NORTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COUNCILS April 2015 Whispering Pines

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

 Dolly Partons’s Imagination Library  Trappers Association Thompson Fur Table  Northern Healthy Foods Initiative Spring Visits  Local Grow North Conferences

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: IS SOMETHING MISSING?

 Manitoba Trappers Association.…………..4 Is there something you would like to see

 Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library……….5 in the Whispering Pines we did not

 Frontier School Division………………...6-7 include? We take suggestions! Feel free

 NHFI Spring Visits……………………….12 to contact the office with article ideas,

 Grown North Regional Conferences….13-14 letters, or upcoming events that you

 Community Events Near You……………15 would like to advertise. We can even do

classified advertisement !

NACC STAFF: HELGI EINARSSON; EASTERN CHAIRPERSON Mallory Fleming: Executive Director Email: [email protected]

Miranda Crowe: NHFI Project Coordinator Email: [email protected] Tymara-Lee Mikolajek: Administrative Assistant Email: [email protected]

GLEN FLETT; NORTHERN CHAIRPERSON

KEN SPENCE; WESTERN CHAIRPERSON

Eric Olson, Eastern Vice-Chairperson; Larry Chartrand, Western Vice-Chairperson; Harold Fleming, Western Secretary/Treasurer; Ken Spence, Western Chairperson; Helgi Einarsson, Eastern Chairperson; Reg Meade, President; Frances McIvor, Northern Vice-Chairperson; Glen Flett, Northern Chairperson; Barbara Marcyniuk, Eastern Secretary/Treasurer Regrets: Freda Parenteau, Northern Secretary/ Treasurer

Northern Association of Community Councils

REG MEADE PRESIDENT

Hello Whispering Pines readers,

I would like to welcome everyone to the Spring edition of the Whispering Pines. Thank you for taking the time to read what is taking place within our organization, and the NACC communities. ImaginationThe NACC holds many organizational positions library within other boards across Manitoba to discuss how we can help bring better services and growth to Northern Manitoba. Since December, I have attended such meetings with the University College of the North, Vale Inc, The City of Thompson and other stakeholders. We are continuing to meet with departments to discuss the resolutions and concerns that came forth at the last Annual General Meeting. January and February were busy months with many Lake Regulation public hearings taking place in NACC communities throughout the province, as well as the Northern and North Central Regionals that were hosted by Aboriginal and Northern Affairs in both Thompson and Winnipeg. The 45th AGM and Tradeshow plans are underway, and it will once again be held at the Canad Inn Polo Park from August 18th to 20th, 2015. I encourage you to contact the office with any suggestions of presentations that would benefit your community, and we hope for a great turnout again this year. The NACC Board of Directors and Staff wish Harvey Bostrom a very happy and healthy retirement. It’s been a pleasure working with him for so many years. On behalf of NACC, we wish you and your family a healthy and active spring, and stay tuned for our next issue of the Whispering Pines in July. HELGI EINARSSON; EASTERN CHAIRPERSON

Hello everyone!

Well it kind of looks like spring is here or coming slowly, the snow is just about gone or in the Southern and Western sides of the province anyways. The province will again be using the Portage Diversion to channel water into Lake Manitoba which is already high and will be effecting Lake St. Martin and Dauphin River. I would like to offer condolences to those who lost a loved one over the past year.

Reg, Mallory and myself attended Harvey Bostrom, Deputy Minister of ANA’s retirement party at the legislative building and would like to wish him all the best in the future. I attended hearings in Ashern Manitoba on Manitoba Hydro licencing. I also attended ANA regionals in Winnipeg where I had seen most of the councils.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy Easter and a warm and early Spring!

GLEN FLETT; NORTHERN CHAIRPERSON

Hi and Hello to Mayors, Councillors and Admin, Hope you all had a nice winter, I know most of us comment on how long and dreadful winter is, but hey it’s the environment we live in. It appears flooding issues will be kept to a minimum this spring. For all you trappers out there, hang in there, fur prices will hopefully go up!

We are losing a good man to retirement Mr. Harvey Bostrom. I would like to wish all the folks good health and a happy Spring!

KEN SPENCE; WESTERN CHAIRPERSON

Hi everyone!

