November 25 2022

Nickel Belt News

Five guns, body armour, 172 grams of cocaine seized by Thompson RCMP

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

Thompson RCMP seized five guns, ammunition and body armour, as well as drugs, on Nov. 19.

A 33-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman were ar rested outside an Ashberry Place residence as a result of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.

The man was found to be carrying a loaded handgun, approximately 172 grams of cocaine and more than $16,000 cash and was also wearing body armour.

While executing a search warrant at the man’s Ashberry Place residence, officers seized four modified shotguns, ammunition, additional body armour and drug trafficking paraphernalia. A 56-year-old woman and a 49-year-old woman were arrested at the residence.

Michael Jonathan Nicholas was remanded into custody on numerous drug and gun-related charges pending a Nov. 21 court appearance.

The three women were released until court appear ances scheduled for Jan. 20 when they will face drug and gun-related charges.

Gunshot report leads to arrest of men carrying a handgun and crack cocaine

BY IAN GRAHAM EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

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.

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

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,

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

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.

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

Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to

think the people of Churchill really want to thrive. 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?’”

For all the harsh weather and the dangers of polar bears, deMeulles said if it had been viable she would

“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

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

“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.”

Serving the Norman Region since 1961

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

Friday, November 25, 2022

Delivering News to the Nickel Belt since 1960

Three Thompson men were found carrying crack cocaine and a handgun by police responding to a report of a gunshot on Nov. 18.

Thompson RCMP were notified around 6 a.m. that day of a gun

being fired at a Brandon Crescent residence and witnesses told re sponding officers they had seen three men in black clothes and tuques walking down the back lane. Police contained the area and

located tracks leading to another residence down the street. Two sus pects were arrested a short distance from that home.

A police dog helped RCMP track the third suspect to a residence on

Princeton Drive.

No one was injured as a result of the gunshot.

The people arrested had a hand gun, crack cocaine, illicit cannabis and cash in their possession.

Robert Cruz, 34, Nolan Pronteau, 18, and a 17-year-old male were remanded into custody until a Nov. 21 court appearance in Thompson, where they faced numerous drug and firearms charge.

RCMP photo

Thompson RCMP seized a handgun, crack cocaine, illicit cannabis and cash from three suspects after responding to a report of a gunshot Nov. 18.

A loaded handgun, four modified shotguns, body armour, cocaine and cash were seized by Thompson RCMP during a Nov. 19 arrest and residence search. RCMP photo

Juniper class gets award for MMIWG advocacy last school year

BY CARLA ANTICHOW

This past September, Juniper School teacher Sheri Porth and her Grade 7/8 class were nominated for and received the Peter Henderson Bryce Award for the 2021-22 school year. According to the award notification letter from the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, which bestows the award, Porth and her class had been selected in part because of their “collective advocacy for bringing awareness to MMIWG2S.” Porth herself is very humble about receiv ing the award.

“It came as a surprise to me,” she says.

Peter Henderson Bryce was a public health phys ician in Canada from the late 1800s to the early 1900s and, among other profes sional interests, he advocat ed for the proper treatment of children in residential schools. In Porth’s words, Henderson Bryce was “a whistleblower; he was brave enough to say children are dying at residential schools, their living conditions are horrible … everything about this is wrong. He was brave enough to step up when no

body else was.”

Porth’s teaching career spans 14 years and she admits she is still learning the history of Canada which she then passes along to her students. She is passionate about educating her students on the history of residential schools, missing and mur dered Indigenous women and girls and two-spirited people, Orange Shirt Day, the Secret Path and the Downie Wenjack Fund and the ‘60s scoop. Porth says her students are very recep tive to learning these very dark pieces of Canadian history but she feels that teaching them “the truth” is what’s important. She en sures her class participates in Orange Shirt Day ad the Wenjack Walk. As well, they walk to the bridge to tie ribbons for MMIWG2S and twice a year visit the plane at the bridge “to talk about what that symbolizes and what that means”.

Porth and her class re ceived the award that comes with a $500 cash prize thanks to the nomin ations by two of her Juni per coworkers. Porth says she will let the class decide what they will spend it on.

‘Triple threat’ of respiratory illness in Manitoba

BY MIRANDA LEYBOURNE LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, BRANDON SUN

With cases of respiratory virus-related illnesses rising in Manitoba, doctors are en couraging people to follow COVID-19-style prevention techniques to avoid getting sick.

During a virtual press conference held by Doc tors Manitoba on Dec. 16, Candace Bradshaw, presi dent of the organization that represents more than 4,000 physicians across the province, said the risk to Manitobans’ health and well-being from respiratory viruses is “escalating.”

“Respiratory viruses are increasingly circulating in the province right now. This includes flu, COVID-19 … and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).”

The three illnesses are a “triple threat” that pose a serious risk for many Mani tobans, sometimes resulting in hospitalization, treatment in intensive care and even death, Bradshaw said.

In a recent Doctors Mani toba survey of physicians, 93 per cent of respondents said they were concerned about the health and well-being of Manitobans this fall and winter due to how cold and flu season has progressed so far. Hospi tals are already struggling to keep up with “rapidly in creasing” patient volumes, especially in children’s emergency rooms.

“Physicians are increas ingly concerned by what

we’re seeing,” Bradshaw said.

One way that Manitobans can do their part to reduce the spread of any virus is to wear a mask in public spaces or poorly ventilat ed areas, wash and sanitize hands frequently, stay at home when sick and get the flu and COVID-19 booster shots. Keeping the province healthy hinges on Manitobans stepping up and following these recommen dations, Bradshaw said.

“Your help is needed to slow the spread of these viruses and protect your friends, family and those around you.”

Young Manitobans are at particular risk, said Dr. Michael Boroditsky, an obstetrician and gynecolo gist and president-elect of Doctors Manitoba. Specif ically, RSV and COVID-19 are both causing an increase in emergency care.

“We’re also seeing them going to the children’s emergency departments in huge numbers, and medic al departments … are also seeing a lot of families com ing in seeking care for their children in our offices,” Boroditsky said.

Many hospitals are al ready at capacity, which Bradshaw said is alarming.

“I’m not sure that I can honestly say that there is capacity for even one pa tient at this very second. Things are that tight,” Brad shaw said.

“Everyone is working hard. Everyone wants to get

you in as quickly as possible and it may be a wait, but please just be patient and understand that we’re doing the best we can, and we do want to help you.”

RSV disproportionately affects newborns, espe cially premature ones, and infants with underlying heart and lung conditions.

But Boroditsky said he’s also increasingly seeing influenza in newborns and children. And while there is

medicine that can treat RSV, it has been shown to work fastest in those at highest risk. Most adults and older children typically see very mild cases of the illness, he said.

“For most of us, it’s about protecting the most vulnerable and reducing the spread of RSV using the same precautions as recommended for influenza and COVID-19 … [which is] very much still around.”

While children tend to experience milder COVID symptoms than adults, Boroditsky said doctors are seeing children with the illness in intensive care units. For this reason, he said it’s still important to get the COVID-19 vaccine and booster and urged mask wearing.

Bradshaw said there’s reason to be hopeful, how ever, judging by how many people are getting their

COVID-19 and influenza vaccines.

“I’m a family doctor, so I work in a primary care clin ic. I don’t think we’ve ever vaccinated as many people as we have this season,” she said. “We really are putting in all the extra efforts into the vaccinations this year.”

Prairie Mountain Health didn’t respond to a request for comment regarding local hospital capacity by press time.

Thompson Citizen photo courtesy of Sheri Porth

Sheri Porth’s Grade 7/8 class at Juniper School received an award from the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society for advocacy during the 2021-22 school year.

Thompson Citizen photo by Winnipeg Free Press/Local Journalism Initiative Dr. Candace Bradshaw

Thompson’s mayor, deputy mayor filling leadership roles with municipalities association

Two members of Thompson’s council will hold leadership roles with the province’s municipal ities association over the next couple of years.

Mayor Colleen Smook, the incumbent chair of the cities caucus, was re-elect ed for another two-year term at the opening of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention in Winnipeg on Nov. 21.

The caucus includes the mayors of Manitoba’s 10 largest cities, six of which elected new mayors dur ing municipal elections in October.

“The AMM is a strong association, and I am hon oured to continue this role on behalf of Manitoba’s cities,” said Smook in a press release. “I am com mitted to assisting with AMM advocacy efforts to benefit all Manitoba municipalities.”

Chief among concerns the caucus members dis cussed at the AMM con vention are the impacts of inflation on municipalities as well as the need for the provincial government to quickly end its seven-year freeze on municipal oper ating funding.

“All Manitoba muni cipalities are feeling the cost of high inflation,” said AMM president Kam Blight. “Local govern ments face huge challen

ges in maintaining current infrastructure — and this is not to mention growing needs. We urge the prov ince to end the operating spending freeze in its next budget.”

