On December 24, 2024, at approximately 4:00 pm, Thompson RCMP responded to a report of a firearm being discharged in the chapel at the Thompson General Hospital.

 

Officers responded immediately and when they arrived on scene, hospital security personnel had detained a lone male.

 

During their investigation, officers discovered a hole in the window of the chapel that was produced from a firearm, along with ammunition on the floor.

 

No one was injured in the discharge of the firearm, and officers located and seized the weapon used in the incident.

 

Russell Hyslop, 33, from Thompson, was arrested and has been remanded. Hyslop is being charged with the following:

 

• Discharge Firearm while Being Reckless
• Mischief Under $5,000 – Damage to Property
• Careless Use of a Firearm
• Possession of a Firearm when Knowing Possession Unauthorized
• Possession of a Restricted Firearm/Prohibited Weapon with Ammunition without License
• Pointing a Firearm
• Weapons Possession Contrary to Order and Fail to Surrender Authorization
• Possession of a Weapon for Dangerous Purposes

 

Thompson RCMP and Manitoba RCMP Forensic Identification Services continue to investigate.

If you don’t have plans for Christmas Day, you’ve invited to the Community Christmas dinner taking place at the Legion Hall.

On City Beat yesterday, Mayor Colleen Smook provided details.

“The meal will be served from 12 to 1:30 and the doors will open at 11:30. We will be there until about 2 serving and then we will clean up after.”

Meal prep will take place on December 24th from 1 to 3 pm if you have time to help out by peeling potatoes, setting tables, or doing other tasks.

Smook added that there will be no turkey this year, due to how labour-intensive it is to get them prepared in time.

Instead, guests will enjoy ham, meatballs and a variety of other side dishes.

The dinner is open to anyone who wishes to attend.

If you want more details call 204-679-6315.

In early December,  a number of law enforcement agencies and units, including local resources from respective RCMP detachments, conducted operations targeting prolific offenders with outstanding Warrants for their arrest.

This operation took place in Thompson, Kinosao Sipi Cree Nation, Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, Cross Lake Cree Nation and Tataskweyak Cree Nation.

Over the three days, officers attended to 184 residences and arrested 17 individuals on outstanding Warrants.

Six were in Thompson, six in Kinosao Sipi, two in NCN, two in Cross Lake and one in Tataskweyak Cree Nation. Two individuals - one from Kinosao Sipi and another from Gillam -  also turned themselves into the RCMP as a result of this operation.

On December 5, two individuals later identified to be from Ontario, leapt from a second-floor window of an apartment complex in Thompson in an attempt to evade capture.

Upon their arrest, they were found in possession of crack cocaine and proceeds of crime. Both were later released for a future court date in Thompson where they will face drug
charges.

RCMP continue to investigate.

Many of us here in the north will be travelling during the holiday season.

And the cold weather dictates the necessity for a winter survival kit in our vehicles.

On 102.9 CHTM yesterday, Bruce Krentz, Health Promotion Coordinator for the Northern Health Region, commented on the kits.

“Having an emergency kit is important for us; especially warm winter clothes, some extra boots and ski pants, toques and mitts and stuff like that in case you are going to end up outside for a little while or if you are waiting for help.”

He added we should keep our eye on weather forecasts before departing and to make sure our vehicles are in good running order.

Krentz also said we should let someone on either end of our journey know when we’re leaving and when we’ve arrived as an added safety measure.

Friday marks the end of an era for the Thompson Citizen.

That’s when the last edition of the local newspaper will be distributed.

The news of the paper’s closing was announced earlier this week to much surprise and disappointment.

When reached, Gord Brewerton, Vice-President and Group Publisher for the Prairie Newspaper Group, owner of the Thompson Citizen, said quote - “despite our best efforts, dwindling advertiser support has created a situation whereby the publication is no longer viable, nor sustainable.”

Ownership felt they were left with no other option than to shut down operations.

Brewerton said all staff members will stay with the company and have accepted positions in other PNG markets.