Well spring is finally here, and I'm sure we are all happy, as the winter seemed to be long and colder then usual, especially February. I have attended all meetings on a regular basics, and we have discussed a number of interesting issues. I attended the ANA Regional conference at the Holiday Inn in February. I met with a number of delegates from the Western Region and discussed some of the concerns in their communities. I brought these issues to attention of ANA reps who were there. Lack of cell phone service in our communities continues to be a major issue, I am currently working with the Community Futures office in Grandview, they have agreed to help me try and pressure MTS to provide us with cellphone service we so badly need. We have talked to many MTS reps and have spent a lot of time on the phone, it is going to be a long process but we will keep trying. The repair of highway 276 was a month late getting started, but they are working on it now and seem to be making good progress.

Have a nice Spring and Happy Easter!

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Thompson Fur Table 2014 221 Trappers Badger 0 N/A 2014 Thompson Fur Table Results Bear 1 $80.00 $80.00 Beaver 285 $18.00 $5,130.00 The Thompson Fur Table is an annual Castor 18 auction hosted in Northern Manitoba, Coyote 21 $60.00 $1,260.00 Ermine 110 $3.00 $330.00 and the only one of it’s kind held in Fisher 59 $45.00 2,655.00 North America that was established in 1979. Fox, Cross 21 $30.00 $630.00 Fox, Red 106 $30.00 $3,180.00 For more information, please contact the Fox , Silver 2 $35.00 $70.00 Manitoba Trappers Association Fox, White 36 $30.00 $1,080.00 Lynx 146 $120.00 $17,520.00 Marten 3712 $50.00 $185,600.00 Mink 297 $18.00 $5,346.00 Muskrat 232 $6.00 $1,392.00 Otter 114 $60.00 $6,840.00 Raccoon 1 $18.00 $18.00 Squirrel 33 $1.50 $50.00 Wolf 34 $160.00 $5,440.00 Wolverine 18 $160.00 $2,880 $239,421.00

Results from the Thompson Fur Table that took place in December, 2014. Congratulations! The Northern Association of Community Councils would like to congratulate Harvey Bostrom on his retirement. Harvey has served as Deputy Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs since 2001, and began his career working at the NACC office after he completed University. Harvey was first elected into the Manitoba legislature in 1973, he then went on to become Minister of Cooperative Development in 1974. He has also worked as a teacher, and with the Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat. Harvey celebrated his retirement with coworkers, family and friends on March 25th. He will be greatly missed, and we wish him a happy, healthy, active retirement and the best of luck in his future endeavours.

Northern Association of Community Councils

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Comes to Manitoba Communities……

On a cold afternoon in February 2010, the NACC community of Mallard joined the Imagination Library family, being the first Community Council to replicate the program in Manitoba! The program is designed to give children an early start to their learning and development, providing free age-appropriate books to encourage literacy, language and learning. The program was made available to Mallard through the local Parent/Child Coalition - South Parkland Healthy Child Coalition.

Now fast forward five years later…….the Imagination Library has increased from the original 24 communities to now over 100 throughout the province! Frontier School Division has replicated in their communities in addition to Manitoba First Nation Education Resource Centre replicating in a majority of their communities as well.

Some of the communities replicated to date are:

Churchill Cormorant Crane River Cross Lake Falcon Lake Gillam Snow Lake Gods Lake Matheson Island Camperville Bissett Waterhen Stevenson Island Alonsa All First Nation communities Selkirk Winkler Ochre River

Dolly Parton remembers when she was young what it felt like to have no books in her home, she also remembered the very first time she saw her name on an envelope, both these events have a profound effect on her. She wanted to find some way to give back and promote literacy, something near and dear to her heart. In 1996 she created the exciting Imagination Library Program which provides free, brand new books to all children (from birth to age four) through the local mail delivery system in a replicated community. All children in a community are eligible and the books are addressed directly to the child. Children graduate from the program when they turn five.

Locally, the Mallard Community Council decided to replicate the program after seeing the excitement in neighbouring communities after the children began receiving free books. Through the hard work of Noella Catcheway and Mayor/ Council the program was launched. Today, Phyllis Ewen (Mallard Council Member) can attest to the success of the program, her daughters’ received books for almost a five-year period and they began school this past year.

“We had such a great experience with my girls being in the Imagination Library program. Right from when they were babies they began receiving books each and every month. It provided a strong base for their daily love of reading and not only did they benefit them but has helped me get back into reading as well, as I was once a book worm. Thanks to the Imagination Library, the books helped with a smooth transition to school and I will forever love reading with my twin girls.”

Plans are underway to replicate the program in all Northern Affairs Communities in order that all children in the rural NACC areas can experience the magic of the program as well.

Please visit www.imaginationlibrary.com, Karyn Davis is the Manitoba Rep of the Dollywood Foundation and she can be reached at 865-446-4827 or [email protected].

“Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a unique opportunity to give something simple yet powerful to the children and parents in Manitoba communities.”

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Child Friendly Tablets Now In Northern Manitoba Schools

Over 100 tablets were delivered to the Mel Johnson School in Wabowden, Thicket Portage School and Pikwitonei School in Northern Manitoba. They were primarily given to children in classes Kindergarten through to Grade 6. The tablets were purchased through a joint initiative of Vale and One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) , and came with pre-installed applications to help students develop greater skills in such subjects as math, science and health. 4 more schools throughout Manitoba were chosen by Vale to join the OLPC network this year. One Laptop Per Child Canada is a national organization that enhances education for Aboriginal youth with technological tools designed for creative, innovative, self-empowering learning.

For more information, please visit their website at www.olpccanada.com

A Port in the Storm serves rural and northern adults who require medical treatment in Winnipeg. We will provide a safe, supportive, and affordable home-like environment for these individuals and their families.

Office Location To Make a Donation

A Port In The Storm A Port In The Storm Suite 10 – 601 Rue Aulneau 208 Provencher Blvd Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 2V5 P.O. Box 85 Winnipeg, Manitoba R2H 0G0 Phone: 204-231-0720 Fax: 204-594-6435

Please visit our website for more information at http://www.aportinthestorm.ca

Northern Association of Community Councils

FAREWELL!

Ray Derksen, Chief Superintendent of the Frontier School Division will be retiring in the summer of 2015. Ray has been a outstanding teacher in different communities across Manitoba, and held positions such as Junior High School Teacher, Principal, and Superintendent. The Frontier School Division serves 42 schools in 40 communities across Manitoba, employees more than 1500 people, and has school sizes that vary from 5 to 1100 children. Ray has been the Chief Superintendent of the Frontier School Division for 6 years. Throughout those years, he attended the NACC Annual General Meeting to bring opening greetings, and supported the NACC members with their local community schools. Ray will be missed at our upcoming 45th Annual General Meeting and Tradeshow, and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours. Congratulations Ray!

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45th Annual General Meeting & Tradeshow

The 45th Annual General Meeting and Tradeshow is quickly approaching! This year it will be held at the Canad Inn Polo Park at 1405 St.Matthews Avenue in Winnipeg, from August 18th to August 20th. Stay tuned to the July issue of the Whispering Pines to find out more details!

*New this Year*

No charge tradeshow booth for Not For Profit Organizations Reduced fee of $100 per table for all other Businesses and Organizations

Silent Auction Donations

If you or your community would like to donate to our silent auction please let us know! If you will be donating a prize, please give us a brief description of the items you will be providing so that we can include it in our list of prizes. All monies raised will help pay for a portion of the conference.

45th AGM & Tradeshow Elections

Below are the NACC Board of Director positions that will be up for election during the Regionals:

-Northern Vice Chair -Northern Secretary/Treasurer -Eastern Vice Chair -Eastern Secretary/Treasurer -Western Vice Chair -Western Secretary/Treasurer

Northern Association of Community Councils

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

Platinum Sponsor $3,500.00 Announcement at the AGM of sponsorship Acknowledgement in the AGM program Appreciation of sponsorship in the Whispering Pines Newsletter and on the NACC website; including a link to your organization’s website Reserved spot in the Tradeshow Signage—Acknowledgement on the NACC banner displayed at the AGM Display of promotional material at the AGM Recognition as sponsor of the NACC evening of entertainment. Commemorative plaque recognizing contribution

Gold Sponsor $2,000.00 Announcement at the AGM of sponsorship Acknowledgement in the AGM program Appreciation of sponsorship in the Whispering Pines Newsletter and on the NACC website; including a link to your organization’s website Reserved spot in the Tradeshow Signage—Acknowledgment on the NACC banner displayed at the AGM Display of promotional material at the AGM Recognition as sponsor of The Master of Ceremonies

Silver Sponsor $1,500.00 Announcement at the AGM of sponsorship Acknowledgement in the AGM program Appreciation of sponsorship in the Whispering Pines Newsletter and on the NACC website; including a link to your organization’s website Reserved spot in the Tradeshow Signage—Acknowledgement on the NACC banner displayed at the AGM Display of promotional material at the AGM

Bronze Sponsor $500.00 Announcement at the AGM of sponsorship Acknowledgement in the AGM program Appreciation of sponsorship in the Whispering Pines Newsletter and on the NACC website; including a link to your organization’s website reserved

AGM Social Evening

The Social Evening will be taking place on Wednesday, 19th beginning at 8PM. More information to follow!

