Spirit of Winnipeg award winners announced
Five Manitoba organizations took home awards from the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce's annual Spirit of Winnipeg celebration Wednesday evening.
Mode40, which focuses on digital transformation within companies, was recognized in the 'technology and innovation' category. FortWhyte Alive won for its environmental and energy impact.
Film Training Manitoba claimed top spot for its workplace culture and commitment to opportunity, diversity and equity.
The Dream Factory got an accolade in the non-profit and social enterprise category.
Qualico, a large Western Canada real estate company, was named Spirit of Winnipeg winner. The award is given to organizations making Winnipeg 'a better, more prosperous community,' a chamber webpage reads.
— Free Press staff
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Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Freeing up trade and keeping workers safe
Opinion Over the last few months, we have heard a lot about the need to remove so-called interprovincial trade barriers, driven by political responses to the impacts of Donald Trump's trade threats and tariffs on the Canadian economy. Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he wants interprovincial trade barriers taken down by Canada Day. Here in Manitoba, the NDP government recently passed Bill 47, legislation that the government claims will free up interprovincial trade. While interprovincial trade barriers are clearly something that politicians of all political stripes are currently focused on, the actual evidence of barriers that exist is a bit murkier. When I talk with my business counterparts, I find they are often hard pressed to name many examples of specific interprovincial trade barriers that are interfering with trade between provinces. About a month ago, I had the opportunity to discuss the topic of interprovincial trade barriers with Loren Remillard, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, on a local radio station. The only example of an interprovincial trade barrier that he offered was that each province has individual rules for fall protection. We have all heard the lofty claims that removing interprovincial trade barriers will unleash billions in economic activity. But I fail to see how taking away a province's ability to set strong protections to keep workers from falling from roofs will unleash billions of dollars in economic activity. Removing interprovincial trade barriers should not be used as code for things that are not barriers at all, but important protections that keep workers safe — like setting high workplace health and safety standards. A healthy workforce is a more productive workforce, and governments should be doing all they can to keep workers safe and healthy on the job. Here in Manitoba, workers continue to suffer over 25,000 workplace-related injuries a year, demonstrating that there is a lot more work to do on workplace health and safety. When it comes to having common standards across the country, we should be striving to have the best standards, not the lowest. For example, look at Red Seal certification, something that unions have been major supporters of through training and apprenticeship programs. When someone is Red Seal certified, you know they are well trained, and you can trust the work they do. For trades workers, that Red Seal is a ticket to a good paying, family-supporting job, and it is recognized throughout our country, meaning you can work anywhere in Canada. Having Red Seal certification demonstrates that a worker has completed the highest standards of training. And the highest standards are something that we should all aspire to when it comes to our economy and our workforce. Our province's interprovincial trade legislation will enable Manitoba to identify jurisdictions in Canada as reciprocating jurisdictions, in effect treating that jurisdiction's standards as equal to Manitoba's when it comes to the sale of goods and services. It closely copies legislation that Ontario and Nova Scotia have introduced on the subject, and Premier Wab Kinew also signed an interprovincial trade MOU with Ontario a few weeks ago. But other recent action by Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government should give us pause on going full steam ahead with treating it as a reciprocating jurisdiction, no questions asked. Premier Ford is currently fast-tracking a controversial law to allow cabinet to identify 'special economic zones,' which could exempt any company or project in the zone from having to comply with whichever provincial laws, provincial regulations or municipal bylaws the government chooses. This would open the door for the Ontario government to declare that such things as Ontario's minimum wage rules or its environmental protections no longer apply within the designated zone, an extreme measure that exists nowhere else in Canada. As is often the case with vague notions like interprovincial trade barriers, the devil will be in the details of the Manitoba NDP government's interprovincial trade plans. And these details will only be addressed when the government makes untold numbers of regulatory changes now that Bill 47 has become law. But Manitoba's unions will do all that we can to ensure that Manitoba strikes the right balance regarding common sense trade reforms and the best interests of Manitoba workers. Kevin Rebeck is the president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Spirit of Winnipeg award winners announced
