Wowchuk Issue


I have always been a reluctant Winnipegger and a reluctant Manitoban.  A proud Dauphinite, of course, but, how you not be proud to be from "the friendly town of progress and beauty."  I haven't warmed to the City of Sunshine.  Yes, when I was born, my parent's owned that gas station.  It was yellow then and called Sandy's and it was a Shell station.  Hence, my birthname.  

But, Winnipeg and Manitoba, that has been harder to embrace.  Let me defend.  My parents were both from Saskatchewan and I have been led to believe being born in Saskatchewan is firmly rooted in your DNA regardless of where you end up living.  So, I was brain-washed as a child to believing Saskatchewan was superior.  And, when the whole country is making jokes about Saskatchewan, yet your parents are telling you it is better than Manitoba, you start thinking Manitoba isn't that progressive.  

Also, when you live in Dauphin, you see Perimeter-Vision.  The government seems to not see beyond the perimeter so you see the town you love always seeming to fight for services, so you start to feel a little resentful.  

I used to be a Toastmaster.  One key component of the Toastmasters program is impromptu speaking.  I like to gab so this wasn't a challenge for me until I got asked to do a 2 minute speech on what I loved about Winnipeg.  I, um, um, um, drew a blank, um, ah, um.  It was embarrassing and what made it worse was that everyone jumped down my throat by telling me how wonderful Winnipeg was.  Sorry, when you are looking for what is wrong or if you are looking for what is right, you will find it.  

All of that changed for me when the Canadian Museum of Human Rights opened.  I love that museum and it is such a unique but highly emotional experience every time I go.  Once I was in love with the museum, I started at looking for what was right with Winnipeg.  And, I found it over and over and over again.  I can proudly say.  I love Winnipeg.  I love Manitoba.  

So, I am devastated whenever one of our elected officials is found in violation of a respectful workplace.  The first one was particularly troubling because it was Stan Struthers, the NDP MLA from my beloved Dauphin.  

Since then, it has been three rural Conservatives.  Pallister has gotten progressively lenient in regards to the action taken by him.  In fairness to him, he is running out rural MLAs.  

The latest is the MLA from Swan River, Rick Wowchuk.  I hate being narrow-minded and I hate judging a book by its cover, but, honestly, when you look at his picture, doesn't it scream "this man would share pornography in the workplace"?  

So, my friends in Swan River, which is often associated with Dauphin, do the right thing.  Make me continue to feel pride in Manitoba.  

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