Media Release Archives - Page 2 of 3

Promotional graphic for the Manitoba Museum's 2024 Tribute Gala. On the right is a photograph of honourees James Cohen and Linda McGarva-Cohen. On the left, text reads,

Winnipeg, MB: January 30, 2024 – The Manitoba Museum will honour two prominent Manitobans at its annual Tribute Gala on Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

Community leaders James Cohen and Linda McGarva-Cohen will share the honours at the gala event with proceeds supporting the Manitoba Museum’s Access for All community initiative.

The 2024 Tribute Gala will celebrate and highlight the exceptional contributions made by James and Linda during a conversation with award-winning Canadian broadcast journalist, Shelagh Rogers.

“The Manitoba Museum is an iconic institution in our city and province. It tells the stories of our First Peoples and the generations of others who followed from all over the world. We are all part of the fabric of this great place and the Museum strives to bring all of us together in the hopes of learning about the past and helping to create the path to a promising future. Linda and I are so appreciative to be recognized by this treasured member of our cultural community.” – James Cohen

Funds raised through the annual Manitoba Museum Tribute Gala support the Access for All community initiative by removing financial, social, and cultural barriers to visitation. Through this initiative, the Museum aims to further grow, diversify, and engage new audiences and create a place that belongs to all Manitobans. This involves the continual reflection and assessment of research, collections, exhibitions, and programs to enhance their relevance to Manitoba’s diverse populations including ethnicity, culture, age, gender, and abilities. One of the Access for All initiatives is providing Manitobans access to the Museum at no charge – those Manitobans who would otherwise not have the opportunity to engage in memorable learning experiences that bridge our understanding and love of history, nature, and science with today’s reality and hopes for the future.

The Manitoba Museum 19th annual Tribute Gala will take place in Alloway Hall on April 24, 2024. For information on reserving tables, purchasing tickets, exploring sponsorship opportunities, or donating to the Access for All community initiative, please visit our webpage or contact Cassidy Nicholls at CNicholls@ManitobaMuseum.ca or 204-988-0629.

2024 Tribute Gala Honourees

James Cohen is a Winnipeg-based community builder, business leader, volunteer, and philanthropist. He is President and CEO of real estate and energy investment company Gendis Inc., a past-Chair of several organizations including: Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The Manitoba Museum, The Manitoba Museum Foundation Inc. and The Young Presidents Organization YPO Manitoba Chapter and also served a full 8 year maximum term on the board of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and began his three decades of volunteering with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Football Club and the West End Cultural Centre. James is also a successful published musician and songwriter as founder of James Cohen and the Prairie Roots Rockers who released their debut album in 2011 on Soccermom Records / Warner Music Canada and featured the radio hit “So Long Sweet Deception” which appeared nationally on the Mediabase Active Rock Top 50 Chart for 16 consecutive weeks.

Linda McGarva-Cohen is a longtime volunteer, event planner and philanthropist who has served on the boards of several organizations including the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, The Downtown Winnipeg Biz Placemaking Committee, The Manitoba Theatre for Young People and Ace Art Inc. Previously she worked as a graphic designer, marketing specialist, and fashion illustration instructor.

James and Linda have supported a wide variety of causes in our community and abroad including the Assiniboine Park Conservancy Amur Tiger Exhibit, Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The Manitoba Museum, The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, University of Manitoba, St. John’s-Ravenscourt School, True North Youth Foundation’s Camp Manitou, Harvest Manitoba, Ronald McDonald House, World Vision Canada, and various Winnipeg area hospitals.

They both believe in giving back by thinking globally, acting locally, and trying to help make our world of over 8 billion people a better place.

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Media Contact: 

Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
Manitoba Museum
BHayberg@ManitobaMusuem.ca

Promotional graphic for Hearts of Freedom exhibition featuring six photographs of groups of refugees. Text reads,

Winnipeg, MB: January 2, 2024 – Stories of loss, stories of courage, stories of triumph. The Manitoba Museum is proud to host a pop-up exhibition which shares the emotional and impactful stories of Southeast Asian refugees who came to Canada between 1975 and 1985, and the stories of those who assisted them.

