The 7^th Thompson Humane Society Property Tax Draw will be wrapping up this weekend.

Oswald Sawh, from the Humane Society, spoke to Arctic Radio News and said that the grand prize is $2500, with other prizes including a Jasyn Lucas painting and a barbecue.

The draw is happening Sunday afternoon, and tickets can be purchased either at Don Johnson’s Jewellers today, or at the Humane Society booth in the City Centre Mall over the weekend.

Tickets are $10 each, or three for $20.

All funds raised going towards the work of the humane society in the Thompson area.

There’s a new program in place this year for Girl Guides called “Girls First”, and they’re inviting the entire community to come see what it’s all about.

The new Girls First program allows the girls to have more input on the different programs and activities that take place, and switches to a more paperless online model.

Christine Nevistiuk, the local district commissioner for Girl Guides, spoke to Arctic Radio News and said that some of the activities planned for the launch party include an obstacle course, slime, and making dream catchers

Deputy district commissioner Rebecca Walter said that the event will run on Saturday in the TRCC gym from 2:00pm until 8:00pm.

According to the officer in charge of the Thompson RCMP detachment, some of the stats in their recently released quarterly report can be misleading.

Inspector Kevin Lewis delivered the report to Thompson City Council recently, as the document details the detachments activities over the last quarter.

Inspector Lewis later spoke to Arctic Radio News, and said that one of the potentially misleading statistics is the sharp rise in calls to service over the same time period two years ago.

Lewis said that after two years, some of the less urgent calls for service are purged from the system.

That means when they went to compile the report, calls from 2016 had been purged. He said that while the number of calls did not double, as the report indicates, it did rise slightly here in Thompson.

Lewis added that a call for service is logged every time a youth in a group home isn’t back by curfew, as RCMP members are called at that point to locate them.

Inspector Lewis also spoke on the rise in damp house visits, a statistic that he said is a very good thing.

He said that the damp house, which is located at 95 Cree Road, is transitional housing that is run in partnership with the CMHA. The house provides a place to stay for those who may have addictions issues, as well as chance to regain control of their lives.

Lewis said that visits to the damp house allow the RCMP to have a positive interaction with people who they normally would not have one with.

Thompson City Council will meet monday night with only 23 days until Election Day.

The agenda appears to once again be on the lighter side, with council only set to vote on four resolutions.

One of the four resolutions on the table includes a resolution to enter into a one-year agreement with the Norman Northstars for the 2018 – 2019 season.

Other items on the agenda include a report from the recreation and community services committee, and a letter from Colleen Mayer, the Minister of Crown Services for the Province of Manitoba.

The meeting will start at 7:00pm in Council Chambers at City Hall and the public is encouraged to attend.

A link to the complete agenda can be found here.

A third bus company has stepped forward to help fill the void when Greyhound packs up shop.

Maple Bus Lines, whose main office is located in Selkirk, will be offering trips between Thompson and Winnipeg daily Sunday through Thursday.

The company has said that they are going to be hiring at least two local Greyhound employees as of October 31^st.

Maple Bus Lines says that their buses are equipped with washrooms, and their Thompson to Winnipeg route will leave at 9:00pm, with arrival in Winnipeg scheduled for 5:45am.

There will also be a route in service between Thompson and Cross Lake come November, with plans to expand service to include The Pas in 2019.

Calling all breastfeeding mothers.

There will be an attempt to break the world record for the most mothers breastfeeding at the same time this weekend here in Thompson.

On Saturday morning, Wapanohk School will open up at 10:15am for those wanting to take part, with ‘latch-on’ set for 11:00am.

Snacks will be provided, and there are prizes to be won.

The challenge is for the most mothers feeding simultaneously in a set geographic area as a percentage of the birth rate.

If you’d like more information, you can call the Thompson Public Health Unit at 204-677-5350.

A man is facing a hefty fine for speeding south of Thompson along Highway 6.

Officers noticed the vehicle travelling at ahigh rate of speed, and pulled it over after clocked the car going 90km over the post speed limit of 100km/h.

The driver of the vehicle cooperated with the RCMP members on the scene, and produced a UK driver’s licence while explaining that he wasn’t sure if the posted speed limit was in kilometres or miles.

