February 11, 2022

Friday, February 11, 2022 • Vol.114 No. 23 • Rivers, Manitoba

RiveRs BanneR Micah Waddell

Mike Waddell Sales Consultant Mike Waddell Mike Waddell

Cell: 204-573-0702 Office: 204-328-7494 Email: info@riversbanner.com Box 70 - 529 2nd Ave. Rivers, MB R0K 1X0

Sales Consultant Sales Consultant (204) 727-0531

P: (204) 727-0531 (204) 727-0531 1550 RichmondP:Ave 1550 Richmond (204) 726-9160 1550 Richmond AveAve F: F: (204) 726-9160 Brandon, MB R7A 7E3 Brandon, R7A 1-866-980-3757 Brandon, MBMB R7A 7E37E3 TF:TF: 1-866-980-3757 mikew@murraychryslerwestman.com mikew@murraychryslerwestman.com (204) 724-7825 mikew@murraychryslerwestman.com C: C: (204) 724-7825

Bull & Female Sale

February 23, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. • DLMS • Neepawa Ag Complex

Derrick & Megan Pilatic • 204-841-5466 Videos & catalogue • www.brooksideangus.com

Rivers Banner www.murraychryslerwestman.com www.murraychryslerwestman.com

Gazette -R eporter

Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 114 years

r

Gazette-Reporter

National Curling Day celebration

Serving the Rivers, Rapid City and Oak River areas for 109 years

March 30, 2018

Volume 110, Issue 37

89¢ + tax

Back row L/R: Meghan Knelsen, Erich Schmidt, Thom Heijmans, Heather Gray, Liliane Dupuis. Front row L/R: Minami Kijima, Haile Hubbard, Chassidy Payette, Morgan Ramsay, Bryce Summers, Quinn Hrabok.

Above: adult winners (left to right) Cheryl Champion, Kendra Walker, Charley Sprenger.

Can collections for canoes

Photo by Sheila Runions

By Sheila Runions Banner Staff

A

Sarah Plosker Rivers Banner National Curling Day was Feb. 5 and the community celebrated with a family fun event at the Riverdale Community Center rink, hosted by the Rivers Curling Club. It was so much fun that they hope it will become an annual event at RCC. Before giving the results, we need some definitions so that we’re all on the same page. I think (almost) every Canadian knows that curling involves throwing a stone

Above: (left to right) Sawyer Lepp younger son, Winston the older son, and Dad Gerald.

cans from the school foyer into and Chimo Beach areas for con- put away in the proper place on s r e p or t e d i n t he tion to the schools. t: (lef t to right) Pupils co-ordinated theLef entire the church basement the after- tributions from the community. the shelving units. They were March 9 edition, the of o March which Grade 12 Interdisci- month-long promotion, D i a n nnoon e K l e s a21,r where the When all was said and done, fantastic! We are very, very was weighed plinary Studies in Science class culminated in a ceremonious Kendrafood Walker andand sorted. the scales at Riverdale Harvest pleased.”

Elementary school staff memat Rivers Collegiate planned a presentation on March 20 to Although the project was a sen- noted a total of 434 pounds, “a Cheryl Champion. project for Riverdale Harvest. Riverdale Harvest president ior students brainstorm, the en- fabulous amount,” says Heather. ber/Harvest volunteer Yvonne tire high school was encouraged “We are so pleased they decided Crouch initiated a similar camDubbed the Boat Load of Food, Heather Gray and Liliane. furthest from Because the snow had Right: melted to participate.

The collegiate to help those we serve. A lot paign in her school. That threestudents secured a canoe from a poor boy floor hockey of times kids don’t get enough week effort simply encouraged Rolling River School Division so much, the canoe could thenot pinhosted winner: Jillian to tournament in which to play, credit but this group of students students to leave product in with an intent to f ill it with be portaged across the street Hamm. non-perishables. Although the Zion Church (home of River- athletes had to pay with food for certainly deserves some praise. the canoe; 87 pounds of food campaign was fully organized dale Harvest). Rather, the teens the canoe. Some students also All students stayed behind to was collected from the younger by that class, the original idea carried bags, boxes and garbage canvassed Rivers, Oak River help check expiry dates, sort and group on Thursday, March 22. came from a suggestion made by harvest volunteer Liliane Dupuis. sliding down a sheet of ice (well, - The amount of ice groups, junior and adult, and “I heard the idea atDraw a meeting“throwing” in Brandon. St.that Augustine a stone, really, but a stone travels down the prizes were awarded in four hadfour tried Fill a Canoe is the technical School term) to sheet.

Or, a stone that gets categories. in conjunction with the 10-day coloured rings Festival at the du other thrown to the house.

Winners in Junior were: Voyaguer in Winend of the sheet, called the It Pin The exact center of the #1 Draw to the Button thru nipeg in February. was –very successful and whenever hear button is a one-foot Port- Winston Lepp house. Players try to get their house.I The bank, always perk stone as close asfood they canmytoearsdiameter circle. The point at its #2 Raise to the Buttonup!” the center of the house, called center is called the pin.

Sawyer Lepp She then brought the sugCharley Sprenger (an amazing the button, similar to darts in Port - An opening between The canoe at Rivers #3 Draw to the Buttongestion to Riverdale Harvest, Elementary School was Adults (after much debate 1 1/4" from the pin!) a way, except they can also use the twoidea stones which supported andthat is wide enough Winston Lepp (6" from the pin) adequately filled.

Photo

by Heather Gray and serious mathematical #4 Farthest from Pinasked her playto presentfor the promotheir stone to bump other another stone to pass #4 Farthest from pin- Jillian

ers’ stones. If you’ve made it through the last two sentences, congratulations! Drink a shot of maple syrup!

Other terms may be a bit more elusive.

through.

Raise - When one stone is bumped ahead by another stone.

Participants of the curling day event were split into two

Hamm

“Farthest from pin” is actually quite difficult to achieve, as the stone has to still be touching the paint.

skills) #1 Draw to Button thru Port- Kendra Walker #2 Raise to Button- Kendra Walker #3 Draw to the Button-

Cheryl Champion

Congratulations to all the winners of the skills competition! It was a fun-filled afternoon for all participants.

Revisiting the 4 Ps

2 Rivers Banner, 2022

P

rinciples, policy, politics and polling are four mainstays of democracy and they should be in this listed

order.

Today, they are often reversed. Instead of establishing principles first, followed by policy then politics and some polling, the last becomes first. Today’s governments and political party polices are often driven by polling, not principles. Principles be damned, who needs principles when you can pay for a poll and often actually pay for the results you long to have?

For centuries, principles have been somewhat based on the Ten Commandments. Not surprising, actually, as three of the world’s most followed religions, namely Judaism, Islam and Christianity, all claim to use the Ten Commandments as basic tenets.

The problem with having the four Ps reversed is that principles should form a firm foundation and policy should follow.

Once principles and policy are articulated, the politics and maybe polling help with the implementation. If you start with polling and then lather on some politics, the policies or direction will change from year to year. If polling is the driving force, then policies may even vary from day to day.

If Canadians want a remarkable lesson

I

in establishing principles, they might want to watch two web-based presentations, linked below, on Canada’s development of the Charter of Rights. The first one is pretty boring for the first 10 minutes, but I can guarantee that both links will give a person a much better idea of what the Charter means and how it should be applied. h t t p s : // w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=EdhFuMDLBDM https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BF0 cHvKcb5M&feature=youtu.be

The big news over the past two weeks has been about the trucker convoys. As I have said many times, check things out for yourself. The following list is not mine, nor do I necessarily agree with all the statements, but they are thought provoking.

This Convoy is not just for the truckers’ mandates.

It’s for the family members banned from visiting family in nursing homes.

It’s for the censorship on all social media platforms.

It’s for all the people afraid to speak in fear of being called conspiracy theorists.

It’s for the people who didn’t want to give up their freedom of choice!

It’s for the people who don’t want to

Ken Waddell give up their right to bear arms.

It’s for the people who don’t want to be in debt for the next 100 years.

It’s for the people who only want answers to the many questions that haven’t been answered.

It’s for the people afraid to hug their family and visit friends.

