Opening
Volker Beckmann
Thompson, Hub of the North, is a city of 14,000 situated in the heart of northern Manitoba, an area of 440,000 sq. km, almost the size of Germany, yet with only .001% of its population. It’s a big, open space!
Most northern communities are Indigenous based with a few urban communities separated by large distances of remote, untouched boreal forest. Many communities have no all-weather roads and are only accessible by airplanes or ice roads in winter.
Transportation is a critical element to link First Nations communities together and to provide eco-
Our own Ian Leatt lands major environmental contract
In a presser that was released on Thursday, July 25, it was announced that BGP Environmental Group Inc. and its BioCleaner technology and products have been accepted to participate in all water quality related projects available under the proprietary RippleModelTM program of De Sousa Costa International Inc. and its partner in Ghana, EarlPark Limited. Ian Leatt is the president of BGP Environmental which he has developed in conjunction with his business partner, Brent Poole.
The RippleModelTM program offers governments the ability to fund “major infrastructure development and capacity building greenfield and upgrade projects’’ that meet the strictest environmental requirements de-
manded by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, other UN Environmental Agencies.
Robert Pappa Cudjoe, the managing director of EarlPark Limited in Accra, stated, “We are delighted that the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency have embraced BGPs BioCleaner technology and products to bring about lasting change to the multiple water quality challenges faced in
ariaggi’s Theme Suite Hotel and Spa in the heart of Winnipeg’s Exchange District has always been a cut above the rest. As current owner Lowell Laluk notes, when Sir James Tupper set out to build the Mariaggi in 1902, he envisaged a building consisting of steel beams and girders – at a time when everything in the city was built using heavy timber.
“The beauty of building with steel rather than timbers,” Lowell says, “is that we have been able to adapt the space without having to deal with any large wooden pillars being in the way.”
(He points out that Tupper was the son of Sir Charles Tupper*, a short-lived former Prime Minister of Canada and the last surviving Father of Confederation.)
At first, Tupper rented the building, the Alexandra Block, at 229-235 McDermot Avenue to Corsican-born restaurateur and well-
Myron Love
Bedroom Buddha.
u Opening up Northern Manitoba
ity of life for many, even in the midst of abundant natural resources.
To explore transportation challenges and possibilities and seek the benefits therein of sustainable growth, economic development, and better health and social parameters, the Thompson Chamber of Commerce will host the first Northern Transportation Symposium in Thompson on September 5 and 6, 2024.
Accessibility delayed is accessibility denied.
For too long, reliable, and affordable year-round transportation has been discussed but never delivered. Instead, the North has had to make do with whatever seasonal services were at hand and at sky-high prices. Clearly, geography is a problem.
and climate change makes adaptation imperative.
Winter roads are in decline and calls have been made for hundreds of kilometres of all weather roads. Many communities depend on unreliable winter roads to obtain heavy or bulky freight. Supplying food, fuel, materials, health care, and even judicial services is often difficult and expensive. There are solutions. Air transport is the only yearround transport for most northern communities.
The locations of many northern communities are hundreds of kilometres away from permanent infrastructure and the terrain is difficult. Water crossings, rock outcrops, bogs, muskeg, and permafrost soil make road construction extremely expensive. But improvements and technological advances are coming,
Tur TL e MO u NTA i N
Thompson’s regional airport has some 30,000 movements a year and is currently building a new $120 million facility. Presentations will be given on how this development will be beneficial and essential for the region.
This two-day symposium will bring together transportation providers and experts to explore opportunities for growth and innovation to better connect the North.
Topics of discussion will include various modes such as air, road, rail, as well as new methods of travel and cargo hauling including airships, drones, electric
vehicles, and even railbuses. Indigenous economic reconciliation will be a key factor in moving forward by protecting the air, land, and waters in all areas of sustainable development.
Dr Barry Prentice, Director of Manitoba’s Transport Institute will be one of the keynote speakers. He observes that “Technological advances in electric and hydrogen propulsion of vehicles are happening in other parts of the world that could benefit Northern Manitoba. Northern Manitoba has abundant resources that will remain untapped until access is obtained.” Knowledgeable speakers and experts will come from Thompson, Winnipeg, The Pas, Calgary, and even St Therese Point First Nation.
Want to know more about NeeStaNan?
Some of the people behind the new rail corridor from Amery to Fort Nelson will be making a presentation about the corridor and a new port.
This is your chance to ask questions about the line, the port, the ownership. What will this mean to isolated far north communities? How will communities along the Arctic Gateway line benefit? How will Churchill benefit? Are there downsides? If so, what might they be?
If you would like to know more before the symposium, contact Dorothy Dobbie 204 940 2716 or dorothy@pegasuspublications.net and I will send you a digital copy of the June issue of Manitoba Lifestyles 55 which provides a complete overview. – Dorothy Dobbie
Chuck Davidson, CEO of the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, will be the moderator and MC. Volker Beckmann, director for the Thompson Chamber of Commerce and Event Manager, explains that attendees at the Symposium will hear from experts in their field and participate in sessions to identify challenges and promising ideas for improvement. He states: “Thompson and Northern Manitoba can be a testing ground for newer and cleaner forms of transportation that are coming in the next 5 to 10 years. Our communities and stakeholders need to learn of these advancements and benefits, participate, and can act to lead the way. Everyone can benefit from a better transportation system.”
The first potash mine in Manitoba
Ihave always called myself a proud Western Manitoban who lived majority of my time long the Manitoba/Saskatchewan Border. I was born and raised in Russell/Asessippi area of Manitoba for the first twenty years, lived 7 years in Winnipeg, then purchased an Insurance Agency in Virden and lived there for over 30 years. You always have a special spot in your heart where you were born and raised. Russell and Western Manitoba has always been home to me, especially after weeks in Winnipeg during our Legislative Session in the fall and spring, it is nice to travel west of the city.
Doyle Piwniuk News from Turtle Mountain
Growing up on a dairy farm in the Dropmore/Shellmouth area, it was very hard work with a huge commitment to milk the cows twice a day with a lot of farm chores. My dad, Fred first started to work in Construction Industry while building
up the farm inventory and to help pay for the land he purchased from my grandfather. Some of the Construction Projects that he worked on was the Shellmouth Dam, many bridges in the region and the Potash Mines in Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. When the Potash Mine was completed, the company offered my dad a fulltime job at the new mine. He declined the offer and was determined to build up the dairy farm that he always dreamed about. While growing up on the farm, my dad always had the interest in the potash mining industry, he had a number of his family members working in the Potash Mine in Esterhazy, a brotherin-law and two of his nephews. Later his son, my brother Kelly and his two nieces are currently working at the mine in Esterhazy. When my dad and I were driving 10 miles south of the farm he indicated that the Manitoba Government was drilling for samples holes in the Harrowby area for a potential potash mine. He always wanted to see a new mine in Manitoba but unfortunately he was never to see that happen, he passed away from cancer in 2005. For many years Premiers, since Sterling Lyon have always talked about creating a new mine in the Russell
area, but nothing happened until our first female Premier, Heather Stefanson made it happen, she made the announcement in 2022 at International Mining Conference in Toronto. When I first became the MLA for Arthur-Virden in 2014 and then we took over government in 2016, I had the opportunity to meet with Daymon Guillas at one of our mutual friend’s cabin in the Shell Valley to talk about the dream that Daymon Guillas along with a few other investors had to build the first Potash Mine west of Russell in at the old town site of Harrowby. Daymon Guillas had filled me in for all the work he and his team did up to us taking government. Daymon and his team had many challenges trying to get the mining department of the provincial government to allow his company Potash and Agri Development Corporation of Manitoba (PADCOM) to give them the opportunity to test drill the current site of the first Potash Solution Mining in Manitoba. In the fall of 2021, the provincial government gave them a license to drill in the area where they had a core sample of Potash when the provincial government first drilled for test sites in the 1980s. They were successful in the Winter of 2022 actually reaching the potash vein which was approximately three foot wide.
PADCOM will be set to be the world’s lowest carbon footprint potash mine, and to set to produce
For more information on registration and participation in this Symposium, please contact the Thompson Chamber of Commerce at 204 677 4155 or email them at commerce@mts.net.
250,000 tonnes of potash per year. Thanks to Manitoba Hydro’s green energy that will be used to power the mine. The mine uses a selective solution mining process in which a heated mixture of water and salt is injected underground to dissolve the potash deposits. The mixture is then pumped to the surface and a process will be put through a cooling down to create the crystallization for pure white potash.
Gambler First Nation near the mine south of Harrowby is a 20% per cent equity partner in PADCOM, which shows how economic reconciliation starts with projects such as this first potash mine in Manitoba. According to Gambler First Nation Chief David LeDoux the development of the mine has been a 15-yearlong process. Hopefully now projects such as PADCOM will take a lot less time to get started especially where there is partnership with first nation communities across this province.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend Daymon Guillas, Chief LeDoux, and their team of PADCOM for the determination, hard work and vision to get this first Potash up and running in the Russell Area. This is going to create a large economic development opportunity in the western region of Manitoba. Doyle Piwniuk is the MLA for Turtle Mountain. His column will help promote knowledge and understanding about this amazing part of our province.
Volker Beckmann News from Thompson
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Volker Beckmann, Gary Brown, Sel Burrows, Dorothy Dobbie, Shauna Dobbie, John Einarson, Kelvin Goertzen, Stefano Grande, Jim Ingebrigtsen, Ian Leatt, Myron Love, Fred Morris, Anthony O'Neil, Doyle Piwniuk, Seneka Samarasinghe, Trudy Schroeder, Wayne Weedon, Robert Wrigley.
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Can more money solve Canada’s productivity gap?
Whenever a problem arises in the way we administer shared services such as health care or policing or education, the easy answer is always to add some more money to the system as if this were a magic elixir that could fix anything.
But it is not. Money is only useful in very specific circumstances – for example, in procuring new equipment or building more structures, etc., none of which actually deal with productivity.
Recently the World Bank announced that Canada is 18th on the list of OECD countries in productivity. We are 30% less productive than the United States, close they say to the performance of the low-income state of Alabama. Shocking!
Despite the excessive spending of current governments, according to RBC our economy is smaller now than it was in 2019!
Why? There are a few reasons, among them deindustrialization, a shrinking mining industry due to regulation and Leap Manifesto attempts to reduce resource production, and the climate change attack on the oil and gas sector.
It does nothing to increase the wealth of individual Canadians. What it does is drain wealth from the system and, as the public administration grows, efficiency and the ability of the private sector to prosper is diminished for the above reasons.
Eight years ago, you could not get a prospecting permit in Manitoba in under two years. Nothing has changed despite direct ministerial orders to reduce the pointless waiting time. This is not political. I suspect that Wab Kinew is having the same problems as did Brian Pallister and Heather Stefanson in shaking lose the bureaucracy from its predetermined outcomes.
“Administrative burdens across multiple levels of government have created inefficiencies and increased internal trade barriers. Infrastructure chokepoints and red tape make international trade more difficult than it should be. Even the mobility of skilled workers – hard enough given our geographic expanse – can be limited by the way provinces, industries, and professional groups try to control labour supplies,” says RBC.
Back in the 1950s, productivity growth in this country was about 5% a year. Today it is .8%, barely growth at all.
What RBC does not mention is the growth of the public sector. One in five Canadians work for government. That is 20.4% of all Canadians, a number which jumps to 28% when factoring in public agencies. This compares to just 14.5% of Americans who serve all three levels of government. The U.S. federal public service represents just 1.9% of the labour force! In Canada, the feds employ 6% of the labour force!
I will stop with statistics now, but you get the point. Working for the government does not add to productivity.
So how does throwing more money at government administered problems such as the mess in health care come into this? Usually that money is directed at either hiring more people in the public sector or increasing salaries or both, neither of which does a thing to solve the problem. Indeed, hiring more people exacerbates the issue by creating more bureaucracy to deal with the added numbers.
And there is no evidence to support the idea that paying the public service more does anything to affect their efficiency. No matter how much a public service employee may want to contribute more, the system puts roadblocks in the way or increasing his production. Indeed, here in Manitoba, one public sector worker I know was warned against working “too hard” because it discomfited his colleagues and made them look bad. No wonder you can’t get a mining permit!
What is needed is a clear analysis of each issue as it arises. In the health sector for instance, we know that doctors are burnt out from paper burden. This one factor could be alleviated by careful pinpointing of the trigger points, such as a lack of consolidation of information to avoid privacy issues. There is a way to solve this. It is not necessary to reinvent the wheel. Other jurisdictions such as Lithuania have already solved this problem. Follow their lead.
Money can be helpful in solving problems but first the problem must be defined, and a reasonable solution identified before the expenditure is made. We all need to think harder and stop looking for the easy way out.
And come to think of it, that is also the first step in resolving our productivity issue.
u Our own Ian Leatt lands major environmental contract
Ghana. These challenges have resulted from a growing population, rapid development, industrialization and climate change.’’
Ian Leatt, the President of the BGP added, “We see these multifaceted projects in Ghana, both from a micro and macro perspective, as a significant development not only in Ghana but throughout Africa. The African Continental Free Trade Area, head-
quartered in Accra and having 55 sovereign nations, has more than 1.3 billion people all yearning for good quality drinking water and wastewater/sewage treatment. That opens the doors to ever expanding markets not only in Canada, but throughout the world.’’
Alberto de Sousa Costa, the President of DeSC, stated, “These projects have been years in the making and it is
leisure GUIDE
rewarding to see the benefits that will be derived with the introduction of the BioCleaner technology and products coming to fruition, particularly for much of the population.’’
Congratulations to Ian, who our readers will know as the author or our cooking page and our previous CEO, and to Brent whose name you will recognize from our former column on home renovations!
Dorothy Dobbie
Are humans to blame for changing the climate?
When the question about what is causing climate change arises, someone in the room is sure to declare that “97% of all scientists agree that climate change is manmade!” or something to that effect.
This is not true. It is a misinterpretation of an Internet survey of the Institute for Scientific Information database conducted in 2004 by Naomi Oreskes, a professor of Science History and Earth and Planetary Sciences, who typed in the key words, “global climate change” and found 928 papers that mentioned this. “After the analysis, she concluded that 75 percent of the examined abstracts either explicitly or implicitly backed the consensus view, while none directly dissented from it. The essay received a great deal of media attention from around the world.” (Forbes).
