Make your yard a pit stop for birds

Every year, millions of individual birds migrate through Manitoba. These birds rely on pit stops – safe places where they can rest and feed before the next leg of their long journeys. Large pit stops, such as Fort Whyte Alive and Oak Hammock Marsh are well known. They provide excellent migration-viewing opportunities and contribute to the conservation of many bird species. Smaller pit stops are also valuable to the survival of migrant and resident birds. Here are two easy ways to turn your yard into a pit stop for birds in the fall and winter.

• Create a migration fuelling station – During the fall migration, I put out high-quality birdseed for the northern sparrows. I buy a “wild finch mix” that contains mostly red millet, white millet, canary seed, and thistle (niger). I sprinkle seed on the deck and add it to several “roofless” ground feeders. This attracts juncos, white-throated and white-crowned sparrows, Harris’s sparrows, and fox sparrows – all of which prefer to feed on open ground. Harris’s sparrow is listed as vulnerable in Manitoba and of special concern in Canada. Its population has declined almost two per cent per year since 1970. Although birdseed is not cheap, it is worth the price if my migration pitstop contributes to the survival of this and other declining species.

• Plant a mountain ash – A cheaper way to fuel birds year-round is to plant trees, shrubs, or perennial plants which produce fruit, berries, seeds, sap, or nectar. One of the best trees to plant is a mountain ash – also known as rowan or goddess tree in Celtic and Norse mythology. It is not a true ash. It is a member of the rose family.

Best described as tall shrubs or bushy trees, mountain ashes work well in small yards. Showy and American mountain ash are native to eastern Canada but are rare in Manitoba. European mountain ash has been widely planted and is now naturalized across Canada. Mountain ashes are both photogenic and attractive to birds in all seasons.

Investing in our neighbourhoods

Parks and community centres play an important role in bringing neighbourhoods together. They are places we can gather, they’re convenient places for your children to play, they are spots for keeping active and they offer greenspace within a sea of concrete.

I know the pride you take in these community hubs throughout River Heights-Fort Garry. Maintaining and improving these spaces requires sustained and consistent financial commitments from City Hall.

As your city councillor, I am proud to ensure that we continue investing in our beloved parks and centres. Looking at this year, I’m especially excited to share what we have accomplished so far.

In Marshall Crescent Park, you may already be enjoying over $180,000 worth of investment in a new play structure for children aged two to five, a new sandbox and seating areas with a bench and picnic table. We’ve also added an asphalt pathway and bike racks. All these improvements were installed on top of improved drainage features, in addition to new sod and soil.

Want not, waste not

Being a human to a husky comes with obligations, one of which is multiple daily walks. That means I cover a lot of ground in the Wildwood area. Our walks are varied, but at least once a day we walk through Wildwood Park proper. This summer, I noticed something I see every year, but seemed worse than previously. The sheer number of apple trees whose fruit was allowed to fall to the ground and decay.

What a waste, I thought. Apple pies that weren’t baked. Jams, jellies and sauces that weren’t canned. Hungry people going unfed.

I am an apple thief. When you are not looking, I will snatch a few apples off your tree, feeling an appropriate amount of guilt. I have never resorted to grand theft apple, but I have asked neighbours if I could harvest their unwanted apples. No one has ever said no. They seem to think I am doing them a favour.

One day, I passed multiple trees laden with ripe, perfect apples, just begging to be picked. Soon after, I saw them on the ground, rotting.

Musing on art, nature and community

Photo by Sandy Nemeth

A carved wooden owl, eagle and pelican (above) are delightful works of public art along the Bois-des-Esprit trail.

Sandy Nemeth

Connecting with constituents

I hope you’ve had a good summer and are ready to embrace the colder months as we roll out of late fall and into winter. The past season was busy, filled with summer fairs, carnivals, and the many pavilions of Folklorama that brought culture, food, and music to Fort Whyte.

This summer, many community efforts came to fruition, such as the opening of a new dog park in Whyte Ridge. Just a block away from the Whyte Ridge Community Centre, the addition of a dog park in the area makes getting safe off-leash time much more accessible for our four-legged constituents.

Another community staple, the Linden Woods Community Centre hosted the annual Linden Woods Fall Classic, a five- and 10-kilometre race through the park and streets of the Linden Woods community. The participants of the race proved their resilience as, after weeks of sunny days, the weather for race day turned to chilly rain. Nevertheless, the neighbourhood stuck to it, with more than 100 runners participating.

