Lifestyles 55 2023 02 February

204-947-1807

Premier renews government benches, prepares for an activist agenda for 2023

Dorothy Dobbie

As we entered the new year, Premier Heather Stefanson, brought with her a fresh new look to the government, saying goodbye to several MLAs who have served for many, many years and welcoming recently elected MLA for Kirkfield, Kevin Klein, a well-known Winnipeg City Councillor and former publisher of the Sun newspaper.

“I want to personally thank each and every retiring MLA for their many contributions and their friendship and loyalty,” said Premier Heather Stefanson. “I know that they will be there with their wisdom and experience to advise us as we move ahead.

“But we are also excited about what the future will bring as we move forward with renewed energy and ideas. I see a tremendously bright future for our province. I am determined to unleash its en-

How much is a cabbage worth?

ergy, its creativity, and its opportunity for the people of Manitoba.”

Since becoming leader, the Premier has been letting investors and the world know that Manitoba is

The history of Valentine’s Day

Cupid

Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine, a Catholic priest who lived in the third century.

The history of Valentine’s Day is somewhat murky, but it is believed that Saint Valentine was a priest who lived in Rome during a time when the Roman Empire was persecuting Christians. Legend has it that he secretly performed marriages for Christian couples who were forbidden from marrying by the empire. He was eventually discovered and imprisoned, and put to death for his beliefs.

Over time, the stories about Saint Valentine evolved and he became known as the patron saint of lovers. By the 14th and 15th centuries, Valentine’s Day had become associated with romantic

love and was celebrated as a day for couples to express their love for one another. This was largely due to the works of Chaucer and Shakespeare, who popularized the idea of romantic love in their works.

Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated all over the world, and is a time for couples to exchange gifts, spend time together, and express their love for one another. Flowers, chocolates, and cards are popular gifts on Valentine’s Day, and many couples also celebrate by having a romantic dinner, going on a date, or taking a trip together.

So if you are looking for a way to celebrate the holiday, consider taking some time to reflect on your relationships and the people who bring happiness and love into your life. And if you are in a relationship, consider taking the time to show your love and affection for your significant other in a meaningful and memorable way.

How much is a cabbage really worth?

Rick Duerksen

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,

“To talk of many things:

“Of shoes – and ships – and sealing-wax –Of cabbages – and kings . . . ”

– From ‘The Walrus and the Carpenter’ by Lewis Carroll

Iwas making cabbage rolls, well, lazy man’s cabbage rolls, for my Sunday supper a while ago. I had the ground beef and pork mixture browning in one pan, and onions, garlic, and mushrooms were being sauteed in another. I pulled the cabbage that I had bought a couple of days earlier, out of the ‘fridge and put it onto the cutting board. I cut the cabbage in two, let the halves fall apart, looked at the exposed surfaces and knew my supper plans had just been altered. The leaves of the cabbage were each separated by a grey, grainy looking substance. It looked like a picture of a rock formation from a geology textbook. It looked very un-cabbage like. It looked inedible. It was a disappointment but not a disaster. I turned the ingredients on the stove top into spaghetti

12 ‘Cabbage’ u

9 ‘Premier’s agenda in 2023’ u

Left to right: Janice Morley-LeCompte, James Teistma, the Premier, Obbie Kahn, and Kevin Klein.

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Romel Dhalla, Dorothy Dobbie, Rick Duerksen, Hon. Myrna Driedger, John Einarson, Stefano Grande, Hon. Scott Johnson, Jim Ingebrigtsen, Kevin Klein, Ian Leatt, Myron Love, Jo Magnifico, Fred Morris, Manitoba Seniors Coalition, Brent Poole, Senaka Samarasinghe, Wayne Weedon, Nathan Zassman.

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My friend and colleague, Ian Leatt, gave me a wooden sign for my birthday. It reads, “today is a good day for a good day”.

I put it on the windowsill in front of my computer and every day, when I glance up, it reminds me to stay positive and to look forward to tomorrow because today will be a good day.

I think about that when I consider where we are as we get into the second month of 2023 and wonder how every day will be this year. Will every day be a good day focused on the future and positive things we can do together? Or will it be a bad day focused on the negative and all the bad things that might happen to humankind?

How’s it going, Manitoba?

Here in Manitoba, I have a wonderful feeling that it will be a good day every day as the current government finds its feet under a now seasoned leader and begins to make the changes so many have hoped for. They aren’t tough changes – those were undertaken by the previous premier – the cuts, the big adjustments. Premier Stefanson now has a clean slate and while there is a limited time to move the agenda forward, she is determined to do so.

Mostly it is attitude. We Manitobans had lost our mojo, but I feel we are about to get it back.

Can the genius project, Neestanan, happen? Yes, it can, and it can set a higher standard for First Nations participation in the new economy. The communities through whose land the rail line to Port Nelson will run will be major stakeholders with various other communities outside of Manitoba. They are a savvy bunch who are perfectly capable of making this a billion-dollar enterprise, changing the position of the prairie provinces from supplicants to the governments of Canada and those who command gateways to the east and west coasts to being in control of our own resources and trade options.

How about the management of mineral resources in the north? Can we finally find a way through the murky obstacles and barriers to mining that frustrated investment and development under the NDP? Yes, we can. Premier Stefanson made short work of all that nonsense, the blockers were sent somewhere else, and the doors have been opened while she personally hung out the welcome sign at the PDAC conference in Toronto last spring. She has dealt with the issues of permit delays, claim registration and mapping. The government is open to supporting roads in and out of mineral discoveries as well as facilitating better road access for isolated First Nations.

On the social services front, what has been quietly happening is revolutionary, which is why you aren’t hearing that cry from the NDP. Just this week, the Peguis First Nations announced it will be the first community in Canada to take over control of its own child and family services. How about Canada?

Federally, things are not so sweet. There is far too much focus on divisive issues such as race and gender and far too little thought going into major issues such as housing. While nobody begrudges the opportunity

for immigration, new people must be accompanied by more housing in a market where we are woefully short of housing and the prices are beyond the ability of everyday people to afford.

In the 1960s we were taught to budget for 25% of our income to go toward housing. In the 90s, it was probably around 30%. By 2003, that had risen to 40% in Ontario and 45% in B.C. By 2021, the amount needed for housing had risen to an overwhelming 60% of household income in those two provinces.

Here in Manitoba, social housing is geared to a ceiling of 30% of gross income (before taxes, etc.). A family earning $3,200 a month would be paying $960. The average rent, however, for a two bedroom apartment in Winnipeg is between $1,100 and $1,400 month. And the renter must put down first and last month’s rent to be accommodated.

The shortage is due to a myriad of issues: speculation, continuing supply chain problems, labour shortages and various government approval processes. CMHC estimates that we will need to add an additional 3.5 million affordable units, most of those in BC and Ontario, by 2030 to ensure that there are enough houses to go around. Why does this matter to Manitoba? We already see the answer with ex-pats moving back home to take advantage of lower housing costs. That will put pressure on supply and costs.

The cost of food is also a major issue. While cost of living monitors claim food costs of have risen five to seven percent in 2022 and predict a rise of the same amount again in 2023, my food bill experience at the grocer says it is much higher than that, maybe because I buy fresh vegetables which rose 11 percent in 2022 alone.

Additionally, things are not functioning the way they should be. Airports can’t seem to handled luggage or weather, airlines are squeezing the heck out passengers both physically in terms of leg room but also with prices and extras. Cancellations, delays, and lack of communication with passengers are exacerbating the problems. Government departments, with many, many civil servants working from home, are not able to meet service commitments. It takes months to get a passport, the payrolls system still is not working after seven years, immigration is backlogged. When Pierre Poilievre says it feels like everything is broken, it does.

All this is due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, which in hindsight according to more and more experts, did more damage than good and cost many more lives (due to no access to hospitals and surgeries) than the exercise saved.

Despite all this, we will get through this economic crisis one way or another. I am determined that, indeed, today is a good day for a good day. In the tried-and-true Canadian pioneer tradition and as expressed in the old song about roller skating in a buffalo herd:

All you gotta do is put your mind to it.

Knuckle down, buckle down, Do it, do it, do it!

Dorothy Dobbie

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medals

Almost a year ago, I was advised that the Lieutenant Governor, Janice Filmon, as the Queen’s representative in Manitoba was joining with fellow Manitobans in celebrating and congratulating Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada, on a remarkable 70 years of service. It was on February 6, 1952 that Her Majesty ascended the throne, making her the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is the international celebration marking the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the thrones of seven countries including Canada on Feb. 6, 1952. She is the first monarch in Canada’s modern era to have celebrated a platinum jubilee. The Queen visited Manitoba six times, first as a princess in 1951 and most recently in 2010.

For seven decades, Her Majesty served the people of Canada and the Commonwealth with an unwavering discipline of dedication, integrity, kindness, and compassion. Her devoted leadership earned great respect and admiration from citizens around the world.

Manitoba has always enjoyed a very special relationship with Her Majesty and The Royal Family. Unfortunately, the Queen passed away on September 8, 2022. Who knew that the Queen would not live to see the medals received by recipients in Manitoba? Who knew that this would be the last of the special medals presented to commemorate the long reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II? Over the years we celebrated the silver, golden, diamond and now platinum jubilee. But this platinum jubilee will never be repeated in our lifetime and likely not in this century. This makes these medals even more precious for the recipients.

As we celebrated Her Majesty’s 70 years of extraordinary service as Queen of Canada and head of the Commonwealth, this commemorative medal allowed us to pay tribute to the Queen’s devotion to duty and her kindness and compassion to all by recognizing citizens across Manitoba who also make service to their communities a priority.

The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal pro-

gram honours significant contributions and achievements throughout Manitoba during this unprecedented anniversary year. From June 2022 onwards, 1,000 medals were awarded to deserving Manitobans commending them for their dedication and compassion to make Manitoba a place of hope and opportunity. Manitobans have a long and proud history of volunteerism and giving back to their community.

The following guidelines were used when selecting deserving recipients:

• A meaningful contribution to reconciliation

• A meaningful contribution to community growth or volunteerism

• A meaningful contribution to the promotion of Manitoba’s cultural fabric and diversity

• Military service or support for veterans

• A meaningful contribution to Manitoba’s pandemic response

The awarding of this medal focused on the achievements of persons who have helped to build the Manitoba of today, including seniors, volunteers, veterans, and youth. The recipients will have distinguished themselves from others in the same field.

I was honoured to be able to present medals to 10 of my constituents from Charleswood & Headingley on December 19th. There were also other recipients from the constituency of Roblin who received medals, but they were nominated by the Premier or other person designated to nominate recipients. Joining other MLAs and the new Lieutenant Governor, Honourable Anita Neville, the ceremony held at the Legislative Building was indeed an honour to attend. Recipients of the Platinum Jubilee Medal of Roblin Constituency are:

Bill Brown – retired military, volunteer with Charleswood Legion and significant contributions to starting up the Charleswood Seniors Centre.

Barb Shumeley – driving force behind setting up the Breast Health Centre, one of Canada’s first comprehensive breast health programs; volunteer with new immigrants and sending “school” shoe boxes to students in Africa.

Marcy Beaucage – significant volunteer at Roblin

Common sense

“When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations, and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them and show them no mercy.”

Billions of people proudly own a book which contains the above quote, or a variation of it. How many recognise this quote? Most have never read their book, nor any history. What they believe about history and their ancestors is nonsense.

