FREE cottageNORTH A MAGAZINE ABOUT LIFE IN NORTH CENTRAL CANADA MARCHAPRIL2015 Flin Flon Mine Strike of 1934 Les Misérables Northern Education Centaloppet Celebrates 40 Years The Fox KNOWLEDGE IS MINE WWW.UCN.CA COME TO A SCHOOL THAT WANTS YOU TO LEARN AND EXPRESS ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR CULTURAL HERITIAGE. With the choices available for your education, make UCN one of them! There are limitless possibilities from our many degree, diploma, and certificate programs in five diverse faculties. Our two main campuses and 12 regional centres, your education can come to you. Just imagine what you can do next! For more information, visit www.ucn.ca or call 1-866-627-8500 (The Pas) and 1-866-677-6450 (Thompson). OWN YOUR FUTURE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF THE NORTH In this issue MARCHAPRIL 2015 • Volume 13, Issue 2 FAVOURITES 6 Calendar of Events 7 Facing North 42 Wildlife: The Fox 45 A Good Taste 46 Profile: Jean Merasty 35 28 FEATURES 31 10 Flin Flon Mine Strike of 1934 28 The Annual Val & Ivor A heated labour dispute shook up Hedman Centaloppet ON THE COVER a young northern mining community Forty years later, skiers carry on a Mel Reich of Bakers Narrows, By Morley G. Naylor community tradition MB captured this photo of a By Dave Price local fox. Read more about 18 Quirky Northern Writers this wily creature on page 42. Seek Same 31 Canadian Adventurers: How the Thompson Writers Guild The Moodie Family came to be A family of intrepid explorers By Amanda M. Holt By Jim Parres 22 The Making of Les Misérables 35 Northern Education: Bringing a Dream to Life A Hands-on Approach A behind-the-scenes look at an An innovative class in La Ronge ambitious production in Flin Flon By Valerie G. Barnes-Connell By Libby Stoker-Lavelle 41 Near Death Inspires New Life Musician Robb Nash opens up to Snow Lake students By Marc Jackson cottageNORTH MARCHAPRIL 3 FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK cottageNORTH PUBLISHER All over northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan, communities are Valerie Durnin coming together to do great things, EDITOR thanks to the vision, and action, of lo- Libby Stoker-Lavelle cal leaders. In La Ronge, teacher Christine ADVERTISING Ravenis is creating an engaging, real- SALES CONSULTANT world learning environment for stu- Krista Lemcke dents by bringing community elders PRODUCTION MANAGER and local experts into the classroom. Libby (Elizabeth) Stoker-Lavelle Through her Northern Lifestyles class, John Bettger students are gaining a deeper appre- For some, living in the north, far GRAPHIC DESIGN ciation for their heritage and the nat- away from major urban centres, can Valerie Durnin ural world around them. be an isolating experience, especial- Danita Stallard In Thompson, a collective of ly during the harsh winter months. writers celebrated the publication In each person, however, there is a OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR of their first anthology last October. seed of potential for connection, for & COPY editOR Three years ago, this group was just personal growth, and for community Shannon Thompson a seed of an idea in founder Amanda contribution. As many of the stories RECEPTIONIST Holt’s mind. in this issue show, when we have Rose Daneliuk In Flin Flon, community choir the courage to pursue our passions, volunteers are building barricades, to build on our desires for self-im- Cottage North Magazine crafting 19th century costumes, and provement, and seek out others with 14 North Avenue working with vocal coaches to cre- common interests, we can enrich our Flin Flon, Manitoba ate a world-class production of Les own lives, while building stronger R8A 0T2 Misérables. It will be a work of art 15 communities—and inspiring others phone: 204-687-4303 years in the making, a collective effort to do the same. fax: 204-687-4473 led by Crystal and Mark Kolt, artistic www.cottagenorthmagazine.ca and musical directors of the choir. facebook.com/cottagenorthmagazine @cottagenorth email: [email protected] Subscribe to cottage North Cottage North is published Support your local magazine & have Cottage North delivered to your door six times a year by The Flin Flon six times a year! Makes a great gift. Reminder in Flin Flon and is One year subscription (6 issues): $36.00 GST incl. distributed free of charge to businesses and services throughout northern Manitoba advertise With Us and Saskatchewan. Contact Krista Lemcke, [email protected] We welcome submissions of photos, art and articles at all times. Vol 13, Issue 2 Please contact us if you have something to share! Printed in Canada, 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction of photos, illustrations, or text in any Letters to the editor form without written permission Do you have an opinion, a photo or a brief story to share with Cottage North from the publisher is prohibited. readers? Send in a contribution to our Letters to the Editor section! 