May 31 2024

Nickel Belt News

Friday, May 31, 2024

New art store front hosts Grand Opening in the City Center Mall

Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill

BY MATTHIAS J. JOHNSON STAFF REPORTER, THOMPSON CITIZEN

Introducing the new "Mall of The Arts"! The grand opening of this innovative shop took place on May 26 at the City Center Mall, marking a significant milestone for the art community in Thompson.

BY IAN GRAHAM

The growing collection of supplies and creations soon outgrew their space, prompting the search for a new location. This journey ignited the vision of creating a hub for arts in Thompson.

idea was way too big,” said Stephens. “So we started small, with hosting events online and in the City Center Mall”

fashion shows, the organization’s influence continued to grow, ultimately culminating in the establishment of their storefront.

Andria Stephens, the Executive Director and Co-founder, shared her excitement about the collaborative effort that led to the shop's establishment. She recounted how the idea originated when her partner; Shorty (Don Glenn), who began up-cycling and selling items as a business.

EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Though she’s now written a book about her experiences growing up in Churchill, Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles said writing wasn’t something she always thought she would do.

“In my youth I never felt good at writing,” she said. “But when I moved to Thompson to get into the school of social work, at that point I had to write for university and realized, ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, right?’ I certainly developed a lot of skill in university and came out of there with a very strong skill in my writing and confidence in my writing. I write very clear and that’s it. It’s there. Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend

to write things that you have to figure out. It’s pretty clear when I get through.”

DeMeulles said she wrote her book, titled Whispers in the Wind: Stories from the North - Life in Churchill for a couple of reasons.

Despite initial skepticism, the team persevered and shaped their dream into a reality. Their concept involved creating an art center with kiosks resembling a farmer’s market, where local artists could showcase and sell their work. Additionally, they planned to offer a cultural café and live musical performances to enhance the shopping experience.

“Everyone thought the

Following a successful soft opening, the shop has become a hub for workshops, events, and locally-made merchandise. Notably, music teacher Harsh Patel now conducts classes at the "Mall of the Arts," filling the mall with the sounds of budding talent.

‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ I have all these stories and I need to capture them for my grandchildren really because they will be lost if I don’t.”

She also has a reputation as a storyteller herself.

“I just sort of thought, you know what, this history, this stuff that’s in my head, it’s going to be gone if I don’t write it down,” she said. “My kids are not going to get it if I don’t do it and it’s something I’ve always wanted my mom to do. My mom’s an elder and she’s an artist, she’s got so many wonderful stories because she always tells her stories at Parks Canada in Churchill and I’ve always hounded her, ‘Please, just put it on tape, I will write it for you because your story is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,

Andria Stephens elaborated on the shop's journey, highlighting their collaboration with local partners and the gradual expansion of their offerings. From small events around town to

“I had such a varied history and I would tell people stories and they would go, ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, ‘You didn’t do all that, did you? You’ve got to be really old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually I did all that before I was 27,’ and they went ‘What?’”

Looking back, some of those experiences are things she might not do again.

“I did some pretty bizarre stuff like fuel hauls into the high Arctic at -35,” said deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn on me until after. That was a very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel

“We love hosting small events. We started doing fashion shows where we lay out that matts and decorate. We held several back-toschool fashion show, Halloween Fashion shows and Christmas Fashion shows which are now annual events” Stated Stephens Shorty, who played a pivotal role in bringing the "Mall of the Arts" to life, as he emphasized the team's unwavering commitment to their vision.

vision and the mission. All the effort and time that they invested in this to get to this point is outstanding!”. He expressed his delight in providing a platform for Northern artists to gain exposure and support, emphasizing the organization's role in bringing visibility to talented individuals who may otherwise remain hidden.

was not a very safe thing to do but I jumped at it. I thought that was exciting until the plane landed and they started throwing the fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy cats, I was probably sitting on a bomb.’”

“both Andria and Andre stayed true to the

Another thing that spurred her on was the hard times facing Churchill since the Hudson Bay Railway suspended operations north of Gillam last spring.

“It used to be a really thriving large community and it’s just dwindled down to such a small population now,” deMeulles says.

Though she’s not there any longer, her parents and her sister and other family members still are.

“What this represents is a place for Northern artists to find support and exposure. That’s the heart of this organization, bringing life and visibility. A lot of people are in their basements or shed, doing what they love to do but without a market to present them. This gives

swallow when people say that Churchill residents should just find somewhere easier to live.

“To say, ‘Those people choose to live there. They should just leave,’ is quite simplistic. It’s quite disrespectful. If we were in the same boat in another area I think we would scream about that so why don’t they have the option to do that?

I think right now they’re feeling like they’re pawns in a political game and that’s really sad for them because I think the people of Churchill really want to thrive.

“My cousin owns the hardware store there,” she says.

Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to

They’ve built their worlds there. How would we feel if someone came to you and said, ‘I’m sorry, you have to leave your home community and we’re going to displace you somewhere else and all your loved ones and your history is gone?’”

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an opportunity to showcase what they’re doing and giving them a space to share that skill and knowledge and an opportunity to be able to pass that on as well” Glenn stated, “This is a first step for us to have this space!” While the journey has been challenging, the team's dedication has paved the way for a diverse range of art forms to thrive within the "Mall of the Arts." With offerings spanning from paintings to metal and woodwork, leathercraft, sewing, and knitting, the shop stands as a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of the local art community.

For all the harsh weather and the dangers of polar bears, deMeulles said if it had been viable she would have moved back to Churchill in a heartbeat.

“I miss the shoreline, I miss the rock, I miss the polar bears even though they’re very dangerous and I really miss the Hudson Bay,” she says. “When I go back home, standing on the Hudson Bay looking out on the bay, it just gives you an incredible sense. You feel so small and you feel great.”

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Now that she’s got one book under her belt, deMeulles says she may try to produce another.

Email:psawna@redstarmortgage.ca

“I have another book in me,” she says. “It’s a darker story, more about personal growth and struggles. Maybe in the next five years it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”

Delivering News to the Nickel Belt since 1960

Thompson Citizen photo by Matthias J. Johnson

Serving the Norman Region since 1961

Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham

Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill.

Manitoba Wildfire Service and partners

battle active fires in Flin Flon and The Pas

BY MATTHIAS J. JOHNSON STAFF REPORTER, THOMPSON CITIZEN

The Manitoba Wildfire Service, the Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC), Manitoba Emergency Management Organization (EMO), and the Manitoba Fire Service are working diligently and collaboratively to effectively combat and manage the ongoing challenges posed by two active fires in the Flin Flon and The Pas area.

As of 10 a.m. on Sunday, May 19, residents of Cranberry Portage, Sourdough Bay, Whitefish Lake, Twin Lakes, and Schist Lake North have been granted permission to safely return to the comfort of their homes, marking a significant and reassuring development for the affected communities.

In an encouraging turn of events, the barricades that previously restricted access have been successfully removed, signaling the reopening of Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 10 and the Sherridon access road to traffic, thereby restoring normalcy and facilitating seamless movement in the area.

In the vicinity of Flin Flon, the wildfire, identified as fire WE010, spans an extensive area of approximately 37,000 hectares, prompting dedicated and concerted efforts to maintain effective control

and containment of the situation.

The impact of the devastating fire in Sourdough Bay has resulted in the unfortunate loss of eight properties, comprising one permanent residence, five seasonal properties (cottages), and two garages, while a single permanent residence in Twin Lakes has also been tragically affected.

The collaborative firefighting efforts have been bolstered by a substantial deployment of resources, including six water bombers, seven helicopters, over 200 provincial personnel, 40 firefighters from Ontario, five from Parks Canada, 20 from New Brunswick, and 21 from Quebec, all of whom are unwaveringly committed to the containment and suppression of fire WE010.

In a positive development for the affected regions, train service between Cranberry Portage and Pukatawagan has been successfully reinstated, effectively reinstating vital connectivity and transportation links for the local residents.

The Provincial Emergency Social Services reception centers at the Wescana Inn in The Pas and the Victoria Inn in Flin Flon have been officially closed, signifying a gradual return to normalcy and the resumption of regular community activities.

In a heartening show of support, a supplemental evacuation allowance of $200 is set to be issued to residents whose primary residences are situated in Cranberry Portage, Sourdough Bay, Whitefish Lake, Twin Lakes, and Schist Lake North, offering a much-needed and appreciable measure of assistance during these challenging times.

The pervasive impact of smoke from the wildfire continues to pose challenges and implications for the affected communities, necessitating ongoing vigilance and preparedness in addressing the associated concerns and health considerations.

Curtis Azevedo, a seasoned disaster specialist with an impressive 11 years of experience in dealing with wildfires, has emerged as a valuable source of insights and guidance, offering indispensable tips and strategies aimed at protecting homes and properties from the encroaching threat of fires.

Azevedo underscores the critical importance of maintaining adequate buffer space between homes and surrounding brush, as well as the regular trimming of trees and bushes, in addition to keeping yards clean and having a well-defined evacuation plan in place, all of which are invaluable measures for proactive

preparedness.

Moreover, Azevedo highlights the potentially prolonged duration and extensive reach of fires, cautioning that they can persist through the winter and cover vast distances, challenging the conventional understanding of wildfire season and mandating a sustained and comprehensive approach to management and mitigation.

“3% of wild Fires in North America constitute 97% of the land area burned, so there are a number of fires we are able to control, but a very small number of them could contribute to most of the loss in Canada” Azevedo continued, as he reports that there are currently four active fires in Saskatchewan and three in Manitoba

Azevedo’s extensive and varied experience, spanning back to as early as June 2013, has seen him lend expertise to nine different catastrophic events across the country, including the Fort McMurray Fire in May 2016, thereby cementing him as a trusted and authoritative voice in the field of disaster management and wildfire containment.

In a sobering assessment of the current scenario, Azevedo warns that the term "held" concerning a fire does not necessarily signify full control, underscoring the persistent threat of its potential spread,

particularly in the case of the ongoing fires, with the one in The Pas emerging as the most prominent and concerning.

“Anytime a fire is considered being held, it’s an indication that it’s still not in control which means it could spread so out of all the fires currently the one in The Pas seems to be most prominent” Stated Azevedo.

In a separate but equally pressing development, fire WE011 near Wanless, located north of The Pas, spans an area of approximately 2,785 hectares, and is situated approximately 2.5 km from the community of Wanless, necessitating a concerted and targeted response to effectively contain and suppress its impact.

Efforts are currently underway to safeguard the critical hydro line between The Pas and Cranberry Portage, alongside proactive measures to contain the fire, which is approximately 2 km away from PTH 10, necessitating heightened vigilance and preparedness for any potential implications on transportation and infrastructure.

Travelers and residents alike are advised to exercise caution and remain informed, particularly on Provincial Trunk Highway 10, where poor visibility due to smoke from the fires could pose challenges and necessitate heightened

attention for safe and secure travel.