Impacted by the Vietnam War, the Lao Secret War, and the Cambodian Genocide, millions of refugees from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were forced to flee their homelands and to seek safety in other countries. Hearts of Freedom: Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees tells the stories of these survivors, in their own words and through their unique perspectives, adding to the fabric of the Canadian history of immigration.

“At the Manitoba Museum, we strive to collect and tell the stories of all the peoples of our province. This is an important exhibition that shares the incredible history of the Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian people who escaped war and genocide to find a new home in Canada, and in Manitoba.” – Roland Sawatzky, Curator of History at the Manitoba Museum.

The exhibition, curated by Dr. Stephanie Phetsamay Stobbe and created in collaboration with the Hearts of Freedom Exhibition Committee, is comprised of a variety of panels detailing the stories of refugee journeys through photographs and shared memories captured in interviews. Each panel’s interpretive text gives the reader further insight into the paths and obstacles faced by those making the difficult and often dangerous expedition.

“This is the first museum exhibition in Canada that showcases the Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian experiences in resettlement and settlement in Canada, and their successful integration. It also highlights the contributions they have made and continue to make in Canada and around the world.” – Stephanie Stobbe, Curator of HOF – Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees and Professor at Canadian Mennonite University.

Hearts of Freedom: Stories of Southeast Asian Refugees, will open to the public in the Manitoba Museum’s Festival Hall on January 5, 2024, with an official opening event on January 19. The exhibition will be on display until April 7, 2024.

About Hearts of Freedom

The exhibition was created by Dr. Stephanie Stobbe and the Hearts of Freedom Museum Exhibition Committee, in collaboration with Canadian Mennonite University, Carleton University, the Canadian Museum of History, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the Canadian Immigration Historical Society, the Vietnamese Canadian Federation, the Lao Association of Ottawa Valley, the Cambodian Association of Ottawa Valley, the Pacific Canada Heritage Centre – Museum of Migration, and the Manitoba Museum.

The Hearts of Freedom exhibition tour is funded in part by SSHRC and private funders.

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Media Contact: 

Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
Manitoba Museum
bhayberg@manitobamusuem.ca

Winnipeg, MB: December 5, 2023 – The Manitoba Museum is pleased to have welcomed two new curators in 2023. David Finch joined the Museum as the Curator of Archaeology earlier this year; and Dr. Joe Moysiuk has taken on the role of Curator of Palaeontology and Geology as of November 6.

Born in Winnipeg and raised in Northern Manitoba and Northwest Ontario, David Finch is an archaeologist and ethnohistorian whose research focus lies in community-based archaeology, which involves forming partnerships with communities to tell the stories that matter to them.

Finch’s primary role at the Manitoba Museum will be to oversee the care and management of the archaeology collection at the Museum. This includes monitoring and tracking over 2.5 million artifacts (mostly from Manitoba), working with conservators to make sure that the artifacts are safe and stable, and managing new additions to the collections. Finch will also handle loans of artifacts for research and display purposes, help design exhibits in the museum galleries, and share advice and information with visitors and media.

Finch hopes to use his role as a platform to work with Indigenous and other communities as a partner on research and training.

“It’s good to be back home in Manitoba, and I am looking forward to applying what I’ve learned while away. We have an amazing history here, and I am honoured to be involved in its stewardship.” – David Finch, Curator of Archaeology, Manitoba Museum

Dr. Joe Moysiuk’s expertise centers on the oldest animal fossils and insights they provide about the evolution of major groups. Much of his research has focused on early arthropods, distant relatives of modern insects and spiders.

Moysiuk hails from Toronto and has taken part in palaeontological field work across Canada, notably including major expeditions to the Burgess Shale in B.C. that have unearthed new and noteworthy fossil species from the dawn of animal life. He has also enjoyed many opportunities to share these discoveries with the public, including through museum exhibitions and public talks.

