Dawson Trail Dispatch February 2012

Montreal Canadiens Hockey in Ile Des Chênes

By Marianne Curtis In the middle of February fans of the Montreal Canadiens are in for a special treat when a team consisting of all-star alumni will take on a local team in an expedition game being hosted in Ile Des Chênes.

On February 11 the Ile Des Chênes Minor Hockey Association (IDCMHA) is presenting the Montreal Canadien Alumni game as part of a fundraiser to raise money for the club. A team of eleven hockey alumni, with Guy Lafleur (dubbed the Blonde Demon) as head coach, will face a local team, ready to taste the glory of taking on their old hockey heroes.

“Montreal Canadiens’ fans are the easiest ones to get drooling at the mouth,” said Marc Palud, IDCMHA’s fund raising co-ordinator. “Ile des Chênes is a French-speaking community and there are lots of Canadiens fans in small-town Manitoba.”

Stephane Richer, who was the last Canadiens’ player to have scored 50 goals in season 1987-1988, Patrice Brisebois, who played with the Canadiens for 16 years and won a Stanley Cup and Richard Sevigny, goalkeeper, who won the Vezina Trophy in 1981 and a Stanley Cup with Montreal, will play with the Canadiens Alumni team on this occasion.

In addition, Lafleur is seeking an assistant coach to be at his side for this game. This once in a lifetime dream can be anyone’s with bidding starting at $750. In addition, two player positions on the Canadiens Alumni team are also available for the duration of the game. For $1,500 two lucky people will play side by side with these eleven great hockey stars.

There are only 650 tickets available to the general public and 100 VIP tickets available at a first-come first-serve basis.

VIP tickets include access to special setting beside the Canadiens bench and invitation to a meet and greet with the players before the game.

An after-game community social will include live band entertainment plus video DJ to take place immediately after the game in the newly constructed TransCanada Centre, right next door to the Ile des Chênes Arena.

Game tickets are available at the Ile des Chênes Country Store and at Wranglers Bar in Ile des Chênes. Social tickets are $12.50 each, and will be available after February 1st. For more information go to IleDesChenesMinorHockey.com, or contact Marc Palud Fund Raising Co-ordinator at (204) 8001313 or by e-mail Marc@RepstarAgencies.com.

Montreal Canadian Alumni Team head coach Guy Lafleur watches his team practice in Ile des Chênes on January 26.

Ritchot Councilor Charged for Uttering Threats On January 20, RM of Ritchot councilor Ernie Dumaine faced a judge after being charged for uttering threats against a municipal employee.

Dumaine was charged with uttering threats after a conversation with another councilor. The threats were allegedly

Prawda Communications Deal Under Fire

By Marianne Curtis The proposed construction of a communications tower at the Reynolds Community Club in Prawda is raising some concerns among residents.

Local resident Tanya Hall’s property borders the tower site on two sides. She is livid that the municipality is proceeding with a deal made with Telus Communications without any consultation with residents.

Telus has offered the Reynolds Community Club a $12,000 yearly contract to lease land and construct a new 70-metre high tower to improve and extend wireless services in the area.

“We recognize cellular service along this corridor is particularly important for people living in the area and for travelers and we are responding to increased demand,” stated Chris Gerritsen, manager of community engagement for Telus.

Meanwhile, Hall alleges that Telus proceeded with the project without following protocol. According to Hall, Telus failed to inform the community on the impact the tower could have on the community. Under Industry Canada regulations applicants are required to consult with a municipality before proceeding and the local community is given an opportunity to speak on the matter. However, in this case no public meeting was ever held.

“Land use altering decisions on a private community club property are a matter for the community as a whole

Continued on page 3

made during a conversation with fellow councilor Jackie Schwark last year. Schwark alleges that Dumaine threatened the life of the RM of Ritchot Public Works foreman Louis Rouire.

It was further alleged he used threatening language toward Rouire during a public works meeting in November. After that incident Schwark contacted the St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP and charges were laid.

Dumaine appeared before a judge in the St. Boniface Courthouse on January 20 and his case was remanded until February 17.

RM of Ritchot Mayor Bob Stefaniuk refused to comment on the matter while it is before the court.

“We’ve never had to deal with this before,” stated Stefaniuk.

If found guilty for charges in a court of law, under the Municipal Act, a municipal council can vote to remove a councilor from council and a byelection could be called to fill the vacancy.

Days after his initial court date, Dumaine continued to conduct municipal business and recently represented the municipality at a pre-budget hearing hosted by the province in Ste. Anne. He was elected to the RM of Ritchot council during the 2010 election after he beat out Maurice Leclaire.

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February 2012

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Vita Student Earns Scholarship

By Marianne Curtis A 17-year-old student from Vita has been named as the first recipient of a new $40,000 scholarship that is specifically geared toward students attending the University of Winnipeg from the Dominion City Area.

Abigail Greaves, a former Shevchenko Collegiate graduate, is studying theatre at the University of Winnipeg. She was recently named as the first recipient of the University of Winnipeg’s Garnet Kyle Scholarship worth up to $40,000, the largest offered to a Canadian student at the University of Winnipeg. The scholarship allows $10,000 per year of studies to cover tuition and books, accommodation and food. It is unique because it is specifically designed to support a rural student from Dominion City and surrounding areas for under graduate or graduate studies at the U of W. “My parents had a mid life crisis four years ago and decided to leave England to become farmers in Manitoba,” laughs Greaves, whose family settled near Vita in 2007 to raise sheep. “I came from a small high school in Vita with a graduating class of just 26 people, so I was scared coming to University of Winnipeg at first. But I am finding my way around, and the atmosphere is strict but laid back at the same time.”

The University of Winnipeg created the Garnet Kyle Scholarship in March 2011 as a result of a very significant $500,000 donation from the estate of the late Garnet Kyle, which the University is matching through the Manitoba Scholarship Bursary Initiative, for a total of $1 million. It is

St. Malo to Host Festival of Friends The community of St. Malo is excitedly preparing to throw open the doors of the community for four days in February when the Friends of the Park committee host the fourth annual Festival of Friends.

Taking place in the St. Malo Provincial Park, the event kicks off February 17 and runs until February 20. The annual festival draws hundreds of participants to St. Malo for a spectacular celebration of culture, cuisine and traditions.

Weekend events include an outdoor movie, fireworks, pow-wow, ice races, pea soup contest, ice fishing, skating, snow maze, snowshoeing, horse drawn hayrides and much more.

There will also be tons of live entertainment all weekend, including performances by the Asham Stompers, La Bandaline, the Kussif Class Rock Band, Michael Audette, the Remillard Family and Rebondir. There is even a special kids show featuring Marie Josee Clement.

Unfortunately, this will be the first year in a few that the St. Malo Festival of Friends is not part of the circuit of rural venues for Festival du Voyageur.

Abigail Greaves of Vita was recently named as the first recipient of the Garnet Kyle Scholarship to the University of Winnipeg with a value of up to $40,000.

achievement-based, awarded to a grade 12 student with an average of 90 percent or higher, or to a graduate student who qualifies with an undergraduate grade point average of 4.00 or higher.

“I am really thankful for the generous financial support,” said Greaves. “It has enabled a smooth transition for me from high school to university. I don’t have to worry about feeding myself or rent. It is a burden that is gone.”

Kyle was a lifelong resident of Dominion City, a longtime Councillor in the RM of Franklin, and School Board Trustee in the Boundary School Division. Kyle spent all of his life in local politics and ran as a candidate in the 1973 provincial election. He was active in many community projects, including construction, at his own expense, of a nine-hole golf course in Dominion City that is free to youth in the area.

Prawda Cell Tower continued...

Continued from page 1 to decide, not the committee of the day or municipality,” stated Hall.

RM of Reynolds Reeve David Turchryn denies Hall’s accusations.

He said that the municipality has no jurisdiction over the issue since the land belongs to the community centre, not the municipality.

“The municipality does not own the land,” stated Turchryn. “Council supports the deal as it will bring in much needed cash to the community club.” He added that council is considering splitting the revenue with the other three community clubs in the municipality, none of which are owned by the municipality.

“It could benefit all the clubs,” Turchryn said.

However, resident and former councillor, Andy Pelletier does not understand how council can plan on splitting money that technically doesn’t belong to them.

“If the Prawda Community Club is not under RM control, which it isn’t, how is council going to distribute some of their earnings from the proposed deal with Telus amongst the other community clubs,” Pelletier asks. “They are under no obligation to share their revenue. Community clubs in Reynolds, unlike some other RMs, are not under municipal control. So how can you say that the money they make off this deal will be distributed with the other clubs?”

When Telus first came to council several years ago to explain their expansion program, the plan was to install five or six towers on unused municipal road allowances, creating a welcome revenue stream of $1,000 monthly per tower for the RM. Telus was not in favor of erecting

towers on private property. It was the former reeve who asked the company to entertain the idea of erecting the towers on community club properties to help them, something that is only done in certain situations, Pelletier added.

February 2012

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More Than Just News!

February 2012

Are We Better Off? Our three levels of government are busy creating budgets for 2012. It is extremely difficult to say whether we will be better off at the end of 2012. I doubt it, but hope springs eternal. If only we could collectively feel positive about the people and the process. Unfortunately history has jaded us. The process is played so close to the political vest that confidence in the outcome is not widely felt. The only thing that is a foregone conclusion is that projections will fall dramatically short. Our collective climb out of the federal deficit will keep us in a seemingly continuous cycle of “short term pain”. The provincial deficit is a continuation of long term pain. Thank our lucky stars that municipalities and schools are not permitted to have a deficit.

Municipalities could achieve much with a wee bit of creativeness, but by and large this attribute is not something one could accuse them of.

The Federal Government last year had revenues of $235.6 billion and expenditures of $276 billion, which leaves a gasping shortfall. This government has expenditures which grew year to year faster than any

other government in our history, even before the last recession hit.

Their projection on getting us back to black-ink in four or five years sounds like something only a change in government will achieve.

Shades of “déjà vu”. Their projected corporate tax cuts decreased by 1.5 percent which will translate into $2.85 billion in corporate tax savings and will not trickle down. Why? At this time corporate Canada is sitting on $580 billion plus in Canadian currency and deposits and $270 billion plus in offshore currency. One would think that $850 billion dollars should create some jobs, at least that is what corporate tax cuts were supposed to give us. The only trickling down that will occur is political donations to the Conservatives as a thank you for their “right think”. It is easy to see why the “New Conservative Government” changed the method of political support for political parties. This way they can buy friends and make it sound so fiscally responsible.

Sure I’m cynical; $2.85 billion less in corporate tax revenue means the middle class is left holding the tax bag again for the equivalent amount

Serving the communities along the historic Dawson Trail and beyond.

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plus the continuing and growing deficit.

Said deficit, of approximately $575 billion has become more and more of a middle class responsibility. Will CEO’s vote themselves a few more millions of entitlement for ‘lobbying’… oops, I mean managing and working so dammed hard. You can bet your bottom dollar, if you have one left at the end of the year, that many CEO’s will have a grin on their undeserving faces. Doesn’t this just warm the cockles of your middle class heart? As for myself I’m insulted, annoyed and ticked off. I must console myself with watching your ranks increase by 30 sitting members and not begrudge you of your inflated pension. One more area of Conservative management which will utterly fail to improve the bottom line is your “tough on crime” approach. You only have it half right. Are we to become much like the USA, where their social values should be shunned by Canadians and not something to be emulated?

The Provincial government is the second kettle of fish. And said fish has definitely passed its best before date. Revenues for the last budget were $13.13 billion and expenses $13.565 billion. This year’s shortfall which will be added to the deficit is $456 million. This is damn scary. I think we should call for help, even from Greece or Italy.

At least they could tell us what it feels like to hit the reality wall.

This is a government that is only focusing on Manitoba Hydro as if it was a lottery ticket. This lottery ticket has been in the news too much lately to make me feel lucky about it. We need a clear and comprehensive accounting on Hydro and its viability. We own it and we should know its value. We have lived with handouts for so long that this government treats it

Dawson Trail Dispatch

as a Manitoba birthright. I see in the near future (in the next five years) limited equalization transfers from the Feds, such as health cuts. Folks, we are not prepared for this drastic gut cinching. The provincial nabobs are wandering blind in la la land.

Cinderella, is it? No, not, negative, never going to happen - we are broke and stuck with the ugly sisters, Selinger and the NDP. If you can find anything to smile about with this prognosis bottle it, you have a winner.

The municipal governments and school boards plod along like civil servants. Imagination is not only missing in action, they behave like it’s forbidden.

From the school board trustees I would like to see at least some tweaking of the curriculum for our money they so abundantly spend.

Teach the kids critical thinking, civics and responsibility. The first applies to values and what one can do for him/herself without “I” at the middle of their imagination. If you can’t see the bigger picture you’re on your way to becoming a parasite.

The second, how our society works, how to get involved and the effort required to affect necessary change that may benefit not only yourself but your neighbourhood.

The third, get on with it and appreciate your neighbours as equals, not someone to be abused or have their homes invaded. You must be responsible for your actions and friends on facebook are at best a silly distraction, definitely not reality.

Mr/Ms trustee, you could just ignore and stay with the status quo or just stay as babysitters in chief, your choice.

Municipal government has possible changes at hand which could inspire and reinvigorate communities. How about a suggestion on two or three flat taxes and a reason why, so as to start your

thinking juices flowing.

First, apply a flat rate transportation tax, as an example, $1,500 per driveway for all residents of their municipality.

Everybody needs an access to the municipal road grid and council could institute a rebate on lesser weight vehicles. The rational is, less weight on the municipal grid, less wear and tear and less maintenance.

