As has become tradition at the annual Summer in the City celebration in Steinbach, time was taken to recognize several families who had obtained their Canadian citizenship over the past year. Each had the opportunity to address those in attendance and to tell them how special it was to be a Canadian citizen, citing the opportunities and quality of life they enjoy in Canada and Manitoba specifically.

For those of us who have been fortunate enough to call Canada our home our entire lives, it is always an important reminder of just how valued our country is by many around the world. It’s easy to take many of those advantages for granted. Not that Canada is a perfect country or one without its challenges. It can easily be argued and backed up by data, that over the past many years the country has fallen behind in efficiency, affordability and economically when measured against other similar nations. This is something that all federal political parties seem to agree on, even if they differ on who should shoulder the blame.

But the fact that there are past missed opportunities or current challenges should not hide the fact that Canada still enjoys the freedoms, lifestyle and opportunities that make it a great place to live. And the reality that more can be done to enhance each of those attributes is more of a challenge than a rebuke.

Canadians largely understand this. It was only a year ago that Canadians were demonstrating a renewed patriotism in response to comments from the U.S. President that he desired to make the country the 51st state. I had the opportunity to attend Canada Day ceremonies in Ottawa last July 1 and without question patriotism was running high. And while some of the rhetoric coming from the U.S. has diminished over the past year, there remains a strong sense among the majority of Canadians that what we have in Canada is worth keeping. Even in the face of another question on provincial sovereignty (this time from Alberta not Quebec) there remains many more people who believe in a strong and united Canada than do not.

A new United Way report reveals 40 percent of Canadians say they lie awake worrying about how to stretch their paycheque to pay for food, gas and housing. The findings come as Statistics Canada reports how in the first quarter of 2026, household debt has outpaced income with Canadians now carrying approximately $1.80 in debt for every dollar of household disposable income. All of this is occurring under the leadership of Mark Carney’s Liberal government.

According to the United Way, 60 percent of Canadians feel anxious about their personal finances while 38 percent are experiencing food insecurity. One in five respondents said they had run out of food with no money left to buy more. The report also found that 34 percent know someone close to them who has experienced poverty and 22 percent have personally faced it. Furthermore, food bank usage has reached record levels, with 2.2 million Canadians having visited food banks in a single month.

While Canadians are staying awake with anxiety, the Liberal government still refuses to acknowledge they have driven Canada into the only recession in the G20.

Last week, Mr. Carney acknowledged the paradox that Canada, despite being one of the world’s largest food producers, should in theory have lower food prices. Conservatives agree. Pierre Poilievre responded directly to PM Carney’s comment on X: “Your taxes and recession gave Canada the worst food inflation in the G7. You raised the industrial carbon tax on farm equipment and fertiliser; your weak economy and our weak dollar have lowered purchasing power and raised the cost of imported food.”

Leaving an abusive situation is often one of the most dangerous and emotional stages in a survivor’s journey. While every situation is different, having a safety plan and ongoing support can make a significant difference in helping individuals move forward safely and confidently.

A safety plan is a personalized plan designed around an individual’s unique circumstances. It helps prepare someone for situations where they may need to leave quickly, protect themselves from danger, or navigate life after abuse. Safety planning can include identifying trusted supports, having emergency contacts ready, preparing a “to-go” bag, or creating a plan for where to go in an emergency. The overall goal is to reduce risk and help individuals feel more prepared and supported.

Safety planning does not only begin when someone decides to leave. It can happen at any stage of a person’s journey. Ideally, planning begins before someone leaves an abusive situation so they can better navigate possible risks and challenges that may arise during the transition.

There are many small but important steps that can increase safety. These may include:

On June 13, I attended the first Filipino Heritage Month celebration in southeastern Manitoba.

The event took place at the Pat Porter Centre in Steinbach. Mayor Earl Funk and councillors Jake Hiebert and Damian Penner attended with me. Both the mayor and I were also asked to bring official greetings.

In our remarks, the mayor and I both expressed appreciation for the many ways in which Filipinos have enriched our community. We noted that Steinbach is considerably more diverse than it used to be, and ongoing Filipino immigration has been a big factor in that change.

The positive reputation of Filipinos speaks for themselves. Business owners with Filipino employees often talk about the impressive work ethic of the Filipinos who work for them. People with Filipino neighbours are always impressed by their friendliness and positive attitude.

Re: “Hanover trustees pass motion to delegitimize mature minor designation,” (June 11, issue of The Carillon).

To the trustees of the Hanover School Division, I commend you for respecting the choice of parents over that of health-care providers and resources workers. These organizations and their employees are government-funded and should not try to parent our children. It is the role of a parent to parent. The role of the government is to govern – to keep law and order. Government does not have the right to impose their dogma onto our children – that is not their jurisdiction. Go away.

I write to the children who are confused about their identity. I’m sorry you have no one you can confide in. Listen to the Good Shepherd. He is kind and loving and sees and feels your pain. Don’t let anyone deceive you. God loves you. Let him cradle you in his arms and carry you. You don’t have to change anything about yourself. Don’t get a sex change! You are perfect, just the way you are.

You don’t have anyone to confide in? Confide in God! He’s already cried buckets of tears for you. He bled for you. Listen to that Imagine Dragons song, “bleeding out.” He bled out for you, my friend. Even our parents and caregivers fail us – but Jesus will never do that to you – Never! Please, I plead with you to follow him. That’s what I’m doing. I still have pain, but that’s okay. Life is good.

A recent Carillon article reported that Hanover School Division trustees have decided to address establishing a policy to regulate activism in schools. The board will determine what kind of activism by students and teachers is appropriate or inappropriate.

Trustee Jeff Friesen said a teacher’s beliefs might cause kids to engage in activism which “goes against the beliefs of the family.” Sometimes however, the reverse is true. The beliefs of families can cause students to engage in activism that is inappropriate according to school and legal guidelines.

That happened at the Steinbach Regional Secondary School in February of 2022 when over 100 students whose families were against pandemic restrictions, left classes to stage a protest. Parents, not teachers, came out to support the protest. Some protestors became disruptive and tried to enter the school, which made it necessary to lock down the building and have all exterior doors monitored by teachers and the RCMP.

A Winnipeg Free Press article said the student protesters were supported by parents who knew ahead of time about the event and helped supply signs, heaters, food, mittens and flatbed trucks. Learning was disrupted as the students inside the SRSS were forced to shelter in place. The school had to close for one day after the protest as staff and administrators assessed how best to respond to the troubling event.