At the Manitoba Museum, Moysiuk will oversee the care of roughly 35,000 fossil, rock, and mineral specimens and will work strategically to enhance collections from understudied regions.

“Manitoba boasts an almost unfathomably ancient rock record, preserving evidence of the myriad changes undergone by the Earth and life through deep time. I’m greatly excited by this chance to explore and communicate these stories, which are profoundly relevant, not only to Manitobans, but globally.” – Dr. Joe Moysiuk, Curator of Palaeontology and Geology, Manitoba Museum.

Dr. Joe Moysiuk looks forward to expanding his research focus to rare fossil deposits exhibiting soft tissue preservation in Manitoba.

“We are thrilled to welcome David Finch and Dr. Joe Moysiuk to the Manitoba Museum’s curatorial team. Each of them brings new insights and community collaboration, and will help continue to enhance the Museum collections for present and future generations.” – Dorota Blumczyńska, CEO, Manitoba Museum.

Click here to meet the Museum’s entire Curatorial Team

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Media Contact: 

Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
Manitoba Museum
bhayberg@manitobamusuem.ca

A word graphic featuring a photograph of twelve highly decorative clocks. The clock faces are all decorated in different colours and designs. To the left of the image, text reads, “Keeping Time / The Art and Heritage of Mennonite Clocks / October 2023 – February 2024 / An exhibition developed by Kroeger Clocks Heritage Foundation in partnership with the Mennonite Heritage Village”.

Winnipeg, MB: October 23, 2023 – The Manitoba Museum will be a temporary home to a beautiful and engaging exhibition developed by the Kroeger Clocks Heritage Foundation in partnership with the Mennonite Heritage Village.

Keeping Time: The Art and Heritage of Mennonite Clocks provides an in-depth look into the craft and art of Mennonite clocks made in Europe and transported by immigrants to the Americas over the last two centuries. Beautiful in and of themselves, each clock also has an important story to tell about its owners and their experiences of migration.

“Several clocks featured in this exhibition are on loan from family homes, where their ticking and chiming connects present-day owners to their ancestors. Others are loaned from museum collections, where they are preserved for their cultural value,” says Alexandra Zeitz of the Kroeger Clocks Heritage Foundation, who is herself a descendant of Mennonite clockmakers.

For centuries, Mennonite clockmakers honed their craft to produce iconic clocks that brought beauty and structure into homes and communities. Today these timepieces carry emotional meaning. They survive as cultural representations and witnesses to the social and political upheaval experienced by their makers and owners. These clocks are now found around the world, wherever there is a Mennonite diaspora.

“These clocks were both beautiful and functional, but most importantly, they acted as symbols of family stability. They were taken along during Mennonite migrations to retain and transplant that social continuity,” says Roland Sawatzky, Curator of History at the Manitoba Museum.

This temporary exhibition features 15 Mennonite clocks, made between the late 1700s and early 1900s and transported to Manitoba by Mennonite immigrants over many decades. These beautiful timepieces were made in Mennonite workshops in Ukraine, and represent Mennonite migration stories, mechanical ingenuity, folk art, and family life.

Members of the media are invited to preview the exhibit in
The Manitoba Museum Discovery Room • Thursday, October 26

Doors Open: 6:30 pm;
Welcome, Speeches & Refreshments: 7:00-7:30 pm;
Exhibit Viewing: 7:30-9:00 pm

Keeping Time: The Art and Heritage of Mennonite Clocks, will open to the public on October 27, 2023 in the Manitoba Museum’s Discovery Room. It will be on display until February 2024. Exhibit admission is included in General Admission to the Museum Galleries.

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Media Contact: 

Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
204-988-0614
bhayberg@manitobamusuem.ca

Winnipeg, Manitoba: October 6, 2023 – On Saturday, October 14, the worlds will align as the Moon will pass in front of the Sun as seen from the Earth, creating a solar eclipse viewable from our province.

