On Oct. 19, local residents were invited to the first open house of the newly renamed Swan Valley Fire Department (SVFD), formed through the amalgamation of the Swan River Fire Department and the Thunder West Fire Department. Here, SVFD firefighter Joel Fedorchuk (left) assists Grant Rewerts (right) with the fire hose...

A lack of urgency and compete resulted in the Parkland Rangers winning just one of three games over the weekend.

In the team’s annual Hockey Fights Cancer Game, the Brandon Wheat Kings scored five times on the power play en route to a 9-2 win.

The next day, it was the Norman North Stars which took advantage of Parkland’s penalty kill, scoring three times in a 4-2 victory.

Parkland got a measure of revenge, Sunday afternoon, when they connected four times on the man advantage in a 10-1 rout of their northern counterparts.

Rangers head coach Tyler Carefoot said Brandon’s top players proved to be hard to play against, which is something he hopes his players can take away from that game.

“That was the message that we wanted to have overall, as an entire team. We don’t have three or four players that are going to break the game open. We’re a team that has to work together,” he said.

Prior to Saturday’s loss, Carefoot asked his players what type of player to they want to be.

“All these players and families aspire and hope that they’re going to play at higher levels of hockey. In order to do that, you need to ask yourself if you are a competitor. If you are tough to play against and you have that internal drive to be the ultimate competitor. And (Saturday) we lacked that,” he said.

The Rangers turned things around, Sunday, and earned the two points to build some momentum going into next weekend, when they host the winless Kenora Thistles, Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

Despite the number of power-play goals the Rangers gave up, Carefoot said that is not why they lost.

“It just comes down to being ready to play and being hard to play against and tough on pucks. It doesn’t matter what level of hockey you watch, whether it’s the NHL, the junior leagues, the Western League, junior A, the Kings, all the language is the same. And that’s the question you have to ask yourself. Am I hard to play against?” he said.

“Going forward, we have to have that mindset. Every player. You have to be on the right side of pucks. All of us need to buy in. And that’s the message going forward.”

Three Parkland businesses figured prominently as Fusion Credit Union held the finals for its 2023 Community Infusion program, last week.

The Bloom n’ Bean in Dauphin finished the competition in second place, receiving $4,000 to support its plan for a space that welcomes customers with the inviting aromas of premium floral arrangements and specialty coffee while fostering a sense of community and warmth.

Dauphin’s Grow Media Group and Total Equipment Care Service each placed in the top five earning $2,000 each to progress their businesses.

Grow Media Group is a social media marketing agency, working with businesses and organizations across the country through social media management, video production and photography services.

Total Equipment Care Service exists in the realm of sports and PPE cleaning, offering eco-friendly cleaning and maintenance solutions that not only prioritize safety, but also save on wear and tear, ensuring that equipment is always game-ready while extending its lifespan, reducing environmental impacts and saving money.

The big winner in the evening was Danielle’s Studio 12, earning $20,000 in grant funding.

Danielle’s Studio Twelve is the building blocks for the start of a non-profit organization that will provide support to women suffering from infertility/loss/postpartum depression in southwestern Manitoba.

For the past three years, Community Infusion, a business idea competition that infuses economic growth and prosperity into communities served by the credit union, has supported entrepreneurs with either a new business idea, or existing business they are looking to grow or purchase.

An agriculture project in which 160 acres of canola was planted will benefit the Dauphin and District Community Foundation.

Jason Beyette spearheaded the grow project starting in the spring, with various sponsors donating everything that was needed to make the project a success.

“We had received donations from various retailers. The Co-op was instrumental in getting the seed organized for the field and then they followed it up with the chemicals to spray the crop,” he said. “And we’ve had other retailers, like 360 Ag Consulting. They provided the agronomy for us and told us what we needed to do on the field.”

Reit-Syd Equipment looked after all the custom spraying, as well as donating two combines to harvest the crop, which took place, Oct. 17.

“And the Michaeleski family has been trucking it into town for us to the elevator,” Beyette added.

The idea came from one of the DDCF board members, Beyette said.