It’s for the people who want their lives back.

For the hairdressers to cut hair.

For the restaurants to serve food.

For the bars to play music.

For the students to learn.

For the kids to be free.

For people who want to work but are forced to not.

This is for the people.

This is for the silenced, honest and hardworking citizens.

This is for the thousands of surgeries cancelled.

This is for the people that died waiting for their surgery.

This is for the people who died alone in the hospital without being able to hold the hands of their loved ones.

This is for the exhausted nurses.

This is for the doctors that are going unheard.

This is for all the front line workers, delivery trucks, grocery store clerks, Public Service Workers (PSWs) who are constantly working overtime, etc.

This is for all of us.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this column are the writer’s personal views and are not to be taken as being the view of the Banner & Press staff.

Blue collar disconnect

t is said that every scar tells a story. When I was a child our family was establishing a mixed farm three miles East of Arden. As the farm took shape there were tasks for everyone.

One of the things I learned to do early on was to pull nails out of lumber we were going to reuse. Where possible the nails would be hammered straight and set aside for future use.

As luck would have it I ran into a particularly stubborn nail and, in my 10 year old wisdom, I decided to straddle the beam intended for a corral post and put both hands on the crow bar to use my entire body weight to leverage the nail out of its stubborn set.

To this day, every time I look in the mirror to shave, I am reminded of the scars that mistake triggered, as the f lat end of the crowbar struck the bridge of my nose as the nail gave way under my weight.

I learned a lesson that day about leverage, consequences, timing and positioning in relation to the tools needed for a given job.

As I write this column, the situation in Ottawa and across Canada is still very f luid as it relates to the Freedom Convoy, its proponents and its opponents.

This is not a column in support or against the activities that are in the national focus.

Rather, this is an observation that the activities have shone a spotlight on a glaring gap in our democratic makeup.

Historically, when a group protesting a given issue or cause comes to the forefront, governments work to open channels of communication. Often, it

RiveRs BanneR Est. 1908

STAFF

RIGHT IN THE CENTRE

is through an emissary or a secondary leader, so as to prevent appearing that the leader is softening or giving way to the cause.

This requires that someone in a given government can speak the language of those who are protesting or at the very least appear to be relating to them on some level.

Of all of the images Justin Trudeau can project or “put on”, the one he truly doesn’t understand is the combination of blue collar, rural or even suburban life.

PM Trudeau can wear the cultural apparel of many different peoples of the world and pull off a reasonable impression or at worst a characterization of a lot of different groups but putting on a tool belt, a hard hat or work boots does not appear to be in his repertoire.

Further to that, as I glance through the current Cabinet roster, there are no characters who visibly jump out who could be an emissary in talks with the convoy and those who support them.

No one in this government appears to be able, or willing, to speak “blue collar”.

This is not a phenomenon unique to this government. Under previous governments of all stripes there are gaps in understanding. As someone who has run for public office under the Progressive Conservative banner, I am all too aware that there is a shortage of right leaning elected officials who can f luently speak the languages of “health care, education and social work”, as examples.

Every election cycle there are talks about the

529 Second Avenue, Box 70, Rivers, MB R0K 1X0 Telephone: 204-328-7494 Fax: 204-328-5212 E-mail: info@riversbanner.com Website: www.riversbanner.com Circulation: 1,974

Yearly Subscription Rates (excluding taxes): $52.03 in Manitoba, $59.08 elsewhere in Canada

Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40012782 Owner/Publisher/Editor Micah Waddell

Guest Editorial Mike Waddell

idea of electoral reform to allow for proportional representation, or some other form of government that will theoretically level the playing field for all Canadians.

When a plumber wants to find out where the leaks may be in a given water system, they apply pressure on a controlled basis to the pipes. Once the leaks are visible, pressure is eased and the fix is applied.

Governments are no different than a plumbing system and right now, as they are under pressure, the leaks and f laws of our current structure are visible.

Now is a time to note where those f laws are and to move towards a long term solution to the structural issues that seem to be preventing balanced representation with elected officials who can relate to the largest possible cross section of their constituents.

As a starting point, anyone who is running for public office should be able to show at least a few scars to their potential constituents as proof that they have experienced pain like those they intend to represent.

PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY AD DEADLINE: TUESDAY 12 PM PRIOR TO ISSUE DATE Rivers Banner does not guarantee publication of any submitted articles or pictures. Such submissions, if printed, will appear at the discretion of the managing editor or publisher and only when time and space permit.

We are not responsible for fax and e-mail transmissions which are not confirmed either in person or by phone.

Reporting/Sales Sarah Plosker

Members of:

February 11, 2022 Rivers Banner 3

Home Bodies

By Rita Friesen Flotsam and Jetsam

F

lotsam is defined as debris in the water that was not deliberately thrown overboard, often as a result from a shipwreck or accident. Jetsam describes debris that was deliberately thrown overboard by a crew of a ship in distress, most often to lighten the ship’s load.

A collection of thoughts, some needing to be discarded, and others that will be left adrift.

One thought that will not leave me alone this week is what to do with the anticipated refund from MPI. Found money, as it were, not expected, not in the budget. The thought that keeps surfacing, battered by high winds, is what would happen if each one of us, as we are able, simply gave that money to our church– most struggle with balanced budgets– or to any organization that is dear to our heart? We, as organizations and faith families, have not been able to host fall suppers, or rummage sales, or teas or many fundraisers at all. What a windfall the MPI rebates would be! Just a thought…

How different would our world be if we dropped a note in the mail once a week? Heck, once a month would make a difference. Remember when we had pen pals? Remember the joy of receiving a friendly

letter for no given reason? It does not need to be an epistle (“Noun: a poem or other literary work in the form of a letter or series of letters. A book of the New Testament in the form of a letter from an Apostle.”), a short note sharing a memory or appreciation goes a long way. The postal system may also appreciate this gesture. How much lighter is a letter, note or car, than all those amazonian boxes they have to shift!?

During the lockdown of 2020, I found many things to keep busy. Cleaning, sorting, quilting, writing said notes and making phone calls. The season passed with many satisfying achievements. So many quilts found loving homes, and every closet and cupboard has room to spare.

The winter of 2021, I spent too much time with dissatisfaction and grumbling as my companions. Did not make the winter pass more quickly, and there are few wondering moments to recall. So this winter, I am once again quilting, still scraps and leftovers, but warm and fairly attractive quilts and throws to warm the body and soul. Back to letter writing, but I have not, yet, found the energy to make many phone calls.

That last winter’s attitude was/is definitely jetsam!

The f lotsam– things thrown overboard by the storm, not deliberately discarded– are family gatherings, travel, shopping and gadding about, even suppers out with friends. I miss these gifts, knowing that I am among the privileged, for these gifts are not accessible to all. I deeply appreciate how much of my life is in my control. I choose love, laughter, service, compassion and all sorts of good stuff! I don’t always excel at any or all of these, however, I strive for them. I will continue to walk, to eat well, to read, to laugh and play.

I will continue to care for others, and myself. I will.

From last week's front page

BY JANICE HEAPY, OAK RIVER

U R J Y L C L Q B K K J S F A

G X T W E H O Y Z H H C K C Y

F F X G T S C S K D E Y Z K R

T G E L B X A I T N S Y W K E

Y T A E I Y L H E S O O H R Z

K E J K E P E S P L S P T N J

H R H L A U D A R G Y L K U I

M E T A L E S N R L T Q P V A

Q O I O S V U S G S I G L S Y

Tundra

W T O H Z E Z I I P C I R S I

E S U J H N P Z E U A E L R R

Z R T Q J T W A A V P X Q L H

U I L V S S K D K U A A E Z W

M F W D N I H E B V C F B Z S

R E S T R I C T I O N S A C A

BEHIND CAPACITY COSTS EVENTS FIRST GLYPH GRADUAL HEALTH ISSUE LOCAL METAL PEAK PHASE RESTRICTIONS SCENES YEARS

Observation

By Addy Oberlin Rivers Banner

I

t is only the beginning of February, but when I check on my calendar, I see that when the paper comes out, we will be thinking about Valentine’s Day and who we should surprise with a special gift.

