Dawson Trail Dispatch March 2021

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Larocque Named Athlete of the Decade

Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council (MASRC) named Ste. Anne star hockey player Jocelyne Larocque as Female Athlete of the Decade.

File photo

Earlier in February, Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council (MASRC) named Ste. Anne star hockey player Jocelyne Larocque as Female Athlete of the Decade.

Larocque, a Métis athlete was speechless when she received the news that she had won this award. She was seen as the anchor of Team Canada and her skill in defence played a large part in bringing home a gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and most recently a silver medal in the 2018 Winter Olympics PyeongChang.

“I was extremely speechless when I was told. I didn’t know what to say. It’s pretty neat,” Larocque said. “I’m very fortunate, very honoured to represent Canada at the Olympics, at the World Championships

so, I feel very lucky to play the sport I absolutely love at the level I can. I feel grateful.”

Before the Olympics, Larocque made her debut on the International stage in 2011 at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women’s World Championship. She has won one gold, five silver, and one bronze medal since then. Medaling in every event she participated in.

“Jocelyne has demonstrated leadership and humility throughout her successful career so far and it is with great pleasure that we celebrate her career and name her our Indigenous Female Athlete of the Decade,” stated a spokesperson for MASRC. After earning her Accounting degree Continued on Page 2...

February 2021

Red River Spring Flooding Risk Low The province has already started looking towards the spring flooding outlook, and so far unless a significant snow or rainfall comes in, the flood risk remains low in most areas, according to the Hydrologic Forecast Centre.

In response to the Hydrologic Forecast Centre release, Minister Ron Schuler said that the province remains vigilant and prepared and will continue to monitor watershed conditions.

“Our Hydrologic Forecast Centre provides accurate and timely hydrologic forecasts, and monitors river flows and lake levels daily throughout the year,” said Schuler. “We have complete confidence that our government is prepared to respond to any potential hydrologic event and ensure the safety of all Manitobans.”

Due to below normal soil moisture at freezeup and below normal to well-below normal winter precipitation levels, the risk of major spring high water activity is low for all southern and central Manitoba basins.

The Hydrologic Forecast Centre also reports the Red River Floodway is not expected to be operated under normal and favourable future weather scenarios. The floodway could be operated under unfavourable weather conditions to reduce water levels within the city of Winnipeg.

“In continued efforts to strengthen our preparedness for hydrologic events, Manitoba’s Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) will be organizing a series of spring conditions seminars designed for local authorities and emergency services personnel with the latest forecast on water levels for the major water systems in the province,” added Schuler.

The virtual session for the Red River Valley and tributaries is taking place March 8 from 911am.

The next spring thaw outlook is expected to be released later in March. At that time, forecasters will have a more focused assessment of the current conditions and will update the forecast at that time, noted the minister.

February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Trails Keep Skiers Happy in Tache and Ritchot

For the first time ever, several communities groomed cross country ski trails to keep residents active this winter.

Submitted photo

For the first time ever both the RM of Tache and Ritchot plotted and established groomed trails designed specifically for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.

According to the Tache Recreation Services, this was the first time that the municipality has set up trails and implemented a new snowshoe lending program for its residents.

Kicking off in the middle of January, the snowshoe lending program allowed families to explore trails in Lorette.

Cross country ski trails were also created in Lorette (1.5 km and 2.1 km), Landmark (2.5 km) and Ste. Genevieve (1.1km). Due to demand, a third 1.5 km trail was added in Lorette. These trails were groomed once a week depending on the weather conditions.

In Ritchot, cross country ski trails were groomed in Ile des Chenes, St. Adolphe and Ste. Agathe for the first time as well.

All this new programming was made possible with the support of Southern Health’s Healthy Together Now grant.

Larocque Named Athlete of the Decade Continued from Page 1...

with Honours from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 2011, Larocque won two National Championships with the University and ended her college hockey career as the Bulldogs’ all-time leader in scoring for defence with 105 points on 19 goals and 86 assists in 127 games.

Larocque then played with the Manitoba Maple Leafs of the Western Women’s Hockey League (WWHL), a team organized specifically so that Manitoba’s stars had a place to play. She then joined in Alberta the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) in 20122013. In 2013, Jocelyne was traded to the Brampton Thunder where she became captain in 2015-2016.

In 2017-2018, the Thunder won the league championship.

Other awards Baroque has earned in the last decade include WCHA Defensive Player of the Week, 2011 Patty Kazmaier Award Nominee, 2011 WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year, 2011 WCHA Defensive Player of the Year, 2011 All-WCHA First Team, 2011 First Team All-America selection, 2018 winner of the Tom Longboat Award and 2020 named to TSN’s All-Time Women’s Team Canada roster.

Larocque became part-owner and hockey program coordinator at Stoke Strength and Conditioning and hopes to continue playing the game on the competitive stage soon.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Three Municipal Fire Departments Get Funding

MLA for Springfield-Ritchot Ron Schuler with Chris Ewen, Mayor of the RM of Ritchot.

By Marianne Curtis On February 25, MLA for Springfield-Ritchot Ron Schuler announced that the RM of Ritchot, Springfield and Town of Niverville municipal fire departments will be sharing a combined $313,000 from the province’s Fire Protection Grant Program.

The Fire Protection Grant program was open to municipalities and Northern Affairs communities through the Department of Municipal Relations to support projects or activities that would improve fire protection and emergency response initiatives.

“These important investments demonstrate our government’s commitment to enhancing public

safety,” said Ron Schuler. “The investments made to the Town of Niverville and RM of Ritchot will strengthen these communities for generations to come.”

The RM of Ritchot has been allocated $304,950 for a new 1500gallon tanker fire truck and a portable tank. “We are always happy to partner with the Province,” said Chris Ewen, Mayor of the RM of Ritchot. “And this exciting investment will have a lasting impact for our community.”

The Town of Niverville will receive $8,650 for an extractor for the firefighters’ turn out gear. An extractor is an essential machine used by firefighters to extract harmful oils and contaminants from gear used in the line of duty.

Increased Funding Allocated to School Divisions Dawson Trail MLA Bob Lagassé was pleased to highlight a recent announcement of increased funding to public school divisions for the 2021/22 school year of $20.8 million, totalling a record-setting investment of $1.35 billion. This includes a $1 million (1.8%) increase for D.S.F.M. and $520,000 (1.6%) increase for Seine River School Division.

“Our PC government is committed to strengthening our public-school system to help ensure students and educators have the necessary resources available as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lagassé. “This increased funding will help support the specific needs of students and provide enhanced learning environments and opportunities for

success.”

In addition to increasing base funding for public schools, this year’s commitment includes $5.5 million for special needs funding for school divisions. This will support students with disabilities and with exceptional needs, providing student specific supports determined by school teams such as educational assistants or assistive technology.

The Manitoba government will also continue to support Manitobans by reducing the local property tax burden for ratepayers.

School divisions will freeze their education property taxes and the province will provide a Property Tax Offset Grant equivalent to a 2 per cent property tax increase or $22.8 million.

Submitted photo

The RM of Springfield is also benefiting for a total of $85,175 for UTV and Firefighting Skid Unit and 40 SCBA Masks.

“Safety continues to be a key priority for our government,” said Schuler. “This funding will help support our local governments in their efforts to provide long-term fire protection for their residents and businesses.”

The Fire Protection Grant was originally set to administer $5 million in grants. However, due to an increase in applications received, funding was nearly doubled to support over $9 million to assist more communities and projects.

Over two hundred applications were received from departments across the province.

February 2021

February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Vaccines and Masks Are Charity at Its Best Yes for some there is light at the end of the virus tunnel but there are still many potential difficulties.

The first step is to have enough vaccinated arms to achieve heard immunity.

The first problem will be potential variants with greater transmissibility. The second is increased mobility of people and third is unvaccinated people who leave holes in our defenses.

The goal will be to carry this fight all over the world.

The main question will be how long after vaccination will immunity last? Will it become like the flu, a yearly booster or will we let the pandemic continue?

These future viral hot spots will need immediate attention. Mask wearing would then become the new reality, along with yearly vaccines. Anti-vaccination people would create continuous difficulty hampering eradication. Then introduce the anti-maskers into the mix and the resulting consequences will be dramatic. Governments will be forced into very difficult contradictions, a no-win situation for us and decision makers.

The decisions to not be vaccinated and to not wear a mask by individuals will be consequential for many. Both of these protective measures, vaccines and masks potentially save lives and, faltering economies would force any government to take action once again.

Ironically this is where much of the world in now.

I am a believer of vaccines. They work and I have heard of many instances in the last hundred years or so where many lives were spared. It can save your life and your extended family’s life.

It is charity at its best. It gives freedom and it accepts without prejudices. The same can be attributed to the mask. Both of these can save a community. Both of these need you to accept your charitable duty.

You may never know how many lives were saved with your charity, but I thank you very much on behalf of my family and our community.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

The Trudeau Liberals: Ideology, Incompetence and Failure It’s been a busy week in Canada’s Parliament. As such, I will be postponing the conclusion to our series on Canada’s debt and deficits in order to make you aware of some of the deeply disturbing actions taken by this Liberal Government in the past week.

I am running out of words to describe the levels of incompetence and dangerously deluded decisionmaking that characterize this Liberal Government. Across government ministries, ideology reigns supreme over common sense resulting in incompetence and failure at a time when Canadians need their government most.

The Liberals draconian and confusing new travel restrictions are now in effect. My office has been inundated with calls and emails from people who, for various legitimate reasons (death of a loved one etc.), need to travel and nobody can get a clear answer from the government. The Liberals have proven incapable of something as simple as setting up and staffing a hotline to book hotel rooms for quarantines.

These travel measures are overly burdensome and, as usual, hurting the wrong people.

Similarly, the Liberals are back with Bill C-21, a follow-up to last

May’s Order in Council action on firearms. As usual, the Liberals are targeting law abiding gun owners and ignoring illegal guns. Canadian gun owners already abide by some of the toughest gun control measures in the world. Nobody knows better than law abiding firearms owners the responsibility and social covenant that comes with owning a gun. I’ll have more to say on this bill in the coming weeks.

Bill C-7 the Liberal’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) bill is back from the Senate and will, unfortunately, soon become law. This bill currently presents several dangerous precedents and I will be voting against it, as I have at every step along the way.

Equally disturbing is the Liberals blatantly ideological refusal to stop funding the United Nations Works and Relief Agency (UNRWA). Time and again, UNRWA has provided educational materials to Palestinian children that promotes anti-Semitism and terrorism. For a government that spends so much time talking about racism and extremism, their silence on UNRWA is deafening.

Meanwhile, Parliament continues to debate Bill C-14, the latest COVID-19 spending bill. Given the government’s past failures and ex-

cesses, we are taking a close look at this legislation.

All the while, despite a flurry of rhetoric, the Liberals continue to fail to deploy rapid testing and get vaccines for Canadians who want them.