The man was issued a serious offence notice to Manitoba Public Insurance, as well as a ticket for $1228.

Mounties here in Thompson had some help recently from a Winnipeg-based program. 

Members of the Thompson RCMP detachment spent time with Street Reach workers, and had nearly thirty interactions with youth late last week. 

During those interactions, fourteen youth were returned to their placement and one 14-year-old female was returned to a parent having been found outside a local hotel with an adult female. The adult was issued a ticket for over $670 for having open liquor in her possession. 

Several youth were found intoxicated, including one who was taken to Thompson General due to a high level of intoxication. 

The efforts of the two organizations resulted in one youth being returned to their placement after having been missing for four days. 

Street Reach is a part of Tracia’s Trust, the Manitoba Government strategy to prevent sexual exploitation of children and youth. There is no permanent Street Reach program here in Thompson.  

The Thompson YWCA is hosting their annual general meeting today.

The meeting will get underway at noon in their building and will be followed by an open house, starting at 1:30pm.

The open house will highlight recent upgrades and changes, as well as provide a chance to visit program areas and learn more about what the “Y” has to offer.

YWCA memberships will be available, and a light lunch will be served.

Over 200 grams of cocaine are off the streets thanks to the Thompson RCMP detachment. 

Members of the detachment executed a search warrant almost two weeks ago in the Caribou Road area, where the seized a large amount of cash and drug paraphernalia along with the drugs. 

32-year-old Jeffrey Langenau was arrested on charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime. 

He was scheduled to appear in court last Monday, and is still in RCMP custody.  

The investigation is still ongoing. 

A candidate has withdrawn his name from the upcoming election in the wake of his previous online activity.

29-year-old Ryan Brady was one of four people who submitted papers ahead of the October 24^th election, but says he is withdrawing from the mayoral race after comments he made online almost a decade ago came to light.

Brady posted to his personal Facebook page earlier this afternoon, saying that he hates to withdraw, but that he is doing what he has been asked by his wife and others.

He added that he “just wanted to do great things” for his community, and that “people don’t want these issues worked on, or repaired”.

Brady came under fire over the weekend for comments he made on a white supremacist website in 2009, and were posted to a popular Thompson-centric Facebook group.

In an interview with the Thompson Citizen, Brady said that he was trolling when he posted the comments, but admitted that what he said was both wrong and disgusting. He added that what he said does not reflect who he is as a person today.

According to the City of Thompson’s Senior Election Official, Dave Turpie, Brady’s name will still remain on the ballot.

Next week will mark your last chance to take a public bus tour of the smelter and refinery.

Vale will be offering the tours during their annual open house next Wednesday, though you’ll have to register in advance if you want to go.

Tara Ritchie, from Vale, says that if you’d like to go on one of the tours, you should register in advance by sending an email to valeevents@vale.com.

It’s not just the City of Thompson that is upset with the cuts made this year to the Provincial Municipal Road Improvement Program.

Mayor Dennis Fenske spoke to Arctic Radio News, and said that it was one of the things discussed at the recent Association of Manitoba Municipalities fall Cities Caucus meeting.

Mayor Fenske said that there is an emergency resolution going forward to AMM as a whole, as the program was cut from $12M in 2017 to $2.25M in 2018. Along with the large cut in amount of money available, Fenske said that while over 100 municipalities and RM’s received funding last year, less than 61 are getting money this year.

Mayor Fenske, who is not seeking a second term, said that the timing of the announcement was unacceptable, as crews were already on site working on the projects. He reiterated that the City had been told by Minister Wharton’s office that they would be receiving $400k, but only received half that amount.

Fenske said that the meeting also focused on cannabis, as municipalities will foot any extra enforcement and social impact costs without receiving any of the tax applied to the narcotic.

The tax is currently set to be split 75/25, with the larger chunk going to the Provinces, while Ottawa collects the rest.

The meeting took place last week in Flin Flon, with Mayor Fenske and City Manager Anthony McInnis in attendance.

The school district of Mystery Lake board of trustees will meet tomorrow.