Maybe it will be that special friend who you married after last year’s Valentine’s Day or better make sure to do something very special for the wonderful spouse. Maybe the children made something in school to suprise the parents or grandparents with. We could make a long list when we think of the people who are special to us and who we love.

Valentine talks of love and I am sure thare are many who will be forgotten on Valentine’s Day. Nobody is thinking of them.

There is Someone who loves us so much. God is ready and waiting for us to come to Him. He loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to the earth to take our sins on the cross and died for us, in our spot ( John 3:16).

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Sarah Plosker Rivers Banner

It seems like yesterday we were taking down Christmas decorations, and now we’re gearing up toward Valentine’s day with chocolates, f lowers, cards, and other presents being exchanged between couples and loved ones.

With respect to its history, Valentine’s day is a mix of Christian and ancient Roman tradition, although the exact details have been lost to time.

Different stories involving saints named Valentine portray him as a priest in third-century Rome, who performed marriages for young couples in secret at a time when they were outlawed. Or he was a bishop.

Or he helped Christians escape Roman prisons and became imprisoned himself. He sent a love letter to the jailor’s daughter whom he had fallen in love with and signed it “From your Valentine” (this is credited as the first Valentine’s day card). Or he cured her blindness. In any case, Valentine’s Day is celebrated to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial in mid-Feb., in the year 270 A.D. Other historians believe that Valentine’s Day is celebrated in mid-Feb. as the early Christians replaced the pagan celebration of Lupercalia, an annual fertility festival held on Feb. 15, which was associated with the ancient Greek and Roman gods of agriculture, forests and fields, and shepherds and f locks. The pagans’ celebration involved animal sacrifices and general debauchery. I for one prefer the contemporary tradition of f lowers and chocolates.

By Chad Carpenter

Rivers Community Church 447 Edward Street, Rivers

204-328-7882

We are holding services each Sunday at 10:30 a.m., in accordance with current government regulations.

PLEASE JOIN US! If you are more comfortable sharing in our service from the safety of your home, watch our Facebook page: Rivers Community Church

4 Rivers Banner February 11, 2022

Under the dome

Goal is to eliminate restrictions as quickly as possible Greg Nesbitt Riding Mountain MLA All Canadians, including myself, want to see restrictions that have been placed on our lives reduced and then eliminated.

As I have said many times, the goal of the restrictions was and is, to prevent overwhelming our health care system. As of Tuesday, Feb. 8, we had 698 COVID cases in the hospital. We had 105 Manitobans in the ICUs, with 42 of these hospitalized with COVID. The number of cases is trending down on a daily basis.

Premier Stefanson made it clear to Manitobans in January, that we will need to learn to live with COVID as it becomes endemic. New reduced restrictions went into place this week and are in effect until Feb. 22, when it is expected they will be further reduced.

The goal of our government - and in fact every provincial government in Canada - is to eliminate restrictions and vaccine

passports. These were never intended to be permanent measures.

I understand the frustration of my constituents as we come to the two-year mark of this pandemic. I believe there is light at the end of tunnel and ask for your patience.

On a personal note, many of you will have read a story in the daily newspapers revealing that I travelled to Mexico in December. This was never a secret with my family, friends and colleagues.

I flew out of Winnipeg prior to the federal government’s travel advisory, and also before Premier Stefanson asked MLAs to pause any international travel.

The resort I stayed at in Puerto Vallarta had every precaution in place, including masking when not eating or drinking, and temperature checks at the restaurants.

Despite being double vaccinated and having a booster shot, I still managed to catch COVID-19, suffering mild symptoms like a headache

This space is available To you sTarTing as low as $13.50 per week call 204-328-7494 or email info@riversbanner. com

and cough.

While it has been observed that symptoms tend to be less severe, Omicron can still cause severe symptoms that can lead to hospitalization. Omicron is also more contagious than other variants which means it’s easier to infect others - many of whom could be at higher risk of severe outcomes.

Based on recent data in Manitoba, people who are unvaccinated are 139 times more likely to end up in ICU than those who have received their third dose.

I congratulate my neighbouring MLAs on their appointments to the Executive Council. Agassiz MLA Eileen Clarke was appointed as the Minister of Municipal Relations; Spruce Woods ML A Cliff Cullen was named Deputy Premier and the Minister of Economic Development, Investment and Trade; and Turtle Mountain ML A Doyle Piwniuk was named the Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation.

I thank Premier Stef-

anson for reappointing me as Chair of the Progressive Conservative Caucus, and naming me to the Public Sector Compensation Committee, the Legislation and Regulations Committee, the Legislative Assembly Management Commission and Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.

Legislature to open early The Manitoba Legislature will open one day earlier than planned.

Members of the Legislative Assembly will return to Winnipeg on Tuesday, March 1 with the day set aside for condolence motions for MLAs who have passed.

Most of the day is expected to be taken up with MLAs speaking about Thompson ML A Danielle Adams, who died in a motor vehicle accident on Thursday, Dec. 9 on Highway 6 south of Thompson.

In the fall session of the Legislature, I sat in front of Danielle in the House and

had to the opportunity to get to know her a little bit better as a person, rather than just as a member of the Opposition.

My sincere condolences to her husband and two children.

The first budget under Premier Heather Stefanson’s watch is expected sometime in March.

The exact date that Finance Minister Cameron Friesen will deliver the budget in the Manitoba Legislature won’t be announced until early next month.

There are a number of infrastructure projects either underway or planned in the Riding Mountain constituency this year.

Work is being done on the bridge over the Assiniboine River on Provincial Road 259 between Lenore and Virden.

The bridge on Provincial Road 257 over Gopher Creek near Virden will be demolished by the end of March, and tenders for a new

Business Directory PROS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS



 

HAMIOTA: 204-764-2544  BRANDON: 888-726-1995 allianceaccounting.ca

Greg Nesbitt is the Member of Legislative Assembly for the Riding Mountain constituency. He can be reached at 204-759-3313, tollfree 1-844-877-7767 or by email at gregnesbittmla@mymts.net.

• Residential & Commercial • Farm Wiring & Trenching

Brandon - Rivers

204-761-2192 Hamiota’s

Hamiota ~ Brandon ~ Birtle  ~ Pilot Mound ~  Killarney ~ Deloraine

structure will be let later this fall. Construction is planned over the fall/winter, with the bridge opening in the spring of 2023.

Highway 10 from Minnedosa to Riding Mountain National Park will get some much-needed upgrades starting this summer. Reconstruction of a portion of the highway, together with a thin overlay of other sections, will make for a smoother ride.

Just a reminder that if you are sending an email to our office, please include your full name, phone number and the community in which you live.

Email or phone is also our preferred means of communication. We will not respond to any communications over Facebook Messenger.

Serving Rivers and area since 1906.

Phone 204-727-0694 or 1-800-897-5694 www.brockiedonovan.com

204-764-2744 FUNERAL DIRECTOR Dwayne Campbell ~ 204-764-2746

Hunt, Miller & Co. LLP

Frame and Stud Fra Post Farm Buildings me

Phone 204-727-8491 or 204-328-7540 (Thursdays, 2-5 p.m.) for appointments.

Johan’s Construction Ltd. 204-745-7628 cell Rivers MB,

Jack Cram, Lawyer

“Building for all your farm needs!”

•

Residential & Commercial

•

Repair & Maintenance

•

HVAC Installations

•

Septic Truck Services

•

Licensed Gas Fitting

•

Duct Cleaning

•

24 hr Emergency Service

•

Backhoe & Skidsteer Services

• Residential & Commercial • HVAC Installations • Licensed Gas Fitting • 24 hr Emergency Service • Repair & Maintenance • Septic Truck Services • Duct Cleaning • Backhoe & Skidsteer Services

Stewart Endeavors Gravel - Sand - Stone - End Dump/ Belly Dump Services - Excavating stewie13@mts.net 204-365-0086

WWW.KROEGERBACKHOE.CA EXCAVATION-GRAVELACREAGE DEVELOPEMENTSEPTIC SYSTEMS 204-761-8765

Alex Stewart Box 916, Rivers MB, R0K1X0

Way-Mor Agencies Ltd. Ph. 204-724-6870 Fax 204-328-4407 alepp@redlinetransport.ca Dry bulk transportation

Insurance, Travel, Investments, Real Estate

Phone 204-328-7540 204-566-2490

314 deaths From January through the end of September 2021, 314 people in Manitoba died of drug poisoning.

