Lifestyles 55 2021 07 July

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

July 2021

FAST DENTURES

947-1807 208 Power Bldg 428 Portage ave

Listen to Lifestyles 55 Radio! whatsupwinnipeg.ca

News Bulletin: Vale investing in Thompson mining Vale will be spending $150 million on first phase of Thompson mine extension project – work is expected to boost current production by 30 per cent and extend mining activities by 10 years.

The Neestanan Utility Corridor: Northern Manitoba Gateway to the world

T

he trading of goods has been in the DNA of Indigenous People for millennia, but somewhere along the way, with the coming of treaties and reserves, this was lost. The time has come for First Nations to regain these forgotten abilities for the betterment of their communities and Canada.

The direct involvement of First Nations as equal partners in energy development will help Canada to reach greater capacity and sustainable economic prosperity, while advancing the long overlooked critical interests of the Prairie Provinces.

Current methods of transporting landlocked prairie products and resources to reach international markets are inefficient and costly to producers, involving shipping either west through the Rocky Mountains or east through the Great Lakes.

But there is a third and better option.

The Neestanan Utility Corridor (NUC) is a First Nations led eco-

Can Manitoba catch the wave of change and ride it to prosperity?

Dorothy Dobbie

T

The shipyard at Port Nelson in 1915. Port Nelson was the first choice as a location for a port in Manitoba along Hudson Bay. Photo by Aimé Guertin. nomic development partnership initiative with the mission to have First Nations own a continuous multimodal utility and right of way across the Canadian Prairies and north to Hudson Bay. The University of Calgary School of Public Policy has been working on a version of this for the

whole country which they call the “Northern Corridor route”.

The Neestanan portion of this northern corridor will stretch from Alberta to Port Nelson, Man. on the western shore of Hudson Bay. Port Nelson would also be the shipping u 4 ‘Northern gateway’

A beautiful haunting Sherrie Versluis

L

The call of the loon is a trademark of our lakes.

iving in Canada is a great thing for nature lovers. We are so fortunate to have such a diverse amount of habitat to be able to enjoy everything Mother Nature has to offer. Almost everyone has at some point gone ‘to the lake’. There’s nothing like heading out to cottage country to go swimming, fishing, or to just relax and de-stress. One of the most well known trademarks of our lakes is the haunting call of the Common Loon. So popular is the loon that its image adorns the Canadian one dollar coin known, of course, as the Loonie. This beautiful call of the loon is one of total serenity and peace. Sadly, this peaceful tune has become one that is heard less and less each year.

Fossil evidence shows loons have been around for u 16 ‘A beautiful haunting’

he world is changing before our eyes, and it seems everywhere we look there is an opportunity for Manitoba. Mineral resources, hydro, current fascination with indigenous art – these are just a few of the advantages Manitoba and its people have to offer.

Others have recognized the possibilities for years, but they were frustrated by a government that had bought into an empty UNESCO dream of a vast wilderness park north of 53 in our province. It seemed that every avenue for development was discouraged, regulated out of existence or outright blocked until Manitoba became the forgotten province.

Then we brought in a new regime and the excitement carried us into the number one spot on the Fraser Institute’s list of great places to invest in mining. Problem was that the ink was hardly dry on the minister’s mandate letter before industry expectations rose to an unrealistic pitch. What industry and others had not considered was just how long it takes to make changes to attitudes that control actions when they have been entrenched in the civil service for almost four decades.

But don’t be discouraged. This government is determined to make good things happen, not just in the mining portfolio, but in the way we manage all our resources. And the beneficiaries will be all the people of this great province, including our earliest partners, the First Nations. Read about their brilliant plan to create a northern utility corridor to Port Nelson, the original point on Hudson Bay for the shortest ocean route to European (and eastern Canadian) markets.

This plan has been under development for several years and has wide support among First Nations who are excited about the economic prospects it opens for their isolated communities. It will not be easy to realize this great vision – there will be powerful resistance from Ontario and Quebec who have u 3 ‘Wave of prosperity'

From VACCINE to ICE-CREAM, we’re here to help!

Need help getting your parents to their vaccination appointment?

Round trip, ice cream stop, and safely home!

Nurse Next Door-

changing lives one ride at a time.

Call today for your ride!

431-373-8663

www.nursenextdoor.com

Breathe freely today

Get the air purification system created to eradicate the indoor air of your home or work environment of unwanted airborne pollutants like viruses, bacteria, mold, dust, odours, pollen – and more. You won’t believe the difference.

BGP Environmental Group introduces the latest in air purification technology with proven test results!

For full test results on the air purification systems: https://www.rgf.com/test-results/

For every sale between now and July 31st we will be donating 5% to the Children’s Hospital Foundation

HALO-LED™ The all new HALO-LED™ is the industry’s first LED in-duct, whole home air purification system that is both mercury free and zero ozone compliant. The HALO-LED™ proactively treats every cubic inch of air conditioned space, thereby reducing airborne and surface contaminants and pollutants. By combining REME-LED™ UV technology along with RGF’s proven PH-CELL® and REME® technologies, the HALO-LED™ provides revolutionary indoor air purification.

Check out this video of RGF’s HALO-LED™ whole-home air purification system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FCFF9Uj3Zk

PiP-MAX™ The PiP-MAX™ portable air purification system utilizes RGF’s patented REME-HALO® technology reducing air pollutants such as bacteria, microbials, viruses, mold, smoke and VOCs. Leveraging ionization the PiP-MAX™ provides the added benefit of reducing airborne allergens, dust and particulates. Plugging directly into the existing wall outlet, the PiP-MAX™ can be installed in any room and offers an additional power outlet on the unit housing. Quickly and reliably resolve all your air quality issues with the portable PiP-MAX™ active air purification system.

Breath freely and safer today!

Find out more by calling 1-800-265-0027

1-800-265-0027 • info@bgpgroup.ca • https://www.bgpgroup.ca

2

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

July 2021

ISSUES IN THE NEWS

u Follow us online at: whatsupwinnipeg.ca Facebook: Lifestyles55 Twitter: @Lifestyles55 PUBLISHER Pegasus Publications Inc. EDITOR Dorothy Dobbie dorothy@pegasuspublications.net EDITOR Emeritus Joan Cohen ART DIRECTOR Karl Thomsen karl@pegasuspublications.net GENERAL MANAGER Ian Leatt ian.leatt@pegasuspublications.net CONTRIBUTORS Gerrie Beachall, Amber Miller Blanchette, Linda Conway, Dorothy Dobbie, Myrna Driedger, John Einarson, Herbert Grubel, George Hacking, Wendy Hodgins, Jim Ingebrigtsen, Ian Leatt, Nicole Matiation, Fred Morris, Manitoba Seniors Coalition, Manitoba Association of Senior Centres, Connie Newman, Peggy Pendergast, Brent Poole, Darlene Ronald, Trudy Schroeder, Elly Spencer, Sherrie Versluis, Wayne Weedon, Nathan Zassman.

Canadian Publications mail product Sales agreement #40027604 ADVERTISING 1-888-680-2008 info@pegasuspublications.net SUBSCRIPTIONS If you would like to receive Lifestyles 55, we offer both monthly newspaper and online formats.

To place your order, call 204-940-2700.

Subscriptions are $48.00 per year, plus tax. American Express, MasterCard, Visa & cheque accepted. To view a back issue online visit lifestyles55.net Published monthly by: Pegasus Publications Inc. 138 Swan Lake Bay, Winnipeg, MB R3T 4T8 204-940-2700 whatsupwinnipeg.ca DISTRIBUTION Available at over 100 locations from Winnipeg, Brandon, Steinbach, Morden, Selkirk, Flin Flon and The Pas. If you would like bulk copies of this publication, contact Ian Leatt at (204) 940-2707 or ian.leatt@pegasuspublications.net. Also available digitally at whatsupwinnpeg/ lifestyles and on Facebook: Lifestyles55 EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Call Dorothy Dobbie at (204) 940-2716 or email dorothy@pegasuspublications.net for more information and guidelines.

Any opinions expressed in columns by our contributors are their own opinions entirely and are not necessarily shared by Pegasus Publications Inc. All information presented by the contributors is the responsibility of the writers.

Lifestyles 55 is published monthly.

Reproduction in part or in whole is prohibited without seeking permission in writing from the publisher.

Copyright Pegasus Publications Inc. July 2021

Can Manitoba catch the wave of change and ride it to prosperity?

Continued from page 1

long controlled the vital gateway to the Atlantic, but prairie riches should benefit prairie people and that is the plan here. We need to be able to ship our grain, our petroleum, and our manufactured goods from a port controlled by our own people – and by that, I mean our Indigenous partners in this land. That is the true and meaningful way to reconciliation.

Mining There is more, though. Remember that Manitoba is home to many desirable minerals. Everything from gold, nickel, zinc and copper to rarer lithium and cesium deposits are mined here. A small amount of platinum, cobalt and silver, by-products of other mining activities, fill out our portfolio which also includes potash further south, indications of diamonds at Knee Lake between Oxford House and Gods Dorothy Lake and there is still interest in uranium at Wollaston Lake.

Currently, only a small proportion of these metals is being extracted: still some copper and zinc at Flin Flon and gold at Snow Lake by Hudbay; a bit of nickel and copper at Thompson by Vale and cesium by Sinomine Rare Metals Resources Co. Ltd. at Bernic Lake. Several operations are under pause, including the CaNickel Mining nickel mine at Wabowden; Vale’s Birchtree mine at Thompson and the True North gold mine at Bissett. A small amount of platinum, cobalt and silver are also extracted as, by-products of other mining activities.

Currrently, there are some promising explorations underway. The Manitoba government lists several of them on its website at https://www.gov.mb.ca/iem/industry/ exp-dev/index.html#d, but the information is only current up to 2017. According to my own contacts and research however, there are a handful of promising sites.

North of Snow Lake, Snow Lake Resources is exploring a large lithium resource and is actively pursing development plans. Vision Lithium, with assets in New Brunswick and Quebec, has a large and promising resource at Godslith near God’s Lake. Vision Lithium applied for a mineral exploration license early this year and are having discussions with the Manto Sipi Cree.

On the gold front, Alamos has a development project at Lynn Lake and reported in February this year that it expects to begin open pit mining in Lynn Lake by 2025, although some are saying that is contingent on a feasibility study to be completed and decided upon in 2022.

Yamana Gold had been exploring the likelihood of developing its Domain site near the Ontario border and said, a year and half ago, that it was “continuing to evaluate” the potential there and that it was engaging with the Bunibonibee Cree Nation at that time. Yamana did not mention Manitoba in its Jan. 25, 2021, update and 10-year development plan.

John Morse of the Manitoba Mining Association says that while the recently announced single window concept is a welcome move, industry is waiting to see how it works and to hear the long-term strategy for northern mining development, which encompasses hydro plans and the long-awaited decision to increase permit lengths and the amount of time it takes to get a permit.

The province has indicated that change is in the offing, but uncertainty is creating a scarcity of capital, he says.

Another of the challenges is a high rate of attrition and a shortage of people to work in the department which is slowly being brought back up to capacity.

Shastri Ramnath, chair of the Manitoba Liaison Committee on Mining and Exploration, which was appointed in 2019 to provide advice to the minister on priority issues, says that they have recommended a three-to-fiveyear permit to the government, and she is confident that this will bear fruit soon. She also says that the new director of permitting is working hard to get up to speed on the issues.

Chuck Davidson is a member of the Community Economic Development Fund which has been charged with the task of rolling out the strategy created by the Look North Team which was appointed by the government back in 2016 as one of its first initiatives.

He says progress is being made but that things have always been slow to take hold in the North. The new $20 million development fund is stimulating a lot of interest and that there has been a “huge uptake” by smaller enterprises where nobody had paid any attention to them for many years.

Chair of the CEDF board, Jamie Wilson, is also look-

ing forward to a return to action on the development front, where CEDF funds for lending had been frozen since 2017. While the 2021 report was not yet available at press time, the 2020 CEDF report contains some sensible and well thought out recommendations for action in the North.

If adopted on and acted upon, their work will be a major step forward in realizing some of our dreams.

A new CEO of the fund is raising hopes of a more creative and assertive approach to development of new enterprises in the north.

Power For many years, Manitoba concentrated mainly in development of the Hydro resource, investing billions and selling the excess of shore for more than it cost to produce. Now that this investment has been Dobbie made it is time for payback. A small portion of this has been realized with a sale of power to Saskatchewan, but there remains much to be done. Instead of simply exporting the product, Manitoba Hydro must look locally to benefitting the North. This includes investing in electrical vehicle chargers of high speed capacity – level three or better – to allow tourist traffic to explore the North and to support the changes that will very soon be taking place in the long haul transport industry.

More on this topic in another issue.

Arts We often overlook the financial impact of the arts on our economy, and this is just as true of the north as it is everywhere else. But as usual, Manitoba is just a little different. We have these wonderful independent pockets of arts expertise, especially in Flin Flon, as you know if you have been reading Elly Spencer every issue for the last three years. But this is not confined to just that town.

Penny Rawlings in Churchill, who owns the Arctic Trading Company, has been buying and selling wonderful indigenous art for years to people from all over the world.

She is aware of market prices and the potential to create and sell so much more. She also says that there is a local Churchill group that have set up an Arts Collective in that town.

That fits in well with the plans of Crystal Kolt who has been putting Flin Flon on the arts map for many years, going back to the day when she brazenly took her local choir to Carnegie Hall in New York to now when she and her NorVa group have created a virtual market called the Uptown Emporium, where they can take local art to the world via the magic of the Internet.

Over at the University College of the North, President Doug Lauvstad sees the potential. He is a bit of an artist himself as an accomplished wildlife photographer. The Pas has an amazing residue of talent and expertise illustrated by The Pas Arts Council which has been mounting a juried arts show for 44 years! In Thompson, wolf capital of the world and home of a ten-storey high wolf mural, every year for the past 40 years has seen the Festival of the Arts celebrate local talent. Senator Pat Bovey wrote a report on the potential for monetization of local artwork some years ago that will soon be dusted off.

