A Year ago today

The Premier of Manitoba stopped by for a Coffee and a Chat at Chipperfield Coffee Company ... His visit was unplanned, unexpected and appreciated by all ... well, almost all ... a few of those on the other side of the political fence got their knickers knotted up over it ...

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But wouldn't you rather have a leader who keeps in touch with folks around the coffee shops and cafes???

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Even more than that, Premier Doer's visit serves as an example of what should be happening in small towns with places like Chipperfield Coffee Company, The Ski Hill, Main Street Cafe, Sun Sun's, Burgess Quality Fine Foods, The Golf Course, and a dozen other small businesses worth telling folks about ... instead of trying to find the goose that will lay the golden egg and save us from oblivion, let's remember what WE ALREADY HAVE and find ways of drawing people to visit and to live here ...

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Let's encourage people to come on into town and check us out - it's the model that has proven MOST successful for small rural communities everywhere. Highlight the things about the community that WILL appeal to the travelling public - good restaurants, quirky & unique shoppes, and things worth stopping to see!! One town I can think of in Ontario revived itself when a REALLY GOOD restaurant opened and its reputation spread.

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Minnedosa has restaurants and cafes worthy of such reputation ... but I am mindful of a Connie Caldor concert last year in Brandon where she noted the "welcome" small town Saskatchewan folks give the out-of-towner when they happen into the cafes and coffee shops. She noted the dead pan look and a half dozen baleful glares are far from welcoming ... then if the person is undaunted, the question of whether they will actually be welcomed in comes into play - too often small towns are defined by their long standing generational relationships that EXCLUDE the outsider and the newcomer. No town will prosper if new comers are made to feel welcome on a conditional basis.

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The first step is by laying out the mat that says 'WELCOME' and THEN living that simple word.

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I know too many people in Minnedosa who have lived here for decades, but are STILL treated like outsiders to believe that the "WELCOME" signs we put up are actually being followed through upon ...

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This is a great little community that could be even better if we would stop being so cliquey. This ain't high school - we should stop acting like it is !!!!