Tomorrow evening’s agenda is on the lighter side, with only one field trip request and a review of the borrowing by-law added to standing agenda items, such as reports from various board committees.

The full agenda can be found by clicking here.

The board of trustees currently sits at six members, with Guido Oliveira taking over as Vice-Chairperson following the resignation/ retirement of Janet Brady.

There are two more scheduled school board meetings following tomorrow before the election. The new board will be elected from the pool of eleven hopefuls, including three incumbents, on October 24^th.

The leader of the Manitoba Liberal Party says that the current state of 911 services here in the north is unacceptable.

St Boniface MLA Dougald Lamont spoke to Artic Radio News and said that while he doesn’t know if the Pallister Government will take action on the situation anytime soon, the Liberal Party will be pressing them for action.

Lamont said that emergency services are something that the current government “really doesn’t seem to take very seriously, or seriously enough. He added that there have been cuts to services all across the province, and that services like police and fire/ems need to be ready and available outside of bankers’ hours.

Lamont said that his party has been pressing, and will continue to press for, quality local services across Manitoba including emergency services.

The Manitoba NDP are calling on Premier Brian Pallister to stop the privatization of LifeFlight and other government-run air services.

The party released footage of an emergency landing at the Thompson Airport on September 9^th, when an Island Lake-bound flight (responding to a medical call) had to circle back when the crew was unable to get the landing gear to lock. The plane’s landing gear collapsed upon landing, rupturing the fuel system.

NDP leader Wab Kinew says that the footage was released as it shows that it is owned by SkyNorth, one of the 12 companies who have bid on the request for proposal to take over LifeFlight. The Fort Rouge MLA added that the footage is “harrowing to watch”, as the plane could have been transporting a patient in critical condition.

Flin Flon MLA Tom Lindsey spoke to Arctic Radio News and said that the footage is significant, as it highlights “the fact…that some of the private carriers have had more incidents in the past than what government air services have ever had”.

Lindsey said that since 1994 there have been around 30 incidents, 23 fatalities and 33 serious injuries involving private air carriers. He added that there has only been one incident with a government air service in that time, which the Transportation Safety Board ruled was caused by directions of the air traffic controllers.

The NDP say that they are concerned that there will be a lower standard allowed with private companies than what the current government-run services meet. A release from the party says that the Pallister Government’s RFP includes a provision which allows flight crews to not meet minimum safety requirements, while another would allow for the use of unpressurized aircraft.

The Province’s RFP to replace LifeFlight closes on September 23^rd.

Another Terry Fox Run has come and gone here in Thompson.

Local organizer Josh Cain spoke to Arctic Radio News, and said that $1155 was raised by the 64 participants and seven volunteers.

According to Cain, both of those numbers are up from 2017 but could have been higher.

Cain said that the Norman Northstars are usually in attendance for the run, but were unable to due to a weekend tournament down south.

The focus, according to Cain, now shifts to next year’s event.

He said that the current organizing committee will be sticking together to host the 2019 run, but that they are always looking for more people to join them.

If you’re interested in joining the committee, you can give Cain a call at 204-793-8429.

Tonight marks Take Back the Night.

The annual event is marked all around the world, and is organized locally in communities to unify everyone in bringing awareness to violence in the streets.

The event is described as a coming together of individuals who are ready and willing to take a stand against violence in the streets and in homes, while trying to make the community a safer place.

Mary Demare, from the Thompson Crisis Centre, spoke to Arctic Radio News and said that the event here in Thompson is set to start at 6:00pm at Robin’s Donuts.

Demare added that there will be free treats provided, and that the guest speakers are Helen Trudeau (Jordan’s Principle) and Colin Bonycastle (Director of the Faculty of Social Work).

Pride week here in Thompson will wrap up tomorrow with the annual Pride North of 55 pride march.

Nelly Allen, one of the organizers, spoke to Arctic Radio News and said that those taking part are asked to meet at the TRCC at 10:30am tomorrow so that they can start the march by 11:00am.

The march will head around the Thompson Drive loop and up Cree Road before heading to MacLean Park.

Allen says that there will be a barbecue at the park following the arrival of those marching, with the money raised going towards Pride North of 55.