They continue to fail—or refuse—to bring an end to the endless cycle of restrictions and confusion.

While Justin Trudeau focuses on himself, Canada’s Conservatives are focused on you.

We’re focused on the economy and jobs. We want you to be able to go to work and school and visit your loved ones.

We’re fighting for you and your family.

For more information on this or any issue please feel free to contact my office toll free at 1-866-3331933 or at 204-326-9889. Visit me on Facebook at: Facebook.com/ TedFalkMP. You may also write my office at 76 PTH 12N, Steinbach MB, R5G 1T4 or visit my website at tedfalk.ca.

Extra Ordinary People and Times On March 3, the Manitoba Legislature will resume for a spring Session. This session will focus on protecting Manitobans lives and livelihoods as we continue facing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to serving as your representative in the Chamber as our government continues the important work of making Manitoba the most improved province in Canada.

As 2020 marked Manitoba’s 150th anniversary, Manitoba 150 decided to extend the celebration of this incredible milestone, by continuing to shine a light on what makes our province so unique. Manitoba 150 will be offering many reasons to celebrate throughout the year, but they are kicking off the festivities with the recipients of Honour 150. Honour 150 recognizes people from across the province who stand out for their role in making Manitoba a great place to live.

Dan Guetre, Claudette Lavack,

Jennifer Plett, and Lexi Taylor are the Dawson Trail constituents who have received this recognition. They are dedicated and hardworking individuals who do outstanding work for their communities, and Dawson Trail as a whole. I would like to thank them for all their hard work, and I am proud to represent a constituency made up of such extraordinary individuals.

As Manitobans continue to spend more time at home to help slow the spread of COVID-19, our government recognizes the need for new and innovative activities for families and individuals, especially over the winter months.

We recently announced an additional $2 million through the Safe at Home MB program to support more than 300 projects across the province to help Manitobans stay active and engaged while adhering to public health orders. For more information on the various free online programming, visit the Safe at Home MB website at safeathomemb.ca.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to remain vigilant and to continue following the public health fundamentals. Following the advice of public health experts, we have begun cautiously re-opening the provincial economy.

However, we must remember to not let our guard down and continue taking the necessary precautions to stop the spread of COVID-19 including staying home when you’re sick, wearing a mask and washing hands frequently.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact my constituency office at ca.lagasse@outlook.com or 204-807-4663.

Bob Lagassé, MLA for Dawson Trail

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

A Volunteer Truly Making a Difference

As your MLA for SpringfieldRitchot, it is a joy to recognize the exceptional accomplishments of constituents. Over the years, I have been impressed by remarkable people who make up our communities.

Many of these people have passionately dedicated their time, energy and knowledge to bettering their respective communities. In commemoration of Manitoba’s 150th anniversary, a MB150 Medal has been newly minted to honour 150 Manitobans from across our province who are quietly making a difference in their community. Gerry Koreman is an individual who falls within this category and he has received the MB150 Honour Award for his outstanding history of volunteerism.

Gerry has been involved within the community of Cooks Creek since he was a youth. In 1998, he became president of the Columbus Community Club in Cooks Creek. He served in that position until 2007, at which

time the Columbus Community Club successfully merged with the Zora Community Centre. This amalgamation resulted in the creation of one community facility for all, the Cooks Creek Community Centre, with Gerry continuing his presidency until 2019.

A remarkable 22 years of serving his community as president for local community centres!

He has dedicated countless volunteer hours and an unwavering commitment to the operation of the Cooks Creek Community Centre.

Under his leadership, the community club has seen unprecedented growth and development. It recently went through a $1.2 million dollar expansion, which included a full size gymnasium, permanent stage, kitchen expansion and the inclusion of additional washrooms. Under Gerry’s leadership, the club was able to fundraise over $500,000 towards this work.

Gerry’s involvement with the community centre has continued even after the end of his tenure as president.

He serves as treasurer and remains involved with the board of directors.

Within this capacity he is involved with the custody of funds, including all general accounting principles of the centre. He also supports board members in promoting, fundraising,

communication efforts and building relationships with neighboring stakeholders.

Apart from his involvement with the Cooks Creek Community Centre, Gerry also has a history of volunteerism with several other organizations. He has served on the administration board for St. Michael’s Parish, served as the financial secretary for the Cooks Creek Knights of Columbus Council, is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors and member of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada.

Within his community, Gerry is also known to volunteer at the Medieval Fest, Cooks Creek Heritage Days and the monthly pancake breakfast. These examples of volunteerism truly demonstrate the passion and love that Gerry has for his community. As his representative at the Manitoba Legislature, it is my honour to recognize Gerry’s impressive accomplishments and history of volunteerism.

I continue to look forward to seeing every one of you, face to face, once this pandemic has subsided.

The work I value most is serving you and your family as your MLA for Springfield-Ritchot. I welcome any questions or comments by email at Ron@RonSchuler.com or by mail to Box 150, Oakbank, MB R0E 1J0.

Moving on Vaccination and Skills Strategy It has been over a month that I have settled into my role as Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration. Department officials and staff have provided ongoing technical briefings and stakeholder engagement meetings to help me acquire greater knowledge and understanding of the portfolio. Since my last column, I was able to connect virtually and by phone with post-secondary presidents and board chairs to discuss matters of mutual interest.

They all identified the importance of having this stand-alone department focus on the interplay between post-secondary education, skills, and immigration around the province.

My first major ministerial announcement was on February 8 with the launch of the muchanticipated Skills, Talent and Knowledge Strategy. This strategy is a shared vision among postsecondary partners, business and government as to the direction and actions needed to accelerate recovery, advance Manitoba’s economy and promote positive outcomes for individuals and businesses. In essence, the main goal is to ensure we have the people with the right skills, talent and knowledge at the right time, and

our government is definitely the right one to help all Manitobans rebound from the effects of the pandemic and support economic resilience and growth. For more information, including a copy of the Skills, Talent and Knowledge Strategy, visit gov.mb.ca/mbskills.

On February 12, additional restrictions were loosened while continuing to protect Manitobans from the risks of COVID-19. I know that many individuals and local businesses have been impacted by the public health orders the past few months yet I also know that the resumption of activities such as going to the gym, participating in various outdoor sports activities, or dining out with household members will be a major boost for individuals and families. Our PC government is making steady progress to implement our COVID-19 vaccination strategy, with the ultimate goal of saving lives and stopping the virus’s spread.

Recently, after decades of the NDP turning their backs on our farming communities, they are once again creating unrest and fear throughout the community.

Remember, the NDP expanded and raised the PST onto many

goods and services which all Manitobans rely on even though they said that they would not. The NDP also capped the education property tax rebate to farmers off of their lands.

Along with the Liberals, they have also signalled to well over $200/metric tonne for a carbon tax without any real plan that would be five times the current rate. How is this helping farmers or any Manitoban for that matter?

Our PC government is pleased to support the viability of our agricultural sector and looks forward to continuing to work with our farming communities now and into the future. We are doing what we said we would do.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me at wayne@wayneewasko.com, or call me at 204-268-3282. Also, you can follow me on Twitter @ wayneewaskomla and friend me on Facebook.

Read the Dispatch online at dawsontrail.ca

February 2021

Volunteer Leaders Recognized Manitoba is a province that leads the country in volunteerism. Canada Life recently released its Honour 150 recipients, recognizing 150 people from across the province who stand out for their role in making Manitoba such an amazing province.

Nominated by people in their own communities in 2020, these 150 individuals range from teenagers to centenarians, representing the diversity of our province. These volunteer activities range from arts to environment, and health to education.

Honourees receive a commemorative medal designed and created by Manitoba artist Takashi Iwasaki, and in addition, Canada Life will make a $500 donation to the charity of each Honouree’s organization of choice.

My Constituency of La Verendrye has two Honourees, Murielle Bugera of St. Pierre-Jolys and Robert Cesmystruk of Vita. I am pleased to highlight the tremendous work they have done to make a real difference in our communities.

Murielle Bugera has volunteered on many organizations over the years, but her work on the Crow Wing Trail sits atop her list of volunteerisms. For more than 20 years, Murielle has spearheaded the development of the Crow Wing Trail, a 193 kilometer trail from Emerson to St. Norbert, one of the longest stretches of the Trans Canada Trail in Manitoba. The CWT connects neighbouring communities, promotes healthy living and brings history back to the former ox cart trail. I would like to thank Murielle for her passion for her community and all she has done to make a difference in the lives of those around her.

Robert Cesmystruk has been a community leader in Vita for decades. His list of volunteer positions includes helping to establish and became the first fire chief of the RM of Stuartburn Fire Department (1976 to 1986), volunteer ambulance driver/attendant, Vita Curling Club, Vita Lions Club, Vita Credit Union Board and many more boards and committees. Robert also has a great passion for his church, the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church, where he has served in various capacities since 1976. I would like to thank Robert for all he has done over the years to help make Vita a safe and prosperous community.

I look forward to hearing from you with your questions or concerns. I can be reached at 204-424-5406 or at dennis.smook@leg. gov.mb.ca.

February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Falk Critical on Liberal Firearms Legislation

By Dan Guetre Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher is very critical to the recently introduced Liberal government’s firearms legislation, Bill C-21 and the fallout it would impose on responsible firearms owners. The Bill is in its first reading stage in Parliament. “…the Liberal government tabled a bill to set up a program to buyback the firearms they banned in May; prohibiting the use, sale, and importation of more than 1,500 makes and models of legally-purchased firearms,” explained Falk in a statement. “The reality is the vast majority of gun crimes are committed with illegally obtained firearms. Taking firearms away from law-abiding citizens fails to address the real problem: stopping dangerous criminals and gangs who obtain guns illegally.”

“Only a few weeks ago, the Liberals voted against and defeated

The Conservative opinion is the Liberal-introduced Bill C-21 places too much emphasis on making it illegal to own certain guns, mostly defined as “assault” style firearms and tightening up the regulations on handguns.

Submitted photos

Bill C-238, a Conservative bill that would have imposed tougher sentences for criminals smuggling or who are found in possession of illegal firearms,” criticized Falk. “This common-sense legislation focused on addressing the real causes of gun violence, instead of targeting lawabiding Canadians and firearms retailers. If the Liberals wanted to show they’re serious about gun violence, they should have supported Bill C-238.”

While the Liberal government Bill does include an increased penalty for firearm related offences from 10 to 14 years imprisonment, the Bill will also affect current “legal” firearm owners if they are found Falk says “Taking firearms away from law- in possession of a loaded newly abiding citizens fails to address the real prohibited weapon. Municipalities problem: stopping dangerous criminals will also be given more authority and gangs who obtain guns illegally.” to create their own bylaws regard-

ing handgun ownership within their borders.

The Liberals believe that the Conservative introduced Bill C-238 was not comprehensive enough, too simplistic, and the Conservative opinion is the Liberal introduced Bill C-21 places too much emphasis on making it illegal to own certain guns, mostly defined as “assault” style firearms and tightening up the regulations on handguns.

