August 2025
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204-947-1807 Highlighting Manitoba's radio history
A Silver Alert Program can help save lives
Graham Avenue is reborn
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Mark Carney’s leadership looks a lot like the last guy’s
Carney was supposed to herald change, but housing and affordability pressures are still hitting Canadians hard David Leis
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A salute to Frank Skinner and a tale of lovely trees that lead us to the International Peace Garden
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anadians voted for change in April 2025, choosing Mark Carney as prime minister. But months into his leadership, the same old problems – unaffordable housing, rising debt, stagnating wages – remain. Carney, once hailed as a financial saviour, now looks more like a polished steward of the status quo than a reformer. His background as a former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England earned him a reputation as a steady hand during turbulent times. His global profile and polished demeanour offered the promise of competence and credibility. However, his approach so far suggests continuity rather than change. Many of the policies shaping the current landscape appear to build on, rather than depart from, the Trudeau years. While his arrival was greeted by many in the politiu 6 ‘Mark Carney'
Frank Skinner and two of his lily varieties: Lilium ‘Lemon Lady’ and ‘Dieppe’. Photo by Bruce Moss.
Doyle Piwniuk, MLA Turtle Mountain Mark Carney in 2025. Official White House photo by Daniel Torok.
The Avenue, part 2 Jim Ingebritsen
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f ever there was a true ‘Memory Lane” in this city it must be Portage Avenue. A few months back I wrote a column on the much-storied “Avenue” as so many people called it back in the day. I somehow thought I could cover the busy stretch from Main Street to Colony in one go but, alas, I was hard pressed to barely make it to the Gaiety Theatre. I covered a good
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Portage Avenue has had a long colourful existence. part of the north side but here are some of my memories from the south side. I didn’t know until very re-
cently that The Chocolate Shop is the oldest restaurant in Winnipeg. It opened in 1918. It was a candy store in the beginning but was, for decades, one of hottest spots on the Avenue. It was, and maybe still is, where you went to get your tea leaves and tarot cards read. Perhaps the best-known jewellers and silversmiths in this old berg was Birks at 276 Portage at Smith. The Montreal company opened the location in 1903 and was a real gem until the location u 12 ‘The Avenue'
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ne of my favourite pass times is landscaping both for myself and by contributing to projects in the Virden Area. I have developed landscape plans for projects including the Virden Wellview Golf Course, the Custom Closet, the Anglican Church, and a number of yards in Virden. In my own yard, one of my passions is growing trees that are less than hardy for Virden’s zone 3 climate. I believe that I have a small microclimate in the yard that is situated on a hill and provides very good shelter from the cold winter winds. One of my favourite trees is a Gingko tree that I planted over 20 years ago. Other trees that we have in the yard that have done very well are as follows: four Korean Maples (a bit hardier than the Japanese Maple), three Norwood Red Maples, two Autumn Spire Red Maples, five different Sugar Maples, two Northern Pin Oaks, one Red Northern Oak, one Norway Maple, one Cherry tree, u 10 ‘Frank Skinner'
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