“Oh it feels so good to be back together!” No matter what Beef and Barley event you may have taken in, that was the feeling around town over the Thanksgiving long weekend.

In the more than thirty years since our annual Beef and Barley festival began, the first long weekend of the fall has long been thought of as a ‘regional reunion’ of sorts as students came back from their first month of post secondary studies and families gathered from near and far.

And boy-oh-boy, has the joy of gathering as one great big community, been missed. And to top it off, Mother Nature co-operated beautifully.... “People wise, it was bigger than 2019,” Tyler Kilkenny, one of the long time event organizers said in an informal post festival chat. “The amount of people who showed up this year who I haven’t seen at Beef and Barley functions in the past, was really great to see.”

While the week long event was fantastic, one of the most popular was the Charity Buckin’ Rodeo - followed by the Saturday Night cabaret featuring locally famous In Too Deep on the stage. “When we chose our bull riders to ride for various charities, we focused on age and what age group of people they were going to bring in, what area they were from - so we had two riders from Angusville, two from Inglis and Binscarth and a lot from the RM.

“We really wanted to represent everyone,” Tyler said. Another focal point, the trio explained was to get a really good variety of ages coming out to the rodeo and then staying for a while to take in the cabaret. “And we definitely did that,” Tyler said. “I would say at least 80 percent of the people stayed for the first set of the band and by the time the cabaret ended, I think that more than fifty percent of the people who were still there had been at the rodeo too.”

For more check this week's Russell Banner!

Dauphin’s Breken Brezden travelled to Regina, Oct. 8 and 9, to compete in the Sask Skate 2022 figure skating competition.

Brezden finished first in the short program on Saturday night, then finished first in the free skate program, Sunday, winning overall gold in the Junior Women’s division over the two-day competition.

Brezden then finished third overall at the Ontario Octoberfest 2022 Skate Competition, this past weekend.

She was in fourth place after Saturday’s skate and skated well enough to make it onto the podium on Sunday.

It has long been said that it takes 21 days to break a habit and 21 days to make a habit.

And Dauphin deputy city manager Lisa Gaudet is hoping to help city residents form a new habit through a 9 PM Routine campaign meant to involve the entire community in the fight against property crime.

The campaign will feature nightly email reminders to secure property by removing valuables from vehicles, locking vehicle doors, locking all exterior doors and turning on an outside light.

“There’s a lot of chatter on social media about crime. It’s a hot topic and people are feeling unsettled about the mischief kind of crime, where people are getting into their vehicles and sheds and yards,” Gaudet said. “So this is a positive message that brings us all together collectively and people can be a part of something where they feel like they’re making a difference in a small way. It’s a message of empowering people to take action even though it’s small steps. If we do it collectively, people can take action to prevent crime.”

The idea was first developed by the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office in Florida in 2017. Since then it has been adopted by police forces and municipalities across North America, Gaudet said.

“It recognizes that crimes against property are often crimes of opportunity. So a potential thief will happen upon an unlocked car with keys or a wallet on the seat and they’re more likely to open the car door and take what’s inside,” she said, adding if people can develop a habit of locking up vehicles, sheds and houses, removing valuables from the yard and vehicles and turning on an outside light every night the community will be far safer.

“We’re trying to just instill this habit.”

As part of the campaign, Dauphin RCMP detachment members will be conducting foot patrols through city neighbourhoods. If they see a car door unlocked or something that’s unsecured on a property they will leave a card pointing out the problem.

“That fosters that connectivity that people want. I think people are feeling lost and they’re saying ‘is anyone listening? Does anyone hear us? We’re not feeling safe in our neighbourhoods’,” Gaudet said. “And this is the way to promote that connectivity where they can see the RCMP were here, they are checking on things. I think there is a sense of security in that.”

To encourage participation in the campaign, Gaudet has arranged for some prizes consisting of $25 in Chamberbucks. Those who complete the routine each night will be encouraged to post a check mark in the comments and share the post with their friends.

“For the people who have engaged the most with our social media posts and that way we get the message out further,” Gaudet said. “The more engagement with our posts, the better your chance to win one of our $25 Chamberbucks prizes.”

