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.
Perhaps the greatest travesty in the history of Flin Flon occurred right when the community was established. A Mtis trapper named David Collins showed an Ontario prospector named Tom Creighton the site of the prolific Flin Flon Ore Body. The massive deposit became HBMSÕs first operating mine, giving rise to what would become one of CanadaÕs most fertile mining cities, still going strong today. Mr. Creighton got the credit and even had Flin FlonÕs neighbouring town christened in his honour. Mr. Collins, on the other hand, died poor, buried in a craggy box at Bakers Narrows. Sadly, 77 years after Mr. CollinsÕ passing, his grave stone Ð which refers to him as Òthe half breed who showed the prospectors the Flin Flon Ore BodyÓ Ð and Collins Street in Creighton (not Flin Flon) are the most prominent indicators of his importance. How can this be? How is it that politicians, HBMS bigwigs, and noble volunteers have streets, schools and buildings named in their honour while the man who actually founded the city is shut out? There is a lot of blame to go around. Decades worth of mayors, city councillors, MLAs, MPs and fundraising groups could have, at any time, brought at least some recognition to Mr. Collins. To their fault, none have. To be fair, the issue has not always been on the front burner. ItÕs not like there is a massive public outcry to give Mr. Collins his due. The man has been dead for so long that his legacy is often overlooked. But Mr. Collins must never be forgotten. With his name now back in the spotlight via two recent front page Reminder articles, now is the time to give him the honour that is long, long overdue. So the big question becomes, how should Mr. Collins be recognized? A local man, Pascall Bighetty, is suggesting Premier Gary Doer give the green light to a statue depicting the true founder of Flin Flon. Others think a statue might be a bit much, favouring instead a plaque, highway sign or even something as simple as the renaming of a street (in Flin Flon this time, of course). The specific type of accolade can be properly worked out with a public forum or survey to gauge community opinion. The important thing now is for our city council, our premier, or both, to commit now, without further delay, to properly enshrining Mr. CollinsÕs place in history. Every Flin Flonner is forever indebted to Mr. Collins. He founded this wonderful community carved out of the northern wilderness. HeÕs long gone, but the magnitude of acknowledging him has never been greater. Local Angle runs Fridays.
