It has certainly been an eventful month since my last column. A lot has happened and a lot has changed.

The biggest change… I’m the new leader of the PC Party and Manitoba’s Official Opposition.

Back on Sept. 28, Obby Khan resigned as leader. I want to thank Obby for his service and wish him all the best.

I was deeply honoured to be unanimously supported by our PC Caucus, and grateful to the many Manitobans, including constituents, who have reached out with messages of support. Most of all, I am grateful to my family for supporting me.

The Steinbach Arts Council opens its 2026–2027 Concert Series with Once Upon a Dream, an intimate musical theatre concert produced by Winnipeg’s acclaimed Dry Cold Productions. The single-night performance takes place on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m. at the SRSS Theatre.

Led by Artistic Director Donna Fletcher, the concert features rising Canadian stars Alyssa Crockett and Julia Kroft. The duo first met during Dry Cold Productions’ Canadian premiere of The Prom and bonded over their shared passion for live theatre.

Once Upon a Dream offers audiences a behind-the-scenes glimpse into life on stage through humour, personal stories, and standout vocal performances of beloved musical theatre songs.

Tickets are $36 for adults and $18 for students, available online at SteinbachArts.ca/LIVE or by calling 204-346-1077.

The Southeast Event Centre is hosting a Halloween food drive and carnival on Oct. 31.

The SCU Halloween for Hunger event in Steinbach will see families from across the Southeast enjoying games and Halloween based activities. Although this is a free event, organizers are encouraging visitors to donate a non-perishable food item that will go to South East Helping Hands.

“The whole point of Halloween for Hunger is to scare away that hunger for the fall. So, fill up the food bank before this chilly weather settles in as much as we can,” said catering and hospitality manager Nadja Gowland.

Gowland chose South East Helping Hands because they are local, they do a lot with the Pistons, and they are always in need of food. In 1986, when the organization officially became what it is today, it was serving 10 to 15 families bi-weekly, today it serves 400 bi-weekly. As South East Helping Hands is independently run, it relies on donations.

“God’s purpose is now to show the rulers and powers in the heavens the many different varieties of his wisdom through the church.” - Ephesians 3:10

One of the most beautiful truths about the Church is that God never intended it to be a gathering of people who all look alike, think alike, vote alike, worship alike, or come from the same background. His plan was always much bigger than uniformity. God’s vision is unity with diversity.

In Ephesians 3:10, Apostle Paul uses the fascinating Greek word ‘polupoikilos’ which means many-sided, richly varied, multi-faceted, infinitely diverse. It describes something so complex and beautiful that it cannot be understood from a single angle. Like the story of the six blind men describing an elephant based on what they feel with their hands. A large snake says one, a wall says another, a spear says the third, a pillar says the fourth and finally the one at the end says it feels like a rope. Each believed that he knew just how the animal looked and they quarrelled ever after.

God’s wisdom is not monochrome. It is a masterpiece of countless colors, perspectives, stories, gifts, cultures, personalities, and experiences woven together into something glorious. And according to Paul, that wisdom is displayed through the church.

Some of you may know the story of Canadian entrepreneur Tobi Lütke. A German-born immigrant, Tobi came to Canada to pursue a software development apprenticeship. In the early 2000s, he started an online snowboard shop. Frustrated by the lack of e-commerce software, he created his own platform. Shopify was founded in 2006 and is now widely regarded as one of the world’s leading e-commerce platforms.

A society that encourages new business, innovation, and entrepreneurial creativity benefits. Customer choice increases as more businesses enter the market. New businesses can develop creative solutions to local problems, introduce new products, services, and technologies. Small businesses often reflect local culture, values, and traditions. Supporting entrepreneurship encourages initiative, skill development, and opportunities. What’s more, small businesses create new jobs, generate new wealth, and build economic resilience.

A country that discourages entrepreneurship and business growth has the opposite effect.

In a survey, Canadian businesses responded to the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses survey identifying the high cost of doing business in Canada as the biggest deterrent for not starting a business. High costs, taxes and red tape discourage entrepreneurship.

Imagine a young woman attending a university law class. How do you think she will feel when she suddenly learns that the man sitting beside her in class for the last few weeks is a convicted murderer?

This isn’t a hypothetical scenario. For the entire month of September and part of October, a convicted murderer attended law classes at McGill University. The law student in question is Jeffrey George Ewert, a man convicted over 40 years ago of second-degree murder and attempted murder.

In 1984, when he was in his 20s, Ewert sexually assaulted a young woman and strangled her to death. Six weeks later, he attacked a fifteen-year-old girl who rejected his advances. After severely beating and choking her, he dumped her body in a ditch. While the girl survived the assault, she was left blind and paralyzed.

For these heinous crimes, Ewert received a life sentence. However, a life sentence in Canada doesn’t necessarily mean life behind bars. Even the most heinous criminals can apply for parole after enough time has passed. In Ewert’s case, the parole board granted him day parole last year. This made it possible for Ewert to attend law classes at McGill.