Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - April 13, 2005, Winnipeg, Manitoba Ken Gigliotti / Winnipeg free press cant Dampen their spirits Audrey Kitz and her dog snoopy both in raincoats take their daily 2.4 Kilometre walk around Kildonan Park yesterday. After a couple of Days of rain its supposed to Clear up in the City this morning with a forecast High of 16 c. Conditions Are expected to remain generally fair and dry through to the weekend. Lindor Reynolds c Ity & District Winnipeg repress. Com w wednesday pril 13, 2005 family notices b9 City editor Steve Pona 697 7292 City. Desk free press. My. Ca b 1 s o what was a Nice Guy from Newdale Manitoba doing at the High society wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles As unbelievable As it sounds Ray Mcfeeters was officially standing guard on the Church stairs when the newlyweds emerged from St. Georges Chapel. After the service he and his wife Lynn Anne drove to Windsor Castle and spent the afternoon chatting with Royalty posing for pictures with Prince William sipping wine and eating Finger sandwiches. It a snot exactly a regular Day at the office for Mcfeeters president and ceo of great West life. It was very convivial. It was a very relaxed Happy crowd says Mcfeeters of the 750 guests at the Royal reception. It was a very exciting weekend. The Mcfeeters were invited to the wedding because he is honorary colonel of the Royal Winnipeg rifles Western Canadas oldest infantry unit. Mcfeeters whose Stepfather was wounded at Normandy while serving As a Captain in the rifles acts As Liaison Between the unit and Prince Charles its colonel in chief. Although the Winni Eggers receive Christmas cards from the Prince and were once invited to his private residence at Highgrove they were forced to decline because Mcfeeters had pressing business obligation they were surprised to get an invitation to the wedding. It came two or three weeks ago says Mcfeeters. The details involved in the planning were extraordinary. You walk into St. Georges Chapel and theress a red leather covered chair and your name is on it. The University of Winnipeg graduate and his wife along with 23 other members of the honour guard and their companions were Given seats inside the Chapel for the Blessing ceremony. As the last hymn began they left the Church marched around to the West Entrance and up the stairs. When the Happy couple made their Way Down the stairs the guard in full dress uniform stood at attention. They passed within two or three feet of us he recalls. You could easily overhear their conversations you re in the Middle of it. The other guard members came from As far away As Australia and Papua new Guinea. I think the Church service was spectacular said Mcfeeters. The Quality of the music was Superb. Mcfeeters concedes wryly that because he was in uniform he had no problem deciding what to Wear. His Well dressed wife bought a hat in Winnipeg to accompany her smart suit. Even though he had a Small official role at the Church Mcfeeters says the reception was where things got really exciting. I looked up at one Point and Prince Philip was there he says. The Royal family just walked around and chatted with people. The couple spoke to Prince Edward and visited with princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. Later they stood outside and had a conversation with the grooms oldest son. Continued please see Lindor b 2 by Dan Lett and Paul Samyn former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray still dogged by controversy Over his appointment to a Federal advisory group says he will not be a candidate for the Liberal party if the country is forced Back to the polls this Spring. In Winnipeg yesterday for his first Public appearance As chairman of the National round table on the environment and the Economy Murray said he has told prime minister Paul Martin not to Call on him if the opposition parties bring Down the minority government with a vote of non Confidence. Murray said he is concentrating on business and teaching opportunities and working with the round table to forge a Long term environmental and economic plan to limit greenhouse Gas emissions. Instead of preparing himself for a snap Federal election Murray said he is establishing his own consulting company the Glen Murray group with offices in Toronto and Winnipeg. In addition Murray said he is working with officials at the University of Toronto where he lectures to create City Centre an Urban studies think tank. Ism actually enjoying not being in politics he said after a speech to the Canada grains Council annual meeting. Murray May not be an elected official anymore but he continues to find his name mentioned in High level politics. Continued please see Murray b 2 by Patti Edgar f Ringe festival performers wont have to pay a 10 per cent entertainment tax to the City this july. Yesterday a City Hall committee granted a tax break to the annual alternative theatre Blowout around old Market Square. The festival was told to pay up earlier this month for the first time in its 16 year history after a review in the tax department revealed that the fringe and several other arts groups were technically on the Hook for the tax. Councillors on the Cit yes finance committee decided yesterday that it would be an administrative Nightmare for the Manitoba theatre Centre Mac to work out which of the 139 plays would be taxable and then figure out How to collect the Cash. Without a Blanket tax break for the fringe the complicated criteria under the entertainment tax would mean the Only fringe exemptions would be plays with ticket prices of $ 5 or lower and those put on by non profit groups using mostly Winnipeg actors. Yesterdays decision still needs to be passed by Council but committee chairman coun. Bill Clement said hers positive his colleagues at City Hall support the break. Festival executive producer Nick Kowalchuk said City Hall finally seems to get what the fringe is about. We Are just putting on a festival and trying to create some life in the City some entertainment he said. This is a daunting task at the Best of times and if you Are adding More rules and regulations then it gets very very difficult. Continued please see fringe b 2 by Gabrielle Giro Day if Winnipeg Gas nicknamed the wholesale City then Ebay auctioneer John Gigiel says hers got a Way for area hawkers to get rid of their treasures. Three weeks ago Gigiel Hung a sign at 867 Portage ave. For internet auction depot and has already made some Quirky sales of unlikely items to locales like Australia and Japan. Anyone who lives in Winnipeg knows its a wholesale City and people Here Are always shopping for a Deal says the hulking 6 foot 5 former animal feed Salesman. It can be hard to get the value somethings Worth just by Selling locally he says sitting among boxes of collector Star trek action figurine and plastic bags of Vintage jewelry. The Bare Bones storefront features four spindly plastic chairs set up along a Wall for prospective Sellers to wait while their goods Are surveyed at a counter. The stuff that gets a Good Price Isnit always obvious he says noting the top Ebay fetches for Winni Eggers Are usually jewelry photo equipment and sports Memorabilia. Continued please see frenzy b 2 Murray tells pm he wont run for liberals fringe escapes tax hit theatre festival exempted from entertainment Levy Mike Deal / Winnipeg free press archives we Are just putting on a festival and trying to create some life in the City fringe executive director Nick Kowalchuk great West president relishes Royal Day Ebay auctioneer sets up storefront in City will sell your treasures Over internet Ken Gigliotti / Winnipeg free press Gigiel displays a camera and Lens he is attempting to sell for a customer ;