2010 - Down Under Club of Winnipeg Inc.

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

January 2010 

N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E d o w n u n d e r C L U B O F W I N N I P E G I N C . 

January 

downundercalendar 

2 0 1 0 

details on page 3 

JANUARY 

Saturday January 30, 5:00 pm 

Australia Day / Waitangi Day 

Theme: A Trifling Matter 

MARCH 

Bingo Bowling 

Date to be decided 

APRIL 

Saturday April 24 

ANZAC Day 

RSVP 

All our events require an RSVP. Contact 

Margaret at social@downunderclub.mb.ca or 

237-1805. 

Welcome New Member 

Bashir Khan 

Olympic Fever 

www.olympic.org.nz 

www.winterolympics.co.nz 

www.olympics.com.au 

www.whistler2010.com 

Advertise in The Southern Yarn 

Contact Jenny (info@downunderclub.mb.ca or call 

228-9959) for all the rates. Send your submission 

by email or mail to PO Box 1655, Stn Main, Winnipeg 

MB R3C 2Z6. 

the down under club of winnipeg inc. 

Station Main, PO Box 1655 

Winnipeg Manitoba Canada R3C 2Z6 

telephone: 1-204-832-4405 

email: info@downunderclub.mb.ca 

web: www.downunderclub.mb.ca 

Australia Day and Waitangi Day... 

... are just around the corner. All the details are on page 3, and this year we encourage you to 

enter the bake-off by testing out your best trifle recipe! Otherwise, prepare a potluck dish to 

bring for everyone to share. Meanwhile, if you want to know what it’s like to carry the Olympic 

torch, read this account below from one of our members ... 

One in a Million! 

The 106-day Torch Run began October 30, 

2009, in Athens, Greece, and will conclude 

with the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron in 

Vancouver on February 12, 2010. The flame 

will have travelled more than 45,000 km 

across Canada, making the longest Olympic 

Torch Run in history. 

More than one million “every day” Canadians 

had applied for the chance to run with 

the flame simply by making a small pledge 

to help create a better Canada. Only 12,000 

made the cut and that number included dignitaries, 

politicians and athletes who didn’t 

have to enter the contests. 

The Olympic Torch Run took on a distinctive 

Kiwi flavour in Portage la Prairie, 70 km 

west of the provincial capital of Winnipeg, on 

the evening of January 7. Lynley Davidson, a 

transplanted New Zealander, was one of a 

handful of torchbearers who braved weather 

C-C-C-Carrying the t-t-t-torch 

DUCW member and past president 

Lynley Davidson arrived back from a 

toasty warm New Zealand Christmas 

holiday to participate in a very cold 

transit of the Olympic Torch Run 

through Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. 

more suited for polar bears than people. 

Although the temperature with wind chill 

around -40 was bone chilling, the Olympic 

flame more than warmed the hearts of 1,000 

Portage residents who lined the streets of 

this city of 12,000. 

Lynley, along with her husband Jason 

Davidson and their 22-month-old son Ryan, 

had returned one day earlier to their home in 

Winnipeg from a Christmas vacation in her 

native New Zealand. 

At a community hall gathering in 

Portage following the frigid Torch Run, children, 

parents and grandparents all lined up 

to get their picture with Lynley and the torch. 

“To see the look in the eyes of the children as 

they held the torch,” said Lynley. “It was their 

chance to be part of the Olympics. It was so 

special.” 

continued on page 2

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

First up, let me say 

that, contrary to popular belief, the 

Membership Roster will be mailed out 

with the February issue of the Yarn for all 

those members who have paid their dues. It 

was delayed because we had so much stuff 

to include in this issue that we couldn’t 

manage to get everything done in time. 

So, one last chance for the 14 memberships 

that are still outstanding. If you are 

one of the 14, please put your cheque in the 

mail TODAY and continue to enjoy all the 

benefits of being a member of the DUCW. 

This issue is packed with member news 

— some were Olympic torchbearers (pp. 1 

and 2), a couple were married (p. 3), two 

became three (p. 3), and one family adopted 

a furry friend (p. 8). Be sure to read each of 

their stories and then come along to hear 

more from them at the Australia Day and 

Waitangi Day event on January 30 (p. 3). 

As well, there is news from down under 

(pp. 4 and 5), an update on the Commonwealth 

(p. 7), and an opportunity to meet our 

new Membership chair, Lori Blande (p. 6). 

And a note that we are looking for 

someone — perhaps our of our younger 

members — to help with the website and 

other computery things (p. 8). It’s an opportunity 

to get even more involved with the 

DUCW by doing something you enjoy! 

Otherwise, there are a few other bits 

and pieces to entertain 

and engage ... until we 

meet again! 

Now that Christmas is over and the 

turkey is but a fading dream, it’s 

time to get on with those New Year 

resolutions. Admit it — most of you are 

already trying to find loopholes to get out of 

them; I know I have. 

January is turning out 

better than I had expected, 

president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

at least this week is, weather wise. We had 

our first board meeting and have come up 

with a general plan for our calendar of 

events. Highlights include Australia Day / 

Waitangi Day, ANZAC Day and glow bowling 

early on in the year. 

We will also have some of our T-shirts 

and souvenir stock available for Club members 

to buy — at very generous prices — at 

the first two events in order to reduce our 

need for storage space. So if you have a 

birthday or wedding coming up, think 

DUCW T-shirts. 

As I have said before, if you have any 

comments, questions or concerns, please 

don’t hesitate to contact any board member. 

And now for Panda’s thoughts ... The 

weather over the last few weeks has been 

continued from page 1 

Perfect for Australia 

Day and Waitangi Day! 

Molly’s Meat Pies 

390 – Unit G, Provencher Blvd 

ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 

hours: mon-fri 9:00-6:00, sat 9:00-5:30 

And one more ... 

Fellow Club member, Thibaut Lauwers, also 

carried the torch on the leg from Kenora to 

Winnipeg. You can see Thibaut in action at: 

www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-torchrelay/ 

and see pictures taken during Day 68 

(Jan 5). Following is Thibaut’s submission 

really quite cold and windy; I hate the wind. 

Neither Kerry nor Terry has taken us to the 

off-leash park, which has been disappointing 

to say the least. To try and make up for 

this they went out around Christmas and 

bought a treadmill. Now I know you are 

thinking ‘What in the world would they 

want with a treadmill?’, which was my 

thought exactly. 

Well, it seems they got this ‘great idea’ 

from Sally of ‘Hull’s Haven Rescue’ (our rescuer). 

To keep us in shape, they run us on 

this vile contraption. I am not impressed at 

all. The floor under me moves, but I don’t 

seem to go anywhere. Winston seems to 

like running on it, but I just think he’s trying 

to impress them. He even stands on it 

when it’s not running. What a goof! 

Kerry is the mean one, putting me on 

this thing and expecting me to run while 

Winston bounces around the room, giving 

me his own twisted version of encouragement. 

Trust me when I say the park is much 

more fun, plus I get to chase Winston 

around instead of watching him bark at me 

from in front of the treadmill. 

This month’s thought? Dogs and treadmills 

were never meant to occupy the same 

space. Just remember — 

only three more months 

to April. 

that secured him a place 

in history. 

I have the Olympic 

spirit because I want to 

excel every time I serve a 

customer. I want to deliver 

excellent service faster and always better, 

and every day at work. Searching for excellence 

is part of the Olympic spirit. I am 

proud of being part of the Hudson Bay Company 

because of its rich history and of its 

legacy as a country builder and as a country 

symbol. All the national symbols must be 

present in order to bring a strong patriotic 

aspect in a worldwide event such as the 2010 

Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, British 

Columbia. All those united will make people 

being involved and participate to this once in 

a lifetime event. I hope to be part of history 

as being an Olympic torch bearer. 

Yours sincerely, 

Thibaut Lauwers 

On behalf of everyone in the DUCW, 

congratulations to you both! 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca January 2010

socialite 

all things social in the club 

What happened ... 

. 

Welcome to the world ... 

Members Gord and Fiona Enright have welcomed 

a son to their family. Conner Holden 

Enright was born at 3:38 pm on Sunday January 

10, weighing in at a healthy and hearty 

8lb 12oz. Dad reports that mother and son 

are doing just fine. We wish you all the best 

as you get to know each other in the days 

ahead. 

Married, 

then 

Melbourne 

Huge congratulations 

to members 

Ian 

Bowring and 

Catherine Worton 

who were married on December 29 at the 

Niakwa Country Club. They are now enjoying 

their annual six months in Melbourne 

prior to returning to Winnipeg in June. We 

look forward to catching up with them then. 

What’s coming up ... 

Saturday January 30 


Scandinavian Cultural Centre, 

764 Erin 

5:00 pm 

THEME: A trifling matter 

This year’s Australia 

Day / Waitangi Day celebration 

will be a pot 

luck, with trifle being 

the bake-off entry. So, 

don’t miss this opportunity 

to test out your best 

trifle recipe. Entries 

will be judged and prizes awarded. And 

because the evening is a pot luck, we ask 

that if you are not entering a trifle, you 

please bring along a main course dish to 

share (i.e., enough for yourselves and a bit 

Congratulations and thanks ... 

to Andrew Cobb who moved to a fantastic new 

job at the Siloam Mission. Andrew is now the 

Shop Manager for Building Futures, an employment 

training program for the patrons of 

Siloam. The program takes 4 or 5 people on 

for a year of basic carpentry and cabinet-making 

skills, and they produce retail (i.e., birdhouses, 

picnic tables, planters) and 

commercial pieces (i.e., cubicles). As of February 

1, you will be able to purchase items on 

weekdays between 8:00 and 4:30 at their 

storefront on 288 Princess. Fortunately for us, 

Andrew was on hand to receive the more than 

20 bags of clothing donated, in part, by our 

members and dropped off in mid-December. 

Community Clothing Drive 

HUGE thanks to everyone who donated to the 

abundant array of winter clothing and attire for 

the Siloam Mission. The Drive was held in conjunction 

with the Friends of the Peak Performers 

Toastmasters Club, and combined, we 

collected more than 20 bags of items, ranging 

from coats and all manner of winter outerwear, 

to jumpers, shirts and pants for men and 

women. As well, there were several bags of 

children’s clothing, and assorted odds and 

ends (playing cards, towels, bedcovers). Bags 

were either delivered directly to Siloam by 

donors, or dropped off on Monday December 

14 – perfect timing, given the season. 

extra). This is always a great night to reflect 

on our homelands and to swap stories with 

friends and compatriots. Make the most of 

this opportunity and it will be a night to 

remember. 

Other events to look forward to this 

spring are bowling in mid-March and the 

ANZAC Day service in April. More social 

activities are being planned for the remainder 

of the year and we will be sure to let you 

know in plenty of time to mark your calendars. 

The Billabong is now bigger and better than ever! With 

twice the space and twice the seating, a fantastic new menu 

by chef Andy Arjoon, and a big screen for cricket and rugby, 

it’s THE place for Aussie fare and all that ales ya! 

Fair dinkum, mate — 

it’s a real beauty! 

Pop into D-121 Osborne 

or call 452-1019 

for reservations. 

Open from 11:30 a.m. 

to 2:00 a.m. daily. 

Response from Siloam: 

Dear friends, we are writing to express our 

deepest thanks for your recent donation to 

Siloam Mission. Generous gifts from donors like 

you provide the support needed to continue our 

donation. We at Siloam Mission are continually 

inspired by the dedication and hearts of donors 

and supporters like you who answer the call to 

give. Blessings, Siloam Mission Staff and 

Volunteers 

Get Australia Day off to 

a delicious start with a few 

of our Kangaroo Tacos! 

January 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 

source: Sydney Morning Herald, unless noted. 

Smiling, now that 

it’s over ... Ben 

Southall’s idyllic 

posting became 

more hectic than he 

could have imagined. 

Photo: Tourism 

Queensland. 

Drowning in paradise 

[Jan 4, 2010] The job billed as the best in the 

world – “working” as the resident caretaker of 

an idyllic Great Barrier Reef island – became 

a gruelling seven-day-a-week grind of promotional 

events and official gladhanding. Ben 

Southall, who prompted jealousy globally 

when he won the “Best Job in the World” contest 

last year and moved to Hamilton Island 

from Britain, said he worked 19-hour days 

throughout his stay on the island. But the end 

of his posting has come none too soon, particularly 

after he was stung by a potentially 

deadly irukandji jellyfish last month. 

Scurry 

monsters 

[Jan 8, 2010] An 

infestation of 

funnel-web spiders 

has taken 

hold of Sydney 

over the summer 

holidays. Rex 

Gilroy, who runs 

Katoomba Rotary Club’s dangerous spiders 

hotline, thinks a long dry period followed by 

heavy rain and high humidity over the 

Christmas break has prompted the critters’ 

march on the suburbs. While some blame 

climate change, others point to earlier-thanusual 

rain, which has made Sydney homes, 

backyards and sheds the ideal refuge. And 

the upside? Production of antivenom is up. 

NB: There have been no deaths in Australia 

from funnel-web spider bites since the 

antivenom was introduced in 1980. 

Wonky bananas shelved 

[Jan 7, 2010, Australian Food News, courtesy 

Charlie Powell] Every year millions of edible 

Queensland bananas become fertiliser 

6 pm: pick up, feed, bathe kids 

10 pm: write report, do laundry 

11:55 pm: plan financial future 

You have dreams and ambitions, but where do you 

find the time to plan for them? A financial advisor 

can work with you to clarify your goals and find the 

mutual funds that will help you reach them. 

because they are either too straight, too 

small or discoloured, and they don’t meet 

retail standards. However, Queensland Primary 

Industries and Fisheries is working 

with CSIRO to find ways of using these 

“reject” bananas for innovative, processed 

products. “It’s a very exciting project that we 

expect will provide a pathway for growers, 

food processing and food service industries 

to deliver some interesting new commercial 

products while minimising waste.” 

It’s a miracle! 

[Jan 12, 2010] The 66-year-old mother of five 

and grandmother of 20, who identified herself 

as the recipient of the second miracle 

bestowed through the intercession of Mary 

MacKillop, has no idea why she was “chosen” 

to be cured of cancer. She only knows 

that 17 years after a carcinoma was found on 

her right lung, followed by secondary 

growths in her glands and brain, she is free 

of cancer. Diagnosed in 1993, she received 

no medical treatment because they said 

there was little point. But after praying to 

Mary MacKillop — soon to be declared Australia’s 

first saint — she completely recovered, 

with absolutely no sign of the cancer. 

Call me today for more information. 

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values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Investors will pay management fees and expenses, 

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Up close and frightening ... 

a female funnel-web at the 

Australian Reptile Park. 

Photo: Jon Reid. 

Lynley Davidson, FMA 

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4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca January 2010

newszealand 

source: NZ Herald, unless otherwise noted 

Peter Jackson. 

Photo: Simon 

Alekna. 

Return of 

the Queen 

[Dec 31, 2009] The return to New Year’s honours 

in New Zealand will raise some eyebrows, 

with the former prime minister Helen 

Clark, who axed British honours while in 

office, and the Hollywood filmmaker Peter 

Jackson topping the list. In all, 193 people 

have received honours, covering fields as 

diverse as music, speedway, education and 

horticultural science. According to Jackson, 

his knighthood reflected the country’s “film 

pioneers” who blazed the trail for the burgeoning 

film industry, and was also a tribute 

to his parents. Nice one, Peter! 

Four generations of the Gordon and Campbell 

families enjoy their picnic at Anzac Bay. Photo: 

Sarah Ivey. 

100 years of family picnics 

[Jan 4, 2010] Every January 2nd, at a small 

bay near Waihi Beach, members of the Gordon 

and Campbell families get together for 

what could be one of the longest-running 

family traditions in New Zealand. Dozens of 

members meet at Anzac Bay near Bowentown 

in the Bay of Plenty, to rekindle their 

ties, have a natter, or to bask in the glorious 

weather. It all started when Thomas and 

Margaret Gordon made the long horse and 

carriage trek from Waitekauri to the beach 

for their summer holiday with other members 

of what was then a large mining community. 

Relatives now come from 

“... Auckland, Wellington and Tauranga, and 

some from as far away as America.” 

Hokey pokey is top choice for a quarter of all 

Kiwis, including Yasmin Robertson. Photo: Richard 

Robinson. 

Hokey pokey is still cool 

[Jan 9, 2010] Long-time Kiwi icecream 

favourite hokey pokey has trumped the fancier 

options as the flavour we most like to lick. 

Respondents in a recent survey choose from 

chocolate, hokey pokey, boysenberry, cookies 

and cream, goody goody gum drops, vanilla, 

and any other flavour they wanted to specify. 

Young women preferred cookies and cream, 

while young men preferred chocolate. Hokey 

pokey was a winner for older men and 

women. According to 7-year-old Meredith 

Jackson of Whangarei, “It’s a good icecream 

because you get free lollies in it as well.” 

Michelle and Murray Smith are nearly $650,000 

short of the sum they hope to raise on their $1 

million Lake Karapiro home. Photo: Dean Purcell. 

Kiwi Installations 

Pastor’s gamble hits snag 

[Jan 9, 2010] A kind-hearted pastor and his 

family who have donated their house to raise 

$1 million for their church and a new community 

centre are, with just three weeks left 

until January 31, almost $650,000 short of 

their target. According to Murray Smith, a 

minister at the Bridges Church in Cambridge 

for five years, “There’s no question about it, 

we need some miracles to happen.” Still, 

plans for the community centre were almost 

complete and earthworks would start next 

month. Currently living in a rental home in 

Cambridge, Smith, his wife Michelle and 

their six children were relaxed about where 

they would live ... “just somewhere where we 

can settle down a bit.” 

What’s on your plate? 

[Dec 24, 2009, www.nzfsa.govt.nz, courtesy 

of Charlie Powell] “There’s a peacock in my 

back yard. Can I eat it for Christmas dinner?” 

Just one of the quirky enquiries to the New 

Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA)’s 

free consumer helpline over the past year. 

And the answer? “We don’t regulate traditional 

Kiwi activities, like hunting, so there 

are no food safety rules around killing and 

eating wild food. But, your catch can still 

make you sick if it is unhealthy, contaminated 

or not handled hygienically, so we’ve published 

food safety tips for recreational 

hunters and seafood gatherers.” 

Anthems swap? 

[Jan 11, 2010] Queensland 

state school students 

could soon be 

singing the New Zealand national anthem to 

commemorate Anzac Day. “This would be a 

fitting tribute and suitable recognition of the 

members of the New Zealand armed forces 

who have served alongside the men and 

women of our Australian armed forces during 

wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations.” 

A spokesman for the New Zealand 

consulate office in Brisbane said the “wonderful 

gesture” would likely not be reciprocated 

by New Zealand schools. 

Moko thrilled onlookers daily. Photo: Alan Gibson. 

Playful Moko heads north 

[Jan 11, 2010] Moko the dolphin may be looking 

for a new home and there is a chance 

beach-goers will never see him again. The 

large bottlenose, who has attracted crowds 

in the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne while frolicking 

close to shore, is believed to have 

swum north to the Bay of Plenty. “Some people 

are pleased he’s gone, but he’s been a 

huge attraction. He’s brought a lot of people 

into town. He just goes looking for the 

crowds. So he’s liable to turn up at Mt Maunganui.” 

Roll-up Security Shutters, 

decks, fences and more. 

Free in-home/cottage estimates. 

Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 


gettingtoknow… 

members of our club 

Lori Blande 

There was movement at the meeting 

when the word was passed around 

That Lucia Barron would 

soon be stepping down ... 

(with apologies to ‘Banjo’ Paterson) 

Yes, at our AGM in November, Lucia, 

who had taken care of our membership 

business for more years that we 

care to remember, was looking for a replacement. 

And who should step up to the plate, 

but one of our newest members, Lori Blande 

... with some prompting from ‘the 2 Cathys! 

Lori, who could best be described as an 

itinerate, was born in Winnipeg. Her father 

was in the RCAF, so they moved around a bit. 

In her early days, it was Rivers Camp, MB, 

then off to Camp Borden in Ontario, then on 

to four years in France and then back to Trenton, 

ON. 

Following high school there, she took 

college training as a medical technologist 

and worked in the health care system doing 

medical lab testing in hospitals and private 

laboratories before going to work for the 

Ontario Government. In 2003, she was 

offered an early retirement package, which 

sounded good to her and she ‘scampered’ 

back to Winnipeg. 

Lori had always held a desire to travel 

down under, and made her first trip in 1985. 

It was five weeks covering a lot of territory — 

Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, then a camping 

trip from Darwin (down through the Red 

Centre, Uluru, etc.) to Melbourne, and then 

back to Sydney. 

Approximately every two years, Lori visits 

the many friends she has acquired down 

south. Next year, she is planning a threemonth 

trip to New Zealand, Tasmania, and a 

car ride from Melbourne to Perth across the 

Nullarbor Plain. (Good luck with that one!) 