Three years later, she revisited this and concluded that about 20% explicitly endorsed the theory that “Earth’s climate is being affected by human activities.”
Few people question whether climate change is real but surely it is fair to question conclusions that are drawn from a theory supported only by man made computer models that many are saying are based on flawed premises and all are clearly unproven.
Many totally ineffectual, absurd laws and even sillier proposals have followed on these conclusions.
Climate change is from human activity
It’s wishful thinking to say that we don’t know what causes climate change or that there is no climate change. We are as certain as can be that the Earth is warming faster than it has at any time that humans have existed.
his life trying to get other scientists to agree with him that “heat doesn’t flow that way”.
About 55% implicitly agreed, meaning they didn’t say so directly. And the remaining 25% were focused on other issues. (Wikipedia article). I quote this extensively to respond to the criticism that the first quote was a Forbes fact checker quote by a fellow named Earl J. Ritche, who had worked in the oil business. A jump to discredit the source in the first response you get from the climate consensus crowd when you raise any question about the validity of the “consensus”.
Turns out a lot of people do not accept that man is responsible for creating the current volatility of the climate. And they are not “junk scientists” but a wide array of highly acclaimed researchers, theorists, physicists, climate scientists, geologists, and so on.
Sadly, they are all dismissed as crackpots or “climate deniers, cancelled, ridiculed and some have even lost their jobs.
This is very concerning, since as Dr. Michael Crichton put it, “The greatest scientists in history are great precisely because they broke with the consensus.”
“Science is organized common sense where many a beautiful theory was killed by an ugly fact,” said Thomas Huxley. Science is about narrowing uncertainty, said someone else. The point is that we must continue to question, to explore, to look for inconsistencies and absurdities and feel free to express them.
I am not a scientist, but I have an enquiring mind. The first question that always comes to me is Why?
When it comes to the greenhouse gas theory, I want to know why will levels of CO2 lead to destruction when science history says that levels in the past have been much higher? “CO2 levels around 600 million years ago were about 7,000 parts per million, compared with 442 ppm today. Then approximately 480 million years ago those levels gradually dropped to 4,000 ppm over about 100 million years, while average temperatures remained at a steady 72 degrees.” – Forbes.
Why does it make sense to say on one hand that we should eat bugs instead of meat, when the exact amount of methane emitted by the digestive tract of an animal is released by plants decaying on the ground? Why is carbon dioxide suddenly evil when it is the stuff of life – without it, plants that are voracious users of CO2, cannot survive? If they die, we will all die.
How do I know that? I haven’t studied climate, or climate change, or physics, or any of the myriad things that have led most (over 90 percent; a common citation is 97 percent) of the world’s scientists to the conclusion that we are undergoing rapid, human-made climate change (1). But I do believe them.
The problem with Ward's hypothesis, as I understand it, is that it does not adequately explain many observed patterns of climate change, such as the warming of the oceans, the increase in night-time temperatures, and other critical details that are well-explained by the increase in greenhouse gases.
According to the Pew Research Center, 14 percent of Americans say there is no clear evidence that climate change is even happening. Regular Americans, not scientists. And I can understand why.
Dorothy Dobbie Shauna Dobbie
Why does it make sense to ban plastic straws when plastic is a key material in the manufacture of both solar panels and current windmills (as is oil)?
Why does it make sense to stop the sale of petroleum products to coal burning Asia and Europe when our petroleum is much cleaner fuel than coal, which emits 40% more CO2 that LNG and 30% more than natural gas? How can we justify the banning of plastic garbage bags and adding a pointless but ever-growing tax on home heating fuels when we deprive other countries of a clean alternative to their energy needs?
How do we justify a law that demands everyone be in an electrical vehicle (made largely of plastic) by 2030 when we know we don’t have the current electrical power to meet the demand that will be created (assuming we actually meet this artificial and unrealistic target just five and a half years from now)!
When I started on this article, I had planned to share some alternative theories about what is causing the warming we are hearing about, however, I have run out of time and this is a complicated subject, but there are many theories. The one that makes the most sense to me is that global warming waxes and wanes due to a multitude of factors that, despite all their hard work, climate prognosticators have not yet been able to thoroughly include, and analyze. Perhaps the burning of fossil fuels is one of those factors. Is it the overriding factor? We need to work a little harder at proving, disproving or relegating this to a place on a scientifically proven hierarchical list. Then we can change (maybe) human behaviour as needed.
As for a gradual move away from fossil fuels and sourcing new energy? That will happen over time as we learn more about this planet we live on and learn to live with it instead on against it. Energy is all around us. It will be very interesting to see how we come to use it in the future.
Now, most scientists at the turn of the century (1899 to 1900, that is) fervently believed that we had learned all the basic laws of physics, but then the theories of relativity and quantum physics emerged. Had I been alive in the 1800s, would I have believed the scientists who thought we were done figuring things out? Yes. Because I am not a scientist; I believe what scientists agree on.
Would the many scientists before 1900, who believed wrongly that there was nothing left to learn in physics, be embarrassed or reject the theories of relativity and quantum physics? I’m sure some did, but the ones who looked into these new-fangled ideas simply changed their positions. That’s what good scientists do.
The current belief is that the Earth is warming because there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than in the past. There hasn’t been this much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere in 3-million years, which is important, because higher levels of carbon dioxide make global temperatures go up. (You can find out why online.)
The reason there is so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is because of humans burning fossil fuels and removing forests, which are a carbon sink, keeping carbon at ground level.
Do some scientists disagree with the carbon dioxide theories of global warming? Sure. And if there weren’t scientists trying to find other possibilities to explain the rapid rise in global temperatures, it wouldn’t be science. One distinguished scientist (I imagine my mom will tell you all about him), Peter Langdon Ward, believes that climate change is created by volcanoes. He is a vulcanologist. He’s spending the remainder of
Reports on climate change by people in the media (like me) often rely on the worst-case scenario to get people to listen (I don’t). We, the public, have been upset about polar bears disappearing and ice caps melting. My daughter told me that the world would be unlivable in 10 years. (I think that was about six years ago.)
The ice caps are melting, and the polar bears, who rely on icy oceans for food will probably start to die off, though “scientists estimate that there is a 70-percent chance the global population of polar bears will fall by more than a third within the next three generations” (carbonbrief. org), which isn’t enough to make them disappear too fast. In either case, the doom is something we cannot directly see or feel now.
Some people are very concerned about human life on the planet in 50 years or 100 or 200 years. In 50 years, most of us reading this will be dead with or without global warming. Our children and children’s children will still be alive, though, and that may give us pause for concern. If climate change continues to happen at a rapid pace (and unless something changes, it will), imagine what your great-granddaughter will tell her kids about you, and about us.
Note:
(1) For instance, from a paper called “Consensus on consensus: a synthesis of consensus estimates on human-cased global warming” in Environmental Research, 2016: “The consensus that humans are causing recent global warming is shared by 90 to 100 percent of publishing climate scientists according to six independent studies by co-authors of this paper. Those results are consistent with the 97-percent consensus reported by Cook et al based on 11,944 abstracts of research papers.” Renegade economists sometimes disagree with these figures, but their arguments are not hard to poke holes in.
Not as easy as just saying cheese
For many people in Manitoba and Canada, their only connection to the town of New Bothwell, Manitoba, is Bothwell Cheese. My connection goes a bit deeper, even if it got a bit detoured along the way.
Nearly three decades ago, when I was in the midst of dating the woman who would later become my wife, I was invited to make my first visit to her home. Her hometown was New Bothwell.
As a young man living in a time before GPS systems in vehicles were prevalent, I relied as we used to in those days, on my general sense of direction. On that evening, my sense of direction was misguided, and I ended up in the town of Lorette.
But New Bothwell has put itself on the map not only nationally but also internationally with its award-winning cheese. However, it wasn’t always that way. When the New Bothwell cheese factory opened in 1936, it was one of many dozens that operated in Manitoba. The Bothwell Cheese factory opened, like many others, not because of a great desire to make cheese, but rather as a way to support the dairy industry and to use up excess milk. Farmers would load up raw milk in heavy cans and deliver it directly to the Bothwell Cheese factory to be made into cheese.
Eventually, I found my way to New Bothwell and more than a little late, I knocked on the door and mustered some excuse as to why I was late. Fortunately, Kim is a forgiving person, and after 27 years of marriage we still laugh about it today.
My wife’s childhood home, which also housed the New Bothwell Post Office, was immediately beside the Bothwell Cheese factory. And on that night, like for many people I suppose, it was easier for me to identify the communities most famous export than it was for me to find the community itself.
Over the years, the number of cheese makers in Manitoba dwindled and now there are only a handful. And Bothwell Cheese has not only survived, it has thrived. It has developed a well-known brand for quality and today offers a growing list of cheese flavors. In fact, more than 25 different varieties of cheese, ranging from traditional to very unique, are offered. These include flavors such as Red Hot Chili Pepper Spicy & Smoky and Red Wine Old Cheddar. And from its original staff compliment of only 3 employees, it has grown today to employ over 60.
Importantly, Bothwell Cheese has also been recognized around the world for the quality of its product. This in-
cludes winning awards at Canada’s Western Agribition Cheese Competition, and the British Empire Cheese Show.
Annually in New Bothwell in early June, the New Bothwell Wine and Cheese Festival draws guests from around Manitoba to sample cheese and wine as well as a variety of other local food offerings. Having now been to New Bothwell hundreds of times since my dating days mix up, I am happy to provide directions to anyone hoping to attend next years Festival.
Recently you may have heard that there was a significant fire at the New Bothwell Cheese factory. This took place on the morning of Saturday June 1. And while there were fortunately no injuries in the fire, there was extensive damage. Thankfully, a united effort helped to get the plant back into operation about four weeks later.
If you have yet to try Bothwell Cheese, make sure you look for it at your local grocery stores. If you are in Winnipeg, you can also shop at the Fromagerie Bothwell Cheese Shop in St. Boniface located at 136 Provencher Blvd.
Of course, if you are up for a drive, you can also put the town of New Bothwell in your GPS and take the short trip southeast of Winnipeg to the New Bothwell Cheese factory itself. Cheese is available at the factory store and it is the best way to get the freshest famous New Bothwell cheese curds.
There are many Manitoba business success stories that have their roots in humble beginnings. The common thread is that it takes strong local support to ensure that these businesses can continue to thrive through various stages of growth and economic environments. New Bothwell Cheese stands tall as one of those Manitoba stories. The level of success that they have achieved hasn’t been as easy as just saying cheese, but it is enough to put a smile on the faces of most Manitobans.
Kelvin Goertzen is the current MLA for the constituency of Steinbach. He has served in several Cabinet roles including Manitoba Premier and Deputy Premier
Crime prevention – you and the community have a big responsibility to fulfil
I’ve been involved in crime prevention for many years and I’m continually frustrated by the debate between policing and social programs. It seems fairly obvious that when someone commits a crime, particularly a serious crime, we need the police. However, my personal experience has also shown that social programs like recreation and public schools are absolutely basic to crime prevention.
However, a third factor, the community, is an overlooked force that can make the difference between a low crime community and a high crime community. A very wise thinker, Jane Jacobs, was famous for her concept of “eyes on the street” as a major crime prevention mechanism.
What people consider crime is what is reported on the front page of the paper: murder, assault, shop lifting, drug dealing. All very public crimes where it is clear someone is harmed. The crimes reported on the business pages are less spectacular and impact the community less directly – no one has heard of Bridging Finance, a Toronto based financial company charged with fraud of over $1.6 billion, with two Winnipeg financiers closely involved in the missing money question, but there is little fundamental difference between these two and the petty thief on the street.
paying, the problem changed.
When you're sitting in a restaurant or bar and somebody wanders up to your table, offering you a $20 steak for 10 bucks lots of people take the bargain. Oops, we now have two criminals. A criminal who stole and a criminal who possesses stolen goods. If people are stealing major quantities, those thefts are for resale not personal consumption. If you buy that cheap steak in the bar, maybe you know you won’t be prosecuted. But we now have two crimes without consequences.
Sel Burrows Community Spotlight
Crime has many facets, but most people are concerned about the crime they read about in the newspaper or see on TV.
Everyone is aware that Winnipeg has the highest violent crime rate in Canada. We also have one of the highest property crime rates. In this article I’m going to discuss one type of crime and how respectable people are supporting it without thinking.
Recently, we have been made aware of a shoplifting epidemic – shoplifting on an organized scale that affects the survival of some small grocery stores. What happened in Winnipeg to move shoplifting from a lowlevel annoyance to a major crime epidemic?
The answer is very simple. People realized that they could steal from stores and get away with it. When people moved from slipping a steak into their shopping bag to filling a shopping cart with high end expensive foods that could be sold for cash and leaving without
A Giant Tiger store in the North end supported a senior’s group for several years. That Giant Tiger store was going to close, largely due to organized shoplifting. A van would pull up in their parking lot and distribute lists. People would fill their shopping carts with the items on the list then leave the store without paying. The thieves brazenly went straight to the van which had given them the list and turned over all the stolen stuff. The staff at the store, including security guards, are not allowed to physically intervene. The store was helpless. However, we know that those stolen items would soon be for sale somewhere at drastically reduced prices. The purchasers of this stuff, once again buying stolen property, are committing a crime.
goods, especially food. Police told me that some lowend restaurants we're actually buying food, which was obviously stolen, at the back door. I phoned the health department to issue the same type of warning against buying steaks.
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Social agencies warn about food deserts in the inner city where there is no reasonably priced store to buy food. As inner-city food stores find the shoplifting just too expensive, the food desert gets bigger. Fortunately, the provincial Justice Minister has moved quickly to get more policing working on shoplifting. Once the thieves, the shopping cart level thieves, learn that they will be arrested, and their hard-earned stolen goods confiscated, the level of theft will go back to that annoying but acceptable previous low level.
– Albert Einstein
What would I have done differently?
Right now, the only response is more policing. Our provincial government responded by increasing police assigned to stop shoplifting. However, there is a role, some would say a responsibility, for the public.