Two-hundred years ago, Christians owned more slaves than any other group. Before there were any Black slaves in British-American colonies, there were millions of American Indian slaves, and white slaves. Christians took shiploads of Native Americans to Europe and sold them as slaves.

George Washington did not win the American War of Independence. Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine negotiated an alliance with France, Spain, and The Netherlands. Washington’s frozen army was barely hanging on to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, when the French navy was preventing English ships from bringing reinforcements and needed supplies to the English armies in Virginia. It was The Marquis de Lafayette and his French army who defeated the English at Yorkton, Virginia, in 1781, forcing England to surrender.

Thomas Paine was the true hero of the American Revolution. His books, Common Sense, The Age of Reason and Rights of Man, not only ignited revolutions, but detailed how to form a democratic republic. In Common Sense, the first American best-seller, Paine wrote how appalled he was that “Good Christians” should own slaves. The leaders of the rebellion agreed, once the colonies gained their freedom, there would be no retaliation towards anyone who had sided with England. Treaties with American Indians would be honoured. All slaves and indentured servants would be freed, and every citizen, including peoples of all colours, religions, races and genders, would enjoy per-

sonal freedom and equal rights, including the right to vote in elections. The four evils of monarchy: poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, and war would be eliminated. The only excuse for war would be national defense. To Thomas Paine, this was just “Common Sense”.

As a prelude to the anticipated democracy, Paine was successful in having slavery abolished in Pennsylvania. Not knowing he would be double-crossed, after England surrendered, Paine crossed the Atlantic where he took part in the French Revolution. No agreements were sacred to George Washington and his confederates. Just like other imperialistic nations, treaties, formal agreements, constitutions, and bills of rights, would be written, signed, and then ignored.

To the victorious American citizens, it soon became apparent, they had jumped from the frying pan into the fire; there would be no democracy. Whoever controls the military, controls the nation. Washington and his fellow white, rich, landowners proved to be wolves in sheep’s clothing. Washington’s army carried out a witch-hunt, seizing lands and possessions from anyone Washington deemed to be loyal to England. If not killed outright, those accused of treason were forced to flee the country with just the clothes on their backs. Much of the confiscated property became part of Washington’s personal estate, making him the richest man in America.

The new oligarchy dictatorship’s hidden agenda quickly came to light. With guidance from “The Good Book” and authorisation from the “Doctrines of Discovery”, the new government seized land in Indian Territory. Forty-four million acres were given to the Northern Pacific Railway Company with instructions to build a railway to the Pacific Ocean. A million soldiers marched in front of the railroad and settlers followed behind it. In a few short years, the buffalo in the USA were extinct, and American Indians were nearly exterminated after open season had been declared on them.

These oligarchs, drunk on money and power, began looking in all directions to see where their next conquest would be, Mexico, Florida, Cuba, Hawaii,

Park Community Centre for over 35 years maintaining the rinks, slides, ice trails and ball diamonds.

Glenn Reimer – Retired teacher who volunteered in children’s sports, volunteer firefighter, supporting people with disabilities.

Gordon Goldsborough – Environmental scientist, author, educator, historian, past president of Manitoba Historical Society.

Janet Sigurdson – Volunteer with Board of Canadian Centre for Child Protection, General Counsel with Family Section.

Susanne Moore – Retired as Recreation manager MacDonald-Headingley for 31 years; she showed vision and a lasting commitment to building sound community relationships through demonstrated leadership volunteerism, and collaboration.

Helen Whettier – Retired teacher who helped with 4-H (20 years) and many organizations including the local church participating in the choir, the church’s fundraising events, the toddler’s play program, the Headingley Grand Trunk Trail, and many more.

Len van Roon Sr. – Retired military, Founder & current member of Charleswood Historical Society and Museum, environmentalist.

Cameron Krisko – Founder of Swimmingly Manitoba, a non-profit group that aims to provide low-cost swimming lessons to children with special needs.

The awarding of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal focused on the achievements of persons who have helped to build the Manitoba of today, including seniors, volunteers, veterans, and youth. The recipients will have distinguished themselves from others in the same field. Recipients are respected individuals within their community. The recipients’ names will be part of the public record.

Hon. Myrna Driedger is MLA for Roblin and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

or somewhere further across the ocean? They were determined to build an empire bigger than England ever had.

Paine could clearly understand; slaves could be physically freed but remain slaves until they are mentally freed. If a plough-horse is set free, it will stand around, looking for someone to tell him what to do. When given their freedom, serfs and slaves tend to do the same. They will latch onto kings, powerful leaders like Napoleon Bonaparte, or anyone else in a position of authority, becoming their willing slaves, and worshipping them as gods.

Education is a friend of former slaves. Education gives them an understanding that all people are the same, ALL-ONE. Nobody is superior to anyone else. They must learn, they can take charge of their own lives and plan their own futures. They must come to realise, the enemy is not out-there, the enemy is in themselves. Over two-thousand years ago, Siddhartha Gautama taught this to his disciples.

Next month: Diabetes by Hockey

Wayne Douglas Weedon is a Manitoba author. Some of his works may be downloaded, free of charge in various formats, at https://archive.org. Any of this authors articles published in Lifestyles 55+ magazine, may be freely copied and circulated in any format, if the source and author are acknowledged.

American Progress by John Gast is a portrays the American ideal of manifest destiny. Image courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress.

Wayne Weedon Food for Thought

Hon. Myrna Driedger Broadway Journal

Almost 300,000 Manitobans are over 65

Dear friends, For several months the Manitoba government has been connecting with 10,000 seniors, family members, and people who work with seniors to gain their perspectives towards the development of a seniors strategy that we will deliver to Manitobans this winter.

There are 229,050 Manitobans aged 65 or older living in the province, representing 17.1 per cent of the total population. Of that group, 29,255 are aged 85 or older. The proportion of women outnumbers the population as age increases.

Manitoba has a rapidly aging population and in the coming years, there will be a much greater need and demand for specialized services and supports for older Manitobans, in the community, within healthcare facilities, and in longterm care.

Sadly, research tells us that approximately one quarter (24.4 per cent) of Manitobans over 65 often feel isolated from others. Indigenous seniors are considered at

high risk of experiencing social isolation due to factors such as racism, marginalized language, culture, poverty and historic negative experiences.

Our government is looking to create a seniors strategy where older Manitobans are valued and empowered to live healthy and productive lives in their homes and communities as long as it is safely possible.

As the Minister of Seniors and LongTerm Care I have engaged in extensive dialogue with Manitobans to inform the development of the Seniors Strategy. The following is some of the input we have heard from Manitobans through the consultation process:

• As Manitobans age, we may experience increasingly complex care and support needs related to dementia, mental health and other chronic conditions.

• Manitobans want to live independent, vibrant, and fulfilling lives in their own homes and communities, for as long as possible. Each individual and family’s needs are specific; some want to stay in

their home, others with family, and for some it’s about staying connected to a larger community.

• Life is getting more expensive for seniors who are dealing with issues of inflation, fixed incomes and affordability of services and supports.

• There are gaps in the continuum of services and supports for Manitobans as we age, especially in rural, northern and Indigenous communities.

• Despite the commitment and best efforts of seniors serving organizations, services and supports are challenging to access and navigate and can operate in silos.

• While many seniors talk about how they are valued, ageism and ableism exist and should be reduced.

The Seniors Strategy is a highly, anticipated, sophisticated and living document that plans to address the difficulties that effect all seniors in Manitoba.

Thank you for your interest in the seniors strategy, I am looking forward to announcing the strategy in the near future.

After all, we are all aging, and every Manitoban deserves to age with dignity, with wellbeing, and with purpose.

Scott Johnston is the Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care.

Continuing the fight for affordable government

As a new parliamentary session begins, I am proud to have delivered on important issues for my constituents over the past year. At every turn, members of the Conservative caucus have held the Trudeau government to account on the issues affecting Canadians, including the growing cost of living crisis, rising crime, and government accountability.

In my new role as Associate Shadow Minister for Finance and Middle Class Prosperity I’ve witnessed how the growing cost of government has become a critical problem as we try to tackle the many challenges plaguing the country.

Government overspending is hurting Canadians by making life more unaffordable. In just a few years, the government has doubled the national debt, tripled the carbon tax, while increases in interest rates triggered by the governments inflationary spending have caused people’s mortgage payments dramatically increase.

Canadians can’t afford this government any longer. Canadians are out of money and the tired Liberal government is out of touch.

Food bank usage has soared to an all-time high with 1.5 million Canadians visiting a food bank in just a single month. 1 in 5 Canadians say that they’re skipping meals.

It’s time for Ottawa to get its fiscal house in order.

That’s why it has been so great to be back on Parliament’s Finance Committee. Every week, I’ve been able to look at the government’s spending, question them on their policies, and hold them to account. Being on Finance has also helped me get the truth out to the public. Less than a month ago, I got the Governor of the Bank of Canada to confirm what I have been saying all along: If the government didn’t overspend during the pandemic, inflation would be lower today. Forty percent of government spending during the pandemic had nothing to do with the pandemic according to the independent Parliamentary Budget Officer.

I also questioned Deputy Prime Minister Freeland on why such a large chunk of the government’s fall spending didn’t specify what it was going towards. She re-

Bulbs or switches

If you're in the market for smart lighting solutions, it's likely you've come across both smart light bulbs and smart switches. Both are great options for upgrading your home's lighting system and allow you to control your lights remotely through an app or virtual assistant, set schedules to turn on or off at certain times, and even integrate with other smart devices in your home to provide security and energy savings. However, there are some key differences between the two that may influence your decision on which to choose.

Smart light bulbs, such as those made by Philips Hue or LIFX, are easily in-

stalled by simply screwing them into a light socket. These bulbs can offer a wide range of colours and brightness levels and can even be set to simulate a sunset or sunrise to help regulate sleep patterns.

Smart light bulbs are a great option if you want to add coloured lighting to an area or if you want to control individual lights that are currently connected to the same light switch. There are the ideal choice for accent lighting but can become an expensive option if you want to control an area which has a large numbers of lights.

Another thing to consider with smart light bulbs is they require constant

fused to provide details of the 14.2 Billion dollars in “non announced spending” set out in the fall economic statement.

In short, I’ve spent my time holding the government to account and applying pressure so that they don’t make things worse for Canadians than they already are.

There will be lots of work to do once Parliament sits again in the new year. Preparing for the spring’s federal budget will be a major priority of mine. Canadians can’t afford another massive, wasteful budget. People have it hard enough already. Adding more fuel to the inflationary fire would devastate families that are already barely holding on. That’s why I’ll use my platform, both in committee and in the House of Commons, to question and call out any policies that are going to make life more unaffordable for working Canadians.

It’s been an honour to represent the people of Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley during these difficult times.

As eventful as the past year had been, I’m excited for what the coming months have in store. It’s about time that Ottawa left more money in the pockets of Canadians, not less.

Marty Morantz is MP for Charleswood-St. James-Assiniboia-Headingley.

power. If you replace all the lights in an area with smart bulbs and you want to be able to control them remotely or on a schedule you need to keep the light switch turned on or bypass the switch completely. Both these options prevent the lights from being controlled in the traditional manner and can become an annoyance if someone wants to quickly change the lighting situation.

Smart switches, such as the Wemo or Leviton, are installed in place of traditional light switches and control the power to the lights in a room. They are a great option for those who want to add the modern convenience of smart lighting but need to maintain the traditional functionality to control the lights. They are also a cost-effective solution to controlling the lighting in an area where a single light switch controls a larger number for lights.