On December 13, 2024, at 7:00 pm, Thompson RCMP received a report of a missing 36-year-old woman from an address located on McGill Place in Thompson.

Nadine Colomb was last seen in the evening hours of December 12 and indications were made that she was going to take a bus to Winnipeg.

Officers have checked in with the bus service in Thompson and no records were located which indicated she may have left the city. It is believed she is still in the Thompson area.

Colomb is described as being 5’5”, 170lbs with black hair & brown eyes. No clothing description was provided but it was indicated that she was dressed for the weather.

If you’ve seen Nadine Colomb or have any information on her whereabouts, please call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909/6911, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

All schools in the School District of Mystery Lake are closed this afternoon due to a general threat made earlier to R.D. Parker Collegiate and various schools in the community.

This threat was investigated by the Thompson RCMP, but the exact nature of the threat was not released while the investigation was ongoing.

The RCMP have conducted searches of all schools in Thompson and have deemed them safe to enter.

School will be in session tomorrow as usual.   Maintenance and cleaning staff will be in schools this afternoon and evening as per usual.

A common New Year’s resolution is to work on improving our health and fitness.

But many of our good intentions can fall by the wayside if we’re not mindful of how we approach our fitness goals.

Dr. Scott Leith, a behavioural psychologist with Good Life Fitness, has some advice for those who are making fitness resolutions for 2025.

“Do what you want to do. You can explore around and try things and say “you know what, this feels good, I like this but I don’t like that.” And then you build your program based off of what you enjoy and what feels right, what’s good for your own limitations and your own joints. That is much more successful in the long run then thinking “Oh, I want to lose weight so I have to do these intense, fat burning workouts.”  

Leith says that by going too hard at the beginning of a fitness journey, we can cause injuries that derail our overall progress.

He says the “all or nothing” mentality where we feel we have to do it all perfectly or do nothing at all is one way we sabotage ourselves.

For more advice on how to approach your next workout program, catch Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.

On December 2, 2024, Gypsumville RCMP received a report of a weapons complaint in the community of Dauphin River.

 

After a lengthy investigation, a search warrant was obtained by RCMP after consultation with the National Weapons Support Enforcement Team (NWEST), Manitoba East District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team (MED CREST), and Manitoba’s Emergency Response Team (ERT).

 

On December 13, 2024, a search of a residence in Lake St. Martin in the RM of Grahamdale was completed where officers seized a significant number of various firearms plus ammunition.

 

Cocaine, suppressors, and hard body armour were located within the residence as well.

 

Keeni Ross, 19, of Lake St. Martin has been charged with the following:

 

• Uttering Threats Against a Person
• Possession of a Prohibited Weapon When Knowing Possession Unauthorized x4
• Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose
• Fail to Comply with Release Orderx2
• Using Firearm in the Commission of an Offence While Committing Offence
• Possession of Restricted Firearm/Prohibited Weapon with Ammo without Licence x8
• Possession of Firearm When Knowing Possession Unauthorized x3
• Unsafe Storage of Firearms x3
• Possession of Firearm with Tampered Serial Number
• Weapons Possession Contrary to Order and Fail to Surrender Authorization x3
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime Less Than of Equal to $5000
• Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking

 

Robert Sinclair, 27, and Gerald Sinclair, 28, both of Lake St. Martin were also arrested and charged with Uttering Threats Against a Person.

 

Gerald has been remanded and remains in custody along with Ross. Robert was released on an Undertaking.

 

The investigation continues.

Professional Development days for teachers take place four times a year.

Two are designated and conducted by the School District of Mystery Lake.  The other two include the Manitoba Teacher Society’s PD day, formerly known as SAGE,  and another session in February put on by the Thompson Teachers Association.

Cathy Pellizarro, President of the TTA, explains their purpose.

“It’s the opportunity for teachers to develop professionally in many areas. It can be their own professional development or professional development directed by the provincial government in education or the school divisions. It covers a variety of needs that the teacher may have in their growth as a teacher.”

