2025

August 14

Police resignations lead to closure

By Tony Zerucha

The RM of Springfield is assessing the Springfield Police Service after its two active members resigned last month to join the RCMP – a move that leaves the federal police force temporarily in charge of all law enforcement in the municipality.
On Aug. 6, the municipality stated the Springfield Police Service (SPS) office at 686 Main St. in Oakbank is closed until further notice. It directs non-emergency calls to 204-444-3391, general police enquiries to the RCMP desk at 204-444-3847 and emergencies to 911.

A sign on the front door of the police station noted the front counter position was also currently vacant, but that “officers are still on patrol regularly.”

Mayor Pat Therrien confirmed the two officers recently left the Springfield Police Service. Therrien said the police board remains intact and council will discuss next steps at an upcoming meeting.

Springfield was already searching for a new chief of police after former chief Stephen Hitchon left in February. CAO Colleen Draper said the search for a replacement would continue until a suitable replacement was found.
Springfield’s recent policing structure featuring combined municipal and RCMP service is a Manitoba rarity. Many rural municipalities rely solely on the Mounties, while some also employ Commissionaires or Prairie Bylaw Enforcement Services to perform some duties. 

In 2021, Springfield signed a shared services agreement with the RCMP to further bolster cooperation between the two entities, often working with both the Oakbank and Beausejour detachments as required. Touted benefits included a shared communication service and faster response times. It is renewed annually.

The municipality has significantly invested in the Springfield Police Service over the past decade. In 2019, it purchased the former Oakbank Credit Union building for $1.15 million before investing thousands in renovations and upgrades (that building also houses planning staff). It has also regularly invested in equipment, such as $133,750 for a Tahoe Police Interceptor in 2024. 
The 2025 Springfield Police Service budget is $632,140. That does not include revenue from fines.

This edition of Springfield’s council has been debating the future of community policing. In 2023, it discussed various versions, with Therrien researching the different options and funding. According to Manitoba’s Police Services Act, municipalities can choose the RCMP, establish their own service, use another municipality’s, or establish a joint force. Municipalities are also pushing the Province of Manitoba to allow community safety officers to enforce more laws.

CAA reveals top road safety concerns

A new survey conducted by CAA Manitoba found that Manitobans are worried about dangerous driving seen across the province, especially distracted driving and speeding. 

The study found that 88 per cent of Manitoba drivers feel somewhat or very concerned about distracted driving. According to Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI), distracted driving is now the number one cause of fatalities on Manitoba roadways. 
“It is no surprise that Manitobans are concerned about the dangerous driving they have witnessed, especially when it comes to distracted drivers,” said Ewald Friesen, manager, government and community relations for CAA Manitoba. “What is most concerning, however, is that currently, Manitoba does not have a specific distracted driving law, which could help deter distracted drivers and increase road safety.”

CAA Manitoba’s research indicates that almost half (46 per cent) of Manitobans have admitted to being distracted drivers, while most (63 per cent) have witnessed a close-call collision or traffic violation caused by distracted driving. 

Most concerning, 13 per cent of drivers reported being directly involved in a collision due to distracted driving.  Our research found that more than half of Manitobans believe increasing fines and penalties can discourage distracted drivers.  

“We know that drivers who text are far more likely to be involved in a crash or near-crash compared to non-distracted drivers,” added Friesen. “Distractions inside and outside your vehicle can draw your focus away from where it needs to be most.”\

In addition to distracted driving, speeding continues to be a significant problem in Manitoba, and Automatic Speed Enforcement (ASE) may be an additional tool that has been shown in other jurisdictions to help.  

Additional research conducted by CAA shows that 82 per cent of Manitobans stated that speeding is also a problem this year. That same study found that 65 per cent of drivers support the use of ASE cameras to deter speeding and slow drivers down.

“ASEs can be a valuable tool in positively shifting driver behaviour and protecting vulnerable road users, especially in areas with schools and community centres,” said Friesen. “Photo radar cameras should not be used as a revenue generator but rather as a tool to encourage safe driving behaviours, especially in school zones.”

As of right now, Winnipeg is the only municipality in Manitoba with the right to use photo enforcement; however, other municipalities continue to lobby for similar rights.

In addition to tools such as ASE cameras, Manitobans support higher fines and harsher penalties or suspensions, especially for repeat offenders. Over half of Manitobans (60 per cent) believe increasing the penalties on repeat offenders is the most effective way to discourage drivers from speeding, especially in school zones or near community centres. 

“CAA Manitoba continues to advocate for safer roads across all municipalities, especially for vulnerable road users,” said Friesen. “Standardized practices across municipalities regarding distracted driving laws and ASE cameras can help ensure that they are used in a predictable way that improves road safety and reinforces public trust.”  

Conducted by DIG Insights, the distracted driving online survey was from Feb. 11-21 with the speeding online survey held from March 7-19. Approximately 500 Manitoba drivers aged 18 and older were surveyed for each.

Two drown, five saved

Two men drowned in North Eastman in separate incidents and five other adults who are unable to swim were saved by emergency services personnel over the last two weeks.

On Aug. 2 at approximately 2 p.m., Steinbach RCMP were notified of a possible drowning in the RM of Reynolds at Reynolds Ponds.

Officers responded and were advised by bystanders that a male had been swimming, when suddenly he did not resurface. Bystanders had been searching for the swimmer but had been unable to locate him.
Manitoba RCMP Underwater Recovery Team (URT) was deployed to assist officers with the search. A 70-year-old man from Ontario was later located deceased.

At approximately 8 p.m. that same day, Selkirk RCMP were notified of a possible drowning at Grand Beach.
Officers were advised two males had gone out onto to the lake on a pool flotation device, when they lost their balance and fell into the water.

One male was rescued by a nearby kayaker. The other male did not resurface.

Officers along with assistance from the URT were later able to locate the male in the water.

A 25-year-old male from Winnipeg was pronounced deceased at the scene.

RCMP continue to investigate both incidents.

On Aug. 9, members of the Pinawa Fire and Rescue Service, RCMP and EMS responded to a report of five persons stranded in the float channel when overwhelmed by swift water. 

Fire crews discovered five unprepared non-swimmer adults, with no life jackets or paddles, unable to make it to shore. A call was placed to 911 for help. 

Fire crews successful reached the five stranded floaters, leading them to safety.

Swimming Canada Natation says before entering an open body of water for a swim there are many safety considerations to examine. There may be waves, currents, weeds, and the water, colder than you are used to.

The Canadian Safe Boating Council (CSBC) and the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF) are sending out a reminder to swimmers and recreational boaters to be safe out on the water. If a person does not know how to swim, they strongly recommend wearing a life jacket or personal flotation device (PFD) at all times.

The two organizations reports that 80 per cent of recreational boaters who drown every year in Canada were not wearing life jackets. A majority of these victims were males between the ages of 19 and 35.

A wave or wake from another boat can not only knock a boater or boarder into the water, but also carry their flotation device away leaving them in the middle of a lake without any flotation. 

Tornadoes touch down

By Mark T. Buss
Mother Nature made her presence felt last week as heavy rain, hail and at least two tornadoes were recorded in North Eastman.

On Aug. 6, two tornadoes occurred in the Springfield area and were assigned EF0 ratings after a damage survey was conducted. 

The first occurred at Birds Hill Park at 5:06 p.m. With an estimated maximum wind speed of 115 km/h, a narrow path of minor tree damage was found over an area four kilometres long and up to 270 metres wide.

The second report took place around 25 minutes later in Dugald. A similar wind speed of 115 km/h resulted in a narrow path of crop and minor tree damage found over an area 4.24 kilometres long and up to 70 metres wide.

According to Manitoba Agriculture, more than 13 millimetres of rain fell in the Beausejour area with 4.1mm in Dugald.

Home sprinkler systems subsidized

By Simon Ducatel

As part of the RM of Lac du Bonnet’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the threat of future wildfires, council is subsidizing the purchase of a protective home sprinkler system similar to the kind deployed by wildfire services in remote areas. 

Following recent wildfire destruction, Reeve Loren Schinkel said the RM is working alongside the provincial government to establish essential fire guards in strategic areas. Council unanimously approved spending $33,000 for the bulk purchase of 200 specialized home protection sprinkler kits from ABC Fire and Safety that will be available to residents at cost representing substantial savings from the retail price.   

Background information in council’s July 22 agenda stated floating embers from wildfires  are a leading cause of home and structure loss during wildfire events. Getting water onto the roof and surrounding areas can significantly increase a structure’s chance of surviving a wildfire event.

Typically retailing for between $225 to $250 or more, RM residents will be able to pick up a WASP wildfire protection sprinkler kit for $165. 

Council feels that’s a small price to pay to protect an investment like a home. 

“When you think about the asset that it protects, $165 is a pretty good investment,” said Schinkel. 

The RM purchase is not intended to generate revenue but rather be cost-neutral with the goal of enhancing preparedness. Provided all the units sell, the program will bear no financial impact on the municipality. 

The systems are wind and heat resistant, and are designed for homes with or without gutters. Each kit includes two gutter mount sprinkler brackets, two agricultural grade wind-fighting sprinkler heads, two fascia/fence brackets for homes without gutters, as well as two fire department grade 25-foot hoses. 

During the July 22 meeting, Deputy Reeve Greg Mandzuk said one sprinkler head is mounted on each side of a house and activated in the event residents receive an evacuation order. He urged residents, especially those along Copper Mine Way and anyone who was evacuated, to have one installed. 

“Most people have pumps or running water... they turn on the switch, let ’em go and get out,” he said. “These sprinkler kits will protect your house as long as we have power, unless you have some other mechanism like a gas-fired generator.”
Either way, so long as they have a power source, the sprinklers will continue pumping water. 
Recognizing the RM cannot afford to buy each resident a kit, Mandzuk said the municipality could at least negotiate a bulk price to make them available at a significant saving.  

“I know there’s people going out and buying them already. We’re not going to reimburse people, but as long as we can get these sprinklers here at the RM, we’ll be able to get them out to the community,” he said.
The reeve added the systems are proven to work. 

“You see a completely devastated burn area, and then there’s three cabins that had these sprinklers on them and the fire goes around them because there’s no fuel and it saves the structure,” said Schinkel. 

The soaker hoses are also made of specialized material so they don’t burn, he added. 

“This is something that wildfire services use all the time when they’re in remote areas – some of the people have pumps that they hook them up to that feed right out of the river on a generator system.”

As of Aug. 1, Schinkel said the kits had not yet arrived but that the RM was in the process of obtaining them. 

“Certainly when they are available, we’re going to be putting it out on our website and then promoting that,” he said. “Obviously, council felt that it was appropriate to offer that to the residents given the significance of what we went through here.” 
The sprinklers could prove invaluable for remote properties that are far from an active fire hall.  

“The concept is so simplistic, yet very effective.” 

Schinkel added RM emergency management coordinator John Fleming regularly conducts wildfire presentations and was busy throughout July meeting with cottage associations in the region. In the event the kits do not sell out, the RM would continue promoting them and encouraging residents to install one.

Immaculate Conception hosting pilgimage 

By Tony Zerucha

On Aug. 15-17, Cooks Creek’s Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Catholic Church and Grotto will host the Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope – one of only three Ukrainian churches in Manitoba to receive the honour.

Parish council member Audrey Mulla said that while the church holds an annual pilgrimage, this one is special because, in one of his final acts as Pope, Pope Francis declared 2025 a jubilee year.

“Pope Francis intended to bring the world closer together, and to show that faith is important no matter your culture,” Mulla said. “This has spread from Rome across the world. We’re proud to be selected as a site.”

It is a busy three days, beginning with the Rosary at 6 p.m. on Aug. 15. Ukrainian Hierarchical Divine Liturgy follows at 7 p.m., it includes confessions, blessing of water and flowers and anointing. At 8 p.m., fellowship time begins, featuring corn, cake and coffee. An Akathist (hymn) to Mary, the Mother of God, will be sung at 9:30. An overnight campfire and campout conclude the evening.

Aug. 16 begins at 9 a.m. with a 19.3-km pilgrimage walk. Stations of the Cross will be held at the Grotto at 4 p.m. English Divine Liturgy follows at 5 p.m. Hamburgers, hot dogs and fries are served at 6 p.m. The overnight campout and campfire come next.
On Aug. 17, a memorial service (Panakhyda) is scheduled for 12:30. The Grave of the Very Rev. Philip Ruh, OMI, will also be blessed. Bilingual Hierarchical Divine Liturgy is slated for 1:30; the service includes confessions, blessing of flowers, and anointing. A chicken lunch will be served after the service.

Mulla said jubilees are a time to renew one’s faith and sense of hope, something many need at a time of trouble in the world. Past jubilees have attracted believers from across Manitoba, North America and Europe as people come together to experience the power of corporate worship.

According to the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Winnipeg, the word “jubilee” derives from the yobel, or ram’s horn, that proclaims the year’s launch.

“It was intended to be marked as a time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation, and involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of misappropriated land, and a fallow period for the fields,” the Archeparchy’s website states.

Jubilees are a call to journey and cross boundaries, hence the importance of the pilgrimage. In planning the route and learning about the destination, the traveller learns and changes; they meet people, hear new perspectives and contemplate creation. In his 2025 Letter for the Jubilee, Pope Francis said care for creation “is an essential expression of our faith in God and our obedience to His will.” 

For more information, visit immaculatechurch.ca or https://archeparchy.ca/jubilee-year-2025/

Kroeker Bros. compete at Canada Games

By Tony Zerucha

Beausejour will be well-represented at the upcoming Canada Games, as brothers Justin and Carson Kroeker have made Team Manitoba. 

The University of Manitoba track stars are headed to St. John’s, Newfoundland, for the Games, which run through Aug. 25. Justin competes in the 1,500 metres, while Carson will vie for medals in the 3,000-metre steeplechase and 5,000 metres.

“It’s quite a privilege to be on a team that goes to the Canada Games and competes against other provinces,” Justin said. “I’m really happy that my brother also made the team; it’s awesome.”

Justin said he’s up against many familiar names. He has run against many at university and summer events in Ontario and British Columbia.

“The competition in this race is pretty tough,” he admitted. “There are lots of good athletes coming.”

Justin is preparing to wrap up his university career, as he will soon graduate with a degree in Biological Sciences. As he looks back on the past half-decade, he is proud of his consistent production.

“I’m really happy with how things have gone,” he said.

The University of Manitoba track community is a special one. Many alumni keep training with the team after their eligibility ends. They mentor the current edition and pass along tips.

The Kroekers also benefit from support systems closer to home. They live together in a house near the Fort Garry campus. Several team members live there too. They train together and push each other. 

“There’s always somebody at home between classes,” Justin said. “Because we’re close to the university, teammates come and visit throughout the day.

“It’s almost a community house. We train together and are on the same schedule. It’s really nice to have that.”

Athletics are the Kroeker family business, as parents Lisa and Derek had strong collegiate athletic careers, too.

“I knew they ran from a relatively young age, but I didn’t ask much,” Justin said. “They didn’t force us into running; it was always something I naturally did. I always liked running, even back in elementary school. I played soccer through Grade 10, then shifted to track.

“It’s a big change from what I had been doing.”

Before joining the Bisons, the Kroeker Bros. had provincial high school track success with École Edward Schreyer School. In 2020, Justin was a three-time silver medallist in 1,500 metres, 3,000 metres and cross country respectively. In 2023, Carson finished first in the varsity boys 3,000 metres and second in the 1,500.

Canada Games athletics are scheduled for Aug. 19, 20, 22 and 23. Catch the action at www.canadagames.ca/watch

Vaughn named Special O Ambassador

By Tony Zerucha

Oakbank’s Oliver Vaughn has great leadership skills and loves everything about Special Olympics, so he was a natural choice to be its 2025 Youth Ambassador for Manitoba. 

Vaughn is kept busy appearing at grocery stores, where he hands out bracelets, collects donations and tells everyone how great Special Olympics is.

Vaughn first began attending Special Olympics nearly seven years ago. He began in Active Start, which is for children ages two to seven, before progressing to FUNdamentals, which teaches basic athletic and social skills to kids seven to 12. Every Tuesday evening, Vaughn and his friends move from station to station and practice different sports. 

Soon, he will pick a sport or two to focus on. Does he have any favourites?

“I really like bocce ball,” Vaughn said. “It’s kind of unique; it’s just fun. There’s no feeling that you have to win. If I lose, I lose. If I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.

“Honestly, I like everything. I like hanging out with friends I meet there.”

Vaughn’s coach called his parents and recommended they apply for Oliver to be an ambassador. They answered some questions and waited for a few months before the call came.

“I was pretty excited but also nervous, because I’ve never been chosen to be an ambassador before,” Vaughn admitted. “I wondered what it would be like and if I could handle going to schools. It turns out I could, and it was really fun.”

Vaughn meets many people in his new role. He provides them with information about Special Olympics and shares how much fun he has every week. People ask him questions, too, like which sport he plays.

“I say that I can’t specialize yet because I am too young,” Vaughn explained.

Vaughn has assumed a leadership role, as he helps younger kids get used to Special Olympics.

“I greatly enjoy that,” he said. “I want younger kids to go through the same process as me, and I want them to have a good time. I’d like to help them make friends and just grow. I want them to gain confidence and be empathetic to their friends. I want them to gain all of the things I have gained through my experience, the same joy, and pride. I want them to believe in themselves.”