Gaudet is in the process of contacting community organizations and other stakeholders, encouraging them to get involved by forwarding the posts on their websites and social media accounts to encourage as much engagement with the campaign as possible.

The more people taking part, the better off the community will be in the long run, she added.

“I noticed posts on social media where people would say, ‘is the city aware that this is happening, that people are breaking into my shed’,” Gaudet said. “We are aware. We are very much aware, but there was a gap in the messaging where there was no connectivity between the city and the residents. So I think this is (connecting) and it’s fun.”

Starting this week the email reminders with tips, hints and graphics will be distributed just before 9 p.m. each night.

“If there’s good uptake on it I might continue and do more of them, but hopefully people will develop a habit,” Gaudet said. “I think for the most part it’s a positive message that the community needs right now to really pull us all together.”

Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa MP Dan Mazier will play a prominent role in the Conservative Party of Canada’s shadow cabinet.

Mazier will serve as the shadow minister for Rural Economic Development and Connectivity after being appointed by Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.

“I guess the leader identified that I was a very good advocate for rural Canada and our riding in general,” Mazier said. “It is a true honour and it’s good to know that, just like I’ve always done, I’ll be advocating for rural Canada.”

Mazier’s mandate calls for him to hold the government accountable while proposing policy solutions to support rural Canadians.

Poilievre has also tasked Mazier with addressing the lack of internet and cellular connectivity in rural Canada, something Mazier has been spearheading since he was first elected in 2019. Earlier this year, the MP introduced Bill C-288, An Act to Amend the Telecommunications Act, which, if passed, would provide Canadians with more accurate and transparent information regarding the internet services Canadians pay for.

As such, Mazier is pleased Poilievre has “really emphasized connectivity.”

“Inflation is going to be a primary focus on all these files, like how do we get this inflation down. That’ll be the main focus on anything we touch,” Mazier said, adding there is a real crisis that is being created by a number of government policies.

That is where a large part of his focus will be.

“The carbon tax and just how that is impacting our lives. Not only in Canada, but in rural Canada there is a big, way bigger disparity than this government knows about,” Mazier said. “Justin Trudeau’s inflation crisis is hurting rural Canadians disproportionally. Whether that be his carbon tax or his planned tax hikes on gas, groceries and home heating, I will be relentlessly opposing any policies that increase the cost of living to rural Canadians.”

Mazier is looking forward to learning his new role and to meeting with a wide cross section of rural Canadians to better understand their priorities and concerns

“Beyond learning the process, especially being a relatively new MP, this is the first time I’ve been appointed to any type of a position like this, so on that side of it, there will be some learning,” Mazier said, adding he is awaiting further marching orders in terms of committee assignments.

“They’re very well organized and things will come out here and we’ll get a clear direction of where we’re headed. It’s just learning all this and it’s shifting gears a little bit more in our office.”

For the final instalment of our mayoralty candidate series the focus shifted to infrastructure, which is perhaps the most important responsibility for a municipal government.

We asked, “From buildings and facilities to sidewalks, roads and the systems buried beneath them, infrastructure is arguably the most important responsibility of a municipal government. Where does infrastructure sit in your list of priorities and what plans do you have to drive maintenance and renewal of existing infrastructure along with additions to the City’s list of assets?”

Below are their answers. Remember to get out and vote on Oct. 26.

David Bosiak

Infrastructure affects people’s lives every day. It is the literal foundation we build our community on. We drive and walk on it. We turn on our taps, we flush our toilets, we play in our recreation facilities and our parks. We expect our infrastructure to meet our most basic needs. As such, it is the most important responsibility of a municipal government.

The City is well positioned to deal with the ongoing challenges of managing and operating our different types of infrastructure. This is primarily due to our current financial position of little debt, healthy capital and utility reserve funds, and the relatively good condition of much of our visible infrastructure. We don’t want to “get behind the eight ball” and constantly be trying to catch up, though. We need to make smart investments in our infrastructure and ensure it is keeping pace with our ever-changing needs.