This number does not include those who died of substance-related causes.

Antoinette sits on a working committee with the Canadian Center for Substance Use and Addiction, working on policy to bring about changes.

From her focus group research, Antoinette found that some people want an alternative to the usual 12-step program, which is what spurred her to become trained in and start delivering SMART Recovery five years ago.

There is an in-person meeting once a week in Brandon and an online meeting once a week which is open to anyone in the province. There are also online meetings being delivered out of Winnipeg and Steinback, and in-person meetings and Thompson. Antoinette is one of many facilitators and also delivers SMART for family and friends twice

a month online.

Moms Stop the Harm, in partnership with Brandon Area Overdose Awareness and Brandon Harm Reduction, particulate and host an International annual overdose awareness day on August 31, as well as a purple ribbon campaign and “scoops for love” for the month of August. More information can be found on the Brandon Area Overdose Awareness Facebook page.

A ntoi net te won a YWCA Women of Distinction Award in November 2021 honouring her achievements in grassroots movements. Congratulat ions A ntoinette! The recognition is certainly well-deserved. Some upcoming events to look out for include a monthly support group for those coping with grief related to substance use harms and loss, aimed at First Nation communities, and the March 6 black balloon day, which honours those who have lost their lives due to substance use.

Banner & Press

Advertise in the

Neepawa Feb. 5, losing 7-0, then rebounding on Feb. 6 against McCreary with a win (6-0).

The U13 teams played the always exciting Rivers vs Rivers on Thurs.

Jan 27. This time, team R ic h mond c a me out victorious beating team Lepp in a close 4-2 game.

Team R ichmond then played Waywayseecappo on Feb. 2, winning a close 10-9 game, then finished out the weekend beating Russell at home 8-5. Team Lepp played Way wayseecappo Feb. 3 winning 6-4, and McCreary Feb. 5 losing a close one: 5-2 with an empty-net goal.

The U15 Rivers/Neepawa team had three close games, beating TriValley 8-7 on Fri. Feb. 4, Hamiota 3-2 on Sat., and lost a tough one 4-1 on Sun. against Portage.

RiveRs BanneR

Farmers’ advocate

February 25, 2022 • March 25, 2022 • April 29, 2022 May 20, 2022 • June 24, 2022 • July 29, 2022 • August 26, 2022 September 30, 2022 • October 29, 2022 • November 25, 2022 Wide circulation of 11,500 farms, businesses and households Friday, June 26, 2020

• B Section

Full page $959 Half page $599 1/4 page $289 1/8 page $159 Business card $99

Banner & Press RiveRs BanneR

Farmers’ Advocate

neepawa

Antoinette Gravel-Ouellette

large marg in (19 - 0 & 24-0). For those who don’t know all the hockey lingo, a “home-and-home” is exactly what it sounds like: one game at home in Rivers, and one game away, so the Waywayseecappo team was at home.

The U11 Marvin team went t o Way w ay s e e cappo on Thurs. Jan. 27 and came home with a win (18-4). Seven different Marvin team players scored goals in this game—way to go team!

They played Tri-Valley on Thurs. Feb. 3, tying 8-8, then won against Ham iota 9 - 4 on Sat. Feb 5.

The U11 Brown team went to Minnesoda on Jan. 29, coming home with a win (7-2), then came up short against Elkhorn losing 4-3 on Feb. 4, playing a provincial play-in game with

The Rivers U7 team played the Brandon team on Sat. Feb. 5, f inally playing a game with a full roster. It was a great game, with goals scored

by Mason, Rilyn, Gavin, and Jet. The U9 Peters team had a busy couple of weekends, play ing an exhibition game on Sat. Jan. 29 at Oak lake, losing 10-3, and then playing a league game against Neepawa, coming up short 11-1. This past weekend, they finished league play losing a nail biter 8-7 in last minute of game play.

The U9 Smith team played in Elkhorn, losing a tight game 7-3. They played a home-and-home with Way wayseecappo this past weekend winning both games by a

A ray of sunshine for the future of farming

PHOTO COURTESY OF

Four-year-old CJ lives

and breathes farming,

seeding with his dad

on C.S. Farms, near Polonia.

The future farmer spends

ber 18, 2020

a lot of time “helping”

NICOLE WILSON

his dad!

Book all 10 issues and get your 10th ad free!

200646C1

Farmers’ Advocate Friday, Septem

• B Section

Banner & Press RiveRs BanneR

Harvest progre ssing well for Westman farmers

Contact Ken Waddell at

204-476-3401

kwaddell@neepawabanner.com Farmers’ Advocate Friday, Novembe

14, 2020 • B

Section Lots of

equipmen PHOTO BY DIANE WARNER north of Neepawat was out in the fields last Friday. busy combining off Highway 5, Doug McLaren Just , with Darrell was Waldner towing tank beside.

(See harvest the grain story on Page B2)

Farmers’ Advocate

order take out From BostoN Pasta tuesda Pizza! y or oNe oF our o NliNe BuNdle

Crop dusters in the air

s

500 PTH #5, Neepawa

of wheat...

In a field full For Take Out or

, MB

call: 204-704-5000 Delivery

Banner & Press RiveRs BanneR

neepawa

You got the bait?

We have the hook!

r 27, 2020 • B Section

Banners & Pres Need Field F ood FR ive ast ? Rs BanneR Friday, August

neepawa

A nt oi net t e Gr ave l Ouellette has been a leader in advocacy work for over 35 years. She was the first Coordinator and one of the founding Board members of the Samaritan House ministries in 1987. Since then, she has worked tirelessly for numerous charitable and governmental organizations, focusing on helping those struggling with substance abuse and their loved ones. She has lived in Rivers since 1998.

She is currently the Reg iona l Coord inator for the province of Manitoba for Self Management and Recovery Training (SMART) Recovery, a peer-led support group for those who struggle with substances and behaviours they wish to change. She also works with Moms Stop the Harm as the Program Coordinator for one of their prog rams called Stronger Together Canada. Moms Stop the Harm received federal government grants last year to roll out Healing Hearts and Holding Hope groups across Canada. Healing Hearts is for people who have lost a loved one to substance use and Holding Hope is for those who have a loved one still struggling with substances. She is also the Chair of Brandon Area Overdose Awareness, honouring those who have died by drug poisoning. They strive to educate the public about the stigma of words and language used when talking about people who struggle with substances.

The organization also supports those who have lost a loved one due to substance use.

Sarah Plosker Rivers Banner

neepawa

Sarah Plosker Rivers Banner

Hockey Update

neepawa

Local’s advocacy work recognized

February 11, 2022 Rivers Banner 5

• Ads • Posters • Flyers Full colour Quick Print Service

RiveRs BanneR 529-2nd Avenue, Rivers, MB 204-328-7494 info@riversbanner.com

nflowerE OFFER be the su LIMITED TIM PHOTO BY

This

has a few field near Eden

volunteers standing

tall above the

wheat. Last

year’s crop must

have been sunflowe

rs, with a few

DIANE WARNER

deciding to

take root.

ts mean…

Right sized drople ts mean…

Right sized drople

204-476-7580 wa, Manitoba

271 Railway

leftover seeds

son ®, jugs of Crim Pur cha se 101 jug free . get

This crop duster

was spotted just

New York Cheesecak e or our signature

2020.

September 30, supplies last.

Promotion expires customer, while to 1 free jug per Offer limited Drift

e + Less = Better Coverag + Less Drift tion e - Less Fines Penetra Coverag Better Canopy - Deeper Less Fines = Penetration - Deeper Canopy

E OFFER LIMITED TIM son® , jugs of Crim Purc hase 101 jug free . get

of of 10 x 10L jugs Purchase a minimum jug at no charge.

1 x 10L Crimson, receive 30, 2020.

September supplies last.

