The Town of The Pas held a special budget meeting and a regular council meeting on January 8, in council chambers. During the citizens period, a representative from The Pas and Area Animal Shelter presented a financial request to council to help with the operations of the shelter. The organization planned on submitting the same request to the R.M. of Kelsey and Opaskwayak Cree Nation, since they serve those areas as well.
Council put forward a resolution to amend the policy to the Sales and Extensions of Lots From the March 1, 2018, Land Development Incentive. The policy was originally created to allow the approval of first and second extensions, however since then, council has approved third and fourth extensions, which led to a precedent being set.

Having something stolen is more than a disheartening experience, but when it’s something that has sentimental value, the loss that is felt is that much more. On the evening of Boxing Day, 2023 Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival Fur Queen Gloria Ballantyne-Packo had the unfortunate experience of having her family’s vehicle broken into while in Winnipeg, and amongst the valuables stolen was her 2023 Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival Fur Queen parka.
This parka is a one-of-a-kind article of clothing that each of the Fur Queen Court receives. It’s tailored made for each person and has a unique design that reflects the theme for the Trappers’ Festival. Each parka also has the name of the Fur Queen court member embroidered on it.
“The Fur Queen jacket is so special to me because it represents the hard work and dedication that I have put into the fur queen competition and Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival,” said Ballantyne-Packo. “It also reminds me of the experiences I have had with my fellow reigning court. We decided on every detail about the jackets including the colour, embroidery, and fur.

Although January brings the start of a new year, it can also be a difficult time of the year for people in terms of managing mental health. The aftermath of the Christmas holidays and excitement, combined with the winter months can take a toll on people, as they try to keep their mental health in check.
“The winter months in general, and the month of January in particular, can be very difficult for many people in terms of how it affects their mood, energy, and general sense of mental health and well-being,” said Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Swan Valley Branch Peer Support and Public Education Coordinator Rod Seib. “Of course, the shorter daylight hours have a real impact on mood, as light exposure has long been known to have an impact on mental health.

The Pas Fire Department received a total of 184 calls for service in 2023.
“We’ve seen a significant rise in grass fires in 2023, with 34 calls for service as opposed to 17 the year before,” said The Pas Fire Department Fire Chief Cody Langlois. “We will be working with other agencies to reduce this statistic as we approach 2024 grassfire season this year, cautiously, given the lack of snow cover potentially setting us up for a dry year.
“A statistic we highlighted this year was landfill fires, as we had a large surge in them responding to 21 in 2023. These are very challenging fires for our crews, as they can be very dangerous, We appreciate the communities patience while we dealt with these incidents.

The healthcare system in Manitoba is most definitely in a state of crisis. Not only are there delays in ERs and surgeries, but now there are delays in accessing the most basic healthcare needs.
Many Manitobans take for granted that when they are sick, they can go to a clinic or see a doctor and just by simply showing their Manitoba Health Card, the bill is looked after. For newcomers to Manitoba, this is not the case.
There have been long-standing issues with many newcomers to Manitoba waiting on their Manitoba Health Card in order to get coverage. These newcomers have passed the criteria to qualify for a Manitoba Health Card, however the delays in processing cards have been a hurdle.

With the coming of a New Year just around the corner, one can’t help but also be thinking about Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival (NMTF). The NMTF Arts and Craft Show is open for vendors to register online. There are a few different things to be aware of with this year’s NMTF Arts and Craft Show, one in particular is its new location.
“The biggest change for the NMTF Arts and Craft Show is that this year we will be at UCN,” said NMTF Arts Craft Show Director Leah Yelland. “Also, we're doing registration for $15 a table. Another new addition, is that we received upgrades to our website, which allows us accept online payments easier.”      
The rules and regulations for the NMTF Arts and Craft Show are the same as last year.

The Town of The Pas held a council meeting on December 5 and a Special Meeting for the Budget and Strategic Plan on December 11. Members of council participated in the Association of Manitoba Municipalities’ (AMM) Fall Convention at the end of November. Council had the opportunity to meet with the new provincial government and discuss some of the issues in the north.
“Our key goals for being at AMM’s Fall Convention were to address some of our challenges in the north and some potential solutions,” said Town of The Pas Mayor Andre Murphy. “We were able to talk about the housing, infrastructure, taxation, community safety and funding issues with the appropriate ministers. It was great and allowed us an opportunity to network and get to know this new government, which was very positive. “I came away from there with a really good feeling about cooperativeness, working together and collaboration. It was a really strong message coming from our current government. I’m optimistic about where we’re going to be going in the future and working closely with the current government.

Sharing circles are very powerful healing tools that can help provide support and allow people to express how they feel about something, in a safe and healthy manner. By expressing and sharing lived experiences and challenges, participants in a sharing circle often find the hope and strength they need to continue on.
A sharing circle has been established for parents who have children with exceptional needs and are looking for a safe place to get support.
“The Northern Learning & Support Centre (NLSC) hosts a Sharing Circle for parents and caregivers, whose children are in K-12 schools and are neurodiverse, have mental health needs, and or exhibit challenging behaviours,” said NLSC Resource Facilitator Tania Catalano. “The Sharing Circle is a safe place for parents and caregivers to share their experiences, trials, and successes regarding their journey with their kids.