One specific action that I will encourage new council and staff to address is our capital asset management plan. An asset management plan is used by municipalities to determine the life cycle management of its major infrastructure and provides an outline for infrastructure and equipment upgrades and/or replacement. It generally allows a municipality to ensure it has the resources and timeline to replace infrastructure when necessary and to keep the city operating in the most effective and cost-efficient manner possible.

An effective asset management plan helps save the city money. Major breakdowns usually have a ripple effect causing costly disruptions to city services and operations. A well executed plan avoids these situations by making sure the city’s infrastructure is in good working condition.

I will ensure that new council puts review of the plan at the top of our priority list. We need to keep it a relevant, current template that guides our city in making the appropriate repairs, upgrades and replacements at the most cost-effective time with the least disruption in service.

Adhering to a well-developed plan will allow us to regularly review our priorities, and measure them against grant opportunities from other levels of government. We must further ensure efficiencies found in sustainable development initiatives be maximized. Inputs from council as they meet with community members must be communicated effectively to administrative staff and vice versa. We have to continually revise and update this plan – and use it to guide our annual capital budgeting process.

Much of our city infrastructure is visible, and most of this is in reasonable to very good condition. The recent announcement of funding for upgrades to our lagoon suggests our sewage treatment system will have the capacity to serve the growing needs of our community for many years to come. We have a relatively new City Hall and our recreation facilities are in their “mid-life”, meaning they are in good condition but will require certain mechanical and system upgrades as they continue to age. Our public works shop is in relatively decent condition considering its age, but will require significant improvements soon. These issues must be identified in our plan and be addressed appropriately by council.

The city also has a considerable invisible network of infrastructure, most of it buried beneath our community. Some of this system consists of old and leaden pipes that need to be replaced or re-lined. Upgrades must be considered, which may ultimately save us money in the long run, as water main break repairs are a costly item in the city budget.

Can we do this all at once? Not likely. We have to be logical and plan, budget, execute, learn and focus on best practices. We will start this process by ensuring our asset management plan is current, and being used appropriately. We need to invest wisely.

If elected mayor on Oct. 26, I will ensure council and staff work together to provide citizens the best possible value for the infrastructure we all need, rely on and have come to expect from our great little city.

Kerri Riehl

We cannot move forward unless we have a solid foundation. There have been many changes within the last two years thrusting the city into an environment of great upheaval. Inflation is the highest it’s been since 1983. That changes every aspect of community and daily life for us all. Great change requires strategic planning. Once a strategic plan has been completed the next step is an organizational review. The City of Dauphin’s strategic plan was released in 2021 outlining goals and priorities to lead decision making between 2021 and 2024. The first goal of the strategic plan is a sustainable community. That encompasses everything mentioned in the question from buildings, facilities, sidewalks and roads.

The question is do we have the infrastructure planning, internal processes, analyses, and the blueprints for change in place? Have our priorities shifted since the strategic plan was developed? We can’t keep doing what we were doing two years ago. There have been drastic changes.

I was asked numerous times what I wanted to accomplish in my first 100 days as mayor, and this was my response. An organizational review. The city does a financial plan and a financial yearly audit. I don’t see that an organizational review has been completed. The two go hand in hand. The organizational review helps understand how work needs to be structured to achieve desired goals.

An organizational review is an assessment of jobs, tasks, and how positions are related and inter-related. It is a targeted effort to understand how work gets done now, what work is most important to accomplish, and how it may need to flow differently. It seeks to identify the levels and nature of the knowledge, skills, and abilities that the city has or requires if it is to match resources with priorities.

There are free resources to assist municipalities with an organizational review. The timing is right to view things with a fresh lens with the best and honest intentions. Any bias, positive or negative, must be parked. It is not an assessment of people or of their level of performance. It’s conducting a position analyses. This is not about targeting staff or reducing positions. It is about focusing the organization on excellence and the work and processes that support it.