Oliver’s mom, Amy Vaughn, said Special Olympics has been wonderful for Oliver. Before, he didn’t want to play with anyone. Now, he adjusts to different situations, follows instructions, and fares better on his own, too.

He’s also made friends. Including Olivier, who will be his friend for life.

“The empathy...,” Amy said. “His buddy Olivier is around the same age but a little more affected by his environment. When things get chaotic, he’ll lie down on the floor. Oliver lies down with him until he convinces him things are OK.”

Vaughn also gets to enjoy sports at Sunrise School Division’s Unified Sport Day. He spends the day with a neurotypical student. They play sports and eat lunch together.

“It’s a great day for the kids. It shows them they’re more alike than different,” Amy said. “This school is so fantastic about taking kids that wouldn’t have that experience with special needs people and shows them those kids play sports like them.”
Oliver enjoys school but admits he has to work hard to fit in. Special Olympics takes no work at all.

“At Special Olympics, I can just be myself and fit in without any effort,” Vaughn said. “It’s one of the few places where I can be me.”

What advice does Vaughn have for anyone thinking about Special Olympics? 

“You really should go. If you’re ages seven to 12, it does a great job of the fundamentals. I have personally come a long way from this program, and you probably will too.”

Shades of the Past at Train Whistle Park

Beausejour’s annual car show continues to welcome classic auto enthusiasts, but with a temporary address this year.

On Aug. 24, the 34th annual Shades of the Past car show is scheduled to set up shop at Train Whistle Park from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The move is required due to watermain work currently being done on Beausejour’s Park Avenue.

Shades spokesperson Jack Komadowski said vehicles will still enter the event at First Street and Park Avenue, but will be directed south to the park.

“The cars will park on the grass where the grain elevators used to be, near the walking trail,” Komadowski said. “There should be enough room to get the same amount of vehicles in there.”

Starting in the early 1990s with five cars, a barbecue and Marlon Brando’s The Wild One playing at the Lyric Theatre, Shades of the Past has grown to become one of Manitoba’s premier car show. 

Normally setting up barricades on Park Avenue from First Street to Fifth Street, more than 600 classic cars, trucks and motorcycles line both sides of the street. The event space has continued to expand to where autos are also parked down the middle of the roadway to accommodate the large numbers. 

The Shades of the Past car show is a free event for spectators, but organizers ask those in attendance to bring a ‘Tin For The Bin’ for the Beausejour Area Food Bank. The event has collected hundreds of pounds of food annually for those in need.

Proceeds from the event raised through 50/50 draws, T-shirt sales and other activities are also turned back to the community with donations to local organizations and charities.

Fire and Water Music Festival hits right notes

By Rick McGregor

The August long weekend was once again the perfect time to host this year’s Fire and Water Music Festival with beautiful weather, great artists and positive vibes all weekend long.

Held once again at the site of the former Lakers Water Ski Club on PR 502 in Lac du Bonnet, the festival was kicked off Friday evening with the Ila Barker Band taking the main stage. Saturday night featured a special addition to this year’s festival with the famous Lac du Bonnet fireworks, postponed from Canada Day due to the forest fires, clearly visible to the festival crowd from the shoreline of the Winnipeg River.

Musical highlights included a couple of rollicking performances from Les Barn Boys, a Manitoba band featuring the sizzling fiddling of the Wrigley brothers from St. Laurent and a unique performance from Roger Fournier. Concocting a bass out of an old washtub, broken hockey stick and a rope, this Manitoban singer/songwriter amazed the crowd with his creativity, jokes and singing.

Asked to sum up this year’s festival, new Fire and Water president Norine Harty said the event had a truly new look. Taking advantage of the recent upgrades to the property by the RM and Town of Lac du Bonnet, the artistic crew designed a new site plan that provided new performance spaces that were unique to the festival. 

“The new site plan also gave us an opportunity to showcase the beautiful view of the Winnipeg River as the festival backdrop,” Harty said. “Music performances were magnificent with such a variety of styles and genres.”

August 21

Changes for Springfield police

By Tony Zerucha

The future of policing in the RM of Springfield could look different, but before council decides, they want to hear from the public.

On Aug. 12, Springfield council discussed how to proceed with the Springfield Police Service (SPS) after a retirement and two resignations left it with no staff. The SPS office has been closed since Aug. 5.

CAO Colleen Draper said she removed all job postings for the chief and two constables.

“At this time, we’re not actively pursuing these postings to give council an opportunity to discuss,” she said. “If there are any changes to be made, the best time is to discuss them before we have people in those roles.”

Mayor Patrick Therrien cautioned that the SPS is not out of service, saying it is in “limbo” until council determines its next steps. He would like to see those next steps produce changes to local policing.

“The two policing services are not a functional way of conducting policing in the RM of Springfield,” Therrien said. “It’s a great idea to have extra police for the RCMP, but the RCMP have a certain level of training.

“The RCMP is thin, but they’re a world-class police service. We have to look at the cohesiveness and cost to the taxpayer. The costs are huge and are only going to go up.”

Therrien said the SPS tax burden is solely on local taxpayer, while the RCMP burden is spread across Canada. 

He said that leaves the issue of who does bylaw enforcement, because it isn’t the RCMP. Therrien suggested community safety officers, who are used by several municipalities. Before council decides, Therrien said that it must be discussed with the community. 

According to Manitoba’s Police Services Act, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe must approve the dissolution of any police service. Therrien said most callers he hears from want the SPS dissolved.

“The vast majority (said) don’t need the police service, only because they don’t want to be paying the extra taxes,” he said. “Other people say they want the police service around; they want to be safe and see the police around. We have to get in touch with the people in the RM.”

“Going forward, we should abide by what the Justice Minister says we need to do,” Coun. Glen Fuhl said. “Part of that process is doing public open houses.”

Fuhl suggested adding a referendum on the SPS to the ballot for next fall’s election.

“More police officers are better than less,” he added. “Do it properly, let the people speak, and bring it forward at election time.”

Fuhl’s referendum suggestion found support from several council members, including Coun. Mark Miller.

“I’m pleased Glen Fuhl is taking a page from Andy Kuczynski’s and my playbook on a referendum,” Miller said. “Our referendum on Sio Silica showed 90-plus per cent didn’t want it.

“Referendums are very important parts of engaging with the community. I’m very thrilled that Coun. Fuhl embraces that point of view when maybe he didn’t with Sio Silica.”

Kuczynski said any solution must ensure a sufficient police presence in Springfield’s industrial park, where businesses are suffering from significant levels of crime.

“We have to think as a council what we’re going to do to help those people,” Kuczynski said. “We have to do something quickly.”

Coun. Melinda Warren said there are rules to follow when dissolving a police service, and the proper process must be discussed with the Minister of Justice. She said council must increase the safety of community safety officers by ensuring, for example, that they have radio and backup communication.“There are a lot of things to think about before we move forward,” she cautioned.

Therrien said community safety officers shouldn’t be tasked with potentially dangerous duties like stopping vehicles. That is the RCMP’s job.

“The RCMP is our police service, they always have been,” he concluded.

Tariffs, weather slamming canola crop

By Andrea Geary

Slow germination, flea beetles and dry weather are negatively impacting this year’s canola crop, but a recent 75.8 per cent tariff levied by China on Canadian canola seed could be the last straw for some North Eastman farmers.

“It’s a high-cost and very unpredictable crop,” said Brokenhead Reeve Brad Saluk, himself a producer, adding he paid $900 for a bag of canola seed. “It’s a disastrous crop this year.”

Saluk said a cool spring resulted in slow germination and flea beetle infestations meant more spraying was needed which has added to the cost of production. While he won’t be harvesting the crop for a few more weeks, he isn’t optimistic about yield.

“We need a 35-bushel (an acre) average to break even,” he said, adding that he’s estimating a yield of about 25 bushels.

Added to this year’s challenging growing conditions for many North Eastman canola growers is China’s 75.8 per cent tariff effective Aug. 14. China is Canada’s largest canola seed buyer, importing close to six million tonnes in 2024 to generate revenue of approximately $4 billion Canadian.

The tariff was placed a year after China launched an anti-dumping investigation into Canadian canola imports. There is speculation that China’s tariff comes as retaliation for the Canadian government’s 100 per cent levy on electric vehicles exported by China to Canada.
“We’re in this game to make a living,” Saluk said. “We’re the ones stuck in the middle.”

Warren Ellis, Manitoba Canola Growers chair, said the canola tariff hits farmers hard and calls on the federal government for assistance.
“This decision lands like a hammer blow to Manitoba’s canola farmers. We are days away from harvest, and now a critical market is effectively shut. We need the federal government to act decisively and immediately to get this market reopened because every day of inaction deepens the damage to our farms, our rural communities, and our economy,” he said.

Provencher MP Ted Falk said he’s sure China’s tariff is retaliation. 

“Ottawa’s decision to slap massive tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, without any coherent strategy to protect Canadian exporters – invited a response,” Falk said. “And China chose to hit where it hurts: Canadian farmers.”

He joins Ellis in asking for federal action to ease the financial burden the tariff places on canola farmers. 

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew stated he believes the federal government should use the $100 million collected through the EV tariff to compensate Canadian canola growers for any financial loss due to the seed tariff.

Boubard named Miss Indigenous Canada

By Andrea Geary

Gena Boubard plans to use her Miss Indigenous Canada title to raise awareness in support of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth in Sagkeeng First Nation and other First Nation communities in Manitoba and across Canada.

Boubard, 24, is Anishinaabe, Two-Spirit and non-binary. Crowned Miss Indigenous Canada on July 26 at the pageant held at Six Nations of the Grand River near Hamilton, Ont, this year’s pageant included 19 competitors from First Nation communities across Canada.

Miss Indigenous Canada’s mission is to empower and encourage Indigenous youth to develop leadership skills, give back to their communities and connect to their cultures. The pageant features an essay competition, interview, cultural presentation and scrapbook featuring the competitor’s work within their home community.

“The focus of the pageant is not on beauty. It was to honour the diversity of Indigenous traditions, values and practices. It didn’t feel like a competition,” Boubard said. “All of the competitors were incredible and devoted to their communities.”

Boubard was very surprised to be announced as Miss Indigenous Canada 2025. 

“I didn’t enter to win, but to raise awareness of Two-Spirit people.

Boubard was recognized for her efforts in organizing and running Sagkeeng’s first Pride event held in June. The day included a parade, powwow, community feast, inspirational speakers and entertainment. 

Boubard said the local community was very supportive. 

“It was really beautiful for people to come together.”

At the age 17, Boubard was crowned Miss Southern Manitoba and competed in the Miss World Canada 2018 pageant. Parents and siblings provided inspiration and serving as strong positive role models.

Boubard hopes to continue generating support for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and their families.

 “I’d really like to spark conversations within communities to better support our youth.”

Boubard added that discrimination and violence against Indigenous 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals still exists within some communities. 
“I want to show them they’re not alone.”

History on display

Hundreds of spectators took in the annual Heritage Day celebrations held at Beausejour’s Pioneer Village Museum this past weekend making the trip down memory lane wildly successful for many.

Established in 1967, the Pioneer Village Museum recreates a small pioneer village complete with a school, community hall, train station, store, blacksmith shop and church. 

With most pioneers of the Beausejour/Brokenhead area being of Eastern European descent, many artefacts and tools depicting this lifestyle are located in the museum’s buildings.

Those on hand Aug. 17 for the Heritage Day celebrations were able to take in musical entertainment, dancing demonstrations and a threshing demonstration. Loaves of homemade bread baked in the clay ovens on the museum grounds were just one of the many tasty treats available at the concessions stand.

Winnipeg River Burger Trail sizzling

The Lac du Bonnet and District Chamber of Commerce is highlighting the culinary creativity of area restaurants with their annual two-week hamburger festival.

From Aug. 20 to Sept. 3, the Winnipeg River Burger Trail will feature 10 restaurants from Pine Falls to Elma each making unique and original hamburgers with customers voting for their favourites.

After sampling all of the specially created burgers, diners are asked vote for their favourite so a winner can be proclaimed. Guests will be encouraged to visit as many places as they can. 

Organizers hope the event will be a fun social experience while promoting the participating communities to residents and visitors. This is a great event to get people within the region out to explore other communities, and to learn about some of the fantastic restaurants. The event also attracts people from other areas who are burger aficionados.

A solid lineup of participating outlets include Lac du Bonnet’s Black Bear Golf Club, Chicken Chef and Drifters Gulf Restaurant and Lounge, Otter Falls Resort and the Pinawa Golf and Country Club, Papertown Motor Inn and River Front Convenience in Powerview-Pine Falls, Seven Sister Motel and Restaurant, Starlette’s Burger Saloon in Elma, the Spicy Radish in Whitemouth and Wrapz Diner in Seddons Corner.

In 2024, participating restaurants sold a whopping 2,624 burgers combined with Otter Falls selling 325 of their Skeeter Bite Burger burgers to finish first. Drifters and Black Bear finished second and third respectively.

This year, Otter Falls features the Cluckin’ Caesar – a breaded chicken burger topped with Caesar salad with bacon pieces on a toasted garlic butter bun.

Drifter’s Sir Dips-A-Lot is a beef patty topped with cheddar cheese and chipotle sauce, served with warm nacho cheese and crushed cheetos to dip into. 

Black Bear offers a Mexi Burger with fried mixed cheddar cheese, sliced pepper, crispy lettuce and fresh tomato. Served on a toasted brioche bun with homemade bold mexi aioli, diced jalapeños and onions to bring the heat, and house-made seasoned taco chips for that perfect crunch.

Chicken Chef Lac du Bonnet’s Viva la Italia Smash Burger has two smash patties topped with a homemade marinara jam, melted creamy cheese, crispy prosciutto chips and fresh arugula, all on a toasted brioche bun slathered with house-made arugula pesto.

Pinawa Club’s A Whole in One is a fresh, sweet and sticky glazed bagel turned inside out with two smash patties, cheddar cheese and a dollop of tangy mustard.

Riverfront Convenience features The Juicy Lucy – a smoked ground chuck burger stuffed with a blend of sharp cheddar cheeses and caramelized onions. It is topped with a homemade burger sauce, crispy bacon, leaf lettuce and tomato, stacked on a sturdy cheese bun.

The Seven Sisters Motel has the Double Oink Burger featuring a beef patty topped with barbecue pulled pork, bacon and all the fixings – mustard, relish, tomato, pickle, ketchup, lettuce and cheddar – on a bakery-fresh bun.

Starlette’s Burger Saloon has The Big Wild West. This is built with two house-made patties, loaded up with chilli, double cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles , and smothered in our signature cowboy sauce on a sesame seed bun.

The Spicy Radish has a Steakhouse Burger – a ground chuck beef patty, roasted mushrooms, crispy onions, tomato pepper jam, horseradish sauce, monterey jack cheese and greens on a house made garlic buttered bun.

Wrapz Diner has The Things and Stuff Burger. As it is billed, there’s things in it and stuff. Try it to find out.

For more information contact Lac du Bonnet Chamber of Commerce at ldbchamberofcommerce@gmail.com or call 204-340-0497.

Pinawa Foundation awards grants

The Pinawa Foundation has announced their Community Project Month efforts in May raised over $113,300 for 17 projects, including the 50 per cent top up provided by the foundation.

This year’s grants included:
Children’s Place Day-Care – furniture for new day care $14,259
Survivor’s Hope – Reaching Out Project Sarah Circle raised $10,443
Pinawa CancerCare – Treatment chair replacement $7,627
F. W. Gilbert PAC – 20 gymnastic mats $3,450
Pinawa Lions Club – pergola refurbishment and Pinawa birthday weekend expenses $6,750
Pinawa Public Library – computer upgrades $5,550
WSXC Ski Club – snowmobile for trail grooming $6,611
EMCA – LED stage lighting for the community centre $3,187
Courts of Pinawa Club – picnic tables with umbrellas $1,792
Pinawa Minor Baseball – reviving the game infield $3,879
Two Rivers Seniors – Services for Seniors programs $9,610
Pinawa Minor Hockey – scoreboard project $6,689
Pinawa Health Auxiliary – replacement bed/mattress project Year 2 $14,150
Pinawa Holiday Cheer Committee – tall trees and festive signs $937
Orville Acres Arena – brine line straightening $10,580
Pinawa Swimming Pool – community support for pool refurbishment $7,162
Pinawa Art 211 – Art in the Garden Tour signage and maps $705

All of these grants were awarded at the Foundation’s 2025 Annual General Meeting.
Carol Findlay from the Foundation said May is giving month in Pinawa and none of this would be possible without the support of donors, neighboring communities and municipalities, and second and third generation family members from far and wide.

Stolen truck leads to string of charges

One man was charged after a vehicle reported stolen from a Lac du Bonnet business  was recently recovered in Winnipeg following a joint effort between urban and rural police forces.

On Aug. 12, at 2 p.m., Whitemouth RCMP were patrolling on Hwy 11 for a vehicle which had just been stolen from a business located on Prairie Road in the RM of Lac du Bonnet. Officers observed the vehicle turning on Hwy 11, from Road 502, and attempted a traffic stop but it failed to stop. A pursuit was not initiated.

Further investigation led officers to believe the stolen vehicle had moved on to Winnipeg. 

