University College of the North announced in a press release that classes have been delayed until Jan. 10.

The institiution states it will also adopt remote delivery of most courses. UCN adds while some courses that demand face-to-face learning will continue with in-person classes, many others will be done remotely.

The decision was made due to the spike in Omicrom variant cases of COVID-19.

The Canadian Cancer Society is hoping to secure enough volunteers so that the Relay for Life event can go ahead.

In a letter to media, spokesperson Jill McClurg says the local committee is in desperate need for the 2022 campaign, as they’ve been experiencing challenges with recruitment efforts and aren’t seeing much uptake.

McClurg adds they’re at risk of the event not going forward if they don’t have enough volunteers.

Numerous positions are vacant including leadership and event logistics, community outreach and communications, as well as registration and finance.

Those interested in learning more can email relay@cancer.ca or call committee member Jeff Lindstrom at 204-778-5380.

Catch Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon for more information.

With both the Leaf Rapids Health Centre and Gillam Hospital closed temporarily until next month, MP Niki Ashton is urging the federal government to provide emergency medical services in the community in the mean time.

The Northern Health Region announced both facilities are closed due to ongoing, persistent staffing issues. During the closure, all the other clinical care or support will be given through Thompson or Lynn Lake.

In a letter the Indigenous Services Minister, Ashton says the facilities in the towns provide medical services to people from neighbouring communities, including many Indigenous patients.

She states all options must be considered, including bringing in medical personnel from the Canadian Armed Forces.

The Gillam Hospital is slated to reopen January 5^th, while Leaf Rapids Health Centre is expected to reopen on January 10^th.

With Christmas right around the corner, the Manitoba RCMP is urging motorists to plan ahead and avoid driving while impaired this holiday season.

Mounties state in the first eleven months of this year, 73 people lost their lives in 63 vehicle collisions on Manitoba roadways under RCMP jurisdiction. A press release adds alcohol is suspected to be a factor in 21 of the collisions.

Aside from fatalities and injuries, Thompson RCMP Constable Sandy Deibert explains the repercussions of driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs include a criminal code investigation where the the driver's licence would be suspended, their vehicle impounded, and they would have to pay a large fine.

Deibert urges people to have rides lined up before they go to parties and celebrations, avoid alcohol and drugs if you're a designated driver, and make sure others don't leave a party impaired without a ride.

A medical officer of health with the Northern Health Region shared an update on how the COVID-19 pediatric vaccine campaign has been going in the north.

Doctor William Libich has the details.

“So far, interest in the vaccine has been very strong as parents and caregivers realize how important it is to get their children immunized and uptake of the vaccine is increasing quickly. Throughout the province, over 42% of children between 5 and 11 had received the first dose and a few have even received the second dose. In the North, our numbers are a little lower than the provincial average. Not by much, we’re about 40%. Winnipeg’s rate is about 48% but numbers all across Manitoba and Canada are rising fast.”

Libich reassures parents and caregivers unsure about getting their children vaccinated that there is a significant amount of real-world experience that the pediatric shot is safe.

He adds it’s important that everyone eligible to get the shot and booster do so as we head into Christmas and the New Year.

For more information, listen to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

Vale Canada recently made a donation of 250, 000 dollars to the Community Wellness and Public Safety Advisory Committee.

The funding will be used to set up a second Shelter-In-Place Program, or SHIPP, to provide a more pandemic-friendly space to vulnerable and homeless residents in the community while reducing density at facilities like the Thompson Homeless Shelter.

The new SHIPP campus will be located at the Polaris 5 building on Princeton Drive, where the Thompson Sobering Centre will be.

The city says the new shelter space is a quick way to use the Polaris building in a meaningful way as the committee works towards a more complete sobering centre.

The first campus was launched in April 2020 at the local YWCA, which housed 25 of Thompson’s most at-risk houseless residents to protect vulnerable people and help control the spread of COVID-19 among those living outdoors.

