Memorial Presents: Community Resiliency: Navigating Boom & Bust Cycles
Community Resiliency: Navigating Boom & Bust Cycles
"Memorial Presents" Public Forum
Monday, March 25, 2013, 7:00 pm AST/7:30pm NST
Labrador West Arts & Culture Centre, Labrador City
Resilient communities are better able to cope with the growing pains of boom times and adapt to changes during bust times. How resilient are Labrador City and Wabush compared to other mining towns? And what can be done now and into the future to ensure that when the mining slows the communities continue to thrive?
Join our expert panel to discuss community resilience in Labrador West:
Dr. John Thistle is a Research Associate with the Labrador Institute, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Geography at Memorial University. His teaching and research interests span economic geography, environmental history and science studies. He recently completed a book manuscript called Resettling the Range: Animals, Ecologies and Human Communities in Early British Columbia, and is currently in the process of finalizing a coauthored monograph on Canadian Energy History, and collecting archival materials for a book-length manuscript on the economic geography of twentieth century Labrador. Dr. Thistle is based in North West River.
Mayor Karen Oldford has been a resident of Labrador City for over 20 years and, with her husband Glen, has raised two children, Colin and Cory. Karen is a Primary Healthcare Nurse Practitioner at the Captain William Jackman Memorial Hospital. She has been involved with the Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses Union negotiating team and has held positions on the executive from 1987 to 2005; served with the Canadian Ski Patrol for ten years; served on school councils at Labrador City Collegiate and Menihek High School; been an active volunteer over the past fifteen years with Labrador West Minor Hockey; served as Co-chair of the Labrador West Wellness Coalition from November 2005 to September 2008 and is still an active member; volunteered with the Lung Association for over ten years; served as an altar server and Lector with the Basicilica of Our Lady Parish; and is a member of the Community Advisory Panel Social Subcommittee. Karen also ran for MHA as a Liberal in the 2007 By-election and 2007 General Election in Labrador West, and currently serves as the President of the Labrador West Liberal Riding Association.
Mayor Ron Barron, born in Labrador City, has long been an active member of his community. He, along with his parents, were instrumental in reactivating the Wabush Teen Centre. Ron serves on the Seniors Building Committee which he sees as being a crucial part of our community. As well, Ron served on the Policy, Finance and Recreational committtees. This is Ron’s third term on Council. The first term he served as Deputy Mayor and the second term as Councillor. Ron is a member of the executive for USW Local 6285 where he serves as co-chair of the union side of the JOSH committee. He is volunteer coach for the Labrador West Minor Hockey Association where he served as Bantam Director for two years. Ron works in Wabush Mines as a conductor for the Wabush Lake Railway.
Free admission, free parking, a reception to follow
This public forum will be webcast live.
This Memorial Presents is being held in conjunction with the Harris Centre's Labrador West Regional Workshop held March 26th.