new northern polar bear excursions an ‘amazing experience

C M Y K TC_07_Dec-11-10_CO_01C M Y K

(Cont’d from Page 1)

Moreover, he recentlyspoke to a trade dele-gation to Manitobafrom Germany,Iceland and Denmark

that showed a lot of interest inpurchasing Wild Man’s products.Smaller packages of rice and

soup are sold in specialty storessuch as De Luca’s and health foodstores in Winnipeg, as well asgrocery outlets in the province.“Arts and Crafts Shows and

Farmers’ Markets are excellentvenues from which to sell onepound packages of our rice andsoups,” Richard says.

The company is about to goonline with a store (www.wild-manricing.ca) in a few weeks.In the meantime, products can be

ordered from Tony at 204-794-7068.Another northern wild rice

producer is Richard Russell of FarNorth Wild Rice of Flin Flon.Russell has been growing wild

rice in northern Manitoba forabout 25 years.He says the best quality rice is

found in remote lakes and streams

north of the 55th parallel inManitoba.Also OPAM certified, Russell

says the “north’s long, warmsummer days and clean, purewaters produce a long grain,flavourful rice known to be thefinest in the world.”

Weather critical factor

Growing such a delicacy dependsupon the weather as high or lowwater levels, heavy winds, hail oran early frost can destroy the cropor prevent it from ripening into itsattractive dark brown colour anddelicious kernels, he says.Russell’s online store

(www.wildrice.mb.ca) offers aselection of bagged rice withCanadian prices starting at $6.50for a one pound poly bag and $8 fora one pound gift bag.A five pound Ziploc bag is avail-

able for $31.50 and a 50 pound bulkbag for $300.For shipping costs within Canada

and to destinations outside thecountry, contact Russell at rrus-sell@mts.net or call 204-687-3631.

Saturday Free Press, Winnipeg, December 11, 2010 7

(Cont’d from Page 6)

McLauchlan says he’sworking closely withthe local Chamber ofCommerce to try andenhance the town’s

tourism profile.The newmayor spent 26 years in

the RCMP before retiring so anypolitical involvement then was outof the question. Now he wants tochannel his energy into making goodchanges happen.The Pas is one of the oldest settle-

ments in northern Manitoba. Itoffers raw natural beauty thatattracts visitors from around theworld. A traditional meeting placebetween Indian trappers and theFrench and English fur traders, itwants to bill itself as the Gateway tothe North.The Pas offers unique recreational

activities and a variety of culturalattractions such as the Trapper’sFestival, Agricultural Fair andOpasquia Indian Days. It also boastsit is a town where the NorthernLights shine year-round.“We have beautiful clear lakes,

clean air, great hunting and fabulousfishing,” McLauchlan adds. “This isreally an untapped resource and wewant to develop it.”.Flin Flon, population 5,600, has

also had its share of economic badnews with the closure of the localsmelter after five decades. The tallchimney has now been capped andits closure, on environmental andeconomic grounds, eliminated 200jobs, though many have retrainedand some have retired.The newmayor of the town, which

straddles the Manitoba andSaskatchewan border, is GeorgeFontaine and he looks on the brightside.Past accusations that the smelter

had polluted the town are nowsilenced and he notes that remedia-tion work by the province meansthat two of the town’s three parkshave had a total rejuvenation andmakeover.Fontaine wants to focus on this

greener image and work with otherlevels of government to increasecamping and tourism generally. He’salso focused on providing positivethings for the younger generation.“We are into the fourth generation

of people who have lived here andwe want to keep families togetherand make sure there’s continuity,”Fontaine says.“We’re in a push now to create a

skateboarding facility and next yearwe want to develop an Olympic styleBMX track. It’s important to haverecreational facilities and programsto engage all members of thecommunity.”

New northernmayors facing

many challenges

Polar bear excursions an ‘amazing experience’(Cont’d from Page 5)

Two big males were play-fighting, rearing up onhind legs, mouths wideopen, pushing andbattering each other

with their powerful paws.It was a formidable display of

strength, agility and endurance asthey wrestled each other to theground, rested for a spell on themuskeg and then went back foranother round.“They are solitary creatures but

they do this to socialize,” explainedPilkington, who said the two bearswere each about 10 years old.“They play because there wasn’t

a need to fight (over mating with afemale or a food source), andthey’re intelligent. When theycome to play like this, they cometo know each other through smell.“It’s a complex thing. These

alliances between bears are madein the fall, but only last until theice forms on Hudson Bay. Then,it’s every bear for himself as theyhunt seals.”During another Tundra Buggy

expedition after a heavy snowfallseveral days later, we also sawscattered clutches of willowptarmigan sheltering amongstdwarf willow, a snow bunting, acouple of red foxes (but not any of

the smaller white arctic foxes),and even a seal poking its headbriefly out of the rough HudsonBay waters as our Tundra Buggytrundled past the shoreline.Back at the centre, our group

heard presentations by Pilkingtonand other experts, including

University of Manitoba zoologistProfessor Jane Waterman, who isstudying individual polar bearidentification and play behaviour.One evening, Dene elder and

long-time Churchill resident Caro-line Bjorklund gave a poignant,informal account of her life and

the Sayisis Dene people.Bjorklund was one of the Sayisi

Dene who were forcibly relocatedby the government from theirnorthern Manitoba homes toChurchill in the 1950s, causingunanticipated social and culturaldifficulties.Our vacation also included a