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The Role of Mayor and Council in Providing Safe Drinking Water for Your Community

Manitoba Aboriginal and Northern Affairs (ANA) will be featuring articles in the Whispering Pines newsletter on community compliance with Provincial legislation and regulations on issues that can impact the health and safety of residents. This article will focus on Provincial drinking water legislation and regulations and the responsibility of mayor and council to ensure community compliance with these regulations.

Although ANA works with communities to build and maintain water treatment plants (WTPs), it is the role of mayor and council to ensure that the plant operators are in compliance with all Provincial legislation and regulations in place to keep your drinking water safe to use. The most effective way mayor and councils can do this, is to make sure community operators are properly trained and certified to the WTP classification for your community. Mayor and council are not alone in doing this as ANA will work with communities to coordinate operator training and also provides dedicated funding for this purpose. ANA also provides information on legislation and new regulations directly to mayor and council in person and at regional meetings.

The WTP operators’ role in ensuring your community has safe drinking water includes: monitoring water coming into and out of the WTP, performing tests, recording the daily results and sending those water samples to testing laboratories every two weeks reviewing with mayor and council and sending out monthly water reports to the department of Conservation and Water Stewardship (CWS) providing additional water samples quarterly and annually, as stipulated in the regulations advising ANA and CWS of any WTP emergencies such as loss of pressure, water line breaks, pump failures, etc.. submitting Corrective Action Forms and additional water samples when issues arise applying chemicals such as chlorine to the water supply as determined by type of WTP and as advised by the Office of Drinking Water (ODW)

In order for the WTP operator to do these tasks effectively, they must be properly trained and certified to Provincial standards for the plant they are operating. Mayor and council must ensure their operators attend the training coordinated by ANA and take corrective action when this does not occur. Communities that are not following Provincial drinking water regulations are considered “Non-Compliant”. What this could mean is that the operator or mayor and council can be fined for non-compliance but most importantly, could also run the risk of residents becoming sick or worse due to contaminated water supply.

Visit www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/index/html and click on drinking water for further information of the Provincial regulations and requirements.

Remember, being compliant with the regulations protects everyone in your community.

Northern Association of Community Councils

Early Bird Draw Winner: Farin Collins (Matheson Island) $ 500.00cash CATEGORY ONE ENTERIES: 120 1st Heaviest Fish 25% Payout $1500.00 Winner: Gary Magnusson (Gimli) 1lb. 5.7 oz. Pickerel 2nd Heaviest Fish 15% Payout $900.00 Winner: Jemima Keeper (Little Grand Rapids) 15.9 oz. Pickerel

3rd Heaviest Fish 10% Payout $600.00 Winner: Richard Keeper (Little Grand Rapids) 14.2 oz. Pickerel

CATEGORY TWO ENTERIES: 37 NO FISH CAUGHT, SO NAMES WERE DRAWN FOR PRIZES 1st 25% Payout $185.00 - Winner: Jesse Johnson Jr (Whitehorse)

2nd 15% Payout $111.00 - Winner: Katie Collins (Matheson Island)

3rd 10% Payout $ 74.00 - Winner: Jackson Cook (Matheson Island)

HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR !!!!

1ST PRIZE $10,000 Mr. George McKay (Thompson)

2ND PRIZE $5,000 Mr. Jason Dickson ()

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NHFI News

SPRING VISITS

NACC will be hosting workshops in communities this spring during the last two weeks of April. Seeds from the wish lists will be delivered at this time.

Communities Hosting Workshops:

 Easterville

 Dawson Bay

 Barrows

 Duck Bay

 Camperville

 Crane River Workshop topics will vary by community, based upon need and interest,  Spence Lake however the following topics will be covered:

 Waterhen  Vegetable Canning

 Meadow Portage  Seed Starting

 Mallard  Fish Fertilizer

 Peonan Point  Nutrition  Jam Canning  Dauphin River  Meat Canning, incl. Fish  Seymourville  Companion Planting  Berens River  Pest Deterrent   Basic Gardening  Matheson Island If you would like more information regarding times, dates and workshop topics for your community, please contact the NACC office.

Northern Association of Community Councils

Northern Healthy Foods Initiative Grow North Regionals

This year, NACC will host two Grow North Conferences. Information was sent to your council offices. Registration forms can be obtained from our office, and spots are limited so please reserve your attendance ASAP.