The same principle should apply to garbage. Less of this garbage plus brownie points for recycling, should create a positive inducement for a rebate. Less tax on your home, create an opening for more dollars spent on home improvement, more GST and PST flowing to senior governments, therefore municipalities have a good argument for a cut of these VAT’s.

Work in a tax rebate on how green the residences of your municipality are and you can really influence those value added taxes in a positive fashion. For example, the less energy used, the bigger the break in municipal taxes. At present, being taxed on the value of ones home is a serious impediment to all our communities.

The $60,000 to $80,000 municipalities spend on the Municipal Assessment Branch for the benefit of being assessed “fairly” has become an insult to intelligence.

You can relegate them to oblivion.

You have within your grasp the opportunity to lead, but alas, you feel so comfortable with the status quo, plus smug with your umbilical cord attached to a book called (Municipal Act) that doesn’t demand you think, only suggests the lowest and simplest way to pass the buck and comply without fair play or imagination. Yet I know that leadership without fear of what my neighbour thinks is more enjoyable than the cringing in fear of what he may say. The former instance may or may not give me respect, the latter never will. The goal is to reach a point where it only matters on how you feel about yourself.

Federal Social Transfers to Manitoba Dear Editor: Federal support for provinces and territories is at an alltime high, and it will continue to grow under our Conservative government.

It is therefore surprising to hear Manitoba’s Finance Minister, Stan Struthers, publicly complain about the level of funding to our province.

With respect to Manitoba, in 2012-13 the province will receive record high support through major federal transfers totaling nearly $3.4 billion – an increase of $644 million (or 24 percent) from the previous Liberal government. This includes nearly $1.7 billion through equalization and over $1 billion through the Canada Health Transfer, which represents an increase of $278 million (or 35 percent) from the Liberals.

These figures also include $429 million through the Canada Social Transfer, an increase of $96 million (or 29 percent) since the Liberals held office, as well as $201 million in Total Transfer Protection to Manitoba to ensure that the Manitoba government receives at least as much support this year as it did in 2011-12.

This long-term support helps ensure that Manitoba has the resources needed to provide essential public services such as health care, post-secondary education and other social services.

The move to an equal per capita cash allocation is part of a long-term plan that was publicly announced by our Government in 2007 to ensure that all Canadians receive the

same health care support from the federal government – regardless of where they live.

Our Government has already moved the Canada Social Transfer (CST) to equal per capita cash support in 200708. Health transfers will follow in 2014-15, when the current arrangement expires. This was legislated and approved by Parliament in 2007.

The suggestion by this province’s part-time finance Minister (who also oversees the provincial Agriculture portfolio) that Manitoba does not have the natural resources present in other provinces and is therefore entitled to increasingly large financial support from the federal government, is also misleading. Manitoba has been blessed with significant natural resources, including revenues from hydro-electricity which are not factored into the equalization payments it receives.

Manitoba receives more than 30 percent of its revenue from the federal government. These federal transfers, in combination with the abundant human and natural resources with which our province has been blessed, provide Manitoba with a very strong economic base.

The suggestion that the federal government is not fulfilling its obligations to Manitoba is both irresponsible and inaccurate.

Vic Toews Provencher MP

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

New Government, New Cabinet, New Energy The people of Manitoba have reelected our government and have given us a new mandate for at least four more years. This past election, two senior cabinet ministers, Rosann Wowchuk and Bill Blaikie, did not run for re-election and chose to retire. Premier Selinger has added two new MLA’s to cabinet and has created a new portfolio.

The newly appointed ministers in cabinet are: - Kevin Chief, Minister of Children and Youth Opportunities; and - Ron Kostyshyn, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives.

We have a strong, experienced cabinet and which now includes two exciting new MLA’s to our team. Chief has already made a difference in the lives of many youth and in his new role he’ll be in charge of creating opportunities for more kids and keeping them out of crime.

As a farmer himself, Kostyshyn will bring a strong voice for the priorities of farmers, producers and rural families to the cabinet table.

Another big change is that the conservation and water stewardship departments will be merged. This will bring simplicity to those having water issues as it will allow a one stop department for any inquiry

The veteran MLA’s with new responsibilities are: - Jennifer Howard, Minister of Family Services and Labor; - Gord Mackintosh, Minister of Conservation and Water stewardship; - Christine Melnick, Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism; and - Jim Rondeau, Minister of Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer affairs.

The remaining cabinet ministers will maintain the same portfolio’s with some added responsibilities. For example, I have been asked to retain the department of Local Government with the added task of being the cabinet minister responsible for the Building Canada Fund, the Water Services Board and the Taxi Cab Board.

There will be a new cabinet committee to focus on jobs, services for families.

The Premier has also announced that he will lead a newly created committee of cabinet ministers, which will coordinate major economic and policy initiatives.

Our priorities are those of Manitoba families, a growing economy with jobs and opportunities, and strong services such as health, education and crime prevention. This Priorities and Planning Committee of Cabinet is one way our government will focus on meeting those

Justice and Public Safety Collaboration Across Canada I recently returned from two days of successful meetings with my federal, provincial and territorial counterparts responsible for public safety and justice in Charlottetown, P.E.I. We had an ambitious agenda and overall, there was significant agreement on the majority of issues we face, as has been echoed by the provinces and territories and Federal Justice Minister, Rob Nicholson. There was a lot of consensus about the importance of the work we’re doing in terms of making our communities safe and preventing crime through early intervention.

Since 2006, our Government has delivered on our commitments to tackle issues that directly impact the safety and security of Canadians. Much of this progress has been made possible through strong partnerships we have forged with our counterparts in the provinces and territories, particularly through meetings like this one that just concluded.

We made progress on issues such as addressing mental health in our justice system, tackling human trafficking, and northern and remote policing, amongst others. However, I would like to highlight one issue in particular that I think deserves mention.

I’m referring to the need to enhance and modernize the investigative capability of law enforcement (former Bill C-52). Or more commonly known as our lawful access legislation, which ensures that police have the tools they need to combat online crime. All of us agreed of the importance of this, particularly when it comes to dealing with online child exploitation and child pornography. All provincial and territorial ministers urged us to re-introduce former Bill C-52, former Bill C-51 (Investigative Powers for the 21st Century Act) and former Bill C-50 (Improving Access to investigative Tools for Serious Crimes Act).

At the federal level, we were very pleased to receive this support, and indeed urging, from the provinces for us to move forward. There have been outrageous claims by the opposition and in the media that this legislation would allow private communications to be intercepted without a warrant. This is a complete fabrication.

What the legislation provides for is comparable to how a phone book links phone numbers to an address; only in this case, linking an internet address to subscriber information.

As parliament resumes in the coming days, I look forward to the reintroduction and continuing debate on important pieces of legislation such as former Bill C-52, and Bill C-19, which will finally put an end to the wasteful and ineffective longgun registry. We will continue to implement the agenda Canadians elected us on, to ensure that our streets and communities are safe – an agenda that I’m pleased is broadly supported by the provinces and territories.

Please feel free to contact my office if you have any concerns or issues you would like to discuss. You may contact my office toll free at 1-866-333-1933 or at (204) 326-9889 or in Lac du Bonnet at (204) 345-9762. You may write my office at 8 227 Main Street, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Y7, by fax at (204) 346-9874 or by e-mail at toewsv1@parl.gc.ca.

goals.

The committee will focus on: education and economic development for future job creation, efficient delivery of strong services for families, new opportunities for rural and northern communities, and future infrastructure and community development.

The committee will work closely with provincial departments to carry out its mandate, and has announced that Anna Rothney will serve as secretary of the new committee, leading a small team of existing government support staff. Rothney, an economist, was most recently the associate secretary to the Community and Economic Development Committee of Cabinet. She has held senior positions on the executive council and Treasury Board secretariat.

These are challenging economic times, across Canada and around the world. This committee is an important new tool to help us work together with communities, businesses and other levels of government to face the challenges ahead of us and deliver on the priorities of Manitobans.

As always, I appreciate hearing your comments and thoughts on these and other provincial initiatives. I encourage you to contact me by e-mail (rlemieuxmla@mts.net), by phone (878-4644), or by mail at 101-1309 Dawson Road, Box 517, Lorette, MB R0A 0Y0 and together we can continue to move Dawson Trail and Manitoba forward.

Conservatives Spend to Lock ‘Em All Up Open Letter to Provencher MP Vic Toews Dear Mr. Vic Toews: I am writing to you about an issue that greatly concerns me, as well as many Canadians. The issue is bill C-10, presently before the Senate. A recent article in the Globe and Mail ( G&M ) signed by imminently qualified Canadians also exemplifies very eloquently the concerns that exist about the direction you and your government are taking in the proposed Safe Street and Community Act. The authors are John Edwards, former commissioner of Correctional Service Canada, Willie Gibbs, former chair of the Parole Board of Canada and Ed McIsaac, former director of the Correctional Investigator.

The following paragraph from that article summarizes the points I wish to emphasize in this letter.

“Our collective experience and decades of research tell us that increased rates of incarceration neither decrease crime nor act as a deterrent to it. Safer communities and effective crime prevention are achieved through the development of integrated systems with both the flexibility and resources required to respond to individuals in a timely fashion. As a society we must be prepared to actively support and finance early intervention strategies for youth; a judicial process with options to ensure that incarceration is the last resort; a community mental health system that keeps the ill out of jail; a prison service that

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Not as good as it seems I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you.

The good news is that, on paper at least, the re-offence rate among criminals leaving our provincial jails has dropped by a remarkable 30 percent overnight. Unfortunately, the bad news is that the drop is a result of smoke and mirrors and not because there are less crimes being committed by those leaving jail.

Let me explain. For years, the provincial government has tracked the reoffence rate for individuals who are released from jail by seeing how many of them are charged with a new offence within two years of their release. The numbers are horrific. Routinely, it would be shown that 70 percent of adults would be charged with a new offence within 2 years of their release and 90 percent of youth were also charged with a new crime after leaving youth custody.

These statistics should have caused the NDP to put in place a real plan to reduce the number of released criminals who simply go on to commit another crime. After all, if there was one thing that we could do to reduce crime in Manitoba it would be reducing the re-offence rate.

Instead of developing real ideas around work training or drug treatment to reduce the rate of released prisoners re-offending, the NDP did something else.

They simply, and very quietly, decided to change the way in which re-offenders are defined.

Now, instead of recording someone as a re-offender who is CHARGED with a new offence two years after being released from prison, the NDP only record someone as a re-offender if they are CONVICTED two years after they have been released from jail. A subtle but important change.

Under the old definition, if a person was charged 18 months after being released, they would be considered a re-offender. But now, because it is unlikely they would actually be convicted before the 24 months was up (because the Manitoba court system is so slow), they are not recorded as a re-offender. And so magically, overnight, the re-offender rate dropped by 30 percent and the NDP want to you to believe you are safer when nothing has really changed.

And the most alarming thing about this isn’t even the change of how reoffenders are recorded, it’s the fact that it shows the NDP really have no plan or intention to address the horrendously high rate of re-offenders. Smoke and mirrors don’t really change much, and it’s no way to run a justice system.

I appreciate your comments and concerns. If you have any comments on these or other issues, you can contact me by writing, #3 – 227 Main Street, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Y7, by phone at (204) 326-5763, by fax at (204) 346-9913, by e-mail at kelvin.goertzen@leg.gov.mb.ca or by visiting my website at kelvingoertzen.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

addresses individual offenders’ problems rather than acting as a human warehouse; and conditional release programming that supports timely, safe community reintegration.”

In light of the above and numerous other similar commentary that have been made since the introduction of C-10, I am puzzled by the “do not confuse me with the facts, I know I am right” attitude of your government.

Why do we insist on repeating the errors of our southern neighbors?

An article on the subject which appeared in the New York Times last year serves to illustrate the point.

“There is almost unanimous condemnation of California-style mass incarceration, which has led to no reduction in serious crime and has turned inmates into habitual criminals. America’s prison system is now studied largely because of its failure – the result of an expensive criminal justice shaped by fear driven ideology.”

I am sure that you will point to some of the measures that C-10 introduces such as programs that address juvenile delinquency. Why not make them the focus of your action? From a purely economic standpoint I find it hard to understand the direction your government has taken.

Consider, for instance, the work of Justice Paul Bentley of Toronto who for the last 15 years has taken a very novel approach in dealing with drug addicts in his court. The judge offers the accused the choice of prison or agreeing to enter a treatment program. The accused then has to

report to the judge once or twice per week so that his/her progress can be assessed. The program is being run in cooperation with the John Howard Society which provides housing. The rate of successful reintegration into society is in excess of 50%. The cost per case ranges from $12,000 to $20,000. Compare this to $80,000 to $100,000 per year for incarceration where recidivism is almost assured. Even the state of Texas, reputed for its very tough stance in matters of justice, have more recently adopted such an approach.

I find it hard to understand that a government that prides itself in its fiscal management has not given such initiatives greater priority.

So please tell me, in light of the failed U.S. experience, the vast amount of evidence that there are in fact many successful, less costly, more humane prevention and reintegration programs are we heading in the direction C-10 is taking us. The G & M article was titled: “Jails don’t keep people out of jail.”

Have we not learned anything?

Louis Balcaen La Broquerie, MB

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More Than Just News!

February 2012

Dawson Trail Dispatch

St. Adolphe Couple Returns to Haiti

By Marianne Curtis Returning to Haiti to help the recovering country restore their lives after a devastating earthquake two years ago is starting to become a yearly expedition. Marcel and Rita Courchaine recently returned from the country after spending several weeks volunteering at local orphanages, a tradition that began last year.