Meanwhile, beautiful art is being created every day in every First Nations community, often just for the sheer love of it. Sometimes, First Nations folks such as Edna Nabess have turned their talent into a business, Edna with a store called Cree-Ations in Winnipeg. It started with slippers and moccasins and has burgeoned into artworthy apparel. Or Theresa Wride who does caribou art so fine that it was used as a presentation to Queen Elizabeth. Theresa, born at Oxford House, is part of the Flin Flon NorVa group.

Is there a way to bring all this talent together in the North? A group of creative people think so and are working on a plan to make it happen. Doug Lauvstad has taken the initiative, using the connections of his university college campuses to try and knit a northern arts community into a lovely, patterned picture that can help local artists make a living and bring travellers north to enjoy what is offered.

Stay tuned. There will be more on offer.

The rest We have run out of space and time, but watch next month for a look at tourism, forestry and fishing. It is time to wake up, Manitoba, to recognize and appreciate the incredible world just a few miles up the road in some of the most beautiful and bountiful terrain on the planet – and did I mention the people? whatsupwinnipeg.ca

3

Reviving the dream of a northern port

I

n the early part of the last century, farsighted, adventurous Canadians had a dream. They would build a transportation corridor from the prairies to Hudson Bay and from there to the great ocean highways connecting the world. It would haul our riches to European markets via the shortest and most economical route possible. All they needed was a railroad and a deep water port.

They set out to build it. Their goal was to locate the terminus at a northern location known as Port Nelson which is where the mighty Nelson River, which drains lake Winnipeg, flows into the Bay. Starting in 1912 and through to 1914, much work was done with the rail line constructed, an island created connected from the mainline by a half mile bridge to access deeper waters. Summers saw as many as 1,000 men on site in a burgeoning village as construction proceeded.

Then the War intervened and in a very short time, the dream was destroyed both by the need to move resources overseas to fight and also by powerful political forces that opposed the plan.

Eventually, Port Nelson was abandoned in favour of Churchill. But the rail

u

Bunkhouses and warehouses at Port Nelson, 1918, with the train bridge in the background leading out to the port terminus. line right of way still exists, the bridge and the island remain and the dream is being rekindled. Despite lobbies to the contrary, the world will continue to use fossil fuels for many years to come as the transition to other energy sources takes place and Canada’s contribution of the greenest production of these fuels can help get many markets through that transition. A pipeline following

the old railway right of way offers the perfect opportunity to take this product to world markets through the northern port.

This plan brings the chance to create a partnership with First Nations that will help them develop their own autonomous economy and rebuild independent communities. It is a win-win for all concerned.

All the prairie provinces stand to benefit from this corridor, called Neestanan, which will also be the route for all kinds of prairie produced products from grain, industrial goods such as farm equipment and buses manufactured in Manitoba, to potash from Saskatchewan and petroleum products from Alberta. But Manitoba stands to gain the most with dozens of spin-off benefits and taxes, not to mention jobs and development.

Dreams of better utilization of our northern ports have resurfaced from time to time, the most recent happening in 2010, when the Selinger government convened a three-day conference to discuss the feasibility of a northern Arctic gateway route to Asia via Churchill. This time is different, though. The group behind Neestanan have created a plan that can work, and which should be well received if the country is sincere about reconciliation with First Nations.

To oppose this plan would make a travesty of all the fine words coming from federal politicians, whose blessing will be needed to open the port to export.

Stay tuned as we walk beside this initiative that will be so good for out First Nations and our province.

The Neestanan Utility Corridor: Northern Manitoba Gateway to the world Continued from page 1

gateway of the Neestanan project, providing Canadian exporters with shorter routes to take their products to new Canadian and world markets.

First Nation ownership of NUC (Neestanan means “all of us” or “us too” in Cree) will allow the Nations to establish environmental, construction, and operating criteria for the building and maintenance of the NUC and set standards for the users of the right of way.

The NUC is consequently designed to enable highdemand Prairie produced commodities to move through the Port Nelson seaport directly to international markets with less cost, more efficiency, reduced environmental impact, and significant benefit to First Nations communities.

Not only will the NUC create an economy that will be large-scale, but it will also be environmentally sustainable and enhance communities far beyond the Corridor itself.

The new road, pipeline, hydroelectric, rail and seaport infrastructure provided by the NUC project will deliver new growth opportunities across Canada’s natural resource sector and encourage further development of green hydrogen, petroleum, hydroelectric, agriculture and mining resources. NUC would work for imports also. Using the Neestanan utility corridor as the product delivery route to the Prairies replaces reliance upon crowded ports such as Vancouver and Montreal; Great Lake lock expenses, and trains through the Rocky Mountains.

The Neestanan Corridor will subsequently transform not only First Nations communities but all of Canada by creating new trade routes for oil, electricity, and commodities. Not only is this an unprecedented undertaking critical for Canada, but it’s also a bold and transformational path forward for First Nations in these uncertain economic times.

Ownership and control vested in First Nations will mitigate the opposition to these infrastructure projects by grouping them into a single corridor. First Nations ownership over the right-away and standards should facilitate approval from the provincial and federal governments, the Canadian population, and political factions otherwise likely to oppose a utility corridor.

Right of Way ownership would come from First Nation land and be supplemented by Treaty Land Entitlement settlements. The FN will provide environmental and operating controls that will meet and exceed federal and provincial guidelines.

The people behind Neestanan are primarily Indigenous individuals from across the prairies including Rupert Meneen, Sandford Gauchier, Michael Lawrenchuk, Wilfred Jimmy, Albert Angus, and Robyn Lore. They have also assembled an impressive advisory group of environmentalists, engineers, lawyers and retired regulators.

This is a big project with a big vision. To bring it to reality will require co-operation from governments who must be willing to resist lobbying from those who resist change or who feel their interest are under threat. Indeed, when Neestanan becomes a reality, all will benefit ••• 4

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

The original Hudson Bay Route Plan of the Nelson Estuary (1927). Created by F. Palmer.

Comments from Mike Lawrenchuk, a member of the Fox Lake Cree Nation and a former Chief First Nations need a revenue source/economic engine they can own and control and benefit from.

By taking an active role in how resources are developed and handled in their territories FN can improve Northern Manitoba Having a Utility Corridor across the Prairies will provide a revenue source and economic engine that would enable FNs to begin building serious infrastructure programs in their communities as well as minimizing their dependence on the Federal Government.

If FN start and own the corridor it will be studied and implemented for the long term benefit of FN. When outsiders come into FN territory and extract resources they provide a few years of employment for FNs but then things return to the preproject poverty levels.

There are always environmental concerns and who better to deal with them than the people that know the environment intricately have done so for thousands of years. First Nations know their very existence is wholly dependent on the environment and that to damage that relationship is to damage their ability to stay alive therefore any needs of the environment would be looked at in conjunction with the project.

••• Comments from Angela Adsit, CEO of ICD PRO If the 3 C’s (consultation, connection, and collaboration) are followed, I believe FN people across the Prairies will gladly engage, welcome the training and employment, and benefit from the multiple advantages that a utility corridor will provide.

1. Advantages to Canada: billions of dollars per year 2. Advantages to Manitoba: jobs, international respect and recognition 3. Advantages to FN: jobs, empowerment, recognition, respect, more autonomy, better stewardship of the land and resources

FN should support a utility corridor in their territory IF the 3C’s are followed. What that looks like has to be determined by the First Nation. Industry developers need First Nations and First Nations need industry developers. It is a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship. Neither one can accomplish what they want to accomplish without the other.

First Nations welcome progress and profit but not at the long-term expense of destroying the environment. Mother Earth has sustained us for thousands of years – we owe Her the respect of excellent stewardship so She can continue providing for future generations.

••• Wilfred Jimmy is a member of the Thunderchild First Nation and CEO of New Nations Development.

“What this could mean for the First Nations communities along the right of way is long lasting revenues that will be the catalyst to bring back self sufficiency to the First Nations people. This will transform First Nations people and it will allow them to rediscover their culture, traditions and most importantly redevelop their identity. This will lead to Nation building! Nation building refers to the political, legal, spiritual, educational and economic processes through which First Nations peoples engage in order to address their needs.

Nation building is strengthening and enhancing capacity of First Nations for the purposes of realizing their own cultural economic and political objectives through foundational actions of their own design and initiation. Nation building is creating a community that functions out of a nonfunctioning environment, this would be due to decades of colonization. Nation building is the basis on which to ensure the community takes up an effective role within the local, regional and national community. Nation building is forming a common identity while recognizing and respecting diverse views. Nation building is developing/structuring a community’s identity.”

July 2021

My Manitoba Gerrie Beachall

S

ummer in Manitoba is one of my favourite seasons. Spending time exploring Manitoba on these glorious, sunny, warm days can't be beat. My family has explored many places in the province, and each new site overwhelms me with its beauty. I gained a new appreciation for what we have when I started travelling to other countries that proclaimed to have the "world's best sunset" or the most beautiful lakes. Manitoba has them all!

Our travels have taken us to Northern Manitoba, confirming my love of our province and the people who live here. We spent a hot August holiday in the Flin Flon area. It was warm but not too hot to get out and explore. The lakes we paddled were pristine. The air was clean and fresh. As we took in the sites and slowly kayaked around the lake, we listened to the sounds of nature. This is better than any meditation app I have ever heard. The scenery was breathtaking, with towering pines. We came across a breeding/nesting area for bald eagles. They soared overhead and kept a watchful eye on us. We were rewarded with a display of their majesty. I can't wait to go back there and recapture that experience.

Churchill, Manitoba typically gets a lot of travel media coverage and has historically been a popular destination for international travellers. It was a destination that I had always wanted to visit but did not know if I would ever get there. Our family made the trip up, and we were not disappointed.

It was another summer trip, and while there was no snow, it was cool weather and very chilly on the water. We explored the area around the town, from the Prince of Wales Fort to Kodiak rides among the belugas and the large boat ride to watch polar bears from a safe distance.

We had been warned that the summers can be quiet, and the animals aren't always around. Luck was with us as we were provided with a spectacular display of wildlife. The belugas were plentiful and playful with each other. Our guides were very respectful of the whales and kept us at a safe distance.

The polar bears were also abundant. They were

The wonders of Manitoba wildlife, from polar bears and beluga whales to pelicans and eagles. putting on a show; a group of adolescent bears were wrestling in the shallow water as we watched quietly from the boat. They walked up onto the rocks and explored the area freely. It was amazing to take in how huge they are when you see them in real life.

We came away with many gorgeous pictures to remember our trip and one regret. We were so tired that we could not stay up after midnight to see the

northern lights on our first night. We thought we would rest up the first night because we had activities planned for the next day, and we planned to stay awake our last night there. Mother nature had different ideas. The weather was such that we did not get to see the lights.

I would recommend to anyone who likes to connect with nature and escape the city to make the time to visit our North. You will feel better for it.

COVID-19 VACCINE

IF YOU ARE A SENIOR. . . . . .

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

Power of Attorney A power of attorney is a document which appoints an individual to handle your affairs in the event you become mentally incapable of making your own decisions. Nothing prevents you from continuing to make your own decisions while you are still competent.

A power of attorney is an extremely valuable document to have in place in case anything happens to you which affects your mental ability, such as a stroke, coma or dementia.

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

Standard Fees* Last Will and Testament Power of Attorney Health Care Directive * plus GST and PST - Rates are per person.

$225.00 $175.00 $ 75.00

Seniors $200.00 $150.00 $ 50.00

Home and hospital visits are also available $250.00* (includes both meetings) *plus GST and PST TACIUM VINCENT & ASSOCIATES 206 St. Mary’s Road, Winnipeg, MB R2H 1J3 DAVID G. VINCENT (204) 989-4236 www.taciumvincent.com

July 2021

Vaccinated while away?

Report your vaccine today.

If you received a COVID-19 vaccine anywhere outside of Manitoba, it’s now time to update that information with your local public health office. This will: • help make sure you get your next dose without delay, • keep your personal health information up to date, • ensure Manitoba’s immunization statistics are accurate, and • support the ongoing vaccine campaign and Manitoba’s reopening plans.

Visit manitoba.ca/vaccine for more details or call your local public health office.

manitoba.ca/vaccine Manitoba Finance Covid-19 Vaccinations - Snowbirds Publication: Lifestyles 55+ Ad size: 1/4 Page - 4.850” x 7.820” Issue Date: Mthly: July 2, 2021

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

5

Certifying the COVID-19 community: Vaccine Passports a good idea

S

ome governments are known to plan the introduction of systems for the issue of vaccination passports, which certify that holders are vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.

It is expected that governments and private organizations will use these passports to operate more safely and efficiently.

For example, it was reported that “On May 18, the Oregon Health Authority announced that “businesses, employers, and faith institutions” could admit fully vaccinated, unmasked persons – but only if they first asked for and inspected “each individual’s proof of vaccination prior to Herbert Grubel entry or admission.”

What the A recent Leger poll of 1,529 Cananumbers tell us dians found that 61 per cent wanted the government to create such a system even as it is strongly opposed by many who do not fully understand its true nature and economic benefits.

No detailed descriptions are available of how a pass- In the process of getting back to normal after the impact of COVID-19, vaccine passport programs are becoming a port system will work. However, the basic features of choice for many jurisdictions. such a system are obvious and underlie the following account. Such a system would work like the loyalty holders, but it makes eminent economic sense to do ans, which exists in provincial government databases. programs used by supermarkets and other retailers. so. After all, it costs less to seat immune customers at This information should be made available to the isMembership in the loyalty programs is voluntary and the traditional rather than the government required suers of ICC, which are equipped to protect the confree. It entitles holders to receive a discount on their density. Economic considerations and competition fidentiality of this information much as they do with will determine the number of seats sold to the ICC the credit rating of their customers. purchases at the cash register.

The decision to create and operate an ICC system In the same way, vaccination passports, which holders and others, and the level of discounts.