I did my own little bit. I phoned officials in the Liquor and Gaming Corporation. I suggested they notify licensed beverage rooms that it is against the law and the rules under their license to allow people to sell ‘stuff’ in licensed premises. I reminded them that they were in danger of suspension or losing their liquor license if they allowed people to go table to table selling stuff. This is the primary method of selling stolen
First, I would have immediately had a major media campaign asking people to not buy stolen stuff or any stuff where the price is too good to be true. I’d warn people that its illegal to possess stolen goods. I would suspend the liquor licence of a couple of bars that allowed people to sell stolen stuff. That would ensure that every other bar would cut off sales. No sales, its not worth stealing. Finally, involve the community. People know where the thieves live and where they keep their stolen stuff. Actively explain to the community, the damage the thieves are doing and how they will create more of a food desert. Soon people will begin to let officials know where the ‘stolen stuff’ is stored. After a couple of highly publicised arrests and when the impact of consequences sets in, shoplifting drops off.
I said at the beginning of this article, our epidemic of shop lifting developed because there were no consequences for theft. For a long-term decrease in crime, we need a broad range of both social programs, anti poverty efforts and a reorganization of police so more of them are directly involved in confronting crime. And we need a community at large that accepts its responsibility not to accept short term benefits from the proceeds of crime.
Kelvin Goertzen News from Steinbach
Kelvin at Bothwell.
u Historic Mariaggi’s romance driven theme hotel remains unique
known chef Frank Mariaggi who soon after purchased the building outright.
Mariaggi set out to make his new hotel and restaurant a destination place. “The restaurant on the main floor,” Lowell points out, boasted the longest bar in the city. The bar extended the entire block from Albert Street to Arthur Street. There were separate gents’ private dining rooms on the main floor and the basement housed the famous Italian grottoes. The grottoes featured pools stocked with goldfish. (There are plans to recreate the grottoes once again to its former glory…).
The hotel rooms on the two upper floors, Lowell continues, offered luxuries that were unavailable at any other hotel in Manitoba. Each spacious suite had its own bathtub, toilet and sink, and a telephone. Mariaggi’s Hotel rooms had elegant furnishings and beautiful draperies. It was Western Canada’s first European style hotel.
vacation getaway to Rome, Hawaii, Egypt or Bali without ever leaving the city,” Lowell points out.
“We are not trying to compete with other hotels for out-of-town visitors in Winnipeg for business or family visits,” he says. “We appeal to Winnipeggers and people from the surrounding area who looking for a staycation. Almost 90% of our clientele are local – honeymooners, anniversaries, birthdays or couples looking for a romantic getaway or a break from the kids.
Myron Love Celebrating 150 years of Winnipeg
“Frank Mariaggi’s luxurious hotel was very successful,” Lowell notes.
Marriaggi also opened a second hotel in Port Arthur. His farms outside Winnipeg provided fresh meat and vegetables for his restaurant.
Eventually, he sold his Canadian properties and retired to his native Corsica. Succeeding owners converted the Mariaggi into retail and commercial space.
Lowell observes that every neighbourhood goes through periods of decline and renewal – and the Exchange District is no different. With the development of Portage Avenue from Main Street to Memorial Boulevard, the city’s retail and commercial centre moved away from the Exchange District and the Mariaggi, along with its surroundings, went into a decline.
Enter Lowell Laluk and his entrepreneurial father, Don.
“My dad saw the potential in this building, which is just a block from Portage and Main,” Lowell recalls. “We bought the property in the early 1980s. At the time, it was a rental property with tenants paying $50 a month. Dad moved the tenants out and we set out to redevelop the building.”
Lowell joined his father full-time after earning a commerce degree at the University of Manitoba.
“We were intent on re-opening the Mariaggi Hotel,” Lowell recounts. “But we wanted a hotel that offered something different from the Best Westerns and Holiday Inns. We wanted our hotel to be really special.”
Father and son decided to take a page out of the Fantasyland Hotel which had opened just a few years earlier at the West Edmonton Mall. “There were no other hotels in Winnipeg with theme rooms. Most of the hotels that had hot tub suites put the hot tub in the bathroom in the enclosed toilet area of the suite. When you sat in the jetted tub you would be looking at the toilet and sink. Our vision was to make the hot tub the central focus of the room. We put the hot tub and steam room right in the main room. This allows guests to be able to lounge in the hot tub while enjoying the atmosphere of the theme suite. They can make believe they are on an exotic
“We get a lot of repeat business. And word of mouth has been our best source of advertising.”
The new Mariaggi has also attracted its fair share of visiting celebrities – people such as Ernie Coombs (Mr. Dressup), Jeremy Bulloch (the original Star Wars’ Bobo Fett) as well as local Manitobans such as Izzy Asper, who held his 65th birthday in the Jakarta penthouse, or Grand Chief Fontaine who enjoyed his 70th birthday party in the same suite with a large number of close family and friends. Their autographed and framed photos hang on a narrow hallway just to the right of the reception area.
“We have been fortunate to attract a large number of celebrities. Many of them are used to the luxurious settings that we have to offer. However, we really get a kick out of those couples who save for a year to spend a night or two at the hotel. We have often had guests walk into the room with candles lit and lights dimmed, and they get really emotional and thank us for creating such a wonderful atmosphere for their anniversary.”
The first two theme suites that Don and Lowell built in the mid 1980s were recreations of Rome and Japan. “We did virtually all the renovations by ourselves,” Lowell recalls. “Although we had no training, we learned by experience. Over the years, I have done a lot of planning and design, dry walling, sanding, painting, flooring and electrical work.”
Currently, Mariaggi’s offers a choice of 15 different theme rooms – including four apartment-style suites, at varying rates depending on the room. Guests can choose from a Roman or Parisian theme room from Europe, or rooms reflecting Egyptian or Moroccan milieus or various east Asian and Caribbean looks. You can also travel, virtually to Mexico or Hawaii.
“Each room gives you the impression of being in another world,” Lowell says. “As well, before the guests check in, we light candles in the room, provide romantic music and set up anything else the guests request.”
He notes that each room comes with a hot tub or Jacuzzi, a large steam room, dining area, stereo and large 65-inch, smart TV. Larger rooms also have dry heat sauna, pool table, shuffleboard, video games and direct access to outdoor decks that overlook the historic Exchange District. In the check-in area, there is a wide range of DVDs and CDs, aromatherapy oils and scents for guests to choose from.
In its decor and furnishings, each room is as accurate to its theme as possible. The Mexico room is a prime example. The art and furnishings have all been sourced in Mexico. There is a rose flowering
tree canopy that hangs over the bed and even the table and chairs were imported from Guadalajara.
Lowell reports that he is currently building three new rooms on the top floor: a Hollywood themed room, a second room that introduces guest to Jakarta and a third suite that is still to be unveiled.
Lowell’s most ambitious project is the just completed 2,000 square foot Bali suite and party room at ground level. (The hotel itself is up a flight of stairs to the building’s second floor with store fronts and restaurants having occupied the ground floor areas.)
“We imported about a half a million dollars’ worth of art in 25-foot containers from Indonesia for the suite. It looks really impressive.”
“Our largest suite and party room for special occasions (which is where many special dignitaries have chosen to enjoy with friends and family for small weddings, anniversary or birthday parties) is on the top floor,” he explains. “When you get 50 people at a party at midnight, it can get pretty noisy and may disturb some of our other guests. So we decided to build our new suite and party room in what used to be Ordnry Clothing on the ground floor. Guests can enjoy the night without having to worry so much about disturbing others and at the end of the evening, they just leave out the front door.”
Lowell reports that his father Don was directly involved in operating Mariaggi’s until about 10 years ago. “Although I bought out Dad’s shares, he still is just a phone call away. I often bounce ideas off him. I don’t always agree with him, and we have heated discussions but I take his advice to heart. There is no better teacher I would want to have than my dad. Inevitably, I make the final decision, but I consider his comments very carefully beforehand,” Lowell says.
All of Lowell’s three boys have helped the family business. Andrew and Nathan are studying at Queen’s University (Chemistry) and University of Victoria (Mechanical Engineering). And just as Lowell worked with Don over the years in renovating Mariaggi’s, Lowell’s middle son, Matthew, is helping his father build the new suites. Matthew is a great help. He is smart and creative. A hard worker and he gets along with everyone really well. Matthew is currently in his last year studying Civil Engineering at the University of Manitoba. Will he be the third generation of the Laluk Family to operate Winnipeg’s oldest luxury hotel?
Time will tell.
*Sir CharlesTupper served the shortest term of any Canadian prime minister, only 68 days. Prime Minister Bowell resigned after a cabinet revolt over his handling of the Manitoba Schools Question. Tupper, with the support of the Cabinet, was appointed prime minister by the governor general, the Earl of Aberdeen. Tupper was the fourth and last prime minister to lead the Conservative government after Macdonald's death in 1891. He led the Conservatives into the 1896 election, which he lost to Laurier. He resigned as prime minister but stayed on as leader of the Conservative party and Leader of the Opposition. He was defeated by Laurier in the 1900 election and retired from politics. He was one of three prime ministers who never sat in Parliament while he was prime minister, the others being Campbell and Turner. – Wikipedia
The Egyptian themed suite.
The Mexican themed suite.
Manitoba’s Summer of Love, 1970
Manitoba’s centennial year, 1970, was marked throughout the year by community events across the province. For young people, the year became our very own Summer of Love with a series of major music festivals.
On Sunday, May 24, 1970, Manitoba experienced its very own Woodstock complete with torrential rain and mud, lots of it. Billed as the Niverville Pop Festival, the multi rock band event was staged in a farmer’s field near the quiet rural community of Niverville, 25 km south of Winnipeg. What began as a sun-filled, fun-filled day of music and hippie ambiance (and all that went with it) turned into a mud bath of epic proportions after torrential rain brought the event to a hasty end, giving rise to a now legendary muddy experience. Attendees spent long hours pushing cars out of the mud. For Manitoba’s budding hippie community, it was their coming-of-age moment.
The second annual Love-In was presented at Assiniboine Park on June 1 when hundreds of colourfullygarbed young people sat on the grass enjoying the music of several local bands. Impromptu music performances took place at Memorial Park throughout the summer.
On July 1, the Winnipeg football stadium played host to Festival Express, a rolling thunder revue of some of the biggest artists in pop music at the time travelling by an exclusive train from gig to gig. Featuring the queen of the hippies, Janis Joplin, The Band, The Grateful Dead, Delaney & Bonnie plus more, the festival was a bargain at $10 a ticket. Nonetheless, protesters outside the entrance decried what they deemed an excessive ticket price. Beginning around noon, the event was a non-stop cavalcade of music running well past midnight. Joplin didn’t take the stage until 2:00 AM.
Arriving the day before, Joplin visited Memorial Park and waded into the fountain. Oddly, few took notice despite Joplin being festooned in feathers and scarves.
Saturday, August 29, was billed as the ultimate music event of the centennial year. ManPop 70 was a rock festival sponsored by the provincial centennial committee under the direction of local entrepreneur Maitland Steinkopf. Months earlier, the public was asked to name their favourite acts for the event. Led Zeppelin, riding on the strength of their second album, and heavy rockers Iron Butterfly topped the list followed by the peace and love Youngblood, Chilliwack, and Ides of March, riding high with their hit single “(I’m Your) Vehicle”. Several local
bands (including my band, Euphoria) filled out the bill. It started out sunny as 14,000 people filled the football field. The music began at noon with my band Euphoria. But by late afternoon, however, the skies turned cloudy and soon after, the rain came. Like Niverville months earlier, this was rain of Biblical proportions. Yet the rainsoaked crowd stayed.
Working furtively behind the scenes, around 7:00 PM Steinkopf returned to the outdoor stage to announce that the concert was moving into the Arena across the road. What transpired next was a stampede to get into the Arena and claim a seat. It was a simple question of arithme-
tic: 14,000 people would not all get into the 10,000 capacity Arena. Hundreds who held tickets were ultimately shut out.
Inside, the concert picked up where it left off with The Youngbloods, Ides of March, and Iron Butterfly who played their signature number “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” for the elated audience. But would Led Zeppelin appear? It took local singer Dianne Heatherington’s hectoring to convince the band to take the stage close to 2:00 AM, giving the weary crowd what they had been waiting and hoping for. Even the transit buses stayed well past midnight to make sure everyone made it home safely.
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Winnipeg City of Song
Kids on muddy car hood is a photo from Niverville Pop Festival. Photograph by Gerry Kopelow.
Janis Joplin in the fountain in front the Legislature.
ManPop 70 rain soaked crowd.
Where the heck is the North Pole?
As I write this month’s article, I realize that we still have two years’ worth of prizes in the form of annual premium memberships to hand out.
Ready Player One, GCAONWB, is patiently waiting for someone to solve, find and collect the prize. Don’t overthink the solution.
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the magnetic poles on this rock that we live on. Yes, they are moving and have been since the beginning of time (according to the experts). Apparently, according to NASA, the poles have actually reversed on average every 300,000 years. It has been 780,000 years though since the last reversal. The sun, however, switches polarity every eleven years and causes, among other things, the possibility of some disruption in radio signals. There is apparently a polarity reversal of the sun that is taking place as you read this causing
a solar storm. It is the reason that there was a good display of Aurora Borealis earlier this year. Your GPS coordinates may be off a bit until the reversal settles down.
Gary Brown Geocaching
Aircraft have needed to calibrate their compasses regularly for the longest time because, among other things, the North Pole is continually moving. In recent years they have needed to do it more often with the constant variation. Some pilots do it every time they are about to leave an airport.
This polar migration was first detected in 1831 and has been followed since then. The
average speed that the pole was moving was around 15 Kph until the 1990s when it picked up speed and is now moving at close to 60 Kph per year towards Siberia. The distance it has changed since the measurements began is roughly 2,300 kilometers. Not very many Geocachers use a compass to find their goal and real-
istically most never have. Dave Ulmer placed the first geocache with a GPS receiver and it was found using a similar GPS receiver. The GPS was the primary device used to locate a geocache until the cell phones accuracy became close enough for them to slowly take over. The majority of those that do geocache with a compass and map use it as a challenge and are probably using their cell phone’s compass for accuracy. There are updated charts and maps for anyone wishing to use a compass or the other legacy tool, a sextant.
For those of you that may be concerned about their Christmas letter getting to the right address, Canada Post does not deliver mail by compass or GPS. They make use of a physical location and the geographical home for the Jolly Man is still the same. For those of you that are not sure of it, send your letter to “Santa Clause, North Pole, H0H 0H0 and you will receive a reply. Postage is not needed thanks to the generosity of the post office. (Currently, the NOAA gives the 2024 location of the magnetic north pole as 86 degrees North, 142 degrees East –
My commitment to reconciliation
Scott Browning
Imet a young woman while out running an errand.
