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Manitoba marks a milestone – 150 years since entering confederation! Dorothy Dobbie “I know that through the grace of God I am the founder of Manitoba.” – Louis Riel, July, 1885, 15 years after Manitoba entered Confederation.

he year 2020 marks a big milestone in Manitoba’s history. It will be 150 years since Manitoba became the fifth province of Canada. Most Manitobans do not know their history and while there is not enough room here to tell it well, the Coles notes version follows. How can we properly celebrate what we don’t know or understand? Today, it is widely acknowledged that without Louis Riel and his determination to protect the Metis way of life, Manitoba’s entry into Canada would have lagged for many years. Until 1868, the Hudson Bay Company owned the territory known as Rupert’s Land which had been granted by King Charles II, in 1670 to his cousin Prince Rupert of Rhine. This vast area included all of

Portage and Main in Winnipeg 1872 showing settlers leaving for western Manitoba. Manitoba, most of Saskatchewan, southern Alberta, southern Nunavut, and northern parts of Ontario and Quebec. The charter included parts of Minnesota, North Dakota and bits of Montana and South Dakota although the Hudson Bay Company’s accepted territory at time ended at the 49th parallel. In 1867, the same year as Canadian Confederation,

Five wishes for rebranding Manitoba in this 150th year of Confederation Dorothy Dobbie

1. Change our story. It is time for Manitobans to drop the negatives. Forget the cold, mosquito infested, pothole ridden, down trodden wilderness. Start talking about the sunny days, the lazy summers, the boundless lakes, the green elm canopy, the prosperous little towns that hide explosive and understated world class industries: Crown Royal (Gimli); HiLife (LaBroquerie); Bothwell Cheese (New Bothwell); Friesen Press (Altona); Polar Bears (Churchill); Portage Mutual Insurance (Portage La Prairie); fire-

trucks (Wawanesa); buses and farm equipment (Winnipeg); to name just a handful . . . 2. Tell our story. Do a complete revamp of every scrap of paper, every brochure, every publication, every video that we currently use to promote Manitoba. Have this material re-written by story tellers, magazine publishers, book writers instead of public relations gurus. Stop trying to be Newfoundland and find our own voice in video, television, radio and on the Internet and social media. This is not a job for an advertising agency. Express it using the talents and ingeu 5 ‘Rebranding Manitoba'

the United State purchased Alaska from Russia. This prompted the Prime Minister of the new Dominion of Canada, John A. Macdonald, to enlist the help of Britain in purchasing the territory for Canada. Macdonald was worried that the US would attempt to fulfil its vision of “manifest destiny” and take over the vast northwest. By the time of the sale of Rupert’s Land to Canada, the Red River Valley had long been the home of the Metis people, the descendants of intermarriage between voyageurs and local Indigenous people who had occupied the area for a couple of hundred years. They hunted buffalo, traded furs and many worked for the North West Company, headquartered in Montreal and competing with the Hudson Bay over the fur trade. In 1812, the first group of Lord Selkirk’s settlers came to the territory and settled at and near Winnipeg. They would have all died the very first year without the help of Chief Peguis, a Saultaux leader, who rescued them from starvation and cold. Neither the Metis nor the Northwest Company were happy to see the lands settled, disrupting hunting and trading, but the settlers u 5 ‘Manitoba marks a milestone'

Encounters with a snow leopard Dr. Robert E. Wrigley The following is an excerpt from Robert Wrigley’s upcoming book, Chasing Nature: An Ecologist’s Lifetime of Adventures and Observations. This excerpt was carried recently in his high school newsletter.

Robert and Dmitri enjoying each other’s company. (Photo by Darlene Stack).

My favourite animal One question I was asked repeatedly while giving curator talks or leading tours at the Assiniboine Park Zoo was, “What is your favourite animal?” Without a doubt, my choice was the snow leopard, and in particular, our magnificent male, Dmitri. He was an exceptional animal both physi-

cally and in his aristocratic mannerisms. Built for power, leaping and speed, he moved with the grace of a fast-flowing stream, never suffering an awkward step or momentary loss of balance. His regal persona stopped visitors in their tracks, and the intensity of his glare was arresting, capable u 15 ‘Snow leopard'

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Follow us online at: whatsupwinnipeg.ca Facebook: Lifestyles55 Twitter: @Lifestyles55 PUBLISHER Pegasus Publications Inc. DESIGN Cottonwood Publishing Services EDITOR Dorothy Dobbie dorothy@pegasuspublications.net EDITOR Emeritus Joan Cohen ART DIRECTOR Karl Thomsen karl@pegasuspublications.net GENERAL MANAGER Ian Leatt ian.leatt@pegasuspublications.net CONTRIBUTORS Dr. Gillian Aldous, Tom Dercola, Dorothy Dobbie, Hon. Myrna Driedger, John Einarson, Helen Harper, Jim Ingebrigtsen, Aengus Kane, Ian Leatt, Marty Morantz, Fred Morris, Jim Pappas, Manitoba Seniors Coalition, Manitoba Association of Senior Centres, Marshall Posner, Trudy Schroeder, Elly Spencer, Michael Stephenson, Krystal Stokes, Wayne Weedon, Winnipeg Police Force, Nathan Zassman. ADVERTISING 1-888-680-2008 info@pegasuspublications.net SUBSCRIPTIONS If you would like to receive Lifestyles 55, we offer both monthly newspaper and online formats. To place your order, call 204-940-2700. Subscriptions are $48.00 per year, plus tax. American Express, MasterCard, Visa & cheque accepted. To view a back issue online visit lifestyles55.net Published monthly by: Pegasus Publications Inc. Madison Square Suite 300 – 1600 Ness Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3J 3W7 204-940-2700 lifestyles55.net DISTRIBUTION Available at over 100 locations from Winnipeg, Brandon, Steinbach, Morden, Selkirk, Flin Flon and The Pas. If you would like bulk copies of this publication, contact Ian Leatt at (204) 940-2707 or ian.leatt@ pegasuspublications.net. EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Call Dorothy Dobbie at (204) 940-2716 or email dorothy@pegasuspublications.net for more information and guidelines. Any opinions expressed in columns by our contributors are their own opinions entirely and are not necessarily shared by Pegasus Publications Inc. All information presented by the contributors is the responsibility of the writers. Lifestyles 55 is published monthly. Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without seeking permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright Pegasus Publications Inc.

Leadership is about more than a good plan

Many leaders are done in by their inability to recognize the poisoners in their system.

his has been a very political year with scandals, elections and now a leadership campaign in the offing. All this has me thinking back on my days as a member of Parliament and the role of leadership and how that role affects others. Most of us think of political leaders from an emotional perspective – do we like him or her? Can we relate to them? But really, political leaders are very far removed from your everyday life and what he or she does affects you in an impersonal way. In spite of this, many of us feel their actions as if they were directed at us individually and those actions can create emotional reactions in us. Think of the impact then, if you are part of the elected team of people that surrounds the leader. Because politics is so compellingly personal, every glance, ever nuanced word, or worse, no word at all, has a profound effect on each individual, especially those who are Dorothy young and impressionable or socially insecure in the first place. An encouraging word from the leader can send an elected member into a state of near euphoria. A careless or critical word can plunge them into despair. Being ignored creates a gnawing anxiety. Being lectured by a third party in the name of a leader creates anger and resentment. All of these states prevail for only so long. If not soon relieved, disillusionment eventually sets in. Rumblings of discontent begin to bubble to the surface. Sooner or later, real problems erupt within the circle. Sometimes a person will leave the caucus. Sometimes, he or she may resign all together. Sometimes, the public becomes involved if the disillusioned one is spiteful or wants revenge. This can spell disaster for a government. We can all see somewhat recent evidence of the truth here. In the Selinger government, not one but five MLAs broke ranks and tried to replace their leader. In the last Trudeau government, several members crossed the floor and two resorted to a public quarrel with their leader. This spelled the beginning-of-the-end for both and although Trudeau was re-elected, it was with a very reduced caucus in a minority government. Now we see Andrew Scheer given short shrift, not because he lost the election, but because of his style of leadership, according to some behind the scenes. This happened even though his caucus continues to support him. So what contributes to this erosion of trust in our leaders internally? Why do some leaders expose themselves through the way they lead to this very real danger? The answers are complex. Even so, the ultimate answer is often a flaw in the leader’s personality: it may be due to a self-image that leads them to be ungenerous with sharing limelight. It could come from an innate fear and insecurity, or adversely, an overweening ego. Sometimes it is due to a sense of entitlement or personal arrogance. Any of these can affect the capacity to lead effectively. The leader may be a brilliant tactician, may have a clear vision for the end goal, and have many other fine leadership qualities. But if those personal skills are lacking, the end result will always be sad. The best leaders have enough self-confidence to trust others but understand that this does not mean they can abrogate the personal responsibilities to others. Good leaders talk to

their members, know what is happening to them personally, express empathy, and never send a messenger to correct the member if he or she is doing something the leader does not like. Weak leaders are also subject to manipulation by self-interested personnel around them. These narcissists collect around leaders like flies around honey. These are the professional whisperers – those who cast doubts on the character and personality of anyone they see as a threat to their own tiny kingdoms. In politics, that word can be very slight, just a little comment here or there, questioning loyalty or motive. Insecure leaders listen and adapt these doubts as their own. These are the same leaders who are most susceptible to flattery from these professional whisperers. This manifests as trust in the flatterer followed by a bitter word to the member or some sly innuendo about Dobbie the loyalty of the member by the leader. Sometimes the leader just plain shuns and ignores the slandered member, passing them over for preferment or even removing them from a coveted position. To shore up their kingdom, the sycophant sees that a few weak and harmless individuals are brought into favour, while the capable and once loyal members are gradually weeded out from the herd and relegated to the sidelines. Often these sidelined members are the ones that had the guts to stand up and say nay, who give strong and reliable advice – and who are quick to sniff out the flattering sycophants. By now, the leader will be isolated (for his own good, of course) so that very few have access to him or her unless the sycophant gives the signal. The sycophantic flatterers don’t stop by destroying competing members. Their ultimate goal is the leader himself. I have seen leaders publicly misstate the truth and unknowingly damage themselves and their own credibility because the sycophant has lied to them for whatever reason. If caught out, it is never the sycophant’s fault, of course. Strong leaders know all this. They despise butt kissers. They slough off the snide whispers or, at the very least, accost the maligned individual and ask for an explanation, an action which usually clears up the problem immediately. Strong leaders don’t allow themselves to be herded into an isolated corner. They seek out advice from outsides, look for opportunities to meet with their members, widen their circle to double check everything they are told. Hopefully, this knowledge may shed some light on your own situation even if you are not an elected member because these “political” events are practised in many work places, too. The take away? Leaders are just human beings. The really good ones are few and far between and if you find one, cherish him or her. As for how to deal with those who don’t measure up? Do what a strong leader would do. Accost him. Ask what you’ve done to offend him and how to fix it. This usually clears the air – until the next time, at least. If you are a leader reading this, do some introspection and ask yourself if any of this applies to you. If it does, take the time to fix it. Before they start looking for a new leader.

There’s a New Kid in Town! Do you want to be a part of a growing success? Lifestyles 55’s goal is to reach all corners of our communities! We are looking for advertising superstars in every town. Can you help continue the growth of our publication? Do you want to be able to help spread the word, share stories, help business in your community continue to succeed? Drop me a line or call directly, I am looking forward to chatting with you all. Ian. (204) 940 2707 ian.leatt@pegasuspublications.net January 2020

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January 2020

Manitoba marks a milestone – 150 years since entering confederation! Continued from page 1

survived and people kept coming. Tensions came to a head in 1816 over the control of pemmican, a vital staple for both the traders and the settlers. Known as the Seven Oak Massacre, 21 settlers, including Governor Semple, were killed. This was the most famous dispute over the territory but relations between the Metis who were largely engaged in the fur trade and the new farmer settlers continued to be strained over the next 60 years. Yet farms were built on lands that the settlers shared with their Indigenous allies, the signatories to the treaty signed with Lord Selkirk by Chief Peguis and four other chiefs. Peguis and the other chiefs saw the treaty as a way to set out rules for sharing the land. The British and later Canada saw the treaty as providing the newcomers with dominion over the land. This would have repercussions that are still being dealt with today. The Metis, who by this time had a well-established community which included the first St. Boniface Cathedral built in 1858, understood that their best hope lay in trying to set some terms with Canada. They were concerned about losing of their Catholic religion and their French language and their way of life. In 1869, Riel and the Me-

Louis Riel.

Winnipeg’s Main Street south in 1900.

tis seized Fort Garry and declared their own provisional government to negotiate Manitoba’s entry into confederation to ensure that their rights were protected. This instigated a dispute with some Ontario protestant settlers that resulted in the arrest, trial and execution by firing squad of one Thomas Scott. In spite of this, the Manitoba Act was passed on May 12, 1870, but needless to say, Riel was now a wanted man and even though he was elected to Parliament after confederation in 1870, he was not allowed to take his seat for fear of being arrested. Rumour has it though that he snuck in during the night and did just that, albeit only momentarily. These years were followed by many broken promises to the Metis and In-

digenous people, promises we are still trying to repair today, but the growth of settler population was mercurial. In 1870, our then postage-stamp-sized province held just 12,000 people. Eleven years later, that had swelled to 66,000. Twenty years later, the population exceeded a quarter of a million and by 1911 it was 450,000. Winnipeg was the country’s third largest city. In spite of our troubled beginning and maybe even because of it, Manitoba has developed a personality that is open to newcomers and still husbands a rebellious spirit of enterprise and ingenuity that has made many contributions to the world. Our people have excelled in countless fields starting with agriculture, much of

our early knowledge gained from our Indigenous population. Manitobans led the way in the development of numerous improved plants to help feed the planet. Because we were isolated, we had to be ingenious. Old world expertise was applied to many New World industrial needs that saw us pioneering the aviation and even the aerospace industries. Our manufacturing plants fed and clothed the West: we excelled in food production, garment making, equipment and automotive production, printing and publishing, steel and cement making, millwork and stone work, education and innovation and many other pursuits for many years. We produced outstanding medical scientists and doctors. We developed world class artists and renowned performance companies in theatre, dance and music, even making a huge mark on the rock ‘n’ roll world as late as the 1960s. After a time of stagnation, Manitoba is now ready once again to tackle the world. This celebratory year of 2020 marks the beginning of the next 150 years and as Premier Pallister so likes to say, “The only thing better than today in Manitoba, is tomorrow in Manitoba!”

