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Winnipeg Free Press
21-07-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Encampments and personal responsibilities
Opinion Some parts of Winnipeg have a noxious problem on their hands. Among behaviours by the residents of homeless encampments causing consternation among other Winnipeggers near the sites, the act of burning cable and wires in order to cash in on the metallic components is, literally, a toxic one. It's a problem firefighters have had to contend with, and one local authorities seem ill-equipped to address. Wire burning poses serious short-term and long-term health risks; the burning wires release carcinogens into the atmosphere and those exposed are at a higher risk of developing cancer. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS An encampment on the bank of the Red River along the North Winnipeg Parkway Winnipegger Howard Warren told the Free Press he has asked residents of an encampment near his home to cease burning wires, but says his requests have been rebuffed. Warren pointed out that, were he to do the same in his own yard, his neighbours would likely complain and he may face penalties under the law. He's right, and the double-standard reveals a major problem, one with which those sympathetic to the encampments will have to contend. In late June, this paper shed light on an element of encampment life which put to the test the common stereotype that residents of homeless encampments are there because they have no other choice. Some residents, the June 25 story revealed, prefer to live in encampments. 'These are the people I trust, instead of somebody I don't trust or don't know,' one encampment resident, identified as Joseph, told the Free Press. He was unimpressed by provincial plans to end homelessness by 2031. 'And why? We don't have to pay rent. Why would I pay $600 for someone to tell me how to live when I could pay nothing and live how I want to live?' It's a whimsical notion, and one easy to be sympathetic to. Modern life is fraught with high costs and irritating obligations. And some people are not well-equipped or inclined to take part in the 21st-century rat-race. So let's indulge that thought for just a moment, that encampments in the city could be treated as permanent settlements for those who are not calibrated to the 'ordinary,' way of living. And let's narrow the focus to those who do have the choice, and not those who live in encampments because mental health issues or addictions leave them little choice. What does this idealized arrangement demand of everybody involved? Wednesdays A weekly dispatch from the head of the Free Press newsroom. Without wanting to besmirch the character of the aforementioned Joseph, let's zoom in on one comment he made: why should he want to pay rent 'for someone to tell me how to live…?' That's the sticking point, here: for all the talk among some encampment residents and their advocates about how the encampments provide protective, tight-knit communities for their residents, there is a distinct antisocial streak within them, one which makes the encampments dangerous and antagonistic to the rest of the city around them. Even in a world without all of the expectations which come with modern living, there is still such a thing as the social contract — a set of expectations placed on the individual which, while varying between cultures, is a fact of life across human civilization. In the distant past, one might have been free to pitch one's tent wherever worked, but there remained a social requirement to behave in a way that was not burdensome or dangerous to everyone else. While encampments may be a preferred way of life for some, they cannot and should not be a way to opt out entirely from the social contract. Encampments are not going to be a sustainable reality for the people living in them if their establishment is followed by trash littering the area, unsafe and toxic fires burning through the night, and other disruptive or criminal activities. Some people may be willing to look at those choosing the encampment life and say 'live and let live,' — but it's not going to happen if encampment residents can't figure out how to be better neighbours.
