News briefs

Program for 2016 Festival announced 

Festival du Voyageur, February 12 to 21, has released the program schedule and artist lineup for its 2016 celebrations. Performers include Winnipeg musician Del Barber and B.C. folk-rockers, Shred Kelly. A brand new tent – The Université de Saint-Boniface Portage Tent – will host a Karaoke Night, a Singles Night (on Valentine’s Day) and a board game night over the two festival weekends. Visit festivalvoyageur. mb.ca for the complete schedule. 

 

Order of Canada nod to U of W community members 

Four members of the University of Winnipeg community, Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, retired Manitoba Justice Richard Scott, Ms. Odette Heyn and Ms. Faye Thompson, have been been appointed to or promoted within the Order of Canada. An appointment to the Order of Canada is the country’s second highest civilian honour. Visit gg.ca/honours for the full list. 

 

Transgender legislation 

As of March 1, it will be easier for transgender people in Manitoba to register their marriages. The provincial NDP will make changes to the sex designation on Manitoba marriage registrations for eligible applicants, and will issue a certificate announcing a change of sex designation to eligible Canadian citizens residing in Manitoba born outside the province. In 2015, the province dropped the proof of surgery requirement for transgender Manitobans to change their birth documents. 

 

The Bay downtown shutters fourth floor 

The Bay downtown is closing its fourth floor to retail operations, with only the first and second floors remaining open. The six-floor building has closed a number of floors and sections recently, including the Paddlewheel Restaurant on the sixth floor in 2013. 

 

First-ever rental complex in the Exchange 

The first rental apartment building to be built within the city’s Exchange District National Historic Site will begin construction in March and should be complete by September 2017. The 64 or 65-unit $13.5-million project, dubbed 98 Market, will be built on a surface parking lot at the end of Market Avenue in the East Exchange District. 

 

Writer-in-Residence reads 

Rick Chafe, U of W’s Carol Shields Writer-in- Residence 2016, has his inaugural reading at 1 p.m. on Thurs., Jan. 14 in Room 2M70. The lecture is free and open to all. His most recent play, The Secret Mask, was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Drama and the winner of the first Chris Johnson Award for Best Play by a Manitoba Playwright.

Published in Volume 70, Number 15 of The Uniter (January 14, 2016)

Related Reads