Nov 2011 North Central News.Qxp

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 2 NOVEMBER 2011 north central news Growing communities one idea at a time. Annual Community Futures Conference hosted by Community Futures North Central Development Community Futures North no other. That promise included ties that exist in the North,” said Central Development (CFNCD), in an "outside the box" and "outside Frances McIvor, Chair of CFNCD. partnership with Community the classroom" concept that was This edition of North Central Futures Cedar Lake and well received by delegates. News is dedicated completely to Community Futures Greenstone “We were so proud to play host highlighting the three days our hosted the annual Community to the 100+ who participated in guests spent in northern Manitoba Futures Conference September this year’s event. It truly was the experiencing their northern 20th - 22nd, 2011 and promised prime opportunity to showcase Adventure. to deliver an event that was like economic diversity and opportuni- Welcome to northern Manitoba!! Upon arrival in Thompson delegates took advan- tage of some of the area's spectacular recreational activities. Some of our group ventured to Paint Lake Provincial Park to take in a guided fishing trip, others visited the Thompson Golf Club for a round of golf and a third group toured the City of Thompson with local tour guides Don Fulford and Michelle Pruder. Tuesday evening’s Welcome Reception at Riverlodge Place was a treat for all featur- ing northern cuisine - moose stew, smoked lake trout, wild rice stuffed cherry tomatoes and bannock. Welcome remarks were provided by local dignitaries and delegates had the chance to puruse the impressive artwork of northern artists Robert Pegalo, Irvin Head The Tataskweyak Cree Nation Starlite Dancers and Jasyn Lucas. The evening’s provided toe-tapping, get- TOP: entertainment included the Split out-of-your-seat entertain- CFNCD Chairperson Frances ment at the Riverlodge McIvor welcomes delegates to the annual confer- Lake Square Dancers and the Place at Tuesday evening’s ence. Below: Artist, friend and previous client of music of Al Starling, another local Welcome Reception. CFNCD - Jasyn Lucas was one of the artists on- favorite. hand to showcase his wares. 2 north central news NOVEMBER 2011 Mobile Learning Sessions provide delegates an out of the classroom learning opportunity The conference planning com- mittee opted for motivational, educational, and (most importantly) hands-on experiences for delegates in place of the typical classroom setting workshops that make up a conference. Delegates had their choice Wednesday afternoon of three exciting mobile learning sessions. #1: ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION: Participants in this mobile learning session toured two examples of businesses who have diversi- Delegates at Vale’s open pit mine learn about diversification fied the economy of northern and clustering opportunities. Manitoba. Vale (formerly Inco) is Thompson’s new world-class jet #2 TOURISM: the nickel mine that founded engine testing facility. A workshop Participants in this whirlwind Thompson in the 1950’s. Today on economic diversification (pre- session travelled to Churchill, MB the mine continues to be a major sented by Judy McMillan-Evans via a Calm Air charter. The group employer in the north. A tour of and Tobey Williams of Community of 34 was greeted at the airport by the open pit mine provided dele- Futures Alberta) and a presenta- Frontiers North Adventures, Town gates with intimate insight into the tion by the Thompson Economic of Churchill and Churchill Thompson operations. The group Diversification Working Group Chamber of Commerce reps. The also had the opportunity to visit (Michelle Drylie of Replan) were afternoon included a tour of Glacier / MDS Aerotest - also highlights of this session. Churchill, lunch aboard a Tundra Buggy at Cape Merry and a clos- ing reception at the Tundra Inn. Most importantly however, was the one-on-one opportunity delegates had to speak with major tourism players in Churchill about tourism as an economic opportunity. Story continued on page three. Pictured LEFT: Delegates at MDS Aerotest - Thompson’s he jet engine testing facility stop for a photo under the test stand. NOVEMBER 2011 north central news 3 Mobile Learning Sessions from page two Hope, Vision, Action message for Thompson youth Community Futures North Central Development partnered with the School Board of Mystery Lake to offer a second presen- tation from entrepre- neur and keynote speaker Frank O’Dea. Mr. O’Dea attended #3 BUSINESS & by Brad Regehr of D’Arcy & Deacon the high school in ABORIGINAL Law Firm. To top off the day dele- Thompson - RD Parker RELATIONS: gates were welcomed to the onsite Collegiate in the after- Participants in this session learned cultural centre where Susan Kobliski noon of September about the partnership between (Cultural Coordinator) gave an 22nd to present his Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and