Pellizzaro is asking for community members to come forward if they are interested in conducting a session for the upcoming February PD day.

To indicate your interest or request information you are asked to reach out to Debby Belyea at dbelyea@mysterynet.mb.ca.

Learn more by listening to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

Music is still playing at the City Center Mall to deter loitering and, according to Mayor Colleen Smook,  complaints are still being received.

A meeting the previous week with Thompson Chamber of Commerce members,  community representatives, and City Center Mall management came up with no immediate answers.

Today, there is a meeting between City council and the mall owners to discuss the situation.

One point of contention that was addressed was the ticket that the mall manager had received from the bylaw officer regarding the noise bylaw infraction.

Smook said that ticket had been cancelled as it had incorrectly been given to the manager as opposed to the company who owns the mall.

The Manitoba Trappers Association Fur Tables return to Thompson this Thursday.

It takes place from 9 am to 4 pm at the Thompson Regional community Centre.

The fur tables are open to registered Manitoba Trappers and their families.

Fur Buyers will be available, plus there will be trap sales, displays and crafts.   There will also be kids activities and door prizes.

The Thompson Fur Table was started in the late 1970's by provincial staff to provide northern trappers with an opportunity to get better prices for their raw pelts.   It is now organized by the Manitoba Trappers Association.

Licensed fur dealers gather to inspect each trapper’s lot of fur.   Each dealer provides a quote for the lot and the trapper selects the best price.

If you’re planning some self-improvement resolutions in the New Year, you can improve your chances for success by starting now.

Bruce Krentz, Health Promotion Coordinator with the Northern Health Region, explains.

“A better strategy probably would be to start to think about that now and start to make some small changes so that if you do want to make a little bit bigger changes in the new year, you can do that a little bit easier and maybe have a more realistic chance of getting that done.”

The NHR has a number of resources they can share to help you on your way.

Those include the Smoker’s Help Line at smokershelpline.ca.

For nutrition advice, you can reach out to Dial A Dietician.   The toll-free number for that is 1-877-830-2892.

The Northern Health Region also has Registered Dietitians in Thompson.  They can be reached at 204-677-5350.

BGC Thompson and the Thompson RCMP Detachment held their Pack-a-Cruiser event last Saturday.

Here, Constable Savannah Brant shares the results.

“During our Cram-A-Cruiser event on December 7th, we raised $447 in financial donations and we also received 157 toys, filling the back of our police van, and the Boys and Girls is very thankful as is the Thompson RCMP to the community for coming out on that cold, cold day and making Christmas brighter for quite a few children.”  

The Pack-A-Cruiser event has taken place in Thompson for a number of years with the purpose of providing gifts for children in need during the Christmas season.

Operation Red Nose in Thompson launched the last weekend of November.

In the two weekends it has offered the free-ride home service, it has provided 58 rides with the help of 27 volunteers, and has raised just over 15-hundred dollars.

The Operation Red Nose team will be back on the road today and tomorrow and again next weekend.

Each night they provide services from 9 pm to 2 am, so if you wish to get yourself and your vehicle home safely after a night of celebrating, call them at 204-778-8-triple one.

Rides can also be pre-booked by going to the Operation Red Nose Thompson facebook page.

With one-in-two Canadians experiencing feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness during the holidays, people are being encouraged to prioritize their mental health this season.

Jennifer Whelan, Mental Health Promotion Coordinator with the Northern Health Region tells us about some reasons why some people can become overwhelmed.  

“For many of us, it means a lot of extra work right? Extra cooking, doing lots of shopping, and sometimes spending way too much money. We might have strained relationships with family or maybe we just can’t be with our family this holiday season or maybe a loved one has passed. It can be a very difficult time and it’s not always what we are expecting.”

Whelan says it’s important for people to seek help when contending with these feelings, especially when it comes to utilizing resources available to them.

The Northern Health Region has a helpful pamphlet with tips on stress reduction and the various resources available locally, provincially and nationally.  

You can request a copy by emailing jwhalen@nrha.ca or calling 204-778-1926.