Five wishes for rebranding Manitoba Continued from page 1

nuity of our local artists from every arts discipline. 3. Celebrate our successes and our people. Applaud our people – past, present and developing for their energy, creativity, innovation and courage. Celebrate the great successes and bring to life the emerging stories. Use our plurality of voices which mingle into a harmonious hum in our province. Talk about our celebrated arts and cultural industries, our stars, our innovators, our scientists and doctors, our inven-

tors. Our magical, beautiful places filled with spirit of Manitou and the first peoples who understood the mystery of this land. Talk about our vast northern plain in the Carrot Valley where the rich, black topsoil is 16 feet deep; about our extraordinary mineral resources, gifted to us to make lives better as we learn how to use the richness of this planet in a benign way. 4. Get the story out there. Launch both an internal and external campaign with the newly minted materials. Get all

our current marketing agencies together to build a giant list that we can merge, purge and use to target our stories. Talk to Manitobans. Give them the help they need in articulating how they feel about this wonderful place. Tell our stories over and over again locally and abroad. Trust our people to be our personal but unofficial ambassadors, to take our stories (as they do our Hub magazine) to the far-flung reaches of the world. 5. Show up like big boys on the International scene. Go prepared with

our heads full of information, the ability and confidence to make decisions and the determination to follow up when we talk trade. Arm our politicians with the best advice we can buy, and support them with knowledgeable, sophisticated people at their side. It’s all about posture in that world. Dorothy Dobbie is the publisher of Lifestyles55 in Manitoba. She believes we can do anything in our province if we just do it. “We don’t need anyone’s permission! Just do it!”

Predicting a top story for 2020 Fred Morris

s a political analyst, I like to predict what issues will suddenly emerge, dominate the news cycle and make politicians uncomfortable. In 2019, SNC Lavalin was the issue. What issue will suddenly dominate the 2020 news cycle? It will be a City and Manitoba issue. The iconic St. James Civic Centre opened on Jan. 22, 1966. On Oct. 24, 2019, Winnipeg City Council adopted an administrative report entitled the St. James Civic Centre Facility Renewal and Expansion Project. The $10.073 million project calls for bringing the building up to standard for the mechanical, electrical, HVAC, and foundation issues. This is the renewal. The facility will have to close for about 12 months. After April 1, 2020, The Civic Centre is not accepting any bookings. The long promised relocation of the St. James Assiniboia 55+ Centre to the Civic Centre is the expansion. The cost of the expansion is an additional $14 M-plus. The entire project will cost just over $24 M. The expansion is referred to as a "future project”. Really! For almost a decade, the Civic Centre Senior Centre has been promised by politicians, including finance minister Scott Fielding and Winnipeg's finance chair Scott Gillingham. During FieldJanuary 2020

ing's 2010 City Council re-election campaign, he promised funding for a new 55+ Center. In a September 23, 2010, Community Metro article, the proposed (opened in 2012) new Sturgeon Heights Community Club was rumoured to be the new home for the Seniors 55+ Centre. The new Sturgeon Heights Community Centre opened in 2012 without the 55+ Centre. By 2011, the St. James Civic Centre had become the proposed new home for the 55+ Centre. In Fielding's 2013 and 2014 Report to Taxpayers, he repeated his support for the project. In October 2013, Councillor Fielding got the City to commit $1.8 M for the Civic Centre expansion. In a December 2013 Metro article, Councillor Fielding promised to lobby the provincial and federal governments. In 2018, Fielding was the provincial Families minister when the new PC government promised to make a commitment of $3.9 M. On September 26, 2011, Gillingham, the provincial PC candidate, circulated a brochure to thousands of St. James homes promising $3.9 M for the relocation of the senior centre to the St. James Civic Centre. After his 2011 provincial defeat, Gillingham became a co-chair for the Civic Centre Capital Campaign committee. Shortly after his 2014 election to City Council, Gillingham reaffirmed his commitment in a December 10, 2014

Metro article. There are several questions about the funding. Why has the $3.9 M provincial promise never been adjusted for inflation? An inflation adjustment would mean a 2020 contribution of between $4.3 to $4.5 M. The previously mentioned 2013 city contribution is for the expansion. Are these funds now being used for the renewal? According to former MP Doug Eyolfson, the provincial government was responsible for the lack of federal funding. The province refused to properly deal through the bilateral infrastructure agreement. Our finance ministers have failed to cost out, accurately, the conversion of part the Civic Centre to the Senior Centre. They compounded the mistake by not accounting for the needed renewal of the 53-year-old building. It is unlikely that a proper attempt to get federal funds would cover the entire current shortfall. If the expansion is done after the completion of the renewal, it will likely cost more. Also, the finance ministers would damage their re-election prospects by allowing the renewal without the expansion. One or both of the finance ministers will have to convince their colleagues to provide more funds to complete both the renewal and expansion at the same time. MLA's and councillors from other parts of Winnipeg and Manitoba are upset by the effect

of budget austerity measures in their own ridings. At the Oct. 24, 2019 Council meeting, Councillor Klein expressed doubts about even proceeding with the renewal. Will these other politicians approve extra funds in order to help our finance ministers politically? The St. James Civic Centre Renewal and Expansion Project will become a top 2020 news story. Fred Morris describes himself as a political activist and sometime political candidate. ••• 1. In certain places, I refer to Gillingham and Fielding collectively as the Finance Ministers. 2. The Metro that I refer to is the Canstar Metro not the Daily Metro which used to be in Winnipeg. 3. On January 19, 2016, the former NDP Government committed $3.9 for this Expansion Project. The NDP was defeated in April 2016. 4. The Report of the Civic Centre is #7 on the Report of Community Services and Park Committee for the October 24, 2019 City Council meeting adopted. 5. Disclosure: I ran for City Council against Fielding in 2006 and 2010. I ran for City Council in 2014 against Gillingham 6. I briefly worked at the Civic Centre in 1970 to 71. I attended Opening Night Jan 22 1966, and helped organize the 50th Anniversary Game January 22, 2016. whatsupwinnipeg.ca

Manitoba 150 in the year MMXX: How will you mark the occasion?

here is something about the year 2020 that has a powerful impact on my imagination. In the past 30 years, I have been thinking of the year 2020 as this year of clarity and perfect vision. When I was preparing strategic plans for arts organizations or community organizations of one type or another, I would use 2020 as the vision point when preparing the mission, vision, values statement for the organization. This year seemed so far away for such a long time, and now we have arrived. The distant future has arrived. Have we met our goals? Is the world in a better position in 2020? It might be worthwhile (or at least interesting) to look at the achievements Trudy Schroeder made in other symmetriRandom cal years. What was the Notes major accomplishment of humankind in 1919, or 1818, or 1717, or 1616? I am sure you see the pattern here. The symmetry stops at the year 1010. Well, now, of course, I had to look it up. Many of you will be interested to know that, apparently, the Nile River froze over in 1010, and 1010 was also the approximate date of the writing of Beowulf. In 1111, (and that really is a remarkable year number), there the Battle of Shaizar, and it seems to have been a rather significant military achievement for the Muslim forces against the Crusaders. Moving to 1212, this was a bad year for London, as there was a severe fire in July which burned most of the city to the ground. In 1313, Wang Zhen, a Chinese agronomist, invented a wooden-based movable type printing press, and published a book called the Nong Shu (Book of Agriculture). In 1414, Durham School was founded as a grammar school in the city of Durham, England. It continues in existence as an independent school to this day. In 1515, France defeated the Swiss in the Battle of Marignano on September 13 to restore French control of Milan. This was also the year Durer’s Rhinoceros was cut. In 1616, Dutch traders smuggled a coffee plant out of Mocha, a port in Yemen on the Red Sea, and culti-

How will you mark the historic milestone of Manitoba’s 150th? vated it at the Amsterdam Botanical Gardens. The Dutch later introduced the plant to Java. This was also the year that Pocahontas arrived in England with her husband John Rolfe. In 1717, Handel’s famous Water Music was first performed on a Thames barge in London, and the first ballet was performed in Britain featuring a dancer named John Weaver. The ballet was called The Loves of Mars and Venus. In 1818, a treaty between the U.S. and the United Kingdom established the northern boundary of the U.S. as the 49th parallel from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains. This treaty also established the odd little section of U.S. territory known as the Northwest Angle. This was also the year in which Percy Bysshe Shelley published his best-known poem, the sonnet Ozymandias. In 1919, the First World War ended, the Russian Civil War was in progress , there were general strikes in quite a number of locations around the world including the Winnipeg General Strike, and the first Remembrance Day was observed on November 11th. Well, this was quite a ridiculous, but interesting romp through the last thousand years of world history looking at random events in auspiciously numbered symmetrical years. It is also amazing how much information is available to us without having to search through mountains of books and newspapers covering a thousand years of history. That brings us to 2020. It has that beautiful symmetrical shape, and in roman numerals it would be MMXX, which is also pretty cool. So, in the year MMXX what

will you do to make this a significant year? For us in Manitoba, this is the year of considering 150 years of our history as a province. We have all been encouraged to celebrate this remarkable community in which we live and have our personal histories and future. This is all quite fascinating. At the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, we have been thinking about the year 2020 in terms of celebration for a long time. Our major Manitoba 150 project will be a concert tour in Netherlands in May 2020. This tour to seven different communities will mark 75 years since Canadian troops were actively engaged in the liberation efforts in this region. We have developed a powerful artistic program, and this whole venture will be a remarkable and once in a lifetime opportunity for Manitobans to connect with an important historical moment. Apparently 1.1 million Canadians were part of the liberation effort. This project is in commemoration of the young Manitobans who were part of this effort, and it is a celebration of peace and good relations between Canada and the Netherlands. This will be a remarkable project and Manitobans are encouraged to participate by adopting a musician or by joining with the WSO in this historic voyage to the Netherlands. We also have come up with an array of additional projects that will be part of our suite of Manitoba 150 projects. We start with a preview concert of our Netherlands concert in April. We have a Manitoba 150 celebration concert planned for culture days: the world premiere of a Neil Wiesenel opera about Louis Riel that is performed in a series of Indigenous languages. And we are hoping to collaborate with the Scottish community in a concert to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the St. Andrews Society of Winnipeg. If funding is available, we are also hoping to take the WSO up to Churchill. I am sure that we will all have personal ways to recognize the remarkable province in which we live. We might plant a tree, write a personal family history of life in Manitoba, make a quilt or a painting, start a business, have a Manitoba 150 baby or grandbaby, start an environmental project, or build a house. There are many ways to mark Manitoba 150, and we should all try to do our bit to make this a very special year. Trudy Schroeder is the executive director of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra where she gets to observe symmetry almost every day.

Celebrate Manitoba 150

anitoba first became a province almost 150 years ago in 1870. Manitoba has weathered many storms and has been the home of many great accomplishments, leaving us with much to celebrate. The Manitoba 150 celebrations are great opportunities to come together and celebrate our province. Thanks to the hard work of the Manitoba 150 committee, celebrations include outdoor extravaganzas, events, and awards. Join in these programs and initiatives and Hon. Myrna Driedger take pride in our home province! Broadway Illuminate 150 Journal December 14, 2019, Manitoba 150 launched its kick off programing to begin the year long festivities that will celebrate our amazing province! At the Manitoba Legislature, MLAs welcomed guests to the annual Christmas Open House. Guests got to meet with Santa and enjoyed hot chocolate, snow tubing, and an obstacle course, with delicious food from the local food trucks on site. After the sun set, 300,000 LED lights illuminated Manitoba’s Legislature building. During the next few months, when weather permits, these lights will connect to the Manitoba 150 River Trail. I was so happy to be at the legislature and, in my role as Speaker of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly, to lead the MLAs for their annual holiday caroling on the grand staircase in the legislature. Another exciting highlight of the night was an aerial acrobatic snowmobile performance featuring X Games athletes on the Manitoba Legislature grounds. These performers did aerial flips and impressive jumps in front of the large crowd that came out to celebrate. It was an exciting way to kick off the holiday season. 6

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You’ll be seeing a lot of this logo in the upcoming year! Mural 150 Mural 150 is an initiative that will place beautiful Manitoban-created murals in rural areas. Up to five communities will receive a subsidy for the creation of a contemporary mural that will highlight the local community, spark conversations and inspire engagement. Communities that face barriers accessing art, especially those in Northern Manitoba and Indigenous communities, will be given priority. The applications will be curated by Synonym Art Consultation. Apply to have your town be a mural location today! Applications are open until January 31st, 2020 and can be sent in directly through the Manitoba 150 website at Manitoba150.com. The recipients will each receive up to $10,000 for a mural to be located where it is accessible to the public. Learn 150 Starting in January of 2020, Learn 150 will have online learning resources for Manitoban students from kindergarten to grade 12. These learning resources focus on different topics such as diversity, reconciliation, and healthy living. Manitoba educators will be able to download full lesson plans to guide their students on these important Manitoba topics. Celebrate 150 The Celebrate 150 initiative is an opportunity to showcase Manitoba culture. The chosen initiatives will be announced in February of 2020 and programming will focus around four distinct Manitoba themes. These themes are: Discover our Beauty, a way to highlight the natural

beauty of the province of Manitoba. Meet our People, will promote bringing Manitobans together to celebrate with old friends and making new ones. Experience our Culture, the theme behind this programming is about celebrating Manitoba’s diversity. Explore our History, the programming supporting this theme will reflect on the history of our people and stories in Manitoba. Build 150 The Build 150 initiative is to celebrate community foundations throughout the province. This project will provide funds through grant matching to 55 Manitoba community foundations. Honour 150 The Honour 150 initiative is an opportunity for us all to honour the contributions of the amazing Manitobans who weave our community fabric. The Honour 150 initiative will recognize Manitobans who work so tirelessly and contribute to our communities through their volunteerism. This recognition might even inspire the future generations of community volunteers. Nominees must be a resident of Manitoba, must have volunteered or contributed to the community in a significant way and cannot have been formally recognized with a major award in the past such as an Order of Canada Award, an Order of Manitoba Award, or a Governor General’s Award. Nominees are ineligible to nominate themselves, cannot be deceased, and cannot be an elected official. The deadline to nominate a community member for this honour is January 31, 2020. An independent advisory committee will present a medal to the winners at a special ceremony followed by participation in the Santa Claus parade and a gala dinner in November of 2020. We have so much to celebrate here in Manitoba on our 150th anniversary. We are a province with a rich history and cultural fabric. I hope you will join in any of the Manitoba 150 celebrations to show your Manitoba pride! Hon. Myrna Driedger is MLA for Charleswood and Speaker of the legislative assembly. January 2020

