Teahan's Corner in Brandon

Every once in a while I find a comfortable, friendly place to spend a few minutes with friends enjoying a coffee or a tea or a bite to eat. Today I found such a place - Teahan's corner in Brandon.

In the photo, I am with Laurie Oleniuk and Ashleigh Ernest at Teahan's Corner.

Margaret Workman 1924-2006

Margaret Workman was a friend and a wonderful Liberal as well as being a major contributor to the community of Brandon. A memorial service was held today for Margaret at St. Augustine's Church.

Born in Deloraine, Margaret moved to Brandon and worked for many years with the Manitoba Telephone Service. In retirement, Margaret just kept on going, working for many more years part time at Academy Florists on Princess Ave.

Margaret was a lifelong Liberal. She campaigned in many elections and was the Liberal candidate in Brandon East for the 1981 provincial election.

At the memorial service Kareen Rommelaere provided a moving tribute to Margaret. Thank you Kareen.

The photo above, with Margaret Workman was taken earlier this year during one of my visits with Margaret.

Thanksgiving

Naomi and I have much to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving weekend. Chief among many blessings is the company of members of our family including my parents (John and Betty), my brother, Peter and our son Charles. It is amazing to have both my parents alive, alert and remarkably energetic at age 90. We also feel very fortunate to have had warm fall weather which has allowed us to spend time outside, and good friends and neighbours.

The Gate of Hell

In a show entitled "Rodin: A Magnificent Obsession" the Winnipeg Art Gallery (WAG) displays a collection of extrordinary sculptures by Auguste Rodin - and features his enduring work The Gate of Hell.

Some of Rodin's best known sculptures, like The Thinker were originally part of The Gate of Hell, a huge work that took Rodin more than 20 years to complete. A documentary shown as part of the WAG's, provides an in-depth perspective on this time and this work.

Rodin's ability to protray the range and depth of the human spirit - from anguish and heartbreak as in The Burghers of Calais is indeed magnificent. This show, made possible by the Iris and Gerald Cantor Foundation is well worth seeing.

Dr. Stephen Blank - and the importance of transportation infrastructure

Friday, I attended a lecture by Dr. Stephen Blank at the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba. I wanted to learn more about his views on The Impact of Transportation Corridors on North American Competitiveness - the title of his talk.

Dr. Blank, a Harvard scholar and a professor of International Business at Pace University's Lubin School of Business in New York City, emphasized the importance of understanding, developing and building transportation corridors in North America.

Dr. Blank was blunt - he said there is "a perfect storm coming" because basic transportation infrastructure has not been developed and maintained as it needs to be. He emphasized the importance of transportation corridors like the mid-continent corridor of which Winnipeg is a part. He also emphasized the need to involve entrepreneurs and leaders in cities and towns along the corridor, and to put a prioirity on making the corridor work better.

Dr. Blank's comments reflect those made in the 20/20 Manitoba Transportation Vision: Strategic Directions Report which was highly critical of Manitoba's Conservative and NDP governments "Throughout the 2020 workshop process, Manitobans expressed the belief that inadequate planning, in addition to political influences, both extending far into the past, have resulted in negative consequences for our transportation system."

In recent days, we have seen one of Manitoba's main arteries - Highway 1 - compromised because a bridge near Portage la Prairie appears to have been left unrepaired or renovated too long. It is sad that in more than seven years, the NDP have paid insufficient attention to our transportation infrastructure. It is time to change the government and get our transportation infrastructure looked after properly.

The 25th Anniversary of the Manitoba Chapter of the Congress of Black Women of Canada

Congratulations to the Manitoba Chapter of the Congress of Black Women of Canada. A celebration of the past 25 years was held at a reception hosted by Lieutenant Governor John Harvard and his wife Lenore Berscheid. Beryl Jones (top left) was one of the first Presidents. Kathy Huggins (middle) shown with Gerri Thorsteinsen, my wife and myself, has been very active in recent years. Jennifer Nemhardt (bottom left) played a beautiful piece on the steel drums.

Migration at Oak Hammock Marsh

Oak Hammock Marsh is a wonderful place for watching the fall bird migration. When I was there this week with my parents, the recent count showed 130,000 Canada Geese, 89,000 Snow Geese, 18,800 ducks and an additional 7,700 unidentified birds for a total of 245,500 birds.

My father enjoyed watching the ducks from the cafeteria on the second floor (top photo). My mother checked up on her daughter-in-law's submission to the recent competition for this year's fish stamp (bottom photo).

The Manitoba Museum and - Why don't the Conservatives like museums?

Among the recent cuts by the Stephen Harper Conservatives has been a sharp reduction in funding for museums. This cut means a decrease in funding of $100,000 a year to the Manitoba Museum. It is a decrease that will create considerable difficulties for the Manitoba Museum.

The Museum has had a balanced budget for 14 years. In 2003, the Museum had to lay off 10 people. In 2005, the Museum had to lay off 15 people. The Museum will suffer badly as a result of the short-sighted Conservatives actions. And the problems at the Museum are not just the result of the Conservatives. The NDP have "flatlined" funding - and indeed the level of provincial support is short of what it should be. Furthermore, Auditor General Sheila Fraser said that Canada's heritage was being put at risk by underfunding of museums.

Thursday, I had a chance to visit the Manitoba Museum with my parents who are visiting for Thanksgiving. The Museum has an important role in Canada. It can help us understand prairie plants (see top left photo with my father beside the extensive roots of a Crested Wheatgrass plant dug up during the drought of 1937).

The Museum has also played an important role in education - and in helping us understand why the Caribou (top right photo), should be protected. The bat caves at the Museum (bottom photo) are also an important reminder of the need to move forward with the Manitoba Lowlands National Park - an initiative that the NDP have failed badly with. We need to replace the current NDP government so this initiative can start moving forward again.

