Community Correspondents

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Winnipeg West MP Doug Eyolfson (kneeling, far right) joined finance minister François-Philippe Champagne (third from right, ) Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid (second from right), Saint Boniface – Saint Vital MP Ginette Lavack, (second from left) and members of the Royal Canadian Air Force at a recent defence announcement at 17 Wing Winnipeg related to the government’s spring economic update.

Building stability in uncertain times

Doug Eyolfson 4 minute read 2:01 AM CDT

As Parliament continues its work in Ottawa, my focus remains on the priorities I hear most often from residents across Winnipeg West – affordability, housing, community safety, and protecting good local jobs.

Over the past several months, I have met with residents at community centres, small businesses, neighbourhood events, and local organizations throughout Winnipeg West. While each conversation is different, a clear message continues to emerge – people are looking for stability and support they can genuinely feel in their daily lives.

For many families, seniors, and young people, affordability remains the central challenge. Rising grocery prices, housing costs, and everyday expenses continue to place real pressure on household budgets.

A senior in Winnipeg West recently told me she now shops with a calculator open on her phone, carefully tracking each item to ensure essentials last through the month. That conversation stayed with me because it reflects an important reality – economic pressures are not abstract. They shape real decisions in real households every day.

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Community Correspondents

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Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara speaks at the April 20 announcement of the new Manitoba Menopause Clinic.

Exciting news in women’s health care

Uzoma Asagwara 3 minute read Preview

Exciting news in women’s health care

Uzoma Asagwara 3 minute read 2:01 AM CDT

I am thrilled to share encouraging news regarding our government’s work to strengthen healthcare for women and all Manitobans. For far too long, menopause care was overlooked and even ignored by the previous Progressive Conservative government.

That is finally changing. We believe that women deserve high-quality care through every season of their lives, and our team is taking a major step to ensure that expertise and respect are at the center of that journey.

Last month, we announced a $5.2 million investment to establish the new Manitoba Menopause Clinic. This facility, which will be located in southwest Winnipeg, is more than just a new building. It is a restoration of vital services that were lost in 2017 when the previous government made the decision to cut and close the Mature Women’s Centre. For years, women were told to go without care or to travel elsewhere. Now, we are righting that wrong by building a full, 360-degree, wraparound service model that will once again serve as a leader in Canada.

While the clinic will be located in Winnipeg, it is designed as a service for the entire province. Whether you live here in Union Station or are traveling from the north, western Manitoba, or the Interlake, this clinic will connect patients to providers, using both in-person and virtual expertise. For many folks in our neighbourhood who balance the pressures of shift work, caregiving, and transit, having a centralized hub of excellence means less time searching for answers and more time getting the support you are entitled to.

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2:01 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

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Kirkfield Park MLA Logan Oxenham chats with students in grades 6 and 8 at Bruce Middle School.

Creating art builds community

Logan Oxenham 3 minute read Preview

Creating art builds community

Logan Oxenham 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

In a world that can feel scary and uncertain at times, I firmly believe the arts are a powerful force for bringing people together. That is why I was so thrilled to experience so much artistic expression in Kirkfield Park over the past few weeks.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the St. James-Assiniboia Divisional Choir Cabaret. Singers from across the division, from Grades 4 to 12, showcased their amazing talents to a full house at Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate, with outstanding solo and small-group performances from senior students. It is hard to choose a favourite when the whole evening was fantastic and every performance was unique and exceptional.

The SJASD Divisional Choir program is a true gem in West Winnipeg. Every year, more than 150 young singers from across the school division take part in high-level music-making that is both challenging and fulfilling. Students have the chance to perform at local festivals and even travel on tour. Last year, the senior choir performed in Boston.

I would also like to congratulate the St. James-Assiniboia Norman Arts Group, which held its annual spring art show and sale at Woodhaven Park Community Centre. I am so proud to live in such a talented and supportive community.

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2:00 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

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The sign at the Manitoba legislature denoting the parking spot for the SUV used by Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and his security detail. Despite a

Freedom of information system fails the public

Mark Wasyliw 3 minute read Preview

Freedom of information system fails the public

Mark Wasyliw 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

Freedom of information laws exist to protect democracy. Their purpose is simple, Manitobans have a right to know what their government is doing, how taxpayer money is being spent and whether public officials are telling the truth. Without transparency, there can be no real accountability. But under the Kinew government, Manitoba’s freedom of information system is breaking down.