Make 2020 the year you learn to live in the moment “Our life is shaped by our mind, for we become what we think.” – Buddha

yourself fixated on the future or stuck in the past, maybe reliving old emotional wounds, Linscott explained that, “with mindfulness, you can catch yourself and ave you ever found yourself think, “in this moment, am I okay?” in the company of family or Meditation quiets the mind and is very friends, but calming.” Clinical research studyour mind is actually a ies have also affirmed the million miles away? Perbenefits of mindfulness haps you’re on a lunch date with a friend or an meditation in key areas afternoon visit with the including lowered blood grandkids, and instead pressure, stress reduction of enjoying the moand even a better night’s ment, your mind is consleep. According to an sumed with other things? overview in the Clinical If you answered yes to Psychology Review Jourthat question you’re not nal, research has shown alone! Being mindful and a strong correlation bestaying in the moment tween mindfulness and Krystal Stokes overall psychological can be difficult when the Healthy health, “including selfstress of everyday life is Living compassion and a betgetting you down. A new ter overall sense of wellyear is the perfect opportunity to explore the many benefits of being.” The practice of being mindful mindfulness meditation and learn how focuses on accepting where we are in the moment without judgement and it can change your life for the better. I’ve researched a few different defi- teaches us to be less critical of ourselves nitions of mindfulness, but the one I and others. There are also more formal like the best comes from the Canadian mindfulness-based cognitive therapy Mental Health Association (CMHA), programs that can help people who “Mindfulness is simply an invitation to are experiencing mental health issues. step out of the clutter and really focus If you are interested in learning more on what we are doing, thinking, and about these therapy programs, please feeling in this moment.” Mindfulness consult your doctor or healthcare proas a religious practice is rooted in the fessional for more information. So where should you start on your Buddhist tradition, but variations can be found in other religions as well, en- own path to mindfulness? Well there couraging followers to live in the mo- isn’t a really a right or wrong place to ment. The secular practice of mindful- start. According to Jon Kabat Zinn, an ness meditation is now well-established expert in mindfulness and the founder across the globe with an estimated 300 of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program (MBSR) at the University of million practitioners worldwide. Cultivating mindfulness may be more Massachusetts Medical School, “the best important than ever as Canadians re- way to capture a moment is to pay attenport feeling more stressed than they did tion. This is how we cultivate mindfulfive years ago. With a 24-hour news ness.” To share a personal anecdote from cycle and a world that’s always plugged my own life, I started using mindfulness in, it’s hard to find a moment of quiet as a way of coping with the fear of my reflection in your day to day life. Ac- cancer diagnosis back in 2006. Even afcording to Statistics Canada, 73 percent ter treatment was finished, I constantly of working adults from age 20 to 64 re- worried about the cancer coming back. I remember one afternoon not long afported feeling some level of stress. Older adults aren’t immune to stress ter my last chemotherapy treatment; I either. In a Next Avenue article from was sitting with my daughter on my lap 2018, Bob Linscott, a teacher from the reading her favourite book, and instead Center for Mindfulness at the Universi- of enjoying the beautiful, peaceful moty of Massachusetts Medical school not- ment, I couldn’t stop worrying about a ed that, “when people get older, they recurrence and what might happen in tend to ruminate: Am I going to run the future. A social worker at Cancerout of money? What will happen to me Care Manitoba suggested mindfulness when I can’t stay in my home? There’s meditation and it made an immediate worrying about how they will cope if impact on my life. It’s been 13 years and their spouse dies first or perhaps anxiety I haven’t looked back since! Here are a few mindfulness meditaabout burdening their kids with care.” Linscott said that mindfulness is much tion techniques that you can practice like a pause button that can break that anywhere: cycle of negative thinking. If you find • Start by simply paying attention to

READERS TELL US

Mother Nature has the last say I found the column by the four scientists (December 2019, Climate skeptics meet to discuss Canadian prairie climate) that are skeptics on prairie climate change to be interesting. What I would like to know, where have they been hiding for the past number of decades? Just over 45 years ago, we planted a Manitoba Maple sapling in our yard. If one knows anything about this tree, they will know it is very sensitive to its environment. Even the whiff of 2-4D in the air, or any other such chemical, can have a tremendous impact on it, even killing it. January 2020

Thirty to thirty-five years ago come the 7th of September the leaves would have totally fallen from this tree and, if they weren’t raked up before the end of September, they would have dried and shriveled up so much you would never find them later on in October when raking other leaves. As the years went on I noticed in the past few years that the leaves were taking longer to start changing colour in the fall and to have totally fallen off. I noticed this year on October 28 there was still the odd leaf on this tree. One can argue, using their perceptions as a base all they want to, but Mother Nature deals with facts, not perceptions! Thank you, Alan Wolfe Winnipeg

the world around you and occasionally check in with yourself. An online Harvard Health article reminds readers that, “above all mindfulness practice involves accepting whatever arises in your awareness at each moment. It involves being kind and forgiving toward yourself.” • Live in the moment – intentionally seek joy in life’s simple pleasures. • Try to sit quietly for a moment each day and focus on the natural rhythm of your breath. If your mind starts to wander (I usually start thinking about my to-do-list) acknowledge the thought, let it go and redirect your focus back to breathing. I usually repeat a few words to keep me focused, and whisper, “In this moment, everything is all right.” • Remember, sitting still and being mindful doesn’t work for everyone and that’s okay! Some people get very restless and if that’s the case, try taking a walk, focus on your breath and notice the world around you using all five sens-

es. It’s amazing the things you will hear, smell, and see when you are 100 percent in the moment! If you’d like to try some techniques but need some motivation to get started, there are several apps you can download onto your smartphone or tablet. I use Headspace, whose tagline is ‘Meditation made simple’. Calm is another popular app for guided meditation that’s been downloaded over 45 million times. So, as we all ring in the New Year, take a moment to appreciate everything around you. And in the words of Winnipeg’s favourite character from the Hundred Acre Wood… “What day is it today?” asked Pooh “It’s today,” squeaked Piglet. “My favourite day,” said Pooh. ••• Krystal Stokes is the Communications Manager at Victoria Lifeline, a community service of the Victoria General Hospital Foundation.

The New Canadian Curling Club By Mark Crawford

JAN 7 Neepawa JAN 9 Thompson JAN 10 Snow Lake JAN 11 Flin Flon JAN 14 Steinbach JAN 15 Carman JAN 16 MacGregor JAN 17 Strathclair JAN 18 Virden JAN 20 Brandon JAN 21 Minnedosa JAN 22 Deloraine

JAN 23 Souris JAN 24 Crystal City JAN 25 Morris JAN 26 Gretna JAN 29 Atikokan JAN 30 Sioux Lookout JAN 31 Dryden FEB 1 Red Lake FEB 2 Kenora FEB 4 Lac du Bonnet FEB 5 Gimli FEB 6 Portage la Prairie

After sweeping across the province on tour, The New Canadian Curling Club stops at the John Hirsch Mainstage, Feb 12 – Mar 7.

Hurry hard, get your tickets today!

ROYALMTC.CA PRESENTING SPONSOR

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“If Leonardo Da Vinci Had invented the foot, would he have made it a wheel?”

his was the title of a Podiatry is more difficult to understand exactly School First Year assignment. Ob- where the pain is coming from, and what viously, the context was for us po- is causing it. Although medicine now has diatry students to consider the functions methods of examining the foot (X-rays, diagnostic ultrasound, of the foot, moving forMRIs), these methods wards, backwards, up and are not always available. down stairs, on tip-toe, Sometimes even health on point. Apart from the professionals cannot be unique versatility of the certain in diagnosis, or foot, I think the implicaprovide a treatment plan tion in this question is the that satisfies a patient. potential fragile nature of For example, many the foot, and to realise the people visit a podiatrist numbers of problems that after an injury. Somecan happen to it. times the main concern “Your feet have 56 from the patient is how bones, 38 muscles, 214 to relieve the pain. The ligaments” according to Dr. Gillian Aldous next question is, “Do you the Paris Orthotics inforFoot Notes think it is broken?” As mation sheet. Paris Orpodiatrists, we are trained thotics is the laboratory I use for orthotics manufacture. If anyone to assess damage and injury and to prohas a problem with the math in this sen- vide advice for pain relief. The question tence, please think about it: most of us concerning fracture is harder. Even with an X-ray, fractures of the smaller bones humans have two feet. The foot is complicated and there are of the foot can be difficult to see and dimany components. Sometimes people agnose. (The longest bones of the foot, visit a health specialist with specific pain the toe digits, are the phalanges. These on one part of the foot. Other times it are approximately 5 to 7 cm. Sometimes

As the x-ray shows, the foot is a complicated thing. these do not fracture in the same manner as the long leg bones: femur, tibia, fibula. Sometimes these ‘hairline’ fractures conceal themselves on X-ray). So, unfortunately, pain in the foot, and diagnosing what the pain is, can be challenging. Recently, I have had two patients who have returned to see me. These individuals have different problems. They have seen me and other health professionals to try to reduce their pain. I do believe that they have been correctly treated, and advised, however sometimes problems can continue.

Basic foot health seems easy: wearing correctly fitted, supportive shoes when exercising (including walking), wearing warm socks and insoles in cold Manitoba, and rest after exercise and injury. The problem for many of us is that we cannot do these things: rest is difficult for working people who walk. As my title suggested, the human body is complicated, not least the foot, and treatments aren’t always straight forward. Dr Gillian Aldous, is a podiatrist working at the Madison Square Orthorehab Clinic. For consults please phone Joanne, 204-504-8986.

Sarcopenia, loss of muscle Reducing frailty and improving the quality of life. Part One (to be continued next month)

equate dietary protein. For sedentary adults 71 and older, the ideal daily protein intake for buildarcopenia is the gradual age-related ing or maintaining muscle should be a minimum of .54 grams loss of skeletal muscle per pound of body weight. mass and strength. This translates to at least This condition can affect 108 g of protein every day our ability to perform daiif you weigh 200 pounds, ly tasks, increase the risk 82 g daily if you weigh of disease, and decrease 150 pounds, or 66 g for our lifespan. Fortunately, 120 pounds. Protein rethrough exercise, dietary quirements increase with choices, and supplemenlevels of fitness and activtation, we can help mainity. If your workouts are tain muscle mass and even intense, .75 to 1 gram of build strength as we age. protein per pound of body While regular exercise is weight may be required important for preventing (30 per cent to 60 per sarcopenia, research has Nathan Zassman cent more than those who proven that insufficient Natural Health aren’t active). To increase dietary protein can lead the benefits of dietary or to loss of muscle size and strength even with exercise. In a study supplementary protein for building muspublished in the British Journal of Nu- cle, it’s important to include quality cartrition, those over 50 who exercised and bohydrates that enhance muscle growth consumed less than 70 g of protein daily and repair. One study found that the ideal dietary did not see the expected muscle-building benefits. An estimated 20 per cent of approach for maximizing the conversion those over 50 are not consuming ad- of protein to the important essential ami-

no acids required for muscle protein synthesis is 0.18 g/pound each meal, spread out over four meals. This could include protein shakes or free-form amino acid supplements, adding up to at least 0.72 g per pound daily. This approach is superior to consuming a large quantity of protein in a single meal. Reduced muscle mass and strength can lead to a decline in balance and contribute to falls – a primary cause of serious injury and death among older adults. Building muscle is essential to quality of life at any age, making it easier to perform the activities of daily living. Regular exercise and movement (especially when combined with the nine essential amino acids) can help reduce the pain of arthritis, improving mobility and independence. I recommend tai chi, a wonderful gentle form of movement popular in Asia that can reduce the risk of falls while improving gait and balance. Amino Acids The building blocks of protein, amino acids are needed for all vital bodily processes including the synthesis of hormones and neurotransmitters, energy production, immune function, nutrient

absorption, and the regulation of sleep, mood, and behavior. Amino acids are required for muscle development, as well as repair and recovery, working to prevent muscle breakdown and preserve lean body mass, especially in the elderly. Histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine are classified as essential amino acids. These organic compounds cannot be made by the body and must be obtained through the diet or supplementation. Not only critical for building muscle and strength, protein provides the building blocks for every cell in our body. Many people find that they have more energy and feel better when they consume more protein. Until recently, the predominant advice has been to choose foods that are high in protein like meat, eggs, and fish, which are then “converted” into amino acids. A little known fact is that most dietary proteins have a low rate of amino acid utilization (AAU), which can result in lower strength and muscular gains. Nathan Zassman is the owner and president of Aviva Natural Health Solutions.