MKO is looking to continue to help First Nations citizens apply for secure status cards in the New Year.

This comes as the organization announced in a news release that it has reached its goal of helping 25 hundred northern residents apply for identification in 2021.

The service, which launched in late January, is offered in partnership with Indigenous Services Canada as a way to ensure northerners have improved access in obtaining their Treaty status if they don’t have the means to travel to Winnipeg to get an appointment.

In addition to taking appointments at MKO’s office in Thompson, Senior Intake Clerk Gina Spence says their team has travelled to Norway House, Tataskweyak Cree Nation, and Winnipeg to hold pop-up clinics.

Spence adds they also held an event specifically for youth in Thompson.

MKO says there’s no cost to access this service, and those interested in booking an appointment can do so by calling 204-677-1700 or toll-free at 1-800-442-0488.

The Community Christmas Dinner is back on this year and will be take-out only.

Like past years, the dinner is free for everyone and there’s no vaccination requirement as residents can pick up their meals.

Terri-Lynn Turton, one of the organizers of the dinner, explains the significance of this staple event in the community.

“It’s important to have these dinners because it does bring the community together. Unfortunately we still can’t all be together but at least we can have full bellies and spread some holiday cheer. This year, we can at least eat in the homes with other people so come grab a few dinners and eat with your friends.”

Organizers are accepting both food and monetary donations, and they can be dropped off at A1 Financing and Loans by Thursday.

Pick-up for this year’s Community Christmas Dinner will be this Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m at Shaw Cable on 50 Selkirk Avenue.

Hear the full interview on Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 for more information.

Mayor Colleen Smook is cautioning Thompsonites to be vigilant this holiday season as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country.

Smook says it’s especially important that people follow the public health orders in place when travelling and gathering over the next few weeks as the Omicron variant surges through the country.

This comes as Manitoba’s top doctor released preliminary modelling, which indicates the province could see one-thousand COVID cases per day by early January if people aren’t careful.

The province is urging people to get vaccinated against the virus before widespread community transmission occurs.

As of yesterday, there are 353 active COVID cases in the Northern Health Region, however there is only one in the Thompson/Mystery Lake District.

While the holiday season can be a joyous time for many, it can also be stressful and overwhelming.

That’s why the Northern Health Region is reminding residents to be kind to themselves and focus on their wellbeing at this time of year.

Shellie Verville, the mental health promotions coordinator with the organization explains.

“We’re kind of in the season of the winter blues so we are already going into the holiday season possibly feeling a little bit tired or maybe even a little sad. There are also financial pressures that we experience since the holidays can be really expensive buying gifts for friends and family. It can leave families in a bit of debt even after the holidays. We also have times when we are with people that we might have strained relationships with. We might not see eye to eye with different family members so that can be an issue over the holidays. During this time with COVID-19 going on, we may not be with the people that we love during the holiday season like we have in the past.”

Verville says some ways people can reduce their stress during the holidays include getting enough sleep, eating healthy, getting exercise, thinking positive, and not being afraid to ask for or accept help.

For more information, catch Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

The School District of Mystery Lake, the Flin Flon School Division, and the Frontier School Division are among the 33 school divisions taking part in a pilot program revolving around Indigenous education.

The provincial government says the pilot will support engagement with Elders and knowledge keepers to promote Indigenous history, culture, traditional values, contemporary lifestyles, and traditional knowledge in the provincial curriculum.

Dana Rudy, the Deputy Minister of Education, explains Thompson was among the communities chosen to take part in the pilot due to the large presence of land-based education and Elder and knowledge keepers in the district.

Rudy adds the pilot would further build upon the strengths of what’s already offered in the pilot schools and would allow the province to learn more about how to deliver authentic Indigenous education in other communities in Manitoba.

Three schools in the School District of Mystery Lake will take part in the pilot: Wapanohk Community School, Ecole Riverside, and Rd Parker Collegiate.

