Thompson Local News

Children's Hospital Foundation announces Champion Child for 2024

The Children’s Hospital Foundation has announced its Champion Child for 2024.

She is 15-year-old Janessa Dumas Colomb from Mathias Colomb Cree Nation and she is the first First Nation Champion Child.

Andrew Ferris, Program Director with the Foundation shares the importance of the Champion Child Role.

“Every single year, we choose a child to act as an ambassador for the over 140 thousand kids that need our hospital every single year. They are individuals with incredibly resilient stories, they are brave and spirited and they share their story to our community and rally the community to support our cause.”

At age 6, Janessa was diagnosed with kidney failure and by age 12 had a kidney transplant at HSC Children’s Hospital.

She is dedicating this year to raise money to help the other children in the province who need the hospital’s services.

You can hear from Janessa on Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.

Norway House RCMP execute search warrant and seize firearm

On Tuesday evening, as part of a weapons investigation, Norway House RCMP and the Emergency Response Team, executed a search warrant at a residence in the community.

One male was arrested and a modified firearm was seized.

Lawrence Moore, 36, of Norway House, is facing numerous weapons and firearms charges, aggravated assault, and uttering threats.

He was remanded into custody.

Norway House RCMP continue to investigate.

City of Thompson proactive in preparing against ransomware attacks

Earlier this week, Charles Finlay,  a Canadian cyber-security expert, said every municipality in the country should be prepared to respond to ransomware attacks.

When asked on City Beat yesterday if the City of Thompson is prepared for such an attack, Mayor Colleen Smook said the city has been proactive on this front.

She has more here.

“We use a company called Epic so we have been working over the last three years with them to make sure to upgrade our computer systems, deal with this ransomware as you say, so we’re in pretty good shape.”

Smook says she was at an Association of Manitoba Municipalities convention about three years ago, where it was reported that a southern town had allegedly been hacked and money had gone missing.

That provided an incentive to the City of Thompson and others to put protections into place to avoid a similar experience.

Social Work Month celebrates the many roles social workers have in a community

March is social work month, a time to learn about the many roles social workers have in our community.

As Bruce Krentz, Health Promotions Coordinator for the Northern Health Region shares, the role of social workers is very broad.

“Social workers are found in every facet of community life so including schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior centres, in elected office, private practices, prisons, corporations and public and private agencies.”   

Krentz says social workers wear many hats, advocating for clients and organizations, helping develop policy,  and doing research.

If you’re interested in a career in social work, the University of Manitoba Northern Social Work Program is still accepting applications for their fall session until April 15th.

Go to the Northern Social Work Program online for details and to apply.

The Pas RCMP lay charges after man stabbed and beaten

Late Tuesday evening,  The Pas RCMP received a report of a serious assault at a residence in Cormorant.

When police arrived on scene, the suspects had fled. A 42-year-old man was found with serious injuries resulting from a physical assault and stab wounds.

He was transported to local hospital and then to Winnipeg hospital.

Investigation determined that two men were involved in the attack, and officers were able to quickly locate them at a separate residence in the community.

Dayman Fenner, 19, from Opaskwayak and Braidon Fenner, 23, from Cormorant were arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault. Both were remanded in custody.

The victim remains in hospital in stable condition.

Thompson Kin Club's March for Kindness to take place this Saturday

March for Kindness this Saturday.

The March is being put on by the Thompson Kin Club in support of the Sidney Project for kids in Shamattawa and the Thompson Crisis Centre.

Shannon Johnston, President of the Thompson Kin Club tells us what they’re collecting.

“So we really would like to have brand new shoes of good quality and also, when you have new shoes, you need to have socks. So a package of new socks for that age group would be a great donation.”

Johnston says they’re collecting socks and shoes for school-age children so they can participate in school and recreational activities.

The March for Kindness starts at noon in front of R.D. Parker Collegiate and goes to the Giant Tiger Parking Lot.