Some Canadians will not obtain ICCs for religious should be determined by its benefits and costs. The might be called Immune Certificate Cards (ICC) are obtained voluntarily, free of charge and entitle bearers or ideological reasons, or because they fear possible benefits arise mainly through the acceleration of the to certain benefits. For example, when buying tickets adverse health effects. Others cannot get vaccinated return to normal economic activities: sales by restaufor a hockey game or concert, ICC holders receive a because of existing health conditions or disabilities. rants, theatres, sports arenas, airlines, cruise ships and discount on the posted price by swiping their card The proposed system does not discriminate against other businesses that increase profits, employment, and entering a security code on one of the widely used either group. Members of the former group make the and tax payments. Many Canadians will receive psydeliberate choice to forgo the benefits. Members of chological benefits from unrestricted attendance of electronic card readers.

Cash discounts are most conveniently applied by the latter group of unfortunate individuals will have educational institutions, recreational facilities, and businesses such as restaurants, theatres, and sports to join the ranks of people who are served by Cana- traditional places of work, as well as the absence of restrictions on travel and visits to health and personal arenas and places of worship that can reserve different da’s social service providers.

The design and operation of the proposed ICC sys- care providers. sections for customers with and without ICCs. BusiIt is difficult to make exact estimates of these bennesses like retail stores, banks, government agencies tem will be technically challenging, costly, and timeand medical service providers can provide benefits to consuming. However, Canada’s credit card compa- efits and costs. However, the problems facing CanadiICC holders by allowing them to line up and be given nies should be able to deal readily with these issues. ans are so serious and costly that even rough estimates service without meeting government required condi- Their business uses skilled technicians operating a are worth the effort. A first step might be to consult system which could easily be expanded to include the with credit card companies to determine the feasibiltions such as wearing masks and keeping distances.

Such discounts are available already to international issuance of ICC if the federal government pays for ity and likely cost of an ICC system. Let us get going.

Herbert Grubel, Emeritus Professor of Economics, Sitravelers landing in a growing number of countries. the cost.

The companies operating such a system need access mon Fraser University. This article is also available at Ownership of ICC is required to board cruise ships.

Businesses do not have to offer discounts to ICC to information on the vaccination status of Canadi- http://hgrubel@blogspot.com

Familiar faces of the Manitoba COVID-19 response

E

arly in my career, I spent many years as a nurse 2011. In 2018 she was named one of the 100 most in Winnipeg. This experience gave me a deep powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive understanding of our healthcare system and the Network” (Centre for Healthcare Innovation).

Dr. Brent Roussin, Chief Provincial many important roles involved. As the Public Health Officer COVID-19 pandemic has changed every “Prior to becoming chief, Roussin aspect of our lives, I find myself inspired served as medical officer of health for the by the strength and courage our medical federal First Nations and Inuit Health leaders have shown. Here is a little more Branch, on secondment from Manitoba about the familiar faces we see giving us Health, Seniors and Active Living. In adthe important updates. dition to his work as CPPHO, Dr. RousDr. Marcia Anderson, Public Health sin is an assistant professor in the departLead with the First Nations ment of community health sciences at the Pandemic Response Co-ordination University of Manitoba. Born and raised Team (PRCT) in Manitoba, Dr. Roussin holds medical First Nations communities in Manitoba and law degrees from the University of have some of the highest percentages of vaccine uptake. Vaccines are crucial in our Hon. Myrna Driedger Manitoba and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada” (Provfight against COVID-19. Doctors like Dr. Broadway ince of Manitoba).

Anderson have been working tirelessly beJournal Dr. Jazz Atwal, Deputy Chief hind the scenes in this fight. Here’s a little Provincial Public Health Officer more info about Dr. Anderson.

“Previously, Dr. Atwal served as a med“She practices both Internal Medicine and Public Health as a Medical Officer of Health with ical officer of health for the Prairie Mountain Health rethe Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. She is the gion and worked, for 12 years, as a general practitioner Vice-Dean, Indigenous Health and the Executive Di- at the Assiniboine Clinic. Born and raised in Manitoba, rector of Indigenous Academic Affairs in the Ongomiiz- Dr. Atwal holds a medical degree, a master's degree in win Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing, Rady public health and a public health preventive medicine Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba. She certificate all from the University of Manitoba” (Provserves as the Chair of the Indigenous Health Network ince of Manitoba). of the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada.

Lanette Siragusa, Chief Nursing Officer “In addition to her roles with Shared Health, Lanette She is a Past President of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada and Past Chair of the Pacific Region is also co-chair of Manitoba’s COVID-19 incident comIndigenous Doctors Congress. She was recognized for mand committee, helping to lead the health system’s her contributions to Indigenous peoples health with response during the pandemic. Prior to joining Shared a National Aboriginal Achievement Award in March Health, Lanette was program director for surgery with 6

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Her past experience includes working in high-risk labour and delivery, community health, teaching and research. Lanette and her family lived in Edinburgh, Scotland while she was on a scholarship at Queen Margaret University enrolled in the health and social sciences doctorate program. She has also published several articles related to improvements in clinical practice and service delivery.

Lanette holds a graduate degree in nursing administration from – and is an assistant professor in – the University of Manitoba’s College of Nursing in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences” (Province of Manitoba).

Dr. Joss Reimer, Medical Lead for Manitoba’s Vaccine Implementation Task Force “Dr. Reimer graduated from the University of Manitoba medical school in 2008. She currently practices at ACCESS River East where she has a special interest in sexual and reproductive health. In addition to her clinical work in this area, Dr. Reimer works in public health with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Manitoba Health. Her focus is on sexual health, communicable diseases, immigrant/refugee health, and health equity” (WRHA).

Johanu Botha, Co-lead on Manitoba Vaccine Implementation Task Force Johanu Botha has a PhD in Public Policy and applies his research through conducting emergency management analysis and business continuity planning for organizations across all sectors.

The fight against COVID-19 has been hard. Continue to follow the advice of these public health professionals, book your vaccine appointment, and reach out virtually to connect with those you love.

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

July 2021

Cook it quickly, make it easy!

Amber Miller Blanchette

A

s warmer weather approaches the motivation and time to make meals can change. Summer is short! Let’s spend time outside enjoying the warm breeze, appreciating the blooming flowers and less time cooking in a hot kitchen!

As a dietitian, I encourage simplifying how we think about meals. Meals ideally provide us with energy to allow us to feel satisfied. They should also be tasty and enjoyable. Consistent with Canada’s Food Guide I recommend most meals to include each of the three food groups: A vegetable and/or fruit, a grain or starch such as rice, bread, or potato as well as protein such as meat, egg, yogurt, or pulses. How can we spend less time cooking and more time enjoying summer, while still achieving nourishing, energizing, tasty meals?

Use convenience foods Fresh, whole foods can provide our body many nutrients we need with less sodium, sugar, fat and other additives. However, some processed foods can really help to speed up meal prep.

• Ready-to-eat produce like snap peas and mini carrots as well as fresh salad/coleslaw or bagged greens can allow us to easily enjoy fresh vegetables.

• Frozen fruit and vegetables are less perishable and are just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts. Enjoy them hot or cold.

• Canned salmon or tuna can create a versatile protein source. Include into a wrap or sandwich, flake into a salad or make patties. Rotisserie chicken can be

Fresh summer produce can create quick and tasty salads. added into a variety of dishes. Remove the skin if desired. Canned pulses such as kidney beans are also a convenient protein source as they are already cooked.

• Canned soup can be used as a base for a unique creation. Add frozen vegetables, no salt added canned diced tomatoes or broth, cooked pasta or rice or canned lentils while heating. Not only does this reduce the sodium by adding more portions but also makes for a hardier meal.

Cook once and eat twice • Cook double the amount of protein to enjoy leftovers. How about chicken with potato and roasted vegetables one day, using leftover diced chicken into stir fried vegetables on rice the next day! Those leftover roasted vegetables could make a salad with added greens and vinaigrette. A starch like rice can be used as a grain-based salad or into a soup for Day 2 use.

• Bulk prep salads or fresh cut vegetables and store in an airtight container to make them accessible to

Achieving homeostasis naturally

“H

omeostasis,” from the to restore balance. The two primary enGreek words for "same" docannabinoids are AEA (anandamide) and "steady", refers to the and 2-AG (2-arachidonylglycerol). Made on-demand, they activate self-regulating systems the the cannabinoid receptors body uses to maintain in(CB1 and CB2), like a key ternal balance and stability, fitting into a lock. including the body’s natural Often called “the bliss ability to heal. Homeostasis molecule,” AEA (ananincludes many bodily funcdamide) is associated with tions that work to maintain feelings of pleasure and a stable internal environcontentment – it’s effecment despite changes in our tively a mood enhancer. external environment.

It’s stimulated by chocoWhile maintaining body late, black truffles, and extemperature and blood ercise (researchers think it pressure are well-known may be responsible for the examples of homeostasis, “runner’s high”). The efa lesser-known but critical Nathan Zassman fect can be similar to THC, physiological system our Natural Health the psychoactive phyto- or body uses for this is the plant-based cannabinoid in endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is a master regulatory marijuana that binds to CB1 (cannabinoid system that supports homeostasis by help- receptor 1). Low levels of AEA are associing the brain and body respond to per- ated with unhappiness, anxiety, and an inceived changes and can act as a bridge be- ability to cope with stress.

You can increase anandamide levels tween the mind and body. It plays a role in a wide variety of health-related functions by eating foods that contain kaempferol including reducing pain, relieving anxiety including apples, blackberries, grapes, and depression, lowering inflammation, peaches, raspberries, broccoli, lettuce, regulating sleep, controlling hunger and potatoes, spinach, squash, and tomatoes. metabolism, mood balance, immune func- This can be supported with foods like fattion, reproduction, reward and pleasure, ty fish and meats that contain arachidonic memory, and modulating drug and alco- acid, an omega-6 fatty acid required by the body to produce AEA. hol cravings.

PEA (Palmitoylethanolamide) is a natuWhen most people first hear the word “cannabinoid” they assume this involves rally occurring compound derived from the use of cannabis (marijuana). However, egg yolk, peanuts, and soybean lecithin use of cannabis is not required to experi- that has been shown to boost anandamide ence the endocannabinoid system’s ben- levels. While it is produced by the body, efits. The reason the system’s name is con- studies have found that PEA supplements nected is that the effects from the cannabis are effective at treating nerve pain (includplant were described first, while the ECS ing sciatica), inflammatory pain, and pain receptors were discovered later. Recent from endometriosis and interstitial cysdiscoveries have also led to new terpene- titis. Doing something you love, where based products that provide many of the your focus seems to make time stand still, same health benefits as cannabis, but with- can also help increase anandamide levels in the brain. out its intoxicating effects.

2-AG is involved in regulating the reThe ECS consists of three main components: endocannabinoids (AEA and lease of neurotransmitters. It activates the 2-AG), cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB1 receptors and is the most prevalent CB2), and enzymes, which work to elimi- endocannabinoid in the brain. It’s innate the endocannabinoids once they’ve volved in a wide range of physiological done their job. “Endo” is short for en- functions including energy, pain sensation, dogenous, meaning “within” - as the neuro-inflammation, cognition, and emobody produces endocannabinoids when tion. 2-AG is important for controlling seizures, cardiovascular health, and like required to restore balance. anandamide, it may influence hunger and Endocannabinoids When the body is not in homeostasis, appetite while regulating a variety of esit produces endocannabinoids as needed sential processes.

July 2021

grab as needed.

• Make a full recipe that serves 4 people even if cooking for 1-2 to enjoy again. Some dishes like soup and pasta taste even better in the next day or two!

• Prep 2-3 portions of oatmeal or fruit and yogurt parfaits and store in the fridge for a quick breakfast.

Freezer meals • Cook and freeze portions of your favorite recipes: soup, chili, one dish casseroles, burritos, muffins, and pancakes all freeze well. Once 2-3 portions of a few meals are frozen, we now have a variety of options.

Improvise A quick and easy meal doesn’t need to involve following a recipe or even much cooking! Choose what you have on hand! Have breakfast for supper, supper for lunch, lunch for breakfast…whatever feels enjoyable! Here are some ideas for any time of day: • Oatmeal topped with Greek yogurt and thawed frozen strawberries • Whole grain English muffin toasted with cottage cheese with a side of carrot sticks • Scrambled egg with a microwave baked potato topped with salsa, with a sliced apple • Peanut butter and banana sandwich with a glass of milk • Shredded rotisserie chicken with defrosted rice mixed with salsa and corn, side of coleslaw • Canned salmon on whole wheat crackers with a lettuce salad topped with almonds and chickpeas.

Eating should be a joyful experience. Let’s simplify food prep and enjoy our short Winnipeg summer!

Amber Miller Blanchette is a Registered Dietitian at the ACCESS Fort Garry Primary Clinic.

Cannabinoid receptors is where the magic happens, as they respond to the endocannabinoids. CB1 is most abundant in the brain and central nervous system, but there are CB1 receptors present in the testes, retina, sperm, colon, adrenal glands, heart, lung, prostate, uterus, and ovaries.

While activating the CB2 receptors won’t result in euphoria or a “high,” it does help the body relax, repair, and reduce pains, without affecting cognition.

CB2 receptors are more prevalent in the peripheral nervous system and throughout the immune system.

Anti-inflammatory activity appears to be one of the main benefits of CB2 activation, but unlike CB1, it does not result in any psychoactive effects. This is where beta-caryophyllene (a major non-intoxicating terpene found in cannabis) enters the picture, but it has also opened the door for ongoing research into terpenes, the aromatic oils that are found not only in cannabis but also in many other plants.

An affordable alternative to cannabis-derived products, terpene products can have complementary (and in some cases better) physiological benefits.