The pilot will begin on January 17^th and will wrap up March 30^th

The provincial government is investing in 37 additional nurse training seats for University College of the North’s three campuses.

The funding is for UCN’s Diploma in Practical Nursing program, which is offered in Thompson, Flin Flon, and Swan River.

The president and vice-chancellor of the institution Doug Lauvstad states this means that intake will double at the Thompson campus, meaning they can take 20 students into the program every year instead of every two years.

He adds the announcement helps address the staffing issues facing the northern health care system.

“The North is challenged in terms of recruitment and retention of professionals, particularly health professionals. We all know that if you teach people in the North with an institution that’s in the North for jobs in the North, they will stay in the North.”

The investment is worth up to 4.3 million dollars.

It is with a heavy heart we write this article. On December 9, Thompson MLA Danielle Adams passed away in a car accident. She leaves behind her loving husband Bill and two children, her family and friends. We share in the sorrow of this tragedy.  

Danielle was a dedicated MLA for all her constituents. She was a fierce advocate for many causes and always made northern Manitobans her priority. She was a caring mother and partner, and she wore her heart on her sleeve.

Her passing is heartbreaking.

Elected in 2019, Danielle served as the NDP Critic for Child Care, Housing, Disability and Poverty Matters. Prior to entering politics, she served on the board of Thompson Children’s World Daycare which helped inform her commitment to advocating on behalf of early childcare educators, parents and families in the Legislature. She continuously pushed for quality childcare that was affordable and accessible across the province.

Danielle called things like she saw them. She fought hard for parents and against increasing nursery fees, frozen funding for centres or increased privatization. She worked hard to hold government accountable. Danielle wasn’t afraid to think big, and she worked with her colleagues to imagine and plan for an accessible childcare system that worked for many thousands of Manitobans that have been left behind.

She always wanted to recognize the important work being done by community members and organizations in Thompson and surrounding communities. She cared about their work, from the Boys and Girls Club, to the YWCA and Nanatowiho Wikamik. Danielle looked to build others up, especially those who worked so hard with people who need our help the most. Danielle understood that everyone mattered. She fought hard for a more equal society.

She advocated for Mystery Lake School Division support staff and for the government to address nursing vacancies in Thompson and across the north. And during the pandemic she fought for the north to have equitable access to vaccines and testing capacity as well as paid sick leave to keep people safe.

Danielle was a lifelong New Democrat who worked tirelessly for equal access to quality health care, education and good jobs in Manitoba’s northern communities. Before and after her election, Danielle was a trustworthy listener and community advocate for those in Thompson and beyond.

Our movement and Danielle’s colleagues will miss her deeply. Our NDP team, along with other members of the legislature, held a ceremony in her honour at the Manitoba Legislature on December 13 where a Manitoba flag, flowers and her photo was place on her seat. We will honour her life and legacy by continuing to fight for the things Danielle stood for.

Our thoughts are with her husband Bill, her two sons, her family and the entire community of Thompson constituency during this difficult time.

With Danielle’s passing, the Thompson Constituency office will be closed. If you or someone in the community need any assistance please reach out to our NDP Caucus office at (204) 945-3710 or email at info@yourmanitoba.ca. We are here to provide support and assistance.

With both Manitoba Public Insurance and Lifesaving Society Manitoba putting out an ice thickness advisory earlier this month, the society’s water safety coordinator spoke to Arctic Radio about it.

Doctor Christopher Love stressed the importance of checking ice thickness before heading out onto a frozen body of water, as dozens of vehicles break through thin ice around this time of year.

Love says while no ice is without some risk, there are optimal ice conditions people should look out for.

"We would love to see what is considered a calm, multi day, consistent freeze in order to give you good ice to go out on. So that usually means two or three days, consistently cold temperatures below minus ten with no breeze or snow. Those give you great ice formation conditions. Once that’s occurred, you’ve got what we would call new, clear, hard ice. It’s frozen solid, there aren’t many air bubbles and it’s very good for bearing weight."