Over the past year, I have filed multiple requests under Manitoba’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, commonly known as FIPPA. Repeatedly, government departments claimed records did not exist when they clearly did, delayed responses far beyond legal deadlines or refused to comply with oversight from Manitoba’s Ombudsman, the independent office responsible for investigating complaints about government transparency and access to information.

One example involved chronic absenteeism in Manitoba schools. In July 2025, I requested absenteeism numbers by school division. The department of education responded that Manitoba “does not collect chronic absenteeism data” and denied the request because the records supposedly did not exist. That was false.

Months later, after delays that violated FIPPA timelines, I obtained a ministerial briefing note proving the government had been collecting and tracking chronic absenteeism numbers the entire time. Not only did the department deny the records existed, it also failed to disclose briefing materials already in its possession.

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2:00 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

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St. Boniface city councillor Matt Allard joined the Southdale Residents Group on April 26 for a neighbourhood spring cleanup.

Annual spring cleanup is underway

Matt Allard 3 minute read Preview

Annual spring cleanup is underway

Matt Allard 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

Spring has come, and this is the time of year for community cleanups.

The annual melting of snow leaves behind litter that was buried over the winter. I recently attended community cleanups in Windsor Park and Southdale that were hosted by Winakwa Community Centre and the Southdale Residents Group, respectively. In addition to the cleanup work being done by committed volunteer residents, the gatherings were a time to simply get together as a community.

Equipment such as gloves and garbage pickup sticks and bags were provided. Each small group of volunteers was assigned to cover a certain area and, depending on the number of people working together, it often didn’t take much time for an area to be covered. In the end, multiple bags of mostly small litter items were picked up and sent to landfill. Cigarette butts and torn pieces of disposable coffee cups may not seem like much on their own, but they add up to multiple bags once collected.

Dozens of community cleanups take place all over the city each year, but there are two more in the St. Boniface ward coming up very soon if you’re interested in participating.

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2:00 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

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Ginette Lavack assumed office as the member of Parliament for Saint-Boniface–Saint-Vital on April 28, 2025.

Has it really been a year?

Ginette Lavack 3 minute read Preview

Has it really been a year?

Ginette Lavack 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

The markers of time sometimes arrive like familiar landmarks on a long Canadian highway drive, appearing suddenly on the horizon before flashing past the window. When we’re focused on the road directly ahead – the meetings, deadlines, errands, and responsibilities of daily life, it’s easy to lose sight of the bigger journey and just how far we’ve travelled.

Then all at once: “Oh, wow, are we here already?”

That was exactly the feeling I had a few weeks ago when I realized a full year has passed since the last federal election and the beginning of my journey as a member of Parliament.

It’s been a remarkably busy and consequential year. Canada, like much of the world, continues to navigate economic uncertainty, global instability, and rapid change. Through it all, our federal government has remained focused on making sure Canadians can weather those pressures while continuing to build strong, resilient communities for the future.

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2:00 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

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Calendrier communautaire 2 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

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Community Correspondents

Words matter – choose yours wisely

Debbie Ristimaki 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

I don’t have a degree in English. To be totally honest, I hated English in school and yet I have found a love of words – of reading and of writing.

Those who know me know that I like rules - they give us tools to work with and something upon which we can build as a society. The problem, in my humble view, is that there is so much that does not make sense in English – in other words, there are few rules when compared to French, for example, which I will admit I preferred as a course – likely for that very reason.

I am no expert and truly appreciate the editors of the world, such as John Kendle, the managing editor of this paper. All this is to say that I am not here to judge those who are learning English. The issue for me today is that we seem to have forgotten, or left behind , the concept that words matter.

I am not sure when or how it happened, but it did and we now find ourselves living in a world in which many have forgotten – or have chosen to forget – their filters. A world in which words are often weaponized. A world in which words appear from behind a cloak, otherwise known as anonymity, targetting individuals or groups. A world in which words are chosen to bring others down rather than build them up.

Community Correspondents

Photo by Tracy Groenewegen
A pair of Canada geese enjoy a sunny day near the St. Vital Bridge.