I am a nature lover and because of this, my ears picked up the sound of a Cooper's Hawk. It went to a nearby tree, and I pulled out my camera phone to get a picture. Easier said than done. The bird hid itself well and it was hard to get a visual. Its movement went from tree to tree and when it landed on a nearby chimney vent stack, I finally got a couple of shots. Simultaneously, a person (whom I shall call Taylor) was passing by. In my enthusiasm, I wanted to share my photographic ability. However, that turned out to be a brief shared moment of humour at my expense because, upon review of the photos, I had captured the prey (a pigeon) and not the raptor (the hawk).
A brief exchange with this soon-tobe friend led to an exchange of shared interests and an Everything Bagel at Timmies. As we talked, she shared her
Weather
Ithink my first conscious memory of anything weather related was when we lived in Vancouver. I was seven. I remember walking to school and realizing I couldn’t recall the last time I saw the sun. Weeks can go by in the winter with nary a glimpse of sunlight. Having spent most of my early years in Winnipeg, I was used to seeing that big ball of burning gas. About the only other time when weather affected me was the occasional blizzard when school was cancelled. But, it is the Halcyon days of summer I remember the most.
story of recent trauma. Her mother and brother had died within the last six months. She was estranged from her son. She was on the brink of being homeless. I learned that this very nice woman, who happened to be Indigenous, was being exploited, and in need of aid.
I decided to help as best I could.
I discovered she needed nighttime clothes because she was, from timeto-time, staying and finding shelter with various relatives or wherever she could. Unfortunately, these were temporary, by-chance arrangements and everything she had brought with her from up North had been stolen, including her ID.
We spent the best of the morning and early afternoon chilling in conversation. I bought her some toiletry essentials at the Dollar Store; we shared some fruit in the shade to re-energize ourselves and to get out of the 31°C, no-breeze, heat. By this time, it was sweltering.
We spent about an hour at Value Village in the air-conditioned resale store so she could kill time before picking
up her mail at the Women's Centre. This took her mind off her troubles. I asked her what else I could do to help. She needed assistance getting an apartment; she was on the waiting list for an appointment in one week, but she was afraid her circumstances could prevent this. She needed to pick up her mail and wash and clean herself at the facilities available at the Women’s Resource Centre.
I assured her I would help her as best I could and gave her my contact card and next drove her to the Women's Centre.
At the Centre, a dispute broke out in the washroom while she was washing up and another woman accused her of stealing something she had left there. (The woman was using the washroom to transfer drugs). My friend was being threatened when the agreement got loud when the culprit's perceived behaviour surfaced. My brave friend returned to me, I was sitting in my car in the heat; she told me that she was about to be jumped and ganged up on because of what had just happened.
At this time, the Centre’s CCTV
in the ocean. By 2025, it will have drifted to 138 degrees East, courtesy of Wikipedia – Ed.)
But seriously, the process involved in finding a geocache by compass is reportedly a lot of fun. If you are up to the challenge, there are a few clubs online that have the information that you would need to try it.
I would like to do an article in the near future on stories of fun, funny or interesting things that happened to people while geocaching. If you have a story that fits any of these categories and would like to share it (or them) please either corner me at an event or send them to mbgaexec@ outlook.com. Names and other identifiers will not be used unless you specifically want them to be.
The takeaway on this story, even though it could be a neat challenge, a compass is not as good as a GPS receiver or a cell phone to find a cache. See you on the trail, unless you are using a compass with last year’s calibration.
Gary Brown is the President of the Manitoba Geocaching Association (MBGA) and can be reached at mbgaexec@outlook.com.
cameras were being used and the supervisor appeared wanting to sort things out. I introduced myself and we discussed my concerns about my friend’s safety and her dire need to avoid homelessness. I mentioned that if she had been at the Centre, and a woman’s safety was in question, it was a problem. Upon further discussion, the supervisor agreed to recognize those issues and help my soon-to-be homeless friend with her safety and accommodation needs.
I left Taylor there, knowing she just wanted to get back to her home in the North to be with her extended family and son. (I am not sure but hope the Women's Resource Centre is equipped to handle such needs). As I left her, I did so, hoping she would get the help she needed and renew my belief in the Agape way of the Samaritan.
This is a part of my commitment to reconciliation. I am wondering if I will ever hear from her again, or if I can be of service. I left my card with Taylor and told her she could rely on me to help her in an emergency or if she was having trouble.
Back then I thought the summers felt longer. I’m sure there were only a couple weeks, tops, when the air was humid. My mother used to say, “It’s very close out there.” Humidex, by the way, is a Canadian term and
didn’t exist until 1979. The days were always sunny and warm. Occasionally a thunder storm would roll through sometime during the night. If there was a lot of lightning we’d call it an electrical storm. When you woke up the next morning there were puddles everywhere, the air smelled fresh and it was another sunny day. That’s the way I remember summers.
One comment often heard when people get into a conversation about weather in this part of the world is, “We get to enjoy all four seasons!” Maybe. Not all seasons are as enjoyable as others. Also, not all four seasons seem to be as distinguishable as they used to be. Last winter was the warmest I remember and this past spring was one I’d rather forget. The older we get the less we like the winters un-
less you are among the many who escape to warmer climes such as Palm Springs. Golfers who are prisoners of the prairie winters must endure the cold dome by visiting the Golf Dome.
I don’t want to get into the whole ‘climate change’ conversation but the weather is changing. Sure, we don’t have hurricanes or cyclones. We might have the odd tornado but, the times they are a changing and so is the weather. It seems we experience stronger winds that we used to have. Hail was, at one time, a real anomaly. We’ve seen it three times this past June and July.
It was on September 1, 1988, almost 36 years ago the Weather Network was launched. People laughed out loud. “Who cares about that?” “What a stupid idea.”
“Who would watch that?” Well, about 16.2 million Canadian viewers have access to the channel, including both official languages, and that doesn’t include thousands of offices and various waiting rooms. You can add to that almost 1,000 radios stations and 130 television stations
across the country that have the Weather Network on 24/7 in their respective newsrooms and who relay the updates in a timely manner to their listeners every hour on the hour. Apparently, people are interested in weather. Why? Family reunions, weddings, festivals, golfing and fishing tournaments, cottage weekends and the list goes on.
My favourite quotes about the weather are: “Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” “Conversation about the weather is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” Or, “If it wasn’t for the weather 90% of the people you know wouldn’t be able to start a conversation.”
Have a good rest of the summer. You’ll see something from me next month… weather permitting.
Jim was a writer-broadcaster and producer on television and radio for 40 years. Listen to his podcasts on Lifestyles 55 Digital Radio. Find Radio Redux, and Mid-Century Memories at www.whatsupwinnipeg.ca/ lifestyles-55digital-radio/
Jim Ingebrigtsen
Make the most of this beautiful summer
Recently, I have been working on a project that has taken me to areas of Manitoba I have never visited before. It is so easy for people with busy schedules and long “to do” lists to stop exploring the wonders that are nearby, but not on our usual travel routes. I am thinking about the beauties of our province and close neighbouring provinces and states, but this can also happen right in our city and neighborhood. We find our most efficient routes and get to know certain stores and restaurants, and then we build our daily and weekly routines around those same stops. This is not an entirely bad thing, and certainly having a routine can make for a more efficient life. It can also be therapeutic to build some change into our routines. Sometimes we can be amazed at the adventures that lie very close to home if we take the time to experience them.
Trudy Schroeder Random Notes
For the glorious month of August, I want to challenge myself to build exploration of the city, region, and the province of Manitoba into my life. There are a number of approaches that seem to work well for people who have tried this kind of thing before. I have friends who make a family challenge each summer in the “Best of Manitoba” categories. They have broadened their family summer experience by making a summer exploration based on the desire to find the best location for different activities. They have told me that they have found the following categories of exploration helpful:
• Best Summer Festival
• Most Beautiful Beach
• Best Pizza
• Best Hot Dog
• Best Hiking Trail
• Best Biking Trail
• Best Bird Watching Location
My recent trips have inspired me to challenge myself to find ways to explore and enjoy more of this wonderful area we call our home province and areas within our region. So far I have been amazed by the variety in the geography and the natural beauty of a place that is often assumed to be one huge endless grassy prairie. There is a shocking variety of distinct experiences to build into a summer of exploration: lakes, forests, farmland, hillsides, parklands, and rural communities. These locations are sprinkled throughout Manitoba and beyond just waiting to become our personal discoveries this summer.
• Best Cinnamon Roll
• Best Pie
• Best Perogi
• Best Farmer’s Market
• Best High Tea
• Best Regional Museum
• Best Campground
• Best Summer Agricultural Fair
• Best Park for a Perfect Picnic
• Best Craft or Art Boutique
I am not in a position to make judgement on any of these categories yet, but I expect that I will be considerably more educated on at least two or three of these categories by Thanksgiving. I plan to
Sri Lankan seniors
Thorana depicts Buddha’s life story Before opening Thorana, Bathi Gee chanted.
An open-air Buddhist spiritual exhibition of a free-standing structure 25 feet tall and 30 feet wide tells the Dheegahithi Kosala–Jathaka Story. The light display was held from 10 pm till midnight from June 22-30, 2024.
The story was illustrated by 17 pictures hand-painted on canvas fixed to the main structures that appear as ‘windows’ to onlookers. Each window is illuminated with 7,000 electric light bulbs to display every canvas painting. The main feature is a sitting Buddha image. The light fixing team provided 30 to 40 color display circles to indicate the aura of Buddha.
The Jathaka story was broadcast continuously in both Sinhala and English. Recorded carol songs were sung intermittently to explain the story.
In Sri Lanka, Thorana construction and its activities are presented by family and cultural groups based on tradition. The Manitoba Buddhist Vihara and Cultural Association (MBVCA) used modern hightech methodology involving young technocrats.
Ven. Dhammajiva Maha Thera: Winnipeg Retreat
The Most Venerable Uda Eriyagama Dhammajiva Maha Thera is a revered present-day teacher and is the fourth Abbott and Chief Monk of Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya in Gampaha District, Western Province in Sri Lanka.
In the late 1988, he was ordained as a Buddhist monk, adopting the spiritual name, ‘Dhammajiva’. During the early stages of Therawada, Buddhist Monk his mentor was Most Ven. Katukurunde Na-
start my research by visiting the Travel Manitoba web-site at https://www.travelmanitoba.com/ and if your explorations take you into western Ontario try https:// www.visitkenora.ca/ .These sites have much inspiration and many great ideas for regional exploration in every category you can imagine.
I know that I usually need to make a very specific and strong start to these
nananda Maha Thero. In the early 1990s Ven. Dhammajiva Thera was in Burma (now Myanmar) for few years to study meditation techniques. He thought of child education and established Sathi Pasala (Mindful School) in 2016. In 2018 conducted Global Mindfulness Summit with 700 delegates. In 2012, I attended Ven. Dhammajiva Thera five-day first retreat in Winnipeg.
Sati Pasala Winnipeg hosted half-day mindfulness session conducted by Ven. Dhammajiva in English Medium at Whyte Ridge Community Centre in Winnipeg on June 22nd (SAT) 2024 from 1:00-3:00 pm. Our family members attended this gathering. He divided this short program into few segments such as walking, sitting and well-guided three mindfulness games. Subsequently, he went to 5-day retreat centre in Winnipeg.
At the end of the session, I got an opportunity to talk to Ven. Dhammajiva Thera. I reminded him about Mahinda Padmasiri in Montreal. Thera explained how Mahinda successfully managed the session.
Mahamevanawa Buddhist Monastery in Winnipeg: Offer Milk Rice Morning Buddha Pooja
On June 23rd, 2024 before 6:00 am our family members went to Mahamevanawa Buddhist Monastery in Winnipeg. Resident Sawameenwanase guided us to start with Stupa to offer Milk Rice for Buddha a Pooja (offering of light) to keep fourlanterns to represent four-main directions and offered Buddha Pooja. Subsequently, Sawameenwanase conduced Buddha Vandana (worship) nearly one-hour inside the Preaching Hall.
PAL 55+ AGM: June 27th, 2024
Annual General Meeting of the Pem-
bina Active Living was held on June 27th 2024 at White Ridge Community Centre. Ismath and I reached there by 12:00 noon. All of us had lunch and the AGM was started at 1:00 pm. The current President conducted the AGM
Met David Pankratz: Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), Waverley David invited to his Constituency Office, 204-2265, Pembina on June 25th, 2024 at 10:00 am. Upali Nilmalgoda, Secretary, Sri Lakan Seniors Manitoba (SLSM) my wife Chandani (member SLSM) and I attended the meeting. Other than David his Envoy Assistant Fahad Riaz and Constituency Assistant Shamailah, Assistant joined for the discussion.
We explained that Trivarna (Three Colors): Fundraising Singing Concert scheduled to be held on Sept 15th, 2024. By now all our tickets were sold out and our breakeven is fulfilled. Parent organization of SLSM is Sri Lankan Association of Manitoba (SLAM). Therefore, SLSM and SLAM are working hard to collect funds for three as noted below:
(1) Siloam Mission Winnipeg: A Local Charitable Organization. Donate fund for their regular activities
(2) Lady Ridgeway Hospital in Sri Lanka: For their new initiative on developing a Treatment Centre for Early Intervention and Management for Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders
types of personal life improvement strategies, so my plan is to start with two exploratory ventures in the coming week. I will visit Portage la Prairie on Monday and Gimli on Friday, and I will get myself started on my summer of near home adventures.
Trudy Schroeder provides project planning and management services to the community through Arts and Heritage Solutions.
(3) Sri Lankan Dance School: Organized by SLAM to promote Sri Lankan cultural heritage among Manitobans. When we mentioned about the Autism Centre in Sri Lanka David stated that he needs to check whether he can obtain any help from the Autism Learning Centre in Winnipeg. Further, David indicated that he could help Achievement of Nisansala Nisansala Karuanratne attended the ceremony named as “Call to the Bar and Admission as Solicitors” on June 20th, 2024 at a special sitting of the Court of King’s Bench, RBC Convention Center, Winnipeg. Nisansala was an Articling Student of Ratnamalala Law Office. She was trained under eminent lawyer Hasaka Ratnamalala, Barrister, Solicitor and Notary Public at this office.
