Manitobans still have one big bill to reconcile in relation to the previous provincial government.

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) released its calculations of estimated severance payouts for politicians who lost their seats or retired in the election.

In the last election, 25 MLAs lost their seats or did not seek re-election. They are eligible for severance payments ranging from $25,749 to $102,998. In total, former MLAs are eligible to receive $1.84 million in severance with an average payout of $32,800.

The CTF is calling on the Manitoba government to end the costly transition allowances for former Members of the Legislative Assembly.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t be padding the wallets of MLAs who are headed for the exits,” said Gage Haubrich, CTF prairie director. “Ordinary Manitobans don’t get a golden parachute when they leave their jobs and they shouldn’t be forced to fund one for politicians.”

The payout is based on the number of years the MLA has been in office. An MLA can receive one month’s pay for each year they were in office, from a minimum of three months pay to a maximum of 12.

Former Dauphin MLA Brad Michaleski who was in office for 7.42 years and retired prior to the Oct. 3 election is in line for a transition allowance of $63,658.

MLA’s are paid about $102,998 per year. The average Manitoban earns about $57,000.

“Former politicians shouldn’t keep fleecing taxpayers when they aren’t even in office anymore,” Haubrich said. “Premier-designate Wab Kinew needs to cancel this taxpayer-funded handout before the next election.”

The transition allowance calculations can be found at taxpayer.com.

Work is about to begin on the redevelopment of Main Street South following the awarding of the more than $21 million contract to Russell Redi-Mix Concrete.

“We are expecting the equipment to start to mobilize in the first week of November,” director of Public Works ad Operation Mike VanAlstyne said, adding given the delays the contractor is hoping to make up some ground. “They hope to do as much work as they can throughout the winter months. It’s all going to be so weather dependent on how quickly we get going, when winter really hits us with full force, and what that’s going to do to the contractor’s capabilities and scheduling. But I think just any progress for the winter will be progress.”

VanAlstyne expects the contractor will begin with the excavation of the retaining ponds, one on each side of the highway, which make up a large part of the City’s drainage plans for the area and will collect spring runoff, as well as runoff from major weather events.

A portion of the excavation material, estimated at more than 30,000 cubic meters, will be used for the construction of the toboggan hill at Maamawi Park on the Dauphin Recreation Services grounds.

The construction cost of the entire drainage system, including the underground piping, has been set at more than $8 million.

The scope of the roadwork project covers a section of PTH 5A from Whitmore Ave., south to Triangle Road, and includes surface reconstruction with the creation of a divided highway.

The plans call to improve safety in the commercial area by having all local accesses connect to service roads, and service roads connecting to PTH 5A at upgraded intersections. Those service roads will be constructed along both the east and west sides of highway from their existing points south to Triangle Road.

As well, a new intersection allowing access to Dauphin Market Place Mall will be developed, complete with traffic signals.

The project has been delayed by more than a year, and while it has been a long road to get this point, VanAlstyne said the real work is just beginning.

“It’s a long time coming, but we’re excited to have it moving,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of adapting on the fly and a lot of moving parts, but I think we’ll get through and it’ll be a really great project for the city.”

Manitoba premier-designate Wab Kinew got together on Thursday with his recently announced transition advisory team for what he called a productive and cooperative meeting.

Kinew said the team, established Oct. 6, has already made good progress in a very short time.

More in this issue.

Oct. 11 was the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl celebrated to commemorate efforts and achievements by girls and women throughout the world.

Many women have pioneered the way for other women to succeed, especially in what have been deemed as male dominant fields of work or education.

Check out the story in this week’s Review.

Prairie Mountain Health’s (PMH) updated COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccine clinics will begin Monday, Oct. 23.

The free public clinics will run throughout the region until the end of November.

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

If you are on the walking path, you will get the chance to see a new work of art. A new community mural has been painted as part of a project to bring have more murals in the community and provide more exposure to art for students and community members.
“The Pas Guest List has created the Artist in Community Murals Project to further strengthen the relationship the Town of The Pas has to the arts by creating an opportunity to showcase local, national and international artists,” said The Pas Guest List Co-founder Gabrielle Swan. “There are three components to the scope of the project. There will be two large scale murals located along the walking path that runs through the Town of The Pas. There will also be in-school speaking engagements and a free community art workshop open to all locals.

This year there were a few well-deserving recipients from The Pas who received the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers. One of them was Kerry Midford, who has been a volunteer with Girl Guides for over 30 years. Midford’s passion for volunteering with Girl Guides stemmed from her own youth, when she herself was in the program.
“I joined Girl Guides at the age of five, when I started out in the youth program as a spark,” said Midford. “Once I turned 18, I became a Guider, I volunteered with the Brownies, which is now Embers. Over the years, I have been a unit Guider, Cookie Chair, District Commissioner and now Area Commissioner.”