Cruel intentions and sick thrills

Tracy Groenewegen 3 minute read Preview

Cruel intentions and sick thrills

Tracy Groenewegen 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

On a recent walk I came upon a pair of Canada geese under the St. Vital Bridge. As I watched them, I was reminded that like most birds, Canada geese mate for life. They also have the capacity to mourn their dead.

My mind then turned to the geese-killing spree last month – a quick succession of deeply disturbing incidents in which a person in an SUV ran over several Canada geese, killing most of them. The police charged a teenage boy with five counts of killing or injuring animals, a Criminal Code offence.

The youth could also be charged under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, which makes it illegal to harm or disturb Canada geese, their eggs, or their nests without a permit. Many are unaware that Canada geese were driven to near-extinction by human activity over a century ago and their ubiquity in cities today represents a conservation success story.

A key reason geese populate urban areas – particularly wide, open areas with high visibility such as fields and parking lots – is safety from predators, human or otherwise. It may be a stretch to say geese live near us because they trust us, but they clearly find security and comfort in our urban environment.

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2:00 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

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Suit Up Winnipeg collects gently used formal wear and provides it to Grade 12 grads who may not otherwise be able to afford an outfit for their big days.

Grads walk tall with Suit Up Winnipeg

Carolyne Christie 2 minute read Preview

Grads walk tall with Suit Up Winnipeg

Carolyne Christie 2 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

A grassroots initiative in Winnipeg is helping students walk into graduation parties and ceremonies with confidence and pride. Suit Up Winnipeg, a volunteer-driven charity, collects gently used formal wear and provides it to Grade 12 graduates who may not otherwise be able to afford an outfit for their big days.

“Suit Up Winnipeg is about more than just clothing,” said founder Dana Binder. “It’s about giving students confidence and helping them feel their best as they celebrate an important milestone.”

Students register through their schools and are scheduled for a two-hour appointment, at which they receive a personalized shopping experience. Volunteers work one-on-one with each grad to find the right fit and style.

“It’s incredible to watch the transformation,” Binder said. “You can see them stand a little taller and smile a little bigger when they find the perfect outfit.”

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2:00 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

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Barb Taylor and Gary Garbutt are facing Garbutt’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis with the support of family and the Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba.

Gary’s Groupies gather for Alzheimer’s walk

Tanya Misseghers 3 minute read Preview

Gary’s Groupies gather for Alzheimer’s walk

Tanya Misseghers 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

When two people truly love and care about one another, nothing – not even a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease — can get in their way.

Gary Garbutt and Barb Taylor, River Park South residents in their 80s and together for 35 years, are spokespeople for the Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba. With their family, they are participating in the May 30 Walk for Alzheimer’s in Assiniboine Park.

Gary’s Groupies, as they call themselves, will join hundreds of others raising funds for local programs and services that improve the quality of life for people living with dementia and their loved ones in Manitoba.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, 20,300 Manitobans are currently living with dementia, and that number is expected to climb to more than 39,000 by 2050. Every day, nine people are diagnosed with the disease in Manitoba.

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2:00 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

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Correspondent John Hindle, pictured here near the Seine River, has been impressed by the environmental stewardship of the grassroots non-profit Save Our Seine.

In praise of Save Our Seine

John Hindle 3 minute read Preview

In praise of Save Our Seine

John Hindle 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

The Seine River is a winding tributary of the Red River, and I was surprised to learn that it is Winnipeg’s second-longest river, flowing for just over 26 kilometres within city limits (its full length is approximately 150 kilometres).

I have personally enjoyed the benefits of the Seine, as I live nearby and many people have told me their stories of how special the area is and has been – now and in the past. Just the other day we saw a beaver leisurely playing in the river.

My friend, Bill Nash, told me his cherished childhood memory of the Seine. Close to 70 years ago, when St. Anne’s Road was not much more than a dike, Bill’s family would take horse-drawn sleigh rides in winter on the Seine, to and from what is now Niakwa Country Club. There was very little housing between St. Anne’s and the river back then. The memories are special to him, and just one reason why saving and maintaining the Seine River has been and is a valued project.