However, smart switches only provide on-off and dimming capabilities and the installation is not a straightforward as smart light bulbs and may require an electrician.

In summary, both smart light bulbs and smart switches have their own unique features and benefits. Smart bulbs offer a wide range of colors and brightness levels, while smart switches maintain the traditional look of a home and offer the ability to control multiple lights at once. Ultimately, a complete home solution will normally utilize a combination of both smart light bulbs and smart switches based on personal preference and specific needs.

If you are interested in installing smart lighting or other smart home technologies and need help with planning and installation, contact Joe Borges at joe@technojoe. ca or 204-479-3913.

Hon. Scott Johnson Minister’s Message

Marty Morantz

Joe Borges Techno Joe

The bigger bolder vision toward Manitoba’s ‘mining to mobility’ economy

Volker Beckman

It’s great to see Manitoba representatives promote our mining at the PDAC and CMEC conferences.

It’s also very encouraging to see $230 million is being spent by Vale on nickel drilling and exploration around Thompson over the next few years. Kudos to the Province of Manitoba for stimulating mine exploration to regain the mining advantage we used to have considering our province dropped from being the 3rd most attractive mining jurisdiction in the world in 2017 to 37th in 2022.

Yet, I feel there are some pieces that Manitoba should consider to maximize the opportunities. What capital investment is needed to process these metals in Manitoba to feed the huge demand for electric batteries in cars, computers, and cordless tools? Tesla vehicles have been driving the demand for minerals for electric batteries. The world demand for nickel for batteries will increase a stunning fourteen-fold in the next eight to 10 years! Two years ago, Elon Musk pleaded with the mining industry, “Please mine more nickel”. Since 2019, Tesla has built three gigafactories for their EVs and increased their production from 3000,000 to over a million cars a year, signed a $1 billion year agreement for 10 years to buy nickel from Australia, invested in a nickel mine in Minnesota, is investing in battery supply, and has signed a nickel agreement with Vale Canada.

Tesla has now hired Canadian staff to look at all areas of nickel supply and policy that would further their corporate goals. Tesla wants to assure a battery mineral supply over the next 20 years. The Ukraine/ Russia war has been good news (perversely) for Canada as we can be a reliable, green, critical mineral supplier. More so, what will Ford, Stellantis, Toyota, and GM EV platforms require as they try to surpass Tesla? All potential good news for Manitoba’s critical mineral deposits.

Refining and smelting process is where many high paying, long term jobs are that generate various taxes and massive hydro sales. Thompson’s original nickel mine complex used as much electricity as the City of Winnipeg. How much Hydro revenue was lost when Thompson’s mine complex downsized over the past 20 years? Remember when Newfoundland Premier Danny Williams required Vale to build a mining complex before they were allowed to mine anything at Voisey Bay? Now Vale sends Thompson nickel concentrate to Sudbury and Voisey Bay for processing as their facilities are more efficient today. Governments have always been able to influence business

investments. Manitoba needs to do that in this case.

By comparison, Ontario has been much more proactive. They have been promoting their “Ring of Fire” of critical minerals and other aspects of growing an EV industry – mineral supply, battery development, recycling, EV manufacturing, etc. In May 2021, Sudbury held a sold-out “Mining to Mobility” conference that attracted investors and federal government funders. The Thompson Chamber of Commerce released a Manitoba as Green Energy Capital brief and suggested to host a Green Energy Summit before that Sudbury event (missed opportunity?). Sudbury has since received huge financial support from the feds for battery innovation and mine waste extraction. City of Windsor is getting millions for a new battery plant that will create 2000 jobs. Billions are going into new EV manufacturing plants in Ontario. A federal government representative said in Sudbury last year, “Even the most conservative estimates predict a multitrillion-dollar global market economy that Canada cannot afford to ignore.” Let alone Manitoba!

In May, 2022 the Thompson Chamber of Commerce formally invited the new Tesla Canada Senior Policy Associate to discuss northern Manitoba’s Ring of Fire and our EV assets. No reply has been received. Another Tesla Canada employee’s role is to focus on global battery minerals and responsible sourcing policy. He has been in discussion with Ontario and Quebec. How about Manitoba? Could our provincial government collaborate with Vale, Snow Lake Lithium, Flying Nickel, Manitoba Hydro, etc. to invite Tesla to discuss ALL aspects of EV development in Manitoba beyond just mineral exploration? (Tesla should install their superchargers in rural and northern areas which are devoid of any such infrastructure)

Kudos to Phil Gross, CEO of Snow Lake Lithium. His company has major mining plans for Snow Lake and is working with a South Korean company to build a processing plant near Winnipeg. On the other hand, a second Manitoba lithium mine is owned by a Chinese company. Why do we allow our critical minerals to be extracted, sent to China, and purchased back as batteries? What investors are needed for Manitoba to build a battery plant using our lowcost hydro advantages where batteries could then be shipped south to markets through our highway trade corridors and north through Churchill to Europe and elsewhere? Demand for battery manufacturing and recycling will be colossal! At least 3 giga battery factories are needed in Canada. Even oil rich Alberta is planning for one with federal government support.

There are more aspects to maximize the mining potential in Manitoba. A pre-feasibility study on

building a lithium processing facility in Manitoba is underway and can add tremendous value to our economy. What incentives would it take for Vale to rebuild the nickel refinery and smelter in Thompson that could return 100s of lost jobs since 2018? Thompson should be more than a feed for nickel concentrate to other processing locations in Ontario and Newfoundland. Millions of dollars in revenue from mining taxes, income taxes, and hydro sales would stay in Manitoba, as before. We simply can’t expect our abundant hydro supply and low rates to be enough to spur the industry.

Thompson started in 1956 with a partnership between INCO and the Province and some $100 million in investment to build a mine, hydro dam, rail line, and a new town with hospitals and schools based on a proposed 50-year nickel supply. Today, experts believe there is even more nickel in the ground. As most of the mine and city infrastructure now exists, Manitoba should maximize those advantages and benefits. Partnerships should be developed with our Province, mining companies, and EV manufacturers.

The list goes on. Recent technological advancements in bio-mining could recover critical minerals from mine waste in slag piles and tailing areas at some 10,000 abandoned mines in Canada in a low cost and low carbon format. Ontario is building a $17 million Centre for Mine Waste Biotechnology to do just that and a pilot project is in the works. Where and how will that be processed? Will that mostly be in Ontario? Thompson has a huge slag pile and tailings that could be processed to help fill Canada’s gap in critical mineral supply. All in all, our provincial government needs to gather forces with the private sector and explore ALL aspects of the future for green energy transportation. These massive opportunities are beyond the scope of any single department (Mines, Northern Affairs, Economic Development, Transportation, Climate, Tourism, Hydro) as each sector has their own narrow mandate. The Province needs to designate one person/office to oversee this broad and growing industry and develop smart collaboration. A Green Energy Summit in Thompson with mining companies, battery developers, EV and airship manufacturers, universities, and Manitoba Hydro would be a good start as Sudbury is doing. Vale, which is a gigantic iron ore company, is breaking off a Vale Base Metals division to attract more base metal investment to better focus on critical mineral supply. The timing is perfect to take advantage of this massive global trend towards clean transportation. Manitoba can be a leader in green energy, high tech initiatives and development.

Who will provide that bigger and bolder vision and take the lead?

Geocache vacations – a great way to explore Manitoba

Soon, winter will be fading away and summer activities will dominate our thoughts. For a Geocacher the thoughts turn to getting all those finds that were missed because of snow or cold weather. This month we will discuss getting the geocaches that are out of walking distance and perhaps using them as an excuse for a vacation.

First though, we have another question, “can we bring children to events?” The short answer is yes. As with everything though there are exceptions. For obvious reasons they are not allowed at the “Pub Night” events, but generally you can bring children or grandchildren to most events. Many events will be in a park setting with a bonfire and treats of some sort. The last Winnipeg event of 2022 on December 31st had coffee, Timbits and marshmallows (and sticks for roasting). Some events are more geared towards people on their way to work and may be at an early time like 7 am and held at a popular coffee place either inside or in the

parking lot and other events may be geared towards cleaning up a popular area (known as CITO’s, cache in, trash out events). My favourite were the events held at the various ice cream parlors throughout the city.

Coming up later this month is an event that is a celebration of a prominent Geocacher who, on the date of the event is turning forty. Milestone birthdays are often used for events but he is also going to proclaim his 40,000th Geocache log at the same time. Those numbers are a real cause for celebration. One of his other accomplishments is signing 1040 logs in one day along with another avid Geocacher. It took them fourteen hours.

All events are geared towards building the geocaching family, so by all means; if your children are interested bring them along.

My wife and I tried out some of the many Bed & Breakfasts in Manitoba last summer. It was such a wonderful experience that we highly recommend it. The best part was getting ready to

go Geocaching in the morning and breakfast was ready to go. We did not have to find a restaurant and wait for them to prepare our food.

The hosts were very helpful when it came to questions about the community and it felt in most cases that you were a part of the family. Bed and breakfasts in Manitoba are in most hotbeds of geocaching and can be a reasonable alternative to a hotel room. The most complete list that we found is with Travel Manitoba at https:// www.travelmanitoba.com/stay/bedbreakfasts/ .

Whatever you decide for accommodations, plan your stay around not only the geocaches, but activity that may be happening at the same time. You need to determine whether or not you want to attend a festival, celebration or a Geocaching event at the same time or avoid them altogether. Travel Manitoba is also a great place to find information on your choice(s) of destinations as well as any activity that would take place during the time you may show up.

Some areas of the province are so laden with Geocaches that you could plan a stay for a week or two if you so desire. A cabin along the west side of Lake Winnipeg, a campsite in the

Whiteshell, a B&B in south central Manitoba or the Westman or Northern area of the province could be a good choice for you along with some of the other activities any area of this wonderful province has to offer.

There is a possibility of an event at the International Peace Gardens with both US and Canadian Geocachers this or next summer. You don’t need a passport to attend, just Identification that would satisfy the CBSA when you come back. Keep an eye on the MBGA Discussion Group on Facebook or our website for more information. If you are a Geocacher you can join the MBGA Geocaching Discussion Group on Facebook, if you haven’t already.

It is not necessary to stay somewhere to go Geocaching at a distance, but it is easier than making several trips and it gives you time to have a look around at what the community you visit has to offer. Manitoba is a wonderful province with a lot to see and do and Geocaching will get you out to places that you would not visit otherwise.

I am looking forward to seeing some of you either on the trail or at an event.

Gary Brown is the vice president of the Manitoba Geocaching Association (MBGA) and can be reached at MBGAexec@outlook.com.

Gary Brown Geocaching

Raising a family in winter at the Peace Garden

As a relatively new parent, and transplant to the Upper Plains, I've reflected more and more on the different reality of our twin boys compared to my upbringing.

One of the biggest differences is winter. My wife Mariel and I grew up outside of Washington D.C. in the metropolitan suburbs of Maryland and Virginia. People still regularly speak about the Blizzard of 1996, which dumped a few feet of snow on a Mid-Atlantic region not well equipped for such events.

Snow is a real treat back home. When visiting over the holidays I've made a point of joining my nieces and nephews when they shriek

and plaster their noses on the windows. The sight of flurries is awe-inspiring. After nearly a decade in the plains I forgot how special that feeling is.

I have to say, little Whitten and Prine are some of the most fortunate 2 ½ year-olds in the world. Sure, winter is long and they can only handle so much cold, but they are growing up at the International Peace Garden. With nearly 2,400 acres to explore, winter is not to be taken for granted nor wished away.

