Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
Serving the Norman Region since 1961
Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Providing you with expert advice & friendly service. Book online at speedyglass.ca or try our free app on your iPhone
We look forward to serving you. Ϳͷ-A Kelsey Bay Thompson, MB R;N ͷS Ph: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͶͺ; Fax: Ͷͺ-ͽͽ;-ͽͷͺ
Serving the Hub of the North since 1960
Volume 61 • Issue 34
Arson charge related to torching of Butter Chicken Express in 2019 tossed by judge because it took too long to bring the case to trial
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
Thompson Citizen file photo An arson charge laid after Butter Chicken Express was destroyed by fire in July 2019 is not moving forward because a judge ruled that it took too long to bring the man accused of the crime to trial. A 2016 decision by Can- issued for his arrest. He was The judge also said the ada’s Supreme Court found arrested in October 2019, Crown should have made An arson charge against that a delay of more than 18 though police did not an- efforts to be available eara man accused of burning months between a charge nounce that publicly, but lier since they knew they down a Thompson restaubeing laid against someone failed to appear in court the were about to exceed the rant has been stayed beand their trial’s expected following February. He was 18-month deadline. cause it took too long to conclusion is an unreason- arrested again by March “One would have exbring him to court. able delay in provincial 2020 but police didn’t for- pected Manitoba ProsA commercial arson courts. mally enter the information ecution Service to have charge against Skyler Dean Butter Chicken Express on the charge of failing to prioritized the applicant’s Smith, 31, accused of setwas set on fire July 18, appear until late April as prosecution, given how 2019. One firefighter re- COVID-19 was slowing long it had been in the ceived minor injuries bat- down court proceedings. He system,” Bayly said in his tling the blaze and police appeared before a judicial decision. issued a press release asking justice of the peace in June A 2011 sexual assault the public to help identify of last year. charge against a former and locate a man who filled Bayly said that the RC- Thompson resident was a small bottle with gaso- MP’s failure to complete stayed in August by a judge line at a nearby gas station the paperwork more quick- who ruled that police and Nickel Belt photo by Ian Graham around the time of the fire. ly coincided with the pantheNews Crown hadn’t taken neAddictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles has written a book about her experiences growing up, mostly in Churchill. The Free Press reported demic but did not agree that cessary steps to ensure the out in the 1956 agreement for that negotiation,” he that Smith was charged it had no effect on how long matter came to trial within a BY IAN GRAHAM BY IAN GRAHAM For all the harsh weather to write things thatprecursor you have ‘Oh, not a very safe thing swallow when people say EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET between Vale’s said.I’m just as bad, right?’ was on July 27I jumped and a warrant the case took to get to trial. reasonable timeframe. EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET I have all these stories and to fi gure out. It’s pretty clear to do but at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar Thompson city council Inco and the province of The mayor was asked Though she’s now written when I get through.” I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just fi nd somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it appointed five of its mem- Manitoba and based on the to recuse herself from nea book her experienDeMeulles said she wrote grandchildren had been viable she would bers toabout the team respon- number of workers Vale my gotiations by Coun.really Earl until the plane landed and easier to live. ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to Churchsible for negotiating the employs at its Manitoba Colbourne, who also voted Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the Iagainst don’t.”the resolution. fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. next grant-in-lieu agreeOperations. Manitoba northern director - Life for She also has a reputation “I miss the shoreline, I ment with Vale at their North From 2018intoChurchill 2021, Vale “You’re directly in- cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite Gisele deMeulles said writa couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss the rock, I miss the Sept. 7 meeting. paid $14.4 million to the volved with Vale,” he said. ingThe wasn’t she City “I just sort of thought, “I had such don’t a varied his-a Another thing that spectful. If we were in the polar bears even though teamsomething includes Mayof Thompson – $4.8 “Our citizens have always thought she know what, and I would tell people spurred her on was the same boat in another area they’re very dangerous and or Colleen Smook andwould dep- you million in the first this yearhisand tory chance.” do. tory, this stuff that’s in my facing Churchill think