The closure of campgrounds in Bakers Narrows and Grass River provincial parks, including Bakers Narrows, Gyles, Iskwasum Landing, and Reed Lake, has been extended until at least May 27, reflecting the ongoing and evolving nature of the situation and the need for sustained caution and preparedness.

Lastly, to further ensure the safety and well-being of the local communities, backcountry travel along the Grass River from Cranberry Portage to Reed Lake remains prohibited, underscoring the need for a comprehensive and proactive approach to safeguarding the region and the individuals within it.

As the collaborative efforts of the Manitoba Wildfire Service, the Office of the Fire Commissioner, and other organizations continue, the gradual restoration of normalcy in the affected communities is a reassuring development. The dedicated firefighting personnel and the reopening of vital transportation links are significant steps forward. Despite the challenges posed by the wildfires, the resilience and support demonstrated by the community, along with the ongoing expert guidance, offer hope for the eventual containment and resolution of the situation.

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Public Works Week concludes with a bang!

BY MATTHIAS J. JOHNSON STAFF REPORTER, THOMPSON CITIZEN

After being recently announced that May 19th-25 will now be celebrated as National Public Works Week, the final day brought in a host of smiling faces joining in a community-wide cook out and competitions wagered against the workers for the top employee.

Merv McKay; an equipment operator for Public Works was the chairperson of the event planning the games and activities. He expressed his delight in preparing the event and putting difficult but friendly competitions together for the enjoyment of both the workers and those watching! “It was a great event! It’s great that the public gets to see this, but It’s building moral for us too”

The event was a huge hit as kids of all ages got the chance to sit in all the lined-up machinery and experience jumping behind the wheel of big rigs. The excitement was palpable as the children eagerly hopped from one vehicle to another, imagining themselves as professional drivers. "The keys are in our pockets so they won’t start them up, but they can jump inside and have some fun," said one of the workers with a smile, as he encouraged the kids to explore and enjoy the unique opportunity. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and joy as the kids role-played as truck drivers, honking horns and pretending to steer the massive vehicles. The event provided an unforgettable hands-on experience, allowing the children to gain a newfound appreciation for the work that goes into operating these impressive machines.

With over 100 people in attendance, the event was a resounding success. Families and friends gathered as

NOTICETOTRCCUSERS

FromMay27toAugust12,thesouthdoorstotheTRCCwill be lockeddailyat5 p.m.EntrancetotheTRCCwillbethrough thenorthdoorsonly.

the event ran from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, creating lasting memories and sparking a passion for the world of trucks and machinery in the hearts of the attendees. It was a day filled with fun, laughter, and invaluable educational experiences that will be cherished for years to come.

ROADCLOSURE

The National Public Works Week celebration concluded with a heartwarming community cookout and engaging competitions, showcasing the dedication and skills of public works employees. As the festivities came to an end at 4:00 PM, the sense of community spirit and appreciation for the vital work of public works professionals lingered, leaving a positive and lasting impact on all who participated.

ThenorthsidelanesofThompsonDrivebetween Cree Road andLynxCrescentwillbe closed 7a.m. to 7p.m. from Wednesday,May29until Wednesday June5.

The closurewillenableMapleLeafConstruction tosafelyremovecurbsfromthatsectionofthe roadandprepareforinstallationofnewcurbing.

Whilethenorthsidelanesare closed,thesouth sidelaneswillhavetwo-waytraffic.Flaggerswill bestationedateachendoftheconstructionarea.

Usecaution whendrivingaroundworkersand equipment,pay attention to posted signsand follow thedirectionsofflaggers.

ACommit teeoftheWholemeeting willbe heldinCity Hallon Monday, June 3at7 p.m. Thepubliciswelcome to at tend.Themeeting willbelivestreamedonFacebook ,YouTube andX andisalsobroadcastonRogersT V Channel11.

Upcomingmeetingagendasare available ontheCit yofThompsonwebsitethe Fridaybeforethemeetingathttps://www thompson.ca/p/minutes-agendas. Minutes of previousmeetingsare alsoavailablethere.

Stayinformedonthegothrough ThompsonConnect

To getimpor tantnotices aboutthingslike roadclosures ,boil wateradvisoriesand watershutof fs sentdirec tlytoyourphone, register forourdirec tcommunication sy stem ThompsonConnect

Signup foremail, text andvoicemessage notificationsat: www.thompson.ca/p/connect

Thompson Citizen photo by Matthias J. Johnson

board opts for status quo, way will city council go?

many of the people opposed to the plan are the regular critics of council who attend meetings and ask their elected officials questions week after week, their opinions may not be enough to dissuade the majority from forging ahead, especially since the number of people who care about this one way or another doesn’t even reach double digits. Whether or not the number of councillors or school board trustees should be reduced is not the sort of question for which there is a right or wrong answer. On the pro side of keeping the current numbers, the option that all but one of the school board members opted for, is the argument that it spreads the

BY DAVE BAXTER LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

A Manitoba First Nation is warning that drugs being sold in the community are being cut with dangerous and possibly deadly ingredients, and pleading with residents to avoid illicit drugs, because of what the consequences of taking them could be.

“These contaminants pose a significant risk to your health and safety,” Sioux Valley Dakota Nation (SVDN) chief and band council said in an “urgent” health advisory released Sunday on the community’s website.

allows for greater diversity of viewpoints, though Ryan Land was mostly correct in saying that, in terms of class and ethnicity, the trustees aren’t really a microcosm of the School District of Mystery Lake’s population as a whole. If you’ve been to many school board meetings (and apart from members of the media, well, you haven’t), you would know that they don’t often feature nearly as much debate or division as city council meetings, at least not over the past couple of years. But they’ve made their decision and it appears there will be seven school board trustees at least until 2022.

Community officials say multiple dangerous contaminants have been found recently in illicit drugs in SVDN, a community west of Brandon that is home to more than 1,000 on-reserve residents.

Substances now circulating in the community that drug users might be taking unknowingly, according to SVDN, include amphetamines, methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy), and fentanyl.

They added they are particularly worried about any fentanyl that might be present, because of how dan-

One of the arguments

whether they belong to the school board or council, is that it will save money. The amount is not large overall – about $20,000 in councillors’ salaries per year plus approximately half that amount, on average, for annual travel and expenses. For the city, which has a budget of around $30 million, that represents probably less than a drop in the proverbial bucket, though it is about a fifth of the overall cost of the mayor and council.

gerous that substance can be, and how quickly and suddenly it can lead to overdose and death situations.

“Fentanyl, in particular, has been associated with numerous fatalities due to its potency,” the notice says. “An extremely potent opioid that is frequently mixed with other drugs without the user’s knowledge, even a tiny amount can be fatal, leading to a high risk of overdose.”

Critics of the proposed reduction say that it will prevent “new blood” from being elected and, theoretically, reduce the diversity of opinions, but that would only be true if

Council says they are also concerned about the presence of both amphetamines and methamphetamine, because those drugs are highly addictive, and can lead to se-

independent-thinking candidates who aren’t married to aligning themselves with any particular side, because right now, the number of opinions on council is generally two – for and against. Maybe the low turnout of people with opinions on how many councillors there should be isn’t an expression of apathy but of pragmatism. Experience has shown quite often that this council – and others before it –is going to do what the majority of its members think is right, regardless of what the most vocal taxpayers think. If that is the case, does it really matter how many of them there are?

Manitoba First Nation warns of drugs in community being cut with dangerous, possibly deadly ingredients

vere short-term and longterm psychological issues in users.

“These stimulants can cause severe psychological and physical dependence,” SVDN said. “Contaminants may include unknown chemicals that can lead to unpredictable and dangerous reactions.”

The notice also warns that heroin is often mixed with other substances to increase volume, which can lead to overdose and severe health complications, and heroin cutting agents can be harmful and toxic, while ecstasy often contains adulterants, which

can significantly increase the risk of hyperthermia, dehydration, and serotonin syndrome, and could lead to overdose.

SVDN is now pleading with all residents to avoid using any drugs that are being sold illegally, or have been brought into the community.

“Contaminated drugs significantly increase the risk of overdose. Unpredictable reactions from mixed substances can cause immediate and long-term health problems, including heart attack, stroke, and severe mental health issues,” SVDN said.

“The safest option is to avoid using illicit drugs altogether. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, please reach out to local health services for support and treatment options.”

The Winnipeg Sun reached out to SVDN Chief Vince Tacan on Monday for comment, but did not receive a response.

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

Noah Cooke Publisher

Matthias J. Johnson Staff Reporter

Thompson Citizen & Nickel Belt News: 2024 Office Closures and Deadline Changes NEWS

Two Manitoba First Nations seek $1B from City of Winnipeg, province, feds over pollution of Red River, Lake Winnipeg

BY DAVE BAXTER

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

Two Manitoba First Nations are seeking $1 billion in total damages, and have joined a long list of communities suing three levels of government for what they say has been the ongoing pollution and degradation of the Red River and Lake Winnipeg.

Bloodvein First Nation

Chief Roland Hamilton and Dauphin River First Nation

Chief Lawrence Letander are named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed on behalf of their communities on May 21 that seeks $500 million in damages each for both of those communities.

The lawsuit says the city, province and the feds have “contravened” Treaty rights and their fiduciary duties by allowing sewage and other contaminants to continue to pollute the Red River, which flows downstream to Lake Winnipeg, and other bodies of water, and towards several Manitoba First Nations including Bloodvein and Poplar River.

The suit accuses all three levels of government of “continuing to allow the city to treat the Red River as part of the sewage system,” and says the ongoing pollution has short and long-term effects on both communities, because they both rely on rivers and lakes for “susten-

ance, their way of life, and traditions.”

“Historically the city has been permitted by the Province and Canada to discharge both treated and untreated wastewater into the Red River and its tributary, the Assiniboine River, which drain into Lake Winnipeg,” the statement of claim reads.

It claims the negative effects to the communities from the pollution includes polluted drinking water, and a loss of industry and economic opportunities, including in the fishing industry, and are an “infringement” on the communities traditional ways of life.

The two communities

now join eight other First Nations that have taken legal action this month over pollution of the Red River.

On May 1, the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation, Black River First Nation, Poplar River First Nation, Sagkeeng Anicinabe Nation, Berens River First Nation, Hollow Water First Nation, Misipawistik Cree Nation, and Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation announced they had filed a joint lawsuit naming the City of Winnipeg and the Manitoba and federal governments as defendants for the ongoing pollution of the Red River.

A lawyer representing the chiefs of those eight First Nations said on May 1, dam-

ages sought in that claim are “in excess of $4 billion.”