The boys are learning to toboggan. Skiing and curling, hopefully next year. It's the simple exploration that they are most interested in. The wonderment in their bright blue eyes is beauti-

Conway Street

To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of St. James (starting just west of St. James Street to Sturgeon Road) breaking away from Assiniboia to form their own municipality, I am doing street profiles. This column features Conway Street.

In the 1915 Henderson Directory, John McKague was listed as the first Conway Street resident. In the 1951 Henderson Directory, Rene and Alice Brochie were the first Conway Street residents listed north of Ness. By the mid 1950s, the Hastings and Lady Conway Apartments with Portage Avenue addresses had been built on the corner of Portage and Conway. On July 29, 1993, a CF 116 Freedom Fighter Airplane was dedicated at the corner of Ness and Conway.

Some of the people who spent part of their lives as residents of Conway Street.

E.C. Messervey was the managing director of Silver Heights Farms near Portage and Conway. In 1921, the farm

was Canada’s number one producer of potatoes. In 1922, the Deer Lodge Golf Club opened right next to the Assiniboine Golf Club. Part of the Deer Lodge Golf Club was located on the Messervey land. Between 1922 and 1937, the Deer Lodge Golf Club provided affordable golf. Also, the Club hosted dances and picnics. As I prepared this story, I was puzzled by the difficulty in finding information about Mr. Messervey.

During the early 1960s George and Rae Minaker were residents of the Lady Conway Apartment Block. After becoming a politician, George represented St. James as an elected official at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.

Lois Fjeldsted (nee Gauld) grew up on Conway. After moving to Brandon, Lois served as the Chair of the Brandon School Board.

Felix Turner was a charter member and president of the Puffin Ski Club.

Lindsay Gauld (Lois Fjeldsted’s twin) is a member of the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. Lindsay is recognized for his achievement in three sports: cycling,

ful. The hoarfrost. The moose tracks. The light and persistent shedding of snow by the aspens on the sunnier days. Walk outside once a day and close your eyes for a minute. Open slowly and embrace the cold. We're fortunate to live in this snow globe of a region. Let our children and grandchildren remind us of how special this season truly is and how many

cross country skiing, and speed skating. Helen Gauld (Lindsay and Lois’s mom) was honoured with Life Memberships in the Silver Heights Community Club and Manitoba Speed Skating Club. In 1964/65, Bruce Grant of Conway Street and Bob Spencer of Albany Street coached the Deer Lodge Bantam B Hockey team to the Manitoba Championship. On January 22, 1966, Bob and Bruce’s team defeated an All-Star team from the other St. James community clubs in the first hockey game played at the St. James Civic Centre. Bruce’s widow Audrey attended the January 22, 2016, 50th anniversary game.

James Stokes who died in 1961 was the proprietor of the Lyndale Pharmacy at 303 St. Mary’s Road. On October 13, 1998, Richard and Louise Wojcik opened a funeral home at 2157 Portage Avenue. A couple of Assiniboine Chamber of Commerce Chairs Tom. Killberry and Del Halliday lived part of their lives on Conway Street.

William Shinn was the founder of the Shinn Conservatory of Music on Furby Street. In 1940, William received an honourary fellowship from the London College of Music. Mary Stokes was another talented musician. Mary once served as the Church Organist of Christ Church in Selkirk.

Singer and songwriter Shingoose

Curtis (Shingoose) Jonnie (1946-2021)

Singer and songwriter.

Curtis Jonnie was born in Winnipeg on October 26, 1946.

He was an Ojibwe singer and songwriter and a member of the Roseau River Anishinaabe First nation in southern Manitoba. At the age of four he was adopted by a Mennonite family from Steinbach as part of the “60s Scoop” which referred to the mass removal of Indigenous children from their families into the child welfare system.

As a young boy he sang in church choirs and when he was 15 moved to the United States. There, he joined the Nebraskabased Boystown Concert Choir. In the 1960s into the early 1970s he performed with several rock and rhythm an d blues bands in Washington and New York City. It was during this time he met Bruce Cockburn, Jimi Hendrix and John Lennon. It was Lennon who en-

couraged him to persevere in the face of discrimination that existed in parts of the music industry.

After the band he was in broke up, he moved to Toronto in 1973, where he performed solo in coffee houses, taking the name Shingoose after his grandfather's surname. Not long afterward he moved back to Winnipeg where he began performing as a singer-songwriter and began touring extensively across Canada performing in clubs, university campuses and on the folk festival circuit.

Shingoose, or simply Goose to his friends, was inspired by the American Indian Movement in the United States and began focusing on promoting Indigenous artists and musicians. His music and legacy made him a trailblazer for Indigenous music and activism in Canada.

Shingoose left his most lasting impression on Canada's music scene when he approached the Juno organizers over the lack of representation at their awards show. Alongside Buffy Sainte-Marie and

Elaine Bomberry (Indigenous activist, promoter and producer) he campaigned for the Junos to recognize Indigenous artists within a new category. Their efforts led to the creation of the Best Music of Aboriginal Canada award in 1994. Shingoose also notably co-produced Indian Time, a Gemini-winning variety show that showcased Indigenous talent on television across Canada. His music eventually went on to gain him a Grammy nomination and many other accolades.

Shingoose was described as “a vision-

people around the world may never see it.

Tim Chapman is the CEO at the International Peace Garden on the border of Manitoba and North Dakota. The Garden is open year-round and grooming ski trails for the first time this winter. Rent one of our cabins and enjoy a winter weekend that only the forest of the Turtle Mountains can provide.

Many Conway Street residents had long working careers. Corinne Murphy taught school for 35 years at Machray, Wolseley and Isaac Brock schools. Tom King worked for 40 years at Dominion Motors. Archie Ross was employed for 38 years at Winnipeg Hydro. Stuar Gault worked for 45 years at the Bank of Montreal.

I found references in the newspaper archives to the children of Conway Street. On the 1955 Labour Day Weekend, Margaret Yates aged four is pictured helping her father with the yard work, Another September 1955 Free Press archive is a picture of Garnet, Sybil Jacobson and their two young children, Peter and Anne. They were the first family of Winnipeg’s RCAF. In 1958, Lois Gauld won a bicycle for collecting the most rags in the Patriotic Salvage Corps Drive.

As I worked on this story during the recent holiday season, I kept remembering one holiday memory. After losing my father to cancer, Jim and Honey Smith made a Christmas Eve visit to our Mandeville Street Home. Jim was dressed as Santa Claus. The visit brought us some much-needed holiday cheer.

Fred Morris is a Grandfather, Sports Fan and Political Activist.

ary ahead of his time” for founding the record label “Native Country” in 1975. In the 1980s he co-founded Native Multimedia Productions, a television production company which created the First Nations current affairs program Full Circle, later retitled First Nations Magazine for CKND-TV. In 1989 he became the host of a television special Indian Time for CTV. He was also a correspondent on First Nation issues for CTV’s Canada AM.

He also worked in aboriginal programming and policy development for TVO and as director of education for the Canada Arts Foundation. In 1991, he hosted a three-part documentary series on First nations music for CBC Radio. He later served as chair of the Juno Awards committee administering the Juno Award for Aboriginal Album of the Year

In 2012, he suffered a stroke which left him with partial paralysis. He was inducted into the Manitoba Music Hall of Fame the same year. Curtis (Shingoose) Jonnie died at a Winnipeg care home on January 12, 2021 of COVID-19. He was 74.

Jim Ingebrigtsen submits stories of Memorable Manitobans to Lifestyles 55. To see more than 12,000 others please go to mhs. mb.ca.

Shingoose, aka Curtis Jonnie.

Fred Morris From the desk of a gadfly

Memorable Manitobans

Tim Chapman

Lobster Thermidor – a romantic meal at home

Originating in the early 19th century, lobster thermidor is one of those meals you don’t have that often. It lends its joy to a special occasion and is a treat to be savoured when the time is just perfect. What better time to enjoy it than in February when it is lover’s month Romance is in the air on the 14th we should all treat our partners with a little splash of lobster.

The luxury of the silkysmooth lobster flesh caressed by the bechamel sauce makes for a rich high-end meal. The aroma of this dish will send you to a euphoric, umami place only you are aware of. If there is such a thing as wow, then this dish creates that pleasure in your mouth and a glow in your heart.

Here is what you will need:

1 fresh lobster

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup white wine

¾ cup fish/lobster stock

2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Bechamel Sauce

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons regular flour

2 cups of milk

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Pinch salt and black pepper

The all important how to:

Ian Leatt Foodies

Place a pot on the stove large enough to submerge the lobster in. Bring to a boil and place the lobster inside quickly, carefully, and headfirst. They take between 12 to 18 minutes to cook. You will be able to tell when it turns bright red and the tailmeat is slightly opaque. Once cooked, remove and place in an ice bath to prevent from cooking further.

When the lobster is cool enough to handle cut the lobster in half (tip to tail) then remove the tail meat, dice, then set aside. I like to leave the claws full and dip into some sauce, it makes for a little more added experience. It also helps when presenting.

1 tablespoon freshly chopped tarragon

Freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

Freshly ground sea salt (to taste)

½ cup fresh cream

2 large egg yolks

The bechamel sauce is simple. Melt the butter in a smaller pot, add Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper, then add the flour, stirring continuously. Add the milk and bring to a boil while stir-

ring. Once boiling, remove from the heat and set aside.

In another pan combine the wine, chives, stock, and tarragon. Bring to a boil and leave to simmer, reducing to almost a glaze. Once reduced add this to the bechamel sauce. In a bowl, whisk the cream and egg yolks together, then add it also to the sauce. Heat through, but not to a boil. Season to taste. Once the sauce has thickened to your liking, add the chopped lobster meat and heat through accordingly.

Place your open tail shells into an

oven proof dish and carefully place in the now lobster bechamel mix.

Be sure to keep a little sauce for dipping your claw into. Sprinkle some fresh grated parmesan cheese over the tail and place in the oven at 375°F to brown. Once you are happy with the colour, remove from the oven and serve.

I like to serve this with a small fresh salad, and lemon wedges to add that little zing.

Ian Leatt is general manager of Pegasus Publications and a trained chef.

What is the difference between remodelling over renovating?

When completing any home renovation projects it is always important to understand the correct terminology. It may seem incidental but if you are approaching a bank or mortgage lender for funds it will help, especially when it comes to accurate estimates for best rate/terms on loans.

The key difference is that to renovate means to revive or restore something to its original state through repairs – repainting, refacing, restoring. Basically it retains the same functions but will look new and improved. However, remodel is to restructure, rebuild, addon, to “remake”, principally. You change the functionality of a room or home in addition to updating.

Each option alters the look and feel of the home and in some cases may increase the property value.

Working out the average cost of a project? Any renovation or remodel will vary depending on the scale of the job at hand. Scope of work is also important: knowing how long the project will take will prepare for the worst-case scenario. Get several quotes. Never settle on one. Make sure you choose a contractor who has experience and credentials. There are still crooks out there.

Here are some ideas you may consider this year.

Multifunctional rooms. If the last three years taught us anything, it is that none of us has enough workspace for

Sri Lankan seniors celebrations

Senaka Samarasin

Sunil Weeratunga celebrated his birthday by cutting a Lagrotta birthday cake just after Smita’s one hour yoga gathering.

Members never forget to sing the birthday song as well as to convey their individual wishes to Sunil.

