Since 1911, Winnipeg has been home to a chapter of the oldest volunteer aid agency in the world. In Canada since 1883, with the first course held in Quebec City, St. John Ambulance traces its history back to the Holy Wars. It was started by the Knights Hospitaller, a Catholic military order, in Jerusalem in 1050 when merchants from Amalfi founded a hospital in Jerusalem dedicated to John the Baptist. The Benedictine monks cared for the sick, the injured and the poor.
Today, under the Order of St. John, there are 25,000 members in largely Commonwealth countries but also in Hong Kong, the Republic of Ireland and the United States. They have evolved to be the foremost agency for training people in first aid and CPR.
Here in Winnipeg, St. John Ambulance not only trains people in the art of lifesaving, but they offer
new St John Ambulance building on
additional services, training some to be first responders and have initiated a popular program of dog therapy teams, serving the elderly and even sick children. A fascinating program involves having kids read to dogs as a way to encourage literary skills. St. John
Ambulance delivers the majority of the first aid training in Manitoba.
They do not rely on government funding, nor do they get a share of the United Way funds. Instead, the revenue comes from
Support the CBC, Defend Canada
Funding the CBC is not just a budget issue, it’s a matter of our sovereignty!
Dennis Lewycky
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is a valued source of information and entertainment for Canadians. On radio, television and internet, CBC/Radio-Canada distributes news, supports our cultural industries, contributes to national unity and critically important now, maintain our constitutional integrity.
The institution is under threat of closure. Therefore I’m support-
ing the CBC as it is in our national interest. Here’s why.
First, as a national broadcaster it serves an audience reaching from coast, to coast, to coast. The CBC keeps us abreast of current national issues and local affairs, in accessible, affordable and authoritative ways. It complements (not competes) other media and facilitates a pride in what we are and have, that others appreciate.
I rely on the CBC as my prime news source. Then I scan CNN, Fox News and Al jazeera for substance before turning on my bias-
es. When I worked overseas (lived and worked in six different countries) the CBC was a connection with home. I’ve experienced what it means when a nation supports an independent professional news media, or not.
Public broadcasting also provides a cultural background to who we are as a people and a nation. CBC/Radio-Canada is a mirror to our diversity, compassion and character. In different languages, in both serious and humorous ways, the CBC reflects
11 ‘Fund the CBC' u
Our dear friend, Brian Gory (Mr. Tomato), quietly passed away on the evening of Wednesday, March 19, 2025. He was 81.
Brian was a blithe spirit, always full of joy and optimism. He will be remembered for his garden wisdom and laughter-filled visits to my radio shows, where he once advised listeners to enjoy a pea in the garden, then laughing hilariously at the double entendre. It was a bit predictive, though, as more recently he learned that uric acid is a great fertilizer booster for plants. He even did a trial with a batch of tomato plants to see if it was true. It was! He shocked some exhibitors at his last trade show presentation by providing the audience with similar advice. The audience loved it!
His spirited and humorous presentations at garden clubs, his wonderful writing style, his garden products such as Cozy Coats for tomatoes and his plant booster, Sea Magic, were all
Dorothy Dobbie
Brian and Dorothy at West Kildonan Park.
The
Portage Avenue across from Polo Park.
Canada is digging its own grave –
it’s time to stop
Canada is at a breaking point, and we have no one to blame but ourselves. We have chased away industry, stifled our economy with reckless policies, and let ideology take priority over common sense. Now, we stand on the edge of a decision that will either set us on a path to recovery or push us further into economic decline. The choice is clear: We either reverse course or collapse under the weight of bad policy and political fantasy.
We have allowed our leaders to dictate an energy and economic agenda that cripples our own industries while the biggest polluters in the world – China, India, and Russia – continue full steam ahead, laughing at our self-imposed restrictions. We have killed pipeline projects that could have provided secure, affordable energy to our own citizens and trading partners. We have burdened businesses with regulations and taxes that make it impossible to invest in our own country. We have turned our back on the resource wealth that built this nation. And now, we are expected to believe that more of the same will somehow fix the problem?
It won’t.
environmental standards continues to flow into our ports. It’s insanity. Natural gas, one of the cleanest and most efficient energy sources, is being demonized by activists who don’t seem to care that other nations are expanding their use of coal. Meanwhile, we get lectured on carbon footprints while countries like China build two new coal plants per week. Does anyone truly believe Canada’s tiny fraction of global emissions is the problem?
Kevin Klein
This isn’t about the environment anymore – it’s about control. The same people who want to shut down the oil and gas industry refuse to acknowledge that wind and solar are unreliable without a massive, stable energy backup. Instead of investing in practical, balanced energy solutions – including nuclear and cleaner fossil fuel technologies – our government is obsessed with eliminating fossil fuels entirely, no matter the cost.
Mark Carney and the Path to Economic Ruin
investment because we have strangled it with regulations. We are watching our national debt skyrocket because we spend billions on programs that do nothing to grow our economy.
We have done this to ourselves.
We Need to Reverse Course – Now
The solution is not complicated. We need to reverse the damaging policies that have driven businesses, jobs, and investment out of this country. That does not mean abandoning environmental responsibility –it means balancing it with economic survival.
We need pipelines, natural gas, and responsible resource development. We need to support industries that provide jobs and generate revenue instead of punishing them with ever-increasing taxes and regulations. We need to encourage investment by making Canada competitive again, not by pushing businesses to the U.S. and beyond.
A Deliberate Destruction of Canada’s Economy
Since 2015, Canada has lost more than $225 billion in capital investment – money that could have created jobs, built infrastructure, and secured our future. But instead of addressing why businesses are leaving, our leaders have doubled down on anti-growth policies, making it harder for companies to operate. We’ve seen massive investments in the energy sector go elsewhere, not because Canada lacks resources but because we have made it clear that investment here isn’t welcome.
Take our oil and gas industry – one of the cleanest and most ethical in the world. It has been vilified and squeezed, while foreign oil from dictatorships with no
TURTLE MOUNTAIN
Now, we are watching as Mark Carney prepares to take over the Liberal Party and push Canada even further down this dead-end road. His plan? Spend another $80 billion per year chasing climate perfectionism, all while the country’s economic foundation crumbles. Carney and his allies in Ottawa want you to believe this is an “opportunity.” In reality, it is an economic suicide mission.
Other countries have already figured this out. The U.S., Germany, and Italy are reversing course, bringing back reliable energy sources and cutting back on their green policies that have failed. But Canada? We’re digging in deeper, ignoring the warning signs, and pretending that we are leading the world when in reality, we are falling behind.
We are losing manufacturing because we made it too expensive to operate here. We are losing energy
Facing tariffs in Manitoba
We need a more proactive approach
Once again, when Canada faces uncertain times it is the Prairies that are feeling it first and, in many cases, hardest. From the chaos surrounding on-again off-again American tariff threats, to the stark reality of Chinese 100% tariffs on canola, farmers and manufacturers throughout our province have just been conscripted to the front line of a trade war.
When many think of rural economics, the mind goes to fields of wheat or canola as far as the eye can see, and, while this is the picturesque reality in many areas (and makes for a lovely backdrop to any drive across our province), there is also a diverse and successful manufacturing business. From larger facto-
ries in the Pembina Valley to a lot of really incredible and specialised outfits scattered along Highway #3, Manitobans don’t just feed the world, we make the implements that get the crop into and out of the ground. And all of that is at risk.
It is an unfortunate reality that the smaller, specialized manufacturers are the first to feel the pinch of these tariffs. With many selling a majority of their goods to the US and using steel and parts that hop back and forth across the border at different stages of refinement, it is not unheard for these tariffs to be applied multiple times between the raw material and the finalized product. These are supply chains that have been built up over decades, and until this tariff talk,we had mostly
Most importantly, we need leaders who put Canada first – not activists, global bureaucrats, or radical environmental groups. Real people, real businesses, and real workers need sensible policies. The country cannot survive on slogans and wishful thinking; it needs a functioning economy.
The Choice Is Ours
This is not just about politics. This is about whether Canada can survive as a prosperous nation. If we continue down the current path, we will not recover. The economy will shrink, our debt will balloon, and the industries that once made this country strong will be gone for good.
The next election will be a defining moment. Should we choose common sense or continue to let ideology drive us deeper into economic chaos? The answer should be obvious.
It’s time to stop digging. It’s time to rebuild. And it starts with reversing the mistakes that got us here in the first place.
Kevin Klein is a former Tory cabinet minister, a former city councillor and President & CEO of Klein Group Ltd.
been oblivious to the precarious Jenga tower it was built on.
On the other hand, we have also seen the resiliency of the Canadian Spirit at every turn. From “Buy Canadian” efforts in the grocery store, to prioritizing Canadian suppliers or goods, it has been a bit of an awakening. While this undoubtedly helps dull the edge of American threats, the reality that the domestic market cannot pick up all the potential slack. There are approximately 15,000 farms in Manitoba, and 215,000 in the American Midwest, for a manufacturer of agricultural implements they need both markets to keep their employees working.
Our first priority throughout these uncertain times must be to secure jobs. Manitoba workers and businesses cannot be the ones left holding the bag.
Unfortunately, that looks to be the scenario, with the Provincial NDP Government refusing to support initiatives to pare back the payroll tax, which
is an incredible burden to the major industrial operators at times like this. Based on how much payroll a company has, not their income or sales, this tax becomes a disincentive to keep staff on the books and working in tough times. We cannot operate our province by disincentivizing keeping staff working. The same is true with our farmers. We need to establish and stand behind real meaningful support, because no industry should be paying the price for reciprocal or retributive tariffs. Only in these economic times can you compare a juggernaut of production like Canadian canola and Chinese electric vehicles. We can come out of this strong as an economy and we must come out of it strong as a society.
Doyle Piwniuk is the MLA for Turtle Mountain. His column will be an ongoing feature in Lifestyles to help promote our knowledge and understanding about the amazing things happening in the part of our province.
Doyle Piwniuk News from Turtle Mountain
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Dorothy Dobbie dorothy@pegasuspublications.net
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CONTRIBUTORS
Ron Arnst, the Hon. Uzoma Asagwara, Avi Bhatt, Dr. Romie Dhaliwal, Romel Dhalla, Dorothy Dobbie, Shauna Dobbie, Stefano Grande, Jim Ingebrigtsen, Tom Jackson, Kevin Klein, Ian Leatt, Dennis Lewycky, Myron Love, Marty Morantz, Fred Morris, Doyle Piwniuk, Alex Regiec, Seneka Samarasinghe, Jessie Schmidtke, Trudy Schroeder.
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ISSUES IN THE NEWS
It
is a wonderful
world,
and we
are mere players on the stage that is Earth
There’s a war going on and it is not a trade war or a war with guns. It is a war between man-made technology and nature. It is a war between our humanity and our ability to manipulate our humanity, often with good intentions to make life better, but instead, sometimes making it worse.
This war has to do with our denial of nature as the higher intelligence. We think we know better. We think we can turn theory into fact and then take that “fact” to generate more theories. Garbage in. Garbage out. Sometimes we get a sliver of the truth that we use to lead us to the next step, which may take us just an inch or two closer to the ultimate truth. But we always inject human behaviour into the relationship and try, as if we were gods, to prescribe an unnatural fix.
We should not be in conflict with nature. It should be the only way to live with beneficial results. The reason is simple. Man is nature. There is no separation except the ones we impose on ourselves. And the imposition comes from an inflated sense of our own intelligence. Nature is supreme. No matter how much we understand, it always leads us down a new path as we learn more. And we learn more every day.
What does all this mean? It means we have left behind the once harmonious relationship we held with the world around us. We studied that world. We learned to work with it, not against it. We learned that all life and all healing come from the land and this is still true even though we bottle it, package it, mix it with chemicals and claim the packages have been man-made breakthroughs, when they are simply man-made collations of things found in nature.
Hard as we try, though, to emulate nature, we always leave something out, get the dose wrong, or add something that is not quite right. Sometimes these little miscalculations have a bad result for those we treat.
In the last decade, we have come to accept that in medicine, a relationship with nature adds a healing boost to our man-made ministrations. Hospitals now know that even a picture of a forest or a natural scene can have a beneficial impact on healing. Having time to rest in a garden speeds healing. In Japan, they have assigned an illness-prevention role to some 40 forests. Known as Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing”, it has been recognized that time spent among the trees reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, enhances brain function, leaning capacity and memory and helps the immune system.
Despite all this evidence, some human beings are promoting 15-minute cities where access to nature is difficult if not impossible to find. Children can grow up without any real contact beyond the occasional excursions to a local park.
There are many who deny the benefits of being in nature, probably to support the theses that include densification. It may work for some, but not all. If you were to deprive people of all natural contact, those people would weaken and sicken very rapidly.
Many individuals instinctively know that we need to renew our natural relationships as often as possible. Kids were not told to go outside and play to get them out of Mom’s hair, but because she understood, at a deeper level, just how important that natural
connection is to one growing up healthy and vital.
We all instinctively know this. Some of us can’t wait to get our feet in the soil or just lie on a blanket in the sun, feeling the thrum of the earth being absorbed by our bodies. It feels like renewal.
For some reason, there seems to be an urge to create panic over the idea that the world will come to an end if we don’t do things in a certain way. At one time, the threat was damnation and hell, which was pictured as an endless inferno. It’s harder to sell that idea in those terms today but it is not that different from the threat of “existential” danger from manmade climate change which, according to the converts, will end up by us all being consumed in an inferno.