Both lawsuits come after the City of Winnipeg confirmed earlier this year that a massive sewage leak near the Fort Garry Bridge in south Winnipeg caused approximately 221 million litres of raw sewage to flow into the Red River, which flows into Lake Winnipeg and other bodies of water.

Both cite the sewage spill in Winnipeg earlier this year, but also claim there has been “ongoing” pollution and damage done to the Red River and Lake Winnipeg due to actions of all levels of government.

The two leaders are each seeking $500 million each

on behalf of their communities as well as other damages, and are also seeking a permanent injunction that would halt discharge of sewage into the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.

City of Winnipeg declined comment as the matter is before the courts, a spokesperson said Tuesday. The Winnipeg Sun reached out to the Manitoba and federal governments for comment but had not received a response.

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

Kenora paper’s buyer pledges ‘unbiased news’

BY MIKE STIMPSON

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

REPORTER, THUNDER BAY SOURCE

KENORA — People in Kenora “should be excited” about the local newspaper’s change in ownership, the president and CEO of the Klein Group told NWO Newswatch in an interview Tuesday.

The Winnipeg company has bought the Kenora

Miner and News, as well as Winnipeg’s daily Sun tabloid and another Manitoba newspaper, from Postmedia Network effective June 1.

“I truly believe there is a real demand for credible news sources,” said Klein, who served as publisher of the Winnipeg Sun for six years ending 2013.

The Miner and News will continue to deliver unbiased

news to readers in the Lake of the Woods region, he said.

Klein said he will be “listening to staff” at the three newly acquired papers to learn how the news outlets could serve their readerships better.

He said he hopes to visit Kenora in early June to meet with Miner and News staff.

The purchase was months in the making, said Klein.

“This is something that you don't just jump into,” adding that negotiations with Postmedia started in January.

Klein is a former Manitoba Progressive Conservative legislator and cabinet minister, and the Winnipeg Sun is a conservative newspaper, but he said Tuesday that the Miner and News will not push a political

agenda under his direction.

To the contrary, he said, he is a firm believer in “presenting all the facts” and delivering “unbiased news.”

A news release from Postmedia announcing the sale quoted that company’s president as saying they’re “pleased to have reached an agreement with a local group that will continue Postmedia’s long tradition

of providing trusted and valuable journalism in these important markets.”

Financial details of the sale were not disclosed. In a Miner and News article posted online Monday, Klein described the Klein Group as “a group of investors all from Manitoba who are all concerned and fans of local journalism and the importance of it.”

Residential school plane crash victim memorial a step closer

BY DAVE BAXTER

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

REPORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

The City of Winnipeg is one step closer to erecting a permanent memorial to commemorate the nine lives that were lost when a plane taking residential school students home for the summer crashed on a Winnipeg street more than five decades ago.

“It was by far the darkest day in our community’s history,” Bunibonibee Cree Nation (BCN) Chief Richard Hart said on Wednesday.

It was June 24, 1972, and the end of another school year for the many Indigenous children who at that time were still forced to attend residential schools and be separated from their home communities for much of the year in Canada.

On that day, Mary Rita Canada, Wilkie Muskego, Roy Sinclair and his sister Deborah Sinclair, Margaret Robinson, Ethel Grieves, Rosalie Belfour, Iona Weenusk, and pilot Scott Coughlin took off in a plane from Winnipeg.

The eight students were travelling back to their home community of BCN, which was then known as Oxford House, for their summer break from residential schools they attended in Portage la Prairie and Stonewall.

The plane lifted off in Winnipeg, but crashed soon after takeoff into a vacant lot on Linwood Street in St James. Everyone on board perished.

Hart said many family

members and parents of the children in the community that day were eagerly awaiting their return, only to find out instead that they were dead.

“It was horrible, and we can never forget the impact,” Hart said. “And we only had about 1,000 people in the community at the time, so to lose that many youth at one time was devastating.”

A monument to the victims currently stands near the former Portage la Prairie Residential School and Hart said his community commemorates the anniversary of the tragedy every year. Recently, plans have been in the works for BCN, the city, and the Royal Canadian Aviation Museum (RCAM) partner to erect a permanent memorial near the crash site in Winnipeg.

On Wednesday, Winnipeg’s executive policy committee (EPC) voted unanimously to approve funding of up to $5,000 towards the installation while RCAM has said previously they plan to leverage access to the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee funds to pay for the memorial.

Hart said for family members of the victims, including siblings and a mother of one of the children who is still alive and is now in her late 90s, it would be an important opportunity to see the monument when it is unveiled.

“I’m not saying they are looking forward to it, but they want to be a part of it when they open it up,

and, we are waiting for that moment when we can have family members come down and be a part of this,” he said.

Hart added the monument would also be a place where both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people could reflect on the legacy of the crash, but also about the systems that were in place at that time like residential schools that led to the children being on the plane that day.

“The residential school experience and what happened to Indigenous people over the years often gets overlooked,” Hart said.

“I hope this can be a place where we can all find some mutual understanding because when there is an understanding of different cultures and experiences, there is a better chance that people can live without stereotypes of prejudices, and live in harmony.”

At Wednesday’s EPC meeting, St. James area advocate Kelly Ryback spoke about the monument’s importance.

“This is important to Bunibonibee Cree Nation, this is important to all Indigenous communities and Indigenous persons, it’s also important for the residents of St. James and Winnipeg,” Ryback said.

Plans for the site include a monument to commemorate each of the victims and a gravel parkway area with benches.

“It overlooks the

Course, it

overlooks the airport, it’s a beautiful site and I encourage you to support this motion and provide the funding,” Ryback said.

“It’s a beautiful location,

but more importantly it may help people to reflect.”

The motion will now go to Winnipeg city council for final approval.

— Dave Baxter is a Lo-

cal Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

PUZZLE NO. 236

PUZZLE NO.

PUZZLE NO. 237

PUZZLE

Caisse Populaire members to vote on historic credit union merger

BY BRENDA SAWATZKY LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, THE NIVERVILLE CITIZEN

It’s been well over a century since the first Caisse Populaire took root in Canada, started in Lévis, Québec by Alphonse Desjardins. In 1937, St. Malo became home to Manitoba’s first.

Today, the collective of 19 Manitoba branches are on the verge of a historic merger with the Assiniboine and Westoba Credit Unions.

Between June 6–19, members of all three financial institutions are invited to vote on the potential merger.

“Each of our founding members had the same dream,” states the Collaboration MB website. “They imagined what would be possible if individuals came together and created a way to lend each other money at fair rates when banks would not. Some were farmers, labourers, and electrical workers who experienced the financial hardships of the

Great Depression or World War II.”

In the same cooperative vein on which the caisse and credit unions were founded, so too the merger of the three institutions is being introduced as a sustainable way to face the digital complexities of modern-day banking.

In recent months, the boards of directors and administrative teams from all three institutions have been collaborating on the proposed merger which they believe is in the best interest of their collective 216,000 members.

“It isn’t just a good idea; it is a merger that drives prosperity and is filled with possibilities,” says Collaboration MB. “We are asking you to support this merger for the future of our members, employees, and communities. Vote yes and oui. It’s imperative.”

It’s a collaboration, they say, that will create much greater strength going for-

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ward, providing members with better products and services and employees with more career options than before.

As important, though, is the need to face the reality of current and emerging financial trends in terms of digitization, globalization, and cybersecurity.

“All credit unions/caisses are faced with the same technology, regulatory, and competitive challenges, which are expensive,” reads the statement. “We have been carefully watching and planning for emerging trends in the financial industry, many of which our founders could never have imagined 80 years ago. The banking landscape is changing quickly and dramatically around us.”

The challenges they need to collectively prepare for include “open banking,” a system already in use in Australia and the UK and

making its way to Canada, which provides a secure way for financial institutions to share client information.

“It puts you in control of your financial data, provides you with more choices and options, and enables you to view all your financial information in one place.”

In order to remain relevant, financial institutions will also need to stay up to speed on the latest efforts towards electronic representations, such as authentication and verification factors, for each of their clients. These require sophisticated and secure banking systems.

Of course, cybersecurity is a very real and growing concern. According to the collaborative, the security tools required by financial institutions are continually evolving, requiring more resources, expertise, and investment all the time.

The need to evolve in terms of their product and

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service offerings is also great.

“The most recent Manitoba data tells us that approximately 90 percent of banking transactions are performed with digital banking and mobile apps. How members use our products and services—and want to use our products and services—is evolving, and we have to keep up with your expectations.”

Having the capacity to offer payment app services similar to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay is important in order to stay competitive, they add.

At the same time, the regulatory environment faced by all financial institutions is also in a constant state of flux. According to the Credit Union Central of Manitoba, regulatory compliance costs to credit unions and caisses have increased by 134 percent in the last eight years.

“We believe it’s imperative to merge now, for us and the next generation. There are changes and advancements in the industry that our founding members could not have imagined. But we do think they would have seen what was needed, and that they would have come to the same conclusion—that this merger makes sense.”

During the two June weeks designated for Caisse member voting, secure and confidential online ballots will be available at ww.caissevote.biz. Each Caisse branch will also serve as a voting station during their normal hours of operation. Members are asked to bring identification in order to vote.

To close out the voting period, Caisse will host a virtual special meeting of members on June 19 at 7:00 p.m. Members are asked to preregister for this event by June 17.

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Kicking off Soccer to a record-breaking year

BY MATTHIAS J. JOHNSON STAFF REPORTER, THOMPSON CITIZEN

Thompson Jr. Soccer Association Kicks Off the Season with McDonald's Sponsorship and Exciting Initiatives

The event was an exhilarating affair, marking the second annual season kick-off event where eager parents gathered to collect their jerseys for the upcoming soccer season. As the day unfolded, a whopping 450 kids were successfully registered, setting the stage for an action-packed season ahead.

The generous sponsorship from McDonald's added an extra layer of excitement to the event. Not only did McDonald's generously donate the vibrant jerseys, but they also delighted attendees by distributing coupons for delectable ice cream, refreshing beverages, and their iconic slushes.

Each age group had its own distinctive identity, with the U-6 division affectionately dubbed the "McNuggets Division," the U-9 category proudly labeled the "Small Fries Division," and the U-12 cohort aptly named the "Golden Arch-

es." Finally, the older players were part of the "Seniors Division," symbolizing the culmination of their soccer journey.

Jonathan Mullet, the team treasurer, remarked, "We wanted to have something to inspire the kids," underlining the community's commitment to fostering a sense of pride and belonging among the young athletes.

The revitalization of the team in 2022 added a compelling narrative to the event. According to Mulletn, "When I came in, the team was caving in, and

there was only a handful of us who were committed to bringing it back." The dedication and perseverance of the team members in resurrecting the soccer program underscored the passion and resilience of the community.

