University College of the North (UCN) is honoured to announce $5 million in funding from the Mastercard Foundation. This funding is part of a landmark $235 million commitment by the Foundation to 30 post-secondary organizations advancing education for Indigenous youth across Canada.
The national announcement marks the tenth anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) final report, highlighting education as a critical path toward reconciliation. The funding recognizes institutions like UCN for their proven track record of impact, deep engagement with Indigenous communities, and innovative programming that aligns with Indigenous priorities.

Sometimes people and animals are born with challenges that may impact the way they live. For some, it can be debilitating and for others, an opportunity to overcome adversity. Former Valley resident Michelle (Gerhardt) Neufeld had dedicated her time and energy to rescuing and saving animals, to find them a loving home.
“My family lived in the Valley around 1979, when my father managed the Macleods hardware store,” said Neufeld. “We stayed until about 1982 or 1983 and became close friends with the Hagglund family, who we remain connected with to this day. Since 1988, we have called Steinbach our home.
“I’m the president of Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue, which I founded in 2013. Today, we are one of the largest animal rescues in Manitoba outside of Winnipeg and Brandon. Each year, we take in hundreds of animals and help them find loving homes. We operate a brand-new facility in Steinbach, built in 2024, and continue to rely heavily on our incredible network of fosters and volunteers.”
One cat in particular has found its way into Neufeld’s heart and home. This cat was born with a birth defect, but is one of the most remarkable pets Neufeld has ever been in contact with.
“Dory the cat was found about nine years ago with her two siblings when they were only three weeks old,” said Neufeld. “All three were suffering from severe eye infections. Sadly, it was soon discovered that Dory’s eyes had never developed and she was completely blind. Our family fell completely in love with her and decided to adopt her. Her sisters were adopted by other families.
“Despite her disability, Dory’s personality is unlike any other cat. She is truly remarkable. She’s friendly with everyone she meets and thrives on physical affection. When someone greets her, she often rises onto her back legs and wraps her front paws around them. People are always curious about this behaviour, and I explain that since Dory is blind, physical touch is how she sees people. Combined with her sharp hearing, her blindness has made her even more affectionate and deeply connected to those around her.”
Dory has been like a mascot for animal rescue. Her story teaches students and people the importance of pet safety and how an animal with a disability can provide a truly loving and amazing experience as a pet.
“Dory is the official ambassador for Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue,” said Neufeld. “Together, we’ve visited schools and daycares, teaching children about animal care, how to approach stray animals safely, and the importance of spaying and neutering. Children are naturally drawn to Dory because of how interactive she is. We also share an important lesson with them: although Dory is blind, she still experiences the world fully—just in a different way. Her story helps kids understand that being different is beautiful.
“Over the years, Dory has become a recognizable face for our rescue. She appears on many of our posters and is even featured on a large billboard outside of Steinbach promoting animal rescue and spay/neuter awareness. Her life is a testament to resilience. She could easily have been discarded as a kitten because of her disability, but instead she has found her purpose by enriching lives and showing the world that being different doesn’t limit what you can accomplish.”
Dory has not only found her way into people’s hearts, but is now on the big screen as well.
“In the summer of 2023, we were approached by our rescue colleague, Courtney Voth, who trains animals for movies,” said Neufeld. “She asked if Dory might be interested in being cast in the upcoming film The Long Walk, based on a Stephen King novel. We sent in her headshot, and the director immediately loved her look. Soon after, Dory was officially cast.
“Filming took place just outside Winkler, in La Rivière, the Pembina Valley of southwestern Manitoba, during August. It was a one-day shoot, and the film crew went above and beyond to ensure Dory’s comfort. They provided us with a hotel in Winkler so we wouldn’t need to travel early in the morning, shaded our van from the summer heat, and created a special setup for her. They were incredibly attentive, allowing breaks whenever she needed them. Dory’s role was to sit on a custom-built mailbox for her scene.
“Being on set was an amazing experience,” said Neufeld. “As her handler, I got to witness the incredible effort that goes into filming even a single scene, shot repeatedly from every angle. Everyone loved Dory: the director himself came over to pet her, and several actors stopped by to meet her. It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Neufeld has cherished her experience with Dory and hopes it helps everyone to realize that being unique is worth love and acceptance.
“And through it all, Dory continues to inspire,” said Neufeld. “She’s living proof that every life has value, that challenges can become strengths, and that being different is something to be celebrated.”

Members of the community took part in the 45th annual Terry Fox Walk this past Sunday (Sept. 14) in rememberance of Terry Fox, a Canadian icon who ran his ‘Marathon of Hope’ across Canada in 1980 to raise money for cancer research. At age 18, Fox was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his right leg, which led to amputation above his knee. A cancer similar to Swan River local Amara Campbell, who passed away in 2020.