Thompson deputy may or Kathy Valentino was elected as one of two AMM vice-presidents on Nov. 23, alongside Rural Municipality of Broken head Reeve Bad Saluk.

“Both Kathy and Brad are passionate and dedi cated municipal leaders,” said Blight. “We are ex cited to get to work and serve all AMM mem bers while advocating for new resources and policy changes to support municipalities throughout Manitoba.”

Blight did not have any challengers for the presi dent’s position and was acclaimed for another term in the job.

“Representing Mani toba’s 137 municipalities is a great responsibility and I do not take it light ly,” said Blight, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie. “I am truly honoured to lead this strong association with the support of municipal officials from across the province. I look forward to further strengthening our existing partnerships and forging new ones over the next two years.”

Top: Thompson deputy may or Kathy Valentino, left, and Brokenhead Reeve Brad Saluk, right, were elected as vice-presidents to Asso ciation of Manitoba Muni cipalities president Kam Blight on the last day of the association’s fall convention in Winnipeg Nov. 23.

Bottom: Thompson May or Colleen Smook was re-elected to a second term as chair of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities cities caucus during the or ganization’s fall convention on Nov. 21.

Winter Wellness is…

xoxo

Every year, the seasonal flu vaccine helps protect you, your family and the community.

Mayor Colleen Smook will continue as chair of the cities caucus while deputy mayor Kathy Valentino is one of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities’ two vice-presidents.

Thompson Citizen photos courtesy of AMM

MLA Report: PC government has deprioritized Northern Manitobans for too long

On Nov. 15, the govern ment shared their speech from the throne in the legis lature. The speech doubled down on their poor deci sions and neglect of north ern communities. Unfortu nately, Northern Manitoba received very little attention in the throne speech, just as it has received very little attention for the last several years.

The provincial govern ment has offered far too little attention and support across the board for many years, and the throne speech is proof of that. The throne speech is meant to lay out the priorities of the govern ment during the legislative session, and it is obvious that the government has no interest in prioritizing fam ilies in Northern Manitoba. This was unsurprising, but it is still unacceptable for the Progressive Conserva tive government to ignore northern families in even their speech intended to address the most pressing issues in the province.

There are a mountain of issues affecting Northern Manitoba that should have been addressed. The va cancy rate in northern high way maintenance is over 40 per cent. The throne speech made no commitment to address it. The emergency

MLA Report

room in Thompson has been running half vacant. The PCs have not addressed it. Our clinic helped ad dress foot care concerns, particularly for those with diabetes where people are at risk of amputation. That clinic closed and has not re opened. The throne speech makes no commitment to reopen it.

This provincial govern ment cut support programs like the Communities Eco nomic Development Fund which help businesses. They also cut support for communities that are deal ing with mine slowdowns or shutdowns. By this gov ernment’s own admission, thousands of jobs are being lost. This has slowed the development of northern communities by so much that many are struggling just to get by while costs are skyrocketing. Northern Manitoba has been left to struggle for so long that communities need desper

ate attention now to ad dress the issues that have arisen in the past years of austerity.

Northern Manitoba de serves the attention of this government, and the longer that this government goes without investing signifi cantly in the north, northern families and communities will continue to struggle to make ends meet.

The PC government has deprioritized Northern Manitobans for too long, and the paltry mention and response to issues affecting Northern Manitoba cannot be ignored any longer.

I will continue to fight for proper funding and sup port for northern families, because I am a Northern Manitoban. I have been dis satisfied with this govern ment just as you have, and I will not be satisfied until I see adequate provincial investment in our northern communities. Please do not hesitate to call my office

Poilievre’s stance on immigration garners support from immigrants in Manitoba

BY EMMANUEL NWANERI LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, NEW CANADIAN MEDIA

Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilievre has already made good on his promise to en gage more with the party’s growing immigrant base.

On Nov. 7, members of Poilievre’s caucus held a meet-and-greet in Winnipeg with members of the Manitoba con servative party, includ ing representatives from the Association of Black Conservatives, the Ukrain ian-Canada Congress, the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg and members of the Filipino and Punjabi communities.

The gathering show cased the growing influ ence and pulling power of immigrant communities in Canadian politics as well as their appeal to all of the major parties.

Federal Conservative Party deputy leader Tim Uppal spoke on behalf his party.

“We will maintain the same engagements and commitment for continu ous discussions around immigration [including]

immigration that is based on family reunification, the recognition of foreign certificates, the scrapping of the English test, as well as the removal of bottle necks to improving the im migration process,” Uppal told the gathering.

Uppal encouraged more civic engagement by im migrants and asked them to consider running in the next federal election.

Other members of Poilievre’s shadow cab inet present were Jasraj Singh Hallan (finance and middle class pros perity), James Bezan (de fence), Raquel Dancho (public safety) and Dan Mezier (rural economic development).

Community leader and member of the Black Conservatives, Olubunmi Aregbesola noted the asso ciation’s role in the recent provincial Conservative Party leadership race.

Manitoba’s Black con servatives increasing sup port of Poilievre began with the federal election in September 2021. Dur ing that campaign, more than 800 members of the Black community in Win

nipeg became members of the Conservative Party, “which helped propel the party to important victor ies,” Aregbesola said in an interview with New Canadian Media after Poilievre won the party leadership.

Poilievre won all rid ings in Manitoba, captur ing almost 72 per cent of the votes cast in the prov ince, according to figures published by The Writ, an online publication about elections in Canada.

Following the leader ship race, Agboola re ceived a message from both Poilievre and Can dice Bergen, the party’s interim leader, thanking Manitoba’s Black com munity for its support.

“It was a humbling ex perience,” said Agboola, who was on the leadership organizing committee.

During the campaign, Poilievre brought his mother to meet Niger ian-born Agboola “to thank us for our support and the love we showed.” And in his acceptance speech, Poilievre acknow ledged the roles played by the party’s Manitoba wing.

at 204-677-4789, reach us by email at Eric.Redhead@ yourmanitoba.ca, or come see us at 402-79 Selkirk Avenue in Thompson if you have any concerns. I want to hear your thoughts and concerns, because it is important to me that I am able to represent you.

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Human-rights project hopes to get better bead on reading

BY MAGGIE MACINTOSH LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

The Manitoba Human Rights Commission is on a mission to hear from as

many people as possible who have faced challenges learning how to read or pro viding literacy instruction — be it at a local school, tutoring centre or kitchen

table.

The commission launched a special project this fall that aims to docu ment concerns about read ing instruction with the goal of boosting overall literacy levels.

in that province, which also embraces balanced literacy, don’t use evidence-based approaches to teach read ing to students who have dyslexia and other learning disabilities.

of “‘seeing’ and process ing.” There is no mention of the term phonics once in 134 pages.

coming weeks. A final re port with recommendations for government officials is anticipated before 2024.

Thompson Fur Tables

Thompson Regional Recreation Centre

274 Thompson Drive South

December 16, 2022 – 9:00-4:00 pm

December 17, 2022 –9:00-1:00 pm

Fur Buyers, kids activities supported by Boreal Discovery Centre, Pelt contest, demonstrations, and Trade Show in partnership with Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

The Fur Tables are open to Registered Manitoba Trappers and their families.

If you have any questions: 204-294-1512 mta@mymts.net www.manitobatrappers.com

MTA thanks Calm Air for their support!

“What I’ve noticed is that my daughter is guess ing words that are nowhere near the word (on the page), which is pretty surprising at this point. It’s kind of shocking there’s no sound ing it out … We’ve been struggling,” said Tegann McNiven, a public school parent in Winnipeg.

The mother of two started doing research and raising the issue with educators and other families at her chil dren’s elementary school. It turns out her Grade 2 student is, like many others in Manitoba, being taught to read via a controversial philosophy that has faced no shortage of criticism over the last year.

“The best way to teach all students to read words is through direct, explicit, systematic instruction in foundational word-reading skills,” the authors wrote.

In simple terms, there are two basic schools of thought on reading development.

Explicit phonics instruc tion stresses the importance of systematically teaching letter-sound associations, sound patterns and decod ing words.

Bjornson said a renewed emphasis on explicit in struction would benefit all students because it is good, science-backed pedagogy that works for everyone whereas it has become clear not all students can become literate through existing approaches that exclude phonics.

The number of elemen tary students who fail to meet Manitoba’s reading goals by Grade 3 has been consistently higher than the population of success ful young readers over the last decade.

Jenna Molitowsky, a mother of three — the youngest of whom has dyslexia — is eager to participate.

Molitowsky said her family is fortunate they could afford to pursue a pri vate assessment and register their daughter, who is now in Grade 4, for tutoring when they realized she was having trouble at school.

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hpruder@northcentraldevelopment.ca 204-677-1494

Growing communities one idea at a time.