“Sherrie Volk had noted that in her hometown of Elkhorn, their community foundation had done a grow project and she thought it would be neat to do that here,” he said.

The land used for the project was owned by the late Peter Sklepowich.

Beyette does not yetknow how much the project will raise and it will be a while before they do.

“But we’re hoping to raise a substantial amount of money through this grow project,” he said.

Because of the success of similar grow projects as a fund-raising endeavour, Beyette feels it would be a wonderful fund-raiser for DDCF if they can get the land to do it again.

“I think retailers are very charitable in giving product to organizations to get a crop in the ground. And I think there’s always producers willing to lend a hand to help that succeed,” he said, adding his thanks to everyone who has contributed to the project. “And thank you to the foundation for taking the leap and going forward with it,” he added.

Kit Daley, DDCF executive director, said the project will have a huge impact on what the foundation can grant every year.

“Obviously, every donation helps, but the hope with this crop is it will be a substantial gift and it will increase annually what we can give back to the community. So the more projects and organizations we can support through our granting program, the better it is for our community,” she said.

Manitoba’s new executive council was sworn in last week and Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn has a seat at the table.

Kostyshyn was appointed as agriculture minister during a swearing in ceremony, Oct. 18 which saw NDP Wab Kinew make history by becoming the province’s first First Nations premier.

“It is definitely an honour and a pleasure to be asked and work with a great team,” Kostyshyn said. “As you know we’ve got some major hills to climb as far as in the provincial situation, but definitely it’s an honour and it’s a great pleasure to be back at the legislative buildings.”

Having served in the legislature and the cabnet in the past, Kostyshyn said heading back feels a little bit like a homecoming.

“I felt very comfortable walking up the stairs into the legislative building and having our first cabinet meeting. It definitely was a good feeling,” he said.

Kostyshyn expects the house to resume sitting sometime in November. Until that time the cabinet will continue to meet and he will get up to speed on the Agriculture file through daily briefings with department staff so he can hit the ground running when the time comes.
“We have had our first cabinet meeting last Wednesday and we’ll be having cabinet meetings on Wednesdays on a regular basis,” he said “I am ready to go to work for the province of Manitoba and the Dauphin constituency.”

It is a sentiment which was echoed by Kinew in his opening address as premier.

“Manitobans have entrusted us with the great honour of leading our province and I do not take this responsibility lightly,” Kinew said following a ceremony honouring the seven Indigenous nations in the province. “I am proud of the team we have assembled to get real results for Manitobans on the issues that matter most - fixing health care, making life more affordable and bringing Manitobans together to build our shared future. We will work together to grow our economy and ensure that more Manitobans can join the workforce, join a union and join the middle class. I am humbled by the privilege of forming our province’s next government and I look forward to the work that lies ahead.”

The executive council has 15 ministers, reflect ing the province geographically, culturally and demographically.

Joining Kostyshyn at the cabinet table are:
• Wab Kinew, MLA for Fort Rouge - premier, minister of intergovernmental affairs and international relations, minister responsible for Indigenous reconciliation;
• Uzoma Asagwara, MLA for Union Station - deputy premier, minister of health, seniors and long-term care;
• Matt Wiebe, MLA for Concordia - minister of justice and attorney general, keeper of the great seal of the province of Manitoba, minister responsible for the Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation;
• Nahanni Fontaine, MLA for St. Johns - minister of families, minister responsible for accessibility, minister responsible for gender equity;
• Bernadette Smith, MLA for Point Douglas - minister of housing, addictions and homelessness, and minister responsible for mental health;
• Nello Altomar, MLA for Transcona - minister of education and early childhood learning;
• Ian Bushie, MLA for Keewatinook - minister of municipal and northern relations, and minister of Indigenous economic development;
• Malaya Marcelino, MLA for Notre Dame - minister of labour and immigration, and minister responsible for the Workers Compensation Board;
• Jamie Moses, MLA for St. Vital - minister of economic development, investment, trade and natural resources;
• Lisa Naylor, MLA for Wolseley - minister of transportation and infrastructure, minister of consumer protection and government services;
• Adrien Sala, MLA for St. James - minister of finance, minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board, minister responsible for Manitoba Hydro, minister responsible for the Manitoba public service;
• Renée Cable, MLA for Southdale - minister of advanced education and training;
• Tracy Schmidt, MLA for Rossmere - minister of environment and climate change, minister responsible for Efficiency Manitoba; and
• Glen Simard, MLA for Brandon East - minister of sport, culture, heritage and tourism, minister responsible for francophone affairs, minister responsible for the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation.