Winnipeg Free Press
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Struggling Sea Bears fall to Surge
A clutch three in Target Time by Winnipeg Sea Bears star Jalen Harris got the 7,836 fans at the Canada Life Centre on their feet. Seconds later, Calgary Surge guard Evan Gilyard Jr. sent them to the exits by drilling a mid-range jumper to reach the winning score and give the visitors a 93-89 victory over the Sea Bears. 'We just wanted to get a stop,' said Sea Bears centre Simi Shittu. 'I felt like we had the game, and had a good chance at winning, but obviously, he made a tough shot. We made it as tough as we could for them, but at the end of the day, sometimes things fall and sometimes they don't.' BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Emmanuel Akot (7) drives down the court while Calgary Surge forward Jamorko Pickett (9) covers him during the fourth quarter the Surge's 93-89 victory over the Sea Bears Thursday at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. Winnipeg can't solve Calgary as they have now lost five straight against their Western Conference rival. The loss drops the Sea Bears to 6-10 on the year and 2-8 all-time versus Calgary. The result clinched the Surge a playoff spot and improved their record to 12-5. 'They just played harder than us through stretches. We had a couple stretches throughout the game where we didn't defend well as a team, or individually,' said point guard Will Richardson. 'We didn't come together and get stops when we needed it.' It was a close game all night, but Winnipeg's sloppy offence and lack of bench production is what did them in. The Sea Bears entered the contest in last place in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in field goal (41.2) and three-point percentage (29.5), as well as points per game (84.7). They managed to shoot above their season averages by finishing at 45.1 per cent from the field and 37.9 per cent from deep, but they were careless with the basketball and lost the turnover battle 17-7. Calgary outscored them 22-10 off mistakes. The Sea Bears bench has now been outduelled by the opposition's second unit in six of their last seven games as the Surge surpassed them 20-5 in the category. 'I think it was a great game. I think we gave tremendous effort. I think at the most crucial possessions we had some turnovers,' said head coach Mike Taylor. 'But you know, in Target Time, and especially in that third quarter, some of the turnovers and defensive breakdowns gave them an advantage and we were playing from behind… In winning time, we got to be better.' BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS The Winnipeg Bears guard Jalen Harris (20) shoots the basketball while contacting Calgary Surge forward Gabe Osabuohien during fourth quarter action. New additions Richardson and Trevon Scott made their home debuts after signing last week to replace Terry Roberts (Brooklyn Nets) and Jaylin Williams (Dallas Mavericks) who left temporarily to play in the NBA Summer League. Canadian forward Maurice Calloo made his season debut for Winnipeg after signing on Monday. Richardson, who was most recently in the NBA G League with the Grand Rapids Gold, had the biggest impact out of the newbies by hitting 9-of-13 from the field for 23 points while also adding seven assists and eight boards in a game-high 34:55 minutes. 'He's a really high IQ point guard. He's been well coached, let's give credit to the University of Oregon… You can tell he really knows how to play,' said Taylor. 'He's enjoying our situation, he's enjoying the game, and I love a natural floor general like that who organizes the game, that gets the ball to the right players. He's really a quarterback out there, and it's something that I love.' Richardson had 18 points in Friday's 94-70 win over the Saskatchewan Rattlers and Scott also made a strong first impression in that one with 16 points. 'My teammates help me out a lot, putting me in the right position. I'm still a little lost out there. They talk me through the plays and where to be at, but I think I can play a little bit harder and stop taking a couple possessions off,' said Richardson. Home court wasn't too kind to Scott on the offensive end as he scored 10 points on 3-for-11 shooting, but the former Cleveland Cavalier came up huge on the glass with 16 rebounds. Calloo recorded two points in 6:31 of floor time. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. The Sea Bears will have a tough decision to make when Roberts and Williams come back to town, which they're expected to, as teams can only dress four imports on game day. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS The Winnipeg Sea Bears guard Will Richardson, left, controls the basketball while Calgary Surge shooting guard Khyri Thomas covers him during fourth quarter action, Thursday. 'I haven't thought about that. It's out of my control, bro,' said Richardson. 'I just play the game when I can get in and we'll see what happens.' Harris hit five threes to end with 22 points and Shittu added 19. Former Portland Trail Blazers/Dallas Mavericks forward Greg Brown III led Calgary with 20 points. The Sea Bears are back in action on Sunday in Montreal when they take on the Alliance (6-9) at 3 p.m. CT. Taylor AllenReporter Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor. Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
05-07-2025
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
More than a place of worship