In light of this solar phenomenon, the Manitoba Museum’s Planetarium is joining forces with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – Winnipeg Centre and the Assiniboine Park Conservancy to host a free solar eclipse viewing party from 10am to 1pm in the Kitchen Garden at The Leaf in Assiniboine Park. Special solar telescopes will be accessible to provide safe views of the eclipse for attendees.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with other nature-based community organizations to create a fun opportunity for people to witness this solar spectacle,” said Jody Watson, Senior Director of Programming & Education, Assiniboine Park Conservancy. “The Park is a place where people can learn about the world around us, from the grass below to the skies above!”

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes in front of the Sun and casts its shadow onto the Earth. The October 14 eclipse will occur when the Moon is near its farthest point from Earth, and so the Moon appears slightly smaller than the Sun. For viewers on the center line of the eclipse, the Moon will cross the center of the Sun but won’t quite cover it, leaving a thin ring of bright sunlight visible: an annular or “ring of fire” eclipse. Viewers on either side of the center line will see a partial eclipse. From southern Manitoba, the Moon will cover about half of the Sun’s diameter at maximum (less for those farther north or east).

Formal headshot of Scott Young smiling at the camera. “Eclipses are fascinating to watch, and they also show us that we know what we’re talking about in terms of how the solar system works. Astronomers can predict when and where an eclipse will occur down to the second, and if we didn’t have a good understanding of the mechanics, we wouldn’t be able to do that,” says Scott Young, Planetarium Astronomer at The Manitoba Museum.

The eclipse will begin at 10:28 a.m. CDT for Winnipeg when the Moon first begins to cover the sun (moving in from the bottom right). Over the next two-and-a-half hours the Moon will move across the Sun from right to left. Maximum eclipse occurs at 11:42 a.m. CDT, and the eclipse ends at 1:00 p.m. CDT.

“I love watching eclipses, whether it’s a partial one like this one, or the total solar eclipse that came through Winnipeg in 1979,” says Young. “Seeing that eclipse as a child made me decide I wanted to be an astronomer, at age 9, and set the course for my career. The sky is inspiring and amazing, and people should take every chance they have to explore it. You never know where it might take you.”

WARNING: DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN WITH UNPROTECTED EYES!

The Sun is always too bright to look at with unprotected eyes – special solar filters are required. Regular sunglasses or other homebuilt options are not enough – a specialized filter material is required.

“When watching an eclipse, safety is important,” says Young. “You can’t just use sunglasses or order some cheap filters online from an unknown source – there are a lot of unsafe fakes out there. Purchase new eclipse glasses from a reputable source, don’t try to save pennies and put your eyesight at risk for life.”

Certified safe solar eclipse glasses can be purchased for $3 at the Manitoba Museum’s reception desk 10 am to 4 pm, Tuesday to Sunday, leading up to eclipse day. Limited numbers *may* be available at the eclipse viewing party.

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Media Inquiries:
Scott Young
Planetarium Astronomer
204-988-0627
scyoung@manitobamuseum.ca

Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State Univ./Space Systems Loral/Peter Rubin

Winnipeg, MB: September 27, 2023 – The Manitoba Museum’s popular live-streamed astronomy program will be hitting the road on October 11 and 12, and will be offering some incredible behind-the-scenes access to NASA’s Psyche Mission Launch from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Planetarium Astronomer and Dome@Home host Scott Young has been invited as a special social media influencer to witness and share the planned launch of NASA’s Psyche spacecraft. Young will also take part in facilities tours of Kennedy Space Centre and have the opportunity to interview various mission scientists and engineers.

“I’m thrilled to be invited to Kennedy Space Center to cover the launch of the Psyche mission. We routinely do live events for NASA missions as part of our award-winning Dome@Home series, but actually being there at the launch site will be amazing. I’m looking forward to having behind-the-scenes access to the people and places at Kennedy Space Center, and bringing all of that back to our viewers in real-time. We’ll also be collecting images and video for future planetarium show productions.” says Young.

