Style Manitoba Winter 2022

RENO-VISION

How reimagining home can help you love where you are

HUMBLE HERO

A lasting legacy for hockey

great Dale Hawerchuk

ADVANCING INDIGENOUS ACHIEVEMENT IN MANITOBA

An era of Truth, Reconciliation & Racial Reckoning

Specializing in custom countertops, tile installation, and more!

EDITOR

MANITOBA

Rita van Leeuwen

ART DIRECTOR

Paul Butters

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Lea Currie

Luke Fennimore

Julie Germaine

Kelly Gray

Christine Hanlon

Randal McIlroy

Quentin Mills-Fenn

Leigh Patterson

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY

Michael Roberts

PHOTOGRAPHY

Michael Roberts

ADVERTISING SALES EXECUTIVE

Lisa Lester

DIRECTOR DIGITAL MEDIA

Joe Potenza

FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS

PRINTING

Transcontinental Printing

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Style Manitoba is published four times annually. Distribution : Distributed free in pre-selected areas of Manitoba, available by subscription from the publisher and by purchase at participating newsstand locations.

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was there...

Lisa Lester & Cancer Crossing volunteer Diane Cousins with event supporters Vicki & Cathy of Calabria Market

Pictured at the Cancer Crossing Gala Fundraiser recently held at Cork & Flame: Style’s Lisa Lester with Cancer Crossing Founder Dr. Luk.

The Kitchen Craft team pauses for a photo at the grand opening of their brand-new luxurious showroom at 1659 Kenaston Blvd.

Lisa Lester pauses for a picture with Donna Gauthier, who also came out in support of the event.

Crystal Hawerchuk addresses the crowd at the unveiling.

Family, friends, fans & officials gather round for the unveiling of the Dale Hawerchuk statue at True North Square.

Presley Lester at the UNDERDOGS Pink Whitney event with illusionist extraordinaire Darcy Oake just prior to his show at Burton Cummings Theatre.

A musical evening at the St. Norbert's Art Centre with performers Lisa Lester & Marianna Canadas alongside piano man Rod Hussey.

A night out at Cork & Flame with Glory & Ray St. Germain (front), Lisa Lester, producer Naomi Clarke & Cowboy Carl of NCI fm.

Lisa Lester shares a moment with Eric Hawerchuk at the event.

Lisa Lester with Kids in the Hall funny guy & performer Kevin McDonald.

the agenda

For the past two years, more homeowners than ever have undertaken renovating their space. Some folks wanted upgrades to increase the equity in their homes before listing in an incredibly vibrant sellers’ market, while others found a renovation more affordable and opted to stay in their newly refurbished spaces rather than purchasing a new home. Either way, the home renovation scene is burgeoning in Manitoba and across the country.

Our cover story this issue – Reno-vision – takes readers inside one couple’s full home, down to the studs renovation project. In this case, a well-known professional renovation company with an excellent track record handled every aspect of the job. The results are stunning, and in fact, exceeded the expectations of the happy homeowners, who now love where they live even more.

Those considering a home upgrade project – whether large or small – are well advised to hit the Winnipeg Renovations Show in January 2023. Held at the RBC Convention Centre from January 13-15, 2023, it’s a great place to consult with industry experts, meet talented local contractors and designers, and discover the latest industry trends.

New columns added this issue include Christine Hanlon’s in-depth look at Mental Health & Addiction services in Manitoba; plus an important interview with Rebecca Chartrand examines Advancing Indigenous Achievement in Manitoba in an era of truth, reconciliation and racial reckoning.

Other good reads include Humble Hero and Force from the North; the former touches on Dale Hawerchuk’s lasting legacy and

how Winnipeg is honouring his memory, the latter profiles an Indigenous recording artist who overcame all odds to pursue his dreams.

On a benevolent note, please remember the needy this holiday season and make a donation if you’re able to.

Organizations like Harvest Manitoba have been utilized heavily over the past two years, more so than ever before. This past year, the organization has seen the need for food assistance rise to new heights, due to soaring food prices. In fact, each month, Harvest provides food to nearly 90,000 Manitobans - almost half of who are children. As their slogan so aptly suggests, “Hunger doesn’t take a Holiday.” This season, please help feed a hungry family in need.

Other well-known charities to consider include Variety, the Children’s Charity of Manitoba, an organization that steps in where government, healthcare, and other funding ends to provide life-saving, life-changing and life-enriching equipment, supplies and services to children in Manitoba living with special needs and experiencing economic disadvantage.

And of course, there’s The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, which exists to improve the health of children by inspiring our community to support excellence in child health and child research. Their goal is to increase the quality of life for sick and injured infants and children from Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario and Nunavut. Through the foundation, community generosity funds important programs, the purchase of essential equipment, and the advancement of paediatric health at the foundation-owned Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba.

Regardless of which charity you choose to support, one thing is quintessentially true - it feels so much better to give than to receive.

Happy Holidays from the team at Style Manitoba…

Reno-vision

BY LEIGH PATTERSON PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL ROBERTS

How reimagining home can help you love where you are

Should we stay or should we go? For these two homeowners, the answer was a resounding “stay.” They loved the Linden Ridge neighbourhood where they had raised their family, and they loved their home. But as empty nesters, they knew it was time to invest in an interior renovation to give them a residence that would better reflect their current life and style.

To realize their vision, they put their trust in Harwood Design Builders.

“This was a full house renovation, with both floors fully updated,” says Harwood Design Builders founder Wayne Sage. “We took it right back to the studs and built it back out.” Before the renovation, which occurred between November 2021 and May 2022, the Harwood team needed to first find out how their clients wanted to live. A reallocation of space

In this main floor open plan, large wood beams installed in the kitchen ceiling helps to visually separate it from the living room, yet connection is maintained through consistent use of colours and materials. Wide-plank hardwood floors from Friesen Floor & Décor were installed in a herringbone pattern throughout the main floor, lower level and even on the staircase to connect spaces in a thoughtful and cohesive way.

Extensive use of glass panels installed by Fort Rouge Glass on the main staircase maintains the home’s light-filled, modern vibe even as one descends to the lower level.

YOU HAVE A VISION

TURN YOUR NEW HOME OR HOME RENOVATION DREAMS INTO REALITY

I’d like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation for the outstanding work you and your team did on our house. We couldn’t be happier. The final result is nothing short of world class and has exceeded our expectations. Your crew is first rate. The care and attention to detail was impressive to say the very least. We felt nothing but comfort and confidence having them all in our home. Punctual, caring and beyond considerate. I also noticed how much respect they have for each other and for the company. There is a lot of pride there and I can see why you have such a loyal and dedicated bunch.

I’d like to express our sincere thanks and appreciation for the outstanding work you and your team did on our house. We couldn’t be happier. The final result is nothing short of world class and has exceeded our expectations.

Your crew is first rate. The care and attention to detail was impressive to say the very least. We felt nothing but comfort and confidence having them all in our home. Punctual, caring and beyond considerate. I also noticed how much respect they have for each other and for the company. There is a lot of pride there and I can see why you have such a loyal and dedicated bunch.

— Shawn P

— Shawn

Master

and high-end finishes were their top priorities as they planned to host and entertain family and friends, while creating a beautiful, timeless and functional space for themselves.

Although Harwood employs its own in-house, award-winning interior designer, Sage says that once he met with the clients and had gained a sense of their personalities and vision, “I knew that bringing Tammie Rocke onto the team for this project was the way to go.” Rocke, of Rocke Design, collaborated successfully with the clients to achieve their design aesthetic. As project manager, Harwood’s Luis Tavares helped the clients navigate the various phases of the renovation – from design, to demolition, construction and final walk-through.

What the Harwood team achieved in this extensive renovation is much more than a refresh; it is a gamechanger. They reallocated a space that had originally been a bedroom and transformed it into a convenient walk-in pantry in the kitchen and as a dedicated and functional office. These areas are accessed via

The living room space is perfect for entertaining and relaxing. A linear gas fireplace surrounded by a tile feature wall installed by Unger Tile along with custom entertainment and display units, creates a warm and welcoming space.

The homeowners collaborated with interior designer Tammie Rocke of Rocke Design to select the light fixtures as part of the renovation process. This includes the incredible chandelier suspended in the home’s front entrance above the staircase leading to the lower level. Against a bold backdrop of blue shiplap accent wall, the effect is stunning.

elegant double sliding doors from Windsor Plywood, which supplied all the interior doors and trim for the project. Wide-plank hardwood

floors from Friesen Floor & Décor were installed in a herringbone pattern throughout the main floor, lower level and even on the staircase to

Creating an airy feel throughout the home starts at the front foyer, where a custom metal dividing wall with slats, and a glass stair railing from Fort Rouge Glass take advantage of abundant natural light.

Close to the kitchen and set apart by a custom-made, machine-milled metal dividing wall, is the adjacent formal dining room, lit from above with one of the many modern light fixtures found in the home.

maintain a thoughtful and cohesive appearance from the ground up.

And look up, way up…to see even more details. The main floor living room area is now architecturally defined by a tray ceiling illuminated with LED strip lighting. The central space-age light fixture blends perfectly into the modern surroundings. Meanwhile, large wood beams installed in the ceiling of the adjacent kitchen help to visually separate it from the living room. Yet, everything is connected through consistent use of colours and materials.

The materials themselves are works of art. Take the backsplash in the kitchen, for example. The “splash” of blue above the range and up to the ceiling was achieved by incorporating wallpaper with tempered glass laid over the face of it. This unique treatment makes a statement, while serving to unite the blue accents found throughout the home.

This includes the lower custom cabinets found in the island and

along one wall. A wall of white cabinetry seamlessly houses a SubZero fridge and freezer combo, and Wolf ovens. Because there is no drawer or cabinet hardware, the kitchen maintains a sleek, clutterfree appearance. Better still, the cabinetry has an anti-fingerprint coating, which means minimal maintenance for the homeowners. The modern, looped light fixture suspended above the island completes the inviting vibe in the home’s central hub.

Close to the kitchen and set apart by a custom made, machinemilled metal dividing wall, is the adjacent formal dining room. The living room space is designed for entertaining…and relaxing. The custom entertainment and display units, paired with a linear gas fireplace surrounded by a tile feature wall expertly installed by Unger Tile, is warm, welcoming and functional.

The homeowners collaborated with designer Rocke to select the light fixtures as part of the renovation process. This includes the incredible

As part of the renovation, a former bedroom space was reallocated and transformed. The space is now a convenient walk-in pantry next to the kitchen, hidden behind these elegant double sliding doors from Windsor Plywood. A dedicated and functional office can be accessed from the other side.

The homeowners insisted on high-end materials to create the renovated home of their dreams. This includes in the kitchen, where a splash of blue above the range makes a statement, and anchors the blue accents found throughout the home. A modern light fixture, suspended above the generous island topped with marbled white quartz from Western Marble, Granite & Tile, completes the inviting vibe in the home’s central hub.

chandelier suspended in the home’s front entrance above the staircase leading to the lower level. Against the bold backdrop of a blue shiplap accent wall, the effect is stunning.

To round out the main floor renovation, the Harwood team updated the powder room near the front entrance, as well as the large ensuite bathroom, which now features a glassed-in shower, new wall tiles, heated floor and towel bars, and long linear custom vanity with black matte fixtures.

The lower level was completely redone. Here too, the quality and artisanship characteristic of Harwood’s renovations is on full display. It starts at the top of the staircase, where a glass railing installed by Fort Rouge Glass keeps the airy, modern feel going as one descends. Since the home overlooks a lake, it was important to the homeowners to expose that view as much as possible. The Harwood team accomplished this goal by installing a wall of windows along that side of the lower level.

A continuum of colours and textures makes this living area as equally warm and inviting as the main level. Anchoring one end of the large space is a hand-painted brick feature wall with another gas fireplace and TV unit. At the opposite side is the ultimate entertaining zone, with a custom wall cabinet unit replete with wet bar and wine fridge, and a massive island lit up with another unique light fixture.

The team relied on Western Marble, Granite & Tile to supply and install the impressive countertops here, just as they did for the upstairs.

It’s hard to believe, but there was much more to the renovation than meets the eye. The home is completely automated – from the security system, to lighting, to sound, temperature control and window coverings. Other not so obvious conveniences include the home’s built-in vacuum system with retractable hose installed by Vacuflo to support healthy indoor air quality.

The result is a completely revitalized experience for these thrilled clients, who are now savouring their home again. Thanks to Harwood Design Builders, it was the best possible investment they could make in their home, their neighbourhood and in themselves.

Since the home overlooks a lake, it was important to the homeowners to expose that view as much as possible.

The Harwood team did that by adding a wall of windows along that side of the lower level; the view can now be enjoyed from anywhere.

