The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor A Winnipeg Free Press feature on prominent aboriginal Manitobans includes names familiar to the Flin Flon area. 'Faces of the aboriginal community,' which ran in the newspaper Dec. 29, profiled nearly 80 men and women dating back to the 1700s. Among them was Reggie Leach, the former Flin Flon Bomber star. Born in Riverton, Manitoba, Leach is among the all-time top scorers in the Western Canada Junior Hockey League. He also played in the NHL, most notably as Bobby Clarke's teammate with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1970s. Leach has been inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame, Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame. Also making the list was former Churchill MP and one-time Cranberry Portage resident Tina Keeper. Keeper soared to fame portraying an RCMP officer on CBC's North of 60 show and ensuing made-for-TV movies. She was elected Churchill MP in 2006, losing her re-election bid in 2008. She is now a partner in Winnipeg-based Kistikan Pictures, which develops and produces aboriginal film and television projects. Another former Churchill MP, Elijah Harper, also made the list. Harper was the riding's MP from 1993 to 1997, but he is best known as the Manitoba MLA who voted against the Meech Lake Accord. A made-for-TV movie, simply called Elijah, told his intriguing story. Also on the list is the late Oscar Lathlin, once Manitoba's aboriginal and northern affairs minister. Born at the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Lathlin attended high school in Cranberry Portage. He served as MLA of The Pas until his death in 2008. Others on the list included M_tis leaders Louis Riel and Cuthbert Grant; celebrated Second World War hero Tommy Prince; aboriginal leader and shooting victim J.J. Harper; NHLer Jordin Tootoo; Winnipeg city councillor Dan Vandal; C-Weed singer Errol Ranville; MKO Grand Chief David Harper; actor Adam Beach; and playwright Tomson Highway.
