Giving thanks for a good year

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/01/2023 (721 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As we enter the new year, it’s important to reflect on all the good things that happened last year in Fort Rouge and across Manitoba.

After two years of the pandemic, Fort Rouge residents were finally able to get back to doing the things we love with our friends and family: going to Jets games, cheering on the Blue Bombers as they made it to the Grey Cup, sitting by the main stage at Folk Fest and taking part in local events such as the Lord Roberts Farmers Market.

Manitobans know how important it is to help our neighbours, whether they’re from down the street or halfway across the world. This year, we all stepped up to provide support and community for the more than 5,000 Ukrainian refugees we welcomed to our province. It was powerful to see the Hoosli Ukrainian Male Chorus perform both the Canadian and Ukrainian national anthems at a Jets game in March.

Manitoba is a wonderfully diverse province, and we are proud that two of the bills we passed last year celebrate and honour that diversity by officially making February Black History Month and April 13 Turban Day. Despite the PCs refusal to make Orange Shirt Day a statutory holiday, it was still wonderful to see so many families and schools commemorate Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30.

2022 was not without its challenges, such as the rising cost of gas and groceries. While the PCs were raising your Hydro bills yet again, the Manitoba NDP came up with solutions that we’ll keep pushing for in the new year to make life more affordable. Even as costs rise, I know our community is always thinking of our friends and neighbours who have less. It’s great to see Manitobans continue to support community organizations such as Harvest Manitoba. You deserve a government that does the same — and let’s do something for people living in tents or in bus shelters.

No matter what your holiday traditions, this season is a time when we are reminded of how much we have and how much we have to give. For everything you do for your community, I thank you. As we head into the new year, I’m confident that together we can build a brighter future for everyone in Manitoba.

Here’s to a 2023 that works for all of us in Manitoba.

We want to hear a 2022 good news story from your community! You can contact our office by calling 204-615-1922 or emailing me at wab.kinew@yourmanitoba.ca