Sri Lankan Seniors Manitoba (SLSM) organized Sri Lankan 75th Independence Day celebration. It is scheduled to be held on the February 3rd evening. Jaye used tail-end of the session to record Sri Lankan National Anthem. All participants sang the Anthem for recording purpose.

Sunil Weeratunga.

everyone in the home. It is also another reason why multifunctional rooms are hot for 2023.

Homeowners want to ensure their homes have enough space for working from home, home schooling, online meetings – all spaces necessary for not falling over each other. Your office could double up as a room for schooling. Kitchens can double as work zones when necessary. Multifunctional rooms are part of today’s way of living.

Another part of this is to not forget about dual living spaces. Places where you can relax and unwind. Things like chairs in bedrooms for cozy night reading, or couches in offices and even extra chairs in the kitchen so family can chat with you while cook or ready for the day.

Talk about spaces where you can relax, have you ever considered creating a spa-like oasis in your bathroom? You need a place where you can really unwind and relax after a long hard

day of work or just keeping pace with life. Having somewhere to be alone, gather your thoughts and unwind can do wonders for your soul. Give some consideration to an oversized bathtub, a stand-up walk-in shower, low lighting with calming soft palette colours. Add some fresh plants to encourage the atmosphere. Candles can enhance the mood.

If your bathroom is tight on storage, adding some built in shelves or hidden cupboards allows for you to have all essentials on hand while keeping that soothing environment.

Always, before completing any work, check with your contractor for necessary permits. Now I am off to zone out in the bathtub.

Brent Poole is the owner operator of Handy Hands Construction, which he has run with his father Jim since 1997. A carpenter by trade, Brent enjoys all types of projects. “We’re not happy until you are happy!”

Show your love this Valentine’s Day

Some common symbols of love and romance include:

1. Heart: A universally recognized symbol of love, the heart is often depicted as a stylized red valentine shape.

2. Rose: The rose has long been associated with love, passion, and devotion, with different colors having different meanings (red for love, pink for gratitude, yellow for friendship, etc.).

3. Cupid: A winged cherub armed with a bow and arrow, Cupid is the Roman god of love and desire.

4. Rings: Wedding and engagement rings symbolize the bond of love and commitment between partners.

5. Lovebirds: The term "lovebirds" refers to a pair of birds that are deeply devoted to each other, symbolizing the affection and connection between romantic partners.

6. Locks and Keys: Locks and keys

symbolize the idea of being locked in love, with each partner holding a piece of the puzzle to unlock the other's heart.

7. Doves: Doves are often associated with love and peace, symbolizing the idea of two people finding peace and harmony in each other.

8. Infinity symbol: The infinity symbol represents never-ending love and the idea that love lasts forever.

9. Arrows: Arrows symbolize Cupid's arrows of love, suggesting that love is an unstoppable force that can penetrate even the hardest of hearts.

10. Flowers: Giving flowers is a common gesture of love and affection, with different flowers having different meanings (red roses for love, daisies for innocence, etc.).

These symbols are deeply ingrained in popular culture and expressed through poetry, literature, art, and music.

Premier renews government benches, prepares for an activist agenda for 2023

Continued from page 1

open and enthusiastic about attracting new business. New investment and developers are knocking on our doors, eager to take part in a rejuvenated Manitoba.

“My goal is to enable this province to forge ahead in every field, taking care of the less able and helping them succeed, while we open the doors to the return of business. We will work with our First Nations to help them create vibrant economies of their own. We will encourage good jobs and career opportunities, so our kids don’t have to leave our province.”

She has already moved the needle forward on a wide range of files, although local, traditional media, dominated by a very biased Winnipeg Free Press, has had little to say about her achievements.

Since taking over as Premier in 2021, Heather Stefanson has initiated meaningful health care reforms that will see more 2,000 doctors, nurses, and other health care workers added to the system. She is rebuilding the aged emergency rooms at the St. Boniface Hospital. She has cleared the backlog of more than 13,000 delayed operations and is still working on this. She dealt with the city-side development delay for CentrePort, moved forward with repair of the Arctic Gateway Railroad, and signed MOUs with Snow

Lake Lithium and LG which will see a renewal of the mining industry and the addition of a lithium battery factory in CentrePort. The first Manitoba state-of-theart potash mine is underway. The agriculture sector is booming with Manitoba becoming the center for pea processing. Freightready roads are being rebuilt to secure the transportation network necessary to meet the new industrial and production needs of the exciting economy being built. And that includes, finally, the twinning of the remaining 17 km of the Trans-Canada Highway. She appointed Dr. Lloyd Axworthy to modernize our provincial immigration nominee program. The important arts and tourism industries have been given much needed boosts.

priorities

There is no sector that has not been invigorated under her leadership and that includes multiple improvements and innovations to the social system, including support for the revolutionary (to Manitoba) Toba Centre where abused children will have an expedited, one-stop shop to care for their needs and provide the critical follow up that has been lacking under the old system.

To add momentum to these and additional planned advances and critically needed changes to how this

province works, the Premier has relieved her one-year transition team, providing most of them with new assignments while she renews the energy within her own office. “These were all good people and they did a wonderful job through a stressful year,” she said. “But it is time to turn the page on a new chapter and to do that requires a new kind of expertise.” She also shuffled her cabinet on January 30, bringing in several new ministers, including Kevin Klein, Obby Kahn, Janice LeCompte and James Teitsma. Josh Guenter was made Legislative Assistant to the new minister of Finance, Cliff Cullen.

With a year of experience behind her, and armed with a refreshed and invigorated team, the government of Heather Stefanson looks ready to take on anything the tired and listless Opposition can toss its way. It will start with her leadership as Chair of the Council of the Federation in talks with the Prime Minister, finally, over how to re-finance the health care system across Canada.

Returning her attention to her main priority, Manitoba, the Premier says, “This is just the beginning. There is still so much more we can do to bring prosperity back to Manitoba. And we will!

“I believe we can lose the title of being a “have-not” province and change our reputation to being the Province of Opportunity,” she added.

“I know we can do this because Manitobans are the most intelligent and creative people in the country!”

Premier Heather Stefanson balances fresh, new energy with seasoned veterans to create a rejuvenated cabinet

Four new ministers will lead the renewal of Premier Heather Stefanson’s cabinet as she completes the third of four steps to refresh executive council to ensure the Manitoba government is better able to get things done quickly for the benefit of all Manitobans.

Today’s overhaul of executive council puts Stefanson’s stamp on her team while also marking a significant departure from previous cabinets over the past decade.

“While retaining the experience of ministers including Kelvin Goertzen, Rochelle Squires, Jeff Wharton, Cliff Cullen, I am excited to welcome fresh new energy and ideas from James Teitsma, Janice Morley-Lecomte, Kevin Klein and Manitoba’s first-ever Muslim MLA, Obby Khan,” said Stefanson.

Janice Morley-Lecomte (Seine River) joins cabinet as minister of mental

health and community wellness. James Teitsma (Radisson) becomes minister of the reframed Department of Consumer Protection and Government Services. Ibrahim (Obby) Khan (Fort Whyte) becomes minister of sport, culture and heritage. Kevin Klein (Kirkfield Park) will serve as minister of the refreshed Department of Environment and Climate Change.

The premier also took the opportunity to recognize MLAs departing cabinet, thanking them for their service and dedication to their community and province. Stefanson noted MLAs Reg Helwer (Brandon West), Cameron Friesen (Morden-Winkler) and Alan Lagimodiere (Selkirk) have all made significant contributions to build a stronger, more prosperous Manitoba through their work in cabinet, caucus and in their local communities.

“I will continue to seek their wise

counsel and I thank them for their personal sacrifices and many years of service to Manitoba,” Stefanson said.

The new ministers were sworn in earlier today in an historic ceremony at the Legislative Building, as the premier joined Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville and Kathryn Gerrard, clerk of the executive council.

Other changes to executive council include:

• Cliff Cullen continues as deputy premier and assumes the role of minister of finance;

• Jeff Wharton becomes minister of economic development, investment and trade;

• Jon Reyes will serve as minister of the newly established Department of Labour and Immigration;

• Eileen Clarke becomes minister of Indigenous reconciliation and northern relations;

Why you should join a community board

Not on Your Life!

“Ha, I will never voluntarily sit in another meeting in my life.” That is just one of the responses I have had when I have asked a community member to consider serving on a volunteer board of directors. For many people, time spent in meetings is time that they consider to be wasted. They may have had experience in endless staff meetings in which very little was accomplished, but staff members were bored and stressed and unable to work on projects with looming deadlines.

Other people hate making group decisions. They know that they are at their best making fast decisions and moving forward, and they detest the reduced pace that is part of the group decision making process. I have heard a surprising number of interesting, intelligent, and seeming kind people say that they do not allow them-

selves to sit on boards because they cause too much turmoil on a board. I have always considered that to be a surprisingly self-aware response. I have seen quite a few shockingly destructive people join boards and be completely oblivious to how much damage and disarray they have caused to an organization by their participation in the board of directors.

Trudy Schroeder Random Notes

While I believe that making a voluntary contribution of time and money to a charity that is of personal interest is fundamental to the continuation of a civil society, I recognize that many people are not cut out to serve effectively as board members of organizations with a mission to address specific social or cultural gaps in our society. For some people, finding active ways to help in a very practical manner is by far a better contribution. In those cases, work in the hands-on ways that are best for

you. There are endless ways to help from knitting blankets to gardening to cleaning and building. Volunteer opportunities are limitless, and there is bound to be some way that you can be of assistance in a way that fully matches your skills and interests. Just call an organization that interests you and ask about volunteer programs or needs.

However, there are also people who have a natural interest in the mechanics of making organizations work better. They know that their skills and experience can be helpful on boards, and they enjoy the experience. Serving as a volunteer board member can be a very satisfying and rewarding way of participating in community life. After years of living and working in our community, we all will have found several causes or organizations that connect with our interests in a special way. It is also common to find that we have a bit more time to engage in community work once our children are grown or we retire from our work.

All charitable organizations have a need for board members who can help to take on the roles related to over-

• Sarah Guillemard will serve as minister of the reframed Department of Advanced Education and Training; and

• Andrew Smith moves to the Department of Municipal Relations and retains responsibility for Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation.

“Together, I am confident this cabinet will quickly tackle the shifting challenges in Manitoba as we all work to heal our health care, make life more affordable, make our streets safer and grow our economy and communities,” Stefanson said.

Additionally, Josh Guenter (Borderland) will serve as legislative assistant to finance to play an integral role in the government’s upcoming pre-budget consultation process, Stefanson noted.

The fourth and final step of Manitoba government renewal, a shuffle of deputy ministers, will occur in due course, Stefanson added.

sight, direction, and overall success of the organization’s ability to achieve its mission. This can range from assisting a small grass-roots operation to serving on a very large national or international board with responsibility for a complex mandate and a very large operating budget.

After decades of working as the executive director of charitable organizations and many decades of serving as a board member on boards for organizations of all types, I have learned a few lessons about effective service on a charitable board, and I can also speak to the huge benefits that volunteer work of this type can provide to our society and the people engaged in the work.

I have seen a good share of the joy of accomplishment, the frustration of failure, the everyday drama of people working together, many friendships formed, and even a few romances. I will share more about this over the next few months.

Trudy Schroeder provides project planning and management services to the community through Arts and Heritage Solutions.