Promotion expires customer, while to 1 free jug per Offer limited

®

©2020 WinField

is a registered

®

©2020 WinField

WinField trademark and

is a registered

United.

WinField trademark and

United.

north of Neepawa,

Present this coupon for $3 off a slice of decadent

of of 10 x 10L jugs Purchase a minimum jug at no charge.

1 x 10L Crimson, receive

Street, Neepa

Chocolate Explosion Cheesecake.

Valid thru Pasta Tuesday December 1st 2020.

Neepawa, MB

near Highway 5,

in early October,

spraying the sunflowers

in preparation of

harvest.

PHOTO BY DIANE

WARNER

CLASSIC FAVOURITES ARE Lunch, dinner, snack BACK AT BOSTON PIZZA! ...We’ve got you covered Take-ouT or Delivery ! available from 11 am To

11 Pm every Day. 500

PTH #5, Neepawa

For Take Out or Delivery

, MB

204-704-5000 call:

We’d love to feature pictures of local farms.

If you have a photo you’d like to share, please send it to us at news@neepawabanner.com

6 Rivers Banner February 11, 2022

22022ww1

February 11, 2022 Rivers Banner 7

Calving and lambing season has arrived

Sarah Plosker Rivers Banner

The beginning of calving and lambing season is upon us and boy are there some cutie-patooties. Local farms have provided me with lots of photos for a cuteness overload. There are always difficulties in birthing early in the season, due to cold weather. A heat lamp can only go so far when it’s -30!

Farmers have to time the breeding just right.

Some sheep farmers breed in August so the lambs are born around Christmas/New Years, in order for the lambs to be ready for Easter market.

Many cattle farmers prefer to wait to get the calves off to a good start in warmer spring weather, which means planned breeding of the cows sometime in June of the previous year, although that means the youngsters have some catching up to do growing-wise. Other farmers want the best of both worlds, so they split their herd in two, with half calving/lambing in January and half in March. Gestation takes approx. 150 days for ewes (female sheep) and 283 days for cows.

Ann and Colin Hunter’s

sheep started lambing in December and they’re already on their second wave. Granddaughter Eva (pictured below) likes to help with the lambs. They currently run around 300 ewes, mainly Ile de France breed. The pink dots on the lambs do not mean that they are girls. It means they were triplets. Ann marks them like that because they only leave the ewes with a maximum of two lambs -- the rest are bottle fed. So far this year they have 18 bottle babies. They don't have a heated barn so a lot of lambs end up getting warmed and dried in the house. Ann and Colin also run 240 cow-calf pairs, which will start calving at end of March. With so many ewes and cows, it’s important to stagger the births for logistical reasons.

Brian and Leanne English have a farm North of Bradwardine, selling beef to local Manitobans by the quarter/half. Their cows normally don’t calve at this time of the year but they had a few heifers that had different plans. (Heifers are young cows who haven’t had any calves yet.) They’ve pushed their regular calving schedule to the end of April/beginning

of May and have 110 cows to calve. His son Connor comes back to farm in the spring to help out as the cow herd will basically double during the year.

Amy and Trevor Peters’ farm, Big Sky Simmentals, is just East of Rivers. They raise purebred Simmentals and commercial Simmental Charolais. They’ve been calving since Christmas and go out every three hours at night to check on the cows, and every hour on really cold days. They are still waiting on seven cows of 42 this calving season. Their herd is split into two calving seasons, with the second season in Aug/Sept. With a small operation, they recognize each cow by name. Their children have helped with calving hands-on and they have become very good at it. They’re very involved and name every calf born on the farm. Cows are kept in the barn for winter calving to help keep the babies as warm as possible.

While twins are common in sheep, singles are more common in cattle.

Pictured top right is young Mesa Gerrard with one of her calves at her farm in Riverdale Municipality.

It’s sure nice to see the next generation of farmers taking part!

I hope to do a “Part 2” to this article featuring calves and lambs born later in the season, in late spring. If anyone has livestock they want featured (calves, lambs, goat kids, Above: protective mom or other livestock), let me with her calf. know at sarah.plosker@ gmail.com.

Now in Neepawa Now in Neepawa and Serving Minnedosa and Serving Minnedosa Local Lawyers in Portage la Prairie, Local Lawyers in Portagefor la Prairie, MacGregor & Gladstone 50 Years MacGregor & Gladstone for 50 Years 225B Ellen Street, 225B Ellen Street, Box 310 Box 310 Manitoba Neepawa, Neepawa, R0J 1H0 Manitoba R0J (204)1H0 704-4000 (204) 704-4000

Manitoba’s Law Firm: 10 Offices Across Manitoba’s Law Firm: the Province 10 Offices Across the Province

Denbie Ranch & Guests Bull Sale

Saturday, Feb 19th, 2022 2:00 P.M. @ Ste. Rose Auction Mart 56 Bulls Sell

3 Breeds

Red Angus, Charolais, Red Angus x Simmental– Hybrids

Red Angus

Charolais

Two year old, Long Yearling and Yearling Bulls that are well grown out and Not Pushed! They will last!

Denbie Ranch

Myhre Land and Cattle

Bar J

Denis and Debbie Guillas

Hans Myhre

Jack Robertson

204-447-2473

Cell: 204-648-6416

204-843-2246

Cell: 204-447-7608 Bjorn Christianson bc@tdslaw.com Bjorn Christianson bc@tdslaw.com

Mason Broadfoot mkjb@tdslaw.com Mason Broadfoot mkjb@tdslaw.com

Sherry Francis sfrancis@tdslaw.com Sherry Francis sfrancis@tdslaw.com

Hybrid –Red X Simmental

Justin Robertson

Sale Day Online Bidding with DLMS

204-871-3086

Schedule on farm visits to view bulls prior to sale date.

View Catalogue and Videos of Bulls @www.dlms.ca – cattle vids or srauction.ca and Denbie Ranch Facebook

COVID protocols will apply

8 Rivers Banner February 11, 2022

Sarah Plosker Rivers Banner

Secret recipes from Rivers Mammas and Grannies

In this week’s “recipes with a story” column, our featured recipe comes from Donna Falkevitch who lives at Chimo with her husband Dave. In our Jan. 28 issue, we featured a recipe from Donna for buns, which was fairly st ra ight for ward. T h is week, the recipe is for Polish cheese rolls, which have a bit more steps to them than the buns. But, they are well worth it!

Since this is a recipe for special occasions, why not make this for (or with) your loved one on Valentine’s day? If you have a recipe (and a story) you would like to be featured, please email me at sarah. plosker@gmail.com.

Grandma Freda’s Cheese Rolls (Nalysnky) from Donna Falkevitch My husband Dave’s Mom Freda had a strong Polish heritage with both her pa r ent s a nd one sibling being born in Poland. The family loved big celebrat ions w it h feasts and Freda loved to cook for her family.

One of the main things I remember about any of the family gatherings was that Freda always brought the cheese rolls.

Whether it was a shower, wedding, anniversar y, m i l e s t o n e b i r t h d a y, Thanksgiving, Easter or

RiveRs BanneR 529 Second Ave Rivers, MB. R0K 1X0

www.riversbanner.com

info@riversbanner.com The Rivers Banner serves the communities of:

Rivers Oak River Rapid City Cardale Harding

Bradwardine Forrest Station Alexander Kenton

myWestman.ca

Christmas, it was imperative that there were many pans of her famous cheese rolls. As with many of the hand me down recipes from relatives who made them “out of my head”, this interpretation of her recipe lacks some precise directions or hints.

She knew what to do so didn’t bother to write it down. As she has now passed on, the younger generations are trying to keep her legacy intact by perfecting the cheese rolls. We can only continue making them and gain a little experience with each batch.

Crepes 3 eggs ½ cup milk ½ cup water ¾ cup f lour ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt In a medium bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and water to eggs and mix again.

Sift together f lour, baking powder, salt and add to mixture. Beat together well. At this point it has been suggested to put batter in the fridge for an hour to chill (optional).

Add 1 tsp. of oil to a

6”-9” skillet (the smaller is best) and heat it up to medium. Carefully pour 1/8 cup batter into the heated pan, spreading it evenly on the whole bot tom of t he s k i l let with a spoon. Fry on one side only. Flip it over onto a dish. Keep piling the cooked ones up until you’re out of batter.