I don’t pretend to be a scientist who studies these things, but I have done a considerable amount of homework on the topic and it is categorically untrue that “97% of all scientists agree” that global warming is caused by CO2 emissions. They asked a select group of scientists the question and could not even get unanimity there. Many other scientists, including several Nobel Prize winners, disagree or have expressed grave doubts.
My point is not to debate the issue but to illustrate how man’s hubris can concoct a theory that puts humanity in charge of nature. Being a child of the earth, I cannot see how this could be true, when there is so much we do not know about how nature works, what worlds on earth or under the seas have yet to be discovered, how many tiny animals we have not yet encountered but surmise to be there, how trees communicate with each other from one side of a forest to another, how species we have long thought to be extinct suddenly reappear . . .
Today, we are being led down many scientific paths, all of which seem to point to our ultimate destruction, and this is causing deep concern for people. I think the universe is wiser than that. I am writing this to give you hope, to share my belief that the world will be here for countless millennia long after we are gone.
So spend some time outdoors this spring and summer, even if it is just to sit on your porch or balcony, and just look and absorb. Bring something green into your world. Make friends with a squirrel or a bird or a chipmunk. Don’t swat away a wasp. Tell it to “please buzz off” in friendly terms and see what happens. We cannot all do what my friend Gardening Helen does, which is to help monarch butterfly larvae find their wings, but we can observe and delight in the world around us.
It is a beautiful earth. Man is not the supreme being. Let’s enjoy our time here. Happy spring!
Dorothy Dobbie
Join the WSO, Concertmaster Gwen Hoebig and her family of talented musicians for an evening of Mozart, Debussy and Strauss!
A place for dreaming.
Why not Carney?
Mark Carney is being presented as the dream leader after a decade of scandal, bad management and abuse of Parliament by his predecessor, Justin Trudeau. So, let’s examine just what it is that makes him appear so acceptable on the surface.
Firstly, he is not too bad looking. He dresses well and has a good haircut. His complexion is a little sallow, the mark of an indoor man. His wife is shade taller than he is, but that is not surprising since he is only 5 foot 8 inches – nowhere near Trudeau’s 6 ft 2 height.
Born 1959, he is 66 years old. His father was a high school principal in the NWT, where Carney was born, but Carney grew up in Edmonton and attended an elite private catholic school, then went on to Harvard and to Oxford. This was followed by a stint in the private sector at Goldman Sachs, but he soon left that for a job as a federal bureaucrat with the Bank of Canada in 2003.
He married a British environmentalist, Diana Fox, and they have four daughters.
Mark Carney joined the Bank of Canada as deputy governor and graduated to governor in 2007, clearly a young man on the move. He was governor when Jim Flaherty steered Canada through the recession of 2008, leaving the bank five years later in 2013. He has claimed that Jim Flaherty’s success was his own, which allowed him to levitate to the position as governor of the Bank of England. That didn’t go quite as well and expected, and he left under a cloud to in 2020, joining Brookfield Asset Management. At the same time, he took on the chair of Bloomberg L.P. and was appointed United Nations Special Envoy for climate action and finance.
potential conflicts of interest by resigning from all his many posts outside politics. He did resign from paid corporate directorships, according to a National Post investigation. But he has stayed on at least five other prestigious gigs.
World Finance, named one of Newsweek Magazine's Most Trustworthy Companies in America 2023 for the second year in a row, wrote: “Carney is now operating in a world that is increasingly turning against the values he represents and holds: a technocrat who disavows ideology; a transnational figure who feels citizenship in one state doesn’t preclude service to another; an expert who imagines himself to be engaged in science, not politics; an appointed official who feels he should be insulated from the passions of public opinion. (He is a) Davos man in a world where the values of Davos are increasingly sneered at or attacked by electorates . . .”
During this period. He was a member of the “Group of Thirty” which founded the World Economic Forum (WEF) and to the best of our knowledge, he remains on the board of the WEF long with Chrystia Freeland.
Now his climb accelerates. In 2020, he is appointed special advisor to Trudeau to help him through COVID – we all know how that turned out with crippling loans to business and inflated government cheques to keep people at home. We are still reeling.
A week after accepting the post, he solicited the Canadian Government for $10 billion to support a Canada-only asset fund for Brookfield. They claimed he didn’t need to follow ethics guidelines as he was “working for the Liberal Party” and not the Prime Minister’s office.
He gets into trouble again claiming the Brookfield was “carbon neutral” when Brookfield had a huge carbon footprint due to their investments in coal and gas. He had to retract.
He then gets involved in trading carbon offsets, a shell game involving artificial targets for emission reduction set by government which makes money off the system. This culminated in his involvement with GFANZ, the net-zero banking alliance, which encouraged banks to invest only in net zero enterprises. Five of Canada’s top banks joined a host of other financial institutions that have recently dropped out of the Alliance.
There is more, but this will give you a picture of a man seems to crave constant elevation. He is also on difficult terms with the truth, having been caught in several “obfuscations”, including a recent one where he claimed he had nothing to do with a decision to move Brookfield’s head office from Toronto to New York. Again, he had to retract.
Carney also claims that he has addressed
Mark Carney’s debut on the political battlefield
Mark Carney has officially stepped into the ring as leader of the Liberal Party and, by extension, Prime Minister of Canada. He won the leadership after Justin Trudeau stepped down, a shift that many anticipated but that still managed to send shockwaves through Canadian politics.
Dobbie vs Dobbie
Despite his overwhelming win at the Liberal Party convention, we are not sure where he is coming from. The first few days as the Prime minister in waiting, he emulated Donald Trump by signing an Order in Council declaring the director to consumer carbon tax to be zero. Of course, to actually rescind the tax, he needs to amend the Act which requires Parliament.
He says he will replace the carbon tax with a hidden tax on industry (including farmers, greenhouse growers and many other small businesses), and that he will introduce “incentives” for consumers and businesses that he assumes will give us a favoured spot over Americans in international markets.
(You can see if for yourself here https:// markcarney.ca/media/2025/01/markcarney-presents-plan-for-change-on-consumer-carbon-tax)
He advocated for a low-carbon housing policy that favours densification over sprawl. He has publicly reversed himself on pipelines, but don’t hold your breath waiting for actual changes. He claimed that Canada is the largest supplier of semi-conductor to the United States (we are nearly last).
He will change the government of Canada accounting policy to hide spending under the heading of “investment” as opposed to spending. This will make the books look better gut it will not change how much money we owe or who will pay for it: Us!
The Liberals have been in power for just under 10 years. That is well after the best before date for any government.
Carney is not a new face. His advisers, including his new chief of staff, are all recycled from the Trudeau friends and offices. It is the same Trudeau government .
Although a familiar face in parliamentary circles, he has never been elected by Canadians. He refuses to allow independent media into his rare contacts with the press.
He has a difficult relationship with candor, obfuscating facts such as his decision to move the Brookfield office to New York for Toronto.
According to Matthew Lynn of the British political newsletter, The Spectator, “He is not fit to be Canada’s next prime minister.”
He is a technocrat, friends! He may be well meaning but his track record does not give me confidence.
of a national audience. It might not be entirely fair, but if you want to be Prime Minister, handling pressure is part of the test.
Predictably, the Conservatives are working overtime to paint Carney in the most unflattering light possible. Yet, despite their efforts, his polling numbers have climbed. As of today (March 20), the Federal Liberals are flirting with majority territory, running neck and neck with the Conservatives.
That’s a sharp turnaround from just a few weeks ago, when Pierre Poilievre’s party was polling at 45% and seemed all but guaranteed to form the next government. Of course, by the time this is in print, the numbers may have shifted again; that’s the nature of politics. (For those keeping track, these numbers are from 338Canada. com, which aggregates polling data from multiple sources.)
So, who exactly is Mark Carney?
Born in the Northwest Territories and raised in Edmonton, Carney is an economist with an undeniably impressive résumé. He served as governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013 and then took the same role at the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020. His tenure in both institutions was marked by steady, strategic leadership during turbulent financial times. He holds degrees from Harvard and Oxford. That’s an impeccable pedigree—at least, if you still trust people who have excelled in elite institutions and operated at the highest levels of the global economy.
And I do.
I’d rather have someone with international experience making decisions for the country than Jimbo at the local pub. I want a leader who can handle difficult questions from journalists without resorting to cheap jokes or outbursts of frustration.
Of course, neither you nor I voted for Carney—nobody outside the Liberal Party did. But that’s how our system works. The Liberals won the last election, and they get to decide their leader. It’s the same way Heather Stefanson became Premier of Manitoba when Brian Pallister stepped down. Regardless, it’s likely a moot point: Carney will almost certainly call an election before this column reaches your hands.
If you aren’t a fan of Poilievre and the Conservatives, that’s good news. Poilievre fans will be disappointed that their leader never got to bring down the government.
The less certain news? Carney has a steep learning curve ahead. The election is still weeks away, and he has never faced this kind of political combat before. Campaigning is like a high-stakes job interview where your high-school bully is lobbing taunts at you. Your opponent gets to be your most aggressive critic, often in front
Carney is already showing signs that he’s studying the playbook. During the Liberal leadership debate, he came prepared with one-liners, slowed his speech for effect, and adopted a measured delivery. It was a noticeable shift from his somewhat awkward appearance on The Daily Show a few months ago. He still seemed a little self-conscious, but he’s learning. Meanwhile, Poilievre remains a paradox. Those who meet him in person often describe him as warm and affable, yet his public persona is aggressive and relentlessly combative. Which version will we see on the debate stage? If he surprises everyone with a softer approach, it might make him more appealing to undecided voters. But keeping his inner attack dog on a leash isn’t really Poilievre’s style. His campaign team likely has a full arsenal of zingers locked and loaded (what rhymes with Carney?). Carney, for his part, would do well to take it all in stride. His campaign team is undoubtedly coaching him on how to handle attacks, but what would be even better is if he could defuse them with humour. Imagine if, when Poilievre inevitably dubs him something like Blarney Carney, he chuckled and responded, “Ha! That’s clever. But here’s what’s actually true…” before pivoting straight into a strong economic argument. Carney’s biggest asset is his international experience and top-notch education, but it could also be his biggest liability. It’s easy for opponents to paint him as someone who doesn’t understand what it’s like to live paycheque to paycheque. And for a guy who spent the last decade in London boardrooms, that perception is lowhanging fruit for the Conservatives.
If he wants to inoculate himself against this attack, he needs to actively rewrite the narrative. He should talk about growing up in Edmonton, not just in the abstract, but with stories that show he understands Canadian life outside the Ottawa and Toronto bubble. He needs to leave the talking points behind once in a while and speak plainly: less “central banker,” more “guy you’d trust to steer the ship through a storm.”
Photo ops in hard hats and plaid shirts won’t cut it; Canadians are too savvy for that. What will matter is whether he shows genuine empathy and real understanding of what people are going through. If he can do that while offering calm, credible plans for the economy and affordability, he could defuse the “out of touch elite” label before it sticks.
Of course, Carney also has to prove he can campaign. That means dealing with hecklers, unexpected questions, and attacks with a mix of grace and backbone. The learning curve is steep, but not impossible. His challenge will be to show that he isn’t just a money manager, he’s a leader who understands what kind of moment Canada is in right now.
It’s still early days in this showdown. The battle lines are drawn, but we’re only just getting started.
Dorothy Dobbie Shauna Dobbie
u St. John Ambulance – 1,000 years of tradition in helping others
Continued from page 1
providing first aid training courses to individuals, agencies and companies and with help from 500 volunteers. They trained over 30,000 people last year, thanks in part to additional classroom space in a new headquarters building on their Portage Avenue site.
The plan for this beautiful new 13,248 square foot building, replacing the one constructed in 1963, has taken a decade to fulfil. Demolition started in February 2020, just prior to COVID. They leased space in two nearby buildings for the next 12 months and were able to move into the lovely new headquarters in March 2021.
Even so, demand for training continues to grow. They are already planning an addition which will accommodate another classroom and more storage and office space. And starting next summer, they will begin work to replace the former Blinds Are Beautiful building that faced Portage Avenue with a very visible sign, more parking and some green space.
The funds for construction were raised through a campaign headed by local businessman and philanthropist, Bob Cunningham. Bob explained how this assignment happened. “I came to see Brent to give him some advice about fund raising and I left as the chair of the campaign!” It is clear that he is passionately committed. He has almost reached his $8 million goal, and rumour has it that the ante may be slightly raised very soon.
CEO Brent Fowler shares Bob’s passion. He has worked for the organization for some 20 years, the past 10 of them in the lead role. They both get a lot of satisfaction from knowing that the work they do has a lasting benefit to the community. “There are a lot worse things than working for something that you are passionate about and that will save lives and improve the quality of life,” he says.
Bob and Brent are not alone. Tribute murals
throughout the building feature some of the city’s best-known citizens who quietly support the organization in one way or another. One of these local heroes, Bob Williams, is the largest private donor to St. John Ambulance and provides matching grants for every donation made.. His generous commitment acts as a great incentive for donors to give to the very best of their ability.
St. John Ambulance epitomizes the original Winnipeg way which created a cohesive community whose power is built on the spirit of individual enterprise that understands that we are all stronger when we realize that each must contribute according to their own gifts. We do best when we accept every effort, no matter how small, as a generous donation to the whole.
There is no more valuable gift than the ability to administer life saving first aid when it is suddenly and unexpectedly needed.
