Latest news with #FortGibraltar
CBC
4 days ago
- CBC
Thief steals hundreds of pounds of furs from fort celebrating Francophone, Métis, First Nation heritage
A thief scaled the tall wooden gates surrounding a national historic site in Winnipeg's St. Boniface neighbourhood this week and made off with thousands of dollars in furs used in public demonstrations of what life might've been like at fur trading posts 200 years ago. About 140 pelts are gone from the Fort Gibraltar trading post log cabin, which falls within the high fort walls in Whittier Park, according to Festival du Voyageur's executive director. "It's pretty clear that whoever came into the fort, they had one goal," said Breanne Lavallee-Heckert. "It was very clearly targeted toward the pelts.... There's resale value there potentially. It is obviously a large, large quantity to take so I wouldn't be thinking that someone is taking some just to fix their moccasins." Hundreds of pounds of furs were stolen during the heist on Monday. To get them out would've required scaling the fort fence, possibly using a ladder, Lavallee-Heckert said. The thief or thieves broke a window to get into the trading post cabin. Festival du Voyageur has filed a police report over what Lavallee-Heckert says is thousands of dollars in lost furs used for educational programming. They came from coyotes, foxes, bears, lynx, mink, muskrat and more — including 45 beaver pelts. The items represent 50 to 75 per cent of Festival du Voyageur's collection. Each contains distinct festival markings, like the letters F-D-V initials for Festival du Voyageur, and the festival logo. Fort Gibraltar was an outpost founded by the North West Company in 1809, where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet at The Forks in Winnipeg. In the early days it was staffed by voyageurs, canoe guides, interpreters, traders and others trading furs and goods. European fixation with beaver-skin fashion just about drove the beaver extinct in the 17th century. That in turn propelled the colonization of North America in search for more furs. The fort was an important hub for trading with local Indigenous communities that provided a lifeline. In exchange for foods, they traded pemmican — a dried meat often consisting of bison pounded to a pulp and mixed with fat and sometimes berries — that was shipped to remote trading posts and caches. The Hudson Bay Company was also growing its workforce of trappers and traders at this time. Rivals HBC and NWC frequently got into conflicts that turned violent during a period dubbed The Pemmican Wars, which included the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816 that played a crucial role in Métis people obtaining free trade rights. The feuding was spurred in part by a fight for control and access to the food voyageurs depended on, pemmican. In 1970, the first Festival du Voyageur took place as a celebration of Francophone, Métis and First Nation heritage in Manitoba. Eight years later, the organization rebuilt Fort Gibraltar in St. Boniface's Whittier Park, across the river from its original site. Ever since, Festival du Voyageur has provided year-round educational experiences, including school tours where students can interact with actors dressed in period-appropriate garb who give public lessons in fur trading life in 1816. That's one reason the loss of so many furs is troubling. "They're part of our repertoire and everything that we've got in Fort Gibraltar and how kids learn about animals to have been in the fur trade," said Lavallee-Heckert. "It's our school program where we have 10,000 kids who go to the fort every year.... So, just it's a real loss for our community." She said she hopes the furs resurface. "I'm Métis so I am thinking of those animals. We take good care of them and we make sure that we're honouring not just the pelts as an object to use for interpretation but that was once an animal that once was alive," said Lavallee-Heckert. "We're all just feeling a bit shocked and we're really hoping that we're able to recover those first to bring those back to our collection," she said. "They're not just on display, they're a really important piece of how we share our history and it would be great if we could continue to do that." Winnipeg police said Thursday that its property crimes unit will be tapped to follow up and investigate, but had no further details.