Nisansala is an old girl Visakha Girl’s School in Colombo. She is an active member of Winnipeg Visakhians and a student of my wife Chandani at Visakha. The parents of Nisansala had come all the way from Sri Lanka to attend this ceremony. At the end of the above formalities went for lunch at Pony Corral restaurant riverside patio.
Summer Festival Sketch by Nina Schroeder.
Senaka Samarasinghe
Meeting with David Pankritz
Nisansala Karuanratne.
renaissance man Nathan Zassman continually reinventing himself
Nathan Zassman has been by turn musician, teacher, photographer, astrologer, computer sales pioneer, classical radio show producer, health and lifestyle expert and columnist with this newspaper. In recent years, he has also added “actor” to his resume.
I first met Nathan about 30 years ago when he was operating Opus Computer Solutions, one of Winnipeg’s early computer stores. We reconnected four years ago when I did a second interview with Nathan at Aviva Natural Health Solutions, the company that he founded about 23 years ago, and we became good friends.
Growing up in Beverly, Massachusetts, 20 miles northeast of Boston, Nathan began developing his talents at an early age. He was studying voice at the age of 8, and started studying the trombone at age 10, performing in bands and orchestras in the Boston area when he was only 13. He studied trombone and voice at both the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, where he received a B. Mus (Bachelor of Music, Trombone Performance) in New York City, and, later, at the American Conservatory of Music where he received a M. Mus (Master of Music, Trombone Performance, Voice Minor) in Chicago. He was performing regular concerts at Carnegie Hall with the National Orchestral Association when he was only 19 years of age.
In Chicago he was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony, and was principal trombone with the North Side Symphony of Chicago where he was a featured soloist, performing the Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra, by Lars-Erik Larsson. Nathan’s first experience as an entrepreneur also happened in Chicago, when he founded The Zassman Brassmen, a brass quintet that performed educational concerts in schools, as well as formal concert performances.
After six of years of study in Chicago with the famous brass teacher Arnold Jacobs, Nathan won the audition for second trombone in the Winnipeg Symphony. In addition to his role as a trombonist with the WSO, he joined the faculty of the University of Manitoba, teaching the brass instruments, conducting brass ensembles, and teaching "Brass Techniques" at the Faculty of Education, outlining the basics of all the brass instruments to music education students.
But Nathan has never been defined just by one category.
Concurrent with his career in music, he trained as a professional photographer at the Winona School of Professional Photography in Indiana, earning 20 Diplomas and Certificates of Merit in a wide range of photographic disciplines.
“I became interested in photography while in Chicago,” he recalls, “and spent my summers studying at the best schools with many famous photographers, to refine and improve my craft. I approached photography the same way I did music, seeking out the finest photographers who shared their unique techniques, either privately, or through classes."
While in Chicago, Zassman developed an interest in Eastern philosophy, studying yoga and astrology at the College of Occult Studies in Chicago. In Winnipeg, he later founded Celestial Interface, producing astrological birth charts for those interested in learning how astrology can improve their lives. He was appointed CBC Official Astrologer, appearing on about a dozen radio and TV spots with CBC Radio and Television, preparing and discussing astrological birth charts on political candidates running for local and national elections.
Nathan further founded a photography business specializing in architectural, portrait and commercial photography, creating magazine covers and illustrations for local and national magazines. He also became the Winnipeg Symphony’s official photographer, making portraits of the musicians for the symphony programs, and doing the annual photo of the orchestra. For many years he taught photography at a school he founded in Winnipeg while the symphony was in session from September to May. During the summer months, he taught professional photographic techniques at the Winona School of Professional Photography, The University of Saskatchewan Department of Art, and the Saskatch-
an art gallery and teaching at the University of Manitoba School of Music would be more than enough to keep someone busy, but Nathan Zassman is a cut above average. He further added businessman to his resume when he got into computer sales.
Because he has poor handwriting, he learned how to type in high school, and by the time he graduated, he was typing over 100 words per minute. He believes his natural affinity for computers was enhanced by his rapid typing skills. He also made extra money when studying music in New York and Chicago as a secretary, working for agencies that were looking for fast, accurate typists on a temporary basis. Nathan attributes some of his success in business from working as a secretary for various businesses and law firms.
“I had always been interested in cooking and nutrition,” he recalls. “I was hired by a local Winnipeg book publisher to write a cookbook with an original idea. I was planning to write the book on my IBM typewriter, but a friend recommended I use a word processor, as he told me that no one used a typewriter anymore for writing."
One of Nathan's photography students worked for a company that was selling a computer that could be used as a word processor. On his recommendation, Nathan purchased his first computer, and couldn't believe the freedom it provided, allowing him to edit his work, and even check his spelling.
year non-competition clause from the sale of Aries came to an end, he started a second computer company – Opus Computer Solutions.
Nathan at that juncture retired from the WSO, after 21 years of service, to devote himself full time to his new company. “I bought the former Winestock Wholesale building at 52 Adelaide in the Exchange District and moved my computer business into the downtown, marketplace area,” he recalls. “I decided to set up a gym on the third level for my computer technicians, because I wanted to encourage my technicians to include exercise in their lifestyle. I did my research and bought the best fitness equipment available.”
After a short time, he decided to also sell the fitness lines he purchased for the Opus gym, and Aviva Natural Health Solutions was born.
Nathan then went to the United States, studying Nutritional Therapy in Medical Practice with Jonathan Wright, M.D., and Alan Gaby, M.D., and obtaining certificates in 2003 and 2007. By 2005, Aviva was bringing in enough revenue to stand on its own, so the man of many hats sold Opus Computer Solutions in 2007 to focus entirely on his new venture.
“I seem to change careers every 20 years or so,” he says.
He moved Aviva to its current location, at 1224 St. James Street, in 2010. And while still very active in the operations of Aviva, true to form Nathan continues to grow and explore other fields. A bass/baritone singer, he returned to singing and was studying with Mel Braun at the University of Manitoba and singing in two Winnipeg choirs – until Covid forced a pause.
A few years ago, he also began taking acting classes at the Prairie Theatre Exchange. He became a member of Shoestring Players, Winnipeg’s oldest community theatre group, and has had major roles in three plays so far.
Nathan continues to indulge his passion for healthy cooking and baking bread. While running Opus, he became well known for offering his customers and staff free loaves of bread, made from freshly ground organic grain, and is still doing so at Aviva. These days though, he concentrates on sourdough bread. He offers his starter to anyone interested in baking sourdough bread, for free.
nipeg’s first gallery that specialized in
ing photography, performing with the Winnipeg symphony, managing
He was so enthused with his computer that he encouraged his friends to buy one as well. He was sending so many customers to the company where he purchased his computer that he asked the owner if he would allow him to trade in his computer for a new model with improved features. The owner acknowledged that all his sales were thanks to Nathan and offered him the job of sales manager for his computer division. After a short time, Nathan decided he should start his own business and left the company.
Thus, the musician became a businessman with the founding of Aries Microsystems. “Our business grew rapidly,” he recalls. “Aries ranked as the fastest-growing business in Manitoba.”
But he found that the added responsibilities of running a computer business were interfering with his musical career, so he decided to sell Aries to one of his employees. However, Zassman retained his passion for computers and after his three-
In 2017, the University of Manitoba radio station asked if he would like to produce a classical music radio program each week, as the station didn’t have any classical music programming. He agreed, and has now been producing classical music programs, which he researches and records for broadcast every Monday at 10:00 pm, called Zassman Plays the Classics. You can listen every Monday at 10:00 am, at UMFM.COM. For the past year, he’s been featuring composers from Mexico.
And he is not finished reinventing himself. There is still that cookbook to write, and possibly a book that embraces his all-encompassing lifestyle approach to achieving optimum health and wellness.
He is truly a remarkable individual. Ed. note: Lifestyles 55 has been proud to carry stories about Aviva Health for a number years featuring Nathan’s well researched and reliable information. He truly is a remarkable guy! -dd
Myron Love
Nathan Zassman.
Spatchcock chicken, just the way you remember it!
Walking into the back yard, the hums of music and laughter, the clinking of glasses, and the warm summer breeze cooling us from the heat of the day all herald good things to come. The food sizzling on the grill ignites a plethora of aromas that make you salivate in anticipation of the meal ahead.
It's easy to grill a whole spatchcock chicken, [why not even two?] but what’s really interesting is; I am unaware of many people who actually cook chicken this way. It’s simple and so much easier than preparing and cooking chicken pieces. A whole bird just flipped over on the grill does make for a rather tasty treat.
It’s simply rubbed down with freshly crushed garlic, a splash of lemon juice a, smidgin of mayonnaise, all of which makes this chicken flavorful to the very last mouthful. The dip comprised of cilantro, jalapeño and lime juice that accompanies the chicken is something I have become truly fond of.
As an FYI (for your information) spatchcock chicken has a deep history dating back to early documented recipes from 1775 to 1785. Spatchcocking (also known as butterflying) is a very easy recipe, involving removal of the backbone and then flattening the chicken out. This allows you to season on both sides before grilling on an open fire. Another great bonus is that it cuts down the cooking time of a whole bird by up to 40 minutes.
This is one of those must-do meals for a lazy summer evening with friends and family happily making memories for tomorrow.
Here is what you will need:
2 grilling chickens (3 to 4 lbs)
8 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup freshly chopped parsley
1 ½ lemons freshly squeezed
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
Season with freshly cracked black pepper
Season with sea salt
The Super Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce
2 jalapeños roughly chopped.
2/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped.
2 green onions, chopped.
2 cloves garlic peeled.
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon lime juice
Pinch of freshly ground salt and cracked black pepper.
Life of a raindrop
“Water is the driving force of all nature.”
– Leonardo da Vinci
Iwas contemplating the significance of Leonardo’s perceptive quote one summer day as I was attempting to cut my lawn before the start of forecasted rain. Putting the mower away in the shed, I felt a sizeable rain drop land on my head. I laid down on my back to rest for a moment and gazing up into the impressively darkening clouds (cumulonimbus, "piled-up clouds or storm" in Latin), I wondered about the recent origin (the Pacific Ocean?) and travels of the water molecules tucked inside this single drop, swept along as misty vapour across mountains, forests and prairies to my exact spot.
Water first arrived on our early protoplanet as icy coatings on dust particles during its accretion stage, drawn in by the powerful force of gravity. With the eventual cooling of molten Earth, vast water stores had already been captured in rock strata by 800 million years after the major formation of the Earth (4.6 billion years ago). During what is called the Late Heavy Bombardment Period (4.1 to 3.8 billion years ago), icy asteroids and comets struck the earth, leaving behind their massive deposits of water. Much of this water accumulated on the surface as rain in ocean basins after ground and air temperatures dropped below 100º C, and from subsequent outgassing of water vapour from countless volcanoes. Interestingly, the 'transition zone' (depths of 410-750 km) of the Earth’s mantle may still contain more water (not as liquid but bound in hydrated minerals) than is found in today's oceans!
I thought it magical that the countless water molecules in my raindrop have been falling and rising as precipitation
The all important how to:
Preparing the chicken is easy. Using kitchen scissors, cut along one side of backbone, then cut other side. Once the backbone has been removed, flip chicken over so the inside is facing up and, using sharp kitchen knife, notch each side of breastbone out, making it easier to carve once cooked. Fold and tuck the wing tips behind breasts making it nice and flat.
Making the Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce: Combine jalapeños, cilantro, green onions, garlic, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, salt, and black pepper in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Place inside a sealable container and refrigerate until required.
For the chicken place the crushed garlic, parsley, lemon juice, mayonnaise and 1/2 teaspoon each sea salt and cracked black pepper into a bowl and mix thoroughly. Rub 6 tablespoons all over both chicken’s front and back. Cover the chicken in saran wrap and let sit for at least 45 minutes in the refrigerator.
Heat the grill to medium-high. Once the grill has achieved the desired temperature (350°F) place chicken, skin side up, over direct heat and grill until beginning to char, 2 minutes or so. Flip over and transfer to an indirect heat, brush the remaining sauce all over and cook, with the lid down, for 20 minutes.
Turn the chicken over and continue grilling until internal temperature of thigh registers 165°F, 20 to 25 minutes more depending on size of chicken. Once cooked through, transfer to a wooden cutting board and let rest for at least 10 minutes before carving into pieces.
I love to serve this with a nice garden-fresh salad and petite potatoes dusted in melted butter and fresh chopped parsley. Happy summer grilling! Ian Leatt is a trained chef from across the pond.
and water vapour for at least 3.8 billion years. Now that's recycling – hydrologic recycling. We are so fortunate that Earth's orbit lies in an ideal distance from the Sun (the habitable zone), close and sufficiently warm to keep liquid water on the surface, and not so far away as to cause it to completely freeze over. The enormous weight of the Earth's atmosphere (held in place by gravity and the magnetic field) keeps most of the water from being stripped away by fierce episodes of solar winds, which is believed to have happened to the atmosphere and then water on Mars. Water molecules floating to the extremely cold (-60ºC) outer edge of the atmosphere form into solid crystals, which are then pulled back to Earth by gravity.
As water vapour rises into the atmosphere from evaporation from waterbodies, and evaporation and transpiration from the ground, plants, fungi and animal life, it cools and condenses into clouds of various named formations. For precipitation to commence requires fine particles suspended in the air to act as nuclei in order to seed the process, and remarkably, even here in our province,
this can be dust blown in on air currents such as the jet stream from the Sahara and Gobi deserts, topsoil dusts blown aloft from exposed agricultural fields, carbon soot emitted from aircraft, cars and forest fires, sulphur and mercury particles from coal-burning plants, and even vast numbers of bacteria which are swept aloft by wind updrafts. These bacteria, many of which live in the soil and on plants, are in this way transported around the globe – a remarkable adaptation for dispersal. These ‘cloud-condensation nuclei’ attract water molecules in liquid form or as ice crystals, depending on the temperature.
Imagine if oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients and countless other substances could not dissolve in water. Life on Earth would never have originated. In fact, water is called the universal solvent because it is capable of dissolving more substances than any other liquid. Due to its polarity, with two positively charged hydrogen atoms on one side and a negatively charged oxygen atom on the other, a water molecule is capable of attracting a wide variety of other molecules.