Terpenes Research has found that many of the health benefits derived from terpenes are not exclusive to the cannabis plant. The complex natural compounds that give plants and flowers their unique aroma, terpenes are the “active ingredients” in essential oils. Due to their availability in common plants and trees, terpenes have been studied even longer than cannabinoids. Due to their ability to act on receptors and neurotransmitters, terpenes can act as serotonin uptake inhibitors, enhance norepinephrine and dopamine activity, and increase GABA levels. Many terpenes have broad antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and mood effects. Some terpenes found in cannabis, but also other plants include: • Alpha Pinene is found in pine needles and cones and can help promote alertness, improve short term memory, and increase focus.

• Limonene is found in citrus fruit peels and has been shown to boost mood and act as a powerful antidepressant. A Japanese study found limonene produced antidepressant effects comparable to SSRIs, and half the patients were able to stop taking the drugs.

• Linalool is a terpene found in lavender with powerful antidepressant and anti-

anxiety effects. Lavender is well known to help people sleep and relax, and many find it effective as a headache remedy.

• Beta-caryophyllene is found in many essential oils including clove, rosemary, and hops, and it’s responsible for the spiciness of black pepper. It has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties and has been shown to help relieve anxiety and pain, reduce cholesterol, prevent bone loss, and treat seizures.

• Humulene is sourced from the flowering cone of the hops plant, but it’s also found in sage, basil, clove, black pepper, and coriander. Well known for giving beer its hoppy flavour, humulene is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and can help promote weight loss and reduce pain.

Naturopath and researcher Dr. Lee Know founded Cannanda, an awardwinning Canadian company that has developed a remarkable line of terpene products. Cannanda’s CB2™ products activate the CB2 cannabinoid receptors within the ECS using specialized terpene blends. These products provide many of the health benefits of cannabis, including reducing pain and anxiety without the “high,” and are available at health stores without a prescription. Terpene products are completely legal and are not considered addictive. Most people find a benefit within the first week or two, but for those that don’t, Cannanda offers a money-back guarantee.

As nutritional support, Cannanda’s CB2™ may also be able to help with other conditions including cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, dementia, MS, arthritis, migraines, insomnia, and drug and alcohol dependence. Depending on the situation, and user preference, these products can be ingested (or used sublingually under the tongue), inhaled as aromatherapy, and even used topically to reduce localized pain. They’ve also developed a line of products for dogs. CB2™ Dog-Ease is a CBD alternative with the same effective treatment for pain and anxiety found in their CB2™ products for humans.

Research continues to discover more about how the ECS affects all aspects of our health. This research leads to truly personalized medicine, as terpene products can help give your body support whenever it’s out of balance.

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

7

A true British dessert, or is it?

I 1 teaspoon baking powder love making this dessert, it is Pinch salt extremely easy and a little deca2 teaspoons vanilla extract dent, but what I was unaware 2 large eggs of was the origins of this British favourite: sticky toffee Sauce: pudding. If I were to 1 ¼ cups brown sugar ask my British friends, 2/3 cup 33% cream they would undoubt¼ cup unsalted butter ably say it was from 2 teaspoons brandy Britain, however, I was 1 teaspoon vanilla exa little shocked to learn tract it may have come from Canada!

The all-important Let me say this how to: much, the exact oriFor pudding: gins are disputed. The Preheat oven to 350° Sharrow Bay CounIan Leatt F. Butter and flour six try House in the Lake four-ounce ramekins.

District in Northwest Foodies To a medium sized England served this pan, add the water and dish in the early 1970s. dates, bring to a boil One of its creators claimed to have obtained the recipe then remove from the heat, stir in ½ from a lady in Lancashire who first teaspoon baking powder slowly. It served the dish in her country hotel will foam up so be careful not to let it spill over. Set aside to cool. in the late 1960s.

Mix 1 1/2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon Apparently, the lady in question had originally received the recipe baking powder, and salt in a small from two Canadian air force officers bowl. In a large mixing bowl add who had lodged at her hotel during 1/4 cup butter, sugar, and vanilla, the later part of the second world mix with a blender. Add one egg and war. This makes sense, in that the mix again. Pour in half of the water pudding batter is akin to the US muf- mixture and half of the date mixture fin, rather than an English sponge. then combine Repeat this exercise.

It is similar to figgy pudding except Add the remaining egg flour mixture it uses dates instead of figs and the and date mixture. Blend on high for two minutes. sauce is a little different.

Pour batter into ramekins. Place in Whoever it was that created it, it the oven until a tester inserted into really is a nice rich treat. center of cake comes out clean, 4540 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire Here is what you will need: rack for 30 minutes. Place puddings Pudding: upside down on a rack. Let stand at ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature.

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 2 cups pitted dates.

8

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

A true classic, wherever it’s from!

For sauce: Place a heavy pan on the stove on medium heat and add sugar, cream, and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, for three minutes. Remove from heat; stir in brandy, and vanilla. Reheat gently before pour-

ing over the cake.

To serve, top with some mint, strawberries and flowers for decoration from the garden with a little icecream and icing sugar.

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

July 2021

Building strong communities Connie Newman

O

n the theme of collaboration, the ongoing work of Manitoba Association of Senior Centres (MASC) and the Age-Friendly Manitoba Initiative (AFMI) continues to be strongly influenced by the World Health Organization (WHO). There are three initiatives that provide resources we use in our work …in our collaboration… with you and all communities across Manitoba: • Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities, started in 2006 • World Report on Aging and Health, released in 2015, and • Decade of Healthy Aging 2021 - 2030 The work of the WHO falls within two broad areas of responsibility. The first is managing the response to major global health priorities such as tuberculosis, malaria…and of course, right now, COVID-19. It is their second role, helping with health systems and access to health care around the world, where WHO has invested in the 3 initiatives noted above. On our theme of collaboration, WHO is a master of collaboration!

Founded in 1948, WHO is the health agency of the United Nations (UN). There are 197 countries in the world and 194 are member states of the WHO. Its Head Office is in Geneva with a second key office at the UN Headquarters in New York City. In addition, WHO maintains six Regional Offices and 150 field offices. One of those Regional Offices is for the Americas and includes Canada, as part of the Pan-American Health Organization.

The PAHO head office is in Washington, DC, coordinating activities through 27 country offices and three specialized centres.

As you can see, there are a lot of moving parts, many competing demands and the need for a lot of collaboration to achieve success. The goal of these collaborative efforts is the inclusion of health in all public policies and the engagement of all sectors in efforts to ensure that people live longer, healthier lives, with good health as their most valuable resource.

For Canada, Health Canada and in particular the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is our point of contact with the WHO. We participate on PHAC’s Pan-Canadian Age-friendly Reference Group, which facilitates collaborative sharing and efforts amongst representatives from across Canada. PHAC is also providing leadership to Canada’s contributions to the Decade of Healthy Aging, and we are moving forward in Manitoba to support efforts in line with the four action areas of the decade, namely supporting age-friendly environments, combatting ageism, and encouraging efforts to enhance integrated and long-term care.

July 2021

The Age-Friendly Manitoba Initiative as stated on the website https://www.gov. mb.ca/seniors/afmb/index.html “The Age-Friendly Manitoba Initiative is a comprehensive, multifaceted approach in addressing the needs of a growing seniors’ population.

The concept of “age-friendly” is built on the World Health Organization’s healthy aging framework, which encourages active aging by optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age.

• In 2019, in Manitoba, close to 16 per cent of the population were 65 years and older.

• Between 2018 and 2028, in Manitoba, people aged 65 and over are expected to increase by 31 per cent (Manitoba Bureau of Statistics).

• As most older adults, aged 65 and over live in the community, communities face opportunities and challenges in responding to their needs and desires.”

Being Connected through Communication, Coordination, Collaboration and Celebration strengthens the Cohesiveness of our communities. Everyone is welcome to contribute, and when community leaders and age-friendly champions come together they lead the way toward a holistic and coordinated approach. By communicating and networking we learn more about the needs and the barriers we face, and sharing that information moves us closer to our goals. Once the planning and action begins, agefriendly leaders can coordinate the elements needed to bring about relevant changes.

Collaboration is an opportunity to envision a stronger community by viewing all aspects through an age-friendly lens, meshing theory with the practical. It encourages participation and allows for uniqueness through the formation of ideas and innovative approaches. It will create occasions to contribute our thoughts about the built environment surrounding us; the outdoor spaces, public buildings, businesses, housing and the transporta-

tion options and safety factors; so, our communities are where we want to stay, live, play, volunteer and work. We also need to consider the social fabric of a community so that where we live is friendly and interesting. It includes the social opportunities for participation, the respect and social inclusion for all ages including older adults, as well as opportunities for volunteering, civic participation and employment. Community support and health services are also an important contribution to our quality of life. Forming the plans and identifying the actions that will move us forward cohesively will engage the local government, community organizations, schools, businesses and neighbours. Once we reap the benefits of our collaborative efforts and accomplishments, we can celebrate and appreciate the successes that make our communities unique and a place where we want to raise our families and age among familiar friends and places.

Collaboration of the Age-Friendly Manitoba journey began in 2008 and included the efforts of the Government of Manitoba, Seniors and Healthy Aging Secretariat, who provided the funding, and the University of Manitoba, Centre on Aging who provided the research component and authored helpful reports. The Association of Manitoba Municipalities, along with the Manitoba Government jointly invited communities to join the Age-Friendly Manitoba initiative. Communities were offered orientations, community consultations and action planning support.

Word spread, interest peaked and today 92 rural and urban jurisdictions participate. The U of M Architecture, Department of City Planning graduate students recognized an opportunity to collaborate with individual rural communities and invited them to take part in their planning projects. They offered well thought out proposals with sketches of age-friendly designs, that were unique for each community. The Transportation Options Network for Seniors (TONS) became involved to support collaboration and networking for rural transportation providers. Currently, the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres (MASC) provides the leadership for Age-Friendly Manitoba, and due to its extensive connections, the Age-Friendly initiative continues to grow. Other collaborative efforts have included regional health authorities, the Manitoba Association of Senior Support Coordinators, Recreation Manitoba, Manitoba Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Corporations as they provide assistance bringing communities together for regional collaborative opportunities.

Collaborating within our communities and beyond provides benefits that can be beneficial today and far into the future.

The Manitoba Association of Senior Centres is the lead on the Age Friendly MB Initiative.

Check out our websites at www.manitobaseniorcentres.com and/or www.agefriendlymanitoba.com

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

9

Directory

Northern AREA

Jubilee Recreation of Cranberry Portage Legion Hall, 217 2nd Ave. SE, Cranberry Portage 472-3031 Snow Lake Seniors 71 Balsam St., Snow Lake 358-2151 The Pas Golden Agers 324 Ross Ave., The Pas 623-3663 Interlake AREA Gimli New Horizons 55+ Activity Centre 17 North Colonization Rd., Gimli 642-7909 www.gimlinewhorizons.com Gordon Howard Centre 384 Eveline St., Selkirk 785-2092 www.gordonhoward.ca Grand Marais & District Seniors 90 Matilda Ave., Grand Marais 998-1509 Riverton & District Friendship Centre 24 Main St., Riverton 378-2800 South Interlake 55 Plus 374 1st St. W., Stonewall 467-2582 www.si55plus.org Eastman AREA Beau-head Senior Centre 645 Park Ave., Beausejour 268-2444 East Beaches Social Scene 3 Ateah Rd., Victoria Beach 756-6468 www.ebseniorscene.ca East Beaches Resource Centre 3 Ateah Road, Victoria Beach 756-6471 www.ebseniorscene.ca Pat Porter Active Living Centre 10 Chrysler Gate, Steinbach 320-4600 www.patporteralc.com Central AREA Carmen Active Living Centre 47 Ed Belfour Drive, Carmen 745-2356 www.carmanalc.com Comfort Drop In Centre 31 Main St., Erickson 636-7895 Crystal City Friendship Club 117 Broadway St., Crystal City 873-2091

Dauphin Multi-Purpose Senior Centre 55 1st Ave. SE, Dauphin 638-6485 www.dauphinseniors.com Grandview Drop In 432 Main St., Grandview 546-2772 Herman Prior Senior Services Centre 40 Royal Rd. N., Portage la Prairie 857-6951 www.hermanpriorcentre.com Neepawa Drop In Centre 310 Davidson St., Neepawa 476-5103 www.neepawa.ca/district-drop-in-center Morden Activity Centre 306 N. Railway St., Morden 822-3555 www.mordenseniors.ca Minnedosa 50+ Centre 31 Main St. S., Minnedosa 867-1956

Winnipeg AREA 20 Fort Street Seniors Club 2200 - 20 Fort St., Winnipeg (204) 227-7104 Aboriginal Senior Resource Centre Winnipeg 527 Selkirk Ave., Winnipeg (204) 586-4595 www.asrcwpg.org A&O: Senior Centre Without Walls 200 - 280 Smith St., Winnipeg (204) 956-6440 www.aosupportservices.ca Archwood 55 Plus 565 Guilbault St., Winnipeg (204) 416-1067 archwood55plusinc.weebly.com Barbara Mitchell Family Resource Centre 51 Morrow Ave., Winnipeg (204) 946-9152 www.barbaramitchellfrc.ca

Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre 1588 Main St., Winnipeg (204) 339-1701 www.gwensecter.com Headingley Senior Services 5353 Portage Ave., Winnipeg (204) 889-3132 Ext. 3 www.headingleyseniorservices.ca Winakwa Active Seniors Club 980 Winakwa Rd., Winnipeg (204) 253-4418 www.winakwacc.ca Manitoba Korean Seniors c/o 388 Waverley St., Winnipeg (204) 837-3470 www.ksam.ca Pembina Active Living 50 Barnes Ave., Winnipeg (204) 946-0839 www.pal55plus.com Rady Jewish Community Centre 123 Doncaster St., Winnipeg (204) 480-7550 www.radyjcc.com

Pilot Mound Fellowship Club 203 Broadway, Pilot Mound

Bleak House Centre 1637 Main St., Winnipeg (204) 338-4723 www.bleakhousecentre.com

