Thompson Local News Archives for 2017-07

Truck Debate Once Again Front And Centre At City Council

City Council approved the recommendation of the purchasing agent to award the purchase of two new trucks at the last meeting of council.

 

This resolution brought forward a now old debate – two wheel drive or four wheel drive. Surprisingly though, this was not the most discussed resolution at council.

 

Councilor Duncan Wong once again found himself on the other side of a debate from the Mayor (and most of his fellow councillors), saying that to him it seems hypocritical that council would want the city to own 2WD trucks when they all own 4WD. He added that that it makes sense to him for the city to buy four wheel drives with a switch that turns them into two wheel drives, but that the city doesn’t need to be buying as many trucks as they are.

 

Mayor Fenske responded to the comments made by Wong about the City buying more trucks, saying that they are following the policy in place, which is to have the new trucks replace old ones in the city’s fleet, and to have the old ones sold at auction.

 

Fenske added that the city does have four wheel drive trucks in the city fleet for the fire and emergency services. He also said that a statement made in council that the City would come to a stop if we had a significant snowfall (like we had this past March) is factually untrue, as only a small portion of the work force would be using the vehicles and be affected.

 

The resolution, which passed 6-3, was a recorded vote at the request of Councillor Wong. Voting in favour of the resolution was Mayor Fenske, Deputy Mayor Valentino, Councillor Smook, Councillor Foley, Councillor Ellis and Councillor Byer. Councillor Kolada, Councillor Wong and Councillor Matechuk all voted against the resolution.

 

The recommended tender is from Rock Country G.M., and is for two new ½ ton regular cab 2WD 2018 Chevy Silverado’s at a total cost of $58,937.98.

The Numbers Are In With Regards To Pill Disposal In The Province

The Health Products Stewardship Association (H.P.S.A.) is targeting expired or unused medications for aches and pains long forgotten.

 

A survey conducted by the H.P.S.A. shows 24% of Manitobans have unwanted or expired medications and of those who disposed of them 56% used their Take Back Program and returned them to their community pharmacy. 

 

However 32% admitted they threw medications in the garbage and 11% reported they disposed of them in a sink or toilet which means more work needs to be done to keep these products out of landfills and local water sources.

             

The H.P.S.A. says the service is free and returning medication to a pharmacy ensures these products are disposed of in a safe and environmentally friendly way.

 

They report last year 15 tonnes of expired or unused medications were collected and safely disposed of through the Manitoba Medications Return Program.

 

In Thompson, medication can be returned to Shoppers Drug Mart, the Wal-Mart Pharmacy, and the Safeway Pharmacy.

Body Of 17-Year-Old Found By RCMP

On July 25 Swan River RCMP received a report that a 17-year-old male from Split Lake, Manitoba was missing from Steeprock Bible Camp near Lake Winnipegosis.

 

The male was seen swimming out to a floating dock, but he disappeared and witnesses did not see him resurface.

 

RCMP officers immediately attended, spoke with witnesses and called in Sustainable Development, who had a boat in the area, to search the water for the male.

 

The body of the 17 year old was found late last week by the RCMP Underwater Recovery Team, with assistance from Sustainable Development

2016 Crime Severity Index Released, Thompson In Top Three

The 2016 Crime Severity Index (C.S.I.) from Statistics Canada has been released, and Thompson finds itself in the top three.

 

Thompson places second in overall crime (with a score of 284.3), first in violent crime (index score of 414.95), and third in non-violent crime (score of 236.17). North Battleford was first in overall crime.

 

Councillor Blake Ellis, the chair of the public safety committee, said in a release that we cannot accept the increase as business as usual and that public safety continues to be a top priority for the city.

 

Mayor Fenske said that they don’t believe that the stated increase is an accurate reflection of the day-to-day safety of Thompson as whole.

 

He added that the C.S.I. uses census numbers in comparing a city’s population to the crime stats, a number which multiple city officials have disputed as a poor reflection of the population that Thompson serves.

Government Considering Environmental Assessment Near Lynn Lake

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency is going to have to decide whether or not an environmental assessment is required for the proposed Lynn Lake gold project.

 

They are looking for comments from the public and indigenous groups on the project and its affect on the environment.

 

Alamos Gold has proposed the construction, operation, decommissioning and reclamation of an open pit gold mine and new metal mill near the town of Lynn Lake.

 

The project would involve the redevelopment of two historic gold mines; the Gordon and MacLellan sites. The new project would include new mine infrastructure, open pits and an access road.

PM To Visit Winnipeg, Not Visiting Churchill

The Prime Minister will be making an official visit to Manitoba this week, but won’t be stopping in Churchill.

 

Justin Trudeau will be in Winnipeg for the 2017 Canada Games, but despite from multiple requests from the Mayor of Churchill, won’t be visiting the remote community which has been without their rail line for over two months.

 

The federal government as a whole has also remained quite on the topic, despite multiple letters from Premier Pallister asking for support.

 

The Prime Ministers’ office responded to questions about the community by saying that it is looking for everyone to accept responsibility, including the province and Omnitrax. A spokesperson from the P-M’s office said that if Omnitrax doesn’t meet its obligations then the federal government will look at other options to making sure residents of Churchill get the food and other supplies they need.