4 COTTAGENORTHMAGAZINE.CA COTTAGENORTHMAGAZINE COTTAGENORTH cottageNORTH THE CONTRIBUTORS Amanda M. Holt Morley G. Naylor Amanda Holt Morley G. Naylor was born in Sherridon is president of and has lived in Flin Flon since. For 32 the Thompson years, he has travelled all over northern Writers’ Guild. She writes novels, Manitoba and Saskatchewan with CBC novellas, short TV and CBC Radio. “I’ve really come to stories and poetry, primarily for adults appreciate the beauty and diversity of our in the paranormal, horror and romance area,” Morley says. “There are so many genres. Her paranormal cautionary tale stories to tell.” “Beware the Silence” appears in the An Unkindness of Ravens anthology. “Flin Flon Mine Strike” p. 10 “Quirky Northern Writers Seek Same” p. 18 Valerie G. Dave Price Jim Parres Barnes- Jim Parres is Originally from Cornell a prospector/ Wales, Dave geologist born in Price arrived in Valerie G. Barnes- Timmins, Ontario, Flin Flon—after Connell has been but raised in Flin a brief stint in the reporter/ Flon, Manitoba. He New York City—in photographer has co-authored August, 1970. A for the La Ronge two Manitoba mining books, The Nor retired geologist, Dave is vice-president Northerner for the past eight years. She Acme Gold Mine Story and Headframes, of Flin Flon Ski Club and also one lives in La Ronge. Happiness and Heartaches, along with of the founders of the Green Project, a “Northern Education” p. 35 Marc Jackson. Jim also writes a column collaboration aimed at forest restoration in the Snow Lake newspaper. in Flin Flon and Creighton. “Canadian adventurers” p. 31 “Centaloppet” p. 28 Sheila Ian Graham Kelly Oswald Marchant A graduate of Kelly Oswald is a A longtime resident the University of reporter for the of northern Victoria’s writing Flin Flon Reminder. Manitoba, Sheila department, Ian She moved to Flin enjoys capturing Graham has been Flon seven years the natural beauty with the Thompson ago, following her of this region in poetry. She gathers Citizen and Nickel graduation from inspiration everywhere, but particularly Belt News since 2007, joining the NBCC’s Journalism program. Oswald from her scenic views on her monthly newspaper as a sports reporter and enjoys the people, culture, and spirit of bus rides from Flin Flon to Prince Albert. photographer. He was named editor in the community. August 2014. “A Walk With My Dog” p. 44 “Finding Om in Bakers Narrows” p. 9 “Ron Maclean is coming to Thompson” p. 9 Marc Jackson Penny Byer Gerry Clark Marc Jackson has Penny Byer moved Gerry Clark is a lived in Snow Lake to Thompson in the retired teacher for 42 years. Marc late ’70s to open whose whole writes, edits, and up the CBC North career, starting publishes Snow Country studio. An in 1969, was at Lake’s Underground editor of employee Hapnot Collegiate Press, as well as a syndicated column publications with in Flin Flon. His that runs Fridays in the Flin Flon a mining company and freelancer, interests include drawing; photography, Reminder, Opasquia Times, and Nickel she also teaches courses on mostly wildlife but also sports, involving Belt News. He has co-written two books. communications and leadership. his four grandsons; and writing, mostly about local history. “Near death inspires new life” p. 41 “Jean Merasty” p. 46 “The Fox” p. 42 cottageNORTH MARCHAPRIL 5 Calendar of Events March|April2015 Here’swhat’shappeninginyourcommunity! Bust the Winter Blues TriviaNight,horse-drawnsleighridesandafamilydancehave allbecomefavouritesattheBusttheWinterBluesfestival. HeldeachMarchformorethanadecade,theeventisajoint FlinFlon-Creightoncelebration. Thisyear’sfestivalissetforMarch 6 to 8 withactivitiesforallages includingasnowmobilepokerderby,asugarshack,anicefishing tournament,publicskating,cardsandcribtournaments,swimming andacraftsale. Photo by Kelly Oswald Thompson The Pas Flin Flon, Creighton & March 2-31:AnneSnihor March 1-29:TracesExhibit Denare Beach ArtExhibit,HeritageNorth byJanetShawRussell, March 6-8: BusttheWinterBluesFestival Museum SamWallerMuseum. March 8:40thAnnualCentaloppet, March 6-8:Winterfest2015 March 6:HomeRoutes FlinFlonSkiClub.Fordetailscall andRogersHometown Concert:BenSures,Sam DavePrice,204-687-8653.Seestoryp.28 Hockey,TRCC WallerMuseum,7pm April 11:HomeRoutes March 8-9:HomeRoutesConcert: March 7:HomeRoutes Concert:JasonFreeman-Fox, BenSures,7pm(CranberryPortage, Concert:BenSures SamWallerMuseum,7pm March11) April 1-30:JasynLucas April 12:Auroraconcert, March 19:FilmsUpNorthseries: Show&Sale,HeritageNorth SacredHeartCathedral All is Lost,HapnotTheatre,7pm Museum April 13-29:ThePasMusic March 19:BluesmusicianBigDave andFineArtsFestival McLeanwithJimmyandtheSleepers, Prince Albert Johnny’sSocialClub,7:30pm.Fortickets March 5:ComedianRon