Opaskwayak musician and singer Rhonda Head has pieced together another album and released it late last month. Her new album, Iskwaywuk, features a collaboration of other musicians as well as a strong family connection.
“I’m always writing and wanting to record another album,” said Head. “I’ve been working on this album for over a year.
“My inspiration to get this album done stemmed from losing my sister, Elizabeth Head, and I’ve dedicated the album to her. There are five songs on this album. I collaborated with Darin Anderson, Al Walser did some background vocals and Chris Burke-Gaffney did some composing. Also, my nephew, Rylan Fourre-Cook, wrote the song Searching For You.

The 60th Annual Opaskwayak Indigenous Days (OID) Princess and Reigning Court consists of OID Senior Princess Lexi Bercier, 1st Princess Jersey Young and 2nd Princess Kimberly Flett.
“It was such a surreal experience,” said 2025 OID Senior Princess Lexi Bercier. “Throughout the week, it never really hit me that I was actually doing it. From the fashion show to pageant night to the judges’ interview, it still didn’t feel real. Even in the moment when they were about to announce the crowned princesses, I couldn’t believe I was sitting there, because normally I would be on the sidelines, watching and dreaming of that moment.
“But what made this experience even more memorable was running alongside all the amazing, beautiful girls. I’ll never forget the time we shared together! Given the chance, I’d do it all over again without a second thought.

Snow isn’t on the ground yet, but that isn’t stopping the Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival (NMTF) from planning for their upcoming events. The NMTF Fur Queen Pageant is putting out a call for local young women to enter to be crowned the next NMTF Fur Queen.
“You must be between 18 to 24 years old, not be married and not have a criminal record to submit an application,” said NMTF Fur Queen Director Krista Tooley. “Something else to note that I would consider a requirement is that each contestant is required to find a sponsor, but they are not required to have a sponsor to submit an application.”
There is a time commitment one must be aware of before deciding to run in the NMTF Fur Queen Pageant.

If you are interested in a rewarding career that involves working with your hands, Manitoba Hydro has some excellent trades-related careers they are training and hiring for. Manitoba Hydro Trades and Technology Hands-On Day will be held in The Pas next week and give people an opportunity to try a trade as a Power Electrician, Mechanical Technician and Power Line Technician.
“Hands-on days are recruitment-led events,” said Manitoba Hydro Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisor Erica Jacobson. “This means we are opening our doors to the public to provide an opportunity to try out some of the trades we recruit for and looking for qualified candidates to apply for. This is an opportunity to try the tools, meet the technicians and experts in those trades areas, to try out regular daily tasks and have conversations about what the trades look like.