Bad inputs can equal bad outcomes

magazine article I read fifty this article, leaches calcium from bones years ago listed the ten worst causing osteoporosis. foods humans could put in At the time this article was written, their mouth. Number a forty-year-old woman one on the list was Cocaliving two doors down Cola and number two from me was bedridwas Pepsi-Cola. Pepsi, den. Osteoporosis had the article stated, was not weakened her bones so quite as bad as Coke. much her doctor advised Why did these two popher that her bones could ular soft drinks top the list? no longer support the First, each ten ounce bottle weight of her body. She, of cola contains more than for as long as I could renine teaspoons of sugar. member, drank at least Drinking one cola drink six ten-ounce bottles of per day could result in putCoca-Cola each and evWayne Weedon ting on a pound and a half ery day. Was the phosFood for of fat every month, eighphoric acid in Coke the teen pounds per year, and cause of her osteoporoThought one hundred and eighty sis? pounds over a ten year For centuries cooks period. Secondly, cola drinks contain have known that the right combinaphosphoric acid which, according to tion of sweet and sour, sugar and acid, 8

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titillates our taste buds and make us feel good all over, fooling our bodies into thinking these sweet and sour foods are good for us. Coke has perfected the recipe so that, consciously, we cannot taste neither the sweetness nor the sourness, we just taste something we like and crave. These types of foods and beverages make us feel good when we eat and drink them. They are our comfort foods. Scientists agree the one ingredient in cola drinks our bodies need and is beneficial to us is water; they disagree on how harmful the other ingredients are. Maybe, when we are thirsty we should just drink plain water. Rather than thoughtlessly consuming drinks and foods that make us feel good but may be bad for us, maybe we should thoughtfully eat and drink foods and beverages we know are good for us and will do no harm.

When the City of Winnipeg built their new water treatment facility east of Winnipeg, they started adding phosphoric acid to all the water to enhance our drinking water. Was this a good idea? Most of the water does not end up as drinking water. Water used for bathing, showering, washing dishes and clothes or flushing toilets ends up passing through the sewage treatment plant into the Red River. The City is now planning to upgrade the sewage treatment plant at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars in order to remove the phosphoric acid before the water is discharged into the river. Scientists consider the phosphoric acid to be bad for the environment. Is it also bad for consumers? Let’s think about that. Wayne Weedon is a Manitoba writer of novels and short stories. To sample his wonderful work go to Wattpad.com. January 2020

Chocolate Bombe Cake, Charlotte Royale

hocolate, mousse, fruit, cake, oh my! All these ingredients cobbled together make for a blissful dessert. What could be better than a beautiful chocolate Swiss roll stuffed with chocolate mousse? Try something a little different this time of year, no cinnamon, no cookies, just chocolate. I have always had a liking for chocolate, some would say perhaps too much of a liking. This cake is one for the decadent few that can never seem to get enough chocolate.

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Ingredients: 6 Eggs 250 grams dark cooking

chocolate 4 tablespoons butter 1 cup fresh whipping cream 3 Cups fresh raspberries 6 tablespoons fine sugar 2 x chocolate Swiss roll sliced ½ inch pieces

Directions: Line a large bowl with saran wrap. (Best to do this twice to ensure all the glass is covered.) Leave room over the sides to be able to tuck in. Line the saran-covered inside of the bowl with the Swiss roll slices until the bowl basin is completely covered. Then place the raspberries around the Swiss rolls, a little tricky but doable. Bring an inch or two of water in a pot to a simmer. Place chocolate and butter inside a metal bowl and then inside the pot of hot water, allow for the chocolate to melt. (Do not get water in the chocolate as this will crystalize the chocolate). Once the chocolate has melted, set aside umtil it is cool to the touch. Beat the whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks. Separate eggs from yolks. Place whites in a large bowl and yolks in a small bowl. Whisk yolks until smooth and creamy. Add sugar to egg whites and beat until firm peaks form. Fold egg yolks into the whipped cream using a rubber spatula. Check chocolate temperature – it should still be runny

but only lukewarm. If too thick, re-heat until smooth and pourable. Pour chocolate into cream yolk mixture. Streaks are ok. (It is important not to over-fold). Initially add 1/4 of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture. Carefully fold together. Finally pour chocolate mixture into remaining egg whites. Fold through until incorporated, when no more white lumps remain. Once the mousse has been made, pour inside the bowl that is lined with the chocolate Swiss rolls. Finally, finish slicing the chocolate Swiss rolls and place on top of the mousse. Place in the fridge to set. This typically takes 4 hours, best to do this overnight. Remove from the fridge. Place a serving plate over the bowl then flip upside down. The cake should gently fall onto the plate. Carefully peel away the saran wrap. Decorate how you like. Fresh fruit is always so good. Happy New Year, may 2020 be a year where all your dreams come true. Ian Leatt is general manager of Pegasus Publications and a trained chef.

A little too much of a good thing or . . . just staying in touch?

The early mobile phones were just a bit smaller than s it just me or … … or are you tired of hearing people say, “Too the original WW II Motorola Walkie Talkies. The World much information!” when you are relating a story Wide Web came into effect in the 80s and is still getting you thought was interesting but they don’t. The fact bigger while, thankfully, the phones are getting smaller. We used to wait until Sunday to make a long distance is there can be too much information at our fingertips phone call as it was far less expensive and it’s good to temper our use of it. that day. Now you can call anywhere in “Too much information,” coming from the world on Skype and talk any day, all another human being shouldn’t be the day, for free. There’s Facebook, Twitter, problem. It’s communicating. Smart Phones, Smart TV, Instagram and Here is a very quick timeline of comthe list goes on. I won’t give up the daily munication that began thousands of newspaper. It doesn’t play as big a part years ago with pictograms, petroglyphs of our daily routine, but it is still part of and hieroglyphs. Later, you would have my day. heard Aristotle, Plato and Hippocrates Remember when we used to yak, captivating crowds with yarns a-plenty. gab, chew the fat, chin-wag and chit There were sagas from the skalds of chat? Now you hear people using bigScandinavia, the tales of the troubadours ger words to say the same thing. Someand bards and all the other storytellers one somewhere sought out a thesaurus of the times. Ah yes, the power of the Jim Ingebrigtsen to seek synonyms for all those simple spoken word. Is It Just Me... words. I think it makes them feel really The quill appeared around 1250, and intelligent when they use their ‘impor200 years later, a guy called Gutenberg tant’ voice and say things like “Let’s have fired up the printing press. Morse code came along about 1830 and, lest we forget, the Canadi- a conversation about that.” or, “We must connect with a an connection with Alexander Graham Bell and the first discussion and discourse on that topic.” or, “I think it’s telephone. I recall seeing, but being too young to use, time we continued the dialogue to resolve the issue at one of the wall telephones you would crank to connect hand”. What? No time for a quick chat? After all the genius gizmos and gadgets invented to with the town’s operator who knew everyone in town speed up communication, do you know what is still the and all their gossip. Commercial television showed up in black and white number one form of communication? No word of a lie in the late 1940s, although not until 1952 or 1953 in … it’s Word of Mouth. That’s what we use when we catch up on what we are all watching on Netflix and all Winnipeg. The modern fax machine was available in 1964. Com- the other shows on Apple TV. Hmm. What did we used to talk about … you know, puter PCs were born in 1970s. I also remember owning a CB (citizens band) radio back then and having to in the old days? Jim Ingebrigtsen is a broadcaster and entertainer. He learn the entirely new language that went with it. Not terribly different from the text speak we use now. LOL. serves on the board of CJNU. January 2020

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January 2020

From A to B: Older adults find travel options with GoManitoba

reen Action Centre is one of many organizations TONS works with to address the transportation needs of seniors in our community. Did you know driving alone can have negative health, economic and environmental impacts? While Green Action Centre focuses on reducing the drive-alone mode share in Manitoba, TONS works with Older Adults who are potentially adjusting to life without a driver’s license. This is where our missions align! Transportation Green Action Centre Options Network introduced GoManitoba to our province in 2017, for Seniors which is a free ride-matching tool. GoManitoba helps users to share a ride by travelling with someone else on the same route. Sharing a ride can include carpooling or finding (or being) a transit, walking or cycling buddy. How does it work? Simply create a trip profile by visiting www.GoManitoba.ca, then explore your transportation options and potential ride matches. Matches are suggested based on route, time, and transportation preferences. Once you find a match that fits your needs, message them through GoManitoba and get the ball rolling on your new carpool! It’s important to note that GoManitoba, like Kijiji and other apps, simply acts as a mechanism to find possible connections. Messages are sent through the tool, relaying general information only to assist in connecting possible commuting partners. A new feature on the tool is Single Trip Matching, which facilitates carpools for one-time rides, like trips to sporting events, conventions, entertainment and more. Senior living groups are welcome to use the tool to coordinate drivers willing to assist seniors to get out into the community for shopping, appointments and social gatherings.

January 2020

GoManitoba is a free ride-matching tool. Why share a ride? • Save money (split the cost of gas, parking, etc.) • Reduce stress (provides company when driving in winter, on highways, in traffic) • Reduce your GHG emissions, carbon footprint, and air pollution • Build new relationships with others in your neighbourhood GoManitoba’s user base is growing, with over 1,000 users currently active. As with any matching technology, the wider the user base, the better the system works. Our goal is to have over 5,000 Manitobans actively using GoManitoba in the next two years. GoManitoba is not a ride hailing service, like taxis or TappCar with hired drivers. If you are new to ridesharing, Green Action Centre has created a list of tips

for creating safe, successful matches. As one user noted in our latest survey, “I was a little worried at first but turned out to be so much better than I expected and I’m friends with the person now!” Ridesharing involves a behaviour change in our province, where we have become accustomed to traveling alone in personal vehicles. Despite this, we have the opportunity to become more sustainable, healthier, and more connected through sharing our trips. Visit www.GoManitoba.ca to explore all of your travel options, find carpool partners, enter contests and win prizes, and track your savings in the Commute Calendar. Transportation Options Network for Seniors (TONS) can be reached at 204-799-1788, by email at info@tonsmb.org, or go online to www.tonsmb.org.

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Selkirk will be buzzing with activity when the Manitoba 55+ Games come to town this June Plan. To Make It Right.® No one wants to think about their death any sooner than they must, but planning your funeral and cemetery services in advance, called “advanced planning” or “prearranging,” is a responsible, caring act that can reduce stress for your grieving loved ones. It’s easy to understand how making decisions now about your final arrangements can help assure those left behind that your wishes are being honoured.

Active Aging in Manitoba

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So don’t wait. Start planning now. Contact a Dignity Memorial® provider near you and request a complimentary Personal Planning Guide, a helpful tool to keep your personal affairs and wishes organized.

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ore than 1,500 participants, 400 volunteers and hundreds of spectators will be part of the 38th annual Manitoba 55+ Games in Selkirk from June 16 to 18, 2020. Hosted in a different community across the province each year, the Games include more than 20 agefriendly events, ranging from scrabble, cribbage, floor shuffleboard, arts and crafts to pickleball, track, swimming and slo-pitch. Manitobans who are 55 or older by Dec. 31, 2020 can participate. You can be a part of the fun – participate, volunteer or spectate! Interested in participating? Registration begins

in March 2020 and forms will be available at activeagingmb.ca or by calling the Games office at 204-261-9257. To volunteer, please contact the Gordon Howard Centre at 204-785-2092 or drop by the centre to fill out a volunteer form. For more information visit activeagingmb.ca or find us on Facebook at Selkirk Manitoba 55+ Games 2020. ••• Active Aging in Manitoba (AAIM) is located at the Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks General Hospital, 1075 Leila Avenue, Winnipeg. Go online to activeagingmb.ca.

Special programs for seniors

ging in Winnipeg is a lot different than aging through a toll-free number and are offered during the in Florida! With the holidays being behind day and evenings. Connect Program. Registered Social Workers asus, and facing more than a few cold months sist socially isolated Winnipeggers 55+ living in the ahead, it is important for all of us regardless of age to community by connecting them to resources that will maintain a positive outlook. This may facilitate independent living. Clients be easier said than done. A & O: Supof the program may be connected to: port Services for Older Adults provides Volunteer Visitors & Callers, Commumany specialized programs and services nity Resources, Senior Centre Without that can support older Manitobans all Walls, Safety and Security Programs, year long but may be particularly helpCounselling and Support Services. ful if you are feeling blue and/or isolatSenior Immigrant Settlement Sered during the winter months. vices. The program offers a wide range A & O provides the following of settlement services for newcomers counselling services: 55 years of age and over. Our SettleIndividual and group counselling for A & O: ment Orientation for Seniors program older adults 55+ Support Services for is a group orientation where partici• Registered Social Workers provide Older Adults pants learn about important settlement a variety of counselling services that topics such as law, health and safety, address grief and loss, financial issues, housing, transportation, money and depression, family issues, loneliness/isolation and loss banking and community information. Upon completof health ing the orientation, participants are referred to The • Consultations with family members • Intake Worker available Mon - Fri 8:30 am - 4:30 Winnipeg English Language Assessment and Referral Centre (WELARC) for a language assessment appm pointment. They may then register for our English Support Groups Language Program for seniors or are welcome to join • Bereavement Support Group one of our English Conversation Circles. A settlement • Moving Forward monthly group worker is also available to provide additional informa• Making and Keeping Important Connections tion about community programs and services, to assist • Because We Care: Carer’s Support Group • Buried in Treasures (for older adults dealing with with forms and documents and offer opportunities to connect with other older adults in the community. Hoarding Disorder) You are not alone. Don’t wait, call today! A & O A & O provides the following programs and services that provide older adults with social engagement op- has many supports that can assist older adults in aging well. Phone 204-956-6440 or www.aosuppportserportunities: Senior Centre Without Walls. This program is the vices.ca Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitfirst of its kind in Canada and offers a unique oppor- ter! tunity for Manitobans, 55+, to join educational and ••• interactive programs from the comfort of their own A & O: Support Services for Older Adults is located at homes. Programming topics include; educational pre- 200-280 Smith Street, Winnipeg. Call 204-956-6440, sentations, language classes, book clubs, travelogues email intake@aosupportservices.ca, or go online to www. and support groups. The free programs are accessed aosupportservices.ca.