The asteroid Psyche is a 170-mile-wide (280 kilometers) asteroid which orbits the Sun in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists hypothesize that Psyche is a metal-rich asteroid; it is estimated that the asteroid’s metal content could be worth $10 quintillion dollars (that’s a 10 followed by 18 zeros!). However, NASA’s Psyche mission is not a mining mission. The Psyche probe’s goal will be used to better understand the structure and composition of the asteroid for purely scientific purposes.

The launch, which is planned for 9:16 am Winnipeg time on October 12, will see NASA’s Psyche spacecraft lift off atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, reaching its final destination by summer 2029.

“For something so small, asteroids are very important in terms of science. They’re basically left-overs from the formation of the solar system, preserved in the deep freeze of outer space, just waiting to share their secrets with us. Psyche specifically is probably the core of a planet that never fully formed, which is why it’s made of mostly metal. It is the only planetary core we can study, because all of the other ones are deep inside planets.” says Young.

Young has been an informal science educator for over thirty years, working in the planetarium and science centre field both at the Manitoba Museum and also at the Alice G. Wallace Planetarium in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He is also a past-President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Young also has a claim to fame in the night sky. In 2003, Young had an asteroid officially named after him by the International Astronomical Union: Asteroid 14698 scottyoung is about two and a half times as far from the sun as the earth, and makes one revolution around the sun every 1,375 days.

In January 2021, Young launched Dome@Home, a popular online astronomy program which resulted from the pandemic, but which has continued to run each month due to positive public response. In 2022 Dome@Home was awarded the 2022 CASCADE Best Program Award from the Canadian Association of Science Centres.

“Through his work, which is infused with equal parts knowledge and passion, Scott inspires us all to explore the vast universe that surrounds us and discover the boundless wonders of our world.” says Zoë McQuinn, Director of Learning & Engagement at the Manitoba Museum.

Follow along with Young and Dome@Home on our Facebook page on October 11 and 12 to witness the Psyche spacecraft launch and see some behind-the-scenes action at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre.

UPDATE 09-29-2023: The date for the launch has changed. Previous versions of this press release noted October 5 as the launch date. NASA has rescheduled for launch on October 12.

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Media Contacts:
Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
204-988-0614
bhayberg@manitobamusuem.ca

Scott Young
Planetarium Astronomer
204-988-0627
scyoung@manitobamuseum.ca

A word graphic. On a teal circle to the right is an orange t-shirt with the words “Every Child Matters” on the front accompanied by a floral motif. Text to the left of it reads “Orange Shirt Days @ the Manitoba Museum / Every Child Matters / Sep 30 – Oct 2 / Complimentary admission. No ticket required.”

Winnipeg, MB: September 26, 2023 – To honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, the Manitoba Museum will provide complimentary admission to all three museum attractions from Saturday, September 30 to Monday, October 2.

Orange Shirt Days @ the Manitoba Museum will offer visitors special, all-day programming focused on the history and the impacts of Indian Residential Schools, as well as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) Calls to Action.

“Today and every day, every child matters. During this time of reflection, we invite Manitobans to consider that there are two distinct aspects to this important day: Truth and Reconciliation. The truth is painful and uncomfortable, it requires acknowledgement, an open heart, and an open mind. We listen, learn, reflect, and ultimately become aware of our shameful past.” says Dorota Blumczyńska, CEO, Manitoba Museum.

“Reconciliation, however, is most importantly expressed in action. As a community we must support Indigenous families in their pursuit of justice. We must ensure that the children who never came home from Indian Residential Schools are not forgotten, that those who survived are loved and cared for, and that all Indigenous peoples are honoured, in life and beyond. The Manitoba Museum is committed to the work of sharing truth, so that each of us can be a part of the journey towards reconciliation.” adds Blumczyńska.

Throughout the Museum, visitors will find many exhibits related to the history of Indian Residential Schools and other topics related to the TRC Calls to Action. Everyone will have the opportunity walk a path of learning, ending in a collaborative art installation and reflection wall which will allow them to share their thoughts on what they’ve learned and to commit to taking action, individually and as a community, towards reconciliation.

