Jennifer Laviolette
Ashton seeking re-election for Churchill Keewatinook Aski riding
The ball has dropped and a federal election has been called amid a potential trade war. Many federal candidates have hit the ground running and long-standing MP Niki Ashton is seeking re-election in the Churchill Keewatinook Aski riding. Ashton knows this is a very difficult and trying time for Canada as we fall out of the Free Trade Agreement and into some uncertain times.
“This is a very important election for our region and Canada,” said Ashton. “It’s clear that we need strong representation for our region as we face an unprecedented economic attack from the U.S. To face that attack from the U.S., it’s very clear to me that we need to reinforce what makes us proud to be Canadian and our economies, whether it’s in the mining, resources or manufacturing sectors. We also need to look at bolstering our healthcare, which is another thing that sets us apart from the U.S. We need to invest in housing and infrastructure, where there are still major gaps, especially in northern Manitoba. We need to invest in our young people.
New mine will create more jobs
Premier Wab Kinew and Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses joined Marcel Colomb First Nation, Mathias Colomb Cree Nation and Alamos Gold at a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction for a new gold mine near the town of Lynn Lake.
“Alamos Gold’s generational expansion project will benefit Indigenous nations and northern Manitoba with hundreds of good jobs,” said Kinew. “We’re proud to get a new mine to the construction phase within just 18 months of taking office. Now more than ever, we need to create economic opportunities in our province and lay the groundwork for new trade partnerships.”
Froese hailed as the 2025 Manitoba Provincial Wrestling Champion
Local resident 18-year-old Landon Froese has been focused on competing in contact sports for quite some time. He got his start with jiu-jitsu and has now transitioned to wrestling.
“Last spring, I went to Montreal, competed there and won gold in jiu-jitsu,” said Froese. “I went up against some tough opponents. Then I also went to some jiu-jitsu competitions in Winnipeg and Saskatoon last year and won gold at those.
“I started doing a lot of wrestling and won three golds, two silvers and one bronze in those competitions. I recently competed in the Manitoba Provincials Tryouts for Team Manitoba and won gold there. I also earned a spot on Team Manitoba for wrestling as well.
Fred Fox speaks to students about his brother, Terry and his legacy
Students in schools had the opportunity to connect with Fred Fox, brother of Terry Fox, and hear about how the Terry Fox Run has grown and what it has done for cancer research.
“It was amazing to be up in The Pas talking with the students,” said Fox. “I do a lot of travelling throughout the year across the country and I’ve always said, we can’t just go to the big city centers. We need to get out and about to all the smaller communities in between. The Pas has been as far north as I’ve ever been in Manitoba, so it was great to be there.
“To this extent, this will be my 16th year of doing this. I’ve been speaking at schools since the mid-90s, but travelling across the country now, as my mom used to do, it’s been about 16 years. This is the 45th Anniversary of the Terry Fox Run. Terry started his run in 1980, and then the very first Terry Fox Runs happened in 1981.”
MB’s budget prepares for some potentially tough economic times
The Province announced their 2025 budget last Thursday and is forecasting a deficit. Right now the Manitoba government is predicting a deficit that could range from $800 million to $1.9 billion, due to the uncertainty of a tariff war with the United States.
The Province is preparing to provide up to $500 million in support to businesses and jobs impacted by the tariffs. This is part of its strategy to prepare for the tariff war.
The 2025 Budget is focused on rebuilding health care, lowering costs for Manitobans, growing the economy, creating healthier families and safer communities, protecting Manitobans from tariffs and creating a government that works for the people. The Province is also investing $3.7 billion in capital projects that include new schools, emergency rooms and personal care homes in rural areas.
Dan, Dan the local SVAPL’s cat man
The Swan Valley Animal Protection League (SVAPL) has some incredible people who go above and beyond the call of duty to rescue, care for and most importantly, love animals that have been either surrendered or abandoned. One of these remarkable people is Dan Grazier. If you know Grazier, you know he is a true animal lover and has dedicated many hours to the shelter.
“Pets are great companions,” said Grazier. “They are always there for you with a wagging tail and a wet nose. They don’t ask for much and offer unconditional love in return.
“When we can save an animal from an unfortunate situation or circumstance, and offer them safety, love and hope, you can tell they understand and appreciate it. Once we put in the work, time and effort to get them to trust people again, you can tell they are ready to begin the next chapter of their lives with their new forever families.”