If you can’t attend, donations can be made by calling Johnston at 204-679-0470.

Hear more about the March for Kindness on Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10 pm.

Gods Lake Narrows RCMP charge one youth, look for two others in arson investigation

On March 9, 2024, at approximately 8:10 pm, Gods Lake Narrows RCMP received a report of a house on fire behind the Band Office in Gods Lake Narrows. When officers arrived on scene, the house was completely engulfed. Nobody was believed to be in the building.

 

When the fire was out, the scene was contained and it was determined that the house had been empty when the fire broke out. Nobody was injured. It was also determined that three youths were seen in the vicinity of the house at the time the fire started.

 

RCMP patrolled the area and located a 16-year-old individual who was involved in setting the fire. They were taken into custody and charged with Arson and Obstruct Peace Officer.

 

Police continue to look for two other youth suspects. If you have information, please call Gods Lake Narrows RCMP at 204-335-2260, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Grand Rapids RCMP seize firearm and charge three males

On March 8, 2024, as part of an ongoing firearms investigation, Grand Rapids RCMP executed a search warrant at a residence in Misipawistik Cree Nation.

 

Three males were arrested at the residence, two of them were WANTED on outstanding warrants. The search resulted in the seizure of a rifle, ammunition, a small quantity of crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

 

A 17-year-old male has been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Obstructing a Peace Officer and Failing to Comply x2.

 

Keiran Ballantyne, 19, has been charged with Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Careless Use of Firearm, Fail to Comply x2, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime and numerous other weapons offences.

 

Both were remanded into custody

 

Kyle Munroe, 25, was remanded into custody on his outstanding warrant.

 

Grand Rapids RCMP continue to investigate.

 

University College of the North Celebrates 25-Year Partnership with University of Manitoba in Nursing Education

University College of the North will celebrate its 25-year partnership with the University of Manitoba in offering the Baccalaureate of Nursing degree at UCN campuses.

 

 Since it began, the program has produced over 500 registered nurses, many of whom have gone on to work in Northern Manitoba.

 

A special event will provide an opportunity to showcase UCN’s Clinical Skills Laboratory, Simulation Laboratory, and Virtual Reality Simulation Laboratory.

 

According to Helga Bryant, UCN Dean of Health, the successful partnership between UCN and U of M has made a real difference in healthcare in the North.

The event will be held today at 2 p.m., at The Pas Campus located at 436  7th Street East.

 

A Thompson Campus event will take place on Wednesday, also at 2 p.m.

Fraud cases in Canada doubled over past ten years

Recognize, reject and report.  Those are the three Rs when it comes to fraud.   

During Fraud Prevention Month, consumers of all ages are encouraged to research fraud and familiarize ourselves with scams and how they can be identified.

Josephine Palumbo, a Deputy Commissioner with the Competition Bureau, tells us how fraud has grown in just the past decade.

“According to Statistics Canada, fraud cases in Canada have almost doubled over the past ten years, surging from 79 thousand in 2012 to 150 thousand in 2022.”

Palumbo added that in 2023, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre received fraud reports totalling a staggering 554 million dollars.  

She added that this increase shows that fraudsters are becoming more skilled and technology like artificial intelligence is helping them improve on their old tricks.

To learn more about fraud prevention go to the Competition Bureau website. 

Thompson RCMP respond to armed robbery and arrest youth

Early Saturday afternoon, Thompson RCMP responded to a robbery at a business in the city.

A male youth armed with a knife was behind the counter stealing items and refusing to leave.

When officers arrived he was still behind the counter, armed with a knife, and trying to open the cash register.

He refused to listen to commands, threatened officers with the knife and then tried to grab one of the officers’ firearms.

However, the suspect was subdued and placed into custody.

He  was searched and found to be in possession of four knives and a pair of scissors.

A 16-year-old male from Thompson is facing weapons charges and charges for resisting arrest and uttering threats.

