Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - October 27, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba You are not alone. We are your First Link® to a community of support. 204-943-6622 1-800-378-6699 alzheimer.mb.ca Call us today. TOP NEWS A3 MONDAY OCTOBER 27, 2025 ● ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEWS: STACEY THIDRICKSON 204-697-7292 ● CITY.DESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM Threat of legal action led to sudden policy reversal for Clear Lake in May Chief says he was behind boat ban C LEAR LAKE — The chief of a western Manitoba First Nation is taking responsibility for the boat ban at Clear Lake last summer, saying he threatened Parks Canada with legal action if motorboats were allowed back this year. Chief Dwayne Sonny Blackbird of Keeseekoowenin told the Brandon Sun Friday he called an official at Riding Mountain National Park last spring and threatened to take action if boats were reintroduced. The action came from his deep inter- est in the health of the lake, he said. “It’s supposed to be protected for fu- ture generations,” Blackbird said. “And it doesn’t look like that. That’s why I’m here.” The boat ban was issued shortly after his phone call, he said. Parks Canada did not immediately comment on the chief’s claim when emailed on Friday. Management staff were unavailable in the agency’s ad- ministration office at Clear Lake when the Sun visited in the afternoon. A senior Parks Canada official told a crowd of about 600 people at a town hall in Wasagaming in July that a legal threat convinced the agency its prom- ise to reintroduce motorized boats on Clear Lake in the summer would not be viable. Andrew Campbell, senior vice-presi- dent of operations for Parks Canada, said at the meeting the federal gov- ernment was doing its “constitutional obligation to consult” with stakeholders after an unnamed party had threatened legal action. Blackbird said he made the threat be- cause he is inspired by a strong family history at the lake. The 2024 discovery that zebra mussels were in the lake, and the failure to contain the invasive spe- cies, charged him to action, he said. Until the chief is satisfied there is a strong plan to manage zebra mussels in the lake, he will fight any effort to put motorboats back on the water, he said. “I want to protect my culture and my heritage,” he said. “I’m going to fight till I’m dead.” Last week, a judge approved Kee- seekoowenin to participate as a re- spondent in the judicial review of the Clear Lake boat ban. It will defend the ban alongside the federal attorney gen- eral. The judicial review was launched in June by a coalition of commun- ity groups called Fairness for Clear Lake. It includes the Clear Lake Cabin Owners’ Association, the Clear Lake Cottage Owners’ Association, the Clear Lake Country Destination Marketing Organization Inc., Collyer Construc- tion, three numbered companies and Gary Buckley. The group, which is the applicant in the case, is asking a judge to declare the boat ban invalid or unlawful. As an active participant, the First Na- tion is positioned to submit arguments and evidence, and if the boat ban is overturned, Keeseekoowenin may be able to appeal the decision and escalate the court process, University of Mani- toba law instructor Andrea Doyle said. Blackbird said the First Nation plans to submit an affidavit in the near fu- ture. Trevor Boquist, who represents the coalition that is seeking to get boats back on the water, said this week the group gave its support for Kee- seekoowenin to join the judicial review. “They petitioned the court to be add- ed,” Boquist said. “We felt they should be added, given the situation. We were supportive of that.” Keeseekoowenin applied to join the judicial review in September. Boquist said the motivation of the First Nation was still unknown. “We aren’t sure what they are going to file,” Boquist said Monday. While being a stakeholder with prop- erty at Clear Lake, Keeseekoowenin did not join as a member of the coali- tion. The First Nation wrote a letter of support for the previous boat ban in May 2024. After forming to protest this year’s ban, Fairness for Clear Lake crowd- funded more than $115,000 and launched the judicial review. As of July, $35,000 had been spent to file the judi- cial review, contract a fisheries biolo- gist and pay for public relations. — Brandon Sun CONNOR MCDOWELL TIM SMITH / THE BRANDON SUN FILES Keeseekoowenin Chief Dwayne Sonny Blackbird says he wants to protect Clear Lake for future generations. Kennedy brings know-how to Manitoba’s film scene ACCLAIMED documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy has marked her calen- dar with plans to return to Manitoba when the whale watching is prime in Hudson’s Bay. Kennedy, an Oscar-nominated film- maker and the youngest daughter of Ethel and Robert F. Kennedy, was in Churchill on Saturday as part of a new film training program, where she ran a session on the craft and industry with community members. “I don’t quite know if I have subject up here yet, but I am going to keep com- ing back,” she said on Sunday, asked whether she plans to make a film in Manitoba “I want to go back and see those whales, so, we’ll see.” Film Training Manitoba, a sector council focused on workforce develop- ment, worked with DOC Manitoba, which represents professional film- makers, to develop the new Northern and Diverse Creators Program. The program is offering free film-making “master classes,” sched- uled through the end of the month across the province, to promote divers- ity within Manitoba’s film industry. Program attendees learn how to create film projects, build stories, obtain project funding and market their works. In Winnipeg, sessions are geared to Black, Ukrainian and LG- BTTQ+ people. Kennedy described her and her family’s experience in Churchill as “magical.” “It was fantastic — the polar bears were incredible, and we also got to see the northern lights, we saw a lot of polar bears, which was a really special experience for all of us,” she said, later showing a Free Press reporter photo- graphs she took of the bears up north. “But I have to say, we went up there for the polar bears but I think we’d go back for the people, they were just so warm and friendly and inviting, and we got to know a number of them.” At the Churchill session, she dis- cussed the film-making industry with attendees. “It’s an area and a region that’s quite storied and has a lot to share with us and the rest of the world, so I was en- couraging of that,” said Kennedy. She added that documentary crews frequently go to Churchill to shoot and there’s opportunity for locals to work on future productions with a bit of training. “I do a lot of films, international films, and we always like to work with local crew, both because it’s more affordable, but also the local crew know how to navigate these worlds — and I like to try to support the local commun- ities — so, the more people who are trained to help and support, offers some really great opportunities for people up there,” said Kennedy. Adam Smoluk, executive director of Film Training Manitoba, said he’s had conversations with Churchill’s mayor about how to involve the community in productions being made there. “He’s very much wanting to find ways that the town can be more connected,” said Smoluk. Kennedy first came to Manitoba a number of years ago with Film Train- ing Manitoba and enjoyed her experi- ence. “I love my films and the work I do, and it’s really an honour to bring those films and those stories to places that otherwise I wouldn’t necessarily visit,” said Kennedy. “It’s a fairly remote community that doesn’t necessarily have a lot of access to the film industry, and I think it’s important for people, who are living in conditions or situations where’s it’s harder to have that direct access, to make an effort and reach out, to learn from that community and share some of my own experiences.” On Sunday, Kennedy was slated to have an informal conversation with a number of Ukrainian refugees who sur- vived the Russian invasion, organized by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba chapter, on top of a scheduled program session. Sessions have been held in Winnipeg, Brandon and Churchill, with further sessions scheduled in the city, Cran- berry Portage, Flin Flon and The Pas this week. erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca ERIK PINDERA JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Rory Kennedy says she went to Churchill for the polar bears, but would go back for the people. After leading film workshops, Oscar-nominated documentarian says our province’s beauty and warmth keep calling her back ;