At one end of the renovated lower level is the ultimate entertaining zone, with a custom wall cabinet unit replete with wet bar and wine fridge, and a massive island with its impressive countertop from Western Marble, Granite & Tile.

Builder Harwood Design Builders

Interior Design

Tammie Rocke, Rocke Design

Shower Doors & Glasswork

Fort Rouge Glass

Flooring

Friesen Floor & Décor

Tiles, Tilework & Backsplash

Unger Tile

Countertops

Western Marble, Granite & Tile

Interior Doors & Trim

Windsor Supply

Central vacuum system

Vacuflo

Plumbing BA Robinson

Lighting Fixtures

Robinson Lighting

Alarm, Sound System & Automation

Advance Electronics

Cabinetry

Klassen Cabinets

Electrical

Paulsen Electric

Fireplaces

Alsip’s Building Products & Services

Painting

Best Price Painting

Building Materials

Star Building Materials

Plumbing & HVAC

SS Plumbing & Heating

About the builder

A handshake can be offered as a gesture of friendship, greeting, parting, congratulations and the symbolic completion of a deal. Trust and respect are integral to it.

These sentiments, and more, were built in (literally and figuratively) to the handshakes between Wayne Sage, Jeff Halstead and Trevor Bjarnarson this fall as Sage officially handed the keys of Harwood Design Builders to the company’s new owners.

For years, Sage has worked to set the bar for excellence in design and construction as high as possible. Now he’s ready to hang up his hard hat and let Bjarnarson and Halstead lead the business he started—in their own way.

With decades of construction industry experiences

under their respective tool belts, Halstead has worked with Sage for 15 years and Bjarnarson for 12. Together they have formed a formidable team, leading a staff of 16. Given major residential renovation projects like the one showcased on these pages, it’s no wonder Harwood has enjoyed steady growth in word-of-mouth referrals that span generations. The Harwood Design Builders website is flooded with glowing testimonials from delighted clients. They’ve earned a five-star Google rating, not to mention an impressive collection of local, national and international industry recognition awards.

As a one-stop shop general contractor that does nearly everything with in-house staff and a reliable network of suppliers and tradespeople, Harwood can focus solely on their clients at every stage of a renovation project. If the homeowner has questions or concerns, they don’t need to deal with multiple sub-contractors; Harwood becomes their advocate and the only point of contact. This, together with a transparent budgeting approach, helps take the stress out of the renovation experience. Listening to and delivering the best project scenario for their clients has, and continues to be, a hallmark of the Harwood manifesto.

Homes, cottages, upgrades, additions, heritage restorations, complete renovations. Whatever your needs, your stage in life, and or your style, Harwood can handle any major design build renovation imaginable. Trevor and Jeff are ready, willing and able to tackle your reno with the same unparalleled quality and craftsmanship for which Harwood is renowned.

The keys to your re-imagined home await: Let Harwood Design Builders unlock its potential.

We are so

excited

2022

Benji Miles Wealth Advisor, Portfolio Manager, Investment Advisor

Adam Sefton Associate Wealth Advisor, Associate Portfolio Manager

Leah Case Associate Investment Advisor

proud and

to announce our two recent recognitions; Canada’s Top Wealth Advisors and the 5-Star Advisory Team award!

Stepping Out with Style

BY QUENTIN MILLS-FENN

There’s plenty going on, so let’s get started!

MUSIC

The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra has numerous concert series for your listening pleasure. Absolute Classics presents Antonin Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7, a nice steppingstone to those only familiar with his famous “New World” Ninth Symphony. Plus, the WSO’s principal trumpet Chris Fensom performs a classic work in the trumpet literature, Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Concerto in E-flat major for Trumpet & Orchestra. The evening also includes Vítezslava Kaprálová’s Suita rustica. (Feb 18) Or you might want to take in Untuxed, an open rehearsal, and experience a look behind the scenes of the WSO. (Feb 18, matinee)

Beyond Classics brings some familiar tunes - The Hall of the Mountain King and Morning Mood - just two melodies from Edvard Grieg’ s Peer Gynt, incidental music for Ibsen’s play. The WSO brings Star Trek legend John de Lancie as the narrator, acting alongside other

special guests to bring this rare production to life. (Jan 21)

Next, it’s Amy Beach’s Gaelic Symphony, the first symphony composed and published by an American woman. Inspired by Dvořák’s novel blending of his homeland’s Bohemian folk songs with American themes, Beach set out to do something similar with this symphony that weaves old English, Scottish, and Irish melodies with American musical traditions. The same evening, outstanding American flutist Demarre McGill makes his WSO debut with a Mozart classic, Concerto No. 1 in G major for Flute & Orchestra. Plus, a virtuoso showpiece in the Italian style by Michael Tilson Thomas and new work by local favourite Andrew Balfour. (Mar 4) (Untuxed rehearsal Mar 4 matinee)

And there’s more. Live at the WSO presents Breakin' Classical with Houston’s FLY Dance Company. Youthful energy and exciting choreography meets a surprising selection of classical composers, like Stravinsky, Debussy, Vivaldi

and more, for a show with something for everyone. (Feb 11, Feb 12 matinee)

Kids Concerts announces the return of Winnipeg’s one and only symphonic superhero in Melodius Prime vs. the Boyz of Noise. Kids are encouraged to dress up, as the WSO and conductor Naomi Woo confront Kaos and Konfuzed, the evil Boyz of Noise. (Jan 15 matinee. Come early to partake in pre-concert activities, including an instrument petting zoo and conducting station.)

Around the world, people will be enjoying that holiday tradition, listening to Messiah by George Frideric Handel. The WSO version features Elroy Friesen conducting soloists and Winnipeg’s baroque choral ensemble Canzona. (Dec 17)

Happy Spring Festival, as WSO assistant conductor Naomi Woo leads the WSO in a Chinese New Year Concert celebrating the Year of the Rabbit with an evening of singing, dancing, and music, plus “Song of Everlasting

Nutcracker - Jaimi Deleau with RWB Company

- Photo by Daniel Crump

3106 Portage Ave

204-221-2777

corkandflame.ca

Michel Saint Hilaire

Regret” narrated by Chinese superstar / Canadian comedian and television personality Dashan. (Jan 14)

The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra presents Lizzy Hoyt, mezzo-soprano and Celtic songwriter, bringing together Canadian folk and classical music. Besides a new work by the MCO’s composer-in-residence Kevin Lau, the evening will also feature reprise performances of works commissioned by the MCO from Jeffrey Ryan and Karen Sunabacka, as well as Luigi Boccherini’s Symphony No. 3, in D Minor, Julian Pellicano, conductor. (Mar 2, in-person and online)

Virtusoi Concerts brings Ensemble Made In Canada back for their fifth visit (rescheduled from last season), performing works from their Juno-winning album Mosaique featuring music by 14 Canadian composers for a truly Canadian Odyssey. Plus, piano quartets by Camille Saint-Saëns and Canadian pianist-composer Stewart Goodyear. (Feb 24, St. Andrew's River Heights Church)

Winnipeg SIngers presents Lessons and Carols for Today, as music by Andrew Balfour, Mark Sirett, Steven Chatman, Dan Wiebe, and more show how the traditional study of the Christmas story continues to be inspirational today.

(Dec 4, matinee) Then the Winnipeg SIngers celebrate their birthday with 50 & Fabulous. They’ve chosen their favourite works performed over the years, and previous conductors will be present to direct the choir in pieces from their tenures (Mar 5, matinee. Both concerts at Crescent Arts Centre, 525 Wardlaw Ave)

Groundswell continues to push musical boundaries with GS 5: Toninato/Thiessen: Winter [City] Speaks. Ida Toninato and Jennifer Thiessen cultivate an on-going conversation in sound with the unexpected combination of baritone saxophone and viola d’amore supported by field recordings, voices, electronics, live processing, and original texts in French and English, all to reimagine winter in sonic textures, ambient improvisations, and experimental songs. (Feb 22, West End Cultural Centre. All GroundSwell Live concerts are pay what-you-can; how-you-can)

The Westminster Organ Concert Series presents JeanWilly Kunz, the first organist in residence of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. The concert includes music by Franz Liszt, J.S. Bach, Olivier Messiaen, and Louis Vierne, plus a special version of The Carnival of the Animals by Camille Saint-Saëns, with texts written and narrated by Bill Richardson. (Feb 9, matinee. Westminster United)

Meanwhile, the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society presents Jérôme Ducharme, winner of the 2005 Guitar Foundation of America and the "prize of the public" at the 2004 GuitareAnthony International Competition in France. (Jan 20, Precious Blood Church, 200 Kenny St)

The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra has two themed concerts coming up. Get festive with The Grinch Who Stole Christmas:

You're a mean one Mr. Grinch

With shoes too tight and a heart two sizes too small.

He can't play jazz. He can't swing at all. But whatever his reason, his heart or his shoes, Even the Grinch can feel the blues.

“Elegance with a Fusion of Casual and Fine Dining”

VOTED CANADA’S TOP 10 BEST CAESAR AND #1 IN MANITOBA THE INFERNO CAESAR

(Dec 8, matinee and evening, and Dec 15, evening)

Next, the WJO celebrates Women’s Day with a concert celebrating women in jazz. (Mar 9. All shows at the West End Cultural Centre)

More celebrations, courtesy of Manitoba Opera. The 50th Anniversary Concert will include a selection of opera favourites and a tribute to the company’s very first performance with highlights from Verdi’s Il trovatore –almost 50 years to the day of the company’s debut. Featuring the Canadian debut of mezzo-soprano Nadia Krasteva, plus Lara Ciekiewicz, Hiromi Omura, David Pomeroy, Gregory Dahl, and the Manitoba Opera Chorus and Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra; Tyrone Paterson, conductor.

(Feb 25, Centennial Concert Hall.)

THEATRE & DANCE

The Nutcracker is back at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, with choreography from RWB alumni Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon, is put to the service of an all-Canadian production with a hockey game on a frozen pond, RCMP officers on Parliament Hill, and Hudson the Polar Bear with his 12 cubs.

(Performances Dec 21-28, afternoon and evening.)

Next, it’s more Tchaikovsky and perhaps the most famous classical ballet of all time, Swan Lake. Wicked sorcery from the Baron von Rothbart has trapped the Princess Odette in the form of a swan. A glimmer of hope comes in the form of the gallant Prince Siegfried, but deception threatens to unravel the lovers’ rescue in this work first performed over a century ago.

(Performances Mar 8-12, afternoon and evening. All performances at the Centennial Concert Hall)

Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers presents a new commission by Idan Cohen, featuring music by Phillip Glass, an ensemble of Winnipeg-based dancers, lighting by Hugh Conacher, and piano études performed live. (Feb 10 & 11, evening; Feb 12, afternoon. Rachel Browne Theatre, 211 Bannatyne Ave)

Like musicals? The Manitoba Theatre Centre Mainstage presents Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, (book by James Lapine). One of Sondheim’s most popular works, the Tony Award

winner follows a mash-up of fairy tale characters in pursuit of happy ever after. (Jan 12 - Feb 4)

Then it’s Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress. Deprived of being the first Black woman to have a play on Broadway when she refused to tone down her message, Childress gets her chance 65 years later, as New York Times calls her 1955 comedy-drama, “the play of the moment.” (Feb 16 - Mar 11. John Hirsch Mainstage, Manitoba Theatre Centre)

Down the street at the Warehouse, you can catch Let’s Run Away, a raucous, heart-breaking and slightly unhinged performance of love and abandonment from Canadian theatre artists Daniel MacIvor and Daniel Brooks. (Dec 1-17) That’s followed by Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes by Hannah Moscovitch, who received the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama for this provocative response to the #MeToo conversation. (Mar 2 -18. Tom Hendry Warehouse Theatre, Manitoba Theatre Centre)

There’s seasonal cheer courtesy of Prairie Theatre Exchange with Outside Joke's A Christmas Carol: Big Dickens Energy. Musical improv troupe Outside Joke takes the classic tale of redemption to unexpected places. Where? That’s up to the audience. (Dec 13 to 23. Mainstage) Then it’s Pandora by Jessica B. Hill. Pandora opened a box and

unleashed the weasels, and now she's really sorry, in this co-production with Shakespeare in the Ruins. It’s a solo storytelling piece with ancient Greece, quantum physics, the meaning of theatre, and weasels. Directed by Rodrigo Beilfuss. (Jan 25 - Feb 12, Colin Jackson Studio Theatre)

That’s followed by Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers by Makambe K. Simamba. Slimm, a 17-year-old Black boy in a hoodie suddenly finds himself in the first moments of his afterlife, in this protest play for all Black life beyond headlines and hashtags, a prayer for all families left behind, and a promise to the community that all Black lives matter. (Feb 1-19. Mainstage. All PTE performances at Prairie Theatre Exchange)