“We must have patience and empathy for survivors and their families,” says Tashina Houle-Schlup, Head of Indigenous Programming & Engagement. “Considering intergenerational trauma, it is vital to respect that healing takes time. Murray Sinclair said it best, ‘Reconciliation is a very simple concept, and it’s about being friends.’ Ask yourself how you would support your friends after they’ve been through trauma. We must consider how we can take action in our lives, workplaces, and schools toward contributing to truth and reconciliation. As a source of history and education, the Manitoba Museum strives to share the truth about the injustices that Indigenous people face and have faced, and is committed to providing the tools needed to help our visitors learn, reflect and heal.”

Orange Shirt Days will include other special programming such daily powwow performances by Beautiful Cloud Company, pop-up exhibits and videos from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, a pop-up art exhibit from Mackay Residential School Gathering Inc and more.

The exterior of the Museum will be flooded with orange lights from September 30 to October 2 with orange ribbons tied to its Rupert Avenue railings.

Thank you to our program partners: The National Center for Truth and Reconciliation, Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba, National Indigenous Residential School Museum, Parks Canada, the Mackay Residential School Gathering Inc., the Manitoba Indigenous Cultural Education Centre, and all the community members who supported Orange Shirt Days @ the Manitoba Museum.

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Media Contact:
Brandi Hayberg
Manager of Marketing & Communications
204-988-0614
bhayberg@manitobamusuem.ca

We are honoured to share this beautiful interpretation of the Manitoba Museum’s iconic “M” by Sunshine Levasseur for Orange Shirt Days.

Sunshine, a multimedia Anishinaabe Artist from Ebb and Flow First Nation, began to draw and paint as a child. Her artistry mostly consists of vibrant floral paintings on both canvas and rawhide. Growing up in a family of beadwork artists and regalia makers, she draws inspiration from personal experiences, community, and the stories and ways of her culture. Her connection with the Manitoba Museum also started when she was a child, and she fondly remembers visiting Museum’s spaces on fun outings, field trips, and for workshops. Sunshine is also pursuing her BFA at the University of Manitoba.

About the design: The woodland art style is highlighted with Ojibwe florals, vines, and leaves. This vibrant and powerful image represents the strength of our individual nations on Turtle Island. It is in a state of bloom, with roots in the leaves, stitches on the vines, and warm radiant florals that represent life as it heals and grows.

We invite you to join us for Orange Shirt Days @ the Manitoba Museum from September 30 to October 2, with complimentary admission from 10 am to 4 pm. This time of learning and reflection is offered in partnership with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

The Manitoba Museum Planetarium’s popular online program, Dome@Home, returns this month. Hosted by Planetarium astronomer Scott Young, the show brings the wonders of the universe to anyone with an internet connection.

The show has changed formats, becoming a 1-hour program run on the last Thursday of each month. The show’s content will focus on all of the celestial sights and special events that viewers can see over the next month.

“We started Dome@Home during the pandemic, when the Planetarium was closed,” says Young. “Once the Planetarium reopened, we weren’t able to produce a weekly online show as well as operate all of our planetarium shows and programs, so something had to give.”

The first show of the new format will be broadcast live at 7 pm CDT on Thursday, August 31 on the Manitoba Museum’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The kick-off show features a tour of the end-of-summer sky, close-ups on the visible planets, and a look ahead to a possible bright comet in September.

The next episode, set to air September 28, will focus on the upcoming partial eclipse of the Sun visible from Winnipeg on October 14 of this year. Future episodes will look at other celestial sights, and also see the return of favorite Dome@Home segments like “Cool Space Stuff” and guest presentations by local astronomers and observers.

Dome@Home is a of FREE virtual programming inviting Manitobans to explore the universe with Planetarium Astronomer Scott Young. Get to know the stars with us on the last Thursday of every month at 7 pm Central!

As pioneering Canadian astronomer Helen Sawyer Hogg always said, “The stars belong to everyone.”

Winnipeg, Manitoba: March 24, 2023 – The Manitoba Museum will honour three prominent Manitobans at its annual Tribute Gala on Thursday, April 27, 2023.