Gillian Aldous Podiatry

Podiatry treatments available Monday to Friday in the office, home visits arranged: • Difficult to cut, thickened, ingrown, fungal nails • Callus, hard skin, corns • Warts • Diabetic advice and assessment • Biomechanical assessments and orthotics dispensing if needed • Advice on footwear Blue Cross coverage accepted

Suite 320, 1600 Ness Avenue, Winnipeg | Phone: 204-504-8986 | Email: Gillyp10@Hotmail.com 12

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January 2020

Income security

new year is an opportunity to reflect on the son tickets for matinees in the spring for the following past year but more importantly a time for mak- year – best prices and best seats available. (Watch for ing resolutions for an improved financial year early bird pricing). 4. Make sure you have a will and that it is up to date. ahead. As a retired teacher I suggest we review our Find someone you can trust for your past year’s income and our lifestyle. Power of Attorney. It is usually a good We have learned that “It’s a Fact: Betidea to consult a lawyer to prevent elter Income Can Lead to Better Health.” der abuse. Review the booklet Get Your Benefits! 5. Do you qualify for a disability tax At www.getyourbenefits.ca credit? Consult a doctor then an acAs older adults, we receive our countant for assistance. This is the most monthly Old Age Security Pension and economical and safest way to proceed. CPP cheques if we were employed dur6. Are you a caregiver of a related ing our lifetime. We, as teachers, receive adult? You may be able to claim the varying amounts of pension. Although refundable tax credit for caregivers of the numbers are almost the same each Retired Teachers related adults. year the factor that affects all of us is inAssociation of 7. If you live alone, find ways to purflation. All of us have to deal with ever Manitoba chase food in bulk, partially cook basic rising prices. meals and serve them in different ways Let’s talk about how we can stretch the dollars we have to not only provide us with the to have variety in your meals and yet get the nutrition necessities of life but to enrich our lifestyles as we age. needed to keep healthy. 8. Seniors’ Activities. If you are 70 or older in 2019, All of us have wants as well as needs! Money is only a tool to get what we want in life. How many of us ac- your income for the year is $42,215 or less and you tually dream in our lives? What are the items on your participate in fitness or arts activities, you may be able Bucket List and how often do you tick off the items to claim the seniors’ activities tax credit. These are a few ways to reduce your family’s tax on that list? Here are a few tips to make this happen bill and increase your family’s wealth. You may find for you. 1. Pay yourself first. Put away a little at a time to help and/or assistance at A&O or your nearest Senior Centre. Or call RTAM. reach the goal you have set for yourself. 2. Make a list of the necessities for the coming year. Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba (RTAM) is loSALE times for certain things happen predictably. E.g. cated at 206 – 1555 St. James St., Winnipeg. Call 1-204White sales in February and August.. 889-3660, email info@rtam.mb.ca or go online to www. 3. If music and theatre is your thing, purchase sea- rtam.mb.ca.

The Parkway Retirement Options for seniors - where do I start? Community Independent Living Suites with Services

membership-based organization— has been a valued adviser and partner in the promotion of safe care and living options for seniors living in Manitoba. Incorporated in Are you looking for 1959, our mission different retirement livhas always been to ing options? improve the quality of care provided to long Do you or a loved one term and continuing need some services, assiscare residents, and tance, or care? clients. The LTCAM introduced standards Learn more about Long Term & of care well before the Senior’s Care and LivContinuing Care provincial governing options available Association of ment outlined official in Manitoba and how Manitoba standards. Each day, to navigate them. we care for ManitoClick on a street ba’s most vulnerable sign to follow our inseniors, many of whom reside in our teractive directions: residences. We also work closely with www.roadtocare.ca provincial long-term care providers Long Term & Continuing Care across Canada through the Canadian Association for Long Term Care, and Association of Manitoba we continue to share information Phone: (204) 477-9888 and education that uses the best naToll-Free: 1-855-477-9888 tional evidence available to improve Email: info@ltcam.mb.ca quality of care for residents throughAbout LTCAM For over 60 years, the Long Term out the province and Canada. Long Term & Continuing Care & Continuing Care Association of Manitoba (LTCAM)—a non-profit, Association of Manitoba (LTCAM) hen traveling down an unfamiliar road, sometimes you just need to stop for directions…

Meals, housekeeping, recreation, transportation included Spacious suites and balconies Indoor parking is located at 202-135 McGregor Street, Winnipeg. Call 204-4779888, email info@ltcam.mb.ca, or go online to www.ltcam.mb.ca.

In-suite washer and dryer

Call today for a tour at 204-487-8500

85 Paget Street (off Sterling Lyon Parkway)

theparkway.ca

“Sweet, Suite Life” January 2020

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Directory of Manitoba Senior Centres Northern Region The Pas Golden Agers 324 Ross Ave., The Pas 623-3663 Snow Lake Seniors 71 Balsam St., Snow Lake 358-2151 Flin Flon Seniors 2 North Ave., Flin Flon 306-688-7166 Jubilee Recreation of Cranberry Portage Legion Hall, 217 2nd Ave. SE, Cranberry Portage 472-3031

Pilot Mound Fellowship Club 203 Broadway, Pilot Mound

Age Friendly Committee of Council Brandon 638 Princess Ave., Brandon 729-2259

Neepawa Drop In Centre 310 Davidson St., Neepawa 476-5103 www.neepawa.ca/district-drop-in-center

Winnipeg region

Plumas Seniors Club 102 White St., Plumas 386-2029

20 Fort Street Seniors Club 2200 - 20 Fort St (204) 227-7104

Winkler Senior Centre 102 - 650 South Railway Ave., Winkler 325-8964 winkler55plus.com

Aboriginal Senior Resource Centre Winnipeg 527 Selkirk Ave., Winnipeg 586-4595 www.asrcwpg.org

Interlake Region

Treherne Friendship Centre 190 Broadway St., Treherne 723-2559

Grand Marais & District Seniors 90 Matilda Ave., Grand Marais 998-1509

Portage Services for Seniors 165 Saskatchewan Ave E., Portage la Prairie 239-6312

South Interlake 55 Plus 374 1st St. West, Stonewall 467-2582 www.si55plus.org

Herman Prior Senior Services Centre 40 Royal Road N, Portage la Prairie 857-6951 www.hermanpriorcentre.com

Gordon Howard Centre 384 Eveline St., Selkirk 785-2092 www.gordonhoward.ca

Morden Activity Centre 306 N Railway St., Morden 822-3555 www.mordenseniors.ca

Riverton & District Friendship Centre 24 Main St., Riverton 378-2800

Minnedosa 50+ Centre 31 Main St. S, Minnedosa 867-1956

Gimli New Horizons 55+ Activity Centre 17 North Colonization Road, Gimli 642-7909 www.gimlinewhorizons.com

Carmen Active Living Centre 47 Ed Belfour Drive, Carmen 745-2356 www.carmanalc.com

Eastman Region

Elmwood East Kildonan Active Living Centre 180 Poplar Ave., Winnipeg 669-0750 www.facebook.com/eekalc Good Neighbours Active Living Centre 720 Henderson Hwy., Winnipeg 669-1710 www.gnalc.ca

A&O: Senior Centre Without Walls 200 - 280 Smith St., Winnipeg 956-6440 www.aosupportservices.ca Archwood 55 Plus 565 Guilbault St., Winnipeg 416-1067 archwood55plusinc.weebly.com/ Barbara Mitchell Family Resource Centre 51 Morrow Ave., Winnipeg 946-9152 www.barbaramitchellfrc.ca Bleak House Centre 1637 Main St., Winnipeg 338-4723 www.bleakhousecentre.com

Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre 1588 Main St., Winnipeg 339-1701 www.gwensecter.com Headingley Senior Services 5353 Portage Ave., Winnipeg 889-3132 Ext 3 www.headingleyseniorservices.ca Highsteppers Seniors Club 980 Winakwa Road, Winnipeg 619-8477 www.winakwacc.ca Manitoba Korean Seniors c/o 388 Waverley St., Winnipeg 837-3470 www.ksam.ca Pembina Active Living 50 Barnes Ave., Winnipeg 946-0839 www.pal55plus.com Rady Jewish Community Centre 123 Doncaster St., Winnipeg 480-7550 www.radyjcc.com

Brooklands Active Living Centre 1960 William Ave W., Winnipeg 632-8367 Broadway Seniors Resource Centre 319 - 691 Wolseley Ave., Winnipeg 772-3533

Dauphin Multi-Purpose Senior Centre 55 1st Ave. SW, Dauphin 638-6485 www.dauphinseniors.com

Rainbow Resource Centre 170 Scott St., Winnipeg 474-0212, EXT: 211 www.rainbowresourcecentre.org

Centro Caboto 1055 Wilkes Ave., Winnipeg 896-1962

South Winnipeg Seniors Resource Council (204) 478-6169

Crystal City Friendship Club 117 Broadway St., Crystal City 873-2091

Pat Porter Active Living Centre 10 Chrysler Gate, Steinbach 320-4600 www.patporteralc.com

Charleswood Senior Centre 5006 Roblin Blvd., Winnipeg 897-5263 www.charleswoodseniorcentre.org

Comfort Drop In Centre 31 Main St., Erickson 636-7895

Beau-head Senior Centre 645 Park Ave., Beausejour 268-2444

Creative Retirement MB 1075 Portage Ave., Winnipeg 949-2565 www.crm.mb.ca

Brandon Region

East Beaches Social Scene 3 Ateah Road, Victoria Beach 756-6468 www.ebseniorscene.ca

Central Region Grandview Drop In 432 Main St. Grandview 546-2772

Park Avenue Activity Centre Seniors for Seniors Co-op 311 Park Ave. East, Brandon 571-2050 www.brandonsfors.ca Prairie Oasis Centre 241 8th St., Brandon 727-6641

Southdale Seniors 254 Lakewood Blvd., Winnipeg 253-4599 St. James-Assiniboia 55+ Centre 3 - 203 Duffield St., Winnipeg 987-8850 www.stjamescentre.com

Crescent Fort Rouge United Church 525 Wardlaw Ave., Winnipeg 475-6011 Dakota Comm. Centre - Dakota 55+ Lazers 1188 Dakota St., Winnipeg 254-1010 E206 www.dakotacc.com Dufferin Seniors 377 Dufferin Ave., Winnipeg 986-2608

Transcona Council for Seniors 845 Regent Ave., Winnipeg 222-9879 Transcona Retired Citizens Centre 328 Whittier Ave. West, Winnipeg 222-8473 Vital Seniors 3 St. Vital Road, Winnipeg 253-0555 www.stmarymagdelenewpg.org

Happy Holidays 14

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January 2020

Encounters with a snow leopard Continued from page 1

Dmitri was the epitome of beauty, grace and power. Photo by Robert Taylor. of sending chills down a visitor’s neck. Dmitri was a fine-tuned predator, truly a product of millions of years of evolution in a world of deep snow, howling winds, and rocky mountainsides so steep that one slip meant almost-certain death. I once watched a television show narrated by the famous naturalist-broadcaster David Attenborough in which a female snow leopard was filmed in a deathdefying pursuit of a markhor (a type of goat) down a near-vertical mountain slope in Pakistan. It was one of the most-dramatic, predator-prey chases I have ever seen. The leopard managed to maintain its feet after semi-controlled falling for many metres in each bound, landing on broken rock and absorbing the great force of gravity with its muscular limbs acting as shock absorbers. Its reckless speed demonstrated a precision of eye-brain-body coordination which was hard to believe in real time, and any miscalculation in a procession of rapid decisions would have resulted in a fatal fall for hundreds of metres. At the end of this scene, the markhor escaped by tumbling into a raging river. In the next attack sequence with another markhor, the leopard was successful, and with super-feline strength, dragged its heavy prey back up the slope for a kilometer to reach its den, where a cub was waiting for food. How the photographer was able to capture such actions of one of the world’s most-secretive big cats simply amazed me. Since Dmitri’s enclosure was close to my office, I could not resist visiting him almost daily, and soon we developed a special bond. This was likely encouraged by an occasional spray of a favourite perfume (Bvlgari for Men). The scent caused Dmitri to curl up his nose and lips, begin to salivate profusely, and then repeatedly rub his face and shoulder against the fence wire beside me, while uttering little whining ‘puff ’ calls, before finally rolling over onto his back, as if he wanted me to scratch him. I used the antenna of my radio to tickle him (through the fence), and it was obvious he did not want me to stop. If I backed away to leave,

Robert and Dmitri playing their ambush game. Cartoon by Rob Gillespie.

he leapt to his feet, and placing his front paws high onto the chain-link fence, he executed the powerful movements of sharpening his impressive claws. In fact, he put such pressure on his claws that sometimes pieces of claw snapped off and flew through the air – something I did not want to encourage. The fragrance turned him into a big kitten, every time! Dmitri and I shared a special game, which I liked to spring on the crowd of admiring visitors standing along the enclosure barrier fence. As I approached his exhibit, Dmitri suddenly spotted me, although I was sometimes up to 50 metres away. Transforming instantly from a bored, recumbent slouch to an energized athlete, he crouched and crept over to hide behind a large boulder, sometimes leaving his exceptionally long tail exposed and twitching. Then slowly, the top of his head (with ears flattened) and his big eyes appeared just above the boulder, watching intently my every move. I walked towards him, making no eye contact and giving no indication I was aware he was there. He saw right past the visitors, ignoring them completely. He was hunting me! As I drew near, I turned sharply and began to walk away, which was his signal to ambush. With astonishing speed, Dmitri covered the 12-metre length of the exhibit in two bounds and leapt almost three metres to the top wall of the fence enclosure, causing the gravel stuck between his toes to hit me in the back of my head. The visitors gasped and jumped back in shock, as the attack happened so fast and without the least warning. As Dmitri sneaked back behind the boulder for round two, I calmed the visitors by explaining that this was just a game we liked to play, but it also presented a dramatic demonstration of his extraordinary predatory prowess. When I finally had to return to my office, Dmitri bounded back and forth frantically at the fence, like an excited pet dog, urging me to stay and play longer. Dmitri was a superlative representative of his race in another way. He and his mate, Lhassa, were the epit-

ome of compatibility, a rather unusual trait for snow leopards, as they prefer to live alone (both in the wild and in captivity), except for a brief period during the breeding season. While most zoos have limited success breeding this species, our pair raised an amazing 16 surviving offspring – a tremendous contribution to the captive population of the world. When we submitted our annual report on the status of our collection of snow leopards for the Species Survival Program (operated by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums for endangered species), the coordinator informed me that we must have erred, because we reported that Dmitri had bred his mate successfully at age 19 – several years beyond the known limit for the species. But no, there was no mistake. Dmitri and Lhasa were really this extraordinary. He lived for three more years – a respectful age for any big cat. Dmitri’s name is based on the ancient Greek, Demetrios, which means ‘devoted to Demeter’ – the Goddess of Fertility and the Cycle of Life, and so considering his compatibility and devotion to Lhasa, the name fitted him perfectly. I missed my zoo friend so much that I commissioned an artist to paint Dmitri’s portrait from photographs, which now hangs in my family room. I will always remember kneeling down in front of him, with only a half a meter separating us through the enclosure wire, as we searched each other’s eyes and facial features. What was he thinking behind those huge expressive, yellow-green eyes? It was as if I could peer into the distant past of his race in Asia, tragically now on the verge of extinction. Here was one of Nature’s premier killing machines, appearing to gain immense pleasure from my presence. It was a humbling and emotional moment which I will treasure forever. My beautiful Dmitri; my favourite animal. Dr. Wrigley was a curator and the museum director at the Manitoba Museum, the first director of the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre, and the curator of the Assiniboine Park Zoo.

