September 9 2020

Page 1

Nickel Belt News

Volume 58 Number 11

Friday, March 16, 2018

Thompson, Manitoba

Serving the Norman Region since 1961

Wednesday, September 9, 2020

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;-ͽͷ͸ͺ

Serving the Hub of the North since 1960

Volume 60 • Issue 37

Thompson RCMP calls for service down over the summer months compared to last year

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

BY IAN GRAHAM

EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Many types of crime were down in Thompson this summer and for the first eight months of the year overall, the officer in charge of the Thompson detachment told city council at their Sept. 8 meeting. Compared to 2019, Thompson RCMP have responded to fewer reports of sexual assault, assault, break-and-enter, theft, public disorder, robbery and traffic collisions this year. Domestic assaults, drug offences, mischief and other Criminal Code offences, Criminal Cods traffic infractions and homicides are up from last year. The total number of calls for service to the detachment over the months of June, July and August, was about 6,400. “It’s approximately 4.5 per cent less than last summer which was a busy summer,” acting officer in charge Sgt. Chris Hastie said Monday. The only types of calls that were higher in June 2020 than last year were mental health calls, and calls for service to both the YWCA, where 25 homeless people deemed to be at higher risk from COVID-19 have been housed since the spring, and the City Centre

Thompson Citizen photo by Ian Graham Thompson RCMP acting officer in charge Staff Sgt. Chris Hastie updated city councillors on summer policing activity at their Sept. 8 meeting. Mall. Calls to both those locations were also higher in July and August of this year than in 2019. July also saw a higher number of assaults, assaults caus-

Single-vehicle collision in Paint Lake campground kills 17-year-old

ing bodily harm or assaults with weapons, aggravated assaults, mental health calls, disturbing the peace incidents and calls for service to the homeless shelter than in 2019. Calls about missing persons are well below what they were through

the first eight months of 2019, thanks in part to the establishment of a permanent StreetReach team in Thompson to develop relationships with youth who are risk of going missing, running away from foster or group homes and being exploited. Thompson

RCMP referred more than 230 cases to StreetReach from June through August. “The program has been quite successful here in Thompson,” Hastie said. “I think one of the reasons why there’s less kids being reported missing to the RCMP is a lot of the kids,

Five candidates for council, two for school board in Oct. 13 byelection

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

to write things that you have to figure out. It’s pretty clear Though she’s now written when I get through.” a book about her experienDeMeulles said she wrote ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in Addictions Foundation of the Wind: Stories from the Manitoba northern director North - Life in Churchill for Gisele deMeulles said writ- a couple of reasons. ing wasn’t something she “I just sort of thought, always thought she would you know what, this hisdo.One 17-year-old male from Thompson tory, this stuff in my wasthat’s arrested for “In my youth I never head, it’s going to be impaired driving causing death after the vehicle hegone was felt good at writing,” if I17-year-old don’t write it down,” she driving struck and killedshe another male in Paint said. “But when I moved said. “My kids are not goLake Provincial Park campground Sept. 7. to Thompson ThompsonRCMP to getwere into notified ing toof getthe it if I don’t do it single-vehicle the school of social work, and it’s something I’ve alcollision around 3:20 a.m. Monday morning and heard at thata witness point I had wantedinto mythe mom to from thattothewrite vehicleways had driven brush for university and realized, do. My mom’s an elder and and struck a tree. ‘Holy, I’m not bad this, an artist, she’s gotthe so The teenager who at was killed she’s was found pinned under right?’ certainly developed many wonderful bevehicleIunresponsive and was pronounced dead atstories the scene. a lot skill was in university cause sheand always Theofdriver arrested at the scene takentells backher to and came out of there with stories at Parks Canada in the RCMP detachment for blood-alcohol testing. Police say a strong skill in mywas Churchill andthe I’ve always hisvery blood-alcohol content nearly twice legal limit writing and confi dence in hounded her, ‘Please, just while operating a motor vehicle. He was later released from my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write custody. Charges are pending and Thompson RCMP and ita clear andcollision that’s it.reconstructionist It’s there. for you because your story forensic continue to investigate. Some people say it’s kind of is going to be lost,’ and she’s blunt or direct. I don’t tend never done it and I thought, EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET

Driver of vehicle victim got pinned underneath arrested for impaired driving causing death

AWOLs [absent without leave] are actually calling StreetReach themselves for rides and going home that way so it kind of circumnavigates the usual process of calling the RCMP and reporting them missing.” Calls for service to the City Centre Mall totalled 342 over the past three months. “It’s evident that between 2020 and 2019 we’ve seen an increase especially in the summer time,” said Hastie. RCMP have also worked with the city to address problem areas where people gathered to drink, Hastie said, including a stand of trees across from the liquor store near the old Staples building. “I referred that to the city’s action and the trees are gone,” said Hastie, who agreed with Coun. Jeff Fountain that outdoor lighting is also a deterrent to crime. “People are less apt to do violent acts when there’s light and most of our crime happens at night, not during the day,” he said. Deputy mayor Les Ellsworth, who chaired the meeting because Mayor Colleen Smook was out of town, expressed thanks on council’s behalf to Hastie and the officers under his command. “It’s not an easy job,” said Ellsworth. “It’s a very tough city.”