Though retired, Lori keeps busy. She is a 

part-time Watkins rep, a distributor for 

“Send Out Cards” (see her ad on p. 7), and 

works with Uniquely Manitoba, a program 

designed to help local artists and crafters 

market their products through a beautiful 

catalogue and on-line website. Just to round 

out her working life, Lori also works parttime 

for a mortgage broker. 

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We thank Lori for volunteering to serve 

on the Board, and wish her all the best in her 

new job. 

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6 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca January 2010 

�

commonwealth 

place by Murray Burt 

Women accomplish ski 

jaunt to South Pole 

The Commonwealth women did it. They 

completed their ski trip to the South 

Pole at 11 p.m. Antarctic Time on 

December 29. There were seven of them representing 

New Zealand, India, Singapore, 

Ghana, Brunei-Darussalam, Cyrus, and the 

United Kingdom. 

All were in very good spirits on arrival as 

they set up camp 50 feet from the Pole, got 

comfortable, and started cell-phoning home. 

Early in the expedition, Kim Marie Spence of 

Jamaica had to withdraw because of frostbite. 

Her choice was to continue and lose 

damaged fingers, or pull out to undergo 

urgent treatment to save them. 

Those in the party were Felicity Ashton 

of Great Britain, leading the team; Sophia 

Phang, Singapore; Stephanie Solomides, 

Cyprus; Kaylie Wakelin, New Zealand; Najiba 

(Era) Erada, Brunei; Barbara Yanney, 

Ghana; and Reena Kaushai Dharmshaktu, 

India. Their ages range from 29 to 36. 

It was the first time anyone from Brunei 

or Cyprus had flown those countries’ national 

flags at the South Pole. Thirty-eight days 

and 495 nautical miles skiing across one of 

the most hostile tracts on earth represents 

the ultimate in physical fortitude. 

The expedition, called the Kaspersky 

Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition, 

left base camp at Patriot Hills and started 

skiing the 900km to the South Pole on Sunday, 

November 22. Its purpose was to mark 

the 60th anniversary of the modern Commonwealth. 

Rudd, the new boy, top of the 

class at CHOGM 

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia 

summed it all up at a media briefing in Port of 

Spain: “This is not a business-as-usual Commonwealth 

Heads of Government Meeting.” 

That observation being true, CHOGM in 

Trinidad and Tobago in November packed in 

a lot of stimulating thinking and activity that 

holds hope for Commonwealth enthusiasts 

(like me) and blunts arguments that it is a 

world organization past its prime. The fact it 

attracted non-commonwealth leaders — UN 

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President 

Nicolas Sarkozy of France, Danish Prime 

Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen — is testimony 

to a world view of its clout. 

The visitors were pushing urgently for 

common-voice support of the Copenhagen 

climate change summit. From this came a 

Commonwealth Climate Change Declaration 

that brought everyone on side, most importantly 

Canada and India, for a fast-start $10billion-a-year 

fund, building from 2010 to 

$12 billion by 2012, to help overall climate 

change financing in the undeveloped world. 

It is to be scaled up after 2012. 

Rudd was one of the notable first time 

leaders present. Others included Prime Minister 

Manmohan Singh of India, President 

Jacob Zuma of South Africa, and Prime Minister 

Stephen Harper of Canada. Zuma 

admitted arriving in Port of Spain sceptical 

of the Commonwealth’s value but left 

singing its praises. Harper was less visible, 

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Commonwealth 

women en route 

to the South 

Pole. Photo: 

www.kaspersky 

commonwealth 

expedition.com 

despite Canada’s role as the No. 2 underwriter 

of the Commonwealth. 

By contrast, the Australian prime minister 

was just the kind of new mover and shaker 

that the Commonwealth needs. He was the 

star of a key meeting that he rescued from 

crisis by offering Australia as the host of the 

next CHOGM. That will be in Perth in 2011. 

Sri Lanka had put a marker down two years 

ago for 2011, but members were uneasy about 

acquiescing, given the post-civil war situation 

there. So after rough talking (“blood on 

the floor,” some said), Oz was chosen and Sri 

Lanka was accepted for 2013. Mauritius is 

lined up to host the 2015 meeting. 

A well-oiled optimism 

A survey of New Zealand oil and gas reserves 

by GNS Science says as much as 6.5 billion 

barrels of undiscovered oil and about 40 trillion 

cubic feet of natural gas sit in 10 areas 

off the coast, stretching from the Great South 

Basin to Cape Reinga. 

Needless to say, the Tory government is 

rolling out the welcome mat to foreign 

explorers to seek out this black gold potential, 

worth $67 billion based on current market 

prices. 

Energy and Resources Minister Gerry 

Brownlee said at Christmas that by 2025 

untapped oil and gas could be worth about 

$30 billion a year in export receipts. Tax 

income alone would amount to about $10 billion 

a year – enough to wipe out the cash 

deficit, he said. 

The oilfields dwarf anything previously 

discovered in NZ. The Maui and Tui fields, 

whose output in 2008 made oil the country’s 

third largest export earner, hold about 150 

million barrels. Most lucrative areas are in 

the Great South Basin, Deepwater Taranaki 

and Canterbury. 

An oops moment 

That headline reference last month to a more 

“gentile” Commonwealth, of course was supposed 

to mean one that is more “genteel.” My 

goof. Blushes and apologies. — MB 

Murray Burt is a retired newspaper editor who 

sees merit in a highly active and visible Commonwealth. 


emember 


Opportunity for Computer 

Enthusiasts 

The DUCW has a great opportunity for one of 

our teenage members — or anyone else — 

with strong website and computer skills who 

is interested in doing some work for a notfor-profit 

organisation. If you are looking for 

the chance to add some community service 

hours to your school or other commitments, 

contact Jenny at 228-9959 or info@downunderclub.mb.ca. 

Opportunity for Social Workers 

The University of Manitoba’s Inner City 

Social Work Program is now accepting applications 

for the 2010 school year for its fulltime 

and part-time ACCESS degree 

programs. If you are interested in working in 

the field of Social Work and need some educational 

supports in order to gain a university 

degree, this may be the program for you. 

Contact Maureen at 790-7201 or 

mfryza@cc.umanitoba.ca for more information 

and to discuss your eligibility. 

Twin futon 

for sale 

Need an extra bed in 

your house for 

friends and family? 

We have a twin 

folding futon – bed 

for sleeping, chair 

for relaxing – for sale for only $50. Includes 

wooden frame, futon and cover. All in 

excellent condition. Contact Jenny at 228- 

9959 for pickup! 

bottomfivesites 

send us your favourite web sites 

scifiwire.com/2009/11/losts-final-seasonwill-a.php 

— so you won’t stay “Lost” 

www.markgoyen.com/rajaampat2009 

— stunning underwater images 

blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/12 

/the_best_films_of_the_decade.html 

— is your pick here? 

watch.thecomedynetwork.ca 

— for a good laugh 

www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca 

— donate or adopt 

ourplace 

goings on at home 

Yes, but will she become a DUCW 

member? 

Meet Chinook! She joined our little family on December 

28. Chinook is a 2-year-old husky cross, and a very 

sweet dog. We’d been discussing for more than a year 

whether we were ready for a family pet. Rob wanted a 

dog, Southerly wanted a cat, and Peter wanted a lizard! I 

just wanted peace and quiet! 

Anyway, we took a field trip to the Winnipeg 

Humane Society (WHS), “Just for a look”... (famous last 

words...). We fell in love with Chinook, and she fell in 

love with us. She’s a perfect dog for a winter walk, gentle 

with the kids, even-tempered, and a big favourite of 

the staff at WHS. They were so happy to see her find a 

new home. 

I’m covered in fluffy white hairs (who knew huskies 

shed so much!) and couldn’t be happier. 

Chinook had a broken leg that wasn’t treated properly 

by her previous owners, but extensive surgery and 

hydrotherapy fixed her up before she was released for 

adoption. She’s still afraid to jump up or down on hard 

surfaces, so she and Rob are a great match — both with 

gimpy legs! 

She’s been a treat and a joy to walk, even in this 

hyper-cold weather. After reading that huskies are comfortable 

in temperatures down to -60C, we put that to 

the test with an hour-long walk. Chinook wasn’t fazed 

by the cold at all, but I, on the other hand, had my eyelashes 

frozen together. 

She’s a very well-mannered dog — the WHS did a 

great job matching us up with her. We’re amazed how 

well behaved she is, with just a few bad habits (begging 

at the table, not well socialized with other dogs, for 

example) that we’ll train out of her. 

All in all, it’s been an excellent experience adopting 

her. I highly recommend that if you are looking for a pet, 

check into the WHS first before going anywhere else. 

www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca 

Cheers! and Happy New Year! 

Jacqueline 

Ed’s note: Hopefully we will all get a chance to meet Chinook 

at the Dog Day Afternoon event scheduled for later 

this year! 

Board of Directors 

President: 

Terry Roberts 

Vice President: 

Peter Munn 

Secretary: 

Charlie Powell 

Media/Communications: 

Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 

Peter Debenham 

Social Coordinator: 

Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 

Past President: 

Lynley Davidson 

The Southern Yarn is compiled at: 

jennygates.com 

Phone: 1-204-228-9959 

editor@jennygates.com 

Layout and design: 

hydesmith communications 

design@hydesmith.com 

The electronic version of this newsletter 

typically contains extra pages of content 

(in colour!), and can be downloaded in PDF 

format from the website. Thank you to all of 

our contributors within the club, from 

overseas and information services. 

The Southern Yarn is published by the Down 

Under Club of Winnipeg, Inc. (DUCW). The 

views and opinions expressed by contributors 

to this publication are not endorsed by, nor do 

they necessarily reflect those of, the members 

of the DUCW. The DUCW and the Editor of 

The Southern Yarn do not accept any 

responsibility for the content or accuracy of 

information or websites contained in this 

publication. Articles may be republished with 

permission of the Editor. 

T H E D O W N U N D E R 

CLUB OF WINNIPEG INC. 

Station Main, PO Box 1655, 


1-204-832-4405 

info@downunderclub.mb.ca 

www.downunderclub.mb.ca 

8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca January 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

February 2010 


February 


2 0 1 0 


MARCH 

Saturday March 27, 7:00 pm 

Bingo Bowling 

Windsor Park Bowling Lanes 

678 Elizabeth Rd 

$13 per person, kids under 12 FREE. 

Includes shoe rental. 

RSVP before March 25 

237-1805 or 663-6549 

APRIL 


ANZAC Day 

RSVP 

All our events require an RSVP. Contact Margaret 

at social@downunderclub.mb.ca or 237-1805. 

Welcome New Members 

Ben, Gabrielle and Thomas Starkey 

Pamela Leach, Katherine Purnell and Paul Barko 





MB R3C 2Z6. 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



Australia Day and Waitangi Day... 

The Australia Day and Waitangi Day club celebrations 

were a real hit with a great turnout and another 

splendid potluck selection. The judging of 

desserts got a trifle fun and Thibaut Lauwers 

brought along his Olympic torch to show everyone.

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

Welcome to the 

abbreviated 

version of our monthly newsletter 

– a 4-page issue that includes the 2010 

Membership Roster for members only. 

The Roster allows you to easily contact 

others in the Club. It is a privilege of membership, 

so please keep it safe, don’t use it 

for non-Club purposes, don’t give copies to 

non-members, and take care when disposing 

of previous versions. 

Because of the reduced size, several 

regular contributions are missing this 

month – getting to know, Commonwealth 

corner, news from down under. They will 

return next month, and in the meantime, 

we hope you enjoy the photos from the Australia 

Day/Waitangi Day event (page 1), and 

some exciting news for 

members from The Billabong 

(page 3). 

Shepherds pie for tea, 

cherry pie for dessert! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 



Last weekend, the Australia 

Day/Waitangi Day evening 

was most enjoyable. Fiftyeight 

people attended this annual 

event, which celebrates our homelands’ 

special days. Welcome to all 

those new members and 

friends who attended and 

hopefully enjoyed themselves 

enough to come 

out to the bowling 

next month. 

A bit disappointing, 

entry wise, on 

the trifle bake off, 

but those who did 

enter trifles ... excellent 

work! When the meal was served, I was a 

little worried by the lack of potatoes. Those 

who know me best could see my apprehension, 

but at the last minute, my prayer was 

answered and some very nice potato salad 

appeared. All the dishes were excellent 

with very little left over. Compliments to all 

the chefs. 

Many people left with giveaways of 

president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

T–shirts, and the Club also sold 

T–shirts at very generous – you 

might even say giveaway – 

prices. It is my intention to 

have every club member, 

friend and family member 

in a Club T-shirt by year’s 

end. We will have more 

T–shirts for sale at the 

ANZAC day event in April, so 

bring your money with you! 

Now for Panda’s corner ... 

Terry’s been taking days off from work 

over the last couple of weeks and taking 

both Winston and me to the park. 

He says he doesn’t have much work, but I 

think he just wants to be with us. Though I 

also think he was getting tired of having us 

get ranged up in the house and bugging him 

all the time. Anyway, we finally won, as 

usual, and got to run and play and chase 

other dogs at the park. It’s so much fun running 

in the deep snow; I know Terry does 

that to tire us out, and it works … mostly. 

After an hour or so at the park, it’s time to 

nap away the rest of the day. It’s hard running 

through snow up to your armpits, chasing 

Winston, who I might add, has longer 

legs than me. Back home, Terry is painting 

the living room – a big problem for me 

because I can’t stand and look out the front 

window. Something to do with dog hair in 

the paint. Personally, I don’t see what all the 

fuss is about – it adds texture. Mind you, ‘Allspice’ 

does not go with my white coat. Nope, 

dogs and paint do not go together. 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca February 2010

socialite 



Australia Day and Waitangi 

Day Celebration 

The new year started out with record numbers 

– 58 attended the Australia Day/Waitangi 

Day trifle bake off. It was good to see so 

many new and young members out. Even 

though there were only 4 entries in the bake 

off, there was plenty for all to sample. 1st 

prize went to Les Fitt, tied 2nd to Eliza and 

Tannis Hydesmith and Margaret Munn, and 

3rd to Gillian Brodal … who will hopefully 

become a new member in the near future. 

During the night, the “DUCW shop” was 

open, and many different designs of T-shirts 

were sold to whoever wanted them. It seems 

a shame to keep them cooped up in the storage 

space, so Terry decided to spread the joy 

and lugged a few boxes out to provide plenty 

of choice for everyone. 

After dinner, anthems were sung, Two- 

Up was played, and the “Australia Sudoku” 

puzzle was won by Caroline Scowcroft, who 

flew back to Oz the next day, with her prize. 

Yep, you guessed it … a DUCW T-shirt! 

Thank you to our judges, Gordon Keatch, 

Bill Pooley, Lori Blande and Cathy Zitzelsberger, 

for taking their jobs so seriously. 

Thank you, too, to those who brought all the 

delicious potluck dishes, and a special thank 

you to Margaret’s helpers in the kitchen. 

FOUND: 

A blue plastic salad bowl was left after the pot 

luck. Contact Margaret at 237-1805. 



Bingo Bowling 

Windsor Park Bowling Lanes, 678 Elizabeth Rd 

$13 per person, kids under 12 FREE. Includes 

shoe rental. 

We are looking forward to a fabulously fun 

evening of 5-pin bowling and maximum 

camaraderie. Bring your family, friends, 

neighbours and colleagues, and help make 

this a night to remember. This is always a 

great event, and if you haven’t been before, 

now is the time to try it out. It’s fun for everyone, 

with snacks provided, a minimum of 2 

door prizes, prizes for the winning teams, 

and a 50-50 draw. We have the entire 10 

lanes to ourselves, BUT it is ESSENTIAL that 

you RSVP before March 25 to either Margaret 

– 237-1805 – or Terry – 663-6549 (after 

March 8). Everyone plays 4 games, with the 

possibility of free games after the bingo 

bowling part is over. Come on out and be 

part of the fun! 


ANZAC Day 

Plan ahead and mark your calendar to attend 

this year’s ANZAC Day service. More details 

will follow in next month’s Yarn, but in the 

meantime, see the note on the next page 

about remembering those near and dear to 

your heart. 

The Billabong welcomes members of the DUCW to enjoy 

their delicious Lounge menu and receive a 15% discount on 

Wednesdays between 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm. You will need 

to present your DUCW Membership Card, and seating is only 

available in the Lounge area. 

Go on ... Make us your 

new watering hole! 


or call 452-1019 




Wednesday nights are now 

Down Under Club nights! 

Taxes are certain. 

The amount doesn’t have to be. 

RRSPs can cut your tax bill while you save for retirement. 

Fidelity offers a large selection of mutual fund products 

and services to build your RRSP and help ensure a more 

secure financial future. 






Phone: (204) 275-7631 

Read a fund’s prospectus and consult your investment professional before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed; their values change frequently 

and past performance may not be repeated. Investors will pay management fees and expenses, may pay commissions or trailing commissions and 

may experience a gain or loss. ©2010 FMR LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part by any means without the prior written consent of 

Fidelity Investments is forbidden. 



February 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

Remembering those we love ... 

Last year, several people remembered family 

and friends during the ANZAC service. It 

was a welcome addition to the program and 

we would like to do it again this year. Send 

us the names of those you would like us to 

publicly remember for their sacrifice during 

the many conflicts that have engulfed our 

world, past and present. We will dedicate our 

ANZAC Day event to them in April and read 

their names as part of the service. 

Fast Touch Footy! 

Calling all footy 

fans! Interested in getting 

together with 

some mates for a good 

time? Want to join a 

team, have fun, and enjoy a 

workout, too? Then come out and join or get 

a team together for Touch Footy League! 

Let’s show Winnipeg why Fast Touch is 

such a popular sport down under. Fast touch 

is just as fun, if not better than Ultimate Frisbee 

or Dodgeball leagues out there! All we 

need is you and your mates, some volunteers 

for coaches and refs, and a good attitude. 

All those interested please call Alison at 

293-0203. 

Aussies, Kiwis, Canucks! Oi! Oi! Oi! 

Send a card on your time - any time of the day or night for less than $1.60 to 

North America or Australia. Don’t miss an opportunity to say “Hi” or “I am 

thinking of you”; take time to say “Thank you” to a family member, friend, client, 





Send a FREE card: www.sendoutcards.com/40160 

CALL NOW 

Great travel bargains to great 

destinations for individual 

travellers & group tours. 

Ca l for 

bargains! 

L.A. to New Zealand RETURN USD $638! 


Canada to Sydney WITH 3 FREE STOPS RETURN CAD $1199! 

Executive Class Canada to Sydney AT 55% OFF! 

More than 

�� 

40 years’ 

�� 

South Pacific 

�� 

experience 

�� 

� 

�� 

�� 

�� 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ 

February 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

March 2010 


March 


2 0 1 0 


MARCH 


Bingo Bowling 

Windsor Park Bowling Lanes 

678 Elizabeth Rd 

RSVP before March 25 

663-6549 or 237-1805 

APRIL 

Saturday April 24, 5:00 pm 

ANZAC Day 

Scandinavian Cultural Centre 

764 Erin St. 

RSVP 


Margaret at social@downunderclub.mb.ca or 

237-1805. 

Disaster Relief in Oz 

As you are probably aware, parts of 

Queensland have been declared a ‘disaster 

area’ as a result of the worst flooding on 

record. The Queensland Government’s 

Disaster Relief Appeal provides information 

and the opportunity to make a donation: 

www.qld.gov.au/announcements 

Darren Price, Downunder Social Club Calgary 





MB R3C 2Z6. 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



Well, Bowl Me Over! 

As a 10-pin afficionado of many years, 

it definitely took some convincing to 

get me to even try the 5-pin version. 

Never having heard of it in Oz, turns out it’s 

only played in Canada, and clearly a popular 

pursuit here in Winnipeg. My first attempt 

was at a DUCW bowling event, and thanks to 

Terry Robert’s passion for the sport, we are 

once again invited to try our hand at one of 

the most fast-paced and fun activities on our 

calendar. 

In 5-pin, there are (obviously) only five 

pins to knock down, they have rubber rings 

that make them move farther when struck, 

and the ball is smaller, lighter and easily 

held in one hand. The game was devised by 

Thomas F. Ryan in Toronto, Ontario, at his 

Toronto Bowling Club, in response to customers 

who complained that the 10-pin 

game was too strenuous. Five-pin bowling is 

more than 100 years old, and in 2007, it was 

ranked #4 on CBC’s list of Canada’s 50 greatest 

inventions. 

This year, we have all lanes booked at 

Windsor Park Lanes, which means there is 

plenty of room for everyone to come out and 

have a go. This is one game where “the more 

the merrier” truly sums up the kind of 

evening you will have. We do need you to 

RSVP to MARGARET ASAP, so give her a call 

— 237-1805 — or send her an email — 

social@downunderclub.mb.ca — today. 

See all the details on page 3 of this issue! 

5-Pin Fun Facts ... 

In the 1930s, Sir Flinders Petrie (a professor 

of Egyptology at the University of London) 

found a complete set of pins and balls in a 

large tomb in Egypt. The objects were dated 

back to about 5200 BC and are said to be the 

origins of bowling. 

