Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Wednesday, May 13, 2020
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Volume 60 • Issue 20
Milestone marked with intimate gathering BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Pandemic precautions prevented a party proportionate to the occasion, but longtime Thompson resident Norma Leahy celebrated her 85th birthday at home with family May 7. Leahy, who was born in Blackpool, England and lived there through the Second World War, arrived in Thompson in 1973 and spent more than 50 years working as a nurse. She won the Thompson YWCA Woman of Distinction award in 2015 and was recognized for her 25 years as a Red Cross volunteer in April 2019. She was also a founding board member of the crisis centre and a longtime member of the YWCA board, Thompson Crime Stoppers and Operation Red Nose.
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill Number of new daily coronavirus
cases in Manitoba consistently in the low single digits two months after first positive test for the virus toba’s economy does not time for positive cases being mean the risk of contracting notified averages about 24 Manitoba reported two the virus has disappeared. hours. new positive tests for the “This virus is still circuRoussin said it will likely novel coronavirus May 11, lating in the province,” he take two incubation periods bringing the total since the said, adding the people – a total of 28 days – before first positive test in mid- should continue to stay the effect of loosening pubThompson Citizen photo by Ian Graham March to 289, but there are home and maintain physical lic health restrictions can be Pat Leahy, left, and Anna Leahy right, with longtime Thompson resident Norma Leahy, only 35 active cases in the distancing, particularly if evaluated and further relaxprovince right now. they are members of high- ation of public health orders centre, who celebrated her 85th birthday May 7. There were four people risk groups like those over considered. in hospital May 11 due to 65 years of age, those with He also said that the 14 COVID-19, one of those in underlying heart or lung day self-isolation requireintensive care. The number conditions, or those with ment on people who come of people who are con- compromised immunity. to Manitoba from other sidered recovered from their “We can see a resurgence provinces will remain in infections is 247 and sev- if we’re not careful.” place for quite some time. LIVING BY FAITH NOT FEAR en people have died from He also stressed that “That’s going to be in the virus over the past two people who have respiratory place as long as we see that months. illness symptoms such as a the rates are higher in other The number of positive runny nose, a cough, a sore provinces,” said Roussin. tests for COVID-19 in the throat or a fever should stay Beginning this week, Northern Regional Health home and contact Health Roussin and Manitoba chief Authority area, which cov- Links if they want to get nursing officer Lanette Sirers most of Manitoba above tested for the virus. agusa will only hold press the 53rd parallel with the On May 10, 374 conferences to update the exception of Churchill, re- COVID-19 laboratory tests coronavirus situation in the mains at three. were performed, bringing province on Mondays, WedChief provincial public the total number performed nesdays and Fridays, rather health officer Dr. Brent since early February to than every weekday. Roussin said the low num- 31,029. As of May 11 there were bers of new cases and the “We have much more lab 69,156 cases of COVID-19 steps being taken to relax capacity than we’re utilizing in Canada, and 4,906 public health orders and at this point,” Roussin said, people had died from their Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham gradually reopen Mani- noting that the turnaround infections. Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
BY IAN GRAHAM
to write things that you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET to figure out. It’s pretty clear I have all these stories and Though she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the I don’t.” Manitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for She also has a reputation Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. & 7PM Sundays 11 AM ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisalways thought she would you know what, this his- tory and I would tell people Wednesdays 7 PM do. tory, this stuff that’s in my stories and they would go, www.bit.ly/GATEWAYBBC “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, felt goodOur at writing,” she if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, Audio Livestream (Toll-FREE) said. “But when I moved said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually at that point I had to write ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was for university and realized, do. My mom’s anBIBLE elder and 27,’ CHURCH and they went ‘What?’” GATEWAY BAPTIST ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s159 an artist, got so Looking CREEshe’s ROAD,THOMPSON, MB back, some of right?’ I certainly developed many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things R8N 0C2 a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre 204 677 3000 a very strong skill in my Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the GATEWAYBIBLEBAPTIST@GMAIL.COM writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn clear and that’s it. It’s there. for you because your story on me until after. That was a Some people say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. blunt or direct. I don’t tend never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel
1 855 489 7646
Woman arrested after air pistol pointed at Liquor Mart security guard
For all the harsh weather was not a very safe thing swallow when people say to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchfuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the Another thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson since the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go way suspended operations have the option to do that? back home, standing on the north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an thriving large community in a political game and that’s incredible sense. You feel so RCMP photo and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because I small Thompson and you feel great.” Thompson RCMP arrested a 25-year-old woman with this air pistol after responding a to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s to got complaint about someone pointing a gun at a security guard outside the Liquor Mart May 7. now,” deMeulles says. ill really want to thrive. one book under her belt, Though she’s not there woman They’vewas built their worlds a woman deMeulles says she may try A 25-year-old Thompson and arrested who is now in cusany longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. arrested May 7 after allegedly pointing an tody and faces multiple charges, including her sister at and other family someone to you and “I have another book in air pistol a security guard atifthe Liquorcamepointing a firearm, possessing a weapon you haveto to a court me,” she says. a darker members still are.RCMP say. said, ‘I’m sorry,contrary Mart, Thompson order and“It’s possessing “My owns just the before leave11 your homeacommunity story, to more about personPolicecousin were notified a.m. weapon dangerous the public peace. hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. that a woman had pointed a gun at a security The incident reportedly prompted a locksays. you somewhere else and all City Maybe in the next five years guard outside the liquor store. They arrived down at the Centre Mall. Because of that, your loved ones and your it’s something I’ll focus on deMeulles finds it hard to history is gone?’” doing.”