 

Omnitrax recently announced that they will not be paying the cost to repair the rail line.

 

Photo courtesy of Maclean’s Magazine

NDP Calling On Pallister To Make Abortion Pill Free, Available Outside Of Winnipeg

The NDP are calling on the Pallister government to make an abortion pill available to women across Manitoba, free of charge.

 

The pill, which is free in four provinces across the country, is currently only available in Winnipeg and costs over three hundred dollars.

 

Opposition MLA Nahanni Fontaine said that Manitoba has been a leader in keeping essential medicines accessible and affordable for patients in the province, and that women have a right to have full control over their reproductive health, which includes access to the abortion pill.

 

The four provinces which currently provide the pill free of charge are Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Quebec.

Churchill Mayor Spence Says Leadership Is Lacking In Legislature And Ottawa

Churchill Mayor Michael Spence said in a recent release that to his knowledge, Ottawa and the province have not sat down together to discuss the situation since the rail line flooded almost two months ago.

 

He added that he can’t understand why the Premier isn’t able to get his ministers to sit down with their federal counterparts, and that provincial government seems to have abandoned their plan to ship propane this winter.

 

The town of Churchill is saying that the current situation with the Omnitrax and the rail line connecting the remote northern community shows a lack of leadership in both the provincial and federal government.

 

Mayor Spence said that Omnitrax has said it can repair the rail in 60 days, and KRC could do repair it sooner. He added that the province is not showing leadership and that means more losses will come to Northern Manitoba.

NDP Leadership Forum At V.R.C.C. Tonight

The provincial New Democrats will be hosting what they're calling a leadership forum in Thompson this evening.

 

Manitoba NDP president David Woodbury spoke to 102.9 CHTM and sand that the forums, which are debates, are taking place across the province in the lead-up to their leadership race in the fall.

 

Previous stops on the circuit included Brandon and Gimli, with a stop coming in Winnipeg after tonight.

 

Both leadership candidates, Wab Kinew and Steve Ashton, will be in attendance.

 

The event gives both candidates the chance to share their view for the party (and province), debate points with one another, and answer questions.

 

Woodbury said that the event is for more than just party members, and that he hopes anyone with an interest in what's going on in Manitoba will come out.

 

The forum will take place at the V.R.C.C. starting at 7:00pm.

Youth Recognized At City Council

At city council last Monday, the meeting starting on a very happy note as Mayor Fenske and the rest of council acknowledged two young Thompsonites for the national and provincial awards they received.

 

Ellie Winship and Larissa Einarson were presented with certificates from the city and got their pictures taken with the Mayor before council got down to business.

 

Ellie was the recipient of the Girl Guides of Canada National Girl Greatness award, while Larissa was one of the recipients of the 2017 Premier's Healthy Living Award for Youth.

 

Mayor Fenske commented afterwards that moments like that are his favourite part of the job.

FIBER OPTICS COMING TO THOMPSON

Thompson will be getting an internet and TV upgrade in the near future.

 

At city council this past Monday, council unanimously approved the resolution for BellMTS to install fiber optic cables here in the city.

At the previous meeting on June 19, council approved a similar resolution for Shaw.

 

The new cables will allow the telecommunication giants to offer expanded TV service and faster internet.

 

The resolution passed at council this past Monday for Bell-MTS states that the work be kept a minimum of three meters from the city's underground infrastructure and that any damage caused by BellMTS will be fixed quickly at their expense.

City Council Meeting Tonight

Thompson City Council will meet tonight for the first time since June 19th.

 

The agenda for the meeting includes letters from Minister Friesen and the C.E.O. of Manitoba Housing, as well as resolutions to approve the tabulation for lighting upgrades for the G.B. Arena and to approve the accommodation tax distribution.

 

The full agenda for tonight’s meeting can be found online at Thompson.ca. You can also pick up a hard copy of the agenda by visit City Hall.

 

The meeting will start at 7:00pm in Council Chambers at City Hall.

 

Everyone is welcome, and encouraged, to attend.

2017 Troy Anand Fund Cheque Awarded

The Thompson Community Foundation presented the 2017 Troy Anand Fund earlier today to the Sikh Society of Thompson.

 

The Thompson Community Foundation is an evergreen fund that hands out the interest from the fund to other organizations within Thompson.

 

The cheque awarded was for $600.00.

 

The Troy Anand Fund is awarded yearly to a recipient chosen by Dolly Anand. 

2017 Troy Anand Scholarship Awarded

The 2017 Troy Anand Scholarship has been awarded to Rachelle Halls, a recent graduate of R-D Parker Collegiate.

 

Rachelle will be attending University College of the North in the fall and plans to become a teacher. She is spending her summer working in the MKO office.

 

The scholarship is awarded yearly in memory of Troy Anand, a local entrepreneur who was very active in making Thompson a better place to live.

Members Only Chamber Of Commerce Meeting Today

Today’s meeting of the chamber of commerce will be members only.

 

Chamber members will have a chance to talk about the impact of Vale’s downsizing, which starts in October and continues into 2018, as well as the Thompson 2020 project, which aims to mitigate the impact.

