Growing Home program returns

Communities across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario have an opportunity to access up to $25,000 from a prize pool of $160,000, thanks to BASF Agricultural Solutions and their Growing Home with BASF community program.

Back for its fourth year, the program is designed to empower Canada’s agriculture community to support the organizations that in their words “strengthen the fabric of rural Canada and make a difference in their hometown.”

Last year, thousands of Canadians nominated and voted for local organizations that help rural communities including childcare services, agricultural societies and hospital foundations.

Andrea McConnell, customer solutions for BASF Agricultural Solutions Canada said the program has gained momentum over the last four years.

SPORTS FLASHBACK 1986: SPORTOPICS says good-bye to ‘Charlie O’

I can remember when I met Jake Blatz. He was a young businessman, just starting out in the restaurant trade, and I was a 14-year-old high school student, skipping classes to play a little pinball.

Jake Blatz warned me that while he appreciated my contribution to the machine in his coffee shop, one of the school trustees had a business right next door and kind of frowned on seeing students in the restaurant during school hours.

I remember when I first saw Jake Blatz in a baseball uniform. I was a rookie reporter with The Carillon and he was a pitcher for the Millers fastball team, which I had the pleasure (?) of coaching and managing.

The first time he walked out onto the field, he was wearing a tie under his Millers jersey and I told myself this wasn’t just a ball player. Here was an owner.

Grunthal Arena receives $3 million in funding for renovations

Grunthal Arena got a boost from the province last week when its renovation project received $3.1 million in funding.

RM of Hanover council and members of the arena’s fundraising committee were on hand during last Thursday’s Red Wings game to make the announcement to a full house.

“Now, with this contribution from the province, the project is 100 percent a go,” said Ward 6 Coun. Curtis Dawydiuk, who sits on the Grunthal Arena Modernization project committee.

The funding comes from the Manitoba Growth, Renewal and Opportunities program, and Minister for Municipal and Northern Relations Glen Simard stated in a press release that arenas like Grunthal are “the heart of rural Manitoba.”

Addressing anxiety with free workshops

A free workshop that will help people cope with anxiety will take place in Steinbach, one of three locations announced by Recovery of Hope, a professional counselling service operated as part of Eden Healthcare Services.

Called Roots of Anxiety: Nurturing Wellbeing in a Worried World, the workshops are being offered at no cost for the first time thanks to sponsorships.

Sam Macaulay, administrative coordinator for Recovery of Hope, said they hope this is the beginning of more no-cost workshops.

“Taking away the barrier of fees opens our workshops to a much wider audience of folks, giving those who may not be in a place to afford regular support to gain the tools and knowledge they may not have and the chance to discover,” she said. “That has been our biggest inspiration, to give opportunity for learning and growth to those who may need it most.”

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback September 3, 2001 – Jim Penner first recipient of Variety’s humanitarian award

Steinbach MLA Jim Penner will be recognized for his outstanding contribution to Manitoba special needs children at a Variety Club of Manitoba banquet at the Mennonite Heritage Village later this month.

The first annual Gold Heart Humanitarian of the Year Award Dinner, Sept. 12, will recognize Penner’s giving back to the community through his business, as an individual and most recently as a member of the Manitoba Progressive Conservative caucus.

While the Variety Club is honoring him mainly for his corporate contributions to his community, the long-time grocer and his wife, his former staff and the community deserve an equal share of any credit due.

Steinbachers, and for that matter, all Manitobans, have a long-time tradition of generous giving and Penner says he is only too happy to have been able to be part of that.

AS I SEE IT COLUMN: Our Olympic curlers have tarnished Canada’s reputation

Curling used to be noted for being a gentleman and gentlewoman’s game. Canadians used to be known for being polite.

That changed last week when both Canada’s women’s and men’s curling teams got embroiled in a curling controversy that made headlines – all of which made Canada look terrible – around the world.