Shortly after 4 p.m., the Manitoba RCMP East District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team (CREST) and Emergency Response Team (ERT), with the assistance of the Winnipeg Police (WPS), located the vehicle at a business on Marion Street in Winnipeg. Officers with ERT and WPS found the driver and the passenger of the vehicle walking near this location, on Lagimodiere Boulevard.

The driver, Riley Caie, 25, from Stony Mountain, was arrested. He was remanded into custody and is facing multiple charges for incidents from July 22 to Aug. 12 including theft of a truck, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, seven counts of failing to comply with orders, possession of weapon for dangerous purpose, flight from peace officer and assault.

The passenger, a 19-year-old female from the RM of Rockwood, was taken into custody and later released without charge.

Manitoba RCMP East District CREST continue to investigate along with the Lac du Bonnet, Selkirk and Beausejour RCMP Detachments.

Girl Guides hope to re-open in Beausejour

By Morgan Maguet

After several years, the Beausejour Girl Guides unit is hoping to re-open for the upcoming guiding season.

A lack of volunteers and leaders in recent years has resulted in a gap in program delivery for the Beausejour area. As local Guide leader Tammy Welsh explained, the Brokenhead area programs have been struggling with these issues for many years.

 “Girl Guides has been off and on in the Tyndall, Garson and Beausejour area for at least 40 years,” said Welsh. The last time the Girl Guides program was offered in Beausejour was from 2005 to 2013. Shortly after, units moved to Tyndall as many of the remaining volunteers and leaders lived in the Tyndall and Garson region.”

However, the Tyndall program has also come to an end in recent years. 

“In 2022 the Tyndall units also closed for the same reason – Guiders retired or moved,” said Welsh. “Today, we have many members who live in Beausejour, Garson and Tyndall who have to drive to Oakbank to participate in meetings. This is also putting pressure on some of the Oakbank units, with their program currently holding a wait list of 14 girls.”

In order to re-open the program and offer units to the public, volunteers will have to start coming forward as soon as possible.

“Each unit or age group needs a minimum of two leaders. We are hoping for two volunteers to come through so we can open a mixed unit for both Sparks (ages 5-6) and Embers (ages 7-8, previously called Brownies),” said Welsh.

“As of today, there are two potential volunteers who have contacted the email address. If those two volunteers work out, we will be able to open a Spark/Ember unit by the end of September. Unfortunately, without more volunteers we will have to limit the girls joining the unit to about 10,” said Welsh.

Ideally, the Girl Guides program would have as many volunteers as possible to help with various programs and fundraisers throughout the year, and to run a full slate of age groups in the area. For now, Welsh’s next goal is to have enough leaders to open a Guide unit (ages 9-11).

Welsh has been a part of the Girl Guides program for more than 35 years and would love to see it start up again in Beausejour. She believes both girls and leaders benefit from being in the program.

 “Girl Guides teaches girls to be strong, independent global citizens. We teach the importance of community service, money management, goal setting, protecting the environment and trying to lessen your carbon footprint. We also teach about Girl Guides all over the world. We talk about personal and mental health, and we promote being kind to everyone, no matter how different we are,” she said.

The program also offers many long-term benefits. 

“Girls who join Girl Guides and stay in the program have opportunities to apply for scholarships, work with youth, build strong job references, and travel the world to learn about other cultures.”

The Girl Guides also hope to offer some of the fun events and volunteer campaigns they had been offering in Beausejour several years ago.
“Girl Guide units do activities related to the environment, personal health, learning ‘how-to’ skills, and having fun with games, songs and crafts.

Throughout the year, units often volunteer at a local food bank, play games with seniors, volunteer at local pet shelters, visit a fire hall, have sleepovers and camps, and take part in weekend activities such as a pool event or a corn maze,” Welsh said.

The call for volunteers reflects a broader challenge for Girl Guides in many communities, where leader shortages have made it difficult to sustain programs and limited opportunities for girls and their families.

Welsh is optimistic and eager to see the Beausejour program thrive again, bringing girls and leaders together through fun and adventure. Those interested in volunteering can email mb-evergreendc1@girlguides.ca

Koskie enters Twins Hall of Fame

By Tony Zerucha

Friends, family and former teammates travelled from around the world to see Anola’s Corey Koskie be inducted into the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame at Target Field on Aug. 17. 

With Koskie the 41st member of the club, former teammate Michael Cuddyer introduced the Manitoban, calling him a role model and highlighting his affinity for practical jokes. Former managers Ron Gardenhire and Tom Kelly spoke of his work ethic as the scoreboard video screen showed some of his many highlight-reel plays. Parents Maryann and Leonard sent greetings via video.

Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew, who originally telephoned Koskie to inform him of his induction, helped him don his powder blue Hall of Fame blazer. MLB Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven, Tony Oliva, Paul Molitor, Joe Mauer and Jim Kaat, along with ex-teammates Torii Hunter, Joe Nathan, Eddie Guardado, Brad Radke, Kelly and Gardenhire were present. Former Twins Rick Aguliera, Gary Gaetti, Greg Gagne, Dan Gladden, Justin Morneau and Jim Perry were also in attendance.

“Growing up, he was a volleyball player and a hockey player,” emcee Dick Bremer said. “When he became a major leaguer, he played defence like a hockey goalie, and served home runs over the fence like a middle hitter.”

Selected by the Twins in the 26th round of the 1994 draft, Koskie blossomed into a full-time Twin. In 2000, he batted .300, hit 26 home runs, drove in 103 runs and scored 100. He is one of only six Twins to score and drive in 100 runs in the same season. That year he shared the Tip O’Neill Award as Canada’s top baseball player with MLB Hall of Famer Larry Walker.

Also playing in Toronto and Milwaukee, his career numbers include a .275 batting average, 124 home runs, 506 runs batted in, 71 stolen bases, a .367 on-base percentage, .458 slugging percentage and 24.6 WAR (wins above replacement). He was elected to Canada’s Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015.

“He was an incessant worker and became a leader on three consecutive division champions,” Bremer added. “In short, he was a force of nature.”
Festivities included a reception for Hall of Famers and Koskie’s guests. Invitees included family, childhood friends and teammates like Jason Mateychuk and former Elmwood Giants coach Lorne Korol. In addition to his Twins teammates, Koskie invited teammates from throughout his minor league career, with one flying from Australia because he had to be there. Many others made the drive from Manitoba, sitting in the stands.
On induction day, Koskie’s guests were seated in three groups around the field. Koskie, his wife Shannon, and his children sat front and centre.
“I’m excited that the Twins are showing their appreciation, and Twins Territory is showing its appreciation to you in making you a Twins immortal,” Cuddyer said.

“Standing here today, I’m honoured to be among Minnesota Twins legends, my teammates, family, friends and you, the fans,” Koskie said. “The game is bigger than how I feel about myself. It’s about making a kid smile in that five-second moment we have together.”

“A farm boy from Anola, Manitoba, who didn’t start playing serious baseball until 19 is your testament that no mountain is too high, no challenge is too difficult to tackle,” he said to the audience. “Where there is a will, there’s a way; where there’s no will, there’s no way.”

Wildcats finish Top 10 at nationals

By Tony Zerucha

The Eastman Wildcats U17AAA endured some early hardships, but they came together to win a provincial championship and post a strong showing at the national championships. Key contributors were Beausejour’s Kaitlyn Bonkowski and Oakbank’s Sadie Church and Ella Sawatzky.
The season began slowly, with the Wildcats losing three of their first four games. A low point was an early tournament in Brandon, where the Wildcats scored a mere four runs over the weekend.

“The regular season got off to a slower start than we wanted,” Church admitted. “We weren’t playing consistently well in all areas of the game and lost more than we would have liked.”

Following the Brandon tournament, Coach Pat Tetrault held a team meeting.

“Many thought this team would be lucky to finish top four in the province,” Tetrault said. “The sputtering start to the season created adversity and challenged the team to become much closer and develop what started their team’s motto and quiet belief in themselves: ‘We have nothing to lose but to win!’”

That rallying cry keyed a turnaround that saw the Wildcats win 12 consecutive games to close the regular season. Like many teams, the Wildcats found success by focusing on the little things.

“Every pre-game speech from our coach was the same: one catch, one play, one at-bat at a time,” Bonkowski said. “Our focus came from playing clean and relaxed games and not getting ahead of ourselves.”

“Some highlights we had were the way we came together to play so well to win all those games against some very tough teams,” Sawatzky added.
The Wildcats opened the provincials on July 17 with a 10-1 win over the Manitoba Angels. The games tightened after that, as they beat the Westman Magic 2-0 later on opening day. On July 18, the Wildcats won two one-run contests, 1-0 over the Interlake Phillies and 6-5 over the Winnipeg Lightning.

How did the Wildcats stay focused during so many tight games?

“Cheer on your teammates and don’t worry about the things you can’t control,” Sawatzky said.

“A softball game is never over until it’s over, and no win comes easy,” Church said. “There are a lot of great teams in our league,

and everybody has a chance to win when we take the field. Focusing on the next play and not getting too high or too low throughout a game is key.”
The club was on a roll, but had to cool their jets for nine days, as wildfire smoke caused a delay. Eastman made the most of it, with a strong practice that helped maintain focus. Once the provincials resumed, the Wildcats topped the Smitty’s Terminators 17-10 and Central Energy 5-2. The playoffs began with a 3-2, 10-inning win over the Lightning.

“(That) qualifier game was more stressful than the championship game,” Bonkowski said. “We ended up winning that game 3-2 in the tenth inning, securing our spot in the Canadian national championship.”

The provincial championship game would be a rematch with the Lightning. Could the Wildcats strike twice?

“The Lightning had runners on base and were hitting. They had already scored, and we had two outs,” Sawatzky said.

“The last few innings of the final game were tense,” Church added. “Despite having a 4-1 lead with an all-star pitcher like Kelsey Warketine on the mound, you have to execute defensively to lock down the win. Each pitch and each play matters.”

The final out was a ball to the shortstop, who fielded it cleanly and fired it to first. The Wildcats were provincial champions.

“The whole team dropped their gloves and ran over to the mound to celebrate with our pitcher,” Sawatzky remembered.

“None of us had ever been provincial champions before, so winning and being undefeated felt unreal,” Bonkowski said.

“It’s surreal when you get that last out,” Church said. “We have come up short in the provincial finals the last couple of seasons, so it is extra special to finally call ourselves provincial champions. We played hard and definitely celebrated hard when we got that last out.”
The momentum carried over to the National Championships in Warman, Sask. The Wildcats won their first three round-robin games by a combined 32-6 score. They lost the next two, including a close call against a powerhouse Quebec team that needed multiple extra innings to decide.
Undeterred, the Wildcats rebounded to beat the top Ontario team in the first playoff game. Their championships ended with a loss to Team British Columbia, who went on to claim the bronze medal.

The Wildcats are proud of their showing.

“The losses could have gone either way and included an extra innings loss to a very good team from Quebec and a 4-2 loss to a strong Ontario team,” Church said. “In the first round of playoffs, we beat one of the top teams in the country, the Ontario provincial champions. I think we shocked them and a lot of other teams by knocking them out of the tournament, but it confirmed that when we’re at our best, we’re one of the top teams in the country. 

“We ended up in seventh place out of 24 teams, which I feel is an amazing result for a group of girls from small towns across southeast Manitoba.”

August 28

Beausejour crime rate up 300%

By Simon Ducatel

Frustration is mounting among Beausejour’s municipal leaders who are fed up with repeat offenders being released back into the community on bail or under house arrest only to continue committing crimes.

“Every community, unfortunately, has crime. But our crime rate has really driven up here over the last two months,” said Beausejour Mayor Ray Schirle. “And it’s because we’re getting so many people coming here on bail, on house arrest.”

Schirle attributes the substantial rise in instances of breaking and entering to a failure of sufficient bail reform exacerbated by the revolving door of justice, prolific offenders being placed in Manitoba Housing units and a lack of RCMP resources.

“It’s just a combination,” Schirle said.

Schirle said RCMP officers are “working their butts off here to arrest these people,” citing one habitual offender with 13 outstanding charges who was arrested four times in one week and still released and placed under house arrest in a Manitoba Housing unit.

“Now I have a drug dealer I’m trying to get out of a Manitoba Housing house,” he said. “The justice system doesn’t even share the information with the RCMP locally; they find out after the fact when they’re chasing the guy down.”

Incredulously, some of these offenders are found to be from other provinces, he said. 

“They raided a house a couple of weeks ago and they found out there was a guy from Ontario under house arrest in one of the houses,” he said.
“These officers are working day and night right now, making piles of arrests on repeat offenders in our community,” he said. “The RCMP has got their hands full.” 

Compounding matters is the absence of any kind of follow-up from the courts, he said.

“The court system and the justice system are totally failing right now,” he said. “We have over a half a dozen of these repeat offenders in our community that are causing all the crime... and every one of them is waiting for outstanding charges.” 

“People are not feeling safe in their homes (anymore),” he added. “I want to make sure it gets back to that.”

The issue has more to do with a backlog in the courts and lenient sentencing than a lack of room in correctional facilities like Milner Ridge, which Schirle says has a 24 per cent vacancy rate. The provincial government even previously reduced capacity at the facility in 2018 citing a declining prison population. 

Manitoba Housing is another factor, said Schirle. The mayor unequivocally expressed his support for public housing, noting there are people in the community that need it. However, there are some units housing “drug dealers and thieves” on bail or house arrest and they are not adequately monitored. 

“We have lots of units in our community, and out of all them I’ve got four of them that are causing us lots of problems,” he said. “At what point does Manitoba Housing start taking care of their houses?” 

A provincial spokesperson told The Clipper that Manitoba Prosecution Service has no role in co-ordinating how an accused, released on conditions, obtains housing. The Crown may check to confirm the address is legitimate and ensure that it is not near the homes of victims when considering release conditions. Local law enforcement would be responsible for ensuring that any release conditions are met.

The spokesperson added Manitoba Housing is not informed by Manitoba Justice in circumstances of house arrest, bail conditions or parole that someone has provided a Manitoba Housing unit address as their place of residence.

Asked what approach he believes would best mitigate the issue, Schirle said the justice system must share more information. 

“They need to look where they’re putting these people under house arrest,” he added. “They shouldn’t be in Manitoba Housing units. It’s bad enough they’re stealing in (the) community, but now we’re sitting here and we’re actually giving them a place to live and a roof over their head.” 

The mayor said he’s had one meeting with Manitoba Housing with another scheduled for next month. 

“The earliest they can all meet with us is the end of September,” he said. “To me, this is a today problem – not a month from now problem.” 
The municipality also recently sent letters to respective ministers and had yet to receive a response. 

“Maybe people need to start doing their jobs,” he said.

As a regional representative with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, Schirle said Beausejour isn’t alone and that other communities are pushing for bail reform. Lac du Bonnet Reeve Loren Schinkel – a retired policeman with decades of experience working with Manitoba Justice – said RCMP are doing their best to respond to crime and catch perpetrators, but offenders all too often end up being released before police even finish their paperwork

“The bail reform that’s supposed to hold people that are charged with criminal offenses accountable is so terribly flawed and broken,” he said. “It’s been that way for a long time, and it’s perpetuating itself.”

The reeve was clear that he fully recognizes the need for due process. 

“I understand the need for the presumption of innocence until proven guilty; I get that,” he said, adding the problem arises “when an individual is apprehended successive times... and continually released on bail into the same environment and continues to perform criminal acts.”
Allowing this to go on “is morally and ethically wrong,” he said. 

“Beausejour’s crime rate for theft has gone up 300 per cent in the last few months, and people think it’s a victimless crime, it’s not a big deal. But it is, because that’s where it all starts,” he said. “The same thing is happening in Lac du Bonnet to a lesser degree; maybe it’s the proximity of Beausejour to Winnipeg, and they do have more Manitoba Housing units than we do.”

The reeve firmly places responsibility on Ottawa as it all boils down to the Criminal Code of Canada. 

“It’s got to be dealt with at that level, because it’s not a provincial jurisdiction issue. At the end of the day, this is federal legislation that has been largely, and continues to be, ignored.”

Sentences should more closely reflect the likelihood of a perpetrator re-offending. Someone who is already out on bail multiple times and released on an undertaking who violates their conditions needs to be incarcerated, he said.

“If it’s three strikes, you’re out,” he said. “They’re snubbing their nose at the rest of society and the criminal justice system. There’s no deterrent there.

And when it comes to conditions of release, Schinkel said judges follow the Criminal Code, which stipulates the least restrictive approach to release someone. 

“They’re following the law,” he said. “The laws have to be changed.” 

Despite the ongoing lobbying efforts of organizations like AMM, the reeve feels there’s been no progress on the issue. 

“You talk to the government officials, and then they go on their summer break... they are just not paying attention. My view is they’re not listening,” he said. “The level of frustration is getting higher and higher,” he added.

LdB RCMP seek info on person of interest

RCMP are seeking information on the identity of a person who tried to break into a Lac du Bonnet home twice in the same night.

On the morning of Aug. 21, Lac du Bonnet RCMP received a dispatch for an attempted break and enter to a home in the Town of Lac du Bonnet at 2:17 a.m. An unknown male was observed walking up to the residence’s back door and using a hammer to smash the window. The male did not make entry into the residence due to security camera’s on the property.