“Rather than spending money on a vacation, we decided to make a difference,” explained Rita. The couple would spend two weeks volunteering at God’s Little Angels Orphanage, a Haitian orphanage located above Petion-Ville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince. The majority of the

children at the orphanage are between the ages of newborn and seven years old. “We came home with the knowledge that life is not something to take for granted.”

True to their word, one year later the couple made their journey back to the still struggling country.

“Our arrival to God’s Little Angels was like a reunion, greeting friends with hugs and a few tears,” Rita continued. The day after their arrival, the couple went straight to work helping with the construction of toddler pods at Fort Jacques.

“Some of the babies that Marcel and I looked after last year are still in the main house big nursery,” recalled Rita. “Many of them have been adopted and some of them

Praising Our Gold Mine When you have been really ill, had a major surgery, or have dealt with unbelievable pain, you know what it’s like to be completely helpless and dependent on others for care. During those moments you feel humble, helpless and truly in need. The soft touch of the nurse’s hand, some comforting words, a refreshing bed bath and clean gown along with a nice meal, can make your discomfort so much more bearable and help to speed your recovery.

On December 2, I received a hip replacement. I was very prepared for my healing journey. The surgery was done in a Winnipeg hospital and I was in there for 7 days. Since my family was far away and I was alone, it was safer to be transferred to my home town hospital in Ste. Anne to complete my recovery. As I was placed into the transferring ambulance, the driver promised that he would be very careful on areas where the road was rough, I almost cried!! He actually cared!! I felt like I was being “saved” from a war torn country and going home to a country with a clean environment and with trained and caring staff.

Arriving mid-afternoon at the Ste. Anne Hospital I was gently transferred into a clean room and clean bed. My toiletries were placed where I could reach them since getting up, twisting in bed, and walking easily was not quite where I was at in my recovery. When the nurses discovered I had not received a bed bath after my surgery nor for the six days after, they immediately treated me to a good wash from head to toe!! Oh my gosh!!!

That was great. By 5:00 pm my family doctor was by my side. I was so glad to see him! (I had not seen my surgeon or any doctor in the Winnipeg hospital since the day after my operation). My family doctor examined my incision, cleaned it and re-bandaged it with sterile bandages. Soon, the kitchen staff sent me a wonderful, healthy, homemade omelet with fresh veggies and fruit along with a warming cup of tea. As I dozed off after dinner, so clean and comfortable, I heard the joyous laughter of “The Laughing Nurse” (everyone who has stayed in this hospital will know who this is). I knew that all was well. I was in a loving, caring place of recovery and healing!

I am sure everyone does not experience such a stay in a Winnipeg hospital. I could write a whole novel on that negative, horrific experience, but will leave that in my files for another time. What is important here is to realize that after being in a place that set my recovery back about 10 days, I was now in a GREAT HOSPITAL! I could not have asked for better care.

The nurses, aids and all the staff are so efficient and could see what I needed, even before I did. Water by my bed, bath toiletries and phone within reach, medication to keep pain controlled, healthy and tasty meals, clean room, friendly smiles and conversations, made me regain my human dignity. And that is the greatest gift for holistic healing. The karma throughout the entire place was devoted to healing and making all the patients as comfortable as possible.

With all this wonderful care, my desire to show them how great my recovery was coming along, made me get up and walk those happy halls, do my physio exercises and start showering all by myself. I received smiles and more encouragement, “Wow, look at you! You are doing great, Raylene!!” My doctor was by my bedside every single morning with more words of encouragement and compassion along with exceptional, professional health directives.

I thought I had landed in heaven, not a hospital. I have nothing but good words and praise for our Ste. Anne Hospital. I am very appreciative for such respectful, loving, and kind treatment. If you really believe that “Health is Wealth”, as I do, I can’t help but raise my voice and shout with glee, “Let’s do everything possible to support our local Ste. Anne Hospital.

It is a true treasure. It is our own valuable ‘GOLD MINE’!!!”

Raylene Snow is the owner/operator of Raylene’s Day & Night Spa located between Ste. Anne and Giroux on Hwy 210 S. www.raylenesspa.com. (204) 422-6234.

have moved up to the toddler house.

I had five new angels to look after this year.”

One of the many highlights of the trip included “picture day”. The staff takes pictures of all the babies once a month which are then sent to their “forever families” or their sponsors. During their stay a couple from the United States were on-site meeting two older children for the very first time for adoption.

“There’s a lot of mixed emotion as they meet the children, get to spend a little time with them and then have to go home and wait another few months for the government agencies to work through the paperwork before they can take their children home,” Rita added. “I think that the children are also unsure at this point but in the end they will be with their “forever family” and hopefully knowing this gives them comfort.”

When they were not in the orphanage assisting with the children, they spent their time with construction projects.

“It was sure good having built a house of our own 14 years ago, because a lot of those skills were put to use. Other than the walls and sheathing being out of square it was business as usual,” explained Marcel. “I also got to see how a Haitian lumber mill works. It’s amazing the work that they do, considering that it is all done by hand.”

Barely home a month the couple is already looking forward to going back within the next year.

Marcel Courchaine from St. Adolphe helps complete the first toddler house at a Fort Jacques orphanage as part of their recent visit to Haiti.

The couple is grateful to the people from the Red River Mission in St. Adolphe for their support during this adventure. Red River Mission is a nonprofit local initiative that supports the less fortunate at a local and global level. To find out more about the Red River Mission go to redrivermission.org.

Rita Courchaine cuddles with one of the orphans at God’s Little Angels orphanage near Port-du-Prince.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

More Than Just News!

February 2012

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More Than Just News!

February 2012

Dawson Trail Dispatch

RM of Ste. Anne Residents Call for Fire Deal

By Marianne Curtis A group of RM of Ste. Anne residents are demanding their municipality reconsider their decision of not renewing a fire agreement between their municipality and the RM of La Broquerie before disaster strikes.

Frank Bachinski, an RM of Ste. Anne farmer, is one of many area residents that are concerned about how their homes now face greater risk after the RM of Ste. Anne decided not to renew a fire agreement with the RM of La Broquerie.

“I personally live approximately six miles from the La Broquerie fire hall and close to 17 miles from the responding fire hall in Richer, but in an emergency situation, time is of the essence,” stated Bachinski.

He added that it will take an extra 30 minutes for fire response now that

the agreement has expired and will cost him 20 to 30 percent more on his insurance.

On December 15, the RM of Ste. Anne decided that they would not renew the contract with the RM of La Broquerie due to costs associated with the service. The La Broquerie fire department has serviced the lower 27 sections of the south east corner of the RM of Ste. Anne for the last 36 years. The RM of La Broquerie has never charged the RM of Ste. Anne a coverage fee but kept the rates on a “per call” basis. Under a new proposed agreement developed by the RM of La Broquerie, the RM of Ste. Anne was asked to pay $7,500 a year plus per call rates to respond in this area.

The RM of Ste. Anne rejected this proposal.

RM of La Broquerie Reeve Claude Lussier said that his council is more

than ready to meet with the RM of Ste. Anne council to renegotiate.

“We never broke the ties with Ste. Anne. Our negotiating channels are completely open and I think Ste. Anne will be considering the position we have and are looking at it very seriously,” stated Lussier. “I think we will reach an agreement.

There is a lot of pressure on Ste. Anne.”

Despite the fact the inter-municipal agreement expired December 31, the

RM of La Broquerie is still prepared to send in their crews in the event that they are needed.

“It would be ludicrous on our part to say that because our agreement expired we wouldn’t be there to help them,” assured Lussier.

The residents continue to appeal to the RM of Ste. Anne on this matter.

“This decision was made in haste without consideration for human life,” Bachinski added.

Home Grants Available to Buy in Rural Manitoba Manitoba Housing is offering the opportunity for qualifying families with low to moderate incomes to purchase properties in more than 35 rural communities. Financial assistance will be offered to qualifying households.

The qualified funding is for renovation grant funding up to $16,000 or a grant of $3,500 from the final sale price.

For More Information Contact (204) 945-0567 or (204) 945-0483 (in Winnipeg) or 1-866-626-4862 (in Rural Manitoba) or email hcdrealestateinquiries@gov.mb.ca.

My Energy Monitor Update...

So how does an energy monitor save you money? Well, I decided to do a test with The Energy Detective Electricity Monitor (TED) on my home. It was pretty obvious that the energy guzzler in my home is the 8kw floor boiler that tops up the energy to my floor heat. I have a 4-panel solar thermal system working well during the day on my home. I wanted to see if I turned the boiler off... what would we experience in our home, decreased comfort level? Would the solar thermal, level out the floor temp and by how much? How many kilowatts and dollars will I save?

Now, to be fair, I couldn’t use data for the days that we did laundry or any other high usage that varies so much that I’m just guessing, so I excluded that data and just compared four days of data against four days of data when the floor boiler was on.

Now I did experience some discomfort by not being able to run around the house in my bare feet. I have to use slip-ons now. I didn’t tell my wife what I did, I was waiting for complaints, but she never did until I told her that the boiler had been off for days now. Then she said she had noticed, but didn’t say anything. I take that as a passedthe-wife test. My floor temp only decreased by 5C degrees, not bad and very tolerable.

The four days that my boiler was on I used a average of 79.8 kw a day, the four days it was off I used a average of 59.5 kw a day. That calculates to a 25.2 percent savings.

If I leave it off (which I will) I calculated that I will save $37.50 a month... go figure. This is the middle of January in Manitoba. All I did was switch something off and watch what’s happening.

I can’t wait to install my far-infrared panels and see not only the saving, but see if I can run around in my bare feet again. At any rate you can bet I will be conducting my test and blogging about it.

Without the energy monitor I would never had the stones to try this. I would have been sleepless worrying if my floor would freeze and the only way I would know if I made a difference is when the bill comes in. With a monitor I knew within 24 hours that freezing would not be a problem and I slept just fine.

Next month we will let you know the energy consumption change for 2 homes over a 30-day period using the far-infrared heating panels.

When you get at chance you should drive by Landmark to see their new “Welcome to Landmark” signs. They are using solar power to light them up at night! Congrats to the community for Greening our World!

To join the conversation or to comment on anything about green, go to greening-myworld.blogspot.com. We would like to hear about your project or opinion!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Despite Opposition Landmark Apartments Approved

By Marianne Curtis Despite the loud voice of opposition the RM of Tache has given their approval to a controversial new apartment complex proposed for Landmark.

Hundreds of area residents opposed the location of a new twelve unit apartment complex proposed in the community. While the complex itself was not the issue, the proposed location of the building is another issue.

Resident Hettie Penner, who used to own the property, was the most vocal against the project.

“The driveway for this apartment is straight across from the feed mill driveway,” Penner explained. “All the semi and grain trucks go on the shoulder to make the turn to go into the feed mill. There’s no room for both the feed mill traffic and the apartment.”

Penner said her biggest concern is for children that might be moving into the complex.

“There is no safe access for the kids to get to school. They are going to get hurt,” Penner stressed.

Penner and her husband took their concerns to the street, gathering 126 signatures on a petition and letters of objection from Maple Leaf Agri-Farms and support from the Landmark Chamber of Commerce.

The RM of Tache held a public meeting in December on the complex where a vast number of concerns and objections were raised. Council delayed their decision until mid January when they met again to discuss the conditional use applications for the project and make a final decision on the matter. In the end the municipality voted to approve the project, however, not before concerns are addressed.

“I decided to vote against the proposal after going over the concerns and letters of opposition that were presented at a public meeting last month,” explained Mayor William Danylchuk. “I feel there needs to be more examination of the impact.”

Danylchuk assures residents that despite councils decision, some of the concerns will be addressed before the project proceeds further. Besides the safety concerns, the municipality has issues with the lot itself. The major hurdle that still needs to be overcome is that no further construction is being allowed in Landmark until the community expands the town’s water system and upgrades to new standards.

The Landmark Chamber of Commerce has committed to working hard in the next year to make an upgraded water system a reality. In order for it to proceed the community will need the support of all levels of government in all aspects of the project, including funding.

Retired Hanover Administrator Faces Sexual Assault Charges Mel Schroeder, a former Finance and Administration Manager from the RM of Hanover, is facing several charges of sexual assault.

According to court documents, Schroeder has been charged with four counts of sexual assault dating back from 1979 to 2000. He made his first appearance in a Steinbach Provincial Court on January 17.

Schroeder worked for the RM of Hanover for 18 years, a position he held until his retirement in June 2011.

More Than Just News!

February 2012

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Dawson Trail Dispatch

“Actif Epica” Ready to Roll

By Marianne Curtis As riders sign up for the challenge, organizers of the first annual Actif Epica community festival are getting excited. The one day event, which consists of a 130-kilometer bike challenge from St. Malo to St. Boniface, kicks off February 18.

Ian Hall, one of the organizers of the event, said that businesses, community organizations and funloving individuals have been busy organizing outdoor activities at festival sites along the Crow Wing Trail. It will be promoted as part of the larger Actif Epica Winter Festival.

“We are also closing in on 14 confirmed riders and we are hoping for more,” Hall added.

In addition, he is inviting people to join the Coureur des bois class for those with running experience.

“If you are up for an 80-mile trek along rivers and across the open prairie, we want you.”

Sixty-four-year-old Jim Nadler from Kleefeld has signed up as a participant and he is eager to take on the challenge.

“After many years of long distance running. I have been cycling winter and summer for about 10 years, averaging over 10,000 km

per year for the last five years, so when I saw “Actif Epica” posted on our local cycling blog I couldn’t resist the temptation to enter the race,” Nadler said.

While some may call him crazy for taking on this challenge, Nadler said that crazy is only a part of it.