Should make about 24 crepes.

Filling 2 cups cottage cheese 1 egg (beaten) ¼ tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon (optional) Mix cottage cheese, beaten egg, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl. Spread 1 TBSP of the filling mixture in an even layer on the unfried side of each crepe and roll up. Place all the rolled-up crepes in a 9”x11” baking dish. This should make about 24 cheese rolls.

At this point you can cover the nalysnky and freeze for later or proceed to baking.

1 TBSP Dill weed (optional) or for a sweet dish use cinnamon and sugar When you decide to ba ke t h i s d i sh, pou r heavy cream and melted butter over the top, cover with foil and bake for 20 – 25 minutes at 300° F. Watch that they do not get scorched.

Don’t miss the deadline!

22022ww0

12 noon Tuesday RiveRs BanneR

529-2nd Avenue, Rivers, MB 204-328-7494 info@riversbanner.com

Final Step 3/4 cup heavy cream 2 TBSP butter (melted)

22022ge0

February 11, 2022 Rivers Banner 9

Sarah’s Science Corner Soils in Winter – Part II

Sarah Plosker Rivers Banner

Based on https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/hands-on-activities/how-does-snot-work How does snot work?

With so many people being sick this time of year, I thought it fitting to do write about a Let’s Talk Science activity on snot. Today, we’ll make some fake snot and explore the function of mucus in this fun activity, geared towards children in grades 1-5.

What You Need • Light corn syrup • Unflavoured gelatin • Water • Measuring cup • Microwave oven, stove or kettle • Spoon • Fork • Microwave proof container • Vacuum cleaner or broom with dustpan Safety First! Adults should prov ide assistance and supervision in preparing the hot water and handling hot liquids. Also, dust from the vacuum cleaner is very fine and care should be taken to avoid breathing it in.

What to do 1. Heat 1/2 cup water until it boils. Remove from heat.

2. Sprinkle 3 envelopes of unflavoured gelatin into the hot water. Let it soften for a few minutes and stir with a fork.

3. Add enough corn syrup

to make 1 cup of thick glop.

4. Stir with a fork and lift out long strands of gunk. As it cools, you'll need to add more water, spoonful by spoonful.

5. Collect dust from your vacuum cleaner bag/filter, or sweep around the house and collect some dust in your dustpan. (Parents: this snot activity might be worth it just to trick your child into doing some cleaning!)

6. Dump a pinch of dust onto your fake snot. Now stir it up. Look closely into the goo from the side. You just made fake boogers!

What’s happening?

The muscus in your nose works like the fake snot to trap all the dust, pollen, and other particles floating in the air. Sometimes when you blow your nose, gross black stuff comes out. It's usually mucus with trapped dust. It's healthier to keep that kind of dirt outside of our bodies.

And snot does just that: most of the junk is trapped and then blown out in boogers!

len and other harmful particles that could cause irritation and infection.

Our airways are lined with lots of tiny hairs called cilia (si·lee·uh). These move in unison (like a "wave" at a stadium) to push mucus towards the back of the throat where it is swallowed.

Once swallowed, stomach acids destroy any infectious agents that may have been present in the mucus. But if the mucus dries out before it can be carried to the back of the throat, it becomes a booger!

Investigate further • How much dust can your fake snot hold?

• Try making your snot runnier (with more water) or thicker (with more syrup or gelatin). What do you notice about the amount of dust that is captured when the fake snot is runnier?

Thicker?

Patricia Hanbidge Rivers Banner

Last week we delved into what is happening in the soil when winter arrives. We learned how t he water w it h i n t he soils freezes and that it is important to keep the frost levels from going deeper into the soil by ensuring our gardens are watered prior to freeze up. Thankfully, Mother Nature often takes care of this chore for us with late fall rains or early snows that melt into the soil.

We introduced the soil food web which is still living below the frost layer there in winter. There are many techniques used by plants, animals and even the tiniest critters that allow them to survive the winter. Some animals will burrow beneath the

frost layer in the soil and either hibernate or exist on stored food but some of the soil animals have evolved to withstand temperatures below freezing.

At least five species of frogs in North America make their own natural antifreeze which allows them to become completely frozen for long periods of time without suffering serious damage to their cells. Many of the soil microbes (bacteria and fungi) are active in winter months. Studies done in Antarctica, show microbial life in permanently frozen ground or permafrost.

Many of our plants that are perennial in nature and grow in cold climates are also able to withstand extremely cold temperatures due to evolving factors. Some

Why does it matter?

Snot, or more formally, nasal mucus, is vital for good health! It helps protect lungs and keeps tissues from drying out. Snot protects lungs by preventing the entr y of bacteria, pol22014gm1 22022gm0

Editors Note

In the Feb. 4, 2022 Banner a letter to the editor from Mary Lowe was printed in it, Lowe said, “The unvaccinated make up 75 per cent of the hospitalizations.”

Those figures may have been true at some point but the stats on the Government of Manitoba website said on Feb. 7 that 24 per of hospitalizations are unvaccinated, 15 per cent of cases are unvaccinated and 29 per cent of deaths were unvaccinated, 39 per cent of ICU cases are unvaccinated. The federal site shows a different set of figures from mid-January.

See this links for updates .https://www.manitoba.ca/covid19/updates/cases.html#vaccine-status https://health-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/epidemiological-summary-covid19-cases.html

will develop root systems below t he frost layer while others will also develop an antifreezelike situation. The roots will release a lot of water into the surrounding soil and within the cells themselves a higher concentration of sugars and salts will lower the freezing point of the water that is still within and between the cells.

Other tiny organisms within the soil are able to survive by living in a microscopic film of water that adheres to soil particles. The bond energy between the water molecules and soil particles is so great that the thin layer of water does not freeze even at extremely low temperatures.

Continued on page 11

10 Rivers Banner February 11, 2022

The Canadian Constitution Mazier reacts to ousting of O’Toole part 3 Lawless governance

Because our political parties are fixated on acquiring the power of governance, they routinely ignore their constitutional responsibilities when they form a government.

If you read through the subjects in Sections 91 to 96, the only real power therein is the power to tax. The rest are responsibilities.

In part 2, I pointed out that the federal government is responsible for the military and defence of Canada’s sovereignty, land and waters. There is no justification for our being the NATO paupers, lacking well behind our fellow NATO members in defence spending. We do not take defence spending seriously, although it is a matter of national pride and patriotism.

When the constitution is read as subjects of responsibility, it takes on real meaning. For example, the federal government is responsible for Indians, and Lands reserved for the Indians.

That includes all aspects of relations with indigenous people, including health care, housing, and education. Over the years, governments have contracted with provinces to provide health care and education to Indigenous people. The federal government cannot be allowed to delegate its responsibilities.

At one time, Indigenous affairs had representative agents in or for every Indigenous reserve. Now they operate out of an Ottawa enclave with no boots on the ground. Indigenous affairs bureaucrats should be required to spend at least 24 months on reserves, living with the people they ignore. Reconciliation would quickly follow.

The federal government is also responsible for Quarantine and the Establishment and Maintenance of Marine Hospitals. As late as the early 1980s, we had military hospitals scattered across Canada. They serviced armed forces personnel and their families, veterans, RCMP members, Indigenous people, and inmates in federal prisons.

Those hospitals were gifted to the provinces in violation of the constitution. The federal government claimed it was saving money but built a bureaucracy to track, bill and pay for services to federal wards. Consider how having those military hospitals with trained personnel in place would have helped us deal with the current pandemic.

Quarantine, isolating people with an infectious disease, is a federal responsibility.

Regional efforts to isolate us are unconstitutional. Emergency legislation is intended to apply for a limited duration, usually about 30 days. Extending emergency legislation for a month due to unforeseen is reasonable. Extensions for two years are ridiculous.

The federal government failed to screen incoming travellers to Canada, test them for COVID and quarantine them if they were positive. Two years later, they admit they cannot control COVID spread. Perhaps that is because it failed in its fiduciary duty to Canada.