Another exciting event in the constituency was the opening of the newly constructed gazebo at Lindenwood Estates. I was honoured to join residents of the Estates gathered in the Lindenwood Villa common room for a brief reception, featuring greetings from myself and city councillor John Orlikow (River Heights–Fort Garry) before stepping out for a ceremonial ribbon cutting and a picnic in the backyard, including congratulatory cakes. It was an excellent opportunity to sit with some of the older adults in our community and discuss what’s important to them.

Honouring our communities

As we officially move into the fall season, I hope that everyone was able to take some time this summer to enjoy the amazing weather and the natural beauty here in Red River North.

Over the past week or so I have had the opportunity for myself and my family to enjoy the beautiful areas of Grand Beach, Grand Marais and Victoria Beach and take part in local activities. We are so fortunate here in Red River North to have these natural resources at our doorsteps.

I was honoured to attend the opening of the new play structure at Hugh McDonald Park in East St. Paul on Sept. 25, along with Mayor Carla Devlin and councillors Brian Imhoff, Charles Posthumus and Orest Horechko. This was another great announcement for East St. Paul and another great investment by Manitoba taxpayers and the Government of Manitoba. The new, accessible play structure is very user-friendly and very safe. The provincial government provided $50,000 through the From the Ground Up – Safe Healthy Communities for All program. I also want to commend the staff of the R.M. of East St. Paul who were instrumental in making the new structure a reality.

I was pleased to attend the retirement dinner for two long serving firefighters from the R.M. of St. Clements. Keith Howanyk and Randy Schwab were recognized on Sept. 27 at the St. Clements Fire Hall. Keith has over 33 years of service Randy has over 27 years. Congratulations on your retirement and thank you so much for your many years of service keeping the R.M. of St. Clements safe.

October: how some things have changed

I realize I am aging because I often think about how things are so different now than when I grew up in St. Vital. For better or worse… that might be for you to decide.

The month of October holds a lot of memories since there are so many special events… Thanksgiving, the World Series and Halloween all come to mind.

Thanksgiving has not changed much. Families still get gather to share good food and time together. I always loved the weather this time of year. No bugs, vibrant colours, and that crisp autumn air… love it!

The World Series is similar, I guess. Major League Baseball has been sped up with the pitch clock – which is a positive step – but the drama and power of the moments are exactly the same.

Keeping Royalwood greener

Lachlan Reid, an 18-year-old Royalwood resident, spent the summer of 2025 as our community’s first Urban Green Team member.

“I was looking for a job. My mom saw a posting on Facebook so I put in my resume because I love the outdoors,” Reid said. “I’ve always been active. I played basketball and volleyball for my high school team, plus baseball and football, but hadn’t held a full-time position before.”

Reid said his Green Team duties were varied and kept him busy.

“I did some weeding and graffiti removal, plus picking up garbage along streets and parks. I was surprised at how much trash there was,” he said. “Whatever I was doing, people stopped to thank me. My mom was proud.”

Trapping tourists with captive monkeys

A friend and I recently went on vacation to the Dominican Republic. The highlight of our trip was a full-day jungle excursion, part of which involved interacting closely with monkeys. I would like to talk about this particular experience, as it made me rather uncomfortable – and not because the monkeys jumped on my head and climbed all over me.

As an animal lover, having tiny, adorable squirrel monkeys on me was admittedly enjoyable. But as a strong advocate for animal welfare and liberation, I had a real problem with what I saw and heard during my visit.

Perhaps naively, I initially thought this part of the excursion simply meant visiting a national park or other natural area where monkeys abound and habitually interact with people. Top of mind for me was the temple in Bali that macaques frequent voluntarily – to steal from tourists and hold their valuables for ransom, but still.

The squirrel monkeys, it turned out, could not be said to be there voluntarily. In fact, no living species of monkey is native to the Dominican Republic. As the guide told our group, the attraction opened with 15 wild squirrel monkeys taken from other areas in Central and South America. Ten years later, their population – which is in no way controlled, I was told – has since grown to 81 monkeys, spread across four “habitats.”

