Community Correspondents – Our Communities

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With Valentine’s Day just passed, correspondent Sonya Braun ponders the meaning of love and writes that we need a call to love.

Musings on the nature of love

Sonya Braun 3 minute read Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026

What is love and what does it look like?

In a time where sharp divisions and outrage are the norm, where communication is detached from the tangible presence of another, where personal rights are the focus and consideration for others is often neglected–this question is crucial.

The Bible contains a famous passage on love, often quoted at weddings. Sometimes when I read it, I feel despair at ever being able to reach its standard. Do I even know how to love? But when I look at how love is defined there, I also like to imagine what a safe place that love would create and I long for it.

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, NIV)

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Métis artist started making tiny clay pins for Orange Shirt Day and has since branched out into maple leaf pins, pink shirt pins, Pride flag pins, red dress pins, mental health symbols, and many others.

Small pins, big impact

Carolyne Christie 2 minute read Preview

Small pins, big impact

Carolyne Christie 2 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

From her home studio in Winnipeg, Métis artist and small business owner Christine Brouzes, creator of Tiny Clay Pins, is showing how something small can carry a powerful message.

Each of her handcrafted polymer clay pins is designed to spark conversation, encourage awareness, and invite people to engage with issues that matter.

“I’m a tiny Indigenous business making tiny clay pins that carry big, important meanings,” Brouzes said. Her collection includes Canadian maple leaf pins, pink shirts to raise awareness of bullying, Pride flags in support of LGBTQS+ communities, red dress pins, mental health symbols, and many other meaningful images. Orange shirt pins — complete with a glow-in-the-dark halo — are just one part of her body of work.

Brouzes originally created custom beaded medallions, but the pandemic slowed interest in larger art pieces. Everything changed after the discovery of unmarked graves at former residential schools.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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The staples of any healthy diet remain steadfast. High-fibre, low-fat and low-salt foods are always beneficial.

March is nutrition month

Lisa Lagassse 3 minute read Preview

March is nutrition month

Lisa Lagassse 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

Dietitians of Canada celebrates Nutrition Month in March every year, and this year it has decided to continue with the success of last year’s theme – Nourish to flourish.

There are many healthy resources to check out. In Manitoba, Dial a Dietitian is an option for reputable nutrition guidance, and the Dietitians of Canada and Health Canada websites provide nutritional education resources.

Nutritional guidelines have changed over the years. When I was studying, we used to promote diabetic exchanges of foods for people with diabetes – now we use carbohydrate counting and glycemic index principles. We used to recommend that people with diverticulosis shouldn’t eat food with small seeds, such as tomatoes but that recommendation has long since been dropped.

More recent changes are those to the recommendations for kidney failure patients. Most renal patients were given strict guidelines on how many specific fruits and vegetables and dairy products they could have in a day. New research has revealed that these guidelines could be changed.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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A host of local politicians were on hand at the St. Vital Museum on Feb. 14 for the opening of a new exhibit featuring a newly restored Red River cart. They were (from left) Robert Loiselle, Tyler Blashko, John Hindle, Jamie Moses, Kelly and Armand Jerome (Jerome Cartworks), Kerry MacDonald, Brian Mayes, Ginette Lavack, Chris Sigurdson, Peter Bjornson, Irene Nordheim, Renee Cable, Markus Chambers, Billie Cross, Roy Norris and Ian Walker.

A special Red River cart

John Hindle 3 minute read Preview

A special Red River cart

John Hindle 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

At the St. Vital Museum, we treasure all of our galleries and artifacts. For good reason, as we have so much variety and so many unique displays. We have a 1939 firetruck that runs, an actual jail cell, an amazing music gallery featuring gold and platinum records donated by Jim Kale of the Guess Who, displays honouring sports legends such as Jennifer Jones, Jonathan Toews and Dancing Gabe – I could go on and on.

On Valentine’s Day, we unveiled another cherished treasure, our newly restored Red River cart which is a replica of the original carts built in the 1800s.

Approximately 100 people attended the ribbon-cutting/unveiling, including our MP, Ginette Lavack; five MLAs including Jamie Moses, Renee Cable, Robert Loiselle, Tylor Blashko, and Billie Cross; two city councillors, Markus Chambers and Brian Mayes; and four Louis Riel School Division trustees, Irene Nordheim, Ian Walker, Peter Bjornson, and Chris Sigurdson. We were grateful to have all of them attend in support of our event at the museum – and what a positive event it was.