The man returned later that morning at 4:30 a.m. to attempt entry through the front door. When the suspect noticed a doorbell camera, they were viewed walking away from the residence. The male is described as wearing a black hoodie, black pants, with a trucker style hat – white mesh in the back and a black panel on the front. The hat may be recognizable to someone in the community as it has red lettering on the front of it. 

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call the Lac du Bonnet RCMP detachment non-emergency line at 204-345-8685, the administration office at 204-345-6311, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or provide a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com

Hong Kong vet families at VJ Day 80th anniversary

By Simon Ducatel

As someone who would not be alive today had her father been among the many captured Canadian soldiers who perished during the Second World War amid horrible conditions in Japanese prisoner of war camps following the Battle for Hong Kong, VJ Day holds a special significance for Pamela Poitras Heinrichs.

On Aug. 15, 1945, Imperial Japan formally surrendered to the Allies, finally ending the global conflict in what is now known as Victory Over Japan Day, or VJ Day.

Her father, Pte. Ferdinand Poitras, a Red River Métis infantryman with the Winnipeg Grenadiers who was from St. Vital, managed to survive years of mistreatment suffered at the hands of his captors.

But many of the 1,975 Canadians who were deployed in a scramble to defend Hong Kong – among them 131 soldiers of Indigenous ancestry – did not.

“Many think the war was over in May but while people were celebrating that, the men of these two Canadian regiments were still toiling as slave labourers and being tortured in POW camps,” said Poitras Heinrichs.

Approximately 290 died during the 17-day battle in 1941 with hundreds more wounded. Some 267 later succumbed to appalling conditions in the camps over the following years. Those who were killed in action and others who later died during internment included 49 soldiers of Indigenous ancestry.

“It is unimaginable what they went through,” she said.

“My dad and many of the others were at camps in Japan, and as the length of their time in the camps was progressing, it’s documented that they were getting sicker and weaker,” she said.

“There’s also documentation that it was known that if Allies invaded Japan, all the prisoners were to be executed. And winter was coming – it was August – and medical personnel, after the fact, estimated that if the men would have had to go through another winter, many if not all of them probably would have died because they wouldn’t have had the strength to go through the winter and work in the coal mines,” she said.

 “It’s kind of weird to think myself and many others are sitting here,” said Poitras Heinrichs, who is married and has three children. “It’s really something difficult to get my head around.” 

So she believes their sacrifice must never be forgotten and to that end has for many years volunteered with the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association towards honouring their memory.

“People need to know about history.” 

In recognition of the milestone 80th anniversary of VJ Day, the association participated in organizing an event in Ottawa on Aug. 14-17 that included a focus on soldiers of Indigenous ancestry.

The association has previously conducted research to identify Hong Kong veterans with Indigenous ancestry, and among the attendees were residents from Lac du Bonnet, Beausejour and River Hills who are related to those veterans, she said. Through funding from the Métis Veterans Legacy Program, 32 family members of Métis vets, representing 23 of the Métis veterans in the Winnipeg Grenadiers, were able to attend. 

“Both the family from Beausejour and the family from Lac du Bonnet, this is their first time going to something like this,” she said. “I’ve had people in actual tears knowing that they can go and do this... they’re just beside themselves.”  

The itinerary included a service at the National War Memorial followed by a wreath-laying at the Hong Kong vets Memorial Wall where all the veterans’ names are inscribed, and an educational workshop on the involvement of Indigenous peoples in the Canadian military.

Beyond the event in Ottawa, the effort to further honour and more formally recognize veterans with Indigenous ancestry includes identifying them all on the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association website. The site also features photos including some of her father and those he was interned with.

“He talked about them a little bit,” she said, adding he otherwise did not speak much about his wartime experience. “I learned more as I got older, and more from other people in reading things about the atrocities that they suffered.”

In 2000, Ferdinand took Pam, her husband and their three children on one of the Veterans Affairs pilgrimages to Hong Kong and Japan, where they learned a lot.

“Looking back now and in his later years, once I learned more about it, it certainly explained a lot about him and the way he was with certain things,” she said.

Ferdinand passed away in 2008

.“He was almost 88 years old. I always said he was a prime example of, ‘if it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger.’”

The legacy left behind by the Hong Kong veterans through their descendants and the hope for a better future created a sense of connection among their families. 

“Whether it was your dad or your uncle or your cousin or whatever, they all went through the same thing,” she said. “You have that bond with everybody else.”

4P Festival Aug. 29 to Sept. 1

The communities of Powerview-Pine Falls and St-Georges will once again welcome the 4P Festival during the Labour Day weekend and provide a host of activities for all ages.  

The 4P Festival is a celebration of the history and resources that contributed to the establishment of the cluster of communities. The four Ps stand for Paper, Power, Peas and Pickerel. The home coming event brings people of all ages back to visit friends and family and take part in the last blast of summer fun activities for all ages.

The 4P Festival was established in 1982 by the Manitou Rapids Arts Council. The festival ran the same weekend as the Jig and Jam in Pine Falls, and in 1983 organizers combined the two festivals and added a pickerel derby and tours to the Hydro dam, the Pine Falls paper mill and the Winnipeg River Heritage Museum in St-Georges, home of the famous peas used in traditional pea soup.

Activities and Events
Visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities at several locations in Powerview-Pine Falls and St-Georges. The events kick off at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning with the Winnipeg River Carvers Exhibit as well as the launch of the Bird and Butterfly Village Loop Trail Mural.
A Lego sculpture contest will be held at Library Allard at 11 a.m. as well as a youth art exhibit featuring work from the library’s summer camp program.

A community appreciation barbecue will be held at Town of Powerview-Pine Falls’ public works on Dupont Street at 11:30 a.m.
At 4 p.m., the Pine Falls Fire Department will host an open house and a fish fry with the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 64 Pine Falls hosting a meat draw at 5 p.m. 

The Winnipeg River Lions will host a Chase the Ace event from 5:30-8 p.m. with 50/50 tickets and a meat draw. Ace jackpot draw time is 8 p.m.
Comite Cultural de St-Geroges is hosting an Outdoor Movie Night at dusk featuring the French film Un p’tit truce ’n plus.

Saturday starts early as the Norm Vezina Memorial Slo-Pitch Tournament begins at the École Powerview School diamonds at 8:30 a.m. The Knights of Columbus will host a pancake breakfast at Notre Dame du Laus parish hall starting at 9 a.m. while a Bannock Boys 3-on-3 ball hockey tournament at the École Powerview School outdoor arena.

A car show and shine will begin at 10 a.m. at Powerview Auto complete with classic cars and barbecue. A market square and Indigenous Shoreline Museum will be set up at the curling club and a kids zone  will be at the Village Green with inflatable bouncers, train rides, a petting zoo, face painting and crafts.

The Manitoba Living History Society will demonstrate life skills of the Selkirk Settlers, fur traders, voyageurs, Métis and Indigenous people of Manitoba starting at 11 a.m.

The 4P Golf Tournament will begin at 1 p.m. at the Pine Falls Golf Club.

A Manitoba Hydro sponsored firewrosk display will take place at dusk beside Midway Foods while a 4P Summer Sunset Party will start at 10 p.m. at the Papertown Motor Inn.

Events like the slo-pitch tournament,  market square, Winnipeg River Heritage Museum guided tours and Manitoba Living History Society displays will continue Sunday. 

The 4P parade begins at noon and winds down from the Pine Falls pool to École Powerview School.

Plage St-Georges Beach will host A Day At the Beach with live duck race with a chance to win $1,000.

A highlight of the day will be an opportunity to cheer on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Labour Day Classic against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on the big screen inside the beer garden at the Access Arena. Festivities start at 4 p.m. until the game ends.

There will be a Classic Manitoba Social at Access Arena from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Labour Day Monday will feature a Winnipeg River Area Lions family fishing derby at the St-Georges boat launch. Registration for the 25-boat maximum event will begin at 8 a.m. First come, first served. 

Winnipeg River Heritage Museum guided tours begin at noon.

For more information email festival4P@gmail.com

Double B Ag Fest Back In the Saddle

The 2025 version of the Double B Agricultural Festival has a schedule packed with live entertainment, agricultural and multicultural activities and semi-pro rodeo excitement fit for a 30th Anniversary celebration.

The Double B Agricultural Festival will occupy the Co-op Community Complex Sept. 5-7 with a carnival and midway run by Select Shows and rodeo entertainment provided in conjunction with the Canadian Cowboys Association and the Manitoba Rodeo Cowboys Association (CCA/MRCA)

The Brokenhead Agricultural Society is once again sponsoring the Double B Agricultural Festival and have been a crucial component in the event finding success for over a quarter of a century.

Incorporated in 1917, the Brokenhead Agricultural Society started with local farmers striving to help each other and local families and that has remained the guiding principle for over 100 years.

Schedule of Events
The Manitoba High School Rodeo kicks off this year’s festival Friday at 2 p.m. along with the opening of the Gret Cup Trailer followed by the opening of the Select Shows midway at 5 p.m. 

Saturday will start with a pancake breakfast running 7 to 9 a.m. The Manitoba High School Rodeo will immediately follow with a 9 a.m. start along with parade marshalling at the Beausejour Sportsplex.

At 10 a.m. the Double B Agricultural Festival parade will depart where floats, horses, cyclists, machinery and other participants will head west down James Avenue and turn north on First Street. To avoid construction on Park Avenue, the parade will turn east on Ashton Avenue (new this year) and south on Fifth Street as they wave to the hundreds of children and onlookers lining the roadways.

Chainsaw carver displays will begin at 10 a.m. and run to 4 p.m. 

The Select Shows midway and Prairie Exotics will open at noon and run all afternoon along with children’s activities including a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, glitter artists and more. Hoop and Hat vintage comedy circus will take place at 12:45 p.m. JUNO award winning children’s entertainer Al Simmons will perform  at 2 p.m.

The CCA/MRCA semi-pro rodeo main attraction will begin at 5:30 p.m. with bull and bronc riding, calf roping, barrel racing and more. Intermission will feature a six-horse hitch team demonstration, wild pony races and wool riders.

The Double B Agricultural Festival’s legendary fireworks display will illuminate the sky when the sun goes down on Saturday evening, followed by a barn dance and saloon. Hazelridge brothers Jon and Daniel Hnatishin, and their country-rock band Banned & Outlawed, will be performing. Admission will be $15. No minors allowed.

Sunday will begin with a pancake breakfast starting at 8 a.m. with a car show at 10 a.m.

The midway will re-open at noon along with children’s activities and the chainsaw carvers display.

The CCA/MRCA semi-pro rodeo events will continue at 1:30 p.m.

Gate admission to the Double B Agricultural Festival on Friday is free with Saturday priced at $15. Sunday admission for adults will be $12. Children 12 and under are admitted free of charge as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

For 50/50 tickets or for more information, go to brokenheadag.ca

Beausejour Slo-Pitch League playoffs a honerun

The Beausejour Slo-Pitch League (BSL) closed out the 2025 season with exciting action Sunday.

In women’s play, Die Hards returned to previous championship form in defeating Diamond Divas 14-4 in the A-B final Sunday. 

The two teams met Saturday in the A final with similar results, sending the Divas back in the B pool. The Divas topped The Bulls early on Sunday to set up the rematch with Die Hards - a club where some players have been teammates for 40 years. 

A5’s topped Drink N’ Run in the C event.

Ruth Place Eagles won their first BSL men’s title the hard way as they had to defeat the six-time champion Highway Hitmen twice in the A-B final, and did so by scores of 13-12 and 17-9.

The Hitmen won the A division Saturday over the Eagles, who rebounded to win the B event Sunday over Blue.
The Beavers defeated the Gophers in the C final.

In co-ed competition, Old Dawgs retained their 2024 title by defeating Tropical Punch 17-4 in the A-B final. 

Tropical Punch defeated One Hit Wonders in the B final at midday before facing the Dawgs in the afternoon. One Hit Wonders bested Grip and Rip to win the B event and punch their ticket to A-B final. 

Bats and Beavers defeated Rippers in the C final

Agassiz Garden Club Show a colourful event

Seasoned exhibitors and a number of new participants turned up with 270 entries for the annual Agassiz Garden Club show Aug. 11.

 The Lac du Bonnet Community Centre was filled with flowers, fruits, vegetables, baking and handicrafts. This year, photography entries were digital and were viewed as a slideshow set up Betty Loewen. Kayla Yanchak won the best photo.

As usual, a crowd of visitors came for the afternoon to view the exhibits and enjoy tea, coffee and sweets. In the evening, Laverne Wojciechowski and Ruth Monych presented the prizes and thanked everyone for their effort in staging another beautiful show. 

Junior prize winners were Amelie Holowachuk, Mikko Ikonen, Markku Ikonen and Saija Ikonen. 

Adult winners of plaques were:

Best cut flower and most points in baking: Carol Clegg
Best gladiolus: Cherry White
Best vegetable in show: Pat Holowachuk
Best floral arrangement and most points in flowers: Laverne Wojciechowski
Most points in vegetables and most points in show: April Obirek 

Boreal Shores an inspirational art tour

The Boreal Shores Art Tour (BSAT) took visitors on a self-guided driving tour through North Eastman recently to view the work of the region’s most talented artists.  

From Aug. 16-17, approximately 800 visitors reviewed the work of 35 visual artists from Victoria Beach to Falcon Lake. BSAT coordinator Norine Harty said visitors to the tour came from all over Manitoba, BC, Alberta, Ontario and PEI as well as international locations including Australia, Germany and the U.S. 

Harty said the artists and visitors noted the highlight of their tour was “talking art” and sharing stories. 

“Visitors learned about different methods and media, what inspires the artists, where they do their work, and how they began their artistic journey,” Harty said. “(They) shared their personal art experiences, shared their view of the artists’ work and had an opportunity to participate in a batik demo.”

Started in 2017, BSAT not only showcases the work of local artists, but also provides visitors with a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery, eating establishments and other attractions. A “destination event” for many visitors, several try to visit each artist and venue over the two days.

Since its inception, over 20,000 visitors have experienced the tour and supported area businesses by purchasing tanks of gas, dining in local restaurants and staying in local accommodations. 

Pinawa’s Stu Iverson is one of the region’s most prominent photographers and has viewed several international locales through a lens. His vast portfolio is not limited to any particular topic, but he has an interest in capturing images of wildlife and nature.

Iverson said the Boreal Shores Art Tour, along with other art sales and tours, is an important incentive for artists.

“For all of us, the fact that there is an art show... acts like a stimulus to get ready, be prepared (and) finish some of those things we have been thinking about doing,” Iverson said. “Having the tour, meeting the public (and) selling their art is great for most artists.”

Iverson said the tour itself is as equally stimulating for viewers, many of whom look on it as a way to take a drive with family or friends and see the countryside or communities they have not visited in a while.

Harty said feedback she received from visitors was very positive, adding some dedicated art lovers visited every stop on the tour. 
“Many were amazed to visit locations they never knew existed and told us that seeing the beauty of the locations was truly a highlight of their journey. They can easily see how the scenery, sounds, and wildlife in the Boreal Shores area inspires the artists.”

Rod Demoline golf tournament set for Sept. 10

The Lac du Bonnet Community Centre is hosting the 22nd annual Rod Demoline Golf Tournament on Sept. 10 at the Granite Hills Golf Club. 
This event is the most significant fundraiser for the community centre as the revenue generated provides a large portion of its annual operating costs.     

Lac du Bonnet Community Centre president Sharalyn Reitlo says the golf tournament is a great way for friends and family to get together or for businesses to say thank you to employees, business partners and loyal customers.

This annual tournament is held in memory of the late Rod Demoline, a community leader who held executive positions with the community centre, curling club, Lions and town council. Demoline passed away in 2003, but left a legacy the Lac du Bonnet Community Centre and their tournament sponsors and golfers continue to honour.

In 2024, the event was a roaring success as golfers raised approximately $12,500 with the winning team of Barry Carpenter, Frank Huber, Chris Hanson and Michel Fillion shooting a sizzling 58 or 14 under par.

“We can’t thank the players and sponsors enough for their support,” Reitlo said last fall.

Registrations are now being received from individuals or teams to enjoy 18 holes of golf in Texas scramble format, a shared power cart, lunch and prizes. Registration is at 9 a.m. with a shotgun start at 10 a.m. 

Golfers will also be challenged to enter contests to win larger prizes and the organizers guarantee a fun time for all.

Golfers wishing to participate are invited to email demolinegolf@gmail.com or call 204-345-6737.  

September 4

Fatality in motorcycle-train collision

Oakbank RCMP, along with CN Police and an RCMP Forensic Collision Reconstructionist, are investigation a collision between a dirt bike and a train that resulted in the death of a Steinbach teen.

At around 1 p.m. on Aug. 31, Oakbank and Beausejour RCMP responded to a report of a collision between a dirt bike and a train at the railway crossing situated on Pleasant Road (Road 38E), located just south of Hwy 15 in the RM of Springfield.

Officers determined the motor bike, travelling south on Pleasant Road, being operated by a 15-year-old male from Steinbach, collided into a westbound CN train. The operator of the dirt bike was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Controlled dynamite burn in Reynolds

A potentially explosive situation was snuffed out last week when the RCMP and the Reynolds Volunteer Fire Department disposed of a cache of old dynamite found in Rennie.

On Aug. 24, the Manitoba RCMP explosive disposal unit, in partnership with Reynolds firefighters, conducted a controlled burn of a structure containing old dynamite.