Latest updates at the airport: Local favourites, accessibility upgrades and more
If you're traveling through Winnipeg Richardson International Airport this spring, you might spot some exciting new additions as the airport expands its local partnerships.
Shop and dine
Stella’s Café & Bakery is back in its original Departures location, now featuring an expanded bar and a convenient grab-and-go café. And yes—for those wondering—you can absolutely bring their delicious baked goods and sandwiches through security to enjoy post-checkpoint!
Embracing the local spirit, Third + Bird arrived in the terminal just before the holiday season, offering travellers a delightful selection of Manitoba-made gifts. Fans of honey dill sauce will be pleased to find the iconic dip on the shelves, ensuring they never have to go without. The shop also features a variety of local beverages, including Sheepdog Brew Co Craft Cold Brew, and Manitobamade snacks like beet chips and freeze-dried candy. Local boutique bakery Jenna Rae Cakes also opened a thoughtfully designed kiosk after security. Behind the glass, you’ll find the bakery’s famous macaroons,
cookie sandwiches, cupcakes, as well as mini travel cakes created to fit perfectly under airplane seats. Keep an eye out for more exciting additions to the terminal that will be announced in the coming months.
Seamless passenger experience
The Winnipeg Airports Authority (WAA) is always looking for ways to enhance the passenger experience—not only by expanding local concession options but also by finding ways to ensure your travels go as smoothly as possible. One of these ways is through the YWG Goldwing volunteer program. Since its establishment in 1997, the YWG Goldwings volunteer program at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport has been a shining example of service within Canada's aviation community. From guiding travellers with wayfinding to helping them navigate the check-in process, these volunteers are dedicated to enhancing the passenger journey. This past year, the program was expanded to include more diverse backgrounds and languages spoken to connect and reflect Winnipeg's diverse community. There are 77 volunteers and counting, and 23 lan-
Exploring Manitoba, part two
Iwas planning to leave Winnipeg for a trip to Naples, Florida to visit some family members who have retired to that part of the world. I have heard so much about Naples, Florida from Winnipeggers who have winter homes there, that I was looking forward to the trip with much anticipation. Political events in the USA have been quite startling over the past few months, and I, like many Canadians, have cancelled my travel plans to the USA.
In an odd way, this feels a bit like the pandemic. We are becoming people who are more resilient to a crisis. Once again, we are discouraged from travelling over the border into the USA, and we are considering local vacation spots once again. Fortunately, Manitoba really does have many areas that are well worth visiting, and I have been giving a lot of thought to the richness of travel and cultural offerings in communities outside Winnipeg.
artists and musicians who have come to national and international prominence who come from rural Manitoba. One could almost do a cultural and culinary tour of Manitoba visiting the homes and birth places of some of the great Canadian cultural icons who come from villages and towns in Manitoba.
I might start with a trip to Neepawa, Manitoba to visit the birthplace of Margaret Lawrence who was born there in 1926. She went on to write some of the great Canadian novels such as The Stone Angel and The Diviners. Her family home in Neepawa has been turned into a museum. While you are in Neepawa, you can enjoy an excellent meal at Lola’s Bakery. This bakery serves Filipino baked specialties and meals. People call it the “hidden gem in Neepawa.”
We have so many beautiful areas of the province, and I have been so intrigued by incredible numbers of outstanding
My next excursion might be to visit the birthplace of the late, great, Izzy Asper. He was born in Minnedosa, Manitoba in 1932. He was born to a Jewish family that had moved to Manitoba from the Ukraine. There were two Jewish fami-
guages are spoken among them. And for passengers needing a little extra love and comfort, furry volunteers from the St John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program are on-site nearly every day offering tail wags and cuddles.
An accessible airport
Creating an inclusive space for everyone moving through the airport is a priority for the WAA team. The organization proudly achieved the highest level of the Airports Council Accessibility Enhancement Accreditation Program in 2024 and continues to make improvements to its services. They recently worked with local company Inland Audio Visual to implement hearing loops at all check-in counters, the information booth on the first floor, and valet desks. Hearing loops are designed to improve communication access to individuals with hearing loss by transmitting sound through a magnetic field to telecoil-enabled hearing aids or cochlear implants. This reduces unwanted background noise in bustling public areas, which improves clarity and understanding as you navigate the airport.
Door 2 on both levels of the terminal is currently under renovation to create a more accessible vestibule entrance, and new seating that caters to passengers’ needs is also in the works. Stay up to date by visiting the Newsroom at YWG.ca.
lies in Minnedosa at the time, and the other Jewish family, the Rykiss family, also had a baby born in 1932. Her name was Lorraine Rykiss. She and Izzy Asper apparently attended school together and both of them played piano. Izzy loved jazz piano and Lorraine Rykiss became a classical pianist, and she is the mother of Paula Abdul, who is a well-known pop singer, dancer, and television host. While visiting Minnedosa, it is apparently a great idea to visit a restaurant and bakery called The Farmhouse 50. The food is fantastic and it has a lovely rustic feel. The lake and surroundings in Minnedosa also make it worth a visit.
It would be a little tricky to do, but
my next excursion might be to a location on the Nunavut/Manitoba border. Apparently, the musician, writer, and playwright, Tomson Highway was born in a quickly erected tent beside the highway in this far northern community in 1951. His parents were nomadic Cariboo hunter. He went on to become a noted pianist, writer and theatre performer. His memoir, Permanent Astonishment won the Hilary Weston Writer’s trust prize for nonfiction in 2021. As far as I can tell there are no restaurants near his birthplace, but it would be an exciting trip.
Next, I might travel to Steinbach, Manitoba, the birthplace of writer Miriam Toews, or Morden, Manitoba, where Loreena McKennit was born, or Selkirk, Manitoba where William Prince was born. The list of creative people who come from Manitoba is truly astonishing, and the communities that nurtured and developed these people are well worth a visit and a trip to the local best restaurant. This approach could keep you travelling for years. It’s as good a way to plan a trip during an international trade war as I can think of.
Trudy Schroeder provides project planning and management services to the community through Arts and Heritage Solutions.
Jessie Schmidtke CentrePort
Trudy Schroeder Random Notes
The latest advances in macular degeneration treatment
Macular degeneration is one of the leading causes of vision loss in adults over 55, affecting the part of the eye responsible for sharp, central vision. There are two main types: dry AMD (which progresses slowly over time) and wet AMD (which can lead to sudden, severe vision loss). While there is no cure, exciting new treatments are helping to slow the disease and, in some cases, preserve vision for much longer.
New treatments for dry AMD
called geographic atrophy (GA) can lead to significant vision loss. Until recently, there weren’t any treatments available for GA, but two new drugs—Syfovre and Izervay—have changed that. These medications help slow the damage by blocking part of the immune system responsible for disease progression. They’re given as eye injections every couple of months, but not everyone responds to them, and side effects like blurred vision, floaters, and discomfort are possible.
All About Eyes
Dry AMD is caused by the gradual thinning of the macula, sometimes with the buildup of small protein deposits called drusen. While it usually progresses slowly, a more advanced stage
Another exciting area of research is stem cell therapy, which aims to replace damaged macular cells with healthy ones. Scientists are testing different ways to introduce these cells into the eye, either through injections
or tiny implanted scaffolds. While it’s still in the early stages, this treatment has the potential to restore lost vision in the future.
Advances in wet AMD treatment
Around 10–15% of people with dry AMD will eventually develop wet AMD, which happens when abnormal blood vessels grow and leak under the retina, causing rapid vision loss. Treatments for wet AMD have come a long way in the past two decades.
The most common treatment today is anti-VEGF injections, which block a protein that promotes abnormal blood vessel growth. Thanks to these medications, what was once a leading cause of blindness is now much more manageable. Newer versions of these drugs, like Eylea HD and Vabysmo, last longer, reducing the need for frequent injections.
Researchers are also working on alternatives to injections. One option is a tiny implantable drug reservoir that
Celebrating World Health Day
This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) is over 75 years old, celebrating the better part of a century of public health triumphs that have made the world a safer, healthier place to be. This week, we also celebrate World Health Day 2025, the theme of which is “Global Health for Universal Health” – a topic guaranteed to resonate with senior citizens. It emphasizes the need to ensure that everyone, regardless of their gender, race, or socio-economic background, has access to the highest possible level of health and well-being.
Seniors play a vital role in achieving the goal of this year’s World Health Day. As we age, our bodies undergo significant changes that can impact our physical and mental health. Age-related conditions such as dementia, arthritis, and heart disease can affect our ability to enjoy life to the fullest.
But it's important to remember that many of these conditions are preventable or manageable with the right care and attention – and starting sooner ensures you take full advantage of the benefits. We'll explore some of the ways senior citizens can take control of their health and well-being, both on World Health Day and beyond.
1.Eat Well. A healthy diet is something we’re strong advocates for at Heart to Home Meals. Eating well is crucial for maintaining good health and preventing age-related conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. As we age, our nutritional needs change, so it's important to pay attention to what we eat. Healthy Body-Healthy Mind.
Some tips for maintaining a healthy diet include:
Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources
Limiting salt, sugar, and saturated fats (check out our various diet codes to help with this!)
One small step for you... one giant leap
Drinking
Eat well
plenty of water
Our meals are clearly labeled with nutritional information, so you can ensure you’re getting everything you need out of your meal to maximize your health.
2. Advocate For Yourself and Other Seniors. World Health Day is a great opportunity to remind ourselves that health truly is for everyone. Regardless of age or means, we’re all entitled to a high quality and enjoyment of life. This year, take the time to remind yourself that you deserve access to quality healthcare, healthy food, and community services that support an active lifestyle.
3. Take Care of Your Mental Health. Of all the public health advancements over the last 75 years or so, an increased focus on mental health is probably one of the most significant. It’s just as important as physical health, and it's essential to take care of both. In fact, taking care of one may have a positive impact on the other. Exercise can release hormones that help regulate mood, and feeling good can make it easier to eat well and pursue physical activity.
But it’s not always easy. If you're feeling overwhelmed or struggling with your mental health, consider talking to a mental health professional. And if you have any mobility issues, many therapists and counselors offer online therapy, which can be accessed from the comfort of your own home.
4. Stay Connected. Social isolation is a growing problem for all demographics, but particularly for seniors, especially those who live alone or have limited mobility. It might take a little more effort (and technological know-how) but maintaining social connections is essential for good health and well-being.
If you're feeling isolated, consider joining a local senior center, volunteer group, or hobby club. These activities can provide opportunities to meet new people
u Farewell,
delivers a steady dose of medication for months at a time. There’s also ongoing research into anti-VEGF eyedrops and oral medications, which could make treatment even easier in the future. Another promising approach is gene therapy, where a modified virus is used to deliver a gene that helps the eye produce its own anti-VEGF medication. Early trials show that a single treatment could provide long-term benefits, but more research is needed before it becomes widely available. What this means for you If you have AMD, these breakthroughs mean more options to help maintain your vision for longer. If you’re at risk or in the early stages, regular yearly dilated eye exams are key to catching changes early. While research is ongoing, the future of AMD treatment is brighter than ever!
Dr. Romie Dhaliwal, B. SC., O.D. is the owner and optometrist at Academy Optical.
and engage in activities that you enjoy. Call a friend or family member don’t wait for the call they need that call as much as you possibly..
Another great step to take is familiarizing yourself with communications technology. If you're unfamiliar with your phone, asking for help from a younger family member, neighbour or friend can be a great way to connect with someone right away. And the lessons you learn about your apps and how to use them can keep you connected in the future!
5. Maintain an Active Lifestyle. Physical activity is essential for maintaining good health at any age, but it's especially important for senior citizens. Exercise can help to strengthen muscles and bones, improve balance and coordination, and reduce the risk of falls. It can also boost mood and energy levels, reducing the risk of depression and anxiety.
If you're not sure where to start, consider joining a senior-friendly exercise group or class. Many gyms and community centers offer programs specifically designed for older adults, such as gentle yoga, water aerobics, and walking groups. But you don’t have to rely on official classes – simply gardening, going for walks, or cleaning can often be enough to get the blood pumping.
Celebrating World Health Day 2025
As we celebrate this year’s World Health Day, it's important to remember that good health is essential for everyone, regardless of their age or background. By staying active, eating well, getting enough sleep, staying connected, and taking care of our mental health, we can all take control of our health and wellbeing, and enjoy a happier, healthier life.
And, if you’re looking for simple, healthy solutions to get started, look no further than Heart to Home Meals. We’ll help your health goals while providing delicious meals right to your door
Mr.
Tomato
– may you grow a garden at a racetrack on your next journey!
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Continued from page 1
part of his legacy. And represented his creative and inquisitive nature.
In later years, while still gardening, he spent much of his time with his other love: horse racing. While he still loved to garden and his own garden was legendary, playing the horses was his greatest thrill. He once told me that a win on a $2 bet at the races gave him far more satisfaction than his first major Sea Magic order which was some $80,000 from an American buyer. He was for a long time, the columnist for racing at the Downs and more lately for the racetrack in Toronto. I think he loved the challenge to his intellect as much as anything.
Brian never lost his sense of humour, even when he knew he was living his final days. He was still making jokes days before his final goodbye. He was ready, he said. He had had a good life. I am so glad I was able to visit him a few days ago so we could have one last hug, the action that bound us together 30 years ago when I was able to give him the Best Garden award for Take Pride Winnipeg at City Hall. He was thrilled to see those who made it to his bedside for the final goodbye.
Thank you for your time on earth, Brian. You made such a wonderful contribution.