In the 1980s, the river was in trouble. Imagine a garbage dump with a river running through it. People used the area to dispose of anything they did not want. The river ran dry some years. Forgotten was its importance to Manitoba’s history. Louis Riel and his family lived along the Seine River. Something needed to be done.

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2:00 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

Photo by Colin Corneau/LRSD
Music students pictured at Collège Jeanne-Sauvé in spring 2025.

Celebrating Music Month in LRSD

Peter Bjornson 3 minute read Preview

Celebrating Music Month in LRSD

Peter Bjornson 3 minute read 2:00 AM CDT

Manitoba has a rich history of producing nationally and internationally recognized musicians, and today it continues to foster a vibrant, diverse, and celebrated music community. That journey often starts in our schools.

Through visits across the division, I have enjoyed getting acquainted with staff, students, and school communities, and seeing first-hand the variety of music education opportunities available. From the developmental foundations of Orff to guitar programs and jazz ensembles, our students are supported in exploring their interests and developing their talents.

We are fortunate to have very hard-working, dedicated, and inspiring music educators who have developed outstanding programs, as research has consistently demonstrated the benefits of music education.

“Music really does help to bring out the best in young people. It nourishes self-esteem, keeps them engaged, and creates a respectful community,” Norman Mould and Ingrid Whyte wrote in the spring 2011 issue of EdCan Network.

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2:00 AM CDT

Community Correspondents

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McPhillips MLA JD Devgan joined staff at the Seven Oaks Hospital at the re-opening of Dialysis Unit 1.

Building through Budget 2026

JD Devgan 3 minute read Preview

Building through Budget 2026

JD Devgan 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 13, 2026

As your MLA for McPhillips, I continue to advocate for investments that make life more affordable, strengthen our economy, and support families across our community.

That’s why I recently met with Premier Wab Kinew in the constituency near the Aurora community to discuss the concerns I hear from you every day. I also recently attended the reopening of Dialysis Unit 1 at Seven Oaks General Hospital, which had been closed for more than five months because to significant flood damage caused by a broken water main. It was truly rewarding to celebrate the dedicated team whose hard work made its return possible.

On April 29, I was pleased to attend the library construction kickoff at Garden City Shopping Centre for the Mike O’Shaughnessy Library – an important and much-needed addition for the McPhillips community.

As we continue building a stronger Manitoba, I’m proud to share some of the highlights from Budget 2026 and what they mean for you and your family.

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Wednesday, May. 13, 2026

Community Correspondents

Making care more accessible in The Maples

Mintu Sandhu 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 13, 2026

As we head into the summer, many families in our community are looking forward to spending time outdoors and making the most of warmer weather. At the same time, our NDP government knows that health concerns don’t take the season off.

That is why I want to share an important new tool that is helping Manitobans get the care they need when they need it. Medinav is a simple and convenient way to skip the emergency room for non-emergency concerns and book an appointment with a healthcare provider.

Using Medinav is quick and straightforward. Here is how you can sign up and book an appointment:

• Visit Medinav.ca and create an account.

Community Correspondents

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Kevin Lamoureux, MP for Winnipeg North, feels passionately that the health-care system should be re-organized.

Thoughts on reorganizing health care

Kevin Lamoureux 3 minute read Preview

Thoughts on reorganizing health care

Kevin Lamoureux 3 minute read Wednesday, May. 13, 2026

The greatest threat to health care today is not necessarily finances, but rather not recognizing the need to re-organize and manage the changes that are necessary to preserve the type of quality public health-care system that Canadians want and deserve.

The five fundamental principles of the Canada Health Act require billions of dollars in health transfers every year to provinces and guarantee that the federal government remains involved in our national health-care system – but it is provincial governments that are ultimately responsible for the administration of our health-care system.

I would like to be able to make a couple of observations based on my years of being an MLA in the Manitoba legislature, my current role as a member of Parliament and my recent personal experience of having gone to emergency at Grace Hospital.

I went to the Grace because Seven Oaks Hospital does not have an emergency department – it is classified as an urgent care centre. Over the years, we have seen emergency services disappear from Seven Oaks. Now it deals with things like minor injuries, infections, cuts and sprains. What a shame.

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Wednesday, May. 13, 2026

May 20, 2026