Police say Whitemouth RCMP received a request for assistance when someone had bought the property in questions and upon inspection found old dynamite – believed to have been used to destroy beaver dams – in a derelict out building. 

RCMP say they are unsure how long the dynamite was in the structure, but it was deemed old enough that it should not be touched. Old dynamite is prone to accidental detonation because the nitroglycerin can leak, crystallize and become more sensitive to shock and friction over time. Improper storage, age or cycles of freezing and thawing can accelerate this sweating process, creating unstable, volatile pockets of liquid nitroglycerin that are dangerous.

“Burning it is a safe procedure conducted by members of the explosive disposal unit who are trained to conduct this method,” a RCMP spokesperson advised.

Police advise this extremely rare disposal process is executed when the dynamite is very old and potentially volatile. Anyone coming across blasting equipment or suspected explosive ordinance is advised to call local RCMP immediately and to make no attempt to move it on their own.

Springfield council travel expenses incorrect in 2022

By Tony Zerucha

The RM of Springfield said it has been taking steps to ensure there is “consistency between policy and legislation” after Manitoba’s Auditor General found unidentified council members wrongly claimed roughly $3,000 in travel expenses between January and October of 2022. 

That period coincides with the last 10 months of the previous council. In the report, Auditor General Tyson Shtykalo said the investigations were initiated following tips from “concerned Manitobans” and issues listed by the Department of Municipal and Northern Relations.

On Aug. 28, the Shtykalo released a 34-page report to Manitoba’s Legislative Assembly that analyzed seven municipalities. It also includes suggested improvements for provincial oversight of municipalities.

The investigation into Springfield takes up a half-page of the report. Auditor General staff reviewed the expense reports of council members from January through October, a period concluding with the 2022 municipal election. They compared those reports to Springfield Bylaw 19-02, which governed council indemnities at the time. That bylaw has since been replaced by Bylaw 23-02. Such bylaws are regularly updated.

“We found that the most common ineligible expense claim was for travel,” the Auditor General’s report states. “The bylaw indicates that only time spent engaged in business is claimable, and accordingly, travel would not be eligible. Using a strict interpretation of how the bylaw is worded, we noted that councillors were overpaid approximately $3,000 for the period January to October 2022.”

Contacted by The Clipper, Shtykalo declined to identify which members of the previous council wrongly claimed the expenses or provide any “additional information beyond what (he) reported to the Legislative Assembly.”

On Aug. 29, Springfield released a statement confirming that, according to Indemnity Bylaw 19-02, only time spent in business, and not travel, was claimable. However, councils for several years have been operating under a Council Expense Policy that states, “council members are entitled to be compensated for travel time to and from the authorized event at the per diem rate as set within the council rates and allowance bylaw.”
“While the expense policy has been implemented and followed in practice, the formal update to the indemnity bylaw has not yet been completed,” the RM statement noted. “This delay is not due to oversight, but rather to ensure that any amendments to the bylaw are comprehensive, legally sound and reflective of the expense policy.” 

The statement went on to say council is committed to undertaking this process with diligence.

“We recognize the importance of consistency between policy and legislation, and we are actively working toward harmonizing the indemnity bylaw with the current expense policy. In the interim, council continues to operate transparently and in good faith, guided by the principles of accountability and service to our residents.”

After council members file reports, they are scrutinized by municipal staff before payment is issued. Staff can deny an expense claim or contact the council member for more information. When new council members are elected, staff explain expense eligibility.
CAO Colleen Draper said an updated indemnity bylaw will be discussed at the Sept. 16 council meeting.

Coun. Glen Fuhl said council’s expense policy provides greater detail on eligible expenses. He added that councillors in other municipalities bill for travel time to events outside the municipality.

“We’re pretty much doing it the same way,” Fuhl said. “Now that we know what the Auditor General is looking for, and we can have the policy in line with the bylaw.”

Changing of the guard at Springfield COPP

By Cathy Juskow

Springfield’s Citizens On Patrol Program (COPP) had a changing of the guard recently and paid homage to outgoing coordinator Bernie Litkowich.
On July 30, Litkowich chaired his last meeting as coordinator at the Springfield Public Library. He has been a volunteer with COPP for 26 years, joining the group at its inception in 1999 and becoming coordinator in 2010. 

Litkowich decided that it was time to take a step back and welcomed Robert Schofield as the new lead for the local program developed to assist law enforcement in reducing crime in the RM of Springfield. 

During his years of service, Litkowich has been a staunch advocate of the program and the need for the public to be involved in the patrolling of our communities. Along with those expressing their thanks, representatives from the Springfield Police Service and Oakbank RCMP were in attendance. Litkowich was presented with a Maintiens le Droit (Uphold the Right) plaque from the RCMP in recognition of his service to the community. 

A letter received from Mayor Patrick Therrien, in part, stated, “Your volunteer efforts have made a significant and lasting impact in our community. Through your proactive engagement, problem-solving approach, and commitment to fostering positive relationships between law enforcement and community members, you have helped create a safer and more connected environment for all.” 

Individuals interested in contributing to community safety, COPP are looking for volunteers to join them. The amount of time and when volunteers patrol are up to them. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age and undergo a criminal background check. No special skills or experience are required as training is provided. 

For more information, visit rmofspringfield.ca/p/citizens-on-patrol-program

RM approves airport maintenance

By Simon Ducatel

Recognizing the economic benefits of the Lac du Bonnet Regional Airport, RM council has approved a maximum of $50,000 for crack sealing on the runway to ensure the asset is properly maintained and to support continued growth. 

“A lot of people don’t understand the importance of our airport,” Deputy Reeve Greg Mandzuk said at council’s Aug. 12 meeting. “It’s a regional airport that supplies a lot of services, whether it be to Hydro, to tourism, up north to different communities.

“This is a very expensive piece of infrastructure,” he added. “If we don’t take care of our infrastructure there, we won’t have an airport.”
Coun. Cindy Kellendonk agreed. 

“It’s a key component of our economic growth opportunities,” said Kellendonk, adding the airport also acts as a local job creator. 
Council discussed the airport’s land strip needs, ongoing upkeep to preserve its structural integrity and by extension ensure the safe operation of all aircraft. 

Several cracks have developed over time; some were new and needed to be sealed while others required resealing. If left untended, the cracks would further deteriorate resulting in more extensive and costly repairs in the future.  

The municipality’s financial plan includes $50,000 for crack sealing, and the public works department sought three quotes with two vendors bidding. Following a review of the proposals, council approved contracting out the job to Precision Joint Sealing, a company with previous experience working on the runway. 

While the RM owns the property and is also the landlord, the Lac du Bonnet Regional Airport Authority is the lessee.
“We’re at a turning point when it comes to our airport,” Reeve Loren Schinkel. “We’re one of the unique airports because we have both, obviously, water as well as the land based.”

The municipality’s airport master plan is forthcoming, and is earmarked to receive grant funding from the provincial government, he said. 
“That’s coming to fruition here in the next couple of weeks.”

Additionally, the RM has been developing a business park to help foster further economic opportunities.

“We’ve had absolutely... remarkable growth. Since 2001, there was seven initial hangars at that airport,” he said. “And today we’re at 27. There are another four, five different hangars that are going in there this year.”

That kind of growth naturally comes with economic spin-offs such as good jobs, more investment in the community and a bigger tax base, he said.
“The airport master plan will give us a pathway and some guidance into how to proceed in continuing to build that regional asset.”

Students heading back to class

With students heading back to school, the RCMP and Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) are sending a reminder to all drivers to stay vigilant in watching for children and driving with caution.

As of Sept. 1, school-zone restrictions in Manitoba have taken effect. RCMP ask all drivers to slow down in these areas and remain alert when approaching school zones.

Along with reduced speeds, parents and motorists need to remember that children are sometimes unpredictable. Drivers are reminded to use extra precautions in and around schools including waiting for children to cross intersections and roadways completely before proceeding.
“It’s important that drivers observe the speed limits and slow down,” an MPI spokesperson advised. “Reducing the vehicle’s speed could save a life. Slowing down allows the driver to react quicker and reduces braking distance.”

“Whether it’s pedestrian traffic or parents dropping off their children, school zones can be very busy. Slowing down can make everyone safer.” 
The province introduced legislation in 2013 to give local authorities the power to create reduced speed zones for schools. As a result, many municipalities throughout Manitoba have taken the opportunity to reduce speed limits in these areas.

Drivers throughout the North Eastman area are reminded to reduce their speeds to 30 km/hr while in designated areas.

MPI advised that over the last five years, more than 5,000 provincial offence notices for various infractions, ranging from speeding to use of a hand-held electronic while driving, failure to stop at pedestrian crosswalks and other traffic control devices, have been issued to drivers.

If You are Taking the School Bus
- arrive at the bus stop early
- wait in a safe place away from the edge of the road
- wait for the bus to come to a complete stop with its overhead red lights flashing or its stop arm activated before approaching

When Leaving the Bus
- always cross the road in front of the stopped bus, never behind
- look all ways and wait for the driver to signal before crossing in front of the bus
- walk – don’t run – across the road

Drivers
- Slow down in school zones and watch for children crossing the road
- Slow down and prepare to stop whether you are behind or approaching a bus
- Stop for school buses when red lights are flashing – it’s the law and it saves lives
- Stay alert around crosswalks, bike riders, and busy pick-up/drop-off areas

4P Festival a community celebration

The folks of Powerview-Pine Falls, St-Georges and area came together to celebrate the four cornerstone industries that have built their community with the annual 4P Festival.

Those who participated in the events, which began on Aug. 29 and continued to Sept. 1, enjoyed various activities relating to the 4Ps: Paper, Power, Pea and Pickerel.

Festivities included a family fishing derby and slo-pitch tournament, children’s activities, a car show, market square, a parade and fireworks.

Beauhead Arts Fest shines in the rain

By Andrea Geary

Wind and showers with brief bursts of sunshine on Saturday didn’t stop arts aficionados from attending this year’s Beauhead Arts Fest on August 22 and 23.

Festival artist director Brittany Wurch said the festival committee’s decision to begin the event on Friday afternoon proved successful. 
“It was a very good first day,” she said. “Every year we’re trying new things.”

She added that the Friday schedule focussed on entertainment including a magician, Haystack Productions’ showcase, writers circle and local musicians, while Saturday’s line-up was more family friendly. On both days people of all ages enjoyed an arts activity area where they explored their creativity.

Saturday’s performances began with a drumming circle followed by local musical acts.

This year was the Beauhead Arts Fest’s fifth anniversary. Now that the festival is gaining public recognition, artists from across Manitoba are applying to the judging panel in hopes of participating, Wurch said.

Noah Baker, of Tyndall, was one of this year’s 23 artists, and was enjoying the positive comments he was receiving from patrons. The 28-year-old has limited vision and because of this, he mainly focuses on patterns and shapes in his pencil sketches. 

“Lots of people gave me tips on my sketches,” he said, adding this is the first year he’s taken part in the festival. 

Denise Roy, a Beausejour painter and Peguis First Nation member, was displaying her colourful creations in the Pioneer Village Museum’s Seabright School. She said she’s shown her artwork at all five years of the festival and works months ahead to prepare for the annual event.

Wurch said, while the art festival is only held over a two-day period each year,  committee members are planning other arts-related events throughout the coming year. 

“We want to stay art-active in the community.”

EMCA opens season with Leonard and Joni

The Eastern Manitoba Concert Association (EMCA) is proud to announce Leonard and Joni: The Untold Love Story as the opening concert of its 2025-26 season, taking place Sept. 27 at the Pinawa Community Centre.

This multimedia production tells the story of the brief romance between Canadian artists Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell. Their connection, sparked at the 1967 Newport Folk Festival, influenced several of their well-known songs, including Hallelujah, Both Sides Now, Big Yellow Taxi and I’m Your Man. Through narration, live music and visuals, the show explores their time together in California during the rise of folk music. The performance features Dana Wylie and Joe Nolan, supported by a live band. 

Whether you’re a longtime fan of Cohen and Mitchell or simply love great storytelling through music, this is a rare opportunity to experience their legacy in a fresh and meaningful way.

Doors will open at 6:45 p.m., with the performance starting at 7:30 p.m. Attendees with mobility issues are encouraged to use the backdoor closest to the gym between 6:45 and 7:15 p.m. 

Advance tickets are priced at $50 for adults and $25 for those under 30 years of age. They can be purchased online at emcaconcerts.com or at Solo Market in Pinawa. Tickets may also be available at the door, subject to availability.

Pinawa Fire Department receives Thomas Sill Grant

The Pinawa Foundation awarded its 2025 Thomas Sill Manitoba Grant for $22,903 to the Pinawa Fire Department 

In collaboration with the LGD of Pinawa council, the grant will be to be used to establish a fire-based medical first response program. The plan is to have a medically trained firefighter available to respond within minutes to life-threatening illnesses and injuries in Pinawa. The grant is for equipment required by the first responders.

The Thomas Sill Foundation was founded in 1987 through the last will of Thomas Sill, a chartered accountant from Manitoba. The Foundation provided support for charitable initiatives throughout Manitoba for over 35 years. 

At the end of 2023, the Thomas Sill Foundation ceased operations, but the board of directors wanted to continue supporting Manitoba. The assets of the Foundation were transferred to the Winnipeg Foundation to create funds that would carry on Thomas Sill’s legacy of giving.

 The Thomas Sill Manitoba Fund at The Winnipeg Foundation was established to benefit communities within Endow Manitoba. The Pinawa Foundation receives a grant every year to carry on Thomas Sill’s good work.

Brokenhead Foundation reaches $2M

The Brokenhead River Community Foundation (BRCF) is thrilled to announce that through the incredible support of donors, it has recently surpassed $2,000,000 in gifted funds to date.

“This milestone is a testament to both community and non-community members recognizing and believing in the good work the community foundation is doing in our community,” said BRCF administration and marketing coordinator Debbie Majeau. “It is so gratifying and rewarding to see what the community can accomplish together.”

The Brokenhead River Community Foundation model is unique in that all funds gifted (donated) to it are never spent. Instead, funds are pooled to various endowment funds and sustainably invested with a portion of the interest earned annually given back to the community every year. That giving back happens by way of grants to local groups for projects to make the community a better place to live, work and play, and to scholarships and bursaries to graduating students from the community going on to post-secondary education.

“Less than 30 months ago the Foundation reached $1,000,000 in gifted funds”, acknowledged BRCF president Reg Black. “Reaching $2,000,000 means the Foundation can double the support it provides to the community. To put the benefit of $2,000,000 into context for the community, it means that approximately $80,000 flows back into the community, every year, forever!”.

Black was quick to add that the improved recognition and growth of the Foundation would not have been possible if not for the ongoing support of both the Town of Beausejour and RM of Brokenhead. 

“Both councils understand and believe in the Foundation and its benefit to the community. The Foundation would not be where it is today without their support.” 

Donations of any size can be made to the BRCF at any time and in several ways. Besides monetary donations, the Foundation recently had a number of donors transfer securities (shares) to it which provide significant tax benefits to the donor. Donations are also received through wills and estates. 

A large number of donations received go to the general community fund which assists in the community’s current needs though granting to local groups. Donors also have the option to choose an area of interest to them such as education, recreation, arts and culture, environment – all areas of the community’s wellbeing – or they can create their own endowment fund. 

“Within the last five years, community members and organizations have created 15 new endowment funds to provide benefit to numerous different causes in the community” offered BRCF treasurer Holly Madden. “Many of those donors are committed to growing those endowment funds, to further benefit the community, and the Foundation is having meaningful conversations with others interested in supporting their community.”

To learn more about the Brokenhead River Community Foundation, please visit www.brcfoundation.ca or call Majeau at 1-431-343-2723.

Wielgosh captain of Jamestown Jimmies

By Mark T. Buss

Bethany Wielgosh is starting the 2025-26 season with high hopes for her University of Jamestown Jimmies and looking to elevate her game in what will be her fourth season of U.S. college hockey.She is also starting the year as team captain.

A former Beausejour resident who now calls Lac du Bonnet home in the offseason, she was given the ‘C’ just after the Christmas break last year. She relishes the chance to lead the club for a full campaign.

“When Coach Hannah (Griffin) had the conversation with me about wanting to name me captain, I was incredibly honoured and extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to represent the team in this way,” Wielgosh said.

Wielgosh committed to play for the women’s team at the University of Jamestown, a private university in Jamestown, ND, in 2022. The Jimmies women’s team play in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division 1 program as a member of Women’s Midwest Collegiate Hockey (WMCH).

Wielgosh first hit the ice as a ringette player before making the switch to hockey in Grade 8. She described herself as a physical player, one who puts defence first, but who also has a scoring upside. 

With the Eastman Selects U18 squad in 2021-22, she tallied 12 goals and six assists for 18 points in 43 games. She also attended the 2019 and 2021 Hockey Manitoba Programs of Excellence.

In her first three years with the Jimmies, the now 21-year-old 5’9” forward registered 18 goals and 31 assists for 49 points in 92 games.
Since 2022, Wielgosh has grown on and off the ice. She says her ability to read the game at such a high pace has improved, and she prides herself on being responsible and effective in both ends of the ice. 

Now a senior, she has been an Academic All American since the second semester in her freshman year with a GPA of 3.8.
“I’m also here to get a (Bachelor of Education) degree and I’m really proud of how I’ve grown as a student,” she said.