2 ND F L O O R C I T Y P L A C E , 2 3 3 H A R G R AV E S T.

VISIT WINNIPEG’S ONLY

DOWNTOWN GAMING CENTRE and

DOUBLE UP ON FUN! January 2020

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Pegasus Publications Inc. and Lifestyles 55 is pleased to donate these 2 pages to support CJNU and community radio.

Transmissions Dispatches from community powered radio 93.7 FM CJNU

Host Sponsor for January

The Reh-Fit Centre

Tom Dercola

s CJNU celebrates New Year! New Beginnings! New You!, it seems fitting that the Reh-Fit Centre is our Host Sponsor for the month of Janu-

ary. Forty years ago, the Reh-Fit Centre was a small laboratory in the St. Boniface Hospital, purposed to follow up with heart attack patients. Fast forward to 2020, the Reh-Fit Centre occupies 86,000 square foot facility on Taylor Avenue. Over the years, the philosophy has been One Body for Life. The pioneers of the Reh-Fit believed that exercise is beneficial for us and exercise is one of the most important things that we can do for Living Long and Staying Strong. Exercise is not new. We all remember the fads: thigh masters, buns of steel, tai bo. We may now have a bunch of equipment, bought with the greatest of intentions, sitting in our basement. The best part of a facility like the Reh-Fit is the feeling of companionship and camaraderie whether walking the track or running on the treadmill; there is someone beside you doing their best too. It’s a friendly feeling, a place of community. There are people at different levels of weight and fitness, so it is a good place that is not intimidating to the newbie. One of the outstanding features of the Reh-Fit is the qualifications of the staff. All of the staff members are

The Reh-Fit Centre is a busy place!

The Heart Rock Cafe.

qualified nurses, doctors or fitness instructors with degrees in kinesiology. These professionals inspire people to exercise safely and effectively. The cardiovascular and weight training equipment is state of the art. There are personal entertainment systems on most cardio equipment. And, there are some very unique pieces of equipment such as Queenax, SkillMill and TRX. The cushioned track offers wide colour-coded lanes both for runners and walkers. Diet is an important part of healthy living. As we age, maintaining an optimal weight becomes more difficult. The Reh-Fit offers nutritional counselling by registered dieticians. The Heart Rock Café provides healthy snack and meals that you can enjoy at tables and chairs under the arched glass roof. Achieving the goals of being healthier, feeling more

energetic or losing weight is unlike a light switch; these all require permanent lifestyle change. The Reh-Fit provides the opportunity to do just that. Sue Boreskie, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre said, “We provide many services, creating a one stop shop for our members. In a single day, our members can have a physiotherapy appointment, workout, eat lunch, have a massage, take a yoga class and attend an educational session if they plan their schedule accordingly.” Modern science has confirmed ancient wisdom: research from Harvard shows physical activity can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, breast and colon cancer, depression, and falls. It’s 2020 – a new year and new beginnings. How about a new YOU?

CJNU Personality of the month

CJNU announcer Susan Hamilton

Susan Hamilton

am from a sleepy little hamlet called, Smithville, situated on Twenty Creek up on the Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula in Ontario. The town was established in the year 1795 and was once a bustling centre for the farming community surrounding it, but when I lived there it was so quiet that if you rolled the streets up on a Saturday night I don’t think anyone would have noticed except maybe the people passing through from Hamilton to Niagara Falls! In those days, radio was one of our favourite entertainments and I was hooked on it from a very early age. We used to listen to CBL, CJBC, CFRB from Toronto and CHML in Hamilton, tuning in to hear Wayne and Schuster, Mart Kenny, The Happy Gang, Bruce Smith’s Toast and Jamboree, Allan McFee’s Eclectic Circus, Max Ferguson and Gordie Tapp.

My first career was not in radio. I attended Canada Business College in Hamilton and trained as a shorthand/ typist. I worked for an Engineering firm in Toronto for a couple of years and then moved to Guelph, Ont. where I was secretary to the Dean of Men at O.A.C. and where I met my husband. We moved to Madison, Wisconsin so Ian could work towards his Ph.D. degree. I worked in a lab where, believe it to not, I learned to micro manipulate yeast for experiments!! When my husband completed his degree, we moved to Oxford, England for a year on a post-doc. We came to Winnipeg in 1964 and I was a stayat-home Mom with my daughter, Anne, and two sons, David and Stephen, until 1975. I came back into the work force and worked as a secretary for the Winnipeg School Division, first at Grant Park High School and then at River Heights Junior High until I retired in 1996. When CKVN came on the air in 1995, I was very interested in it and became

Membership has its perks!

very month a gift is awarded to three lucky CJNU members. A draw is made from new members, existing members and members who have just renewed for another year. Here are some of the most recent comments we received from the happy and lucky winners:

“I am a long time listener of CJNU radio. I decided to become a member since many of my friends have been for a long time. Friends such as Brett Buckingham, Wayne Rogers and Chris Stevens have dedicated themselves to making the station such a success. I also have a 35 year in radio and therefore can appreciate everything 16

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that it takes to producing good programming like CJNU does. I really enjoy your programs and music selections.” – Tony M., New Member “Our family continues to have membership in CJNU radio for a number of reasons. First and foremost we love the variety of music that is broadcast. We also enjoy the coverage and support of local community events and activities and feel that CJNU is totally unique in this respect. And finally we love having the opportunity to contribute to the station as volunteers in various capacities.” – Marilyn and Alex R.

a phone volunteer a few years later. At the time I had no thought of becoming a broadcaster, I just enjoyed being part of the radio station and the camaraderie that goes with it. I think because I had such a great love for the music of the era, Gren Marsh and Johnny Murphy

encouraged me to try broadcasting. Unfortunately, CKVN/CHNR went off the air in 2003. Then in 2005 Dennis Lowe spearheaded a group from the former station to form an AM station, CJML, 580, and that is where I had my first experience as a very green broadcaster. Sadly CJML was short lived and folded in August 2006. Nonetheless, you can’t keep a group of enthusiastic and determined radio people down and that fall we met at Garry Robertson’s home to form a new station. Thanks to Garry’s wonderful optimism and foresight and Bill Stewart’s leadership, together we managed in December 2006, to get CJNU up and running as a co-op run by volunteers, on a shoe string budget. It has grown enormously since then and has been more successful than we ever could have dreamed and I have to say that I have never had as much fun as I experience when I am sharing my music or talking with our listeners!

Application for membership Nostalgia Broadcasting Co-operative Inc. Name:________________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________ City:___________________ Postal Code:__________________________ Phone: _______________ Email Address:__________________________  Just $25 for membership Charge my:  MC  Visa Card #_________________________________ Exp. Date ____________ Mail to: CJNU RADIO, Richardson Building, L7 – 1 Lombard Place, Winnipeg MB R3B 0X3 January 2020

Local Artist Spotlight

Joey Gregorash – Winnipeg’s own Mr. Entertainment John Einarson

n February 6, 2020, Winnipeg’s own Mr. Entertainment, singer/songwriter Joey Gregorash, makes a welcome return to the stage headlining a show at the Club Regent Entertainment Centre. A local legend who has spent more than 50 years entertaining Winnipeggers in a multi-faceted career, Joey carries a lot of history with him and represents a time when Winnipeg was the rock ‘n’ roll capital of Canada. At the second ever Juno Awards ceremony on February 28, 1972 in Toronto, Joey received the Outstanding Male Performance of 1971 Juno award. He was only the second Manitoban to win a Juno, the first being the Guess Who. Joey’s music career began in the mid 1960s behind the drums with Fort Rouge rock band The Wellingtons, who eventually became the Mongrels. Joey moved upfront assuming lead vocal duties as the group became one of the city’s top bands on the community club/ high school sock hop circuit. In 1968, the Mongrels released their debut single on the local Franklin label, Death of a Salesman, written and produced by Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachman. Follow-up singles included My Woman and another Bachman number, Funny Day. The latter was reviewed on American Bandstand’s Rate-The-Record segment. After throat problems forced him to leave the group in 1969, Joey landing a two year stint as host of CJAY TV’s weekly Young As You Are, an American

Bandstand-style showcase featuring records and live bands. He also embarked on a solo career, signing with Polydor Records at the tender age of twenty. Joey’s first two singles, Stay and Tomorrow Tomorrow, penned with local songwriter Norman Lampe, garnered sufficient interest for Polydor to send Joey to legendary Stax studio in Memphis in 1971. There he recorded North Country Funk which yielded two of his biggest hits, the upbeat self-composed Jodie, and a funky cover of Neil Young’s Down By the River. “We needed one more song to complete the album,” he recalls. “We were sitting in the hotel room the night before we had to leave and I started fooling around on acoustic guitar doing Jose Feliciano does Neil Young on Down By The River. My producer, Ron Capone, said, ‘Hey, I like that rhythm. Let’s lay that down.’ So we went to the studio and laid down the backing track. I sang it live in the studio. They finished it after we left. Bobby Manuel, Isaac Hayes’ guitarist, played the lead guitar. “After Jodie was a hit, Polydor released Don’t Let Your Pride Get You Girl, which started tanking. I told them not to release it. Someone in the Maritimes started playing Down By the River off the album, the full-length version, so Polydor edited it as a single.” The song went Top 10 nationally. The success earned Joey the Juno nod. A second album, Tell the People, recorded at Steve Cropper’s Trans Maximus studio in Memphis, included the hits My Love Sings and Take The Blindness. However, Joey was unable to capitalize on his earlier success with

Joey Gregorash received the Outstanding Male Performance at the 1971 Juno Awards. a national tour. Liza failed to stem a downward slide. “I don’t think the songs were strong enough,” he reflects. “And I never had strong management behind me.” In 1975, Joey set his sights on eastern Canada (along with yours truly on guitar). A two-week stand at Toronto’s historic Friars Club led to further engagements in the Maritimes on the heels of his single I Know We’ll Make It Together. “It was tough to be on the road in the 70s,” he recalled. “We pulled into this club in Galt, Ontario and the owner came up and said, ‘The last group had a trapeze. What’s your gimmick?’ That was it for me.” Returning to Winnipeg, Joey entered

the world of radio, becoming morning man at CKY 58 AM and later CKIS97 FM. A dual career as a commercials writer brought him further acclaim, winning fourteen national awards and a Gold Medal from New York’s International Radio Festival for creative excellence. In 2003, he captured radio’s prestigious Crystal Award Gold Medal for commercial writing and voicing. With CKY TV in 1986, Joey starred in the daily children’s program S’kiddle Bits which ran for seven successful years. Joey’s song parodies were always clever and his guests often found themselves trying to keep up with their host. He followed with Hi Noon, another daily show which featured guests like Jann Arden and Garth Brooks. Despite the shift into broadcast media, Joey kept up his singing career. Together (The New Wedding Song) earned him a gold record in 1987 selling over 50,000 copies and reaching #1 in several markets across Canada. “I was one of only four Canadians to earn a gold record that year.” Together (The New Wedding Song) received the prestigious Canadian Music Publishers’ Association Award and a PROCAN Award for Outstanding Air Play. It remains a perennial favourite at weddings and anniversaries and, along with Jodie and Down By The River, is still heard regularly on Canadian radio. Since then Joey has served as master of ceremonies for both McPhillips Street Station and Club Regent casino concerts. But on February 6 he’ll be centre stage and promises a show that offers a trip back to the golden of Winnipeg rock music along with all his hits.

Artist Spotlight for January

Peter, Paul and Mary Helen Harper

eter Paul and Mary was an American folk group formed in 1961 during the American folk revival phenomenon. They were tenor Peter Yarrow, baritone Paul Stookey, and contralto Mary Travers. The list of songs they sang like Lemon

Murray Riddell Band rocks Christmas

Tree, If I had a Hammer and Where Have All the Flowers Gone makes me aware of what a big fan I am of folk music. I know all these songs and their lyrics. They also sang many Bob Dylan songs like Don’t Think Twice, it’s All Right. In 1963, the group released Puff the Magic Dragon which was based on a poem and despite rumors that the song referred to drugs, it was actually about the lost innocence of childhood.

January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month

CJNU Santa Bus for Harvest on December 19

CJNU are proud to partner once again with the Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. This year’s campaign, #ilivewithdementia, shares stories of people living with dementia to help others better understand. These stories are honest, inspiring and full of hope. It’s our collective responsibility to break down barriers, avoid stigma and foster greater understanding. Learn more at alzheimer.mb.ca

This is the third annual CJNU Santa Bus for Harvest. This year’s event was made possible by a very kind donation by John Fehr of Beaver Bus Lines who donated the use of their “lounger cruiser” and driven by CJNU’s own John Panting. CJNU’s Production Co-ordinator, Frank Stecky, once again organized the event and arranged for visits to the Sugar & Spice Daycare and Garden City Collegiate.