Notice of Environment Act Proposal

Balanced literacy has be come dominant in schools in North America since roughly the turn of the cen tury, but a growing number of researchers, teachers and advocates for students with learning disabilities have started speaking out about how it is failing pupils with formal diagnoses and none whatsoever.

A significant body of neuroscientific research on how children learn to read backs their concerns that a structured phonics come back is overdue.

The winter release of Ontario’s Right to Ready inquiry — a project that in spired Manitoba’s related initiative — found schools

Proponents of balanced literacy and whole-lan guage instruction typically believe reading is a skill that is naturally obtained if a child is exposed to lots of books. These philoso phies promote memoriza tion and context, including visual cues, to figure out unknown words and grad ually introduce learners to more advanced texts.

“If it’s clear and evi dence shows that there’s a population … missing out on effective reading instruction and therefore, become ineffective readers, then I don’t see the contro versy,” said Valdine Bjorn son, president of Manitoba Teachers for Students with Learning Disabilities. “In education, we always have to change and adjust based on the needs of our students.”

The new English Lan guage Arts curriculum framework notes every learner has a different way

“Sometimes, we can be so entrenched in our sys tems that it can be hard to come out and take that bird’s eye view and say: ‘Well, is this really work ing? Do we need to rethink how we’re doing things?’” said commission executive director Karen Sharma, who oversees Right to Read Manitoba.

Sharma said she has heard from many parents with full-time teaching jobs who are afraid to share their concern about how reading is being taught because of how entrenched status quo practices are and the longstanding positioning of literacy challenges as individual problems rather than systemic ones.

The local human rights commission is undertak ing a literature review and plans to publish a series of surveys for students, care givers, teachers and other K-12 stakeholders in the

“I don’t know what would happen to my daughter and how she would fall through the cracks if I wasn’t able to do that,” she said, noting it takes a severe toll on one’s confidence and well-being if they struggle to read and spell while they see their peers thriving.

As far as Molitowsky is concerned, assessments and interventions need to be available in schools and there should be widespread professional development on learning disabilities so teachers know how to help all pupils grasp reading.

The Manitoba Reading Association’s spokes woman echoed those comments.

“Accommodations and modifications can’t take the place of interventions,” said association president Stacey Bradley.

“We can support chil dren’s learning by giving them audio books, but audio books don’t take away the need for children to still be able to decode text. We do kids a disservice if we don’t get to the real problem of why they struggle to read.”

Bill introduced to allow Indigenous names on Manitoba birth certificates

– FILE: 844.40

Manitoba Sustainable Development has received a proposal pursuant to The Environment Act regarding the following operation and invites public participation in the review process:

THOMPSON REGIONAL AIRPORT

Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks proposes to expand the wastewater treatment lagoon at Paint Lake Provincial Park. The expansion would provide improved treatment and capacity for the next 20 years of park operation. The lagoon’s primary cell would expand to the northwest, and the smaller of the two existing secondary cells would be decommissioned. Treated effluent would continue to be discharged to a natural wetland about one kilometre north of the lagoon. Construction of the expansion is planned for 2023.

Anyone affected by the operation and who wishes to comment on the proposal should contact Bruce Webb, Senior Environmental Engineer, in writing or by email at Bruce.Webb@gov.mb.ca no later than December 28, 2022. Further information is available from the Online Public Registry: www.gov.mb.ca/sd/eal/registries

Comments on this proposal are considered public information and will be made available to the proponent and placed on the public registry under section 17 of The Environment Act.

Environmental Approvals Branch

Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks 1007 Century Street Winnipeg MB R3H 0W4 Toll Free: 1-800-282-8069 Fax: 204-945-5229

17 of The Environment Act.

BY DAVE BAXTER LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE RE PORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

Months after a Mani toba grand chief said he was outraged to learn some Indigenous families were being told they could not register their child’s chosen name, the Mani toba government says they now hope to make chan ges to allow for tradition al Indigenous names to be registered on Manitoba birth certificates.

her birth name.

The name chosen for the girl was Atetsenhtsén:we, which translates to “for ever healing medicine” in Kanien'kéha, the Mohawk language, but that name could not be registered in Manitoba because it con tains a colon.

couple to file a complaint with the Southern Chiefs' Organization and led to condemnation at the time from SCO Grand Chief Jerry Daniels, who said the province should take immediate steps to allow for the registration of trad itional Indigenous names.

act, and allow for names spelled with symbols such as colons and semicolons to be recognized formal ly in Manitoba on birth registries.

According to Section 3 of Manitoba’s Vital Statis tics Act, when registering a birth name in Manitoba the given name and the surname can consist only of the letters “a” to “z,” accents from the English or French languages, and hyphens and apostrophes.

“To further delay this change only serves to de tract from the spirit of true reconciliation,” Daniels said at the time.

“Names are very per sonal to families and in dividuals, important to everybody,” Helwer said while introducing the bill on Thursday.

Website: www.gov.mb.ca/sd/eal/registries

Environmental Approvals Branch Manitoba Sustainable Development 1007 Century Street Winnipeg MB R3H 0W4 Toll Free: 1-800-282-8069 Fax: 204-945-5229 Website: www.manitoba.ca/sd/eal

Back in February, Car son Robinson of Sagkeeng First Nation and his partner Zaagaate Jock celebrated the birth of their first child, but when they went to com plete the newborn girl’s birth registry were told her traditional Mohawk name could not be entered into the system, so it could not be officially registered as

But under the current system characters like co lons, which are characters used in some traditional Indigenous names and lan guages, cannot be regis tered on birth registries.

That prompted the

After the complaint came to light back in Feb ruary, the province said they would look into the issue, and hoped to make changes that would allow for more characters to be used in birth names.

On Nov. 17, Labour Minister Reg Helwer tabled a bill in the Mani toba legislature that would amend the vital statistics

If the bill passes, the legislation would allow for colons, semicolons, periods and other symbols in names, and would also allow people to be regis tered under a single name, rather than requiring both a given name and a surname.

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

Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks invites and welcomes comments on the following proposal:

MANITOBA ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE AND PARKS –PAINT LAKE WASTEWATER TREATMENT LAGOON EXPANSION

Notice of Environmental Act Proposal

No student loan repayments until income of $40k: feds

BY RHYTHM RATHI LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, SAINT JOHN TELE GRAPH-JOURNAL

Canadian post-secondary students and apprentices no longer have to begin repay ing their school loans until they make an annual income of at least $40,000, Canada's Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan announced in Saint John on Nov. 10.

O'Regan announced the new policy, which took effect on Nov. 1, during a visit to the New Brunswick Community College cam pus on Grandview Avenue. He was joined by NBCC president Mary Butler and Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long.

"We need to create more opportunities for young people starting this year and if we could alleviate some of that burden then we will," O'Regan said at the announcement.

In addition to this, O'Re gan announced the federal government will spend $802 million over three years on a youth employment and skills strategy in order to reduce the stress and bar riers facing post-second ary graduates in obtaining employment.

According to a govern ment press release, the $802 million will be split into three funnels, with more than $300 million for providing "wraparound supports and job placements to young people facing em ployment barriers," more than $400 million to cre ate 70,000 Canada summer jobs, and more than $100 million for the Income As sistance-First Nations Youth

Employment Strategy Pilot.

Earlier in the day, in Miramichi, federal Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings announced the feds plan to permanently waive inter est on the federal portion of student loans "as soon as possible." Last month, the New Brunswick gov ernment announced it will eliminate the interest on the provincial portion of stu dent loans.

According to Butler, ris ing cost is one of the major challenges that students face at post secondary education and the costs are not limited to education, but also in volve transportation, their time away from work, etc.

"Having some forgive ness, having some addition al time to get on your feet and establish that career, putting you at a better fi nancial position to then pay off those loans is a huge ad vantage to people," she said.

It also helps to reduce the "anxiety level" among those who are overwhelmed with "so much change go ing on in the world," said O'Regan, "We got this for you, you don't have to pay anything on the student loan until when you are making 40 grand and after making 40 we're going to lower the interest rates from there on and ... we're gonna look af ter you."

He said that such invest ments not just benefit the economy as a whole but also the people, where they can focus on their job and family. "We are all more tuned with people's mental health these days, so I al ways look at programs like

this through that lens."

Long said, particularly in Southern New Bruns wick his riding has com panies like Moosehead Breweries, JDI, Irving Oil, Cooke Aquaculture etc., and according to him there is not a void of hundreds of jobs coming up, but a void of thousands. He said he at tended a job fair at the city's market square in the mor ning where there were "five or six hundred unfilled jobs, that employers are looking for."

"We see the reports where we've got to find workers and I mean there's nobody that is suited than NBCC to train, they can pivot quick ly and train and make sure that we have a workforce that's going to be ready be cause we are all certainly concerned that, where are we going to fill these jobs."