For example, our roads and back alleys. They require maintenance and repair. We have excellent staff who can address this infrastructure. Is it finances? Do we have enough staff? Are there too many other critical priorities? Can we obtain services of other trades? Is it a lack of equipment? We have roads in town that are the province’s responsibility. These include River Avenue, Main Street, 2nd Avenue NW, and 1st Ave NE. The city is responsible for the parking lane and gutter. Imagine how that works for snow removal and the predicament this causes for our snow clearing staff. The snow piled in the middle of the road down Main Street is the province’s responsibility to remove. Is there not an opportunity to work with the province to address this which would facilitate a better solution for our city staff regarding snow removal? A win/win for both?
Some roads in town have a six-inch drop in pavement from the road to the gutter. Sidewalks need repair with large drops in some cracks. We need to consider mobility of our citizens. During a parade this summer a long-term citizen fell crossing the street from one side of the road to the other on Main Street. This individual tore their meniscus, hurt their shoulder and back. They still are receiving treatment 2-1/2 months later from infrastructure.

The city draft plan recently released has many great ideas and demonstrates a snapshot of where we are currently, and where they would like to go in the next 25 years. It doesn’t align with the cities’ first strategic plan’s goals that was completed a year ago. Does the strategic plan need to be redone even though it was implemented in 2021, or is this the new strategic plan?

Therefore, the organizational review is critical. It removes people and positions from the equation and identifies how to achieve goals. There has been a high level of staff turnover in key critical positions within city staff over the last four years. Mayor Irwin died in November of 2017. There will be four different mayors for the city in the last five years. We need consistency over time. At 54 years old, I am dedicated to seeing the long-term vision for Dauphin to become a reality. Change requires time.

We cannot blaze a path forward until we know where we are headed, how were going to get there, and determine if our current infrastructure can provide us with the solid foundation, we require to achieve our goals. How can we do better if we don’t know better?

I would appreciate your vote on Oct. 26. Thank you.

This year’s National Fire Prevention Week in Canada is held from October 9 to 15 and many fire departments will be promoting fire safety and awareness to the public during that time.

There are many useful tips to help prevent fires in ones home and the biggest form of prevention comes in planning. 

Usually around this time of year that people should be thinking about testing or replacing their smoke detectors in their homes.

It’s recommended that smoke detectors should be tested once a month and replaced every 10 years or per manufacturers specifications.

Check this week's paper for more!