The Jimmies were seventh in the WMCH in 2024-25 with a 8-20-3 record. With the Jamestown women’s program only entering its fourth year, Wielgosh said the goal this year is to make it to the nationals.

“Our program hasn’t been able to accomplish that yet,” she said. “We know it won’t be easy, but we have so much talent and work ethic on our team... so we are confident we will achieve that goal if we stay focused and work on getting better everyday.”
– with files from Tony Zerucha

U15AAA Wildcats fourth in Canada

By Tony Zerucha

Cooks Creek’s Hannah Skrabek, Oakbank’s Gracie Andersen, Sophie Franklin of Falcon Lake and their Eastman Wildcat teammates finished fourth at the Canadian Championships after winning the 2025 Manitoba U15 AAA Softball title. 

The provincial tourney began on July 24 with two shutouts, 11-0 over Smitty’s Terminators and 10-0 over the Interlake Phillies. The scoreless streak continued on July 25 when the Wildcats blanked the Winnipeg Lightning. They surrendered their first runs of the weekend in a 12-4 triumph over the Westman Magic before concluding the round-robin with a 3-0 win over the Manitoba Angels and a 7-0 victory over Central Energy.

In the playoffs, the Wildcats twice faced Central Energy, beating them 5-0 and 10-6 to claim the provincial title.

The Wildcats didn’t have to go far for the national championships, which were in Winkler this year. They dominated their round-robin pool with a 5-1 record, outscoring their opponents 41-11. In the playoffs, they fell 6-2 to Vaughn, Ont., before rebounding with a 9-1 win over the Phillies. Their quest for a national crown ended with an extra-innings loss to Central Energy, leaving them fourth in Canada.

“We had a phenomenal regular season run with lots of close games that we were able to come out on top of,” Skrabek said. “We played incredibly strong defence all season, which really helped us.”

Andersen said the Wildcats’ 21-1 regular season mark was good preparation for provincial and national competition.

“Winning the league was definitely a goal for our team, but not one that was as talked about as winning provincials or nationals,” she admitted. “Our offence and defence were extremely strong this year, allowing us to have a 162-run difference in those 22 games, which seems absolutely insane to say out loud.”

Before the season, the Wildcats set a goal to win the provincial trophy. That was in jeopardy late in the championship game, as they were down 6-2 in the fifth inning. Then the Wildcats scored eight runs to grab a 10-6 lead.

But Central Energy clawed back, putting two runners on base with two outs. Head Coach Russ Kihn called a timeout and brought the infield together on the pitcher’s mound to remind them to focus on the hitter. The players returned to their spots, and Skrabek threw her best pitch.

“I held my breath as the pitch I had just thrown got hit hard, but then started jumping and cheering when it got caught by our shortstop,” Skrabek said. “I ran straight to my catcher, Sophie, to give her a hug, and I don’t remember much after that because I was so happy.”

The Wildcats’ goal for the nationals was to have fun. It was their last week together as a team, and their goal of playing for the Canadian championship was attained. The Wildcats’ trademark strong defence combined with some hot hitting to take them to the top of their round-robin pool.
Andersen sat out the nationals with an injury, but was proud of how the Wildcats measured up against the best. Skrabek did her part, amassing a 0.71 earned-run average with 30 strikeouts and four wins in the round-robin alone.

Skrabek earned Top Pitcher honours. She’s still letting that sink in.

“I still have a hard time wrapping my head around it, to be honest,” she said. “There were so many incredible pitchers there, so I am very honoured to receive it. I am extremely grateful for my coach and teammates for giving me this opportunity and believing in me - I couldn’t have done it without them.”

“Hannah deserved the top pitcher in Canada so much, and our team was incredibly proud and excited for her to have the opportunity to receive the award,” Andersen said. “Throughout the year, Hannah remained such a confident pitcher and playing behind her, you never worried about her having a bad game. Her award was so well deserved. Her pitching allowed our team to win as many games as we did.”

September 11

Beausejour ATM robber pleads guilty

By Mark T. Buss

A Beausejour man has pled guilty to robbing and attacking a Brokenhead senior at an ATM last fall.

In Beausejour court Sept. 2, Alex Allard, 21, pled guilty to one count of robbery with violence for his involvement in robbing a 68-year-old woman of $100 at the Access Credit Union in Beausejour on the afternoon of Sept. 29, 2024. 

Police say at 3:45 p.m. on the day in question, the woman went into the bank to take out money from one of the ATMs when a young man came in to use the next machine. As her funds were being dispensed, she said the man reached over and grabbed the money from her machine before she could react.

Shocked by what happened, she said the man attempted to push the door open to leave when he dropped his cell phone. She quickly picked it up and refused to give it back.

“He asked me to give it back using a few choice words, and I used a few choice words telling him to give my (expletive) money back,” the woman told The Clipper days after the crime had taken place.

In an agreed upon statement of events read into court, Allard admitted to taking the money and kicking the woman when she refused to give the phone back. She eventually turned the cell phone over to police.

With the investigation progressing as authorities had the suspect’s cell phone as well as video footage from the credit union to review, Allard eventually turned himself in to the RCMP. He was arrested and charged.

A pre-sentence report has been ordered for Nov. 25. A sentencing date is yet to be determined.

RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Paul Manaigre said people – especially seniors – need to be vigilant at all times when accessing an ATM machine.
“Be aware of your surroundings, particularly at night,” Manaigre said. “If you observe or sense suspicious persons or circumstances, do not use the machine at that time.”

Manaigre said other tips include have your ATM card ready and in your hand as you approach the ATM rather than fumbling in your wallet or purse, be careful nobody sees your PIN, always take receipts or transaction records and immediately put your money into your pocket or purse and count it later – do not visually display the cash.

“If you leave your car and walk to the ATM, lock your car,” he added.

The Brokenhead woman who was robbed warned other seniors to be aware of their surroundings as they do their banking or other business while alone.

“Don’t take it for granted that you are in a rural community. It can happen here,” said the woman, who did not want her name published. “I had an awful gut feeling but I thought there is no way I’m going to get robbed in the middle of a Sunday in a small community. In hindsight I should have hit cancel.”

Two dead, seven injured following mass stabbing 

Two people are dead and seven other were injured, including an RCMP officer, after a mass stabbing incident on Hollow Water First Nation last week.

On Sept. 4 at 3:44 a.m., a First Nation Safety Officer contacted the RCMP to advise that 30 minutes prior, an assault had taken place in Hollow Water, 85 kilometres north of Powerview-Pine Falls. The suspect – identified as Tyrone Simard, 26, from Hollow Water First Nation – had fled and emergency medical services were requested to attend. 

Just two hours later, Powerview RCMP responded to a call advising of a possible stabbing in the same community. Upon arrival, officers located a number of individuals suffering from stab wounds.

They were also alerted to a second scene at another residence in the community, where additional victims were located. In total, eight community members, ranging in age from 18 to 60 years old sustained injuries. An 18-year-old female identified as Marina Simard – the younger sister of the suspect – died as a result of her injuries.

The suspect fled the community in a stolen vehicle, which was located near Black River First Nation, travelling south on PR 304. 
At 6:53 a.m., the suspect collided with a RCMP cruiser that was driving northbound to the scene. Police estimate the suspect was travelling around 180 km/h at the time of the collision. He succumbed to his injuries on scene, but the female police officer who was injured was transported to hospital with critical but non-life-threatening injuries. She is expected to recover.

PR 304 was closed in both directions south of Black River First Nation for some time.

Court records show the suspect was out on bail. In mid-June he was charged with assault with a weapon and mischief for alleged offences earlier that month. He was granted release on both matters with various conditions, including a curfew and an order not to possess weapons.

Powerview RCMP, along with RCMP major crime services, forensic identification services, forensic collision reconstructionist and the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba continue to investigate.

Sunrise cancels Selkirk bus route 

By Morgan Maguet

Parents and students in Beausejour and Lac du Bonnet are scrambling after a long-standing bus route serving students in specialized academics and trades was cancelled due to a shortage of bus drivers.

The route, which has run for about 40 years, carried students from Beausejour, Tyndall, Garson and Lac du Bonnet to Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School.

A group of concerned parents worry that their children may be forced back to local schools, losing the chance to graduate with trade diplomas or specialized courses they have been working toward. The loss of the route has left 17 students without transportation, pushing parents to take their concerns to the division.

Sunrise School Division stated that the route had to be cancelled as there was no driver available. The division opted to issue families a $375 travel allowance for the year to help cover expenses. The official announcement was given to parents on June 27.

Parent group spokesperson Ed Turnbull, who has been leading discussions with Sunrise, prepared a cost breakdown outlining his concerns and sent it to the division. Parents say that a $375 allowance falls short and does not adequately cover the loss of a bus route.

“Based on mileage I tracked, the average cost worked out to 16 cents per kilometre,” said Turnbull. “From Lac du Bonnet to Selkirk, that’s about 32,000 kilometres a year – more than $5,100 in gas alone. The $375 the division is offering covers only about seven per cent of the cost,” he said.
“For families in Tyndall, the annual cost is about $1,536, and the $375 only covers 25 per cent of their expenses. However, they are receiving the same amount as those in Lac du Bonnet, which makes the allotment of money unequal,” said Turnbull.

Turnbull and parents found a driver willing to take the route but claims Sunrise refused because of administrative and seniority rules.

At the Aug. 26 Sunrise School Division board meeting, Turnbull outlined the financial burden families are facing and warned that without a solution, some students may be forced back into their catchment schools, losing access to the programs they have pursued for years. 

Students also submitted impact statements to the school board describing how the cancellation could derail their education.

“This bus route has allowed me and so many other kids to find a place where we can better prepare for our future, and finally feel like we belong,” said Grade 12 student Alexis Christie.

“I was really excited to be accepted into Lord Selkirk, only to find out our bus had been cancelled,” said Grade 10 student Cheyenne Turnbull. “I’ve been praying every night for a bus so we can attend a new school with new friends, teachers and a fresh start.”

The division acknowledged that sourcing bus drivers remains a continuing challenge. They stated that they would get back to parents with more information but stopped short of offering an immediate solution.

According to Turnbull, Lord Selkirk School Division has offered to pick up Beausejour area students in Tyndall and Lac du Bonnet students on PR 317, as well as offering $100 per month to transport students there. While a positive step, there are still parent work schedules and vehicle availability to get students to and from the pick-up locations.

Sunrise secretary treasurer Jody Thiessen explained the Division’s position, stating there would be an issue filling the route when the original driver for the route retired in May. She said the division says it has been looking through the summer for an eligible driver to fill the route.

“We have seen a decline in applications for routes and spare bus driver vacancies earlier in the year,” Thiessen said. 

The division is still considering re-establishing the route as early as mid-to-late October, pending staffing, and is working to expand its driver pool by enhancing the Bus Driver Referral Program with a $1,000 reward, while also advertising and placing signage at local hockey and curling rinks to raise awareness of driver recruitment.

When asked why the driver suggested by parents was not accepted for the route, Thiessen explained the individual was advised they would need to complete Sunrise School Division’s training to qualify as a driver, and that the route would have to be posted. 

“Bus drivers are part of a union, and the collective agreement requires that consideration be given to applicants with seniority,” she said. “As a result, there was no guarantee they would be awarded Route 131, but they were welcome to apply.”

The division said the reimbursement plan is tied to provincial grants and allowances, noting the $375 reimbursement came from the provincial transportation grant provided for each eligible student. 

“When a bus isn’t available for a particular area or route, the division has often passed that funding on to families... sometimes equal to or even more than the grant. In certain cases, we also compensate families $100 per month, depending on various factors.”
The division has faced shortages before.

“The impact of having a small pool of spare bus drivers to pull from did result in eight days where one bus run was cancelled last school year,” Thiessen added. “Unfortunately, neighbouring divisions have also been facing this challenge and have been cancelling daily bus runs frequently.”
Thiessen said no further discussions are scheduled at this time, but trustees will continue to receive regular updates on new hires, training progress and applications for bus driver positions.

Whitemouth water line option for Prawda

By Simon Ducatel

A Reynolds councillor is encouraging Prawda residents along PR 506 to get on board with a proposed water line extension project from Whitemouth that she says could potentially be “life changing” for the community

Reynolds Coun. Kim Gesell, a director on the Prawda Water Co-op, said providing Prawda residents with potable water was among her primary goals of seeking office. With the community being under a boil water advisory for over 30 year, she remains committed to presenting a persuasive case to convince people to support such a effort.  

“We have been fighting to get better water for eons, and it’s going to be my goal here,” Gesell said. “I’m hoping we have some progress in the next six months to a year.”

Although Prawda has a water system that draws from the Birch River, the water is not potable as it does not meet Manitoba Water Services Board standards. A well had been drilled along Zamec Road, but the cost of constructing a treatment plant proved financially unfeasible, she said.  
“It’s definitely out of reach for the residents who are part of the Prawda Water (Co-op).” 

The RMs of Reynolds and Whitemouth conducted a feasibility study that identified an opportunity to extend a line from a treatment facility in Whitemouth all the way up PR 506 to Prawda, she said.

“The costs are definitely cheaper than building our own treatment plant, but of course with our small area and our handful of residents, it’s still a lot of money,” she said. “We’re looking to see who along the 506 would be willing to help hook into this project and get the cost down.”
Two-thirds of the approximate $5.25 million cost would be covered by the province’s Water Services Board, leaving the remaining $1.75 million to be borne by residents.   

Gesell expressed full confidence in the proposed project and called it a “fantastic idea.”

She said she knows many people in the community, some of whom are still getting water from the river. 

“(And) with the drought the last couple of years, people’s wells have been deteriorating,” she noted. “They don’t have the substantial water that they used to have.” 

Gesell said being connected with an extended water line would be a boon for Prawda, adding there is a narrowing window of opportunity to convince enough residents to get on board. 

“It’s just to get people to put their foot in the door to give the chance for this to happen,” she said. “Of course, it’s the dollars that scares everybody. But at least if we can get a good population that are wanting it, it will definitely bring down the cost quite a bit.”

Reynolds also conducted a survey, with 20 eligible residents expressing interest and 10 opposed. However, 81 eligible residents did not provide a response. 

“The RM is giving us until Sept. 23 to get more people on board,” she said. “If we can’t, then basically I’d say the project is going to be dead in the water.” 

If residents along PR 506 fail to act it could negatively impact the values of people’s homes and community health.

“They are already paying for the water that they’re getting from the Prawda Water, but it’s not potable. So they’re either boiling it or they’re also buying water for drinking and cooking,” she said. “People just need to speak up and not be so scared about seeing the dollar signs. If we could all work together, it could be quite an affordable project for everybody.”

There is also the possibility of covering the project’s up front costs through debenture borrowing through the RM of Reynolds.
Although the project is not yet shovel ready, next steps could be taken if enough people are in favour. Those interested in the project are encouraged to contact either Gesell at 204-426-5556 or Dave Hood at 204-396-3678.

Smoke alarm initiative in Springfield

By Tony Zerucha

The RM of Springfield wants to ensure every family is kept ‘SAFE’ from fires.

Together with the Manitoba government, the Office of the Fire Commissioner and the Manitoba Firefighters’ Burn Fund, Springfield is offering the SAFE Family Program to eligible homes. Older adults, newcomers to Manitoba, young children, people with disabilities, and families with low incomes are eligible.

SAFE is a Manitoba-wide initiative that protects residents with working smoke alarms. It also encourages families to create and practice a home fire escape plan.

Eligible residences will receive up to two 10-year, lithium battery-operated smoke alarms installed by Springfield Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). The SFRS will also provide general fire safety information and tips on how to prevent fires, along with a home fire escape plan template.

To find out if you qualify for the SAFE Family Program or to request an installation, please contact Fire Chief Brian Seaton at bseaton@rmofspringfield.ca or call 204-444-3321. The program will run as long as supplies last.

“They contact the fire service and will book an appointment and install them for you,” Seaton explained. “These detectors come with a lithium battery, which is not hard-wired. It’s mounted on the wall, and you don’t have to change the batteries. It’s highly recommended because this lithium battery is good for the life of the smoke alarm. The smoke alarm is good for 10 years, and so is the battery.”

The SAFE Family program has seen more than 7,200 smoke alarms installed across Manitoba since 2015. Seaton said it, along with the publicity surrounding it, is important for the community.

“This is 100 per cent safety education,” Seaton said. “If we can educate these people and put safety measures in place, the department will be quiet, which means people are safe.”

People can have as little as one minute to escape a fire. Ensure they are in working order by testing them monthly and replacing the batteries (if they are standard and not lithium) once yearly. Never disable a smoke alarm if it goes off when cooking or in the shower. Consider moving it to a more suitable location or get an alarm with a pause button.

Only owner-occupied homes qualify, as landlords are expected to provide them in rental units.

Visit manitoba.ca/safefamily for more information on the SAFE Family program.

Springfield revises unsightly property bylaw

By Tony Zerucha

Springfield council unanimously passed a revised unsightly properties bylaw at its Aug. 19 meeting. 

First discussed in May, then-Springfield Police Service Cst. Jesse Zillman said the current bylaw was 10 years old. However, enforcement was not possible for several reasons. It prescribes higher amounts than allowed by Manitoba’s Municipal Act. The bylaw was also incompatible with the Manitoba Bylaw Enforcement Act and related administrative penalty notice procedures.

On May 20, Mayor Pat Therrien said a properly worded bylaw is an important law enforcement tool.