Many pet lovers are either a dog or a cat person. Grazier loves all animals, but he has a favourite type.
“I grew up a dog lover, but as I grew older, cats seemed more aligned with my personality,” said Grazier. “I’ve got three of my own at home: Dagger, Dart and Dash. We are the DA Gang. In addition to that, we have nearly 50 cats and kittens at the shelter that I consider my unofficial children as well.”
Grazier started getting involved with SVAPL by watching his father help out the organization. Between the love of animals and being able to use his skill set for volunteering, it became a natural thing for him to do.
“My company, Grazier Custom Manufacturing, has built things for the SVAPL for a number of years, and my late father Cliff was always very happy to help them out,” said Grazier. “I started by just bringing food and donations to the shelter. I saw that the volunteer base was extremely female-heavy. I noticed things that could be helped with my skill set.
“We started by building and donating catios that give the cats access to the outside, fresh air, bird watching etc. It’s grown to now have three different catios, catwalks, pedestals, wall crates, and bridges. A real cat paradise. It’s become a very unique place in the world of animal rescue.
“We have worked hard to create a wonderful and fun, stress-free, comforting atmosphere for the animals to enjoy as they wait to meet their new families,” said Grazier. “Many shelters cannot do this, and lots of times the animals are confined to smaller individual cages, which is the unfortunate reality. We are doing our absolute best to try to maximize the space for them.
“I also use the time there as my form of therapy. I dealt with some pretty tough times after my father passed away, and this has given me something positive to channel my energy towards. I’ve become very attached to every animal in our care and know every one of their names.”
Grazier has seen the Swan Valley come together and help out the SVAPL. People are more than willing to help the shelter provide quality care for those animals until they find their forever homes.
“We have some amazing sponsors in this community, and are very lucky that they are big animal lovers,” said Grazier. “The big one I can think of this past year was the Swan River Kinsmen Club, which I am also a member of and recently elected the Vice-President. They voted to fund the Kinsmen Kennel, a functional dog run behind our facility, so we will be able to handle dogs that come into our care as well. We are almost near completion.
“Before this, we could only take in dogs if a foster home could be arranged. This will give us a few more options in case of emergencies. That is just the start of the amazing group of sponsors that we have. Come to the shelter and look at the huge list on the wall sometime and see for yourself. “
Grazier has seen the shelter expand over the years in terms of space and features, as well as in need and animals that need homes.
“The shelter has evolved over the past few years, growing from a few rooms with cat trees, to an amazing playland with items and features changing and being added constantly,” said Grazier. “The number of animals coming in never seems to decrease, especially coming into the winter months when animals are seeking shelter. We are always operating at or beyond our capacity when it comes to felines.
“We have been lucky to be able to have dedicated foster homes for the dogs currently in our care. Near 50 cats and eight to 10 dogs are currently in our care and foster homes. We have an unbelievably dedicated, caring and compassionate group of volunteers who never let a day go by without all chores being done, every animal fed and cared for. They are the real unsung heroes of our shelter, and the place would not run without them. I am so proud of them for their work every day.”
Grazier has been part of a few comedic fundraising campaigns to help bring much-needed dollars to the SVAPL. Usually, he finds humour not only the best medicine but a good way to engage with people when it comes to fundraising.
“The ladies and I like to have an unofficial, good-spirited competition when it comes to selling tickets,” said Grazier. “We always have some amazing prizes and a large 50/50 draw for our Spring banquet, which is coming up on March 22, so the more eyes we get on the draws and our event the better.
“The more ridiculous the posts we make, the more engagement and sales for these tickets. The real winners in the end are the animals, and deep down, I have the utmost respect for my fellow sales competitors... but mostly because they know I am going to win.
“They also talked me into doing a 2025 fundraising cash calendar featuring myself this year,” said Grazier. “It sold out all 250 copies very quickly, becoming one of our best fundraisers to date. It’s not what I would choose to hang up in my house to look at every day but to each their own. I have somewhat leaned into the role of being one of the faces of the shelter. I can certainly be a character, and anything that brings eyes to our adoptable friends and our shelter is a good thing. I decided to go with the flow while people still find it entertaining. Strike while the iron is hot, as they say in my industry.”
The list of needs is never-ending for the shelter. Whether it be food or money, both go to good use.