45-minute helicopter ride,exhilarating sled-dog rides (onsleds with wheels) at Blue SkyExpeditions and a visit to theTown of Churchill.There, we toured the Parks

Canada Visitors Centre and thefamed EskimoMuseum, stood onthe rocky shore of a raging Hud-son Bay, went gift shopping andhad lunch at the lively and afford-able Gypsy’s Bakery, Restaurantand Coffee Shop owned by theDa Silva family.“This was an amazing experi-

ence,” said Leonora Rodriquez,a soft-spoken biologist, webdesigner and world traveller fromCosta Rica, during lunch on theTundra Buggy one day.“I haven’t gotten this close to

nature anywhere else in Canadaas here in Churchill. This is purenature.”

Writer Martin Zeilig’s trip wassponsored by TourismManitoba

and the CNSC

The Tundra Buggy takes visitors out for a day of polar bear viewing

near Churchill. (Photo courtesy Robert Taylor- Postmedia)

Wild Man Ricing harvests this year’s crop on a lake near The Pas.

Northern Manitoba harvesterssay wild rice ‘finest in the world’

Highway 10 North Opaskwayak, MBPO Box 10310 R0B 2J0

p. 204-627-7230f. 204-623-2770

www.otineka-mall.ca

KELSEY SCHOOL DIVISION

“MISSION STATEMENT”

“We strive to be a respectful andenthusiastic school community, dedicated

to quality education for all.”

For information about our fine schoolsincluding the Kelsey Learning Centre’s

adult program please contact:

Margaret Barbour Collegiate 623-3485École Opasquia Early Years School 623-3459Kelsey Community School 623-7421École Scott Bateman Middle School 623-3411Mary Duncan School (including 623-1420Kelsey Learning Centre)Kelsey School Division Office 623-6421

www.ksd.mb.ca

FOR INFORMATION ON EVENTS PLEASE CALLCRYSTAL KOLT - CULTURAL COORDINATOR, (204) 687-5974 or ffac@mts.net

www.flinflonartscouncil.com

SUPPORTING ART IN THE NORTHAND NORTHERN ARTISTS

electronics and communications at home, work, in the car, and on the go

music, movies, games and entertainment for every age, every taste

high definition, home theater, and satellite tv to make every evening an experience

two locations serving The Pas, OCN, and area for twenty years

Otineka Mall Highway 10 N Uptown Mall 333 Edwards Ave

The Pas and District Chamber of Commerce 2009 Business of the Year

The Wescana InnA full-service inn with 73 newly renovatedrooms on an approved snowmobile route

close to fuel and downtown

Featuring full service diningNow offering in-room movies.

1-800-665-9468Fax: 1-204-623-3383439 Fischer Ave.,The Pas, MBwww.wescanainn.com

Wekusko Falls Lodgeonly 10 miles from Snow Lake MB.

Open All Year Round

• High Speed Internet

• Best Trophy Walleye Lake in Manitoba

• We are the only lodge on Trampling Lake

Bryan & Elissa Bogdan, Ownersinfo@wekuskofallslodge.com

wekuskofallslodge.com

Call toll free 1-877-358-2341

Phone (204) 687-3631Fax (204) 687-5246

SNOW LAKE

HOME BUILDING

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For Your Complete Hardware

& Building Supplies

88 Balsam Street, Snow Lake, MB

Ph. (204) 358-2343

The Town of Lynn LakeP.O. Box 100, 503 Sherritt AvenueLynn Lake, Manitoba R0B 0W0

Tel: (204) 356-2418 info@lynnlake.caFax: (204) 356-8297 www.lynnlake.ca

An extensive body of known and probable mineral reserves existsalong the Lynn Lake Greenstone Belt. Lynn Lake welcomes newinvestors to stake claims and develop the areas high mineralpotential, or review current exploration program results. The timeis now; the resources are here. Come and tap into the regionsprecious base metal deposits.

Lynn Lake has a 5000 x 150 footpaved airport runway owned andoperated by the Town of Lynn Lake.

TC_07_Dec-11-10_CO_01 A1TC_07_Dec-11-10_CO_01 A1 12/8/10 3:23:58 PM12/8/10 3:23:58 PM