Nuno Pereira, the President of the Thompson Jr. Soccer Association, shared his vision for transforming the program. "I took over last year as President, with a vision to revamp the entire program by securing new sponsorships, introducing new jerseys, and rebranding everything. Thankfully, McDonald’s came on board,

and it's been a whirlwind since then!" Pereira's commitment to the program's evolution exemplified the spirit of progress and innovation that permeated the event.

The anticipation and fervor for the upcoming season were palpable, with the unveiling of two striking trophies for the U-12 and U-18 divisions adding an aura of prestige and honor. These exquisite trophies and plaques, sourced from a specialized company in Italy. ”They are very expensive trophies” Said Pereira, “We wanted trophies that

would ignite excitement in winning.”

Looking ahead, the association plans to introduce "McMondays" and "McThursdays," where, after the games, both parents and children can savor a delightful treat at McDonald's while proudly sporting their team jerseys, entitling them to a complimentary ice cream cone. This initiative promises to further solidify the bond between the community, the sponsor, and the love for the game, setting the stage for a season filled with camaraderie and shared joy.

Thompson Citizen photo by Matthias J. Johnson

Noticeof Special MeetingofMembers

Wednesday, June19,2024

Virtually-hosted Meetingat7:00pm

Noticeisherebygiventhat aSpecialMeetingoftheMembers of AssiniboineCreditUnionLimited(“Assiniboine”)will beheld as avirtually-hostedmeetingon Wednesday, June19,2024at 7:00pm forthepurposeofconsideringandcompletingthe voting on aSpecial Resolutiontoapprove theAmalgamationAgreement enteredintobetween Assiniboine,C aissePopulaireGroupeFinancier Limitéeand WestobaCreditUnionLimited datedM ay 16,2024.

Registrationis required by 3:00pmon Wednesday, June12,2024.

Registrationis requiredtoparticipateintheSpecialMeetingofMembers Allmembers eligibletoparticipateintheSpecialMeetingwithanemail address onfileweresentanemail from Assiniboinewiththeirunique registration credentialson May23,2024. Assiniboinemembers can visit acumeeting.ca to registerusingtheunique credentialsprovided. Followingthecloseof registration, registeredmembersofAssiniboine willbesentthelinkviaemailtologintothevirtually-hostedSpecial Meeting,withinstructionsonhowtoparticipate.

VOTINGONTHESPECIALRESOLUTION

VotingontheSpecial Resolutionwillbebyelectronic votingprocedure. Votingwillopenonlineatacuvote.ca at11:00amonJune6,2024.

On June6,2024,allmemberseligibleto voteontheSpecialResolution withanemailaddress onfilewillbesentanemail from Assiniboinethat containsinstructionsonhowtovoteonlineat acuvote.ca

Assiniboinememberswillbeabletovoteat acuvote.ca usingcredentials providedtothem by AssiniboineuntilthestartoftheSpecialMeetingat 7:00pmonJune19, 2024.MembersloggedintotheSpecialMeeting whohave not yetvotedwillhavea furtheropportunitytovoteduringthe meetinguntil7:45pmsubjecttotheChair’sdiscretionto extendthetime forvotingifdeemednecessary by theChair.

If youare amemberof Assiniboineanddonotreceiveorc annotlocate your credentialsto voteontheSpecialResolutionorto registerforthe SpecialMeeting,andyouwishtodoso,pleasecontactourMember Communication Centreatcu@acu.c aor204.958.8588(toll-free 1.877.958.8588)orvisitoneofAssiniboine’s branchesto request your credentials. Whileeverymemberof Assiniboineisentitledtoregisterto attendtheSpecialMeeting, amemberdoesnotneed to registerforthe SpecialMeetinginordertovoteontheSpecialResolution.

PROPOSEDSPECIALRESOLUTION

TheSpecialResolutiontobe voteduponatthemeetingisas follows:

WHEREAS theBoardofDirectors of AssiniboineCreditUnion Limited (“Assiniboine”)hasrecommendedthat Assiniboineamalgamate withbothoreitheroneof Caisse PopulaireGroupeFinancier Limitée (“Caisse”)and WestobaCreditUnionLimited(“Westoba”)toforma creditunionpursuantto TheCreditUnionsand Caisse PopulairesAct (Manitoba)inaccordancewiththeprovisionsofanAmalgamation Agreementmade by andamongstAssiniboine, CaisseandWestoba, dated May16,2024 (the “Amalgamation Agreement”);

ANDWHEREAS itisconsidered by theBoardofDirectorsof Assiniboinetobein Assiniboine’s bestintereststoenterintothe Amalgamation Agreementandtoamalgamatewithbothoreither oneof Caisseand Westobaonthetermsandconditionssetoutin theAmalgamation Agreement;

NOWTHEREFORE BE ITRESOLVED AS ASPECIALRESOLUTIONOF THEMEMBERSOFTHECREDITUNIONTHAT:

1.TheenteringintoandperformanceoftheAmalgamation Agreement by Assiniboinebe,anditisherebyratified,approved andconfirmedinaccordancewithSection121(1)of TheCredit Unionsand Caisse PopulairesAct (Manitoba);

2.Theamalgamationof Assiniboinewithbothoreitheroneof Caisseand Westobaonthetermsandconditionssetoutinthe Amalgamation Agreementbeanditisherebyratified,approved andconfirmed.

SUMMARY OFAMALGAMATION AGREEMENT

AnAmalgamationAgreementdatedM ay 16,2024(the “Agreement”) hasbeenapprovedbytheBoardsof Directorsofeachof Assiniboine CreditUnionLimited(“Assiniboine”), Caisse PopulaireGroupFinancier Limitée(“Caisse”)andWestobaCreditUnion Limited(“Westoba”). TheAgreementprovides fortheamalgamationofAssiniboinewithboth oreitheroneofC aisseand Westobaintoonecreditunion,tobeeffective onoraboutJanuary1,2025.

Underthe Agreement,iftheMembersofAssiniboinepasstheSpecial Resolutionand:

(i)themembersofC aisseand WestobabothpassSpecial Resolutions approvingamalgamationwith Assiniboineandtheotherofthem, then Assiniboine,C aisseand Westobawillallmergeto formone creditunion;

(ii)themembersofC aissepass aSpecial Resolutionapproving amalgamation,butthemembersofWestobadonotpassa Special Resolutionapprovingamalgamation,inaccordance withthe Agreement,then Assiniboineand Caissewillmerge to formonecreditunion;and

(iii)themembersofWestobapass aSpecial Resolutionapproving amalgamation,butthemembersofC aissedonotpassaSpecial Resolutionapprovingamalgamation,inaccordancewiththe Agreement,then AssiniboineandWestobawillmergeto form onecreditunion.

IftheMembersofAssiniboinedonotpasstheSpecial Resolutionor themembersofbothofC aisseandWestobadonotpassa Special Resolutionasspecifiedabove,thennoneofAssiniboine, Caisseand Westobawillmerge.

The creditunionresulting fromtheamalgamationofAssiniboineand bothoroneofC aisseand Westobawillhave its registered officein Winnipeg,M anitoba,andwillbe calledAssiniboineCreditUnion LimitedinEnglishand,onlyif Caisseisoneofthemergingorganizations, Caisse PopulaireAssiniboine LimitéeinFrench.

Uponamalgamation,allmembersofAssiniboineandsuchof Caisse and Westobaasapprove theamalgamationbySpecial Resolution (the“mergingorganizations”)willbecomemembersofthe amalgamatedcreditunionandalldepositsandsharesoforloans owingtothemergingorganizationswillbedepositsorsharesof orloans owingtotheamalgamatedcreditunion.Alldebtsand liabilitiesof eachofthemergingorganizationswillbecomethe debtsandliabilitiesoftheamalgamatedcreditunion.

Thecommonsharesandsurplussharesof eachofthemerging organizationswillbecomecommonsharesandsurplussharesof theamalgamatedcredituniononaone-for-onebasis.TheClass “Assiniboine”PreferenceSharesof AssiniboinewillbecomeClass “Assiniboine”PreferenceSharesoftheamalgamatedcreditunionon aone-for-onebasis.TheClass “Astra”PreferenceSharesof Assiniboine willbecomeClass “Astra”PreferenceSharesoftheamalgamatedcredit uniononaone-for-onebasis.TheClass “Entegra”PreferenceShares of AssiniboinewillbecomeClass “Entegra”PreferenceSharesofthe amalgamatedcredituniononaone-for-onebasis.If Westobaisoneof themergingorganizations,thentheClass “A”PreferenceSharesand Class “B”PreferenceSharesof WestobawillbecomeClass“Westoba” PreferenceSharesoftheamalgamatedcreditunionon aone-for-one basis. Caissedoesnothaveany classesofissuedandoutstanding PreferenceShares.

Theamalgamatedcreditunion’sbusinesswillbemanagedunderthe directionofaBoard of Directors.Initially,theBoardwillhave:(a)ifall three of Assiniboine,C aisseandWestobaaremergingorganizations, 12members(sixpredecessordirectors from Assiniboine, three from Caisseandthree from Westoba);(b)ifonlyAssiniboineand Caisse aremergingorganizations, 9members(sixpredecessordirectors from Assiniboineandthree from Caisse);or (c)ifonly Assiniboine

and Westobaaremergingorganizations, 9members(sixpredecessor directorsfromAssiniboineandthree from Westoba).The Directors ontheinauguralBoardwillservestaggered terms, variouslyending atthecloseofthefirst,secondandthirdannualgeneralmeetingof theamalgamatedcreditunionaftertheamalgamation,asmore particularlysetoutinthe Agreement.

KevinSitka,currentlytheChiefExecutiveOfficerofAssiniboine, willbecometheChiefExecutiveOfficeroftheamalgamatedcredit union.TheChairandVice-ChairsoftheBoardoftheamalgamated creditunionwillbeappointedbytheBoardoftheamalgamated creditunionandtheauditoroftheamalgamatedcreditunionwill bePricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

Ifallthree of Assiniboine,C aisseand Westobaaremerging organizations,the By-L awsoftheamalgamatedcreditunionwill beasperSchedule“B”tothe Agreementsubjecttoamendment inaccordancewiththe Agreement.

Ifonly Assiniboineand Caissearemergingorganizations,the By-L aws oftheamalgamatedcreditunionwillbeasperSchedule“B”tothe Agreementasamended by theamendmentsspecifiedinSchedule “2.21(c)”ofthe Agreementandsubjecttofurtheramendmentin accordancewiththe Agreement.

Ifonly Assiniboineand Westobaaremergingorganizations, the By-L awsoftheamalgamatedcreditunionwillbeasperSchedule “B”tothe Agreementasamended by theamendmentsspecifiedin Schedule“2.21(d)”ofthe Agreement andsubjecttofurtheramendment inaccordancewiththe Agreement.