He was remanded into custody.

CFIB fights Federal Government over recent announcement to reduce rebate to small and medium buisnesses

Eight provinces and two territories now pay into the federal carbon pricing system, including Manitoba.

Since its inception, the federal government has taken in a total of $32-billion.   

Some of that money has come back to individuals in the form of a rebate cheque, but the Canadian Federation of Independent Business doesn’t feel small businesses are getting their fair share of the rebates.

SeoRhin Yoo, a Policy Analyst from the CFIB explains.

“The Federal Government promised that these carbon tax revenues would be redistributed to eligible individuals like you and me to offset the cost of living. They also promised that nine percent of the revenue will go to small and medium sized enterprises since SMEs pay into them as well.”

 
However, according to Yoo, many small Manitoba businesses are still owed around 3-thousand dollars each or approximately $144-million in total.  

And with the federal government announcing it is slashing the allocation for small businesses to 5 per cent from 9 per cent, Yeo said that means businesses will be short-changed by $3.4 billion in rebates.

For more updates on the Carbon Tax Rebates, catch Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

NHRA encourages citizens to get vaccinated against measles and other illnesses before travelling

No matter where your spring break plans take you, make sure you’re not bringing back an unexpected illness.

The Northern Health Region encourages residents to check on their immunization  status and update vaccines as necessary.

Cases of measles among children have been reported lately and there’s concern that,  due to a decrease in immunization rates since the pandemic, some children may not be protected from this disease.

Measles is very contagious. Over 90% of people who aren't immune to measles and who come into contact with the virus will become infected.

If you're infected, you can spread measles from 4 days before the onset of a rash to 4 days after a rash appears. The measles virus can live up to 2 hours in the air or on surfaces in a space where you've been.

To check your immunization status, contact your local public health office weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Dieticians encourages healthy eating habits to improve health this Nutrition Month

March is Nutrition Month, and the dieticians in the Northern Health Region encourage us to focus on healthy eating habits to improve our overall health.

However, some people still consider their weight as the key factor for measuring their health.

According to Joanna Ledoux (Leh-do), a community dietician for the NHR, there are many factors in our environment that we can’t control that impact our weight and our health.

She shares what some of them are.

“Labour saving devices is one of them. Another example of that is how portion sizes have increased over the years. Another example of that is if you go to the grocery stores, look at the variety of the food that we have now compared to how much we used to have.”

In April, Ledoux will host a free program called Creating Change that will help participants identify their own problematic eating behaviours and develop strategies to overcome them.

To register, go to the Northern Regional Health Authority facebook page.

For the full interview with Ledoux, catch Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

One in ten Manitobians lives with kidney disease according to NRHA

March is Kidney Awareness Month and March 9th is World Kidney Day.

Despite being vital organs, kidneys are all too often overlooked or ignored as part of our overall health.

But the increasing number of people with kidney disease is an important challenge facing the Canadian health care community.

Bruce Krentz with the Northern Regional Health Authority has more.

“One in ten Manitoba adults are living with kidney disease and most people don’t know it. Until you’ve lost probably about 80 percent of your kidney function, you don’t start to see many symptoms and you don’t know.”

Chronic kidney disease is a major cause of health expenditure, with health care costs for those living with CKD exceed $40 billion per year in Canada.

To learn more about kidney health go to kidney.ca.

CMHA offers Canada Manitoba Housing Benefits to help those eligible with rent and utilities

The Canada Manitoba Housing Benefit is available through the Canadian Mental Health Association of Thompson.

Not sure about what the Benefit provides?

Stephanie Hysert with the CMHA has the details here.

"To be eligible for the CMHB benefits, it is required that you are living in Manitoba, paying rent in the private market, receiving employment and income assistance, or non- EIA rent assist. If you are needing help with paying your rent or utilities, you can get up to $350 per month if you qualify for the program. You may also qualify for $72 dollars a month to help cover utility costs if it is not included in your rent.”