The Red River cart is an all-wood vehicle and is a powerful symbol of Métis nationhood, entrepreneurship, and independence. Drawn by horses or oxen, these durable carts were also very versatile. They could be converted into rafts and also served as mobile, defensive shelters. Made typically from oak, birch, or pine, they used no metal nails, screws, or bolts, making them reparable on the trail. They were used throughout the 19th century and were essential to the fur trade, buffalo hunts, and transporting goods such as pemmican throughout the Red River Colony and northern plains.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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A young snowy owl was an unexpected but welcome visitor for Melanie Glenwright and her son.

A rare Arctic visitor

Tanya Misseghers 3 minute read Preview

A rare Arctic visitor

Tanya Misseghers 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

Melanie Glenwright and her 17-year-old son were relaxing on Boxing Day afternoon two months ago, crafting in their Royalwood kitchen, when an unexpected visitor arrived on silent wings. Through the big windows facing their backyard, they saw a large, white bird with small, ear-like feathered tufts perched on their shed.

“Right away we Googled,” Glenwright said. “We could see lots of brown bars, so we weren’t sure. Our search told us the markings meant (it was) a young female snowy owl.”

Dr. James Duncan, a retired biologist based in Balmoral, Man., who continues to study owls with his wife and fellow biologist Patricia Duncan, confirmed Glenwright’s findings.

“The owl certainly looks like a juvenile female hatched in 2025, hundreds of kilometres from Winnipeg, in the Arctic tundra,” Duncan said. “Based on the photographs and video footage provided, she appears to be healthy and was likely hunting small mammals or birds.”

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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Assiniboia MLA Nellie Kennedy (centre, in red) visited the Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate leadership class.

Future looks bright at Sturgeon Heights

Nellie Kennedy 3 minute read Preview

Future looks bright at Sturgeon Heights

Nellie Kennedy 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

As we start the second half of the school year, I find myself reflecting on a wonderful afternoon spent with an incredible group of Grade 12 students at Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate earlier this month.

These students spent the past several months immersed in a unique student leadership course that spanned September to January. The course was taught by Eric Vincent – a long time teacher and one of the school’s football coaches – and is designed to help students develop both individual and group management skills through a wide range of real life experiences.

I was deeply moved by the thoughtfulness of their questions. The students wanted to understand leadership beyond titles, asking what motivated me to run, what it means to be a woman in this role, how I’ve handled moments of doubt or failure, and which people inspired me most in life. What struck me more than the questions themselves was the sincerity behind them. They weren’t looking for polished answers; they wanted to understand how real people navigate real challenges. Looking at them, I saw a group of young people who weren’t just preparing for leadership but practising it now through curiosity and an eagerness to learn.

For months, these students poured their energy into the life of their school by volunteering outside the classroom to set up events, organize tournaments, support fundraisers, and co-ordinate guest speakers to come to their classes. They took ownership of problem solving and have shown a level of responsibility and teamwork that would impress any adult committee.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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Burrows MLA Diljeet Brar visits constituent Sonny Cortez at his garden.

Seed Project 2026 grows in the heart of Burrows

Diljeet Brar 3 minute read Preview

Seed Project 2026 grows in the heart of Burrows

Diljeet Brar 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

When I first imagined what would become Seed Project 2026, I was thinking about the simple joy that comes from working with the land. Back in 2022, I began asking myself how we could help more people in Burrows reconnect with nature, grow healthy food at home, and feel grounded in their community. That reflection led to an idea that has now taken root across our constituency.

It all started with community gardens. I wanted people to have a place where they could touch the soil and watch something grow. Those first gardens drew people together. I saw families digging side by side, seniors sharing advice, and newcomers planting vegetables they grew back home. The response showed me how much our community valued a deeper connection with the land.

As more residents expressed interest, I knew we could do more. That is when we began distributing free seeds to households and organizations throughout Burrows. We made it simple – email us your name, give us a call, tell us what you want to grow, and we deliver the seeds right to your door. No barriers. No complicated requirements. Just an open invitation to start gardening. Every year, people reach out quickly, and the excitement builds from the moment the first seed packets go out.