Dr. Romie Dhaliwal
Another chapter being written for the Children’s Hospital Book Market
Turning pages and helping kids for 65 years
If the Children’s Hospital Book Market were a person, it might think about retirement. The beloved community event is marking a deeply meaningful milestone this year – its 65th anniversary – but has no intention of stopping its important work for kids in hospital. The Book Market is celebrating with a three-day sale from Friday, April 25 to Sunday, April 27 at St. Vital Centre.
This special event first started in 1961 as a humble way for a group of volunteers to raise about $1,500 to help care for sick kids. It was the first event of its kind in Canada and to help promote the event, Mayor Stephen Juba declared April 15 Book Blitz Day, asking community members to bring their gently used books to community centres for the sale, which at the time ran from for three days at Polo Park Shopping Centre
comfort to 140,000 kids who need HSC Children’s Hospital every year.
This programming is vitally important. It provides purposeful and fun opportunities for comfort, distraction, engagement and play so kids can be kids while in hospital. Music therapy, the library and technology programs, The Good Day Show on CHTV and therapeutic play all contribute to a child’s recovery.
Something that’s equally remarkable is that for all 65 years the Children’s Hospital Book Market has been run entirely by volunteers. Teams work all year to collect, sort and price books. Leading up to the sales, volunteers pack up and move thousands upon thousands of books, and on event days volunteers manage the many tables, help community members find their perfect read and ring through purchases.
The Book Market is a cornerstone community event and plays a critical role in the Foundation’s mission to support families who need Children’s Hospital. Community members have celebrated Book Market’s meaningful history by buying books and to continuing to care for kids in hospital for 65 years and beyond.
The anniversary sale will be fully stocked with thousands of donated, gently used books from over 80 categories including fiction, children’s books, mystery, recent releases, sports, cookbooks, travel, poetry, reference, languages and more. If you have books to donate, you can drop off them off yearround at Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Stations or Dufresne Furniture locations.
The 65th Anniversary Sale, supported by St. Vital Centre, will be the largest Children’s Hospital Book Market planned for 2025. Come find your favourite read during these dates and times:
Now, supported by St. Vital Centre, Book Market is the longest-running volunteer-led event for Manitoba’s only Children’s Hospital and has raised more than $10 million dollars! It has grown into an incredible production that raises about $500,000 annually for Child Life programming to provide
The team at Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba are so very grateful for the dedication of hundreds of volunteers who make this event happen. Volunteers from past to present have donated their precious time, collectively spending millions of hours making the Book Market as impactful as possible.
Feline lower urinary tract disease
It feels like spring! The change in weather is perhaps a little earlier than usual, but there is a certain feel of regeneration in the air. With that in mind, this month we wanted to look at one of the most common reasons why cats are brought to a veterinary clinic - inappropriate urination and urinary symptoms. There are certainly lots of emergency room tales about how we see more urinary issues when the seasons change - spring and fall - and indeed, some studies do support seasonal change as a true risk factor.
Idiopathic Cystitis, or FIC. Previously known as Pandora syndrome. This is a condition whose underlying cause is unknown, but where stressors are thought to play a major role. Just like some people will get gastrointestinal symptoms caused by stress, our feline companions get a form of “stress bladder”.
Paw Prints
Feline lower urinary tract disease, or FLUTD, is an umbrella term that includes many urinary tract diagnoses, but which can all present with a common group of symptoms. These include straining or vocalizing in the litter box, urinating outside of the litter box, urinating small amounts, blood in the urine, and licking of the genital area. It most commonly presents in middle-aged, overweight indoor cats - and several additional risk factors have also been identified- such as lack of moisture intake (food or water), potential life stressors (routine, environment) and living in a multi-cat household.
As mentioned, there are several potential diagnoses under the umbrella of FLUTD, and your veterinarian will recommend various tests to try and identify what is causing your kitty’s symptoms. That being said, many of these diagnoses are not mutually exclusive, and it is quite common to find multiple issues at once.
First, urinary tract infections are possible. Most are bacterial, though they can be caused by other agents, and can have pre-disposing factors such as kidney disease or diabetes. Urinary stones or crystals are fairly common as well. They can be made of different minerals, and some animals with stones won’t have crystals (and vice versa). These are obviously irritating to the bladder wall lining, and pre-dispose to recurrent infections, as well as recurrent bleeding. Stones can also lead to outflow obstruction. Unfortunately, however, the most common diagnosis is that of Feline
Urethral obstruction, or obstruction of the tube that allows voiding of the bladder, is the most dangerous cause of FLUTD. It means that the affected animal is incapable of passing urine and is a medical emergency. Urine without an outlet backs up into the kidneys, can cause kidney failure, electrolyte imbalances and cardiac arrhythmias, not to mention the risk of bladder rupture and immeasurable pain. Owners should seek care immediately if their cat is unable to pass urine. Some less common causes include cancers, trauma to the urinary tract or spinal cord and anatomical abnormalities. Unfortunately, animals with one episode are more likely to have another, and this makes urinary issues extremely frustrating and difficult to manage. Of course, treatment for FLUTD will be tailored to the specific cause, however several strategies can help support good urinary health. They involve multimodal environmental modifications at home, and allowing cats to express their preferences with play and litter box habits, while helping them feel safe with a consistent and predictable environment.
An interesting fact - Emergency hospitals across the world reported that episodes of FLUTD skyrocketed at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, when routines were turned upside down and people were home a lot more. This further outlines the contribution of stress and the importance of routines. You can also help by providing sensory stimulation, providing lots of opportunities for play and controlling their weight. And of course, paying attention to the litterboxes - maintain an adequate number of litter boxes (usually one more than the number of cats in the household), provide multiple types of litter, sizes of boxes and coverage options, and ensure adequate maintenance.
Children’s Hospital Book Market 65th Anniversary sale hours: Friday, April 25, 10:00 am – 9:00 pm; Saturday, April 26, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm; Sunday, April 27, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm.
All funds raised stay in Manitoba to help kids who need Manitoba’s only children’s hospital.
Stefano Grande is President and CEO, Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba.
Finally, it should also be noted that dietary changes can be extremely helpful, and are one of the major tools to control recurrence of symptoms. This also includes strategies to increase water intake. Be open to having this discussion, among others, with your veterinary team. They are cat lovers themselves and many have also felt the
frustration of finding urine in inappropriate places!
Until next time fellow paw print loving friends Silver Heights Veterinary Hospital is proud to serve the Winnipeg region, and is located on Ness Avenue in St. James. Contact them at 204-504-5600 or visit their website at silverheightsvethospital.ca
Stefano Grande Healthy Living
David Matas: International human rights advocate
David Matas may be short in stature, but he is a giant when it comes to fighting for human rights worldwide.
I have known David for more than 40 years. What struck me the first time I interviewed him in his humble office downtown was the modesty of the man. He answered his own phone calls and employed no permanent secretarial staff – the latter, I would think, a rarity among well established lawyers.
And, although 81 now, the much-honoured crusader for embattled refugees and human rights shows no signs of slowing down. His daunting travel schedule would no doubt exhaust many of those who are 30 to 40 years younger.
Last year, he reports, he put on 166,000 kilometres. And the day after I interviewed him in late January, he was off on a trip to Toronto to talk about human rights in Pakistan. Then, in March, he is off to Geneva for a United Nations Human Rights Council meeting followed by a stop in Tokyo for a conference on the Falun Gong issue and capped off by a stay over in London for a conference on anti-Semitism.
Along the path of David’s life journey, he has taken on many leadership roles. In the area of human rights, he has been the Director of the International Defence & Aid Fund for South Africa in Canada, Director of Canada-South Africa Cooperation, Co-chair of the Canadian Helsinki Watch Group and Director of the Manitoba Association of Rights and Liberties. He has been a member of the International Commission of Jurists and the Canadian Council for Refugees.
On the international stage, he has served as a member of the Canadian delegation to the United Nations General Assembly, the Task Force on Immigration Practices & Procedures, the Canadian delegation to the United Nations Conference on an International Criminal Court (in 1998) and the Canadian Delegation to the Stockholm International Forum on the Holocaust.
For his efforts, David has received numerous honours including the Governor-General’s Confederation Medal, appointment to the Order of Canada, the 2009 Human Rights Award from the German-based International Society for Human Rights and a nomination for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize and the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award in 2017.
Four years ago, B’nai Brith Canada introduced its new legal network –the Matas Law Society named in honour of the Jewish human rights organization’s long time senior legal counsel.
David says that his passion for human rights was inspired by the stories of the Holocaust that he heard in his younger days.
“Thousands of Nazi war criminals were allowed into Canada after the war,” he notes. “Some are still here,” he adds, pointing out the controversy that erupted in the fall of 2023, when the Trudeau Government invited one such Nazi war criminal (using the definition of war criminal adopted by the Nuremberg Tribunal), Yaroslav Hunka, a Ukrainian Canadian who fought for the Nazis in World war II, to appear in the House of Commons in recognition of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Hunka, 95 at the time, received two standing ovations from all MPs, obviously unaware of his connection to the Nazi war machine.
The son of a doctor and grandson of Jewish immigrants who came to Winnipeg in the early 1900s, David grew up – the eldest of three brothers – in River Heights. A graduate of Kelvin High school, he recalls that his first interest in university was math. That led him to an Economics degree (with Honours) from Princeton University.
“I found however that even though I liked numbers, I liked the combination of logic and language better,” he recounts. “Therefore, I decided on a legal career.”
He earned his law degree at Oxford. After graduation, his first position was
as a clerk for the Supreme Court’s Chief Justice. That was in 1968-69.
On his return to Winnipeg, he articled with the firm Thompson Dewar. Then it was back to Ottawa to serve as a political assistant to the Solicitor-General. He again came back to Winnipeg in 1973 and commenced his legal career with Norton O’Sullivan Schwartz.
It was while with the latter firm that David was began his work with refugees. “I had always been interested in the Holocaust and bringing Nazi war criminals to justice,” he recalls. “That was a driving force in my career. My work on behalf of refugees was coincidental.
“I started working for Norton Sullivan around the same time that Chilean refugees began arriving here after the coup in Chile. We started seeing some of these Chileans at our office. Since no one in our firm had any experience working with refugees and I was the firm’s junior lawyer, I was given the refugee file and learned about the problems that refugees face here.”
One of the major problems that he identified is that most refugees come here without any documentation from their home country. As well, most Canadians working in the legal system at that time didn’t know much about the refugees’ countries of origin.
Over the next few years, David’s practise came to be dominated by refugee cases and human rights issues – so much so that in 1979, he opened his own office.
The issue for which he has become most widely known has been his advocacy on behalf of the Falun Gong. In partnership with former Conservative Member of Parliament, David Kilgour, Matas has waged a decades long campaign on behalf of the Falun Gong by the Chinese government. Falun Gong, he explains, is a Chinese group that combines exercise and spirituality. The Chinese government views the practitioners of Falun Gong as a threat. Matas says they imprison them and harvest their organs, a practice that Matas and Kilgour exposed in a paper and a book.
Although he still travels extensively, David has shifted his legal work to serving as a consultant to other lawyers deal-
ing with refugees. “There is a lot of procedural and client work involved in the practice of Law,” he notes, “and, given the demands on my time, I felt it better to act as an adviser to other lawyers and leave them to do the other work.”
In recent months, David has received a different kind of recognition. On October 18, a new documentary, “The Justice Hunter”, an overview of David’s career – with a particular focus on his fights against antisemitism, his work against Nazi war criminals in Canada, his help for the refugee community and his work with Falun Gong – was premiered.
“The Justice Hunter” was written and produced by local filmmaker Yolanda Papini Pollock, who is also a long time friend of David’s. “I was approached by Professor Emeritus Maria Cheung, with whom I previously collaborated on Painful Truth: The Falun Gong Genocide,” Papini Pollock told the Jewish Post and News in an interview in December coinciding with the documentary’s screening in Winnipeg – under the auspices of Bnai Brith. “In that project, we interviewed David about his groundbreaking research into the forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The Falun Gong community deeply appreciated David’s tireless efforts to expose atrocities and wanted to create a tribute to honour him. Professor Cheung along with JadeRose Film and TV productions approached me with the idea, and I was delighted to take it on, as I greatly value David’s work in human rights and his contributions to not only the Jewish but also to communities across Canada and around the world.”
Along with the documentary, the Falun Gong community and Papini Pollock have produced a children’s comic book, also called The Justice Hunter, which casts David in the role of a superhero replete with a blue top emblazoned with a capital D inside a red Star of David, blue tights and a red cape.
In his autobiography Why Did You Do That? The Autobiography of a Human Rights Advocate, which was published in 2015, Matas wote: “The lessons I have drawn from the Holocaust are that mass murderers must be brought to justice; that refugees must be protected; that hate speech should be banned; and that we must never accept in silence gross violations of human rights.
While he realistically recognizes that, in his lifetime, he will not live to see the end of all human rights violations, a wise man once said something that it is the journey, not arriving at the destination, that is most important.
As he told the Jewish Post and News, his ultimate hope for the future is that he can serve as an example and encourage others to continue the struggle for human rights after he is gone.
David Matas.
Myron Love
The forgotten political issue
This story will look into whether our transportation system has kept up with the needs of Canadians.
Do Canadians have enough travel options for their business trips, medical appointments and travel? In 2023, Ruby and I almost had to cancel our trip to Iceland due to an Airline Labour Dispute. The bus that we might have used to get to Vancouver for our international flight was no longer in business.