There’s music you will love at Celebrations Dinner Theatre The Beatles Back in Time takes audiences back to Liverpool’s Cavern Club. It's 1961 and the Beatles are about to hit the stage, as they prepare to change music forever. (Nov 18 - Feb 19). Then it’s a hunk of burning love at Heartbreak Hotel. The legend never dies as Elvis Presley and friends play a little rock and a little roll. (Feb 24 - Apr 23.) There’s something for the younger set, too, as Celebrations Junior presents Harry Popper and the Little Mermaid Spell, a production written for kids with a meal designed with kids in mind. (Dec 3-Feb 11. All productions include original shows

Outside Joke's A Christmas Carol: Big Dickens Energy at PTE - photo by Jessica B Hill

Comfort is always in Style

and dinner. Celebrations Dinner Theatre, 1824 Pembina Hwy, in the Canad Inns Fort Garry)

More plays just for kids at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People. MTYP presents A Charlie Brown Double Bill. Charlie Brown has had a rough year and just cannot get into the Christmas spirit. Plus he tries to muster up the courage to talk to the little red-haired girl. (Dec 2-23)

Next, It’s Todd Parr’s Okay to Be Different. Combining innovative puppetry with playful original music, this show will take children down the road to self-confidence and acceptance. (Jan 20-29) Then, Frozen River. In nîkwatin sîpiy, Grandmother Moon tells the story of two 11-year-olds, born under the same blood moon, but in different parts of the world. This new play follows their stories as they meet in a forest, and that of their descendants who meet in the present day in what is known as Manitoba. (Feb 17. All plays at Manitoba Theatre for Young People)

GALLERIES &

Check out the Manitoba Museum’s new Welcome Gallery if you haven’t yet. Created in collaboration with the Elders Council of the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, it ends with a clear view of famed Indigenous artist Daphne Odjig’s spectacular Creation of the World mural.

The Gruffalo at MTYP - Photo Courtesy of Tall Stories (UK)

Meanwhile, The Planetarium has several shows running. Legends of the Northern Sky takes viewers on a journey with the Indigenous peoples of the western plains of Canada, while Explore goes to Mars, with stops throughout history to discover the knowledge needed to voyage to other worlds. (Both shows run to Dec 21)

The Winnipeg Art Gallery presents Red is Beautiful, a show featuring the work of Robert Houle, one of the most influential First Nations artists in the contemporary art world, including over 90 large installations, paintings and drawings created between 1970 and 2020. (to Mar 27) As well, The Presence of Melancholy showcases the haunting paintings of William Kurelek. His documentation of the Ukrainian immigrant is particularly poignant given the current military conflict and oppression in Ukraine. (to Apr 23). Finally, Headlines: The Art of the News Cycle explores the news and how we consume it as the WAG celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Winnipeg Free Press. (to May 22)

Around the corner and down the street, Gallery 1C03 at the University of Winnipeg presents Brings to Light: A Solo Exhibition by Jaimie Isaac, an exhibition of mixed media sculpture, installations, performance and film that responds to the legacy of the Residential School system. (to Feb 17)

The C2 Centre for Craft, a project of the Manitoba Craft Council and the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library, presents a Trunk Sale with Women Helping Women Beadwork, a non-profit collective that sells beadwork for Indigenous women from the Women’s Correctional Centre in Headingley Manitoba, and other federal facilities in Western Canada. 100% of all sales during the Trunk Show will go directly to the makers. (Dec 2, C2 Centre for Craft, 1-329 Cumberland Ave)

The next day, it’s the Made in the Middle Craft Market, with archival patterns transformed into rug hookings, embroideries and quilts. (Dec 3, Norwood Community Centre, 87 Walmer Ave)

The Manitoba Children's Museum presents Eaton's Fairy Tale Vignettes, the last original Eaton’s Fairy Tale Vignettes Display from the ninth floor annex of the Eaton’s downtown store – fully restored and open to the public.

Drop by for a little nostalgia. (to Jan 8, Manitoba Children's Museum)

Current exhibits at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights include Métis Memories of Residential Schools: A Testament to the Strength of the Métis, open to the public in the Community Corridor. This is the first official installation in this new community inspired space, which shares important human rights stories and perspectives. (to Jan 13)

Oseredok Cultural and Educational Centre has two new exhibits, The Immersive World of Ukrainian Art, and Ukraine: Land of the Brave. The most ambitious Ukrainian immersive exhibitions to debut in North America, they combine modern multimedia technologies with traditional ones to allow visitors to immerse themselves in sound, light, and imagery.

(to Apr 29, Oseredok Cultural and Educational Centre, 184 Alexander Ave East)

Who doesn’t love commercials? Great ones, that is. WAG-Qaumajuq presents the 2022 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity – The World’s Best Ads. Representing almost every continent and spanning cultures from around the globe, these award-winning ads are a fascinating window to the world. (Dec 10 - Jan 7, WAGQaumajuq)

Looking for an interesting day out this season? Immerse yourself in aviation history at the recently reopened Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada near Winnipeg Richardson International Airport. The impressive new digs are home to more than 20 aircraft amid exhibits that showcase Western Canada’s aviation history and innovations, with interactive exhibits and audio-visual displays, the Observation Lounge overlooking the airport’s runways, and the Galaxy Exploration Zone for wee wannabe pilots. (2088 Wellington Ave)

MUSIC & EVENTS

Music! Music! Music! Here’s a sample: Celebrate with Big Sugar’s Heated 25th Anniversary Tour at the Burton Cummings Theatre (Dec 27). The very next day, it’s the man himself: Burton Cummings and his Band Unplugged. (Dec 28)

Plus, there’s Burton’s Birthday Bash on Dec. 31 (both shows at the Burt,

of course!) Proceeds from these two concerts will go toward the continued rejuvenation of the building that has been a gathering spot for the community since 1907. Then get loud at the Burt with Anthrax and Black Label Society touring together for the first time. (Jan 24)

Like your music a little more fun and sedate? The Irish Rovers will answer the musical question, “Whatever happened to the unicorns when the ark left them stranded on the shore?” (Mar 22, Club Regent Casino Event Centre)

If you like to laugh, Joe Gatto brings his show to the Burton Cummings Theatre. Best known for the hit TV shows Impractical Jokers and The Misery Index, he’s one of the founding members of The Tenderloins Comedy Troupe who has toured with a live comedy show to sold-out crowds across the world. (Mar 4)

And there are many events to celebrate the Holiday Season.

Lights of the North Christmas is at Garden City Shopping Centre. (To Dec 31) Across town, Zoo Lights features over 1.5 million lights along a two-kilometre loop within Assiniboine Park Zoo. (Dec 1 - Jan 8)

Head east for Canad Inns Winter Wonderland at Red River Exhibition Park, for Manitoba’s largest drive-thru light show with over one million lights in 26 different theme areas. (Dec 1 - Jan 7)

O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy is for fans of Monty Python, Mr. Bean, and Dr. Seuss, with a laughed-filled show inspired by classic British pantos to Winnipeg. (Dec 30, Centennial Concert Hall)

Do you live to curl and love winter?

Ironman Outdoor Curling, an outdoor curling event held on the Red River, is a uniquely Canadian event that’s been going on for more than two decades. (Feb 3-5, Redboine Boat Club, 20 Churchill Drive)

More winter fun can be found at the Festival du Voyageur. Embrace the season at Western Canada’s largest winter festival, with food, live music, giant snow sculptures, and more. It’s a kitchen party for everyone. (Feb 17-26)

Wherever you go and whatever you do this season, have fun and stay safe!

Delectable Dining

Familiar fine dining

Great location, great service and great steaks await at Cork & Flame (3106 Portage Ave). Opened just before the pandemic, the quality of the offering is what has kept the doors open after what most restaurateurs would describe as one of the most challenging periods in food service history.

With white linens on tabletops, the restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner (and lounge) in comfortable, large light-filled rooms with intimate candle-lit dining areas, and seating for 193 guests. The décor is minimalist chic, and the ample, quiet space is all about the food. Service is friendly and professional, with enough staff to guarantee the food comes when it's ready, the coffee cup is topped up, and there is no wait for the check. Plus, the lounge regularly features live entertainment including jazz and light rock favourites.

The large menu offers fresh takes on classics, with signature prime rib (Friday and Saturday) and steaks taking center stage on the dinner slate. The list also sports chicken, ribs, pasta and a variety of plant-based mains and salads, not to mention seafood and burgers.

Breakfasts are varied and massive and include enormous omelettes, skillets and signatures like the featured breakfast entree that comes with two eggs, bacon, ham, sausage and scallions with a topping of cheese and Hollandaise. There are also pancakes, French toast and breakfast burritos and sandwiches.

Lunch dishes feature ‘big boy’ Reubens (8oz of corned beef), prime rib sandwiches and gyros platters and several other faves, like BLTs and Clubhouses on a menu that includes appetizers as well as soups and salads. There is also a full wine list and complete bar service.

We sampled a Rib Eye steak and a dinner salad, and indulged in a massive brownie for dessert. Cork & Flame take their beef program very seriously. Steaks are aged a minimum of 40 days to enhance their tenderness. I was actually able to use a fork to cut the steak (the fork worked, but a knife was a better option), which was perfectly grilled to medium. Steaks also come with signature rubs to take the experience to tastier heights. I tried the Dionysus rub (a secret recipe) on the beef, and selected a peppercorn sauce to accompany the dish.

The dinner Beet Salad was a large portion affair that proved too much for both of us. We had to take home leftovers. It came with warmed beets and tangy feta on top of mixed greens. The dressing was drizzled perfectly, making the salad flavourful and crisp. It was still crisp the next day when we had it again for lunch at home.

Cork & Flame is open Sunday to Thursday, 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, and Friday and Saturday, 8:00 am to 11:00 pm. Reservations are recommended. Enjoy live music comfortably while you dine!

For more information visit www. corkandflame.ca

Inspired & Exceptional

Ever since it opened in October 2021, Nola has been the hot spot of Winnipeg’s restaurant scene. After missing out too many times on getting in ‘the week of,’ I finally got organized and scored a coveted dinner reservation for two. It’s not often an experience exceeds already high expectations. The inspired creations and exceptional execution of Chef Emily Butcher and her team did just that.

Tempted by a selection that included Beef + Beet Tartare and Venison Carpaccio, we opted for the Haloumi Waldorf Salad. Bursting with a freshness, the crisp combination of red grapes, tart apple and candied walnut are offset by tender chili honey fried haloumi cheese enveloped in a light and creamy tahini vinaigrette. An unexpected pop of mint, not listed in the ingredients, was delightful.

Eschewing a tantalizing pickerel sunchoke combination, we went straight for the gusto and put in an order for the Seared Scallops + Lo bak go and another for Braised Lamb. I should note that the dishes at Nola are served as what the server called family-style, but what would be more accurately described as large tapas. Dinner for two encompasses anywhere between three and five dishes.

If I had any but the smallest critique, it would about the pacing. Our salad came out promptly, and the server obligingly fulfilled our very last-minute request to add an order of sourdough with caramelized onion butter in accompani-

ment. But then we waited for what seemed to be a long time, while watching countless orders of Japanese Karaage Fried Chicken leave the counter bordering the open kitchen for other tables.

The lingering pause gave me plenty of time to notice that the restaurant was completely full, including the seats at the bar across from the entrance. I leaned into the leather banquette, nursing my glass of Sauvignon Blanc and relaxed in the low lighting.

Turns out the lamb was well worth the wait, with the complex flavours of the accompanying turmeric risotto lingering unforgettably on the palate. We capped off the evening with Nola’s signature dish, each scallop poised on a delicate smoked goldeye and turnip pavé nestled on a fermented radish beurre blanc that unites all the elements. Spectacular!

It’s obvious that Nola’s place on the 2022 Top 30 Best New Restaurants in Air Canada’s En Route magazine is well warranted. Winnipeg, we have a winner! Be sure to reserve well in advance if you want to find out for yourself.