This project has taught me a great deal about our community. People want to grow their own food. They want to understand where it comes from. Many were curious about gardening but didn’t know how to begin. With a small gesture – just a packet of seeds – we helped them take that first step. Now I hear from families who grow tomatoes on their balconies, seniors who tend herbs by their windows, and children who run outside every morning to check on their sunflowers.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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City councillors Matt Allard (St. Boniface), Brian Mayes (St. Vital) and Markus Chambers (Seine River) all support the work of Save Our Seine, and were pleased to see the organization’s grant increased this year.

A win for the Seine

Brian Mayes 3 minute read Preview

A win for the Seine

Brian Mayes 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

When city hall reshuffled funding for more than 60 community groups this February, there were bound to be winners and losers.

I opposed handing full control of these grant decisions to administration, but council’s majority chose that route. As expected, several organizations saw their funding reduced or eliminated. That’s why I was especially pleased to see one group with deep roots in St. Vital come out stronger – Save Our Seine will now receive $35,000 annually, up from $27,000.

That may sound straightforward, but this grant has a long and sometimes rocky history.

I first pushed to establish city funding for Save Our Seine to fulfill an election pledge I made in 2011. In 2013, I directed money from my ward office budget to support the organization. The following year, with the support of Dan Vandal, I secured $30,000 in the 2014 city budget to create a stable, annual grant.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

Making life more affordable today

Terry Duguid 2 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

We are living through a time of profound change. With the United States becoming a less predictable partner, Canada must be clear-eyed and confident about our path forward. That means standing up for our economic independence and strengthening our resilience.

Our government is working hard to diversify trade and build long-term partnerships with reliable partners around the world. By expanding new markets and deepening strategic relationships, we are protecting Canadian jobs and creating new opportunities in energy, agriculture, technology, and advanced manufacturing.

Diversifying trade is not abstract policy. It is about building the economy of today and tomorrow. It means more secure supply chains, more customers for Prairie producers, and more investment flowing into communities like Winnipeg South. It means focusing on what we can control and ensuring that Canada remains strong, sovereign, and prosperous in a rapidly changing world.

At the same time, I know that many families are feeling pressure at the checkout counter. I see it in conversations across Winnipeg South. The cost of living remains a real challenge.

Calendrier communautaire 233-ALLÔ

Calendrier communautaire 2 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

25 février • Lancement du recueil

On fait des traces • Brasserie Kilter

26 février • Atelier

S’intégrer dans le milieu du travail • Pluri-elles

26 février • Ateliers Slam communautaire • Maison Gabrielle-Roy

27 février • Cinéma pyjama

Ferdinand • FPFM

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Correspondent Debbie Ristimaki writes that, while there are failings in our health-care system, it also works well for many people.

In praise of our health-care system

Debbie Ristimaki 3 minute read Preview

In praise of our health-care system

Debbie Ristimaki 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

Nothing in life is perfect. More often than not, there are likely aspects of life we would like to see change and improve – whether by ourselves, our friends and neighbours or our civic leaders. The health-care system immediately comes to mind.

Like many, I have heard countless heart-wrenching stories of how the health-care system has failed those who have placed their trust in it, and I am not about to make any excuses for those failures, real or perceived. But, on the flipside, there are many positives as well – the cost of the care being just one. But there are others.

I need only look at what my extended family and I have experienced for examples.

First and foremost – we have family doctors. It did not take years, and it was not a painful process to find one. From my layperson’s perspective, I believe that was due to the fact Manitoba has a smaller population and we have seen doctors who were trained elsewhere choose to live and practise here.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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The City of Winnipeg intends to use two rodenticides to kill ground squirrels on some athletic fields.

City plan to poison squirrels must be killed

Tracy Groenewegen 3 minute read Preview

City plan to poison squirrels must be killed

Tracy Groenewegen 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

Earlier this month, a Riverview resident shared a cautionary tale with neighbours about her dog having nearly died from what she suspects was secondary poisoning.

In a post on an online community forum, the resident said her dog was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis after consuming rabbit droppings in the back yard. She issued a stern warning – stop poisoning wildlife.

Sadly, this is not uncommon. As pointed out on the City of Winnipeg’s website, pets, non-target wildlife, and even children are at risk of severe poisoning from outdoor rodenticide. Research cited on a U.S. National Park Service webpage that the city links to in its blurb on rodenticides indicates that rodent poisons move up the food chain. Primary poisoning occurs when an animal – whether or not they are the target – ingests poison; secondary and tertiary poisoning occur when predators or scavengers eat poisoned animals, their remains, or their waste.