Increasing physical activity in schools and in communities

Wednesday at the Legislature, the emphasis was on promoting physical activity. I was out to support the students as they went for a brisk walk around the Manitoba Legislature to promote physical activity and an active lifestyle.

Anger increases at the Conservatives for killing the Court Challenges Program

It was very apparent, Wednesday, when I attended the review of the impact of 20 years of the Charter of Rights and Freedom on Manitoba Women, that there was considerable frustration at the actions of the federal Conservatives to kill the Court Challenges Program. This program has been very important for helping clearly establish the rights of women under the Charter. Its absence will make it more difficult to test the application of the Charter to women's equality issues in the courts.

Only a few months ago, during the last federal election campaign, Stephen Harper promised to “take concrete and immediate measures…to ensure that Canada fully upholds its commitments to women.” By cutting the Court Challenges Program Stephen Harper and the federal Conservatives have clearly shown their disregard for women and women's rights (and also minority rights) in Canada.

Has the Charter of Rights and Freedoms made a difference to Manitoba Women?

On Wednesday, I attended a review of 20 years under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Although the Charter itself came into effect in 1982, the implementation of the equality rights section was delayed until April 17, 1985.

Authors Danielle Fraser, Allison Fenske, Kristine Barr, Sharon Scharfe and Sarah Thurmeier have prepared a detailed 264 page assessment of the impact of the Charter on Manitoba women, and have made about 300 recommendations for actions which are still needed.

Allison Fenske and Sharon Scharfe presented the findings (photo). Most of the recommendations were directed at the provincial government in Manitoba showing the large number of areas where the present NDP government has failed to act.

Agriculture is very important to Manitoba

Tuesday, I met with Bob Friesen, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). The CFA has been working on a new strategic framework for Agricultural Policy in Canada - the Agricultural Policy Framework II.

As you can read on the CFA website, this framework "must empower primary producers with the ability to achieve sustainable incomes from the marketplace. It is fundamental that primary producers have the ability to be profitable."

The CFA has also been working on building a Canadian Renewable Fuels Strategy. In its report, the CFA is recommending a "value-chain strategy that promotes primary producer ownership and development." To read more see http://www.cfa-fca.ca/pages/home.php

The Selkirk and District Community Foundation

Started in 1995, the Selkirk and District Community Foundation is making a major contribution to improving the community of Selkirk and the surrounding region. At the opening of the Responsible Electronics Recycling program run by the Selkirk and District Learning Centre, I met Bev Clegg, the Executive Director of the Foundation and Board Member Joe Smolinski (photo). The Foundations assistance to the Selkirk and District Learning Centre and the Responsible Electronics Recycling Program has been important to their success.

For more information, visit
http://www.manitobacommunityfoundations.ca/selkirk/index.cfm

Responsible Electronic Recycling, the R.M. of St. Andrews and the Selkirk and District Community Learning Centre

Tuesday, October 3, was the official start of the Responsible Electronics Recycling Program at the Selkirk Learning Centre. Initiated under the sponsorship of the R.M. of St. Andrews, and with the leadership of Elmer Keryluk, this program was first conceived four years ago. It is now the first fully operational publicly supported and responsible end-of-life disposal of e-waste in a rural area of Manitoba.

The Centre - at 515 Robinson Ave in Selkirk - will recycle computers (and components), CD-ROMs, DVD and CD-ROM burners, electronic typewriters, fax machines, cell phones, regular telephones, pagers, televisions and much more. For more information see www.selkirklearningcentre.ca or call 204-482-2111.

Kudos go to Elmer Keryluk, Councillor for the R.M. of St. Andrews, Reeve Don Forfar of the R.M. of St. Andrews, Karen Keppler, Program Manager for the Responsible Electronics Recycling Program, and Alvin Keppler who actually does much of the recycling. Elmer Keryluk and Karen Keppler are shown in the top photo. In the bottom photo, Don Forfar and I hold electronic material ready for recycling.

For those who are interested, there is much, much more to the Selkirk and District Community Learning Centre. Visit the web site above to learn all about their programs and their efforts in working with partners to provide learning and other services to the people of Selkirk and area.

Marvin Krawec and the Southport Aerospace Centre

Since the military base closed at Southport, near Portage la Prairie, there have been steady development at the Southport Aerospace Centre. There have been many people involved in these developments. One of them is Marvin Krawec (top photo), who served on the Board of Southport Aerospace Centre for quite a number of years. Quiet but effective, Marvin made a significant contribution, serving for a time as Vice-Chair of the Board.

Today, at Southport, you can see the new multiplex building (bottom photo) - nearing completion. When completed it will have space for simulators, lecture halls and office space. For more information about the Southport Aerospace Centre see http://www.southport.mb.ca/

Manitoba Entrepreneurs - Alfred and Barbara Nunn and the Whispering Sands Golf and Country Club

On Monday this week, I stopped to visit the Whispering Sands Golf and Country Club - located just west of Austin along Highway Number 1 in Manitoba. Here Alfred and Barbara Nunn have built a golf course. It is but one example of the many golf courses in Manitoba which provide good opportunities for playing this sport.

Flax - a crop with a lot of potential

Driving between Brandon and Portage la Prairie on Monday October 2, I watched a combine in action on a field of flax. For many years now, going back to the days when I was involved with medical research, I have been pushing for more research into the health benefits of flax and its components. We know that flax is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, and that such fatty acids have health benefits. We also know that flax is rich in lignans and that these compounds may reduce the likelihood of developing certain types of cancer. But there remains much more to learn. It is an example of where research can have an impact on the market for and the price of a major agricultural product grown in western Canada.