Make Ahead Eggs Benedict Casserole

10 slices cooked bacon (or thick deli cut ham) – diced

6 English muffins cut into one-inch cubes

8 eggs

2 cups milk (500 mL), or half & half cream

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) pepper

Chopped parsley for garnish

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

4 egg yolks

1⁄2 cup (125 mL) half & half cream

2 tbsp (25 mL) fresh lemon juice

2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard

1⁄2 cup (125 mL) butter, melted

1⁄8 tsp (.5 mL) cayenne, or more to taste

Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle half of the bacon (or ham) in the dish, then add the chopped English muffins; top with remaining bacon. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over the top of the English muffins and bacon. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°F (180°C). Bake (covered with foil) for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

While casserole is baking, prepare the Hollandaise sauce. In a saucepan on medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks, cream, lemon juice, mustard, and cayenne until blended. Continue to cook (whisking constantly) until mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in the melted butter. Drizzle over the casserole, and garnish with chopped parsley (if desired). Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings

Cranberry Pecan Pie

3 eggs, lightly whisked

1 cup (250 mL) corn syrup

2/3 cup (170 mL) granulated sugar

2 Tbsp (25 mL) butter or margarine, melted

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

1 cup (250 mL) pecan halves

1 cup (250 mL) fresh or frozen cranberries, cut in half

1 Tbsp (15 mL) grated orange rind

1 - 9-inch (23 cm) unbaked pastry shell

Whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

Stir together eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Stir in pecans, cranberries and orange rind. Pour into pastry shell.

Bake in preheated 350°F (180°C) oven until knife inserted halfway between

centre and edge comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. (If edge of pie browns too quickly, cover with foil.)

Cool on wire rack. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Makes 8 servings

For nutrient analysis visit eggs.mb.ca

Fresh Gourmet Perogies

From

Entertaining Made Easy

Also

•

The gift of a future

Back in 1942, Anne Sopko, the daughter of Ukrainian immigrants, couldn’t have known that the her small restaurant in the Sutherland Hotel (aptly named Anne’s Grill) would evolve into a business that has become synonymous with the words “entertaining made easy” One of her menu specialties was perogies, and being close to the CP Rail station, she gained a reputation among travellers for serving delicious traditional food.

After meeting Leon Naleway, a pastor from Chicago of Polish decent, the couple married and between them, started Naleway Catering. Ahead of their time, the Naleways quickly figured out how they could take the great food they created and make it easily available to Winnipeggers. Soon their food was selling in grocery store delis, and three years later Naleway Foods was born, focusing mainly on fresh salads, perogies and cabbage rolls.

Fast forward to today and the food and services Naleway Catering provides, caters and sells goes far beyond the same quality food they are well known for. Although Ukrainian dishes will always remain a core part of their repertoire, they have branched out into breakfast, appetizers, food platters that include options for cheese, crackers and pickles, vegetable and fruit trays, dainties and sandwiches, meats and bread. Vegetarian and gluten free options are also available. If that isn’t enough, food by the tray is also available and can be delivered hot and ready to eat or cooked and cold, ready for reheat.

To add convenience and availability, Naleway’s retail venture, Perogy Planet, specializes in fresh, from-scratch perogies, including old favourites such as cheddar and cottage cheese, as well as many new, not-typically-seen varieties like beef taco, pulled pork, and more. Traditional fare such as borscht, cabbage rolls, sauerkraut buns and meatballs are also available, all made fresh and in-house.

The pace of today’s world is hectic all year round but is especially evident during the Christmas season. Sometimes it just makes sense to lean on Naleway Catering and make entertaining easy and delicious whilst enjoying the season with friends and family.

5.8

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3-in-1 Egg Cooker

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Variety, the Children’s Charity of Manitoba steps in where government, healthcare and other funding ends to provide life-saving, life-changing and life-enriching equipment, supplies and services to children in Manitoba living with special needs and experiencing economic disadvantage.

Visit varietymanitoba.com to learn how you can help us make a difference today.

On the BOOKSHELF

by Quentin Mills-Fenn

Paris is a Party, Paris is a Ghost (Picador)

by David Hoon Kim

Henrik Blatand doesn’t look like other Danes; adopted and Koreanborn, he leaves Copenhagen to study English literature in Paris. He starts a relationship with Fumiko, another student, who takes her own life in their dorm. This debut novel by David Hoon Kim moves backward and forward in time, showing how grief manifests in unexpected places and ways as it follows Henrik from his Danish childhood to a career in translation to a film set in Rome, with moments of betrayal, longing, and understanding.

Rouge Street (Metropolitan Books)

by Shuang Xuetao

Doug Diaczuk, journalist and photographer living in Thunder Bay, is a two-time winner of the 3-Day Novel Writing Contest. (A yearly event always worth checking out for the steady quality of the successful entries.) His narrator crashes into other cars for a living.

Under the leadership of a corrupt tow truck operator, he pilfers the stuff left in the demolished cars, ready for the taking, to feed his addictions but recalls an encounter with a woman in a yellow dress, who has her history to deal with. A terse, haunting story about smashed cars and broken people.

Edge Case (Ecco)

by YZ Chin

Edwina is a Malaysian citizen waiting on her green card, working with some tech bros in a start-up in Manhattan. One day she comes home early from work and finds that her husband has left her. She tries to sort out what happened to her marriage while dealing with her sexist co-workers, keeping the news from her overbearing mother back home, and maintaining her visa status. Weaving strands of race, sexism, body image, immigration, and loss, YZ Chin has written a beautiful and funny novel about how the present moment is precarious.

STYLING THE STEREO

Reviewed by Randal McIlroy

NICK MASON’S SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS

Live at the Roundhouse (Sony)

“My accountant tells me I’m in the recycling business,” drummer Nick Mason quipped while promoting another Pink Floyd reissue. Now, his business is recharging. His new band, Saucerful of Secrets, turns the searchlight on dustier pages of the Pink Floyd songbook, avoiding the concert favourites to tap the audacious energy of early days for this live double set. Any suspicion of cozy nostalgia is blown away by the pairing of “Interstellar Overdrive” and “Astronomy Domine,” followed soon by a ferocious “Lucifer Sam.” Guitarists Gary Kemp and Lee Harris and keyboard player Dom Beken more than compensate for Mason’s famous partners, while Kemp and long-serving bassist Guy Pratt sing convincingly. Radical revision is saved for the epic “Atom Heart Mother,” trimmed neatly to fit within the pretty “If” and adding subtle jazz guitar. Clever programming balances short, sharp pop shots with such extended forays as a bracing “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun.”

SOFT CELL Happiness Not Included (BMG)

Lurid Soho sleaze didn’t enchant Marc Almond and Dave Ball for long. Soft Cell rose beyond the demi-monde and the novelty of synthesizer/drum machine pop to make music of a distinctly bruised beauty, made richer as Almond became a better singer and Ball extended his instrumental range. Happiness Not Included is virtually an album of singles. “Bruises on My Illusions” confirms no one does self-deprecation as adroitly as Almond, “Purple Zone” with the Pet Shop Boys is due to shake a disco near you, but the most arresting entry is “Polaroid,” a deadpan account of meeting Andy Warhol and entourage.

S.E. ROGIE Dead Men Don’t Smoke Marijuana (Real WoRld/decca)

Reissued with five other albums by African artists who recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World studios, Dead Men Don’t Smoke Marijuana is the utterly charming swansong of Sooliman Ernest Rogie, renowned as “the golden voice of Sierra Leone,” with a baritone voice as warm as a hug. Rogie was also a fine guitarist, and his supple acoustic work weaves with the electric guitars of Alfred Bannerman and Emile Ogue and the preternaturally alert double bass of Danny Thompson. “African Gospel,” dedicated to refugees around the world, deserves its own prayer book.

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Now is the time, Manitoba

“They say our downtown looks like Chicago,” I told a producer at Sundance while promoting a film, as I often said to people when trying to give Winnipeg some film industry credit. “And we can sometimes pass as New York!”

For many years, epithets like these were shared by Manitobans travelling abroad to other film communities, festivals, sets, conferences, and similar events. And, to be blunt, I hated having to utter them, because the Manitoba film industry shouldn’t be discussed only in comparison to others. The truth is, it stands on its own two feet and rivals the largest cities in the country.

Thankfully, I’m uttering these phrases less and less, as Hollywood is finally starting to take note of what’s goin’ on in little ol’ Manitoba.

In 2021, the province had its best year, with over $365 million in film production-related work flowing through our prairie lands. This, of course, comes with the help of the substantial industry-leading tax credits the provincial government is offering studios to work with our beautiful landscapes, our uber talented crews, and wonderful actors.

Westjet, after lobbying from our provincial and federal governments and local agencies, has also agreed to support this newfound influx in business by adding direct flights from LA to Winnipeg.

This growth in the Manitoba film industry at large is nothing short of remarkable, and Hollywood has been paying attention. I myself just finished working with Zach Galifinakis, Emilia Jones and award winning director Susanna Fogel, who are all here for their Biopic “Winner.”

The result of this big boom? A sharp increase in demand for local film-related services. There has never been a greater need for Manitoban crew members, set designers, producers, directors, and of course, actors. We’re seeing huge investments in industry infrastructure, with studios like Big Sky laying foundations within the province. And further, there are also dollars waiting in the wings for transport services, catering, hospitality, accommodations, and potential set locations.

As a proud Winnipeg native, I want to answer this call and seize the amazing opportunity brought on by this surge of work. Leveraging my 25+ years in film and television - from LA to Vancouver to Toronto to Winnipeg, as a director, producer, writer, and actor - I plan to help create careers in the Manitoba film industry and beyond.

While the Onalee Ames Film Studio has been around for about 20 years already, I’ve decided the time is now to reinvigorate the status quo. We are about to open a brand new state-of-the art facility with new courses in writing, directing, producing, stand-up comedy, and acting, which we are best known for. We are also in the process of completing a light rebrand and rebuild to our website to match today’s digital demands and provide a more streamlined experience.

The sky is truly the limit to what we can accomplish - I’m proud to say we’ve already trained over 2000 local

actors, with more and more students getting auditions and roles each week (currently, we have students who are working on projects all over Canada and the US). And, in a testament to the Winnipeg arts community and the strong relationships we’ve made, I’ve been able to bring in some successful friends to impart their wisdom.

For example, this past year we hosted a writing course with Canadian director/writer Sean Garrity, who taught our students the fundamentals of screenwriting. I’m proud to say that eight successful students completed their first screenplays! What’s even more exciting is that they will be presenting them to a few local producers in January who will decide to potentially take them into production.

Another friend who plans to frequently teach is actor Aleks Paunovic, who now lives in LA and has starred in many productions, including Van Helsing. It was great to have Aleks spend time with our actors in training and talk with them about navigating the film industry as an actor from Canada, as well as the little things directors look for in potential stars. Bringing in successes like Sean and Aleks are always great experiences and we will continue to do so on a regular basis.

You can find our new digs at 257 Osborne Street in the penthouse suite on the sixth floor, which gives you a great look at all the beauty the River city has to offer. With renovations well underway, our facility will rival some of the best in Canada. We are honoured to provide Winnipeg with the world class acting academy it deserves, where anyone with the acting bug can join the local film industry and build a meaningful career.

There has never been a better time to be an actor in Manitoba, with open roles, new business and support constantly growing. I firmly believe that we are all the authors of our own stories, we just have to find your passion to start writing it. Are you ready to answer the call? www.oafilmstudio.com

Soft-spoken musician/producer Mattmac offers a polite correction to a comment. The Internet-connected music organization of artists, writers and producers to which he belongs, name misread from publicity material as Bling and Famous is, in fact, Blind and Famous. “We all collaborate over the Internet,” he adds.

Mattmac, alias Matthew Monias, has been blind from birth. The famous part cannot be far away. In October 2022, Canada’s Walk of Fame awarded him grand prize in the RBC Emerging Musician Program. The honours include a cash prize of $20,000, private studio recording time at Metalworks Studio in Toronto and performance opportunities under the Walk of Fame aegis.

This is only the latest accolade. His first single, “Paradise,” reached top spot on Indigenous Music Countdown, a program on NCI Radio. His debut album, 20/20, was acclaimed Rap/ Electronic Album of the Year at the 2021 Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards. The second, Blurred Visions, arrived recently, led by the single, “Isolation,” with its cool beats, rich string samples and references to home (“When I wrote this I was walking on the reservation” he raps).

The resilient Monias, 22, takes it in stride. “I obviously have a disability,” he told a CBC Radio reporter in an early interview. “I’m blind, but I’ve never let that stop me.”

The quiet determination in his voice explains how the young Oji-Cree musician taught himself to play keyboards and guitar while growing up in Garden Hill First Nation, a fly-in community on the north shore of Island Lake, 610 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. He began singing at four, and performed in a local gospel group. A recent tutorial posted on his website shows how, with keen skills and special software, he builds a backing track for his easy singing and gentle rapping.

“Everything I know today, I was self-taught,” he says.

Acceleration came through a visit from N’we Jinan (“We Live Here”), a touring arts program that visits schools in First Nation communities to nurture young creativity. The Mobile Music and Production Studio provides

A Force from the North

BY RANDAL MCILROY

tools and professional guidance to create music, much of it inspired by the students’ personal experiences. So far, more than 900 young talents have participated to record songs and videos. Monias was 17 when he was invited to collaborate on “Help You See,” a track drawn from personal experience. To date, the video has had more than 250,000 views on YouTube and Facebook.