For the full interview, catch Thompson Today this afternoon at 12:40 and 5:10.

Cambria Harris and Jorden Myran, leaders in the effort to have a Manitoba landfill searched for the remains of missing women, were awarded Tuesday with King Charles the Third Coronation medals at the Manitoba Legislative Building.

Over the past two years, Harris and Myran have been front and centre in the call for the search.

They held protests and news conferences and fought against the previous Conservative government’s refusal to conduct a search.

Harris is the daughter of Morgan Harris, and Myran is the sister of Marcedes Myran.

The remains of Morgan, 39, and Marcedes, 26, are believed to be in the Prairie Green Landfill north of Winnipeg in the rural municipality of Rosser.

On December 4th, excavation began at the landfill.

The Thompson Humane Society is the recipient of the December donation from 100 Women Who Care Thompson.

They plan to use the funds to purchase equipment needed to support veterinarian teams so they can offer a variety of medical services to animals in northern Manitoba.

In an announcement made Monday evening by THS Board Chair Oswald Sawh, the group has arranged four spay and neuter clinics in the new year, in conjunction with the Winnipeg Humane Society.

He added that the Bark and Meow Mobile Clinic will also be in Thompson for 6 clinics at Beastly Boutique throughout the year.

Under the supervision of Dr. Sarah Regehr with the WHS One Health Remote Veterinary program, local lay vaccinators are presently being trained to provide vaccinations for dogs and cats.

Sawh said the THS is working to attract new veterinarians,  as the local vet clinic is slated to close on December 31st, leaving pet owners without local care for their pets.

He hopes that by providing them with a state-of-the art facility and equipment, a veterinarian will consider practising here in Thompson if they don’t have to incur all the costs of setting up their own clinic.

Some deals are coming our way with the GST break, but for business owners that means a lot of added work at the already busy Christmas shopping season.

Tyler Slobogian, a Senior Policy Analyst with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business gives an example here.

“One retailer let us know that, at his single location, he will personally spend around 200 hours making updates to the over 7000 items in his POS systems. This is especially challenging for retailers that sells toys, gifts, food products and children’s clothes among other items that will remain taxable.”

Business owners have had just a couple weeks to prepare for the tax break and there is still a lot of confusion as to what is exempt, so the CFIB is asking shoppers to be patient.

For the list of GST exempt items, consumers can go to Canada DOT CA and type in GST HST Break.

For information on the most often asked questions, business owners can go to the cfib.ca website.

Hear more about the tax holiday on Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10

On December 7, 2024, at approximately 1 :30 pm, Chemawawin RCMP received a call about a male that had been assaulted, and was being treated at the Easterville Nursing Station.

 

When officers arrived, they discovered a 25-year-old male suffering from stab wounds to the chest.

 

The investigation determined that the victim was assaulted at a residence on Frankway Drive in Chemawawin.

 

Officers attended that residence, and arrested a 20-year-old male who was known to the victim, without incident.

 

The victim was later life flighted to Winnipeg, and is in stable condition.

 

The 20-year-old from Chemawawin has been charged with Aggravated Assault, and released with a court date of February 20, 2025.

 

The investigation continues.

On December 9, 2024, at approximately 5:50 am, The Pas RCMP received a report of a firearm being discharged at a residence located on Hone Street in The Pas.

Officers immediately attended to the scene and were advised that the residence had been struck multiple times. While shots entered the residence, no injuries were reported to the occupants.

Witnesses in the area reported seeing two males, dressed all in black, running from the scene to a black colored Dodge Ram pickup truck, described as being a 2015-2019 model.

Later that afternoon, at 4:25 pm, the Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN) Detachment of the Manitoba First Nations Police Service (MFNPS), received a report of a robbery where a 35-year-old male, from Flin Flon, reported being robbed and shot. The victim was transported to hospital where he remains in stable condition.

The suspect(s) fled the scene in a similar black colored Dodge Ram pick up truck as described by witnesses earlier in the morning in The Pas.