The Benefit is co-funded by the government of Canada through the CMHC and the Manitoba Government through the department of housing, addictions and homelessness.

To apply, contact Glen Kelly at 204-939-0948 or drop by the CMHA Main Office at 43 Fox Bay.

Manitoba government funds 3.3 million to 15 mining projects across northern manitoba

The Manitoba Government is providing funding to 15 northern mining projects, including 7 in the Thompson area.  (Including 5 in the Flin Flon and Snow Lake areas.)

The announcement  was made Monday in Toronto at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention.

$3.3 million will fund the mineral development projects through the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund, which is managed by the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.

Since the MMDF was launched in July 2020, it has approved more than 14.3 million dollars towards a range of mining projects, creating over 400 short-term jobs and  209 long-term jobs.

Applications for the next rounds of MMDF grants opens tomorrow.

Health Canada encourages Canadians to follow Canada Food Guide for healthier living

Health Canada has been providing advice on healthy eating since the 1940s through various versions of the Canada Food Guide.

Ann Ellis from the Office of Nutrition Policy and Promotion with Health Canada tells us how it began and why.

“The first food guide was called the official food rule and they were released in 1942 as a part of war time nutrition program when there was a lot of rationing going on and the food rules are really intended to improve the health of Canadians by promoting better eating habits and also a lot of the focus was really on promoting adequate amounts of essential nutrients.”  

Ellis says the Food Guide has transformed many times over the years to evolve with updated science and to recognize changing demographics and the various types of foods that are available now in Canada compared to the 1940s.

Ellis shares that healthy eating habits aren’t restricted to just the food we eat.  Cooking more at home and enjoying our meals with others are also important factors in good eating habits.

For more on the Canada Food Guide catch the interview with Ellis at thompsononline.ca.

Norway House RCMP assault complaint leads to drug seizure

On February 29, 2024, at approximately 5:55 pm, Norway House RCMP responded to a report of an assault in progress at a residence in the community. Officers were advised that the suspect, a 34-year-old male, was armed with a weapon.

Officers attended the scene and discovered that the suspect had fled on foot.

At 6:20 pm, RCMP received another call that the suspect was now at a different address and a fight had broken out.

Officers attended to this home and located the suspect who was placed under arrest. The suspect refused to comply with demands made by police and became combative. Officers deployed a conducted energy weapon and were able to safely take the suspect into custody.

During a search of the suspect, officers located crack cocaine, prescription pills, cash and drug-related paraphernalia.

Colin James Gamblin, 34, of Norway House, was remanded into custody on charges of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime and Resisting Arrest.

The Manitoba RCMP is committed to working with First Nation communities that have asked to make drug enforcement a priority.  These enforcement actions will continue as per the expressed wishes of community leadership.

Norway House RCMP continue to investigate.

Mayor Collen Smook attends two day Living Cities conference to address Crime Severity Index

Mayor Colleen Smook was in Saskatoon last week to attend the two-day Living Cities conference.

Communities from across B.C. to Manitoba, including Thompson, Portage la Prairie, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Fort St. John, Lloydminster and others were on hand to discuss the Crime Severity Index or CSI, with representatives from Stats Canada.

Smook explains what they hope to achieve.

“We are all here challenging the Crime Severity Index, the way they get their information from communities. North Battleford and us always fight for one and two positions which isn’t anything great to fight for but we are here to discuss ways to change that.”

Smook said attendees are looking for a more accurate way to calculate the index to reflect the actual size of the region when crimes are being reported.

The goal of the conference was to better understand the CSI and its limitations, and also address the damage due to negative publicity caused by the annual release of the CSI numbers.

MKO Applauds Hockey Manitoba decision to keep team in the league.

Territory Five Territory, Opaskwayak, Mb – Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Inc. Grand Chief Garrison Settee applauds Hockey Manitoba’s decision to keep the Norman North Stars in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League.