and we that would really miss the Hudson stories andsaid theyher would Antimes impaired driver who Ifather, thescream driver Ithe Thompson RCMP deuty mayor Kathy Valentino $3 million in each of the Smook onlygo, fi- hard “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be gone ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’d go, since the Hudson Bay Railabout that so why don’t they Bay,” she says. “When I go drove onto a Thompson then attempted to flee on tachment where he providas her alternate, along with next three years, along with nancial involvement with felt good at writing,” she if write it down,” she ‘Yeah it’s true.’ go, way the was option to do that? back home, standing the suspended operations sidewalk and struck two have foot but apprehended ed breath samples thatonwere councillors Brian LundanI don’t additional $600,000 Vale was when They’d they rentsaid. “But when I moved ‘You didn’t do all that, did said. “My kids are not gonorth of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on three times the legal limit mark, Andre Proulx and voluntary payment in 2019. ed her campground for an children, sending one of by bystanders. to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an them to hospital with inThe two-year-old was for blood alcohol content Les Ellsworth. That was down from $6 event. theVale school social it’s something I’ve the al- old.’ wasnot like, ‘No,that actually community a political andat that’s sense. You feel so juries, islarge facing multiple in treated and game released the incredible while operating a vehicle, doesofnot pay work, prop- and million per year over “I Ido feel this thriving at that pointtoI had to write wanted my mom to Iisdid all that of before I was and it’s just dwindled them because charges, RCMP say. down really scenesad by for Thompson FireI small policeand say.you feel great.” erty taxes the city, as ways previous five years a conflict interest,” for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” to such a small population think the people of ChurchNow that she’s got Police were called to & Emergency Services Jaden Kenneth Pittman its operations are outside Coun. Duncan Wong she said. ‘Holy, I’m not at this,a she’s artist, she’s got so says. book under belt, Looking back, some of now,” really wantwho to thrive. StationdeMeulles Road around 6 p.m. ill paramedics, trans- one was remanded intoher custody city limits, butbad provides votedan against the resoluThe negotiating team right?’ I certainly developed wonderful stories be- those experiences Though not of there builtfour-year-old their worlds deMeulles saysofshe may try 28 forshe’s a report the They’ve ported the on two counts dangerous grant instead. The negoti- many tion appointing the team was approved in aare 5-2things vote. Aug. a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. ation discussions also in- members, saying Ellsworth Coun. Jeff Fountain children, aged two and to hospital with serious driving, one count of imand came of there with stories Parks in abstained “I did some pretty bizarre other family if someone came to you and paired “I have another in four,sister beingand hit by a vehicle. but non-life-threatening driving, onebook count clude the out School District was theatonly oneCanada with nefrom voting be- her a strong skilland in my and I’ve hauls into the ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. “It’s after a darker Witnessesstill saidare. the vehicle said, injuries. of failing to stop an ofvery Mystery Lake the Churchill gotiation skills andalways that a stuff causelike hefuel is employed by members writing and confidence in hounded her, ‘Please, at -35,” said drove “My onto cousin the leave home community more the owns sidewalk Theyour 36-year-old male story, accident and about severalpersoncounts Local Government District lead negotiator shouldjust be high Vale Arctic and Coun. Braden my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and struggles. and hit the two girls, who driver was arrested for imof failing to comply with of Mystery Lake, but the appointed. McMurdo was not at the clear and that’s it. It’s is there. because your me until after. That was a says. somewhere elsetaken and all the next five years were walking with their you paired driving and to Maybe releasein order conditions. minimum amount set for“Iyou literally have no story hope on meeting. BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
ting fire to Butter Chicken Express in the parking lot of the Thompson Plaza in 2019, has been thrown out due to an unreasonable delay in bringing the case to trial, the Winnipeg Free Press reported Sept. 4. Provincial court Judge Geoffrey Bayly entered a judicial stay of proceedings
in a decision delivered in Thompson Sept. 4. He said the delay was more due to Thompson RCMP taking too long to complete required paperwork and the Crown prosecutor’s inability to be available for an earlier court date than the COVID-19 pandemic slowdown.
Five council members selected to negotiate next grant-in-lieu agreement with Vale
Impaired driver who hit two children walking on Thompson sidewalk faces dangerous driving charges
Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”