Videos on his website include scenes of Winnipeg, his current home, mixed with footage recorded far away from the city. “Skofoaride” has him enthusing about “catching a flight to WPG,” while “Paradise” shows him making the most of a visit. The tone overall is humble but heartfelt, whether he’s exploring the Forks or working in the studio.

He moved to the city in frustration with slow Internet service that hampered digital collaboration and the difficulties finding computer service at home, but hopes to return to Garden Hill.

Is it important to show both sides of that experience? “I think so,” he

replies. “I come from an Indigenous community. (Moving) kind of shows that transition.”

Subtle references to pride and self-sufficiency lace his music. Blurred Visions was recorded both in Garden Hill First Nation and Winnipeg, and many of the tracks explore the impact of leaving home. “I was able to work through the blurriness and uncertainties of my future, and find a new creative space to build my life and career,” he explained in publicity material.

“As someone who comes from a First Nation community and is trying to make it, I like to express how I’m feeling,” he adds.

In the opening, title track to 20/20, Monias begins by breaking the fourth wall. A simple introduction soon turns unsettling: “If you take a look at me, you’ll probably make your assumptions and say I wouldn’t amount to much.”

With Winnipeg concerts planned for the near future, Mattmac looks forward to proving them wrong.

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

BY JULIE GERMAINE

Anew year is an exciting opportunity for a new beginning, and for many people, health and fitness are high priorities on the list of resolutions. I love this, and as an accredited fitness and nutrition professional, this explosion of motivation is music to my ears! High hopes and big goals are a wonderful way to welcome 2023, and I’m here to help you realize your dreams with some tips for success.

“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.”

– Germany Kent

Reinventing yourself is thrilling, and trying something new that is outside your comfort zone may work in your favour. That said, change is tough, so you may want to stick to activities you already enjoy to get the most for your efforts. For example, a Zumba or dance class may sound like fun, but maybe you end up hating the music or find it difficult to match your schedule to the studio’s hours. Instead, planning to use your upright bike at home while catching up on your favourite streaming service will be easier and more realistic.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

– C.S. Lewis

Are you a planner? Your big, overall resolution is important, but setting short-term goals will allow you to break down the process and develop benchmarks to celebrate progress. In other words, if you hope to lose 50 lbs, establish a timeframe to motivate you on a daily and monthly basis. My clients and I also like to create SMART goals together, being Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Bound. Visit my blog for resources on this subject: https://www.juliegermaine. com/fitness-blog/

“What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet.”

– Anne Frank

I love this quote, like chills! Having a positive outlook on your future is so

crucial, and of course, the happiest days include your people! Be sure to talk about your goals with your friends and family, perhaps you’ll be the inspiration that spurs them into action,

along with you! Not only will it help with accountability, but also having a community cheering you on boosts your success rate big time. Too shy for this advice? Instead, sign up for a fitness challenge so you connect with others on the same journey.

“Strength shows not only in the ability to persist, but the ability to start over.”

– F. Scott Fitzgerald

Believe in yourself, and if you aren’t sure where to start, get help and a clear plan to move forward.

Julie Germaine is a 2x International Pro Fitness Champion, Certified Nutrition Expert and Specialized Fat Loss Coach. She has helped thousands of men and women lose 2” from their waistlines in less than 30 days through her virtual coaching since 2005. Check out her services at www.juliegermaine.com or book a FREE diet consultation: www. calendly.com/juliegermaine

Dale Hawerchuk might have been born in Toronto, but he was Winnipeg through and through. While other hockey greats, such as Gretzky or Lemieux, played the superstar role, ‘Ducky’, as he was so lovingly known, was simply a humble ‘get ‘er done’ work-a-day hero on the ice that often earned him 100 points a season and took him beyond 1000 points in a 16 season career. On and off the ice, he embodied Winnipeg’s characteristic low-key attitude that has made us the ‘collars up’ ‘walk-it-off’ city we are today.

Fitting then, that this past October, Winnipeg hockey fans, alongside Jet’s ownership at True North Sports + Entertainment and the Hawerchuk family unveiled a bronze statue commemorating the team’s famed number 10, who passed away in 2020 at age 57. The artwork, located in the heart of downtown in True North Square, was created by sculptor Erik Blome, a US-based artist known for other prominent works on sports greats Wayne Gretzky and Michael Jordan, and shows Centre Dale Hawerchuk in classic form. Standing on a base of local Tyndall Stone, the larger-than-life bronze displays all the grace and determination of this down-to-earth hockey hero where his effortless glide and drive to the net are on full display.

“Dale’s NHL career alone made him worthy of a statue in this city, but what really set him apart was the fact that he made Winnipeg his home, and that he became one of us,” says Mark Chipman, Executive Chairman, Winnipeg Jets and True North Sports + Entertainment. “As great of a player as Dale was, he was a finer human being. He was a humble guy that did all his talking with his game, and never lost that sense of humility. This statue is in honour of much more than his on-ice play – it’s a legacy to the values that he lived every day.”

Chipman was on hand in 1981 when Hawerchuk stood amid a sea of enthusiastic fans at Portage & Main to sign on with the Jets.“ I’ve never lost that sense of pride for our community and for what the Jets mean to this province. No one epitomized that or created that sense of pride in my lifetime more than Dale did, and it’s clear he’s left a similar mark on many Manitobans.”

BY KELLY GRAY

Humble Hero

Over his career, Hawerchuk did it all. He was a player, a coach and a captain. Current Centre Mark Scheifele was coached by Hawerchuk when he played junior in Barrie.

"He was the best coach I've ever had," said Scheifele during his remarks at the unveiling. "I don't think there's many out there like him. He was a guy that just wanted to teach guys, no matter if you were a first-line [forward] or a fourth liner, whoever it was, he wanted to teach you about how to get better or what to do on the ice [and] he would be on the ice showing you how to do it.”

Chipman agrees and points out that he was a true leader, on and off the ice.

“Dale was a fantastic Captain for many of the same reasons that endeared him to Manitobans,” he says, noting that what you saw was what he was. “As Winnipeggers, we pride ourselves on not having a lot of pretense in our community. We are who we are. We don’t try to be something we’re not. That was Dale as well, throughout his career and throughout his life. That authenticity is something I always admired, and is no doubt, what made him such a great leader on and off the ice.”

Advancing Indigenous Achievement in Manitoba in an era of Truth, Reconciliation & Racial Reckoning

Winnipeg, Manitoba is located within the territory of the first Canadian Indian Treaty, known as Treaty One Territory. It was signed in 1871, a few short years after confederation when Canada declared itself a new country.

Rebecca Chartrand is a “Treaty Indian” - a First Nations woman who identifies as Anishinaabe, Inninew with Scottish and French ancestry. She invites all Manitobans to see how they too are treaty people. “If you’re a Manitoban, by default you are a Treaty person,” she says.

Rebecca is the President/CEO of Indigenous Strategy Alliance, an Indigenous-owned and led Manitobabased consulting firm that aims to educate and empower their clients towards acts of reconciliation, one project at a time. She is also the former Vice President of Indspire, a national charitable organization, former Executive Director of Indigenous Strategy of Red River College, and former divisional principal for Seven Oaks School Division.

Rebecca has worn many hats working in K-12 and post-secondary education, which encompasses her work as a teacher, consultant, and staff officer for the Manitoba Teachers’ Society. She also helped develop the Aboriginal Circle of Educators (now called Full Circle) and founded the Council for Indigenous Peoples in Manitoba, which is affiliated as a special area group with the Manitoba Teachers’ Society. She is also one of the founders of the Manitoba Aboriginal Education Awards.

Underscoring those achievements, Rebecca has been the recipient of several awards, including the Canadian Aboriginal Music Award in 2000 for a CD she made entitled Onjida, which mixed traditional Anishinaabe melodies with modern production. The purpose of this was to ensure local First Nation songs would be learned in

Manitoba schools and shared in and amongst the community.

Indeed, the well-known advocate often goes above and beyond the call of duty to drive new initiatives or see them through to a fruitful end. For example, Rebecca was a driving force behind the creation of a new Ojbiwe bilingual school in the Seven Oaks School Division, which was the first of its kind in Winnipeg.

It's evident that when she isn’t working, her time is devoted to community development, and to the revitalization of culture, language,

and identity through education, the arts, theatre, and music. Through Red Roots and Awasikan theatre, for example, she helped write and performed in plays that would address issues of racism, youth suicide, and the need for truth-telling and cultural revitalization. One of those plays was called “Those Damn Squaws,” which aimed to address the issues of exploitation, racism, and missing and murdered Indigenous women.

“That play is just as relevant today as it was 25 years ago when it was first launched,” she remarks. “In fact, it is currently being work-shopped by Echo

Theatre for a potential revision and launch in the next year or so.”

Rebecca has received many awards for her accomplishments to date. A few of these include the Indigenous Leadership Award from the Banff Leadership Institute, a Canadian Race Relations Award, and for Excellence in Education, which was awarded to ACE, Aboriginal Circle of Educators while she was leading the development of the organization as the co-chair.

Through Indigenous Strategy, Rebecca’s vision is to contribute to and through an empowered Indigenous Canada. Overall, she wants Canadians to see Indigenous peoples as strong, confident, capable and contributing members of society, which unfortunately goes against the grain of what exists in the minds of too many.

“We are still working against anti-Indigenous racism and must continue to educate ourselves to understand its roots. Indigenous peoples are growing in numbers, strength, and confidence, and we are highly effective in workspaces and in running our own businesses. However, we need to make conscious efforts to make room for Indigenous peoples to participate in all industry sectors across the county,” she states.

As an educational leader, Rebecca has contributed to the development of numerous curricula, resources, programs, and policies. Among those contributions is her help in the development and training of many facilitators of the KAIROS blanket activity that is used to educate people about Manitoba’s colonial history.

“Education is key, and plays a central role in improving race relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. It will help non-Indigenous peoples recognize the opportunities afforded to them by the Canadian Indian Treaties and live up to the Treaty promises,” notes Rebecca.

“If you live and work in Canada, own land, or run a business in Canada, this was made possible because of the Canadian Indian Treaties.  Simply put, immigrant settlers back then and newcomers that continue to immigrate to Canada today and tomorrow need to know that the Treaties created the opportunity to plant roots within our territories, to prosper economically

and socially to the benefit of their families and future generations. This truth must be illuminated and appreciated in order for Indigenous and non-Indigenous relations to improve. Unfortunately, we have not learned about Treaties in our Canadian public schools, leaving the average Canadian with little or no knowledge, understanding, or personal relationship with Indigenous peoples to appreciate the opportunities afforded to them by the Treaties. This contributes to sustained stereotypes and sustained exclusion of Indigenous peoples. Simply put, if you are a citizen of Manitoba, you are also a Treaty person with rights and responsibilities that we must all live up to,” she explains.

Rebecca was grateful for the invitation to accompany the Film Commissioner of Manitoba on a visit to LA with top executives from the film industry. Thanks to Rod Bruinooge, she was able to meet with Netflix, Disney, Amazon, and Amherst Theatres, including many Manitoba Film Industry stakeholders. It was on this trip that Rebecca heard that “Indigenous-first inclusion in Canada” was top of mind for LA industry executives.

She was invited to share her vision to grow Indigenous representation in the Manitoba film industry. To her, the obvious incentives to film in Winnipeg include a 65% film industry tax credit and now direct flights from LA to Winnipeg.

“But from a lens of Truth and Reconciliation and racial reckoning, we must recognize that Winnipeg is situated on Treaty One Territory, where most film productions take place.  We must recognize that diversity, equity and inclusion are top of mind for LA film executives. Winnipeg is home to the highest Indigenous population in Canada, which is why Indigenous-first inclusion must be a top priority in Manitoba,” says Rebecca.

“There is an opportunity to right historical wrongs with an approach that is mutually beneficial for all involved. It’s a great story to tell and one that the LA film industry is waiting to tell. We create the opportunity by ensuring we train a workforce that is inclusive of Indigenous peoples; we create room to tell Indigenous stories as tangible acts of reconciliation. We illuminate Manitoba’s rich history of diversity, equity, and inclusion starting with the DEI story found in the Canadian Indian Treaties. This is sexy, it is relevant, it is what is needed now because it's appealing, smart business, and anything less is status quo and wouldn’t represent us well as Manitobans,” she continues.

Rebecca feels that Indigenous Strategy is well positioned to help this vision come to fruition. To her, it is a clear and tangible act of reconciliation. To learn more about Rebecca Chartrand and Indigenous Strategy Alliance visit www.indigenousstrategy.com

Michelle Boivin, Rebecca Chartrand & Ben Carr of Indigenous Strategy Alliance.