Butler said every year there is "tremendous de mand for our financial aid" and the college has seen a 33 per cent increase in en rolments over the last three years. She said the college receives a crowd of mature students where the average age is 26 years old and the median age is 35 years old, according to her the students have a family to look after and are often managing both work and school together. She said these provincial and federal supports act as a "safety net" for the students if they face a setback during their education.

"I do believe breaking down barriers has an impact because we've already seen that."

PUBLIC NOTICE

Manitoba Hydro 2023/24 & 2024/25 General Rate Application

Manitoba Hydro has applied to the Public Utilities Board for a 3.5 per cent average increase to electricity rates effective September 1, 2023 and a further 3.5 per cent average increase effective April 1, 2024. As part of this application, Manitoba Hydro is seeking final approval of the interim rate increase of 3.6 per cent implemented January 1, 2022. Manitoba Hydro is requesting increases to obtain the revenue needed to run the electric system, perform maintenance, and rebuild and expand the system as needed to continue to provide reliable, safe and effective service to customers.

For a residential customer without electric heat (using an average of 1,000 kilowatthours (kWh) per month), the average impact of the proposed increase is approximately $4 per month after September 1, 2023 and an additional $4 per month after April 1, 2024.

For a residential customer with electric heat (using an average of 2,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month), the average impact of the proposed increase is approximately $7 per month after September 1, 2023 and an additional $7 per month after April 1, 2024.

Further details of Manitoba Hydro’s Application are available at: www.pubmanitoba.ca

HOW DO I SHARE MY VIEWS?

You can share your views on the proposed rate increases with the Public Utilities Board in three ways:

• As a Presenter – If you want to make a virtual or in-person formal presentation to the Public Utilities Board on this matter and are willing to respond to questions about your presentation, please go to www.pubmanitoba.ca and apply to become an approved Presenter. Presentations are limited to a maximum of 10 minutes.

• Written comment – If you would like to comment in writing on the rate increase, please go to www.pubmanitoba.ca and provide your written comment.

• As an approved intervener – If you want to actively participate in the public hearing as an Intervener, please go to www.pubmanitoba.ca and apply for Intervener status. Interveners are required to represent the interests of a significant group of customers and may be required to combine their intervention with others representing similar interests.

Manitoba Public Utilities Board

400-330 Portage Avenue

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0C4

Phone: 204 945 2638

Email: publicutilities@gov.mb.ca

Available in accessible formats upon request.

- with files from Nathan DeLong Five days

Thompson Citizen photo by By Rhythm Rathi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Saint John Telegraph-Journal New Brunswick Community College president Mary Butler with Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan Jr. and Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long in the foreground at a Nv. 10 announce ment about student and apprenticeship loans.

JAMES LANG

OBITUARY

Jim Lang, at the age of 83, suddenly passed away at his home in Dauphin, Manitoba on November 15, 2022.

Jim was born July 4, 1939, in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, to Lindsay and Margaret Lang.

He met the love of his life, Peggy, and soon moved to Lynn Lake, where they married in 1960, and welcomed Cindy the first of their four children. In 1964, they moved to Thompson, where Jim worked at INCO for 30 years. There they made many lifelong friends. Jim enjoyed curling, bowling, cards, horseshoes, and hunting. In 1994, Jim and Peggy retired to Dauphin to be with family and friends.

Jim was predeceased by his wife, Peggy, and daughter, Cindy Koutecky. Jim is survived by his sister Carol (Mervin) Dumont, Kelvin Koutecky (son in-law) and children Connie (Brian) Plamondon of Thompson, MB, Carrie Lang of Dauphin, MB, and Lindsay (Denise) Lang, of Grandview, MB. Grandchildren Jody (Aaron), Evan (Cynthia), Jared, Chelsey (Mike), Brittany (Jimmy), Michael (Laura), Mercy, Gabe, Rachel, and great grandchildren Myles, Rhys, Cameron, Maxx, Matthew Owen, and Avery. In lieu of flowers, if friends so desire, donations in memory of Jim may be made to a charity of one’s choice.

Memorial Service was held on Monday, November 21, 2022 at 2:00 pm from Sneath-Strilchuk Family Care Centre in Dauphin, MB with Pastor Howard Burnie officiating. Interment followed in Riverside Cemetery in Dauphin, MB.

Sneath-Strilchuk - Dauphin Chapel 204-638-4110 www.sneathstrilchuk.com

Beautiful broken glass: Riverside and Wapanohk students created mosaic murals

BY CARLA ANTICHOW

Several classes from two different schools in Thompson were lucky enough to be part of a mo saic art project that was fa cilitated by revered Winni peg artist Ursula Neufeld. Neufeld’s mosaic art can be appreciated in many lo cations across Winnipeg, in numerous schools and parks and even reaches as far as India. She spent five weeks in Thompson between Wapanohk and École Riverside schools to help bring two large mosaic art projects to life.

Co-facilitator and lo cal artist Teresa Burrows along with several teach ers and the principals from both schools were instrumental in not just making the art project happen but also person alizing it to “fit” with northern culture. Mosaic art is typically made by laying down cut pieces of glass, stone or ceramic to shape a pattern. Riverside principal Jon Wamboldt

explained that from the start they had some ideas about what they wanted their mosaic piece to look like and “then the students worked with the artist to develop what was made.”

Students in the classes of Sam Graham/Emily Hayes/Micheline Gagne and Krista Moody worked for three weeks on the pro ject and the end product is a beautiful and very large piece of mosaic art that includes a fire fox, north ern lights, a rabbit, a fish and a separate owl piece. To add an École Riverside touch to it, Wamboldt says along with the glass tiles that were used, they add ed two nickels: one from 1962, the year Riverside was built and from 2022, the 60-year anniversary. Grade 6 students Darya Soheili-Mehr and Hayden Lowen explained how they used tools to break the glass tiles and had to shape the tiles and apply special glue.

“It was a really good experience,” said Alice Cachada.

The students were com pletely hands-on with this art project right from the initial drawing of what they wanted on the mosaic art, to cutting, shaping and applying the tiles. Darryl Thomas said breaking the tiles was his favourite part.

Over at Wapanohk, Grade 6, 7 and 8 students and teachers began work with the artist to piece together their mosaic art which was based off a previously panned mural by teachers Luke Hudson and Stefan Hudson. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the mural never made it up on the wall but be came the inspiration for the mosaic art. It is based on the Seven Teachings and then modification was made by Cameron Fla mand, a Grade 6 teacher at Wapanohk, to incorpor ate four birds joined by an orange ribbon in the centre of the white bison. This was an homage to the four siblings who tragically passed away in the house fire during the making of the art piece.

A Grade 8 student from Brent Baduik’s class ex plained his part was “pla cing down tiles and did some grouting.” Teachers from Waponohk School including Baduik and Flamand and Mckayla Monden and Laura Sop kowe involved their class es right from the start until completion of the project. Theo Dysart, also from Baduik’s Grade 8 class, said, “This was a beautiful project.”

The two mosaic art pro jects were made possible through the Manitoba Arts Council and Artists in the School which was initially driven by Riverside teach er Hayes.

Thompson Citizen photos by Carla Antichow École Riverside School principal Jon Wamboldt and students with their school’s recently created mosaic art project.

Health care, public safety improvement top concerns for Manitoba municipalities

BY DAVE BAXTER LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE RE PORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

As municipal officials gathered this week to discuss the concerns and priorities in Manitoba’s municipalities, the head of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) says there were two topics that kept com ing up over and over again when he spoke to leaders from rural communities.

“Health care and public safety are the two issues that we continue to hear time and time again,” AMM president Kam Blight said as AMM’s Fall Convention, which brought municipal polit icians and officials from across Manitoba together for three days of meetings,

wrapped up in Winnipeg on Wednesday.

Blight said several rural Manitoba mayors and councillors made it clear at this week’s meetings that residents in many rural communities are often on edge, because they don’t feel they have adequate health-care services, and often wonder what would happen in an emergency situation.

“There is a lack of ac cess to paramedics, there is a lack of access to ERs and hospitals, there are staff shortages all over the place, so basically a lot of the services that residents rely on are be ing taken away, and that access to health care is be ing shut off in the small communities.”

Blight said he has heard concerns specifically about how long some pa tients might have to travel to get medical treatment in an emergency.

“It is very concern ing for everyone when what was once a five- or 10-minute drive is now a two- or two-and-a-half hour drive because a fa cility is closed or is short staff so it can’t even open, and especially with an emergency where every minute and second is so crucial,” he said.

And according to Blight, he has been told this week that in many cases senior citizens are being forced to leave rural communities for larger centres like Win nipeg, because they do not have access to the basic

health care to meet their needs anywhere close to home, and some are be ing forced to leave after living their whole lives in the same community.

“No residents no matter their age should ever be forced to leave their home because they can’t access care,” Blight said.