CTV News
4 days ago
- CTV News
Over 100 pelts stolen from Winnipeg fur trade post
Pelts from Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar are seen in this undated image prior to the theft. Uploaded on Aug. 13, 2025. (Festival du Voyageur)
CTV News
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Indigenous Peoples' Day, Jazz Festival and Red River Ex: What's on this weekend in Manitoba
Colleen Bready has your current conditions and updated weather forecast for June 20, 2025. Here are the events taking place in Manitoba over the weekend between June 20 and 22. The Forks June 21 Honouring the stories, strength and resilience of Indigenous communities with performances, Inuit games, a fashion show, teachers and more. The Forks June 22-30 11 days celebrating the cultures that make up Manitoba and Canada. Each day put the focus on a different treaty region. Fort Gibraltar June 21 Celebrating Metis culture and traditions through music, food, activities and more. Registration required. East Selkirk Arena June 21-22 A fun filled celebration of Scottish culture and heritage, featuring highland sports, dancing, food, activities for the wee folk, unicorns and more. Tickets required. June 17-22 Get into the groove with live jazz music on a number of stages, including free shows in Old Market Square. Tickets required for some events. June 18-22 Celebrate St. Boniface with concerts, arts, community and friends in French. Boissevain Fairgrounds June 21-22 The annual fair features horse and cattle shows, bouncers, petting zoo, fireworks and more family friendly activities. Reston Fairgrounds June 20-22 The weekend includes a parade, family activities, and a performance by 7 time Manitoba Country Music Association award winner Quinton Blair. Solstice Days Baldur June 20, 4 p.m. Celebrate the Summer Solstice in Baldur with baseball, a corn hole tournament, care show, children's entertainment and more. Pembina Valley Rendezvous June 22-23 Highlighting trapping, fishing and hunting in Manitoba with demonstrations, displays, and lots of live music. Black River First Nation June 20 Celebrating Pride with a march in the morning and activities through the afternoon. Sundial, Pinawa June 22, 1 p.m. A walk, picnic, music and special guests in celebration of Pride. Red River Exhibition Park June 13-22 From thrilling rides and games to fair foods and live entertainment, there's something for everyone at The Ex. Tickets required. Wondershow Carnival IKEA Winnipeg June 20-22 Thrilling rides and tasty treats as the carnival returns to the IKEA parking lot. Tickets required. Tyndall Village Community Center June 21 A fun-filled day of live entertainment, games, crafts, splash pad fun and unicorns. WAG-Qaumajuq June 21, 7 p.m. The final phase of the Threads of Kin and Belonging Project celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day. Admission is pay what you can. Exchange District June 20, 5 p.m. The first of three Fridays exploring the Exchange District alleys with curated markets, live performances and more. Chinatown & Dim Sum Tour Chinatown June 21, 11 a.m. Discover the customs of dim sum in a walk filled with food, knowledge and appreciation. Tickets required. West St. Paul Access Centre June 22 Celebrating cycling in the community with drop-in lessons, a repair workshop, decorating contest, games and more. Oak Hammock Marsh June 20, 7 p.m. Canoe specialist Dusty Molinski guides the group through lesser explored regions of the Marsh. Bring your own canoe or kayak, or rent one. Tickets required. Wilfred Buck's STAR STORIES Premiere Manitoba Museum Planetarium June 20, 6 p.m. Take a journey through the stars and learn about stories about the night sky handed down by Cree elders over the generations. Indigenous astronomer Wilfred Buck will join others for a Q&A following the premiere. Tickets required. Austin Cemetery June 22, 1:30 p.m. In honour of the 100th anniversary of the cemetery Cenotaph, this year's tour will focus on the effects of war, along with tales of the Spanish flu, war brides and the beginning of the Manitoba Agricultural Museum. Upper Fort Garry Park June 21, 11 a.m. Kick off the summer with brunch, beats and beverages. Tasting tickets required. Prairie Spirit United Church June 21, 10 a.m. Take a self-quided tour of 14 gardens in Winnipeg's Deer Lodge area. Tickets required. Proceeds support 