Accessing Treatment for Mental Illness & Addiction

BY CHRISTINE HANLON

The challenge of accessing and navigating the mental health care system is already daunting for someone whose ability to function and make decisions is not impaired by depression, anxiety, psychosis, and/or addiction. Imagine how challenging it is for someone whose symptoms by their very nature prevent them from taking the steps they need to seek and obtain help. The purpose of this regular column is to shine a light on a health care system that is both difficult to navigate and under-resourced when it comes to treating mental illness and/or addiction.

Although public awareness of mental health issues has come a long way in the last 10 to 20 years, the perception that mental health is separate from physical health persists. Yet, the nervous system and the thoughts and feelings it controls are very much part of our body.

“Dualism – cleaving into two that which is one – colours all our beliefs on health and illness,” writes Gabor Mate, a Canadian expert on trauma, addiction and mental health. “We attempt to understand the body in isolation from the mind. We want to describe human beings – healthy or otherwise – as though they function in isolation from the environment in which they develop, live, work, play, love and die. These are the built-in, hidden biases of the medical orthodoxy that most physicians absorb during their training and carry into their practice.”

The health care system has appointed the family doctor – for those who

have one – as the access point to most resources, including those that address mental health and addictions. But are all family doctors equipped with the knowledge and the ability to help patients access those resources? How often are patients offered or connected with the resources that exist? How well are these resources publicized?

For instance, did you know that during the pandemic, the Government of Manitoba offered a number of new mental health services to Manitobans?

(See www.gov.mb.ca/covid19/bewell.)

One program, through the Strongest Families Institute provides accessible, evidence-based, bilingual, skills-based online mental health services for children, youth, adults, and families through group-based and one-on-one telephone coaching or a self-guided program. Individuals can self-refer and the program is free of charge. Another, Wellness Together Canada, is a mental health and substance abuse website to support people across Canada that provides “online resources, and connects you to peer support workers, social workers, psychologists and other trained professionals, at no cost.”

Peer support is at the heart of Peer Connections Manitoba (peerconnectionsmb.ca), offering workshops and oneon-one telephone counselling both to individuals and to their caregivers. As well, Manitobans can now self-refer to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Mindfulness (CBTm), an online education program designed to help you build resilience and improve mental health wellness. And other easily-ac-

cessible programming can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/mh/mh/crisis.html, including links to provincially-funded community mental health agencies, such as the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).

These are all excellent resources and are readily available to those who know they exist. However, for those who need in-person and/or more complex and intensive therapy, it’s a different story. Except for those who can afford to pay out-of-pocket for expensive treatment, lack of available resources and long waiting lists are typical.

According to the Canadian Medical Association, Manitoba had 13.3 psychiatrists per 100,000 people in 2019. In comparison, many European countries have over 20, with Germany and Norway, 27 and 29, respectively. At the same time, half of Canadian psychiatrists are over 55, and there aren’t nearly enough joining the profession to replace them, so the shortage will only get worse. Wait times of months to more than a year on referrals are the norm. People often become sicker as they wait for treatment.

If they end up in the hospital, patients are often discharged with little or no follow up from either a psychiatrist or a community health care worker. Only the most extreme cases – those who make repeated visits to emergency departments for mental health crises and have had multiple inpatient stays in psychiatric wards – are eligible for service from the Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT), an outreach oriented comprehensive com-

munity treatment, rehabilitation, and support service provided to participants in their homes, at work, and in community settings.

A multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals (including a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, mental health specialists, addiction specialists and vocational rehabilitation specialists) PACT assists clients with both mental health needs and basic needs. These include everyday activities such as caring for oneself, taking medications, establishing social relationships, finding and keeping places to live and work, as well as managing one's finances. The aim is to help participants regain stability, take steps towards recovery and achieve personal goals.

The PACT program saves the health care system money by keeping participants out of the hospital. For others, a hospital stay can feel more like catch and release. “In a lot of cases, both you and the psychiatrist who is discharging you know that you’re going to be back,” says Jane (not her real name), who was an in-patient at the Health Sciences Centre (HSC).

As a child and adolescent struggling with chronic suicidality, she participated in an out-patient Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Program at HSC and was later able to obtain a referral to a multi-month in-patient DBT Program at the Selkirk Mental Health Centre – now temporarily on hold because of COVID-19. The 10-bed program, accessible by referral, is reserved for adults experiencing severe difficulties with emotional and behavioural regulation, including selfharm and suicidality, who cannot be successfully treated in an outpatient setting. DBT programming includes skills training group sessions (mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation), individual psychotherapy, and 24-hr/ day in-the-moment skills coaching from a team that includes psychiatry, psychology, social work, occupational therapy, nurses, and nursing assistants

Jane stumbled across the program by accident while searching for resources online. “It was by happenstance and never mentioned to me as a resource,” she recalls, adding that she was subsequently able to obtain a referral.

As an outpatient, Jane had only been able to access short-term therapy with a cap on how many sessions she received, a challenge common to those seeking mental health care. At one point she was seeing a regular therapist, thanks to a family member who was paying out-of-pocket. “That was absolutely crucial,” she says. “I don’t know where I would be without that.”

Fewer psychiatrists are providing counselling, resulting in longer wait times for publicly-funded service. At the same time, most people can’t afford to pay for regular private counselling from a psychologist. (There is some very limited coverage of psychology services by Manitoba Health with long wait times. The Manitoba Psychological Society’s website at www.mps.ca provides information on accessing both private practice and publicly funded psychologists). Private health insurance often pays for only limited sessions, so people with complex problems either tell their story over and over to multiple counsellors or just give up. By covering costs of counselling by psychologists, the Manitoba government could potentially double treatment capacity.

The need has never been greater. According to the Manitoba Psychological Society, in 2018, 28% of Manitobans had a diagnosed mental health disorder, and up to 70% of problems brought to family doctors had a mental health component (the latter from the government-sponsored VIRGO report on the state of health care in Manitoba).

Increasing rates of substance abuse have only exacerbated the problem, as these issues inevitably have a mental health component. The Government of Manitoba recognized this undeniable link by uniting services for both addictions and mental health under one umbrella, as a result of a report entitled Improving Access and Coordination of Mental Health and Addictions Services: A Provincial Strategy for all Manitobans, produced in 2018 by VIRGO Planning and Evaluation Consultants.

Meanwhile, Manitoba is in crisis when it comes to addictions and related overdoses and deaths. According to Manitoba’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, between January and December 2020, 372 people lost their lives to overdoses in the province, an 87%

increase over 2019. In 2022, the number rose to 407, setting a new record.

Opioid addiction to substances such as fentanyl, Oxycontin, and heroin has reached crisis proportions. At the same time, according to the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, in 2019, methamphetamine (meth) use was the most common reason (aside from alcohol) why Manitobans were seeking help for addictions and drug use.

From 2013-2018, there was a seven-fold increase in the number of Manitobans using meth who had contact with the health care system.

In response to this multi-faceted crisis, Manitoba Health and Community Wellness opened several Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM) dropin clinics for people looking to get help with high risk substance use and addictions. There are six RAAM Clinics in Manitoba (sharedhealthmb.ca/services/ mental-health/raam-clinic) that provide immediate counselling, prescribe appropriate addiction medication, and are a point of access to other services by connecting patients to community treatment programs and primary care physicians in their community.

Along with non-residential treatment programs and a range of supports relating to alcohol and substance abuse through the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba (AFM), Manitoba offers free 21-day residential treatment programs at a number of locations across the province. However, these typically have lengthy wait times.

There are also some concerns about the success of those programs. The VIRGO report cites one respondent among stakeholders it consulted from across Manitoba’s health care system: “I feel that anyone with substance use/addi-

tions cannot be cured in 21-day programs. They need to be in a program for months.” I could find no statistics on success rates or relapse rates, so I wonder if much has changed since the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction reported in December, 2017 that “there are limited common data collection processes in Manitoba, making it difficult to fully validate the data provided by agencies.”

Among the VIRGO report’s list of challenges for substance use/addictions services and supports, the most commonly identified gaps in continuum of care were “inpatient/residential treatment beds (particularly long-term models of care).” There are very few options for longer term programming in Manitoba, and limited funding for patients in need. The opening of the 50-bed Bruce Oake Recovery Centre (www.bruceoakerecoverycentre.ca) in 2021 has increased that capacity. However, the facility is for adult men only.

There are advantages to gender-specific programs says one mother whose daughter went out-of-province for longterm residential addictions treatment. “Any addictions counsellor will tell you it is very unhealthy to enter relationships while undergoing treatment,” she explains. “It causes people to put their focus on the relationship more than their treatment, which must remain the priority. Plus, in group sharing therapy sessions, it would be very difficult for women to open up about sexual abuse.”

Her daughter’s out-of-province treatment was funded by Manitoba Health, a possibility few may know exists. The long-term treatment followed several in-province 21-day stays. The mother wonders about the possibility of opening a large residential treatment centre outside of Winnipeg, “far enough from the city that participants would think twice before quitting the program, but close enough for occasional family visits.”

She also points to the need for transitional programming, including follow-up and after-care supports, something the VIRGO report also identified as a gap in Manitoba. Ongoing counselling as well as programming focused on skills development, employment, and housing can be crucial stabilizing factors for a person’s sustained recovery.

This approach is at the heart of Shared Health’s Co-occurring Disorders Outreach (CODI) services, an intensive rehabilitation-oriented service that integrates substance abuse services with mental health services. The CODI team works with individuals to build skills and develop resources needed to reduce harms associated with substance use and be successful in any or all of the following life areas: living, learning, working, and participating in social networks. The program is accessed by referral from a physician, psychiatrist, or nurse practitioner (sharedhealthmb.ca/services/mental-health/ codi) and has limited capacity.

With opioid addiction to substances such as fentanyl, oxycontin and heroin, treatment often includes opioid agonist therapy (OAT). Options for OAT include methadone and, now more frequently, Suboxone to manage the dangerous and painful side-effects of withdrawal from opioids. When and how to wean from OAT are an important part of an individual’s personalized treatment.

Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine, which reduces a person’s urges, and naloxone, which helps reverse the effects of opioids. You may be familiar with naloxone as the drug that first responders and police carry as a fast-acting way to save lives when attending an overdose.

Unfortunately, there is no such resource for responding to an incidence of meth-induced psychosis, often accompanied by hallucinations and extreme paranoia. (The antipsychotic drug olanzapine has been used with mixed

results). Terrifying to both users and those around them, meth psychosis can last for hours or days, during which users can be a danger to both themselves and others. One of the VIRGO report recommendations is to “increase capacity for short-term stabilization, both medical and non-medical, with flexible lengths of stay so as to facilitate transitions to treatment, including stabilization services for people in crisis due to crystal methamphetamine use

At the same time, it has become obvious that police officers need special training to handle calls related to persons suffering from meth-induced psychosis. In November 2021, the City of Winnipeg, the Winnipeg Police Service, and Shared Health’s Crisis Response Centre launched the Alternative Response to Citizens in Crisis (ARCC) pilot project to address 911 calls that require additional supports for people experiencing a mental health crisis, including psychosis. ARCC teams are comprised of an officer in plain clothes and a specialized mental health clinician.

Far too many people with substance use disorders who act out while in meth psychosis end up in the criminal justice system rather than in treatment. In a 2019 report of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health, the Chief Constable of the Calgary Police Service noted that “a lack of mental health and substance use treatment options means that often individuals are arrested for their drug-related crime.”

In the same report, Dr. Ginette Poulin, Medical Director, Addictions Foundation of Manitoba explained that between 2018 and 2019 there was a 104% increase in reported methamphetamine use in Manitoba adults. The situation only worsened during the pandemic, as many Manitobans know only too well.

Shining a light on addiction and mental health is a critical part of ensuring our decision-makers continue to make addressing these crises a priority. At the same time, sharing resources is a valuable way of supporting one another in addressing an issue that touches us all. Through this regular column, Style Manitoba is committed to playing a part in sustaining the conversation.

Your Thoughts

My husband and I absolutely loved the home featured on the cover of Style Manitoba’s Fall 2022 edition! The cylin drical black light fixtures suspended above that gorgeous stone countertop with its white veining and waterfall edges added just the right touch of dark drama to the crisp black and white theme prevalent throughout the home. The glass paneled staircase and fabulous glassed-in wine rack with its fieldstone backdrop make such a unique and luxurious statement in this home. Kudos to Artista Homes for such an incredibly creative home design!

