Language is important and shapes our perspective. Words can tune us into a more intentional way of thinking instead of being influenced by the dominant world culture around us. Below are some ideas; common terms and then a proposed term for to consider.

Death, died, passed away vs. crossing/crossed over/moved on. Dying implies a significant difference for people of faith. Scripture often avoids using the term “death” when referring to the death of believers. It uses metaphors such as sleeping, changing our clothes, or moving from a tent to a permanent home. ‘She died or passed away’ is passive and implies the person did nothing and it just happened to them. Death is not something that happens to us, it is something we do.

Bed-ridden, stuck in bed vs. bed-based. What is the first thing people do when they hear that they are ‘stuck’? They fixate on getting out at all costs. Being under God’s care is of greater import than where we are in the world. Even in his bed King David was able to keep track of world events and pray: “And the king (David) bowed in worship on his bed and said, ‘Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.’” 1 Kings 1:47-48

Fighting, battling a sickness vs. living with, dealing with, moving through. This one depends on the person’s attitude. “Fighting cancer” can put too much emphasis on winning or losing, which can be overwhelming and potentially harmful for someone dealing with a serious illness. Some people may find the “fight” metaphor unhelpful or even counterproductive, as it can feel like they are somehow failing if they experience setbacks or complications.

Could the billions of dollars spent on the Artemis space program have been used to solve problems here on earth? No doubt. But as Marshall Shepherd, writing in Forbes Magazine, reminds readers, many of our beneficial and vital medical, transportation and communication advances have been developed thanks to space exploration. Shepherd also highlights how the Artemis mission has brought people together at a time when divisions in society and politics are particularly nasty.

I found other things to admire about the Artemis II space flight. One was the crew’s diversity. These astronauts moved well beyond the white-male dominated Apollo era of space travel. Victor Glover was on board, the first Black astronaut to fly a lunar mission. Also included was Christina Hammock Koch, the first female astronaut to travel into deep space. And of course, our own Jeremy Hansen was part of the crew. As a Canadian, he represented the international nature of the mission. The four flyers went farther away from Earth than any human beings have ever been before. Their leader Reid Wiseman, age 50, was the oldest person to travel beyond earth’s low orbit. The Artemis II astronauts brilliantly demonstrated how people of diverse ages, genders, nationalities and races can work together to accomplish important things. Jeremy Hansen commenting on the diversity of the crew to the North American public, said, “We are a mirror reflecting you.”

I’m also delighted the Artemis space program, which will be ongoing for the next decade, has been named for a woman. The Greek goddess Artemis is the moon deity and twin sister of the god Apollo. Artemis is the first major NASA human spaceflight program named after a woman. One of its aims is to land the first woman on the moon. Many women’s scientific achievements went unrecognized in the past as men took the credit. So it’s great to see a major scientific project with a female name.

Another woman’s name also became important on the flight when the astronauts requested a lunar crater be named after Carroll Wiseman. She is the late wife of the Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman. A pediatric and infant intensive care nurse, Carroll passed away from cancer at age 46 in 2020, leaving her husband to raise their two young daughters.

One of the things that shows up repeatedly in both public conversations and in polling done of Canadians is the growing concern that it is becoming increasingly difficult to discern truth. This is because it is becoming harder for people to believe what they are seeing with their own eyes or hearing with their own ears. The rapid advent of artificial intelligence has led to the proliferation of fake images and videos online that both look and sound real. In fact, determining what is true and what is real will be one of the great challenges that faces this and subsequent generations.

From the perspective of the public, there has often been a perception that there is a somewhat strained relationship with the truth for those in public office. Most often, that isn’t because those in elected office are not telling the truth, but rather because they are putting what has become known as a “spin” on it. That is, they are trying to spin the issue or a story in a direction that is more favorable to their position.

But in a time where there is increased skepticism about the validity of almost everything that is seen or written online and elsewhere, elected leaders should be more aware than ever that words matter and clarity is valued. One recent example in Manitoba has been the controversy over the departure of Bobbi Taillifer from the role of commissioner of teacher professional conduct (which examines allegations of teacher misconduct in the province). A few weeks ago, it was announced that Ms. Taillifer had resigned her position. Days later, Premier Wab Kinew told the media she was actually fired for working out of country for several months. Days after that, the NDP Education Minister said whether she resigned or fired really didn’t matter. Then it was revealed that she has been rehired for several months to aid in the transition to a new commissioner. The premier followed that, by saying it was more of a severance payment to keep the whole messy affair quiet.

Trying to determine where the truth is in that tangled web is nearly impossible. And for the premier and the NDP government, it doesn’t seem to matter much. But for the public, it is just another concerning example of not knowing where exactly the truth begins and ends.

If students don’t learn how to read in school, not much else is going to matter.

It’s a harsh statement, but a true one. Any student who leaves school without the ability to read effectively will struggle to get ahead in virtually all aspects of life.

That’s because reading is a foundational skill. Whether you want to learn how to fix a car engine, order a meal in a restaurant, or write a report for your boss, you need to be able to read.

Unfortunately, in their eagerness to teach reading skills, many educators made a critical mistake: They assumed that reading was a transferable skill. Entire reading programs were established that treated reading as a skill that worked independent of any specific content.

While I have always taken my role as the elected official for Dawson Trail very seriously and have always prioritized serving constituents over party politics, becoming an Independent has only strengthened my ability to continue doing so. My core values have not changed, but by removing partisan politics, it has opened the floor for me to have meaningful conversations directly with the ministers, which greatly benefits the residents of Dawson Trail, as I am able to provide them with the transparency they deserve, as well as ensure that their voices are being heard and their concerns are being addressed.

One such example is the Sio Silica Sands project. The proposed mining of silica sands by Sio Silica has been raised numerous times over the last few years, but it has become increasingly concerning as of late. In a recent interview with the president of Sio Silica, Carla Devlin stated that there is a 15 billion-tonne supply of silica sands in Manitoba, and they intend to drill all of it. Drilling will begin as soon as they receive approval on an environmental license.

The mining company has proposed drilling mines in southeastern Manitoba, in the RM of Springfield, to extract silica sand. The extracted sand can be used to produce solar panels, batteries, microchips, semiconductors, and Devlin states, it can even be used to aid in national defense. While this all sounds very positive, the health and environmental risks associated with the silica sand mines far outweigh the pros. Silica sand mining destroys ecosystems, causes air pollution, and threatens groundwater supply through the risk of contamination and depletion of aquifers. These health and environmental concerns are exactly why the project proposal was rejected by the provincial government in 2024.

I have contacted the minister’s office regarding the Sio Silica Sands project and the inevitable health and environmental risks associated with it. We must do everything we can to protect our environment so that we can continue living long, healthy, and safe lives. Therefore, I will continue to speak out and have these important conversations to ensure that people’s concerns are being heard and that the health and safety of Manitobans is not being compromised.