In 1871, BC entered Confederation ending speculation that B.C. would be annexed by the United States. The government of John A. MacDonald promised to build a transcontinental Canadian railroad within 10 years. In 1873, the Pacific scandal led to MacDonald losing power. Alexander Mackenzie who had called the promise to build a railroad insane became Canada's 2nd Prime Minister. As MacDonald launched a political comeback by using his old political instincts and attending summertime picnics, the railroad remained unfinished business for MacDonald. I quote from Richard Gwyn book the Nation Maker (page 260):
ation by constructing the previously mentioned rail line. History is now repeating. Why not add have a few extra trains between Winnipeg and Churchill to emphasize the importance of Northern Canada?
More on Winnipeg Transit as part of the answer?
“the transcontinental spine of steel and the necessary time for Confederation to harden from gristle into bone.”
In 1878, Macdonald returned to power. During the Mackenzie years, only a few hundred miles of the railroad were built. The 1881 incorporation of the CPR was key in the railway construction. Fortunately, MacDonald insisted that the entire railway be built on the Canadian side of the border. On November 7, 1885, Lord Strathcona drove the last spike at Craigellachie BC.
The completion of the Trans Canada Railroad was the end of the beginning for the necessary continual debate on Canada's transportation system. Have transportation issues received enough attention from our recent governments?
Disappearing buses and a couple of political blunders
Between 1934 and 2010, Winnipeg had a major downtown bus depot. In 2010, Greyhound opened a new bus depot opened right across the street from the James Richardson International Winnipeg Airport and steps away from several hotels. During this time, the Manitoba government had started to subsidize Greyhound Bus Lines. The rubber really hit the road in 2017-18. In a News Release dated March 22, 2017, the Saskatchewan Government announced: "Government ends Saskatchewan transportation subsidy. Bus company to be wound down."
The news release only mentions subsidies. There is no mention of any attempt to analyze the effect of fare adjustments and the possible use of smaller buses on some routes. Also, there is not one word about the environmental effect of forcing people to take their own cars. I am reminded of the split picture of a bus by itself and a couple of dozen people in private vehicles creating a traffic jam on the same street.
The biggest mistake of the 2017 decision to terminate the 71-year-old Saskatchewan Transportation Company was the Saskatchewan Government's inability to foresee that Greyhound would soon be driving right out of Canada. Between 2018 and 2021 Greyhound ceased all Canadian operations. If the Saskatchewan Transportation Company had remained in business, Saskatchewan Transportation could have filled many of the gaps caused by Greyhound’s departure in much of Canada. New jobs would have been created at the Saskatchewan Transport facilities in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. The lost economic benefits of this probable expansion of Saskatchewan Transportation far outweigh any benefits of the $29 Million realized for the selling off of Saskatchewan Transportation assets.
Manitoba was home to the second major blunder. After the departure of Greyhound, either the Manitoba and or the federal government should have found a way to preserve the almost new, perfectly located bus depot. However, the depot was demolished in 2022 and replaced by a parking lot. This depot could have been used by the companies that are now trying to fill the Northern Manitoba transportation needs.
Staycations 2025
As travel to the US declines, Canadians are planning more Canadian holidays. Transportation gaps in our great nation will surely frustrate many Canadians. We must find a way to use the resources that we already have to provide more travel opportunities. During this summer, Winnipeg Transit can provide buses to Gimli's Islendingadagrinn, Morden's Corn and Apple Festival, the Morris Stampede and other Manitoba Festivals. The price can follow the user pay model. If there is a demand for these buses, they can continue in future years. Note a one-year experiment can prove to be lasting. (e.g. Folklorama was only supposed to be a one-year event).
Via Rail should add at least one extra cross Canada train. This train can be used to celebrate our history when Canada successfully fought the threat of American annex-
On June 29, 2025, Winnipeg will be unveiling a new Winnipeg Transit Master Plan. It is incredible that the new plan still does not include regular Transit service to the Assiniboia Downs Neighbourhood. This neighbourhood is inside Winnipeg's western boundary. During this century, recreational facilities, businesses, and recently a residential component have been added to this neighbourhood. During the past decade, I have written several stories about this glaring omission. It is unbelievable that this issue is currently being passed from one City Hall committee to another with no guarantee that the much-needed transit service to this vibrant neighbourhood will soon be realized.
Winnipeg Transit should provide some regular service beyond the city boundaries. Zone fares (paying more than the regular fares) can cover the additional costs. Summer service should be provided for Birds Hill Park and the John Blumberg sports complex. Headingley, East St. Paul, West St. Paul and Dugald, are some communities outside Winnipeg that should have regular transit service. A century ago, streetcars called interurbans
operated to Selkirk and Stonewall. Winnipeg City Council should realize that the Manitoba Government subsidizes Winnipeg Transit.
Conclusion
While researching this story, I discovered that it is not easy to figure out where the transportation problem gaps exist. It is especially difficult to figure out if the golden age of passenger trains can be revived to help reduce the number of transportation gaps.
Do we need expensive commissions every 5 or 10 years to study transportation? The answer is no. Our incoming Parliament will consist of 343 members. MP's have to visit every part of their ridings to get elected and reelected. Most MP's have to regularly commute to Ottawa. Our MPs collectively know every inch of our great nation. Therefore, our MPs as a group can identify every gap in our transportation system. After every election, each MP should have to document a list of transportation problems in their ridings. When new problems suddenly arise, an MP should be able to revise their list. The list should be treated as Guideline not subjected to approval by any Party Leader.
As I prepared this story, I contacted every current Canadian MP in order to identify the gaps in Canada's transportation System. Only Leah Gazan of Winnipeg Center answered my questionnaire. I hope that this is not a sign that transportation issues have fallen off of the rails of the Canadian agenda.
Fred Morris is a Grandfather, Sports Fan and Political Activist.
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Fred Morris From the desk of a gadfly
What’s in an almost flourless Chocolate Orange cake that makes it so exquisite?
The beauty of an almost flourless chocolate-orange cake lies in its decadence and simplicity, a sublime indulgence that captivates both the eye and the palate. As you approach this rich creation, the deep, dark hue of the cake draws you in, hinting at the intense chocolate experience that awaits. The moment you slice into it, a velvety texture reveals itself, smooth and luscious, promising an indulgent escape.
cake into a stunning centerpiece.
Picture a cozy gathering, the soft glow of candlelight casting a warm ambiance as you present this decadent dessert. Friends and family lean in, savoring each bite as laughter and conversation swirl around the table. The cake, rich and intense, offers a moment of pure bliss, a sultry indulgence that evokes shared memories and sweet connections.
Infused with the bright zest of orange, this cake is a celebration of flavors that intertwine in a sultry embrace. The citrus adds a refreshing lift, cutting through the richness of the chocolate, creating a balance that dances on your taste buds. Each bite is an exquisite journey, where the deep notes of cocoa meet the vibrant citrus, crafting a harmonious symphony that is both comforting and invigorating.
Ian Leatt Foodies
Almost flourless chocolate-orange cake is more than a dessert; it’s an experience—a celebration of life’s finest moments. With its luxurious texture and vibrant flavors, it invites you to pause, savor, and relish in the beauty of indulgence, reminding you that sometimes, the most exquisite pleasures are the simplest ones.
Here is what you will need:
120 grams unsalted butter
Unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
75 grams granulated sugar Candied orange peel for decoration
The all important how to:
Arrange the shelving in the oven, ensuring space in the center is free for baking, then preheat to 350°F. Line a 9" springform baking pan with butter, then dust with cocoa powder.
paddle attachment, beat the egg yolks only and brown sugar on medium speed until thickened and paste like.
Add the flour to chocolate mixture and stir gently to combine. Add the melted chocolate mixture, Triple Sec, orange zest, and salt to egg yolk mixture. Beat on a low speed until all ingredients have combined. Scrape the mixture into a separate large bowl and set to one side.
Wash and dry the stand mixer bowl and fit with the whisk attachment. Whisk all the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to medium-high then slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until glossy or when the mixture holds soft peaks.
Slowly fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture until no streaks remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan.
As the cake bakes, the aroma fills the kitchen—warm, inviting, and undeniably alluring. The subtle sweetness of the orange permeates the air, inviting anticipation and delight. A dusting of powdered sugar or a glossy chocolate ganache adds a touch of elegance, transforming the
250 grams bittersweet chocolate
6 large eggs, separated (yolks and whites)
150 grams packed dark brown sugar
25 grams all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Triple Sec
Zest of 1 orange ½ teaspoon salt
Place a large pot on the stove and half fill with water, turn the stove on to a medium heat. In a smaller metal bowl place, the chocolate and butter, place inside the pot with water and leave to heat through, stirring, until the chocolate and butter has melted, and you have a smooth consistency. Turn the heat off and set to one side.
Using the stand mixer fitted with the
Place the cake in the center of the oven and bake cake until set on the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center 35 minutes. Transfer the baking pan to a wire rack and leave cool. (The cake will collapse in the center as it cools; this is okay don’t panic!)
Run a butter knife around the edge of the cooled pan then unmold the cake and transfer to a serving plate. Dust with cocoa powder and top with candied orange peel. Happy Easter Ian Leatt is a trained chef from across the pond.
Canada can be saved, our true glory awaits
Politicians are only human—so is it fair to demand miracles of them?
To wave a wand and suddenly see hundreds of thousands of homes built? Or to make an announcement about shorter wait times and expect results within a year? Is that a reasonable expectation?
Maybe not. But here’s what I do know: Canada needs the courage to change direction, now.
Over the past decade, our country has undergone a devastating decline. It's not dramatic to say that we are in a vulnerable position. In just nine years, the national debt has nearly doubled. In 2015, the federal government's net debt stood at $687 billion. By 2023, this figure had risen to approximately $1.2 trillion. This escalation also reflects a substantial increase in interest payment, making them one of the single largest expenses Canada must pay annually. That’s money we could be using to build the future—but instead, we’re paying for the past.
country’s direction. Canada is now so weak on the global stage that even our allies see us as ripe for the taking. We're on the verge of being absorbed—politically or economically—into the agendas of the U.S. or European Union. How embarrassing is it that there is discussion around Canada no longer existing as a sovereign state, how far have we fallen as a Country?
But here's the thing: for all the incompetence, waste, and outright economic ignominy, the damage is repairable.
We've overseen a housing crisis and have been driven down global rankings in healthcare, education, and productivity. We are now a country that actively drives away investment—over $200 billion since 2016—while taxing everything in sight. We're not innovative. We're not competitive. We can't even get national infrastructure built without years of regulatory entanglement.
Sure, we legalized cannabis if you think that’s a good thing, which I do not—but even that industry is failing to compete with the black market. And beyond that? I struggle to think of a single thing that has been done to help anyone outside the inner circle—whether it's party insiders or the vast bureaucracy supporting the “Big Government Nanny-State” ideology.
So yes, Canada needs a leader of courage and conviction who will change the
Yes, the debt will require tighter fiscal policy. So, we can't massively cut taxes overnight. But the bottom line is this: the current leadership has shown complete disregard for responsible financial management and keeping them in power is like handing the keys to a drunk driver and hoping for a positive outcome. Especially with certain political figures, like Mark Carney, proposing Modern Monetary Theory-style playbooks—it's just more of the same. This continued approach will leave Canada as an economic basket case, likely leading to a bailout like Mexico, Argentina, or any number of countries supported by the International Monetary Fund. No wonder President Trump wants the current federal leadership to remain in place—he knows Canada would be handed over to him on a silver platter.
So, what do we do? Canada must change policy. Not radically. Just sensibly. Canada needs to stop handing billions in grants and subsidies to industry—especially when trying to pick winners, like "green" energy. These investments have failed for decades. If we had just planted trees instead, even in other countries, we'd probably be further ahead on emissions than we are now. Instead, we've subsidized overpriced wind turbines and glass solar panels made from finite resources—leading to higher energy costs, not lower emissions.
Environmental assessments in Canada seem to be less about protecting nature and more about obstructing nationbuilding infrastructure projects. The world needs more energy, not less. That has always been the path of civilizational progress. Let Canadians build again. Scrap carbon taxes. Build pipelines and plant forests.
Canada’s immigration policy is a disaster. We've pushed housing into luxury territory while apartment blocks are being built for low-income Canadians and newcomers who will rent forever. It's straight from the World Economic Forum: "You'll own nothing and be happy." And worst of all? Many new immigrants hate it here. I've spoken to many of them. They feel trapped—barely making ends meet with no hope of returning home. Their lives are miserable, and Canada's most vulnerable now include the newcomers themselves. It's a system of modern slave labour dressed up as "student visas." It's damnable—and it has to stop. We need to pause immigration, and for those who want to leave, help them go. Reducing the immigrant population by one million could drastically improve wages, reduce inflation, and ease strain on public services.
Also, it's outrageous that over 40% of Canada's economy is “the government”. That should embarrass our leaders. Government workers don't create—they regulate. And while they serve with integrity, we've created a system that rewards stagnation over innovation. Business students across the country want government jobs—not because they want to serve, but because they are stable, wellpaid, and almost impossible to get fired from. Further to that, who wants to take the risk of building a business when success is punished by taxes and red tape? But AI can change this. If government adopts artificial intelligence seriously, it could massively increase productivity and reduce headcount. Government must also stop doing what the private sector can do better. Our only hope of competing with China or India is to reignite the spirit of entrepreneurship. That
won't happen until we stop vilifying success and stop disincentivizing risk-takers. Canada's regulatory burden is punishing. Startups are suffocated. If we want prosperity, we need to unleash entrepreneurs. Canada needs to learn how to say no to more bureaucracy and to challenge the private sector to solve problems.
