Your deputy minister just got a scolding
Morning from the Hub of the North — here's what matters in Thompson today.
So, Premier Kinew actually had to tell one of his own deputy ministers to cool it this past Friday. Apparently, this high-ranking government official thought it was a good idea to post on LinkedIn about a trip to the U.S. with an executive from Sio Silica. Now, if you're not tracking, Sio Silica is that company looking to mine silica sand in southern Manitoba, and there's been a lot of pushback, especially from Indigenous communities and environmental groups.
Kinew's move to publicly admonish a deputy minister is pretty rare, and it tells you a lot about how sensitive this Sio Silica issue is. It’s not just about some casual networking; it touches on resource extraction, environmental concerns, and the province's relationship with industry. Up here, we understand these tensions deeply. When Vale talks about expansions or shutdowns, it affects everyone from families on Westwood Drive to businesses downtown near the Burntwood River. The decisions made about resources, even way down south, set a precedent for how the province approaches development across the North.
* **Political Accountability:** Shows the Premier is serious about managing perceptions around resource development. * **Resource Sensitivity:** Highlights how careful government needs to be when engaging with companies involved in controversial projects. * **Northern Echoes:** While this happened in Winnipeg, the conversation about balancing economic growth with environmental and community concerns is one we live every day, whether it’s about new mines or protecting the boreal forest around Mystery Lake.
For us in Thompson, watching this kind of political maneuvering from Winnipeg is a reminder that what happens with resource development down south often shapes the landscape for our own future. We need leaders who understand the long game, not just the quick optics.
That's the Morning Wire for today. Marla Spence, reporting from Thompson.
Catch Keith and the crew breaking down all the political back-and-forth every morning — check it out live at mornings.live.