“Everyone, no matter where they live, should have access to quality and timely health care.”

But while Blight has heard that rural citizens are on edge because of health care services, they are also on edge in rural communities because of crime, and fears for their own safety, and the safety of their families.

“Property crime is on the rise in rural Manitoba,

and it has become notice able recently in the small communities,” he said.

“We are seeing more incidents of theft and incidents that can lead to violent crime, and it’s becoming a massive concern.”

Blight said he and others want to see the province work to get more police officers patrolling in rural communities, and to see police spending less time working on duties that take them off the streets.

“What I am hearing is people asking for more boots on the ground,” he said. “And one of the ways we do that is to have police spending less time on mental health transfers and on paperwork and ad ministrative tasks.

“We need the police on the ground and in the community, and we need them doing what we know police do best.”

According to Blight, he and other municipal offi cials now plan to push the provincial government for the types of changes that could improve health care and decrease crime in rural communities in Manitoba.

“We will keep pushing the province because we want to ensure that the types of changes we are asking for come to frui tion,” he said.

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

Canada spends more on responding to climate emergencies in First Nations than preventing them, auditor general says

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

Climate emergencies are increasing for remote Indigenous communities, yet the federal government is still more reactive than preventive when respond ing to them, according to a report by the federal aud itor general.

Indigenous Services Canada has spent threeand-a-half times more money on responding to emergencies and helping Indigenous nations recover from them than it has on preventing and mitigat ing floods, fires and other extreme weather events, Karen Hogan's report found.

The report, released Nov. 15, also found gaps in emergency prevention and mitigation funding because some First Nations did not have the capacity to apply for supports and gaps in the agreements dictating who is responsible for deliv ering emergency services in some provinces. It also found the ISC did not know how many more emergency management co-ordinators were needed to ensure First Nations had the capacity to manage emergencies.

First Nations commun ities experiencing extreme weather often require evacuation services be cause of remoteness, aging infrastructure and “chal lenging socio-econom ic situations,” the report

explained. A 2017 study by ISC noted Indigenous communities are “about 18 times more likely than non-Indigenous commun ities to be evacuated during an emergency.”

“The Liberals continue to abandon First Nations to fend for themselves in the face of a deadly climate crisis,” MP Niki Ashton, NDP critic for Indigen ous services, said in a statement.

The Liberals have failed to support a bill she tabled calling on the Canada Infra structure Bank to invest in mitigation projects for First Nations communities, Ash ton said. She views this as proof of the problem.

There are lots of dif ferent ways to close the

infrastructure gap in First Nations, Indigenous Ser vices Minister Patty Hajdu said, noting she’s vaguely familiar with Ashton’s bill.

“I’m not an expert to say if the Canada Infrastructure Bank is the best mechan ism,” Hajdu said.

The government has made a commitment to close the infrastructure gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous com munities by 2030, which Hajdu calls “essential.”

“When we’re talking about First Nation issues, we realize that this inequity around infrastructure and supports … (is) histor ical and resulted from colonization.”

Still, over $754 million was handed out to deal with

the aftermath of emergen cies through the Emergency Management Assistance Program, which covers the cost of responding to emer gencies in First Nations.

(The program also pays for community risk assess ments, emergency manage ment plans and training.)

Meanwhile, only $74 mil lion was given to the First Nation Infrastructure Fund, which funds mitigation pro jects like installing culverts and dikes to reduce the im pact of flooding emergen cies, the report explained.

Clearing vegetation, trees and branches can also help guard communities from forest fires and can be funded through Indigenous Services.

For every dollar spent

on preparedness and miti gation, six dollars can be saved in emergency re sponse, according to the report.

When asked why the government spent so much more money on reacting to emergencies, Hajdu refer enced Hurricane Fiona and the enormous cost of the storm, including recover ing critical infrastructure, evacuations and rebuilding costs.

“I fully agree with the auditor general. We’re go ing to have to as a society, as a Canadian government, understand how we both invest in adaptation, plan ning and preparedness, while also managing an extremely expensive reality of climate change.”

Photo by Lucas Marcomini on Unsplash

Medication shortage relief expected next week

BY MIRANDA LEYBOURNE LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, BRANDON SUN

Health Canada is assur ing Canadians in remote and rural areas that they will soon have access to children’s pain and fe ver medications now that more than one million bot tles of product from out side the country will start to appear on pharmacy and retailer shelves next week.

The federal health agency has been working with manufacturers and retailers to make sure products are distributed “equitably” and go where they are most needed.

The foreign-sourced products include liquid ibuprofen for children and liquid acetaminophen for children and infants, said Dr. Supriya Sharma, chief medical advisor with Health Canada, in a press conference on Nov. 18

“The idea is we want to make sure the product is used responsibly and that the supply that we have is being conserved as much as possible, and … that includes making sure that the product reaches rural and remote and northern regions, where we know that there may be more dif ficulties accessing health services,” Sharma said.

Nelson Jackson, a phar macist at Neepawa Phar macy, 74 kilometres north east of Brandon, said he hasn’t heard from either the federal government or wholesalers regarding when he’ll be able to stock more products.

“They usually allocate [the medicine] through the wholesaler. Every phar macy gets its allocation, but I don’t know what they’re planning.”

Children’s cough syr up has also been hard to secure, Jackson said, and worried parents and care givers are beginning to show signs of anxiety.

“Every couple of days [the wholesaler] will send me one bottle of Benylin cough syrup. One bottle. People behave as you would expect them to …

[asking] ‘Oh, can we have six more?’ Because they want to hoard … they’re afraid that once they use that bottle, they won’t be able to get any more.”

No information had been passed on to the Shoppers Drug Mart on Victoria Avenue in Brandon as of Friday, either, said Parth Shaa, a pharmacist who works there.

Parents are understand ably concerned for their children in light of the drug shortages, Shaa said.

“It’s for their little ones, so for sure they will feel many feelings, and being frustrated is one [of] them, and anxious if their kid is not doing well.”

Elissa Kennedy, a moth er of a two-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl in Souris, said she and other parents are very worried about their children this cold and flu season.

“I have a six-month-old who is vulnerable because of her age, and I have an immunocompromised son who was admitted to the

pediatric intensive care unit a few months ago and [had to be put] on a … ma chine to help him breathe.”

Being exposed to other people’s germs is Ken nedy’s main concern since her son attends daycare. Kennedy, who works in a daycare facility, said she sees many children being allowed to attend who should not be due to their symptoms.

“I feel like there’s a lot of pressure on people from their employers to not miss work.”

In the past month alone, Kennedy said, her son has been sick with a cold and gastroenteritis.

“With these viruses go ing around, how are we to comfortably treat symp toms at home when it’s so hard to come by pain relievers for children?”

Shaa said importing acetaminophen and ibu profen from other coun tries will go a long way to helping local parents who are desperately seek ing the medications.

While Prairie Mountain Health has faced challen ges when it comes to the supply of children’s medi cation within its hospitals, it has managed the short age through its “normal” supply chain, said Mike Mitchell, director of phar macy services for PMH.

“We have been able to ensure there is no dis ruption to the supply of children’s Tylenol and Advil for our in-hospital patients.”

The health authority has a designated team of regional staff who manage medication stock and handle drug shortages, Mitchell said. PMH has also limited the use of Ty lenol and Advil regionally, especially infant varieties of the medication.

“For parents of children who are admitted to hospi tals in PMH, rest assured that we have supply for your child if they are ad mitted,” Mitchell said.

Health Canada has also been working with In digenous Services Canada

to ensure that Indigenous communities get access to the medications as well.

Indigenous Services Canada didn’t immedi ately respond to a request for comment Nov. 1

Despite manufacturers ramping up production to record levels, demand has continued to increase and “significantly out pace” the supply of chil dren’s acetaminophen and ibuprofen, Sharma said, leading Health Canada to allow access to foreign product to supplement the country’s supply.

Three proposals to im port and supply the pain and fever-reducing drugs have been approved by Health Canada. While it’s encouraging, Sharma said, Health Canada continues to look for additional sources of foreign sup plies of both acetamino phen and ibuprofen.

When Health Canada receives a proposal, the organization reviews it to ensure that the products have the same high qual

ity and efficacy as what is normally available in Canada.

“We also need to ensure that people will have ac cess to critical safety in formation in the official language of their [choice]. That includes information on ingredients, dosing, and potential side-ef fects,” Sharma said.

Information leaflets, tearaway sheets and QR codes will accompany for eign or unfamiliar prod ucts set to hit shelves next week.

Jackson said he hasn’t received any information al materials or heard about how he’ll be required to display them.

During the press con ference, Sharma also said there is currently a shortage of certain for mulations of amoxicillin, an antibiotic medication, in Canada as well. Health Canada is working close ly with manufacturers and the Canadian Pediatric So ciety to assess the issue, she said.