Nickel Belt News photo by Ian Graham

For all the harsh weather ‘Oh, I’m just as bad, right?’ was not a very safe thing swallow when people say I have all these stories and to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the dangers of polar I need to capture them for thought that was exciting should just find somewhere bears, deMeulles said if it my grandchildren really until the plane landed and easier to live. had been viable she would because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back to ChurchI don’t.” fuel off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live there. They ill in a heartbeat. She also has a reputation cats, I was probably sitting should just leave,’ is quite “I miss the shoreline, I as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss rock,Lagimodiere I miss the in October 2018. Janet Brady beatthe Julyda BY IAN GRAHAM “I had such a varied hisAnother The thing spectful. If we wereininathe polar bears eventothough EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET councilthat byelection, necessitated two-candidate contest fill the tory and I would tell people on death was the boat in another they’rewhen very Valerie dangerous and Thompson voters will havespurred seven her by the of thesame longest-serving seatarea left vacant Wilson hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson stories and they would go, candidates to choose from in the Oct. councillor Judy Kolada in April, will resigned. ‘That’s not true, is it?’ I’dthe go,vacant since the Hudson Bay Railwhy don’t“I’d theylikeBay,” sheeveryone says. “When I go 13 byelection – five for seat be the second in lessabout thanthat twoso years. to thank for com‘Yeah it’s true.’ They’d go,oneway have the that? back home, onlet’s the suspended operations on council and two for the on the Coun. Andre Proulx earned hisoption spot onto do ing forward with theirstanding name and ‘You didn’t do all that, did north of Gillam last spring. I think right now they’re Hudson Bay looking out on School District of Mystery Lake school council by defeating Chiew Chong in have a lot of support for the election,” you? You’ve got to be really “It useda March to be 2019 a really feeling like pawns theColleen bay, it just gives you an board. byelection after thethey’re pair said Mayor Smook during old.’ I wasvying like, ‘No, actuallythethriving community in a political game that’s incredible sense. You feel so Those to become eighth large received the same number of votes in andthe mayor’s report at council’s Sept. Icouncillor did all that before and it’s just really sadelection. for them because I small and youcome feel great.” include one I– was Ron Matechuk thedwindled Octoberdown 2018 municipal 8 meeting. “Everybody out and 27,’ and they went ‘What?’” such a small population think the people Now that she’s got – who’s served in the positionto before Thompson had a five-candidate bye-of Churchvote Oct. 13.” says. one book under her belt, Looking some of now,” deMeulles really want (and run forback, mayor unsuccessfully lection in 2009, whichillwas won by Erinto thrive. City manager Anthony McInnis those experiences areasthings ThoughStewart, she’s not built their said worlds deMeulles says may try three times), as well four new candithe there only oneThey’ve of the candidates that precautions will she be taken at she notBayer, do again. any longer,toher parents and How Only would we produce on another. datesmight – Jason Kathleen Bluesky, garner more thanthere. 200 votes. the feel votingtolocation election day “I did some pretty bizarreMcMurdo. her sister 7.5 andper other family if someone “I have another in David Kobliski and Braden cent of registered voterscame castto you andand during advance polls duebook to the stuff fuel hauls into the said,while ‘I’m sorry, you have to me,” she says. darker members are.in that election, Thelike two-way school trustee race still ballots 16 per COVID-19 pandemic but“It’s thata people high Arctic at -35,” said “My cousin owns leaveof your home community story,about morevoting aboutinpersonwill see Riverview restaurant owner cent did so in the the spring 2019. with concerns person deMeulles. “It Bryan didn’t Young, dawn who hardware she board, and we’re going growth andofficial struggles. Li Cripps face ran store Forthere,” the school it will beto displace can contactalsenior election Noron me until after.for That was aon council says. you somewhere andHowitt all Maybe in theballots. next five years unsuccessfully a spot the first byelection since 2011, whenelse ma for mail-in very dangerous thing to do. Because of that, your loved ones and your it’s something I’ll focus on Being on a plane full of fuel deMeulles finds it hard to history is gone?’” doing.”


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.