“I speak regularly with local firearms owners. These individuals know and understand the value of well-crafted firearms policies. They understand their responsibilities as firearms owners. They respect the rules in place. But they don’t understand why the Liberal government continues to target them knowing full-well that the problem lies with criminals and gangs,” said Falk.

Falk Takes Aim at Safe Quarantine Contractors Provencher MP Ted Falk said that Canadians are outraged to hear about two women who were victims of sexual assault and intimidation while undergoing their mandatory quarantines.

Falk said, “One woman, in Quebec, had a fellow traveler enter her hotel room, refuse to leave and try to force himself on her, sexually. Security failed to arrive in a timely manner and after being taken to hospital she was forced to return to the scene of her assault to continue her quarantine.”

He said that, “Another woman, in Ontario, had a Quarantine Screening Officer, an outside contractor hired by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) claim she was in violation of her quarantine, try to extort cash from her and then sexually assault her when she refused.”

According to Falk the new mandatory quarantine rules are

burdensome enough. He went on to say that the hotline does not either.

He said that there were reports of locks removed from doors and people are unable to communicate their location to their loved ones.

Falk noted that isolating vulnerable people in an unsafe environment is an unthinkable abdication of responsibility, and to have Canadians victimized by the very people hired to keep them safe is an unacceptable failure.

“To make matters worse, during question period last week, Ministers Patty Hajdu and Chrystia Freeland seemed to imply that it was these women’s own fault they were assaulted because they chose to travel,” said Falk. “That is unconscionable.”

Falk said that he had ask the Federal government to reverse this requirement on February 2 and that the Conservative party has called on the Liberal Government to halt mandatory hotel quarantines until

the government can investigate and provide assurances that they have rectified the situation.

Falk said that there were also many constituents who had contacted his office back in the fall when the Manitoba Provincial Government announced they were hiring private security company/officers to help enforce their COVID-19 restrictions.

In the case in Ontario, the accused is an employee of a private security company hired by PHAC to help with quarantine enforcement.

In recent days, the Canada Revenue Agency announced that they too intend to hire outside contractors for tax season. Falk said that, “This could not only cause further confusion for Canadians; it could also lead to major breaches of personal information. The CRA has already experienced several breaches in recent years.” He questioned why risk further breaches by hiring outside contractors.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

February 2021

Snowdance Virtual Opening Night Exceeds Expectations

By Marianne Curtis Normally Snowdance is a tiny winter music festival that takes place every year out at the Falcon Lake Ski Slopes as a celebration of Manitoban music and outdoor adventure. This year, in order to stay safe, Snowdance went online virtually on February 17, with upcoming shows taking place on March 10 and 31.

Snowdance At Home is an ongoing series of musical performance and winter activities from the woods of the Falcon Ridge Ski Slopes, featuring the musical talents of Red Moon Road, Richard Inman, Slow Spirit, Kenzie Jane, Dana Lee, and Joe Madden.

Emily Christie, Festival Organizer said the first concert, which took place on February 17 exceeded expectations with 1,261 people having watched the first episode in the first week. Fifty people were logged in live online during the premiere, she noted.

“We were delighted with what we were able to pull together, especially considering it was a very short time frame between finding out that we got the Safe at Home Manitoba funding and airing the first episode,” explained Christie. “One of the stipulations of the grant was that this project would have to be wrapped up by March 31, and because we were hoping to produce a series of episodes and skills workshops that would be released periodically, we really had to jump into action to pull it off.”

Thanks to a Safe at Home grant, performances will be aired via three 30minute “episodes” with the first having hit the airwaves on February 17. The next two shows will be taking place on March 10 and 31 on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. Not only does Snowdance showcase great music, there are also weekly workshops from pros on how to make the most of winter.

Christie praised her “dream team” who helped pull the event together in a way that would feature the event while remaining within COVID restrictions.

“In terms of the talent, we are so very lucky to have an incredible community of musicians and skilled artists, trades and crafts people involved in our little ski hill, so it was easy to pull everyone together with short notice, and we are so delighted with the calibre of performers that we were able to access right at our fingertips,” Christie continued. “It has all been working out perfectly because it was always my intention to have this as more of a showcase of this neat little

Red Moon Road performing.

Photos by BNB Studios

Dana Lee, who also works at the ski resort.

community that keeps Snowdance and the Falcon Ridge Ski Slopes running over the years.”

Going virtual could change the game for the little festival.

“Snowdance has always stayed very small, because of the limits of our chalet venue size of needing warm indoor space for everyone makes this more complicated than planning an outdoor summer music festival, and the limited accommodation that our small town has to offer,” Christie added. “By broadcasting the festival virtually, this definitely opens up the

doors for many of those folks, which is a great thing. This could be a great thing to carry on for future festivals.”

In 2017, Falcon Ridge Ski Slopes won the Event of the Year Award: Budget under $5,000 Award for hosting the first annual Snowdance Festival of Music + Winter.

The event combines the talented artists that work at Falcon Ridge Ski Slopes with a passion for nature and winter sport with music to create a festival that has a positive impact on the entire community of Falcon Lake.

In between songs on each episode, friendly faces from around the slopes doing little activities and instructional videos, like snow-making with Ryan the Groomer, or ski waxing with Emily from the Rental Shop.

Performers Red Moon Road, Richard Inman, Slow Spirit, Kenzie Jane, Dana Lee, and Joe Madden put on a stellar show during the first ever virtual Snowdance which was filmed live from Falcon Lake.

www.dawsontrail.ca

February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

First Nations Vacinations Roll Out in Region The province has made First Nations vaccination data publicly available through First Nations websites and on the Manitoba government’s COVID-19 data hub including figures from within Southern Health.

Dr. Marcia Anderson, public health lead of the Manitoba First Nation Pandemic Response Coordination Team said First Nations people in Manitoba make up a higher proportion of hospitalizations and fatalities from COVID19.

“We continue to work to get the vaccine into arms as soon as we can,” said Anderson. “Having data about the doses administered both on and off reserve will help people

understand and assess our progress in protecting First Nations people from the virus.”

The data is updated every Friday based on information collected the previous week. As of February 25, 322 first doses were given and 42 second doses. The data is broken down by tribal council regions and by regional health authorities, and includes information on the percentage the on-reserve population that has received one or two doses, as well as doses administered both on and off reserve.

“We have made a good start to ensuring First Nations people in Manitoba have equitable access to the vaccine, but there is more work to do,” said Anderson. “As more

vaccine arrives in Manitoba and different vaccines become available, we will continue to work with First Nations leadership to ensure vaccine is provided safely, as soon as possible.”

As there are significant limitations in the ability to identify First Nations people within health administrative data sources, multiple different mechanisms are used to generate First Nations COVID-specific data.

For vaccination data, this is primarily through a linkage analysis with the Indian Status Registry. This will result in an undercount of First Nations people who have been vaccinated since non-registered/nonstatus First Nations people will be missed.

As of February 25, 322 first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administrated to First Nations people living within the Southern Health region.

Submitted photo

Falk Seconds Bill for Protection of Freedom of Conscience Ted Falk, MP for Provencher, has seconded Bill C-268, The Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act, in the House of Commons.

Introduced by Conservative MP Kelly Block, The Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act responds to calls from physicians and patients to ensure conscience rights for medical professionals are protected.

“Freedom of conscience is a fundamental right for all Canadians,” said Falk. “With the legal-

ization of medical assistance in dying in Canada, we’ve seen that right eroded for health care providers.”

The Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act will protect the conscience rights of medical professionals who have chosen to not take part, directly or indirectly, in medical assistance in dying (MAID) or euthanasia by making it a punishable offense to use violence, threats, coercion, or intimidation in order to force a medical professional to take part in or refer a patient for MAID

or assisted suicide. It also would prohibit the firing or refusal to hire medical professionals if the sole reason is their refusal to take part in MAID. “If every physician is required to promote MAID, patients will lose the freedom to seek a second opinion,” said Falk. “The Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act protects the doctor-patient relationship by ensuring medical professionals can recommend and provide care that they believe is best for their patients.”

Rat River Amazing Race Invites You to Explore Thanks to a Safe at Home Grant, the Rat River Arts Council has come up with a unique way to get families exploring the community. For three days in March, communities throughout De Salaberry and St. Pierre-Jolys will be buzzing with teams of explorers participating in the Rat River Amazing Race.

The SAYZOONS Rat River Amazing Race, which is taking place March 26-28, is an Instagram based live action participation adventure that will have teams travelling between communities in De Salaberry and St. Pierre-Jolys to solve clues and

complete challenges.

“It has been inspired by the popular TV show the Amazing Race and is being created for local households to get outside competing for the big win,” stated organizers. “This game will give families a tour of the region while having fun, supporting local business, and creating new memories.”

Player’s progress will be tracked on Instagram by the game master.

Each team must consist of at least two players from a household, but only one player at a time will complete quests. Be prepared to drive, walk, lift, search, bend, run, and be able to be analytical, strategies with

geographical knowledge are some of the skills needed by players.

To participate, a 3-day commitment for this game is required as local businesses are participating to make this the best adventure for your household.

SAYZOONS will be using Instagram to keep score and communicate with teams. Rules, regulations and game kits will be made available March 23 for pick up at Rat River Recreation Travel hours between 3 – 9 pm Friday, 10 am – 5 pm, Saturday and 11 am - 5 pm, Sunday.

If you are ready to race, visit form. jotform.com/210535185123043 to register.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Piney Transit Plan Moving Forward COVID has made it difficult to initiate new programs, but that has not hindered projects such as the RM of Piney transit plan from moving forward.

In September, the municipality with independent consultant Connie Gamble conducted an official transportation survey. With the province expecting the senior population to increase by 43 percent over the next twenty years, the municipality is looking at options to improve the quality of life for residents in the region.

Gamble said that transportation is a quality of life issue and the ability to live in a rural, remote community.

“Options can foster independent living to allow residents to age in their community rather than moving away for services and social engagement,” Gamble explained. The plan was to launch a pilot shopping trip which was cancelled after the region went into Code Red. According to Gamble, the transit

development plan is an initiative of the RM of Piney encouraged by a 2020/21 Building Sustainable Communities grant in response to recent surveys, community public forums and aligns with a strategic plan to support the betterment of individual lives in the community, more specifically the age in place focus.

“The transit grant has been extended for an additional year due to the restrictive COVID-19 health orders. However, as transit research and information continue being compiled into a report, summarized portions may soon be available for your information and feedback,” Gamble noted. “The intent is to develop a plan with a focus on seniors, mobility challenges and lowincome residents, and for residents of all ages to benefit from improved transportation supports.”

She further noted that for those who do not own a car or are unable

to drive by choice or necessity, it is a burden to arrange rides and/or financially limiting to take part in daily life.

“Safety is an issue for those who are compelled for their independence to drive but should no longer drive or are not comfortable driving,” Gambled added. “Lack of transportation is “a top concern” for seniors in rural areas, as Manitoba seniors expected to grow by 43%.”