 

Tim Gibson and Harold Smith, the project managers for the Thompson 2020 project were guests of the Chamber at the meeting back on June 14th, where the two fully introduced the project to everyone in attendance.   

 

All members are invited to come to the meeting to voice their concerns and opinions, which will form the basis for a dialogue between the Chamber and the City.

 

The meeting is taking place at 12:00pm in the conference room of the Meridian Hotel.

National Inquiry Commissioner Resigns

One of the commissioners for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indeigenous Women and Girls has resigned. Poitras’ decision comes quickly after Michele Moreau, the inquiries executive director, also resigned her post.

 

The announcement came this morning from Ottawa that Marilyn Poitras had tendered her resignation, saying that she is unable to do her job with the currently level of scrutiny. Poitras is the fifth high ranking member of the inquiry to resign in the past month.

 

Poitras was selected for the position last summer along with three others, including chief commissioner Marion Buller.

 

The Federal government has set aside almost $60,000,000.00 and two years for the inquiry, though Buller says more time and money will be required.

 

MKO Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson called for the resignation of Buller one week ago in an interview with CBC, saying that the inquiry needs a reboot

RCMP Search For Missing Thompsonite

There is an ongoing search for a missing Thompson resident.

 

40-year-old Bradley Johnson was last seen in the early hours of July 1st near the best western in Thompson.

 

Later that morning, Thompson RCMP were notified of an abandoned vehicle parked near the Miles Hart Bridge over the Burntwood River.

 

Some items belonging to Bradley Johnson were located on the bridge.

Police Dog Services attended the scene, but a thorough search did not turn up any further evidence.

 

Anyone with information should contact Thompson RCMP at 677-6909 or Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477

 

Affordable Housing Project Officially Complete

An eight point four million dollar project here in Thompson is now complete.

 

Manitoba families minister Scott Fielding was in Thompson last week for the official soil turning for the Lions Manor 55 Seniors’ building project, and took the time to announce that the affordable housing project on Cambridge Street is now complete.

 

Fielding said that “This investment reflects our government’s commitments to families in northern Manitoba and to improve the supply and quality of affordable housing throughout the province,” and added that “the goal is to get families into safe, secure homes and we are certain this new option will be a welcome addition to the region.”

 

The 24 units, which are being managed by the Keewatin Housing Association (K.H.A.I.), had their first residents move in last October. K.H.A.I. CEO George Neepin said that the organization is pleased to have 24 new units come to Thompson and the north, and to house 24 more Indigenous families.

 

The K.H.A.I. was established in 1983 by the Keewatin Tribal Council, and operates more than 100 rental units in Thompson. They aim to provide housing that improves the quality of life for urban Indigenous families.

Busy Weekend for RCMP

The Thompson R.C.M.P. detachment was extremely active over the weekend, responding to around 140 calls for service. Two children under 12 years of age were found responsible for mischief to a local business, and 15 youth were reported missing, though all returned or were located. Officers also charged a twenty year old with impaired operation of a motor vehicle. He is set to appear in provincial court in August.

 

Other police activity in Northern Manitoba over the weekend included The Pas traffic services pulling over a vehicle travelling at 186km per hour on Hwy 39 near Snow Lake.  The male driver from B.C. was charged with speeding and received an $1176.00 fine.  In addition to the speeding charge, he was charged under the criminal code for dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and possession of under 30 grams of cannabis under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act. The passenger was charged for possession of methamphetamine under the CDSA

City Shelled Out Cash For Community Clean-Up

The numbers are in, and the city of Thompson paid out over $2,000.00 during clean community month for bags of garbage collected by Thompsonites.

 

Over 400 bags were collected on June 10th, clean community day, for a total payout of just over $1,200.00. Another $975.00 was paid out for 325 bags picked up for the rest of the month.

 

The city waived residential tipping fees at the landfill from June 5th through the 10th, and Thompsonites took advantage. Over $10,000.00 worth of waste disposal fees were waived, and extra city staff had to be brought in to handle the crowds, which cost the city just over two grand.

 

Mayor Dennis Fenske said in a news release that the City of Thompson is proud to have residents that take such pride in the community and that the city is grateful for the help they get every year.

Shovels Are Officially In The Ground For New Waste Water Treatment Plant

The shovels are now officially in the ground for the new waste water treatment plant. The new plant, which is being constructed at the end of Nelson Road, is replacing the current waste water plant and sewage lagoon, which have been in place since 1958 and 1970 respectively.

 

The new facility will be equipped to serve a population of 15,000 residents, with the ability to accommodate facility expansions in the event of a population increase.

 

Construction will include a new lift station on Cree Road, a new sanitary force main connecting the lift station to the plant, and the decommissioning of the old plant. The project expected to cost over $30,000,000.00 and take around two years to build.  The cost is being split between the Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments.

 

The City says that once the project is complete, residents can expect a significant reduction in the smell of sewage being emitted from both the waste water treatment plant and its associated lift stations. Mayor Dennis Fenske said that with the new plant, the City of Thompson is taking steps to secure the future health of our community, not only for the residents, but also for the environment.

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