Sixth Annual We Walk

In the beautiful setting of St. John’s Cathedral a crowd of avid music lovers got an early holiday treat. Murray Riddell and his Big Band rocked the rafters with swinging versions of music such as There’s No L in Swing and other tasty treats. With the band in full swing, everything from Frosty to carols got the full Riddell treatment. At the end of the concert, the band was given a standing ovation by a nearly capacity crowd. Many people left with a lot more cheer in their hearts as the holiday season begins in earnest. Special thanks to Celoris Miller who vocalized with the band, and to the intrepid ladies of CJNU Promotions Committee, who had it all under control from the start. This was a joint effort of CJNU and the Murray Riddell Big Band and an unqualified success in every way. January 2020

There isn’t a lot written up about them because they were busy making music and not having scandalous affairs. Even when they stopped recording together to pursue solo careers they still kept in touch and, after eight years, got back together and toured until Mary’s death in 2009. I look forward to listening to many of these songs again. What a great way to start off our year. Don’t forget to call and ask for your favorites.

Tom Dercola Former CJNU President, Ross Thompson, organized the Sixth Annual “We Walk” on behalf of Winnipeg’s citizens who do always have the basic necessities. With incredible support from The Anglican Church of the Ascension in Stonewall, the We Walk team from Stonewall, CJNU’s Frank and Helga Stecky and President Tom Dercola, over 100 bags were distributed on a bitterly cold December 7. Each backpack contained some or all of energy bars, mitts, toques, scarves, bars of soap, bottled water and activated hand warmers.

CJNU’s Thursday morning show “Brecky with Stecky” featuring Frank Stecky and Ken Porteous and our midmorning show “The Morning Coffee Mix” with Wayne Bruce and Lance Burdett were both broadcast live from the on-board the bus while we drove to each of the locations. Also on-board were Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus along with Red-Nosed Rudolph and other reindeer and a number of CJNU volunteers and Board members who brought the spirit of Christmas and good cheer to children and students. Food donations that were collected at two Daycare sites and at Garden City Collegiate were loaded into the storage trunks under the bus before we left each venue, and were later dropped off at Winnipeg Harvest. In the end, the CJNU Santa Bus for Harvest raised 997 lbs of food donations destined for Winnipeg families in need. A big thanks goes out to everyone who contributed to the success of this annual undertaking, amazingly gathering a half a ton of much needed food donations. A very special thank you goes out to our dear friends at Beaver Bus Lines, and to John Fehr for the donation of the bus that made this special endeavour possible. whatsupwinnipeg.ca

Looking both ways R

ecently we have been confront- I wearing matching sweaters that my ed with major events facing our mother knitted with deer on the front panel; a photo taken of my brother and family. One of my mother’s two surviving I when we were visiting my father’s uncle in Moose Jaw. We sisters passed away at age were both under 5 years 94. The other is now in old and looking adorable. a care home as she sufThere are candids of my fers from dementia. The parents’ engagement and residue of all this has been wedding that I had never to have to confront the seen before and photos many layers of our colof old family friends that lective family past. What were such an important was left to be done was part of our lives. twelve file boxes of old There are great photos photos and memorabilia of the family restaurant that they had collected Kelekis that closed after between the two of them. 82 years at Redwood and All these file boxes came Main. They trace the peoto our home because I Jim Pappas ple and the various deremember most of the cors of the interior over people and the moments of their lives. So I made a promise to the years. We see my aunts at various Barbra that my winter project would be stages of their lives from young women to sort through all the boxes and reduce to mature ladies. I have found also many photos that it to just a few by sending out packages to various family members and friends will bring delight to my old friends – along the way. I am pleased to say that photos that my friends do not have of I have already begun this journey and various people. I am scanning a lot of them and emailing then out. Others I have gone through four of them. Every time I sit down and do a box, bundle up and use Canada Post to send. I spend as much time looking backward There was a package of black and white into my life as looking forward. What photos taken at a friend’s wedding over I find are moments of the past that 50 years ago and when I contacted her have been covered over with layers of she had no idea that they existed so I memory like an old painted cabinet is sent them off to her so she can enjoy covered with many layers of old paint. them. So much family history is recorded In peeling back the layers, I get to look backward to moments that I had for- that it sometimes overwhelms me with gotten or set aside in the rush of living emotion, but as I wander through my my life. Christmas celebrations of many past I keep one thing in the forefront of years past with my grandparents and all my mind and that is to look forward at my aunts and uncles; my brother and the same time. Although I am having

great delight in uncovering the past, I am realizing there are pitfalls in this new age. I am late at the table with current technologies. The computer and the cell phone have really rocked my world and challenged me to learn a whole new method of communication. In this day of the digital camera, such a thing as hard copy photos rarely exist and when I look forward I begin to wonder if all of the current recorded history will be preserved as ours was. In fifty years will someone be sifting through the photos with the ability to look backward and reminisce about life as it was in 2019? Or will all of it be lost in cyber space as we move farther into the digital life. Will the “cloud” hold all these memories? Will they change their “carrier”? Will they lose their iPhones or iPads? Will they remember to “backup” all the moments of their lives and perhaps put them on a hard drive for later inspection? I wonder if our children will have the same feelings as I am experiencing in this journey or will it all be simply recorded and set aside? Our next generation may not want all the hard copies of their lives. It will be their own decision as I am giving them each a fairly extensive array of photos from their past. What they do with them will be on their own conscience and not mine. If they choose to discard them they will have no record of the many moments of their lives. When I look back so many wonderful thoughts come to mind about them and their growing up as well as my own. If they choose to wander through their past and look backward they might discover many wonderful times they

had forgotten. It might stir up some thoughts of the continuum of their lives and their parents. So even as I do this I am looking in two directions I feel that we should not obliterate our past but honour it as we sort through all this. My hope is that our children will someday have that same thrill as I have had seeing them in various stages of their growing up. The task is onerous and taking a long time, however I am relishing my travels down memory lane as I look backward and forward at the same time. Backward with so many good thoughts and forward with the hope that our children will one day have this same experience and remember us as we were. Jim Pappas is heard weekly on CJNU Mondays from 1 to 3:30 93.7 FM.

Thank you and how can I help you with tax issues? Marty Morantz, MP

would like to begin my first article in this publication by thanking the people of Charleswood-St. JamesAssiniboia-Headingley for putting their trust in me and electing me to be their member of Parliament. I would also like to thank my wife, Lisa, and son, Jeremy, for their support throughout the campaign and the months leading up to it. Families sacrifice a lot in the business of politics. I could not have done this without them. I previously served on Winnipeg City Council as the councillor for Charleswood-Tuxedo-Whyte Ridge and as both the chair of Finance and chair of Infrastructure and Public Works. Although I very much enjoyed my time on Council I wanted to see if I

could help my community in a different capacity and decided to run for federal office. It has been a whirlwind in my first months as a member of Parliament and I find myself learning something new every day from my colleagues and our entire Conservative team. I have been given the privilege of serving as the shadow minister for National Revenue. This role allows me to make sure that Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is treating all Canadian taxpayers with the utmost respect and to look for ways that they can improve their service delivery. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights As the end of the year approaches, many people begin to think about filing their tax returns. Some people file their own, others use tax preparation services or have an accountant file their taxes for them. Regardless of how you get your

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taxes filed, there are some resources you should be aware of so you can ensure CRA takes your rights as a taxpayer seriously. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights exists to ensure the CRA can be held accountable when interacting with taxpayers. According to the CRA’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights, taxpayers have the following rights to: 1. Receive entitlements, and to pay no more and no less than what is required by law; 2. Service in both official languages; 3. Privacy and confidentiality; 4. A formal review of a CRA decision and a subsequent appeal of that decision; 5. Be treated professionally, courteously and fairly; 6. Complete, accurate, clear and timely information; 7. Unless otherwise provided by law, not to pay income tax amounts in dispute before an impartial review has occurred; 8. Have the law applied consistently; 9. Make a complaint about the CRA’s service, and to be provided with an explanation of the CRA’s findings; 10. Have the costs of compliance tak-

en into account when tax legislation is administered; 11. Expect the CRA to be accountable to Parliament and for its decisions; 12. Relief from penalties and interest under tax legislation because of extraordinary circumstances; 13. Expect the CRA to publish its service standards and to report annually to Parliament; 14. Expect the CRA to warn taxpayers about questionable tax schemes in a timely manner; 15. Be represented by a person of the taxpayer’s choice; and 16. Make a complaint about the CRA’s service or to request a formal review of a CRA decision without fear of reprisal. As tax season approaches, make sure to keep these rights in mind. If you are having any issues in your dealings with CRA, please feel free to contact my Parliamentary Office at 613-995-5609 or Marty.Morantz@parl.gc.ca. We would be more than happy to assist you. I look forward to contributing to this publication throughout my term as an MP and to serving the constituents of Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley to the best of my ability.

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January 2020

Auto theft Wpg. Police Force

020! May we look forward with clarity and good decisions in mind. May we look back with sound hindsight so we may learn from the past to make good decisions going forward? Our wish for you is the safest and happiest of New Year’s. As we write this, Jack Frost is definitely nipping at our nose. The winter winds have many thinking of escaping the cold, or at least minimizing its effects as we push through to the spring. Count us amongst that crowd! Stay warm, but always keep your safety and crime prevention in mind. As the temperatures drop, the temptation of thieves to take off in warm,

idling and unlocked cars rise. A warm car is great to get into in the midst of a Winnipeg winter, but a stolen car will leave you hot under the collar. It’s a crime that may not only affect you and your family – but the community as a whole. PLEASE don’t leave your vehicles running unattended. Vehicles left running unattended present a prime opportunity for thieves as they can be stolen in a matter of seconds. Manitoba Public Insurance reports that almost 90 per cent of auto theft claims in Manitoba result from vehicles being stolen with the owners’ keys. In almost half of those cases, a set of keys was left inside the vehicle. • Never leave your vehicle unlocked, unattended and running (even if it’s just for five minutes!). • Don’t leave keys in your vehicle.

• Always remember to lock your vehicle • Park your vehicle in a well-lit area. We had the opportunity to talk to the Staff Sergeant in Major Crimes. We told him this was the topic we would cover this month and he could not be happier. He reminded us theft of these vehicles truly is a crime multiplier. Not only are they taking off with your vehicle, all too often these vehicles are being used to commit other crimes. “It would probably be harder for me to find a stolen vehicle report that DIDN’T result in further crime.” was his response. Stolen vehicles are used to expand the reach of criminals, enabling them to get to other areas of the city. Stolen vehicles also increase the escape-ability for offenders, putting the public and our officers at risk.

Christmas on the Flin Flon Stage

Connect with us online

whatsupwinnipeg.ca Facebook: Lifestyles55 | Twitter: @Lifestyles55 January 2020

Many of the people we capture in these vehicles have no licenses at all or are prohibited from driving. Protect yourself, protect your car and protect your community by ensuring your vehicle is always secured. Crime Prevention starts with you. Wishing everyone all the best in the New Year!

I LIVE WITH DEMENTIA

appy Christmas and wish- oute, John Bettgar and Kevin Imrie; ing all supporters of the arts we also had tunes from the arena rock and culture a wonderful, band Journey and singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith sung by fun-filled and creative Pandora Furniss, U2 by New Year. We re-read last Derek Kemp plus songs month’s column in prepmade famous by Elvis aration for this one and Presley, courtesy of our thought it sounded rather own CC Trubiak. CC gloomy, but holiday time doesn’t look or sound at in Flin Flon was anything all like Elvis but was honbut! The Flin Flon Comouring the memory of his munity Choir presented late father, a true fan. a marvellous show to a An absolute highlight very full house at the very of the evening was local end of November. It was teenager Jacob Harvie billed as, A Dean Martin who performed Don’t Christmas Spectacular. It Elly Spencer Let the Bells End by The was spectacular! The arts from Darkness. You can see it The Dean Martin in up here for yourself on YouTube. question is a local drumGoogle Mark Kolt then mer who moved away from Flin Flon to pursue his passion enter Jacob Harvie in the search bar. when he was a teenager. He actually It’s worth it just to hear the audience played with several rock and post- response, but if you hang on a little punk style bands across Canada for longer, you can hear Kevin Imrie and several years. Now married with a then Derek Kemp. So much fun! Our Flin Flon and area audiences young family, he has come home, to raise his children in a supportive and love to see local performers strut their beautiful environment. Of course, this stuff but we truly believe that the being Flin Flon means that no musi- quality of the performances, both vocian who comes (or comes back) here cal and instrumental, would be just as exceptional anywhere in Canada. We can be anonymous for long. Martin was nearly immediately live in a magical, musical place. The Antisocial Club Band with swept up into the musical ‘family’ that makes local venue Johnny’s So- guest vocalists Susan Lethbridge, cial Club so special and he has played Faith Krahn, John Bettgar and CC many shows there over the past few Trubiak gave us another weekend to years. But this year we discovered a deremember at Johnny’s Social Club tail that might be considered a bit bi- later in December with the fourth inzarre. This Dean Martin loves Christ- stallment of The Beatles songbook. mas music and not just the traditional Yet again this talented group mixed facarol kind! This discovery led Crystal miliar and lesser-known Lennon and Kolt, Director of Flin Flon Commu- McCartney tunes and tossed a couple nity Choir, to issue an invitation for of George Harrison and Ringo Starr Martin to choose the program for the songs in to entertain three sold-out Flin Flon Community Choir Holiday houses. The joint was jumpin’ (mixing my musical styles/metaphors a bit Concert and what an event it was. He chose to feature local sing- there - sorry!) The NorVA Centre has taken possesers and musicians and use the Choir as the world’s largest back-up band sion of ‘Water and the Wild’ by Whitto perform a program worthy of the bread and Watt and have an Artists more famous Dean Martin’s venerated Talk planned after this column goes to Christmas Specials. We had the Rat print. The exhibit is hung though and Pack in Rob Mote and Lane Lader- it looks beautiful. Talk soon!

Don’t leave your keys in the car unattended.