 

In a statement, Grand Chief Settee says, “We believe Hockey Manitoba made the right decision. This decision means that youth from northern Manitoba and Nunavut will continue to have the opportunity to excel in sport.

 

This allows our athletes to engage in high level sports and reap the associated benefits of physical health, social development, and personal growth without having to leave their territories.

 

Fairness and inclusivity in sport is essential to support and promote the development of AAA U18 hockey in northern Manitoba, as such our children will be able to play the sport they love, compete in, and thrive with their continued access to these opportunities.”

 

The Norman North Stars have long been a source of pride and inspiration for the children and youth in our communities and we look forward to keeping that tradition alive.

Norman Northstars to remain in Thompson as result of vote by AAA U-18 Manitoba Hockey League

A town hall was held last Saturday regarding whether or not the Norman Northstars would be staying in Thompson this coming hockey season.

A vote by the Triple A U-18 Manitoba Hockey League was held on Wednesday night, with the result that the Northstars will remain here.

Mayor Colleen Smook says there’s still more work that needs to be done to ensure this continues.

“We are definitely going to be asking for changes on the executive, their annual general meeting is in April and that’s when they re-elect the board. We will be supporting other regions which have said that they will be asking for changes and will be putting names forward so that it’s more equity and representation across Manitoba, not even just necessarily the north.”

Smook said that now the Northstars will be staying, it’s up to the fans to keep supporting the team.

She said she’s hoping for great fan turnouts at all the home games.

Seniors aged 60 and up granted free access to TRCC gym

The City of Thompson has extended access for seniors to use the gym at the TRCC.

Where it used to be free for those 75 and up, the age has now been reduced to 60.

The original request was to have the age dropped to 65, but Councillor Duncan Wong moved the age be dropped further to 60 and the motion was passed.

On City Beat yesterday, Mayor Colleen Smook provided details.

 

“Any resident of Thompson that’s 60 or older is welcome to go to the gym, what you need though is a gym card. What you have to do is pay a $6.35 charge for this access card and it’s a permanent card, it doesn’t change.”

If you don’t wish to pay for your own access card, you can pay a $10 deposit and leave a piece of ID at the TRCC front desk to get a card.

That 10-dollar fee and ID will be given back upon returning the access card to the main desk.

Thompson Crisis Centre holds annual Healthy Family Fun event this Saturday

The Thompson Crisis Centre’s annual Healthy Family Fun Event takes place this Saturday.

It runs from 3 to 6 pm at the TRCC gym and is free to attend.

Mary Demare, Outreach worker with the Crisis Centre has the details.

“This includes bouncy houses for the kids, a fish pond, animal balloons, face painting, karaoke singing and also a silent auction.”

Demare says this is an opportunity for people both in and outside of Thompson to gather together as a community.

The Crisis Centre also organizes and participates in events such as the “Take Back the Night Walk” in September, and the “16 Days of Activism”, which culminates with a vigil on December 6th to remember the victims of the Montreal Massacre.  

Both events recognize the occurrence of violence, especially gender-based violence,  and show support in the fight against all violence.  

YWCA Thompson launched Locker Project last year as harm reduction strategy in Thompson

 The YWCA Thompson launched the Locker Project last year as a harm reduction strategy.

 

Nicole Apetagon, the Women’s Programs Coordinator with the YWCA, explains how it works.

 

“The locker project is a partnership between the YWCA Thompson and the Northern Regional Health Authority. It is an initiative within the harm reduction frame work where drug users are able to stay anonymous and have free access and safe drug supply such as pipes and mouth pieces.”

 

The Locker Project is a part of a partnership between the YWCA and the Northern Regional Health Authority.

 

If you have questions about the Locker Project, contact Apetagon at 204-778-1209, message Thompson YWCA on Facebook, or drop by Room 115 at the YWCA.

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