Heather Stefanson The Premier’s

Swan Lake – the world has never suffered for too much beauty

Entertainment, you will agree, is a delightful thing. However, there are times when we want to be enthralled, to be lifted in the transcendence. We need that rush. We need to be swept up and away in the story and spectacle.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s Swan Lake does exactly that. The grandest of the grand ballets, it enfolds within its elegant framework so much of the potential in all of us – soaring individual aspiration, incredibly tight teamwork, music at times so titanic and yet so feeling – and a story that serves as a torchlight on our mythic, animal past, with human duality embodied in the axial Odette/Odile figure.

There is good and evil, light and darkness, and the promise of love's redemption. You can set your own dances of the imagination along those magical lines yet find your own compass in the truths of the heart.

One of the many astounding achievements of Swan Lake is how so much dramatic freight is conveyed with such lightness of touch, as natural as a sigh. Another is how such a demanding ballet – its punishment measured in the piles of defeated

shoes left at the end of every performance – never betrays its labour on stage. The gracefulness of Swan Lake would not happen without the sweat, strength, and sacrifice of our Company artists…

Swan Lake persists. Over 145 years after the first rather tortured

performance in Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre, it has become the world’s most popular, resilient, and beloved ballets. Of course, it is the great classical ballet, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet respects that. However, why does it thrive? There is Tchaikovsky's music, certainly – the "choreographic

symphony," as critics enthuse. Although there is some evidence that Tchaikovsky approached his first fulllength ballet from a combination of penury and curiosity, the music more than holds its own with his great works, and stands tall among his later ballets, The Sleeping Beauty and Nutcracker.

The idea of lovely young women transformed into lovely swans is another draw. Audiences appear to savour the metaphor for grace and beauty -– to adore beauty for its own sake, as an enchanting image to embrace and hold close.

Here's hoping that we have Swan Lake to enjoy for generations to come. At the same time, let it be our inspiration. The world has never suffered for too much beauty!

Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet Presents:

Swan Lake

March 8-12, 2023

Centennial Concert Hall

www.rwb.org

Ensure you, your family and friends purchase tickets today to illuminate your world with the beauty of Swan Lake!

The Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair fund helps young actors at RMTC and beyond

What do the latest winner of The Amazing Race Canada, “Cosette” in the Broadway revival of Les Miserables and the writer/lead actor of My Big Fat Greek Wedding have in common? Catherine Wreford, Samantha Hill, and Nia Vardalos were all beneficiaries of the Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair fund at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.

Jean Murray and Moray Sinclair were influential Manitoban actors who were instrumental in MTC’s early development. The original mandate of MTC included education, and so since 1964, donations have been collected in their names to fund scholarships. These are awarded to Manitoban students studying theatre full-time at the undergraduate or graduate level, in performance, production, playwriting, design, theatre practice and more. In some programs, students are not allowed to hold a job in addition to their studies, so scholarships such as the Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair help cover their expenses.

In 1995, MTC also began to offer apprenticeships, also courtesy of generous donors in Murray and Sinclair’s names. An apprenticeship is a parttime, paid, job-auditing experience for emerging artists and craftspeople, allowing them to gain exposure to professional theatre. An apprentice shadows an established artist and observes their role on a particular production or may be asked to do tasks related to the field. Often, apprentices are recent graduates of post-secondary theatre training, but MTC acknowledges that theatre artists can come from all kinds of backgrounds. Therefore, those who

have theatre training and experience in one area who are looking to branch into another, like a stage manager exploring directing, or a background in artistic disciplines outside of theatre, like a fashion designer interested in costume, are also welcome to apply. Apprenticeships offer the opportunity to make valuable connections as well as an understanding of the creative process at a regional major theatre. Past apprenticeships have included placements in directing, properties building and buying, choreography or set, costume, and lighting design.

To date, more than 1,000 scholarships and apprenticeships, fully funded by donations, have been awarded to over 560 students and emerging artists from our province. While the earlier

examples, Wreford, Hill, and Vardalos, have worked outside of Winnipeg, many recipients continue to make their careers in Manitoba. If you’ve been to a production at MTC, chances are you’ve seen the work of many apprentices or scholarship recipients. In the 2022/23 season, 32 actors, stage managers, directors, and designers are past or current scholarship or apprenticeship holders, and that’s not unique to this season.

The set and costume designs of Brian Perchaluk have graced MTC’s stages over 75 times since he attended the National Theatre School with the help of a Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair scholarship, and he has often mentored apprentices in positions made possible by the same fund. One of those ap-

prentices who shadowed Brian, Jamie Plummer, became the Head of Props at Royal MTC in 2020. Along with Jamie, there are seven other Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair recipients on MTC’s full-time staff: the Associate Artistic Director, Company Manager, Front of House Manager, Education and Enrichment Manager, Winnipeg Fringe Festival Manager, Master Carpenter and a props builder/buyer.

The Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair fund does not only benefit MTC, but Canada’s whole theatre community. The artistic directors of Rainbow Stage, Shakespeare in the Ruins, and Theatre Projects Manitoba are all past recipients, as are the Associate Artistic Director of the Shaw Festival, coartistic director of Carousel Theatre, the staff of Red Rover Entertainment, and independent performers, directors, designers, intimacy coordinators, technicians, educators and creators of all kinds.

Applications for the 2023/24 season of Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair Scholarships and Apprenticeships are open until March 27 - details at RoyalMTC.ca/Scholarship or RoyalMTC. ca/Emerging. MTC’s Education and Enrichment Manager can be reached at kbrodamilian@royalmtc.ca or 204 954 6413 with any questions. If you would like to contribute to help the Jean Murray-Moray Sinclair fund continue to support Manitoban theatre artists, donations are gratefully accepted at https://tickets.royalmtc.ca/ donate/q/17; any questions related to making a gift can be directed to Patrick at phanan@royalmtc.ca or 204 954 6412.

Yayoi Ban and Dmitri Dovgoselets performing in RWB’s Swan Lake.

Photo by Leif Norman.

Photo by Leif Norman.

Monarch jeans and the British Invasion

In 1964, Winnipeg teens jumped to the beat of British Invasion rock ‘n’ roll. As the excitement spread from the community club dances, many businesses sought to tap into that teen market. The most aggressive of the local merchants to connect with teens through music was Monarch Wear, founded in the 1920s by Harry Steinberg, making work wear for Canadians. By the 1950s, Monarch Wear was located at 136 Market Avenue at Rorie in the old Marshall Wells building.

The 1960s was the dawn of jeans designed with teenage boys and girls’ body shape in mind; fashionable, slim-legged jeans. Monarch Wear set their sights on serving that market by developing a quality brand of jeans at a reasonable price (around $5.00) that appealed to fashion-conscious teens. Harvard-education vice-president of marketing, Ivan Berkowitz, was tasked with promoting a teen-targeted clothing line. Berkowitz would become the man behind Tee*Jays jeans.

“The main attraction was that Tee*Jays jeans were always wrinkle free and stayed neat looking,” noted Berkowitz. “You didn’t even have to press them.” To get the word out, Berkowitz took a bold new approach. Knowing that teens didn’t read newspapers but were instead glued to their transistor radios, Monarch Wear cultivated the radio connection. “We bypassed the usual advertising mediums,” Berkowitz explained. “Advertising of teen clothing on radio was almost unheard of, so we started buying radio spots.” They also hosted Tee*Jays Dance Party events, the first in the summer of 1964 featuring Chad Allan & the Expressions outside the Simpson Sears store at Polo Park. Another such event followed, this time with The Jury and hosted by CKY’s Gary Todd and Dean Scott. “All I remember,” recalls Jury guitarist George Johns, “is girls were screaming and pushing us into tables of jeans which were falling over.”

In November, 1965, Monarch Wear launched the MW Tee*Jays Cavalcade of Stars show promoting their line of teen clothing with a series of concerts be-

ginning at Winnipeg’s Civic Auditorium before moving on to Portage la Prairie and Brandon. Featured performers included The Deverons, Jury, Shondels, Satan & the D-Men, and folk duo Jack & Jill, all fitted out in Tee*Jays, along with the MW Tee*Jays dancers.

CKY radio personality Jimmy Darin was brought onboard to ad lib 15, 30 and then 45 second radio spots, no scripts. Deejays were major celebrities back then. Recalls Darin, “What we started was a snowball that became an avalanche. Tee*Jays became a fad. We created a fad. You had to wear Tee*Jays, or you weren’t cool.”

According to The Bay’s Jeff Black. “We put them on the shelves, and I’ve never seen a product sell so quickly. It was a phenomenon. It absolutely took off. I don’t think the company was even prepared initially for how big the demand was so quickly.”

In 1966, a trademark snafu forced Monarch Wear to change the jeans brand to Tee*Kays, using the radio slogan “Jay is out; Kay is in.” “That became a slogan the kids liked,” noted Berkowitz. Once again, the company hosted teen events with local bands and deejays.

CBC singer, St. Boniface-born Lucille Emond, barely 16 years old at the time, was hired as Miss Tee*Kay to go around to community club dances modeling the company’s new outfits. Monarch Wear even released an album, Music To Wear Tee*Kays By, manufactured by Columbia Records Special Products. The promotional push and clever slogan worked, with Tee*Kays eclipsing its predecessor in both popularity and sales. Monarch Wear found markets as far away as Japan for their jeans, while in the US, the fledgling Target chain embraced Tee*Kays with significant orders. The brand continued into the 1970s but by the middle of the decade, increased competition from American jean companies on the Canadian market along with difficulty getting acceptable indigo denim from Canadian textile makers, forced Monarch Wear to sell out to HIS jeans in 1976. “We lost our uniqueness,” claims Berkowitz.

Amateur archeologist Bill Moncur was a prairie original

Ihave long had a fascination with Archaeology. The field work however wasn’t for me. I remember in third year university, as part of an anthropology course I was taking, we – the students - were required to spend an afternoon in a wet, muddy field searching for artifacts – an experience I was not eager to repeat.

I do though enjoy reading about archaeological research – including those whose theories may differ from the mainstream – and writing about the subject.

One of my early stories for the Free Press was a dive into the pre-history of the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. And then there was Bill Moncur.

The southwestern Manitoba farmer was one of a kind. He was a throwback to the amateur archaeologists of old –and had definite ideas about the early peoples of southwestern Manitoba’s Turtle Mountain Region.

If I recall correctly, I travelled out to Boissevain – which is about 300 km southwest of Winnipeg – a couple of times in the second half of the 1980s to interview Bill – who was already in his 70s. Although I no longer remember where I published the stories, it was probably in the Winnipeg Sun as I wasn’t writing for the FP during that period.

Bill was born on the family farm north of Boissevain in 1910. As he told me in the interview I did with him in 1989,

he remembered as a youngster sitting around at harvest time listening to the old timers talking about the old Indian trails linking the villages along the Missouri River to the Hudson’s Bay Company post in Fort Brandon.

By the age of 10, he was mapping out simple trails himself. In his teens, he was mapping out trails for the local municipality. His interest in trails, he said, led to his interest in projectile points (otherwise known as arrow heads).

Bill found his first arrowhead – a Scottsbluff model dating back 8,000 or 9.000 years – in 1924 and never looked back. During the ‘20s and ‘30s, he became a familiar figure in the Turtle Mountain area searching for signs of prehistoric life.

During the week, he helped on the family farm, saving his collecting for Sundays. As people came to know about his hobby, he recalled, others began giving him artifacts that they found.

In 1970, he was forced to give up his lifelong avocation temporarily when the position of administrator of the Manitoba Agricultural Museum in Austin, a six-month appointment that extended to nine years.