Ilsa Jennings, Winnipeg

My wife and I moved to Winnipeg in 2020, and were delighted to find Style Manitoba delivered to our mailbox every three months. Your magazine has featured some pretty outstanding home designs in every issue we’ve seen so far. A few of the most memorable for us include a fabulous home built by White Label Homes (Summer 2021), followed by Harris Builders (Fall 2021), Mannington Homes (Winter 2021) and K Streu Homes (Spring 2022). These builds were all very different from each other, but had one thing in common – they were all clearly indicative of Manitoba’s homebuilding talent. Since we’re hoping to build within the next couple years, Style Manitoba has been an excellent go-to source for new home designs and newer residential communities in which to build. And since we were newbies to the city, Stepping Out has been a great entertainment source as well. Please keep your magazine coming!

Jared Hornby, Winnipeg

It’s great to read about new apartments and condos currently being constructed in Winnipeg. We’ve been searching for the perfect place to relocate to for some time now, and actually found it in the last issue of Style Manitoba. The Pearl seems like the perfect place for my wife and I –it’s a great location and offers some fairly slick finishing and wonderful amenities. Hopefully, our name won’t be too far down the waitlist by the time we apply for a suite in this building!

Jackson Inglis, Winnipeg

Combining their love of wood & style, these local artisans thrive on designing & making unique “kreations,” ranging from shadowbox frames & signs to minimalist wood wallets. Follow them on Instagram @luckynumber3kreations or email them direct.

Lucky Number 3 Kreations

Email: Ln3kreations@hotmail.com

Instagram @luckynumber3kreations

Facebook: https://wwwfacebook.com/luckynumber3kreations/

Decorative and minimal…but oh so eye catching! The Elixir features an opal glass globe adorned by a thick metallic stem. Fixtures from this collection are both simple and geometrically interesting.

Total Lighting Sales

347 William Ave

www.totallightingsales.ca

dFABFINDS

Visit

Wonderful World of Sheepskin

Wonderful World of Sheepskin

250 Dufferin Ave

www.worldofsheepskin.com

Hand cast concrete home décor items by local artisans Tyson & Aynslee MacKay. Follow them on Instagram @sandstonestyle for upcoming markets & product pictures. To order, visit their Etsy page or email them direct.

Sand Stone Style

sandstonestyle@hotmail.com

www.sandstonestyle.ca

Platinum treasures and local passion. John Watson and his team specialize in custom work, designing and creating each piece with care from their established studio in Winnipeg's Osborne Village. Stop by their showroom to see their latest creations and gems from around the world.

Watson Workshop

236 Osborne St South

204-956-2096

www.watsonworkshop.ca

Unleash your inner artist or gift a creative experience with these whimsical wooden Art Kits designed, made, and packaged on Vancouver Island, BC. Premium wood pieces are laser cut and boxed together with paints, brushes, wood glue, colour mixing guide and instructions. Ready to assemble and awaiting your creativity! Various designs available priced $30-$46.

Woodlands Gallery

535 Academy Road

www.woodlandsgallery.com

Baby - it’s cold outside! Keep your tootsies warm & cozy in cute comfy slippers from this local shop. While you’re there, check out the wide range of high quality footwear found at this locale.

European Shoe Shop

436 Academy Rd

www.europeanshoeshop.com

From trendy to traditional, big or small, this florist shop creates beautiful unique designs for every style and budget.

Art's Flowers

974 St. Mary's Rd

204-253-0961

www.artsflowers.ca

Cleaning made simple

Vacuflo central vacuum systems are already the most convenient cleaning tool in the home. Indeed, Vacuflo has earned its positive reputation for over 65 years in the Manitoba market with central vacuum systems that take housework to new levels of simplicity. Now, homeowners are looking to Vacuflo for quick cleaning solutions, from garages to ensuites to kitchen pantry areas with strategically placed vacuum hookups.

SPOT outlets install behind walls in high traffic flow areas. SPOT features a 15-foot retractable self-storing hose that's ideal for laundry rooms, pantries, pet areas, foyers and mudrooms. The system utilizes the power of the central vacuum, but in a more targeted way designed for area-specific quick clean and go functions in high traffic places. Lift the lid, pull out the hose and flip the switch to clean messes. When finished, SPOT retracts back into the wall and out of sight.

VROOM is another option that makes quick cleanups a breeze. These selfcontained units attach to the central vacuum system and install under counters and cabinets. The hose reels from the receptacle and turns on at the touch of the handle. Once finished, the hose retracts out of sight into the under-cabinet box.

VROOM-Retract Vac is ideal for the garage. Vroom Retract Vac comes standard with a 30-foot hose, but can be customized up to 50 feet. With its extensive hose reach, Vroom Retract Vac cleans everything inside garages and has the length to get to driveways and parked cars. Its surface-mount design is easy to install with no cutting into the wall required.

For more information, visit www.vacuflomanitoba.com

Winter Cleaning CHECKLIST

Once the holiday season winds down, most homeowners are in need of a deep winter cleaning. It’s time to pack up all those holiday decorations until next year, and focus on the cleaning tasks at hand.

LIVING SPACES

• Clean under furniture. In fact, turn living room furniture over and remove cobwebs and dust that may have accumulated over the past few months. Vacuum the underside of furniture, along with flooring beneath it.

• Wash floors. Ensure that the right cleaning products are used for different types of flooring, such as hardwoods, laminates and linoleum

• Clean the rugs. Not only do rugs need vacuuming, they also need to be shampooed occasionally. After the holiday season, they will need it!

• Dust all nooks & crannies, such as baseboards, tops of doorframes, art, light fixtures & ceiling fans.

KITCHEN

• Go through your pantry. Start by removing everything; then dispose of expired items. Start a box for donations & fill it with anything you’re not going to use. Then neatly organize the remaining items.

• Clean inside your refrigerator. Remove everything from the fridge. Toss expired items & miscellaneous hidden leftovers. Next, wash the racks and shelves with a mixture of water, vinegar & baking soda. Wipe clean with a damp, microfiber cloth & return items to their spots.

• Clean the oven. Ovens usually do double duty through the holiday season, so now’s the time for a thorough clean.

• Disinfect trashcans.

BATHROOMS

• In addition to regular cleaning in the bathroom, it’s time to do a few extra tasks:

• Clean and disinfect toilet brushes. Submerge toilet brushes in a solution of six parts water to one part bleach. Let sit for three minutes, remove & rinse. Allow brushes to air-dry before returning to holders.

• Wash shower curtains & shower doors. It might also be time to replace shower curtain liners.

BEDROOMS

Focus on the following tasks in the bedroom:

Declutter closets. Take everything out & start a donation box for unused items. Organize & rehang clothing. Clean & organize closet shelves

Vacuum under beds. Get all those elusive dust bunnies. Clean the mattress. Launder pillows & bedding

HOME MAINTENANCE

• Clean washing machine

• Complete a thorough furnace prep checklist & change filter.

• Check batteries in smoke & carbon monoxide detectors.

• Clean vents.

When the heat comes on, the last thing you want is for settled dust to blow all over the house. Remove vent covers. Dust & then wash them with mild dish soap & warm water. Dry immediately. Suck out lingering vent dust by vacuuming with an attachment. Reattach vent covers.

• Disinfect commonly touched places in your home to prevent the spread of germs. Winter is a difficult time for staying healthy, but keeping your home clean is a great precaution against germs.

Renovation Inspiration

The Winnipeg Renovation Show is ready to excite, inspire and inform this January 13-15, 2023 at the RBC Convention Centre. Bring your questions and be prepared for answers, thanks to a program packed with industry-leading professionals such as HGTV Canada’s Bryan Baeumler, Curtis Breslaw of All Canadian Renovations and Shonna Peitsch of Vesta Custom Design.

“There's so much to see and do at the Winnipeg Renovation Show – whether you have a project in mind, or not,” says Baeumler. “It's a great place for any homeowner (or future homeowner) to talk to the experts, meet talented local contractors and designers, and find out some of the latest industry trends,” he adds.

“I’m going to talk about everything people need to know about spending and investing in their homes. I'll be sharing insight about how to save money with any home, and providing tips and tricks for increasing the value of your home,” says Baeumler, mentioning that he will also be sharing some behind-the-scenes stories from his HGTV Canada shows along with a live Q&A.

So much to do!

Just as in years past, organizers of the 2023 show have packed three days with lots of value for attendees. For example, local pros will offer trade tips and insight on The Lifestyle Stage, presented by Vesta Custom Design and the Winnipeg Free Press and with Ask a Renovator, presented by the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association and RENO+DECOR Magazine where visitors can get a free 15-minute consult. At the Design Studio, presented by Style Manitoba, designed by OM Staging and sponsored by Cloverdale Paint, problem rooms and design challenges are open for discussion, with another opportunity to sit for a 15-minute get-together with industry leaders. Look to M(ART)KET to purchase wall décor with a large slate of local artists on hand. RV’s Reimagined, presented by ReVolution Trailers, will allow attendees to explore unique trailers in the midst of renovation and in their post-renovation glory. At The Lounge, sponsored by Blue Rose Interiors and RW Staging and Design, designers Kelly Belanger and Rena Walters will create a beautiful space for attendees to sit back and relax. They will also be on hand on The Lifestyle Stage to offer their considerable expertise. “We see nature coming indoors as an important trend this year in interior design, and will be discussing how people can add this element to homes,” says Rena, noting that the Show offers so much tangible information that people can really use. “The Winnipeg Renovation Show is the place for people to come together and kick start their imaginations with a fresh injection of inspiration.”

For more information, visit www.winnipegrenovationshow.com

Top 5 Reno Projects for Homeowners

BY LUKE FENNIMORE

Buying a home continues to be the single largest purchase Canadians will make in their lifetime. Today’s real estate market remains volatile, causing home prices to skyrocket. That, coupled with rising interest rates, is making home ownership more expensive and risky. Current market conditions are forcing homeowners to rethink their future plans, and as a result, many are opting to renovate rather than selling.

Some homeowners choose a renovation to increase the value of a house in preparation for selling, while for others, it’s often because the more affordable option is to stay and enjoy the updated living space. Whatever the reason, there are renovations and then there are renovations. Most often, homeowners undertake upgrades with the purpose of increasing the value of their house or property. According to 2021 data, these are the top five home renovations planned by Canadians:

1) Kitchens

Kitchens will always figure heavily into any renovation plan, and this should come as no surprise considering the amount of time we spend there. In fact, new home design has focused on making the kitchen the primary entertaining and family gathering spot in the home. It all comes down to value for money, and considering the many options there are to renovate kitchens, it’s easy to see how undertaking such a project will reap benefits. From changing out the appliances, cabinets and countertops to replacing flooring, the options are plentiful. If the home has an older floor plan the alterations may include removing walls to create the open designs so popular in new homes. Although kitchen renovations tend to be expensive, the ROI is quite high - in the neighbourhood of up to 91 percent. If major appliances are included in work being done, there may be incentive programs available.

2) Windows & Doors

Particularly with older homes, replacing windows and doors is another big ticket and expensive upgrade. Modern window technology has developed to the point where we can now achieve R-values unheard of in the past, allowing for larger windows, and thereby increasing natural light while adding an airy atmosphere to your home. Local incentive programs such as Efficiency Manitoba target window and doors, and offer rebates for replacing or upgrading them. ROI for these types of projects run from 85 to 90 percent, not to mention reductions in heating costs, which can make these upgrades very popular.

3) Lower Level Development

Basement remodelling is another large renovation target - one that has the potential to double the liveable square footage of your home. Considering that homeowners often decide to buy a new home to increase living space, this type of project has additional appeal. If you are living in a new or newer build, it’s likely the lower level has minimal to no development. Projects like these will involve almost every trade and are often more complex. Once again, look to tap incentive programs like those from Efficiency Manitoba, which may offer rebates on items such as insulation and heating systems. ROI for lower level development can easily top 90 percent, and will dramatically increase the functional capacity of any home.

4) Bathrooms

Full bathroom renovations continue to be one of the most popular renovations undertaken by homeowners. Although smaller in scope than projects like a full kitchen upgrade, they are a little more manageable, slightly

less expensive and provide a similar return on investment. This is also a project that often falls in the DIY category, as homeowners feel more comfortable handling the various aspects of the work. As with kitchens, there are numerous advancements in bathroom fixtures and accessories, especially in the shower, and in building materials like tile and glass. Bathrooms are no longer just a place to brush your teeth and take a shower.

5) Outdoor Living Spaces

While technically not a part of the house proper, another renovation area that has gained a lot of attention recently is the outdoor living space. In fact, statistics show that 54% of Canadians planned to upgrade their outdoor spaces in the past year. The scope of such projects varies, with design aspects that include decks, retaining walls, pergolas, patios, hot tubs and pools. Costs range widely but the return is surprisingly high, depending how large the project. Once again, the sheer number of addons such as heaters, lighting, long life deck materials, is key to extending living space to the outdoors.