Canada also keeps churning out liberal arts grads with paper degrees and no prospects. Meanwhile, we can't find enough tradespeople, engineers, or healthcare workers. Other countries figured this out decades ago—Germany, Switzerland, and South Korea. We need to reimagine education around what actually drives prosperity. Fund trades. Promote STEM, not DEI. Align education with real-world opportunities. Otherwise, our future workforce will be filled with debt and disillusionment—and our global competitors will leave us in the dust.
Canada's true glory is still ahead. Not in slogans. Not in subsidies. Not in endless reports and bureaucratic bloat. But in a leaner, freer, more productive nation. A country that respects its workers, empowers its entrepreneurs, and understands the value of getting out of the way so its people can thrive.
We don't need a miracle. Canada needs new leadership. That and we also need a little courage. With the right leadership in place, I have no doubt that Canada will be one of the richest countries on the planet.
Romel Dhalla is Managing Director of Blumont Business Acquisition Partners. He was a portfolio manager and investment advisor with two major Canadian banks for 17 years. Romel provides strategic corporate finance advice to companies and high net worth individuals. Contact him at romel@ dacorp.ca. Any views or opinions represented in this article are personal and belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that he may or may not be associated with in professional or personal capacity, unless explicitly stated. Any views or opinions are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual.
Romel Dhalla On The Money
Listening with Intention and Openness A
conversation with guest conductor Leslie
It’s a Friday afternoon on my end, but for Leslie Suganandarajah, it’s already winding into evening in Austria. The Sri Lankan-born, Germanraised Music Director of the Salzburg Landestheater has wrapped up another packed day of rehearsals and meetings, yet he still makes time for our conversation. In just a few weeks, he’ll be at the WSO, stepping onto the podium as guest conductor for Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony. Music Director Daniel Raiskin met Suganandarajah nearly 15 years ago in Koblenz, Germany, when he was Raiskin’s assistant conductor at the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie. He chuckles at the memory. “I was very inexperienced back then. Looking back, I sometimes think, ‘How could you have done this? Why did you do this?’ But mistakes are supposed to happen. That’s how you grow.” Now, years later, Raiskin has collaborated with him on a program that feels like a perfect fit. Take Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony. It doesn’t have the instant name recognition of the Third Symphony (Eroica) or the dramatic punch of the Fifth, but
that’s exactly what Suganandarajah loves about it. “I often wish I could hear this piece again for the first time. It starts so softly, like the orchestra is still tuning, and then—bam!—a sudden shift. Beethoven plays with expectations.”
That sense of unpredictability is what he hopes to bring to the performance. “At the time, this music was avant-garde. It shocked people. We have to play it like it’s never been heard before, so the audience feels those surprises, too.” Even after years of studying Beethoven, he still finds new details hidden in the score. “That’s why his music is so precious, it keeps revealing something new.”
But Beethoven is just one of the unique composers highlighted at this upcoming concert. Also on the program is Walter Kaufmann’s Six Indian Miniatures, a piece that invites listeners into an entirely different sound world.
Kaufmann holds an exclusive place in the WSO’s history as its first music director, leading the ensemble from 1948 to 1957 and shaping its early artistic identity. An Austrian composer of Jewish heritage, Kaufmann fled Nazi-occupied Europe in
Suganandarajah
1934 and found refuge in Bombay (now Mumbai), where he spent over a decade deeply engaged with Indian music. He studied Hindustani classical traditions, composed extensively for All India Radio, and became one of the earliest Western composers to weave Indian ragas and rhythmic structures into orchestral music. His Six Indian Miniatures feels like musical postcards—Western classical structure intertwined with Indian melodies and colours. Though compact in length, each movement is rich with character,
Support the CBC, Defend Canada
our cultural and democratic values necessary for commercial productivity, diplomacy and national security.
I believe public broadcasting, especially independent journalism is essential for our democracy, national sovereignty, and economic survival. What we hear and see on Canadian media is part of an essential national conversation, exposing, debating, considering different points of view. That conversation lays the foundation for mutual understanding, innovation and good government. Public broadcasting is an existential asset, not merely another channel. This perspective does not undermine the role of commercial news media. We need both and the economic pressures forcing over 500 news outlets in Canada to close since 2008 is also a threat to our democracy.
We may criticize the CBC, but it does have public trust. The criticism is healthy. For Francophones in Canada, Radio Canada is the most respected news source, with 78% of respondents reporting they find it “trustworthy” in a survey of national broadcasters. Among Anglophones, CBC is the most trusted news source of 67% of respondents. CBC is the most watched network, with 64 per cent of Canadians watching regularly or occasionally (from a survey analysis by Council of Canadians).
Some people think too much of the national budget is spent on the CBC. Currently, the government grants approximately $1.38 billion (0.12% of total budget in 2023) to the CBC, which is about $33.66 per capita. The Group of Seven (G7) countries allocate an average of $62.20 per capita for their national public broadcasting. The per capita funding for the CBC is therefore about half of the G7 average.
There are valid criticisms of the CBC and some sound recommendations for change. The Canadian Heritage Minister’s Future of the CBC/Radio Canada is a start for reforms to mandate, governance and funding. Ending advertising on the news, statutory appropriations and expanding representation on the Board of Directors are valuable changes. However, there is more that can be done to improve service and foster public confidence: hive off streaming entertain-
ment to another agency, reduce administration, rein in management benefits, support commercial broadcasters, do more investigative journalism, and more. But, shutting down or privatizing the CBC is not going to improve access to information and knowledge we need to address a dramatically changing world. Gutting staff or budgets, so funding is by donations and user fees will not help meet national needs. Such measures will undermine our commercial capacity, cul-
evoking the fluidity and ornamentation of Indian music while maintaining a distinctly Western orchestral texture. For decades, Kaufmann’s work remained underappreciated, but recent performances have reignited interest in his contributions.
For Suganandarajah, Kaufmann’s fusion of traditions is especially interesting. “A friend of mine once said, ‘In Indian music, you play to forget, but in Western music, you play to remember.’ They approach music so differently. Indian classical musicians improvise, never playing something the same way twice, while Western classical musicians refine and repeat.” Kaufmann’s piece lives in that inbetween space, bridging two worlds.
So how should listeners approach this piece? “Just take it all in,” Suganandarajah suggests. “Don’t overanalyze. Let your imagination run. Enjoy the colours.” It’s advice that could apply to the entire concert experience—listening with both intention and openness, allowing the music to surprise and transport you.
For the WSO, playing Kaufmann’s work is a nod to its own history; a tribute to the composer who helped shape the orchestra’s early years. And with Suganandarajah at the podium, that history meets the present in a performance that promises to be as thoughtful as it is exhilarating.
tural values, and national sovereignty. Canada is facing a crisis brought on by a hostile takeover. We also have an opportunity to redefine the Canada we want and need into a sustainable future. The CBC can be a part of that future, but it is up to us as citizens to make sure it is an institution that serves us, all of us. Especially now during the federal election, we can and must stand up for the CBC.
bundle includes: • Spaghetti and Meatballs • Meatloaf with Rich Onion Gravy
Country Chicken
Shepherd’s Pie • Traditional Turkey Dinner • Scalloped Potatoes with Glazed Ham
and
Avi Bhatt WSO Communications
Guest conductor Leslie Suganandarajah
Canada’s economic future starts at Hudson Bay
A new Port Nelson hub to drive northern security and sovereignty
Canada stands at a crossroads in global trade, Arctic sovereignty, and economic resilience. With the development of a deep-water port, railway, and airport at Hudson Bay’s Port Nelson (NeeStaNan), Canada has the opportunity to redefine its economic independence, secure vital supply chains, and strengthen its role on the world stage. This game-changing infrastructure project would connect Canada’s landlocked resources to global markets, offering an alternative to U.S. trade dependence and mitigating the effects of tariffs, while fostering sustainability and Indigenous economic partnerships.
More than just a port, this initiative is Canada’s Declaration of Independence – a strategic move to diversify exports, bolster Arctic security, and position the nation as a critical player in international logistics. With a direct impact on industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to natural resources like nickel, potash, and uranium, the Hudson Bay corridor would attract new markets, reinforce Canada’s presence in the Arctic, and contribute to global peace and stability. Now is the time to act – this is not about legacy, it’s about the future.
No political ideology has taken more of a beating in the last decade than conservatism. Not all the brickbats were unearned. Some were cases of mistaken identity. You see, a conservative is not a Conservative and certainly not a CONSERVATIVE.
I found an entry in Wikipedia that frames the discussion well.
“Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in which it appears.
A deep-water port, airport, and railway at Hudson Bay would transform northern Canada into a global logistics and trade hub, fostering economic growth, strengthening Arctic sovereignty, and driving innovation. This infrastructure would not only connect Canada to global markets but also support environmental sustainability, local communities, and national resilience.
The development of transportation and port infrastructure at Port Nelson would help Canada mitigate the effects of U.S. tariffs by providing alternative trade routes. While this wouldn’t directly eliminate the 25% tariff, it could make Canadian industries less vulnerable to U.S. trade policies and potentially pressure the U.S. to revise tariffs in response to shifting trade patterns, protecting Canada from similar actions in the future. Canada needs to have other options … Pass on the hype and get to it. Take the cap out of your hand and put it on your head!!! Let’s get to work!
Implications of the new port NeeStaNan will diversify our market for pharmaceuticals and forest products. Our natural resources are landlocked and need to get to tidewater.
1818 with François-René de Chateaubriand during the period of Bourbon Restoration that sought to roll back the policies of the French Revolution and establish social order.
In Western culture, depending on the particular nation, conservatives seek to promote and preserve a range of institutions, such as the nuclear family, organized religion, the military, the nationstate, property rights, rule of law, aristocracy, and monarchy. Conservatives tend to favour institutions and practices that enhance social order and historical continuity.
The 18th-century Anglo-Irish statesman Edmund Burke, who opposed the French Revolution but supported the American Revolution, is credited as one of the forefathers of conservative thought in the 1790s along with Savoyard statesman Joseph de Maistre. The first established use of the term in a political context originated in
Conservatism has varied considerably as it has adapted itself to existing traditions and national cultures. Thus, conservatives from different parts of the world, each upholding their respective traditions, may disagree on a wide range of issues. One of the three major ideologies along with liberalism and socialism, conservatism is the dominant ideology in many nations across the world, including Hungary, India, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, Singapore, and South Korea. Historically associated with right-wing politics, the term has been used to describe a wide range of views. Conservatism may be either libertarian or authoritarian, populist or elitist, progressive or reactionary, moderate or extreme.”
The answer to the question “What’s a Conservative?” is “it depends”.
Specific to Canada, fewer than one-intwenty Canadians place themselves in the political spectrum as extreme right (4%) or extreme left (3%) according to a survey by Research Co last year. Fewer than one-inten Canadians brand themselves politically as right (9%) or left (also 9%). The bulk of responses from Canadians appear in three
NSN would attract other markets for nickel, potash, uranium, aluminum for Ontario’s “Ring of Fire”
This is Canada’s Declaration of Independence!
Here are eleven reasons why our country needs a Port Nelson (NeeStaNan) transportation hub:
1. We are directly impacted by the U.S. 25% tariff, with alternative export routes possibly reducing reliance on U.S. buyers.
2. We will provide new shipping options for Canadian LNG, and refined products to Europe and Asia.
3. Grain, beef, and other exports could find shorter, cost-effective routes to international markets.
4. Northern Canada is rich in minerals; a Port Nelson port could open global markets more efficiently.
5. Impact on supply chains for vehicles, machinery, and parts.
6. A Hudson Bay port would allow Canada to compete with other nations by offering quicker and cost-effective routes to Europe and Asia.
7. The railway and airport would link isolated northern communities to vital services, including healthcare, education, and commerce.
8. Indigenous communities would benefit from partnerships, employment, and investment in local businesses. The infrastructure would be designed to integrate sustainable practices, such as renewable energy-powered facilities
categories: centre (33%), centre left (15%) and centre right (14%). Conservatives in Canada have, at one time or another, occupied at least four of those seven categories.
Over the past decade the Liberal federal government has moved (or drifted) to the left end of the political spectrum, further widening the center span. It also means that any change of direction, either by the existing government or a new regime, is almost guaranteed to mean a move to the right. With an NDP government and a Progressive Conservative opposition, Manitoba is in a similar position.
Politicians, commentators and analysts will often characterize such a move as embracing right wing extremism. In fact, given the circumstances, a move to the right is also a move to the center – where most Canadians say they are politically.
Within the Conservative movement there is a long standing and ongoing debate about what conservatism should be. This has served to further muddy the political waters as far as voters are concerned. If the direction of their preferred political party is subject to sudden and potentially extreme change, why would a voter support such a tremulous proposition?
The Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party, currently in the throes of a leadership contest, provides an interesting example of this situation. The internal debate is not only publicly confusing, it is also pointless. Most of the time, the debate swirls around a small number of controversial issues. The main tenets of Conservative politics remain
and electric rail systems. The port could serve as a hub for managing climate challenges, such as monitoring Arctic ice and supporting global climate research.
9. Arctic sovereignty: Enhanced infrastructure solidifies Canada’s presence in the Arctic, reinforcing territorial claims and enabling better monitoring of northern regions. An area of increasing global interest and competition
10.Security and defense: A port and airport would strengthen Canada’s ability to respond to emergencies, monitor activity and defense of Canada’s northern borders, including maritime and airspace activities.