If Caisseisoneofthemergingorganizations,thentheFrench Language ServicesPolicyattachedasSchedule“C”tothe Agreementwillbe enactedasapolicyoftheamalgamatedcreditunion,andtherewillbe certainapplicableminimum requirements forFrancophonedirectorsthat willapplytotheamalgamatedcreditunionasspecifiedinthe By-L aws.

If Westobaisoneofthemergingorganizations,therewillbecertain applicableminimum requirements forruraldirectors(i.e.directorsthat areM anitobansthat resideoutsideofthe CensusMetropolitanAreaof Winnipeg)thatwillapplytotheamalgamatedcreditunionasspecified inthe By-L aws.If Caisseisoneofthemergingorganizations,but Westoba isnot,thereisareducedrequirement forruraldirectorsascompared tothe requirementsif Westobaisoneofthemergingorganizations.

Becauseofthesizeof Assiniboine,C aisseand Westoba,the amalgamationrequiresnotificationtothe CompetitionCommissioner pursuanttothe Competition Act (C anada),whethertheamalgamation isofallthree mergingorganizationsorjust Assiniboineandoneof Caisseor Westoba.

TheAmalgamation Agreement(includingSchedules) is available for review. Goto acuvote.ca toaccessacopyorvisitoneofAssiniboine’s branchesto request acopy.

RIGHTOFDISSENT

TAKE FURTHERNOTICETHAT, underSection127of TheCredit Unionsand CaissesPopulairesAct (Manitoba),if youare amember of AssiniboineCreditUnionLimited, youhavetherighttodissent totheproposedamalgamation.If youwishtodissent, youmust send awrittenobjectionto AssiniboineCreditUnionLimitedbefore thecloseoftheSpecialMeetingofmembersreferredtointhisNotice. Awrittenobjection canbedelivered to AssiniboineCreditUnion Limitedat200 MainStreet,2ndFloor,Winnipeg,MBR3C1A8 (Attention: CorporateSecretary).

On behalfoftheBoardofDirectors, AmieWarkentin,Secretary

Ritchot resident makes heartfelt plea for neighbourhood improvement

BY BRENDA SAWATZKY LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, THE NIVERVILLE CITIZEN

Ritchot’s council hosted a special delegation at their May 22 meeting which once again resulted in a full council chamber. Many of those in attendance were residents who live along Marchand Road. They were represented by delegate and neighbour, Jim Wilderman.

A 30-year owner of his property along this stretch of gravel road, Wilderman presented a growing issue that appears to have no end in sight.

The concern, he told council, is the perpetual and constant flow of heavy trucks along Marchand Road, making the rural countryside almost impossible to enjoy.

The constant flow of tan-

dem trucks, he said, appear to be headed to three sites at the end of the road where, to his knowledge, unwanted fill is being collected in dumping zones.

For residents here, their once bucolic road has turned into a major truck thoroughfare.

“Depending on the wind direction, either north or south, residents cannot breathe,” he told council. “The dust has been significant enough that three weeks ago I had to stop working in my backyard because my breathing was impaired to the point of constant coughing.”

The interior of homes along this stretch aren’t impervious to the dust either, he added. Windows have to remain closed at all times and Wilderman’s grandchil-

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dren, who live next door, can’t play in their front yard during trucking hours.

Marchand Road, too, is in a constant state of disrepair, making it at times a real safety hazard for locals. Walking or biking during truck traffic is another hazard no one is willing to risk.

As evidence of his claims, Wilderman says he counted 192 trucks passing by his home on April 24. Most of them were exceeding the speed limit and many fail to stop at the stop sign just up the road.

“What I know [about the truck drivers] is that they prefer McDonald’s over Burger King,” Wilderman says. “Some get the drink with the plastic lid and straw, some drink canned drinks with an apparent preference for Pepsi. Some use napkins and they prefer Kirkland bottled water and have no preference as to where they leave it on the road. Thankfully, no beer cans.”

Based on Wilderman’s assessment, the three dump sites in question are receiving fill and rubble, including concrete, from Winnipeg construction sites. He is unsure

of the owners of two of the sites. The third, he said, is owned by a family named Sumka.

All three of the dump sites exist right next to the Red River. Several of the dumping areas lie only 350 feet from the river’s edge. Wilderman shared his concerns that these act as threats to the riverbank’s integrity.

As well, he told council, berms being created by the dumping have caused the natural flow of water towards the river to change, resulting in regular water backup along one area of Marchand Road.

Wilderman informed council that, at site number one, the original owner attempted to secure a building permit from the RM. But when it was denied, he still sold the property as a buildable lot.

“The area being filled is approximately 200 [feet] by 70 [feet],” Wilderman said. “If the owner elevates the area by 12 feet, which is way lower than his present hill, it will require 66,766 yards of fill or 6,676 tandem loads of fill, meaning that trucks will pass by the front of our yards 13,352 times.”

Using the same calcula-

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tions for site numbers two and three, Wilderman estimates that an additional 10,000 tandem trucks will pass by their homes before they are done.

Through the use of a Power Point presentation, Wilderman demonstrated photos taken of the Sumka property where the area’s elevation level already towers above the river level.

“There doesn’t appear to be any valid reason for elevating other than disposal,” Wilderman said. “When I asked Mr. Sumka four years ago when he would be finished hauling, his reply was, ‘Never.’ More recently, he indicated to a neighbour that he would continue until the day he dies.”

In Wilderman’s view, fill collection has become a lucrative business endeavour.

“It costs $92 per ton to get rid of clean fill at our dump,” Wilderman says. “With a minimum of ten tons on a tandem, more if concrete, that would be around $920 per load. I’m not sure the dollars involved in fill disposal, but the numbers are significant.”

First and foremost, Wilderman says he and his fellow neighbours would love nothing better than for council to create policies which limit fill hauling along this stretch to the winter months when families are inside and the road is frozen.

He also had a few more recommendations for council.

Firstly, he said, property owners should be required to hold building permits in order to raise their property elevations. This would help deter sites from becoming dumping zones in the first place.

As well, limiting the height to which sites can be elevated and making regular site visits to ensure compliance would be useful. This would guarantee that hauling cannot go on indefinitely.

Land studies should be done, he added, to ensure that proper drainage is occurring and riverbank integrity is not being compromised.

Mayor Chris Ewen responded, assuring Wilderman that councillor Janine Boulanger has been lobbying on behalf of the residents of Marchand Road for some time now. He indicated that council is interested in addressing the issue at the next public works planning meeting, after which a plan of action would be forthcoming. “Public works has been working on a hauling permit, so there is action going on in the background,” Boulanger told those gathered. “A lot of the staff is aware [of the problem] and we’re just trying to find the proper solution. These are great suggestions that we’ll bring forward as well.”

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We areanequalopportunity employerand value diversity at ourcompany. Joinourteam at AllianceMaintenanceServicesandcontributetoan environmentthatvaluesintegrity,excellence,andteamwork. We look forwardtoreceivingyour application!

Correction demanded for ‘big error’ in carbon price report

BY NATASHA BULOWSKI LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, CANADA'S NATIONAL OBSERVER

The Parliamentary Budget Officer made an error in its carbon-pricing reports that are frequently cited in the Conservative Party's “axe the tax” attacks, and the Liberals want a more prominent correction issued.

The PBO quietly published a note on its website on April 17, admitting its economic analyses of the consumer carbon price in 2022 and 2023 erroneously included the impact of the industrial carbon price, too.

Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull, parliamentary secretary for the Finance Minister, wrote to the PBO requesting a “more detailed public correction,” adding

that “correcting the record on your analysis of the fuel charge is necessary to maintain the integrity of your office.”

“To be honest, it's irresponsible,” said Chris Bataille, energy and climate policy analyst, in a phone interview with Canada’s National Observer. “It should be more prominent.”

The PBO plans to publish an updated analysis in the fall.

The PBO’s reports purported to analyze the impacts of the consumer fuel charge and rebates and concluded the carbon price’s impact on economic growth and jobs could mean up to 80 per cent of families won’t break even with rebates. The federal Conservatives seized on this talking point to counter the federal

government’s assertion that eight out of 10 households will receive more money back through fuel rebates than they are taxed. For the last year, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his caucus have cited the PBO report as a reason to “axe the tax.”

But Poilievre has not been clear on whether a Conservative government would also axe the industrial pricing system.

By including the industrial system in the analysis, Turnbull and experts on carbon pricing say the results are skewed and do not represent what the PBO initially set out to study.

“By incorporating the impacts of the industrial Output-based Pricing System (OBPS) for industrial polluters, the economic im-

pacts projected in your report certainly overestimate the real costs of the fuel charge,” wrote Turnbull.

This is a “big error,” said Bataille, an adjunct research fellow at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy, in an interview with Canada’s National Observer.

“If a private consulting firm was responsible for that error, it would not be doing that work again,” he said. Bataille was a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report.

“The numbers that are being bandied about about the effects of the fuel levy are drastically overestimated at this point in time” he added.

Industrial pricing has a potentially larger economic effect because it affects

Revive and promote the seal hunt, federal report recommends

large, critical industries — such as oil and gas, mining, cement and pulp and paper — compared to the fuel charge on individuals. While the levy for individuals certainly has implications for the economy, they are not nearly as large because the coverage is more on the consumer, said Trevor Tombe, a professor of economics at the University of Calgary, in an interview with Canada’s National Observer.

Even before this revelation, the PBO’s modeling was criticized by the environmental community and many researchers, because it only models the cost of environmental policies and not the benefits associated with limiting global warming and its damages.

Rivers in an interview with Canada’s National Observer. All these models make a lot of assumptions and Rivers thinks they shouldn’t be treated as definitive, but rather, that many different models should be run to better triangulate and understand the impacts of different policies.

This situation “really reinforces that you should never hang your hat on a single paper or a single piece of analysis as though it is the end of the story,” said Tombe. “This is a complicated policy that requires real, rigorous research from lots of independent entities.”

The PBO told Canada’s National Observer it is not clear how the results of its carbon price analyses would be affected if the output-based pricing system was excluded.

BY MATTEO CIMELLARO LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, CANADA'S

OBSERVER

NATIONAL

When Paul McCartney campaigned against the seal hunt in 2006, it was unclear how reliant the Inuit and some coastal community economies were on the trade.

“We are concerned about the economics for the people, but we think there are other ways to do it,” McCartney said at the time.

Three years later, the European Union banned all seal products. The market for seal products was decimated, and with it came the rise of poverty and suicide within Inuit communities despite exemptions for their products, Steven Lonsdale of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association told the Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans late last year.

Now, a new report from that committee acknowledges the harm done by the ban and recommends Ottawa must do more to revive the struggling industry in what it has branded a call to action.