In a recent report to the public, Gamble noted that, “There are few services in the RM of Piney and residents are virtually 100% reliant on personallyowned vehicles since the demise of the Greyhound bus service in 2009 and travel is required for many necessities.

Finding drivers for an informal ride matching service can be difficult and can be expensive for some residents.

The nearest taxi service in Steinbach is an hour away for many residents making it cost prohibitive.”

Don’t Forget Your Batteries!

On March 14, it will be time to move our clocks forward to adjust for daylight savings time. While we are making those adjustments, RM of Piney municipal fire chief issued a reminder to check on fire alarm and carbon monoxide detector batteries.

“With the transition from winter to summer, let us remember the dread-

ed Daylight Savings,” Stowe reminded. “As we change the time on our clocks, we mustn’t forget the importance of changing the batteries in the smoke alarm and CO2 detectors as well as checking their function.”

The National Fire Protection Association reports that 71% of smoke alarms which failed to op-

erate had missing, disconnected or dead batteries. This reinforces how important it is to take this time each year to check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Every family should have a fire safety plan to ensure each family member is prepared should an emergency occur. It’s never too late to create your plan reminded Stowe.

Volunteer Fire Fighters Wanted in Piney The new RM of Piney municipal fire chief has put out the call for volunteers to join the municipal fire department.

RM of Piney Fire Chief Bill Stowe is inviting interested persons to step forward. “Our emergency responders may have a need for helping hands.

Maintaining a competent workforce in our Fire Departments is critical to the well being of us all,” Stowe explained.

“With fire fighters changing full time jobs, moving, or retiring, the need for caring individuals to fill these spots continues.”

Stowe said that volunteers need only commitment to a few hours of time and have the desire to truly help someone in a time of need.

“As our Fire Departments prepares for a busy summer, the time to

step up is now,” Stowe continued. “If you live a reasonable distance from any of our three Firehalls in Piney, Sprague, and Woodridge, and are a physically capable individual over the age of 18, I’d love to hear from you with questions or concerns, or just to say hello.”

For more information contact Stowe at billstowe@rmofpiney.mb.ca.

Five Ways to Enjoy Winter Try winter stargazing: Bundle up the family in snowsuits, hats, toques, and the whole kit-and-kaboodle, and head outside on a clear evening for some winter stargazing. Don’t just make it any casual neighbourhood walk.

Try a new winter sport: Is there a winter sport that you’ve always wanted to try that you’ve never gotten around to? Perhaps this is your year! From skiing and snowboarding to ice skating or tobogganing, there are many snow sports that you can dive into.

The Thrift Stores are a great place to find equipment.

Try some summer fun in the snow: There are certain outdoor activities

we tend to associate with the summer months, like playing lawn darts, horseshoes, or setting up a fun obstacle course during a Sunday family picnic. With that said, these and many other outdoor activities can still be done in the winter months too! Make it a game to see which summer games can be adapted for ice and snow.

Be a good neighbour: Sometimes the best way to beat the blahs is by doing a good deed. Bundle up the family after a hefty snowfall, grab your shovels, and clear up your drive, as well as others on your street. The feeling of knowing you’ve made

someone’s life a little easier will add a bounce to your step. Make sure to stretch before and after!

Bundle up, find your nearest wooded area, and explore! There’s nothing more stunning than being outdoors after a fresh snowfall. Bring a camera to capture your postcard-like surroundings, and even bring unsalted sunflower seeds to sprinkle on snow for the birds.

Preschoolers love to keep busy and they love being outdoors and scavenger hunts are a go-to activity for birthday parties and other gatherings, so why not do the same in during the winter and spring.

February 2021

Spring Break Camp Offered in Vita The Vita Community Child Care Centre in Vita is offering a spring break camp for school age children from the ages 6 - 12 years old. The one week program is taking place at the facility from March 29 to April 1.

According to organizers, the Spring Break Camp will provide hands on experiences, outdoor recreation, building friendships, and endless possibilities of fun and laughter. Participants are asked to bring their own snacks, water bottle, indoor runs and suitable outdoor clothing.

Spaces are limited, so registration is required by March 19.

To register, contact vitachildcare@gmail.com for an enrollment package or call 204-425-3580 with any questions.

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February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

1 in 3 Canadians Have Been Targets of Financial Fraud During the Pandemic

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, fraudsters are taking advantage of people by preying on fears and using misinformation. In fact, one in three Canadians indicated

they have been targeted by attempts to obtain their financial information through phishing or hacking, according to data from the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.

Some common scams can include phone calls, emails and texts that ask for personal or financial information, such as your name, address, birth date, social insurance number or banking information. If you receive unsolicited or suspicious emails or text messages from a financial institution, don’t click on the links or attachments.

Fraudsters who gain access to your accounts can steal your money, apply for a personal loan, order a credit card or even apply for a mortgage in your name.

It’s important to know that your financial institution will never ask for personal information, login credentials or account information by email or text message. Remember: If you didn’t initiate the contact with a financial institution, you don’t know who you’re dealing with.

If you’re suspicious of information you receive electronically related to your banking activities, contact your bank directly before taking any action. Here are some tips to help you keep your information safe: - Never give out your personal or financial information by email or text.

- When banking online, enter your bank’s website in your browser yourself.

- Beware of questionable offers related to financial relief measures or quick fixes. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

If you think you’ve been scammed, become a victim of identity theft, or you’ve accidentally given your information to a scammer, you should: - change all your passwords immediately, including those for your online or mobile banking and email accounts; - ask your financial institution to place a fraud alert on the account;

- regularly review your bank account or credit card statements to make sure there is no suspicious activity; - order a free credit report and carefully check for anything unusual; In addition to the above, if you’re a victim of fraud, it’s important to: - contact your financial institution immediately; - report the incident to your local police; - contact Canada’s two credit bureaus, Equifax and TransUnion, and ask them to place fraud alert on your credit report file; - contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre or visit their website and complete the online report.

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada provides unbiased and fact-based information you can count on. You can learn more about how to protect yourself from unauthorized transactions at canada. ca/money.

Article courtesy of www.newscanada.com

Interest Rates Are Down – Should You Break Your Mortgage?

The pandemic is causing many of us to re-evaluate our finances.

If you are thinking of renegotiating your mortgage to take advantage of a lower interest rate, be aware that this could mean having to break your mortgage contract.

If you break your mortgage contract you may have to pay a fee, called a prepayment penalty.

Before breaking your mortgage, make sure the benefits outweigh the costs. Far too many homeown-

ers who have broken their mortgage contracts have been shocked by penalties amounting to tens of thousands of dollars, or other fees required to complete the transaction.

Know the costs Every mortgage contract contains different terms and conditions. Federally regulated financial institutions must provide you with key information in a box at the beginning of the mortgage agreement, including information about any penalties

and fees that will apply if you break your mortgage contract.

As a consumer, you have the responsibility to read your mortgage agreement and understand the penalties and fees associated with breaking your mortgage contract. Call your financial institution to speak to a knowledgeable person for detailed information on prepayment penalties or check out the prepayment penalty calculator available on their website.

Consider other options Some mortgage lenders may allow you to extend the length of your mortgage before the end of its term to take advantage of a lower interest rate. With this option, you don’t have to pay a prepayment penalty.

Lenders call this option the blendand-extend, because your old interest rate and the new term’s interest rate are blended. Keep in mind that you may need to pay administrative fees.

Depending on the cost to break your mortgage, it may be best to wait until the end of its term and shop around for a new contract that provides a lower interest rate or more flexibility.

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada provides unbiased and fact-based information on mortgages you can count on. You can learn more about the costs of breaking your mortgage at canada.ca/money.

Article courtesy of www.newscanada.com

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Will You Owe CRA This Year?

CRA opened February 22 for efiling the 2020 personal income tax returns.

We have received hundreds of taxes already and have filed several clients’ tax returns that owe CRA for the first time.

Do you think you may be in the same situation? Do you think you may owe CRA instead of a refund for the first time (you normally receive refunds)?

The taxable COVID benefits this year are making a big difference for many taxpayers.

File On Time!

If you received taxable COVID benefits like CERB, CRB, or EI, you need to file on time; the due date is April, 30 2021.

Filing by the due date even if you cannot pay the amount owing ensures there is no penalty on the amount owing. The penalty for filing after April 30 is 5% of the amount you owe plus 1% for each additional month you don’t file.

So if you think you may owe CRA this year because your income has changed (receiving CERB benefits for example), it is important to file on time even if you cannot pay to avoid the penalties.

Interest Waived Good news from CRA! If you received COVID benefits and you have an amount owing, they are waiving the interest to April, 30 2022. So you have an extra 12 months to pay the amount owing without paying any interest. This is only available if your taxable income is less than $75,000.

This interest free 12 months is only for the amount owing for 2020 taxes and only if you received COVID-19 benefits.

If you have an amount owing from a previous year, that amount will continue to accrue interest.

If you did not receive any COVID benefits and you owe, you do not get interest relief.

If you received CERB, CRB, EI, provincial COVID benefits; file on time! The interest relief is not a filing extension, just a payment extension.

Repaid CERB? Did you receive CERB and repaid some

CPP & OAS Benefit Payment Dates 2021: January 27, 2021 February 24, 2021 March 29, 2021 April 28, 2021 May 27, 2021 June 28, 2021 July 28, 2021 August 27, 2021 September 28, 2021 October 27, 2021 November 26, 2021 December 22, 2021

or all of it? It should be reflected on your T4A. If not, CRA may have misdirected it as a 2020 installment payment.

You may need to call CRA to have the payment transferred to the right place.

We have called CRA about this once already. The T4A should be amended and an adjustment should be made once it is corrected.

If you repaid the CERB in 2021, it will only be a deduction for your 2021 taxes and not 2020.

CERB Fraud?

What if you received a T4A for CERB, but did not apply for CERB, could it have been fraud? You may need to call CRA or Service Canada about this. We haven’t had this situation yet, but we’ll report on it next month if we experience any.

Received CERB, but not Eligible?

What if you applied for CERB, but were not eligible and need to repay? At some point CRA will be auditing the CERB recipients and if you were not eligible, you will need to repay it. CRA has not announced yet how they will handle it, but I suspect they will be compassionate about the repayment over time.

Working from Home Deduction Did you work from home due to COVID in 2020? Check out our article last month that explained it in detail. You can go to DawsonTrail.ca or SteAnneTaxService.ca to read it.

Anni Markmann is a Personal Income Tax Professional and Certified Financial Planner; living, working, and volunteering in our community. Contact us at 204422-6631 or 36 Dawson Road in Ste Anne (near Co-op) or Info@SAtaxes.ca.