Throne speech leaves Manitoba Indigenous leader concerned over hunting rights

BY DAVE BAXTER LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE RE PORTER, WINNIPEG SUN

This province’s most powerful Indigenous leader says she was paying close attention as the speech from the throne was deliv ered earlier this week, and although there were parts of the speech that left her hopeful, there were others she says gave her and others cause for concern.

The speech, which was delivered by Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville in the Manitoba Legislature on Nov. 15, saw the Progressive Conserva tive government offer an

array of promises and com mitments, but one of those commitments is already concerning to Indigenous leaders looking out for the treaty rights of First Nations hunters across the province.

The province said they would be “revitalizing the Conservation Officer Ser vice” by hiring more offi cers, and providing better equipment and technology they said would combat activities including poach ing, night hunting and road hunting.

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Cathy Merrick said in a statement

released this week respond ing to the throne speech that as AMC continues to fight for the rights of hunters, she worries these new measures could lead to First Nations people being subject to increased enforcement for hunting, which she said is a right given to them under the treaties.

“We wish to avoid an increase in the punishment of First Nations hunters by Manitoba conservation of ficers,” Merrick said. “The disregard for treaty rights is a long-standing issue, as First Nations exercise their right to hunt to support

their families, elders, and communities.”

The province also prom ised in its throne speech and in other recent an nouncements to take more of a “tough on crime” ap proach to law enforcement, as they look to combat vio lent crime, which has been on the rise in Manitoba recently.

Merrick said she also worries how this could af fect Indigenous people who already make up a dispro portionate number of those involved in the criminal justice system, and those who are incarcerated in this

province.

But while there are con cerns, Merrick said she does see promises in the speech and from the prov ince recently that give her hope they will do more to help the most vulnerable First Nations citizens, and those who are living on the streets.

She added AMC “appre ciates” Manitoba’s first-ever homelessness strategy that was announced earlier this year, and will see sever al new initiatives to fight homelessness, and see in creased money go towards warming shelters for the

homeless that Merrick said “many of our First Nation relatives utilize.”

“As the cold weather escalates into freezing con ditions, we will continue to work with Manitoba, the private sector, and other First Nation and Indigen ous partners to address this critical issue that the pan demic has exacerbated,” Merrick said.

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

Thompson Citizen photo by Brandon Sun/Local Journalism Initiative

Canada has faced a shortage of children’s pain and fever medication such as Tylenol in recent months. Health Canada says foreign-sourced products are expected to hit store shelves this week.

Sustainable funding needed for Manitoba’s new migrants

BY KAITLYN SMITH LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, NEW CANADIAN MEDIA

Manitoba is looking at a record-breaking population of newcomers with an in creasing need to fund settle ment agencies providing lan guage programs and other economic opportunities.

According to Statistics Canada’s latest data on im migration and ethnocultural diversity, newcomers ac count for nearly 20 per cent of the province, making it the fourth largest population of immigrants in Canada. Main cities like Winnipeg and Winkler each host a quarter of recent migrants to Mani toba, with a 30 per cent in crease of newcomers settling in the central plains region within the last five years.

Language programs, youth services and business knowledge training avail able to permanent residents, refugees and permit hold ers in Manitoba are seeing long waitlists, and stagnant funding as more newcomers rely on settlement agencies to transition into the provin cial landscape.

Sedat Cavdar, YMCA-YWCA newcomer services director in Winni peg, says program enrolment is filling up faster than ex pected this year. More than 60 people are waiting to sign up for an English learning program, many of whom are fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

And all available slots in the youth employment pro gram filled less than halfway through the fiscal year, he said.

“We’ve seen an increased desire in exploring the possi

bilities of starting a business and micro-loan programs for skilled immigrants who want to get their credentials recog nized in Manitoba,” SEED Winnipeg Inc.’s co-director Carinna D’Abramo Rosales said in a telephone interview.

Pre-COVID, she said non profit agencies like SEED Winnipeg Inc. were able to offer wealth management and business building pro grams to four times the num ber of newcomers as they can now.

In its last fiscal year, SEED Winnipeg provided financial coaching and support to 25 new migrants, 22 of whom successfully completed the program.

Rosales wants to see multi-year, collaborative funding opportunities be tween the federal and prov incial governments to widen accessibility to these pro grams as more applications are processed

Sustained funding would mean less disruption at the local level, and it would stem the uncertainty of cash flow that non-profit organizations face. Streamlining available services month-to-month and decreasing staff turnover would increase the likelihood of newcomers’ success, Ros ales said.

“Travelling across the world, or moving from wartorn countries affects one’s ability to successfully par ticipate in a local economy,” Rosales said, pointing to the continuing need for “robust, wrap-around services” to round out a healthy integra tion experience for newcom ers overcoming language and socio-economic barriers.

Canada’s new Immigra

tion Levels Plan is to settle 500,000 new permanent residents by 2025 — 95, 000 more new migrants than in 2021.

Gaps in funding

The layers of immigration in Manitoba include waves of newcomers from the Phil ippines and more recently asylum claimants fleeing the Ukraine.

Between 2015 and 2016, Canada’s promise to house Syrian refugees doubled the size of settlement agency programs and services. Mosaic Newcomer Family Resource Network experi enced a major expansion in its language program offer ings, tailored to assist moth ers with young children. The facility rented new spaces, and hired more staff to ac commodate the increased need, said Mosaic’s execu tive director Valerie Cavers.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) provides the lar gest and longest funding opportunities to settlement agencies like Mosaic, but the province could be more involved to keep newcom ers from moving outside of Manitoba, where programs are more readily available to newcomers, Cavers added.

The province also needs increased funding to improve language training programs.

“There is a gap in fund ing higher levels of English,” Cavers said. Mosaic offers training up to the Canadian Language Benchmark level six — classes that are both rare and still lower than other levels required for newcom ers looking to re-certify their qualifications.

Until 2012, Manitoba had

been delegated funding by the federal government, but now the federal government focuses on funding language training programs required for citizenship.

The provincial govern ment has not paid for lan guage training programs in a very long time, according to Vicki Sinclair, executive director of the Manitoba Association of Newcomers Serving Organizations.

MANSO is a nonprof it that acts as an umbrella agency to communicate between the different levels of government and the staff that provide resources on the ground.

The agency meets with over 25 different committees, leaders and members within its organization to develop policy resolutions related to newcomers’ experience, and continues to advocate for further expenditures in higher level language train ing programs.

“Otherwise, we lose people to other provinces where it may be easier to access higher language class es,” Sinclair said.

In the past, Manitoba has been more generous than other provinces in its funding for Ukrainians, allowing all settlement agencies to work with this influx of asylum seekers regardless of whether they are eligible.

“While it’s great that’s being done for one group, now it needs to be done for all groups,” Sinclair said, adding there is a need to elaborate on one-stop shops for newcomers to get govern ment documentation.

The largest number of newcomers arriving in

Manitoba are economic applicants. Higher English language training is required to recertify qualifications in Canada or access post-sec ondary institutions. Settle ment agency experts say Manitoba will need to focus its funding on higher cat egories of language training to keep newcomers in the province.

New arenas for feedback loops at municipal level in small, rural towns Statistics Canada reported a record-breaking population of newcomers to Canada in its latest data release from the 2021 Census. A quarter of the country’s population can be attributed to new mi grants, the largest wave of immigration Canada has seen since 1921.

The largest growth in the population of newcomers in Manitoba is happening outside of the major cities. There has been a 30 per cent increase in newcomers mov ing into the central plains re gions, now making up almost half of the total population in Portage la Prairie.

Other cities that saw a sig nificant increase of new mi grants included the second largest city outside of Win nipeg — Brandon — where new migrants accounted for 30.2 per cent of the popula tion in the last five years, and in Thompson (34.1 per cent).

Emeka Egeson, exec utive director of the City of Brandon’s Downtown Development Corporation, said that small, rural towns are more attractive to new comers moving to Canada for the first time, because of the lower cost of living — housing and food costs are

generally considered less affordable in centralized metropolitan.regions.

Egeson wants to see more newcomers contributing feedback to advise key stakeholders on their lived experience settling into the province and to help quicken the processing of applicants.

History of newcomer demographics in Manitoba for provincial, federal gov ernments to consider

The three most common places of birth for newcom ers outside of the United Kingdom included India, the Philippines and Nigeria.

Migrants from India saw the largest increase in arriv als in the province, increas ing by almost three per cent.

The number of newcom ers from the Philippines dropped more than 10 per cent in the last five years, and accounts for just over 20 per cent of the population of newcomers in the province.

The next highest growth in population was of new mi grants arriving from Nigeria, which increased 1.6 per cent between 2016 and 2021.