Our ancestral line evolved in water,
and of course our own bodies consist mostly of water – almost 100% as an embryo, 75% as a newborn, 55% (women) to 60% (men) as a middle-aged adult and dropping to about 50% in old age. Apparently, we start drying out as soon as we are born! We need to take in 2-3 litres of water (as liquid, in moist food, and from metabolized food) a day for good health. When I quench my thirst with a glass of cool water, I cannot help but wonder about the countless past life forms – bacteria, plants, algae, fungi, microorganisms, crustaceans, whales, worms, insects, and even other people – that these identical water molecules have been recycled through over the ages. How fortunate I felt to be living on a watery planet. We would not be here without this miraculous molecule, and yet few people have any concept or appreciation of its critical importance. We take the presence of water for granted (at least in our country), and so it is strange to think that water will not be present on Earth forever. Astrophysicists suspect that increasing solar winds from our ageing Sun will sweep away all Earth's water back into space by 4 billion years in the future, leaving Earth a lifeless rocky planet once again. Just as our precious water resource was initially synthesized in interstellar space by chemical reactions among hydrogen atoms and oxygen-bearing molecules such as carbon monoxide, in time, some of our planet's former water may find other suitable cosmic bodies as their home (as liquid or ice). Fascinating to think about, but time to get out of the rain. As I glanced up from my gazebo to the flash of lightning, and to a powerful rumble of thunder, I could see in the distance a breathtakingly beautiful rainbow, appearing as the usual arc across the sky; actually, a circle if I could have enjoyed it from outer space.
Adapted from Robert's book; "Chasing Nature: An Ecologist's Lifetime of Adventures and Observation."
Ian Leatt Foodies
robert e. Wrigley
Robert looks for raindrops. Photo by Thilina Hettiarachchi.
Keewatin Street between Notre Dame and the CPr Tracks
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 Keewatin Street.
This story will deal with a little bit of the business history of the north-eastern edge of St. James. Between 1967-71, the even numbers on Keewatin Street were part of St. James. The Keewatin Street odd numbers have been part of Winnipeg since 1882.
Larsen's Memorial on the north west corner of Keewatin and Notre Dame has operated from the same location in 3 different centuries. In 1897, Olaf Larsen a stone mason began working on a vacant lot at the corner of Keewatin and Notre Dame. Larsen's creates memorial markers, memorial accessories and granite countertops. Olaf's son Daniel and Grandson Wayne Larsen continued the business .The current owners are Shelly, Dennis, and David Bohn.
mony was held in the Brooklands Hotel. During the 1980s Ed the Spider Mazur was a part of the Brooklands Hotel ownership. During his Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame Career. Eddie played on the 1950-51 Victoria Cougars Western Hockey League Championship, the 1952-53 Stanley Cup Champions the Montreal Canadiens, and the 1955-56 Winnipeg Warriors who won both the Presidents and Edinburgh Cups.
During the late 1940s and the 1950s, Lorne Timlick leased space in the Brooklands Hotel for a restaurant. Between September 1979-September 1982, I managed the Champs KFC at 12 Keewatin beside the Brooklands Hotel. Champs featured Colonel Saunder's secret chicken recipe of herbs and spices, Oscar Grubert and Bill Golberg held the Kentucy Fried Chicken Franchise for Manitoba One of my first acts was to allow hotel patrons to park on our parking lot.
Manager of Champs Keewatin, Ruby, I and our Mark met Colonel Saunders perhaps the most well known restauranter in the world at a company celebration. The following September, I will never forget the long lineup stretching down William Avenue for the Colonel's last birthday party featuring 2 pieces of Chicken and Chips for 90 cents (well below cost). The 90 cents equated with the Colonel's age. The Colonel died in December 1980. Our store won a prize for the lowest food cost. Many employees helped make our store profitable. The employee included Rick Wiebe, Surrinder Sing, Freda Dufreane, Sandra Adamow, Mike Coughlan, Cindy Dykes, Ana Zirdum, Elizabeth Silva, Nelson Silva, Wilson Silva, Allan Marshall, Corliss Fuerst, Mabel, Nimirit, Fred Webb, and Muriel Webb. Liz Skrumeda, a counter person getting 100% on a Company Inspection Report.
Steve was not the only Mayor to work at Keystone. Steve's older brother Dan worked at Keystone and served as was the Mayor of Brooklands (1954-55). Juba Street is named after Dan Juba. Nick and Mary Chornenki operated the Brooklands Bakery between 195575. The bakery produced great cinnamon buns and square cakes, Mary Korolyk operated Korols Restaurant for 48 Years. The restaurant menu included burgers, fish, cabbage rolls, and chicken soup. Mary was still working at the age of 93.
In 1953 Waldorf Hotel at 64 Keewatin was first listed in the Henderson Directory. The owners were Michael Biluk and Peter Hawryluk. The hotel is currently known as the Westbrook Hotel. The Westbrook is home to the Aboriginal Music. One of the recent performers was Shaneen Robinson.
On March 12, 1930, Sam Cohen's Brooklands Hotel at 8 Keewatin was opened by Brooklands Reeve John McLean Sam and Cecilia Cohen lived in the hotel. I found a couple of Brooklands connections to sports During the first couple of decades, the Brooklands Hotel Trophy was presented the top senior soccer team. The presentation cere-
In the 1934 Henderson Directory , 12 Keewatin was listed for the first time. During the first 15 years, barbers, Ben Glower and Joseph Rogers along with grocer Joseph Prochazka are listed as resident business proprietorships of 12 Keewatin. Between 1949-73, Charles Bissett was listed as both the barber and a resident of 12 Keewatin. After Charles's 1974 death, Champs became the first of several restaurants to operate out of the building After becoming
As we move up the street, Keystone Supply Wholesale was located at 16 Keewatin between the mid 1940s and early 1980s. Keystone seemed to sell just about everything. The advertised list in the Henderson Directory included hardware, farm machinery, plumbing fixtures paints, tires and batteries. Keystone was founded by Steve Juba. Steve Juba was the Winnipeg Mayor (1957-77) who got bridges built. During Steve Juba time as Mayor the eastern half of the St. James Bridge, the Disraeli Freeway, and St. Vital Bridges were built. It is unfortunate that we cannot currently find this sort of political will to build a new Arlington Street Bridge. We have reached 241 days ( as of July 18, 2024) of indecision about the Arlington Street Bridge.
“Religion is a form of insanity” It is also expensive
Despite the risk of being imprisoned in several countries, including Canada, and the risk of being publicly executed in some other countries, Sigmund Freud openly published his views on religion. In his opinion, religion is a form of insanity, a delusion and a paranoia. Many of Freud’s contemporaries were too afraid of blasphemy laws to openly agree with Freud’s declarations. Albert Einstein evaded using the word religion when he stated, insanity is repeating the same rituals again and again and each time expecting a different outcome. Richard Dawkins, in his book, The God Delusion, defines the word delusion as, “a persistent false belief held in the face of strong contradictory evidence, especially as a symptom of psychiatric disorder.”
must pay The Church ten percent of their income, they must attend church services regularly, refrain from doing any work or play on the Sabbath, praise God and their queen regularly, and refrain from uttering any blasphemous or heretical statements. The maximum penalty for not obeying any of these laws was public torture and execution.
Wayne Weedon Food for Thought
More than two-thousand years ago, Lucius Annaeus Seneca stated, “Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful.” When Queen Elizabeth I of England forcibly seized the English throne, as a tyrant, she found religion to be a very useful tool. Despite not being the legitimate heir, Elizabeth snatched the English throne and, being determined to eliminate all competition, had many enemies executed, including the legal heir to the throne, Mary, Queen of Scots, who, under orders from Elizabeth, was apprehended and beheaded. Pope Pius V denounced Elizabeth in his 1570 Papal Bull, “Elizabeth, the pretended queen of England and a slave of wickedness … with whom as in a sanctuary the most pernicious of all have found refuge. This very woman, having seized the crown and monstrously usurped the place of supreme head of the church in all England together with the chief authority and jurisdiction belonging to it, has once again reduced this same kingdom … to a miserable ruin.” Elizabeth resurrected the religion which King Henry VIII had invented. Like popes do today, Elizabeth declared herself to be infallible, stating, she takes orders directly from God. Elizabeth exempted The Church of England from taxation and decreed, all English citizens
Andrew and Ila Patterson introduced Barn Dancing to Winnipeg. The Patterson Ranch House (also known as the Red Barn) was located at 120 Keewatin just north of Logan where a 7-11 store is now located. Some of the performers included Jack Findlay and his Night Riders, the Squires including Neil Young and Burton Cummings. Between 19391965, the Pattersons operated the Red Barn.
It has been a little over 3 years since I wrote a story about Brooklands. In early 2021, I wrote about the hockey career of Rudy Pilous who grew up in a home at the corner of Logan Keewatin. I will not wait as long before I write my next Brooklands story.
Fred Morris is a Grandfather, Sports Fan and Political Activist.
Queen Elizabeth’s laws became part of Canada’s English heritage. Slowly, many of these laws have been rescinded. The last of the Canadian blasphemy laws were finally repealed in December 2018. In Canada, tax exemption does not only remain for The Church of England, but this exemption has also been expanded to include all religious institutions, charitable organisations, educational institutions, and not for profit businesses. These tax-exempt laws are bankrupting Canada.
As reported by CBC’s, The Fifth Estate, billions of tax-free dollars are legally being taken out of Canada by tax-exempt enterprises. Once this money crosses the border, it is not followed. We have no idea where it ends up. The loss of this money creates a tax shortfall which must be made up by taxpayers whose taxes are being continually raised. Trade unions commonly support charitable organisations such as United Way which takes millions of tax-free dollars out of Canada. The CEO of United Way is paid well over a million dollars a year, while volunteers are encouraged by various governments and unions to not only work for free, but they are also expected to donate some of their hard-earned money which as contribution to the CEO’s salary.
Not only do average Canadian taxpayers have to make any shortfall of taxes, but they must also put up with the rampant inflation caused by billions of dollars being legally taken out of the country. The institutions which remove this tax-free money, will convert it to another currency. As more Canadian currency is offered for sale its value keeps going down. Most goods sold in Canada are imported. As our dollar is deval-
ued, the price of imported goods climbs, resulting in rampant inflation.
Money which leaves Canada becomes dead money. Our governments receive no revenue from it. Money circulating in Canada earns taxes for the various levels of government every time someone makes a purchase, pays wages, or earns interest and dividends.
How many millions, or perhaps billions, of dollars has the Billy Graham organisations taken out of Canada? Yet, when they came back to Winnipeg to build a Youth for Christ building, they cry poverty, and they beg for donations and financial help from the various levels of governments as well as from individuals. Why not bring a few of the tax-free dollars back into Canada to build their new edifice?
England’s tax-exempt status of religious organisations was one of the main reasons why the founding fathers of the United States of America were unanimously insistent that Church and State must remain separate. They declared that governments have no business meddling with religion. Religion, in their opinion, is a private and personal matter.
Benjamin Franklin stated, "When a religion is good, I conceive that it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it, so that its professors are obliged to call for help of the civil power, tis a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one".
During the American presidential campaign of 1880, the Christian Union made the admission that, of the nineteen men who, up to that time, had held the office of President of the United States, not one had ever been a member of a Christian church. Officially, USA has declared, “The government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion.”
John Adams, the second president, felt so strongly about religion he told Thomas Jefferson, "This would be the best of all possible worlds if there were no religion in it." Jefferson agreed.
Is it not time to relieve the extra tax burden on Canadian citizens? Is it not time to begin taxing individuals and organisations in an equal and just manner? Isn’t that what happens in a true democracy?
Fred Morris From the desk of a gadfly
Donkey weatherman (is it a donkey or an ass?)
Jim ingebrigtsen
Once upon a time there was a King who wanted to go fishing. He called the royal weather forecaster and inquired as to the weather forecast for the next few hours. The weatherman assured him that there was no chance of rain in the coming days. So the King went fishing with his
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wife, the Queen. On the way he met a farmer on his donkey. Upon seeing the King, the farmer said, "Your Majesty, you should return to the palace at once because in just a short time I expect a huge amount of rain to fall in this area."
The King was polite and considerate, he replied: "I hold the palace meteorologist in high regard. He is an extensively educated and experienced professional, and I pay him very high wages.
He gave me a very different forecast. I trust him and I will continue on my way." So, they did.
However, a short time later a torrential rain fell from the sky. The King and Queen were totally soaked and their entourage chuckled upon seeing them in such a shameful condition.
Furious, the King returned to the palace and gave the order to execute the weatherman at once! He summoned the farmer and offered him the pres-
tigious and high paying role of royal forecaster.
The farmer said, “Your Majesty, I do not know anything about forecasting. I obtain my information from my donkey. If I see his ears drooping, it means with certainty that it will rain.” So, the King hired the donkey on the spot. And thus began the ancient practice of hiring asses to work in government and occupy its highest and most influential positions.
The following story is part a new feature, a fictional work by our columnist Wayne Weedon, The Journal. Wayne is a brilliant writer whose style consists of simple declarative statements that stick in your mind as he leads you through an intricate web of circumstances to reach the lesson he set out to teach.
The Journal
Pregnant and deserted by her lover, a young girl moves in with her grandfather. When the baby boy is born, the grandfather agrees to look after him so his granddaughter may go to work. Despite the age difference, the relationship between the boy and his great-grandfather was more like two siblings than that of an adult and child. As this boy grew into a young man, he loved to look back and tell stories about his greatgrandfather, whom he always called “Pops”.
Hank, a former Blood Indian from Alberta, gave Pops a handwritten journal. Pops gave it to his great-grandson, asking him to read it. It became a lesson in history.
May 16, 1947
As I was quietly sitting in the shadows watching her, the sun started to rise and as the sun grew higher on the horizon it flooded the kitchen with light from the window. The sun’s glare prevented me from seeing her clearly. The sun appeared as a halo as it silhouetted her face and head. Her appearance was that of a sun god. She was sitting upon a straight-backed wooden chair, and she was leaning over the square maple table where I usually eat my meals. Her arms and elbows rested on the table with her hands together and her fingers intertwined as if she was in deep thought or possibly prayer. She rested with her eyes softly closed. She never stirred while the sun started to send its rays through the window and onto the opposite wall. When the full daylight came over the room, she opened her eyes, unclasped her hands, and quietly reached for the string on the green roller blind. She drew the blind down to shield her face, but the rays still highlighted her arms and hands. It was hard to make out her facial features because of the shadow from the blind. With her right hand, she reached across the table. From a bowl, she lightly picked up a ripe avocado. With a slight smile on her lips that indicated delight, she brought the avocado up to her face. As she lightly rested the fruit on her cheek, she softly caressed her face with it. Certain cultures refer to this fruit as a bull’s testicle. By the shape and the texture of the skin, one could easily understand why they would give the avocado this moniker. She, however, always referred to the avocado as butter from a tree, as many Indians do.