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

Brooklands Active Living Centre 1960 William Ave. W., Winnipeg (204) 632-8367

Rainbow Resource Centre 170 Scott St., Winnipeg (204) 474-0212, Ext. 211 www.rainbowresourcecentre.org

Portage Services for Seniors 40A Royal Road N., Portage la Prairie 239-6312

Broadway Seniors Resource Centre 823 Ellice Ave., Winnipeg (204) 772-3533 www.bsrc.ca

South Winnipeg Seniors Resource Council 204-478-6169 www.swsrc.ca resources@swsrc.ca

Centro Caboto 1055 Wilkes Ave., Winnipeg (204) 896-1962

Southdale Seniors 254 Lakewood Blvd., Winnipeg (204) 253-4599

Charleswood Senior Centre 5006 Roblin Blvd., Winnipeg (204) 897-5263 www.charleswoodseniorcentre.org

St. James-Assiniboia 55+ Centre 3 - 203 Duffield St., Winnipeg (204) 987-8850 www.stjamescentre.com

Creative Retirement MB 448 Burnell St., Winnipeg (204) 949-2569 www.creativeretirementmanitoba.ca

St. Mary’s Rd. Seniors 613 St. Mary’s Rd., Winnipeg (204) 257-0678 www.stmarysroad.ca

Sandy Lake Drop In Centre 100 Main St., Sandy Lake (204) 585-2411 Treherne Friendship Centre 190 Broadway St., Treherne 723-2559 Winkler Senior Centre 102 - 650 South Railway Ave., Winkler 325-8964 winkler55plus.com Brandon AREA Brandon Seniors for Seniors Coop 311 Park Ave., East, Brandon 571-2050 www.brandonsfors.ca Prairie Oasis Centre 241 8th St., Brandon 727-6641 Age Friendly Committee of Council - Brandon 638 Princess Ave., Brandon 729-2259 Killarney Service for Seniors 203 South Railway (204) 523-7115

Crescent Fort Rouge United Church 525 Wardlaw Ave., Winnipeg (204) 475-6011 Dakota Comm. Centre - Dakota 55+ Lazers 1188 Dakota St., Winnipeg (204) 254-1010 E206 www.dakotacc.com Elmwood East Kildonan Active Living Centre 180 Poplar Ave., Winnipeg (204) 669-0750 www.facebook.com/eekalc Good Neighbours Active Living Centre 720 Henderson Hwy., Winnipeg (204) 669-1710 www.gnalc.ca

Transcona Council for Seniors 845 Regent Ave., Winnipeg (204) 222-9879 Transcona Retired Citizens Centre 328 Whittier Ave. West, Winnipeg (204) 222-8473 Vital Seniors 3 St. Vital Rd., Winnipeg (204) 253-0555 www.stmarymagdelenewpg.org Winnipeg Chinese Senior Association (204) 291-9028 www.winnipegchineseseniors.ca

Connect with us online

whatsupwinnipeg.ca Facebook: Lifestyles55 | Twitter: @Lifestyles55 10

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

July 2021

Mindfulness

ADVANCING HEALTHCARE

Transforming care of older adults through community Don’t forget to take some time to stop and recharge.

J

uly 24th is National Self Care Day. Self-care is an pain, and symptoms of certain mental illnesses. It can important aspect of living well, whether we are also promote healthier relationships with ourselves and engaging in regular activities that keep us healthy, others.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption on such as sleeping and feeding ourselves, or learning new some level for everyone. For many, this skills that help us get through difficult has been a time of significant stress, loss, times. For many people, mindfulness is and hardship. Practicing mindfulness an important component of self-care. can be especially helpful during this difMindfulness is the practice of bringing ficult time, as it can change the way that our attention to the present moment. It we relate to our thoughts and emotions. is a state of being that can become part While mindfulness is not a quick fix for of any activity, such as walking, eating, the stress of our current reality, it can or simply breathing. allow us to create some space between Mindfulness involves noticing and past challenges and future worries. accepting what we are experiencing in A & O: The great thing about mindfulness is our minds, our physical bodies, and our Support Services for that anyone can begin to include aspects environment. Noticing involves slowOlder Adults of it into their lives. Here are a few basic ing down and allows us to be in touch exercises to begin your practice: with our current experience. Accep• Settle in a comfortable position and notice what tance means that instead of fighting our current reality, we accept the thoughts, feelings, or experiences that we happens in your body as you inhale and exhale in a are having, knowing that they will pass. Being mind- rhythm that is comfortable to you.

• Use your senses to describe what is happening ful does not require you to empty your mind or avoid distraction; rather, it allows you to notice thoughts, in and around you – what are some things you see, feelings, or sensations and approach them with curios- hear, smell, or physically feel, such as your feet on the ity rather than judgment. For example, one may notice ground or the wind in the trees?

• Imagine yourself in a place that feels calming and the sensation of an upset stomach along with feeling overwhelmed. Judging or evaluating this observation peaceful – focus on the details of this space and what may lead to focusing intensely on the feeling or ignor- you notice.

• Take time to engage in your everyday activities in a ing the feeling in an effort to stop it. Acceptance does not stop the uncomfortable feelings, but recognizes its mindful manner; from eating to walking.

A & O: Support Services for Older Adults incorporates presence and helps us to engage in self-compassion inmindfulness practice into various programs and encourage stead of judgment.

Research shows that mindfulness can be beneficial staff to include mindfulness in their self care routines. For in a variety of ways, including reducing stress, chronic more information: contact A & O at 204-956-6440.

Evolving Lifestyles 55 possibilities

A

Let’s start with the end in mind, how will each of lifetime has often been referred to as “three score and ten” or 70 years. That is no longer us answer to the question: Why am I here? What will the case. Life expectancy for many is now well the world look like because I was in it? Will my life lived make a difference? Obituaries are into the nineties and beyond. What imthe sum of a life put into public view. age of a person that age comes to mind?

The format is most often: lifespan in The Queen of England or possibly one years, education, and then employment of the many “faces in the window” duraccomplishments if you are a male and ing the past year, living in isolation and if a woman, what important family role fear of the COVID-19 virus like the you fulfilled. Lately the weekly articles rest of us, or could the extra time on entitled “Passages” in Winnipeg’s daily this earth be seen as a possibility, an opnewspaper, tell interesting stories about portunity to become who it is we were the results of some people’s passionate meant to be. As Adrienne Clarkson, living, often over a considerable amount the then Governor General of Canada, of time with positive effects on the pointed out to the audience attending world they inhabit. Why not take the the Creative Retirement’s Annual Genchallenge yourself right now and write eral Meeting in the year 2,000,”retirePeggy Prendergast ment is a time to become who it is we Exploring Lifestyle your own obituary. What do you want people to say about you after you die? are meant to be.” She suggested that 55 Possibilities Pick a time in the future to give a time during the first fifty years of our lives, frame, say ten years, pick a few traits to first our family, then the school or education system we attend and finally our employers are start with, objectify these into actions for yourself and very influential in shaping our goals and who we see start behaving towards accomplishing those traits. ourselves to be. Retirement is an opportunity for us Let’s take an example – generous. What actions go to explore our passions, take a step or two into the with the word generous for you? Are you generous unknown and become who we really are and who we with your time, your money, your encouragement to those you care about as well as care for? are meant to be.

And while you are at it start thinking about “Money Think on the meaning within this fridge magnet: “For the ignorant old age is as winter, For the learned and the Meaning of Life.” Do you worry about havit is the harvest.” Does your life feel like you are living ing enough? Do you have the skills for and a passion a life of winter or are you enjoying the results of your for something in your life that can support you finanpast decisions and endeavours, your harvest? But now, cially for as long as you live? It is all about dreaming instead of looking at the past let us look ahead at what and believing those dreams can become a reality. Livis possible in the life that each of us chooses to live. ing, loving, learning and leaving a legacy. It is never Let’s talk about living, loving, learning and leaving a too late to begin so let’s carry on the conversation next month. legacy.

July 2021

Donate Now at TheVicFoundation.ca

Victoria General Hospital

FOUNDATION HEALTHIER FUTURES

GIVE. INVEST. SAVE LIVES. TheVicFoundation.ca

@SupportTheVic

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

11

People of Influence…

T

hirteen years with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and ten years with the Winnipeg Folk Festival have flown by. I often wished for even one boring day, but for twenty three years my days were filled to the brim with meetings, performances, reports to write, board meetings and committee meetings to attend, funds to raise, grant and sponsorship proposals to write, and so many wonderful and inspiring people without whom these years would be devoid of meaning. As I engage in the process of disTrudy Schroeder engaging myself from the day to day operations of Random leading a performing arts Notes organization, I find myself thinking about and being grateful for the people who have provided role models and inspiration for my working life. I’d like to tell you about one of those people in this month’s column.

Thirty-three years ago, I started a brand new job as the very first cultural consultant for the City of Gloucester, which has now been amalgamated into Ottawa. I had just moved to Ottawa, and I knew very few people in the city. In my first week on the job, I was asked to represent the City of Gloucester at an event at the Chateau Laurier. I should go to the hotel for 6:00 pm, and my ticket would be waiting for me at the reception table. On the appointed evening, I appeared at the hotel ready to find my way to the event space. Suddenly I was approached by a very impressive looking woman, who ran right up to me and hugged me enthusiastically and announced in a loud voice, “Heather, it is so wonderful to see you here tonight. How are you?” There were so many people in the lobby looking at us, and I didn’t want to embarrass her, so I said I was just fine, and delighted to see her as well. We should definitely meet for lunch soon. I was quite surprised, but I felt somehow oddly welcomed to Ottawa, even though I had no idea who had welcomed me.

I made my way over to the ballroom, picked up my ticket, and found my way to my assigned table. At that point I looked at large banner on the wall, and the program in my hand, and I was very shocked to see that the event was titled “Tribute to Trudy.”

Of course, I knew that this could not be a tribute

Trudy Le Caine was a inspiration for Trudy Schroeder. to me in my first week on the job, any more than the effusive welcome to Heather in the lobby had not actually been for me. However, as a person whose name is uncommon enough that I have never ever found my name included in those racks of personalized key chains, or mugs……this really was totally thrilling in a vicarious way. It seemed to be a good omen for my career in arts management.

Some of these pivotal events in life do sneak up on a person in most surprising ways.

That evening I learned a lot about a wonderful woman named Trudy Le Caine, and I was inspired to try to live my life in the Trudy way. While Trudy Le Caine was a teacher of French at a public school in Ottawa, and not a person of great financial means, she had an unshakeable belief that the arts should not be taken for granted, that the arts needed to be nurtured in the community, and that exposure to the arts would help all people live more fulfilling lives.

She was a tireless organizer, fundraiser, a people connector, and an idea generator. She was one of the early proponents of the National Arts Centre, and for many years served on the board of the Friends of the NAC Orchestra. She started a children’s concert series and helped to found Opera Lyra, Espace Musique, and La Groupe de La Place Royale. She cajoled and advocated for the arts to politicians, donors, community members and anyone who she felt could help the cause she was working on at the moment.

Trudy Le Caine is also credited with an idea that has also had a very big impact in Winnipeg. In Trudy’s words: “I decided that Ottawa should have what New York has. So I thought wouldn’t it be nice if we had 500 or

600 feet in front of the National Arts Centre where people could skate. And then that would be fine, and so I rolled up my sleeves and I started. And you know, sometimes it’s good to be pig-headed.”

Trudy Le Caine, 1999 in the Ottawa Citizen Trudy pitched the idea of a small rink next to the NAC, first to unconvinced city officials, then to Douglas Fullerton, a friend who chaired the National Capital Commission. Fullerton ran with the idea, sending a crew to shovel off a five-kilometre stretch of the Rideau Canal in January 1971. The rest is history…..and her idea proved to be an inspiration for Winnipeg as well.

Many people spoke that evening about Trudy’s role in building the arts community in Ottawa. They described her as indefatigable and a woman of iron determination….

So, what did I learn that night long ago, that has inspired my work through these many years in which I have thought of myself primarily as a community builder with the arts as the means to create a better, stronger, more connected community.

1. First, that the art has to be at the centre of what you try to do. The art itself has the power to inspire, challenge, refresh, and transform people.

2. Second, that you do not have to wait for people of greater influence, talent, wealth, or connections to make things happen. Ordinary people determined to change and enliven their communities can through their collective efforts make incredible things happen for the benefit of all people.

3. Third, that persistence is critical to the success of a venture, and that success does not usually come quickly. (And yes, we do still need to have the acoustical shell in the Centennial Concert Hall repaired.)

4. Fourth, that you can do all these things while still being committed to care for people, even those with whom you have fundamental disagreements.

5. Fifth, that this all works better, if you don’t exactly colour inside the lines. Connecting ideas, causes, art, different parts of the community, different institutions and roles. Together, we can do so much more than one organization or one person. It does, however, take the commitment of each individual person to accomplish this.

And, I could not end this reflection without reminding you all that there is no year in which it will be more important to support the arts organizations you cherish by purchasing a subscription.

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

Taylor McCaffrey brings passion for opera centre stage Darlene Ronald

T

iming is everything it’s said, which is why it’s so encouraging that Taylor McCaffrey picked 2021, pandemic and all, to become a Manitoba Opera sponsor.

“Manitoba Opera, like so many organizations, has had to reinvent itself during COVID-19,” says Remo De Sordi, a managing partner at the firm. As a Performance Sponsor for The Solo Sessions, a five-episode series of online musical performances that launched in early June, Taylor McCaffrey has helped Manitoba Opera find new ways to connect with audiences.

Founded in 1979, Taylor McCaffrey has deep roots in Winnipeg and a long history of community involvement. “We’ve always felt it was our responsibility to give back to the community, whether it’s by serving on boards, supporting organizations, sponsoring local events, or providing pro bono work,” explains Remo. This drive to get involved, Remo suggests, reflects the vision of the law firm’s founders, D’Arcy McCaffrey and Reeh Taylor.