A breakdown of newcom ers according to their arrival categories including work and/or study permits, and asylum claimants. Those with no pre-admission made up the largest ma jority of new migrants to Manitoba. SEED Winnipeg Inc.’s co-director Carinna D’Abramo Rosales says there is increasing interest in starting businesses from newcomers accessing the settlement agency.

The largest number of newcomers arriving in Manitoba are economic applicants.

Thompson Citizen photo courtesy of YMCA-YWCA Winnipeg Newcomer Services

More than 60 people are waiting to sign up fro an English learning program, says the Winnipeg director of YMCA-YWCA newcomer services.

Province reveals $200M health-care action plan

BY MIRANDA LEYBOURNE LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, BRANDON SUN

The province is look ing to resuscitate Mani toba’s beleaguered healthcare system with a new $200-million action plan announced Nov. 17.

The strategy aims to in crease human resources and end mandated over time with the hiring of 2,000 additional health-care workers. Another goal of the plan is to improve per sonnel recruitment, training and retention through the expansion of Manitoba’s health-care programs and removing barriers that pre vent health-care profession als from practising here, Premier Heather Stefanson and Health Minister Audrey Gordon said.

However, the Manitoba Nurses Union and the Mani toba Government and Gen eral Employees’ Union are worried that it won’t be enough.

While the announcement is a good first step toward improving the “terrible” conditions Manitoba nurses face, said MNU president Darlene Jackson, there’s still plenty of work to do.

“We must not lose sight of the fact that the culture needs an infusion of hope, and that great leadership is going to be key in making that happen,” she said.

The MGEU agreed the province’s announcement is encouraging, but president Kyle Ross said it doesn’t

consider health-care work ers who aren’t doctors or nurses.

“Quality health care re quires a full team of healthcare professionals,” Ross told the Brandon Sun. These professionals are facing ser ious staffing challenges, and Ross is calling on the province to include efforts to support and retain all health workers into its new action plan.

Manitobans and Can adians expect leaders to collaborate to solve im portant health-care issues, Stefanson said in her open ing remarks at the Health Sciences Centre’s Women’s Hospital in Winnipeg. The federal government, she said, knows that Canadians are suffering through pan demic backlogs and need a new health-care funding partnership to ensure the sustainability of the healthcare system.

For two-and-a-half years Canada’s premiers have been petitioning for a national conference with Prime Minister Justin Tru deau to discuss and ad dress the health-care needs of Canadians. Earlier this month, premiers once again called on Ottawa to increase the federal health transfer from 22 per cent to 35.

“Unfortunately, the fed eral government has so far failed to act on this critic al issue,” Stefanson said. “There was no commitment to any federal fiscal update to increase the federal share

of health funding and de spite multiple previous commitments and clear as surances, the prime minister is still refusing to meet with Canada’s premiers.”

The Nov. 17 announce ment comes less than a month after Canada’s premiers launched an ad vertising campaign blaming the Ottawa’s lack of healthcare funding for the exodus of doctors and nurses across the country.

The office of federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos didn’t respond to a request for comment by press time.

While Hannah Holt, com munity outreach manager at Westman Immigrant Ser vices, couldn’t provide the specifics on how many pro fessionally trained healthcare workers have moved to Westman in recent years, she has seen a number of nurses from the Philippines have to take their training all over again before being allowed to practise here, in cluding some who had pre viously been working in the fast-food service industry.

“That was their landing job and their survival job to get their pathway to perma nent residency,” Holt said. “We had a lot of nurses … doing the rotating licensed practical nursing program. They couldn’t just do a quick course; they had to go back to school.”

The province’s idea to re move training barriers for health-care professionals

by modernizing its memo randum of understanding with the Philippines and enabling recruitment from that country is hopeful, Holt said.

“We would welcome anything, if they’re look ing to speed things up or reduce the barriers for newcomers.”

Gordon said the prov ince’s investment sends a strong message to Mani tobans that the govern ment is listening to their concerns. She also ac knowledged the “immense pressure” health-care work ers have been under since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.

As previously reported, preliminary results from a three-year study of 118 doc tors, conducted in partner ship with Prairie Mountain Health and advocacy group Doctors Manitoba, sug gested that half of PMH’s 271 physicians are near or already burning out.

Preliminary data from that study indicated 49 per cent of respondents re ported experiencing high or very high levels of burnout. One of the driving factors was reported to be exces sive job demands, such as working more than 40 hours a week (60 per cent reported) and being on call for more than 60 hours per week (52 per cent reported). Mistreatment by patients, colleagues and workplace authority was also listed as problems physicians must

deal with on the job.

When it comes to ex cessive overtime hours, Gordon said she’s asked the chief executive officer of each regional health au thority to establish a plan to reduce overtime requests

“This is the right thing to do,” she said.

The province will pro vide financial incentives to encourage staff to work weekend shifts, Gordon said, and will offer full-time incentives for existing staff. This includes an additional hourly premium for week end hours worked as well as a new weekend position for individuals who work straight weekends.

Rural communities have been losing doctors at an alarming rate, and rural emergency rooms have either closed or had their hours cut. The situation, according to Candace Brad shaw, president of Doctors Manitoba, is “very scary” and a reflection of the prov ince’s health-care crisis.

Emergency rooms in Car berry, Minnedosa and Glen boro were all scheduled to close or operate at reduced hours due to staffing con cerns in early September. Several communities con tinue to have no emergency room services at all, includ ing Shoal Lake, Treherne and Winnipegosis. From Nov. 14-20, Carberry, De loraine, Grandview, Melita and Minnedosa will have no emergency room services on the weekend, whereas

The situation was much more dire this past summer, when even more emergency rooms were shuttered, Bradshaw said.

“We have never encoun tered a summer like we just did when it comes to rural and northern Manitoba. We have never seen so many red flags go up … we have never seen this many [emer gency rooms] have to shut down or limit their hours or even close wards.”

Though she’s hopeful about the province’s new commitments to health care, Bradshaw said she’s eager to find out more about how it will work in real time.

“We need more details but are encouraged and looking forward to collab orating with the province to keep giving them our ideas and suggestions.”

A spokesperson for Prai rie Mountain Health said the regional health author ity is “pleased” to work alongside the province on its action plan.

“We strongly support the three pillars of the action plan … [and] we look for ward to further reviewing details contained within the initiative and are committed to working towards meeting the goals and objectives that were listed within the action plan released earlier today,” the spokesperson told the Sun in an email.

Roblin’s emergency room will be closed Monday to Friday, but open Saturday and Sunday.

Thompson Citizen photo by Winnipeg Free Press/Local Journalism Initiative Manitoba Health Minister Audrey Gordon, left, and Premier Heather Stefanson, right, announced $200 million in health care funding Nov. 17.

Thompson Crisis Centre is hiring

A forty (40) hour/week (1) CounselorLevel One, Night Shift

We are a 24/7 facility so shifts include days, evenings, and weekends. The successful client will have a working understanding of Domestic and/or Family violence and related issues. Have one or more years of counseling experience, preferably in the area of crisis intervention or domestic/family violence, with some professional training i.e. Applied Counseling Certificate and/or relevant post-secondary education (Social work, Nursing or work related experience).

Have a current CPR and First Aide or willing to obtain and recent Child abuse registry/Criminal record check. Valid Driver’s license or willing to obtain. Must be able to work cross-culturally, the ability to speak a second language is an asset. Have an understanding and respect of LGBTQ1 issues and the vulnerable sectors.

Be willing to work shift work: including days, afternoons, nights, weekends and stat holidays as required.

Be reliable, dependable, flexible, and punctual and have a good work ethic. If you are interested in applying for a position please submit an up to date resume to the Program Manager Christine Fenner/or Executive Director Helen Trudeau. Applications are due by December 21, 2022.

Employment Opportunity

is looking to hire a

Respiratory illness unwanted guest in classrooms

BY MAGGIE MACINTOSH LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Respiratory diseases are creating a revolving door of disruptions to regular attendance and lesson plan ning in Manitoba schools — making it all but impos sible to return to pre-pan demic operations and deliv er consistent, high-quality instruction.

School administrators have been fielding a grow ing number of sick calls related to runny noses and fevers from both caregivers and education workers in recent weeks.

Grade 6 student Scarlett Schadek has missed two weeks in the last month, owing to a positive rapid antigen COVID-19 test and, more recently, a cold.

“I have to catch up on a lot of work … and I’m a bit behind everybody, but I’m working really hard to catch up,” Scarlett said, during an interview after the final bell Nov. 22.

pandemic, between 2016 and 2019, the division’s average student nonattend ance rate in the entire month of November was seven per cent. It was about 12 per cent in November 2020. Last fall, it was 10 per cent.

Domanie Billing hurst-Schadek called the numbers “alarming” and urged school and provin cial officials to take action to curb transmission levels, especially given pediatri cians and pharmacists are overwhelmed with sick patients.