Regardless of which area you choose to renovate, be prepared. Determine if this is a DIY project or a job that requires using a professional. Consider your budget (and contingency fund), timeline for completion (factor in trades required), and supplies needed.

If you’re seeking design inspiration, visit the Winnipeg Renovations Show for creative ideas and expert advice from industry professionals. In fact, you might just find the right professional to undertake your project.

REBATES ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES AROUND YOUR HOME

With a variety of programs and rebates, we’re here to help you save energy, money, and the environment. Learn more about our programs and rebates at efficiencyMB.ca

SAVE TODAY. SAVE TOMORROW.

$30 REBATE & FREE PICK-UP

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REBATES OF UP TO 100% OF YOUR INSULATION MATERIAL

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HOME ENERGY RETROFITS

REBATES FOR MAJOR ENERGY-SAVING RENOVATION PROJECTS

UP TO $2.50 PER SQUARE FOOT IN REBATES

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UP TO $1,000 IN REBATES

ON HIGH-PERFORMANCE WINDOWS & DOORS

UP TO $1.65 PER SQUARE FOOT IN REBATES

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HOW TO SAVE ON HEATING COSTS THIS WINTER

The average home can expect to see 60% of their monthly energy bill go towards home heating! With everyday costs on the rise, this can take a financial toll. Luckily, making some small changes can help you reduce your heating bill.

Here are some tips to save on your heating costs:

Install weatherstripping and caulking around doors and windows to reduce air leakage and save energy.

As a low-cost alternative to upgrading your windows, install an insulating kit on the interior sides of the windows. This results in energy savings and can reduce condensation buildup on windows.

Adjust your thermostat at night and when you’re not at home. In the winter, lower the temperature by 3°C or more for at least eight hours a day to save up to 4% on heating costs.

Schedule regular maintenance for your heating and cooling equipment. Your equipment will last longer and run more efficiently.

Change your furnace air filter every three months.

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Dark & Dramatic

With a desire to go dark and dramatic, and make their stunning copper farmhouse sink shine, these homeowners turned to Kitchen Craft to design an exquisite kitchen that was truly worthy.

Designer Kelly Murray-Curé was inspired to mix materials to create the desired drama using the Kitchen Craft Summit medium-density fibreboard doors in black with copper handles. The copper detailing extends to the island sink, backsplash and faucets. Even the appliances have touches of copper.

“When you've designed for 25 years, you've pretty much seen every colour combination. I have seen black with copper but not to this extent or detail. It is fashion forward,” says Murray-Curé. “It was a spectacular project to work on and it turned out beautifully.”

Beauty doesn't matter if the room isn't practical, so functionality was always at the forefront.

“It needs to look great but function even better. The homeowners are both tall, so we decided to use the tall ceilings and height to our advantage. Also, all cabinets are functional, using as many drawers as possible,” says MurrayCuré.

A butler's pantry stores food and small appliances to keep the main area clutter free.

While the kitchen is truly unique, it was the cabinetry in the master bedroom's walk-in closet that challenged the Kitchen Craft team to do things they have never done before and shows just how creative their work can be.

The cabinet's upper drawers are shallow to house jewellery, while the top has glass inside a custom frame that was created on-site. Through the glass, you can see the jewellery in the drawer below just as you would at a store, allowing the homeowner's to showcase their collection.

“I have never designed such a unique piece and it actually turned out better than the original design, thanks to a great install team,” says Murray-Curé.

It's this desire to push the envelope – along with impeccable quality and service – that sets Kitchen Craft's work apart.

“If you have an idea, bring it to our attention. Anything is possible. Your only limit is your imagination,” says MurrayCuré.

FEATURED DESIGN

Bahia - BQ8883 Full slab view (left) and close-up (middle)

Bahia BQ8883 is inspired by the contrasting light and dark elements from deep under the millennium-forming geological layers. The product is the embodiment of the beauty and mysterious power of deep-down sediment movements. The release of Bahia is even more meaningful as this is the first time the impressive and trend-setting “Big Chunk” design has been featured in a product by VICOSTONE

Quartz countertops are made from engineered stone that is molded into custom shapes. It consists of mostly crushed quartz bound together with pigments and resin. The manufacturing process can control colour consistency. Quartz can mimic the look of mesmerizing marble swirls or earthy natural stone. Custom designs in a wide array of colors are available.

Quartzite is a metamorphic rock that is formed from quartz-rich sandstone and altered by heat and pressure in the earth’s crust. Mined in quarries and cut into slabs, Quartzite’s appearance is frequently mistaken for marble or granite since it is often found with veining similar to marble or patterns/colours similar to granite. Every single slab of Quartzite is unique. No two are alike.

Stains

Scratches & impact

Mother Nature’s art piece. Michelangelo quartzite is unique and exquisite

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the name similarity of two very different countertop stone types.

Style Meets Storage

The bathroom seems to get neglected when it comes to storage. Kitchens get walls of cupboards and drawers, and sometimes even a pantry, while bedrooms have entire closets alongside dressers. The bathroom may get a shelf or a simple cupboard under the sink. But with all the storage required for everything needed in this room, from toilet paper and towels to makeup and shaving supplies, a bathroom is just as deserving of a generous and gorgeous storage solution like this one from Springfield Woodworking.

“This ensuite bathroom was built so two people can use it at the same time without getting into each other's way, with enough storage for both,” says Ms. Kleinsasser of Springfield Woodworking. This stunning walnut cabinetry has ample space for all of life's products and essentials.

The walnut grain was carefully matched throughout for a cohesive look, with a water-based UV clear coat that lets the wood shine through. It's topped off with an elegant quartz countertop. All drawers are functional and evenly spaced to create a balanced design.

This cabinetry – which is located in a luxury condo in a large, highend project that the woodworking company has been involved in –was created and installed by the Springfield team.

“We measure each cabinet in order to ensure the fit. All of our cabinets are built especially for each individual home and not to any standard specifications. In this case, we also measured and made the drawers fit around the plumbing for each sink,” says Ms. Kleinsasser.

This attention to detail is commonplace for Springfield Woodworking.

“Springfield custom makes all cabinets to fit your home's space, appliances and preferences, and we offer very competitive pricing and consistent lead time,” says Ms. Kleinsasser. “Springfield continues to maintain a stellar reputation within the cabinet industry in Manitoba. Our quality workmanship and great customer service speaks for itself.”

Springfield Woodworking can create cabinets for any room, from bathrooms and kitchens to laundry rooms and mudrooms – anywhere you need storage.

Learn more: www.springfieldwoodworking.com

Simply Beautiful

Carrara Tile & Marble has been helping Manitobans discover the beauty of tile, natural stone and décor products for years. Located on Warsaw St. off Pembina Highway in Winnipeg’s south end, the company was founded in 1985 by Matteo Vaccaro and his sons,and is now into its third generation.

Carrara offers the city’s largest hard-surface showroom. Inside the shop, customers find tile and countertops and advice on design and installation from pros who have been honing their craft for decades.

Their Neolith product is a great example of how Carrara is a company with options. Neolith is a glazed manufactured stone product that replicates marble.

“It's lighter and less costly,” says Carrara Tile & Marble General Manager Matt Vaccaro, who mentions that Neolith is a sintered stone product that is fabricated to specification. He reports that Neolith is a large-format porcelain slab product that easily replicates the beauty of natural marble.

“It is cost-effective and very durable, making it a great alternative to marble slabs, especially on wall treatments,” he says, pointing to a recent project where they surrounded a wall insert fireplace with marble-look Neolith slabs.

“If this were a natural stone installation, the weight would have been significantly more, and this weight can create demands on walls and floors. This aspect is just one of the reasons Neolith has been so successful in the market,” he says, mentioning that they have a good stock of Neolith in Winnipeg and receive regular shipments from Toronto to keep inventory levels topped up.

“We have been using Neolith for over 10 years and have developed a lot of expertise,” says Matt, noting that once templating is done by their crews, it’s a matter of just a few weeks till installation.

Discover the beauty of natural and manufactured stone and tile products by visiting www.carraratile.ca

Two is better than one

From shaving and applying makeup to simply checking your appearance, good bathroom lighting can ensure everyday tasks are made easy. Using two fixtures can provide ample light and create cross illumination to avoid shadows.

“The two pendants on either side of the vanity provide even light distribution and balance the look of the vanity,” says Mical Secter, showroom manager for Total Lighting Sales.

The Elixir pendant by Kuzco is a sleek opal glass globe suspended from a metallic stem. The simple yet visually interesting geometric design makes it an ideal choice in Irwin Homes' newest showhome in Headingley.

“The room's vision involved a mix of sleek and modern finishes with natural stone and rugged concrete. These pendants are bold but simple enough to work well with other components in the space,” says Secter.

An integrated 8-watt LED bulb provides 595 lumens of light, making it very energy efficient.

Total Lighting Sales is a locally owned shop that has been lighting up the lives of Manitobans for over 45 years. With customer service as a priority, the experienced team can find the perfect style to fit your space and budget in their unique, open concept showroom.

www.totallightingsales.ca

Style Meets Function

Gone are the days of hideous ceiling fans with wicker inserts in the blades and hurricane glass shades.

“It’s not your grandmother’s fan,” says Simon Simkin, co-owner of Super-Lite of the Maverick ceiling fan from Monte Carlo Fan Collections. “It’s become one of our best-selling fans.”

The contemporary ceiling fan comes in a variety of sizes and colours, with or without a light. If chosen, the bright LED light is integrated into the body of the fan and dimmable. The fan’s direct current motor is quiet and extremely energy efficient. It comes with a remote control and wall controls are available. Some models and finishes are also weatherproof.

Beyond the beauty, there’s a natural practicality to a ceiling fan yearround.

“It really helps the comfort level in a room in both summer and winter because it sets up an airflow pattern in the room and keeps the temperature even,” says Simkin.

Super-Lite is Winnipeg’s largest showroom with ceiling fans, lights for inside and out, and more. They offer a variety of different styles for all spaces, and in a beautiful setting that allows customers to visualize the products in their own home.

Visit the Super-Lite showroom at 1040 Waverley Street.

Innovations in design continue at Cosentino. A great case in point is the recent introduction of Onirika, an immersive collection of architectural surfaces imagined by award-winning interior designer Nina Magon. Utilizing Cosentino’s leading edge Dekton® technology, the new series showcases eight colours - Awake, Lucid, Somnia, Neural, Trance, Vigil, Daze and Morpheus

Dreamscape

- that offer both current design thinking as well as timeless elegance.

“With Dekton® technology, we can create our own colours and structures, bringing to life something that is unique, beautiful and irreplaceable,” says Magon, noting that Onirika is beautiful and versatile with uses on walls, ceilings, facades, outdoor spaces, and more.

Onirika unites the poetic and unique beauty of stones harnessed by Dekton® technology and is named in honour of the inspiration of the two worlds conveyed in marbled colours to captivate the eyes and bring to any space a feeling that is understood but cannot be explained.

Poetic inspiration

Pairing beautifully with white, neutral tones, light wood, and

golds of any shade, Awake is a re-interpretation of Paonazzo stone. Awake features thick veins of light greys, exquisite oxide terracotta, and a hint of subtle, inky blues. Lucid offers a palette that is easily combined with wood, grey and gold shades, as well as frosted glass. Here, Morpheus contributes the same tonality, but with a velvet texture finish. Somnia captivates with warm oxide browns and whites that merge under a grid of thin lines to create a sober texture. Somnia works well with warm dark woods, frosted glass and textured metal surfaces such as copper. Neural combines elegance and structure to deliver feelings of well-being into a space. Neural features fine, pale veins crossing the marbled pattern, and is best suited for bright, neutral spaces with soft textures, light colours, and wooden or metallic accents. Trance features warm, fine streaks that move between oxides and fade to reddish gold, combining perfectly with reddish oak wood and darker walnut tones. Vigil recreates a strong Calacatta structure with thick veins in gradients of light and dark greys,

matched with a subtle touch of gold. Vigil utilizes classic colours that easily combine to create warm and cold hues, with wood, metal, and clean concrete. Daze offers a similar tonality to Vigil but with a Dekton® Velvet texture finish.

Cosentino Winnipeg (3020 Red Fife Road) offers over 3,500 slabs stocked in a facility with a 4000-square-foot showroom, a 20,000-square-foot warehouse, a sample room, and a space for continuing education and events. The site even has an outdoor kitchen concept showing Dekton’s outdoor capabilities and a ventilated wall façade display.

“It's important to be able to touch and feel stone and tile products, and to see their colouration and unique aspects firsthand,” says Cosentino Winnipeg General Manager, Scott MacKenzie, inviting people to discover the inspiration of products such as Onirika.

Designed by Nina Magon