Robyn Wiebe

A request to rezone a parcel of land on Victoria Street, the extension of Thornhill Street East of the First Street intersection, has been unanimously defeated. 

The motion put to the floor by Councilor Nancy Penner at the December 30th council meeting read: 

"BE IT RESOLVED that Council of the City of Morden give 2nd reading to By-law No. 15-2022, being a by-law to rezone Lot 2, Plan 59638 & Lot 6, Plan 2020 in the City of Morden." 

Alex and Anna Gadaiev arrived in Canada on the last plane to leave Ukraine for Canada almost 11 months ago. Their family has started a new life in Morden, Man., and Alex and his daughter Maiia shared their thoughts on their first Julian Calendar Christmas in Canada. 

In places like Ukraine, many people still follow the old Julian Calendar for religious holidays, including the Catholic and Orthodox churches.

Alex explained there were some adjustments they needed to make.  

Like many looking back on 2022, MLA for Midland Blaine Pedersen stated the most notable part of 2022 was the eventful Winter and Spring start to the year, coming out of a drought situation, with lots of snow and storms, leading into overland flooding in Spring, he remarked, from which they are still rebuilding.

He noted another big impact on people over the year.

Last year, when Carman Collegiate teacher, Jacquie Metcalf was diagnosed with cancer, Principal Mary Reimer wanted to give the staff and students an opportunity to show support for her. She made chocolate mustaches to sell in the cafeteria for a couple of weeks in November, for Movember. They raised $1,500 for Cancer Care Manitoba. 

This summer, Reimer was diagnosed with breast cancer, but that didn't stop her from making more chocolates than last year, raising considerably more than to present to the Boundary Trails Health Centre (BTHC) Foundation. 

A new service agreement has been reached between Western School Division (WSD) and Pembina Valley Childcare Centre (PVCC) to provide transportation for students to and from Morden schools and daycares. 

PVCC Past President, Angela Hildebrand, explained with aging vans and discouragement from Manitoba Early Learning and Childcare (MELCC) from providing transportation of kids, they needed to find a safe way to meet the growing need.  

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FMC) met in Ottawa Dec 5th -8th for Advocacy Days. In addition to board meetings, Manitoba FCM Director Brandon Burley said, the purpose was to advocate for priorities and needs of municipalities. 

Burley reported, they talked to MPs from Federal Government and Opposition parties. 

Wednesday night (December 14th), Morden Area Foundation (MAF) held their AGM and Grant Awards Evening, giving out $26,573 to non-profit organizations in and around Morden. 

Board Chair Allison Braun announced four new funds to the foundation this year. 

“We have 4 new funds with the Morden Area Foundation. The Dorothy and Isaac Kroeker fund. The Lorne and Midge Kyle Fund, and Bill and Colleen Lyne started the Pembina Threshmen’s Museum fund and they also started a fund for the Morden Activity Center.” 

Maja Piekarska was born in Poland, moved to Scotland for 7 years, and has called Morden home for six years. She is a grade 12 student at Morden Collegiate and loves to read and write, and play badminton, and video games.  

She shared how it felt to be chosen as the Morden Youth Council Member for the City of Morden for the term lasting until August 2023. 

The Western School Division (WSD) is seeing unprecedented need for additional funding this year due to an influx in newcomer students.

Morden's successful immigration program, a swell of newcomers arriving post-pandemic along with the organized support for people fleeing worn torn countries, like Ukraine, are three reasons why WSD Assistant Superintendent Marianne Fenn said the division is seeing the unprecedented need for additional funding this year. She said WSD has always had quite a few learners from newcomer backgrounds. 

Stephanie Sanders is a happy, hopeful 23-year-old woman from Manitou, raised in a farming family and has a love for animals. For the past twelve years, she has suffered from excruciating pain as a result of Stage 4 Endometriosis. The disorder builds tissue outside of the uterus, causing an inflammatory reaction and pain. She was classified with Stage 4 during one of her surgeries where it was discovered the tissue was growing deeper into her body.