeth or washing fruit and vegetables should Addictions Foundation of remind the Wind: from the fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. it be a normal occurrence.” all Stories governments of I don’t.” also be boiled before water can used for I Manitoba - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is use. quiteUnboiled “I miss the be shoreline, Some northern of thosedirector who North the importance or implewashing, flushing toilets and showering or taking baths.the Gisele deMeulles said writa couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss the rock, I miss walked wore shirts or car- menting the 231 Calls for “Routine treated ing wasn’t something she Justice,” “I justshe sort of “They thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we monitoring were in theof the polar bearswater evensupply though ried signs with the names said. are indicates a failure the filtration process always thought would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in anotherinarea they’re treatment very dangerous and of missing and she murdered not optional.” allowing poorly treated water to enter the distribution 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, people, including one The issue of MMIWsystem,” a notice from the provincial government. “In mywith youth I never head,isit’saffected going toby bemany gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that sosaid why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go adorned the name of G2S felt at writing,” she factors if I don’t write down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations have to do that? back home, on the “A the boiloption water advisory has been issued to standing ensure public Leahgood Anderson, who was that itgovernment said. “But when I moved ‘You didn’t do all that, did said. “My kids are not gonorth of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on health protection.” killed in Gods Lake Nar- can address, said Churchto 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 Commercial, public and permitted facilities such as rows in 2013 at the age of ill-Keewatinook Aski NDP the it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community in arestaurants, political game andcare that’sfacilities, incredible sense. personal You feel so health day cares, 15. school of social work, and MP Niki Ashton, including at Ace that point I had to write ways wanted my for them small and feel great.” caresad homes andbecause privateI facilities thatyou provide food Doran-Campbell housing, poverty andmom lack to of I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down really 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 and water services can remain open but must followgot said after the walk that she access to educational, med‘Holy, I’m not at this, an artist, she’s got so one Water book Advisory under her belt, Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. ill recommendations really want to thrive. from the Boil Fact participated in bad memory of she’s ical, addictions and mental right?’ I certainly developed many Though she’s not there They’ve built deMeulles she may try Sheet 33 —their Boil worlds Water Advisory forsays Commercial/ Anderson. healthwonderful services. stories be- those experiences are things a lot of skill university always tellsstop her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would available we feel on to the produce another. Public Facilities provincial govern“This was in someone my cause “Ourshe leaders must 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 mom had grown up baby- being part of the problem ment’s website. a very and strong in my and I’ve always said,A ‘I’m sorry, you towhen me,” a darker sitting wasskill family to Churchill as we continue to see this stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. notice will behave issued theshe boilsays. water“It’s advisory writing confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the leave community story, about personus,” saidand Doran-Campbell. tragedy unfold and must hasyour beenhome rescinded and it is safe to more drink unboiled tap 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. “To this day, there still ha- be part of the solution,” water again. clear it. It’s there. you somewhere else and all Maybe in the next five years ven’t and beenthat’s any arrests in her for she you said.because your story on me until after. That was a says. BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Boil water advisory for Thompson issued May 10
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.”