Editor’s note: Last week, the Star and Times ran part one of Suejee Quon’s story. This is a continuation of that story.
Life for the Quon family had changed as they started a different business venture in the Valley, and for Suejee, she embraced her independence.
“In 1966, I left Swan River to go to Winnipeg for university,” said Quon. “Shortly after, my dad started the Sporting Goods Store. My sisters tell me that they took turns working the till. The tiny shop was packed from ceiling to floor with everything sports-related. Dad was an avid fisherman and hunted every year. He knew all the hot spots and the newest hooks that were biting.
“People would come in to just find out the latest. He often took all the kids after work to go fishing; that was how we survived. Our freezer was always filled with fish. A few of us would pile into his 16-foot yellow boat with him, and the rest of us would just wait on shore, along with mom and her food offerings. It was easy to occupy ourselves in those days.
‘In Swan River, we lived a tight family life, all five girls crammed into one room with a bunk bed for three and a large bed for two others,” said Quon. “We had to make everything and then share it among the growing family. So, arriving in Winnipeg, I still remember that emotion, free to be myself. What typified this emotion was the first night in Winnipeg when I ordered a pizza. I still feel that awe. I could eat this pizza all by myself and not have to share with anyone.
“My first year was at United College. It was the last year before it became the University of Winnipeg. I spent that first year in residence, Spence Hall. I shared a room, but it seemed spacious and liberated compared to what I always had.
“It was in 1976, when mom and dad made that decision to sell the Sporting Goods Store and move to B.C.,” said Quon. “He had an offer to buy his store and thought it was a good time to move to a bigger area.”
Suejee found a passion for photography and turned it into a fine art. It led her to explore more of her creative side.
“My passion for photography has continued to grow over 45 years,” said Quon. “I bought my first enlarger when my daughter was born in 1978. Back then, night was the best dark room. My love for photography grew in the small bathrooms with small trays and a tiny enlarger, watching the miracle reveal itself in the developer.
“My photos are diverse and span from inanimate objects to anything in a garden to beautifully lit people. However, the style I relish is my work in digital layering. My 1993 Giclée prints from the China Exhibit look like the digital prints of 2023. Back then, I produced the layers by printing layers of large-format negatives. Even then, I was seeing stories within stories within stories.
“Shooting professional theatre, weddings and corporate portraits was not fulfilling enough, and I looked to grow further,” said Quon. “At the age of 40, I entered and completed a degree program in Commercial Photography and Business at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, California. As a professional photographer, my life evolved from corporate photography into business marketing.
“After over 30 years of marketing, I have returned to my original passion and the love of producing large format digital imagery. I’m committed to speaking through my photos, art with a message. I am looking forward to publishing books and a return to exhibiting.
“I also published a book last year, Laugh Often,” said Quon. “It is filled with my photography and also many stories that I hope will put a smile on people’s faces. One of the stories is of my mom and how she turned a Kmart in B.C. around. She worked in the cafeteria there, hired to just clean. She changed the whole place and became the best employee during her ten years there. The story tells of her time in Swan River and how she learned to cook at the C.V. Café under the tutelage of Mrs. Soloway.”
Suejee, her mother and sister, Sue Ying, returned to Swan River during the time of the Northwest Round Up and Exhibition. It was a perfect time for them to reconnect with people they once knew and look at how Swan River has changed since they resided there and ran a family business.
“My dad, Chuck, died last year,” said Quon. “We talked often that this was the year he wanted to go back and retrace his steps and see the changes. In a way, we are honouring his wish. However, his passing also made me realize that mom was the last of the Quons who still had memories.
“My mom and dad have never returned to Swan River. This year’s visit would be the first time back for my mom. My last time back was for my class reunion, which was in 1998, the same year as the 100-year centennial celebration of Swan River.
“I was astounded that Swan River has advanced so much,” said Quon. “There is a McDonald’s, a Tim Hortons and an A&W. Many buildings have changed, and the town feels like it has grown. I drove around and around and tried to remember, but too much has changed. The town feels like it has come into the 21st century. Stores are larger. In place of the Cycle and Sporting Goods store now stands a new building housing a Dollar Store, which is so popular today.
“Mom and I sat on the street in front of where the C.V. Cafe once was. It was nice to see Lloyd’s Jewellers was still there. Dairy Queen has now replaced the C.V. Cafe. The moment I walked through their front door, I knew it was the same building. The front till, where I spent lots of time looking out at Main Street, was right at the front.
“I hope to have a new book based on our Quon stories,” said Quon. “This return is to document every memory I can find, hoping that mom will tell me more. Swan River would activate more memories for her. It was also the 50th class reunion for my sister Sue Ying. That was what started the whole idea.
“I placed an ad in the Star and Times, hoping to find other people who would have memories. Several people did contact me, and I have new friends and discovered old ones. We met with a few friends who connected with me through the ad. We wanted to pay homage to my grandfather, King Quong. The Town of Swan River found his spot at the cemetery. I brought incense with me to burn, my grandfather’s grave site. Mom said some prayers.
“While there, I connected with Robert Barrow, who has been trying to organize the archives of the town,” said Quon. “A good day was spent with Gordon Hornbeck touring the history museum. When Henry Rasmussen offered to take us fishing at Wellman Lake, I could not say no. I have not caught a fish since I left Swan River. I spent time at the library and Rosemary was very helpful. I gifted some of my books to the library, so they can sell them and use it to help with funding.
“I think of the people I knew in Swan River, the ones who are gone now and the ones who are still with us, and I feel warm and wonderful. They were an integral part of my life and may have shaped who I am. I’m proud to have spent my younger years in Swan River.
“I remember the teachers, Mr. Majeski, Mr. Yarrow, Mr. Orchard, and Mrs. Erickson,” said Quon. “I would have to say that I enjoyed the people of Swan River the most. After this trip, I can say that it is still the feeling. I really like the small community ties, the ability to know everyone and offer assistance because you can. Living in a large city most of my life, I have still not found that communion of a community.”

Swan Valley School Division students enjoyed an ever-so-slightly longer summer break compared to the rest of the province, with most getting back into the swing of things on Monday (Sept. 8) for the first day of classes.

A change in leadership  at Riding Mountain National Park (RMNP) is being heralded as a good first step in restoring a positive relationship between Parks Canada and the communities surrounding the national park.

Parks Canada announced last week that  Field Unit Superintendent Leane Cooper is being replaced in her roll at RMNP, efffective Sept. 11 and will move to a similar position with the agency in the Northwest Territories.

Cooper is being replaced by Tom Sheldon, who most recently was a policy manager with Parks Canada.

The move comes amid backlash over a unilateral decision Cooper made to ban motorized boats on Clear Lake, announced just one day before the summer opening of the park on the Victoria Day long weekend.

It was a move to slow the spread of zebra mussels on the lake, which was made without any consultation, blindsiding cottagers and business owners. It also spawned formation of the group  Fairness for Clear Lake (FFCL), a coalition of community members, organizations, and businesses united by a shared commitment to the long-term health and prosperity of RMNP to provide a stronger, collective voice and to advocate for inclusive, transparent decision-making. 

“While today’s announcement changes a nameplate on a door, it does not on its own change a culture of secrecy and unaccountability,” said Riding Mountain MP Dan Mazier, whose riding includes RMNP, one of two national parks in the province.

“The culture of secrecy must end. So must the divisive practice of conveying different information to different parties behind closed doors. Parks Canada is a public agency that is supposed to serve all Canadians.”

For the full story, read this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.