11. By nature of the presence of an alternative supply chain in Europe, NSN would promote peace and influence the war between Russia and Ukraine.
To those who lead 41 million people: Let us help you do what you want to do. This will rescue families and will help people on all shores.
And remember; this is our home and native land. This is not about a legacy, it’s about a future. Have Canada leverage this pivotal moment to make the world better.
For more information, or to do an interview with Tom Jackson, please contact: Dr. Tom Jackson, C.C., LL.D. tdjackso@tomali.com
Tom Jackson is a Companion of the Order of Canada and Senior Vice President of NeeStaNan.
unchanged and generally unchallenged. The proponents of the divisive issues want to convert the masses to their point of view – not unusual in politics at large. The more intense the debate becomes, the more isolated and withdrawn the opposing camps become. I can think of nothing more contradictory, nothing more debilitating for a political party than having warring factions bent on tearing apart the organization in the name of winning their point.
Healing the rifts in a political organization is no easy task. It cannot be accomplished by administrative change or by leadership force of will. Reuniting and revitalizing the organization takes time and a tremendous amount of effort. It requires person-to-person contact, discussion and perhaps even compromise.
Most often rifts have occurred because a group has felt they were ignored, insulted or devalued. Right or wrong, these concerns must be confronted and remedied as best as is possible. Sometimes words are not enough – actions that stand as proof of commitment to change may be required.
Change of such significance often requires a champion – someone who not only drives change but also embodies the desired direction and behaviour. Finding the right champion is a key factor in successful change, recovery, stability and success.
The task that faces Progressive Conservative members in Manitoba in choosing such a champion is critical to the near-term competitiveness and long term sustainability of the party itself.
Tom Jackson
Remember when
When I worked at CJOB twenty-five years ago I remember reading a couple of pages of memories someone put together from the good old days. They included games we played as kids and old TV shows, in black and white of course. Favourite candies purchased at the corner grocery store, riding in the old trolleybuses and the joy of rubber boot season were among the many.
Given the general demographic of OB’s audience I was not surprised when unsolicited letters and emails came in from loyal listeners with hundreds of additional memories. After that I started an occasional segment I called Remember When. I don’t remember how many I read on-air but, I continued writing new ones over the past six years here at Lifestyles 55.
Did anyone ever call you a tattletale or even worse a rat fink.
Do you remember sitting around the radio in the evening listening to Fibber McGee and Molly, Amos and Andy, Great Gildersleeve or Our Miss Brooks?
Jim Ingebrigtsen
I thought it was time to take another stroll down memory lane. How many of the following do you remember?
I remember owning a car that had to have frost shields on every window, including across the windshield. I never knew anyone who had a pure-bred dog. Crack was something you avoided stepping for fear you’d break your mother’s back. Did you ever twiddle your thumbs or get your nose out of joint?
A few of the early television programs can still be seen if you did deep enough on some of the streaming services. Thriller, Night Gallery, The Rifleman and Twilight Zone are just a few. How about the memorable Canadian TV shows Forest Rangers which featured Gordon Pinsent? And the after-school show Razzle Dazzle starring Alan Hamel and Michelle Finney along with Howard the Turtle and his nemesis, Percy Q. Kidpester. I would be remiss not to mention the toughas-nails truck driving Mike Malone in Cannonball. One of my favourites was The Adventures of Tugboat Annie starring Minerva Urecal. Both series were filmed in and around Toronto. I wonder how many kids took an interest in art after Learn to Draw with John Gnagy, remember him?
Do you remember choking down cod liver oil every morning? How about orange flavoured children’s Aspirin when you were sick? Maybe you mother crushed it up in a spoon and added some
How do you make legislation ‘sexy’?
Ihave been struggling with how to ‘spice it up’ in these articles. So far, I have not been able to inject funny quotes or stories or even make the information remotely fascinating. Bear with me as I try to explain why you should be interested, especially if you are living in a life lease or are thinking of one.
As I explained in the first two articles, the Manitoba Life Lease Occupants’ Association Inc. (MLLOA) has been working for many years trying to have The Life Leases Act amended to ensure more consumer protection for life lease occupants. Last year, 2023, saw the first three suggestions accepted and we are now just waiting for the changes to be incorporated into the Regulations.
Our next priority has to do with ‘Change of Landlord’ to ensure that tenants have the opportunity to take over responsibility for the life lease if the landlord/sponsor group withdraws its involvement and role – think Lions Manor. Although it was not a life lease, the same thing could conceivably happen with a life lease complex.
Currently, if the life lease building landlord/sponsor decides on a change of use, renovation or demolition plan there is no protection for the occupants or requirement to inform them or the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) before taking action. MLLOA changes would require a landlord, who wishes to terminate a life lease under these circumstances, to apply under The Residential Tenancies Act to the director for an order authorizing the termination.
Because life lease occupants have a vested’ interest, by way of our entrance fee, another amendment suggests a requirement of 30 days notification to residents informing them of the application for termination and their right to object to it. This could facilitate interested residents in forming a co-op or even a condominium complex.
Currently, the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB) is hesitant to impose financial penalties or enforce exist-
ing penalties for contravention of The Residential Tenancies Act or The Life Leases Act. If penalties were imposed, the landlord is able to off-load the expense onto the tenants of the building. In essence, we pay for the landlord’s transgressions. If there were lawyers involved the tenants would be on the hook for their lawyer as well as the lawyer for the landlord. This does not seem to be a very consumer friendly application of the legislation. The Act needs to be amended to ensure that the management company and/or the landlord pays (out of their pocket) any penalties and related costs and that these costs cannot be transferred down to tenants.
The good news is, we did get a reserve fund study requirement included in the amendments and are now working to clarify use of the funds and replenishment requirements. What has been happening is that some landlords have been borrowing from the reserve fund to cover budget shortfalls instead of increasing rents a bit or doing a special assessment to tenants. They have not been replacing the money which results in a very inadequate reserve fund should the building require emergency repairs or renovations. The suggested amendment would allow for a temporary period, not to exceed two years, after which the reserve fund must be replenished immediately. Hopefully, these requirements will encourage landlords to be more forward thinking in their budgeting and financial planning.
We continue advocating strongly for tenant representatives to have full board directorship rights and responsibilities, including voting rights, on the life lease corporate boards. Experience has shown that tenant representation as full board members is both constructive and viable and brings a unique perspective of life lease needs. Tenant board members add another level of lived experience and assessment of how the complex is being run. Tenant representation is not intended to be a majority of the Board; however, their presence would be valuable in cases where the landlord/
strawberry jam to make it go down easier.
I’m sure you brushed your teeth at some point with one of these: Stripe, Ipana, Macleans and Gleem. And then there was bath night. Not every night, usually just Sunday so I would be clean for school the next morning. Fuzzy Wuzzy, Old Spice Soap on a Rope and Lux were big brands but Lifebuoy was my favourite.
Did you ever have a pea shooter, a sling shot or a cork pop gun or a Daisy BB gun? If that wasn’t the cat’s ass I don’t know what was. Did you ever hit a cat’s ass with a BB? I hope not. What about Lincoln Logs or Tinker Toys and Meccano Sets? Weren’t they just the bee’s knees. Maybe you ate too many black balls or licorice cigars or pipes. Afterward perhaps you had to talk to Ralph on the big white telephone (throwing up in the toilet).
Going back to the Cuban Crisis era, you might remember the unnerving sound when they tested the air raid sirens usually placed near schools. As scary as it was, it was good to know that we would be safe from any bombs if we took cover under our desks as we were instructed,
I wonder if the days we’re in now will ever be described as “the good old days” to folks in the future. Nonetheless, isn’t fun to take a few minutes and go back in time and recall things that made us happy.
Take a trip down Jim’s free musical memory lane podcasts online at Lifestyles55radio.ca
sponsor cannot maintain quorum. I hope these articles have given you better understanding of some aspects of The Life Leases Act of Manitoba. There is so much more to The Act that I am sure you will want to know. You can search ‘Manitoba Life Leases Act’ and get all the legislation required. And it is not ‘sexy’ no matter how you look at it.
The sense of community and advantages you find in life lease living
cannot be overshadowed by the few issues stemming from the legislation (which is fixable). The first two articles covered the ‘good stuff’ related to life leases; check them out on the MLLOA website or go to https:// lifestyles55.net/category/digital-magazine-archives/
If you live in a life lease and want more information, please contact the Manitoba Life Lease Occupants Association Inc. (MLLOA) at www.mlloa.ca.
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.
TACIUM VINCENT & ASSOCIATES 206 St. Mary’s Road, Winnipeg, MB R2H 1J3 DAVID G. VINCENT (204) 989-4236 www.taciumvincent.com
Lori Blande Life Lease news
Creative Retirement Manitoba Inc.
204-481-5030, hello@crcentre.ca www.crcentre.ca
WINNIPEG
20 Fort Street Seniors Club
2200-20 Fort Street / FortStSeniors@Shaw.ca
Manitoba Association of Senior Communities
Pembina Active Living (55+)
170 Fleetwood Rd. / 204-946-0839
office@pal55plus.ca / www.pal55plus.ca
Rady Jewish Community Centre 123 Doncaster Street / 204-477-7539 lmarjovsky@radyjcc.com / www.radyjcc.com
GET CONNECTED - JOIN A CENTRE!
Stay Active - Stay Connected
www.manitobaseniorcommunities.ca
ERICKSON
Comfort Drop In Centre 31 Main Street 204-636-2047 / areas@mymts.net
FLIN FLON
Flin Flon Seniors 2 North Avenue / 204-687-7308
A&O Support Services for Older Adults Inc.
200 -207 Donald Street 204-956-6440 / Toll Free: 1-888-333-3121 info@aosupportservices.ca www.aosupportservices.ca
Archwood 55 Plus 565 Guilbault Avenue / 204-416-1067 archwood55@shaw.ca archwood55plus.wildapricot.org/ Bleak House Centre 1637 Main Street / 204-338-4723 bleakhousecentre@gmail.com www.bleakhousecentre.com
Brooklands Active Living Centre 1960 William Avenue W 204-632-8367 / bpscc@mymts.net
Centro Caboto Centre 1055 Wilkes Avenue / 204-487-4597 ext. 1 executivedirector@cabotocentre.com www.cabotocentre.com
Charleswood Active Living Centre
A 357 Oakdale Drive / 204-897-5263 info@charleswoodseniorcentre.org www.charleswoodseniorcentre.org
Crescent Fort Rouge 55 Plus 525 Wardlaw Ave. / 204-299-9919 cfruc55Plus@gmail.com www.crescentfortrouge.ca
Dakota Community Centre 1188 Dakota Street / 204-254-1010 ext. 217 seniorresources@dakotacc.com www.dakotacc.com
Dufferin Senior Citizens Inc.