“We need something that we can say is unsightly,” he explained. “We need something tangible for our officers to take a look at.”

“We are complaint-driven only,” CAO Colleen Draper added. “We don’t have the manpower to go looking for these issues. If the neighbours don’t have a problem, we typically don’t have a problem.

“We try to work with the property owner to comply without sending our staff in.”

The bylaw prohibits rubbish, unsafe structures, unsightly property and outdoor appliance storage. Weeds must not become a nuisance to neighbouring properties. Grass must be kept below a length that a designated officer could deem unsightly.

Also taboo is the outdoor storage of motor vehicles capable of registration under the Highway Traffic Act or the Off-Road Vehicles Act, but not registered under either. An exception is made if the property is lawfully used to sell motor vehicles.

Property owners may park or store two motor vehicles capable of registration under the acts if they are in a side or rear yard and covered by a tarp in a good state of repair.

Should an officer inspect a property, they must give reasonable notice to the owner or occupant as defined in section 19-12 of the Enforcement Bylaw. If that notice has been provided, it is illegal to obstruct an officer.

Should violations occur, any recipient of an order to remedy has 14 days to submit an appeal to the CAO. The CAO has 30 days to schedule a hearing. Fines range from $100 to $500 for individuals and $150-$750 for businesses. Those given a remedy to order have 14 days to appeal.

Double B Agricultural Festival tall in the saddle

The Double B Agricultural Festival’s live entertainment, agricultural features and semi-pro rodeo excitement brought massive crowds to the Co-op Community Complex in Beausejour from Sept. 5-8.

The Brokenhead Agricultural Society sponsored event, anchored by Canadian Cowboy Association and the Manitoba Rodeo Cowboy Association rodeo action, also boasted a carnival and midway run by Select Shows, Saturday morning parade, chainsaw carvers, face painting and pony rides, a six-horse hitch team demonstration and legendary fireworks display thrilled young and old alike.

AJR Haul makes cleanup easy for rural residents

By Morgan Maguet

AJR Haul offers residents a new way to clean up their properties.

Started by Springfield residents John and Andrea Richter in 2021, AJR Haul is a recent start-up focused on removing junk, garbage and materials from homes and yards. The business has grown in popularity over the past few years and now serves a variety of communities.

“After being laid off during the pandemic, John started to think about other work ideas,” Andrea said. “We had recently purchased a dump trailer that we thought would be for farm use. We had been living in Springfield for around a dozen years and saw an opportunity to provide junk removal services locally.”

The Richters decided there was a need for cleanup and removal services in the area and began offering a range of pickup and removal options, as well as regularly scheduled garbage pickups.

“We can now remove anything from a single piece of furniture to full house and property cleanouts, renovation debris and yard waste – basically anything that fits in our truck and trailer. We also provide weekly or biweekly garbage and recycling pickup to rural residents in the RM of Springfield,” John said. 

AJR has expanded some of its services well beyond Springfield. 

“We provide full-service junk removal to residents and businesses in the RMs of Springfield, Brokenhead, St. Clements, Lac du Bonnet, Selkirk, Beausejour, Tyndall, Garson, Oakbank, Dugald, Anola and surrounding areas,” Andrea said.

The Richters pride themselves on offering services to many communities while maintaining a small operation. 

“We are truly a small business. For the most part, John works by himself on the truck,” she added. “We are fortunate to have a few amazing casual employees who assist with larger jobs and fill in when needed, and I handle the back office on evenings and weekends.

“We are still small enough to be flexible in our services and being fully independent and locally owned allows us to serve our communities more affordably,” John said.

AJR is able to run its operation with just one vehicle – a one-ton pickup truck with a caged eight-foot box and a seven-by-12 dump trailer. 
“We charge for junk removal based on the required load size — a pickup box load, trailer load or both,” John said.

As AJR continues to grow, the couple remains focused on continuing their level of service and working to close the garbage and recycling removal service gaps for people in rural areas.

“Our goal is to continue to provide our services to our communities for the coming years. We will continue to listen to our customers, neighbours and friends to ensure we do everything we can to satisfy their needs and to be of value in our communities,” John said.

“We truly have the best customers. Their kind words, recommendations and continued support have been our lifeline. They have shaped the business to meet community needs, and we are very grateful for everyone we have the opportunity to work with,” Andrea said.

For pricing, estimates and more information, contact Andrea or John at 204-798-5205 or AJRhaul@gmail.com. Details are also available on their website, AJRHaul.ca

Wpg River Burger Trail winner announced

The winner of the 2025 Winnipeg River Burger Trail is Starlette’s Burger Saloon with their Big Wild West Burger.

In what was their first year participating, the Elma restaurant won the two-week hamburger competition with their entry, which included two house-made patties, loaded up with chilli, double cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles, and smothered in their signature cowboy sauce on a sesame seed bun.

From Aug. 20 to Sept. 3, the Winnipeg River Burger Trail featured 10 restaurants from Pine Falls to Elma. Each made unique and original hamburgers with customers voting for their favourites. After sampling all of the specially created burgers, diners were asked to vote for their favourite. Guests were encouraged to visit as many places as they could.

According to Lac du Bonnet and District Chamber of Commerce administrator Cathy Gregg, the participating restaurants sold a whopping 2,711 burgers combined with Starlette’s Burger Saloon selling 301 burgers and receiving the most votes.

Second place went to River Front Convenience with The Juicy Lucy – a smoked ground chuck burger stuffed with a blend of sharp cheddar cheeses and caramelized onions along with homemade burger sauce, crispy bacon, leaf lettuce and tomato, stacked on a sturdy cheese bun.

Third was The Spicy Radish Cafe and their Steakhouse Burger – a ground chuck beef patty, roasted mushrooms, crispy onions, tomato pepper jam, horseradish sauce, monterey jack cheese and greens on a house made garlic buttered bun.

The Winnipeg River Burger Trail is a fun social experience while promoting the participating communities to residents and visitors. It is a great event to get people in the region out and exploring other communities, and to learn about some of the fantastic restaurants. The event also attracts people from other areas who are burger aficionados.

In 2024, participating restaurants sold a total of 2,624 burgers combined with Otter Falls finishing first.

“Thanks to all of you for your enthusiasm and for travelling the burger trail with us,” Gregg stated.

Lac du Bonnet Walk For Dog Guides  Sept. 14

A Lac du Bonnet fundraiser for guide dogs, which was cancelled this past spring due to wildfire smoke, is back on for this weekend.

The Lac du Bonnet Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides is taking place on Sept. 14 behind the Lac du Bonnet Food Bank at 55 McArthur Ave. Registration is at 1:30 p.m. with the walk to start at 2 p.m. Proceeds are going to the seven dog guide programs: Canine Vision, Hearing, Service, Seizure Response, Autism Assistance, Diabetic Alert and Facility Support. 

The Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides (LFCDG) is an accredited not-for-profit that relies on its largest fundraising event, the Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides, to empower Canadians living with disabilities by providing dog guides at no cost and supporting them in their journey together.

“With one in five Canadians living with a disability, dog guides are in high demand,” explained Andrea Stevens, manager of events at LFCDG.
She said each dog guide team costs $35,000, however none of that cost is passed down to the applicant. LFCDG relies on the success of all Pet Valu Walks for Dog Guides that take place across Canada, to continue to create an impact for Canadians through dog guides. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the dog walk.

The Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides is a national fundraising walk that is held in communities across Canada. It raises funds to help train dog guides for Canadians with visual, hearing, medical or physical disabilities. Each walk is organized by local volunteers with support from LFCDG. 
To make an impact, register or donate to the Lac du Bonnet Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides at www.walkfordogguides.com

New Catholic priest for Beausejour, Anola

St. Mary Roman Catholic Church in Beausejour and Our Lady of Hope Church in Anola welcome Father Rajan Thomas, IVDei to their parishes.

A dynamic and committed priest, parishioners are fortunate to have Father Rajan, who comes from Tamil Nadu, India. He is fluent in English and Tamil. Father Rajan acted as parish provider from April 5 to May 1, when he was then appointed parochial administrator for both parishes.

Father Rajan was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest under the Voluntas Dei Institute on May 19, 2018 after this seminary studies.  His ministerial experiences have included pastor and co-pastor in two parishes, a vocation promoter and two year mission visit in Italy. 

Prior to entering the priesthood, Father Rajan was an assistant professor at Loyola College in the Department of Social Work. He holds a Masters of Social Work. He also is close to completing his Ph. D in Social Work, as he placed his studies on hold to follow his calling and mission at Our Lady of Hope and St. Mary parishes.      

Since he has arrived, Father Rajan has shown to be committed, hardworking, inclusive and a relationship builder. He has spearhead visits to parishioners who are homebound to provide spiritual care. As well, he has visited many parishioners to get to know them and bless their homes. He has also shown that he meets a person where they are at in their spiritual journey and all are welcome. He also has an innate ability to remember faces and names.

Father Rajan has quickly come to appreciate local parishioners, churches, cemeteries and also the Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Beausejour. In particular, the St. Mary Church and Rectory are impressive monuments to faith, determination and hard works of the pastors and parishioners over the past 100-plus years. Examples are the beautiful wall and ceiling murals completed by artist Leo Mol in 1952 and the Shrine Of our Lady of La Salette. At the same time, he tactfully integrates subtle enhancements to the established but growing parishes.

The communities within the Parishes of St. Mary and Our Lady of Hope are very diverse. They all bring their own cultural characteristics and gifts. His unique background will be very welcoming and meaningful to Christians of such diversity. 

Father Rajan invites the communities to mass. In Beausejour, mass is celebrated on Saturday at 5 p.m., Sunday at 9 a.m. and weekdays Tuesday to Friday at 9 a.m. In Anola, mass is celebrated on Sunday at 11 a.m.

For further mass times, church bulletins and more information go to www.stmarybeausejour.com and www.ourladyofhopeanola.com

Gazelles claim 2025 LdB Slo-Pitch title

The Lac du Bonnet Slo-Pitch League closed out their 2025 season in thrilling fashion Sept. 8 with Gazelles defeating Southern Comfort 8-7 to claim the league title.

A new team in the Lac du Bonnet Slo-Pitch League, Gazelles finished the season with a 13-8 record and in second place behind No.l ranked Southern Comfort, who lost just one game in regulation play to claim the league pennant.

Whipmasters won the consolation event.

September 18

Postal worker union won’t deliver The Clipper

By Mark T. Buss

Brokenhead and Springfield readers who receive The Clipper through Canada Post will have to make alternate arrangements to pick up copies of the community newspaper starting this week.

Announced Friday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers’ (CUPW) mail carriers stopped delivering unaddressed mail as of Sept. 15. The CUPW advised its 55,000 workers will switch their labour action from an overtime ban to a flyer ban, meaning addressed mail will still be delivered to rural group boxes, but commercial flyers and products sent under the Neighbourhood Mail agreement, which includes community newspapers, will not.

This is being done in an effort to bring Canada Post back to the bargaining table. In August, CUPW members turned down Canada Post’s latest contract offer, which included a wage hike of 13 per cent over four years and some restructuring to include part-time workers. Some 69.4 per cent of rural mail carriers who voted were against the deal.

The potential for ongoing strike actions comes at a critical moment for the postal system. Since 2018, the corporation has recorded more than $3 billion in losses before tax, and it will post another significant loss for 2024. In early 2025, the Government of Canada announced repayable funding of up to $1 billion for Canada Post to prevent insolvency.
In 2023, Canada Post changed community newspaper distribution under their ‘consumers’ choice’ policy, allowing users to make the request to stop receiving unaddressed advertising mail – flyers, menus, coupons, catalogues, etc. Community newspapers, mailings from governments, band offices and materials related to elections had been exempt and delivered up to that point.

This reclassification was done without prior consultation with Canada’s news industry. As newspapers with inserts was the only such designation change under the consumers’ choice policy, it has been viewed by journalism agencies as an effort by the Crown corporation to hamstring publishers and monopolize the flyer business. 

A Canada Post strike will have no impact on paid subscriptions or on distribution of The Clipper in Beausejour, Oakbank, Dugald, Lac du Bonnet, Pinawa, Powerview-Pine Falls, Whitemouth and Reynolds.
Those who normally receive the community newspaper via Canada Post in the RM of Brokenhead can pick it up at the Clipper Publishing office located 27 Third St. S in Beausejour, at one of our business partners in town or at outdoor boxes at Sherwood Forest Grocery, Garson Grocery and beside the Tyndall Curling Club. Springfield residents in Anola, Cooks Creek and Birds Hill can pick up The Clipper at numerous stores and locations in Oakbank, at Garven Grocery and at newspaper box locations at the intersections of Garven and PR 207, Pineridge and Hillside Roads and Hwy 15 and PR 207 as well as Lake Trail Convenience in Anola, the Dugald Store and several businesses at Deacons Corner.

Beausejour community safety open house Sept. 18

The Town of Beausejour is holding a community safety open house Thursday to discuss increasing crime in the area and provide residents an opportunity to express their security concerns and priorities.

Residents are invited to attend the community event on Sept. 18 from 7-9 p.m. at the Town of Beausejour municipal office, located at 639 Park Ave. Town council, members of the Beausejour RCMP and Beausejour Citizens on Patrol Program (COPP) will be in attendance to provide an outlet for taxpayer feedback. This is also an opportunity for residents to learn more about the Citizens on Patrol Program, their role in our community and the possibility of becoming a COPP volunteer.

With the rise in crime, specifically related to repeat offenders taking up residence in Beausejour, council and administration have been working closely with the RCMP, Manitoba Justice and Manitoba Housing to develop strategies to mitigate and potentially reduce the risk of crime in the community.
Beausejour Mayor Ray Schirle said criminal activity including break ins, thefts and drug related issues has reached the tipping point where Beausejour applied for and received additional police officers and supports through the provincial Safer Communities program.

Council and administration is also working with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities to lobby the provincial and federal governments to put the need for bail reform as a top priority to stop the continual catch and release of repeat offenders.

Schirle said following crime articles in The Clipper and several radio and TV interviews discussing the issue, people want to get involved and help create a safer community. To accommodate, this come and go with Citizens on Patrol and the RCMP was organized where residents can talk about crime, share incidents and information.

He said COPP regional coordinator Murray Luschinski will be on hand with displays, a powerpoint presentation and is ready to answer questions for anyone willing to sign up.

“People are upset in town and they are realizing they need to get involved,” Schirle said. “We will have the RCMP, COPP and information on how citizens can get involved.”

“Are we the worst community out there, no... but I just don’t want us to go down that path.”
– Buss

By Simon Ducatel

A little cooperation among neighbouring municipalities can go a long way. 

At no extra cost to residents, the Town and RM of Lac du Bonnet have signed a shared services agreement to split the cost of providing recreational activities.  

Under the agreement, which amalgamates municipal assets and pools resources, the town’s recreation department will, in collaboration with the RM, administer and operate the Lac du Bonnet Recreation Department. Cost sharing will be split 50/50 and user fees will remain the same for both the town and the RM residents, who have equal access to services.

“This is the most efficient way to operate this,” said Deputy Reeve Greg Mandzuk during the RM’s Sept. 2 meeting. “Our recreation needs for the town and the RM are completely different, but having this agreement in place just delivers efficiencies in my view.”

“And what it also does, it deals with this ongoing debate about per capita,” he added.

Mayor Ken Lodge said the agreement is a positive step forward. 
“Ultimately, what we hope to do is gain a number of efficiencies, but primarily to provide better integration and better utilization of the resources that we’ve got available to us for the benefit of all the people in our community,” Lodge said.

Per the definitions as outlined in the agreement, “recreational services refers to the planning, coordination and delivery of programs and events that promote the physical, social, and cultural well-being of residents and visitors.”

The combined recreation department, under coordinator Bianca Tetrault, will also serve as a kind of one-stop shop where residents can find out about all of the available recreational activities in the area, said Lodge.

Many of the existing recreational facilities are located either in town or within very close proximity. Amenities that are situated in the town include the arena, the bowling alley, the curling club, town dock, as well as the Lakers property, he said, also noting a number of nature trails just outside of town. Programs also occur outside of town limits, like learning how to forage in the wilderness beading classes. These are different programs not normally viewed as sporting activities.
Additionally, the shared services agreement will open doors to possibilities to not only expand existing opportunities, but introduce new ones.

“We also have our youth rec centre, which isn’t directly involved right now,” he said. “There probably will be some utilization in the future, just to make sure that nobody’s left out.” 

Lodge says there are some people in the RM who may not use facilities in town “simply because they feel that they’re unavailable,” so properly funding and administering recreation services to ensure they are accessible to the whole community is important.

Per the new agreement, the department’s operations and activities shall be guided by an annually updated plan developed by the town in consultation with the RM, and will include proposed priorities, goals, programs, events and equipment, with staffing to be approved by both councils once a year. 

The town will also provide the RM with an annual operating budget for the department to be approved by both councils. Any surplus or deficit will be shared equally, while unbudgeted expenses exceeding five per cent of the annual budget shall require prior written approval from both councils. 

As well, all existing recreational equipment and assets owned by the town and formerly managed by the Winnipeg River Recreation Commission and all existing recreation equipment owned by the RM shall become assets of the Lac du Bonnet Recreation Department.
Per the agreement, the document shall remain binding on both parties and any future councils or legal successors and indefinitely remain in effect unless terminated. 