On his return to the farm, he recounted, he met Patrick Carmichael, an archaeologist for the provincial Department of Cultural Affairs, who was scouting the area for old campsites and other evidence of Native life. Carmichael began the task of cataloguing and

classifying Bill’s collection of over 2,000 spear heads and arrows, stone tools, shells traded up from the Gulf Coast and objects whose functions were not yet known.

The oldest items dated back 10,000 years.

Bill’s collection has been described as one of the finest records of the history of Manitoba’s Turtle Mountain region.

Bill’s own conclusion after a lifetime of studying his region was that the Turtle Mountain area never belonged to any one tribe. He attributed that situation to the presence of the Mandan People to the south whose strength was greatly respected.

A number of native groups did hunt in the area though, he added. “The Turtle Mountain region had the best hunting grounds on the prairies,” he said.

With advancing years, Bill became concerned about the future of his collection. In keeping with his belief that his findings belonged to the community, he turned down an invitation to donate his collection to the University of Brandon and helped create the Moncur Gallery of Prehistory which opened in Boissevain in 1986.

The museum, which has been described by leading Manitoba archaeologist Leigh Syms (currently Manitoba Museum Curator Emeritus, Department of Archaeology) as “one of the best rural museums in western Canada”.

The museum, which provides an overview of the daily life of the earlier peoples of the region as well as a mini dig pit, buffalo skeleton, and rare mammoth fossil display, is open from the May long weekend to the September long weekend.

As Bill was also passionate about wildlife preservation, in August 1994, he donated 160 acres of his farmland to the Manitoba Wildlife Federation Habitat Foundation “to re-establish the flora and fauna that flourished there in earlier times”.

Bill was much honoured in for his leadership role in his community and his archaeological research. In that category, I am sure that this humble individual greatly appreciated his “adoption” in 1942 by the Mandan people with the title of “Pipe Carrier”, as well as his recognition in 1987 by the Manitoba Archaeological Society with the Vickers-Hlady Award as the “pioneer archeologist of southwestern Manitoba” for helping to raise awareness of archaeology in Manitoba.

Bill Moncur passed away in 2001.

Ivan Berkowitz (left), executive vice-president, and Abraham Steinberg, president of Monarch Wear of Canada Ltd., check out Monarch pants in a Winnipeg shop.

John Einarson Local Music Spotlight

Myron Love

Bill Moncur.

How much is a cabbage worth?

sauce and boiled a pot of pasta instead of making rice. I put the two cabbage halves into a bag and placed them in the refrigerator. I would take care of them later.

How much is a cabbage worth? What does a cabbage actually cost?

A few days later, I went to the same store to do my weekly shopping. I put my groceries onto the conveyor belt, the cashier ran them through the scanner, and then asked me if there was anything else. Well, yes. I took a fresh cabbage from the cart and placed it, along with the bad cabbage onto the counter. “I bought this cabbage last week and as you can see, it is bad, so I would like to swap it for this cabbage.” I was totally unprepared for the cashier’s response and resulting conversation.

“Do you have your receipt?”

“ Ah, no, I don’t usually keep my gro-

cery receipts.”

“If you had planned on returning the cabbage, you should have kept your receipt.”

“I hadn’t planned on returning the cabbage, I had planned on eating it. And I am not wanting to return the cabbage, I just want to exchange it.”

“Without a receipt, how do I know you bought it here?”

“If I had bought it elsewhere, I would have taken it back there.”

“How do I know you didn’t store it wrong, and it went bad because of that?

“I think I know how to store a cabbage.”

“Without a receipt to credit your purchase against, we will have a problem with our inventory.”

“Wow. Look, I simply want to swap a bad cabbage for, hopefully, a good cabbage. There are $75 worth of groceries

in the bagging area. This seems a rather expensive and complicated way to scam your store out of a cabbage. Maybe I could talk with your manager?”

“He’d say the same thing and he isn’t in, anyway.”

It was obvious that I was not going to get my cabbage situation taken care of, so I walked out, leaving all the groceries in the bagging area, unpaid for. Let them deal with that. I left the store with the intent of not only getting my cabbage but of getting some satisfaction. Some revenge. Do you know how small a cabbage seed is? Well, I sowed a small seed of resentment, and it was well developed by the time I got home. I would engage in various acts of protest, directed at the store. I would write letters to the editor; I would start a blog. My Cabbage Monologues would become a ‘must listen to’ series, second only to the original and more interestingly named monologues.

I got home, wondering what I was going to have for supper. What had been on tonight’s menu, I had left at the store.

Twice now, that store had deprived me of my planned evening meal. For the first time in a long while I found myself angry, really angry. The cashier had basically accused me of attempting grand theft cabbage and I was not going to accept that. By the time I was done, the store would not only give me my cabbage but would offer me cabbages for life. I would show them. I would … But then I stopped to think. All of this for a cabbage?

How much is a cabbage worth? What does a cabbage actually cost?

I realized what a cabbage was not worth. It was not worth the energy, time, and frustration I was spending on it. It was not worth lowering my standards, it was not worth giving away something I had worked so hard on, over the past while. A cabbage just isn’t really worth that much.

How much is a cabbage worth? I know what a cabbage isn’t worth.

What does a cabbage actually cost? That I can’t answer. I didn’t keep my receipt.

Are we heading for a Triple Waterfall Crash financially?

Get out!

Note – this isn’t professional advice, it’s just my opinion alone from having been a daily investor and investment advisor for nearly two decades. Also note that my opinions could be wrong and are my opinions, if you need professional advice, please go seek it elsewhere.

With respect to the economy and the markets I think we are in for a repeat of a very tough period for most of the world. Which period though, is difficult to determine – no two times are exactly alike.

The Dot Com Bubble and Bust of the 90s/00s isn’t exactly analogous to today. But combinations of periods like that and including the Nifty Fifty Stocks (over heated stock prices) of the 60s/70s followed by Former Fed Reserve Board Chairman Volker’s time overseeing the economy (high energy prices, inflation, and crippling interest rates) all draw certain parallels to today.

No one has a crystal ball… and certainly the US consumer has shown great resilience time and again… but it still looks like:

1. There is still way too much money in the system;

2. The black market is healthy as ever and commanding more market share – look at massive growth in narcotics use and digital/cyber crime;

3. All asset prices are still too high;

4. Governments around the world have not rationalized spending with current debt loads;

5. Corporate defaults haven’t risen materially; and

6. Stock investors have not yet capitulated.

Thus, I believe we could be in what’s called a “Triple Waterfall Crash” which is a long and drawn-out downturn that can take years to experience and that has many bull market rallies in between. The bull market rallies are indicative of a

Will’s words of wisdom

Will Rogers was a man of many talents. He was the son of a Cherokee judge in Oklahoma and became one of the greatest political country/cowboy sages of all time. Here’s a sample:

1. Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.

2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day

3. There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works.

4. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

5. Always drink upstream from the herd.

6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back into your pocket.

8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.

9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

10. If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.

11. Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.

12. Make crime pay. Become a lawyer.

13. The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn't get worse every year.

14. Worrying is like paying on a debt that may never come due.

15. Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.

16. Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.

17. Never squat with your spurs on.

18. A fool and his money are soon elected.

19. You've got to go out on a limb some-

false positive economic outlook, which brings me back to a legendary former Chief Investment Officer of BMO, Donald Coxe, who said, “You have to destroy the belief system.”

Add possible COVID-19 threats, increasing China/Taiwan tensions, continued supply chain issues, broken political/ media systems in most western nations (especially the UK and the USA), major problems in agriculture with prices and crop/animal disease spiking, a worsening labour market, near record personal credit card debts, massive wealth/income disparity between rich and poor, a dying middle class, and not enough affordable homes almost anywhere.

In other words, the proverbial “doodoo” has really yet to hit the fan!

So, what do you do? Don’t listen to anyone saying “stay the course” – that’s lazy nonsense in my view.

I think diversifying intelligently is something most people can do easily, like buying the bluest of blue chip stocks like banks that are quasi-government institutions that essentially have powers of taxation. Buy high quality short duration bonds that nowadays pay a decent yield and but those in your

registered accounts. Employing a well thought out options strategy on commodities, although complex, can help a portfolio from losses while getting out of any digital assets and most tech stocks (hello US Anti-Trust department – late to the party, but here now). Also stay away from most anything European –invest in western countries with commodity-based economies like Canada or Australia, and PRIVATE EQUITY, but be choosy and do your research! Holding a good chunk of cash, say 2/3rds to start right about now, is gutsy but safe, however, this goes against what you may be hearing: “my advisor tells me to stay invested or I’ll miss those really great up days where the market goes up 5-8% in a day”… that doesn’t always work out very well – and FYI they have to say that. In three to six months, reassess potential for placing back in another 1/3, and then repeat in three to six months.

Feel free to contact me for more information, but most importantly, do your own homework.

Romel Dhalla is the president of the Dhalla Advisor Corporation and can be reached at (204) 509-1020.

people to spend money they don't have for something they don't need.

24. Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.

25. A man only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people.

26. The worst thing that happens to you may be the best thing for you if you don't let it get the best of you.

27. When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

28. The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn't still be a farmer.

29. The income tax has made liars out of more people than golf.

30. Get someone else to blow your horn and the sound will carry twice as far.

times because that's where the fruit is.

20. Lettin' the cat outta' the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it back.

21. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him.

22. Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.

23. Advertising is the art of convincing

31. If you want to be successful, it's just this simple. Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing.

Jim was a writer-broadcaster, producer and presenter on television and radio for 40 years. He is also a host on Lifestyles 55 Digital Radio. Find Radio Redux and MidCentury Memories it at www.whatsupwinnipeg.ca

Romel Dhalla On The Money

Rick Duerksen Reach

Jim Ingebrigtsen Is It Just Me...

Will Rogers.

Take the time to invest in yourself –you’re worth it!

January 25th was Bell Let’s Talk Day, Bell Let’s Talk promotes mental health awareness, acceptance, and action.

A & O: Support Services for Older Adults is one of many agencies in the community that strives to keep this conversation going all year long. Older Manitobans are not alone, we are here to listen, provide support and assist in keeping people socially connected. Check out the agency’s innovative programs and services that assist older people in aging well:

Social Engagement Programs

Senior Centre Without Walls. This program offers a unique opportunity for Manitobans, 55+, to join educational and interactive programs from the comfort of their own homes. The free programs are accessed through a toll-free number.

facilitate independent living.

Senior Immigrant Settlement Services. The program offers a wide range of settlement services for newcomers 55 years of age and over.

Counselling Services

Registered Social Workers provide a variety of counselling services that address grief and loss, financial issues, depression, family issues, loneliness/isolation and loss of health

Support Groups:

who are experiencing neglect, emotional, financial, sexual, or physical abuse.

Safe Suite Program. The Safe Suite Program provides temporary housing for individuals 55+, regardless of gender, who are in need of a safe place to stay due to abuse or neglect.

Older Victim Services. The agency works in partnership with the Winnipeg Police Service to help individuals 60+ who are victims of crime.

A & O: Support Services for Older Adults

Connect Program. Registered Social Workers assist socially isolated Winnipeggers 55+ living in the community by connecting them to resources that will

• Bereavement Support Group

• Moving Forward monthly group

• Making and Keeping Important Connections

• Because We Care: Carer’s Support Group

• Buried in Treasures (for older adults dealing with Hoarding Disorder) Safety & Security Programs

Elder Abuse Prevention Services. Registered Social Workers respond to the needs of individuals 55+

SafetyAid: Falls Prevention Program. SafetyAid is an evidence-based community fall prevention program for older Winnipeggers. This program prevents falls and supports safety and independence of participants in the home and community.