377 Dufferin Avenue / 204-986-2608
Elmwood East Kildonan Active Living Centre 180 Poplar Avenue / 204-669-0750 healthrelations@chalmersrenewal.org chalmersrenewal.org
Fort Garry Seniors Resource Council 200 - 270 Donald Street / 204-792-1913 fortgarry@aosupportservices.ca www.aosupportservices.ca/resources/seniorsresource-finders
Garden City Community Centre Seniors 55+ 725 Kingsbury Avenue / 204-940-6111 facilities@gardencitycc.com www.gardencitycc.com/seniors
Golden Rule Seniors Resource Centre 625 Osborne Street / 204-306-1114 goldenrule@swsrc.ca facebook.com/goldenruleseniors
Good Neighbours Active Living Centre 720 Henderson Hwy / 204-669-1710 admin@gnalc.ca / www.gnalc.ca
Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre 1588 Main Street / 204-339-1701 becky@gwensecter.com / www.gwensecter.com
Winnipeg Chinese Senior Association 204-291-7798 / wcsa.wpg@hotmail.com www.winnipegchineseseniors.ca
Y.A.H. Seniors Club
Windsor Community Centre, 99 Springside Dr. 204-233-0648 / yah@windsorcc.ca
BEYOND WINNIPEG
BEAUSEJOUR
Beau-Head Senior Centre 645 Park Avenue 204-268-2444 / beauhead@mymts.net
BINSCARTH / RUSSELL
Senior Services of Banner County 204-532-2391 seniorservicesofbannercounty@gmail.com
BOISSEVAIN
Seniors’ Services of the Turtle Mountain Area seniorservicetm@gmail.com / 204-534-6816
BRANDON
Brandon Seniors for Seniors Co-op Inc. 311 Park Avenue E / 204-571-2050 reception@brandons4s.ca www.brandons4s.ca
Health Checks - 204-728-1842 brandonmbhealthchecks.ca healthchecksbrandon@gmail.com
CARMAN
Carman Active Living Centre 47 Ed Belfour Drive / 204-745-2356 www.activelivingcentrecarman.ca
CRANBERRY PORTAGE
Jubilee Recreation of Cranberry Portage Legion Hall 217 2nd Ave. SE / 204-271-3081
CRYSTAL CITY
Crystal City & District Friendship Club Inc. 117 Broadway St. / 431-867-0122 crystalcityfriendship@gmail.com
DAUPHIN
Dauphin Active Living Centre Inc. 55 1st Avenue SE / 204-638-6485 www.dauphinseniors.com
DELORAINE
Deloraine Community Club Inc. 111 South Railway Ave E / 204-747-2846
Seniors’ Outreach Services of BrenWin Inc. 204-747-3283 / sosbrenwin@gmail.com sosbrenwin.com
GILBERT PLAINS
Gilbert Plains and District Community Resource Council Inc. / 204-548 4131 gpdcrc@mymts.net / gpseniors.ca
Gilbert Plains Drop In Centre 22 Main Street North / 204-548-2210
GIMLI
Gimli New Horizons 55+ Centre 17 North Colonization Road 204-642-7909 / gimli55@mts.net www.gimlinewhorizons.com
GLADSTONE
Gladstone Seniors Inc. 32 Morris Ave. North / 204-385-2205
GRAND MARAIS
Grand Marais & District Seniors 36058 PTH 12 / gmdseniors@gmail.com www.gmdseniors.ca
GRANDVIEW
Grandview Seniors Drop In 432 Main Street / 204-546-2272
HAMIOTA
Hamiota 55+ Centre & Restore Community Co-op Inc. 44 Maple Avenue / 204-764-2658
KILLARNEY
Killarney New Horizons Centre 520 Mountain Avenue www.killarneymbseniors.ca
Killarney Service for Seniors 415 Broadway / 204-523-7115 seniorservice@killarney.ca
LA BROQUERIE and STE. ANNE Seine River Services for Seniors Inc./ Services Rivière Seine pour aînés Inc. 93 Principale Street / 204-424-5285 src@seineriverservicesforseniors.ca seineriverservicesforseniors.ca
LUNDAR
Lundar Community Resources 35 Main Street / 204-762-5378 lcrc@mymts.net
MANITOU
Pembina Community Resource Council 315 Main Street 204-242-2241 / pembinacrc@gmail.com
MINNEDOSA
Minnedosa Senior Citizens Assoc. 31 Main Street S 204-867-1956 / mdsasca@gmail.com
MORDEN
Morden Activity Centre 306 N Railway Street / 204-822-3555 mordenactivitycentre@gmail.com www.mordenseniors.ca
NEEPAWA Neepawa Drop In Centre 310 Davidson Street / 204-476-5103 Neepawa-dropin@outlook.com www.neepawa.ca/district-drop-in-center
NOTRE DAME DE LOURDES Club D’age Dor Notre Dame ndslchezsoi@gmail.com / 204-248-7291
PILOT MOUND
Pilot Mound Fellowship Centre 203 Broadway Avenue / 204-825-2873
PLUMAS
Plumas Seniors Citizens Club Inc. 102 White Street / 204-386-2029
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE
Herman Prior Senior Services Centre 40 Royal Road N. / 204-857-6951 hermanpriorcentre@gmail.com www.hermanprior.com
Portage Service for Seniors 40A Royal Road N. / 204-239-6312
Riverton Seniors Activity Centre 12 Main Street / 204-378-5155 rdfc@mymts.net / www.rivertonfc.com
SANDY LAKE
Sandy Lake Drop In Centre 100 Main St. / 204-585-2411
Municipality of Harrison Park - Age Friendly Initiative Committee 204-585-5310
SELKIRK
Gordon Howard Centre 384 Eveline Street / 204-785-2092 executivedirector@gordonhoward.ca www.gordonhoward.ca
SNOW LAKE
Snow Lake Senior Centre 71 Balsam Street 204-358-2151 / snowsrs@mymts.net
SOUTH JUNCTION Piney Regional Senior Services 204-437-2604 / lgdseniors@gmail.com
ST. LAURENT Age Friendly Committee of St. Laurent 204-906-9607
STARBUCK
MacDonald Services to Seniors 204-735-3052 / info@mcdonaldseniors.ca www.macdonaldseniors.ca
STEINBACH
Pat Porter Active Living Centre 10 Chrysler Gate 204-320-4600 / ed@patporteralc.com www.patporteralc.com
STONEWALL
South Interlake 55 Plus 374 1st Street West - Oddfellows Hall 204-467-2582 / si55plus@mymts.net www.si55plus.org
SWAN RIVER Swan River & District Community Resource Council 126 6th Ave N / 204-734-5707 resourcecouncil@srseniorservices.com
Swan River Senior Citizens Centre 702 1st Street North / 204-734-2212
THE PAS The Pas Golden Agers 324 Ross Avenue / 204-623-3663 seniorsthepas@gmail.com
THOMPSON Thompson Seniors Community Resource Council Inc. 4 Nelson Rd. / 204-677-0987 thompsonseniors55@gmail.com thompsonseniors.ca
TREHERNE Treherne Friendship Centre 190 Broadway Street 204-723-2559 / jstate1066@gmail.com
VICTORIA BEACH
East Beaches Social Scene 3 Ateah Road / 204-756-6468 ebssinc1@gmail.com www.ebseniorscene.ca
East Beaches Resource Centre 3 Ateah Road / 204-756-6471 ebresourcec@gmail.com ebresourcec.weebly.com
VIRDEN
Seniors Access to Independent Living 204-851-2761 / sail.cao.2023@gmail.com
WINKLER
Winkler & District MP Senior Centre 102-650 South Railway Avenue 204-325-8964 director@winklerseniorcentre.com www.winklerseniorcentre.com
Active living in Manitoba: Staying healthy at every age
As we age, staying active becomes even more important for maintaining mobility, independence, and overall well-being. Physical activity helps prevent chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis, while also supporting mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. Social connections built through activities and community involvement also play a crucial role in keeping Manitobans healthy and engaged. Manitoba is home to a variety of programs and resources designed to encourage active living. Whether you’re looking for low-impact exercise options, outdoor adventures, or ways to stay involved in your community, there are plenty of opportunities to explore.
and flexibility. If you are interested in a competitive way to stay active, the Manitoba 55+ games may be happening in your community. Active Aging in Manitoba has many current programs that you may be interested in.
Hon. Uzoma Asagwara Minister's Message
Our government has launched the Manitoba Healthy Aging Council as an advisory body to the Minister of Health, Seniors, and Long-Term Care, ensuring that the perspectives of older Manitobans are reflected in government health-related programs and policies. This initiative recognizes that healthy aging goes beyond medical care – it includes staying active, engaged, and connected within our communities. Active living is more than just physical movement; it fosters social connections, mental well-being, and overall quality of life. Fortunately, Manitoba offers countless opportunities for people of all ages to embrace an active lifestyle, whether through recreation, fitness, or community involvement.
Many local community centres and seniors’ organizations offer programs tailored to older adults. These programs include chair yoga, aquafit, tai chi, and strengthtraining classes designed to promote mobility, balance,
Manitoba’s beautiful parks, trails, and green spaces offer endless opportunities for outdoor recreation. Walking groups, cycling clubs, and hiking excursions provide excellent ways to stay active while enjoying the natural beauty of our province, even in winter! In winter, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing provide excellent cardiovascular workouts. Many Manitoba parks, including Birds Hill, Assiniboine Park, and Kildonan Park, maintain groomed trails for winter sports enthusiasts. Even a short walk around the block is a great source of cardiovascular exercise.
Community gardening is another excellent way for older adults to stay active while contributing to their neighbourhoods. Many local community gardens welcome volunteers, providing a chance to enjoy fresh air, light physical activity, and social connections.
Incorporating movement and social engagement into your daily routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few simple ways to make active living a part of everyday life:
• Walk more: Whether it’s a short stroll around the block or a longer walk in a local park, walking is one of the best ways to maintain mobility and cardiovascular health.
• Try a new activity: Join a community fitness class, take up a new hobby like gardening, or participate in a social club that keeps you engaged.
Sri Lankan Seniors
Dr. Roshini Mendis: How to Stay Healthy with Aging
Dr. Roshini Mendis conducted a presentation on “How to Stay Healthy with Aging” for Sri Lankan Seniors Manitoba at Pembina Trail Library on Jan. 24, 2025 at 10.30 am to 1.30 pm. She explained seniors to stay healthy they should adopt a roadmap with multi-disciplinary basic opinions such as bone health, diet, exercise, sleep and habits.
Roshini shared how to maintain bone health to prevent osteoporosis to reduce the risk of fractures among elders. She explained the importance to senior citizens of taking vitamins under a physician’s advice.
SLAM also attended.
Stephen Gatphoh, the Hon. Duguid’s representative, read the message of Mr. Duguid and announced that the New Horizons for Seniors Program has been approved for 2025 for SLSM. That was the great news for the year.
She completed the presentation with a 90-minute question and answer session. The main event was followed by a light meal with tea and coffee as the last agenda item of the day.
Sri Lankan Seniors Manitoba commemorated the 77th Independence Day
On Feb. 4, 2025. Sri Lankan Seniors celebrated Independence Day at Whiteridge Community Centre. Also invited were non-Sri Lankans, including the Hon. Terry Duguid, who was unable to attend so he sent assistant Stephen Gatphoh. MLA for Waverley, Mr. David Pankratz and his constituency assistant Shamailah Islam attended. Ms. Yan Jang, president and board member Dani of the Winnipeg Chinese Senior Association were there. Mr. Fred Pennell, president, Pembina Active Living, and Pat Opalko, PAL board member, attended. Manitoba Association of Senior Communities E.D. Connie Newman sent Don Flecher, a consultant. This was the first time the Sri Lankan Independence ceremony was held with non-Sri Lankans. Sri Lankan Association of Manitoba Vice President Anuradha, and board member Chami from
Mr. Pankratz gave the second talk. The third speaker was Mohamed Ismath, Hon. Consul of Sri Lanka in Manitoba. During his speech he read two messages sent by the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Canada. One was from the President of Sri Lanka and the second was from the H.C. of Sri Lanka in Canada.
Gamini summarized more than 2,500 years of Sri Lankan history into 24 slides in 20 minutes. As a newcomer to SLSM, Gamini has done a magnificent task.
When I was the president of the Sri Lankan Association of Manitoba (2015/2016), I promoted the post of president elect to SLAM. It was a failure. But on June 6, 2022, at the Annual General Meeting, SLSM introduced this position. The new president, Indra, proposed Doreen’s name and as immediate past president I seconded. With Doreen’s two years’ experience as the president elect, she managed to build teamwork. She encouraged women to wear sarees, and she handled the exhibition (Sri Lankan ornaments and paintings) and lunch arrangements.
Thank you, Doreen for the well organized ceremony.
Canadian Irrigation Engineer: Served in Mahaweli River Development Project I came to know Brush Hinten who served in Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka (MASL) as an irrigation engineer from Fermin Mendis. Chandani and I invited Brush and his wife Shery to our home for afternoon tea. We requested Fermin and his wife Sheila to join us.
• Stay connected: Social engagement is just as important as physical activity. Joining a volunteer group, attending community events, or scheduling regular meetups with friends can make a big difference in overall well-being.
• Use available resources: Manitoba has many programs to support active living. Take advantage of community centres, government initiatives, and local organizations offering fitness and wellness opportunities.
Active living is about more than just staying fit – it’s about maintaining independence, mental well-being, and a strong sense of community. The result is a better quality of life for people of all ages. We live longer and healthier lives when we increase our physical activity levels and stay socially connected. As we look ahead, it is encouraging to see so many Manitobans embracing an active lifestyle and supporting one another in staying healthy and engaged.
With government support, community initiatives, and a shared commitment to well-being, Manitoba continues to be a place where people of all ages can thrive. Whether it’s through recreation, volunteering, or simply enjoying time with friends and family, active living enriches our lives in countless ways.
The launch of the Manitoba Healthy Aging Council is just the start of the province’s commitment to supporting older adults in maintaining their independence and well-being. Active living isn’t just about staying physically fit – it’s about fostering strong social connections, promoting lifelong learning, and ensuring access to recreation and wellness programs. Through collaboration with this council, Manitoba will continue to develop and expand programs that encourage older adults to remain active and engaged in their communities.
The Hon. Uzoma Asagwara is the Minister of Health, Seniors and Long-term Care and Deputy Premier
In Winnipeg, Patrick Mendis is another friend of Brush. Felix, the treasurer of Sri Lankan Seniors Manitoba for many years is a younger brother of Patrick. This was the largest ever development project in Sri Lanka. This is a fine example of worldwide services utilized for Mahaweli river development.
Brush served for Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) as a consultant in MASL head office in the mid 1980s. Brush stated that he had to adhere to irrigation designs to “Accres Environment Plan” within Mahaweli Project.
I shared my book “Accelerated Mahaweli Development Program: Memoirs of a Staffer” with Brush and Fermin. Donation: for drinking water project - Mr. & Ms. Bandaragoda
Mr. Jayatissa Bandaragoda and his wife Dr. Jayanthi Bandaragoda invited them to the inaugural ceremony of drinking water project in Kotawehara village, Kurunegala District. This was organized by Sri Lanka News-Adaderana developing remote villages with sponsorships by the brand name of Gammadda (VillageCentre). Both donated funds to provide drinking water.
Mr. Jayatissa Bandaragoda completed his education in Dharmashoka College in Ambalangoda selected to the University of Ceylon to follow science subjects without an interview. To celebrate this
event the College Principal declared a one-day holiday.
He provided leadership as managing director, Mahaweli Economic Agency, Mahaweli Authority Sri Lanka (MEA/ MASL) to provide irrigation water for 162,000 small farmers to cultivate rice. He thought of qualified staff to manage such a massive settlement project. He took an initiative to offer a scholarship for me to follow MSc in Human Settlements at Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand (1985/1986).
He retired prematurely (age of 50) from Public Service. He joined International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and posted him in Pakistan office. As a Public Servant international organization recognized his capacity to offer such responsibility.