Canada Child Benefit Payment Dates 2021: January 20, 2021 February 19, 2021 March 19, 2021 April 20, 2021 May 20, 2021 June 18, 2021 July 20, 2021 August 20, 2021 September 20, 2021 October 20, 2021 November 19, 2021 December 13, 2021

GST/HST Benefit Payment Dates 2021: January 5, 2021 April 1, 2021 July 5, 2021 October 5, 2021 If you receive federal benefits, including some provincial/territorial benefits, you will receive payment on these dates.

If you set up direct deposit, payments will be deposited in your account on these dates.

See https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/calendar.html

February 2021

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February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

February 2021

13

SAC Hosts Successful Fundraiser The Paint the Town! Celebrating 40 Years Fundraising gala was a huge success. Over 250 guests attended the Steinbach Arts Council’s annual event, but in a virtual way.

“We partnered with the Friedensfeld Community Hall to deliver their traditional meal – which was a win-win for two community organizations struggling through the pandemic year - martinis, wine, dessert and a virtual pre-show video featuring 40 Years of Arts!” said Cynthia Rempel Patrick, Director of Development. “That was followed by a video of entertainment featuring local performing artists, and the finale of the evening was streamed live, with Michelle ‘ZsaZsa’ Sawatzky announcing the highest bidders on the Fine Artworks, and the Jewlery Tombola winner as the last auction bids closed that evening.

Interesting point: The winner of last year ALSO won it this year!

Lucky family!”

The event also featured an ‘Auction With a Twist!’ There was an offering items of art, sports and household items – but then they added many ‘innovative experiences’ like a 8-course meal catered by Chef Suke, in your home for you and 7 guests, which sold for nearly $1,500! Or a tour of the Legislature and refreshments with Kelvin and Kim Goertzen sold just under $1,000.

“This form of a Silent Auction raised 4 times more than in our past Galas, as it was online for a few weeks and people had a chance to think about and enjoy

the bidding process on this platform,” explained Rempel Patrick.

“We projected a lower net income for this Gala, however, we surpassed that – we are still working on the numbers but it looks like we surpassed our goal of $21,000 and will reach nearly $25,000 when all is said and done.”

It was their 40th Anniversary so it was important to have all the traditional components of their origi- The “Auction with a Twist” was very successful with many happy Steinbach MLA Kevin Goertzen appreciated the event with his family item and innovative experience bidders.

Submitted photos from SAC from home. nal Gala, and according to Rempel Patrick, they managed to do that – the meal, the entertainment, the fine art auction , the Auction with a Twist, and the Jewlery Tombola.

“Then we kicked up the silent auction online, and that was very successful.”

“Every component had to be re invented, and it worked,” said Rempel Patrick.

We delivered the event to over 250 guests, using 34 vol- huge success. Over 250 guests attended the Steinbach Arts Hot food cooked by the ladies at Friedensfeld Hall was delivered right to the door. unteer delivery drivers Council’s annual event, but in a virtual way. and an amazing planning committee of volunteers – all meetings were virtual, and we never even saw each other directly over the past 9 months of planning!” she said.

“That’s considered a huge success, as so many came together to make it all happen.”

There was a lot of risk to put it online. They pre-recorded the archival component and then switched it up to streaming LIVE for the finale.

“With that much technology involved there is much risk, but we had wonderful resources to help us deliver this event in that way successfully,” said Rempel Patrick.

MC Michelle ‘ZsaZsa’ Sawatky with some of the art that was on display during the live streamed event.

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February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Stuartburn Amends Fire Bylaw On March 2, the RM of Stuartburn is holding a hearing to discuss a new special service levy for fire protection.

According to council the hearing is on the continuation of a special service levy for fire protection service within the RM of Stuartburn from 2021 to 2024.

“Council is proposing to continue to offer fire protection services as a special service. Under By-law No. 2017-01, Council removed the costs for fire protection services from the General Municipal Levy on to a special service mill rate,” confirmed Lucie Maynard, Chief Administrative Officer.

She explained that the municipality’s By-law No. 2017-01 expired at the end of 2020. “Under this proposed new by-law, council will continue to levy a mill rate on all rateable property, including otherwise exempt properties to cover the cost of fire protection services,” she said. “All properties benefit from fire protection services, therefore collecting in this manner is a fair and equitable way to distribute costs.”

The bylaw states that estimated costs are $70,000 yearly, not to exceed $95,000 within the next 4 years.

The special service levy is being calculated on the portioned assessed value of all taxable grant-in-lieu and otherwise exempt properties within the RM of Stuartburn. This means that based on the 2021 Assessment, 0.931 mills will be required. Calculated on a residential property valued at $150,000 (portioned $67,500), an estimated $62.84 special service tax will be levied.

The RM of Stuartburn will take representations from the public for or against the plan before making a final decision.

Art Auction Raises Funds for Wildlife Haven From February 19 to 28, Wildlife Haven hosted the Art for Wildlife online art auction with a projected goal to raise $20,000 for the facility.

The auction featured local artwork made by Manitoba artists including originals made by Kal Barteski along with paintings done by Wildlife Haven raptor and reptile ambassadors.

There were over 130 pieces available with something for all tastes, ages, interests and budgets. Artwork for sale came in a variety of mediums including original paintings, framed photography, carvings, and more.

“For all of our wildlife loving friends, we even had originals created by our very own animal ambassadors such as Jet The Crow, Léo The Turkey Vulture, Elliot The Turtle and Roo The Salamander,” stated a spokesperson. “Every dollar donated will be matched by a very generous donor up to $20,000.”

All proceeds from this fundraising event go towards much-needed medical equipment and supplies at the Wildlife Haven Veterinary Hospital for patients needing care this year.

This piece by Simon Hughes a visual artist from Winnipeg was one of the most valuable of the 130 pieces up for auction. Hughe’s paintings and works on paper can be found in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada, The Winnipeg Art Gallery, and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

Submitted photo

Dawson Trail Dispatch

RCMP Call Off Search for Missing Grunthal Man RCMP sadly called off the search for missing snowmobiler Dan Lemay after multiple days of trying to locate him.

On February 21 at approximately 11:25 pm, Lac du Bonnet RCMP received a report of an overdue snowmobiler.

Lemay, 50, from Grunthal, left Pinewood Lodge on a snowmobile trip around 4 pm to retrieve a broken snowmobile that was left at Rennie. He had called a family member at approximately 7:15 pm to advise that he was unsure of his location, but believed he was close to Nutimik Lake. He again contacted the family member at 9:15 pm saying he thought he was near Pinewood Lodge, and that is the last contact Lemay had with his family member.

By 8 am the following day, local riders who know all the snowmobile trails in the area had been out looking for Lemay, but were unable to locate him. RCMP were on scene and CASARA had a plane in the air looking for Lemay. The RCMP then brought in a ground search team as did the Office of the Fire Commissioner, who continued to search on foot and with snowmobiles. On February 23, a helicopter with thermal technology was brought in to fly the area and look for any heat signatures that may be Lemay while the ground search teams continue their efforts.

At around 5 pm on February 23 the search was officially called off as two reports of a

Many volunteers came out to assist in the search.

lone snowmobiler was seen heading northbound on Eleanor Lake on February 21 near the time Lemay was reported missing.

The reports led aerial searchers to an area of open water. Trained ice rescue technicians from the Office of the Fire Commissioner attended to the open water and located snowmobile tracks that led to broken ice. There were no tracks leading away from the site.

Two days of searching by more than

50 volunteers and numerous trained search and rescue teams, which covered hundreds of kilometres of trails, did not lead to any other evidence of where Lemay or his snowmobile may have gone. Searchers believe Lemay entered the water and did not resurface. He is presumed drowned.

The search for Lemay and the snowmobile will resume in the spring once conditions are safe for a dive team to engage in the search.

Grunthal Mourns Loss of Generous Man The family of a missing Grunthal snowmobiler presumed drowned said they are mourning the loss of a loving man while they face the long road ahead.

LeMay said his brother, 50-year-old Dan LeMay, was a kind man who spent a lot of time outside.

“Danny was actually ridiculously generous and kind and loyal,” LeMay told media. “He was always around and into cars and campers and camping and all things outdoors.”

LeMay was last heard from Sunday, February 21 while out on a snowmobile ride in Whiteshell Provincial Park. He’d gone out to retrieve a broken down sled near Rennie and later called that he was lost, but along some power lines.

After two days of searching by more than fifty volunteers, numerous trained search and rescue teams and a helicopter which covered hundreds of kilometres of trails, the search was called off late Tuesday afternoon.

RCMP said ice rescue technicians from the Office of the Fire Commissioner found snowmobile tracks leading to broken ice and open water on Eleanor Lake.

“You could clearly see tracks going to the water, and then, unfortunately, nothing past that,” Sgt. Paul Manaigre said. Police said it is too dangerous to send a dive team in the water and they likely will not be able to go in until spring.

“He’s officially still a missing person,” LeMay said. “We know that this is going to be an ongoing thing, we don’t really know how it’s going to unfold.”

LeMay got emotional when talking about

Fifty year old Dan LeMay is missing and presumed dead after going missing on a recent snowmobile ride in the Whiteshell Provincial Park.

Courtesy of GoFundMe Page.

the family, friends and strangers who volunteered their time to help find his brother. “They left it all on the trail,” he said. “They beat up their machines; they beat up their bodies, just scouring every inch of that area.”

LeMay leaves behind three sons between the ages of 17 and 25.

“While we are fairly certain that Dan went through the ice on his snowmobile that night, he does re-

main a missing person, and we just don’t know when that status will change,” LeMay continued. “Meanwhile, household costs continue like utility bills and property taxes, plus support for his three sons, ages 1725. We want to make sure that the boys don’t have to worry about these things right now.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the boys at gofundme.com/f/ dan-lemay-support-fund.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Volunteers Wanted for 2022 Manitoba Games On March 1, organizers of the upcoming 2022 Manitoba Games powered by Manitoba Hydro kicked off their official volunteer recruitment campaign. Next year, the Town of Niverville will host the games from February 27-March 5.

The Niverville Host Society, under the direction of over seventy lead volunteers are in the process of developing operational plans for every aspect of the Games, from food services and transportation, to signage and technology, to sport and venues, all with enhanced safety protocols on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Janet McMahon, Interim President & CEO of Sport Manitoba said planning is necessary well in advance for an event this size, where athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and sponsors from across the province work together to provide a safe and memorable experience for everyone.

“As excitement grows and preparation continues for the 2022

Games, we also understand and recognize the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and that public health orders will ultimately determine whether these Games will take place; participant safety is, in the end, the highest priority,” said McMahon. “We’d like to thank everyone for their ongoing efforts and commitment and look forward to Niverville hosting the 2022 Manitoba Winter Games.”

The committee took an important step toward hosting the games with the official signing of the Multi-Party Agreement. This process formalizes the partnership between the Town of Niverville, Sport Manitoba, and the Host Society. The host committee is guaranteed a capital grant for local sport facility and equipment upgrades of up to $75,000 from Sport Manitoba, which the committee can match dollar-for-dollar creating a potential total of $150,000 of longterm legacies.