As of 2022, it is illegal in Winnipeg for ordinary residents to use rodenticides outdoors; this can only be carried out by licensed exterminators or government agencies.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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Ray Giguere has been running Argy’s since 1982.

A new generation comes to call

Laurie Gydé 4 minute read Preview

A new generation comes to call

Laurie Gydé 4 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

Ray Giguere opened Argy’s Records in 1982, on St. Mary’s Road across from Glenlawn Collegiate, he sold records, tapes, poster and T-shirts. Over the decades, he’s seen vinyl LP and cassette sales be usurped by CD and he’s seen the music industry as a whole take a hit during the era of download piracy, followed by the rise of streaming subscription services.

Never did he think he’d see the resurgence in interest for vinyl that he has experienced since 2021. Despite the popularity of streaming and digital music, authenticity seems to be the desire amongst Gen X and the millennial generation.

My soon-to-be-18-year-old great-niece recently supplied me with her birthday list. I was taken aback to see that five vinyl records from the ’70s were included — some of which I still have in my own collection.

Fleetwood Mac was at the top of the list, and when I asked one of Argy’s staff members why, I was asked if my great-niece is a “Swiftie”. Oh yes, she is, I replied.

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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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At MyAccount, you’ll find your recycling and garbage collection days, as well as information about snow clearing zones, parking bans, and insect control, among other things.

Sign up for MyAccount, connect to city cervices

John Orlikow 2 minute read Preview

Sign up for MyAccount, connect to city cervices

John Orlikow 2 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026

If you’ve been looking for an easier way to get the information you need about the services you depend on every day, our new City of Winnipeg online hub, MyAccount was built for you.

Launched earlier this month, this new, secure, mobile-friendly option is designed to offer all the details related to your address in one convenient spot.

We’ve listened to your feedback and frustration about how challenging it can be to have to visit different pages or call different departments to get the answers you need, when you need them. Creating this one-stop shop for Winnipeggers is a direct way we are working for you at City Hall and adding more online options for easier, more streamlined service.

By signing up for and logging into MyAccount, you’ll find your recycling and garbage collection days, information about seasonal operations like snow clearing zones, parking bans, and insect control, among other important information.

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Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026

I Love to Read month inspires and builds

Bernadette Smith 3 minute read Preview

I Love to Read month inspires and builds

Bernadette Smith 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026

This February is I Love to Read month, and I’m excited to visit classrooms and early-learning centres across our neighborhood to read with students and hear what young readers are eager to explore next. It’s a time to celebrate the power of books and to strengthen the confidence young people build as they discover new stories and ideas.

As a former teacher, I’ve seen first-hand what those moments can do. When an adult reads with a child, confidence builds, language skills deepen, and imagination opens wide. That belief guides these visits each year, and it’s rooted in my own experience. As a child, I found comfort and courage in books, and those long hours of reading shaped how I learned and how I lead today.

The month started strong at SPLASH Child Care & Enrichment Centre, where we read Métis Like Me, a story about a child learning who they are through their family, culture, and daily life. The book helps young readers recognize themselves in stories and understand that their identities are valued. Early literacy opportunities like this build curiosity, and that curiosity supports learning through the first years of school.

We will continue the month in elementary schools – Machray, Norquay, and Victoria Albert – where some students are sounding out their first chapters while others race ahead. Yet across every classroom, the message of reading is the same – your voice matters, and reading helps it grow.

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Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026

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MLA Shannon Corbett is pictured with Premier Wab Kinew the night she won the Transcona byelection in March 2025.

Carrying forward a legacy

Shannon Corbett 3 minute read Preview

Carrying forward a legacy

Shannon Corbett 3 minute read Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026

My first year as MLA for Transcona has been filled with learning, connection, and a deep appreciation for our incredible community.

This work has been shaped by the legacy of Nello Altomare, an extraordinary teacher, leader, mentor, and tireless advocate for children, families, and our community. Nello loved Transcona with his whole heart. I was proud to call him a colleague and a friend, and I am grateful for the years we worked together in education and in our community.

Nello’s example stays with me every day. When I make decisions, I often think about what he would say. I am committed to continuing his good work, and I want to share a few highlights from this past year.

One of my first priorities was making sure our constituency office was fully up and running. Our office is now open full-time with a dedicated team. We are also pleased to have a commissioner of oaths in office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., making it easier for folks to get important documents signed close to home.

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Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026

March 3, 2026