Praying together

‘It will probably be in the best shape that it’s ever been in’: Mantario Trail to reopen in June

The Mantario Trail is anticipated to reopen at the end of June, owing to volunteers’ “remarkable progress” on restoring the popular route that had been devastated by wildfires.

Outdoor enthusiasts are celebrating the province’s latest update on the roughly 62-kilometre trail in eastern Manitoba that’s been closed for more than a year.

“It will probably be in the best shape that it’s ever been in because of the new stuff that’s going to be put up — the signage and everything,” said Gilles Boulley, president of the South Whiteshell Trail Association.

Boulley called the multipurpose trail that straddles the Manitoba and Ontario border, “one of the gems of the (local) trail system.”

Dealing with what’s left behind … in the cloud

Sooner or later, we will all face it; if we’re wise, we plan for its arrival.

Death.

Notwithstanding the pithy observation of 18th-century American statesman Benjamin Franklin regarding the inescapable nature of taxes, the only real inevitability in each of our lives is that it will end. And when it does, those left behind to (one hopes) mourn our passing are always left with the unenviable chore of tying up multitudinous loose ends.

What comes to mind first are familiar material considerations such as wills, finances, property divestiture and the burdensome responsibility of sorting through and disposing of a lifetime’s worth of accumulated clothing, furniture, vehicles and all manner of personal belongings. These jobs are made immeasurably easier if the departed has left specific and detailed instructions and documentation for those tasked with sorting it all out.

Rural Canada sees uneven population change: census

Kelly Rae, the administrator of Arran, Sask., says the denizens of dwindling rural communities like her own are clinging to a vanishing way of life in Canada.

Between 2011 and 2021, the village west of the Manitoba border saw its population slashed in half to just 20 people,Statistics Canada reported on Wednesday, as it released the first tranche of data from last year's census.

The share of Canadians living in rural areas has declined for the ninth census in a row, the agency said, dropping from 18.7 per cent in 2016 to 17.8 per cent in 2021.

However, the count showed that Canada's rural population grew faster than any other G7 country, ticking up 0.4 per cent over the five-year period to 6.6 million people in May 2021.

Physician watchdog under fire for ‘outrageous’ policy

The Manitoba physician watchdog’s policy of deferring its own investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct while a police probe is ongoing is “outrageous” and is further evidence an independent review is needed into the regulatory body, critics say.

Jets hold first practice since Covid-19 shutdown

Walking out of Rogers Place in the wee hours of March 12, I had no idea when the Winnipeg Jets might skate again — or what it might look like when they did. After all, the world was changing due to COVID-19, and a big win over the Edmonton Oilers earlier that night was quickly rendered meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Now, 124 days later, we finally have some answers, along with a whole host of new questions. What went down Monday morning inside Bell MTS Iceplex, as the most unique training camp in club history got underway, was like nothing anyone associated with the sport has ever experienced before.

There were mandatory nasal swabs up the noses of all Jets players, along with health questionnaires and digital temperature checks for those of us entering the facility. Masks were required at all times. The rink lobby, normally a hub of activity whenever the hometown team hits the ice, was a ghost town and closed to the public. Handshakes among colleagues I haven't seen for four months were replaced by distant waves and muffled, socially distant pleasantries, just as hugs and high-fives among players were a no-no.

A workspace was created in the Press Box Restaurant, with tables spaced out against against glass that fogged up every few minutes. It didn't take long to remember why hockey and hot summer weather don't typically work well together. Forget the wind chill, does anyone know the humidex?

Transit installing driver-activated emergency-alert system

All Winnipeg Transit buses will soon be equipped to warn bystanders and motorists to call 911 instead of boarding the vehicles while an emergency is taking place.

The city is now installing a system that displays “Emergency Call 911” followed by “Do Not Board Bus” on electronic message boards that are visible only from the outside. When a driver activates the system, the message will also be sent to Winnipeg Transit’s control centre.

The entire 645-bus fleet will be upgraded with the new safety feature by Dec. 15.

“This emergency-signal system ensures another layer of protection for our operators and our passengers by ensuring help arrives as quickly as possible,” said Greg Ewankiw, Transit’s director.