I wrote hundreds of articles for Newswatch this year, so it’s an understatement to say narrowing all that work down to a Top 5 list is difficult. Here’s a list of five stories I found meaningful and fulfilling to write.
Historic NWMO decision evokes excitement, disappointment: The Nuclear Waste Management Organization announced on the morning of Nov. 28 that the Revell site between Wabigoon Lake and Ignace has been selected for its proposed deep geological repository. The announcement came four months and 18 days after Ignace council approved moving forward as a potential host municipality for the repository, and 12 days after a referendum of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation members concluded.
Veterinarian and team come to northern First Nation: I spoke to the chief of Eabametoong First Nation in October about bringing his dog, named after retired hockey player Tie Domi, to an animal health clinic put on by Matawa First Nations Management with various partners. The clinic took place shortly after Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu announced $1.5 million in funding for Matawa’s animal services pilot project.
Quality time in the wild for Northwest kids: Visiting the region’s 2024 edition of Camp Quality in mid-June was the top highlight of my summer. This rhyming couplet from a participant summed up the Camp Quality experience for them: “From campfires at night to the games in the sun / At Camp Quality, we’re all having so much fun.”
Sandy Lake celebrates the arrival of power and light: Constructing the 1,800-kilometre Wataynikaneyap Power transmission line was quite an accomplishment for all involved, and getting reliable non-diesel electricity supplied to all their homes was a transformational development for Sandy Lake First Nation and the 16 other communities the line connected to the provincial grid. Watay Power held a celebration in Sandy Lake in June, with Anishinaabe film actor Adam Beach as emcee.
Air Ontario tragedy exhibit on display at Dryden museum: Twenty-four people perished when Air Ontario Flight 1363 crashed soon after takeoff from Dryden Regional Airport on March 10, 1989. An exhibit at the Dryden and District Museum examined this key piece of local history that was also a national news story.