Having a pet is a wonderful thing, whether it be as a companion in a home or to instill a sense of responsibility to a child.
Typically, household pets that are available for purchase or adoption in the Swan Valley have been limited to cats and dogs.
For those interested in something a little more scaly than furry, business owners and engaged domestic partners Stu Coulthart and Shay Bresky have set up a new pet store in Swan River known as S&S Reptiles that features a wide variety of exotic or atypical pets of the generally more cold-blooded variety.
Walking through their brick-and-mortar location on Sixth Avenue North, you’ll see plenty of reptiles – such as bearded dragons, chameleons, geckos, monitors, skinks, snakes and tortoises – as well as some toads and frogs, fish and small mammals like pet rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils and the like. Or, if invertebrates pets are what you’re after, they even have a selection of tarantulas.
“I’ve had reptiles personally since I was about seven or eight years old,” said Coulthart. “I’ve had pretty much everything and anything that could fit in a 50-gallon tank or less, bearded dragons to geckos to salamanders and things like that.
“There was a lot of things that I couldn’t get when I was young. The world has really expanded so much in the reptile world. There’s probably about 240 species of reptiles that are available in Canada, whereas when I was young, you could probably only get about 50.”
Many times, Coulthart would have to pick up his reptile pets in Winnipeg, and he has gone as far as Edmonton to pick one up.
“My favourite was probably the bearded dragon, just for the simple fact that they are great for children, from age two all the way until you are in your 90s,” said Coulthart. “We have a two-year-old boy that absolutely loves them and has been with them, and our grandmas come in here and hold them.
“Bearded dragons are calm, not aggressive by any means and overall they are playful. They know who their owner is. I’ve seen videos of bearded dragons playing tug-of-war with a chihuahua. They are just an all-around great pet.”
The lifespan of a bearded dragon also ranges from seven to 11 years, depending on husbandry and environment.
The reason that Coulthart and Bresky got into selling reptiles as a business was because Bresky had her salon business Shay’s Shears out of their home and they found people were interested in the reptiles they had.
“We would have children that would come to get haircuts, screaming and crying,” said Coulthart. “I’d go get a bearded dragon to give to them and they would forget all about the haircut and would get interested in the bearded dragon.
“As customers would come in to get their hair done, our two boys would take out the bearded dragons and show the customers. Parents would wonder where we got them and told us we should start selling them.”
Once they started selling a few, the side business necessitated a new space and so both S&S Reptiles and Shay’s Shears both have a downtown Swan River location now, on the backside of Spruce Country Computer where Dr. Theodore used to have his clinic.
“We were in our home for about three or four months, and we looked at a couple of places before we got into here,” said Coulthart. “We got a decent price on this place and for the amount of room we need right now, it’s perfect.”
In addition to the various species of exotic pets, with new kinds seemingly arriving all the time and the access to order more, S&S Reptiles also has the support systems needed to set up a tank or habitat for your creature companions, as well as the selection of food and nutritional supplements to keep them comfortable and healthy.
“I really enjoy doing this as a hobby,” said Coulthart. “I’d like to eventually expand and do a breeding program and become a breeder for my own supply of reptiles. But, I want to give everybody some information that reptiles aren’t as icky and gross as what some people think they are. They are no different than having a small dog.
“I would like to acknowledge people in all the different species and temperaments that reptiles have. There’s some reptiles that are aggressive, just like a mistreated pit bull might be, but then there’s some like the bearded dragon that is as friendly as a poodle. Everyone has their hesitations and a lot of the time, reptiles are misunderstood for what they are.”
The added benefit of the new store is that access to pets such as these is normally limited for a town like Swan River.
“The closest places that have what I have is either Winnipeg or some places in Regina that might have some of it,” said Coulthart. “I do try to carry some of the more unique stuff that you wouldn’t find just walking into a pet store.
“And, with our area where we are, we have no pet stores or anything going up north as far as six hours, and four hours travelling east, west or south. I’m trying to serve a large area, so I like to try to keep some neat stuff so people can have a grasp on what different stuff is out there than what you might normally see in a PetSmart, for example.”
The standard of care for these animals isn’t necessarily more complicated or time-consuming than other pets of their size, once a habitat is set up. The important thing to remember is that – apart from the small mammals – everything is cold-blooded and needs a temperature controlled home to match their original environment.
“There are reptiles that I’ve considered getting in here that have a lot higher standards, needs and requirements,” said Coulthart. “But, for the most part, I try to keep it as simple as possible because we haven’t had a pet store or a store like this in our area for a long time and I know a lot of the people coming in are just beginners and first-time reptile owners, so I want to keep it as simple and easy for them as possible.”
S&S Reptiles is normally open from Tuesday-Saturday afternoons, or by appointment by calling Stu at 204·281·7298 or Shay at 204·281·2985. They are also available to contact at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or their online sites at ssreptiles.ca or facebook.com/swanriverreptiles.
Either of them will be willing to answer any questions you have and introduce you to the wonderful world of reptiles.

Last Friday (Oct. 7) the local East Indian community gathered at the Veteran’s Community Hall to celebrate Navratri, which translates to nine nights. It is a major festival held in honour of the divine feminine that occurs over nine days during September/October. It often ends with a huge celebration on the 10th day with food, dancing and prayer. 

The Dauphin Kings split a home-and-home series with the Steinbach Pistons over the weekend.

The weekend began with the Kings handing the Pistons their first loss of the season, a 5-3 setback at Credit Union Place. Steinbach got their revenge with an 8-1 win on home ice, Sunday afternoon.

After the Pistons took the lead midway through the first period on Friday, the Kings pulled even late in the frame and then took the lead with three in the second.

Steinbach outscored the Kings 2-1 in the third, but it was too little, too late.

Cole Sheffield was outstanding in goal for Dauphin making 49 saves.

On Sunday, the Pistons built a 3-0 lead after the first period and increased it to 6-1 after 40 minutes.

The Kings were outstanding on the penalty kill, Friday, according to head coach and general manager Doug Hedley, after they killed off five of six Steinbach power plays.