She continued to caress the round ripe object against her skin. She drew it up to her nostrils so she could sniff at it. She ran her tongue over the rough skin of the fruit as if she was making love to it. Smilingly, she placed the avocado onto a plate just in front of her bosom. She held the fruit with the stem side up, and gently slipping a knife into its skin, she pushed the knife down until it hit the stone and then she turned the fruit up and around so that she sliced it in half. Turning the avocado one quarter turn, she repeated her actions so that she now had sliced the fruit into quarters. Picking the fruit up with both hands, she gave it a sharp jerk to break the meat from the stone. She then turned it a quarter turn and repeated this action. She pulled outwards and ended up with four separate pieces on the plate with the stone still attached to one segment. Grabbing the stone with her fingernails and the segment that it was attached to with her other hand, she gave a sharp twist and the stone popped away from the meat.
She stretched out her hand slightly and gazed at the stone, which still had bits of the fruit clinging to it. She moved the pit to her mouth and slowly, deliberately sucked on it while rotating the stone until she had scraped each part of it with her teeth and sucked it clean. For some reason I found her actions to be very sexual. I imagined the stone to be a man’s body part. Even though, I believe, she was past her childbearing years, she still had a sexual effect on men. Her movements were provocative, and many men find her charms irresistible. I now felt a
little stirring in my crotch and found my breathing to be somewhat laboured. I ran my eyes over the silhouette of her body from top to bottom. Even though I was certain she was past menopause, she still had the soft curves on her hips along with the rounded buttocks of a virginal bride.
She removed the object of her delight from her sensual lips and placed it upon the plate. She then picked up the four avocado segments, one at a time. She proceeded to peal the skin from each one. She placed the skins to the side of the plate, close to the stone. The bare segments she placed side by side on the opposite side of the plate. She now began inserting her fingers into her mouth, one at a time. She sucked each finger slowly and deliberately until she had licked every one of them clean, but each one was still shimmering with wetness. I imagined that these fingers were hot and delightful. Finally, she picked up a napkin and wiped her fingers and then she wiped her mouth slowly and sensually. I longed to jump up and take her. I was mesmerised. Was she aware I was in the shadows watching her performance? My answer soon came.
She now, with a fork, picked up a segment of the fruit, which she laid across a piece of dry toasted bread. Using the back of the fork, she mashed the fruit onto the toast. When she was satisfied that she had spread the meat evenly and to her satisfaction, she slowly raised the toast to her parted lips and deliberately bit off a very small bite. She chewed, with her mouth closed, slowly and lovingly as if she wanted to savour every particle. After several bites, with a look of shear enjoyment and satisfaction on her face, she, very softly and slowly, said something. I could not make out what she was saying. I sat mute and unable to move. She repeated her words a little louder. I thought she said something about, “unt and lather”. I wondered what she was trying to say. I silently watched her as she slowly turned and, while smiling ever so slightly, she looked at me, indicating that she knew I was there.
“Hunters and gatherers.” She repeated in a very distinct manner.
At first, I said nothing. I was still hypnotised by her performance. Finally, with a jolt, I recovered. “Pardon me?”
“Hunters and gatherers. That is what these barbarians have called us.” She must have recognised the puzzled look on my face since she carried on with her soliloquy. Holding up a whole avocado she asked, “Where do they think this came from?” Seeing that I was not about to answer her, she went on, “I can tell you that it just didn’t pop up out of the jungle.” She held the fruit forward to silhouette it in the morning light. “This was cultivated over hundreds of years by the world’s most advanced civilisation. The ancestral people of the Americas developed it. It was developed by your forefathers.” She pointed the fruit towards me.
I know very little about my ancestors. Least of all I don’t have any idea who my ancestors were. I know that I am of mixed race. But am I more barbarian than civilised? Who were my civilised and my barbarous ancestors?
She decided to carry on, “When London, England, which was said to be the largest city in the world, had a population of 35,000 citizens or less; in the Americas, there existed cities exceeding 200,000 people. In addition, these cities were marvels of sanitation, having running water and sewers. At this time, at least eighty percent of the population of Europe were homeless while in the Americas virtually every person had some form of roof over their head. Most had more than one dwelling since temporary housing was necessary. Seasonal migration between the north and the south was normal for much of the population.” At this point, she gave a slight snicker, “It appears that we have come full circle. Many Canadians venture south for the winters just like our an-
cestors. But our ancestors were referred to as nomadic people while modern Canadians are referred to as having a winter residence.”
Because of the bright sun behind her, I could not make out the expression on her face. But I knew that as long as I remained silent, she would continue as she usually did. “I visited one of the last remaining cities built by the original peoples. I visited Machu Picchu, which even today, to the barbarians is an engineering marvel. They admit that they could not duplicate this city. How did our people build these terraces so that there would be intricate drainage systems that allow the torrential rains to percolate through the terraces while holding back enough water for the benefit of the plants, but not allowing erosion of any of the terraces? The barbarians who came to butcher and conquer could not duplicate this city even with the knowledge that they have stolen from as many civilisations as they have conquered. Their philosophy is, Might is Right. They come, they take the very best, and they destroy the rest.”
She remained silent for a long period. I sat motionless so that I would not disrupt the electrical feeling in the air. My objective was to learn as much as I could from this woman and I was adamant that I would learn, even if it meant sitting in silence until she revealed her secrets in her own good time.
Who am I? Was I not descended from these “Barbarians”, as she so justifiably called them? It is true that I am descended from the original American people, but it is also true that these barbarous conquerors have corrupted my blood. Then again, she is a half-breed, just as I am. Eventually she found her voice once more, “I talked to a psychiatrist once.” Silently, I leaned forward so as not to miss a single word. I knew that if I spoke, even to acknowledge what she said or to ask her to repeat what I did not hear or understand, the spell would be broken, and she would indicate that the session was over. “This psychiatrist had spent four years in a Nazi concentration camp. But he survived. He learned how to survive. He wrote a book about his experiences.” She paused as if in a reverie but soon continued. “He stated that he was happy that he went through this ordeal. It made him a better person and a better psychiatrist. He quoted Sir William Osler. ‘If you haven’t gone through it, you don’t know’. This psychiatrist often quoted this line because he went through it. He understood.”
She leaned back silently putting her hands behind her head while she calmly stated, “I was a barbarian once.” This was it. She was about to tell me the secret that we could not talk about. This was the reason our people were butchered, tortured, and sometimes lobotomised. She was about to talk about it. I knew about this secret. I knew the tribe did not allow anyone to talk about it outside of the closed, exclusive circle, and I knew very little about it. She was about to take me into this circle. I felt that she was accepting me. I felt sheer joy. I knew I would never be the same after this day. What was she going to tell me? I silently waited.
“You are privileged to inherit the world you have created. But remember that you are also condemned to inherit the world you have created.”
Was this a paradox? Was she talking in riddles? I could not understand it. Forgetting myself, I started to speak. The spell was broken. She jumped up and almost shouted, “I have things to do,” as she left the room.
I wanted to kick myself. What do I have to do to become intimate with this woman and why does she have such a hold on me? Is it animal desire or is it because it’s a challenge? Would I still feel the same if we ever consummate our relationship?
Next Month: The Journal Continued.
Wayne Douglas Weedon is a Manitoba author who writes a combination of fictional and factual stories, essays, and novels.
Creative Retirement Manitoba Inc. 204-481-5030, hello@crcentre.ca www.crcentre.ca
WINNIPEG
20 Fort Street Seniors Club
2200-20 Fort Street / FortStSeniors@Shaw.ca
Manitoba Association of Senior Communities
Rady Jewish Community Centre 123 Doncaster Street / 204-477-7539 lmarjovsky@radyjcc.com / www.radyjcc.com
Rainbow Resource Centre 545 Broadway / 204-474-0212 ext 255 OTR@rainbowresourcecentre.org www.rainbowresourcecentre.org
A&O Support Services for Older Adults Inc.
200 -207 Donald Street 204-956-6440 / Toll Free: 1-888-333-3121 info@aosupportservices.ca www.aosupportservices.ca
Archwood 55 Plus
565 Guilbault Avenue / 204-416-1067 archwood55@shaw.ca https://archwood55plus.wildapricot.org/ Bleak House Centre 1637 Main Street / 204-338-4723 bleakhousecentre@gmail.com www.bleakhousecentre.com
Brooklands Active Living Centre 1960 William Avenue W 204-632-8367 / bpscc@mymts.net
Centro Caboto Centre 1055 Wilkes Avenue / 204-487-4597 ext. 1 executivedirector@cabotocentre.com www.cabotocentre.com
Charleswood Active Living Centre 5006 Roblin Blvd / 204-897-5263 info@charleswoodseniorcentre.org www.charleswoodseniorcentre.org
Crescent Fort Rouge 55 Plus 525 Wardlaw Ave. / 204-299-9919 cfruc55Plus@gmail.com www.crescentfortrouge.ca
Dakota Community Centre 1188 Dakota Street / 204-254-1010 ext. 217 seniorresources@dakotacc.com www.dakotacc.com
Dufferin Senior Citizens Inc. 377 Dufferin Avenue / 204-986-2608 Elmwood East Kildonan Active Living Centre 180 Poplar Avenue / 204-669-0750 healthrelations@chalmersrenewal.org https://chalmersrenewal.org/ Fort Garry Seniors Resource Council
200 - 270 Donald Street / 204-792-1913 fortgarry@aosupportservices.ca www.aosupportservices.ca/resources/seniorsresource-finders
Golden Rule Seniors Club 625 Osborne Street / 431-866-6776 goldenrule@swsrc.ca
Good Neighbours Active Living Centre 720 Henderson Hwy / 204-669-1710 admin@gnalc.ca / www.gnalc.ca
Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre 1588 Main Street / 204-339-1701 becky@gwensecter.com / www.gwensecter.com
Headingley Seniors’ Services 5353 Portage Avenue / 204-889-3132 ext. 3 seniors@rmofheadingley.ca www.headingleyseniorsservices.ca
Indigenous Senior Resource Centre Inc. A1- 100 Robinson Avenue / 204-586-4595 executivedirector@isrcwpg.ca www.asrcwpg.ca
Manitoba Korean 55+ Centre 900-150 River Avenue 204-996-7003 / www.ksam.ca
North Centennial Seniors Association of Winnipeg Inc. 86 Sinclair Street / 204-582-0066 ncsc@shaw.ca / www.ncseniors.ca
North Point Douglas Seniors Association 49 Euclid Ave. / 204-880-1655
Pembina Active Living (55+) 170 Fleetwood Rd. / 204-946-0839 office@pal55plus.ca / www.pal55plus.ca
The Salvation Army Barbara Mitchell Family Resource Centre 51 Morrow Avenue 204-946-9153 sheila.keys@salvationarmy.ca
South Winnipeg Seniors Resource Council 117-1 Morley Ave / 204-478-6169 resources@swsrc.ca / www.swsrc.ca
Southdale Seniors 254 Lakewood Boulevard / 204-257-6171 gm@southdale.ca / www.southdale.ca
Sri Lankan Seniors Manitoba 113 Stan Bailie Drive 204-261-9647 / www.srilankanseniorsmb.ca
St. James-Assiniboia 55+ Centre 3-203 Duffield Street 204-987-8850 / info@stjamescentre.com www.stjamescentre.com
St. Mary’s Rd. Seniors 613 St. Mary’s Rd., Winnipeg 204-257-0678 / www.stmarysroad.ca
Transcona Council for Seniors 845 Regent Ave / 204-222-9879 tcs@mymts.net / www.transconaseniors.ca
Transcona Retired Citizens Org. 328 Whittier Ave. West 204-222-8473 / trco328@shaw.ca
Vital Seniors - 3 St Vital Road 204-253-0555 / stmary@mymts.net www.stmarymagdelenewpg.org
Winnipeg Chinese Senior Association 204-291-7798 / wcsa.wpg@hotmail.com www.winnipegchineseseniors.ca
BEYOND WINNIPEG
BEAUSEJOUR
Beau-Head Senior Centre 645 Park Avenue 204-268-2444 / beauhead@mymts.net
BOISSEvAIN
Seniors’ Services of the Turtle Mountain Area seniorservicetm@gmail.com / 204-534-6816
BRANDON
Brandon Seniors for Seniors Co-op Inc. 311 Park Avenue E / 204-571-2050 reception@brandons4s.ca www.brandons4s.ca
Health Checks - 204-728-1842 brandonmbhealthchecks.ca healthchecksbrandon@gmail.com
CARMAN
Carman Active Living Centre 47 Ed Belfour Drive / 204-745-2356 www.activelivingcentrecarman.ca
CRANBERRY PORTAGE
Jubilee Recreation of Cranberry Portage Legion Hall 217 2nd Ave. SE / 204-271-3081
CRYSTAL CITY
Crystal City & District Friendship Club Inc. 117 Broadway St. / 431-867-0122 crystalcityfriendship@gmail.com
DAUPHIN
Dauphin Active Living Centre Inc. 55 1st Avenue SE / 204-638-6485 www.dauphinseniors.com
DELORAINE
Deloraine Community Club Inc. 111 South Railway Ave E 204-747-2846
Seniors’ Outreach Services of BrenWin Inc. 204-747-3283 sosbrenwin@gmail.com / sosbrenwin.com
ERICKSON
Comfort Drop In Centre 31 Main Street 204-636-2047 / areas@mymts.net
FLIN FLON
Flin Flon Seniors 2 North Avenue / 204-687-7308
GILBERT PLAINS
Gilbert Plains and District Community Resource Council Inc. 204-548 4131 gpdcrc@mymts.net www.gpdcrc-newhorizons.wix.com/gpdcrc Gilbert Plains Drop In Centre 22 Main Street North / 204-548-2210
GIMLI
Gimli New Horizons 55+ Centre 17 North Colonization Road 204-642-7909 / gimli55@mts.net www.gimlinewhorizons.com
GLADSTONE
Gladstone Seniors Inc. 32 Morris Ave. North / 204-385-2205
GRAND MARAIS
Grand Marais & District Seniors 36058 PTH 12 / gmdseniors@gmail.com www.gmdseniors.ca
GRANDvIEW
Grandview Seniors Drop In 432 Main Street / 204-546-2272
HAMIOTA
Hamiota 55+ Centre & Restore Community Co-op Inc. 44 Maple Avenue / 204-764-2658
KILLARNEY
Killarney New Horizons Centre 520 Mountain Avenue www.killarneymbseniors.ca
Killarney Service for Seniors 415 Broadway / 204-523-7115 seniorservice@killarney.ca
LA BROQUERIE and STE. ANNE
Seine River Services for Seniors Inc./ Services Rivière Seine pour aînés Inc. 93 Principale Street 204-424-5285 / labseinerss@gmail.com seineriverservicesforseniors.ca
LUNDAR
Lundar Community Resources 35 Main Street / 204-762-5378 lcrc@mymts.net
MANITOU