As part of International Day of the Girl, there are a few stories of girls and women who are leading the way in a variety of different forms. Some are paving the way in leadership, while others in fields that have been stereotyped as male-dominant. Another strong female leader who has been community driven through her work at The Pas Community Renewal Corporation (TPCRC) is the Executive Director, Desarae Lambert.
Lambert started with TPCRC over a decade ago and has been committed to the organization ever since.
“On September 23, 2013, I accepted the position of the Community Facilitator with the TPCRC,” said Lambert. “I had just moved to The Pas that summer and was on a job search for something new and fun when I stumbled upon the advertisement, and thought this would be amazing to try.”
During the course of time, Lambert has worked her way up to a more prominent leadership role with in the TPCRC.
“I went from community facilitator to taking a few months off, then returning for a part-time position providing support to the executive director. Then back to community facilitator then to executive director all within the 10-year span.”

History in the making is happening when it comes to the roles that Indigenous people are playing in levels of government. For the first time in Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN), a historic moment has happened as the community has elected the first Iskwew to become chief. Chief Maureen Brown was sworn in last week as the new Chief for OCN.
“It’s an incredible honour and the whole experience has been surreal,” said Chief Brown. “As I think and reflect back on my life and how all of my experiences have brought me to this place, everything good, bad and indifferent has continually guided me to where I am today. It’s incredible when I think back to my very first memory of being taught our values at four years old, then attributing my whole life that has been leading up to this point and time.

The Dauphin Kings rebounded from their first loss of the season with two of their best games of the year, last week.

After dropping a 2-1 decision to the Selkirk Steelers, Oct. 1, Dauphin scored a 3-1 victory over the Virden Oil Capitals, Oct 5, followed by a dominating 6-2 win over the Neepawa Titans, Friday night.

All three games were at Credit Union Place.

Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley felt the Kings played a complete game against Virden.

“I thought our back pressure was outstanding and our even number and odd-man rushes. They’ve got a good team. They can be creative on the offence and we did give up some chances, but Sheff (goaltender Cole Sheffield) made some good saves when he had to,” he said. “But for the most part, we really had some good D-to-D and out. We had good exits, good speed through the neutral zone and we were patient enough to finally get some goals. That’s so important.”

Neepawa took a 1-0 lead late in the first period, while the Kings were creating all kinds of opportunities. The Kings eventually tied the game midway through the second period.

Dauphin broke the game open in the third, with five goals, to pull away with the victory.

“The work ethic and compete just finally caught up to them and we just found a way to score. The last two games have been really good.”

Even in the game against Selkirk, Hedley said, the Kings didn’t play that badly, but the Steelers worked hard and outworked the Kings at times. And they took advantage of their power-play opportunities.

Against Virden and Neepawa, Dauphin maintained its discipline allowing just one power-play chance in each game.

The entire lineup is playing well right now. Hedley noted the line of Gavin Nemis, Ethan Williment and Madden Murray had speed every shift, with Nemis picking up an assist with a backhand feed to Jordan Bax on a back door play.

“That’s an elite play, that kind of backhand pass right on the tape. That’s what the kid is. He’s a 17-year-old that’s got some tremendous upside. And Williment just compliments that line. Whether it’s with (Rhett) Perrin or Murray, they really work their butt off and I thought Murray was real good tonight,” he said.

The three rookie defencemen - Trey Gnetz, Karson Raymond and Aiden Murray - comprising the team’s third defensive pairing has excelled all season.

“They’re tireless. Their compete is unbelievable. Gnetz never gives up. Too many times he makes a move, but if he does lose a battle or lose the puck, he works his butt off to get back and you can’t ask for anything more,” Hedley said. “The whole game is about mistakes. If you make a mistake, it’s how hard you work to get it back that makes a difference. And that’s why he’s a difference maker, for sure.”

When the defence does make a mistake, Sheffield is there to shut the door. Through his first five games, the reigning goaltender of the month has a stingy 1.60 GAA and .931 save percentage.

Dauphin’s offence will get a boost with the addition of forward Cayden Glover, who was reassigned to the team by the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars, last week.

After recording 40 points with the U18 Brandon Wheat Kings, Glover was drafted early by the Medicine Hat Tigers and signed there as a 16-year-old and was later traded to Prince George.

Last season, he scored seven goals and 12 points in 51 games.

Hedley said Glover is a good player that has a huge upside.

“We just want him to have fun again, get some touches and get some minutes and I know he’s going to contribute to our hockey club, for sure,” he said.

The Kings have just one game this week, a rematch with the Titans, Saturday at Credit Union Place at 7:30 p.m.

The team took the weekend off for Thanksgiving and will get back on the ice this week.

Kings court:

The game against Selkirk, Oct. 1, was head coach Doug Hedley’s 600th game as coach of the Kings . . . Dauphin sits atop the MGEU West Division with a 5-1-0-0 record and have allowed just 10 goals through the first six games. Only the 6-0-0-0 Winkler Flyers have allowed fewer goals against, giving up nine in their first six tilts.