Ottawa should do more to promote community and scientific research on seal populations, lobby,

promote and market Canada’s seal industry and remove tax exemptions for non-governmental organizations who campaign against the seal industry, the report states. There is little research on some species of seals, such as those on the Pacific coast. However, seal numbers are known to be healthy, with some testimonies at the committee pointing to high populations of seals harming fish stock on the east coast, though gaps in scientific research and data make the impact of seal populations on Canada’s fishing industry unclear, the report said.

The report follows decades of economic collapse suffered by the seal industry that once sustained Inuit and coastal communities. That collapse was spurred by animal rights activists, including McCartney, who lobbied to end the hunt, causing bans of seal products in the European Union.

A commercial market is also important for Inuit and coastal First Nation economies, given the need to pass traditional knowledge around seal harvesting and to create opportunities for moderate livelihoods in the

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Thesuccessfulclientwillhave aworkingunderstandingofDomestic and/orFamilyviolenceandrelatedissues.Haveoneormore yearsof counseling experience,preferablyintheareaofcrisisinterventionor domestic/familyviolence,withsomeprofessionaltrainingi.e.Applied CounselingCertificateand/orrelevantpost-secondaryeducation(Social work,Nursingorwork-related experience).

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north, the report said.

The report recommends removing tax exemptions for non-governmental organizations that hurt the seal industry and Inuit communities. These organizations do so by vilifying the industry, said Senator Fabian Manning, who chairs the committee that authored the report, at a press conference on Thursday.

“If they continue to vilify and lie about the seal industry in Canada, they should definitely not receive a tax benefit from Canada,” Manning added, questioning why Ottawa sits back on seals while it defends the beef, pork and chicken industries.

There are still some animal rights organizations that campaign against the seal harvest, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

“The Senate committee’s attempt to silence organizations that speak out against the cruel commercial seal slaughter should raise the alarm among all who value their freedom of expression,” PETA said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Greenpeace, which had previously been active in campaign-

ing against the seal hunt, apologized to the Inuit in 2014.

Lifting the ban on seal products in the European Union will be an “uphill battle,” Manning said. But Asian, domestic and U.S. markets might be able to fill the gap if stigmas against seal products are erased and the current U.S. ban is lifted.

“They love the products [we] have, but they can't buy them,” he said.

Around 90 per cent of Canada’s seal harvest occurs in Nunavut, said Senator Brian Francis at Thursday’s press conference.

Currently, only one seal processing plant remains in Canada, located in Newfoundland. The processing plant has enough capacity to handle a revived seal industry.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has set no limits to the number of seals harvesters can catch, according to senior director Todd Williams, who spoke at an earlier committee meeting.

Such limits aren’t needed because the number of seals caught for market is so low; since 2016, the harvest has not reached previous benchmarks, according to the report.

JOBPOSTING

Full-TimeDayCare Worker

Whilehoursareanticipatedtobetypically9:00a.m. -5:00 p.m.,there willbe aminimumofoneeveningper weekofprogramming.Also,please notethat in ordertomeet theneedsofclients,flexibleshiftsarerequired. ThispositioninvolvesworkinginclosecollaborationwiththeChildren’s Counselorinproviding/assistinginchild-mindingservices foremergency, transitionand theoutreachprogram.Thepositionwill alsoinvolveworking closelywiththeCounselorsonboththeE-floorand Transitionfloorinthe schedulingoftheindividualandgroupssessions. Thisincludesproviding asafeandhealthyenvironment,planning and implementingon-siteandoff-siteactivitiesi.e. crafts/music/bakingandplay therapy.Mustbeabletoprovidenutritioussnacks.Otherresponsibilities includecleaning/sanitizingandinputtingstatsintoHIFIS. Ifyouareinterestedinapplyingforthispositionorrequire furtherinformation withrespecttonatureoftheposition,qualifications,requiredknowledge, educationandskills*,pleasecontact HelenTrudeau (Executive Director) orChristineFenner(ProgramManager) byMarch15/2024by4pm.

Nicholas Rivers, a carbon price expert and professor at the University of Ottawa, said it is concerning how long the PBO’s mistaken analysis has been circulated and how influential it has been in Canadian politics. But he isn’t shocked there was a mistake in the model.

“There's always the concern that the long computer code that someone had to write had flaws,” said

The industrial pricing system is going to account for a large chunk of Canada’s greenhouse gas emission reductions by 2030, according to analysis done by the Canadian Climate Institute.

— With files from the Canadian Press

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UCNisbuildingbetterfuturesfora strongerNorth.UCN provideslearningopportunitiestonortherncommunities anditspeopleofferingmorethanfortyacademicdegrees diploma,andcertificateprograms.

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Feds announce $31 million funding boost for SCO’s downtown project

BY DAVE BAXTER

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

A massive, Indigenous-led development project in downtown Winnipeg got a major financial boost when the federal government announced they would put an additional $31 million towards the work being done to transform the former Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) building into Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn.

“We know that Winnipeg is Canada’s most vital city when we talk about reconciliation,” federal Minister Dan Vandal said Friday morning, while speaking at the current construction site that was once the main floor shopping area of Winnipeg’s flagship HBC department store.

“I often say Winnipeg is the Indigenous capital of Canada. This transformation is more than just a symbol of reconciliation, we are moving beyond promises to do better as governments and as a society, people who come here will be able to see reconciliation in action.

“This will stand as an example for the entire country.”

Vandal announced at Fri-

day’s media conference, the federal government is making a new investment of $31 million towards Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn, with $25 million coming from Infrastructure Canada’s Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, and $6 million coming from PrairiesCan, through the Community Economic Development and Diversification program.

The federal government also previously pledged $65 million towards the project, putting their total investment towards the development now at approximately $96 million.

The money will help to support the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) as they continue with their work on an expansive project to redevelop the former HBC building.

In November of 2020, HBC permanently closed their once flagship Winnipeg store because of what they said was shifting consumer behaviours and changes to how and where customers were shopping. The store first opened at at the corner of Portage Avenue and Memorial Boulevard in 1926.

PROF ES SIONAL

EMPLOY MENTOPPO RT UNIT Y AWASIS AG ENCY OFNO RT HERNMANI TO BA UNIT/O FFICE:FOX LAKESU B-OFFICE LO CATION:FOX LAKE,M B

Position: FosterCare Worker/DataClerk One(1)Full-TimePermanent Position

TheFosterCareWorker/Data Clerkisa memberoftheFosterCare andQualityAssuranceandDatadepartments.The incumbent develops relationships with foster parentsandchildrenincare, providingongoingsupportandlicensinghomes.Theincumbent receivesandentersdataonall casetypesandprovidesmonth-end reportsoncasefiles.TheFosterCareWorker/Data Clerksupportsthe workoftheAgencywithadministrative tasks,ensuringtheaccuracy ofdata inputwhile followingtheAgency’spoliciesandpractices Theworkisdetailedand requiresthatconfidentialitybemaintained.

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AwasisAgencyprovidesservicetoIndigenouschildrenand families, thereforepreferencewillbegiventoIndigenousapplicants Applicantsareencouragedtoself-identify. Individualsinterestedin this challengingopportunity please reference CompetitionNumber 2024-053on your resume/coverletterandincludeitinthesubject lineofyouremail,inconfidence to: HumanResourcesDepartment AwasisAgencyofNorthernManitoba Competition#2024-053

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In April of 2022, plans were announced to transfer ownership of the building to the Southern Chiefs’ Organization (SCO) to begin work on a project that is expected to cost upwards of $200 million, while all three levels of government have previously pledged more than $100 million in combined funding and tax breaks towards the development.

The 655,000-square-foot building will be developed into an Indigenous-led space expected to include housing units, child care spots, a health centre, a museum, office space, retail stores and restaurants, and spaces for reflection.

“This building is destined to be a social, economic, and cultural hub that honours First Nations and welcomes all people,” Vandal said.

He added it will be important because additional housing units will become available in the downtown area once work on the project is complete.

“We all know that cities are judged by their downtowns, and we know that downtown housing is absolutely critical to a safer, more vibrant Winnipeg,” Vandal said.

SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels, who also spoke at

Friday’s event, said he believes the organization, which just this week celebrated its 25th anniversary, is “punching above its weight” with the work it has undertaken on the project.

“This is a tough project, this is a heavy, heavy project at 25, because 25 years old is a young age for our organization,” Daniels said. “We are punching above our weight class here, in charge of one of one of the biggest projects in Canada.”

According to the federal government, the The PrairiesCan investment for the project will include the development and launch of Miikahnah Connect, a workforce development app, as well as activities to prepare the former HBC building for redevelopment, and it is anticipated that more than 400 people will be hired to work on the Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn project through the app.

The Infrastructure Canada

funding, according to the feds, will support vital repairs and upgrades to the building, including transforming the main floor into a public space, and investments to make the building more environmentally sustainable by reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

Carberry’s First Children’s Business Fair a Success

BY KERI L PRIOR

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, NEEPAWA BANNER & PRESS

Eleven young entrepreneurs participated in Carberry's first Children's Business Fair, setting up booths around the Carberry Hall on Saturday and selling products ranging from lemonade to jewellery to macrame.

Tamara Flett, Administrative Arts Director with the Carberry Plains Arts Council, said that she got the idea from a parent of one of the young entrepreneurs, and while organising the event also reached out to Neepawa EDO Marilyn

JOBPOSTING

Part-TimeCounselors Level1

Sixteen(16)hours/week(1)(Days)

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Thesuccessfulclientwillhave aworkingunderstandingofDomestic and/or Familyviolence andrelated issues.Haveoneormoreyearsof counseling experience, preferably in the area ofcrisisinterventionor domestic/familyviolence, withsomeprofessionaltrainingi.e.Applied CounselingCertificateand/orrelevantpost-secondaryeducation(Social work,Nursingorwork-related experience).

Have acurrentCPRand FirstAide or willing toobtainand recentChild abuse registry/Criminalrecordcheck. ValidDriver’s licenseorwillingtoobtain. Mustbeabletoworkcross-culturally,theabilitytospeak asecondlanguage isanasset.Haveanunderstandingandrespectof LGBTQ1issuesandthe vulnerablesectors.

Bewillingtoworkshiftwork(days,afternoons,andnights)onweekends andstatholidaysasrequired.

Be reliable,dependable,flexible,andpunctualandhavea goodworkethic. Ifyouare interested in applyingfor apositionpleasesubmit anupto dateresumetothe ProgramManagerChristineFenner/orExecutive DirectorHelen Trudeau.Applications are duebyMarch15/2024by 4pm.

FriuliSuite Rentals/BianchiniWarehousing AssistantPropertyManager

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Crewe who organised a similar event in Neepawa last summer.

"It's turned out great," said Flett. "What the kids do is they make a business plan, they make a business name, they design their product, and then they sell it. It's all their work." Young entrepreneurs aged 6 to 15 were encouraged to design their own business and put their product or service on sale during the fair.