From religious gatherings held in homes, dating back to the 1970s, to its current 30,000-square-feet religious and cultural facility in Winnipeg's South, the Hindu Society of Manitoba (HSM) has grown by leaps and bounds. On June 26, the HSM celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Hindu Temple & Dr. Raj Pandey Hindu Centre located at 999 St. Anne's Rd. The evening event drew hundreds of community members and began in the prayer hall with religious ceremonies, or pujas, performed in front of each murti, representing the respective deities. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Community members carry a bin of coconuts while they participate in a procession around the temple called Parikrama where people walk clockwise around a sacred place. The breaking of coconuts symbolizes devotion to God, spitural growth and seeking blessings The ceremonies were followed by singing religious songs and a procession around the temple known as parikrama, a Sanskrit word that means to walk clockwise around a sacred place or entity, as an expression of spiritual reverence. Led by drumming, community members carried the smaller form of the murtis in thalis, or trays and circled the entire facility, as the temple priests recited mantras or sacred chants to invoke blessings. As a Hindu ritual for auspicious occasions, coconuts were broken open, which symbolize removing one's negativity and bringing out one's positivity as a sign of devotion to the divine. The celebration concluded with a community meal hosted by Dr. Raj Pandey and his family, in the dining hall. Looking back 20 years ago, the HSM held a week of festivities, culminating with a religious journey or procession, referred in Sanskrit as yatra, along a portion of St. Anne's Road which was closed to regular traffic on June 26, 2005. This special day, the grand opening of the facility, marked a new chapter for the local Hindu community in the city. First president at the 999 St. Anne's Rd. facility, Bhadresh Bhatt said the space has served the community well over the past 20 years. Former HSM trustee Dr. Raj Pandey, who gave a donation of $1 million, the largest contribution to the HSM for the building of the facility, echoed a similar sentiment. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Raj Pandey (centre), a former trustee with the Hindu Society of Manitoba and the largest finanical donor for the Hindu Temple & Dr. Raj Pandey Hindu Centre; Bhadresh Bhatt (right), former president of the Hindu Society of Manitoba and who was the first president of the Hindu Temple & Dr. Raj Pandey Hindu Centre, and Ajay Pandey (left), join community members in a procession around the temple called Parikrama where people walk clockwise around a sacred place. 'It has served the needs of the community and gone beyond expectations… there is the library, gymnasium and cultural hall. There are now activities about seven days a week. There is so much going on, it really served the community very good,' he said. Referring to building capacity, both Bhatt and Pandey point out due to the increased community population, more space is required to accommodate their growing numbers and needs. 'We can feel that there are times when we need more space than what the property can provide us,' Pandey added, which suggests a third temple will soon be needed for the community. Recognizing the HSM was outgrowing its first temple and cultural centre at 854 Ellice Ave., during the late 1980s, the organization began contemplating a second, larger facility in the city. Bhatt said in 1992, the HSM purchased the land at the St. Anne's Road location from a Jehovah Witness group. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Members drum while chanting during a procession around the temple called Parikrama. 'We looked at other locations… but we thought this would be the best option considering the community in that part of the city, Winnipeg south and Winnipeg south centre, was growing,' he said, adding the other locations did not have services available at that time. Despite deep deliberations in the community about building a second temple on St. Anne's Road, at the HSM April 2000 annual general meeting, it was passed to proceed with this project. 'We had our doubts when we started this process how many people will come this far. Now, we are running short of space. But we are happy to see that the space is being used almost everyday,' Bhatt said. Activities taking place at the 999 St. Anne's Rd. facility include: regular Sunday service, religious festivals, Dr. Madhuri Jain Vidya Bhavan School, lectures by visiting speakers, musical performances, cultural shows, sports activities and tournaments, weddings, wellness group, and activities hosted by other local Hindu groups. The St. Anne's Road facility is the outcome of tireless efforts by community members who were mapping out the future vison of the HSM. A number of those senior members are no longer present. Because of their dedication and devotion, this facility has been left, as a legacy, for the next generation to preserve Hindu culture and heritage as well as the history of this community in Winnipeg. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Community members play drums while chanting during a procession around the temple called Parikrama where people walk clockwise around a sacred place. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. By building a temple on land that was previously held by another religious group, who were planning to erect their own place of worship in the same space, the community felt it made a good decision and has a blessed location. Pandey said his inclination to contribute to the organization connected to a vision for broader uses of the facility. 'My involvement was to help the community, to bring the community together and to have a place where people can go, not necessarily only for the prayers. People can go and meet each other there. It has served a tremendous amount as a community centre. If you visit the downstairs of the temple, you will find a wellness group, there are sports taking place andcultural activities…This is for the larger community. My main objective was to do something for the community. The building has served this purpose and for this concern, I am very happy'. The 999 St. Anne's Rd. facility exists as a community space striving to support the religious, spiritual, cultural, educational and mental needs of its members, whether it is for kids, families, seniors or newcomers. Today, at a time of much strife and stress in our world, our communities depend on such spaces. The facility, indeed, has been a welcoming space over the past 20 years for the Hindu community and the public at-large. As Pandey said, 'this is a place where you don't need an invitation… This is a place where you go at the lowest point in your life, when something is wrong in your life and you don't know where to turn or what to do. On the other end, this is a place to celebrate the most important things in your life, weddings and the birth of children. It doesn't matter what state of life you are in. It is a place to go.' Romona Goomansingh, PhD, is an educator, freelance writer and author in Winnipeg BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Hindu Society of Manitoba president Anita Roy (centre) joins community members in a procession around the temple called Parikrama where people walk clockwise around a sacred place. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Bhadresh Bhatt, former president of the Hindu Society of Manitoba BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Community members break coconuts which symbolizes devotion to God, spitural growth and seeking blessings. The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER
Winnipeg Free Press
05-07-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Authentic and enriching' tourism showcase
People seeking tourism opportunities in Manitoba have a new resource. Indigenous Tourism Manitoba and The Forks North Portage Partnership celebrated the grand opening on Friday of Explore Indigenous, a new space that aims to build awareness and understanding of Indigenous-led tourism experiences in the keystone province. Located at The Forks Market, the downtown Winnipeg discovery centre offers self-guided learning tools and interpretative displays that introduce visitors to Indigenous Tourism Manitoba's network of operators — who they are, where they're located and what types of experiences they offer. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS Indigenous Tourism Manitoba CEO Holly Spence in the new tourism discovery space Explore Indigenous at The Forks Market in Winnipeg on Friday. A curated product showcase features artisans who have been accredited through the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada's Original Original program, which highlights businesses and experiences that are at least 51 per cent Indigenous-owned. Rotating displays and videos help tell the stories of Indigenous tourism operators in Manitoba and staff are on hand to answer questions. The space is also home to Turtle Tours, a new Indigenous-owned and led tourism company that offers guided walking tours and cultural experiences that invite participants to learn about the land, hear the stories that have shaped Indigenous Peoples and connect with their stories. 'Indigenous tourism plays a vital role in sharing culture, history and community perspectives in a way that's both authentic and enriching,' said Minister of Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism Nellie Kennedy. She added in 2023, Indigenous tourism contributed nearly $91 million to Manitoba's GDP, supported more than 1,600 full-time equivalent jobs and generated $39 million in potential tax revenue. 'These numbers speak to not only (Indigenous tourism's) economic strength but also to the growing interest in experiences that are led by Indigenous communities and grounded in their stories,' Kennedy said. 'Indigenous tourism is a cornerstone of our tourism sector.' Even with all the work that's been done to grow Indigenous tourism in recent years, many people are still unaware of who operators are and where to find them, said Holly Spence, CEO of Indigenous Tourism Manitoba. 'Our hope is by creating this (Explore Indigenous) awareness and creating an avenue for consumers to book experiences that it'll drive business (and) create economic development, jobs and revenue for our industry and for our Indigenous people from Manitoba,' Spence said. Ashley Smith had that same goal in mind when she started Turtle Tours. The 42-year-old entrepreneur also owns and operates Turtle Village, a tourist destination in Riding Mountain National Park in southwest Manitoba. She runs the businesses with her husband, Jason, and their three children, Jaylee, Keeson and Dawnjae. Turtle Tours' first offering is a one-hour walking tour of The Forks that includes stops at long-established landmarks like the Oodena Celebration Circle and new features like the Woven Relations garden. 'We really notice that people don't know the actual history here of Winnipeg and The Forks and the importance of it, pre- and post-contact,' Smith said. 'So, that's the foundation that we want to lay.' Celebrating the grand opening of the discovery centre and Turtle Tours was surreal, Smith said, adding she felt honoured to be present with Indigenous Tourism Manitoba and other operators from the province. Alongside the opening of the space, Indigenous Tourism Manitoba launched its new guidebook, Adventure to Understanding, which highlights Original Original-accredited operators across the province. Explore Indigenous is now open Fridays to Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Spence said, adding the centre's operating hours will expand 'in the near future.' Travel Manitoba is proud to support the initiative, said Angela Cassie, chief operating officer. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. 'When we take time to listen to — and learn from — Indigenous voices, and work to provide space to grow and develop Indigenous tourism, we're also supporting economic reconciliation, cultural revitalization and a stronger, more inclusive tourism industry for all,' Cassie said. The presence of Explore Indigenous is an important part of The Forks' commitment to creating a safe and welcoming space for everyone, said Jessica Floresco, chief operating officer of The Forks North Portage Partnership. Indigenous Tourism Manitoba and Turtle Tours are creating opportunities for visitors to engage and learn, Floresco added. 'These experiences highlight stories that are often left untold and we believe they are essential in moving forward together in a good way,' she said. 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
02-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
City awards sole outreach contract to Main Street Project