She added that in addition to the barbecue, there will be live local music and dancing.

City of Thompson Mayor Dennis Fenske proclaimed September 16^th through the 22^nd as Pride Week, which started with a flag raising at City Hall on Monday morning.

Yesterday morning on City Beat, Mayor Fenske said he was both glad and proud to have been part of the flag raising once again.

Manitoba’s police watchdog is investigating after an alternating where a man was punched in the face several times by an RCMP officer here in Thompson. 

Two officers were responding to a call of an intoxicated woman when a member got into an altercation with a bystander. 

According to the Independent Investigation Unit, one of the officers punched the man several times in the face. 

Although the man did not suffer serious injuries, the agency concluded that it is in the interest of the public to conduct an investigation. 

The investigative body said it has surveillance footage of the incident.  

Two schools here in Thompson are making an effort to reduce their impact on the environment. 

Both Burntwood and Westwood schools are taking different steps this year to promote the planet. 

Burntwood school has said that they are teaching by example from the top down, with educators and administration making a conscious effort to reduce the amount of paper used. 

Principal Wanda Einarson says that while they’re going digital as much as possible when it comes to things like newsletter and parent correspondence, they recognize that not everyone has internet access and that paper copies are available upon request. 

The staff at Westwood have decided to rework the curriculum to bring more awareness to water sustainability both locally, nationally and around the world. 

Principal Donna Johnston said that all classes throughout the year will focus on a question about water, including what it’s like for places that don’t have access to clean water. 

With school now back into full swing, it’s time to continue the conversation about bullying. 

Rebecca Ulrich, the provincial respect education manager fo the Canadian Red Cross in Manitoba, spoke to Arctic Radio News to explain why now is the time to talk about Bullying. She said that at the core, bullying is a relationship issue, and that the renewal of relationships at the start of a new school year makes it the perfect time.  

Ulrich also said that parents should not try to stop cyber bullying by taking away their children’s screens, as that device could also serve as their support system. She added that taking away the devices might also make children lose faith in their parents, and not tell them about future bullying situations. 

If you’d like to hear more from Ulrich on bullying and tips to prevent it, make sure you listen to Thompson Today on 102.9 CHTM tomorrow and Thursday.  

Thompson Today plays every weekday at 12:40pm and 5:10pm. 

The President of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce was in attendance at the annual Northern Chambers meeting held in Flin Flon last weekend. 

Chuck Davidson told Arctic Radio News that it is important for the Manitoba Chamber to get a sense of what issues Chambers in the north are facing, as well as what the provincial body can do to help. 

He said that there was a lot of discussion on economic development, which Davidson says is a key pillar and challenge here in the north. 

The former broadcaster said that the discussions were focused on how to press the Pallister Government so the north remains a priority.  

Davidson added that regional meetings are held to make sure that the Manitoba Chamber as a whole remains connected to the local chambers across the province. 

Last night’s regular meeting of Thompson City Council was dominated by an outcry from those in attendance for a more efficient system of contacting the RCMP in emergency situations.  

Three Thompsonites spoke up during general inquires at the start of the meeting. They asked Mayor and Council to explain both what the City is doing to combat recent mischief and violence, and why there isn’t a local 911 service. 

One concern brought forward is that when you call the RCMP at 204-677-6911, you’re often put on hold. Mayor Dennis Fenske addressed the issue, saying that it’s not just Thompson that has to deal with the issue. He said that the Provincial Government made the decision years ago to close the RCMP communications centre that was in Thompson and centralize to one centre in Brandon. 

Fenske said that all calls made to the RCMP the province on emergency lines are divided into three geographical regions (east, west, north) within the Brandon centre, and that wait times there are based on the volume of calls. 

Mayor Fenske said that the current system isn’t acceptable, but is rather the current reality in Manitoba.  

Fenske said that the lack of infrastructure for 911 services in the Nor-Man region and the lack of a local communications centre are issues he’s been raising for years, and brought them up when he met with the Justice Department in Winnipeg two weeks ago. 

The outgoing mayor said that while he hopes the situation will improve with the recent installation of a new cell tower near Wabowden, the best thing to do is to make sure that those needing assistance stay on the line.  

