Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
Serving the Norman Region since 1961
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
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Serving the Hub of the North since 1960
Volume 61 • Issue 43
University of Manitoba faculty strike sends Northern Social Work Book a way to preserve and pass on instructors onto the picket line memories of growing up in Churchill
Thompson Citizen photo by Ian Graham University of Manitoba Northern Social Work program instructors, accompanied by some of their students, picketed outside the building that houses the Thompson program during the first day of a strike by the University of Manitoba Faculty Association Nov. 3. 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. “We know that the uniManitoba Faculty AssociUniversity of Mani- graduates.” ulty with more competitive BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET ation (UMFA). More than toba faculty members are Some of the students offers, support faculty versity administration has BYAIAN GRAHAM all the harsh weather thingsofthat you have ‘Oh, I’mthe justlowest as bad,paid right?’ was not their a veryinstructors safe thing swallow people say theForability strike by the Univer- to 85write per cent association among at joined retentionwhen and and ensure to properly EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET I have all these stories and to fi gure out. It’s pretty clear to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar sity of Manitoba’s profes- members cast ballots in a large Canadian research carrying picket signs in faculty wages remain com- compensate faculty while Though she’s now get through.” need to capture them for thought that was exciting should find somewhere deMeulles said ifreit sors, instructors andwritten librar- when strike Ivote and 85 per cent Iuniversities, which makes Thompson. petitivejustwith their U15 bears, still leaving additional a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would ians is having an impact on of those who voted were in attracting and keeping fac“They’re in full support (group of research univer- sources to invest back into ces in Churchill, book, Whispers in because they will be lost if throwing the sities) “To counterparts say, ‘Those as people moved back Churchthe growing NorthernupSocial Work her favour of titled a strike, the Winulty members a challenge – they of us started and they understand they have the students on to campus,” Addictions Foundation of the Wind: from the Ieven don’t.” off and I realized, ‘Holy choose there. They ill in a heartbeat. program in Thompson. nipeg Free Stories Press reported.. more so in Thompson. fuel the importance of us being advancetoinlive their careers,” UMFA president Orvie Manitoba northern director - Life in government Churchill for She also has a reputation I was probably sitting should justsaid. leave,’ is quite Dingwall “I miss the Five instructors in North Provincial “Recruitment and reten- cats, on strike,” said Tucker. Benarroch saidshoreline, in a pressI Gisele deMeulles said writa couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss the rock, I Thompson walked off mandates to limit the tion is a huge issue for us,” The president of the U Manitoba Advanced release. “Today,miss we the are ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, “I had such a varied hisAnother thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though the job as of Nov. 3, sus- amount and number of sal- Tucker said. “We’re short- of M Students’ Union told Education Minister Wayne presenting this fair and always know what, his- tory andand I would tell people onthe was the same boat in another area they’re veryoffer dangerous pendingthought classesshe for would about you ary increases that this publicly staffed we can’t attract spurred the Free her Press strike Ewasko urged both sides reasonable to the and addo. tory, this stuff that’s in my hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the stories and they would go, 75 students. They took to funded institution, includ- anyone here and that’s the was frustrating but that stu- to continue “realistic bar- ministration in theHudson hopes my at youth I never it’s going to be gone not any true,organization is it?’ I’d go, since Hudson Rail- about thatin so order why don’t they Bay,” shewill says. “When go the“In streets the corner of head, ing universities, agree to in ‘That’s story with dentsthe support theBay faculty gaining” to come that they choose to Iend felt good Lake at writing,” she if I don’t writerankle it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way option to do that? back home, standing on the operations Mystery Road and negotiations UMFA in town.” sincesuspended a university that has have to an the agreement. this strike.” said. “But when I moved didn’t do all that, did north “My kids are not go- ‘You of Gillam lasttop spring. right now they’re Hudson looking outand on Station Road outside the said. members. Northern Social Work difficulty attracting pro- I think The faculty association TuckerBay said the food to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an building that houses the “The government has ab- instructors feel bad for the fessors is not an appealing issued a proposal Nov. 4 coffee Thompson instructthe schoollast of Wednesday, social work, and it’s something al- old.’ I wasthe like, ‘No,isactually large community in a political game that’s sense. out You was feel so program solutely no right toI’ve interstudents strike affect- thriving place to get a agree. that included twoand years of incredible ors were giving to at that point I had to write wanted my mom to Iing didbut allsay that before was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for salary them because and they you remain feel great.” carrying picket signs and ways fere into the negotiations they haveI their University president two per cent increas-I small show that comfor university realized, My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” Michael to such a Benarroch small population of ChurchNowto social that justice she’s even got handing out and coffee, piz- do. between any organization support. said think es andthe a people third year at 2.5 mitted ‘Holy, I’m not bad at this, she’s an artist, she’s got so now,” deMeulles says. one book under her belt, Looking back, some of ill really want to thrive. za, doughnuts, mitts and and its employees,” said “All of us are really com- the administration was per cent or a cost of liv- while they are off the job. right?’ developed stories areTucker things disappointed Though she’s that not there built their sheimportmay try socks toI certainly passers-by, includ- many Lesliewonderful Tucker, one of bethe those mittedexperiences to our jobs,” the They’ve ing adjustment. Theworlds offer deMeulles “It was says really a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. ing homeless Thompson Northern Social Work in- said. “We hate to see the UMFA rejected its last offer also includes increases to ant for us to do something and came out of there with stories at Parks Canadanot in students “I did some pretty and bizarre other family if someone came you and that “I meant have another book in residents. structors. “They’re suspended not her and sister choseand to go on strike, recruitment andtoretention something to the a very strong skill in my Churchill I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the said, ‘I’m sorry, have to me,” she says.she “It’ssaid. a darker still are. The Thompson instructinvolved and in day-to-day knowing what’s going on members the Free Press reported. adjustments andyou a proposal community,” writing and confi dence in hounded her, They ‘Please,think just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin believe owns the your home community morefood about ors are among about 1,200 operations. and we’ll do everything we “We strongly it’s leave to raise the salaries of in- story, Leftover andpersoncoffee my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. faculty members repre- they know but of course can when the strike is over a fair deal, as it would al- structors to be in line with was to be donated to the clear and it. It’s there. because your story on untilsure after.everybody That was a says. somewhere else and all Maybe in the nextresidents. five years sented bythat’s the University of for theyyou don’t.” to me make low us to recruit new fac- you librarians. city’s homeless Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”