Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Wednesday, October 27, 2021
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Volume 61 • Issue 41
Thompson RCMP officer shoots man on Princeton Drive
BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMSPONCITIZEN.NET
A man was shot by a Thompson RCMP officer near the Cornell Apartments on Princeton Drive Oct. 25. A video posted on Facebook showed a man dressed in a red shirt walking toward an officer who continued backing up until he was standing on the road. The man was shot as he continued to move toward the officer just before reaching the street. A gunshot was audible in the video. Police taped off Princeton Drive from McGill Place to Duke Place and multiple RCMP vehicles and officers were on scene as of about 4 p.m. Monday. Manitoba RCMP said in a news release shortly before 6 p.m. Monday that an officer was delivering legal documents when they encountered a 30-year-old man armed with a knife and that the shooting resulted in the man being taken to Thompson General Hospital for treatment of a serious injury. The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba has been notified and will oversee the investigation, which Thompson RCMP continue to look into. Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee said in an emailed statement Oct. 25 that the video of the shooting was “extremely disturbing” and that his office had been in touch with the Thompson RCMP. He also expressed sympathy with the man who was shot. “I want to let the family and loved ones of this person know that our prayers and thoughts are with you at this time,” said the grand chief.
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill Thompson Citizen photo by Ian Graham Thompson RCMP officers near where an officer shot a man on Princeton Drive Oct. 25.
Nisichawayasihk flag raised at Thompson’s City Centre Mall
Thompson Citizen photos by Ian Graham The Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation flag flies on a flagpole in the City Centre Mall parking lot.
Nisichawyasihk Cree Nation councillor Willie Moore, third from left, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief flags were raised alongside Garrison Settee, second from right, and John Adriessenans of City Centre Mall, right, after the unveiling of a monument EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET the Manitoba and Canadian acknowledging that the mall is in the traditional territory of NCN. The owners of City Cen- flags. tre Mall paid tribute to the Seeing his First Nation’s conceived or thought about that owns the mall, has also Thompson area’s past and symbol at the mall was heart- coming to this side, the Nisic- partnered with MKO to open expressed hope for a more warming, said NCN council- hawayasihk people traversed 26 Feathers, a store where collaborative future Oct. 14 lor Willie Moore. the land and waters of this Don Johnson Jewellers used with the raising of the Nis“They’re recognizing and territory,” he said. “They have to be that sells products made Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham ichawayasihk Cree Nation respecting the territory of Nis- allowed us to reside and to by citizens of MKO’s 26 First Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. (NCN) flag and the unveil- ichawayasihk Cree Nation,” share the wealth of this very Continued on Page 2 ing a monument acknow- he said.things “It allthat starts with beautiful territory. Weright?’ must was not a very safe thing swallow when people say BY of IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write you have ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, ledging that it is on the First talking, alsoclear rec- never whose landand we to John EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET I haveforget all these stories to figuresharing out. It’sbut pretty do Adriessenans but I jumped of at City it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar Nation’s traditional ognizing that we have a dark Iare on. This has always Though she’s nowterritory. written when I get through.” need to capture thembeen for thought thatand wasManitoba exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it Centre Mall “Thisabout is a very We can have a stronger their grandchildren home and this will al- until a book her commemexperien- past. DeMeulles said she wrote my really the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would Keewatinowi Okimakanak orative and special moment future if we collaborate be their ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispersand in ways because they home. will beFor lostthe if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to ChurchGrand Chief Garrison Settee for all of us toFoundation raise the NCN together in a meaningful time in this mall in its fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. Addictions of work the Wind: Stories from the first I don’t.” the ribbon to officially flag and the MKO director flag on North way.” - Life in Churchill for 50-year history, a flag has cut Manitoba northern She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I open 26 Feathers, which City Centre property,” said Discussions about recogbeen raised in their honour Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disre- miss the rock, I miss the products made First spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though John Adriessenans of City NCN almost to “I identify theira nation. It is sells ing wasn’t something she nizing “I just sortbegan of thought, had such varied hisAnother thingby that Centre Mall, after thewould Nis- you two years said Nations people, who receive so healing see that. This is spurred always thought she know ago, what, thisMKO his- tory and I to would tell people her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and ichawayasihk and Manitoba Grand Chief Garrison in action.” all thetimes proceeds their I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson do. tory, this stuff that’s Settee. in my reconciliation facingfrom Churchill stories and they would go, hard Keewatinowi Okimakanak “Before Europeans even ‘That’s Strathallen, company sale. the Hudson Bay Rail- about that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone not true,the is it?’ I’d go, since BY IAN GRAHAM
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
if I don’t write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go, way suspended operations said. “My kids are not go- ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really and it’s something I’ve al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community ways wanted my mom to I did all that before I was and it’s just dwindled down do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population Contact she’s an artist,Nelson she’s got so at 204-307-0281 Looking back, some of now,” deMeulles says. many wonderful stories be- those experiences are things Though she’s not there pruderspropertyservices@gmail.com cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and stories at Parks Canada in “I did some pretty bizarre her sister and other family to discuss your property needs! Churchill and I’ve always stuff like fuel hauls into the members still are. hounded her, ‘Please, just high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns the put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she for you because your story on me until after. That was a says. is going to be lost,’ and she’s very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, never done it and I thought, Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles finds it hard to
Yer snow gotta go!
have the option to do that? I think right now they’re feeling like they’re pawns in a political game and that’s really sad for them because I think the people of Churchill really want to thrive. 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?’”
back home, standing on the Hudson Bay looking out on the bay, it just gives you an incredible sense. You feel so small and you feel great.” 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.”