MAY 23rd and MAY 24th, Dauphin, MB

Saturday, May 23rd Sunday, May 24th

 Fruit/Vegetable  Food Safety Dehydration Handler’s Course (Certification  Pest Deterrent Course)  Soil Testing  Bee Keeping MAY 30th, Matheson Island, MB

Saturday, May 30th

 Fruit/Vegetable Dehydration

 Pest Deterrent

 Soil Testing

 Fish Composting

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Food Matters Manitoba, Four Arrows Regional Health Authority& Bayline Grow North Regional Conferences

MAY 27th to MAY 29th, JUNE 1st and JUNE 2nd, Moose Lake, MB Sherridon, MB

 Traditional Foods/ Gardening  Erecting a new green house and community garden.  Community Garden Will be Built

JUNE 9th and JUNE 10th, Tentatively JUNE 15th to June 17th York Landing, MB Garden Hill, MB

 Gardening  Not yet decided

JUNE 4th and JUNE 5th, Mel Johnson School, Wabowden, MB

 Traditional Meats & Fishing  Outdoor Survival  Food Safety  Trapping

Meadow Portage Camperville Spence Lake Crane River Waterhen Dawson Bay Mallard Duck Bay

WANTED: FRUIT TREE DELIVERY DRIVER

Driver’s Needed From Communities for Fruit Tree Deliveries

NACC is looking to hire one person from each of the communities listed above to pick up their community’s fruit tree orders from Swan River and deliver them to the community member list that would be provided. A truck and trailer will ensure that the trees arrive in the communities healthy. Wages paid will depend upon mileage from community to Swan River, and will vary accordingly. Pick up will be scheduled for sometime in late May or June. If you would like more information please contact Miranda at the NACC office in Winnipeg.

Northern Association of Community Councils

COMMUNITY EVENTS NEAR YOU

Bellsite Coffee House (First Saturday of Every Month Including July and August)

Bellsite, Manitoba September 06th,2014 to June 06th, 2015 (Recurring monthly on first Saturday)

Location: Bellsite Community Center

Admission $2.00 per person or $5.00 per family

An old time Musical Experience for an old time price.

Flinty Ice Fishing Derby

April 11th, 2015; , Manitoba; Clear Water Lake April 12th, 2015; , Manitoba; Camperville Lake Athapapuskow– Bakers Narrow Lodge Crane River Dawson Bay 10:30AM to 2:00PM /Admission: $80.00/$100.00 (Early Bird), $100.00/$120.00 Duck Bay The derby has a 1st prize of $21,000 cash and total prizes worth over $100,000 .

More information at billbannock.com

Thompson Canada Day Celebrations NORTHERN NEIGHBOURS JAMBOREE Thompson, Manitoba July 1st,2015 Birch River, Manitoba Canada is turning 148! There will be plenty of Community Hall interesting events happening this day including April 25, 2015 FIREWORKS!!

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The Whispering Pines is a publication produced by the Northern Association of Community Councils, which provides an essential means of communication between isolated communities and regions. President The Whispering Pines has been serving as an Reg Meade (204) 689-2165 Cell: (204) 679-0452 information tool for northern communities since the Email: [email protected] early 1970’s.

Letters may be edited and represent the Eastern Chairperson opinions of their authors. They do not reflect the Helgi Einarsson (204) 659-4573 Cell: (204) 786-6060 opinions of the NACC or its staff. Email: [email protected] Thank you for your continued support! Northern Chairperson Glen Flett (204) 359-6932 Northern Association of Cell: (204) 619-0797 Community Councils Inc. Email: [email protected] 160-117 King Edward Western Chairperson Street Ken Spence (204) 732-2583 Winnipeg, MB R3H 0Y3 Email: [email protected] Phone: 204-947-2227 Eastern Vice-Chairperson Toll Free: 1-888-947-6222 Eric Olson (204) 659-2423 Fax: 204-947-9446 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Northern Vice-Chairperson Frances McIvor (204) 689-2165 Email: [email protected] Western Vice-Chairperson Larry Chartrand (204) 628-3356 Mission Statement Email: [email protected] The purpose of NACC is to be a meaningful and Eastern Secretary/Treasurer effective advocacy group. Barbara Marcyniuk (204) 645-2327 Cell: (204) 770-5146 To improve the quality of life in Northern Association Email: [email protected] Communities by having positive, proactive meetings Northern Secretary/Treasurer with Ministers and Cabinet on issues affecting our Freda Parenteau (204) 357-2136 communities and to inform and involve community Cell: (204) 357-2145 councils and residents in our progress. Email: [email protected]

Western Secretary/Treasurer We believe that all communities are unique and that Harold Fleming (204) 732-2675 their needs and interests should be recognized. Email: [email protected]

Northern Association of Community Councils