In 1366, King Edward III allegedly outlawed 

bowling because he wanted to keep 

his troops focused on archery instead. 

Apparently the men kept the spirit alive by 

calling kills and hits strikes and spares. 

Giving Back 

I recently met with Sandy Hopkins, the Chief 

Executive Officer of HABITAT FOR HUMANITY. 

He was giving a presentation at our Toastmasters 

club, and it occurred to me that volunteering 

to help build a home for a family in 

our community might be a fun and worthwhile 

thing for the DUCW to do. Lots of our members 

have great skills – construction, electrical, 

tiling, painting, drywalling, blinds, and a 

variety of other talents — and it would be a 

wonderful opportunity for all of us to get 

involved. Perhaps in the summer when we are 

looking for something to do. Contact me 

(228-9959, info@downunderclub.mb.ca) if you 

are interested in helping to make it happen 

and/or signing on for an honest day’s work. 

Jenny

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

Phew! As I write 

this, rain in falling down under. Oz 

has had a lot of rain of late; so much 

rain, there are high hopes that the horror 

13-year drought might be on its way out. 

Certainly, many farmers’ livelihoods have 

been spared for another year or more as 

water makes its way deep underground and 

into dams and reservoirs just in the nick of 

time. 

Also as I write this, the snow is melting 

here and we are dog sitting two little muppets 

from down the street. Slush and puppy 

paws. Get the picture? If you want to know 

how they enjoyed their visit with us, check 

out their blog — tikabrown.blogspot.com. 

As for the Yarn this month, we are back 

to our usual 8page 

format. 

Which means 

lots of updates 

from Club 

members (pp. 

3 and 8) and 

two pages of 

news from 

down under 

(pp. 4-5). Gordon 

is back 

with Norm and 

Debbie Griffiths 

(p. 6), 

and Murray is 

back with 

Commonwealth 

Corner 

(p. 7) — sent all the way from New Zealand 

where he is on holidays. Also, there is some 

Canuck humour and, for those of you who 

are blessed with a computer, some great 

websites to visit (p. 8). 

Because the bowling is going to be a 

great event this month, we thought featuring 

it on the front page would inspire those 

of you who have been thinking about giving 

it a go to contact Margaret or Terry and 

come on out (pp. 1 and 3). 

And remember to take advantage of our 

new partnership with The Billabong (p. 3). 

See you ALL at the bowling! 

Hi everyone, I just returned Sunday from 

down home (Auckland) where I spent two 

weeks visiting my mother. The weather was 

very nice except for one day of rain. 

I was told I had to keep it short 

because the editor and the designer 

didn’t leave me enough space to 

write much, so Panda will be back 

next issue. 

We had a board meeting this 

evening, and to keep you up-to-date, we 

went over the calendar for this year, firming 

up some of the event dates. The bowling is 

on the 27th of this month, so come on out 

and enjoy some Glow Bowling with lots of 

prizes and fun for everyone, young and old. 

Next month is ANZAC Day, one of our 

very special events of the year. A time to 

remember what our grandparents and 

great-grandparents did for us and our children. 

Anyone with a special memory is 

Out of ideas for dinner? 

Molly’s pies are fresh 

and ready to bake! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

asked to let us know 

about it and share it with 

others. 

Another event of interest 

to us dog lovers is the Dog Day 

Afternoon in July. Come on out and meet 

Panda and Winston and all the other members 

of the Club with four legs. 

Our finances are in good shape and it 

looks like we are on track to spend about 

the same as last year on events, etc. 

Our memberships are steady and we 

have been happy to welcome some new 

members over the last couple of months. 

So that’s it. Short, sweet and to the 

point. See you at the bowling. 

Extended Mardi Gras 

[Mar 6, 2010] An oops has “create[d] a highoctane 

week to bridge our two infamous 

events”, with the staging of the 2010 Mardi 

Gras parade and associated party now being 

held on subsequent weekends. And organisers 

are considering making the split a permanent 

fixture on the calendar. The stretched-out celebrations 

have encouraged many overseas and 

interstate visitors to stay longer. With two 

major events to attend, and several additional 

opportunities for fun and festivity, the associated 

spending increase is estimated to be as 

much as $5 million, adding to the $30 million 

the Mardi Gras is already expected to bring to 

the state’s economy. Ooh la la! 

Press conference for this year’s Mardi 

Gras. Photo: PetezImagez.com. 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca March 2010

socialite 


What’s coming up 


Bingo Bowling 

Windsor Park Bowling Lanes, 678 Elizabeth Rd 

$13 per person, kids under 12 FREE. Includes 

shoe rental. 

We are looking forward to a fabulously fun 

evening of 5-pin bowling and maximum 

camaraderie. Bring your family, friends, 

neighbours and colleagues, and help make 

this a night to remember. This is always a 

great event, and if you haven’t been before, 

now is the time to try it out. It’s fun for everyone, 

with snacks provided, a minimum of 2 

door prizes, prizes for the winning teams, 

and a 50-50 draw. We have the entire 10 

lanes to ourselves, BUT it is ESSENTIAL that 

you RSVP before March 25 to either Margaret 

– 237-1805 – or Terry – 663-6549. 

Everyone plays 4 games, with the possibility 

of free games after the bingo bowling part is 

over. Come on out and be part of the fun! 


ANZAC Day 

Plan ahead and mark your calendar to attend 

this year’s ANZAC Day service. More details 

will follow in next month’s Yarn, but in the 

meantime, see the note below about remembering 

those near and dear to your heart. 





we would like to do it again this year. Send 

us the names of those you would like us to 

publicly remember for their sacrifice during 

the many conflicts that have engulfed our 

world, past and present. We will dedicate our 

ANZAC Day event to them in April and read 

their names as part of the service. 

Fast Touch Footy! 

Calling all footy fans! Interested in getting 

together with some mates for a good time? 

Want to join a team, have fun, and enjoy a 

workout, too? Then come out and join or get 

a team together for Touch Footy League! 

Let’s show Winnipeg why Fast Touch is 

such a popular sport down under. Fast touch 

is just as fun, if not better than Ultimate Frisbee 

or Dodgeball leagues out there! All we 

need is you and your mates, some volunteers 

for coaches and refs, and a good attitude. 

The first Touch Footy 

Meet Up is on 

Wed. April 7 

8:00 pm, 

175 Winston Road in 

St. James Assiniboine School. 

Everyone Welcome! All those interested 

please call Alison at 293-0203. 

Aussies, Kiwis, Canucks! Oi! Oi! Oi! 

gotya! 

photos from club members 

C’est bon, mate! 

DUCW member Charlie Powell was seen sporting 

some downunder clobber at Festival du Voyageur. 

Photo: Brian Hydesmith. 

Now open for Brunch 

Saturday and Sunday, 

10:00 am to 2:00 pm 

Have fun, 

Angie! 

Some of you might 

remember Angie 

Moynes and 

friends from the 

Vegemite line-up 

at the 2000 Folklorama. 

Angie (“M”), Rochelle Trenholm 

(“T”) and Angela Hancock (“E” at the end) 

were happy little Vegemites, and word has it 

that Angie was caught by her mum, Sandy, 

blindfolding her Canadian friends and “poisoning” 

them with Vegemite! On ya, mate! 

Anyway, Angie, now 19, is off for a year on 

her first trip to Australia. A dual citizen, she 

will be staying with relatives in Sydney, particularly 

Marrickville and Miranda. As you 

can tell, Angie (on the right at the Osborne 

Street festival) has changed somewhat and, 

in Sandy’s words, “Hope Australia’s ready for 

her.” 

Join us for our terrific brunch menu, starring the Kangaroo 

Benedict. And remember that Wednesday nights are Down 

Under Club nights. Present your DUCW membership card to 

receive 15% off our Lounge 

menu between 6:00 pm 

and 11:00 pm. 


or call 452-1019 




If you’d like to share a photo of a club member, 

one sent from family down under one 

you’ve taken lately, send it to us and we’ll try 

to fit it into the next issue. 

March 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 


Juicy … kangaroo wrapped in prosciutto. Photo: 

Quentin Jones. 

Kangatarians 

jump the 

divide 

[Feb 9, 2010] 

There’s a new 

semi-vegetarian 

wave emerging in 

Australia — people 

who exclude all 

meat except kangaroo 

on environmental, 

ecological and humanitarian 

grounds. They call themselves kangatarians 

and are slowly growing in numbers. The low 

level of greenhouse gas emissions produced 

by kangaroos, and the fact they require no 

additional feed, water or land cleared for 

them, make them an obvious choice for the 

ecologically conscious. Many environmentally 

aware Australians are turning to kangaroo 

meat because it is the ultimate in 

free-range, organic meat. 

Victoria the place to be 

[Feb 20, 2010, The Age, courtesy Ken Coad] 

Kiwis migrating to Oz apparently prefer 

Queensland, while the British and South 

African settlers tend to get off at the first 

stop — Western Australia. Chinese, Filipinos, 

Koreans and Iraqis flock to Sydney and 

NSW, but for Indians, Malaysians and Sri 

Lankans, Victoria is the state of choice 

(2008-09). In case you were wondering ... 

Ponaryo Astaman can’t find a way through the 

Australian defence. Photo: Getty Images. 

Mission accomplished! 

[Mar 4, 2010] Australia have qualified for the 

2011 Asian Cup after squeezing out a victory 

against Indonesia in Brisbane last night that 

was far more comfortable than the scoreline 

suggested. The Socceroos peppered the 

Indonesian goal throughout the second half 

but a combination of wasteful finishing from 

Josh Kennedy, acrobatics from keeper 

Markus Rihihina, and over-exuberance with 

the final ball kept the scoreline respectable. 

The win was the perfect tonic at the end of a 

difficult qualifying campaign, and Australia 

is now headed for Qatar next January. 

Grub’s up ... Mr Abbott 

enjoys a witchetty grub. 

Photo: Andrew Meares. 

Up Fossil Creek 

without a clue 

[Mar 4, 2010] Opposition 

leader Tony Abbott demonstrated his 

suitability for either “Survivor” or “Last 

Comic Standing” after maintaining humour 

and calm leadership when lost with several 

companions searching for Aboriginal sacred 

sites southwest of Alice Springs. The group 

was besieged by a series of comic errors that 

led to the “Burke and Wills” moment — clad 

only in trousers and T-shirts with the chilly 

desert night drawing near: “It makes you 

realise how easy it is to get lost. And how illequipped 

we are. We have this sat-phone, 

but between two senior politicians and three 

journalists, none of us knows how to make it 

work.” The final verdict? “We were one jerry 

can of fuel, six bottles of water and about 

three hours of daylight short of what we 

needed,” declared Abbott while dining on an 

after-the-fact late-night feast of scotch fillet 

and camel sausages. 

“A compelling portrait” … 

Scott Bycroft’s winning 

work, Zareth. Photo: Glen 

Mccurtayne. 

Portrait of power 

[Mar 5, 2010] Inner 

strength has won over 

celebrity in this year’s 

National Photographic Portrait Prize, with a 

teacher’s photo of a former student beating 

portraits of other well-known photographers. 

Art teacher Scott Bycroft was shocked 

yesterday after a shot he stumbled across at 

a swimming carnival won the $25,000 prize. 

In the photo, Aboriginal teenager Zareth 

Long leans on a post, shirtless and with 

wavy locks falling across his face. Judges 

praised the black-and-white image for its 

intimacy and strength: “Every detail is so 

clear and finely realised, creating an 

unquestionably compelling portrait.” 

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4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca March 2010

newszealand 


John Key’s doodle, 

complete with 

copyright symbol 

and signature. 

Photo: NZ Herald. 

Let’s have the silver fern, PM 

says 

[Feb 9, 2010] PM John Key’s on-camera silver 

fern flag doodle has won support from two 

prominent supporters of a redesign. After 

saying the silver fern would look magnificent 

on a flagpole, Key’s quick sketch won 

wide support: “Notwithstanding that I have 

said that I would keep the New Zealand flag 

[as it is] just simply because there are probably 

bigger issues to sort of deal with, my 

personal view is if you had an alternative ... I 

would go with [the silver fern].” For other NZ 

flag designs, go to: http://bit.ly/NZflag2010. 

From Rotoroa Island looking past Pakihi Island to 

Coromandel in the distance. Photo: 

farm1.static.flickr.com. 

Couple give island to Auckland 

[Feb 20, 2010] A Hauraki Gulf island used as 

an alcohol and drug rehabilitation centre for 

100 years is being gifted to Auckland by a 

couple who made a fortune selling towel 

supplies. Philanthropists Neal and Annette 

Plowman have funded a 99-year lease of 

Rotoroa Island from the Salvation Army and 

formed a trust to create a conservation park 

and restore historical features including a 

chapel, jail and school house. When the park 

opens next February, it will be the first time 

in 100 years that the public have been 

allowed on the 82ha island, east of Waiheke 

Island. 

NZ bowler Daryl 

Tuffey celebrates 

after bowling Australian 

batsman 

Cameron White. 

Photo: Mark 

Mitchell. 

1 - 0 Black Caps 

[Mar 3, 2010] Scott Styris went from 12th 

man to national hero as his cool-headed 

knock steered New Zealand to a thrilling 

two-wicket win over Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee 

Trophy cricket opener in Napier 

tonight. It was New Zealand’s fifth consecutive 

one-day international win over Australia 

on home soil and gave them a flying start in 

their bid to wrest back the trophy in the fivematch 

series. 

Ed: Hey, speaking of cricket, does anyone get 

the Cricket channel on Cable? Is it worth getting? 

Captive experience 

ruins a much anticipated 

holiday. Photo: 

Richard Robinson. 

Whatcha call me?! 

[Mar 3, 2010] Next time you head to Australia, 

remember to take your manners! Such 

was the lesson for a Kiwi visiting Oz who 

ended up in Brisbane jail after ‘insulting’ a 

Queensland policeman. Separated from his 

brother and seeking the best route home, 

Paul O’Reilly, 24, approached a police sergeant 

for help. He was told to “go north,” and 

responded with “You’re the most useless 

police in the world.” After a night in the slammer, 

the magistrate delivered a stern admonishment 

and effectively threw the case. 

Ed: Hey Peter D., are Qld cops always so sensitive? 

Nothing like cycling in the 

buff. Photo: drymaxsports. 

blogspot.com. 


The things you 

learn while 

researching for the Yarn 

[Mar 2, 2010] That the cyclist was charged 

with offensive behaviour after cycling nude 

down a quiet rural lane in Upper Hutt was 

not what caught my eye, so to speak. Nor was 

the High Court judge’s overturning of that 

conviction. No, the thing (no pun intended) 

that made me say, “Hey, I didn’t know that?!” 

was the revelation that there is apparently a 

World Naked Bike Ride Day (March down 

under, June in Canada www.worldnakedbike 

ride.org). Sure, it’s probably fun, albeit a bit 

tricky with gears and things, but who knew 

there was a global day for it? Perhaps something 

for the Social Coordinator to consider 

instead of bowling next year — nude, or otherwise. 

Bottled ghosts. Photo: 

trademe.co.nz 

Got money to 

lose? 

[Mar 4, 2010] Christchurch-based seller 

Melvin-S sold two vials that contained spirits 

exorcised from his house and bottled. The 

auction, held on NZ’s Trade Me site, incited 

hundreds of comments, with advice ranging 

from how to get rid of the spirits for good, to 

the ethics of selling someone else’s captured 

immortal essence. The two spirits — an “old 

man” believed to have lived in the house during 

the 1920s, and a powerful and disruptive 

“little girl”, who apparently turned up after 

the homeowners experimented with a ouija 

board — were kept sleeping through holy 

water in the vials with them. The winning 

bid? $5,000! All proceeds donated to the 

SPCA, minus the expenses incurred by the 

exorcist’s visit. Of course! 

Hop on this, mate. Photo: 

Yike Bike Urban Freedom. 

Yikes! It’s a bike! 

Good old New Zealand 

ingenuity brings something 

new to the proverbial table. Visit the 

Yike Bike website (www.yikebike.com) and 

watch the Discovery Channel video, which 

shows the versatility, practicality, feasability 

and usability of this nifty invention. As 

DUCW Laurie Morris put it, “I would like to 

test drive one for fun. Imagine having a couple 

of yikes in your trunk to zip around if you 

can’t find a parking spot, etc.” 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 




Norm and 

Debbie 

Griffiths 

Ifirst met Norm in the fall of 1967, shortly 

after he arrived in Winnipeg. He had met 

Mick Miller, one of the many Air Crew 

members who had trained here during the 

War, and was the first to return after hostilities 

ended. Mick is credited with starting 

and naming the Down Under Club. He told 

Norm to get in touch with me because I usually 

arranged a location (someone’s home) 

where every second Friday we would get 

together. So our St. James car pool picked up 

a shivering Norm outside the Winnipeg Art 

Gallery on Memorial Boulevard. I still 

remember the evening quite well. 

Norm was born in Redcliffe, Queensland, 

just north of Brisbane. He was raised on the 

family poultry and dairy farm at Samsonvale. 

He attended a one-room school (Gr. 1-8) and 

a short 8-month stint at Banyo High School. 

(Couldn’t find any of these places on my 

atlas!) 

He then started a five-year panel beater’s 

(body shop work) apprenticeship course in 

Brisbane and got his papers at age 21. Norm 

also served four years in the Army Reserves 

(engineers). For long weekends and holiday 

time, Norm would head to the outback in 

Queensland to hunt wild boar. In 1966, he 

headed north to the Cape York area for two 

months, trying to become the original ‘Crocodile 

Dundee’! Later that year, he sailed to 

England, via the Suez Canal, and stayed a 

year doing panel beating. During this time, 

he spent two months in Europe. 

The next September he flew to Montreal 

to take in Expo ‘67 and then moved on to 

Winnipeg. Why here? He had met some Winnipeggers 

on the boat trip to England and 

decided to visit them. And the rest, as we 

always say, is history. 

Norm worked here for 10 years at various 

body shops doing repairs. During this time, 

in 1975, he went back to Oz for a few months. 

The return trip to Winnipeg was by ship, via 

the Panama Canal. There was a stop in Auckland 

for a day, and during a city bus tour, he 

got chatting with Debbie Gupman from 

North Dakota, who had been teaching in 

Australia for two years. In 1976, they were 

married in Lemmon, South Dakota. 

Debbie is a graduate from the University 

of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science in 

Education with majors in library science and 

social science. Once she and Norm settled 

down in Winnipeg, she ran a daycare for a 

while and is now a Para-Professional at the 

River East Transcona School Division. She is 

also an accomplished cake decorator. 

Along the way, the family grew by four 

daughters and finally (?) a son. 

Norm changed vocations — for four years 

he was in the flooring business. In 1982, he 

went back to the auto industry, working as 

an estimator in heavy equipment at Manito- 

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ba Public Insurance, retiring in 2004. He 

then returned to Oz for five months, and 

spent a month in France where he has a 

friend. Not content to sit around, Norm was 

Parts Manager at a Heavy Truck Repair Shop 

for the next four years. 

Norm has helped out at most of our Folklorama 

Pavilions, generally assisting Lucia 

Barron looking after tour buses. The kids 

sang in our stage shows. 

The Griffiths boast six grandchildren 

now, though things have quietened down at 

home — only one of theirs is still in the nest. 

Gordon Keatch 

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�

commonwealth 


Snippets on a few weeks 

in the south 

CHRISTCHURCH, N.Z. – I am in the last 

weeks of a walkabout south of Capricorn and 

want to serve my prejudices by musing on a 

couple of things relevant to us as Aussies 

and Kiwis. 

First, relax. Everything we have always 

enjoyed as wonderful about our homelands 

still returns full value on the dollar – the climate, 

the people, the food, the weather, the 

capacity to live life to the fullest. No worries 

there. My thoughts here are directed at issues 

of national identity, and a thing or two outside 

our countries that are important to us. 

Next year, New Zealand’s parliament will 

consider a bill addressing the wisdom of 

becoming a republic. My feeling is it will be 

rejected, just as the noisy Australian effort 

was. But it invites the question: What is the 

motive and wisdom of wasting time on it? We 

have our independence, and, as in Canada 

and many of the 53 Commonwealth administrations, 

an effective if sometimes imperfect 

constitutional monarchy and a mature judicial 

system exist. 

Imperfections abound. But is it necessary 

to wade into a quagmire of dangerous 

decision-making to choose what kind of 

republic, what form of leadership, where 

power will be shifted to and vested? The 

issue in NZ also comes with the baggage of 

choosing a new name for the country. 

Aotearoa (the Maori name meaning Land of 

the Long White Cloud) is one option being 

pushed. There is a puerile suggestion this 

name would put us alphabetically at the top 

of any UN list, ahead of Australia. 

There’s pressure by some for a new flag 

(see http://bit.ly/NZflag2010), proponents 

saying the NZ and Oz versions are too similar. 