“It’s really hard to explain this compulsion to test yourself to the limits. However, judging by the hundreds of people who attempt the Manitoba Marathon and HalfMarathon, more and more people have this compulsion,” he added.

The starting line for the ride will be in St. Malo during the Festival des Amis and the Festival du Voyageur hosting its finish line.

Actif Epica expects to bring together Manitobans of all backgrounds, ages and activity levels to gather, participate and enjoy the outdoors in the winter.

Festival sites in St. Pierre-Jolys, Otterburne, Niverville and St. Adolphe will provide warm checkpoints for the bike riders and form hubs for “Co-Actif “ events from organized events like hockey tournaments or birding walks to casual games of pick-up shinny and family winter picnics.

Winnipeg’s Green Action Centre will host “Bougeons en hiver - The

Jack Frost Challenge,” encouraging teams of 1-5 friends, family, coworkers or classmates sign up to skate, bike, ski, snowshoe or walk a combined total of 130 km in the week leading up to Actif Epica.

For more information contact Hall and David Pensato at 204-960-6743.

Sixty-four-year-old Jim Nadler from Kleefeld is eager to take on a 130-km bike race challenge taking place on February 18.

Steinbach Opens Solar Crosswalk The City of Steinbach recently opened its first solar crosswalk as a pilot project that could see other similar crossings added throughout the community.

The solar crosswalk is located on Loewen Boulevard, where Maplewood Street intersects Loewen by Maplewood Manor.

Mayor Chris Goertzen, together

with Bill Unger, a resident of the area, tested out the new crosswalk earlier.

Unger repeatedly expressed his pleasure at having the safety of this particular crosswalk enhanced as he frequently walks in the area.

“Pedestrian safety is important to Council and we are pleased to see this pilot project move forward,” said Goertzen. “We believe it will not only be a cost efficient way to implement lit crosswalks, but it may also improve safety at crossings that would have been cost prohibitive to improve. If this project proves successful, I believe Council will look at this new system in various places throughout the city.”

“This type of crosswalk was

considerably easier to install as it did not involve any underground electrical components or major concrete anchors,” said Public Works Department head, Randy Reimer. “These particular units have been tested in Canada and have been said to work well in our winter climate.”

Reimer also stated that the solar crosswalk could turn out to be a good option for additional areas in town where there are higher traffic volumes.

The crosswalk poles were installed in fall 2011 and the lights were installed in the middle of January.

Total cost for the crosswalk was $9,500.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

More Than Just News!

February 2012

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More Than Just News!

February 2012

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Conquering Seven Summits for Ile Des Chênes Man

By Marianne Curtis An Ile Des Chênes man with a unique love of heights was recently recognized as a sport star of the week for his love of pushing the limits. In about two months Dean Carriere will be launching an expedition that will see him conquer seven of the world’s highest mountains.

While Manitoba fails to have the peaks needed to launch a mountaineer, Carriere has turned his prairie landscape into a circuit of training exercise in preparation for the Carstensz Expedition. He will travel to Papau, Indonesia to take on the 16,023 foot high Carstensz Pyramid.

“Years ago I decided to climb in Peru. With some training and minimal knowledge of mountaineering this journey was a success,” recalled Carriere. On February 14, 2009, he summited Mount Aconcagua and knew at that moment there were no limits.

“The challenge of mountaineering offers me a chance to learn about myself and escape the parameters of today’s modern society,” states Carriere. “Mountains offer a place of richness and comradeship that can be found only in a few places on earth.”

Carriere is currently preparing for the Seven Summits expedition, the highest mountain peaks on each of the seven continents, which is a very challenging endeavor. “Mountaineering is a combination of trekking, climbing and camping combined with inclement weather and high altitude conditions,” explained Carriere. “At every corner and with every step the unknown danger lurks, and this is why training is of paramount importance to the success of each expedition. I must be able to deal with internal and external factors that the mountain will present.”

Carriere has already proved to be up to the challenge. To date he has summited Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro and Denali. “Through the support of my sponsors my goal is to complete Carstensz, Elbrus, Vinson and Everest by 2013,” he added.

Part of the challenge to reaching his goal is raising the funds needed for the costly expedition. Estimated costs include guide fees that range from $5,200 for Mt. Elbrus, $15,900 for Carstensz Pyramid, $38,000 for Vinson Massif and $59,000 for Everest. In addition there is need for gear and travel expenses.

“My desire to complete the Seven Summits is evident. Funding to reach my goals is essential, helping me to move one step closer to every summit,” he added. Only 200 people have successfully completed the Seven Summits Challenge.

Anyone wanting to be part of this excited adventure can check out Dean’s progress and plan at deancarriere.com.

Above: Ile Des Chêne’s resident Dean Carriere stands triumphantly at the top of the mountain as he pushes the limits as part of an expedition of a lifetime which will see him climbing all seven of the world’s highest mountains.

Crisis Stabilization Unit Opens in Steinbach On February 23 South Eastman Health will officially open the doors to a new Crisis Stabilization Unit in Steinbach.

According to Deb Taillerfer, from South Eastman Health, the new facility will be a community environment with a series of services located conveniently under one roof.

“It’s a calm, peaceful environment where people can recover from a mental health issue that they are struggling with at any given time,” Taillerfer explained. “Emergency departments are not the place to deal with people with severe depression or an anxiety issue.”

The facility, which is located along Main Street in Steinbach, will be staffed with nurses, social workers and occupational therapists 24 hours a day. People needing assistance can voluntarily check into the facility. They are assessed, discussions are held and options are presented to the individual. When the doors open there will be eight available beds, which are expected to allow a recovery period of a couple of days as a client needs.

Until the opening, people are being sent either to Selkirk or Winnipeg to a crisis stabilization unit or they may go to an acute care bed at the hospital.

New Principal for Landmark Collegiate

Hanover Hires Temporary CAO

The Hanover School Division has announced that teacher and vice-principal Greg Sawatsky will be the new principal for Landmark Collegiate in the fall of 2012.

“Greg will be an excellent candidate,” said Ken Klassen, Hanover School Division Superintendent.

Sawatsky has taught in Landmark for 21 years, was acting principal at one point and more recently served as vice-principal.

Long time principal Cam Kelbert is moving to the Steinbach Regional High School.

The Hanover School Division expects to name a new principal for Blumenort School in the next month.

The RM of Hanover council recently welcomed a new face to the table after they hired Ernie Buhler as interim chief administrator.

Buhler, who used to work for the RM of Morris, has come out of retirement to work for the RM of Hanover for a three-month term.

“During that time we hope we can find a new CAO,” stated Reeve Stan Toews.

The RM of Hanover was stunned last month when Doug Cavers resigned after working for the municipality for 12 years. He left the municipality for a similar position in the RM of Greenview in Northern Alberta.

The RM of Hanover has already begun the search for a permanent chief administrator.

Training on the Matterhorn in Switzerland.

Dean Carriere at the top of Denali, North America’s highest peak after a fourteen and a half day climb to reach summit.

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Steinbach Makes Top Ten on Drug List

February 2012

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New RV Campground Opens Near Tolstoi

By Marianne Curtis Manitoba is becoming a haven for drug traffickers, marijuana grow-ops and organized crime, one of the RCMP’s top officials said.

Police made almost 1,100 drug seizures across the province last year, with many of the “hot spots” in more rural communities like Thompson, Portage la Prairie and The Pas. Out of 14 communities listed, the City of Steinbach made the list at number 10 with 23 major seizures taking place last year.

That’s about double the number from the previous year, RCMP assistant commissioner Bill Robinson said at a media conference in Winnipeg during a press conference recently.

Marijuana was the top drug seized, followed by cocaine, prescription and non-prescription drugs and ecstasy.

“You can grow 3,500 marijuana super trees, or super plants, in greenhouses in a rural location versus a small basement in the north end (Winnipeg), where are you going to go?” Robinson asked.

More non-residents are being arrested, which means drug crackdowns in other provinces are likely driving criminals to find new locations in rural Manitoba to set up business, he said.

“We’ve got lots of land. We’ve got some very isolated locations with old farmyards where people can set up,” Robinson said, adding the province’s central location and highways make it ideal for traffickers to move drugs across the country.

Manitoba Mounties have undertaken several large, high-profile drug raids in the last few years which have put a dent in operations, Robinson said. Police are also working with young people to educate them about the dangers of doing and dealing drugs.

“The sooner we get into the schools, the sooner we start talking about the issue with kids, the better chance we’re going to have of stopping this activity,” he added.

Federal and provincial politicians say they are doing what they can to stop the increasingly sophisticated drug trade. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said many of the issues raised by Robinson will be addressed when the government’s controversial omnibus crime bill becomes law.

The bill, which is now before the Senate, rolls nine separate bills into one that would see mandatory sentences for some drug crimes, a new act to deal with violent young offenders and restrictions on house arrest.

“We’re targeting those who traffic in drugs so that there are mandatory minimum prison sentences for those who feel that’s an appropriate way to make a living,” Toews said. “Small, rural conservative communities are not immune from the problem of drugs.”

The Trans-Canada Highway was named as the top “drug pipeline” in the province.

Man in Motion Tour Passes Through Region

By Marianne Curtis On January 17 several communities along the TransCanada Highway were treated to a spectacular presentation as the Rick Hansen “Man in Motion” 25th anniversary tour went through the region.

Runners crossed the border into Manitoba from Ontario during the morning carrying a medal made by the Royal Canadian Mint that is being passed across Canada toward the west coast to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Hansen’s original tour.

Despite the bone chilling temperatures, medal bearers were all smiles and full of energy as they proudly participated in the once in a lifetime opportunity.

Jonas Desrosiers, one of several medal-bearers, said participating in the event changed his perspective.

“What Rick Hansen has been saying for years is, ‘One person can make a world of difference’, and it really hit me in that moment that it’s true,” stated Desrosiers.

Above: Jonas Desrosiers and Michele Broadhurst kick out in synchronization as they exchange the Rick Hansen Relay Medal in Ste. Anne.

Right: Beautiful blue skies and crisp temperatures greet the Relay as it passes over the Ontario border into Falcon Lake Manitoba on January 17.

Spacious well treed camping sites at Sunset Oaks Family RV Park, near Tolstoi await families seeking a new seasonal camping destination.

By Marianne Curtis Camping season is still a few months away but a Kleefeld couple is getting a jump on things by encouraging families looking for a new seasonal camping destination by heading out to the Stuartburn, Tolstoi area.

Peter and Michele Friesen say that it was their love for taking their now grown sons camping while they were growing up, that planted the seed that would eventually become their dream endeavor. Last summer the pair opened Sunset Oaks Family RV Park just past Roseau River. With seven sites already spoken for, they are hoping that this coming spring will fill the remaining available sites.

“During their growing years we went camping every summer as much as possible. During the last few years we figured it would be fun to run our own campground and make it the way we would like to have it,” explained Peter.

During the summer of 2008 he saw an ad in a local paper for a parcel of land for sale just past Roseau River and so the couple took a drive to look at it. The spot they found was near the junction of the Hwy 59 and Hwy 201.

“On the way there it seemed like such a long drive but as soon as we drove onto the driveway we knew this was the place,” Peter continued.

“It was treed with beautiful oak trees and room for our house and campground on the same piece of land.”

They immediately started to draw up plans for the campground and as soon at the weather cooperated they began construction. Opening day was in August 2011.

“Even though it was a short camping season it was still a lot of fun and gave us some practice before we open for a full season,” he added.

The family oriented part, caters to seasonal camping because they want to create a community type atmosphere but they do take overnighters as they have room.

All 28 available sites have hydro while only 10 are fully serviced with water, hydro and sewer. This will change once an additional 22 sites open. There is a playground with a play structure and a man-made beach on site. Eventually the Friesen’s hope to have 100 seasonal campers on location, a swimming pool, hot tub and miniature golf.

For more information check out the website sunsetoaksfamilyrvpark.com.

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More Than Just News!

February 2012

Steinbach’s Walmart Project Goes to Tender The community’s worst kept secret was finally revealed when in midJanuary it was announced that the mystery retailer courting the City of Steinbach is American retail giant Walmart.

According to Mitch Calvert of the Winnipeg Construction Association, the project has been put out to tender.

“I can confirm the plans for Walmart in Steinbach are in our planning room,” stated Calvert. “I don’t know who is bidding on the project or the final costs.

It’s all in the air right now.”

Last month the City of Steinbach gave the green light to allow several variation orders put forward by Shindico Properties. The orders cover 108,000 square feet north and west of Clearspring Centre. The project includes demolishing the old SAAN store at the north end of the mall to make room for additional parking.

John Pearson, from Shindico Properties, told council that his client, an American retailer that had yet to be named, would like to start construction in the spring but at that time, the retailer was not disclosed.

Once the project begins, it is expected to create 150 jobs in the community in addition to up to 300 jobs in the actual business.

Mayor Chris Goertzen said that the city welcomes the project.

“It is great for our economy,” Goertzen stated. “It is great for our residents and for our region and we are looking forward to it coming to fruition.”

Meanwhile, changes are already underway to pave the way for the project. According to Don Neufeld from the Steinbach Auto Dealers Association, the group has been asked to relocate the big red car at the northeast end of the Clearspring Centre parking lot.

“The car is going to be in the way of traffic and other items that could happen there so we’ve been asked to move the

car,” stated Neufeld. The car is expected to be relocated by April and the search is on for a suitable location.

Coffee with Niverville Council The Town of Niverville council is opening its doors to residents by providing them with an opportunity to meet with council and discuss issues in an informal atmosphere.

According to council the decision to invite residents to stop by and meet with the mayor and council came following a discussion at the annual planning session.