Within the subject list for the provinces is: Local Works and Undertakings other than such as are of the following Classes: (a) Lines of Steam or other Ships, Railways, Canals, Telegraphs, and other Works and Undertakings connecting the Province with any other or others of the Provinces, or extending beyond the Limits of the Province: (b) Lines of Steam Ships between the Province and any British or Foreign Country:

(c) Such Works as, although wholly situate within the Province, are before or after their Execution declared by the Parliament of Canada to be for the general Advantage of Canada or for the Advantage of Two or more of the Provinces.

Interprovincial highways, roads, canals, ferries, railways, telegraph and cable lines, pipelines, and any works extending to foreign nations are a federal responsibility. The federal government has no constitutional authority to privatize the Port of Churchill. It is required to maintain the port as an export facility and bring the rail line to Churchill up to interprovincial standards as exports come from many provinces.

The federal government maintains that improvements to interprovincial highways benefit the provinces, and the provinces should carry some of the costs. That is an abdication of responsibility and a violation of the above section.

Rubbing salt in the wounds, the federal government is spending on bridges in Montreal, Toronto highways, and Ottawa subways, violating the constitution. These are local works in the realm of the provinces and outside the federal government’s jurisdiction. Buying votes cannot trump the constitution.

Outside of its responsibilities for quarantine, Indigenous affairs, and military hospitals, the federal government has no jurisdiction over health care. Nevertheless, it passed an unconstitutional Canada Heath Act using its financial support to provinces as a lever.

The pillars of the Canada Health Act: (a) public administration; (b) comprehensiveness; (c) universality; (d) portability; and (e) accessibility are thoroughly established in provincial systems. Accessibility has become a joke as underfunded systems, and efforts to manage (curtail) costs have resulted in long waiting lists for people in need of health care.

The Canada Health Act violates provincial jurisdiction and the constitutional principle of governance at the level closest to the people.

It is time for the federal government to repeal the Canada Health Act, transfer tax points to the provinces in place of transfers and allow provinces to innovate in renovating their fragile health care systems highlighted by the pandemic.

Our systems need a significant overhaul, and the federal government is not helpful. If it can’t lead, get out of the road.

I am disgusted with opposition parties who never raise these issues rather than awaiting their chance at governance. They ought to be engaged in building a better Canada and fail us.

To subscribe: https://mailchi.mp/cfabc3018c46/feldsted-friends Governments want to censor our speech.

Without the freedom of expression, we cannot pick out the idiots.

It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong. - Thomas Sowell John Feldsted Political commentator, consultant & strategist Winnipeg, Manitoba

Eoin Devereux Rivers Banner

For the second time in his tenure as MP for the DauphinSwan River-Neepawa riding, Dan Mazier will see the coronation of a new leader for the Conservative Party of Canada.

The caucus for the federal party recently voted by secret ballot to remove Erin O’Toole from the leadership position, after just 18 months in the role.

O’Toole was appointed Conservative leader in 2020 during the party’s leadership campaign. The party had to make changes to the race due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including using mail-in balloting instead of hosting a leadership convention. In total, about 175,000 ballots were cast, the highest number of votes on the leadership in the party’s history.

O’Toole was voted out by 73 Tory MPs via secret ballot Wednesday, Feb. 2, while 45 MPs voted in favour of keeping him in the top spot. Even though he is no longer leader, O’Toole will remain the Member of Parliament for his riding of Durham, ON.

Mazier, who was one of the 118 Conservative MPs eligible to vote on the leadership, declined to say how he voted, wishing to maintain the integrity of the secret ballot. He did, however, express some concern with the process as it currently stands under the Reform Act. One of the key parts of the Reform Act, which was first instituted in 2015, is that it gives MPs in a party caucus the power to trigger a leadership review and to subsequently vote to oust their leader.

“I don’t think it did our membership any good by short circuiting the person that they said they’d pick for leader [during the leadership convention],” said Mazier. “Who are these 118 people to decide, actually [73] people decide that, by secret ballot, that ‘No, we don’t like this leader’. I think there are other ways to be doing it besides triggering a national caucus and a national leaders review. For the democracy side, on the membership side, I wouldn’t blame a member right now for being a little bit annoyed with the caucus.”

While Mazier does respect the rules as they stand, he hopes

22022gm1 22023gm0

that the process will be revisited someday.

As for just who should be the next Party leader, Mazier said he has no personal favourite right now to step into the role on a permanent basis, but he does knows what that person should embody.

“We need leadership and we need someone who will remind us what it means to be Canadian,” said Mazier. “We have an amazing group. We have very strong and capable members and I’m optimistic we can get through the ideologies that are testing us, right now.”

Mazier was first elected during the 2019 election, while Andrew Scheer was the Conservative Party’s leader. Mazier won re-elect last year, this time with O’Toole as the face of the party. Candice Bergen of Portage-Lisgar will serve as the interim leader, until the party’s national council can start planning for the new leadership race. As of the Banner & Press publication deadline, Pierre Poilievre, of the Carleton, ON constituency, is the only individual who has declared a leadership bid.

February 11, 2022 Rivers Banner 11

RIVERS

BANNER CLASSIFIEDS

PLACE YOUR AD BY:

PHONE: 204-328-7494 FAX: 204-328-5212 E-MAIL: info@riversbanner.com

DEADLINE: TUESDAY AT NOON

Help Wanted

Minimum charge: $5+GST Extra insertions: 1/2 original price

RTM’s

Livestock

For Sale

Canadian Central Bull & Female Sale, Monday March 7, 1:00 pm at the Ag Pavilion, Neepawa, MB. Offering Simmental & Angus yearling & two year old bulls.For a catalogue or more information contact T Bar C Cattle Co. at 306-220-5006. Watch and bid online at www.DLMS.ca. To view the catalogue online, go to www.BuyAgro.com. (PL #116061)

BATTERIES FOR EVERYTHING!

The Aurora Plus

50, 000 BATTERIES IN STOCK

1648 SqFt RTM

Help Wanted

FOODS Meat Cutters/Production Personnel Our people, perseverance, integrity, and exceptional partnerships have led HyLife to becoming Canada’s leading pork producer and global exporter of high quality pork products. The growing demand for our pork in Japan and China means we need exceptional people to help deliver our company vision. We have expanded our Neepawa facility to increase our overall production by 15% and in turn created new jobs throughout the company.

As a Meat Cutter/Production Personnel you will be a critical member of our team in the creation of our world class product. Our positions range from working on our slaughter production floor to shipping the final packaged product, with everything in between! With our wide variety of jobs, excellent people, and our drive for innovation you will certainly find a job that suits you!

Responsibilities and duties include but are not limited to: • Slaughter and eviscerate hogs for further processing • Harvest and package edible offal • Process pork carcasses into primal cuts • Butcher and package pork primal cuts into value added specifications for local, national and international premium markets • Carry out other tasks related to processing of meat for shipping to customers or storage • Sanitation People who will succeed as members of our team will: • Enjoy working in a fast paced, stable long term work environment • Appreciate working in a culturally diverse workplace. We employ people from all over the world!

• Treat people with dignity and respect • Open to working in colder/warmer environments • Physically Fit • Experience as an industrial butcher or trimmer is an asset

Current starting wage is $15.15/hour plus $1.00 per hour perfect attendance incentive!

Wage scale extends to $22.10 per hour We believe that our success is founded on the strength of our team.

As such, we place a great deal of emphasis on attracting, developing and retaining good people, and consider every one of our employees to be a highly-valued member of the HyLife family. To that end, we are committed to providing a working environment that not only fosters personal growth, but also recognizes our employees’ contributions towards the common goal of our company’s success because of this HyLife has been recognized as a Platinum Member of Canada’s Best-Managed Companies.

If you have the qualifications and the passion to meet this challenge then we would like to explore your potential.

Please apply online at http://hylife.com/current-opportunities/ or email to jobs@hylife.com or mail to PO Box 10,000, 623 Main St E, Neepawa, MB R0J 1H0.

We thank all applicants, however, only those under consideration will be contacted

3 bedrooms, ensuite, huge kitchen, quartz countertops, walk-in pantry, island. 9 ft walls and double cathedral ceiling. James Hardie Siding.