Pembina Community Resource Council 315 Main Street 204-242-2241 / pembinacrc@gmail.com
MINNEDOSA Minnedosa Senior Citizens Assoc. 31 Main Street S 204-867-1956 / mdsasca@gmail.com
MORDEN
Morden Activity Centre 306 N Railway Street 204-822-3555 mordenactivitycentre@gmail.com www.mordenseniors.ca
NEEPAWA Neepawa Drop In Centre 310 Davidson Street / 204-476-5103 Neepawa-dropin@outlook.com www.neepawa.ca/district-drop-in-center
NOTRE DAME DE LOURDES Club D’age Dor Notre Dame ndslchezsoi@gmail.com / 204-248-7291
PILOT MOUND Pilot Mound Fellowship Centre 203 Broadway Avenue / 204-825-2873
PLUMAS
Plumas Seniors Citizens Club Inc. 102 White Street / 204-386-2029
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
Herman Prior Senior Services Centre
40 Royal Road N. / 204-857-6951 hermanpriorcentre@gmail.com www.hermanprior.com
Portage Service for Seniors 40A Royal Road N. / 204-239-6312 https://portageservicefors.wixsite.com/psfs RIvERTON
Riverton Seniors Activity Centre 12 Main Street / 204-378-5155 rdfc@mymts.net / www.rivertonfc.com
SANDY LAKE
Sandy Lake Drop In Centre 100 Main St. / 204-585-2411
Municipality of Harrison Park - Age Friendly Initiative Committee 204-585-5310
SELKIRK
Gordon Howard Centre 384 Eveline Street / 204-785-2092 executivedirector@gordonhoward.ca www.gordonhoward.ca
SNOW LAKE
Snow Lake Senior Centre 71 Balsam Street 204-358-2151 / snowsrs@mymts.net
SOUTH JUNCTION
Piney Regional Senior Services 204-437-2604 / lgdseniors@gmail.com
STARBUCK
MacDonald Services to Seniors 204-735-3052 / info@mcdonaldseniors.ca www.macdonaldseniors.ca
STEINBACH
Pat Porter Active Living Centre 10 Chrysler Gate 204-320-4600 / ed@patporteralc.com www.patporteralc.com
STONEWALL
South Interlake 55 Plus 374 1st Street West - Oddfellows Hall 204-467-2582 / si55plus@mymts.net www.si55plus.org
SWAN RIvER
Swan River & District Community Resource Council 126 6th Ave N / 204-734-5707 resourcecouncil@srseniorservices.com
Swan River Senior Citizens Centre 702 1st Street North / 204-734-2212
THE PAS
The Pas Golden Agers 324 Ross Avenue / 204-623-3663 seniorsthepas@gmail.com
THOMPSON Thompson Seniors Community Resource Council Inc. 4 Nelson Rd. / 204-677-0987 thompsonseniors55@gmail.com thompsonseniors.ca
TREHERNE
Treherne Friendship Centre 190 Broadway Street 204-723-2559 / jstate1066@gmail.com
vICTORIA BEACH East Beaches Social Scene 3 Ateah Road / 204-756-6468 ebssinc1@gmail.com https://www.ebseniorscene.ca East Beaches Resource Centre 3 Ateah Road / 204-756-6471 ebresourcec@gmail.com https://ebresourcec.weebly.com
WINKLER
Winkler & District MP Senior Centre 102-650 South Railway Avenue 204-325-8964 director@winklerseniorcentre.com www.winklerseniorcentre.com
Cats and the outdoors
It’s summer! It’s warm out, gardens are planted and vacations are planned. In Winnipeg, this season is so short and fleeting that we need to take advantage. Our furry companions also often love the heat. From following the rays of sunshine around the house to camping and exploring, they also feel the change in the seasons.
When it comes to the outdoors, the way that we treat our cats and our dogs is often extremely different. While dogs are usually behind a fence or on leash, with their stool (hopefully) responsibly picked up and things they ingest being much more controlled, the idea of allowing our cats to be left to their own devices is much more commonplace - most of us can probably think of at least one neighbor who allows their cat to roam and wander, hunt, and even urinate and defecate anywhere in the neighborhood as they please.
cusing instead on striving for a situation where a cat’s innate needs can be met. It acknowledges that there is no simple answer to the indoor vs outdoor cat argument. Avoiding boredom, increasing exercise, stimulation and normal hunting/feeding behaviors, all result in fewer behavioral problems - which in turn result in fewer relinquishments and euthanasias.
Healthy Pet
That being said, there are many factors to consider with one’s own cat. Let us first remember that there are city bylaws against allowing our animals to roam, as well as potential fines - a single reported incident can result in a $200 fine. If they are caught without a licence, injure a person or another animal, or damage property, there are additional fines ranging from $200-350.
The Position Statement of the American Association of Feline Practitioners does not take a simple stand on this issue, fo-
Then there is the question of longevity - the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is significantly shorter than that of an indoor cat. Injuries are much more commonfrom cat fights to broken nails to orthopedic injuries. Acute toxicities are a constant
risk. Infectious diseases and parasites are rampant in outdoor environments and our outdoor cats are at increased risk of exposure to mites, fleas, feline leukemia virus and even vector-diseases such as heartworm and mycoplasma. Since they are using your neighbour’s flower beds as a litter box, things like chronic diarrhea or blood in the urine can be missed for extended periods - not to mention the resentment you are creating in those caring for those flower beds. In addition, controlling caloric intake for those more rotund animals is extremely difficult.
In general, considering solely the infectious diseases aspect, if there is an immuno-compromised individual in a household, keeping cats indoors is a standard recommendation. Nevertheless, spending
Creativity counts for kids in hospital
What if I told you, you could have fun while making a difference? That’s what countless #CommunityChampions do when they host their own imaginative fundraising initiatives to help kids who need Manitoba’s only children’s hospital – HSC Children’s Hospital.
Every year, creative members of our community connect with their interests, hobbies, and skills to raise more than $1 million for the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba and in the 2023-24 fiscal year it was over $1.6 million – wow!
find to fundraise AND have fun.
For instance, there’s the Salo Family Light Show. The Salos have a blast hosting a brilliant Christmas light display and accept donations during the holiday season. They even added a Halloween light show to their repertoire last year.
We’re so grateful for the generous folks who lend their time and talent to support children who need treatment and care and are astounded by the inventive ways they
There are also gamers playing to help kids in hospital. In Brandon, a group of enthusiasts of the tabletop game, Warhammer, held a tournament called the Gingerbread Apocalypse and raised an incredible $7,383.
The Stead Ranch Steak House in Gull Lake pulled together an eight-week long talent show with Manitoba musicians and steak sandwich specials for a truly entertaining and delicious fundraiser.
Plus, there are #KidsHelpingKids like the Candy Cane Sisters, Chloe and Molly, who spent the holiday season collecting donations and handing out candy canes to their donors.
Some #CommunityChampions fundraise to honour a loved one, like Ireland’s family and owners of Willy Dogs. To celebrate Ireland’s hearing anniversary, following a successful cochlear implant surgery in 2018, Willy Dogs sells specialty items in February with a portion of sales donated.
Other fundraisers share their interests and weave in a fundraising component, like the Ferrari Club of America – Manitoba Chapter, hosting its first golf tournament and bringing in $12,000 and the Annual Skate the Oval on Winnipeg’s largest ice surface. Skate the Oval and ACE’s Fantasy Football League raised a fabulous $10,681 last year.
For years, the Winnipeg Ghostbusters have been expressing their love of the Ghostbusters films by dressing up, at-
time outdoors has become an integral part of many cats’ lifestyle, and there are certain things that can be done to help protect them, at least when it comes to disease. Talk to your veterinarian about keeping vaccinations up to date, using parasite protection and regular deworming.
On the flip side, there are lots of wonderful ways to safely allow our felines to safely enjoy the outdoors, limiting dangers and providing more stimulation and an increased potential for normal feline behaviors. Many learn to enjoy and appreciate their harnesses and leashes. Outdoor cat condos and catios have increased in popularity over the years, and invisible fences around a property are options as well. Sometimes it’s a simple as a hammock in a window that catches the sun, or moving a climbing tree’s location.
In the end, however you choose to enrich your cat’s lives, may they live long, happy and healthy
Until next time fellow paw print loving friends!
Silver Heights Veterinary Hospital is proud to serve the Winnipeg region, and is located on Ness Avenue in St. James. Contact them at 204-504-5600 or visit their website at silverheightsvethospital.ca
tending events, and collecting donations.
And Voyageur Technical leads first responders and superheroes-in-training to rappel down HSC Children’s as a special Halloween celebration for kids in hospital. In 2023, they added a fundraising element, collecting $34,000, and you can watch out for your favourite characters scaling the building again in October of this year.
All these initiatives, and many more, count towards making sure children have the best care possible. No matter what you love to do in your spare time, there’s always a way to make an impact for kids who rely on our Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.
To start your own community initiative to #ContinueCaringForKids visit goodbear.ca/fundraise.
Stefano Grande is the president and CEO of Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.
CNLA attends International Horticulture Exposition in China’s ‘Park City’
By Anthony O’Neill
The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) was invited by Chengdu Radio and Television to the International Horticultural Producers Association’s (AIPH) approved Category B International Horticultural Expo in Chengdu, China. This event aimed to promote Chengdu’s horticultural industry to the world and saw participation from professionals and media groups from eight countries.
The Expo’s main venue, covering 128 hectares, highlights Sichuan’s heritage, culture, and landscape, emphasizing the theme “The Park City.” Chengdu, known as a Park City, integrates nature into urban development, aiming to place residents within nature. This innovative model features green spaces, like vine-covered highway pillars, reducing urban noise and pollution while enhancing aesthetics.
The Expo, open until the end of October, showcases both indoor and outdoor venues, celebrating arts, culture, technological and scientific advancements in horticulture, health, and wellbeing. It offers an array of activities, including gardening techniques, educational and career opportunities, and events geared towards children.
Visitors can explore multiple design disciplines, experiencing a blend of tradition and innovation. The Expo challenges conventional urban development ideas, with designs evoking familiarity and wonder.
A satellite venue in Pidu, a historic district in
Canadian Nursery and Landscape Association experience Winnipeg’s sister city, Chengdu!
Recently the Canadian Nursery and Landscape Association was invited to attend the International Horticulture Expo in Chengdu. This reminded your editor that many years ago, a delegation from Winnipeg travelled to Chengdu, China to formalize and celebrate our sisterhood. Indeed, Winnipeg is tied to 11 different towns in total – Chengdu, China; Lviv, Ukraine; Beersheba, Israel; Jinju, South Korea; Kuopio, Finland; Manila, Philippines; Reykjavik, Iceland; Taichung, Taiwan; Setagaya, Japan; San Nicolás de los Garza, Mexico; and Minneapolis, Minn. Mayor Gillingham recently raised the issue of our 10 sisters as we celebrated our 150th year as a city at the Forks on July 7. You may remember that Seven Wu and I tried to reignite a relationship with Chengdu when we organized the Lights of the North. Unfortunately, federal politics and COVID brought a temporary end to our plans. But good relationships with sister cities have many benefits.
Steven and I will be discussing the possibility of re-opening the door. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, enjoy the background story produced by CNLA past president Anthony O’Neill, as he extolls the virtues of China’s “Park City”!
Chengdu, features a 3000-year history of flower cultivation dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties. Pidu is renowned for its bonsai and national orchids. The district dedicates over 770 hectares to
flower and tree seedling production, boasting over 1000 varieties. Visitors to Pidu can explore the Flower Cube, showcasing stunning floral arrangements from around the world. This venue immerses visitors in the region’s rich horticultural heritage.
Known globally for its pandas and bamboo forests, Chengdu has now cemented its legacy in horticulture and gardening through this International Exposition. The Expo underscores China’s commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), highlighting the importance of bringing nature closer to citizens.
The Expo features architectural designs inspired by plants and flower petals, blending function and form. This approach emphasizes that creating livable environments requires integrating history, culture, heritage, beauty, design, architecture, and infrastructure.
Visitors to the Expo will have a memorable experience with the combination of exceptional hospitality and a peaceful environment filled with greenery, floral arrangements and colours.
It was an honour for the CNLA to see and to help promote the Chengdu Expo. This event offers a unique opportunity to explore ancient bonsai, tranquil gardens, and exceptional cuisine, all while being warmly welcomed by the hosts. The Expo is a testament to Chengdu’s dedication to horticulture and offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience. On behalf of the CNLA and our gracious hosts in Chengdu, I encourage everyone to visit this top-class International Horticultural Exposition in one of the world’s most beautiful regions.
Stefano Grande Healthy Living
• Life Lease independent living for 55+ in a close-knit community.
• Prime location with indoor access to shopping, dining, medical services, arena, the Y and Millennium Library.
• security and emergency response services for added peace of mind.
• spacious one-bedroom and two-bedroom options available.
• features include in-suite washer and dryer, balcony enclosures, and heated parking.
• suites can be customized according to your preference.
• Cat-friendly.
IF YOU ARE A SENIOR. . . . . .
You should consider having the following in place
Will
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.
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*Plus GST and PST - Rates are per person.
Home and are $250.00* (includes both meetings)
*Plus GST and PST.
- Rates are per person. Home and hospital visits are also available $250.00* (includes both meetings) *plus GST and PST
Stuffed Tomatoes, page 104
Salmon Papilotte, page 132
Chocolate Lava Cake, page 158 Beef Stew, page 186