Columnists

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Warm Winnipeg welcome for new Hydro boss, wife

Posted: 09/6/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 09/6/2012 1:49 PM | Updates

New Manitoba Hydro head, Scott Thomson, and his wife Silvia Vidas, at their home. (PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ) Photo Store

Today, a test of your instinctive ability to sort fact from fiction.

TRUE OR FALSE ?

The newly arrived CEO of Manitoba Hydro, Scott Thomson, and his wife, Silvia Vidas, were given a huge Winnipeg-welcome hug last week by a group of Linden Woods neighbours who organized a potluck meet and greet.

TRUE. The intimate gathering happened in the driveway of party organizers Sandra and Hans Hasenack, and the neighbours came from nearby homes and streets to say "Hi" to the 48-year-old Hydro boss and his, yes, energetic and enchanting wife. Silvia practises traditional Chinese medicine -- you know acupuncture, herbs and all that healing stuff -- and she's planning on opening her own business. The couple, who have a 14-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl, had been living in Vancouver, although Scott's originally from Hamilton. Silvia is from Montreal, and they met at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont. As for how they felt about people welcoming them to the neighbourhood, Silvia said it was touching and unexpected.

"We had heard rumours before we came that Winnipeggers are warm and friendly," she said. "They're not rumours."

-- -- --

The Royal Canadian Mint has struck a coin commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Selkirk settlers' arrival in Manitoba.

FALSE. The mint regularly strikes coins to commemorate significant Canadian events, but not for little old us, not this year. A mint spokesman pointed out it receives no taxpayer support -- in other words it doesn't only make money, it must make money -- and the "commercial appeal" of the Selkirk colony bicentennial was researched and found wanting. The spokesman added that "in a year with a lot of strong themes, it is also not possible to commemorate every historic milestone."

So what beat it out?

Well, the 150th anniversary of the Caribou gold rush in British Columbia for one. Plus not one but several coins commemorating the War of 1812. Hey, what's new about Ottawa not giving a plug nickel about Manitoba, even if the coin would have been minted right here?

-- -- --

The Winnipeg Police Service missing-persons unit handles 800 new files a year.

FALSE. They handle 8,000 new files a year, or at least they did in 2011. That doesn't necessarily mean 8,000 different people, but 8,000 reports, the difference being one person can be reported missing several times by several people. Still, it's a massive job for a unit of eight officers and five administrative staff members.

-- -- --

Frances Russell has had a column appearing in the Free Press longer than any other contributor.

FALSE. Brian Pauls has been writing a column on bridge since Sept. 15, 1962, when he was 23. It appeared weekly until 2004 and is now published every second Saturday. Let the record also show he has never missed a deadline. Happy 50th anniversary, Brian.

-- -- --

Graham Hnatiuk, the sidewalk chalk artist who was run out Assiniboine Park for defacing public property, carrying on a commercial enterprise and trespassing, was back in the park last Friday doing his sidewalk thing again.

TRUE. And that was before his Tuesday meeting with a Assiniboine Park Conservancy executive who, according to Graham, suggested to him he wouldn't be bothered again.

gordon.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition September 6, 2012 B1

History

Updated on Thursday, September 6, 2012 at 1:49 PM CDT: corrects Klondike gold rush to Caribou gold rush

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Columnists

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.