Those thoughts were echoed later by Inspector Kevin Lewis, the officer in charge of the Thompson RCMP detachment. Inspector Lewis said that if you’re on hold and decide to hang up and try again, you automatically go the back of the line on the new call.  

With a report from the City’s Public Safety Committee on the agenda, council candidate and former USW 6166 president Les Ellsworth asked if the problem of youth violence and mischief is being talked about in the committees meetings.  

Councillor Judy Kolada, who chairs the committee, said that the issue has been discussed at the meetings. Kolada added that they are looking for solutions, and that the public is more than welcome to attend their meetings. 

Thompson has a strong voice at the table tomorrow for a meeting of municipal leaders from around Manitoba. 

Mayor Dennis Fenske and City Manager Anthony McInnis will be in Flin Flon for the Association of Manitoba Municipalities fall Cities Caucus meeting, where cannabis is expected to be front and centre. 

Mayor Fenske spoke to Arctic Radio News, and said that one of the main discussions will be on enforcement and the costs that come with it.  

Under the federal marijuana tax law, 25% of all revenue from the tax is set to go to Ottawa, with the rest going to the provinces. There is not current a portion of the tax going to municipalities, who will be footing the bill for enforcement once cannabis becomes legal.  

The Cities Caucus is an AMM sub-committee made up of mayors and CAO’s from all cities in Manitoba, including Winnipeg.  

Around 50 people took to the streets Saturday afternoon as part of the annual Defeat Depression Walk/Run. 

Those participating raised over $5300, down from the over $6000 raised last year. Organizers say that the awareness the event raises of mental health issues and resources available is just as important to them as the money. 

The funds collected are staying within the region to help local mental health services, namely the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba Burntwood region and the Hope North Suicide Prevention Committee. 

This years’ walk/run marked six years since the event was started locally by Ron Buchanan. 

The Thompson Community Band is up and running for another season. 

The group is under new leadership this year, as director Kevin Lewis is taking a sabbatical from his role in the R.D. Parker Collegiate music department.

Taking over the reigns in his absence is another member of the RDPC music department, and his wife, Sarah Lewis.

Sarah Lewis spoke to Arctic Radio News and said that new members are always welcome, even if someone may not have touched an instrument since high school. Lewis added that that making connections within the community is as important as music. 

The Thompson Community Band will have their first performance of the year later this month as part of the Thompson Community Foundation Gala on September 29th.

Lewis said that if someone is hesitant to join close to a performance date, they are welcome to start attending for the first practice in October.

The group practices Tuesdays at 6:30 in the RDPC band room.  

The annual Northern Chambers of Commerce meeting took place in Flin Flon over the weekend. 

Dianne Russell, past president of the Flin Flon Chamber of Commerce, spoke to Arctic Radio News about what was on the agenda. 

She said that they discussed the federal funding announcement for the new Churchill rail line owners, as well as how tourism connects to economic development. 

The meeting was attended by chamber members from Flin Flon, The Pas, Swan Valley as well as Thompson. 

Last years’ meeting was held in Thompson, and there is not yet a location for next year.

One person is dead and a second has sustained serious injuries following a train derailment near Ponton. 

Three locomotives and 27 rail cars, some carrying liquefied petroleum, went off the tracks Saturday evening when a rail bridge gave out.

The Arctic Gateway Group, who is working to repair the Hudson Bay Railway, says that they do not believe that any o the cars carrying petroleum were compromised, and that there does not appear to be any significant environmental damage. 

Murad Al-Katib, the president of one of the partner groups that make up Arctic Gateway, said that the group will not compromise speed for safety when traveling the line, and that the groups’ hearts go out to the families of those affected. 

Al-Katib will be meeting with municipal officials in both Thompson and The Pas to coordinate a response. 

Arctic Gateway has said that they will run an internal investigation into the derailment, which will run in parallel with the investigations of the RCMP and other relevant emergency services. 

The Transportation Safety Board says that they are aware of the situation, but have not yet decided if they will conduct their own investigation. 

Grief counselling for all employees and their families is being made available by Arctic Gateway. 