Community leaders Stella and Edward Kennedy, long-time volunteer Nadia Thompson, and University of Winnipeg Chancellor Barb Gamey will share the honours at the gala event with proceeds supporting the Manitoba Museum’s Access for All community initiative.

This year the gala will celebrate a multitude of viewpoints and experiences through the theme, Celebrating Community Voices. The 2023 Tribute Gala honorees will join in conversation surrounding the diversity that helped shape Manitoba’s future through sharing stories and encouraging discovery at the Manitoba Museum. “Every Manitoban and visitor must come to the Manitoba Museum to really know this land, who we are, and where we have come from.” says honouree, Edward Kennedy.

The annual Manitoba Museum Tribute Gala supports the Access for All initiative by removing financial, social, and cultural barriers to visitation. Through your support, the Museum aims to further grow, diversify, and engage new audiences. To continually reflect and assess research, collections, exhibitions, and programs to enhance their relevance to Manitoba’s diverse populations including ethnicity, culture, age, gender, and abilities. Continuing to create a Museum that belongs to all Manitobans. One of the Access for All initiatives is providing Manitobans access to the Museum at no charge – those Manitobans who would otherwise not have the opportunity to engage in memorable learning experiences that bridge our understanding and love of history, nature, and science with today’s reality and hopes for the future.

“In 1971, my family travelled by car from Oshawa to visit my uncle in Foam Lake, Saskatchewan. I vividly recall our stop in Winnipeg and our visit to the Manitoba Museum and especially the fascinating Bison exhibit” says honouree Stella Kennedy, “I never imagined that Winnipeg and wonderful attractions like the Museum were destined to be such a part of my future life! Today, I am thankful that our community has the Manitoba Museum which brings so much to its visitors from Manitoba and afar. Like my experience fifty years ago, the Museum continues to have a memorable, almost magical quality for children and inspires us all to be aware of our Province and our possibilities as a community of Manitobans.”

2023 Tribute Gala Honorary Committee Members

Gail Asper
Dave Brown
Gary Buckley
Polly Craik
Darryl Levy
John Loewen
Dan Murray
Bill & Theresa Parrish
Susan & Gord Pollard
Gerry & Barb Price
Sandy Riley
Ross & Allana Robinson

The Manitoba Museum 18th annual Tribute Gala will take place in Alloway Hall on April 27, 2023. For information about reserving tables, buying tickets, sponsorship opportunities, and/or to make a donation to the Access for All community initiative, please visit our webpage or contact Cassidy Nicholls at CNicholls@ManitobaMuseum.ca or 204-988-0629.

2023 TRIBUTE GALA HONOUREES

BARB GAMEY
Barb Gamey is a co-founder of Payworks, a Manitoba based company and one of Canada’s largest national providers of Payroll, Human Resource, Time and Absence Management solutions, serving 29,000 customers, paying 700,000 Canadians while handling $35 billion in funds annually. Payworks currently employs 300 people in Manitoba and 440 nationwide.

Barb is dedicated to community involvement: she currently sits on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Board of Directors, the Business Council of Manitoba’s Board of Directors, the UM Properties Board and served as United Way Winnipeg’s 2018 Campaign Chair. Barb is the Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg and sits on the board for the University of Winnipeg Foundation. She is an ongoing supporter of numerous other community and charitable organizations.

EDWARD KENNEDY
Edward Kennedy is President and CEO of Eskay Partners Limited, an advisory and private capital enterprise. He is also CEO of Livlite Co. a Vancouver-based zero -waste grocery business and Chair of Manitoba Hydro. In August 2021, Edward retired after 25 years as CEO of The North West Company.

Edward is from The Pas, Manitoba and attended high school as a boarding student at St. John’s-Ravenscourt in Winnipeg. He holds an Honours Degree in Business from the Ivey School at Western University and a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Prior to joining North West, Edward practiced law briefly in Toronto and then worked in investment banking.