First the men, where it all started. By now you know that Sweden accused Team Canada of “double-touching” a stone. According to curling rules, once you remove your hand from the rock’s handle, you cannot touch the rock again.

Immediately upon being accused of double-touching, Canada’s Marc Kennedy instantly, without showing any fuse or any ability to check his emotions, started throwing f-bombs at the Swedes.

OP-ED – Forecasting 2026

How did Canadian agriculture fare in 2025? What trends will continue from 2025 into 2026 and what does that mean for export dependent farmers?

A year ago, I predicted that 2025 would be filled with global uncertainty that disrupted markets. I was hoping that this forecast would be proven wrong, but unfortunately it was not. Our neighbour to the south is focused on “America First”. U.S. policies are moving away from supporting free and open trade. Canadian agriculture faced a short period of tariffs but ultimately was protected by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). However, we don’t know if this will continue until the end of 2026 as CUSMA is up for review. This is the most important policy file for the 90 percent of farmers in Canada that depend on international markets. The agreement will either be extended to 2032, put into a cycle of annual reviews, or terminated. The outcome of the review will determine the fiscal sustainability of many farms across Canada, including Manitoba.

Tariffs are a threat, but they are not the only protectionist measures faced by farmers and food processors. The revival of country-of-origin labelling in the U.S. and individual state legislation that is fragmenting the North American market (e.g., Proposition 12 in California) are just two other examples of protectionist policies threatening Canadian agriculture and food exports, and the U.S. is not alone. China has targeted agriculture commodities in retaliation for Canadian tariffs on electric vehicles. The European Union continues to block Canadian agricultural and food exports using non-tariff trade barriers.

Uncertainty in world trade is costly for both Manitoba farmers and processors. Unfortunately, this uncertainty will remain throughout 2026 and will likely intensify during the review of CUSMA. Securing the North American market, offsetting the cost of trade uncertainty, and trade diversification need to be at the top of the policy list for all governments in 2026.

Penner seeks Steinbach PC nomination

A second City of Steinbach councillor has announced their intention to seek the PC nomination for Steinbach.

Susan Penner announced her candidacy in a news release issued Wednesday.

Fellow councillor, deputy mayor and teacher Michael Zwaagstra announced his candidacy in early January.

Penner said her decision to seek the PC nomination came from years of listening to residents, businesses and the conviction that the Steinbach constituency, held by Kelvin Goertzen since 2003, needs strong, relationships-driven leadership.

U of M partners with firm behind proposed sand mine to study Manitoba groundwater

University of Manitoba researchers will soon have a new, non-invasive tool to study the province’s vast groundwater resources after inking a partnership with Alberta-based mining company Sio Silica.

“If the technology works … it’s going to provide a mechanism to do real-time monitoring of changes in groundwater,” Ricardo Mantilla, an associate professor in the university’s civil engineering department and lead researcher for the project, said in an interview.

The emerging technology — called absolute quantum gravimetry — can measure changes in gravity caused by changes in groundwater levels, allowing researchers to better understand the flow and storage of underground water resources without the need for “expensive and disruptive” drilling, he said.

“That obviously has applications for (Sio Silica), but it can have very important implications for how we understand groundwater in aquifers in our province.”

Providence Pilots soar to championship on home court

System basketball at Providence College is here to stay.

The school clinched a Manitoba Colleges Athletic Association championship on their home court at the Niverville Resource and Rec Centre Feb. 15, defeating Canadian Mennonite University 69-58 to cap off an undefeated MCAC season.

Kendall Perpal, who took over for now-athletic director Joel Coursey has put his own twist on what the school calls system basketball, with the team cycling through hockey-style line changes every couple minutes.

With offense hard to come by in the final quarter, Perpall mixed up those lines, putting out a group of more veteran players who rose to the occasion to close out the victory. The Pilots didn’t hit a field goal until more than six minutes into the final frame, relying on a couple foul shots and their strong defense to close out a feisty CMU squad.

PHOTO GALLERY: Mennonite Heritage Village hosts winter carnival