Racism, public safety and better health were among the big talking points at a Thompson, Man., mayoral candidates Q&A on urban Indigenous issues at the Ma-Mow-We-Tak Friendship Centre on Thursday evening.
“So annually we sort of renew that commitment by sitting at the accord table and, over time, we’ve been committed to doing a better job of recognizing those contributions when the opportunity arises.” On June 19, graduate Kiya Spence of Nisichawayasihk Neyo Ohtinwak Collegiate in Nelson House was the first to receive a scholarship of $1,000, which was named after her ancestor, and traditional land user, James Spence. “James Spence actually had a cabin not too far from our current plant site now,” said Land. “[He] had early interactions with the company at that time and made a significant contribution to our early success in the areas of ongoing exploration, discovery, development and eventually what became production inside of a very tight time frame in the early 1950s.”