“Coffee with Council” is an informal way to talk to the Mayor and councillors about ideas, issues and questions they may have,” stated Mayor Greg Fehr. “It is the feeling of council that by engaging in an informal meeting like this we can all work together to formulate a vision and find actions to create a better community.”

Starting in February, citizens are invited to come by the town office from 4 pm to 6 pm on the first Tuesday of each month. Citizens will be given a 15 minute time allotment on a first come basis to meet with the Mayor and any members of council that may be present.

These sessions will be ongoing with the times and days adjusted as required.

Council noted that topics and appointments will not be pre-scheduled so ratepayers are welcome to bring up any ideas or constructive suggestions in an informal session.

Going Paperless Thieves Target Chicken Chef Appeals to La Broquerie

The RM of La Broquerie is considering going paperless after a recent discussion at council.

Reeve Claude Lussier said that his council is looking at revamping the system in the municipality and possibility making the move to have councillors use laptop computers at council meetings.

“We are looking at it from a cost point of view,” Lussier said. “We are trying to find a way that is cheap and efficient.”

If council agrees to go paperless the municipality could be looking at a cost of $3,500 to $5,000 to get a computer system in place. However, council already anticipates that even with paying $500 a year for upgrades the municipality will save more than half that cost in paper over the next year.

Several other municipalities in the area have already made the move towards paperless council meetings, including the RM’s of Reynolds and Ritchot.

On January 4, Steinbach RCMP received a report of break, enter and theft at the Steinbach Chicken Chef Restaurant.

Video surveillance obtained by police showed that shortly before midnight three males entered the business. Once inside one of the males was observed stealing money from the office. Further footage showed that the males returned a second time in the early hours of January 5 and stole the business safe.

The Pawn Shop, situated next door to the restaurant, also reported being broken into overnight. An undetermined amount of cash was taken.

Steinbach RCMP, along with the assistance of the Winnipeg RCMP Forensic Identification Unit, continue to investigate.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at 3264452 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-2228477 (TIPS) or www.manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).

RCMP Investigate Breakins to Rural Mailboxes RCMP Investigators are currently investigating a number of break-ins to rural mailboxes in the Province.

Over the past few months, a number of rural mailboxes, as well as at least one post office, in a rural community have experienced break-ins and thefts from rural mail boxes.

In addition to the theft of mail there has been significant damage to the mailboxes themselves.

RCMP are asking that persons with rural mailboxes check them regularly for mail and report any damage or suspicious activity to police immediately.

If you have any information regarding these thefts, please contact your local police agency. You can also call Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS) or SUBMIT a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com or TEXT: TIPMAN plus your message to CRIMES (274637).

Dawson Trail Dispatch

St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP Investigate Residential Break and Enter The St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP are seeking the public’s assistance in the investigation of a residential break and enter that occurred between December 24 and December 29 at a residence in Niverville.

A digital camera, a quantity of Canadian currency, and a collection of silver $1.00 and $0.50 coins dated from the 1800’s were stolen from the residence.

If you have information about this incident, please contact the RCMP St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP at 204433-7433 or your local police agency.

You can also call Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1800-222-8477(TIPS) or SUBMIT a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com TEXT: TIPMAN plus your message to CRIMES (274637).

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

coffee and pie is available from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

When the $1 million blaze took place on December 13, residents were concerned about becoming housebound and losing touch with the community after the restaurant burned to the ground. With the opening of the special coffee hours, community members can continue to meet until a new restaurant is built.

There is no word on when owners plan to rebuild.

With the community’s only meeting place destroyed, residents are invited to continue to meet their neighbors at the community club.

Bethesda ER Project Goes to Tender, Again

Very little remains on the site where the Woodridge Inn once stood.

Radon Exposure in Manitoba Homes It’s invisible, odorless and tasteless. It is also radioactive and a Group A carcinogen. What is it that we’re talking about? ...Radon Gas. Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when the uranium in soil and rock breaks down. When radon is released from the ground into the outdoor air, it is diluted and is not a concern. However, in enclosed spaces, like homes, it can sometimes accumulate to high levels which can be a risk to the health of you and your family.

Being a heavy gas, radon settles mostly in the lower levels of the dwelling, but not all testing provides the highest reading on the lowest level of your home. It depends on the layout of your specific home.

Twenty-five percent of homes in Manitoba are above the safe standard guideline set out by Health Canada.

Radon gas breaks down or decays to form radioactive elements that can be inhaled into the lungs. In the lungs, decay continues, creating radioactive particles that release small bursts of energy. This energy is absorbed by nearby lung tissue, damaging the lung cells. When cells are damaged they have the potential to result in cancer when they reproduce. Exposure to radon is accumulative, meaning that the damage keeps accruing. It does not dissipate in the body and cells do not repair themselves once exposed.

Exposure to high levels of radon in indoor air results in an increased risk of developing lung cancer. The risk of cancer depends on the level of radon and how long a person is exposed to those levels. Ten percent of all lung cancers may be attributed to Radon.

What can be done about this? Firstly, it is best to have an easy and inexpensive test done on the home. The cost of testing usually ranges from $50 to $100. For more information on how to test, visit the Health Canada website at www.healthcanada.gc.ca/radon.

How can I reduce the amount of radon in my home? There are ways to remediate the situation. There are several things to do from increasing the exchange of air, seal all cracks and opening in foundation walls and floors and around pipes and drains, to ventilate the basement sub-flooring by installing a small pump to draw the radon from below the concrete slab to the outside before it can enter the home.

In this time of trying to improve our health and well-being of ourselves and our family, do what you can to reduce exposure to radon.

Until next time have a great day, Travis and Eileen.

15

IDC Student Named Tri-Star Athlete

Woodridge Residents Get their Coffee Residents from within the community of Woodridge are not being left out in the cold after a devastating fire destroyed the only hotel and restaurant in the town.

Until the owners can rebuild the Woodridge Inn, which burned to the ground in the middle of December, residents are invited for coffee, toast or pie at the Woodridge Community Club.

From Monday to Friday, coffee and toast is being served at the hall from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. In the afternoon

February 2012

South Eastman Health has been granted approval to proceed with a major construction project at the Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach.

According to John Stinson, Chief Executive Officer for South Eastman Health, the province has given the green light to put the project to tender.

The renovation project consists of two portions. The first will see the complete redevelopment of the front entrance.

“The emergency room and the hospital will each have their own entrance,” explained Stinson.

The emergency department itself will not only receive a much needed facelift, but it will be divided into two unique areas as well.

“There will be one stream for less urgent care where people can come in and be seen,” Stinson added. “There will also be a high acute area where people will be directed when they come in by ambulance.” In that area the staff will be able to better deal with cardiac issues and situations at a higher level than in the past.

This is the second time that this project has gone to tender in the past few months. Last fall the project went to tender but only one company responded. The province recommended that South Eastman break the project down further. A smaller project, which consists of renovating the main floor of the Community Services Building into a temporary emergency room, is well underway and will be complete by the end of April.

The larger project (the entrance and emergency room reconstruction) will officially be on the tender block February 7.

“We’d like to put a shovel in the ground May 1,” Stinson stated.

The entire project is expected to cost upwards of $20 million before it sees completion. Construction will take place over two years and the new emergency room is expected to open in the summer of 2014.

By Marianne Curtis A grade 12 student and volleyball player from Collège Régional Gabrielle-Roy in Ile Des Chênes was named one of January’s Tri-Star Rural High School athletes of the week.

Chad Wallack plays for Les Roy volleyball team, was recently named Tri-Star Rural High School athlete of the week by the Manitoba High School Athletics Association.

The 6’0" setter led his team to the Zone 13 championship and a bronze medal at the “AA” Provincial Volleyball Championships where he was named an All-Star.

“Chad is one of the most polite players and a 100 percent a team player. He is a strong vocal presence for us on the court, in practices, and during games,” stated coach Dalain Brodeur. “He knows how to encourage teammates and make positive comments. His teammates all respect his dedication to the sport.”

The grade 12 student upholds an average of 82 percent in class, and also competes in basketball and badminton.

16

February 2012

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Foundation Supports Niverville Man

By Marianne Curtis The community of Niverville is backing one of their own by helping raise money for live altering surgery.

The Niverville Health and Community Foundation has put out a call for support to help raise money so that Martin Giesbrecht can travel and receive medical treatment in Germany. Five years ago, Giesbrecht had an accident with a large overhead truck door which caused severe damage to the discs in his neck. This injury continues to cause pain and has limited his ability to work.

The Niverville Health and Community Foundation Inc. was established in 1994 to promote the health and well-being of residents of Niverville and surrounding communities by providing funding for various programs. One of the programs is to provide financial assistance to members of the community who cannot afford necessary medical treatment.

According to the foundation, the fund is supported through donations from the public which is then distributed to qualifying community members.

“The board has approved Martin’s request for assistance subject to funds being available,” said the foundation’s board.

Giesbrecht was told of a doctor in Germany who has successfully helped others in similar situations, including several from Manitoba. Recently he met with the doctor and surgery in Germany was recommended. He hopes to go in February however, the cost of the surgery and travel has been estimated at about $42,000.

The Niverville Health and Community Foundation is inviting donations for the Medical Assistance Fund to help cover Giesbrecht’s medical expenses. Cheques should be made payable to the Niverville Health and Community Foundation and mailed to Box 354 Niverville R0A 1E0, or give them to any board member of the Foundation, or drop them off at Blue River Group CAs LLP, located at 28 Main Street, Niverville.

School Division Sounds of Children, Employee Injured Looks at Growth

Music in My Life I love my children very much, everything about them amazes me.

One thing that especially amazes me is how much sound they can produce. Now I’m not talking about them running around the house making babbling noises, although they do do that, too. No, what I’m talking about is the constant stream of actual, coherent sounds.

My daughter, bless her heart, is a little chatterbox. When I come home from work I’m hit with an avalanche of words and I’m quickly swept away with the knowledge of what she’s had for breakfast, what she’s watched on television and a myriad of other details and occurrences that have happened throughout her day. Lord help me if, for some reason, I happen to miss something important that she later questions me on. That’s when it’s time to see how quickly Daddy can think on his feet.

My son, on the other hand, likes to talk, too, but not to the same degree. Different personality, I guess, but he too has his own way of making sound. He likes to sing and to hum, and I do mean hum. All the time… everywhere. In the bathroom, in bed, while playing, driving his bike in the summer, while we’re fishing, riding in the van, even at the kitchen table (this one really gets on my wife’s nerves!) For the most part I think it’s great that he has such a love of music, but there does come a time when too much of a good thing is too much. Have you ever had a migraine and had someone sit next to you and loudly start to hum? I have and I can tell you that it only takes a matter of seconds before the hummer is told that his humming needs to cease and desist immediately.

It’s kind of funny when I think about it but our baby is the quietest one. Sure, he makes the cooing noises, the baby talk and the loud outbursts of attempted speech but for the most part he’s the quiet one.

I’m sure once he gets a bit older he too will find his own form of sound to express himself. That is, if he can get a sound in edgewise.

Until next time, take care and keep your world spinning.

at Granny’s

An accident at Granny’s Poultry plant in Blumenort sent one man to hospital during the second week of January.

According to Chief Executive Officer Craig Evans, an employee was working in the bird unloading area and got his arm caught in a piece of equipment, resulting in a broken arm.

Officials from Workplace Health & Safety came out to investigate, along with an internal investigation, and both found nothing wrong with any of the equipment used or the procedures followed in relation to the accident, confirmed Evans.

“Here at Granny’s we take health and safety very seriously and are proud to have the best safety record of any company in our industry,” said Evans.

The man is now recovering at home and Evans said the company is lending its support in any way they can.

The Seine River School Division Board of Trustees is looking forward to a year of challenges as it looks at growth and classroom sizes.

In a few short months construction is expected to be complete in La Broquerie at Arborgate School. The completion of the project is expected to send the division some challenges as students adjust to a new school facility and the additional things going on there, noted Superintendent Mike Borgfjord.

The division said they are also looking at the province’s new guideline on 20 students per classroom in kindergarten to Grade 3.

“We are not sure how this guideline is going to work, but we know when the funding comes out we will see how those things will work,” stated Borgfjord. “We are pleased with the opportunity to have the challenge to try and find space and look at how we are going to lower class sizes.”

The Seine River School Division has already started to work on their upcoming budget and hopes that their vision will correspond with the province’s yearly contribution.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

More Than Just News!

Construction and Gravel Pit Theft Vandals Destroy On January 12 and 13 between the hours of 5:00 pm and 8:00 am suspects broke into Diamond Construction and Gravel Pit located off of Loewen Boulevard near Steinbach. Several lengths of copper wiring were stripped from conveyor machines and loaded into an unidentified vehicle. The missing materials have an estimated value of between $20,000- $30,000.

Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the suspect(s) responsible for this theft. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at (204) 326-4452 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or www.manitobacrmestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).

Artists—Don’t forget: the Southeast Open Judged Art Exhibit is coming up soon! For those who have applied to have their work entered in the exhibit, the artwork submission deadline is coming up on Friday, February 10.

You are invited to the opening exhibit for Jim Reimer: A Life of Photography on Wednesday, February 8 at Steinbach Arts Council at 7 pm. Come for refreshments.

Toonie donations are gratefully accepted. Artwork will be available for purchase.

Starting February - for adults: Exploring Acrylics (Feb 2), Spanish Level 1 & 2 (Feb 2), Belly Dancing (Feb 4, 7), Multicultural Cooking (Feb 6), Social Dance for Beginners and Intermediate Social Dance (Feb 2). It’s not too late to sign up. Keep creative, keep well!

Business Owners Don’t miss your opportunity for team building and professional development through wellness, visual arts, cooking or language. We are offering a 20 percent discount on registrations when you send three or more employees to a class of your choice.