With no local three-digit nine-one-one service available here in Thompson, the RCMP want to remind everyone of how they can get a hold emergency services should they be needed. 

Constable Sandy Deibert, from the Thompson RCMP detachment, said that the emergency number here in Thompson for police is 677-6911. The call will go to the RCMP call centre in Winnipeg, and officers will be dispatched.

Constable Deibert added that 204-677-6911 also serves as the after-hours numbers for the RCMP here in Thompson. 

Deibert emphasized that even if you’re placed on hold after calling 6911, you need to stay on the line. She said that if you hang up and call again, you’ll be placed at the back of the line despite the urgency of your situation.

She said that if you need police after hours in a non-urgent situation, you should call the same number and let the operator know that it isn’t an emergency. 

204-677-7911 is the emergency number for Thompson Fire and EMS.

The annual Terry Fox Run is taking place this weekend. 

Registration will start Sunday at 12:00pm in the TRCC lobby, with the run itself beginning at 1:00pm. 

Those participating have the option to do a family walk/ run of either one or two kilometres, as well as the regular four KM run. 

There will be prizes and snacks following the run back at the recreation centre.  

If you’d like to find out more about the run, you can message the organizing committee on Facebook through the Terry Fox Run Thompson page. 

Tomorrow marks the sixth annual Defeat Depression Run/Walk here in Thompson.

 Thompsonites will know Wednesday who is running for Mayor, Council and School Board. 

Tuesday September 18th marks the deadline for those who intend to run to have their papers turned in to the Senior Election Official, Dave Turpie.  

If you’d like to get papers, or have questions regarding the election, you can get a hold of Turpie by calling 204-679-1000 or sending an email to SEO@thompson.ca. 

The election is set for October 24th 

There is a regular meeting of Thompson City Council Monday. 

The agenda is on the lighter side with four reports, one piece of correspondence as well as three resolutions. The full agenda can be found here, or can be picked up from the front desk at City Hall.  

The meeting will take place starting at 7:00pm in Council Chambers at City Hall, and everyone is welcome to attend. 

This will serve as the third last meeting of the current council before the upcoming election. 

There is now an investigation underway into allegations of assault and sexual abuse by RCMP members here in the north. 

Details of the allegations were made public last month, when a report from the Clean Environment Commission was published on the public outreach and review of the social impact of hydro development.  

The Manitoba RCMP has referred the investigation to the Independent Investigation Unit, who will be investigating.  

While the IIU will deal with investigating allegations that involve RCMP officers, any historical criminal allegations that involve Manitoba Hydro employees will be investigated by the Ontario Provincial Police. 

The OPP will be involved as there were criminal allegations where both Manitoba Hydro employees and RCMP members may have been present.  

A Thompsonite has the chance to take home a provincial award. 

The 20th annual Manitoba Tourism Awards gala is set to take place at The Met in Winnipeg tomorrow evening, and local artist Jasyn Lucas is one of the three finalists in the Indigenous Tourism category. 

The other two finalists in the category are the Manito Ahbee Festival and Traditional Trails.  

Lucas was nominated and named a finalist for his art gallery/ studio/ tattoo parlour, ‘The Gift of Art’, which he opened with his partner Nikki Brightnose three years ago. 

The nomination came from Community Futures North Central Development, who say that he is a great ambassador for Northern Manitoba and sets an example for everyone that it is possible to make a living doing what you’re passionate about. 

The full list of award finalists can be found here on the Travel Manitoba website.

The police have had their hands full recently.  

Thomson RCMP says that they have responded to several incidents of mischief here in Thompson over the past week, and want to remind everyone to make sure that their property is safe.  

Constable Sandy Deibert, from the Thompson RCMP detachment, spoke to Arctic Radio News and said that further steps can be taken. Some suggested steps include keeping valuables out of unlocked vehicles and not leaving your keys inside an unoccupied, unlocked vehicle.  

She added that residents should call the RCMP at 204-677-6911 if you find that your vehicle, shed or home was left unlocked and someone may have gained access. 

The Manitoba NDP have delayed the Province from implementing their carbon tax. 