Main Street Project is set to become the only city-funded provider of 24-hour mobile outreach services in Winnipeg, marking a departure from the previous funding model in which money was dispersed to a trio of agencies. The City of Winnipeg awarded Main Street Project a $275,000 contract on June 30, under the requirement it focus on moving people from encampments and into housing, in compliance with the provincial homelessness strategy. The contract comes six weeks after the agency was accused of reestablishing a homeless encampment near a Point Douglas riverbank, raising condemnation from community members and government officials. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS An homeless encampment on the banks of the Red River along the North Winnipeg Parkway near Waterfront Drive in Winnipeg. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS An homeless encampment on the banks of the Red River along the North Winnipeg Parkway near Waterfront Drive in Winnipeg. Speaking to the Free Press for the first time since the May 20 incident, executive director Jamil Mahood defended the move, saying it was necessary. 'There is not enough housing for people, so we still need to find a way to buy time, for lack of a better word,' Mahood said by phone. 'In those cases, we will provide supports to people where they are at.' Controversy was sparked after a Point Douglas bystander captured video of Main Street Project staff dropping off two people near a riverbank and helping them set up a campsite. The Point Douglas Residents Committee condemned the actions in a letter to government. A spokesperson for the committee declined to comment on the new outreach contract Wednesday. Mahood said he has since met with Mayor Scott Gillingham and Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith to discuss the incident. It was made clear during those meetings that — under the new provincial homelessness strategy — outreach workers should no longer move people between encampments, Mahood said. 'We recognize now that under the Your Way Home strategy, the province is offering some new alternative solutions that we didn't have before,' he said. 'It's very clear there is no encampment-to-encampment moving… We have that message now.' Smith and Gillingham each provided statements to the Free Press Wednesday saying Main Street Project is expected to act in alignment with the strategy. 'It's very clear there is no encampment-to-encampment moving… We have that message now.'–Jamil Mahood The agency won the contract through a request for proposal tender, which launched May 22 and closed June 12. Applicants were reviewed and scored in a competitive process, based on specific criteria, city spokesperson Adam Campbell said in an email. The contract covers outreach efforts until Dec. 31, with the option of two one-year extensions, it said. The request for proposal sought applicants able to 'rapidly transition' people out of encampments and into better accommodations. When housing is unavailable, outreach teams should provide well-being checks, transportation, transfer to emergency shelters and referrals to other service providers, the request for proposal said. Mahood said his agency has always prioritized housing, but the lack of available units is challenging. He warned the current supply could dry up within the next month. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Before introducing the tender process, the city provided annual funding to mobile outreach services, spending $550,000 between 2022 and 2024. Of those funds, $356,250 went to Main Street Project, $118,750 went to St. Boniface Street Links and $75,000 went to Resource Assistance for Youth, Campbell said. The move to instead seek contracts for the city's outreach services accompanied an update to the city's 2025 budget and was supported by a city council motion, Campbell said. The city would not confirm how many agencies submitted proposals, nor outline the amounts offered in other bids. Part of Main Street Project's proposal included an agreement to maintain the $75,000 in support to Resource Assistance for Youth via subcontracts, Mahood said. That agency will continue to respond to outreach calls involving youth, with Main Street Project picking up such calls after hours. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Marion Willis, the founder of St. Boniface Street Links, says her agency has been 'frozen out.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Marion Willis, the founder of St. Boniface Street Links, says her agency has been 'frozen out.' Meanwhile, the executive director of Street Links said her agency has been 'frozen out' without explanation. Marion Willis said her organization submitted a 32-page proposal for the contract. She expects all outreach calls reported through Winnipeg's 311 service will be rerouted to Main Street Project. Previously, calls for service in areas east of the Red River were referred to Street Links, as per a 2021 city council resolution. Mahood said he believes that is likely as well, although he has not had a formal discussion with the city. 'I'm furious, quite frankly, I can't believe just how wrong-headed this is,' Willis said. 'At the end of the day, what's happening here is what's been happening all along. This has all become so highly politicized.' 'We deliver outreach services to half the city of Winnipeg… Are we expected to do it for free now?' 'I'm furious, quite frankly, I can't believe just how wrong-headed this is.'–Marion Willis Mahood said Main Street Project will 'strive to work in partnership with St. Boniface Street Links as much as possible, so hopefully there is still a way we can continue.' The contract would have represented the only government funding Street Links receives, Willis said. She believes her agency was better suited to fulfill the vision of the province's housing strategy. Street Links and Main Street Project have previously feuded over their encampment philosophies: the former has stated it prioritizes housing first, while the latter has historically focused on meeting people where they are at. Tyler SearleReporter Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press's city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic's creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler. Every piece of reporting Tyler produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. 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.