Love adds people going out on frozen waterways should have a floatation device on them, never go out alone, and make sure to let someone know where you’re going and when you plan to be back.

Hear the full interview on Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

WINNIPEG - The NDP member of the Manitoba legislature for Thompson has died.

The party says in a release that Danielle Adams died Thursday in a car accident near the city. The Manitoba RCMP stated in a news release that a two-vehicle collision occurred on Highway 6 roughly 50 kilometres south of Ponton.

Wabowden RCMP say the initial investigation determines Adams' SUV heading southbound hit a semi-truck travelling north.

The semi-truck driver, a 54-year-old man from the RM of Alexander, was not physically injured.

The RCMP state road conditions were poor at the time. Additionally, speed and alcohol don't appear to be factors in the collision.

NDP Leader Wab Kinew says her death is heartbreaking and she will be remembered as a young, caring mother who wore her heart on her sleeve.

Adams was first elected in 2019 and served as the party's critic for child care, housing, disability and poverty matters.

The party says she was particularly committed to advocating on behalf of the child-care sector and parents, pushing for child-care that was affordable, accessible and reliable across the province.

Adams is survived by her two young boys and her husband. She was 39-years-old.

With ParticipACTION’s report card revealing sedentary behaviours remain high among Canadian adults, a researcher involved in the report spoke to Arctic Radio to share how people can increase their physical activity.

Doctor Leigh Vanderloo explains while the country overall got an F on sedentary behaviours and active transportation, low levels of physical activity tend to increase in eastern Canada when compared to the west, with Manitoba in the middle of the spectrum.

Vanderloo adds the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t helped with increasing physical activity, with remote work leaving many without an active commute along with closures of fitness centres and recreational activities.

She states those who have fallen off from regular physical activity can slowing reintroduce it back into their routines by doing activities that have a low barrier to entry such as walking, jogging, and running. Vanderloo explains increasing the time, distance, and intensity as time goes on can be beneficial in people continuously challenging themselves without having to buy additional equipment.

Hear the full interview with Vanderloo on Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 for more information.

Youth Science Canada is encouraging all high school students in Canada to consider applying for a spot for an international science fair.

Students from grade nine to twelve who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents can submit a project for consideration for the Regeneron ISEF [eye-seff] competition next May.

Executive Director Reni Barlow shares the significance of having Canadian students showcasing their STEM projects on the international stage.

“First and foremost, our goal is to provide an opportunity for them to be recognized for that work and then to have a place to showcase that. Beyond that, these competitions allow students to measure their work against each other and they also have a chance to interact with STEM professionals, many of whom are university facility, professional engineers, people in the medical field and so on. They get mentorship but also evaluations from those people to give them a sense of what they’ve done well and what they can do better. It basically helps to fuel the process for students to be involved and engaged in doing this kind of work.”

Eight spots are available for Team Canada, and the deadline to apply is December 15^th.

For more information, visit youth science DOT ca or tune in to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

The parents of a young man from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation who went missing over a month ago are asking for the public to come forward with any information surrounding his disappearance.

22-year-old Rico Cody Linklater was last seen in the community on October 21st, and was reported missing the following day.

In a press conference organized by MKO, parents Roger Linklater and Sylvia Wood urged anyone with tips on his whereabouts to inform Nelson House RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

They also expressed frustration on the lack of communication from police since the start of the investigation, as well as the lack of resources available for missing persons investigations in the north.

Linklater is described as being six feet tall, 160 pounds with a slim build, black hair and brown eyes.

He was last seen wearing grey pants, a black sweater, brown Nike shoes, and a grey baseball cap.

This weekend, the Salvation Army Thompson is partnering with the local RCMP Detachment and fire department for their Fill a Cruiser Toy Drive.

The toy drive is back after being cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unwrapped toys and monetary donations will be accepted.

It will be this Saturday afternoon from 1 to 4 at the Walmart parking lot.

For more information, hear the full interview on Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.