The Pallister Government’s carbon tax was set to be in place as of September 1st. NDP leader Wab Kinew said that the 'Made In Manitoba' plan is a "bad deal", and that it will make life less affordable for Manitobans while not helping the environment. 

Kinew told Arctic Radio News that every single dollar collected from any carbon tax should go back out to help Manitobans reduce their carbon footprint, something he says the current plan doesn’t do.  

Kinew said that the Pallister plan does not do that, but what he and the rest of his party would put in place does. The Fort Rouge MLA added that in the city they would invest the money in transit, infrastructure and more efficient vehicles. 

When it comes to the north, Kinew said that programs to buy more efficient vehicles, furnaces or to help people reduce their environmental impact in other ways. He added that infrastructure will also help reduce the carbon footprint of Manitoba, as cars are more effect when they are driving on a smooth road.  

Despite being included on the original schedule, there will not be a regular meeting of Thompson City Council on October 29th. 

The meeting was removed from council’s calendar at the last regular meeting of council, as it falls between the municipal election and November 7th, when the new Mayor and Council will have their inaugural meeting. 

Thompson City Council meets regularly at City Hall every other Monday at 7:00pm. 

The first school board meeting of the 2018-2019 school year is set to take place tonight. 

The agenda includes the second and third readings of a procedural by-law, as well as reports from board committees such as policy and public relations. 

The meeting will take place starting at 7:00pm in the school board office. 

The Manitoba Liberal Party is calling for a public inquiry into the death of a man who died ten years ago as the result of exposure to poisonous gas here Thompson. 

David Fifi was working at Comstock Canada as a boilermaker here in Thompson, where he suffered multiple accidental exposures to poisonous gases that lead to his death. 

His death was originally determined to have been caused by a heart attack, which Doctor Peter Markestyn says is not the case following a review of the evidence. 

Liberal leader Dougald Lamont says that the government has an obligation to ensure that people work in safety and get home alive, and added that the Fifi family and others deserve more than answers 

He said that an inquiry is needed to understand why the previous NDP government, and others, "ignored and abandoned David and his co-workers". 

A release from the Liberal Party says that there is evidence to suggest that there may have been other incidents and many other workers affected.  

The Northern Health Region’s diabetes exercise class will resume this evening at the TRCC. 

The classes will run Monday evenings starting at 6:30pm. The last day of the program is scheduled to be May 27th, though it is not expected to run on weeks where the Monday falls on a stat holiday. 

Exercise is crucial to those with diabetes, with health professionals saying that it can be as powerful as some medications without the side-effects. 

The Hope North Suicide Prevention Committee will be holding an event this evening in honour of World Suicide Prevention Day. 

The event will run from 6:00pm until 8:00pm. It was originally scheduled to take place outside City Hall, but was moved to the TRCC gym due to rain.  

The event will include refreshments and an open mic for anyone wanting to do a song or read a poem. 

If you’d like more information, you can contact Terri at 204-939-0717. 

Thompson Fire and EMS responded to an emergency landing  over the weekend at the airport. 

Crews were called to the scene early Sunday morning after a small plane declared an emergency. 

The King Air E90 landed but broke a landing gear in the process causing significant damage to the plane, including the rupturing of its fuel system. 

Firefighters were on scene to ensure everyone left the aircraft safely, and used extinguishing agents to suppress fuel vapours. 

No one was injured, and the airport was able to resume normal operations within a few hours. 

Plans are in the works for a second marijuana store here in Thompson. 

Delta Nine Cannabis announced that they plan to open a retail location here in the north, and now Garden Variety is following suit. 

Garden Variety is a consortium which includes Avana Canada, MediPharm Labs and Fisher River Cree Nation. 

The company plans on opening three retail stores outside of the announced Thompson location, including two in Winnipeg. 

While no specific date has been set, they say that the location here in Thompson should be open before the end of March. 

Manitoba’s Electoral Divisions Board is encouraging everyone to attend special hearings that will cover proposed electoral division boundaries and names.? 

The commission has proposed changes to the 57 electoral divisions, as well as sixteen new names. 

One of these public hearings will be held here in Thompson tomorrow evening?at the Best Western, starting at 5:00pm. 

When the next City Council is elected in October, they’ll be trained by Way to Go Consulting. 