“This is the beginning of a very trying time to be a parent. I think it’s going to be a really long win ter, in terms of illnesses,” said Billinghurst-Schadek, who has two school-aged students.

that probably shouldn’t be. Everyone is realizing we should be masking up. Last week, I had on average 10 (out of) 25 kids missing from each class,” the teach er, who was not authorized to speak to a reporter, said in a text Nov. 22.

A chronic substitute teacher shortage has long been an issue in rural schools, but it has only re cently become a concern in the Manitoba capital. Given COVID-19-related funds have been spent, divisions also have fewer resources to create supply jobs and hire long-term substitutes this year.

temporarily.

K-12 community mem bers are encouraged to get immunized, stay home when ill, practise hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, and “take addi tional precautions based on their individual risk as sessment,” according to a spokesperson for Manitoba Education.

“School officials know their communities best,” the spokesperson wrote in an email, in which they indicated administrators should reach out to author ities if they see worrying nonattendance levels.

CREE NATION CHILD & FAMILY CARING AGENCY

Child & Family Service Worker–Permanent Position Regional Office – Unit B Opaskwayak, Manitoba

Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency (CNCFCA) is responsible for administering and providing for the delivery of Child and Family Services. CNCFCA is dedicated to providing comprehensive CFS Services that are community-based and incorporate both protection and prevention services.

Our agency will strive to maintain family unity.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the supervision of the Unit Supervisor(s), the Child & Family Service Worker is responsible for providing and administering CFS Services in accordance with the Child & Family Services Act.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

§ Responsible for gathering information and assessing family functioning problems § Develop and implement intervention plans within program guidelines for families within program guidelines and provide referrals, support, guidance and problem solving § Provides for the placement, case management and ongoing support for children in care § Responsible for all file documentation and ensuring services are applied

§ Case Monitoring, Risk Assessment & Follow up

QUALIFICATIONS

§ Work experience in Child and Family Services with demonstrated knowledge of child development, family centered service, early intervention, family support and community-based services § Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or related undergraduate degree in Human Services (preferred) § Ability to converse fluently in Cree (preferred) § Excellent assessment, intervention and writing skills § Knowledge of the Child and Family Services Act and provincial standards

§ Ability to use a variety of computer applications including CFSIS and FACTS

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

§

Must pass a criminal records check, child abuse and prior check § Cannot be active on a protection case §

Maintain absolute confidentiality §

Varied amounts of travel required

Must have a valid Manitoba driver’s license

§

§ Must be able to provide own vehicle for work

§ Other duties related to the position may be assigned

Deadline: December 2, 2022 @ 4:00 pm

Submit cover letter & resume along with three (3) references marked

“personal & confidential” to:

Human Resource Manager

Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency Box 10130, Opaskwayak, MB. R0B 2J0

Fax: 204-623-3847 Email: hr@creenation.ca

We thank all who apply and advise that only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

“Please visit our website at www.https://creenation.ca”

Our office ensures that best practices in COVID-19 are observed. Under Cree Nation Child & Family Caring Agency’s COVID-19 vaccinations policy, all applicants are required to be fully vaccinated.

The 11-year-old returned to École Howden in Win nipeg in a disposable blue medical mask at the start of the week, and voiced her concerns about the lack of mask use in schools in a recent Winnipeg Free Press letter to the editor.

While her parents were not convinced face cov erings would be all that effective if she and her brother were surrounded by unmasked peers for six hours a day at the start of 2022-23, a surge in sick ness in society has prompt ed the family to take extra precautions.

An average of 18 per cent of all pupils in the Louis Riel School Division have been away on a daily basis to date in November. That figure is about 14 per cent among staff members in the Winnipeg district, the only one of its kind that publish es absenteeism data.

In the school years lead ing up to the COVID-19

Absenteeism due to ill ness that surpasses 10 per cent of an entire school’s pupil population on any given day justifies an alert to public health officials, per a policy on communic able diseases in the Pem bina Trails School Division.

Leaders in all other metro divisions have indicated there is no universal figure that sparks concern in their specific communities, and they are constantly mon itoring nonattendance.

Over the weekend, the St. James-Assiniboia School Division alerted families about a gener al increase in respiratory viruses — namely influ enza, COVID-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) — circulating in its K-12 buildings.

“Schools have renewed their efforts to remind stu dents to wash their hands and stay home when sick,” states a Nov. 20 social media post.

One Winnipeg teacher re ported half of the employ ees at her high school were away Nov. 18, and ongoing illness in her community is creating “a gong show.”

“People are here today

“Pre-pandemic, I don’t think we would ever have imagined absenteeism rates across the system like we’re seeing,” said James Bed ford, president of the Mani toba Teachers’ Society.

Bedford acknowledged there are always absences in a school year, but the spike in unplanned days off and scattered nonattend ance is particularly troub ling because it’s incredibly challenging for teachers to keep track of individual learning losses.

“The reality is teachers are just going to be putting in a lot of extra hours to make sure that the learning of their students is staying on track,” the union leader said.

Principals, specialty teachers and other col leagues have been filling in when there is no other coverage option. Some times, a quick absence fix requires a teacher to miss a prep period.

The Winnipeg Teachers’ Association has started re questing members report failure-to-fill scenarios and disclose makeshift solutions, which can range from the cancellation of a music or phys-ed program so a specialist can provide coverage to splitting an affected class into small groups to join other classes

The department did not provide a list of schools that have issued notices or im plemented special measures in 2022-23 due to unusually high absenteeism.

On a recent school day, Billinghurst-Schadek said her children’s vice-princi pal was running around to cover classrooms because there were not enough teachers and the absence of a music educator resulted in an episode of The Magic School Bus being screened during a Grade 4 period.

The mother of two said she feels powerless at present, and hopes masks become mandated once again — and if not, at the very least, school employ ees start modelling the importance of protecting others with face covering usage.

As far as she is con cerned, learning loss is worsening because chil dren do not have consistent instruction and they are spending significant per iods at home sick without energy to do homework or the option to participate in remote programming.

École Van Walleghem School alerted parents the K-8 building’s absenteeism rate had surpassed 10 per cent earlier this month, and shifted its Remembrance Day service to an online format.

Legislation sets higher accessibility standards to aid disabled

BY BRENDA SAWATZKY LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, NIVERVILLE CITIZEN

Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, a new set of codes will come into effect which should help improve life for those with accessibility challenges.

The Accessibility for Manitobans Act was first enacted into law 10 years ago. The goal of the legis lation was to work at re moving the barriers that make accessibility diffi cult in both indoor and outdoor public spaces for those experiencing all lev els of mobility challenges or sight impairment.

“To develop access

ibility standards, the Manitoba government is working with represent atives from the disabil ity community, as well as the public and private sectors,” says the AMA website. “Accessibility standards are building blocks for making real, measurable, and effective changes to accessibility. Each standard will outline specific requirements and timelines for organizations that have a responsibility to comply with the AMA.”

At their Nov. 16 pub lic meeting, Niverville council voted in favour of updating local municipal code to include this new

legislation.

“The province is requir ing all municipalities to have an updated access ibility plan,” CAO Eric King told council.

For Niverville and all municipalities in Mani toba, this means that newly built sidewalks will need to have tactile pads where the sidewalk ends to act as a warning for the visually impaired.

These are brightly col oured pads for those who have nominal vision and are heavily textured so a walking cane can easi ly pick up the change in surface.

As well, sidewalk slopes

will also be regulated to ensure that inclines and declines along sidewalks don’t create difficulty for wheelchair users.

King says the new legis lation will affect only new construction. Existing public buildings and exter ior infrastructure will fall under the new codes when they undergo repair or re placement in the future.

The Town of Niverville has been actively install ing the tactile pads for a number of years. They can be found along most of Main Street and on the sidewalks in and around the CRRC and Niverville High School.

Apprenticeship Support Project

Working to Seal a Better Future

The Apprenticeship support project benefits both employers and apprentices.

Employers with 499 employees or fewer are eligible for a hiring incentive of $5,000. An additional $5,000 is available for hiring from Equity Deserving Groups (women, Indigenous people, newcomers, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ2+ communities and visible minorities) An employer who hires 2 first year apprentices is eligible for up to $20,000.

First year apprentices will get the hands-on experience they need for a career in trades. The 39 Red Seal trades that are eligible for funding are listed on the FPDI website.

The project provides support for employers to navigate the apprenticeship system.

Join in success stories like Highland Electric, owner Ben Bruce said “after hearing through word of mouth” and doing a little digging he discovered FPDI. The organization “falls right in line with the beliefs and values of my company. FPDI helped me find the financial help and the information to find a great team member.”

To learn more, visit the FPDI website www.fpdinc.ca or call us at 204-987-9570

Joan Harris-Warren, Executive Director of FPDI and Ben Bruce, CEO of Highland Electric.