Myron Dyck, Mayor of Niverville said that, “While 2020 has been a

year most of us would rather forget, our Manitoba Games staff and volunteers have been hard at work ensuring that the Games in 2022 will be an experience that will bring great memories for all who attend.”

“Our staff, our many wonderful volunteers, our residents, and our great business owners are busy preparing to make this the best experience for the athletes, the coaches, and all the supporters including family and friends,” Dyck added. “We look forward to seeing you in February 2022, here in Niverville, you know, where you belong!”

To ensure the success of the games, nearly eight hundred volunteers will be required behind the scenes in a variety of roles, and volunteer contributions will be a key factor in the Games’ success.

People interested in volunteering can apply, here at sportmanitoba.ca/niverville2022.

February 2021

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La Broquerie Man Perishes in Fire On February 4 at 3:50 pm, Steinbach RCMP responded to a fire at a residence located on Des Pignons Street in the community of La Broquerie.

When Officers arrived on scene the residence was engulfed in flames and they were advised by neighbours that the homeowner had been seen earlier in the second story window but he was unable to exit the home due to the fire.

Firefighters arrived on scene and began extinguishing the fire, which allowed them to enter the residence where they located the homeowner.

The 66-year-old male was removed from the residence and pronounced deceased on scene. No other injuries were reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Show Your Support to Local Business

Sunrise Corner’s Path Forward The Piney-Stuartburn Economic Development Board has determined their top five priorities that they will be focusing on over the next five years. The organization is the guiding force behind Sunrise Corner.

According to Monique Chenier, Economic Development & Tourism Manager the organization accumulated feedback through online surveys and in-person, socially-distanced community consultations.

“We reviewed past planning documents and looked at what other regions are doing. Finally, we surveyed the PSED board and spent a day with a facilitator to narrow down all the opportunities,” Chenier explained in her report to the community.

The top five priorities include business development by supporting the growth of existing busi-

nesses, promote the launch of new businesses, encourage home-based businesses, and seek innovative ways to fill gaps of needed products and services in the area.

Encouraging innovative new ways to provide housing for seniors, families, tourists and temporary workers also made the list.

Expanding tourism with the promotion of existing destinations and creating five new tourism products over the next five years, along with marketing the region by promoting business and awareness so business, housing and tourism could improve and grow were also on the list.

Finally, reviewing the structure of the organization to improve response to opportunities in a better way was also acknowledged.

“Our vision represents what Sunrise Corner believes the citizens

want the community to be like in the future. Sunrise Corner is an incredible place to live, work, play, visit, invest and explore, known for sustainable economic development balancing exceptional rural quality of life,” Chenier reported.

The core purpose of the organization is to deliver forward thinking economic development services and opportunities to the area. This means supporting businesses, ensure employees are satisfied, consumers find what they are looking for, visitors appreciate the area and that residents are proud of their communities.

“Our Values are the ideals we refuse to compromise as we conduct our mission in pursuit of our vision,” she added.

Sunrise Corner Seeks Marketing Coordinator Sunrise Corner is looking for an enthusiastic individual with a passion for tourism and community development to fill the position as Tourism Marking Coordinator.

Sunrise Corner is the tourism and economic development partnership of the Rural Municipalities of Piney and Stuartburn.

Monique Chenier, Economic Development & Tourism Manager said the position needs to be filled from May to August 2021 and is open to anyone from the age of 15 to 30 years of age.

“The Tourism Marketing Coordinator will be responsible for the promotion of all community events and festivals, cultural and

historic attractions, and recreational activities through effective writing, photography and videography that tells a compelling story,” Chernier explained.

“The coordinator will also provide research assistance to create a database of tourism operators, attractions, community groups and facilities throughout the region.”

Applicants must be familiar with the Rural Municipalities of Piney and Stuartburn, possess a valid driver’s license and have access to a reliable vehicle.

Chernier noted that the ideal candidate will have good communication and writing skills and

photography, videography and graphic design skills would be an asset. The applicant will be required to work days, evenings and weekends as needed. Duties will be determined to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

Applications will be accepted until May 3. Email a resume and cover letter explaining why you believe you’re the best candidate for this role, and if you have samples that represent your writing, photography and videography experience, send them along to: Monique Chenier at monique@sunrisecornermb.ca.

The Show Your Support campaign also aimed to educate and encourage people in the region to continue to support the local businesses who give back to the community.

The Steinbach Chamber of Commerce is asking consumers to show their support to local businesses as they work towards reopening over the next few months.

In December, the Steinbach Chamber coordinated a Show Your Support campaign via digital, online, radio and print promotions.

“Our goal with the campaign was to offer immediate support to our local business community by showcasing local businesses and their goods/services via our online holiday shopping guide and giveaways,” explained a spokesperson from the Chamber.

The Show Your Support campaign also aimed to educate and encourage people in the region to continue to support the local businesses who give back to the community.

“Through our various online platforms, posts and paid ads, we reached 611,557 people and organizations in this push to support local,” continued the spokesperson. “You don’t have to look far to recognize how our local businesses have invested in our city and neighbouring communities.”

Local businesses have become more than just a place to shop; they are a part of the community’s backbone.

“Local businesses employ our family and friends, donate to sports teams and charities, and invest in the community in so many other ways. Let’s all continue to show our business community support as we move forward in 2021,” concluded the representative.

To find out more visit steinbachchamber.com/show-your-support--shop-local.

16

February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Not Forsaken in Troubled Times We live in troubled times. Our health is at stake. Depression, mental illness and suicide are on the increase. Our jobs and economy are unstable and the family unit continues to be threatened from many sides. The Bible says, “We are troubled on every side”. How is a person supposed to deal with these problems and still maintain some form of sanity?

The first thing to realize is that the Almighty God of heaven is still in control. It may not look like it at this time, but God is long suffering and He is waiting for wicked people to repent of their wicked deeds and turn back to Him. We are approaching the “last days” that the Bible describes, where II Timothy 3:13 says, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” There is coming a day (I believe soon) when God’s patience will run out and He will deal with the wicked. The Bible calls them “tares” in Matthew 13. Proverbs 29:1 describes what God will do, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”

But how does a person who wants God and desires to please Him cope with the cares of our day? In John 14:27, Jesus Christ said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” This peace from Christ is available to all God’s children (those who have repented of their sin and trusted in the shed blood of Christ, which He shed at Calvary for our sins to be forgiven).

Then that person can say with the Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 4:8-10, “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed, we are perplexed, but not in despair.

Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” This can only be accomplished in us as we look to God for His help.

I Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

What a tremendous promise and privilege every child of God has.

God also says He will never leave us nor forsake us. Are you God’s child? If not, come to Him thru His Son, Jesus Christ, today. Then God will give you a peace and a rest that will help you face every situation in life, as you turn them all over to Him. God bless you as you seek Him in your daily walk!

Memberships 2021 memberships available for $25 per person. Join now to enjoy our member’s benefits!

St. Patties Meal Special St. Patrick’s Day Meal On Wednesday, March 17 - For each petal on the shamrock, this brings a wish your way: good health, good luck, and happiness for today and every day.

A meal cooked with love from our Meals on Wheels kitchen!

This special lunchtime meal is delivered straight to your door (Steinbach residents) or available for pickup at the Centre for only $7 and includes Broccoli Soup, Deluxe Burger, Salad and a Special Dessert. Orders must be placed by Monday, March 15 at 4 pm. Please call 204-3204605 to order. Payment can be in person with cash, debit, credit or cheque or over the phone with a credit card.

Breast Cancer Screening April and May- CancerCare Manitoba’s mobile mammography clinic is hitting the road and parking at the Pat Porter Active Living Centre for the months of April and May. Use this opportunity to get screened and make sure you’re healthy for many years to come. Screening is offered on an appointment only basis. Please call 1-855-9524325 to make an appointment.

Pen Pals - Letter writing fun!

Pat Porter Active Living Centre in collaboration with the Shine Homeschool group is looking for people interested in participating in a pen pal program. Those interested would exchange letters with students from the group on a regular basis. This group of young and bright students frequently volunteers at the Centre and would love to chat with you. Sign up and make a new friend! Please call 204-3204600 or email communications@ patporteralc.com if you would like to be added to the mailing list.

Fireside Stories Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 pm on Facebook - Grab a cup of tea/coffee and get cozy every Tuesday afternoon at 1 pm as Meg and Cathy from our Circle of Friends program read from the Stuart McLean collection. Join us live on Facebook/patporteral at 1 pm or watch later on your own time.

PPALC 2021 Calendars Featuring local photographers! Come grab a calendar for 2021!

Featuring beautiful photographs submitted by local photographers. $5 each and available for pickup at the Centre. Give us a call at 204320-4600 to order one today.

Centre Closure The Pat Porter Active Living Centre will be closed to all non-essential programming and services until further notice. We are following

the public health authority recommendations and encouraging you to stay home as much as possible and make sure we all reduce our contacts. This is for your safety, my safety and the safety of all of our loved ones. This is a community effort and we can do this.

We will remain open for essential services: - Meals on Wheels in Steinbach and Grunthal will remain open for meal delivery only, please make sure you call by 9 am if you would like to order a lunch.

- If you need help with shopping, mobility equipment or transportation call to make arrangements for us to provide assistance. If you, or someone you know just needs someone to talk to, please call us 204-320-4600 and one of us will gladly spend some time with you.

- Staff will be at the Centre from 9 am -4 pm if you need support or assistance. Please feel free to call and we can assist you.

We are here for you. We are in this together and we will come out of this together. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay home!

Contact Us For more information on our programs, activities or volunteer opportunities contact us from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm.

Call Sonja at 204-320-4603 or the reception desk at 204-320-4600.

Visit www.patporteralc.com.

Providence Offers Class Sampling For one month, Providence Seminary in Otterburne is offering to anyone wanting to sample their programming to log in through zoom. Providence offers an array of graduate programs in areas such as Counselling Psychology, Leadership, Theological Studies, Educational Ministries and so much more.

For those who want to take a course from Providence Seminary but not wanting to enroll in a fulltime graduate program, an opportunity has opened up for May. Dr. Joshua Coutts, Assistant Professor of New Testament is excited to see the program kick off this year with two courses. “Our hope in the seminary is that there would be two to three courses every year that would be offered at a discount to church leaders. For this calendar year, we are offering two modular courses,” explained Dr. Coutts.

During the month of May, Providence will offer live Zoom courses at a special reduced rate. The

courses will cover content for a oneweek module or two-week module.

Dr. Coutts who is delivering a course on the book of Revelations said, “Although scheduled before the pandemic, both of these courses are quite timely in various ways, and I think could be a great blessing to pastors and interested church leaders.”

He continued to share that Providence will welcome guest professor Dr. Victor Shepherd who is a Professor Emeritus at Tyndale University and a Professorial Fellow at Wycliffe College in Toronto.