Council approved a resolution to use their consulting service, which was used following the last municipal election. 

Deputy Mayor Colleen Smook spoke in favour Tuesday evening, saying that it was very helpful to her four years ago. 

Before the resolution was passed on Tuesday, Councillor Penny Byer said that she likes the idea of having outside training. She said that they had in-house training during her first term, and that she found more people paid attention when the outside firm was there in 2014.

Byer added that the consultants also bring experience from other municipalities, which could help provide more examples and insights for how things should work. 

With school now back in full swing, the RCMP remind drivers that they need to be more careful on the roads. 

Constable Sandy Deibert, from the Thompson RCMP detachment, spoke to Arctic Radio News, and said that everyone needs to be aware of students as they may not always stop for vehicles when walking to school. 

She said that because of this drivers need to be prepared to stop suddenly to make sure everyone gets to where they’re going safely.  

Constable Deibert added that the reduced speed limit in school zones is in effect from eight until five Monday to Friday. 

The Keeyask generating station may be put into service sooner than expected 

According to Dave Brown, the project manager, speedier-than-expected winter progress has lead to the possibility of having the first unit put into service by the fall of 2020, almost a year ahead of the original schedule. 

Despite the anticipated early completion, Brown said that they need a further 10% improvement and no major risks if they want to keep control of the budget. 

Brown added that shortening the construction period will reduce costs, which are currently estimated at a total of just under $9 billion. 

Manitoba Hydro says that they have identified more than 100 ideas to save more than half a billion dollars.  

This weekend marks the start of another season for the Thompson Community Choir. 

The group is always looking for new members, and they encourage anyone who loves to sing and has interest in the group to send them a message on facebook and come out on Sunday. 

The first rehearsal will take place Sunday at 2:00pm, at Riverview restaurant.  

The group can be reached on Facebook by clicking here. 

There has been a break-in at the Thompson Humane Society.

Upon arrival this morning, humane society volunteers discovered that the building had been broken into, and that the perpetrators have released all of the animals sheltered at the facility.

The RCMP has been notified and will be investigating the break-in.

The City’s Animal Control Officer is currently attempting to recover the animals released from the Society, and everyone is asked to contact him by phone at 204-677-7910 if they spot stray animals in the community.

The Canadian Armed Forces will be in Thompson tomorrow and Friday with a mobile recruiting trailer.  

Petty Officer Whitney Barham will be here with the trailer both days, and said that there is no shortage of options when it comes to what you can do as a member of the forces.

The trailer will be set up both days in the UCN parking lot.

To learn more about what will be happening, make sure to listen to Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and again at 5:10. 

It will be an afternoon of celebration in Nelson House tomorrow. 

NCN is holding a Gratitude and Inauguration Ceremony, where the community is set to both honour past council members for their service while swearing in the freshly elected Chief and Council.  

The afternoon is set to start around 1:00pm with a pipe ceremony, followed by singers, drummers and a blessing. The celebration is scheduled to end at 6:00pm, following a headdress ceremony and a round dance. 

The planned five-hour event is also set to include a traditional community feast and giveaways. 

Everything is set to take place at the Gilbert McDonald Arena.  

The Norplex Pool is closed until later this month as it undergoes repairs and upgrades. 

Mayor Dennis Fenske spoke to Arctic Radio News and said that this is the annual shutdown for the pool, and that there are a couple of projects to complete that wasn’t done prior to the Manitoba Games earlier this year. 

Fenske said that they going to be working on the change rooms and power requirements for running the pool. 

The shutdown started over the weekend, and is expected to last until September 24th. 

A new report says that preventable accidents and injuries are among the leading causes of childhood deaths here in Canada. 

The report was released by Children First Canada and the O’Brien Institute for Public Health, and shows that British Columbia has the lowest infant mortality rate in the country at 3.5 per 1000 children born, while Manitoba comes in it at 5.4 per 1000. 

The statistics also show that 1.2 million children across the country live in low-income housing, with only two provinces having more children in low-income dwellings outside of Manitoba. 

The report is also being used as a call to action for all levels of government, as well as all Canadian to do more and invest more in future generations.