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.
A lot gets said in a year. The Reminder has gone through our 2008 articles and selected some of the more memorable and important quotes. They are as follows: * * * ÒItÕs so awesome to be back. So much has changed, like the storefronts and the faces, but itÕs still good old Flin Flon.Ó Ð Former Flin Flonner Robin Gillis, upon returning for the 75th Birthday Bash. * * * ÒIÕve had bullets whiz past my head, mortars and rockets and RPGs Ð everything, you know. ItÕs pretty surreal, itÕs pretty wild. ItÕs the biggest adrenaline rush you could ever have in your life Ð until you realize what youÕre doing. You think about it and, then, ÔWow,Õ you know, ÔI could die.ÕÓ Ð Flin FlonÕs Rob Bettger, upon returning from combat duties in Afghanistan. * * * ÒFlin Flon Ð I liked the almost repetitive sound it makes. It reminded me of Duran Duran, and when I found out it was named after a character in a sci-fi novel, that sealed the deal.Ó Ð Mark Robinson, a founder of a U.S.-based rock band called Flin Flon. * * * ÒFlin Flon has always seemed to get less than The Pas or Thompson.Ó Ð Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce President Randy Daneliuk, after a provincial grant program awarded over $120,000 to each of The Pas and Thompson but only $20,000 to Flin Flon. * * * ÒWe donÕt have the Cadillac model of a bridge, we have a basic model of a bridge.Ó Ð Coun. Bill Hanson, on the rebuilt Wallace Avenue bridge, whose $930,000-plus price tag raised some eyebrows. * * * ÒIf you want something, nowÕs the time to go get it.Ó Ð Valedictorian Jed Reeves, addressing the Hapnot Collegiate Class of 2008. * * * ÒItÕs not our goal to be a large emitter, and we arenÕt going to remain a large emitter for the long term. Our plan is to close the copper smelter sometime between now and 2015, and we expect that that will be sooner rather than later.Ó Ð HBMSÕs Tom Goodman, after data showed the companyÕs pollution levels increased between 2006 and 2007. * * * Ò[This] is yet another example of the provincial government overriding locally elected school boards and their ability to make autonomous decisions.Ó Ð Flin Flon School Trustee Murray Skeavington, in a letter criticizing a provincial policy giving the final say on school closures to the province. * * * ÒWe had conflicting advice in government of what we should do. We had advice that this was a Ôlow health riskÕ but we also had advice over time that...this was below the quality of [soil] standards that were established by environmental standards across Canada and across the world.Ó Ð Premier Gary Doer, in announcing that the province would remediate the metal-contaminated soil at Flin Flon parks. * * * ÒIt really feels like home.Ó Ð Ruth McIntosh, an inaugural resident of Evergreen Manor, behind the Aqua Centre. * * * Ò...if we as taxpayers cannot deposit our snow onto the street, then why doesnÕt the city have to pay us the same respect and not deposit snow from city property onto ours?Ó Ð Tracey Bodnarchuk, whose lawn had snow pushed onto it by sidewalk-clearing crews, in a letter to city council. * * * ÒSure, sometimes it feels like youÕre not making a difference and not moving forward, but I think itÕs rewarding to know that IÕm going to have students that are going to go off to some form of post-secondary education and theyÕre going to remember some of the things I taught them and theyÕre going to remember me.Ó Ð Former Flin Flonner George Trevor, who is now a teacher on the Sandy Bay reservation. * * * ÒWhen you get a makeover, you look good and you feel good, and it almost makes you walk taller. ThatÕs exactly how I can describe it.Ó Ð Dorothy Quaal, winner of The Reminder and CFARÕs Complete Makeover Body and Soul campaign. * * * ÒItÕs a sign of the times and probably going to get worse.Ó Ð Dennis Hydamaka of the LordÕs Bounty Food Bank, after demand shot up in the final three months of the year. * * * ÒItÕs something we felt we had to do.Ó Ð Creighton Mayor Bruce Fidler after the town banned the sale of fireworks to minors amid a rash of complaints. * * * ÒToo often the concerns of young people are ignored. We need a renewed emphasis on everything from recreation and programs for youth to finding ways to involve young people more in the democratic process.Ó Ð Churchill MP Niki Ashton, after being named the NDPÕs Youth Critic. * * * ÒYou hate to see something like this happen, but in a way it sort of just reconfirms the community spirit thatÕs always there. Cranberry and the surrounding communities have always been that way. When something like this happens, theyÕre quick in jumping up and saying, ÔWhere can I help?ÕÓ Ð Cranberry PortageÕs Irvin Head, after powerful winds tore through the communityÕs Grand Tipi. * * * ÒCouncil does not wish to proceed with recycling on a levy basis for 2008, as the proposed costs are high, and the public appears divided on the advisability of the...proposal.Ó Ð Minutes from a Flin Flon City Council Committee of the Whole meeting at which the decision was made not to charge every home $50 to help fund recycling. * * * ÒThis community truly represents the philosophy of community policing.Ó Ð RCMP Cst. Jeeve Brar, who left the Flin Flon detachment over the summer. * * * ÒThe kids canÕt fundraise anymore; theyÕre busy every weekend.Ó Ð Phys-ed supervisor John Belfry, asking the school board to allow corporate sponsors of high school athletics. The request was later denied.