This Full House. This program is designed to assist older adults whose “stuff” fills their home and limits their lives. Homes full of saved items result in falls and injury, loss of relationships, isolation and emotional distress and can cause fires and evictions.

For more information on these or other A & O programs: www.aosuppportservices.ca; phone 204-956-6440; or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter!

Thank you #CommunityChampions for showing kids your hearts

Connection, celebration and reflection – that’s what the Michael Wirth Memorial Tournament means to family and friends of Michael Wirth. I want to share with you a little bit about the Wirth family’s story, and how they have found a way to honour Michael’s life by joining a dedicated group of donors supporting kids’ cardiac care at the new Travis Price Children’s Heart Centre.

Stefano Grande Healthy Living

February is heart month, and a great time to reflect on the many ways #CommunityChampions put their heart into helping #GiveBetterFutures for kids.

Since 2015, the family and friends of Michael Wirth have been hosting an annual golf tournament at Rossmere Golf & Country Club, not only to share stories but to fundraise and support initiatives benefiting kids, like the new Travis Price Children’s Heart Centre at HSC Children’s Hospital.

Michael died in 2014 from an undiagnosed heart condition called an aortic dissection aneurysm, where a vessel in the heart is stretched.

Michael’s dad, Ryan, came up with the idea to have a fundraising tournament to honour Michael and the event has become more and more successful each year. But a week before the second annual tournament, Ryan also died suddenly. So Ryan’s wife, Leslie, dedicates a hole at the tournament in his honour. She calls

it the Sod Father Hole, as Ryan loved the family business, Perfect Landscaping, which he and Leslie ran together for 35 years. The Sod Father Hole has been a huge success every year.

Michael’s brother, Steven, tells us the event is healing.

“The golf tournament every year rehashes difficult feelings, but it’s good to have those feelings come out,” says Steven. “It’s a whole community of people with lots of stories about Michael.”

Many of Michael’s friends come in from out of town for the summer tournament, or send messages of support and donations. The Wirths work hard to make it a fun day and have activities, games or prizes at each hole. They’re grateful for the dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors that make the event possible.

In 2022 the event raised more than $17,500 for cardiac care at HSC Children’s Hospital, something that’s very close to the hearts of the entire family.

The condition Michael had can be hereditary, so

once the Wirth family knew the cause of Michael’s passing everyone went for genetic testing. Michael and Michelle’s youngest son, Logan has an aortic dilation like his late father. The condition is treatable and with early intervention the risk of an aneurysm is greatly mitigated, so Logan receives care at the new Travis Price Children’s Heart Centre. Michelle is grateful for the support.

Thanks to donor support, the new Children’s Heart Centre is successfully expanding capacity, providing more than 6,000 kids, like Logan, each year with leading-edge treatment and care.

We’re very grateful for families like the Wirths, who find beautiful ways to honour cherished family members and make a difference for kids in their community.

How will you help #GiveBetterFutures in 2023? Learn the many ways to show kids your heart at goodbear.ca

Stefano Grande is the president and CEO of Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.

Is it time to decriminalize and legalize all drugs?

Dorothy Dobbie

The big news today, January 31, 2023, is that some drug addicts in B.C. will be now allowed to carry a minuscule amount of certain substances without being arrested. This is being heralded as a great breakthrough in dealing with drug deaths. That, in my view, is complete nonsense!

Making it not a criminal offense to carry a part of the drugs you need to survive every day will do nothing to curb use or prevent death. Period. It is a stop gap, political measure to make governments look like they are doing something – when they are not.

Even the amount being decriminalized is ridiculous and based on flawed averages, according to those who use the

products – not that it matters much. It is doubtful that even before today, Vancouver police arrested people for having a small amount of drugs of any kind in their possession. It would be just too much trouble, too much a burden on the system, and pointless. And it is ludicrous to believe that they will be weighing small amounts of drugs they find on a person going forward.

Here is part of the problem: the drugs of yesteryear are not the drugs of today. While cocaine, heroin and morphine were bad enough, along comes crystal meth, a cheap high, followed by fentanyl, 50 times more powerful than cocaine and 10 times or potent that heroine, followed by carfentanil, that is 100 times more powerful than fentanyl and 10,000 times for potent than cocaine.

It doesn’t take a genius to see one flaw

in the legislation – that 2.5 grams of cocaine is not the same as 2.5 grams of carfentanil or even fentanyl.

The other issue is that the fentanyl drugs are hard to detect, so other, less potent drugs are often laced with the more potent, more addictive substance, I suppose in the hope of getting people addicted more quickly but often leading to death. Contamination of the street supply drugs is a deadly problem that won’t be alleviated by some silly legislation covering what is undoubtedly already happening.

Karen Ward, a drug user and advocate in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, put it this way: "The problem is they (drugs) are not illegal because they're dangerous, they are dangerous because they're illegal!"

The only way to deal with the issue of drug overdoses is to ensure that addicts

have a safe supply. This means that hard drugs should be decriminalized, regulated, and made available to users through current distribution methods for regulated pharmaceuticals.

I know this won’t sit well with some of my more conservative friends but think about it this way: drug addiction is not a moral issue; it is a medical one. You cannot legislate people’s behaviours. We found that out a hundred years ago with alcohol.

If we decriminalize, regulate, and distribute hard drugs, will we still have drug addiction issues to deal with? Of course, we will, just as we still have alcoholism and obesity and all sorts of other selfinflicted medical issues, but we will have cut the illicit supply off at the knees, and allow the addicted to live in peace and dignity.

The Michael Wirth Memorial Golf Tournament. Last year’s tournament raised over $17,500.

The health benefits of humidification

Part one of a two part story.

In the fall and winter months, sales of remedies for chapped lips increase dramatically. While I have my own secret solution for chapped lips – the cause is the dry air that accompanies the drop in temperatures.

Humidity plays a key role in our effort to manage an ideal indoor environment for optimum health. Winter air dries out our eyes, nose, and mucous membranes, increasing susceptibility to airborne pathogens including viruses and bacteria. A humidifier helps protect and maintain the most important of air purifiers, our own bodies!

This time of year, our cold climate constantly exposes us to dry air. Our indoor climate should be humidified in fall and winter to maintain a healthy living space. Fortunately, there are a variety of solutions that can make your home more comfortable this winter and help protect your health.

The Body’s Water Priorities

Our body has a system of priorities, and will ‘steal’ moisture from areas that aren’t as critically important to our health to ensure our organ systems function optimally. While our body is about 60 per cent water in total, the brain and heart are composed of 73 per cent water, the lungs 83 per cent, muscles and kidneys 79 per cent, and the skin is composed of 64 per cent water. When we’re in a dry environment, the body will draw moisture from our cells, skin,

and lips to prioritize organ function. To avoid this stress on the body, it’s critical to drink lots of water and keep the humidity levels in your home at levels between 40 per cent and 50 per cent.

Dry air adversely affects the self-cleansing function of the windpipe, which results in increased susceptibility to infections and respiratory tract issues, and can cause nagging coughs, dry eyes and skin, nose bleeds, cracked lips, eye irritation, and headaches. Dry mucous membranes can make your throat and mouth dry, and increase sinus congestion. Increasing humidity levels can help keep your sinuses clean and clear, which can make you feel better, and result in improved sleep as nasal breathing is much easier when your sinuses are clear.

Fatigue, headache, and reduced ability to concentrate are all symptoms of low humidity. Proper humidification can boost immune function and help speed up recovery from colds and flu. Plenty of rest enables the body to recover sooner.

Mitigate Airborne Viruses

Research in public health has identified a strong connection between humidity levels and temperature, which influences the transmission, survival, and proliferation of influenza viruses. Flu viruses thrive in colder temperatures.

As temperatures rise in spring and summer, the air can hold more water overall. When your furnace warms your home, relative humidity drops dramati-

cally since the warm inside air is higher in temperature than the cold air outside, and heating the air dries out the moisture even more.

A National Academy of Sciences study found a strong correlation between dry living conditions and the transmission and survival of the flu virus. When humidity levels were too low, the flu virus was spread more easily and survived longer. Research has proven that humidity levels in the 40 per cent to 60 per cent range work to deactivate airborne viruses, making them far less likely to be infectious. Moisture helps to prevent the movement of germs and viruses, as heavier particles simply drop to the floor rather than remain suspended in the air.

Adding a humidifier to your living space results in a less favourable environment for viruses to survive, decreasing the chance of a flu infection, as low humidity levels create a friendly environment for pathogens to thrive and multiply. In addition, low humidity, and the dry skin that results, can weaken your body's natural defenses against pathogens, including bacteria and viruses.

Ensuring the humidity level in your home is in the ideal range brings a wide variety of health benefits. Not only does it increase the comfort level in your home, but you can reduce the chances of catching a virus, moisturize your skin, and get more restful sleep.

Humidifier Technologies

Humidifiers designed for home applications use either ultrasonic, evaporation, or steam technology. Models are available that work well in small spaces, others can humidify rooms up to 1,370 square feet. Boneco is a leader in humidifier technology, offering models

that use ultrasonic, evaporation, and steam designs. They also produce hybrid air purifier/humidifier units that both humidify and clean the air. These units feature HEPA technology for air cleaning and utilize evaporative humidification with a wick that can be easily washed, unlike designs that require wick replacement.

Steam humidifiers are excellent choices but produce more sound than ultrasonic and evaporative models. They aren't ideal for use in small bedrooms, but when placed and sized appropriately, a steam unit in a nearby area will still work well. Ultrasonic and evaporative designs are the quietest, making them ideal for bedrooms. In fact, ‘ultrasonic’ means producing sound that is beyond what the human ear can hear (usually above 20,000 hertz).

Humidity levels affect many aspects of our health, and are also important for the maintenance of wooden furniture, musical instruments, and flooring. Humidity reduces allergy symptoms, makes your skin feel better, and can help you sleep. Humidified air actually feels warmer than dry air; it not only makes your living spaces more comfortable, but allows you to lower the thermostat, saving energy and money.

I learned early in life as a professional trombone player that the best solution for healing cracked, chapped lips is to play for at least an hour a day. Ask any brass player, and they'll tell you that they never have chapped lips. But the easy solution for everyone else is to use a humidifier and drink lots of water.

Next month, I'll go into more detail about the many benefits for the health of your body, and your home.

Nathan Zassman is the owner and president of Aviva Natural Health Solutions.

IF YOU ARE A SENIOR. . . . . .

You

Will

should consider having the following in place

The preparation of a will may seem like a daunting task, however, it is essential to ensure that your property is disposed of according to your wishes upon your death. If you pass away without a valid will, the law states what is to happen to your estate.

Power of Attorney

A power of attorney is a document which appoints an individual to handle your affairs in the event you become mentally incapable of making your own decisions. Nothing prevents you from continuing to make your own decisions while you are still competent. A power of attorney is an extremely valuable document to have in place in case anything happens to you which affects your mental ability, such as a stroke, coma or dementia.

Health Care Directive (Living Will)

A health care directive, commonly called a living will, is a document which appoints an individual to make decisions with regard to your health care only, while you are alive but unable to express your decisions yourself. This document is distinct from a power of attorney and deals only with health care decisions such as whether life sustaining treatments, such as CPR or blood transfusion, should be continued or withdrawn.

* plus GST and PST - Rates are per person.

Home and hospital visits are also available $250.00* (includes both meetings) *plus GST and PST

Nathan Zassman Natural Health