There was also a judged component for the business with the Highest Business Potential. That

award went to 12-year-old Enrico Prudnikov and his business Enrico's Custom Woodworking which sold signs, planters, and other woodworked objects.

The day was rounded out by a Mother's Day stepping stone craft for the kids and a hot-dog lunch provided by the new Child Care Development Committee. The Children's Business Fair originated with the Acton Academy in Austin, Texas and since 2007 has spread to over 20 countries and almost 600 towns and cities all over the world.

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Intake Worker

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CreeNationChild &FamilyCaringAgency(CNCFCA)is responsible foradministeringandprovidingforthedeliveryofChildandFamily Services.CNCFCAisdedicated to providingcomprehensive CFS Servicesthatarecommunity-basedandincorporatebothprotection andpreventionservices.

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CONDITIONSOFEMPLOYMENT

§ Mustpass acriminalrecordscheck,childabuseandpriorcheck

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§ Otherdutiesrelated to thepositionmay beassigned Deadline:May31,2024 @4:00

SUBMIT COVERLET TER& RESUMESALONGWITHTHREE(3) REFERENCES MARKED“PERSONAL& CONFIDENTIAL”TO: HumanResourceManager Cree NationChild& FamilyCaringAgency Box10130, Opaskwayak,MB.R0B2J0 Fax:204-623-3847Email:hr@creenation.ca

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Grassy Narrows proves environmental racism is not over

BY MATTEO CIMELLARO LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, CANADA'S NATIONAL OBSERVER

The discovery that pollution from a paper mill is contributing to the long-standing mercury poisoning afflicting Grassy Narrows First Nation is another example of widespread environmental racism, say federal MPs.

The mercury contamination at Grassy Narrows dates back to the 1960s and '70s, when Dryden Chemical dumped roughly 10 metric tonnes of mercury into the English-Wabigoon River system. The pollution has caused serious health problems for the vast majority of members of Grassy Narrows and Wabaseemoong First Nations, including neurological issues, birth defects and more.

“The reality is Indigenous communities, racialized communities have to continue to suffer when corporations pollute,” Edmonton-Griesbach NDP MP Blake Desjarlais said, pointing to the Grassy Narrow’s case and Danielle Smith’s government’s RStar program that “uses tax dollars” to remediate industry’s abandoned wells.

And this is not the first recent, high-profile example of environmental pollution driven by corporate interest that has impacted Indigenous communities.

Last year, it came to light that local Indigenous communities including the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation were not properly notified of seepage from tailings ponds until a large spill, nine months later, brought the issue into the spotlight.

Imperial Oil and the Alberta Energy Regulator say there were no impacts to the water supply or environment, but this did not assuage the fear and anxiety felt by ACFN and Mikisew Cree First Nation members, many of whom rely on fish, game and gathering out on the land. Communities

have long been calling on the federal government to conduct health studies on the cumulative impacts of the oilsands development, pointing to cases of a rare bile duct cancer.

Then, in late April, Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia Ont. — also known as Chemical Valley due to the more than 60 petrochemical plants in the region — measured benzene levels 424 times higher than acceptable levels. Benzene is highly toxic and a known carcinogen, used in chemical manufacturing to produce certain types of plastics. The chemical is known to cause cancers and increase rates of respiratory illness.

Aamjiwnaang First Nation said elevated benzene levels in the air from the Ineos Styrolution facility caused several community members to fall ill.

In response, on May 17, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault issued a 14day emergency interim order to the petrochemical industry in Sarnia, ordering companies to implement abatement measures to contain pollution, including fully closed vents and vapour control on storage tanks that contain high concentrations of the chemical.

News of the Grassy Narrows mercury poisoning made a stir in Question Period on May 23, when NDP MP Charlie Angus called it “an unprecedented corporate crime.”

“We now learn that the Dryden Fibre Canada mill has been dumping sulfates into the Wabigoon River, which has been driving the mercury crisis for a new generation,” said Angus. He asked the federal government what it will do to hold the company accountable and clean up the contamination.

Liberal MP Jenica Atwin pointed to an Indigenous Services Canada project that received $57.5 million in Budget 2024 to construct

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a care home to offer specialized care and assisted living to people with methylmercury poisoning.

“We can't just slap a hospital or a special medicalized program that's going to help mercury victims, it should have never happened to begin with,” Desjarlais said.

“Imagine if this happened in Montreal, imagine if we dumped all of the metallurgic chemicals into the St. Lawrence, how fast, how quickly this problem will be resolved,” he added. In recent years, sulfur and organic compound discharge from the Dryden Fibre Canada mill has created a dangerous chemical reaction in the Wabigoon River resulting in high levels of methylmercury, researchers from Western University said Thursday.

The levels of methylmercury — the most toxic form of mercury — in the river's fish may be twice as high as they would be without the mill discharge, the researchers said.

“We have individuals who are eating the fish that is now highly contaminated with an even worse substance than they would have ever imagined,” Desjarlais

said. “These things were preventable.”

Desjarlais said there are two root causes for these repeated instances of environmental racism, the first being the current neoliberal economic system, which favours free markets and deregulation.

“Neoliberalism has given corporations unfettered power to act as an individual, for the better pursuit of their own interests at the cost of other people,” he said.

This should be countered by giving those same individual rights of corporations to water, air and the land, Desjarlais said. “The things we rely on most for our longevity as a species should be protected,” he said.

He also advocates giving greater power to Indigenous jurisdictions, referring to the fact that Indigenous lands make up 20 per cent of the world, but contain 80 per cent of the world’s biodiversity.

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May also called out Alberta’s tailings pond debacle as another example of environmental racism in action.

“It's been proven now for more than a decade that the

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toxic chemicals from the tailings ponds are reaching the Athabasca River, which is a violation of the federal Fisheries Act, yet no charges are laid,” said May in a phone interview with Canada’s National Observer.

May has a private members bill that seeks to address environmental racism. Bill C-226 is one Senate vote away from becoming law. May said it’s unclear when the vote will be held, but the bill is expected to pass. Once passed, the bill will require the federal government to examine the links between race, socio-economic status and environmental risk as well as compel the environment and climate change minister to develop a national strategy to address the

harms caused by environmental racism.

May hopes the passage of C-226 will “result in a meaningful change” to get us beyond just talking about the pattern of environmental pollution and racism, by identifying the responsibility of governments to protect marginalized, racialized and Indigenous communities. She looks to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental justice program — created in 1994 – as inspiration for what Canada should do.

— with files from Paola Loriggio, the Canadian Press

Matteo Cimellaro & Natasha Bulowski / Canada’s National Observer / Local Journalism Initiative

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THOMPSON CITIZEN CLASSIFIED SECTION

The immigrant experience: fleeing an oppressive regime

BY BRENDA SAWATZKY LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, THE NIVERVILLE CITIZEN

torture and other ill treatment, enforced disappearance, forcible closure of businesses, confiscation of property, house demolitions, destruction of cemeteries, and hate speech by officials and state media.”1

says, can get up to 45 Celsius along with high humidity. During his years there, the sewage system in the area in which he lived was deplorable, emptying from local homes right onto the streets and alleyways.

example, the physics prof was talking about torque and I thought he was talking about Turkish people and I couldn’t understand the difference. So it was hell, but I did it. I learned English as I studied.”

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This is the second in a series presented by The Citizen which explores the lives of newcomers to our region of southeastern Manitoba. Everywhere we look, new and diverse faces surround us. It’s time to get to know our neighbours and welcome them to our communities.

“You had to be careful not to catch any diseases. The hygiene level was [poor].”

RCMP seeking four suspects in Easterville

RCMP seeking four suspects in Easterville home invasion

Four men from Easterville are wanted by police in connection with an assault that left another man with serious injuries.

Four men from Easterville are wanted by police in connection with an assault that left another man with serious injuries.

Massoud Horriat is neither a newcomer to St. Adolphe nor a stranger there. In fact, the name Massoud is as familiar in this small French community as the names of those who have spent their entire lives in the town.

Eventually, the Supreme Revolutionary Cultural Council made clear their mandate to ensure that the end of the Baha’i faith in Iran by expelling its adherents from universities and denying them employment or positions of influence.

home invasion

Thanks to a tenacious spirit, Massoud not only passed his courses but achieved top grades, receiving financial bursaries along the way.

Chemawawin RCMP were alerted around 11 a.m. March 11 that a 24-year-old man was being taken to the Easterville nursing station for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Investigation determined that four men entered the victim’s home earlier that morning, assaulting him and causing extensive damage before leaving.

Massoud found a small one-room apartment which he shared with about five other bachelors. Later, when Massoud’s parents and extended family escaped to Pakistan, he rented a second room for them.

Massoud is the local pharmacist and, while he resides in south Winnipeg, the long hours he spends serving the residents of St. Adolphe from his Main Street business make him feel like one of them.

Chemawawin RCMP were alerted around 11 a.m. March 11 that a 24-year-old man was being taken to the Easterville nursing station for treatment of serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Investigation determined that four men entered the victim’s home earlier that morning, assaulting him and causing extensive damage before leaving.

Based on historical information provided by the Iran Press Watch, tens of thousands of Iranians were found “objectionable” by the state and killed, their bodies dumped into mass graves.

While studying and working, Massoud met up with an Iranian lady friend and recent immigrant to Winnipeg. Soon after, they were married. Not long after that, they were expecting their first child.

The prospect of fatherhood meant Massoud’s plans would change. Two years into his studies, he settled on a degree in pharmacy in order to support his new family.

For more than 30 years, Massoud has called Canada home. For the past nine of those years, Massoud has owned and operated the St. Adolphe Pharmacy, acting as its sole pharmacist.

“More than 200 Baha’is were executed during the 1980s and early 1990s and a thousand or more were imprisoned,” states the Iran Press Watch.2

The bureaucratic process for immigration through the United Nations was anything but easy for the family. Eventually, their moment arrived and they were given the option of immigrating to Canada, America, or Australia. Their chances of gaining visas to a certain country improved if they had family already living there.

Police are asking for the public’s assistance in finding 29-year-old Mitchell Howard Ledoux, 27-year-old Steven Shane Klyne, 26-year-old Shawn Eric Umpherville and 20-year-old Nathan Walter Umpherville, all from Easterville, who are believed to have fled to Winnipeg. The four face numerous charges including aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and breaking and entering.

Police are asking for the public’s assistance in finding 29-year-old Mitchell Howard Ledoux, 27-year-old Steven Shane Klyne, 26-year-old Shawn Eric Umpherville and 20-year-old Nathan Walter Umpherville, all from Easterville, who are believed to have fled to Winnipeg. The four face numerous charges including aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and breaking and entering.

Massoud is a numbers kind of guy. He remembers dates like they happened yesterday, including the day he first landed in Canada: October 11, 1991.