Some want a change in the method of 

electing parliamentary representation. The 

feeling is the last change to the MPP system, 

supplanting the old ‘first past-the-post’ 

arrangement, does not work well. Expectations 

the MPP system would widen the people’s 

“voice” apparently hasn’t worked out. 

Former prime minister Michael Moore, 

NZ’s new ambassador to Washington, wrote 

a paper last month calling such proposals 

something less than governance priorities. 

He doesn’t dismiss them entirely. They need 

to be “folded together in a process that goes 

beyond the passions and life of one temporary 

parliament; beyond economic and 

opportunistic political cycles.” He was also 

gently chiding of a tendency to forget our history. 

“No one came to NZ without a memory 

and we were all boat people at one time,” he 

said. The same may be said of Canadians. 

He calls for the assembly of a leadership 

council made up of political leaders augmented 

by the consensus appointment of an 

eminent persons group to canvass ideas and 

present them to a constitutional convention. 

High on his priorities is the settlement of 

injustices of the Maori land treaties of the 

19th and 20th centuries. Doing so by 2014, 

as some have proposed, would be a splendid 

gift to future generations, he said. 

He would also like to see on the agenda 

consideration of establishing a unique constitutional 

relationship with some Pacific 

Island nations. He didn’t mince words in 

addressing the current tendency to political 

opportunism, calling much of it a mockery of 

ad hockery and a product of adolescent 

anger. Much of Moore’s thinking is relevant 

to problems we are dwelling on in Canada. 

Ottawa are you listening? 

NZ’s Scott Base. 

Photo: Wikipedia 

NZ is setting green standards in 

Antarctica 

There seems to be more and more expressions 

of interest in the mineral wealth of 

Antarctica – uranium, basic and rare minerals 

and hydrocarbons. That’s got to be a 

world environment worry. The riches are 

there. Within less than an hour’s travel from 

NZ’s Scott Base, for example, you can see 

coal seam outcroppings in the frozen 

ground. 

Temptations for exploitation will come 

soon, to be sure, despite the 1959 peace and 

sciences deal negotiated under UN auspices 

as the Antarctic Treaty. Under it, supposedly, 

no nation owns any part of the giant frozen 

continent. 

But this hasn’t stopped more than 30 

countries setting up research stations there, 

among them Britain, the United States, 

Japan, Russia, Chile, Argentina, India, Norway, 

Pakistan and China. Australia has three 

bases there for its research. Stand by for the 

arrival soon of executive jets from industry. 

NZ’s tiny Scott Base was established in 

1957 on a wedge of territory the size of Sweden, 

claimed in the 1920s unoccupied and 

uninhabited. The claim was made at the 

behest of a Britain fearful that a European 

power’s footing there might pose a threat to 

its former colonies in the south Pacific. Australia, 

of course, was similarly engaged. 

Scott Base is built on the black rocks of a 

promontory called Pram Point. It is a cluster 

of green-painted huts, housing about 35 

staff, including, administrators, scientific 

researchers and trainers. 

The green thinking extends beyond the 

huts. The Kiwis pride themselves in maintaining 

pristine green environment standards. 

Ablutions limit showers to three 

minutes. And the major export is all human 

waste. 

Perhaps some of us soon will travel the 

16,650 kilometres from Canada to the South 

Pole to swell the 45,000 trippers in cruise 

liners, who make Antarctica a holiday destination 

each year. 

Murray Burt is a retired newspaperman 

and president of the Royal Commonwealth 

Society of Manitoba 

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Lori Send (204) a 488 FREE – 1336 card: Email: sendoutcards@mts.net 

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emember 


Daylight Saving Time 

Note the end of daylight saving down under, 

with clocks turned back one hour on the first 

Sunday in April. 

Canada New Zealand Business 

Association 

Kiwi business owners and entrepreneurs 

interested in being a member of the Canada 

New Zealand Business Association can 

email ibanz@xtra.co.nz or visit www.canada-nz.org.nz. 

Membership is free. 

Phew and yeah! 

Members Gerry Gordon and Shannon Mann 

are both recovering from recent and ongoing 

health challenges. Fingers crossed that 

things will continue in a positive direction 

from this point onward! 

Who could resist having one of these in their 

pond? Bunyip image: Wikipedia. 

Seen any bunyips lately? 

We’re actually working on putting together 

our first scratch-built building for our garden 

railway – a train station. Who knows, perhaps 

one of these days we'll have enough of 

a town together that it’ll look like a town 

instead of a few random buildings! 

To help us along, does anyone have or 

know where we could get a rubber or plastic 

bunyip to put in the lake in our garden railway? 

It needs to be fairly small – about 10-15 

cm tall – because the lake is only so big. I 

know our railway is modelled after central 

B.C. and not Australia, but, well, that hasn't 

stopped me wanting a bunyip in the lake! 

Contact Shannon Mann at 1-204-822- 

5939, or email billabong@mts.net 



Lisa, Peter and Kali with Peter’s first cousin Grace 

(right), who he had not seen in 42 yrs. 

The Gilberds in Tassie 

We are doing great now. As you know, it was 

a rough start with Dad passing away and us 

having to get out of his place quickly. He had 

a life lease and after he died, they gave us 

two weeks to get out. It is fun when you have 

no job, no credit, and no references from 

landlords and you have to find a house. 

However, we did find a landlord that 

would take the chance, probably because we 

offered an extra month’s rent on top of the 

damage deposit. It is not too shabby as a 

house goes (address is in the DUCW Roster 

and you can google it — cream place with the 

curtain out the window). 

THANK you for the card when Dad died. 

My Mum is doing okay, but the Parkinsons 

and dementia are taking their toll, and she 

has finally started to miss Dad. At least they 

made it to 66 years married! 

Lisa works in a vegetable processing 

plant, and I am starting a new job at an agricultural 

manufacturing company in Ulverstone. 

There’s not a lot of work here, but I keep 

trying for jobs in my trade as a fitter. Kali is 

back in her final year at Hellyer Academy, then 

onto uni to become an English teacher. 

We finally got some much needed rain 

two days ago. The weather has been great, 

nice temperatures, but that sun really packs 

a wallop. 

If anybody is coming this way, drop us an 

email; if we are able, we would love to get 

together. Say hi to everyone from us. 

Catch y’all! 

Peter, Lisa and Kali 

www.reliefweb.int — monitoring the reach of the 

humanitarian relief community 

mumbrella.com.au/australian-pork-bringsback-get-some-pork-on-your-fork-tagline- 

16279 — great ad! 

www.redlettermedia.com — for movie reviews 

like you’ve never heard them before [language 

warning] 

vrya.net/bdb/index.php — for Buffy & Angel fans 

www.makingyourlifebetter.ca – it shouldn’t hurt! 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ March 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

April 2010 


April 


2 0 1 0 


APRIL 


ANZAC Day 


Commemorative service starts at 5:00 pm, 

followed by potluck dinner — Club providing 

meat pies from Molly’s, members and guests 

asked to bring salads, veggie dishes and rice 

dishes. 

MAY 

Saturday May 29, 6:00 pm 

Movie Night 

Two great movies at Peter Debenham’s home 

JUNE 

Annual Golf Tournament 

Players of all abilities welcome 

JULY 

Beausejour Dairy Bar 

The best ice cream in Manitoba! 

AUGUST 

Dog Day Afternoon 

Doggie details to come 

River Boat Cruise 

Ah, relaxing on a Winnipeg cruise 

RSVP 


at social@downunderclub.mb.ca or give us a 

quick ring at 237-1805. 





MB R3C 2Z6. 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



ANZAC Day Commemorations 

Travel across Canada around April 25 

and you will more than likely find an 

ANZAC Day service to attend. 

Right here in Winnipeg, we will be holding 

our ANZAC Day service at the Scandinavian 

Cultural Centre on Saturday April 24, 

starting at 5:00 pm and followed by a 

potluck supper — members and guests to 

provide salad, veggies and accessories to 

complement the pies and dessert provided 

by the Club. (See page 3 for details.) 

But if you will be elsewhere in Canada, 

there are a few destinations to consider. 

Thanks to a detailed joint media release 

from the Australian and New Zealand High 

Commissions in Canada, we can confirm 

that ANZAC Day events will also be held in 

Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, St John’s, 

Edmonton and Halifax. 

The Ottawa service will be hosted by the 

Australian and New Zealand High Commissions, 

in partnership with the Canadian War 

Museum. The ceremony will follow the lines 

of a traditional remembrance service, and a 

traditional ‘gunfire breakfast’ will take place 

afterward in the Museum’s cafeteria. If you 

attend, you will be joined by officials, staff 

and representatives of both High Commissions, 

the Canadian and Provincial Government, 

the Canadian War Museum, current 

and retired military personnel, members of 

the diplomatic corps and dignitaries, and 

members of the public. 

That Ottawa ceremony will take place at 

the Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place. 

Pay parking will be available in the Museum’s 

underground car park. 

If you want to attend, please contact Mr 

Dallas Frazer at the Australian High Commission: 

Telephone (613) 783-7617 or 

dallas.frazer@dfat.gov.au 

One year, it would be great to include a 

representative group from the Down Under 

Club of Winnipeg in the attendee list at the 

Ottawa service. A wonderful way to extend 

our presence across the country, and to 

stand in the capital city of our adopted home 

in support of and gratitude for our diggers. 

For information on all events across 

Canada, visit the e-pages of this issue, or call 

228-9959 and we will get the details out to 

you. 

ANZAC Day — April 25 — is Australia and 

New Zealand’s most important national day 

of commemoration. ANZAC stands for the 

Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. 

The day marks the anniversary of the first 

major military action fought by Australian 

and New Zealand forces on April 25, 1915, in 

Gallipoli, Turkey. The anniversary is commemorated 

annually in Australia and in 

many countries around the world.

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

We are finished 

again. Renovating. 

Although sometimes I 

think we will never be finished. Anyway, 

this project was small potatoes compared to 

our previous ventures. 

Merely the four walls and ceiling of my 

office. After a bit of repair and preparation, 

we set in to paint one wall and the ceiling 

in the dark colour, and the remaining walls 

in a lighter colour. Finally I will have all my 

office in the one room, instead of spread 

over two. And the stairs will once again 

resume their true purpose instead of serving 

as a temporary filing space for all my 

stuff. 

Will the “new” office make production 

of the monthly Yarn more efficient? We can 

only hope. 

Speaking of which, this issue starts by 

drawing your attention to our upcoming 

ANZAC Day commemorative service on Saturday 

April 24 at the Scandinavian Cultural 

Centre (p. 1), and pointing out other services 

across the country in case you will be 

travelling across Canada at that time. 

Details of our event are also on page 3, 

including the foods we would like you to 

bring to complement the meat pies the Club 

is providing. 

Elsewhere in these pages is a report on 

the bowling (p. 3), news from home (pp. 4 

and 5), update on the Commonwealth (p. 7) 

and other incidentals to amuse and inform. 

And we are getting to know Neil and Kim 

Burnet (p. 6), courtesy of Gordon’s keen 

investigative skills. 

Make hay while the sun shines — which 

means rake your yards before it gets too 

hot. But only AFTER you read this issue of 

the Yarn. 

April already — and hard to believe it 

by the weather so far this 

month. 

It was great to see so many 

people at the bowling. Kerry and I 

hope everyone had a good time 

and we’ll do it again next year. 

Congratulations to the winners of 

the door prizes. 

The board met this week and nailed 

down dates for some of our summer events. 

Check the calendar on page 1 and full 

details on page 3 of each issue of our 

newsletter. The ANZAC Day event will be 

held at the SCC at 764 Erin on April 24, so I 

hope to see many of you there. 

The Club’s finances are in good shape 

and last week we sold 3 cabinets we had in 

storage to a business out in Stonewall. We 

are also going to be getting rid of some 

other surplus stuff between now and the 

end of May when our current storage 

arrangement finishes (see p. 3). For anyone 

interested in a surfboard, which the club 

acquired some time ago and now finds surplus, 

you can give me a call. It resides at my 

place for the moment. 

Any questions, concerns or comments, 

give a board member a call; we’d love to 

hear from you. We are always interested to 

hear from anyone with ideas for events they 

would like to see the Club get involved in. 

Now from Panda ... 

Winston and I have just welcomed (sort of) a 

new member to the household. His name is 

Bogs and he is a two-year-old black and 

white cat with attitude. He came from D’Arcy’s 

Rescue where he had spent the last year 

Fast food 

in a deliciously 

healthy way! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

after being found in the north 

end of Winnipeg as a stray 

with frostbite to his ear tips, 

which they had to remove. 

Terry saw him on the D’Arcy’s 

website and after thinking about it for a 

while, decided to go over and see him. I 

think he reminded him of Nemo who was 

here before my arrival, for only a year and a 

half before his early demise. He, too, was 

also found as a stray, up at Victoria Beach. 

Bogs was one of those cats, free to roam 

around D’Arcy’s. Kerry and Terry fell for his 

sly cat charms and the next evening he was 

introduced to us as the new member of the 

household. I was not too sure about this at 

first because I still remember Wally and he 

is hard to replace. But this guy seemed to 

handle having us dogs around, and I 

laughed when he put Winston in his place 

after only a couple of hours of being here. He 

tried to intimidate me, too, but I just gave 

him my “get out of my way” look and that did 

the trick. Now after a couple of weeks he has 

made himself right at home, and providing 

he stays out of my food dish, he can stay. 

By the way, if you want to see what he 

does all day, my master’s website is up and 

running, at kiwiinstallations.com, somewhat 

a work in progress he tells me. 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca April 2010

socialite 



Bingo Bowling 

The Bingo Bowling was a huge success. 

Thank you to Kerry and Terry for organising, 

and to everyone who came out. We used all 

the lanes at the Windsor Park Bowling 

Lanes, and welcomed some new members 

and new faces, as well as all the usual suspects. 

In addition to the prizes awarded to 

the winners of each game, there were door 

prizes and a 50/50 draw. Some snacks during 

the evening helped sustain everyone’s 

energy, and a few people stayed on afterward 

to play an extra game for good measure. 



ANZAC Day 

Scandinavian Cultural Centre, 764 Erin 

Join us as we commemorate ANZAC Day with 

friends and family. We moved the time of 

this event a bit earlier than previous years so 

that some of our younger members will also 

be able to attend. The commemorative service 

will start at 5:00 pm and be followed by a 

potluck dinner. The Club is providing the 

meat pies, and we would like you to bring 

something complementary, such as salad, 

veggie dish, rice dish, or anything else you 

think appropriate. And there will be a lovely 

big cake to enjoy, but feel free to bring along 

any other dessert you think might go great 

with tea and coffee. After dinner, stay around 

for camaraderie and conversation. Please 

bring your memories and reminiscences. 

And see the note below about anyone you 

would like us to publicly remember as part of 

the service. Hopefully, we can convince 

Charlie to lead us in a game or two of Two- 

Up. RSVP to Margaret — 237-1805 — to let 

her know you are planning on attending the 

event. 





we would like to do it again this year. Please 

email (info@downunderclub.mb.ca) or call 

(228-9959) with the names of those you 

would like us to publicly remember for their 

sacrifice during the many conflicts that have 

engulfed our world, past and present. We will 

dedicate our ANZAC Day event to them in 

April and read their names as part of the 

service. 

Other events ... 

We are in the midst of planning social activities 

for the summer. So, watch for more 

details about a movie night on May 29, the 

golf tournament in June, a trip to the Beausejour 

Dairy Bar in July, and two events in 

August — dog day afternoon, and a trip 

aboard the Riverboat. 

Giving Back 

One person has offered so far to volunteer for 

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY — see info in the 

March issue of the Yarn. Now, I know that 

many of our members have great skills – 

construction, electrical, tiling, painting, drywalling, 

blinds, and a variety of other talents 

— that could be put to good use building a 

home for someone less fortunate than us. 

And I also know that people like me, who can 

hammer nails, paint walls, and generally 

help out, would also be welcome to contribute 

their time. So, if you are interested in 

being part of this Club’s effort to volunteer, 

please contact me (228-9959, info@downunderclub.mb.ca) 

and let me know. 

FAST TOUCH FOOTY! 

If you haven’t contacted DUCW 

member Alison — 293-0203 — 

about getting on side with fast touch footy, 

now is the time. Several of our members 

have already expressed their interest and are 

looking forward to the first game coming 

soon. So, if you are looking for a great opportunity 

to have fun, get fit, and kick the footy 

around this summer, then get your mates 

together — blokes and sheilas — and give Alison 

a call today. Coaches, refs and supporters 

are also needed to be part of the action. 

Weekend Brunch 


10:00 am to 2:00 pm 

GOT SOME SPACE TO STORE 

STUFF? 

The Club is looking for a permanent space to 

store our stuff. As many of you know, our 

stuff has had many homes over the years. 

Originally, it lived in several members’ basements 

and garages, then all came together in 

a storage facility behind Comfort Inn South. 

Eventually, it shuffled over to DunnRite — 

lovingly tended to by Charlie Powell — before 

moving to another storage facility on Higgins. 

It currently resides at Haig Elgar’s 

workplace and Terry Robert’s place, but we 

want to find a forever home for our stuff, and 

are looking to you for help. 

The Club executive has been working 

very hard to reduce the amount of stuff, 

including selling off some cases and giving 

away or selling other items. Right now, we 

have approximately 20 plastic bins, one surfboard 

and one small brown cabinet, all of 

which will require a SPACE APPROXIMATE- 

LY 6’ x 10’. We have to get the stuff out of 

Haig’s by the end of May, and are continuing 

to disperse some of the things we really 

don’t need to keep anymore — watch out for a 

list of giveaways in a future issue of the Yarn. 

So, if you are willing to share your space 

with our stuff, please contact Terry at 663- 

6549 — as soon as possible. 






and 11:00 pm. 


or call 452-1019 




HELP! 

April 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 


The baby elephant on its 

feet, only hours after being 

born. Photo: Taronga/Bobby- 

Jo Vial. 

‘Miracle’ baby 

elephant 

[March 10, 2010] Born 

three days after he was 

thought to have died in 

his mother’s womb, Sydney’s 

“miracle” Asian elephant 

calf seems to be doing well, including 

taking his first steps, attempting to suckle 

from his mother, and touching trunks with 

the other elephants. “The others are very 

excited and curious, reaching out to him 

with their trunks whenever he gets close,” 

and his mother is “in good health and has 

been getting to know her calf,”, which is 

thought to weigh between 90 and 100 kilograms. 

Jindi Cheese “near perfect” 

with score of 99.65. Photo: 

www.ausfood news.com.au 

Aussie blue 

cheese best in 

world 

[Mar 22, 2010, courtesy Charlie Powell] In a 

huge coup for regional Australian cheese 

making, Gippsland-based Jindi Cheese rose 

from the ashes to be awarded the highest 

ranked blue cheese for its Jindi Deluxe Blue 

at the prestigious 28th biennial World Cham- 

pionship Cheese Contest in Wisconsin. “We 

have worked hard to produce a blue cheese 

of world-class standard. I am proud to say 

our small team of cheese-makers in regional 

Victoria can take on the world and win.” 

Sidney Nolan’s First 

Class Marksman. 

Did you buy 

this? 

[Mar 25, 2010] A Sidney Nolan painting of 

Ned Kelly has sold for a record-breaking 

$5.4 million to an unknown bidder. First 

Class Marksman, a 1946 painting of the legendary 

outlaw, smashed the previous record 

for an Australian art work of $3.48 million 

when it went under the hammer in Sydney 

on Thursday night. “It’s a very significant 

painting. It captures the myth of the antihero 

and the local mythology of Ned Kelly. 

It’s a global great; it pulls on the heart 

strings of every Australian here and overseas.” 

Winning portrait of Tim 

Minchin. Photo: SMH. 

Small picture, 

big prize! 

[Mar 26, 2010] Sam Leach 

has won the Archibald and 

Wynne prizes with a small 

picture. “I like to think my small size is my 

point of difference.” The Melbourne artist’s 

portrait of the comedian Tim Minchin was 

dwarfed by most of the 34 finalists at the Art 

Gallery of NSW, but won over the judges of 

the $50,000 Archibald Prize. The 37-year-old 

also took home the $25,000 Wynne Prize for 

Taxes are certain. 

The amount doesn’t have to be. 

RRSPs can cut your tax bill while you save for retirement. 

Fidelity offers a large selection of mutual fund products 

and services to build your RRSP and help ensure a more 

secure financial future. 


his Baroque-inspired canvas melding nature 

and space, Proposal for landscaped cosmos. 

Hope returns ... 

the rivers are full 

near Wanaaring, 

north-west of 

Bourke. Photo: 

Brendan Esposito. 

Drought done, optimism flows 

[Mar 27, 2010] After almost a decade of 

drought, enough water is now on the move to 

quench the thirst of irrigators and still keep 

flowing south to join the Darling River; 

enough to offer hope that the dying lakes, 

Alexandrina and Albert, at the mouth of the 

Murray in South Australia will taste fresh 

water instead of salt; enough for farmers to 

face the future full of confidence again. “It just 

transforms everything, the country is transformed 

and so are the people. It’s like a big 

burden is lifted and you can actually see the 

country rejuvenating before your very eyes.” 

