Wednesday, September 11, 2019
Serving the Hub of the North since 1960
Volume 59 • Issue 37
NCN throws party to mark the completion of Thompson gas station BY KYLE DARBYSON
KYLE@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Even though it’s been operating since early May, Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation (NCN) celebrated the official grand opening of its Thompson gas bar Sept. 6. NCN council provided a free public barbecue and live music to commemorate the fact that this gas station is finally completed now that they finished paving the entire property. Chief Marcel Moody kicked off Friday’s festivities by telling the crowd about his vision for the future of this business, and how he wants it to be more than just a place where Indigenous people can pick up treaty gas. “We don’t want this to be known as the Indian gas station or Aboriginal gas station,” he said. “We want it to be recognized as a full serving gas station with beautiful amenities and competitive pricing.” Thompson Mayor Colleen Smook reiterated her view that NCN and its various local businesses play an important role in the city’s economy. “Since this land was turned over as an urban reserve it’s amazing the
things that go on,” she said. “The economy of Thompson is what it is because of all our partners.” In the spring of 2016, NCN finally received urban reserve status for the 4.21 hectares of land surrounding the Mystery Lake Hotel in Thompson, which the First Nation had owned for over a decade at that point. This new status provided them with more flexibility to develop on that property. Roughly a year later, NCN announced that they would be building a gas station next to the hotel. NCN also owns and operates Thompson’s Family Foods store and Meta Cannabis Supply, the latter of which opened last December. Moody told the Thompson Citizen that their next big project is renovating the Mystery Lake Hotel. “We’re currently renovating our kitchen at the Mystery Lake and we’ve got to do the front entrance and the main lobby area that’s behind it,” he said. “We’re always trying to improve our businesses to make it classy for our customers.” The gas station currently employs 23 people, 17 of whom are NCN members.
Thompson Citizen photo by Kyle Darbyson Members of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, in addition to Thompson provincial election candidates Danielle Adams and Kelly Bindle, took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 6 for the First Nation’s gas station, which opened in May.
No final contract offer yet from Vale UCN initial enrolment up 35 per Manitoba Operations to USW Local 6166 cent from last year BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
First-week enrolment numbers for full- and part-time students are projected to reach 1,111 fulltime student equivalents, University College of the North (UCN) said Sept. 9. That number, which includes students at the Thompson and The Pas campuses as well as those at 12 community centres in Northern Manitoba, is the highest since the school was established and 34.7 per cent higher than it was last September, says UCN president Doug Lauvstad. “This is great news,” the president said in a press release. “Students realize UCN has the programs, instructors and infrastructure to achieve their goals. Our strong ties to industry and choice of programs make it a logical decision for those wanting to gain a diploma, certificate or degree.” UCN had 62 per cent
Doug Lauvsad more students enrol last year than in the 2017-18 academic year – a total of 3,326 students, nearly 1,300 more than the previous year. “Northern communities and the provincial government have high expectations for our programs,” said UCN’s academic and research vice-president Dan Smith. “More and more students from the north are getting an education that will help them to improve their lives, contribute to their communities and help to strengthen the northern economy.”
Negotiations on a new contract between Vale Manitoba Operations and United Steelworkers (USW) Local 6166 have yet to result in a tentative agreement with less than a week to go before the existing five-year agreement expires Sept. 15. “We are in the last week and still respecting the process until we have a final offer,” USW Local 6166 president Warren Luky told the Thompson Citizen Sept. 9. The union president previously said at the end of August that
negotiators were working towards getting a deal but that there are always hurdles to overcome when bargaining. “The bargaining teams for Vale and USW 6166 continue to meet and have made good progress to date,” Vale manager of Indigenous and corporate affairs of Manitoba and Ontario Ryan Land told the Citizen Sept. 9. “Vale remains committed to successfully achieving a new collective bargaining agreement by Sept.15. As the process is confidential, there are no further details to share at this
time.” The current agreement was approved by union members approved by an 80 per cent to 20 per cent margin in September 2014. The 2014 contract talks marked the fifth time Inco or Vale and the Steelworkers had reached an agreement without a labour disruption since 1999. At that time, USW Local 6166 represented about 1,400 workers in Thompson, including 1,200 employed by Vale. Now, following Birchtree Mine being placed on care and maintenance status in
USW Local 6166 president Warren Luky 2017 and Vale’s smelter and refinery in Thompson permanently shutting down about a year ago, only about 600 Steelworkers are employed by Vale.
Ford dealership owners expanding onto two vacant properties BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Thompson city council unanimously approved a pair of resolutions Sept. 3 that will
pave the way for the owners of Thompson Ford to expand their operation onto properties on Station Road and Moak Crescent.
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