Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation and City of Thompson Celebrate Successful Conversion of Mystery Lake Lands to a Modern Urban Reserve

THOMPSON, MANITOBA – September 20, 2016 – Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Chief Marcel Moody and City of Thompson Mayor Dennis Fenske announced today that there will be a celebration of the establishment of the new urban reserve in Thompson. After almost fifteen years, the process for conversion was finally completed earlier this summer when the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development (Canada) set aside the Mystery Lake lands as an urban reserve within the geographical boundaries of the City of Thompson.

Chief Moody noted that the Nisichawayasi Nehetho (the people from where the three rivers meet and who speak the language of the four directions) have lived, worked and played for thousands of years on the lands which form part of the Mystery Lake Hotel and have long been involved in the economic life of Thompson and the surrounding community. He went on to say that “The celebration on September 28 provides an opportunity for us to acknowledge the significance of this historic milestone for our Nation and the citizens of Thompson. Our dream is to develop state of the art facilities that will add to our Nation’s revenue base, showcase our culture and the spirit and endurance of people living in the north.”

Mayor Fenske reinforced the importance of this celebration by stating: “This celebration provides an opportunity to clearly demonstrate how co-operation and mutual respect can benefit all Citizens – Indigenous and non-Indigenous. This is reconciliation in action and we look forward to collaborating further with NCN as this development opportunity takes shape.”

NCN resolved many outstanding hydro development issues in 1996 when NCN Citizens voted in support of signing the NFA Implementation Agreement. Proceeds were invested in Nisichawayasihk Trust and were used to purchase the Mystery Lake Hotel in 1998. NCN has used that agreement as a springboard for further economic development initiatives such as NCN’s ownership interests in the Thompson Family Foods and the Wuskwatim Project Limited Partnership and partnership arrangements between the Atoskiwin Education and Training Centre of Excellence (ATEC), VALE and University College of the North (UCN).

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