Sydney tops 4.5m 

[Mar 31, 2010] Next time you head to Sydney, 

it will be a little more crowded than before. 

The Bureau of Statistics sets the population 

slightly beyond the 4.5 million mark, with 

every local government area recording a 

population increase. Also, Perth recorded 

the highest growth of any single council area 

in Australia, with the population rising by 

almost 13 per cent. “There is no doubt that 

the overall strength in resource investment, 

emerging labour shortages and strong wages 

have been key reasons that has seen more 

workers deciding to call Perth home.” [I wonder 

if any of them know the Pavitts? - Ed.] 





Phone: (204) 275-7631 







4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca April 2010

newszealand 


Andian Lannga cries after a skin graft at a 

makeshift Indonesian clinic. Photo: Jason Childs 

Young lives transformed by 

plastic surgery team 

[March 13, 2010] Andian Lannga was just a 

year old when his life changed forever. His 

mother, Yuliana, had left him to doze in their 

wooden and bamboo home while she went to 

the well to fetch water to prepare the evening 

meal. When she returned from the long trip, 

she found her home had caught fire, with 

Andian inside. Although he survived, his left 

side was badly burnt, which left untreated, 

resulted in scar tissue that formed a contracture 

and fused his wrist to his shoulder. For 

five years, Andian struggled with the pain 

and the embarrassment. He could not play 

with other children and could not go to 

school. However, a venture between the Australian 

and New Zealand charity Interplast 

and the Sumba Foundation, a local aid 

organisation founded by the long-time 

Sumba resident Claude Graves, has helped 

Andian and dozens of children like him 

undergo life-transforming operations in a 

makeshift theatre. “The operations are relatively 

straightforward but can lead to a massive 

change in people’s lives.” Two days after 

his operation, Andian was in better spirits, 

high-fiving the doctors and nurses. “He 

wants to return to school now,” Yuliana said, 

her face lighting up. “We are very happy.” 

Thanks to a wonderful collaboration that 

allows new hope for so many. 

Kiwi classics replaced on NZ supermarket shelves 

by a locally made version of the American brand 

Doritos. 

Kiwi icons kicked off shelves 

[Mar 27, 2010] CC’s and Aztec corn chips 

have been cut from supermarket shelves in 

New Zealand and replaced by a locally made 

version of the American brand Doritos. Bluebird 

Foods, which makes the chips, is understood 

to have conducted blind taste tests in 

which Doritos proved more popular. But not 

everyone is happy. “I, like many Kiwis, grew 

up with CC’s and Aztecs, and to this day they 

remain my favourite snack food. Kiwis 

wouldn’t sit quiet if L&P were replaced by 

some inferior substitute, so why should we 

be forced to give up the chips we grew up 

with?” 

Toni Causley, winner of 

New Zealand’s Hottest 

Home Baker. Photo: Getty 

Images. 

Bring heart back into the home 

[Mar 28, 2010] Toni Causley, who was this 

week crowned New Zealand’s Hottest Home 

Baker, reckons the recent resurgence in baking 

is down to Kiwis trying to “bring the 

heart back into the home”. The mother of one 

says serving up home-made treats means 

parents can be certain of what their children 

are eating. “They are becoming more aware 

of the joy around food, too. It’s becoming a 

social part of our lives.” Causley, 40, took out 

the final of TV3’s hit baking show on Thursday 

evening, winning a $20,000 kitchen. 

Feed the birds 

[Mar 29, 2010] Know anyone living in the 

North Island? Then let them know that their 

help is needed. Animal lovers are being 

asked to remember the plight of birds and 

other wildlife in drought-stricken areas of 

the North Island. Bob Kerridge of the SPCA 

Kiwi Installations & sales 

kiwiinstallations.com 

said water was in short supply, as were the 

bugs the animals fed on. He urged people to 

leave saucers of water out for birds, as well as 

bread crumbs, birdseed and food scraps. 

Hollywood honour ... 

Russell Crowe. Photo: 

hugereviews.com. 

Crowe to receive 

Hollywood star 

[Mar 30, 2010] Oscarwinning 

actor Russell 

Crowe will be recognised 

with his own star 

on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April. The 

New Zealand-born, Australian-raised actor 

will be honoured with the 2,404th star on 

April 12 outside the Kodak Theatre on Hollywood 

Boulevard. It comes the day after his 

latest movie, Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, premieres 

at the Cannes Film Festival. Crowe 

has been nominated for an Academy Award 

three times — The Insider, Gladiator and A 

Beautiful Mind — and won the gold statue for 

the Roman epic. 

Historic building site on Auckland’s North Shore. 

Photo: NZPA. 

Moa bones and adze head find 

may date to 1400s 

[Apr 7, 2010] A highly significant archaeological 

find including Moa bones and a Maori 

adze head has been discovered on an historic 

building site on Auckland’s North 

Shore where a new navy museum is being 

developed. On a scale of one to 10, the find 

rated a 10 for its historic value, and is 

thought to possibly date back to the 1400s. 

Moa were believed to have become extinct in 

New Zealand about 500 years ago. They grew 

to about four metres tall and were heavily 

hunted by Maori, leading to their eventual 

extinction. “It is a rare, exciting and very significant 

find.” 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 




Neil and Kim 

Burnet 

Neil was born in the beautiful seaside 

suburb of Brighton, just out of Melbourne, 

Australia. At age nine, the 

family moved to Sydney where he finished 

his elementary education and went on to the 

university there, graduating six years later 

as a medical doctor. He practised in several 

hospitals for about five years. 

In 1975, a doctor friend in Ericksdale, 

MB, asked Neil to be his locum tenens while 

he took a leave of absence for three months. 

Following that, he returned to Sydney. 

Shortly after, the town of Lundar, MB, 

recruited Neil to come back and run a newly 

built clinic there. That was 35 years ago and 

he’s still at it! 

Sadly, Neil’s first wife, the mother of 

their four children, died a while ago. Two of 

the kids were born in Oz and two in Canada. 

Their son is a lawyer in BC and three daughters 

are in Winnipeg. 

Kim was born in Winnipeg and grew up 

in Lundar, though she went to school in 

Westwood. For several years, she worked at 

St John’s Music in Winnipeg as IT Manager. 

Winnipeg Harvest’s 

10 Most Wanted Items 

1. Canned fish and poultry — tuna, or 

salmon (packed in water) chicken 

or turkey 

2. Canned fruit and vegetables 

(packed in own juice) 

3. Canned stew, chili, brown beans 

4. Peanut Butter 

5. Baby Food — jars of chicken, beef, 

vegetables or fruit, infant cereal 

such as oatmeal, barley or rice, Formula 

with added iron 

6. Whole grain pasta/whole wheat 

pasta 

7. Rice — brown, converted or parboiled 

8. Canned spaghetti sauce or tomatoes 

9. Cereal — high fibre, non-sugar coated 

10. Canned soup — lentil, pea, vegetable 

www.winnipegharvest.org 

Neil and Kim Burnet in February this year staying with friends near Wisemans Ferry outside Sydney. 

Kim has a sister living in Oak Point and was 

visiting there when, serendipitously, she 

met Neil. They were married five years ago. 

She now works at the clinic with Neil. 

Kim has three children from a previous 

marriage and is kept busy with visits from 

them and grandchildren. There is still a 

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strong pull back to Australia and in fact, they 

were there a few months ago. 

Neil was introduced to the DUCW about 

10 years ago by a former member and is anxious 

to attend some of our functions, though 

is often on call at weekends. 

Gordon Keatch 

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6 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca April 2010 

�

commonwealth 


Help defeat Propagated 

Ignorance 

If the Commonwealth is going to go anywhere, 

it has got to grab the attention of its 

millions of young people. 

It is not perceived as doing that. And surveys 

in Britain, Canada and Australia — 

founding dominions of the Commonwealth — 

reveal ignorance or apathy among all but the 

older generations, most of whom can only 

reflect vague memories about it, generally 

related to the royal family, or the Commonwealth 

Games. 

And it doesn’t seem to register at all on 

the political gabfest scale. The governments 

of those countries pay their apportionments, 

but seem to care little about this outlandish 

apathy shortcoming. And that’s a shame, a 

missed opportunity. 

Without a change in attitude and effort, 

the second biggest institution in the world 

will wither. The UN will become the only 

game in … well, town. 

A measure of that disinterest is evident 

in this town and very close to our kitchens 

and living rooms. 

If you have children, ask them when they 

come home from school about the Commonwealth. 

You would think they would know 

something about an institution that represents 

54 nations where a third of the populations 

of the world lives. 

Ask them if they have heard about the 

Commonwealth in their history, or geography 

or social studies lessons. Ask them to 

name three Commonwealth countries. 

Don’t be surprised if you get blank looks. 

And it’s not their fault. It’s ours. There is 

small chance anything is taught about it in 

our Manitoba classrooms. It barely registers 

on the province’s school curriculum, and 

that’s a shame, indeed a disgrace. It’s an 

abandonment of heritage. 

Fortunately, there are two reasons to not 

give up hope. 

The first optimistic reason is that apathy 

and ignorance does not extend to India, Pakistan 

and African countries, among the most 

populous in the world. They are talking the 

talk and walking the walk in terms of making 

the Commonwealth of Nations a vibrant 

instrument of human change. 

The second reason is the very imaginative 

work being done by the Royal Common- 

wealth Society to engage young people. 

They are drawing them in with exciting 

contests that can lead to potentially exotic 

travel and interaction with contemporaries 

all over the world. 

One program is called Nkabom. It’s a 

Ghanan word meaning “coming together.” 

And since its inception there six years ago, 

it has brought together young people 18 to 25 

years old every two years in different parts of 

the world to discuss ideas over 10 days. They 

make new friends. They explore conflict resolution, 

they foster networks for idea 

exchanges with a view to developing leadership 

and peace-building initiatives in their 

communities and countries. It has been a 

huge success, very much raising the Commonwealth 

profile in the right generation. 

This year the action will be in Rwanda, 

newest member of the Commonwealth. The 

dates are Sept. 5-15. Go to www.thercs.org/ 

youth/nkabom if you want details. 

The other program, targeting a younger 

set, involves RCS’s Commonwealth Competitions. 

There is one in essay writing (deadline 

May 1), one in photography (deadline June 1) 

and one in film (deadline July 1). All have 

categories of prizes. The big prize provides 

national winners with travel to London for 

the gala. The contact there is 

www.thercs.orgyouth/competitions. 

The Royal Commonwealth Society has 

run these events for years and some of us (at 

the Royal Commonwealth Society in Manitoba, 

for example) would like to get the action 

rolling in schools in this province. 

RCS here wants to start work shaping a 

Manitoba essay project for next year and 

enter our winners in the Young Commonwealth 

Competitions. It will eventually be 

part of the largest schools essay contest in the 

world. It draws up to 60,000 entrants, and 

there are prizes along many steps of the way. 

Anyone game to help get this ball 

rolling? 

William may be the conqueror 

the Commonwealth 

needs 

The Queen may be 

the head of the Commonwealth, 

but it 

takes a royal grandson 

to be the Commonwealth darling. Prince 

William’s visit to Australia and New Zealand 

as the Queen’s representative conquered the 

reserve of the young. His popularity silenced 

a lot of heretical republican talk. The smiles 

and the message of the girls’ poster here was 

a solid reminder of Commonwealth affection 

down under that could, at any time, pose a 

challenge to his beloved at home, Catherine 

(Kate) Elizabeth Middleton. 

Murray Burt is a retired newspaperman 

and president of the Royal Commonwealth 

Society of Manitoba 

Send Wanna send a card a real on ‘live’ your greeting time card in - any a real ‘live’ time envelope of the with day a real or ‘live’ night stamp for on less it? than $1.60 to 

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Send Lori (204) a 488 FREE – 1336 card: Email: sendoutcards@mts.net 



[courtesy Cathy Briggs] 

Not a Bunyip, but ... 

Pig hunting in Oz, Northern 

Territory style 

I’m training him to be a ‘retriever’ but having 

a little trouble getting him to bring the pig 

back to me ... and I’m not about to kick his 

@?%* ... Good Dog! 



spark.stackexchange.com — place to ask 

your nagging technology questions 

www.designerdecor.co.nz — kiwi accents for 

your decor 

www.tenwordwiki.com — things explained in 10 

words 

locationindependent.com/about — live and 

work anywhere you choose 

www.aussiefoodshop.com/australian_food 

_home.html — for Aussie fare 

Speaking of Bogs (p. 2), dogs and blogs, check 

out Tika and Mojo’s blog as they wile away the 

hours at Rover’s Retreat in Winnipeg — 

tikabrown.blogspot.com. 

funnybusiness 

down under humour 

[provided, in part, by Pamela Sabourin] 

You know you’re Australian if ... 

You know the meaning of “girt” 

You believe that stubbies can either be worn or 

drunk 

You think it is normal to have a Prime Minister 

called Kevin 

You understand that the phrase “a group of 

women wearing black thongs” refers to footwear 

and may be less alluring than it sounds 

You pronounce Melbourne as Mel-bin 

You pronounce Penrith as Pen-riff 

You believe the ‘L’ in the word “Australia” is optional 

You can translate “Dazza and Shazza played Acca 

Dacca on the way to Maccas” 

You believe it makes perfect sense for a nation to 

decorate its highways with large fibreglass 

bananas, prawns and sheep 

You call your best friend “a total bastard” but 

someone you really, truly despise is just “a bit of 

a bastard” 

You think “Woolloomooloo” is a perfectly reasonable 

name for a place 

You believe it makes sense for a country to have 

a $1 coin that’s twice as big as its $2 coin 

You understand that Wagga Wagga can be abbreviated 

to Wagga, but Woy Woy can’t be called Woy 

You mostly joke about New Zealanders 

You know you’re a New 

Zealander if ... 

You know everything there is to know about rugby 

union 

You know the Maori greeting “kiaora”, and maybe 

a handful of other words 

You’ve probably watched Once Were Warriors, The 

Piano, Heavenly Creatures and The Navigator 

You’re frustrated by the Aussies always taking 

credit for New Zealand stuff, including Russell 

Crowe and pavlova 

You eat Marmite and not Vegemite 

You wear jandals no matter what time of year 

You know at least three different names for Fish 

and Chips 

You know that Pineapple Lumps and Jet Planes 

are awesome 

You know what Sir Edmund Hilary did and, DAMN 

it, you’re proud of it 

You know what Waitangi Day is all about 

You call an esky a chilly bin and everyone else 

keeps asking you to say “six” and “biscuit” all the 

time 

You have your photo next to a giant L&P bottle 

You know that there are more sheep that people 

in New Zealand 

You know how to do the HAKA and if you get 

drunk enough you will perform it for foreigners 

You mostly joke about Australians. 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ April 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

epages 

for news that just would not fit in the print issue 

ANZAC DAY EVENTS ACROSS 

CANADA IN 2010 

Information is also available on the Australian 

High Commission’s website 

(w w w. c a na d a . e m b a s s y. gov. au / o t wa 

/events.html). 

Ottawa, Ontario 

Date: 25 April 

Time: 8:00 am 

Location: Canadian War 

Museum, 1 Vimy Place 

Details: Service will be followed 

by a ‘gunfire breakfast’ in the 

Museum’s cafeteria. 

Dress: Uniform/business attire 

Contact: Mr Dallas Frazer dallas.frazer@dfat.gov.au 

Toronto, Ontario 


Time: 6:15 am 

Location: Canadian Forces 

College, 215 Yonge Boulevard 

Dress: Uniform/business 

Service contact: Lieutenant- 

Colonel Anthony Rawlins, 

Directing Staff (CFC), rawlins@cfc.dnd.ca, 

+1-647-482- 

6800 ext. 6885 (wk) 

Attendance is open to serving military personnel 

and the general public. As the service 

is held on a Canadian Forces base, all civilian 

personnel are required to pre-register 

their attendance through the Australian 

Consul General in Toronto to allow entry. 

Failure to pre-register may result in a delay 

in your entrance onto the base. In order to 

pre-register, please e-mail your name, 

address and licence details to 

Chiara.Blair@austrade.gov.au or telephone 

+1 416-323-9435 to provide the same information. 

Vancouver, British Columbia 


Time: 10:00 am 

Location: Victory Square Park, 

corner of Hastings and Cambie 

Streets 

Dress: Uniform/casual 

Contact: CANZBA: info@canzba.org 

Additional Information: see 

www.canzba.org 

St John’s, Newfoundland 


Time: 9:15 am 

Location: Adjacent to Branch 56 

of the Royal Canadian Legion in 

Pleasantville 

Details: Service followed by 

reception at Branch 56 Royal 

Canadian Legion, Pleasantville. 

Dress: Uniform/business. 

Contact: Capt Ken Lutz kenneth.lutz@forces.gc.ca 

Please note: HRH Princess Anne will be a 

royal guest at this event. 

The 1st Bn, Royal Newfoundland Regiment 

will be on parade by 0915 with HRH 

expected to arrive at 0940. The subsequent 

reception is scheduled to commence at 1030 

at the Royal Canadian Legion. 

The Royal Newfoundland Regiment was 

raised on April 25, 1795, and on that date the 

Regiment celebrates their unit anniversary 

as well as commemorating its participation 

as the only North American unit to fight in 

the Gallipoli campaign of 1915. 

Edmonton, Alberta 


Time: 8:00 am 

Location: Edmonton City Hall 


Contact: Lt Jason Pascoe 

(jason.pascoe@forces.gc.ca) or 

Greg Fox 

(downunder_prez@yahoo.ca) 

A ‘gunfire breakfast’ will be held at the 

Kingsway Legion following the service for a 

small fee. 

Halifax, Nova Scotia 


Time: 6:30 am 

Location: Fort Massey Cemetery, 

corner of Queen and South 

Streets, at the grave of SGT 

Selwyn Keith Loveday (RAAF). 


Contact: LCDR Bob Dunn on email: 

Robert.dunn3@forces.gc.ca or 

cell: +1 (902) 449 0493 

Service to be followed by breakfast at “Smitty’s”, 

corner of Spring Garden and Tower 

Roads. 

April 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn • e-page 9

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

May 2010 


May 


2 0 1 0 


MAY 

Monday May 17, 6:30 pm 

Lawn bowling 

Cindy Klassen Arena, 

cnr Wall and Sargent 

Every Monday and Wednesday, and some 

Fridays, weather permitting. Everyone is 

invited to participate. Just turn up to play. 


Down Under Movie Night 

Peter and Joanne Debenham 

Screening two great movies. BYO beverage 

and extra snacks and nibblies (chips 

provided). Check the roster for Peter’s 

address, or call 669-3252 for directions. 

JUNE 

Saturday June 26th 


Players Golf Course, 2695 Inkster 

Players of all abilities welcome. 10:00 am for 

18 holes ($36, $30 for seniors) and noon for 

9 holes ($19, $16 for seniors). A salad, 

hamburger and drink meal — $13.95 + tax — 

after the game and the prize award ceremony. 

JULY 

Saturday July 17 


Experience the best ice cream in Manitoba! 

RSVP 



WELCOME NEW MEMBERS 

John, Susan, Emily and Alexander Pratt 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



Support our advertisers! 

As you read these pages, take a moment 

to consider our many advertisers. All 

of them have a quality product on 

offer, and I should know ... 

Over the years, I’ve eaten many a delicious 

pie from Molly’s (p. 2). The variety is 

amazing, with meat and dessert pies on 

offer, as well as lasagne and other meals 

ready to heat up. Molly’s is owned and operated 

by Maureen and Jim McKeown, and 

they recently took over the IGA’s bakery so 

they would have more space in which to bake 

for us! 

The Billabong is one of our favourite 

spots to dine and hang out (p. 3). We have 

introduced it to many of our friends, and now 

that they are offering brunch on the weekends 

and providing members with a 15% discount 

on Wednesday nights in the lounge, 

there are even more reasons to savour their 

Aussie fare. 

Kiwi Installations (p. 5), owned and 

operated by Terry Roberts, put in our front 

and back ground-level decks and helped 

enormously with our bathroom renovations. 

In fact, he has had a hand in several members’ 

renovations and additions, including 

his own! 

Based in Calgary, our contacts at Downunder 

Travel (p. 6) have successfully 

booked trips down under for many of our 

members, including me, as well as other 

folks who find out about them through our 

website. 

Lori Blande is offering a wide selection 

of truly beautiful alternatives to e-cards. 

SendOutCards (p. 7) are actual cards mailed 

to whoever you want anywhere in the world 

... at a fraction of the cost. These are great for 

personal greetings or business marketing. 

And Lori even offers you a free test run! 

Lynley Davidson and Partners in Planning 

(p. 4) do such a great job helping take 

care of the Club’s investments, why wouldn’t 

you want them helping you with yours?! 

So, if you need a place to eat out or something 

to eat in, some new shutters or someone 

to help with your monies, a new 

destination or you just wanna send a card to 

say thanks, there’s plenty 

here to help take care 

of business at your 

place! 