Join a Creative Club Photo Club with Kyle McIntosh - meet monthly with other photographers the first Monday of every month. Southeast Artists’ Group—meet informally to paint and connect with other artists every Tuesday morning. Unique opportunities to showcase your artwork and be the first to know about upcoming events.

Summer in the City Festival Musicians, bands, singers, actors, dancers or visual artists (painting, pottery,etc), and entertainers of all kinds, are welcome to apply for a spot at the Festival on June 15-17. Applications are due March 1.

Performers Wanted

Lorette Landmark

St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP is investigating a complaint of a recent vandalism to a town landmark that occurred in Lorette.

Sometime overnight on January 10 culprits vandalized a town landmark at the Co-op store in Lorette. The Dawson Trail Red River Cart that stood at the entrance to the Co-op and Marketplace was completely destroyed by vandals.

Damage is estimated at between $5,000 and $6,000.

Investigators are requesting that anyone with information contact the St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP at (204) 433-7908.

You can also call Manitoba Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), submit a tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to CRIMES (274637).

Struthers Tours for Budget Consultations in Ste. Anne

Steinbach Arts Council is looking for musicians for KR Barkman Concerts in the Park this summer. Concert dates are flexible and will take place from May to July. On January 25, Finance Minister Stan Struthers spent the evening in Ste. Anne Call to apply by March 1. to meet with residents and local politicians. The meeting was the last in Would You Like to Have Your Own Exhibit? a circuit of government hosted public budget consultations. Approximately 20 This is the opportunity for amateur artists to launch their artistic career. Looking people attended including for exhibitors for 2012-13. Showcase your work in our hall gallery at the Steinbach representatives from the Town of Ste. Cultural Arts Centre. Call to apply.

Anne, RM of Ritchot, Town of Niverville and the MLA for Dawson Trail, Ron Lemieux.

Intro African Dance & Drum Workshop The group was provided with an Join Coffieman while he gives you a taste of the djembe and some African rhythms overview on where the province is sitting on Saturday, February 18, 10 am. The first portion will awaken your senses with economically along with some of the a drumming demonstration. $5 to observe. An additional $5 will be charged to join challenges that are still ahead, including in on learning enthusiastic and creative movements. From 11 am - Noon. Call to addressing ongoing flooding issues. register.

“Flooding is having and will continue to [have an] impact on our budget. We need to look at a more permanent Celebrate the Arts’ Fundraising Gala solution to putting up sandbags and Will be on Friday, April 27. NEW location: Friedensfeld Community Centre. This tearing them down,” stated Struthers.

Those in attendance were told the year’s theme: Diamonds and Denim. Come in your glitz and glitter…or in your government is projecting a $989 million finest denim…or both! Get your tickets now, at early bird prices and reserve your deficit. table, 346-1077.

“That is more than double the original estimate first drafted in the five-year Join our ‘Creative Community’ Corporate Campaign economic recovery plan,” Struthers added. “That means there are some tough Show your support of how the arts enhance our lives by becoming an Arts choices ahead and perhaps some belt Council sponsor. We have a goal of $50,000 and without you we’ll never get there. tightening.”

New this year, attach your name to a studio, a class, an event, or an exhibit. Like Struthers admitted the government is the Three Way Builders Studio and the Century 21 Home Tour & Tea. A successful going to have to get creative when it investment that is sure to leave a legacy. comes to dealing with minimizing the projected deficit for 2012-2013, if the government plans on making it up Build Your Resume without cutting programs or services.

“We are committed to keeping the Join our art teaching mentorship program where you can learn how to teach a recovery plan on track,” he stressed. visual arts class. Please submit resumes to visualarts@stienbachartscouncil.ca.

February 2012

17

“Melville Boys” Packs Theatre

The cast of Melville Boys take a photo break after a sell out performance in the Steinbach Regional Secondary School theater.

Manitoba Theatre Company’s production of “Melville Boys” made a stop in Steinbach on January 24, where the group played before a sold out crowd.

According to Shannon Neufeld, with the Steinbach Arts Council, the crowd enjoyed the show.

“There were a lot of laughs and the audience was engaged by the great performance,” stated Neufeld.

The one night performance was part of a tour that Manitoba Theatre Company has been making for over four decades where they take the shows to communities throughout Manitoba and northwestern Ontario.

February 2012

18

More Than Just News!

Work Begins on Hadashville Bible Camp

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Semi-Truck Burns Near McMunn

In mid December, construction crews moved in and started clearing the trail for a new Bible camp to be constructed near Hadashville.

According to General Manager George Hill, the earth was moved to give access to the site where the Living Bible Explorers Ministry will be located. The ministry is creating a permanent year round Bible camp on River Lot 14-8-12E, near Hadashville.

In December, a 1.2 kilometer road was built into the 100-acre site and some landscaping was done around the lake area. With 80 acres of untouched forest, the camp will focus on stewardship in the environment.

Plans include a large 5,000-8,000 square foot lodge that will be the centre of all camp activity and situated approximately 300 to 400 meters from the Whitemouth River. Six cabins will eventually be located in a semi-circle, close by with some distance from the Lodge. Several other buildings to be used for teaching will be added, along with several homes for staff members will be built.

Living Bible Explorers is a ministry for children. It has had more than 15 years of successful camping programs. The proposed camp would bring children ages 6-16 to a camp facility in Hadashville where they can develop long term relationships and learn an appreciation for the area, facility and environment.

Hill hopes to have the camp operational early in 2013.

RCMP Investigate Home Invasion On January 5 shortly before 10:30 pm Steinbach RCMP received a complaint from a 17-year-old female resident of the Rural Municipality of Hanover that she had been threatened by her ex-boyfriend.

As members headed towards the residence additional information was obtained advising that multiple suspects had attended her location, broke in and assaulted her before leaving in a vehicle.

Members of the Steinbach, Sprague and St. Pierre-Jolys detachments responded and located the suspect vehicle. Police arrested four males between the ages of 18 and 20 years of age. The four suspects, all from the Rural Municipality of Hanover, have been charged with various offences, including break-enter and commit assault, assault with a weapon/cause bodily harm and uttering threats. They have been remanded into custody. Police are actively looking for the fifth suspect. Police are not releasing the names of the accused at this time and the investigation continues.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at 326-4452 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or www.manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).

Steinbach 55 Plus offers programs, activities, services and volunteer opportunities, striving to promote healthy and active living for older adults of the southeast region. We invite you to come and pay us a visit and consider participating in some of our programs.

February Calendar CENTRE CLOSED on February 20th - Louis Riel Day Old Time Country Dance - Friday, February 24. 8 pm – Midnight. Live band By Request.

Tickets available at the center. $8 member, $10 non member.

Monthly Programs Single Ladies’ Night Out - The first Friday of the month at 5 pm. Enjoy supper out at a local restaurant. Call the centre for meeting place.

Foot Care - The first and third Tuesday of the month from 9 am - 3 pm. Run by Val Fry, a professional foot care nurse. Cost: $30. Bring your own towel. Call centre to book an appointment.

Pot Luck Supper - The second Thursday of every month at 6 pm. Meat and beverages are provided. Cost: $5 per person. Bring along a casserole, salad or desert. Call to reserve seat.

Birthday Party - The first Wednesday of the month. All members with a birthday are invited for complimentary entertainment, cake and coffee. Guests are asked to pay $2.

Beltone Hearing - The third Friday of each month. Call 1-800-661-2653 for appointment.

Brain Injury Support Group - Last Monday of the month at 7 pm.

Parkinson Support Group - Starts February 15, third Thursday of the month at 1:30 pm.

Noon meals - Monday to Friday. Cost $5. Call 320-4605 by 9:00 am to reserve your meal for that day. Purchase your meal ticket at the receptionist desk before noon. Monthly menus available at the office or in the newsletter. Bring a friend.

Computer Lab - Monday to Friday. Cost $1 per lesson. From 9 am - 12 pm and 1 pm - 4:00 pm.

Lessons with Alex Cupples take place on Wednesdays from 9 am – 12 pm.

Monday to Friday - Billiards 1 pm - 4 pm

Weekly Programs Monday

Fitness Class with instructor 9:30 am - 10:30 am Canasta 1 pm Tai Chi 7:30 pm - 8:45 pm Tuesday Circle of Friends 8:30 am - 3:00 pm Wednesday Tai Chi 9:00 am – 11:30 am Choir practice 10:30 am Cribbage 1 pm – 4 pm Floor Curling 1:30 pm Old Time Country Band Practice 7 pm.

Thursday Fitness Class with instructor 9:30 am - 10:30 am Bridge and Whist 1 pm - 4 pm Wii Bowling 1:30 pm Friday Circle of friends 8:30 am - 3:00 pm Volunteer Opportunities include perogy making, decorating and setting tables, birthday party hosts, food preparation and serving, clean up, greeters and receptionists.

Membership are due January of each year, at Steinbach 55 Plus is only $20 per year for those 55 years of age or older. Benefits include reduced program rates, a voice in business meetings, voting rights, and eligibility to serve on the board or committees.

For more information drop by the Centre, Monday to Friday, from 9 am - 4:00 pm, or call 320-4600, or go to steinbach55plus.com.

No one was injured when this semi-truck burst into flames near McMunn January 19.

On Thursday morning January 19, a semi-trailer truck burst into flames on the Trans-Canada Highway near McMunn.

The fire was reported shortly after 8 am, when the driver of the rig noticed something was wrong with one of the gauges in the truck. He pulled off the highway into the parking lot of the McMunn Hotel where the vehicle promptly burst into flames as the driver and his partner left the vehicle and made attempts to extinguish it.

A 35-year-old man and 33-year-old man from Ontario were traveling westbound in the truck at the time of the fire. Neither of the two men were injured.

The truck was transporting general freight with no hazardous materials inside.

No damage estimate is available, but the vehicle is considered a total loss.

Weapons Investigation On December 20 at approximately 11:35 am, Steinbach RCMP were contacted by the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) at the Sprague Port of entry advising they were detaining a male subject for smuggling or attempting to smuggle goods which are prohibited, controlled or regulated under the Customs Act. Further investigation by the Steinbach RCMP revealed that the man had failed to declare importing a prohibited weapon (firearm) into Canada.

A 66-year-old man from Rainy River ON, was charged with Importing a Prohibited Weapon into Canada and five other firearms related offences under the Criminal Code of Canada. He was released from custody and is to appear in court on February 2 in Steinbach.

Police continue to investigate.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

COMMUNITY EVENTS EMAIL YOUR COMMUNITY EVENT TO EDITOR@DAWSONTRAIL.CA OR FAX 204-422-8548

More Than Just News!

February 2012

South Eastman Transition Initiative presents Green Drinks South Eastman. Drop in on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 7 pm at Lecoka, 5-275 Main Street and grab a coffee and discuss sustainable living. Contact email rebecca_hiebert@yahoo.com.

The Bethesda Regional Healthcare Auxiliary meets on the first Tuesday of every month except for the months of July and August at the Bethesda Hospital. We welcome anyone interested in auxiliary work. Contact Verna Thiessen at 326-3028.

Carillon Toastmasters meetings are open to adults who want to improve their leadership and communication skills. Meetings are held on Thursday evenings starting at 7 pm at the Jake Epp Library, 255 Elmdale Street. Guests are welcome without advance notice.

Falcon Lake Beaver Days Winter Festival – Starts Friday, February 17 to Sunday, February 19 at the Whiteshell Community Club, Hwy #301 ¼ mile from Falcon Lake entrance.

The Steinbach and Area Lions Club meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays every month starts at 6:30 pm at the Magnolia Restaurant. Contact 326-2313.

Friedensfeld Valentines Dance at the Friedensfeld Community Hall on Friday, February 10 starting at 8:00 pm - 1:00 am. Tickets $15/person. Canadian Blood Services is asking Steinbach and area residents to support patients in need by donating at the Thursday blood Contact Jake at 326-5918 or Irene at 326-1624. donor clinic from 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm and 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. To schedule an appointment or for further information, please call 1 888 DONATE (1 888 236 6283). Located at Steinbach Evangelical Mennonite Church Gymnasium, 422 Main Street.

Giroux Auction Sale to raise funds for Ridgewood EMC Youth Mission Trip with Mennonite Disaster Services. Friday, February 3 at 7 pm Meetup Group for Women Solo-Entreprenuer group helps you connect with other women who are passionate about growing - 9 pm. Free babysitting available, as well as coffee & donuts. Auction will take place at Ridgewood Church, 3 miles east on their business, lead by Doreen Penner and meets monthly for 1 hour. Free, except for food and beverage. On Monday, February Hwy 311 toward Giroux.

27 at 7 pm at Smitty’s Restaurant. Contact and to register call Doreen at 392-2698.

Ile des Chenes Steinbach AA 12 Step Recovery Program - Meetings are held on Wednesdays at 7 pm. Steinbach United Church, 541 Main St. The Ile des Chenes Minor Hockey Association Event- Montreal Canadians Alumni team. Saturday, February 11 at 7:30 pm – Ring the front door bell.

9:30 pm. General Admission Tickets are $15 and a limited number of VIP tickets for $75, which includes a pre-game meet and greet with the players and free admission to the after game social in the new TransCanada Centre Hall. General admission tickets Young moms to be - bi-weekly support group. Starts Friday, February 10 4:30 pm. Location is Anna’s House, B-11, Hwy 12N. are available in Ile Des Chenes at the Country Store or at Wranglers Bar until quantities last.