Every year, Taylor McCaffrey partners

12

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

Vocalist Lisa Bell with band members Carlin Lemon, piano; Julian Bradford, bass; and Rob Siwik, drums at a recording session for Manitoba Opera’s video series, The Solo Sessions. with local organizations, businesses, and causes to support over 100 events and to help forge a better, stronger, more connected community. According to Remo, this commitment to community building fuels the firm’s ongoing support of music and the performing arts, which are “so much a part of what makes Winnipeg a great prairie city to live in.”

“When it comes to the arts, I always marvel at how much above our weight Winnipeg punches,” Remo explains.

“We’re a mid-sized city, but if you take a look at all our cultural options, we seem much bigger.”

Remo, who served on Manitoba Opera’s Board of Trustees from 2009 to 2012, has been a music lover since childhood, when opera was often playing in the background at his home.

“I think opera is more accessible than people think at first blush,” he suggests.

“It's the confluence of a bunch of different disciplines - vocals, acting, the orchestra,

set design, lighting - there are a lot of parts to take in.

“Plus, where else can you find pretty much the entire spectrum of human emotions jampacked into two-and-a-half hours?”

While Remo finds it difficult to pinpoint a favourite opera, “I think Butterfly would be up there,” he was struck by Manitoba Opera’s fall 2019 production of Susannah.

“I thought it was just really well done, but it was also an interesting production for our current time, a way of supporting the #MeToo movement.”

He’s excited by the possibilities of The Solo Sessions, which highlights five Winnipeg vocalists and talented musicians working in a range of genres. Designed and directed by Winnipeg filmmaker Deco Dawson, the series is a convergence of film, theatre, and music that provide highquality performance experiences to enjoy during this challenging moment in time.

And as Remo sees it, The Solo Sessions is also a way of looking forward. “I’m sure that anyone watching these videos will be excited at the thought of gathering together again to see live performances.”

For more information on The Solo Sessions, go to mbopera.ca

July 2021

Pride in Flin Flon extends beyond hockey and the arts

F

lin Flon, MB is now a small town ‘Broad Street Bullies’. Those same minthough to be completely truthful, ers and hockey players have always supit was never very big. It reached ported the Flin Flon Glee Club and later the Flin Flon Community a population of approxiChoir in producing and mately 13,500 in the performing musical the1960s and was designated atre. The Northern Visual as a city in Manitoba. We Arts Centre (NorVA) and still refer to it as the City gallery has also enjoyed 10 of Flin Flon though our years of supportive audipopulation has shrunk to ences for their exhibitions about 5,150 and 200+ of of both local and more those folks actually reside widespread artistic talent. in Flin Flon, Sask. It is a There are many examples mining town; copper and of phenomenally talented zinc were the major exartists honing their skills ports and still are, though Elly Spencer here, perhaps the most famost of the ore now comes The arts from mous being operatic tenor from Snow Lake and area.

Jon Vickars who used to We were a mining up here work at Woolworth’s. town with hockey in our But one of the most imhearts. The Flin Flon Junior Bombers won the Memorial Cup pressive aspects of life in Flin Flon is that in 1957. They beat the Ottawa Junior we continue to grow as a community Canadiens right here at home. Ottawa’s that cares; that we are socially relevant.

Assistant Coach was Scotty Bowman, For example the Flin Flon Arts Council who went on to become the “winningest established an on-line shopping expericoach in hockey” in the NHL, after he ence called The Uptown Emporium to took them to the Championship the very enable artisans and their consumers to next year. That was not nearly the end of meet while we are in the throes of this hockey greatness. In the late 1960s Bob- COVID-19 epidemic. Enter the PRIDE

by Clark and Reggie Leach led the Flin Committee.

A small group of individuals, both Flon Bombers to hockey glory then led the Philadelphia Flyers to back-to-back LBGT+ and cis gender decided in 2019 that Flin Flon was ready for a PRIDE Stanley Cup victories in 1974 and ‘75.

Readers might be forgiven for as- Parade, so they set about organizing it. It suming we are a rough and ready sort was a rip-roaring success complete with a of place, because we are. It’s part of Parade and ‘Bijoux’ being crowned Drag our charm. Of course, we have always Kween Mermaid, a play on our 70 year maintained a very active arts and culture old traditional Flin Flon Trout Festival’s scene, even when the Philadelphia Flyers former Queen Mermaid beauty contest. were reveling in their nickname of the The following year, during a lull in the

The show must go on

W

Virgo Moan Kween Mermaid 2020.

Bijoux Kween Mermaid 2019.

COVID-19 crisis, PRIDE had a float in the Trout Festival Canada Day Parade featuring ‘Kween Bijoux’ and then a PRIDE weekend with a drag event to crown the new ‘Kween’. By the way, the spelling of Kween is from our local high school’s female athletic teams.

This year PRIDE is bringing in a show from Saskatoon, SK called ‘Drag Me to

ith vaccination rates up, transmission rates films The Return and Time Sleeper, but he has also down and fewer severely ill patients with worked on several films from Nigeria, including OloiCOVID-19 in hospital, imagine you are biri and Zero Hour that were produced by Rogers back in a movie theatre. The lights dim, the audience Ofime a Nigerian-Canadian filmmaker and producer now based in Winnipeg. quiets and shifts, drawn to the screen Sometimes composing, sometimes by a surge of music and light. The show animating, and sometimes both, Chrisbegins, an official selection for Cannes tine Fellows has developed a number 2021 – Flag Day, the Sean Penn movie of short films, which you can see on that shot in Manitoba with Buffalo Gal her personal Vimeo page. She was coPictures, you recognize some locations, composer and sound designer on The some local actors. As the tension builds Tournament, directed by Manitoban on screen, someone coughs, the people Sam Vint and produced by the National behind you whisper. Momentarily disFilm Board of Canada. tracted, you miss a bit of the story.

Julien Beutel, originally from SasSound and music are indispensable katchewan is a Winnipeg-based jazz components of any film. Music sets the musician who plays trumpet and keytone and carries the story through the Nicole Matiation board and composed the music for An ups and downs of the characters’ lives, Movie Object At Rest, shortlisted for the 2016 and the twists and turns of the plot. As Making Oscar’s for Best Animated Short. He with all other aspects of production, has also composed music for a number Manitoba is home to many talented of locally produced video games and composers, sound designers, audio mixers, sound recordists, boom operators and other other short films.

The Winnipeg-born drummer for the Crash Test industry professionals responsible for sound and muDummies, Mitch Dorge, is an accomplished musician sic.

Composer/musician Danny Schur is a Juno-award, who has worked for a couple of decades as a composer and multi-platinum and gold album recipient as well for television and film. He is currently the resident as a writer and producer. Schur co-wrote the musi- composer for Winnipeg-based Farpoint Films. The cal Strike!, which was later adapted into the movie Winnipeg Free Press recently published an article, tiStand!, filmed in Manitoba and produced by Frantic tled Wired for sound: Mitch Dorge resident composer Films. Schur wrote all of the music and lyrics for the for TV's Ice Vikings and other local film projects.

Producer/manager, Clinton Skibitzky and music film, which was set for a U.S. theatrical release until the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020. Stand! producer/composer Olaf Pyttlik lead DACAPO Productions an audio post-production house. In addition has since been released digitally in North America.

Tom Koroluk, based out of St. Andrews, Manitoba, to composing music, DACAPO creates sound effects, composes for films from around the world. Most re- edits audio and record voice actors. They work with cently, he worked on the locally shot and produced productions from around the world. You may have July 2021

Saskatchewan’. The audience is invited to drive-in to a large parking lot (yes, it is in Saskatchewan) to see one of two shows, an early family friendly version or a later, 16 years and older show. Both will feature local performers and Kween contestants as well as the performing group from the big city. This is a grand place to live.

heard their work in Hallmark films, Eagle Vision’s Burden of Truth or Seance from Buffalo Gal Pictures.

Manitoba is also home to a number of high-calibre, independent sound workers like Anita Lubosch, who has been working as a sound editor and designer for 20 years. Most recently, she worked on Wolf Joe, coproduced by Media Rendezvous, Turtle Lodge and Amberwood Entertainment.

These artists are just a few of the many talented Manitobans working in sound in the media production industry. Audio is complex and — like all other aspects of film and television — a craft. It is refined through years of practice, patience and training.

In Manitoba, the first points of contact for aspiring musicians, sound professionals and composers are Manitoba Music and On Screen Manitoba. Both industry associations are dedicated to connecting their respective, and in this case, joint, members to career and business opportunities. Post-secondary education and training programs include: The University of Manitoba, The University of Winnipeg and Brandon University Music Programs and the Mid-Ocean School of Media Arts (MOSMA).

The Manitoba-based 48 Hour Film Festival provides a project-based opportunity for filmmakers, musicians and composer to develop their talent together. Participating filmmaker teams must write shoot and edit a short film in 48 hours, and each team must work with a Manitoba musician/composer.

Artistry and craftsmanship are required to put together the puzzle of sound, music, light, costume, décor that is storytelling for the screen. And each component is dependent on a corps of dedicated professional writers, performers, musicians, artists, artisans and technicians.

Nicole Matiation is the executive director of OnScreen Manitoba. whatsupwinnipeg.ca

13

Guitar guy

W

innipeg’s Chad Allan once wrote and recorded a song entitled I Wouldn’t Trade My Guitar For A Woman for Brave Belt’s 1971 debut album. Thankfully, I’ve never faced such a dilemma. However I can certainly relate to the sentiment. The guitar has played a central role in my life and defined who I am.

Like millions of pimply-faced teenagers who witnessed The Beatles’ North American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964, I was instantly smitten. To that point music wasn’t a factor in my life. Older brother Ron had a penchant for Jan & Dean surf/car songs but I never felt inspired enough to want to play along. Then I saw George Harrison on that fateful February evening. I began a John Einarson campaign to hound my Local Music parents into buying me Spotlight a guitar. Ron borrowed a cheap Zenon electric guitar from one of his buddies for me to test drive. With no pick (I used a dime coin years before Queen guitarist Brian May’s sixpence pick), no instruction book, and no amplifier, nonetheless, after much painstaking effort, I managed to plunk out the melody to The Third Man theme.

Suitably impressed, Dad purchased a twin pickup Harmony Silhouette solid body electric guitar for me, I think from Simpson-Sears, for $129 (no chump change back then) and I was off to the races (I recently saw that exact same model in a vintage guitar shop in Toronto selling for $750). A neighbour worked at Eaton’s and told us about a Harmony amplifier that someone had returned. For $50, it was hastily acquired. Unfortunately, while the amp boasted 25 watts of volume, it was a bass amp and the high end or treble was virtually non-existent. For a budding George Harrison that was discouraging but I managed to muddle through.

My friend Paul Birston was neighbour to Grant Park High guitar god Duncan Wilson of The Mongrels. On Duncan’s recommendation, it was arranged for Paul and I to take lessons from Duncan’s former guitar instructor, a woman named Rose who lived in a rooming house on Palmerston in the West End. I was learning guitar, Paul the bass guitar. I lasted no more than three lessons (Paul hung on longer). Why waste time learn-

John Einarson and his Gretsch Country Gentleman guitar. ing to read and play Red River Valley when I could play Daytripper by ear?

After learning at least 4 chords, I joined my first band. Trouble was the band only wanted me for my guitar because their guitar player didn’t own a decent model. Lesson learned: if you join a band, make sure you get to play in that band.

In 1966, having wrung about as much as I could out of that Harmony, I began a new campaign to acquire a blond Fender Telecaster. The Telecaster was a real professional model. I had seen many of my guitar heroes on Shindig playing them. Dad relented and took me to Lowe’s Music on Kennedy Street one block north of Portage to order a brand new Tele. The older gentleman in the shop pointed me to a reddish solid body Rickenbacker guitar that was hanging on the wall. The guitar had recently belonged to Chad Allan, he told us, who had traded it in after leaving the Guess Who. But my heart was set on the Fender (Ron Risko of The Pink Plumm later bought Chad’s Rickenbacker). Trading in the Harmony and a chord organ we had, Dad plunked

down $400 and my Telecaster arrived a few weeks later from the factory. That guitar became my baby for the next five years.

In the intervening decades I’ve added and subtracted guitars to my arsenal of instruments. The current roster is 5 guitars. I put myself through university playing in bands. In my 30-plus-year teaching career, I organized extracurricular guitar or rock music programs each year and continued to do so seven years into retirement running a rock music program at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School. I’ve played the occasional gig, too. I think of myself first and foremost as a guitar player. I can’t read music but thankfully still have a good ear.

Like many males of my vintage, the guitar gave my life a direction and a purpose. But don’t let anyone fool you; we all took up the guitar to meet girls.

Coming full circle, I recently purchased a mahogany coloured Gretsch Country Gentleman exact replica 1962 model guitar just like the one George Harrison played on The Ed Sullivan Show. Cost me $3,500 but after 50 years of playing I figured I deserved it.

The facts: Give me the facts

I

n many countries, including Cana- ple who pray in public are hypocrites. da, religion is a trump card, trump- Mathew, according to the King James ing everything else. This seems il- Bible, wrote that Jesus, emphatically and logical when we consider that there is no imperatively, tells his followers, “When universal definition of religion. Religion thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and is a meaningless term. Some so-called when thou hast shut thy door, pray to religions have a god, some have many thy Father which is in secret.”

If Christians literally gods, and some have no obeyed Jesus, there would god. Mortal prophets, livbe no Christian houses of ing or dead, are sometimes worship, and no praying treated as gods. Some in public. Christians would people worship planets pray at home in secret. We and stars. The word star is are witnessing Christians synonymous with god. allowing preachers to conThere are over 3,000 trol their lives, including, religions. They come in a how, when, and where variety of colours and flathey shall worship. Allowvours. Some are xenophoing someone to dictate bic, having nothing to do your actions often leads to with anyone who is not Wayne Weedon conflicting internal emofollowing their religion; tions, which may cause others freely associate with Food for emotionally induced illeveryone, commonly in Thought ness (EII). To retain one’s the hope of selling their sanity and prevent EII, religion. Some have the attitude, live and let live, while others a person must be responsible for their will freely kill anyone who is not of their own life, set their own goals, decide their own actions, plan their own life, religion.