A hobby that became a career

In my 50 years in the pet industry, I’ve had the pleasure of hosting so many different pets in my life. A few customers recently commented on my “passion” and asked if I went to school for this. So, here’s my story:

When I was very young, my brother raised mice and rats for both pet stores and laboratory use. I’d help tend them occasionally, and one or two got waylaid here and there as personal pets. Before I was born, my father and older brothers kept fish and, when I was 12, I dug one of the dusty tanks out of the basement and asked if we could set it up. Once I proved I could care for the little 2.5-gallon tank with three cherry barbs in it, my Dad dug out a 20-gallon, slate-bottomed tank, and that was the start of a hobby that became my profession.

That one tank turned into three, then seven, and by the time I was 15, we had over 40 tanks in the basement. We would salvage windows and cut glass out of the unbroken panes, and my Dad, a sheet-metal journeyman, would make metal frames to hold them. This was right around the time silicone sealant became easily available, and soon we didn’t need frames.

I bred all kinds of fish, from guppies to angelfish and everything in between. I’d go out to forest ponds to collect bug larvae as food, or to the Kaministiquia River in Thunder Bay (where I grew up) to collect tubifex worms in the flats a half mile down from the sewage outlet. Yeah, it was kind of gross, but that’s where they grew, and they were the best food for my breeding angelfish.

Where everybody knows your name

Do you remember the comedy series Cheers? I recall the show started with a lyric, ‘Where everybody knows your name.’

Well, I told my hairstylist about this series, saying how homey and upbeat his shop was, like Cheers without the libations. Every time I went, it felt like a family reunion, where people let their hair down literally and figuratively, calling out ‘Hi Les’ as I arrived.

I asked Gord, the owner, if he would be OK with me writing a story about his business, as I felt it was so special and unique. His team are remarkable in their skills; everyone gels and has fun together. The environment is cozy, and great music is always on in the background. The shop is smaller and more intimate, allowing everybody seated in the chair to feel special.

Eesthetic services such as hair salons are parts of our communities, offering stress relief, pampering, and relaxation. I find the expression ‘look sharp, feel sharp, be sharp’ holds true when receiving a service. No matter what I leave behind when I enter the salo, it remains outside the door. My spirit is renewed and my self-esteem boosted by feeling physically and emotionally good. Not to mention goodbye grey!

Building career pathways for young Manitobans

Stepping into the workforce for the first time can be tough. I know that from my own experience as a young person, and now as the youngest woman elected to the Manitoba Legislature. Writing your first resume, walking into an interview, or even figuring out your career path can feel intimidating.

That’s why the work being done by Youth Employment Services Manitoba is so important. Since 1973, YES Manitoba has been opening doors for young Manitobans. Each year, more than 700 youth aged 16-29 connect with YES Manitoba for support. What makes YES so impactful is that it uses a person-first approach to meet youth exactly where they are at.

Beyond mentorship, YES Manitoba provides youth with the tools they need to succeed. At YES Manitoba, youth have access to free certifications such as first aid, food safety, and Smart Choices. YES Manitoba also offers workshops and career planning sessions that help make the job market less intimidating. Instead of leaving youth to figure things out alone, YES Manitoba makes sure they feel ready, supported, and confident.

As MLA for Radisson, it is my duty to serve as a catalyst for youth employment in our community and across Manitoba. My goal is to continue to help connect young people to opportunities that fit their skills and passions.

A new chapter for St. Boniface Hospital

I’m proud to share some exciting news that touches every family in our community — the first phase of the brand-new emergency department at St. Boniface Hospital is now open.

This milestone marks a major step forward in how we care for one another in moments that matter most.

For over a century, St. Boniface Hospital has served Manitobans with dedication and heart, going as far back as 1871. Today, with nearly 42,000 visits a year and growing, the old ER space simply couldn’t keep up. That’s why this redevelopment was so crucial and, after years of planning and construction, we’re seeing the results.

The new emergency department was designed in close consultation with the community, keeping patients and families at its core. When you walk through the doors, you’ll notice expanded waiting and triage areas that make the experience more comfortable and efficient. There’s a central resuscitation zone for critical care, private exam rooms for privacy and dignity, and a dedicated mental health treatment area to ensure specialized support. Diagnostic imaging has also been brought right to the ED, with a new CT scanner and X-ray machines speeding up diagnoses and getting treatment started without unnecessary transfers and delays.