Let me help you understand. My husband’s dementia doesn’t define us. It’s just part of our life.

Read my story at ilivewithdementia.ca

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New year’s resolutions H

ere comes the New Year gallop- alternative, take a few months to give ing down the road at us again, your tired and worn paperbacks a stylish hauling a bag bulging with old and stunning make over with glossy peelresolutions that never had a chance. Re- and-stick paper. And don’t skimp on the member them? Stop smoking, avoid booze. • I resolve to spend less money. This sugar, do pilates, do transcendental is not as difficult as it meditation, make a budsounds. Spend the day at get and stick to it, blah a variety of stores. Try on blah blah.... Did any one a dozen high-end haute of those make it through couture outfits at each the first week? Sometimes place and leave without it almost seems imposbuying anything. You’ll sible in the land of the resee how quickly and pleascliner and the super-sized antly the time passes withmeal. End of January and out spending a cent. And still the same weight. Still visit the department-store blowing smoke out the makeup counters for free bathroom window. Still make overs. Sometimes spending money like a they have two chairs, crazed politician. Michael bring your wife along. Why are we always Stephenson • I resolve to set a making resolutions we budget and stick to it. can’t keep? This resolution is just too Herewith I present my realistic, totally do-able New Year’s reso- easy. Track every dollar coming in, down lutions. Help yourself to any that fit the to the last cent. At the same time, record every expenditure in a notebook. Add bill for you. • I resolve to entertain more often. them up, then subtract the incoming Not into cooking? Just keep the menu from the outgoing. You’ll be amazed at simple. Make a salad. Then pick up some how much you’re blowing on frivolous store-bought hors d’oeuvres and dessert. items like electricity, gas and water. Now If the salad is a bit too much hassle, skip set a budget for just the fun things and it. Wait until the neighbours are away stick to it. If you find yourself being hounded by and add a quick festive touch to the table with flowers from their garden. Don’t the utility companies or banks, inform bother cleaning and dusting for the com- them politely that if they don’t stop callpany, just dim the lights. For the final ing, their name won’t even go in the hat never-fail piece de resistance, don’t skimp this month. They’ll back off. Now go out and spend your fun budget. on the booze. • I resolve to make better use of my • I resolve to get more involved with life. Yes, there are simple ways to time. How simple is this? Decide on crank up your lifestyle in the new year. your clothes the night before. Wear shirt Become a circus performer. Volunteer and socks to bed. Arise ready to grab a as a NASCAR tire changer. The NHL few accessories like shoes and head for is always looking for skaters. Apply for the links. Going to the beach tomorrow? a polar bear hunting licence. Or, as an Eat a nice evening meal of bacon, eggs

and fritters and then slip into your bathing suit before hitting the sack. These simple tricks save plenty of wasted steps every morning. • I resolve to say “no” more often and not feel guilty about it. It doesn’t get any easier than this resolution. Memorize the following phrases and use them liberally on the proper occasions: “No, don’t mind if I do. May I have five?” “No, I’m not against two or three Happy Hours a day.” “No, I’m not committed to anything at all this week. Or the next.” “No, I never turn down dessert.” • I resolve to take time out each day to do nothing. As little as five hours a day of conscious rest can boost the immune system. The easiest and most pleasant way to accomplish this seemingly impossible resolution is to barricade yourself in the bathroom. Take along a good book and a bottle of red wine (white works just as well). Answer no one. Don’t come out unless the house is on fire.

• I resolve to keep everything neat and tidy. Another simple resolution, another simple solution. Buy baskets. Big ones. Everyone gets a basket. Everything they own goes into baskets. Visitors included. They get a basket. • I resolve to dress better than shorts, tees and runners every day. Be the couple. Dust off that Armani suit and Gucci necktie; slip on a fire-engine red skirt, cherry-hued jacket and towering crimson heels. That’ll make ‘em sit up and take notice at the tennis court. Or, you can just use my own foolproof system: pick only one resolution, like Lose Weight. If I can do it, then anyone....wait. Is that cake? Michael Stephenson is a retired 25-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Air Force. A displaced Cape Bretoner, he and his wife, Sally, live in Portage La Prairie. Both are enthusiastic world travelers, and especially love driving around all parts of Mexico. Michael’s book, High Arctic watch - the frozen chosen, will be available in early summer 2020.

Music in the age of emotion We see people every day. People we notice, assess, ignore. Neighbours, cashiers and fellow bus riders receive a nod, perfunctory smile or brief eye contact. “Whadda Ya At B’y?” aims to open hearts to our common humanity.

brain function and brain’s physical structure play a role in seniors’ responses to music? UFC and UNAM researchers Sandrine Vieillard and Anne-Laure Gilet asked themselves if age has an effect on the responses to music and the memories rance has always been regarded as a romantic of emotion elicited by music. More succinctly, does getaway. After all, French is a Romance lan- getting older make us happier? Does our sadness deguage and is even referred to as the language crease? What are the positive or negative effects of music on our minds? Our motivations of love. Science sometimes shatters stedo change as we age. How does aging reotypes and France isn’t all romance. affect emotional responses and memory Two French universities (Université de covered by music? Franche-Comté (UFC) and Université UFC and UNAM’s experiment reNantes Angers Le Mans (UNAM)) cruited two groups of people (ages 19 have conducted scientific research on to 24 and 60 to 84) and asked them the brain’s emotional reaction to muto evaluate the strength of emotional sic. experiences after listening to happy, There has been a lot of research done peaceful, sad and scary music. on visual emotional communication. Each group participant was made to Previous studies used facial expreslisten to unfamiliar musical excerpts. A sions, video, words and pictures as the computer randomly selected 40 clips of stimuli. Music is a much better stimuAengus Kane music based on their ability to convey lus as it allows for fewer distractions Whadda happiness, peacefulness, sadness, and and helps people focus more attentively Ya At B’y? fear. Each emotion was allocated ten on their emotions. clips. Each musical fragment consisted Science knows much less about music’s effect on how we emotionally communicate of 10 seconds of silence, 10 seconds of music and 10 with each other and ourselves. Not much study has seconds of silence. Session one lasted one hour. Sesbeen done on the activity of facial muscles while lis- sion two lasted two hours. Group participants were asked to do simple tasks tening to music. Do the more seasoned amongst us lose reactivity to facial expressiveness due to lowered while listening to the music and then asked to conphysiological ability in the nervous system? Or are sider how much of each emotion they experienced reductions of facial expressiveness in seniors an at- after listening, using a 10 point scale; 0 was “not at tempt to regulate emotion? Do older adults express all” and 9 was “a lot.” positive facial expressions to counteract negative As predicted, the group of experienced lifers reemotions? acted with more happiness; their facial muscles were We all know music is a powerful trigger for emo- more active for scary music, they had a decreased retions. Our amygdalae are used to process scary mu- sponse to sad and scary music and falsely recognized sic and allow us to feel particular emotions. They happy music. Generally, older people respond more also allow us to perceive certain emotions in other positively to music than people who have spent less people, especially fear and the bodily changes it cre- time experiencing the world. This jives with emotions and motivations being ates. Previous research utilizing electric guitars led to the discovery that older adults are less able to rec- intertwined and emotional goals influencing memognize fear and sadness. Do our changing life goals, ory. Our memories for negative pictures decrease

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over time, keeping us healthy. The reaction of smiling may serve as a defensive goal inhibiting negative feelings for older adults in an attempt to regulate emotion. This study’s findings provided evidence of increased false recognition of happy music stimuli in older adults. A positive emotion elicited by happy excerpts enhanced the probability of false alarms. So seniors are less discriminating and have a liberal bias toward positivity. But the positivity bias is detrimental to memory accuracy. The findings suggest that aging may cause a decrease in negative effects and an increase in positive affects even when these affects are elicited by a more abstract source of emotion that does not refer to specific events. Older adults use emotional coping skills acquired over a life time in order to avoid potentially negative memories and maintain positive ones. So what does it all mean? The positive effect of aging is not an automatic process but a cognitive shift. As we age and recognize the limited time we have on earth, emotional regulation develops to preserve high levels of well-being later in life. As we age, does our decreased ability to evaluate complex emotional situations preserve our wellbeing? How about the emotions experienced while listening to music? Does this mean emphasizing emotion over knowledge is vital for seniors’ health? Does aging decrease the size of our amygdalae and therefore their reaction to negativity? Science often creates more questions than it answers. Still, is chemistry between people more science and less romance that we imagine? Who knows but leaving it to the imagination is good for our health! And not only is music good for the heart and soul… it works wonders on our minds. Aengus invites you to investigate further at https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/ fpsyg.2013.00711/full Aengus Kane was born in Newfoundland. “Whadda Ya At B’y” means hello in his home province. He volunteers both behind the scenes and on air at CJNU, as well as delivering the Friday morning news. January 2020

Crossword

Across 1. One-named Dutch singer 5. “___ as the eye can see” 10. “This ____ joke!” 14. Early morning declaration 15. Tripoli is its capital 16. Far from far 17. Reduces in complexity 19. French saint Jeanne ____ 20. Like many a message 21. Halloween figure 22. Hefting 26. Fiber for caulking 30. Female anchor 34. Parisian pancake 35. Spanish painter Francisco 36. Census datum 37. 1/8 of a circle 39. Down Under girl 42. Singer’s device 43. “Make ____ Away” (Sheryl Crow song) 47. Not so common 48. Improving 51. Gets corroded 52. Of bodily vessels 54. Old Testament spy 57. First name of two first ladies 62. “When You Wish ___ a Star” 63. Carol Channing musical 66. Lux. neighbor 67. Say on scout’s honor 68. Auction 69. Wheel-to-wheel shaft

PUZZLES

70. Chubby Checker’s dance craze 71. Major rtes. Down 1. Acapulco affirmative 2. Poker call 3. Heartburn relief brand 4. Entry in a PDA 5. Draw ___ in the sand 6. Putting through a sieve 7. Counter-terrorism org. 8. Yes vote 9. Dorm staff (abbr.) 10. Part of Roy G. Biv 11. Chair 12. Cop at a drug bust 13. Grp. in a pit 18. Crook chasers 21. GPS reading 23. Political prefix 24. Map abbreviation 25. “Beauty ____ beauty does” 26. “___, all ye faithful...” 27. Curve toward the center 28. Two-masted sailing vessel 29. Make ___ story (lie) 31. Cleaning crew 32. Metal tag on a cord 33. Approaches 38. Nervous twitches 40. Awful 41. URL ending 44. Twitch 45. Gazelle’s cousin

Word search

Abyss Adobes Aisle Bakes Banged Brawn Cached Casks

January 2020

Clubs Could Crockery Dusts Duties Flaws Gelds Gluts

Growl Gruels Gushed Hacks Hurls Lander Mascara Museums

46. Lakota speakers 49. Settle a score 50. Seize suddenly 53. Cancel a launch 54. Guantanamo Bay locale 55. Peak 56. Relax on the sofa

58. Word before “darn it” 59. Something there oughta be? 60. In a poor manner 61. Caustic agents 63. Fair Deal pres. 64. “Ick!” 65. Garland

Sudoku

Nuclei Peanut Plucky Quinine Reducing Reply Retry Rotes

Saris Shotguns Spews Standoff Stows Tepees Theses Tuner

Unbroken Unmask Whirls Whisper Woolly Wries

Puzzles’ solutions on next page

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Current Events The Franklin Exploration A mini exhibition featured in the Museum’s Arctic/Sub-Arctic Gallery. Until February 1, 2020 Manitoba Museum, 190 Rupert Ave. Phone: 204-956-2830 manitobamuseum.ca Small Worlds: Inuit Miniature Carving Until February 9, 2020 Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Blvd. Phone: 204-786-6641

As You Like It January 7 to February 1, 2020 John Hirsch Mainstage, 174 Market Ave. Phone: 204-942-6537 royalmtc.ca WSO presents Beethoven’s Triple January 17 to 18, 2020 Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St. Phone: 1-204-949-3999 wso.ca

Salon Style: Reimagining the Collection Until February 9, 2020 Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Blvd. Phone: 204-786-6641 wag.ca

Wonderful Wedding Show 2020 January 18 to 19, 2020 RBC Convention Centre, 375 York Ave. Phone: 204-943-7469 wonderfulweddingshow.com

Time to Act: Rohingya Voices Until April 5, 2020 Canadian Museum for Human Rights, 85 Israel Asper Way, The Forks humanrights.ca

WSO presents “Al” and the Wolf January 19, 2020 Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St. Phone: 1-204-949-3999 wso.ca

Winnipeg Renovation Show 2020 January 10 to 12, 2020 RBC Convention Centre, 375 York Ave. Phone: 403-253-1177 winnipegrenovationshow.com

WSO presents Scandinavian Greats February 7 to 8, 2020 Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St. Phone: 1-204-949-3999 wso.ca The New Canadian Curling Club February 12 to March 7, 2020 John Hirsch Mainstage, 174 Market Ave. Phone: 204-942-6537 royalmtc.ca Country Star February 14 to April 19, 2020 Celebrations Dinner Theatre, 1824 Pembina Hwy Phone: 204-982-8282 celebrations.ca WSO presents Once Upon A Love Song February 14 to 16, 2020 Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St. Phone: 1-204-949-3999 wso.ca

Festival du Voyageur 2020 February 14 to 23, 2020 Fort Gibraltar, 233 Provencher Boulevard Phone: 204-237-7692 heho.ca WSO presents Scandinavian Greats February 7 to 8, 2020 Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St. Phone: 1-204-949-3999 wso.ca RWB presents Moulin Rouge – The Ballet February 26 to March 1, 2020 Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St. Phone: 204-956-0183 Shen Yun March 4, 2020 Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St. Phone: 1-855-416-1800 www.shenyun.com

Puzzles’ solutions

Royal MTC Master Playwright Festival presents SHAKESPEAREFEST January 21 to February 9, 2020 Assorted venues Phone: 204-942-6537 royalmtc.ca WNMF 2020: Fire and Blood January 25 to 31, 2020 Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St Phone: 1-204-949-3999 wso.ca

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January 2020

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