In the name of religion, people are ig- and accept blame if mistakes are made. noring laws concerning the Covid-19 The definition of maturity is one’s abilpandemic. I am questioning Christian ity to handle life’s problems.

In her book, Mind and Body, Helen groups who are holding public gatherings against health orders. Some congre- Flanders Dunbar MD, gives examples gations refuse to wear masks. Are they of how following strict religious pracobeying Holy Scripture, or, are they tices, which conflict with one’s personal desires, may lead to physical diseases. making up their own rules?

According to Christian mythology, Je- It is possible that someone may attend sus was a rebel who preached that peo- unlawful public gatherings to satisfy 14

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

friends, family, and religious leaders; while they have great fears about contracting Covid-19. The conflict between fear and obligation may cause serious anguish which results in EII, and, in some cases, death may be the result.

The main cause of EII is contradictory emotions brought on by the desire to rebel from doing what we subconsciously do not want to do. If someone who wishes to be a concert pianist is living in a family who are all medical doctors, that person may feel pressured into pursuing a career in medicine. The fear of being ostracised, ridiculed, disinherited, or condemned may be strong enough for that person to abandon music. This could lead to resentment, anger and frustration; negative feelings which could be strong enough to cause physical illness, especially if that person keeps their harmful emotions hidden in their subconscious mind.

What are we to do? To be healthy, a person must hide nothing from their conscious mind. They are to acknowledge what they feel and what they wish to get out of life. By writing down their desires, setting goals to obtain what they want, committing to paying whatever the price is attached to getting their goals, and working steadfastly to reach those goals, they will find the inner peace and contentment which leads to a healthy and happy life.

What price does one pay for peace of mind? It may be giving up outside influences which do not coincide with

a person’s goals. In some cases, it may be abandoning friends and family. One must accept being ostracised, if that is what is needed in order to find happiness and peace of mind.

We all must decide for ourselves. We have one life and we must decide, do we suffer mentally and physically throughout our life, or do we find the happiness and contentment that taking charge of our life can bring? That’s food for thought.

Wayne Weedon is an Indigenous Manitoba writer of novels and short stories. To sample his wonderful work go to Wattpad.com.

July 2021

Belvidere Street of St. James To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of St. James (starting just west of St. James Street to Sturgeon Road) breaking away from Assiniboia to form their own municipality, I have two Centennial projects. I am doing street profiles.

This column features Ferry Road. I am also asking for public input in compiling a list of 100 Great St. James Citizens. Please send me between 1 and 100 nominations. I acknowledge that any list of 100 great St. James’s citizens will be far too short. The people on the list will not be ranked. Contact me at fredmorris@hotmail.com or 207-1061 Sargent Avenue R3E 3M6.

M

y AFI (Icelandic for grandfather), Gudmundur Matthias Bjarnason, was born in Iceland on July 5, 1871 (1). In the early 1900s, AFI emigrated to Canada in search of a better life. He became a house painter. In 1906, he married Halldora Johnson. They raised eight children in the West End. In the mid 1940s, the Bjarnasons moved to Belvidere Street. AFI regularly used the nearby Portage Avenue streetcar for his afternoon trips downtown.

The previous occupants of the Belvidere Street house left behind a pool table. AFI in his mid 70s became an avid pool player often making shots with his cane. During the Bjarnason Belvidere years, their son Tom decided Fred Morris to become an artist. Uncle Tom became a well-known From the desk Canadian artist. Due to COof a gadfly VID-19, a family reunion celebrating AFI's 150th Birthday has been postponed. Instead, I will write about the street where AFI spent a decade of his retirement years.

Belvidere is an Italian name meaning “beautiful sight”.

(2) During the 1860s, Robert Tait and wife, Jane Inkster, and family moved to what is now the north west corner of Portage and Belvidere. The Taits built a brick home with walnut woodwork. Robert built a grist mill near the front of their home. Robert was a founding member of the Winnipeg Board of Trade. The Taits are buried in the St. James Cemetery. In the late 1930s, the Tait’s house was demolished. On January 26, 1947, Deer Lodge United Church dedicated their new building on the same site. The Church, with several additions, became a community hub.

The Church closed in 2004. In 2006, a daycare in one of the church buildings moved. The lot is currently vacant.

Many well-known people in sports, education, law enforcement, business, authors, and politics lived part of their lives on Belvidere Street.

Mary Ruttan Robinson, a two-time Manitoba fencing champion and a Canadian cross country skiing champion grew up on Belvidere Street. Also, Mary was a founding member of the Puffin Ski Club. Mary belongs to the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. Vic Grant Jr. worked in the sports and news departments for the Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg Sun, CKY TV, and CJOB. Vic was a member of the first WHA Winnipeg Jets broadcasting team. Vic as a member of the Manitoba champions team is in the Manitoba Curling Hall of Fame. Also, Alex became a life member of the Deer Lodge Curling Club.

The same house became home to the Campbells. Keith Campbell was a key founder of the St. James Canadians.

Belvidere Street was my home Linda Conway

3

63 Belvidere Street was my birth place in 1949. A small white stucco, two storey, two bedroom home, not far from Ness St. Belvidere ran from Portage Avenue to Ness in the “suburb” of St. James. Here was the westerly expansion of the City of Winnipeg following World War II. The house was new and the first home of my parents post the War. The immediate neighborhood was made up of similar such families, middle-class, white anglo-saxon, mostly protestant, buying their first homes. The men were becoming established in their various careers, ie: salesmen, police officers, air traffic controllers, where as the woman were stay at home mothers raising families.

I lived on that street for the first eleven years of my life. Starting school there at Linwood Public a

few blocks walk away. There are many fond memories of the time I spent in play along that street.

Like most children of that era, we spent a lot of time out of doors.

The backyards became stages for dress-up, games, 'swimming' in the wading pools, building snow forts and hide-outs.

I learned to ride a two wheeler on the street and to roller-skate.

At the end of the street, closest to Ness, there was a field in which we set up a ball diamond in the summer and in the winter the Dads would build a skating rink. At the Portage Avenue end of Belvidere was St. James United Church and various little shops for convenience items. I believe there was also a small pharmacy that had a place at the front to purchase sweets at the soda fountain counter with it's round stools. Here too, on Portage, was an access entrance to Assiniboine Park where the family would go for walks and bike rides.

Afi Gudmunur with Amma Halldora in their Belvidere Street home.

Linda Campbell won the 1973 Women's Singles at the Manitoba Tennis Open. Ruth Toal received various rewards for her contributions to curling. They include the Bill Lumsden Award and an honorary life membership in the Manitoba Curling Association.

Olive Wharf, Bob Place, Wilf Roberts, and Hughie Haddow worked at the St. James Civic Centre.

Bill Wallace, a career educator, was the Principal of Linwood School for 29 years. United College History Professor Cornelius Jaenen and family lived in the same House as my grandparents. Jaenen was awarded a couple of Canada Council Fellowships. In 1965, Jaenen was one of the keynote speakers at a Winnipeg Conference about the Two Nation Theory of Canada. Bill Woodrow served as Principal or Vice Principal for several Winnipeg Schools.

Jim Toal was a 32-year Winnipeg Police Officer. After retiring from the Police Force, Jim became the executive director of the Alcoholism Foundation. The Addictions Foundation building at 1041 Portage is named the Toal Center. The James Toal Award of Excellence is awarded annually by the Winnipeg Police Service. Danny Hender-

The neighborhood provided great opportunity for children to play in a safe environment.

A big event of the day was the introduction of television. Our immediate neighbor was the first family on the block to purchase a TV set (black and white). I would position myself on their front porch so that I could see the TV screen through their front door.

This behavior sufficiently embarrassed my family into purchasing a television of their own.

Purchases of this type were simply luxury and took a big bite out of the family budget. An average income at the time, would have been less than $5,000 per year.

All in all, Belvidere Street proved a good place to start and raise a family. Life long friends were made by many of the young families that first purchased those little white stucco homes.

Certainly, for me, Belvidere of the 1950s holds many happy memories.

son gave many Winnipeg Police Service Crime Prevention Seminars. Sid Hall implemented the security systems in Western Canada’s Eatons stores.

Horace Burgoyne was the traffic Manager for Hudson Bay Smelting. Wayne Killberry worked in the management for the agricultural manufacturing business Killberrys.

Killberrys evolved into MacDon. The Brittons operated a hardware store at 2067 Portage Avenue. A Headingley street is named in honour of the Britton Family.

Brian Darragh wrote Our Forgotten Heritage about the history of Winnipeg Street Cars. Lorne Wallace helped cocreate CBC's 24 Hours. In the late 1960s, Walter Bannister, the last Brooklands mayor, moved to Belvidere Street.

After retiring from politics, Walter became the curator of the St. James Museum. A Winnipeg Street is named in honour of Walter Bannister.

For more than a century, there has been a Tennis Club at the south east corner of Belvidere and Ness. In the 1950s, strong neighbourhood opposition stopped a plan to build a Junior High School to replace the Tennis Court. In a recent reorganization, the has been renamed the Tennis Manitoba Hub at Deer Lodge.

This article, and your feedback will be archived by the City Of Winnipeg. Please remember to submit nominations for the Top 100 St. James Citizens to fredmorris@hotmail.com or Fred Morris at 207 1061 Sargent Avenue R3E 3M6.

••• Notes: 1. AFI died on January 4, 1968. Halldora lived to be 100. She died on April 6,1981 2. Winnipeg Mosaic Names ••• Fred Morris is a Grandfather, Sports Fan and Political Activist.

What is that smell honey?

I

t has been a wonderful day with the family, a nice can also release mycotoxins that are extremely dangerwalk, ice cream in the park, leading to home and ous for your health especially if you are an allergy sufdinner and family movie night. The movie starts, ferer or asthmatic. Finding mold or indicators of mold should be remediated immediately. If munching is heard of popcorn as the you discover mold in the crawl space credits start to role. Sitting comfortably, or basement, you need to know that you start to notice a terrible odor filling breathing mold particles into your lungs the room and your nostrils. can create respiratory problems that last If the overpowering aroma is not for a lifetime. coming from your body, then surely you Pests: Squirrels, mice, rats, and bugs had better check the crawl space or basecan cause an intolerable odour. Check ment area? A musty basement or crawl for small holes or openings in the crawl space smell might be the reason you and space walls. A good test if you find one your guests look for reasons to leave the is to try and fit a pencil through the house.

Here are some of the reasons and soopening. If a pencil can fit through a lutions for the overpowering odors: hole, then a mouse can, too. Urine and • Mold droppings from pests will filter terrible Brent Poole • Pests smells throughout the crawl space leadHome • Dead animals ing to your home. Remember if you see Improvements • Sewage one mouse or rat, there are bound to be Mold: Mold itself may not cause more, call in pest control. odors, however, mold forming on wooden support Dead Animals: A dead animal carcass will create a beams or organic materials will grow into mildew then smelly situation. Animals that make their homes inside release an odour. You can usually tell by going down a crawl space tend to die in that same place. The deinto your crawl space and feeling if it is damp. Mold caying flesh from a pest could fill your family room July 2021

with an unbearable stink. Do monthly checks to look for signs of nests?

Sewage: A sewage leak or back up, that overflows into a crawl space will produce a terrible odor, it will also introduce moisture into your home and be difficult to clean. Protect your health by taking measures to avoid a sewage disaster. Sewage toxins can make you sick if inhaled. Check the sump pump monthly to ensure it works correctly.

These are not the only causes making your crawl space smell, but actively checking for these causes may help you identify the source of bad aromas in the future.

Remember, crawl spaces provide up to half the air you breathe inside your home. Heat naturally rises, so when the air is disseminated it is refilled by air that comes from the basement or crawl space. Smells can also invade cracks, wiring, pipes, and joints in the floor to escape into the home. Once the smelly air mixes on the first floor, it can hit air ducts and continue traveling upwards to other levels.

Brent Poole is the owner operator of Handy Hands Construction, which he has run with his father Jim since 1997.

A carpenter by trade, Brent enjoys all types of projects.

“We’re not happy until you are happy!” whatsupwinnipeg.ca

15

u

A beautiful haunting Continued from page 1

about 50 million years with the earliest specie of loon found in Scotland. Other loon fossils were discovered in France, Italy, Czechoslovakia, and in North America. The Common Loon of today is thought to have evolved over 10 million years ago.

Many cultures have honoured the loon. Legends and beliefs, like that of the ancient Indian tribes of North America who believe that the loon would guide the soul of the dead to a new world, abound. The ancient Inuit of Alaska had elaborate burials for loons which included adorning the skull with ivory eyes.

Sherrie Versluis One legend says that loons Feathered have the ability to give sight Friends to those who are blind by taking them to the bottom of the lake until vision is restored. It is said that the white banding around the neck of the loon is a white necklace of shells that was gift of gratitude from someone whose eyesight returned. Another Native legend says the loon has magical powers and at the beginning of creation, the loon would dive down to the bottom of the lake floor and bring up mud for the Creator to make the earth.

As the Industrial revolution began, man’s love and respect for the loon took a tragic turn. The loon was one of the first creatures to show signs that the damage of acid rain was having and the loon was a poster picture for the effects of oil spills on birds. Fishing nets and lines along with lead weights caused many loons to suffer drowning and poisonings. Pesticides and chemicals are known to have damaging effects to loons and their food sources.

Early Europeans arrived in North America and hunted loons to the point of major decline. Shooting loons was a big sport due to the challenge of trying to get a diving bird. Later, loons were considered competition to fisherman so many were culled.

A loon family. Photo by Bert de Tilly.

Common loons dive to amazing depths of 230 feet.

