Flin Flon MLA Clarence Pettersen delivered the following statement in the legislature on Thursday, Oct. 22:
History is always being revised, and sometimes even stories we are told as children can suddenly become a part of history. Historians say things like, “if stones could talk,” well sometimes, Mr. Speaker, they do.
Emily McNichol told her granddaughter, Kelleen Blouin, a story about some stones. In that story, her own grandfather – a Métis trapper named David Collins – showed a prospector named Tom Creighton some stones.
Those stones were the mineral deposit that gave birth to the town of Flin Flon, and one of the greatest mines in Canadian history. In today’s coin it yielded-up metals worth fourteen billion dollars, giving generation upon generation of people a wonderful place to live, work, and play.
Tom Creighton staked the claim on those stones and enjoyed the wealth that followed. The town of Creighton – a stone’s-throw from Flin Flon – was named after him. David Collins received some six dollars’ worth of flour, lard and tea for showing Tom Creighton those stones.
On Sept. 27 of this year, I stood amongst the people – including many of David Collins’ descendants – who fought to give Mr. Collins the recognition he deserves.
Thanks to efforts of a committee, dedicated to bringing an historical truth to light, a cairn to David Collins’ legacy now stands in the [Neighbours] of the North Park.
Kelleen Blouin spoke at the unveiling, citing another story her grandfather told her. Collins used to joke that he was “still waiting for my sugar to put in my tea that Creighton promised me,” and so to “recognize the sweetness of the historical truth,” she poured a bit of sugar on the cairn.
Thanks to the perseverance of Collins’ descendants and the tireless advocacy of Gerry Clark and his committee, a beautiful stone now stands, commemorating the historical truth: Flin Flon’s history started with the help of a Métis trapper named David Collins. It continues because Flin Flon cares about their history and their heritage.
Thank you Mr. Speaker.