See you at the movies! 

(details p. 3). 

Whether it is sending a personal 

greeting through SendOutCards, 

adding a deck to your home from 

Kiwi Installations, a dinner out 

at the Billabong or booking that 

next Downunder Travel vacation, 

make the first call to one of 

the Yarn regulars.

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

Finally ensconced 

in my beautiful new office, I seem to 

be firing on all cylinders. And with all 

necessary tools at my disposal, I’m having 

loads of fun while getting lots of work done. 

How’s your office space working for you? 

Spring is pulling its usual trick, baiting 

us with all manner of sunshine and overcast 

skies, warm temps and chilly conditions, 

windy weather and perfect calms, and 

rain in various amounts, but absolutely no 

snow. Thank goodness for small mercies! 

This month, the Yarn delivers a variety 

of fun stuff to keep you engaged and entertained. 

An update on our ANZAC commemoration 

(p. 3), news from home (pp. 4 and 

5), a chance to get to know new members 

the Pratts (p. 6), an update on the Commonwealth 

(p. 7), and a few notices and some 

funny stuff (p. 8). 

And a warm welcome to Paul Nelson, 

the new Honorary Consul for the Australian 

High Commission (p. 8). 

So find a lovely sunny corner and take a 

gander at this issue. We look forward to seeing 

you at the movies! 

We have expanded 

our store. Drop by 

and see us soon! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


It was very gratifying to see so many at 

the ANZAC remembrance. Old friends 

and new coming together to remember 

those who stood side by side against evil 

through too many wars. 

As for myself, my grandfather, whom I 

never had a chance to meet, was in the 

Canadian Expeditionary Forces in WWI, 

and fought at Vimy Ridge, where 

he was injured. He died shortly 

after war’s end, results of the 

gas used in the trenches. 

During WWII, my father 

was stationed in northern 

Australia with the 

RAF as a mechanic. 

Unfortunately, I did not 

get to hear about his 

adventures because he 

died when I was young, but I still remember 

them and what they did for King, country 

and, most of all, their families. 

Thanks to all those who helped make 

the evening go off without a hitch. Great 

company, good food and much conversation. 

Next up is the movie night. Hope to see 

you there to enjoy a couple of NZ/Aus 

movies. 

Panda Speaks: 

I’d like to welcome a new member to the 

DUCW. After much encouragement from 

Terry and Kerry, the Hydesmith family went 

to see our very good friend Sally of Hulls 

Haven Rescue where they met — and adopted 

— Ike, a 2-year-old Australian Shepherd, 

making theirs a house of five Australians, 

the other four being bipeds. Ike, a.k.a 

Mait(land), loves running, beside the bike 

and even on the 

treadmill! I am 

president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

looking forward 

to the day I get 

to meet him in 

dogson and see 

what he is like. 

Terry has told me all about him and he 

sounds really nice. As long as he likes to 

play chase, then we’ll get along just fine. 

Hopefully Winston and I will get to walk 

with him at the Winnipeg Humane Society 

‘Paws In Motion’, which we will be at again 

this year, of course. 

The Hydesmiths adopted Ike the Aussie Shepherd 

Everyone is welcome to join us at the 

Paws In Motion (Sunday June 27, Assiniboine 

Park, www.winnipeghumanesocietydonor.ca) 

and walk with us. Borrow a 

neighbour dog if necessary. 

The Vernons 

have registered 

Chinook with St 

Boniface General 

Hospital and the 

Taché Centre as a 

therapy dog. She 

has also made 

appearances at 

the Southerly and 

Peter’s schools 

where Jacqueline 

Rob Vernon and Chinook 

the therapy dog. 

and Rob do presentations on the Humane 

Society and the Husky breed. Rob and Chinook 

also visited Kings School whose students 

are refugee kids from Africa who have 

never patted a dog before – dogs there are 

wild and kill children. The kids even got to 

feed Chinook some treats – a thrill for all 

involved! 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca May 2010

socialite 



ANZAC Day 

Forty-five people, including members of the 

DUCW, General Monash Branch of the Canadian 

Legion, family and friends, came 

together to remember fallen servicemen at 

the ANZAC Day service. During the official 

ceremony, we specially remembered certain 

individuals as nominated by DUCW members. 

And it was fun to welcome several 

guests, two of whom found us on the website. 

Thank you to all those who brought such 

a tasty selection of side dishes to enjoy along 

with the meat pies that were provided by the 

Club. And thanks as well to those who 

helped with set up, KP, and entertainment. 




Peter and Joanne Debenham’s home 

The event is BYO beverages, and any extra 

snacks and nibblies to complement the chips 

that the Club is providing. Scheduled films 

include Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Oz) and 

Black Sheep (NZ). If you have other suggestions, 

or have a favourite downunder movie 

you want to share, contact Margaret at 237- 

1805 and we will do our best to show them. 

Saturday June 26 



10:00 am for 18 holes ($36.00, $30.00 for 

seniors). 12:00 noon for 9 holes ($19.00, 

$16.00 for seniors). All levels welcome to 

play. And stay for a salad, hamburger and 

drink meal that is available for $13.95 + tax 

after the game and the prize award ceremony. 



If you didn’t go last year, you missed out on 

some great ice-cream. I can personally recommend 

Helene’s homemade rhubarb sundae 

topping. Watch the Yarn next month for 

more details about this event. 

RSVP 

Please remember to let Margaret (237-1805) 

know if you are planning to attend any of these 

events so we can accommodate everyone. 

Got some space 

to store stuff? 

The Club is still looking for 

some permanent space to store 

our stuff. We want to find a forever 

home approximately 6’ x 10’. 

Weekend Brunch 


10:00 am to 2:00 pm 

So if you have a space that you 

think might be suitable, please 

contact Terry at 663-6549 — as 

soon as possible. 






and 11:00 pm. 


or call 452-1019 




HELP! 

The cast of characters at the 

ANZAC ceremonies were 

rewarded with delicious meat 

pies from Molly’s Meat Pies. 

May 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 


AC\DC rocks Sydney at 

Homebush. Photo: 

Edwina Pickles. 

Let there be loot 

[Apr 16, 2010] It’s official: 

AC/DC’s Black Ice tour is not only the 

biggest of the year so far, but also the highest 

grossing tour held in Australia. Figures estimate 

the 11-date Australian leg of the world 

tour sold about 600,000 tickets at $100 and 

$150, grossing about $90 million, and an 

additional $30 million through the sale of 

merchandise. It was also one of the most 

expensive tours, with 58 trucks and three 

Boeing 747s lugging equipment around the 

country, and 700 people working on each 

show. “It was great seeing different generations 

of fans there, from 12 year olds to 70 

year olds. The fans loved it and the band 

loved it.” 

Aussie wins 

world 

snooker title 

[May 4, 2010] 

From the snooker 

halls of Dandenong to the sport’s pinnacle, it 

has been a Cinderella tale for world champion 

Neil Robertson. The 28 year old won the 

world snooker championship title at 

Sheffield, England, defeating Scotland’s 

Graeme Dott 18-13 in the best-of-35 frames 

final. Only the second Australian to win the 

world title, after Horace Lindrum in 1952, 

Robertson applauded his parents’ support, 

but admitted almost giving up the sport: 

“Looking back at those days and to where I 

am now, it’s an incredible feeling and gives 

me a lot of satisfaction when I can produce 

performances like this and do it the really 

hard way.” 

Jessica prior to departure. 

Photo: AFP. 

Jessica on her 

way home 

[May 10, 2010] Teenage sailor Jessica Watson 

will arrive at the Sydney Opera House on 

Saturday May 15 after completing her solo, 

non-stop and unassisted voyage around the 

world. A huge welcoming reception 

described as “a big production” is expected 

to greet the 16 year old. Jessica left Sydney on 

October 18, and although she did not cover 

the distance required to claim the official 

sailing record, supporters say it doesn’t matter 

because she was never attempting to 

obtain a world record. Either way, it’s quite 

the feat and worthy of all the accolades! 

Canine-onic variation. 

Sue Dingwall of Positive 

Puppies with her 

charges. Photo: Jacky 

Ghossein 

Walkies on the wild side 

[May 13, 2010] Will they play Bach? Or Offenbach? 

What about something by the Pet Shop 

Boys? New Yorkers Laurie Anderson and Lou 

Reed will stage Music for Dogs — a high-frequency 

concert that aims to captivate 

canines while being inaudible to their owners. 

Staged at the Opera House, it was 

It’s not the road that’s the problem. 

It’s finding the right vehicle. 

The markets have their ups and downs. In the long 

run, a well-diversified mutual fund portfolio can 

smooth some of the bumps, twists and turns, while 

helping you ensure a more secure financial future. 






Phone: (204) 275-7631 

inspired by the music that Anderson and her 

rock legend husband has been playing to her 

beloved rat terrier, Lollabelle, for 11 years. 

The free morning concert will be short: 

“Dogs don’t have a giant concentration span 

— 20 minutes tops.” Will humans know if 

anything is being played? “Your dog’s ears 

will be twitching.” 

[forwarded by several 

DUCW members] 

Australian 

Wreath 

Is there anything 

more beautiful than nature at its best?! This 

delightful circle was taken at Lamington 

National Park, west of the Gold Coast. These 

are native Australian mountain parrots — the 

red and blue kind are Crimson Rosella, and 

the red and green are King Parrots. They are 

feasting on sunflower seed that Mr. Watt had 

left for them, but did not expect them to form 

such a perfect ring. 

Aussie prof rights Oxford 

[May 11, 2010, NY Times] Dr. Stephen Hughes, 

from the University of Technology in Brisbane, 

noticed a mistake in the Oxford 

English Dictionary under the definition for 

“siphon” while researching an article. The 

Oxford states that atmospheric pressure 

makes siphons work, but according to Hughes, 

“It is gravity that moves the fluid in a 

siphon, with the water in the longer downward 

arm pulling the water up the shorter 

arm.” The definition was written in 1911 by 

“editors who were not scientists.” The OED’s 

revision team will rectify the mistake in the 

next edition. On ya, mate! 







4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca May 2010

newszealand 


NZ curlers done great! 

[Apr 26, 2010, NZPA] Sean and Bridget Becker 

first came to our attention via Les Fitt who 

let us know that they progressed to the semifinals 

of the mixed doubles at the world curling 

championships in Chelyabinsk, Russia, 

after beating Italy 10-4 in the quarterfinals. 

The siblings, from the Ranfurly Curling Club 

in central Otago, became the first New 

Zealanders to qualify for post-section play at 

a world championship. And then the stunning 

news today that they won New Zealand’s 

first curling world championship medal, 

claiming silver in the world mixed pairs 

tournament in Russia. With the final score 9 

- 7 after forcing an extra end, the pair were 

applauded for their fine athleticism, dedication 

and skill: “They deserve to be excited at 

what they have achieved and we, and New 

Zealand curling in general, are very proud of 

them.” And so say all of us! 

Ambitious: The bellbirds 

will be introduced 

to four new 

sites. Photo: NZ Herald. 

Bellbirds get 

wider audience 

[May 7, 2010] A bid to bring back the bellbird’s 

melodic song to gardens in Auckland 

and Hamilton will begin with the release of 

200 sanctuary-bred birds at four sites. The 

delicate olive-green birds have been extinct 

from the northern mainland since ship rats 

and stoats arrived 150 years ago. Breeding 

stock from these havens will be released on 

Waiheke and Motuihe near the Auckland 

mainland and in the Hamilton Gardens. “If 

rat management and pest control continues, 

over time we will see the colonisation of bellbirds 

throughout northern New Zealand.” 

Rob Cribb. Photo: NZ Herald. 

For rent: Big house, 

with All Black chef 

[May 8, 2010] Having a former 

All Black on hand to 

barbeque the sausages 

and talk rugby sounds like the ideal sweetener 

to entice visitors to rent your $4,000-aweek 

house during next year’s Rugby World 

Cup. It would be, too — only someone neglected 

to tell the All Black, Rob Cribb. The entrepreneurial 

owners of one property at Dairy 

Flat, North Auckland, have a home with all 

the trimmings, but Cribb, who played 15 

tests for the All Blacks, was the last to know 

of his involvement: “It completely confused 

me. I will get to the bottom of it.” 


Wine into 

vinegar a ‘newie’ 

[May 9, 2010] You’ve 

heard of turning water 

into wine — how about turning wine into 

vinegar? A Tauranga food company has hit on 

a use for the country’s wine glut, with a 

white balsamic vinegar made from sauvignon 

blanc grapes. Newly established Avo- 

Health’s white balsamic and avocado oil 

salad dressing is one of a range of products 

it plans to launch in Europe. The New 

Zealand wine industry has suffered from 

oversupply in the past two seasons, forcing it 

to unload unprecedented amounts of cheap 

bulk wine on to the international market and 

giving rise to “considerable product innovation”. 

Actor Anna Paquin. 

Photo: AP. 

NZ actress has a 

comic-book 

makeover 

[May 9, 2010] Kiwi star Anna Paquin is being 

immortalised in a comic book, but not everyone 

is happy. Paquin’s hit show True Blood is 

being adapted into a series of comics written 

by the show’s creator Allan Ball. And 

although readers are promised “the same 

erotically charged romance, wry humour and 

intriguing mystery and suspense the show 

has become known for”, the depiction of 

Paquin’s character Sookie Stackhouse has 

drawn mixed reactions, with some commenting 

that the cartoon image looks more 

like Angelina Jolie and “nothing like” the 

Kiwi Oscar-winner. 



Mei Riwai-Couch, 7, and brother Brigham, 9, will 

go before politicians with a coffin made of cigarette 

labels. Photo: Simon Baker. 

Siblings’ message packs punch 

[May 13, 2010] Seven-year-old Mei Riwai- 

Couch will go before politicians tomorrow 

with a life-sized coffin made of cigarette 

labels and a simple message. She will tell 

the Maori affairs select committee inquiry 

into the tobacco industry: “I hope that by 

talking with you today, more children don’t 

have to lose people they love in coffins like 

this one.” Mei and her brother Brigham, 9, 

wrote about watching their grandfather — a 

smoker from age 15 — die of lung cancer last 

year. The symbolic coffin constructed with 

500 cigarette packet labels is the work of 

their aunt, artist Christeena MacDonald- 

Paea, who was moved to create it after her 

uncle died. 

What kind of mouse 

is on your desk? 

Photo: www.telegraph.co.uk. 

Mice love 

to dine 

'al desko' 

[May 16, 2010] Take a good look at your keyboard 

when you get to work tomorrow – you 

may be surprised what’s lurking beneath the 

keys. The modern habit of dining “al desko” is 

leaving a smorgasbord of crumbs for unwelcome 

visitors in offices across New Zealand. 

Rodent numbers are on the increase due to 

unhygienic practices. “They will feed on anything 

from crumbs right up to coffee residue 

on a desk. They like clambering on things 

and getting on keyboards.” All of which 

makes the case for taking a lunch break OUT- 

DOORS or at least away from your desk. 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 




Susan and 

John Pratt 

We have, at times, explained how 

selections are made to highlight 

DUCW members, particularly new 

ones. The Pratts are as new as they come — 

joined about three weeks ago. They heard 

about the Club from the Internet, via a 

newsletter from KEA New Zealand featuring 

ANZAC Day. 

Susan was born in Featherston, near 

Wellington, NZ, starting school in Kahutara 

and completing high school in Greytown, all 

places in the Wairarapa Valley. She started 

in home sciences at the University of Otago, 

Dunedin, but dropped out after two years. 

Working in Wellington for three years, way 

back in 1983, she spent three months on a 

Young Farmers Exchange in South Australia. 

Her first trip to Australia was at age nine 

when her dad was competing as an axeman 

at the Sydney Show. Many more trips to Oz 

followed over the years. 

Back in New Zealand, Susan bought a 

bookshop in Greytown and ran it for seven 

years. During this time, in 1990, she went off 

to Europe and Scotland, sightseeing and 

working. 

The way home was via the USA where 

she spent time with friends, including a winter 

in North Dakota and visiting Colorado, 

Montana and California. 

Back in NZ, Susan enrolled in a one-year 

business in crafts and design course at the 

local polytechnic. She then returned to the 

UK for six months, spending three weeks 

travelling from California to New York and 

on to Ireland, Denmark, Egypt and Scotland 

again. 

Back in New Zealand, she sold the book 

business and headed back to Scotland, working 

for a year at the Aberdeen Airport bookshop. 

It was during this time she met John 

Pratt, they became engaged, and were married 

in Greytown in January 1997. A month 

later they returned to Scotland to take over 

the family farm. 

Daughter Emily, now 12, and son Alexander, 

11, were born in Aberdeen. 

Susan’s draw to Scotland is understandable, 

given that three of her grandparents 

emigrated from there to NZ many years ago. 

In 2000, the Pratts went back to NZ — 

The Pratt family. 

Below: Cast of the Strathclair 

Drama Club who 

performed Big River, the 

adventures of Huckleberry 

Finn in April 2010. 

how many times is that now? — via Canada, 

looking at farm properties in the west. Two 

years later, they bought a farm near Newdale, 

MB, which was later sold; they now have a 

mixed grain farm of about 1,800 acres in 

Oakburn. 

John comes from Insch (Aberdeenshire) 

where he farmed with his parents. He took a 

one-year course at an agricultural training 

college. Now he likes to drive ‘big combines 

on flatland’! Of course, he curls (which he 

only learned to do living here in Manitoba) 

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and plays the bagpipes at sports tournaments, 

weddings and funerals. He is also 

active in the Lions Club. Thanks to Susan, he 

has also travelled a lot. 

The whole family is involved in the local 

drama club — Susan is costume director and 

they all like to take part on the stage whenever 

possible. 

A most interesting group, and hopefully 

we will get to meet them soon. 

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6 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca May 2010 

�

commonwealth 


Brits had votes to share 

No matter how you feel about the 

outcome of this month’s election in Britain, 

you should know that non-Brit Commonwealth 

residents held an extraordinary 

share of the vote — and perhaps had an effect 

on the result and, by extension, a share of 

blame. 

Figures produced by the Royal Commonwealth 

Society showed more than a million 

expat Commonwealth citizens living in the 

UK were eligible to cast a ballot. That’s about 

2% of the 45-million British electorate. 

Indians held the largest swatch of ballots. 

That was 270,000, with largest concentrations 

in ridings in Leicester and London 

(Ealing Southall; Felton and Heston; Brentford 

and Isleworth). 

Next were the Pakistanis, strong in Bradford 

West and North, and Birmingham 

Sparkbrook and Small Heath. South Africans 

at 103,000 (in London Wimbledon and Putney) 

were third. Nigerians with 90,000 were 

fourth. 

Australia with 66,000 sat fifth in the 

numbers stakes. Canada with 51,000 was 

eighth. And New Zealand with 49,000 was 

10th. 

I wonder if we shall see a private members’ 

bill passed in Ottawa extending that 

quaint residue of colonial courtesy to expat, 

non-citizen Commonwealth residents in 

Canada? 

Tourism cut to Antarctica 

The secondary tourist industry benefits of 

Antarctic travel are likely to be stifled a bit 

for Australia and New Zealand agencies in 

the business. 

As of August 2011, big cruise ship visits to 

the continent are curtailed. The UN’s International 

Maritime Organization, which manages 

maritime law, has declared that large cruise 

ships carrying 500 or more passengers will 

no longer be able to burn their heavy oil fuel 

in the south polar waters. It’s a precaution to 

protect the sensitive environment. 

The measure won’t affect smaller cruise 

liners, which use the lighter fuels. The heavy 

fuel lays down highly polluting sulphur and 

particulate matter in the atmosphere and 

eventually the water surface, threatening 

wildlife; a spill would be catastrophic. 

Associated with this, the number of 

Antarctic visitors will be cut from its current 

15,000 or so to about 6,400, all travelling in 

lighter, greener ships. 

Power play in the Indian Ocean 

The name Indian Ocean may be headed for a 

dilution of meaning, and worse. 

It is shaping up to be less India’s playground. 

Rather, the world’s biggest democracy 

has to settle for Chinese company as the 

new Asian powerhouse girds to move its 

naval toys into the area. 

It’s the start of a 

power play with both 

India and China racing to 

build navies that will 

secure dominance in the 

area in the 21st century. 

It is bound to impact on 

the nervous policies of 

several Commonwealth 

countries. This great 

ocean laps Pakistan, 

Bangladesh, Malaysia, 

Southern Africa, and Australia, 

and many other 

Commonwealth nations. 

China’s purported 

purpose is to secure sea 

lanes to the bottleneck at the Straits of 

Malacca for its huge sea traffic of essential 

fuels and other raw materials vital to its 

expansion. India’s purpose is to be secure 

and not outgunned in its own backyard. 

Neither China nor India have the wherewithal 

to address the US Navy, but neither 

can they be sure Washington will be a con- 

India’s first nuclear submarine 

India is capable of patrolling its Indian 

Ocean position using nuclear missiles 

from land, sea as well as air. 

stant arbiter for either of them. 