They have a lifespan of 30 years and require a lake size of at least 12 acres to nest. They are about three feet in length and weigh about 12 pounds. Loons do not start nesting until the age of six when in late May, one to two eggs are laid. Both parents take part in the incubation, always staying close to the nest in case of a major disturbance. Eggs hatch in 29 days and the young will stay with their parents for the rest of the summer. The ‘Yodel’ call of the loon announces territory, the ‘tremelo-call’ is described as an alarm call, and the ‘wail-call’ is a form of contact between a pair.

Thankfully, the loon population is considered stable today but is still closely monitored. Hunting loons is a thing of the past and some fishing regulations have changed to, hopefully, save them from harm. Still there are many environmental issues such as inconsistent lake levels affecting nesting success and oil spills that

continue to hinder loon populations. You can help by becoming a member of Bird Studies Canada and taking part in the Canadian Lakes Loon Survey. The information you can provide is very helpful in finding out much needed information about the Common loon population. By just observing loons around your cottage you can be a part of important research. You can even be part of preserving some of the most beautiful, mystical music from a bird of many legends, an irreplaceable piece of Canadian lake landscapes, the Common loon.

Contact Bird Studies Canada today to get your survey package and be ready for the next nesting season to start recording your observations. Visit the website at https://www.birdscanada.org/bird-science/canadianlakes-loon-survey/ or call 1-888-448-2473.

Sherrie Versluis owns the Preferred Perch and is an avid birder.

Cottage succession has options, pitfalls George Hacking

A

s years pass and values increase in vacation markets, transition to your family can be a sensitive and emotional time. The prices have really jumped in the last few years, so here are some tips to move the cottage in a way that keeps your family feeling good about it.

Everything starts with a family discussion either by zoom or hopefully in person very soon. It is a great idea to have an open and honest dialogue, perhaps even before opening the beer cooler. There are multiple considerations: do you have multiple children, do they want to share the cottage, do they want the cottage? Do children already own cottages elsewhere? You may have one child who uses and helps maintain the place more than others, so how do you want to balance the family dynamics vs succession, i.e. is fair the same as equal?

Do you, or will you, require the funds to fund your retirement? Will a transition cause financial hardships and what costs are involved in transition?

A cottage is not a home, so when it is sold it will likely attract capital gains and may create a tax time bomb when the title changes hands. It makes a big difference how long you have owned the property. If you owned it since before 1972, 1982, 1992 or 1994 different rules apply and a tax specialist needs to be involved. Did you inherit the cottage, and if so when and at what value?

Since 2016 you are required to disclose the sale of

your property to the CRA when you file your annual income tax, and you must disclose if this is your principal residence, cottage, commercial investment etc. You can get a quick and dirty estimate of your cottage tax bill by calculating your Adjusted Cost Base which is your acquisition cost plus qualifying renovations- the emphasis being on qualifying. But things like a new deck, roof shingles, new siding etc, would qualify. You really need to keep those receipts long term in a clearly marked file.

Correction

L

ast month we left out an introduction by Wendy Hodgins to Fred Morris’ latest installment of celebrating St. James streets with the Garrioch Street installment. Here is the forgotten introduction, with apologies to both.

••• Hi Fred, My name is Wendy Hodgins. Growing up on Garrioch Avenue, I was know as one of the Sheardown girls, along with my twin sister Sherry and older sister Linda. My parents played in the bowling league along with many others at the Silver Heights Bowling Lanes that are now the 16

Passing along the family cottage is doable, but consult a tax specialist to ensure it’s as painless as possible.

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

archery lanes. It was wonderful growing up on Garrioch and the Silver Heights area. Everyone knew everyone, especially between Sharpe and Moray. We used to have a Bicycle Decorating contest every year. The kids would decorate their bikes and parade their bikes from Portage, down Mount Royal to Ness and over the Silver Heights Community Club to be judged. At one time the strip mall on the south east corner of Ness and Mount Royal used to have a drug store and a grocery store in it. I remember how my sisters and I saved our allowances and went to the drug store to purchase LPs back in the 1960s. My parents lived at 149 Garrioch from 1955 to 2011.

Your principal residence is exempt from capital gains.

The question is, should your cottage be your principal residence? Again there is a more complex calculation than this article allows but I have a workshop video link at www.hackingteam.ca/blog to help you calculate it. My recommendation is to keep all capital cost bills on your home and cottage in separate files and let your accountant figure it out. If your cottage has increased in value at a faster rate than your home, there is a decision to be made, and most people don’t even know there is an option.

Lastly, after taxes the Death discussion must ensue.

I have looked for loopholes but at this time death appears unavoidable at least in the long term. Being prepared will greatly reduce your heirs stress and tax exposure, but alas, will do you little good. Document your wishes and plans in your will after consulting with your family and tax professionals, then you can rest easy and enjoy your cottage and family in this most glorious Manitoba Summer.

Special Thanks to Clinton Orr at Canacord Genuity Corp for sharing his presentation with me for this article.

George Hacking who is an award winning realtor at Century 21 Advanced Realty on The Hacking Home Team.

July 2021

PUZZLES

Crossword Across 1. Otitis 8. Maryland or Hawaii 13. Torrents 14. Capital of Montana 16. Forks and spoons 17. Like most Tarantino films 18. Helps with the dishes 19. Retired professor’s designation 21. Gazillions 22. Words before “pronounce you man and wife” 23. Word form for “middle” 24. Peruvian pronoun 25. Aching desire 26. Harrison’s costar in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” 27. Woody vine with violet blossoms 30. Speech hesitations 31. Toy truck brand 33. Clumps of earth 35. Grenada’s IOC code 36. Like some night vision 40. Went quickly 42. Easter bloom 43. Evergreen tree 46. Mr. Knievel 47. Central area of a church 48. Actor Ed 50. “Spanglish” co-star

52. Steal cattle 53. Born first 54. Al Bundy actor 56. Hovel 57. Tears 58. Footballer Kevin or Andre 59. Stockpiled Down 1. Dangle a carrot in front of 2. Sports venues 3. Collides with 4. Stubborn ones 5. XXX 6. Loki’s daughter 7. Sum and substance 8. Mouselike insectivore 9. Sign of sorrow 10. Nissan model 11. Was indecisive 12. Ultimate consumers 13. Plural possessive pronoun 15. Cases for insurance detectives 20. Former host of “Last Comic Standing” 22. Cousin of Gomez 25. “My life ____ open book” 26. Leafy green 28. “Just playing!”

29. 2012 Flo Rida song 31. Took a trip around the world,

Word search

maybe 32. Vitamin dosage, usually 34. “Iliad” hero 35. Grimm girl 37. Spanish custard dish 38. European vacation site 39. Tavern serving 41. Actresses Burstyn and DeGeneres

44. All-inclusive 45. Rose (up) 47. “___ your life!”

48. Mother’s sisters 49. Bro and sis 51. This, to Tomás 52. ____ vieja 55. Half a lollipop brand

Sudoku

Puzzles’ solutions on next page

Aloft Beached Blitzing Brunt Cards Condor Costing Crocus Defrosts Election Elegy July 2021

Errant Fences Flimsy Fourteen Gilds Glove Gritty Grosses Hammers Latent Leasing

Leeriest Lessen Liberty Lints Loaves Naval Noose Obsess Races Reason Reform

Robber Roses Scowl Snooze Souls South Stigma Tabby Valley Vinyl Whims

Connect with us online

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

17

Garden therapy

Part of the virtual plant auction recently held by the Charleswood Garden Club.

Sophia Munro

W

ith a touch of humour and an unmatchable professionalism, audience members + bidders were provided two evenings of engagement, anticipation, friendly competition and embedded gardening knowledge.

The Charleswood Garden Club (CGC) auction committee deserves a round of emoji reactions for offering such an incredible event to the Manitoba community.

I’m most likely dating myself, but viewing the beautiful slides on the club’s homepage felt akin to flipping through the Sears Christmas catalogue. Making note of which plants to bid on and internally setting one’s highest price was part of the pre-event planning; the latter subject to change based on that competitive factor!

The website linked directly to: Plants for sale now; Wednesday’s line-up of Perennials, Grasses & Ferns, Trees & Shrubs; and Thursday’s offerings of Annuals, Vegetables & Herbs, Houseplants.

After a quick registration process, a bidding number was sent so you could take on a new persona for the event. (And, if you forgot to do this, one of the auction members could cover this for you – one of many tech services they offered).

During the auctions, the auctioneers were quick to spell each other off – intuiting the best time to offer someone a break, and they were equally enthusiastic to help the audience on the tech or Zoom procedural front. Zoom etiquette was clear and direct with the predictable, “Please mute yourself, yes you.” or “Everyone lower your hand otherwise you are bidding on the next plant. This means you, Bidder 50.”

The auctioneers paid utmost respect to the generous sponsors, sharing photos of their business and reminding everyone of their locations. The generous gift cards may lead to further purchases at the local nurseries.

Improv humour decorated the evenings, most notably by a bidder who forgot to hide her name and whose number was questionable, and ended up saying, “You can call me any number, just not…” Well, let’s just say what happens in Zoom stays in Zoom (unless someone hits the record button and then it’s perennial)! And, what would a Zoom call be if one or all members were kicked out at one time? (Has anyone coined the replacement of resume to reZoom?) These unplanned moments become the ones we learn from, learn to laugh at, and remember.

With military precision, the post-auction details were executed brilliantly. A spreadsheet was provided with bidding numbers, purchases and cost, as well as curbside pick-up time allocation and location. E-trans-

Remember when…

W

hen so many of us are wondering about roll their own? Plain tips, cork tips and eventually the future, it might be time to take the filter tips.

Did you ever have a Nougat bar at the Lyceum time and buckle up. Let’s take another or go through a whole box of Nibs ride in the way-back machine. at the Met. The Roxy, the Odeon, Remember rat tail combs, all day the Beacon, the Tivoli, the Oak or suckers and pea jackets? Jungle juice the Capital. And don’t forget the Riat the sock hop, cars with curb feelalto. Gosh, who could. Which was ers, monkey balls and suicide knobs your favourite? on the steering wheel, the ones with I remember there was nothing a picture of a pretty girl in the knob. quite so wonderful as a chicken salTough guys were called hard rocks. ad sandwich and a glass of milk at Sometimes fights would turn into a Kreske’s. It was across Portage from rumble where it was common to see Genser’s wasn’t it? someone shoot the boots. RememThese days, athletes talk about beber how great it was to get a new ing in the zone. Remember life bepair of rubber boots in the spring.

Jim Ingebrigtsen fore postal codes when we all lived in They were magnets that pulled you different zones. I lived in Zone 10. directly to the puddles. Walking on Is It Just Me... thin ice was a good thing.

You? Did you ever get a report card Remember the smell of pipe toyou thought was pretty good except bacco both before and after the pipe was lit. Not for the teacher's comment section that had the unusual for a lot of homes to have a pipe rack and hand-written words, “if he only applied himself ”?

When the television set went on the blink did always pipe cleaners somewhere. I still like the smell of a good cigar. Remember seeing people you take the tubes out and check them down at

Puzzles’ solutions

fers were encouraged to create touchless transactions.

Seeing happy bidders pick up their plants was a joy! Feedback on how to make things better was wellreceived. Ideas included the auction of a home yard visit with a Charleswood gardener/mentor, pleadings to hold this event again, and to “please don’t hold this during toddler bedtime, I miss too much!”. One person, collecting her plants, said that the auction provided a space for her and her friend to connect over phone in a social, fun and exciting event; truly a sentiment that shows we can be together, apart.

This is what bidders like me saw. What we didn’t see was setting up the virtual plan, documents and links; communications; collecting, labelling, and photographing each plant; and placing them in packages for their new owners. Like many finished products, the sweat and hard work is behind the scenes. Hopefully, this letter lets the CGC auction committee know they were seen (as well as their home office space!) and that what they did for Manitoba was a ray of light in a difficult time.

Whatever next May brings for CGC events like this, one certainty holds, it will be an event which reflects CGC’s commitment to sustainability, knowledge sharing, and fostering an appreciation of our plant world.

Sophia Munro is the president of the Charleswood garden Club.

the drug store? You wouldn’t want to miss the Saturday night wrestling. Whipper Billy Watson, Verne Gagne, Killer Kowalski and let’s not forget Little Beaver.

You also wouldn’t want to miss Wagon Train, Whiplash, Gale Storm in Oh Susannah with Zasu Pitts. We had British comedies such as the Eric Sykes show and Hancock’s Half Hour. Richard Greene was the real Robin Hood and remember a young Roger Moore when he was Ivanhoe?

Remember the voice of Robert Newton opening the Long John Silver show?

If sailor tales to sailor tunes, Storm and adventure, heat and cold, If schooners, islands and maroons And buccaneers and buried gold And all the romance, retold Exactly in the ancient way, Can please, as me they pleased of old, The wiser youngsters of today: So be it, and fall on! Har, Har! Well traveler, this is as far as I can take you today.

Hope you enjoyed the ride. You get a free pass on the next trip.

Connect with us online

whatsupwinnipeg.ca Facebook: Lifestyles55 Twitter: @Lifestyles55 18

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

July 2021

Happy

Canada Day

204.945.3709 pccaucus@leg.gov.mb.ca

Get growing with us!

Now available for free at localgardener.net July 2021

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

19

lookING FoR A NEW homE?

ConvenienCe, Comfort and affordability are what make our properties stand out.

aCtive 55+ Communities

Serving north-eaSt, South & South-eaSt Winnipeg FeatureD ProPerties RIVER GARDENS 21 Clayton Drive

ApplEtoN EStAtES II 135 niakwa

Ruth GARDENS 1167 rothesay street

ASk ABOuT OuR MOVE IN BONuS 1 BEDROOM STARTING AT $975 RENOVATED 1 BEDROOM STARTING AT $1,075

RENOVATED 1 BEDROOMS STARTING AT $1,125

2 BEDROOM, 2 BAThROOM STARTING AT $1469 1 BEDROOM wITh A DEN STARTING AT $1470

For inFormation or to arrange a viewing, contact our Leasing agent at 204-940-3477 or by email at leasing@edisonproperties.ca

20

whatsupwinnipeg.ca

July 2021