*Auto *Farm *Marine *Construction *ATV *Motorcycle *Golf Carts *Rechargeables *Tools *Phones *Computers *Solar Systems & design * Everything Else!

THE BATTERY MAN 1390 St. James St., WPG 1-877-775-8271 www.batteryman.ca

Trucks, Trailers, Truckbeds & Tires

• Full Repair & Safeties • Vehicle Parts, Tires & Wheels • Trailer Parts & Batteries • Sales, Financing, Leasing & Rentals EBY Aluminum: • Gooseneck and Bumper Pull Cattle & Equipment Trailers • Truck & Service Bodies • Generation Grain Trailers

KALDECK TRUCK & TRAILER INC.

Hwy #1, MacGregor, MB

1-888-685-3127

www.kaldecktrailers.com

Pictures available www. wgiesbrechthomes.ca CLASS 1

TRUCK DRIVER To run Canada must have experience - Paid pick, drops, layovers and stat pay

Taking orders for Spring 2022 204-346-3231

Announcement

- Multi drop runs - Benefit package - Dedicated truck - Sign on bonus - Annual bonus - Reset at home - Weekend home time - Paid training - Referral program

Derek (204) 793-7465 CENTENNIAL TRANSPORT & LEASING LTD.

Maintenance/Caretaker Couple or Person Required

Classifieds MUST be PREPAID Visa/Mastercard accepted

Manitoba Community Newspaper Association Province Wide Classifieds NOTICES Advertisements and statements contained herein are the sole responsibility of the persons or entities that post the advertisement, and the Manitoba Community Newspaper Association and membership do not make any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness or reliability of such advertisements. For greater information on advertising conditions, please consult the Association’s Blanket Advertising Conditions on our website at www.mcna.com.

URGENT PRESS RELEASES - Have a newsworthy item to announce? Having a Winter or Christmas event?

An exciting change in operations? Though we cannot guarantee publication, MCNA will get the information into the right hands for ONLY $35.00 + GST/HST. Call MCNA (204) 947-1691 for more information. See www. mcna.com under the “Types of Advertising” tab for more details.

COVID IMPACTING YOUR BUSINESS? Advertise in the 32 Weekly Manitoba Community Newspapers to get your messaging out and get seen by over 360,000+ homes. Selling something?

Have an on-line store to shop at, doing curbside pickup/ deliveries? Let people know in the Blanket Classifieds!

Main camp road access plus boat in & y in outposts. Large, heated, well equipped shop to repair or fabricate almost anything. Troubleshooting, mechanical, heavy equipment operation, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, welding, etc.

If you possess a lot of skills, enjoy a rural location, are motivated, responsible, independent and respectful, this may be your dream lifestyle/employment.

Any excessive alcohol consumption (beyond social) or substance abuse is not welcome at our shing/ hunting camp.

Call 204 937 4007

Auction McSherry Auctions 12 Patterson Dr. , Stonewall, MB

Online Timed Auctions @ iCollector.com Estate & Moving

Closes Wed Feb 16@ 7:00PM

Estate & Moving

Featuring Guns & Ammo Closes Wed Feb 23@ 7:00PM

Consignments Welcome!

(204) 467-1858 or (204) 886-7027

www.mcsherryauction.com

BUSINESS FOR SALE Profitable Business- Gas station- Convenience StoreRestaurant for sale in Gilbert Plains, MB. Perfect location with 4 lots serious inquiries only. Call 204-548-2508 or 204-638-2643.

Food and energy From page 9

Relocate to SLIMS CABINS NE Saskatchewan Full Time. Year Round.

Start the year off right. Don’t let COVID get you down. We are now booking Classified Advertising for 2022. Call THIS NEWSPAPER NOW or call MCNA at (204) 947-1691 for details or to book ads.

MCNA - Manitoba Community Newspapers Association. www.mcna.com

The microbes living within this unfrozen water are able to survive and continue to work consuming organic matter and exhaling carbon dioxide. It is important at this point to think about the fact that a handful of soil contains more microbes than there are humans on earth!

Being confronted with facts that are incomprehensible we are getting into the real science of soil!

Microbes, like bacteria and fungi, need food and energy to live. They depend on soil for their homes and their work is to decompose organic matter as well as weather rocks and minerals which prov ides nutr ients within the soil in a form that plants can use. Many species of fungi will overwinter in the form of spores which as the soil warms, they begin to sprout, sending out masses of thread-like hyphae. Fungi recycle chemical elements that would otherwise remain locked up in dead plants and animals. Some decompose plant debris as they utilize the carbon and energy that come from the breakdown

of dead and decaying plants.

Bacteria perform a wide range of chemical transformations which are critical to growing and maintaining a healthy food supply. These millions of dif ferent microbes that live in the soil create a biodiversity that is in the most part beneficial to human health. It is our job to ensure that we do our part to keep our soils healthy!

A soil that is rich in organic matter helps these microorganisms to over w inter w it hout har m. Recent ly, it was discovered that archaea microorganisms are likely the most ancient living things on earth. They have been found in every known environment including Yellowstone’s hot springs to ice f loes in the Arctic. As they can live and reproduce in extraord inar i ly harsh ecologies, they are called extremophiles or lovers of the extreme!

Watch next week for the final article devoted to soils in winter and learn about how to keep your soil healthy and the role that larger organisms play in the soil food web.

12 Rivers Banner February 11, 2022

Cattle producers continue efforts to protect grasslands and species at risk

Wayne Hildebrand MHHC

Allan and Jacqueline Downey are 4th generation Melita area cattle producers who have worked with Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation for close to 20 years to protect native grassland pastures and species at risk along the Souris River Valley.

“Our main pasture is along a 5 mile stretch of the river valley starting at the USA border,” said Allan.

“The pasture is almost all native grassland on the wide river flats and banks.”

“My great grandfather homesteaded the farm in the late 1880s,” Allan said.

“He fenced the Mixed Grass Prairie that was grazed by huge herds of buffalo.”

Over thousands of years the plants, birds and animals adapted to survive and thrive in the grasslands of this dry corner of the

province.

Eighty per cent of Manitoba’s Mixed Grass Prairie is now gone. The grasslands of the Downey farm are helping to protect many prairie species, including the endangered Ferruginous Hawk, Baird’s Sparrow, and Sprague’s Pipit.

“Jacqueline and I signed Conservation Agreements with Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation to permanently protect our native grassland pastures in 2003, 2006 and 2011,” said Allan. “In 2020 Tom Moran from Manitoba Habitat Heritage contacted me about a new program aimed at protecting threatened and endangered species on grass pastures. Tom explained that the program provided funding that included the cost of fencing materials. No one had ever offered to buy me fence posts before, so we looked into it.”

“It is common for our

habitat programming to change over time,” said MHHC Habitat Conservation Specialist Tom Moran.

“Recently MHHC has developed incentive programs for beef producers that recognize the positive connection between grasslands, cows, wildlife habitat and protection of species at risk.”

“Over time you build a relationship with area landowners,” said Tom. “It was easy for me to contact Allan, Jacqueline and their son Ryan to discuss and explain the new program for cattle producers and their pastureland. The program provides funding for several things including perimeter pasture fencing, cross fencing, dugouts, watering systems and shrub mowing.

Program funding is available for 2022 projects.”

“We really appreciated Tom contacting us to discuss the new program,” said Allan. “The financial

assistance helped, and the new fence sure looks nice.

In the end, the funding MHHC provided allowed us to replace 9 miles of permanent perimeter fence, put in 2.6 miles of temporary cross fence, and build 6 new dugouts.”

“The summer of 2021

was one of mixed blessings,” Allan said. “It was so dry that for the first time we never baled any hay, but we had time to pound posts and replace old fence.”

“We care a lot for our cows and native prairie grasslands,” said Allan.

“There are fewer cattle

Sprague’s Pipit species at risk in south western MB.

22022gt5

22022ge1

producers every year and 2021 was a tough year for many. It is encouraging that MHHC understands that beef producers are protecting their grasslands, raising food and helping endangered species at the same time. It is nice to feel appreciated.”