India is feeling the squeeze as burgeoning 

China sets up its “string of pearls”. 

That’s a reference to the base investments it 

has made encircling India — in Indian Ocean 

ports like Gwadar in Pakistan, Hambantota 

in Sri Lanka, Sittwe in Myanmar and Chittagong 

in Bangladesh. It 

also tried to establish a 

Seychelles relationship, 

which India appears to 

have thwarted. 

But already the Chinese 

view Andaman and 

Nicobar archipelagos as a 

threat by India to its free 

trade passage, strengthened 

by India’s ties to the 

islands of Mauritius, Maldives, 

Seychelles, Mada- 

gascar and Zanzibar, and 

the rim states of South 

Africa, Tanzania and 

Mozambique. 

With talk of atomic 

submarines and state-of-the-art aircraft carriers, 

it is to be hoped neither power will be 

provoked to pull the plug on peace with the 

other. 

Murray Burt is a retired editor with directorships in 

Commonwealth journalism, human rights and 

Royal Society NGOs. 

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emember 


Welcome Paul Nelson 

The Australian Government has appointed a 

new Honorary Consul in Calgary, Mr Paul 

Nelson. In the new position, Mr Nelson will 

have responsibility for providing consular 

and related assistance to Australians living 

in and visiting the provinces of Alberta, 

Saskatchewan and Manitoba. A major focus 

for Mr Nelson will be on strengthening Australia’s 

profile in the three provinces, in particular 

by supporting commercial linkages 

and promoting educational, scientific and 

cultural connections. 

Donate Your Stuff 1 

D’Arcy’s ARC is looking for donations of 

household items, clothing (adult, kids and 

baby) and shoes for their Thrift Store, which 

is located at 1076A Main Street in the Redwood 

Plaza. Their phone number is 942- 

4457. 

Donate Your Stuff 2 

A lady who lives in Beausejour makes dog 

and cat beds using old pillows, sheets, towels, 

fabric pieces, etc., and gives them to animal 

rescue groups. It doesn’t matter if they 

aren’t in great condition (holes, etc.). If you 

have any of these items and want to donate 

them, please e-mail Barb at 

dexba@mymts.net. She can make arrangements 

to pick them up from you. 

Calling All Soccer Fans! 

CBC Sports in Toronto is looking for ‘super 

soccer fans’ for this year’s FIFA World Cup. 

Canadian immigrants from countries participating 

in this year’s event in South Africa 

are invited to talk about and discuss their 

connection with the game. Blog entries 

could include anything from tweets, photos 

of you and your friends watching the game, 

childhood stories about soccer, pre-game 

superstitions, the importance to your nation, 

and so on. The person who displays the most 

pride for their country will have the honour 

of up-keeping their country’s blog throughout 

the tournament on our CBC FIFA World 

Cup website. For more information, visit 

www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=106978 

569345660&ref=ts or email cbcsportsfeedback@cbc.ca 

funnybusiness 

down under humour 

New Zealand Navy 

[provided by Cathy Briggs] 

Canuck humour 

[courtesy Ed and Elaine Clairmont] 

A Saskatchewan farmer and his wife, on 

their way back home in January, are at the 

airport in New York awaiting their flight. 

They are dressed in heavy boots, parka, 

scarf, mittens, etc. An older couple standing 

nearby is intrigued by their manner of 

dress. 

The wife says to the husband: “Look at 

that couple. I wonder where they’re from.” 

He replies: “How would I know?” 

She counters: “Just go and ask them.” 

He says: “I don’t really care. You want to 

know, you go and ask them.” 

She decides to do just that and walks 

over to the couple and asks, “Excuse me. 

Looking at your dress, I wondered where 

you’re from.” 

The farmer replies: “Saskatoon, 

Saskatchewan.” 

The woman returns to her husband who 

asks: “So, where are they from?” 

She replies: “I don’t know. They don’t 

speak English.” 



www.fekids.com/img/kln/flash/ 

DontGrossOutTheWorld.swf — dining out 

around the world 

productsfromnz.com — fast NZ delivery 

www.heartandstroke.mb.ca — for prevention, 

treatment and recovery 

itvwinnipeg.com — get the Winnipeg lowdown 

www.webbyawards.com — celebrating excellence 

on the internet 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ May 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

June 2010 


June 


2 0 1 0 


JUNE - 2 EVENTS 




Players of all abilities welcome. 10:00 am for 

18 holes ($36.00, $30.00 for seniors) and 

12:00 noon for 9 holes ($19.00, $16.00 for 

seniors). A salad, hamburger and drink meal 

— $13.95 + tax after the game and the prize 

award ceremony. 

Monday and Wednesdays 

(and some Fridays), 6:30 pm 

Lawn bowling 

Cindy Klassen Arena, 

cnr Wall and Sargent 

Every Monday and Wednesday, and some 

Fridays, weather permitting. Everyone is 

invited to participate. Just turn up to play. 

JULY 



The best ice cream in Manitoba! We’ll meet in 

Beausejour at 2:00 pm, RSVP required. 

AUGUST — 2 EVENTS 

Saturday August 21 

River Boat Cruise 

Details to come - check our website 


Details to come - check our website 

RSVP 


Margaret at social@downunderclub.mb.ca 

or 237-1805. 


Leigh Murphy 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



A round of golf at Players (www.theplayerscourse.ca); 

Paws In Motion (www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca); 

Lawn bowling for all ages (www.winnipeg.ca). 

Sports up, everyone! 

June is World Cup month. And soccer fans 

around the world will be glued to TVs, 

computers, newspapers, and any other 

available visual or audio source on which 

they can follow their team unfailingly. 

For most of us, Australia and New 

Zealand will be the main attraction, but 

there are perennial and cultural favourites — 

Italy, Brazil, Spain and Argentina, to name a 

few out of the field of 32 countries — that will 

garner our cheers, and perhaps our hearts. 

To be honest, I really wish I was in Australia 

right now watching my nephew, Rohan, 

play soccer. He’s very good, and who knows? 

Maybe there’s a big future in it for him. 

Of course, not everyone is big on soccer, 

and fortunately, here in Winnipeg, there are 

other sports going on to keep our interest. 

The DUCW’s Annual Golf Tournament is 

coming up on Saturday June 26. This event 

is lots of fun for pros and novices alike, and 

there is food and prizes to boot. If you 

haven’t reserved your spot yet, then get in 

touch with Margaret right away (RSVP info 

and all details opposite and on page 3). 

If you would prefer something a bit more 

relaxed, although no less skilled, consider 

trying your hand at lawn bowling (details 

opposite and on page 3). This is a “turn up to 

play” event, and if you can roll a ball, you’re in! 

And don’t forget Paws In Motion on Sunday 

June 27 in Assiniboine Park (www.winnipeghumanesocietydonor.ca). 

Panda and 

Winston will be out there, and are extending 

an invitation to Chinook, Ike, Gunner, and 

their bipedal companions to join in the fun 

and the fundraising. 

With sunny skies ahead, now is the time 

to ramp up your active meters, by either 

jumping on the sofa, taking a swing at golf, 

rolling at bowling, or walking for a great 

cause. No — swatting mosquitoes is not considered 

a real sport. 

Make play while the sun shines!

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

Often, life is determined 

by how 

quickly the time rolls around for me 

to put together another issue of The Southern 

Yarn. Seemed to catch all of us a bit off 

guard this month, but still we managed to 

do what we needed to get it done. 

Once again, kudos and thanks to Brian, 

Gordon, Margaret and Terry for doing their 

bit, and to Murray for being flexible enough 

to accommodate us this month. 

We have an update on the movie night 

and info on all upcoming events (p. 3), all 

the news from home (pp. 4 and 5), a message 

from Manitoba Hydro (p. 6), some 

great travel deals (p. 7), and updates on 

members and a few funnies and websites 

(p. 8). 

We also have a review of The Billabong’s 

new brunch menu (p. 7), and a reminder 

that during the World Cup, they have large 

TVs for excellent viewing of the games. 

Also, a reminder that members are welcome 

to submit articles, stories, photos, and 

suggestions for things to do, places to go, 

and must sees. So, feel free to send by 

email or snail mail (addresses on the front 

page). 

Another way to keep up with the DUCW 

is to check us out on Facebook — www.facebook.com/pages/Down-Under-Club-of-Winnipeg/115975501754598 

. Extra news 

items and Club events are uploaded regularly. 

Join us (click on Like) and then drop 

us a line or make a suggestion, tell us about 

any restaurants or festivals you’d recommend, 

or just say hi and let us know what 

you’ve been up to. 

Look forward to 

hearing from you! 

A small world, really! 

Iwas working in our backyard today and 

a voice from the crosswalk 

asked if I was from New 

Zealand. The person asking me 

had a very pronounced Kiwi 

accent. Seems he, his wife 

and two young kids are 

visiting the in-laws who 

live on the other side of 

the schoolyard from us. 

He had been to a 

garage sale across the 

road and was heading back 

through the schoolyard when he saw the 

sign on the side of my truck. 

We talked for a while and I learned that 

he is from the South Island (country folk) 

living not far from the mountains. I have 

been down that way and it is a very beautiful 

part of the country. 

Apparently, some years ago when he 

was living here, he was asked by a member 

of the DUCW to come down to do the Haka 

to welcome a group arriving in Winnipeg. 

Small world, eh! 

I was told the movie 

night was well attended 

and everyone enjoyed 

the movie choices provided. 

Thanks to Peter 

and Joanne Debenham 

for the place and Peter 

Munn for the movies. 

I hope everyone who 

has a dog, likes dogs, or 

had a dog as a child has 

heard about the Winnipeg 

Humane Society 

Paws In Motion walk on 

Grab a meat pie, 

some tomato sauce, 

and settle down to 

watch the World Cup! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


Sunday June 27 at Assiniboine Park and are 

intending to come along to participate. 

Kerry and I will be there with Panda and 

Winston early and ready to go. They have 

enjoyed the 

event before 

president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

and are getting 

ready to walk 

for all the animals 

that the 

Society helps. 

Panda and Winston would be very 

happy to have you walk with them, with 

or without a dog. 

Registration begins at 8:00 am and 

the walk starts at 10.30 am with lots of stuff 

to see and do both before and after the walk 

is completed. We will be there around 9:00 

am and looking for all those DUCW members 

who will be joining us. If you don’t 

have a dog, bring a friend’s dog. I’ll even 

lend you a dog if you like. 

Panda will be back next time with the 

highlights of the walk. 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca June 2010

socialite 



Saturday May 29 


It was standing room only at Peter and 

Joanne Debenham’s movie night. Seventeen 

people watched Priscilla, Queen of the Desert 

and Kenny. Thanks to Joanne and Peter for 

their hospitality, and to everyone who 

brought along extra eats to share. 





10:00 am for 18 holes 

($36.00, $30.00 for seniors) 

12:00 noon for 9 holes 

($19.00, $16.00 for seniors) 

All levels welcome to play. And stay for a 

salad, hamburger and drink meal that is 

available for $13.95 + tax after the game and 

the prize award ceremony. 



Meet in Beausejour at 2:00 pm. 

If you didn’t go last year, you missed out on 

some great ice-cream. I can personally recommend 

Helene’s homemade rhubarb sundae 

topping. RSVP required to Margaret, 

details below, so we can let you know about 

the extra surprise. 

Saturday August 21 

Riverboat Cruise 

Details to come 

RSVP 

Some of these events are fast approaching 

and RSVPs are required. So, PLEASE 

remember to contact Margaret – 237-1805 

or social@downunderclub.mb.ca - and let 

her know whether you are coming to any of 

these events so we can accommodate everyone. 

It’s all happening 

here! 

World Cup Soccer — 

watch games on our 

big TVs. 

Weekend brunch, Saturday 

and Sunday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm 

Wednesday nights are Down Under Club nights. Present your 

DUCW membership card to receive 15% off our Lounge 

menu between 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm. 

Visit our NEW website www.billabongbarandbistro.com for 

hours, menus, events, and our community involvement. 

D-121 Osborne, call 452-1019 for reservations. 

Movie night was a big success, 

according to (top) Gordon Keatch, 

Peter Debenham and Peter Munn, 

(middle) Les Fitt and Thibaut Lauwers, 

and (left) Joanne Debenham, 

Katrina Epp and Margaret Munn. 

Photos: Cathy Briggs. 

In yer face! 

Join us on Facebook and stay even more up to date with all things Aussie and Kiwi, including local 

events and news from home. Simply search for us and join in the fun, link from our website or use 

this direct link: www.facebook.com/pages/Down-Under-Club-of-Winnipeg/115975501754598 

June 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 


Aussie gold! 

[May 19, 2010, www.ausfoodnews.com.au, 

courtesy Charlie Powell] The world’s most 

prestigious and influential 

independent 

wine competition — 

the International Wine 

Challenge — has 

announced the results of its 27th annual 

blind tasting at the London International 

Wine Fair. Second overall to France, Australia 

claimed 65 gold, 238 silver and 299 

bronze medals, decided by panels drawn 

from almost 400 experienced judges. 

Illustration by Peter 

Trusler of Genyornis, 

the biggest bird 

known to have existed. 

Source: Monash 

University. 

Arnhem Land art could be 

world’s oldest 

[June 1, 2010] Rock art found in central Arnhem 

Land could be among the oldest examples 

of rock painting in the world — if the 

birds depicted prove to be what scientists 

think they are. A rock art specialist said he 

suspected the paintings depicted the longextinct 

genyornis. The genyornis, a flightless 

bird that stood three times the height of an 

emu, was one of many megafauna to became 

extinct when humans began burning the 

continent for hunting and land-clearing 

40,000 years ago. 

Taking back the Aussie pint 

[June 4, 2010] Aussie Farmers Direct plans 

to invest $5.45 million in a private milk factory 

in an attempt to break the foreignowned 

control of Australian milk. Located in 

Camperdown, the plant is expected to eventually 

produce 100,000 litres of 100% Australian 

owned and produced milk and milk 

products a day, and directly connect the 

farming community to Australian households. 

The company also plans to revive the 

old-fashioned ‘milkman’ delivery service and 

add a variety of fresh produce, meats, staples 

and baked goods. Now, that’s what I’m talking 

about! 

World’s biggest 

burger? Photo: 

SMH. 

Now, that’s a 

big burger! 

[June 7, 2010] A 

Sydney café is flipping out after cooking a 

hamburger believed to be the world’s 

biggest. The Ambrosia on the Spot café in 

Randwick needed four men to flip the 

bulging burger, which at 90 kg, weighed 

more than the average human. “Just flipping 

the patty was the main challenge, but it all 

went well.” The giant burger contained the 

giant beef patty, 120 eggs, 150 slices of 

cheese, 1.5 kg of beetroot, 2.5 kg of tomatoes 

and almost 2 kg of lettuce, topped off with a 

special sauce on a giant sesame seed bun. It 

was eaten by employees at the café, along 

with supporters such as a bread supplier 

and a butcher. More than $2,500 was raised 

for the Sydney Children’s Hospital in the 

world record attempt. 

Ouch! Photo: scrapetv.com 

Punches, then 

waves 

[June 7, 2010] A surfer 

fought off a large shark 

and then rode a wave to 

safety in Western Australia. Michael Bedford 

was knocked off his board by the shark, 

believed to have been a great white, which 

then came back for a second charge. But he 

punched the animal and then caught a passing 

wave to the shore, where friends used 

the board’s rope as a tourniquet for bite 

wounds on his leg. “He gave it a good whack 

he reckons, a good punch.” Australia has several 

shark attacks each year, with 194 people 

killed over the past 200 years. 

Photo: www.autoblog.com 

Tragedy sparks 

invention 

[June 8, 2010] Australia’s 

young design engineers have put 

their best on show at the 2010 James Dyson 

Award where design students in Australia 

compete to go up against the rest of the world. 

The winner was 25-year-old Liam Ferguson, 

whose family saved themselves and their 

property during the Black Saturday bushfires. 

His invention, the Amatoya, is a fast, 

light vehicle that could penetrate rugged terrain 

and drive through a burnover. It has an 

insulated cabin that can withstand temperatures 

of more than 600 degrees, and its highpowered 

water cannon can be operated from 

inside, so crews can fight fires from the middle 

of a blaze. Its goal is “to suppress the fire 

until the tanks arrive.” 








mutual funds. 





Phone: (204) 275-7631 










newszealand 


Photo: lifeinthefastlane.com 

The price of 

skinnydipping 

[May 14, 2010, NZPA] A venomous katipo spider 

bite on his privates was the high price a 

tourist paid for a skinny-dip at a Northland 

beach. Chest pain and other symptoms 

developed the next morning and it was presumed 

he had been bitten by a katipo. He 

was treated with anti-venom medicine and 

rapidly improved. Katipo spiders are known 

to have a highly specialised habitat in New 

Zealand sand dunes and will bite only rarely, 

and in defence. Prompt diagnosis and the 

use of anti-venom resulted in a good outcome 

for the tourist. 

Who loves ya?! 

Photo: Brett Phibbs. 

Aussies love us 

more than 

anyone 

[May 31, 2010] An opinion poll has found 

that despite the transtasman rivalry, Aussies 

love Kiwis more than any other nationality. 

When a Lowry Institute poll in March asked 

them to rate their feelings toward other 

countries — with 100 being a very warm, 

favourable feeling and zero meaning very 

cold — 1,001 Australians responded with an 

average 84 for their feelings toward New 

Zealanders. Aw! 

The new baby 

rhinoceros with 

his mother 

Tamu. 

Orana 

Park welcomes baby white rhino 

[Jun 1, 2010] Orana Park in Christchurch are 

thrilled to announce the arrival of a new 

baby boy, who weighed in at 55 kg. After a 17month 

long pregnancy, their white rhino, 7year-old 

Tamu, has become a mum for the 

first time. Animal collection manager Ian 

Adams says rhino calves can gain more than 

two kilos per day in their first few months 

and the baby already weighs 70 kg. Tamu 

and another female rhino were transferred 

to Orana in 2007 from Perth Zoo to inject 

new bloodlines into the Orana herd. 

Kiore were introduced 

from Polynesia by the 

13th century. Photo: 

Supplied. 

Rare rats given 

sanctuary 

[Jun 3, 2010] After 

facing possible eradication, 

a rare breed of rats introduced by 

Maori will be given sanctuary in two islands 

of Northland’s Hen and Chickens group. The 

species was brought to New Zealand by 

Maori and was well established there by the 

13th century. Although Ngatiwai say the 

move is aimed at protecting a species their 

ancestors introduced, kiore could have a 

devastating effect on 35 species of plants, 

native lizards, tuatara and birdlife on the 

island. Indeed, the kiore have already been 

blamed for the extinction or reduction of 

flightless beetles, giant weta, land snails, 

frogs, skinks, geckos, tuatara and bats. 

Church’s new advertising 

campaign. 


Brewery sees 

the light 

[Jun 4, 2010] A church that had to change a 

billboard because DB complained it 

breached the trademark of the Tui beer’s 

“yeah right” advertising campaign has 

received a good deed from the New Zealand 

brewing giant. Yesterday, DB announced 

that it had paid advertising firm Saatchi’s to 

design some draft billboards for the church 

to use. Which of the six clever and “edgy” 

designs will be used will depend on the 

church’s limited signs and advertising 

budget. “There’s no way that we could have 

afforded Saatchi’s to do any mock-up 

designs for us. I think it’s very generous of 

Tui. It’s good publicity for them, but having 

said that, I think they were sincere in helping 

us. We’re very appreciative of their generosity.” 



Auckland poker sensation Simon Watt. Photo: 

SkyCity. 

NZer makes poker history in US 

[Jun 8, 2010] A New Zealander has become 

the first Kiwi to win one of the poker world’s 

most coveted trophies — a World Series 

bracelet. Auckland software developer 

Simon Watt, 27, won US$614,248 in prize 

money in the Las Vegas event. A World Series 

of Poker bracelet is the holy grail of poker 

professionals. Watt defeated US star Tom 

Dwan in a tense heads-up finale. The Kiwi’s 

ultimate winning hand was a full house, 

Aces over 9s, against his opponent’s bluff. 

Nice payday! 

New Zealand is listed as the world’s most peaceful 

country in the 2010 Global Peace Index. Photo: 

Brett Phibbs. 

NZ most peaceful country 

[Jun 9, 2010] The global financial crisis had 

made the world less peaceful by fuelling 

crime and civil unrest, but the risk of outright 

armed conflict appeared to be falling. 

New Zealand ranked #1 as the most peaceful 

country, followed by Iceland and Japan. The 

index examines several dozen indicators 

from the crime rate to defence spending, 

conflicts with neighbouring states and 

respect for human rights. “We have seen 

what looks like a direct impact from the 

[financial] crisis.” Africa and the Middle East 

were the only two regions to have become 

safer since the survey began in 2007. Canada 

ranked 14th and Australia 19th. 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 

June 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 5

photospot 

images that catch our eyes 

Photos: Dennis Swayze 

The Owls have it! 

