Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - September 17, 2020, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A5 A 5NEWS I CANADATHURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM SPONSORED CONTENT Go North Check out some great destinations with an easy driving distance north of Winnipeg. Take the scenic River Road to see heritage buildings like the St. Andrew’s Rectory National Historic Site on your way to Lockport. Grab a hotdog and watch the pelicans that gather at the dam on the Red River. Continue on to Selkirk for some catfishing or check out the heritage boats on display at the Marine Museum of Manitoba. Head to the shores of Lake Winnipeg with a visit to Gimli. Visit the Viking statue and then learn about Viking roots in the region at the New Iceland Heritage Museum. Don’t leave until you enjoy some freshly-caught pickerel. Go South Head to Morden, an hour and a half south of Winnipeg to check out the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre. Here you can see Bruce, a 13-metre Guinness record-holding mosasaur fossil and other 80 million year-old marine reptile fossils found in Manitoba. Just 10 minutes down the road is Winkler, a great place to stop for a tasty lunch, and then continue on to Altona. Canada’s sunflower capital shows off its moniker with the world’s largest painting on an easel – a 23 metre-high likeness of a Vincent Van Gogh sunflower painting. For more art, check out the outdoor sculpture garden at Gallery in the Park, located at the historic Schwartz house. Go East Visit the impressive Immaculate Conception Church of Cooks Creek, a multi-domed “Prairie cathedral- style” Ukrainian church. Head to Beausejour to grab some lunch at a favourite drive-in or maybe opt for a round of golf? Make note that Beausejour is a top snowmobile destination in winter. Continue on to Pinawa to see another architectural feat – the ruins preserved at the Pinawa Dam Provincial Heritage Park. Follow the interpretive trail with panels that explain the dam’s history and its contributions to Manitoba’s hydro-electric history. End your day trip with a walk across the Pinawa Suspension Bridge, part of the Trans Canada Trail. Go West Make Portage la Prairie your first stop. Get refreshed at the world’s largest Coco-Cola can (note: bring your own Coke or other beverage of choice!) before crossing the bridge to Island Park. Follow the picturesque walking path around Crescent Lake. For more great views, make your way to the shores of Lake Manitoba, just 20 minutes outside the city. Go for a walk along Delta Beach or watch for migrating waterfowl and songbirds in Delta Marsh. For more day trip and road trip ideas, go to manito.ba/rural. Clockwise from top left: Gladstone’s Happy Rock, Travel Manitoba; Cooks Creek Church, Enviro Foto; Pinawa Suspension Bridge, Travel Manitoba; Gimli Seawall and boats, This Battered Suitcase, Brenna Holeman; St. Andrew’s Rectory National Historic Site, Travel Manitoba; Morden, Travel Manitoba; Skinners in Lockport, Travel Manitoba; Island Park in Portage la Prairie, Travel Manitoba. ROAD TRIP! No matter which direction you head, here are some ideas for a great day trip starting from Winnipeg. O TTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada’s democrat-ic institutions — including Parlia- ment and Elections Canada — need to be fully functional even in the midst of a deadly pandemic. But he insists that doesn’t mean he wants an election this fall. “I do not want an election. I don’t think Canadians want an election,” Trudeau told a news conference Wed- nesday as he wrapped up two-and-a- half days of cabinet meetings. “I think Canadians want polit- icians to work together to serve them, to build a better future for them and keep them safe during this (COVID-19) crisis.” Parliament returns Sept. 23 with a throne speech that Trudeau promised will set out a path for getting Can- adians through, and eventually beyond, the pandemic. The speech will be put to a confidence vote, which could theor- etically bring down Trudeau’s govern- ment. Trudeau briefly seemed to fuel election speculation, declining to say it would be reckless for opposition parties to plunge the country into an election at a time when COVID-19 cases are on the rise and public health experts are warning of a potential second wave. “I think it’s a little irresponsible to be talking about recklessness when it comes to elections. I think I should and we all should have tremendous confidence in Elections Canada to be able to bring forward strong meas- ures to keep us safe and allow for the expression of the democratic will of the people,” he said, noting that New Brunswick safely held an election on Monday. He added that “if there has to be an election, we’ll figure it out.” But he bris- tled when it was suggested that sounds like he’d welcome an election. “I don’t think that’s what Canadians want. I don’t think that’s what oppos- ition parties want and it’s certainly not what the government wants.” When Trudeau announced last month he was proroguing Parliament, he spoke of returning with a throne speech that would lay out a bold plan to rebuild the shattered economy. But talk of bold action gave way throughout the cabinet retreat as min- isters emphasized the government’s almost exclusive focus on protecting Canadians’ lives and incomes as the pandemic continues to rage. For his part, Trudeau said Canadians “deserve an ambitious plan for a health- ier and safer Canada, a Canada that’s fair and inclusive, a Canada that’s clean and competitive and, with the speech from the throne on Sept. 23, that’s exactly what our government is ready to do.” Promoting green jobs and clean tech- nologies will be “an essential part of building back better,” he added. Still, he stressed: “At the same time, we have to remember we are not out of this pandemic yet” and said dealing with it remains “job one.” With Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves- Francois Blanchet and most of the Bloc caucus in self-isolation due to exposure to individuals who’ve tested positive for COVID-19, Trudeau said it’s impera- tive that Parliament return in a hybrid format — with only a small number of MPs physically present in the House of Commons and the rest participating virtually, including voting electronic- ally. The Conservatives have balked at the idea of electronic voting but the govern- ment needs only one opposition party to support the idea. The NDP and Bloc appear to be supportive of the govern- ment’s approach to the resumption of Parliament. For the opening couple of days, gov- ernment House leader Pablo Rodriguez said he’s hopeful he can come to an in- formal agreement among the parties to limit the number of MPs in the cham- ber until they can vote on the proposed hybrid model. — The Canadian Press Democracy needs to function during pandemic: PM JOAN BRYDEN Trudeau says he doesn’t want election but country will ‘figure it out’ if need be A_07_Sep-17-20_FP_01.indd A5 2020-09-16 10:07 PM ;