Five Manitoba organizations took home awards from the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce's annual Spirit of Winnipeg celebration Wednesday evening. Mode40, which focuses on digital transformation within companies, was recognized in the 'technology and innovation' category. FortWhyte Alive won for its environmental and energy impact. Film Training Manitoba claimed top spot for its workplace culture and commitment to opportunity, diversity and equity. The Dream Factory got an accolade in the non-profit and social enterprise category. Qualico, a large Western Canada real estate company, was named Spirit of Winnipeg winner. The award is given to organizations making Winnipeg 'a better, more prosperous community,' a chamber webpage reads. — Free Press staff
Winnipeg Free Press
24-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canada needs new approach to meet new U.S. challenges: Frum
Canada needs a 'plan B' in the face of tariffs and political instability introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump, says writer and political commentator David Frum. Frum shared that message Friday at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, during an appearance presented by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and Business Council of Manitoba. Canadians have often faced challenges and difficulties in the U.S.-Canada relationship, Frum said, and there is 'a well-established playbook' as to how Canada meets these challenges: the prime minister and premiers work together with their allies at the state level in an attempt to show U.S. Congress and the president why the measures the U.S. are taking are not in the interests of the American people. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Political commentator and Atlantic staff writer David Frum speaks during a Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce event Friday morning at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Through a combination of 'mobilizing friends (and making) timely concessions,' said Frum, a staff writer at U.S. magazine The Atlantic, 'the trillion-dollar relationship flows along in relatively smooth waves.' Today, however, Canada faces a different situation, he added, likening current relations to a scene from the 1964 spy film Goldfinger in which the titular villain has a laser pointed at protagonist James Bond. 'Do you expect me to talk?' Bond asks. To which Auric Goldfinger responds: 'No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die.' 'It's kind of hard to negotiate that situation,' Frum said. 'That has been Canada's problem. Since this new (U.S.) administration has taken power, there are a series of complaints, there are a series of threats, there are a series of attacks, but there's no ask.' The old playbook no longer works, he added, so the country needs a 'plan B' in case it decides to abandon its current tactics. One thing Canada could do is introduce export tariffs on products the country sends south of the border that would be difficult for the U.S. to replace, including potash, electricity, wheat used to make everyday pasta products and wood pulp used to make one-third of the toilet paper in the U.S. With international student enrolment in danger at U.S. post-secondary institutions and scientific funding under threat, Frum recommends recruiting professors and researchers from America to move to Canada and continue their work here. 'Go poach their talent,' he said. 'The United States has been poaching Canadian talent for a long time. Turn the tables, this is the moment to do that.' Frum, who was a speechwriter for U.S. president George W. Bush in the early 2000s, went on to suggest Canada further develop its relationship with Mexico. While both countries have both been party to the former North American Free Trade Agreement and Canada-United-States-Mexico Agreement, it's always been the U.S. organizing these trilateral relationships, Frum said. 'Canada needs to develop its presence in Mexico City (and) find areas of commonality,' he said. 'You're in a trilateral relationship. It's a fact. Act on it and work on the last leg of that triangle in pursuit of a common goal.' While introducing his final suggestion, Frum noted when it comes to defence agreements between Canada and the U.S., 'the most important way Canada has contributed … is by the use of aerospace,' at times giving that aerospace away for free. If Trump's proposed 'Golden Dome' missile defence system becomes a reality, the U.S. should pay for whatever Canadian 'real estate' the system uses, Frum said. 'A lot of things that didn't have a price before should (have a) price now,' he said. 'And if this is a relationship based on transactions, the instinctive Canadian habit of trying to show itself as a good partner … may be a little bit out of date.' Frum later offered what he called a 'consoling thought.' People who grew up in North America after the Second World War have generally lived under safe and prosperous conditions their parents and grandparents fought for, he said. It's this generation's turn to do the same, the 64-year-old suggested. 'It's an awesome responsibility and kind of an inspiring one. So we have to do our part in the way that our parents and grandparents (did) theirs.' Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. While introducing Frum, Winnipeg chamber chairman Kevin Selch described the Toronto-born commentator as 'one of the most influential political analysts of our time' and someone who 'brings a rational conscience to the mainstream.' Global trade, national resilience and Canada's shifting relationship with the U.S. are topics that can feel 'abstract and even daunting,' Selch said later, but he encouraged attendees to be courageous. 'As we face the road ahead, I'd like to leave you with the message that we shouldn't fear change,' Selch said. 'We should expect it and when it comes we need to face it prepared together.' Around 150 people attended the event. Aaron EppReporter Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