1JustCity's progams and drop-in centres. Sesame Street Live! Say Hello Burton Cummings Theatre June 21, 1 & 5 p.m. Say hello to Elmo and his Sesame Street friends in this interactive production. Tickets required. Hairball - 80's Rock Spectacle Club Regent Event Centre June 21, 8 p.m. A celebration of 80s arena rock with tributes to Van Halen, KISS, AC/DC, Motley Crue, Queen and more. Tickets required. A community telling of Pawâkan MacBeth WMCA June 22-23 Professional northern Indigenous theatre company, Akpik Theatre, delve into the Metis culture and land, drawing parallels between Macbeth and the Cree legend of the Wihtiko. Recommended for audiences 14 and older. Tickets required. Rocking & Wrestling Assiniboia Downs June 20, 6 p.m. A full evening of body slams and guitar jams as wrestling meets live music. Tickets required. Father's Day Spectacular Dead Horse Creek Speedway, Morden June 20, 5 p.m. Slingshots, Dead Horse Stocks, Midwest Mods, Super Trucks and more hit the dirt track. Tickets required. Behind Fort la Reine Museum, Portage la Prairie June 21 An action packed day of ATV mud racing. Tickets required. Jerry Sereda Gimli June 21, 1 p.m. Jerry Sereda celebrates his Indigenous heritage through personal stories and catchy tunes as part of Indigenous Peoples Day in Gimli. Mike Feeney Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club June 19-21 New York City's Mike Feeney captivates audiences with his high energy and sharp wit. Tickets required. Corydon Ave. & Cockburn St. S. June 20, 7 pm Band: The Ticket Corydon Ave. & Lilac St. S. June 21, 7 pm Band: Crush Corydon concerts kick off for the summer with a pair of rock bands. Provincial Park Events Birding Guided Walk Lakeview Trail - Campground Trailhead, Birds Hill Park June 22, 10 a.m. Discover the techniques and tips of bird watching on a 2 km guided hike on Lakeview Trail. Bring along a camera to take photos and a notebook to record your sightings. Beyond the Boardwalk Guided Walk Grand Beach June 21, 10 a.m. Learn about Grand Beach's early days of as a resort for the Canadian National Railroad, cottage culture and the impact on the surrounding community. Critter Dipping Lagoon, East Beach, Grand Beach Provincial Park June 22, 11 a.m. See how many critters you can find in the Grand Beach lagoon. Geocache the Campground Spruce Woods Visitor Centre June 21, 1 p.m. Test your navigation skills using GPS to find temporary geocaches in Kiche Manitou's day use area. History of the Turtle Mountains Campfire Talk Adam Lake Interpretive Program Area, Turtle Mountain Provincial Park June 21, 7 p.m. Sip hot chocolate around the fire while learning about the history of the Turtle Mountains. Bring a mug for hot chocolate.
CBC
02-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Catering company sues City of Winnipeg, Festival du Voyageur for walkway collapse
Social Sharing A catering company is suing the City of Winnipeg and Festival du Voyageur, alleging a walkway collapse at Fort Gibraltar two years ago "significantly impaired" its ability to carry on business. Seventeen children and an adult were taken to hospital after they fell about six metres when an elevated walkway collapsed during a St. John's-Ravenscourt School trip on May 31, 2023. A teacher and the families of two children who were hurt in the walkway collapse have previously filed separate lawsuits associated with the incident. Gibraltar Dining Corporation is now also suing the city and the festival for negligence and unspecified amounts of damages, claiming it was prevented from accessing or operating at the site, as well as from retrieving its food and equipment, breaching its contract. The caterer was given exclusive access to parts of the site when it entered into an agreement with the city and the festival in 2011, according to the company's statement of claim. The claim alleges that the festival failed to maintain the grounds, including the fort, and that the city failed to ensure the fort underwent timely inspections. The catering company's ability to operate and generate revenue has been "significantly impaired" in light of the walkway collapse, and the company has and continues to suffer losses and damages in light of the walkway collapse, the suit claims. None of the allegations have been proven in court. CBC News has reached out to the city and Festival du Voyageur for comment.