Massoud was in his mid-twenties during those years. He worked as a machinist since the state prevented him from attending university to achieve his dream of obtaining a degree in medicine.

“We chose Canada because my sister was here. So I came to Canada and then a month and a half later my parents and my youngest sister came.”

Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t last, but it resulted in three beautiful children whom Massoud takes great pride in. Today, two have become success stories in their own right: one as a dentist and the other a contractor. Massoud’s youngest still lives at home with him while completing school.

Anyone with information on any of the suspects’ whereabouts is asked to call Chemawawin

Born in Iran, Massoud and his family were forced to flee their home country in the late 1980s during the time of the Islamic Revolution. They took refuge in Pakistan until they secured immigration visas for Canada.

Anyone with information on any of the suspects’ whereabouts is asked to call Chemawawin

While he waited, he took shelter in a city called Lahore.

“I waited there for two years, one day, three hours, and 22 minutes to come to Canada,” Massoud muses.

His mother worked as a nurse and his father was an entrepreneur. Tensions for the family grew as they watched people they knew be imprisoned, tortured, or executed for their faith.

One year prior, Massoud’s sister, her husband, and two children had emigrated to Winnipeg. Massoud took up temporary residence in their small apartment for a few months while he got on his feet.

RCMP at 204-329-2004 or Crime Stopper Anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

RCMP at 204-329-2004 or Crime Stopper Anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

“If you are not Muslim, you are not welcome there,” says Massoud.

When Massoud and his family finally decided to flee their homeland, they left homes, property, and vacation villas behind, arriving in Pakistan with little to their name.

Massoud was the first to arrive in Pakistan, Iran’s dominantly Islamic neighbour. Massoud describes it as being only slightly more tolerant of non-Muslims.

Licensed Technician:

Licensed Technician:

• Licensed Heavy Equipment Technician.

• Licensed Heavy Equipment Technician.

Soon after, the others came.

“We started from scratch. When we came here, we didn’t have anything. But at least we were free and we were able to get jobs.”

Massoud’s first winter in Winnipeg came as a complete shock to his system.

“I knew it was cold, but hearing about it and experiencing it are two totally different things,” he recalls.

Massoud says that the series of events that brought him to St. Adolphe as the local pharmacist were both coincidental and serendipitous, and he hasn’t regretted the decision even once.

Tips can also be submitted securely online at www. manitobacrimestoppers. com or by texting TIPMAN plus a message to CRIMES (274637).

Tips can also be submitted securely online at www. manitobacrimestoppers. com or by texting TIPMAN plus a message to CRIMES (274637).

The building where his business is located comes with a rich history, just like Massoud. Many years ago, it served as a community school. There are still remnants of this aspect of its history in the attic where schoolbooks lay dormant, placed there for their insulative properties.

Eventually, the building turned into a grocery and liquor store, and later a pet grooming facility.

The Islamic Republic of Iran was born in 1979 and was led by Muslim clerics and the founder of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini. What followed in the coming decades, what is still happening to this very day, is a kind of cultural genocide. Iran has been subjected to an oppressive political movement seeking to eliminate any faith group other than Islamic fundamentalism.

• Machine audits as required.

• Machine audits as required.

Although Iranian refuges weren’t turned away at their borders, they also weren’t allowed to take jobs or pursue an education while holed up in Pakistan, awaiting their uncertain future.

Massoud says that from the moment he opened his pharmacy doors, the community has embraced him.

• Perform shop and field repairs to all Surface and U/G Epiroc Equipment as required.

• Perform shop and field repairs to all Surface and U/G Epiroc Equipment as required.

Massoud was 30 when he settled in Winnipeg. Wasting no time, he registered at the University of Winnipeg to fulfill his dream of going into medicine. He took any menial job he was able to find to put himself through school.

• Developing and maintaining a positive relationship with machine operators and customer representatives.

• Daily time entry.

• Daily time entry.

• Daily shift reports.

• Daily shift reports.

• Developing and maintaining a positive relationship with machine operators and customer representatives.

“I worked as a dishwasher till 3:00 a.m. and then went to school the next morning.”

• Other duties as assigned and required to maintain the contract.

• Other duties as assigned and required to maintain the contract.

Schedule:

Schedule:

Massoud and his family hold to the Baha’i faith, Iran’s largest non-Islamic religious minority. As such, they and thousands of others became targets of the state.

To get by, Massoud learned the Ursu language. His native tongue, Farsi, was not spoken outside of refugee circles.

• 5 days a week ,Monday to Friday

• 5 days a week ,Monday to Friday

Skills and Experience:

Skills and Experience:

• 2-3 years of experience.

• 2-3 years of experience.

• Great communication and problem solving skills.

According to Amnesty International, the Baha’i “suffered widespread and systematic violations, including arbitrary detention,

“This is my second family,” Horriat says of St. Adolphe’s residents. “Honest to God, it’s an honor and a pleasure to be here. Everybody knows me, they accept me, and I love every single one of them.”

• Great communication and problem solving skills.

• Proven and motivated self-starter who is able to work with minimal supervision but can take direction.

• Strong team player.

• Strong team player.

• Proven and motivated self-starter who is able to work with minimal supervision but can take direction.

• Driven to obtain 100% customer satisfaction

• Driven to obtain 100% customer satisfaction

“You can’t do anything [in Pakistan] and you just barely survive,” Massoud says. “I took a few belongings and some money with me [from Iran] and the United Nations helped us, but very little. You had to make the best of it. It was hard, hard, hard.”

Summers in Pakistan, he

But Massoud had no working knowledge of English apart from some superficial language classes for immigrants upon his early arrival. He dug in his heels, undeterred by the many roadblocks that lay in his path, and looked ahead to his certification through the Medical College Admission Exam.

“It was very, very challenging,” he says. “For one

French was one language Massoud never learned to speak, but his lack has never deterred his French-speaking patrons.

For nine years now, Massoud has enjoyed the quick commute to his second home, St. Adolphe, and doesn’t imagine retiring anytime soon.

Country and City description Thompson, Manitoba

Country and City description Thompson, Manitoba

Application Details:

Application Details:

Recruiting Manager: Henri Beck

Recruiting Manager: Henri Beck

HR Manager: Nathalie Gaudet

HR Manager: Nathalie Gaudet

Send your application to: careers@epiroc.com with a copy to shawn. samuels@epiroc.com and henri.beck@epiroc.com

Send your application to: careers@epiroc.com with a copy to shawn. samuels@epiroc.com and henri.beck@epiroc.com

Deadline: March 16 , 2018

Deadline: March 16 , 2018

Alliance Maintenance Services program takes flight in training aircraft engineers

BY MATTHIAS J. JOHNSON STAFF REPORTER, THOMPSON CITIZEN

The aviation industry's ever-evolving landscape has created a large demand for skilled aircraft maintenance engineers. Addressing this need headon, the program developed by Alliance Maintenance Services at the Thompson Regional Airport has swiftly emerged as a frontrunner, equipping students with hands-on training and expertise essential for excelling in this crucial field. With remarkable progress and a steadfast commitment to shaping the future of aircraft maintenance in Canada, the program is poised to leave a lasting impact on the industry and the region at large.

Alliance Maintenance Services has successfully completed its first class of training aircraft maintenance workers and is eager to embrace a promising future. The training, based at the airport's hangar, amalgamates the maintenance departments of Calm Air, Perimeter, and Alliance Maintenance “Basic Training with Aircraft specific material.”

A critical component of the aircraft maintenance trade is the educational requirement mandated by Transport Canada. The program, known as AMS Arotech Training, delivers a fundamental training outline specified by Transport Canada, encompassing all the essential systems of an aircraft.

Jason Fryza, Director of Quality Safety and Training at Alliance Maintenance Services, expressed his excitement in venturing out on this new program and his passion for sharing his knowledge with aspiring students, “We’re getting them started in the aircraft maintenance career, It’s a third option for people in the North who may find it difficult to travel away from home”

Recognizing the pressing need to recruit more aircraft maintenance engineers and acknowledging the nationwide shortage of such professionals, the company took the initiative to build its own team to tackle this challenge.

The current national statistic for aircraft maintenance engineers in Canada plummets to a historic low of only 17,000 in total, with half projected to retire within the next 10 years, followed by a further halving of that number in the subsequent five years.

The training encompasses a wide array of engines and aircraft types, including turbine and piston engines. It also delves into the history of engines, electric and hydraulic systems, avionics modules, and helicopter systems. The program recently

celebrated the graduation of its first four students who completed their maintenance training. Another class is scheduled for July, with an estimated 6 to 8 students expected to participate.

Drawing from two decades of experience as an aircraft maintenance engineer, Fryza noted, “It’s always been a very busy airport, and it’s getting busier, and I think they’re expecting it to get even busier as they build this new facility.”

With the growing bustle, the company has recruited 35 mechanics in the past year, aiming to cultivate talent from scratch to sustain this growth. Their focus is on recruiting individuals with no prior experience but possess a willingness to learn and a keen interest in the program.

Fryza stressed the value of their new program aside from the airport’s needs, but the benefits they offer to upcoming mechanics; “The program not only provides people with the basic training they need to become an engineer, but we’re also infusing it with information and data specific to our aircraft and teaching them how to do the job before they get deployed”

The daunting task of building the program from the ground up involved formulating curriculums and identifying hands-on training facilities. However, it wasn't until they assembled their instructors that significant momentum began to build.

“We’ve learned a lot this past year and we look forward to jumping into a new session and refining it even more” Fryza concluded, as they are anticipating new classes to begin again in July 2024 and January 2025.

In its inaugural year, the program has achieved remarkable progress and is poised for sustained success in training the next generation of aircraft maintenance engineers. With an emphasis on hands-on training and addressing the nationwide shortage of professionals in the field, the

program developed by Alliance Maintenance is not only imparting essential

skills but also contributing to the economic growth of the region. As they prepare

ThompsonHumaneSociety AnnualGeneralMeeting

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MAPSBoardroom,117CommercialPlace

Ifyouhaveanyquestionspleasecontact OswaldSawhat(204)677-3031.

TheThompsonCrisisCentre islookingforBoardmembers thatareenergetic,passionate people who:

Value women&childrenand theirrights, workingtowards toeradicatingviolenceagainst womeninsociety by providing supportto enhance growth,and promotinghealthiertomorrows. Bepartof ateaminpolicy decisionsthatimpactand meettheneedsofindividuals, familiesandcommunities.

Buildcommunitynetworks

Pleasesubmit resume tothe BoardofDirectors: Thompson Crisis Centre Box1226R8N1P1 Thompson,MB orcall 204-677-9668

recruitment

for upcoming classes and

drives, the program is primed to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of aircraft maintenance in Canada.

Photo courtesy of Alliance Maintenance Services

TIME FOR GRAD 2024

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