The incidents are not believed to be random in nature and that the suspects and victims are possibly known to each other.

Anyone with information on these shootings is asked to call The Pas RCMP at 204-627-6204, MFNPS OCN Detachment at 204-623-8201, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online a www.crimestoppers.com

The Pas RCMP continue to investigate.

An attempt by City Centre Mall management to address public safety issues on their premises by playing music outside has hit a snag.

While management says the music has managed to deter people loitering outside the entrances, they have received tickets due to noise by-law infractions.

On City Beat, Mayor Colleen Smook said the City and RCMP have received complaints about the loud music and the by-law officer had to act.

A meeting arranged by the Thompson Chamber of Commerce last week to discuss the situation, had attendees call into question why certain by-law infractions were being enforced when other more serious ones weren’t.

The Mayor said the city had met with the City Centre Mall management a couple months back to discuss possible actions to reduce loitering and while the music is effective, it still must fall within certain decibel levels and not exceed a set distance from the entrances.

Mall management expressed frustration at how their efforts were being received, but said they are willing to meet with the city and other stake-holders to remedy the safety issues.

The Canada Post strike is meaning more than empty mailboxes for businesses across the country.

Tyler Slobogian, a Senior Policy Analyst with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business comments.

“Small businesses are experiencing delayed deliveries, cash flow issues from unpaid invoices and missed sales during their busiest season. For many, this is obviously devastating especially if they are already grappling with so much as it is.”

Slobogian says that 75 per cent of small businesses said they will be impacted negatively by the strike.

He added that 80 per cent of these businesses still rely on Canada Post for deliveries, especially in rural and remote areas where affordable alternatives are not available.

It’s been estimated that the cost of the strike on business each day is around $77 million and the CFIB has called on the government to intercede.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers says it has sent the government-appointed mediator new counter-proposals. Ottawa paused federal mediation in the dispute last week, but the union says it’s ready to get the federal help again.

Today is the Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

A vigil will be held by the YWCA Thompson in their dining area from 2 to 3 pm.

This vigil is to honor the 14 lives taken on this date in 1989 at the Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal.

Known as the Montreal massacre, this event sparked a national discussion about violence against women and drove major public policy changes, especially around gun control.

Thirty-five years ago, for nearly 20 minutes, 25-year-old Marc Lépine stalked the hallways and classrooms of the school, armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a hunting knife. He murdered 14 women and injured another 13 people before killing himself.

He claimed to be fighting feminism.

Across Canada and globally women and gender-diverse people still face discrimination and violence and the Day of Remembrance is to bring awareness to this fact.

With the help of Canadian Feed the Children, BGC Thompson will be handing out 100 holiday hampers this year.

Families in need can apply for one of the hampers online at AFTER SCHOOL@BGCTHOMPSON.CA.

If you don’t have access to email, you’re asked to call them at 204-778-7575 extension 3 and an application will be filled out on your behalf.

Those applying are asked to note that doing so doesn’t guarantee you will receive one.

All applications will be approved via email or phone call.

Hampers will be handed out from December 16th to 19th.

Today at 4 pm, the Thompson Chamber of Commerce is holding an urgent meeting in the Best Western Hotel Meeting room.

The topic to be discussed is the public safety concerns at the City Centre Mall.

The Chamber recently received a detailed communication from the Mall outlining incidents such as violent assaults, property crimes, public health hazards and more occurring on the premises.

Increased security personnel, infrastructure improvements and the latest initiative of playing music outside to deter loitering and violent behaviours, have been met with challenges, including fines issued by the City’s bylaw office.

The chamber hopes to see a good turnout by the business community at this meeting.

The goal is to come up with a possible strategy that can be presented to city officials so the current situation can be addressed.

On Monday afternoon,  Thompson RCMP were called to the report of a stabbing in the Eastwood area.

A 31-year-old man was transported to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

A nearby residence was identified as the scene and secured.

Thompson RCMP, along with RCMP Major Crime Services and RCMP Forensic Identification Services, continue to investigate.