“Dr. Shepherd brings years of expertise and wisdom, and a pastoral heart to his course called Themes in Theology: The Human Person,” Coutts added.

There are two courses being offered. From May 10-14, Professor Victor Shepherd will be teaching on Themes in Theology: The Human Person. The course tackles the subject of how human reality is shaped by relationship with God. Reclaiming the Book of Revelation with Professor Coutts runs from

May 17-21 and May 24-28. This course seeks to recover the tremendous potential of Revelation for forming Disciples of Christ by understanding it historically, theologically, and pastorally.

Anyone interested in these courses is encouraged to contact Gayle Penner an email at gayle.penner@ prov.ca.

Dr. Victor Shepherd. Photo wycliffecollege.ca

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

February 2021

17

Put Away Lying!

After School Art Program (ASAP) What is ASAP? ASAP is a free after school program for kids. It takes place from 4 – 6 pm on weekdays between now and March 31. With a drop-in centre feel, all classes are being held virtually, and streamed from the Steinbach Cultural Arts Centre.

ASAP is for any kids, from grades 5 - 9 are welcome, and encouraged to drop in. Everyone is included, and no one is left out.

Try any program. The After School Art Program, sponsored in part by Canadian Tire, is one of our most exciting initiatives at SAC. ASAP sessions are completely free and designed to give kids the opportunity to explore as many art forms as possible, from theatre and music to creative wellness. It’s the total package!

Our instructors are fantastic. We’ve hired some amazing instructors to connect with kids from all walks, to talk about their areas of interest, show kids the ropes, and help them discover whether these activities are right for them. There will be lots of activities, and lots of chances to engage.

There is no risk. Whether students are interested in asking questions, getting more experience, trying

something new, or just finding out what’s involved in learning a specific skill, our instructors meet kids where they are at, and encourage growth in a positive environment.

No supplies? No problem. We’ll work to find you what you need.

From guitars to pencils and paper - no kids will be left out.

Visit our website at steinbacharts. ca and register for any or ALL of our sessions!

50/50 Fundraiser - Coming in April, our 50/50 for Kids is back in support of our After School Art Program.

More details coming soon on our website, SteinbachArts.ca.

Spring Break Out Camp - Are you looking for fun and creative activities to keep your kids engaged during spring break? Then look no further than SAC’s annual Spring Break Out Camps for kids aged 5 - 8 and 9 – 12.

With sessions featuring dance, pottery, painting and much more, your kids are sure to find something to pique their interest.

Visual Arts Exhibits - Local artists, Jasmine Beaucage and Kayla Friesen are excited to share their artwork in the hallway gallery at Steinbach Arts Council in their shared exhibit,

“Finding Peace Through Art and My Thoughts and Feelings on 2020”.

Visit SteinbachArtsCouncil.ca to view the exhibit online until April 1, 2021.

Southeast Open Judged Exhibit Our annual Southeast Open Judged Exhibit is coming up! Watch our Website for more information about how you can submit your artwork to the biggest judged exhibit in South East Manitoba. Adult and student artists are encouraged to register now as part of the 23rd Annual Southeast Open Judged Exhibit (SOJE). The Open Judged Exhibit is open to all adults and students residing in the Southeast region, all art mediums and skill levels. Deadline to register is March 22, 2021, with artwork submission taking place from March 22 - April 2. The two categories, Juvenile (ages 4 - 18) and Adult (18+), will be open for registration online on March 2 at SteinbachArtsCouncil. ca. Due to limited space, artists may enter only one piece/craft per person.

There is a registration fee of $10 for adult entrants. There is no fee for students. Artwork will be displayed at the Steinbach Arts Council from April 19 – May 20.

Check out SAC’s New After School Art Program The After School Art Program (ASAP) is a free after school program for kids taking place from 4 – 6 pm on weekdays between now and March 31. With a drop-in centre feel, all classes are being held virtually, and streamed from the Steinbach Cultural Arts Centre.

ASAP is for all children from grades 5 – 9 and all sessions are free to try and designed to give kids the opportunity to explore as many art forms as possible, completely free of charge, from theatre and music, to creative wellness.

The After School Art Program,

sponsored in part by Canadian Tire, is one of our most exciting initiatives at SAC. Whether students are interested in asking questions, getting more experience, trying something new, or just finding out what’s involved in learning a specific skill, our instructors meet kids where they are at, and encourage growth in a positive environment. If you do not have supplies available the SAC will work to find you what you need from guitars to pencils and paper so that no child is left out.

Sessions available are After School

Theatre with Jeremy Plett; After School Musical Theatre with Gabriela Gallo; After School Pilates with Kimberly Koop; After School Guitar Club with Willie Wiebe (Contact Roxie@ steinbacharts.ca for more information or to register); After School Song Writing with David Graham; After School Clay with Donna Garafalo and After School Sketching with Ray Heidinger Don’t miss the chance to explore everything that SAC has to offer. There really is something for everyone at the Steinbach Arts Council. Register today.

Safe at Home Livestream Concerts The Steinbach Arts Council is pleased to announce a month of Safe at Home online concerts! Streaming live from SAC’s Steinbach Credit Union studio, these concerts are free thanks to Safe at Home Manitoba – no ticket needed.

Director of Programming David Klassen is enthusiastic about the lineup of artists. “We’ve been working hard to bring performing arts events to our region in a safe way over the last 6 months. Our audiences have been patiently waiting, and thanks to Safe at Home Manitoba, we are now able to deliver some pretty impressive entertainment. We presented pianist, Madeline Hildebrand in January with

an extremely positive response, and we have three more award-winning acts planned.”

Concert 1: Elvis in Concert on Sunday, March 7 at 7 pm. Enjoy an Elvis tribute livestream concert, featuring the Southeast’s own Elvis Tribute Artist, Corny Rempel!

Concert 2: Rosemary Siemens on Violin, on Sunday, March 14 at 7 pm. An Evening of Hymns and Inspiration with Rosemary Siemens and Special Guest SaxAndViolin! Rosemary Siemens has performed around the world, including for two US Presidents and Canadian Prime Ministers, at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, three times at St. Peter’s Ba-

silica, four times at New York’s Carnegie Hall, and was the first violinist to perform at the Sistine Chapel at The Vatican. This concert will also feature Rosemary’s new project with her husband, award-winning Saxophonist, Eli Bennett, Sax and Violin.

Concert 3: More details coming soon with Jane Cory on Fiddle in late March; date TBD. Jane Cory is a Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Champion (2018) and will have you tapping your toes and clapping along! More details available soon.

Visit our website for all concert details, including our livestream FAQs or give us a call at 204.346.1077.

Ephesians 4:25-32… 25) Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbour,” for we are members of one another.

26) “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27) nor give place to the devil. 28) Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labour, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29) Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31) Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

32) And be kind to one another, tender hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (NKJV) Do away with falsehood is what the Bible teaches. Does that mean lying? Oh yes, there are many ways of lying; turn on the TV we soon hear folks shred the truth. Sometimes deliberate, premeditated thought-out lies. I am reminded that most parents teach their children early in life that lying is something they should not do. There is so much untruth; deception in the world that the child is challenged to face up to what is truth and what is false. Lying unchecked creates an atmosphere of uncertainty from an early age… sad when adults have forgotten the damage that lies can do.

Kind-hearted and Compassionate: Those are words that we Christians often forget; we often behave in just the opposite way. Bitterness and malice grieve the Holy Spirit, we know that; but somehow, we fall into the devil’s trap and grieve the Spirit of God with ungodly behaviour and stretching the truth. It does not make sense for us to rob ourselves of the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit. Why not do away with that sort of behavior and live as Christ wants us to live?

When someone comes to us and asks for forgiveness, we should forgive that person without any strings attached, without digging up something from the past, something from years ago. Our hurt pride, our selfish and jealous anger should play no part in the act of forgiving. We either forgive or we do not. If we want to seek revenge, then we grieve the Holy Spirit. No excuse, we do not forgive by saying to the person seeking forgiveness; before I forgive you let me tell you how foolish you were. When we behave this way, we open the door for the devil to come and ruin our Christian name.

All of us have had some experience in this area; I honestly believe that. But none are as hurtful as when we ask somebody to forgive us and then they dig up something from the past and just turn their jealous anger on us. This makes the whole experience not something we can rejoice in, but rather; something ugly, and the devil leaps for joy because we were so small and would not forgive as Christ forgave us.

We should never postpone mending fences, mending quarrels because if we do, we will probably never mend them. Even preachers need to mend fences; preachers are not without sin either. If there is trouble between us and anyone, the longer it is left to flourish, the more bitter it will grow. If I have been in the wrong, I must pray to God to give me the grace to admit that I was wrong; even if I have been right, I must pray to God to give me the grace which will enable me to take the first step to put matters right and not to pull an ounce of flesh from the other person’s skin.

Let us never give the devil an opportunity. An unhealed breach is a magnificent opportunity for the devil to sow dissension with lies. When someone asks for forgiveness, forgive them, without demanding revenge. Many organizations have been torn apart because two people quarrelled and let the sun set upon their wrath.

To God Be the Glory Great Things He Has Done...

Would you pray this prayer with me? “Lord Jesus, come into my heart? Forgive my sins. I want my life to change.

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

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

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February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

RCMP FILES If you have any information in regards to any item here you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP Detachment at 204326-4452 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).

Thief Grabs Log Splitter Steinbach RCMP are asking the public for any information that may help identify a suspect involved in a theft. On February 2, Police received a report that a log splitter was stolen from a yard at Road 31 E in the Rural Municipality of Ste Anne. The log Splitter is worth approximately $2,000.

Police are seeking the assistance of the public for any information in regards to any suspects.

If you have any information regarding the above incident or any other information in regards to the above matter, you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP Detachment at 204-326-4452 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Steinbach RCMP Seize Cigarettes, Drugs, Cash and Firearms

RCMP Look for Info on Credit Card Thief

On February 11 Steinbach and Manitoba East District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team RCMP executed simultaneous Controlled Drug and Substances Act warrants at a residence and a vehicle on Dawson Road between Richer and Ste. Anne in the RM of Ste. Anne and in the City of Winnipeg.

As a result of the searches, officers seized in excess of 729,000 illegal cigarettes, 15 grams of psilocybin, 74 grams of cocaine, 300 Percocet tablets, 220 hydro morphine tablets, $40,000 in cash as well as two improperly stored firearms and items indicative of drug trafficking.

A 39-year-old male from Steinbach and a 62-year-old female from the RM of Ste. Anne were arrested and are facing charges of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine, Cigarette Smuggling, and firearms offences. The male also faces charges of Fail to Comply.

Both remain in custody and the investigation is ongoing.

“A solid investigation lead to RCMP teams executing these warrants,” said S/Sgt Harold Laninga, Steinbach RCMP Detachment Commander.

“We have disrupted this operation and, at the end of the day, stopped these illegal items from being distributed to the public.”

