The art of dance is strong in The Pas, much like the arts culture in general, and last week Le Pas de Danse studio earned national recognition for one of their competitive performances. Le Pas de Danse dancers are still fairly new to competing, but already, they are proving to be strong contenders in the art of dance.
“Le Pas de Danse was started up in 2019, and we refrained from doing competitions at that time because I knew how much work it is and I didn’t feel we were ready for that level,” said Le Pas de Dance Studio Instructor Patty-Jean St Hilaire. “The students have been asking to compete now for the last couple of years, and we do have an intensive program where our dancers have been dancing five to seven hours a week, which is a pre-competitive level of dance.

The provincial government signed an agreement with three First Nations, Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation, Sapotaweyak Cree Nation and Minezogbe First Nation, known as Pine Creek First Nation. The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) extends Louisiana Pacific’s operating licence by five years, which allows all parties to work together to create a sustainable 20-year Forest Management Plan that addresses everyone’s needs.
The agreement ensures that the First Nations’ level of government will be directly involved in Manitoba’s Forestry Management Plans for the first time and will continue into the future. This allows First Nation communities to protect traditional lands and treaty rights. It’s been hailed as a precedent-setting agreement in terms of reconciliation.

The Manitoba government along with Trails Manitoba is investing more than $880,000 to support 33 recreational trails across the province, Environment and Climate Change Minister Tracy Schmidt announced.
“Manitobans love to enjoy the outdoors and our province is home to unique networks of trails that support healthy living and offer great social opportunities,” said Schmidt. “Adding new trails and ensuring our existing trails are well-maintained helps guarantee Manitobans can continue to enjoy the great outdoors for generations to come.”

No charges will be laid in connection with last year’s bus crash near Carberry which killed 17 Dauphin area seniors.

At a news conference in Winnipeg last week, Crown prosecutor Chris Vanderhooft and RCMP Supt. Rob Lasson explained no Criminal Code or Highway Traffic Act charges are forthcoming as the driver of the bus suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been unable to aid police in their investigation.

“As investigators, we hope to provide the ‘why’ of what happened, and that is why we do what we do. In this case, we cannot say why the bus proceeded into the intersection that day when it was unsafe to do so,” Lasson said, adding the driver has no memory of the accident.

Lasson said the collision happened because of a choice by the driver, but there is no proof that decision was made because of any criminal actions.

His cellphone showed no calls or text messages, at the time of the crash, he had no alcohol or drugs in his system and he was properly licensed  to operate the vehicle. which was in good mechanical shape at the time of the collision, Vanderhooft added.

Expert analysis indicated a blind spot on the vehicle may have prevented the driver from seeing the tractor-trailer as he crossed the Trans-Canada Highway while heading south on Highway 5.

“It is apparent from all of the evidence that the driver, due to the blind spots in that vehicle and when he may have looked in that direction, did not see the semi-truck travelling eastbound,” Vanderhooft said.

“He did not hit the brakes, nor did he speed up to avoid the oncoming semi-truck.”

While the Crown considered charging the driver with dangerous driving, there would be no reasonable expectation of a conviction.

“The act of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle is driving in a manner dangerous to the public in all of the circumstances. The focus must be on the risks created by the driver’s manner of driving and not on the consequences of the driving,” Vanderhooft said, adding his office also considered the public interest in determining whether to proceed with charges.

“While the Crown is certainly aware of the consequences of this mass casualty and the tragedy that families have had and continue to deal with, there is no public interest in proceeding.”

The Canadian Parents for French Swan River Chapter organized a Story Time in the Park, en Français, at Swan River Legion Park on Wednesday (June 26). 

The acts have been booked, the booth supplies ordered, the grounds are being prepared and everything’s ready to go for the Shell River Jamboree.

The three-day event, held at the Shell River Métis Centre at Boggy Creek, takes place July 5, 6 and 7 and organizers are looking forward to another great weekend.

Read all about it and check out the entertainment schedule in this week’s Review.

CBC Manitoba’s Future 40 under 40 announced their top finalists for 2024, and one local resident is one of them. Karen Gallagher was chosen to be part of this distinguished group of candidates for her volunteerism efforts and dedication to improving The Pas and the surrounding area.
Gallagher’s list of volunteerism work is extensive. She is dedicated and heavily involved with two organizations and takes a very active role in her duties within these organizations.
“I’m directly involved with The Pas Fire Department (TPFD) and The Pas Health Complex Foundation (TPHCF) Board of Directors,” said Gallagher. “Then I’m indirectly involved with The Pas Handi-van, The Pas Travel Club, The Pas Guest List, local LGBTQ+ events, Kinsmen Events and local cleanup initiatives.”

The Pas Helping Hands 4-H Club Members held their annual Achievement Night. Members successfully completed these projects: Adventure into 4-H, Scrapbooking, Geocaching, Explore Your Money, and Science in the Kitchen.
Outside of the project books, local 4-hers also spent time beekeeping with their mentor, Shawn Sexsmith, went on a Medicine Walk at the Opasquia Trails Boardwalk, participated in Culture Days, hosted a Japanese exchange student, tried out the boards at the Tribe Cable Park, hosted a 50 metre meal along with Round the Bend Farm, participated in the 4-H Canada’s National Show Your Green Day, entered a tree (and won!) in the Festival of Trees, held a wreath making workshop with Connie Havard, attended several holiday craft sales, assisted vendors at The Pas Arts Council’s Arts, Crafts, and More sale and entered projects in the KSD Science Fair.

The long-awaited inquest into a man who died in RCMP custody after he was detained for public intoxication in The Pas has finally transpired. In 2019, John George Ettawakapow, known as Dot Dot, was 54 years old when he died in an RCMP holding cell, where he was detained with two other intoxicated individuals.
This triggered an inquest into Ettawakapow’s death through Manitoba’s Fatalities Inquiries Act. This act requires an inquest when a person dies in police custody.
Security video footage from the detachment showed officers carrying Ettawakapow into the cell and leaving him on the floor, where two other men were also lying. Just over an hour later, the video recorded one of the men moving their leg over Ettawakapow’s neck. Ettawakapow was shown as lifting his arm and grabbing toward his neck. Within minutes, Ettawakapow stopped moving.

Dauphin Regional Comprehensive Secondary School honoured the 139 students making up its Class of 2024 at a convocation Saturday.

But before they went their separate ways to begin life after high school, valedictorian Maddison Garton gave her classmates one last test.

After introducing herself to those gathered in the school gymnasium - telling them teacher Andrew Coombs is her best friend, she has a pretty cool stepmom, her favourite colour is blue, and she believes classmate Kendel Marie Gibbs is the funniest person alive - Garton asked graduates to name the top five wealthiest people they know, the last five winners of the Stanley Cup and the last six  decades of world series winners.

“How did you do?,” she asked, following up with a quote from Peanuts creator Charles Schultz.

“The point is that none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. There are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their field. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten.”

Garton followed up those questions to her classmates with some easier queries, providing her own answers along the way.

Read more in this week’s Dauphin Herald