Anyone with information in relation to this homicide is asked to call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909 or submit a secure tip online at manitobacrimestoppers.com

Last Thursday evening,  Thompson RCMP received a report of a male pointing a firearm at customers in the parking lot of a business on Caribou Road.

Officers responded immediately and after patrolling the area, located him not far from the initial scene where he was then arrested.

The firearm was not located.

Twenty-two year-old Christopher Dumas of Thompson has been charged with numerous weapons charges and for failure to comply with a probation order.

Dumas remains in custody, and the investigation continues.

The City’s quarterly water bills were sent out just as the Canada Post strike began on November 15th.

While some Thompson residents and businesses did receive them in the mail, many have not.

Here’s a word of advice from the City’s Communication Officer, Ian Graham.

“So if you haven’t received a water bill in early November, you should come to City Hall to get a copy or give us a call at City Hall and find out the amount you owe.”  

Graham said the city hasn’t decided if they would offer a grace period for payments.

While it is the responsibility of the home or business owner to check on the status of their bill, the city has been calling residents to see if they have received their bills.

A first-time event is coming to Thompson in the New Year, with help from Special Olympics Manitoba and the Manitoba Law Enforcement Torch Run.

The Polar Plunge will take place at Paint Lake on January 18th to help raise funds for northern Manitoba’s Special Olympics athletes.

Melissa Suggitt, Marketing Manager for the organization, shares the importance of sport for these athletes.

“For our athletes, sport is more than the physical activity that they get, it’s the place that they belong. When they go to their weekly program, they have peers, they can make friends, they just have this sense of belonging with this social group that they may not experience outside of our programming.”

Special Olympics has been active in the province since 1980 and currently over 1900 athletes represent us at National and International events.  Over 80 of those athletes are in the Thompson area.

To register for the Polar Plunge or to donate to a participant, go to plungemanitoba.com.

For the full interview with Suggitt, catch Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

If you, your family or your workplace is big on Christmas decorating, the Thompson Music Parents Association has a great opportunity for you.

Winter Wonderland is back for the holiday season at McCreedy Campground, and the Music Parents encourage you to take part, as Erin Taylor-Goble, President of the group tells us.

“You can sponsor a site for $20, come out and decorate it and perhaps help with the general set up in the area. We have about forty sites available and interest is going through the roof so if you are interested in getting a site, please contact me as soon as possible.”

The group is also looking for additional decorations if you have any to share.

Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm are the final chances to decorate before Winter Wonderland opens for visitors on December 12th at 6 pm.

It’s $10 per car with tickets available in advance.  You can also pay at the gate with correct change.

Catch the full interview with Taylor-Goble at 12:40 and 5:10 on Thompson Today.

The Canadian Mental Health Association Thompson has a thoughtful gift idea that’s also practical.

They are holding their first cookbook fund raiser just in time for Christmas and books are available to order now.

Stephanie Hysert with the CMHA has details.

“So it is a proud partnership between friends at CMHA Thompson, residents of Thompson and our outlining communities. So it’s a 150 recipes inside the book that covers everything from appetizers to main dishes and desserts and so many more.”

Proceeds will go toward programming at the CMHA and purchasing a billboard.

They will also purchase better organizers for Charlie’s Thrift Store so as to provide better access to the store.

Cookbooks are $20 each and pre-orders are being taken now.

Call Vicki at 204-677-6058 or drop by the main office at 43 Fox Bay.

Cookbooks will arrive before Christmas.

Early Thursday afternoon, Thompson RCMP responded to a report of a body outside a residence on Pipe Road.

Officers attended and located a 28-year-old man who was pronounced deceased on scene.

The cause of death remains under investigation awaiting the results of the autopsy.
However,  it is believed his death was the result of a homicide.

Thompson RCMP, along with RCMP Major Crime Services and RCMP Forensic Identification Services, continue to investigate.

Anyone with information in relation to this homicide is asked to call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909 or submit a secure tip online at manitobacrimestoppers.com