Employment Fair - Eastman Immigration Services. On Tuesday, February 28 at 7 pm at the Steinbach 55 Plus Centre, 10 Chrysler Seine River Minor Ball – Softball/Hardball registration March 10 deadline. Online registration - www.srmb.countmein.com. Gate.

Walk-in registration will be Saturday, March 4 from 10 am - 2 pm at the Ile Des Chenes Arena. Contact Jennifer Woodward at 878-2217 or jmwood@mts.net.

Vita Verified Beef Production Workshop on Wednesday, March 7 at the Vita Arena (Upstairs). Starts at 7 pm - 9 pm. Contact VITA Kleefeld MAFRI GO Office or call 425-5050 or email vivian.giesbrecht@gov.mb.ca.

Community Playgroup for parents, caregivers and children ages 0-5. Activities include time for playing, stories, songs and snacks. Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at the Kleefeld Rec Centre. Contact Irene Ascough at 377-5013.

General The Super Start Program, A Healthy Baby program run through South Eastman Health/Sante-Est Inc., will be holding a monthly La Broquerie group session. This is a program for pregnant women and families with infants up to one year of age. Each session includes Mental Health First Aid for adults who interact with youth ages 12-24. Thursday March 1 to Friday March 2 from 8:30 am – 4:30 song and rhyme time, discussions and games on topics related to healthy babies and healthy moms. We offer door prizes and pm. Located at South Eastman Health Corporate Office, 94 Principal. Contact Loni at 346-7041. nutritious snacks. We also have milk coupons for all expectant moms or mothers who have babies up to six months of age who participate in the program. Next month our session will be held at: Lorette Grunthal - Feb 7 Tuesday, from 10 am - 12 pm at the Family Hut in South Oaks School th 47 Lorette Winter Carnival - starts the Thursday evening, February 2 to Sunday, February 5. Contact Anna Dillabough, Carnival Blumenort – Feb 2 Thursday, from 10 am - 12 pm at the Blumenort EMC Church Coordinator 272-0605. To register for Bonspiel call Suzanne at 878-3277 Niverville – Feb 14 10 Tuesday, from 10 am – 12 pm at the 4th Avenue Bible Church Ste. Anne – Feb 8 Wednesday, from 10 am – 12 pm at the Ste. Anne Dayspring Fellowship Church Mitchell Kleefeld – Feb 9 Thursday, from 10 am - 12 pm in Village Oaks Breakfast and Social every Tuesday morning, 7:30 am - 9:00 am, except the last Tuesday of the month when the social is held Sprague – Feb 21 Tuesday, from 10 am - 12 pm in the East Borderland Primary Care Centre instead. Lunch starts at noon at the Mitchell and Area Seniors Centre. Call 326-6944 for information.

St. Pierre-Jolys – Feb 16 Thursday, from 10 am - 12 pm in the St. Pierre Health Corner, 354 Prefontaine Ave. Ste. Agathe- Feb 28 Tuesday, from 10 am - 12 pm at the Ste. Agathe Hall St. Adolphe Lorette - Feb 22 Wednesday, from 10 am – 12 pm at the Community Services Building St. Adolphe Winter Carnival – starts the Friday evening, February 3 to Sunday, February 5. Held at St. Adolphe Recreation Centre Contact: Terry from Super Start at 346-7021 or just drop in. and Arena at 345 Herbert Rd. Contact to register for 4X4 Hockey Tournament, Don Meilleur at donald.meilleur@servicecanada.gc.ca Free monthly bus trips to the casinos of Winnipeg. Join us for a fun day at the Casinos. Pick up in Steinbach at 8:30 am and at Paradise Village at approximately 9 am. Must be 18 years of age or older. Prizes and $10 cash for everyone. There will be St. Pierre-Jolys bingo on the bus. Please call Marilyn at 326-4939 for date information and to reserve your bus seat. The next scheduled trips Weigh To Go – a weight loss support group that meets every Monday starting February 6 to end of June at 6:15 pm, location are February 14 and March 13.

Health Corner DeSalaberry Hospital.

Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba – Support group meetings held on the 4th Tuesday of every month at 7 pm. Located at the Health Corner DeSalaberry Hospital. Contact Judy Dunn 444-5228.

Ste. Anne Ste. Anne soccer registration at the Elementary school canteen on Wednesday, March 7 at 6 pm and on Thursday, March 15 at 6 pm – 8 pm.

Southeast Manitoba Family Support Network meets with other families/caregivers supporting individuals living with children with special needs. Focus on caregiver health and wellness. Free instruction to relaxation and gentle exercise through Pilates with instructor Kim Koop. Invite your respite worker or extended family members who share the responsibility. Refreshments available. Monday, February 27 at 7 pm at 32057 Greenland Road, Ste. Anne.

Monday Night Bingos to raise funds for Stacey Pchajek Memorial Foundation Inc. The foundation provides scholarships, bursaries and prizes to students graduating grades 8 and 12. Children Under 14 must be accompanied by an adult to be on premises and must play bingo. Doors Open at 5:30 pm at the Seine River Banquet Centre 80 Arena Rd. MGCC License # BI/ BO4164. Contact Doreen Pchajek at 204-422-5243 or email doreen@spmf.ca.

Steinbach Steinbach 10th Winter Carnival – TG Smith Centre 321 Elmdale St., Saturday, February 4 from 10 am - 3 pm Sweetheart Steak and Bake Valentine Event – Saturday, February 11 from 6 pm - 9 pm at the Steinbach United Church CE Hall, 541 Main St. The Master Gardner Program – Open to any one and taught by qualified horticulturists. Located at the Eastman Educational Centre. Registration due by February 6. Classes start February 11 from 8 am - 9 am. Contact Mary or Tanya at the Assiniboine Community College.

Landscaping with a Personal Touch – Certified Horticulturist. $5 admission for non-members, on February 13 at the Mennonite Heritage Village Steinbach, Hwy 12N from 7 pm - 9 pm.

Two day Workshop on Suicide Intervention and Prevention put on by ASIST from Wednesday, February 8 to Thursday, February 9. From 8:30 am - 4:30 pm at the EMC 422 Main St. Registration is $100. To register call Lori at 346-7041 Seniors (60 +) Shinny Drop-in Hockey every Monday from 10 am -11 am at Centennial Arena. Contact Bob Barrow at 3923596 or email bob.r.barrow@gmail.com.

The Steinbach Rotary Club meets every Monday at noon at the Brass Lantern Restaurant, 145 Main Street. Contact Cornie at 326-3155.

Winter Fitness Classes at Steinbach 55 Plus for adults of all ages from January 5 ending April 5 on Mondays & Thursdays from 9:30 am - 10:30 am. Instructor Christel Flaming. Payment options for 25 classes is $75 members, $80 non-member or $4 walkins. Contact: Maggie at 320-4600 or email ssinc@mymts.net.

Ste. Anne Students Help Orphanage and School

By Marianne Curtis

Twenty-six students and nine volunteers from Pointedes-Chênes School in Ste. Anne are looking at hosting a fundraiser to raise money for a very special humanitarian project.

Joanne Brunel, a teacher involved with the project, explained that the group will be going to the Dominican Republic March 18 to 25.

“The students will have the opportunity to work in the orphanage Casa Alberque de Martina in Puerto Plata as well as in a school located in Sosua,” Brunel explained.

“Both these organizations receive no funding from their government. They operate under donations, kindness and the generosity of others.”

To help make this trip successful the students have been fund raising by holding bottle drives, selling Sobeys’ gift cards, hosting a social evening for young adolescents as well as having a volleyball tournament.

Now they are hosting a Bud, Spud and Steak Evening which will be held on March 3 at the Frantz Motor Inn. The evening has two sittings either 5-7 pm or 7-9 pm.

There will be a Silent Auction as well as desserts. All tickets

La Broquerie Extends Bylaw Contract The RM of La Broquerie has decided to extend its contract

Country and Pattern Dance Lessons at Steinbach 55 plus for adults of all ages starting January 19 and ending March 6. Sessions with Prairie Bylaw Enforcement. are from 8 pm - 10 pm. Instructor Sandi & Jerry Dion. Cost $84 member or $96 non-member per couple. Beginner & intermediate For the past few months the municipality has hired the classes offered. Registration deadline January 12. Contact: Maggie at 320-4600 or email ssinc@mymts.net. company on a trial basis. The program has been such a success

the municipality recently agreed to extend its contract on a

The Manitoba FASD Centre will be holding Building Circles of Support for parents of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder 2-day a week basis for the remainder of 2012.

(FASD) in the Summit room at Bethesda Hospital. Every Tuesday from 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm ending February 28. Information series At the end of December the municipality evaluated the for parents, caregivers, other family members and professionals who support children recently seen or diagnosed at the program and found that the impact versus cost was proving Manitoba FASD centre. Different topic each week. Contact Jean at 346-7039.

to be positive.

Information and support sessions for family and friends of people with mental health issues are held the 2nd Tuesday of every Under the contract, Prairie Bylaw Enforcement patrols month from 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm at the Eden East building, 21 Loewen Blvd. Contact Kim at 371-0824 or email eastmanmss@mts.net. the area any two days of the week and ensures that residents

are complying with municipal regulations during

Monthly Self-Help group meeting for people living with multiple sclerosis. The group meets on the second Thursday evening construction, enforcing the municipality’s unsightly premises of each month from 6 pm - 7 pm at Fernwood Place apartments. Contact: Nadine Konyk, Rural Client Services Coordinator at bylaw and issuing cleanup orders.

1-800-268-7582 or email nadine.konyk@mssociety.ca.

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Former Kleefeld Teacher Faces Sex Charges A Hanover School Division teacher that used to teach in Kleefeld School has been charged with sexual assault in Saskatchewan.

On December 16, 52-year-old Klaus B. Froese was arrested and charged with a charge of sexual assault in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

The Swift Current Municipal RCMP Detachment launched an investigation at the beginning of December after receiving a complaint he allegedly assaulted a 13-year-old girl. Several interviews were conducted over the following week to gather more information and to determine if there were grounds to lay a charge. He had worked until recently at O.M. Irwin Middle School, part of the Chinook School Division in Saskatchewan.

The accused was released on several conditions, including not to contact the victim or any witnesses and not to attend to any school, pool, playground, or other areas where children under the age of 18 normally attend.

A publication ban is expected on the first court appearance due to the age of the victim.

The suspect’s first court appearance will be on February 15 in Provincial Court in Swift Current.

Froese was a teacher for Kleefeld School, in the Hanover School Division, years ago. Staff there said Froese worked there prior to 2000.

are $15 with all proceeds going directly toward projects that will benefit the orphanage and school.

The money raised is going toward helping with health and dental insurance for the girls at the orphanage, planting of gardens, construction materials, equipment for play structures and kitchen equipment.

For more information or to purchase tickets contact Joanne Brunell at 422-5505.

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February 2012

Keeping Records for Your Taxes

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Before we review the records you need to keep for Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), here are a couple of new non-refundable tax credits for the 2011 tax year: The Children’s Art Tax Credit is new and covers a lot of what the Children’s Fitness Tax Credit doesn’t: music lessons, cadets or scouts, any arts programs, etc; up to $500 per child. Find those receipts now!

Volunteer Fire Fighters Tax Credit – claim $3,000 if you had more than 200 hours of service in 2011 (including responding to calls, training, and meetings). A certification from a fire chief may be requested by CRA to verify the number of hours of eligible volunteer firefighter services you performed for the department. (Fire Chiefs: get this information ready and keep track of the hours of your volunteers!) The credit of $3,000 could lower your taxes payable by $450.

As a volunteer firefighter, you may be eligible for an income exemption of up to $1,000 if you received a payment for carrying out volunteer firefighter duties. If you choose to claim this exemption, you will not be eligible for the new Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit.

When you have your taxes done, figure out which one is better for you!

Now that you are up to date with what’s new, let’s get to records you need to keep for your taxes.

Most tax payers don’t need to keep a lot of paperwork; most people get their required tax slips from various employers, pensions, and banks and credit unions.

Medical expenses are the most common type of records tax payers need to be aware of. In order to claim the Medical Expense Credit (remember it’s non-refundable and doesn’t help those who are not paying federal or provincial taxes), you need receipts to back up your claim.

The normal items are medical receipts like prescriptions, dental, chiropractor and the like. The ones that you need to keep good records of is the medical travel. You need to keep track of appointments that were more than 40 km away from your home and you couldn’t get that service closer.

Keep your 2011 calendar where you record everything and highlight the medical appointments you had. If you have already discarded your calendar, you can contact the medical offices for a list of appointments you had. Or you can contact Manitoba Health and they will send out a list of appointments they have on record (that’s how they keep track of all the healthcare services they are paying for!).

Keep your parking receipts, or if you didn’t get a receipt, make a note of how much you paid and the date and location.

If you paid someone to drive for you (and the doctor gives you a note requiring it), you can claim what you paid them (of course they need to claim the income).

If you travel more than 80km you can claim one meal (actual receipt or simplified at $17). And you can claim accommodations if you stay in a hotel.

Also remember to claim Health Care Premiums you paid via your employer or pension. Check your paystub for the end of December to see how much you paid for the year. And remember any Travel Health Insurance you paid for. You can claim all these premiums you paid.

Charities normally send out a receipt and that is all you need. But some clients recently have been asked by CRA for proof of payment for some larger donations. So if a donation is $500 or more, you may want to keep the cancelled cheque or credit card statement too in case CRA asks for it.

Other receipts you need to keep on file are for Child Care expenses, employment expenses (if you are eligible), Children’s Fitness expenses (up to $500 per child), moving expenses (if you moved more than 40km to be closer to work, or have a new job), Public Transit passes and receipts, Adoption expenses, Trades Person’s Tools, Student Loan Interest, Tuition paid (T2202 issued by the education institutions).

