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Truth and Reconciliation Day not just a day off

OTTAWA - These days thoughts of Remembrance Day conjure images of chilly, solemn ceremonies, red poppy wreaths and the sound of the Last Post reverberating over silent crowds.

But a century ago, many marked Remembrance Day with long-weekend getaways, since the statutory holiday always fell at the beginning or end of the week.

While other federally recognized holidays are celebrations complete with travel, large meals, and fireworks, The Royal Canadian Legion has worked hard over the decades to make sure Nov. 11 isn’t just another day off for public servants, but a day of reflection.

“The fear is that we will go back to the practice of when it did become a long weekend, and people did not spend the time in reflection or in remembrance, rather, made it an opportunity for a long-weekend trip before the Christmas period started,” said Steven Clark, the executive director of The Royal Canadian Legion.

Storm left $840M of insured losses across Manitoba, Saskatchewan

Severe weather spanning two days in June — hitting both Manitoba and Saskatchewan — has led to at least $840 million in insured losses.

The June 9 and 10 weather is the latest in an increasing number of “catastrophic” events with major insurance payouts, said Rob de Pruis, the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s national director of consumer and industry relations.

The Insurance Bureau didn’t share a breakdown of insured losses by province. Most of the claims cover hail and flood damage, including sewer backups, de Pruis said.

At the time of the storm, Manitoba saw grapefruit-sized hail, torrential downpours and at least one tornado.

Clearing the deck and filling the seats

The winds of change are always blowing at Winnipeg’s city hall, but with a civic election looming this fall, the gusts through the council chamber at 510 Main St. seem particularly strong.

With slightly less than three months until voters head to the polls, no less than five incumbent councillors have declared they will not stand for re-election. Combine that with the possibility that one or more other members of the 15-member body could lose their bids for re-election, and what becomes apparent is that the makeup of Winnipeg’s municipal decision-making assembly will have changed dramatically when the new council is sworn in.

The five veteran councillors who have opted not to seek another term are Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry), Markus Chambers (St. Norbert–Seine River), John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry), Janice Lukes (Waverley West) and Brian Mayes (St. Vital).

All the departing councillors are experienced representatives, with Rollins and Chambers having served two terms, Lukes having been on council for a dozen years, and Mayes and Orlikow having served 15 and 17 years respectively. Had any or all of them chosen to run again, they would almost certainly have been re-elected, as incumbency remains a most formidable force in municipal politics.

Garry and Joyce Powers have kept on food truckin' for the past 25 years

Garry and Joyce Powers, owners of Sis & Me, a food truck currently celebrating its 25th year on Broadway, like to tell the story of how they are married to their job.

Garry got into the then-fledgling food truck biz in 1995. The following year he enlisted Joyce — they were just friends at the time — to give him a hand. Four years later the two of them walked down the aisle as husband and wife. Only in their case the aisle consisted of 10 square feet of floor space wedged between a charbroiler, flat-top grill and pair of deep fryers.

“We married in the truck on Broadway (and) did our own catering,” Joyce says, kidding (we think) that the reason she can’t share any wedding pictures is due to the “preacher, photographer and witnesses ending up in the ER over my cooking.”

The couple, who first met at a social in St. François Xavier, have a great sense of humour, that’s true. But neither one was laughing in late March, the time of year they typically begin mapping out their spring, summer and fall schedule. Owing to COVID-19, events they’d been prebooked around their downtown, lunch-hour itinerary — everything from high school track meets to neighbourhood block parties to rural fairs and festivals — were being postponed or cancelled outright, one after another.

Manitoba Open winner overcomes tough week

Theo Humphrey has, admittedly, always been his own worst enemy. Now, at 29, the one-time college golf phenom has the breakthrough victory he’s been desperately seeking.

Humphrey captured the Manitoba Open on Sunday at Breezy Bend, finishing the weather-shortened 36-hole event at 11-under par after rounds of 66 and 65. That was good enough to edge fellow American Peter Knade by a single stroke.

“I certainly didn’t think it would take this long to win a PGA Tour sanctioned event,” said Humphrey, who was born in Chicago, raised in New York, starred at Vanderbilt University and turned pro in 2018 — even qualifying for the U.S. Open that summer.

“I didn’t think it was going to be this hard. Definitely rewarding to know that I’m doing the right things and I’m on the right path. You know, it makes a lot of the struggle worth it.”