Steinbach RCMP are asking the public for any information that may help identify a suspect involved in a theft incident. On October 28, 2020 Steinbach RCMP received a report of a theft from a vehicle at a residence in Steinbach. A wallet, credit cards various other IDs, and $120 in cash were stolen from the vehicle. The suspect used the credit cards at several stores in Steinbach.

Police are seeking the assistance of the public to identify the individual shown in the picture. If you have any infor regarding the incident or any other information in regards to the above matter, you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP Detachment at 204-326-4452 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or manitobacrimestoppers.com.

RCMP ICE Unit Makes Arrest

Search for Woman Involved in Shopper’s Theft On February 11 Steinbach RCMP received a call from Shoppers Drug Mart located on Main Street in Steinbach about a theft of undisclosed amount of merchandise.

A Caucasian female wearing a black mask and carrying a box “possibly a mirror” and a basket full of stuff walked out the store without paying. The female then jumped in a Grey Jeep Cherokee with plates HUD903 and took off.

If you have any information in regards to the above you are asked to contact the Steinbach RCMP Detachment at 204-326-4452 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).

Arrest Made in Machete Assault On February 6, at approximately 9:10 pm, Steinbach RCMP received a report that a male was at a residence uttering threats. When police arrived on scene, an injured male approached officers for assistance. First aid was provided until EMS arrived on scene shortly after. The 21-yearold victim, from Steinbach who was visiting the residence, was transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

While police were assisting the injured male, other officers observed a male with blood on his hands and clothing inside the garage of the residence. Jeffrey Jodoin, 27, a resident of the home, was taken into custody.

Investigation revealed that several people had been drinking in the garage of the residence. Witnesses advised an argument had broken out between the two men, where Jodoin was threatening the victim and held the machete to his neck causing injury.

Jodoin’s truck was parked on the driveway, and it had blood on it. The officers located a machete inside the truck, and it was determined this was the weapon that had caused injury to the victim.

Jodoin is charged with Aggravated Assault, Possess Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose, Assault with a Weapon, and Breach of Recognizance.

The Manitoba RCMP Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE) received several complaints from the RCMP National Child Exploitation Crime Centre regarding the possession of child pornography in southeastern Manitoba.

As a result of these complaints, on January 22 and January 27, the ICE Unit, RCMP Digital Forensic Services Unit, and the Steinbach RCMP executed two search warrants in the area. The targets of the search warrants are unrelated, but are both connected to the complaints received by the ICE unit.

Arrested on January 22 was a 49year-old male from Steinbach who was charged with Possess Child Pornography, Access Child Pornography, and Make Available Child Pornography.

A search warrant execution on January 27 resulted in another arrest of a 24-year-old male from Stuartburn who was charged with Possess Child Pornography, Access Child Pornography, and Make Available Child Pornography.

Both males were released from custody to attend court in Steinbach in March. They are required to meet specific conditions that include not to possess, access, or use computers (or related devices) or cell phones, not to use or access any Internet service, not to access any social media websites or apps, not to have any contact or be in the presence of anyone under the age of 18 years and not to attend any park or public swimming area where persons under the age of 18 years are present or can reasonably be expected to be present, or a daycare centre, school ground, playground, or community centre.

The RCMP ICE Unit is committed to combating the online exploitation of children in Manitoba.

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Manitoba Spring Ice Has Many Dangers Whether you’re skating, playing hockey or ice fishing on a Manitoba river or lake for your catch of- the-day, spending time out on the ice can be an enjoyable outdoor activity – but it also comes with some inherent dangers. Ice seldom freezes uniformly. It may be thick in one location, but thin only a few steps away. As ice conditions change throughout the year, it can become cloudy or rotten. ‘Rotten’ ice has frozen and thawed repeatedly, making it fragile and unsafe.

Before you spend a day out on the hard water, plan ahead and keep these safety tips in mind: - Before you leave shore, check the weather and inform someone of your destination and expected time of return. Never go onto ice alone or at night.

- Test ice for thickness and stability. New ice is usually stronger than old ice. 10 cm of clear, newly formed ice may support one person on foot, while 30 cm or more of old or partially thawed ice may not. Obey any posted warning signs.

- Don’t trust the ice. Just because there may be footsteps or snowmobile tracks, it doesn’t mean the ice is safe. Access points near boat launches and snowmobile trails, especially later in the year when salt, sand, and gravel are tracked in can weaken the ice.

- Avoid ice near generating stations or hydro dams as fluctuating water levels and current can cause unstable ice conditions.

- Keep away from unfamiliar paths, unknown ice, and ice that forms near streams, bridges and culverts. Bogs can trap air pockets and pressure ridges can pull apart, exposing open water.

- Carry rescue equipment such as ice picks, a rope, a cell phone, and first aid kit. Wear a floatation suit or lifejacket whenever you are on the ice. It could save your life!

- Avoid vehicle travel on ice whenever possible. Snow acts as an insulating blanket, which can slow down the freezing process and reduce how much weight the ice can support. If you must drive a vehicle, be prepared to leave it in a hurry – keep windows down and have an emergency plan of action.

- Many winter anglers use portable propane heaters, which is a risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.

These heaters are not intended for use inside homes, tents, campers, or other shelters. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and ensure proper ventilation.

No fish is worth your life!

Visit hydro.mb.ca/safety for more safety information.

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

February 2021

19

Arms Wide for March

It feels like the month of February has just flown by and here we are into the month of March. Of course, February does only have twenty-eight days so it will go by faster than other months but this year, it seemed a little extra quick.

March has always seemed to be an interesting month, there is often snow covering the ground but the weather is starting to warm up so the snow begins to melt away. Occasionally, there will be

a snowstorm and we’ll have to slog through the fresh snow but the next week it could rain and the snow from the week before could go through a rain-induced rapid melt and then we have to slog through all the muddy, puddles. I guess what I’m saying is that the month of March is kind of like getting a gift from your great aunt... you know that whatever you’re going to get will be given to you with love but you’re still a little nervous about what it will be.

Either way, whether it is snow or rain, we all know that spring is nearing and, much like the black bears, we can all slowly stagger out of our winter hibernation (also known as a Netflix binge), we’ll be blinking our eyes into the brilliant sunshine and begin to enjoy the outdoors once again. (Side note: if you are one of

the amazing people that love winter and get outdoors all winter long, I applaud you).

For the last month, I could feel a shifting within and I think it is because spring is near. If you’ve felt it too then you’ll understand when I tell you of how I’ve caught myself looking out the window and thinking of how I’m going to be working on the lawn and tilling the garden.

How I’ve been looking outside and thinking about my summertime projects with glee, it always feels good to accomplish those bigger projects that really put a snap into the look of the landscape.

As I write this, I’m almost giddy about these projects and how they will work. Just the thought of stepping outside without a jacket on gives me goose-bumps of joy!

Weather aside, this month is extra special because ... we get to go back to the Jake Epp Public Library!

Books!! Wohooo!! Oh, how I’ve missed going to the library and seeing my friends. From the financial section where the works of David Bach and Robert T. Kiyosaki offer wisdom and guidance, all the way across the building to the shelves of the young adult books by Rick Riordan and Gordon Korman that wish to take you by the hand and lead you on wildly, fantastic adventures. The public library is one of the greatest places to go... again and again.

So to the month of February I wave goodbye but to the month of March, I open my arms wide and offer a warm hug of welcome.

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

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February 2021

Celebrating Over 25 Years of Service to Our Communities!

Dawson Trail Dispatch

Producer Spotlight:

Mother of Pearl Studio of the Arts

Class is in session at Mother of Pearl Studio of the Arts and Madreperla Estudios in WoodSubmitted photo more.

Each month, we profile a local producer from the area whose products are available for purchase. This month, the profile is Mother of Pearl Studio of the Arts and Madreperla Estudios owned

by Heather Bishop, Debora Cardaci and Bibiana Vidal Curell.

Mother of Pearl Studio of the Arts is nestled in the woods near Woodmore just off Hwy 201. It is the culmination of a dream of Heather Bishop, Debora Cardaci, and Bibiana Vidal Curell who are three professional musical and visual artists. The studios house not only their own work but also afford the opportunity to offer skills development for artists at all levels in their pursuit of their dreams.

After regularly attending workshops in other countries at a huge

cost, the three of them put their heads together and thought, “Why not bring artists of international stature here to Woodmore instead?”

The workshops are held on a half section of beautiful, wooded organic land featuring solar panels, a straw bale studio retreat, labyrinth, and huge garden, an inspiring location for an art school. For multiple day workshops, meals are catered and overnight options are available for students. The school encourages participants to book into lovely and inexpensive neighbourhood bed and breakfasts, campgrounds and motels.

In September 2019, the Master Class Series launched with guest artist, the internationally renowned Dominique Medici. “Alla Prima Portrait Painting” sold out in a week and was a huge success.

They have now created a Skills Development Series featuring workshops with Debora Cardaci, an internationally renowned artist in her own right. These workshops build on each other, taking the participants through the fundamental skills in creating visual art.

A third program called Musician’s Woodshed Series features workshops with musicians, singer/songwriter Connie Kaldor being the first one to offer. However, the 2020 workshops have had to be rescheduled to the fall of 2021.

For more information about upcoming events or the artists, please check out their website at motherofpearlstudioofthearts.com.

The Local Food Initiative Producer Spotlight is brought to you by the Stuartburn Franklin-Emerson Local Food Initiative.

Rendez-Vous Estates Ready for Construction Thanks to a recent funding announcement the Rendez-Vous Estates in Lorette has received valuable support from three levels of government, which means the project has met meet major construction financing conditions.

Once complete, Rendez-Vous Estates will be a not-for-profit seniors housing co-op that provides high quality, sustainable, affordable and secure housing to service the community of Tache and surrounding areas.

“We are very confident we will have a shovel in the ground by spring 2021, with occupancy ready by spring/summer 2022,” stated a spokesperson. “Our project management team is in the process of confirming and finalizing all the details of the project before we proceed to signing the financing and construction contracts. This may take a few weeks.”

What makes the project unique is that it is the only 55 Plus housing facility in the community. Estimated costs for the building are at $13.69 million with a projected 16 month construction period.

A crucial financing condition imposed on the steering commit-

tee is to have 26 suites sold before fered one month free rent. To find construction can proceed. Sales are out more call 204-961-1442 or concurrently short by a few suites. tact any committee member.

“You can make the difference by signing up now rather than later.

Your commitment today will ensure RendezVous Estates proceeds as scheduled,” added the spokesperson.

“As a residential co-op, we are not tenants, but proud members with an opportunity to make a difference.

A ff o r d a b i l i t y means occupancy cost is structured on true expenditures as a voting member.”

As a contributor to their success, supporters will be permanently displayed as a “Pioneer” and will be of- The new building will be built behind the old municipal building.

The new housing facility is a not-for-profit seniors housing co-op that is expected to provide high quality, sustainable, affordable and secure housing to service the community of Tache and surrounding areas.

Submitted photos