“Sheffield was the best penalty killer. When you do that, you’re going to have success,” he said. “And we took advantage of mistakes. But our speed tonight, we skated with them all the time. In fact, we had odd man rushes where we capitalized on mistakes on a couple of two-on-ones and some nice goals.”

Hedley has talked before about how the Kings would have to rely on scoring by committee and that was evident, Friday night. Dauphin scored five goals, but Mason Smith was the only player to register more than one point with two assists.

“I think the line of Gibby (Rylan Gibbs) and (Connor) Picard and (Jackson) Gudz were good. They ate up some minutes for us and Gibby got a big goal. The kid is playing well. He’s earning the trust, that’s for sure,” Hedley said.

After struggling early in the season with 12 goals in the first six games, Dauphin’s offence has hit its stride with 16 in the last three games.

“It’s good to see. We’re getting opportunities. We were getting opportunities before, we just weren’t capitalizing,” Hedley said. “But I think right now, our D zone is getting to a point where we’re really protecting it. We’re pushing battles to corners, we’re winning battles and getting pucks out of our zone.”

A win against the top team in the East Division, which came into the contest undefeated will be huge for the team’s confidence.

“The dressing room is really happy right now. We’ll have a quick skate (Saturday), go back into Steinbach and hopefully, we can play a disciplined game there and keep it tight,” Hedley said.

Kings court:

Forward Blake Boudreau is currently out day-to-day with a knee injury. Forward Carter Zalischuk was handed a two-game suspension for his boarding major against the Winnipeg Blues, Sept. 30.

With polling day just two weeks away, mayoralty candidates take a look at sustainability.

We asked the question, “Over the last number of years the City has undertaken development with eye towards environmental sustainability. Is this a focus you would like to see continue and what initiatives have you included in your platform to proceed down that path?”

Here are their responses.

Kerri Riehl

The current options and opportunities are limitless when it comes to environmental sustainability. We are fortunate to live in a time where sustainable development and environmental stewardship are being fostered by every level of government. Elaborate plans, and research is not required.

Endless grants and funding opportunities are laid out for us. We need to capitalize on these opportunities. There are many grants and incentives available through Efficiency Manitoba, (provincial), the Green Municipal Fund under the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (federal), the federal government and Manitoba Hydro.

The key is changing mindsets and getting “buy in” from the community including council. To me, public engagement means sharing a vision, sharing what the city of Dauphin is currently doing and engaging knowledge. Communication, and sharing of information is key. We have incredibly knowledgeable people in our community on numerous subjects, but we must be willing to invite them to participate.

I am fortunate to have the ear of a power engineer, a niece who is an environmental engineer currently working for the City of Regina, and her husband who is a petroleum engineer working for the Province of Saskatchewan. They are incredible information resources. Visionaries, with endless possibilities who just recently revamped my compositing system.

Competency in the role and job is key. The city draft plan states that in March of 2020 they finalized a community and energy emissions plan. Plans are a great starting point and a snapshot of existing infrastructure, but they require competent action with measurable goals and sufficient competent resources for implementation.

While working for two international diamond mines, technology from Israel, South Africa and Australia was incredible. Virtual meetings were held daily.

In 2018 when I was elected to council, paper agendas were still being utilized and there was no IT position. I suggested an online upload version of agendas. In 2020 Justin Tokarchuk was hired as Information and Communications Technology manager. With his knowledge and competency, he has made incredible strides in bringing the City of Dauphin into the technology era within two years.

The visions are there. They need to be accessed, actioned, and completed. FCM Green Municipal Fund currently has an energy grant for transitioning ice rinks and swimming pools to net zero. Our systems currently are at end of life and require replacing. We could significantly lower our operating costs. The federal government has a $27 billion grant available for electric vehicle transit buses until 2025. We could have a transit bus at no cost. Biomass energy opportunities in this area are available for our agricultural partners. Not only would it be environmentally sustainable, but it would also provide incredible economic development opportunities.

I currently have an off-grid property utilizing biomass heating, solar, compositing, and has net zero impact. At home, food security is key for me growing my own vegetables, microgreens, composting, and I am now experimenting with hydroponic vegetable growth throughout the winter months. I am committed to environmental sustainability.

