The Steinbach Arts Council presents a new exhibition called Sisters by Manitoba artist Cynthia Hiebert in the Hall Gallery. The exhibit is open for public viewing from April 10 through May 15 at the Steinbach Cultural Arts Centre.

The exhibition introduces a series of quilted portraits and forms created through her process of assembling small pieces of fabric that function as individual elements within a larger composition. Hiebert describes her method as one that begins with planning before shifting into a more intuitive stage as the work progresses, allowing unexpected results to surface. She has participated in various quilt shows within Manitoba and has received recognition in several quilt challenges, making her work a fitting addition to SAC’s annual Hall Gallery Exhibit season.

As a long standing showcase of local and regional talent, the Steinbach Arts Council relies on community support to continue presenting meaningful arts experiences. Plan your visit to the Hall Gallery today. Toonie admission is encouraged.

Enrolment for the Arts4Tots preschool program opens for the 2026-2027 school year

Hanover School Division officials won’t provide details about a policy under review, which requires principals to select and offer resources to teach alternative views on the origin of life, despite an expert calling the policy review an example of “due diligence.”

The division’s Origin of Life Instruction policy, first created in 1984, directs teachers to teach different concepts relating to the origin of life, and schools to provide “up-to-date resources,” selected by the principal, to study “alternative views.”

“Hanover School Division recognizes that the teaching of the origin of life should be treated in an objective, balanced manner,” the policy states.

Seine River School Division, Border Land School Division, Red River Valley School Division and Sunrise School Division don’t have this policy or anything similar to it, according to an analysis by The Carillon.

“Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.”

Premier Wab Kinew might want to reflect on this famous line from Sir Walter Scott. Because he’s created quite a mess for himself and his government.

It started last week when it was revealed that Bobbi Taillefer, the province’s independent commissioner of teacher misconduct, was doing at least some of her work remotely while in Florida. This wasn’t a good look for a premier who openly supports boycotting American products.

As a result, Education Minister Tracy Schmidt claimed to be surprised by this revelation and announced that Taillefer had resigned from her position.

In the world of economics, a term that is often used is leading indicator. A leading indicator is some data point or a set of data that show or predict where things might be heading. As an example, even if the economy is strong in a given moment, if data shows that business or consumer confidence is low, that may be a leading indicator that things are likely to weaken in the near future.

In politics, there are also indicators of things that may come as well. While political parties or political leaders can be doing well in the polls one day, there can be underlying indicators of trouble on the horizon. A recent poll of Manitobans by the Angus Reid polling company is one example. What was most interesting about the poll wasn’t the usual voting intention numbers, but rather the opinions that Manitobans expressed on how they believed the current NDP government is doing on managing the most important issues.

Far and away, in Manitoba and in other parts of Canada, two of the most important issues to voters are health care and the cost of living. Daily we hear stories of people who are waiting excruciatingly long hours in emergency rooms or for diagnostic tests. Tragically, some have died waiting to be seen in an ER or for a test. Just as pressing is the concern that many Manitobans and Canadians have about the ability to afford even the basics in life. The high cost of food, fuel and many other things has made it hard not just to get ahead, but even to keep up.

Why the Angus Reid poll was interesting is because it specifically asked Manitobans how it felt the current NDP government was doing managing these and other issues. Barely a quarter of those Manitobans surveyed felt that the NDP government is doing a good job on either the health-care or the economic files. And while that may not come as a surprise to many Manitobans, to listen to Premier Wab Kinew, it would come as a shock to him. Routinely in the Manitoba legislature he says, on the record, that things are going great in health care and the economy. He even goes so far as to say that ministers responsible for these files are the best in Canada.

“Do not resent growing old. Many are denied the privilege.” -Irish Proverb

As I do my hospital rounds, I sometimes hear patients say, ‘If I’d known that I would live another 30 years after retirement I would have done things differently.’ Did you know that old age is meant to be a blessing? Such a thought comes as a surprise to many – because almost everything we hear in society about being old is negative.

I used to enjoy watching Late Night Shows as they made me laugh aloud, but now they make me mad. During the time when Joe Biden, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders were all hoping to be the next U.S. president the jokes about their old age were almost daily. They were being mocked for their age. Ageism right on prime time for all to see! Ageism is having negative stereotypes (how we think), prejudice (how we feel) and discrimination (how we act) towards others or ourselves based on age.

Ageism is not a jokey, trivial thing. It seeps into our souls silently, powerfully, and daily – in hundreds of different ways. Blinding us to our value, and leaving millions feeling they are worthless and that their lives are now a waste of time. Ageism is pervasive, affects people of all ages from childhood onwards and has serious and far-reaching consequences for people’s health, well-being and human rights. Ageism can be found within institutions, in interactions between people, and within ourselves. One example is the anti-ageing cosmetics industry, that spends billions annually on hammering the message that aging is bad and should be hidden. World Health Organization (WHO) studies reveal that one in two people in the world are ageist against older people.

One of the most basic yet important responsibilities of government is to ensure the safety of its citizens. This can take the form of maintaining a strong and dependable health-care system, keeping our streets safe from crime, or simply, maintaining a safe and reliable infrastructure network across our province.

Every day, hundreds of thousands of Manitobans travel our roads to get them to and from work, school, and across our province. As the former minister of infrastructure in Manitoba, I know the difference that design improvements and upgrades can have on increasing safety for motorists. And as a father and grandfather, I understand how important it is that our loved ones get home safely from travelling around our communities and province.

Recently, thousands of my constituents took the initiative of signing a petition in an effort to draw attention to the need for the NDP government to make critical upgrades to the intersection of Highway 75 and Provincial Road 305 near Ste. Agathe. Many Manitobans will be familiar with this intersection as it is on one of our key international transportation corridors.

As this area of my constituency grows and welcomes new residents, the infrastructure which once served the community is no longer suitable for the growing population and increased traffic. Community members, commuters, and commercial traffic deserve to feel safe when going about their daily lives, yet in 2023, the life of a 43-year-old woman from Ste. Agathe was lost when the vehicle which she was riding in was struck by a commercial truck. Unfortunately, this follows a growing trend, as in the past seven years alone, at least 20 accidents have occurred in this intersection, causing injuries and fatalities.