“Our government is ready to get to work on the strong mandate given to us by Manitobans to improve health care, make life more affordable and bring Manitobans together,” Kinew said. “I have every confidence in the team of skilled and passionate individuals who have answered the call to serve in cabinet. I am grateful for their commitment to working diligently and collaboratively on the issues that matter most to Manitobans. I look forward to the varied perspectives they will bring to the cabinet table, representing the diversity of our province as a whole.”

The cabinet held its first meeting later in the week to continue shaping the new government’s priorities ahead of the next legislative session in November.

Brooklyn Hramalak is making a name for herself in the world of post-secondary sports.

Hramalak had a successful first season playing with the University of Regina’s Cougars softball team, ending the season off by receiving Second All-Star Team for Right Field award and has now signed with the Regina Rebels of the newly formed Saskatchewan Junior Female Hockey League. .

Read the rest of the story in this week’s paper.

There is new face at the Sam Waller Museum as the new museum director. Jaxon Baker recently started the position at the beginning of the month and came to northern Manitoba from the east coast of Canada.
“I’m originally from Truro, Nova Scotia, and moved to Fredericton, New Brunswick in 2011, and have lived there ever since,” said Sam Waller Museum Director. “I hold a BA with a major in History from the University of New Brunswick, an Ontario Graduate Certificate in Museum Management and Curatorship from Fleming College and a Masters in Museology from the Université de Montreal. Both of my parents were teachers, but they have retired now.”

Please note, some of the details in this story may be difficult, disturbing and traumatic to some readers, as it talks about MMIWG2+.
Stories of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirited people are still running at an all-time high, despite the calls to action. The one-year anniversary of the death of Tristin Jobb just passed, and for her family and loved ones, it hasn’t gotten any easier.
Tristin was a sister, daughter, grand-daughter, who was loved unconditionally and seen as a young woman who was wise beyond her years.
“Tristin was amazing as a small child and very smart beyond her years,” said Tristin’s mother Val Charlette. “One of the ladies that worked at Aboriginal Head Start in Flin Flon, said Tristin was like an elder in a little child’s body. She could read before kindergarten, was incredibly smart, asking questions, talked a lot and figured out things very early in life. Tristin was a very bright girl.

Northland Ford has started their annual Scare Hunger food drive for the month of October. The dealership collects non-perishable food items and donates them to the school breakfast programs and local organizations in the community. They have a truck set up in the showroom and welcome people to stop by and drop off a donation.
“The main things we focus on are the school breakfast programs, so non-perishable items like fruit snacks, granola bars and lunch kit related goods are just some of the things we collect,” said Northland Ford Sales Consultant Rick Lagace. “All the food items must be non-perishable, as we don’t have the space, storage or resources to collect perishable goods.

The Town of the Pas held their council meeting last Tuesday in council chambers.
A discussion was held about community celebrations and which ones the Town of The Pas would facilitate. Mayor Murphy expressed his wish to see a weekend spring event in conjunction with the R.M. of Kelsey, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Moose Lake, Mosakahiken, Grand Rapids and other areas. He talked about it being a cultural type event that would bring everyone together. Mayor Murphy noted that there are lots of great festivals, but they are run individually and that it would be nice to have something held with everyone involved. He offered to take the lead to explore options and put a committee together.
Councillor Lane brought up Canada Day and how the Town of The Pas will address that. Mayor Murphy said he would like to see a Canada Day committee formed that would take the lead to make sure the event happens, but he doesn’t expect town employees to run it themselves and that there has to be a committee involved. He said it’s like expecting the Town of The Pas to run the Trappers’ Festival, and that isn’t possible.