Edward has been a Board member of for-profit and non-for-profit entities including the Conference Board of Canada, the Canada West Foundation, Alaska Growth Fund and Norcraft Corporation. Edward has also Chaired the fundraising for community-based organizations including the United Way, Canada’s History and St. Johns Ravenscourt School. He has received national industry and community recognitions over his career.

STELLA KENNEDY
Stella grew up in Oshawa, Ontario and her parents were immigrants from Sicily and Ukraine. She holds an Honours Degree in Business from the Ivey School at Western University and is a Chartered Professional Accountant. Stella worked in financial services in Toronto and then moved to Winnipeg with Edward where she held management positions with Federal Industries and Centra Gas. Stella invested the greatest time in her career caring for a growing Kennedy household and the activities of their four children, Grace, Teresa, Simone and Daniel.

Today, Stella guides the Kennedy family’s larger donation activities (including United Way Family Resource Centres, Canada’s History, Pan Am Clinic, WAG – Quamajuq, the Manitoba Museum and the United Way annual campaign). She most recently co-chaired the fundraising campaign for McDonald Youth Centre (now known as The Link: Youth and Family Supports).

NADIA THOMPSON
Nadia grew up in the North end of the city. As a visual minority growing up in Winnipeg and going to school as one of the few black children, staying connected to her roots was a challenge.

Nadia graduated from Glenlawn Collegiate in 1995. After having her daughter, she went back to school to attain her Business and Office Administration Diploma from CDI College. She started her career with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority in 2007 in which she has been in various administrative positions and is currently a scheduling clerk for the Downtown West Community Homecare Nursing team.

Nadia is passionate about giving back to her community, focusing on our youth and promoting volunteerism and strengthening her community. Nadia has held volunteer positions with the Congress of Black Women, Folklorama, and the Jamaican Association.

Nadia is dedicated to the promotion of Black Culture and History throughout Winnipeg. She joined the Black History Month Celebration Committee in 2009 helping organize various events throughout the city. She continues to work with multiple organizations to promote diversity and culture in Winnipeg, connecting with various community groups to build a better connection in our city.

Past Tribute Honourees – Michael Redhead Champagne (2022), Anne Mahon (2022), Flor Marcelino (2022), Abdikheir Ahmed (2021), Hilary Druxman (2021), Jaimie Isaac (2021), Niigaan Sinclair (2021), Hannah Taylor (2021); Winnipeg Free Press (co-owners Robert Silver & Ronald Stern) (2019); Abdo (Albert) El Tassi & Samira El Tassi (2018); Gregg & Mary Hanson (Ambassadors for Canada 150 Celebration in 2017); Sanford H. Riley (2016); The Winnipeg Foundation (2015); Doug Harvey (2014); Susan Lewis & United Way Winnipeg (2013); Kerry Hawkins (2012); Ambassador Gary Doer (2011); The Chipman Family (2010); Babs & Gail Asper (2009); Kevin & Els Kavanagh (2008); Lawrie Pollard (2007); Murray Taylor & Investors Group Inc. (2006); and George T. Richardson (2005).

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Media Requests:

Charwin Dahl
Director of Development
Manitoba Museum
204-988-0656
CDahl@ManitobaMuseum.ca

Museum Galleries

Planetarium

Science Gallery

Manitoba Museum Announces 2024 Tribute Gala Honourees

Manitoba Museum Announces 2024 Tribute Gala Honourees

2024 Tribute Gala Honourees

Hearts of Freedom shares the impactful stories of Southeast Asian refugees

About Hearts of Freedom

Manitoba Museum welcomes two new Curatorial staff in 2023

New Exhibition Shares Stories of Family and Migration as Told Through the Art of Clock-Making

Join the Planetarium for a Solar Eclipse Viewing Party at Assiniboine Park!

Manitoba Museum’s Dome@Home is going to NASA!

Manitoba Museum honours National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Manitoba Museum “M” Reimagined for Orange Shirt Days

Dome@Home Returns!

Manitoba Museum’s 2023 Tribute Gala: Celebrating Community Voices