overview of the historic importance of message on Hope, Manitoba Hydro and how the the land and the cultural training each Vision and Action. The Aboriginal culture was included in Wuskwatim employee receives. story of how he went every aspect of the Wuskwatim Special thanks to the MB Hydro team from panhandling for Generation Construction Project. who organized our tour of the site and nickels and dimes not Participants toured the construction acted as tour guides for the day - so many years ago, to site that when complete will become a Lynn Glennon, Tim Armstrong, Gary the successes he has 200-megawatt generating station. An Sawisky, Paul Oblander and Gord achieved today was informative workshop on duty to con- Dumas. meant to inspire youth sult legal responsibilities was delivered to believe nothing is out of reach. The pres- entation was followed by a question and answer period and sev- eral one-on-one dis- cussions with students. Pictured LEFT: Delegates in Churchill, MB explored tourism as an economic strategy. Photo taken behind the community complex with inukshuk and Hudson Bay as backdrop 4 north central news NOVEMBER 2011 Newman and O’Dea: Tales from the past, hopes for the future The following article on the con- Newman spoke on Tuesday and shoot your customers.” ference’s keynote speakers ran in opened with some light-hearted The point being made by the Thompson Citizen, September humor and stories of his time work- Newman was that company towns 28, 2011 ing as a gold miner in Val-d'Or, had to be loyal and not function in Quebec. He presented mayor Tim a wild frontier like manner such as Article By Matt Durnan Johnston with a beaver skin hat in the United States [email protected] that was later passed around for “Back then, everything west of the crowd to have a closer look at. Kenora was an HBC town, and at Riverlodge Place played host to a Newman then went into the bulk that point HBC owned about one- couple of celebrated Canadians of his speech, talking about the twelfth of the world's territory, so it last week as Community Futures roots of business in the North, with was the standard to be unwaver- North Central Development brought the Hudson Bay Company. ingly loyal.” in writer and journalist Peter C. When the floor was opened up Newman, and Frank O'Dea, the for questions, Newman was asked former homeless alcoholic, who what he would like to see for the went onto found the Second Cup future of Thompson and what can coffee chain in 1975 in a classic be done to reach their goals. rags to riches story – for the 2011 “I think this city has great poten- Manitoba Community Futures tial, when I was flying in I see a lot Conference here Sept. 20-22. of empty space around that can be Newman spoke Wednesday and expanded to and utilized,” said O'Dea did likewise on Thursday. Newman, “what I'd really like to see Both speakers drew a sizable would be for your university crowd of people into the large (University College of the North) to meeting hall, and were both become a really specialized univer- received with enthusiasm and sity in some facet, so that it would applause. gain prestige. That way you not The two guests of honor come only keep everyone here but you're from very different walks of life; drawing in new people at the same Newman a long established writer CF North Central Development time.” and journalist who emigrated to Manager Tim Johnston with keynote The phrase “survival of the fittest” speaker Peter C. Newman Canada from Czechoslovakia dur- is one that may be very commonly ing the Second World War, and “The Canadian business style recognized, but Newman sub- O'Dea, a former homeless alcoholic really fits into how we as Canadians scribes to a different mantra, and turned entrepreneurial icon, respon- are as a people,” said Newman, “If that is “survival of the most adapt- sible for almost single-handedly you look at our past, we don't have able”. changing the coffee industry to the history of civil wars and geno- “The world is in a constant state what it is today. cide that the United States has. I of change and it's almost a new While their pasts differ in count- think that our model of doing busi- world every six weeks now. We're less ways, their speeches on con- ness began with the Hudson Bay seeing a real acceleration of history, secutive days managed to resonate Company, and that there wasn't and the ones who make that history with similarities as well as a sense any open Indian warfare, part of the are the ones who can best adapt.” of chronological order. Bay's motto was, you should never Continued on page 4 NOVEMBER 2011 north central news 5 Newman and O’Dea continued from page four Fast forward to day two of guest same price as regular size.” ed, you know what there are two speakers, and enter Frank O'Dea, O'Dea stressed the point that if types of wine, red and white, you whose speech largely reflected the you offer value as far as a quality take your pick.

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