Stewardship is a key role of council. Council is “responsible for the supervision and care of the municipality’s resources. This means making sure that infrastructure, money, and staff are used properly and effectively. This also means planning strategically for the challenges and opportunities of the future. Only council as a whole can make decisions for the municipality.”

People must understand that the mayor has no additional perceived authority or power over any other member of council. The mayor has one vote. Every council member has one vote. Everyone is to have an equal voice. There are to be no meetings held outside the council chambers excluding other members. There is to be public debate. It is not what “I” can achieve, it’s what we can achieve together through research, knowledge, discussion, and the willingness for progressive change. Seeking individual solutions is not effective. You won’t hear me say “I will,” “I can”, or “as mayor I will,” because it’s not one individual who makes the difference, it’s the entire council.

The possibilities for environmental sustainability are endless and very exciting. We simply need to make it a priority.

David Bosiak

I would like to broaden the definition of sustainability in my response to include more than the environment – and start by saying yes. The City of Dauphin must forge ahead and embrace all forms of sustainability, as it is a key component to building a safe, healthy community.

I wrote a book in 2014 titled If You Don’t Look After Your Body, Where are You Going to Live that focussed on caring for yourself so you would be better able to care for others. In a broader context, we must do the same with our community, we must care for it so it remains a healthy and vibrant place for ourselves and our children and grandchildren.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities recently produced a report that outlines the role of municipalities in building a greener economy. The report states, “Green economy initiatives can improve a community’s quality of life, foster economic development and drive competitiveness, while creating jobs and enhancing the skills of the local workforce. . . Making municipal operations more energy efficient can produce substantial cost savings, freeing resources for other municipal objectives.”

Former Mayor Eric Irwin strongly believed in sustainability and was instrumental in establishing a pilot project in Dauphin that created a Community Energy Advocate position, the first of its kind in Manitoba. Mayor Al Dowhan also supported the program, and many innovative environmental initiatives occurred under the direction of Steve Sobering, our Community Energy Advocate.

You might recall the various LED lighting projects in Dauphin that brightened our streets, most commercial and all municipal buildings - including the CUP, solar panels at the City shop and #1 Lift Station, our active transportation plan, lagoon upgrades, a recycling and diversion centre at the waste management site, green bins . . . these are all helping us be more sustainable. But we must continue to innovate, to do more.

Selkirk recently hired an Energy Advocate and now leads Manitoba in sustainable energy initiatives. Their city has received considerable funding from the provincial and federal governments because of their actions related to environmental sustainability.

If elected I would immediately urge council to re-establish an energy advocate position, fund it appropriately and initiate innovative projects sitting on the shelves at City Hall and in the minds of our citizens.

That will lead to cost savings and a more sustainable future for all of us.

If elected I will also advocate for a greenhouse gas emission monitoring program that will help us become more efficient in our energy use and help us plan for the future. I will investigate the options of replacing our diesel garbage truck with an electric model, that will reduce both emissions and operating costs, and do the same for the pick-up trucks used by the public works and recreation departments.

However, sustainability is more than environmental. The availability of recreational and cultural facilities is paramount to community sustainability, and if elected I will ensure adequate funding is provided to Dauphin Recreation Services, the Dauphin Public Library, the Watson Arts Centre, Northgate Trail System and museums in our community. I will encourage council to continue its support of the Maamawi Park development at the former DMCC grounds and ensure Vermillion Park and its trails and pathways are always accessible and available for citizens.

I will encourage council to support health and education services and programs offered through the Dauphin Friendship Centre, Parkland Crossing, Regional Connections, Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation and other not-for-profit agencies. These partners are doing tremendous work in helping make Dauphin a great place to live, work and play.

The purposes of a municipality are to foster economic, social and environmental well-being and Dauphin can continue to do that by embracing and encouraging partnerships and productive supportive relationships.

I have a track record of working with others and getting people to get along. Working together to enhance our community sustainability will be a top priority at City Hall if I’m elected on Oct. 26. Forward. Together.

Check the Dauphin Herald's Election Section this week for more on the upcoming Municipal Election ---> VIEW HERE!