If you purchased something that will be subject to capital gains in the future, you better keep that info too: Land, Rental Property, Shares or Mutual Funds (not in a registered account). You also need to keep track of items that were given to you to as a gift or because of an inheritance. You better have it on paper what it was worth at the time you received it.

Do you pay for part of your disability insurance through work? Then keep your pay stubs every year (the last one of the year often has the total). If you should become disabled and claim the taxable disability income, you get to deduct what you paid for it over the years. Some employers can figure this out for you, but I had one client we revised some previous tax returns and saved her a lot of money, but only because she had kept her pay stubs for many years! It can be worth keeping some of these records! I always recommend keeping at least the final pay stub of the year for these reasons.

Are you or have you been considered Common-Law? There are times you may need to prove it. So I recommend always keeping your December statements (bank, credit card, etc) so you always have proof of where you lived as at December every year.

If you have any questions about these or other tax items, please feel free to contact me!

Canada Revenue Agency opens their personal income tax e-filing system on February 13. I look forward to seeing many of you, my faithful readers, soon!

Anni Markmann is a financial advisor and tax professional working, living, and volunteering in our community. Contact her at 422-6631 or annimarkmann@mymts.net or the new location at 36 Dawson Road in Ste. Anne.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

More Than Just News!

February 2012

21

Antique Culvert Finds Home The RM of Stuartburn council is pleased to have found a good home for a piece of history that was discovered buried beneath one of the municipality’s roads a couple of years ago.

About four years ago the RM of Stuartburn was doing some ditching near Caliento, including replacing existing culverts with new ones. While excavating near the corner of 46E and 9N near the old CN bridge, the municipal excavator made a unique discovery.

Instead of a traditional metal culvert or even a homemade one made of drums welded together, excavators discovered a well made antique oak culvert held together with steel rings.

Jennifer Blatz, RM of Stuartburn’s acting administrator, said that the discovery was unique enough that the municipality did some research into the rare find. She discovered that it had been buried in or around 1905.

While the RM of Stuartburn had no use or place for the culvert, they were positive someone would want the piece

Local Journey for Sight Cancelled this Year

The Mayor of Emerson is the new owner of this piece of history found in the RM of Stuartburn.

of history. A public appeal was made and the Mayor of Emerson has stepped forward to claim the piece. A smaller portion is also on display in the Morris Museum.

Used Books Needed for Resuscitation Unit

By Marianne Curtis The women from the Bethesda Health Care Auxiliary are once again looking for the public’s help in making their annual spring book sale another success.

Over the past several years the organization has collected thousands of books and other reading materials for resale. Money raised during the four day book sale is earmarked for special purchases that benefit the Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach.

The Bethesda Auxiliary Book sale is scheduled to take place from March 21 to 24 at the Clearspring Centre in Steinbach.

To ensure the continued success of the sale donations from the public are needed.

Verna Thiessen, from the Bethesda Auxiliary, said that donations of books, records, tapes, magazines, puzzles, and games will be gratefully accepted until the week of the sale. While most types of reading material will be accepted, the group can not accept encyclopedias, weekly magazines, videos, DVDs and Condensed Readers Digests.

Donations can be brought to the Clearspring Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9:30 am and 4:30 pm. The drop-off location is in the mall in the former SAAN Stores location. There is also a drop off bin outside Sobey’s, which is also in the mall.

Funds raised during the sale will go towards the purchase of a resuscitation unit for Bethesda Hospital’s recovery unit. The resuscitation unit is expected to cost about $40,000.

“The recovery room will no longer have to share this important piece of equipment with the emergency room,” Thiessen added. “Not only do we benefit from an improved facility but we also know that literacy improves the health of individuals by enabling them to find better jobs and improve their quality of life.”

Over the years the Bethesda Hospital Auxiliary has hosted several successful sales which have raised over $148,000.

Volunteers wishing to help with the book sale are also encouraged to contact Verna Thiessen at 326-3028.

After years of successfully running, the Lions Eye Bank annual Journey for Sight it was cancelled this year.

Traditionally, the annual event is held in the middle of January.

Members of the Steinbach Lions Club are joined by snowmobile riders from other groups with the purpose of raising funds for the Lions Eye Bank.

Local organizer Sam Slobodesky said that they called off the southeast portion of the ride due to both the lack of snow and lack of riders.

“We are still collecting pledges if people want to give, because the fundraiser is still going on, we are just not participating in the actual ride,” Slobodesky stated.

It is a huge disappointment for the local organization, which manages to raise about $20,000 each winter during the trip.

“We are hoping we can still put enough pleas out to everyone who wants to support us and give pledges even though we are not going to do the ride this year,” Slobodesky added.

Each year about a dozen riders take to the trails starting in Moose Lake, and travel through various communities in the southeast to eventually end up in On January 1, the Steinbach RCMP were dispatched to a report of a break and Brandon for a celebratory banquet and enter at the Southwood School in Steinbach. awards ceremony.

Throughout the investigation police determined that a single male suspect entered the school by using a hammer to break the door window. At the time of the break and enter nothing was taken.

Video surveillance was obtained from the school grounds providing a description of the suspect.

The Steinbach RCMP are asking for the assistance of the public in identifying this suspect. He is described as Caucasian, approximately 5’10" tall, wearing a large dark colored winter parka with fur around the hood, large green winter rubber boots, a hoodie and a touque. The hammer used appears to have either a pink or red colored handle.

The Steinbach RCMP believe that the suspect is also believed to be responsible for the break and enter to the St Paul’s church on Henry Street and the Christian Fellowship Church on Hanover Street, both in Steinbach.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at 326-4452 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).

Southwood School Break and Enter

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February 2012

God’s Armour Protects us from Unseen Evil Spirits Ephesians 6:10-13. 10) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11) Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes, 12) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (NIV 1984) Our struggle is not against flesh and blood: What does that mean? As new Christians it did not take very long for our faith to be challenged by some unseen forces, forces that did not have bodies; evil spirits that attacked our faith. We experienced its affects in our thinking and in our actions. At times I ignored the challenge from this unseen spirit. My lack of Biblical knowledge and my ignorance of the strength and tricks of the adversary was overwhelming. I soon realized I was in need of spiritual help.

The Bible teaches that the battle is not ours. Did I say that right? Yes! I did! Scripture teaches that the struggle with those evil spirits belongs to the Lord. However, the Bible also teaches that I have a responsibility as well. I am to put on something akin to a bullet proof vest, the whole Armour of God, which He made available to us. As a Christian it is my responsibility to wrap myself in the protective armour of God; thereby consciously fitting me with the power the Lord Jesus Christ has made available to us. We are to be strong in our faith, strong in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must pay attention to what Scripture teaches so that we can cultivate our relationship with Him. This enables us to function in the strength of Christ. We realize that if we want this power from Christ we must understand that He and He only empowers us to be victorious.

There are folks who have told me that they do not believe that evil spirits exist. Their thinking is that there is no God, so how can there be evil spirits? But you and I know that we are being challenged every day.

In fact, our faith in Christ is being challenged at numerous times and in various ways throughout each day. “Where does this challenge come from?” Satan is not sitting at rest in some lazy chair waiting for me to mess-up. He has a plan to make sure that I mess-up. I believe that he is evil and in due course his evil schemes will attack those of us who have a living relationship with Jesus Christ. He goes about his work with a well thought-out plan to discourage you and me so that he can frustrate every endeavour, every attempt to further the Gospel of Christ. He is an intelligent being. He is totally evil. He is well organized. He will stop at nothing to destroy and kill the faith that we have in a living God. Our Scripture text invites us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. So that when we are attacked, we will be able to stand in the power of the Holy Spirit, being aware that only God through the Holy Spirit living in us is able to empower us. We must understand that we dare not fight Satan with weapons that we might think will be powerful enough to defeat him. Our Scripture text says that we must clothe ourselves with God’s weapons; truth, decency, righteousness, honesty, the Gospel, salvation, faith grounded in Jesus Christ and allowing the sword of the Holy Spirit to penetrate the very depth of our soul so that we will not be deceived by the devil’s evil methods.

It takes courage to engage in the battle of faith realizing that our enemy, Satan, is prepared and dangerous. However, we have a more powerful force fighting on our side … the Lord’s army. We have the opportunity to lift our prayers in strength. I must admit that often my own prayer practice is to pray only when I am being crushed with the things of this world. I understand that a daily prayer life is one of the most important ways of communicating our struggles and needs to God. As the army of God’s people on earth; in churches, in their homes, on their knees, as the prayers of God’s people go up to heaven the shout of victory can be heard. To God be the glory great things He has done.

Would you pray this prayer with me? “Lord Jesus, come into my heart.

Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have the peace in my heart that I yearn for. I really want that peace, joy and happiness that fulfills my heart’s desire.

Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will honor Your Name. Amen.”

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

February 2012

23

Springfield Moves Past Tetrault Youth Job Centre Co-ordinator Wanted in Niverville

By Marianne Curtis The town of Niverville council hopes to hire a new office manager for the Niverville’s Manitoba Youth Job Centre for the upcoming summer.

The new office manager of the Manitoba Youth Job Center in Niverville would co-ordinate activities to assist students and employers with finding summer employment.

The program is sponsored by Manitoba Education and Citizenship and Youth and is in partnership with the Niverville Town Office. It is specifically designed to help students and youth aged 12 to 29 with their employment needs, as well as assisting employers fill vacant positions.

On average, about 75 students use the service each summer and many continued their jobs into the following year. As well, each year at least 50 employers are looking to fill numerous positions, including waitresses, cashiers, child caretakers, and mechanics.

The Niverville Manitoba Youth Job Centre offers services to the communities of Glenlea, Grande Pointe, Ile-des-Chênes, Landmark, Lorette, New Bothwell, Niverville, and St. Adolphe.

The Manitoba Youth Job Center in Niverville will operate out of the Town of Niverville office. The office manager will be required to work directly with the public and clients serviced by the MYJC and maintain a positive community image for both the MYJC and young people. Term of Employment is 15 weeks (May to mid-August).

Applicant must be a current, full-time student at a post-secondary institution, planning to return to studies in the fall of 2012, must hold a valid driver’s license and have access to a vehicle and must be available to begin employment the first week of May to attend a 4-day training event in Winnipeg. Applications are due Friday, February 24. The Town of Niverville is accepting applications with a resume at Town of Niverville, Box 267, Niverville, Manitoba, R0A 1E0 or email Audrey.Neufeld@whereyoubelong.ca. Only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.

After a few months of controversy and upheaval, the RM of Springfield is standing by their original decision to accept former CAO Larry Tetrault’s resignation.

Tetrault took a leave of absence prior to the fall municipal election so that he could run for the PC party in the Dawson Trail Riding. After he lost his bid to MLA Ron Lemieux he attempted to return to his job in the municipality. However, a heated debate took place and Tetrault tendered his resignation effective immediately.

Soon afterward, three members of council voted to rehire him as administrator while the reeve and remaining council members were absent from the table. That decision was rejected as invalid because there was no quorum of council at the time of the vote.

RM of Springfield Reeve Jim McCarthy said that as far as the process goes, Tetrault will not be rehired by the municipality.

“We are working on advertising the position and that will happen during January and we will have a new administrator hired within the next few months,” stated McCarthy.

Bus Driver Charged in Accident A forty-year old school bus driver from Winnipeg has been charged after a 3-vehicle collision that took place back in November.

The accident which took place November 24 in Dufresne involved a school bus and two pickup trucks at the intersection of the Trans Canada Hwy and Hwy 207. According to police the school bus was hit by both eastbound vehicles while it was attempting to cross the Trans Canada Hwy southbound. There were no children on the school bus.

St. Pierre RCMP have charged the school bus driver with ‘Proceeding Before Safe To Do So’. Her name was not released.

The bus is owned and the driver is employed by First Student Canada, formerly known as King Transportation, but under contract by the Division Scolaire Franco-Manitobaine (DSFM).

Steinbach Prepares for Newcomer Fair

The driver of this school bus has been charged after it was involved in a three vehicle collision along the Trans Canada Hwy.

Steinbach Smitty’s Restaurant Break & Enter

By Marianne Curtis On February 28, immigrants and newcomers alike are invited to the third annual Immigrant and Newcomer Employment Fair.

Eastman Immigrant Services, along with the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce, is hosting the one day event at Steinbach 55 Plus which is expected to connect those seeking employment with perspective employers.

There will be an employer information session with a speaker panel that consists of various employers who will speak on topics related to employer expectations.

The second part is an employment fair where job-seekers can converse with local employers that are hiring, apply for available positions and submit their resumes.

Prospective employers at the fair include the Hanover School Division, Steve’s Livestock, Sawney Beans, enVision Community Living, Steinbach Chamber, Best Way Lawn Care & Services, Canadian Tire, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc, Hylife Ltd., Ste. Anne Co-op, Canada Safeway, Palm Lite Electric, Service Canada, and Employment Manitoba.

The Immigrant and Newcomer Employment Fair starts at 6:30 pm.

Pre-registration is required and space is limited. To either register as a guest or as an employer call 3265159.

On January 7 around 2:50 am a male suspect broke into Smitty’s Restaurant in Steinbach by prying open the north side door. The suspect was seen inside the servery area rummaging through a drawer. The suspect then fled the business in what appears to be a light colored minivan. The suspect is described as wearing light grey color pants, a winter jacket with three different color tones of grey, light blue and dark blue. The suspect was also wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a white toque.

Police are asking for the public’s assistance in locating the suspect (s) responsible for this break and enter. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP at (204) 326-4452 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or www.manitobacrmestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).

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February 2012

More Than Just News!

Dawson Trail Dispatch