RM Coun. Cindy Kellendonk expressed optimism about moving forward in the spirit of collaboration and hoped having the agreement in place will prevent any repeat of past situations that had previously resulted in the municipalities going their own way.   

“It’s a matter of, as we were all focused on, rebuilding the relationships, these shared agreements, the efficiencies and the benefits to the community,” said Kellendonk.

Hold and secure at Beausejour schools

By Mark T. Buss

Both Beausejour schools were locked down last week after an individual, not connected to either school, was in the area and acting erratically.

On Sept. 11, École Beausejour Early Years School and was placed in a ‘hold and secure’ for approximately 30 minutes when a man was observed walking and ‘waving sticks’ in the parking lot by the Beausejour Sportsplex.

RCMP say that although the person was not on school property, in the interest of safety, the incident was reported to the Beausejour detachment at 11:38 a.m. École Edward Schreyer School was also locked down, meaning nobody could enter or leave.

“We didn’t want anyone to walk out of the building unaware of what was going on into a potentially harmful situation,” Sunrise School Division superintendent Trevor Reid said.

Police responded. The male was identified and warned about his action. No arrest was made. 

A letter sent home to parents stated the school’s emergency response procedure was implemented. During that time, staff and students were safe inside the building as classes continued. No injuries were reported.

Jennifer’s final season comes to a close

By Rick McGregor

An iconic North Eastman eatery has closed for the season for the final time, leaving a lasting legacy of satisfied patrons.

Jennifer’s – a fixture in Seven Sisters for the past 31 years – closed at the end of the August. Chef Jozef Slavik built an almost cult-like following over those years and many past customers from all over Manitoba and other places far and wide are saddened about the closing, but happy for Jozef and his wife Nathalie on their retirement announcement.

Slavik grew up in Slovenia but says his background is Hungarian, Russian, German and even Gypsy, He received his formal culinary training 51 years ago in Europe and moved to Canada in 1980. He cooked at a number of Winnipeg restaurants including the legendary Restaurant Dubrovnik. He then spent eight years in Nunavut before eventually arriving in Seven Sisters. He opened Jennifer’s Restaurant in a commercial space down the street from his home.

Jennifer’s became a go-to place for many cottagers and campers on their way to and from Whiteshell Provincial Park. Over the years, word spread about the great food and an almost reverence for the rules laid down by Chef Jozef – no substitutions, no adds and no changes.

As their children grew, Jozef made a decision that his kids needed “a father around the house” so he stepped away from cooking for two and half years. Nathalie took a job to help pay the bills. The family used this opportunity to bond through travelling, camping, fishing and canoeing.

In 2014, he opened Jennifer’s Picnic, an outdoor eating establishment with the kitchen in a trailer in their yard on PR 307. Specializing in dishes such as pork schnitzel and lemon pepper chicken, paired with his famous potatoes, the restaurant drew line-up crowds from far and wide.

Over the years, many customers asked where the name “Jennifer’s” came from. A secret over the years, Slavik revealed that Jennifer is his second oldest daughter and the inspiration for the name. 

Another mystery to many of his patrons was his posted closing time of 7:13 p.m. Slavik said that only his children know why and that secret will stay in the family.
Asked what the plans were retirement, Jozef talked about “living the simple lifestyle of 1897” – gardening, canning, fishing, hunting and vacationing. 

When pressed for what he would like to say to his many customers over the years, he did not hesitate. 

“I would tell them I wish I could live a thousand years so that I could get to know you all better,” he said. “I never had enough time for all of you. I wish you well and I thank you all.”

Share the road at harvest time

With farmers bringing in their crops and harvesting until the end of October, motorists and machinery operators are asked to respectfully share the roads.
Agriculture producers are an important staple of our community and industry, meaning plenty of large farm equipment will be on and working around our roadways over the next number of weeks. 

Whether driving a car, motorcycle, truck, tractor or combine, motorists share the same public roadways and have the same goal of getting to destinations safely. Slow down and exercise caution near farm machinery. 

Farm equipment may be larger than it appears, so always check there is time and a clear line of sight before passing. Remember, at highway speeds, approaching slow-moving farm equipment is faster than expected. Some farm equipment may encroach well over the centre line of a two-lane highway. 

For farm equipment operators, it is important to inspect machinery before hitting the road to ensure every light is working and visible. It’s also important to carefully plan routes to know of any obstacles faced when moving between farmyards and fields. 
Farm equipment operators can’t see vehicles behind them, so it is essential to stay a safe distance behind the machinery. Drivers following too close will not be able to see ahead or adjust their speed to avoid a collision. 

Do not expect equipment to pull over to the side of the road as this can be extremely dangerous for the operator. If the farm equipment pulls over too far onto the edge of the road, it can cause the shoulder of the road to collapse, resulting in the equipment going into the ditch or rolling over. 

Tractors with wagons, self-propelled implements and transport trucks require more room to turn. If they are making a right-hand turn into a field or laneway, they may be required to crowd or go over the centre line to ensure they can access the field safely.

Motorcycle club supports Springfield Food Bank

By Cathy Juskow

On Aug. 9, the Old Guys Breakfast Club (OGBC), a group of motorcycle enthusiasts, delivered $460 and two half ton truck loads of food to the Springfield Food Bank. 

This year was their seventh OGBC BBQ Ride and Fundraiser and they also raised $3,800 for breast cancer. Over the years they have fundraised for organizations such as CancerCare, the Alzheimer’s Society and local food banks. 

The club is made up of mostly senior guys and gals, who meet monthly for breakfast and a ride. The club was formed in 2018 when three motorcycle brothers, Ray “Mooch” Irving, Rick “Hawg” Herie, and Kerry “Wildman” Hannah – who used to ride together in 1969 but lost touch – reconnected. Getting together again on a regular basis, word got out and other riders they knew were interested in joining them.
Mooch decided that the group should get involved in fundraising and donating to various charities and organizations. He created the name Old Guys Breakfast Club (OGBC), asked his cousin in BC to design the OGBC logo, and registered the name. Mooch rounds everyone up, even calling people to make sure they are OK if he has not heard from them in a while.

The OGBC ballooned from three friends casually getting together, to 40-plus guys and gals, including their children and grandchildren, getting together for rides, barbecues and fundraising, indicating how popular the club has become. 
Many of their members live in the RM of Springfield area and they meet at the Oakbank Bar and Grill every third Friday for breakfast and a ride. The club dedicates the funds raised to honour the memory of their fallen brothers and sisters who have passed away over the years. 

Beausejour Co-op acquires car wash in Lac du Bonnet

Beausejour Co-op’s recent purchase of the four-bay wand car wash, located directly beside their Co-op gas bar location in Lac du Bonnet, is a significant step in continued commitment to providing convenient, high-quality services to the community. 

The car wash, previously operated by Beverly and Ritchie Nally, has served Lac du Bonnet for years. Beausejour Co-op is excited to continue that legacy and introduce new features to enhance the car wash experience. 

As part of the upgrade plans, the site will transition from a coin/token pay system to a tap-to-pay system – making the car wash experience faster and more convenient. For added flexibility, loadable car wash cards will be available for purchase at Beausejour Co-op’s Lac du Bonnet gas bar location. These cards are perfect for gifting or for those who prefer a prepaid option. Additional future enhancements are also being considered.

“We take pride in supporting our communities and enhancing the services we offer,” said Beausejour Co-op GM Kevin Van Den Bussche. “Beverly and Ritchie were great to work with through this transition, and we are excited to maintain this service to the community.” 

For inquiries or questions, please reach out to the Lac du Bonnet gas bar manager Stuart Petersen at 204-345-6655.

Services to Seniors celebrating 40 years Oct. 2

By Morgan Mague

North Eastman Services to Seniors will be honouring four decades of dedicated service to seniors in the region with a day of inspiration, education and entertainment in Victoria Beach next month.

Thanks to the $10,000 grant from New Horizons for Seniors Program, North Eastman Services to Seniors will host an event on Oct. 2 at the Social Scene, 3 Ateah Rd. in Victoria Beach, celebrating 40 years of serving seniors within the region. The initiative is part of a federally-funded program supporting projects designed by seniors - for seniors within their communities. The event will be focused on cultural diversity and inclusion, senior abuse prevention and healthy aging.

Whitemouth’s Two Rivers Seniors resource coordinator Sandra McGonigal applied for and received the grant from New Horizons and partnered with the community resource coordinators for seniors in the North Eastman region. This special event will bring together community leaders, health professionals, cultural voices and performers to celebrate aging with dignity, vitality and joy.

Interlake Eastern Regional Health Authority (IERHA) regional senior support supervisor Bev Airey will be MC and provide opening remarks. Guest speakers will include representatives from Total Brain Health (IERHA), Elder Abuse Prevention and Active Aging.

Cultural highlights involve Manitoba Métis Federation, a speaker from Sagkeeng First Nation and dancers. The event will also feature award-winning magician, comedian and Toastmasters speaker, Greg Wood, who has wowed audiences across Canada and five continents with his blend of humour and magic.

Special guest will be Dorothy Walker, an active and dedicated member of the Pinawa community since arriving in 1965. As she is known for her much-loved character roles, we are excited to hear Dorothy speak. At 98, she continues to inspire with a lifetime of creativity, service and commitment that has left a lasting impact on Pinawa.

Tickets are available by calling SJ Nesbitt, Pinawa Two Rivers Seniors, 204-753-2962; Sandra McGonigal, Whitemouth/Reynolds Two Rivers Seniors, 204-348-4610; Tina Polischuk, Powerview-Pine Falls Services to Seniors, 204-367-9128 and Tara-Lee Thomas, East Beaches Resource Centre, Victoria Beach, 204-756-6471.

Springfield unplugs data centre plans

By Tony Zerucha

A Springfield entrepreneur’s plans to build a data centre near the Red River Floodway were defeated after Springfield’s council voted against amending Springfield’s development plan to redesignate 80 acres of land from agricultural preserve to employment. 

Council had passed first reading on May 13, where Wayne Edie and Steinbach-based real estate developer Paul Marsch introduced the proposal for the data centre, which would be built in stages on 80 acres of land Edie owns adjacent to the Manitoba Hydro Riel Converter station on PR 207 near Deacon Road. The project could create up to 200 jobs.

The site was specifically chosen due to its proximity to the converter station. That station was pegged to handle a larger load. A nearby location allowed the power to be used more efficiently.

“It’s the only spot that will work for the project,” Marsch said, while adding that Manitoba Hydro suggested the site.

Marsch and Edie said there is tremendous demand for high-capacity energy production. Cloud storage and digital systems consume plenty, as do alternative intelligence systems. Those systems must be trained on massive amounts of data, which takes energy. Once running, they also use it.
A total of 10 objections were registered against the plan, along with a 72-person petition. The Department of Agriculture said there were several other employment areas nearby that could accommodate Edie’s plans. 

Edie argued that it was that proximity to service those sites that made this parcel ideal.

“By rezoning this land, we can help provide the necessary infrastructure to contribute to the RM’s long-term prosperity,” Edie said.

At several points, Mayor Pat Therrien and other council members reminded the crowd that this public hearing was specifically about amending the development plan. Issues related to the type of business, zoning and environmental issues would be addressed at future hearings and in a negotiated development agreement.

Many speakers feared the loss of agricultural land, with some questioning why the plan needs roughly 80 acres when only 20 were required for the data centre.

“I don’t like the idea that we’re taking any kind of acreage out of prime agriculture and putting it into employment,” Cooks Creek resident Sue Ziemski said. “Let the remaining acreage stay as agricultural.”

Edie also had to fend off questions about his motives behind the project.
“I’ve been a life-long resident of this RM,” he said. “It’s not a money grab. I do quite well in my other businesses. I don’t need to boost the price of 50 acres of farmland. 

“It’s been said that 63 per cent of the taxes in the RM of Springfield come from commercial entities. Let’s keep commercial entities going to build that up, so our personal taxes aren’t going up.”

Coun. Mark Miller, who spoke favourably about the project in May, cited the Department of Agriculture’s concerns in urging more caution.
“The most critical issue of this is... the Department of Agriculture has said don’t move forward with this,” Miller said. “If we don’t listen to them... are we a bunch of renegades?”

Council voted 4-1 against the amendment. Therrien was the only member in favour with Miller and Couns. Glen Fuhl, Melinda Warren and Andy Kuczynski opposed.

Comets preparing for CRJHL campaign

By Tony Zerucha

With the new Capital Region Junior Hockey League (CRJHL) season only a few weeks away, GM Curt Ramsden said the Beausejour Comets are doing everything they can to bring a championship to the region that has passionately supported them.

As of Sept. 10, the Comets had completed two skates in Winnipeg. Mostly due to construction in Beausejour, the move also allowed the team to attract players from other areas to camp. Ramsden sees his charges quickly shaking off the summer rust.

Excitement is high, as the Comets have appeared in the last two CRJHL championship rounds. In 2024, they upset the Selkirk Fishermen to reach the final, only to bow to the St. Malo Warriors. Last season, the rematch saw it go to extra hockey in the seventh game before the Warriors outlasted the Comets.    

Ramsden likes the spirit he’s seen so far. The returning players have unfinished business, while the newcomers want to be part of a good thing. That’s produced competition.

And there are spots to be won. Last season’s top defenceman, Jace Ticknor; captain and Bob Carmichael Award winner Evan Leeson; Top Forward and scholarship winner Jarvis Ewasko; and CRJHL MVP and top goalie award-winner Dylan Liske have all aged out.

Ramsden and head coach Troy Kennedy have been preparing for this moment. Alex Cavanagh spent a few seasons as the third goalie before earning some starts. Sawyer Abraham did the same and wants a promotion. Ramsden said Abraham has worked hard in practice and has something to prove.

“We have two guys who are hungry to grab the number one role,” Ramsden said.

The Comets enter camp with nine returning 20-year-olds, and they’re only allowed six. Ramsden knows three difficult conversations are looming.
“There are always tough choices,” Ramsden said. “Both seasons we’ve been involved, we’ve had to cut one or two veterans. You get emotionally invested with these guys and become close to them.”

Roster turnover is part of the game. Ramsden hopes this season’s process yields as much fruit as last season. Rookies Jaedys Dancyt, Liam Johnston, Easton Gaffray and Cash Clarkson shone, especially in the second half.
“Halfway through the year, they adjusted to older players and a new style of game,” Ramsden said. “They were huge contributors for us down the stretch. We’re looking for that group as a whole to step forward as 19-year-olds.”
Several former high school stars hope to crack the roster. Former École Edward Schreyer  School Barons Vaughn Senebald, Crosby Liske and Miles Armit are pushing for spots. In 67 career games with the Barons, Senebald racked up 58 goals, 66 assists and 124 points, including 26 goals and 59 points in 24 games last season. He’s appeared in four Comet games over two seasons.

Liske has 61 high school games on his resume, where he produced 34 goals, 31 assists and 65 points. In 14 Comet appearances over two campaigns, Liske scored one goal and added three helpers.

Armit has 67 Barons’ games of experience, chipping in 28 goals, 38 helpers and 66 points. He appeared in one Comets game and has also suited up for the MMJHL’s River East Royal Knights.

“They’re three really good players,” Ramsden said.

Greyson Wood is another one to watch. After two low-scoring high school seasons split between the West Kildonan Wolverines and Garden City Gophers, Wood exploded for 20 goals and 26 assists in 24 Gopher games last season.

“He got in touch with us because he’s heard good things about the program,” Ramsden said. “He wants to be a Comet.”

Ramsden said that recruiting process is boosted by the boisterous fans that pack the rink and follow the team on the road. Recruits see the videos and talk to Comet players, who tell them it’s a great place to play.

The Comets are always seeking to improve the fan experience, but that takes volunteers. Contact the team to help out. 

“We’re expanding our relationship with minor hockey and ringette,” Ramsden said. “We have the kids as flag carriers, and they come through the dressing room for high fives after the games. It’s part of building a community; the kids are excited to come to the games and tell their friends.”

Fans have two chances to see the Comet hopefuls before the regular season. The Comets visit Gimli for a game against Arborg on Sept. 19 before hosting the La Broquerie Habs at the Beausejour Sportsplex on Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. 

Demoline Golf Tournament raises $12,000

The 22nd annual Rod Demoline Golf Tournament held at Granite Hills on Sept. 10 was another success as participants raised $12,000 for the Lac du Bonnet Community Centre (LdBCC).

“We had an amazing day with perfect weather. We had the biggest turnout with 29 teams,” said LdBCC president Sharalyn Reitlo. “We can’t thank the players and sponsors enough for their support. Granite Hills Golf Course was in impeccable condition and the staff was wonderful, making our golf tournament a big success.”

The tournament is held in memory of Rod Demoline, an instrumental founding board member who helped establish the community centre. Demoline gave back to Lac du Bonnet serving as town councillor, VP of the community centre, president of the Lac du Bonnet Curling Club and president of the Lac du Bonnet Lions Club before his passing in 2003.

The largest fundraiser for the LdBCC, the winning team of Kyle Costello, Matt Turanski, Geoff Born and Jonny Litman shot a sizzling 56 or 16 under par.
Boyd Miller was 18 inches away from winning the $10,000 Hole in One Contest, another notable for the day.

Reitlo said the funds raised for the community centre will go towards future capital projects. 

“A few projects we are preparing for include four new furnaces and a new outdoor electronic message sign.”

September 25