“As you can imagine, food is always the highest in demand,” said Grazier. “The animal’s mouths never stop, so we are constantly going through food. If you have one or two animals at home that you feed, you can imagine the volume that 50 cats and 10 dogs would require per day.
“People have been so generous to us with their donations. We even have a bin for donations at the Co-op, and an Amazon wish list for those out-of-towners. Donations can always be dropped off directly at the shelter as well, or we can arrange a pickup.
“Alternatively, money is always useful to help with our monthly bills, supplies or whichever food or treats we are requiring that month,” said Grazier. “Any cash donations over $25 are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
“Our next major project is installing another window in one of the cat rooms. Grazier Manufacturing will donate a fourth catio once it is installed, but we could always use the money for that or things such as these that pop up.”
Grazier does a lot around the shelter to help out, from building things to bottle feeding. He encourages people in the Valley to give in any capacity they can, whether it be through donating or volunteering.
“I assist directly with the animals quite often, helping to administer vaccines and medications; take weights; give baths, that’s always fun; bottle feed; play with the cats to help socialize them; comforting cats that are new and scared or feeling under the weather and giving them some company while they are in the quarantine section,” said Grazier. “I try to stay useful, from lifting heavy things to building and fixing, right down to cleaning the gunk out of the cat’s eyes.
“I’m working hard to try to break misconceptions that men can’t be involved with animal rescue. You can be young and male and also have compassion for animals. Caring for animals is cool, and I can always use more guys’ help because I am definitely outnumbered.”
“If people are looking to help us out, we are always looking for donations of either cash or supplies,” said Grazier. “If you are unsure what to buy or what we need, I would encourage you to send a message to the SVAPL Facebook page. We would be able to tell you in real time what we are in most need of.
“If you are interested in volunteering, also contact us through the page or email us through our website at SVAPL.ca. Visit our site to see current animals looking for a new home if you are considering one. Fill out an application. Book a meeting with the cats and see which one speaks to you. Support us. Come to our events. We are an entirely volunteer-run non-profit organization kept alive by a group of people with big hearts and I’m very honoured to call them all my friends. And also, as one of my heroes always said, ‘Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered.’ RIP Bob.”
New art display at Sam Waller Museum
The Sam Waller Museum is hosting a new exhibit in the Susan McCharles Gallery. Residual Effects by Crystal Thorburn is now on display until May 20, 2025. Thorburn’s work is part of the Manitoba Arts Network’s Visual Arts Touring Exhibition. This thought-provoking show invites visitors to reflect on themes of responsibility and resilience through evocative artwork.
Thorburn grew up in the Saskatchewan Prairies, which has greatly influenced much of her artwork today.
“After many years living in Melville, Saskatchewan, my husband and I moved back to the farm that has been in our family for 116 years in southern Saskatchewan,” said Thorburn. “This new lifestyle has brought out a keen awareness of various elements of the seasons on the prairies in southern Saskatchewan. We follow a regenerative farming practice and produce organic grains.
Canada is fighting back against tariffs
When it comes to the threat of tariffs, Canada is pushing back against the U.S. and not letting our country be pushed around. Minister Terry Duguid, former Minister of Prairies Economic Development spoke with the Opasquia Times about how the federal government is supporting Manitobans and Canadians through this economic turbulence.
“The best thing we can do is remove tariffs,” said Minister Duguid. “Tariffs are not good for Canadians or Americans. They increase prices and cause an uncertain business environment, so we’re working very hard on removing those tariffs through the diplomatic efforts of our Prime Min
TPAAS still on intake freeze
The Pas and Area Animal Shelter (TPAAS) is still operating on an intake freeze, due to reaching maximum capacity at the shelter and through the fosters available. All of these animals are looking to be adopted into their forever home or even fostered until a home becomes available for them.
“The shelter usually has a cap of 30 cats, but we currently have 38,” said TPAAS Shelter Manager Tina Donaldson.
Making a tough decision
The closure of The Pas Association for Human Development (TPAHD) has been a tough one for not only the tri-community but the board, staff and clients who were directly involved with the organization. What many may not realize is that program funding for people with disabilities hasn’t been increased in a very long time.
It wasn’t that long ago that wages for support workers and staff that worked with people with disabilities were amongst the lowest paid jobs in Manitoba, yet held some of the highest responsibilities. This was a challenge that TPAHD faced.
“We’ve been looking for an increase in funding for at least 15 years,” said former TPAHD Board Member Darryl Shotton.