Top: Peregrine chicks at the Radisson. 

Below: Saw-whet chick on the lookout for Mum. 

Watching the World Cup 

All Whites qualify for the World Cup 

(www.odt.co.nz). 

With the Socceroos down one and the All 

Whites drawing their first game, both are 

still in contention at the World Cup. Remaining 

games – which they need to win – are: 

Socceroos (Group D): 

Ghana on June 19, and Serbia on June 23. 

All Whites (Group F): 

Italy on June 20, and Paraguay on June 24. 

Come on, guys. Do us all proud! 

foo 

r info 

ormation 

on 

qualify 

yin 

g income 

levels. 

Celebrating 

50 years of 

NZ Television 

Source: NZ Herald 

* Manitoba 

Hydro 

is 

a lic 

e ensee 

of 

the 

Trademark 

and 

Official 

Mark. 

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Learn 

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What card. are you Contact: waiting for? Contact LORI me 488 before – the 1336 end of the month and I’ll give you 3 FREE cards (including postage). 




Brunch at The 

Billabong 

Taking the downunder menu to new tastes 

Afew weeks ago, a small cadre of us 

ventured forth to sample the brunch 

menu at one our favourite eateries. A 

new addition to their line up, the brunch 

menu at The Billabong features an intriguing 

selection that certainly got us talking right 

off the bat. 

Gordon Keatch, Leon Badali, and one of 

our friends, Sue Brown, agreed to sample the 

offerings with me and provide their own 

review to accompany mine. Leon and I are 

breakfast afficionados, and always ready to 

try out a new menu, so off we went, prepared 

to critique as necessary. 

As usual, the staff were very friendly, and 

our ordered beverages were promptly delivered 

to our table. The coffee was piping hot — 

and kept coming — and alterations to the 

menu were explained. 

Prices range from $6 for the Canadian 

Classic (two eggs any style with choice of 

meats, hash browns, fresh fruit and toast) to 

$15 for the Down Under Benedict (barbecued 

kangaroo, pineapple rings, beetroot relish, 

horseradish hollandaise, and poached eggs 

on damper biscuits). 

Other dishes include the Benedict, Thai 

turkey sausage omelet, Dave’s huevos 

rancheros, oat and flaxseed pancakes with 

Quebec maple syrup and macerated berries, 

roasted vegetable frittata, maple walnut 

infused French toast, Aussie style shore 

brunch, and Aussie foo yung. 

Gordon and Leon both tried the shore 

brunch (pan-fried snapper fillets on hash 

brown potato with orange-herb and pineapple 

red curry baked beans, with fresh fruit, 

and toast), Sue had the down under benedict 

(which we promptly renamed the “Roo” 

benedict), and I had the vegetable frittata 

(zucchini, eggplant, spinach, mushrooms, 

peppers and red onion along with mascarpone 

and Padona cheese, with hash browns, 

fresh fruit and toast). 

And the verdict? Delicious all round! 

All four of us highly recommend digging 

in to this beaut menu. Fair dinkum. The serv- 




ings were huge, the fresh ingredients perfectly 

cooked, and the mix of flavours truly 

mouthwatering. Small note that the fresh 

fruit didn’t materialise, but we didn’t even 

notice until way after the fact. 

Brunch is available on Saturdays and 

Sundays from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. 

Although we didn’t need to book on the day 

we went, as word spreads about this delicious 

fare, it might be wise to phone, just in 

case (452-1019). For the menu, and more on 

the restaurant, visit their new website at 

www.billabongbarandbistro.com. 

— Jenny Gates 

Give us a call today. Calgary to Australia RETURN CAD$890! 

Los Angeles to Melbourne RETURN USD$368! 

Los Angeles to the Cooks RETURN USD$609! 

Canada to Australia with Free stops in Asia RETURN CAD$1,160 

Aussie Pass from Calgary on Sale RETURN CAD$1,429 

Riding in Style: Premium Economy LA to Aus RETURN CAD$1,838 

Ca l for 

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�� 

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June 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 7 

�

emember 


Sweet success 

Lou Savisky and Helene DeKezel are hanging 

up their aprons. After 25 years at the 

helm of the Dairy Bar in Beausejour, they 

have sold their business. Lou and Helene are 

staying in Beausejour, and will be helping 

the new owners out for the next while. So, 

they will not only see us when we head up 

their way in July, but they will be able to relax 

and enjoy the day with us. And hopefully, 

they be more involved with the Club in the 

years ahead. 

Looking for a different kind of 

Yarn 

Jacqueline Cassel-Vernon — or as some of us 

know her, Chinook’s mum — is starting to 

teach knitting and crocheting classes at the 

Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba. 

She is looking for donations of materials, 

such as yarns, knitting needles and crochet 

hooks. If you have any to give, please contact 

Jacqueline at auscanuck@shaw.ca for pickup/delivery 

arrangements. 

LAST CALL FOR SPACE 

The Club is STILL looking for some permanent 

space to store our stuff. We want to find 

a forever home approximately 6’ x 10’. So if 

you have a space that you think might be 

suitable, please contact Terry at 663-6549 — 

as soon as possible. 



www.nfb.ca — enjoy documentaries, animations 

and alternative dramas online 

www.australiansinfilm.org — get the latest on 

Aussies in film 

www.kitchenuhmaykoosib.com/id77.html — 

myth or ‘monster’ 

charliephillips.net/videos/theater-9/markvincent.html 

— Idol, Australian style 

www.visionofhumanity.org — Global Peace 

Index 

funnybusiness 

down under humour: courtesy Charlie Powell 

Life in the Australian Army... 

Text of a letter from a kid from Eromanga to Mum 

and Dad. (Eromanga is a small town, west of 

Quilpie, in the far south west of Queensland) 

Dear Mum and Dad 

I am well. Hope yous are too. Tell me big 

brothers Doug and Phil that the Army is better 

than workin’ on the farm — tell them to 

get in bloody quick smart before the jobs are 

all gone! 

I wuz a bit slow in settling down at first, 

because ya don’t hafta get outta bed until 6 

am. But I like sleeping in now, cuz all ya gotta 

do before brekky is make ya bed and shine ya 

boots and clean ya uniform. No bloody cows 

to milk, no calves to feed, no feed to stack — 

nothin’!! Yuz gotta shower though, but it’s not 

so bad, coz there’s lotsa hot water and even a 

light to see what ya doing! 

At brekky ya get cereal, fruit and eggs 

but there’s no kangaroo steaks or possum 

stew like wot Mum makes. You don’t get fed 

again until noon and by that time all the city 

boys are buggered because we’ve been on a 

‘route march’ — geez its only just like walking 

to the windmill in the back paddock!! 

This one will kill me brothers Doug and 

Phil with laughter. I keep getting medals for 

shootin’ — dunno why. The bullseye is as big 

as a bloody possum’s bum and it don’t move 

and it’s not firing back at ya like the Johnsons 

did when our big scrubber bull got into 

their prize cows before the Ekka last year! 

All ya gotta do is make yourself comfortable 

and hit the target — it’s a piece of cake! 

You don’t even load your own cartridges, 

they comes in little boxes, and ya don’t have 

to steady yourself against the rollbar of the 

roo shooting truck when you reload! 

Sometimes ya gotta wrestle with the city 

boys and I gotta be real careful coz they break 

easy — it’s not like fighting with Doug and 

Phil and Jack and Boori and Steve and Muzza 

all at once like we do at home after the muster. 

Turns out I’m not a bad boxer either and it 

looks like I’m the best the platoon’s got, and 

I’ve only been beaten by this one bloke from 

the Engineers — he’s 6 foot 5 and 15 stone and 

three pick handles across the shoulders and 

as ya know I’m only 5 foot 7 and eight stone 

wringin’ wet, but I fought him till the other 

blokes carried me off to the boozer. 

I can’t complain about the Army — tell the 

boys to get in quick before word gets around 

how bloody good it is. 

Your loving daughter, Sheila 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ June 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

July 2010 


July 


2 0 1 0 


JULY 



Option 1 = Road Quiz 

leaves Winnipeg at 12:45 pm 

Option 2 = Ice Cream only 

meet in Beausejour at 2:30 pm 

The best ice cream in Manitoba! 

RSVP required for both options — 

call Margaret at 237-1805. 


River Boat Cruise: CANCELLED 

Friday August 13 

Goldeyes Game, 7:00 pm 

CanWest Global Park 

Tickets $10, only 25 AVAILABLE, so reserve 

your spot TODAY by calling Margaret at 237- 

1805. 

Sunday August 29 

Dog Day Afternoon, 2:00 pm 

King’s Park 

For dog owners and non-dog owners alike. 

A fun, relaxing afternoon – might be asked to 

share your canine with wannabe owners! 

RSVP 


Margaret at social@downunderclub.mb.ca 

or 237-1805. 

Join us on FACEBOOK – 

www.facebook.com/pages/ 

Down-Under-Club-of-Winnipeg/ 

115975501754598 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 

walkabout at Government House in 

Winnipeg. Photo: Jenny Gates. 

What a treat! 

On Saturday July 3, Queen Elizabeth II 

and Prince Philip arrived in Winnipeg 

for a short visit to several locations. 

And as one might expect, members of 

the Down Under Club were front and centre 

at each location. 

Gordon Keatch, Al Hansen and other 

past members of the War Time Pilots and 

Observers Association were part of the welcoming 

group at the new terminal of the 

James Richardson International Airport. 

Unfortunately, due to a multitude of comedic 

missteps, none of them saw the Royal couple 

close up — or got a beer when they finally got 

back to the Base! 

More fortunate was Betty Burt and other 

members of the Royal Commonwealth Society, 

Manitoba Branch, including me, in the 

grounds of Government House for the Royal 

visitors’ walkabout. A host of local groups 

and organisations snapped photos and hand 

delivered flowers as the Queen and Prince 

Philip made their way past hundreds of well 

wishers. 

Perhaps the most auspicious meeting 

was when Murray Burt (Yarn writer for Commonwealth 

Place) hand delivered a colourful 

presentation copy of his book, Winnipeg’s 

Ladies From Hell, to the Duke of Edinburgh 

at a fleeting ceremony at The Forks. The 

book is a centenary regimental history of The 

Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, 

and Murray paraded with three officers 

of the regiment, some past COs, and an 

armed guard of six feather-bonneted highlanders 

in scarlet uniforms to give the book 

to Prince Philip, who is also the regiment’s 

Colonel-in-Chief. “It was awesome fun,” Murray 

said. 

Sweet treat! 

Looking for something 

sweet to do 

this month? Then 

join us Saturday 

July 17 in making 

the trek to Beausejour 

for the best 

ice cream in Manitoba. 

Members Lou Savisky and 

Helene DeKezel welcomed us last year, and 

although they recently sold the Dairy Bar to 

the Lange family, they will be on hand to 

enjoy a variety of sweet treats with us and to 

introduce us to the new owners. 

And to make it fun in getting there, Peter 

and Margaret Munn have designed yet 

another “road quiz” to entertain and challenge 

us along the way to Beausejour [details 

on page 3].

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

What a month! Paws in Motion was 

a huge success, the Annual Golf 

Tournament went ahead without 

any preventative precipitation, and the 

Queen and Prince Philip visited on one of 

the hottest days so far this year! 

Typical summer, eh? Lots of things 

going on and uncertain weather that really 

tests our mettle. Well, this issue of the 

newsletter will provide a quiet antidote, 

while the Club’s calendar holds out the 

promise of some delicious ice cream to 

keep you cool. 

All details for the trip to the Dairy Bar 

in Beausejour are on pages 1 and 3. 

Whether you are doing the road quiz or 

heading straight there, you need to call 

Margaret — 237-1805 — and let her know you 

are planning on coming so she can prepare 

the quiz and give the new owners some 

idea of how many to expect. 

The rest of this issue includes a write 

up of the Royal visit (p. 1), the calendar of 

events until November (p. 3), all the news 

from home (pp. 4 and 5), a write up on the 

Commonwealth (p. 7), and a delightful (?) 

little reflection from Gordon Keatch (p. 8). 

Speaking of Gordon, if you’ve been 

missing his ‘getting to know…’ column, rest 

assured it will return in August. 

In the meantime, if you take any photos 

over the summer that you want to share, feel 

free to email them with a caption, and we’ll 

do our best to include them in the coming 

months! 

Advertise in The Southern Yarn. 

Contact Jenny (info@downunderclub.mb.ca or 

228-9959) for all the rates. Send your 

submission by email to or mail to PO Box 

1655, Stn Main, Winnipeg MB R3C 2Z6. 

June has left us and hopefully so has the 

wet weather. It was nice to see that the 

weather held up for the Queen’s visit to 

Winnipeg on the weekend. I have always 

been a great admirer of hers as she comes 

from the same era as my mum, with a very 

English sense of duty. 

My mother can remember 

the Queen’s visit to New Zealand 

in 1953 as Her Majesty passed 

through Pukekohe on her 

way to Auckland on the 

train. Mum and others 

watched from the railway 

bridge just a few 

minutes’ walk from our 

house on Station Road. 

She still remembers that fleeting glimpse 

of the Royals, which is the sort of impression 

the Queen has on people throughout 

the Commonwealth. Her heirs may not have 

that admiration, but while she is still with 

us, I think we have a Queen to be 

proud of. 

Panda’s perspective 

Paws in Motion was a lot of fun and 

Winston and I got to do the walk with 

our friend from across the street, Ruffus. 

There were so many dogs — short 

ones, tall ones, short-haired ones, longhaired 

ones, even coloured ones ... do I feel 

sorry for them! Kerry and Terry would 

NEVER do that to us. (Mind you, I sometimes 

wonder what Winston would look like 

in red or maybe purple .... Ah, no!) Winston 

got his nails trimmed in front of everyone, 

Celebrate summer 

with a sweet, sweet pie 

for your sweetie pie! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


and the lady was making such a fuss over 

him, I just got to sit and watch. 

It was so nice to see Jenny and Leon 

after the walk. They still have not found the 

right buddy to live with them yet, but they 

came over to 

the park to see 

all the dogs — 

president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

and us, of 

course. 

A big thank 

you to everyone 

who sponsored Winston and me in 

Paws in Motion. Although the total 

amount of money raised has not yet 

been tallied, the event has been billed 

by the Winnipeg Humane Society as a 

HUGE success! So thank you for supporting 

us and helping other animals in need. 

We are looking forward to the DUCW 

dog day afternoon in August — maybe Jenny 

will have a friend for us to play with by 

then. Sorry we missed you, Ike; maybe next 

time. You can show Winston those tricks 

you have. I don’t do tricks. 

More Paws In Motion photos from 2009 here: 

www.flickr.com/photos/clinker/tags/pawsinmotion 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca July 2010

socialite 



Fore! 

The Annual Golf Tournament was held at 

Players Golf Course on Inkster on Saturday 

June 26. Rumour has it that the event was a 

great success. Two ladies and 10 gentlemen 

teed off, and each was rewarded with a prize 

at the finish. Thanks to Peter Munn for organizing 

and Terry Roberts for helping out. 


There are lots of events coming up in the 

next few months, so be sure to grab your calender 

and sharpen your pencil. 



Road Quiz — meet at 12.45 pm in Winnipeg 

Ice cream only — 2:30 in Beausejour 

All roads lead to Beausejour where you will 

be treated to some truly delicious ice-cream. 

If you would like to take part in the “Road 

Quiz”, meet at Peter and Margaret Munn’s 

house, 86 Clonard Avenue (just off St. 

Anne’s Road), at 12:45 pm. Otherwise, plan 

to meet at the Dairy Bar about 2:30 p.m. 

Please let Margaret know — 237-1805 — if you 

are going to be there so she can let the Dairy 

Bar know how many bananas to buy for the 

sundaes. The Munns were there last week 

and the ice cream is as yummy as ever! 




(RIVERBOAT CRUISE CANCELLED!) 

We had to change plans due to the high 

water levels on the Red River. Instead of 

cruising on the Riverboat, we are going to a 

Goldeyes Game. Tickets are $10.00, and for 

that price we will sit as a group, receive a 

free gift, and be acknowledged on the PA and 

the jumbotron. ONLY 25 TICKETS AVAIL- 

ABLE, so get your name in quick! As these 

tickets are pre purchased, we also need you 

to prepay your tickets before Sunday 

August 8. Please call Margaret at 237-1805 

to arrange for payment. 


King’s Park, 2:00 pm 

off University Crescent and King’s Drive, 

south Pembina 

Now, this is something different. A chance 

for all dog lovers to meet and show off your 4legged 

friends. Bring your best friend, a 

snack and some water for you and him/her, 

and a thermos of tea or coffee to King’s Park. 

If you don’t have a dog, come along anyway 

and share with someone. 

Saturday September 18 

Wacky Games Nite 


Oh, now this is going to be great! All manner 

of fun and exciting games are being 

planned. More details to come, but expect to 

be entertained! 

Saturday October 23 

Formal Dinner 

Details in the next issue of The Yarn. 

Friday November 26 

Annual General Meeting 



know if you are planning to attend any of 

these events so we can accommodate everyone. 

Weekend brunch, 

Saturday and Sunday 

from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm 

Celebrating an Aussie goal against Ghana at The 

Billabong on Sat June 19. L to r: Peter Munn, 

Tracey Winch, Peter Debenham, Brett Winch and 

Judy Powell. Photo: Charlie Powell. 

WORLD CUP ROUND UP 

Big cheers for New Zealand’s historic 1-1 

tie with Italy. A force to be reckoned with in 

the 2014 World Cup for sure! The sentiment 

expressed by DUCW Laurie Morris says it all 

... “My heart was racing this morning watching 

NZ tie Italy. What pride I felt. Wearing 

my New Zealand America’s Cup shirt, NZ 

across the back, cheering for the underdog.” 

In yer face! 

Join us on Facebook and stay even more up to date with all things Aussie and Kiwi, 

including local events and news from home. Simply search for us and join in the 

fun, link from our website or use this direct link: 

www.facebook.com/pages/Down-Under-Club-of-Winnipeg/115975501754598 

Stop in for 

a bite! 







July 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 


Roy (left) and 

H.G. Photo: 

Steven Siewert. 

After years of rampaging, rebel 

pair get recognition 

[June 14, 2010] They are known for “making 

the serious trivial and the trivial serious”. 

And that’s exactly what Greig Pickhaver and 

John Doyle did when they found out they — or 

is it really their much-loved alter egos, rampaging 

Roy Slaven (Doyle) and H. G. Nelson 

(Pickhaver) — were to become members of 

the Order of Australia (AM) for services to 

the media as presenters and entertainers, 

and as supporters of charitable organisations. 

“It means that there are a number of 

people in the community who have deemed 

that whatever we’ve been doing for the last 

20 or so years is worth something.” 

Miranda Kerr to marry 

boyfriend Orlando Bloom. 

Photo: Getty Images. 

Kerr to Bloom 

[June 22, 2010] Australian supermodel 

Miranda Kerr and her Hollywood beau, 

Orlando Bloom, are set to walk down the 

aisle. After months of marriage rumours, 

faux engagement ring sightings, and denials 

from their publicists, the couple has decided 

to take the plunge. Kerr, 27, raised in the 

NSW country farming town of Gunnedah, 

first met the English-born Pirates of the 

Caribbean star backstage at a Victoria’s 

Secret lingerie fashion show in New York in 

2006. The couple may marry in Gunnedah — 

home to a branch of my (Gates) family tree! 

Julia Gillard with 

her partner, 

Tim Mathieson, 

at Parliament 

House. Photo: 

Andrew Meares. 

G’day, Madam Prime Minister! 

[June 29, 2010, compiled by Jenny Gates] A 

few days ago, Julia Gillard stepped into the 

Prime Ministership to lead the Australian 

Labor, they hope, to victory in the coming 

election. Kevin Rudd had fallen fast from 

favour, and when faced with diminishing 

support from within his Caucus, decided to 

resign before the leadership vote. Gillard 

has already proven herself a step apart, even 

though she sided with Mr Rudd on most 

issues. Amid comments and curiosities 

about her partner (i.e., whether their nonmarital 

status will dangerously influence 

young women ... seriously?), her attire, and 

her religious views, Gillard is holding her 

own. The days and months ahead will certainly 

be interesting! 

Ripped-off riff. Photo: SMH. 

Kookaburra sits on a 

fortune 

[July 6, 2010] Men at Work songwriters Colin 

Hay and Ron Strykert, composers of the Aus- 

6 pm: pick up, feed, bathe kids 

10 pm: write report, do laundry 

11:55 pm: plan financial future 

You have dreams and ambitions, but where do you find 

the time to plan for them? A financial advisor can work 

with you to clarify your goals and find the mutual funds 

that will help you reach them. 


tralian classic hit song “Down Under”, will 

have to hand over a share of earnings from 

the song for breach of copyright. Federal 

Court Justice Peter Jacobson ruled in February 

that the famous flute riff from the song 

was the same as the children’s tune, “Kookaburra 

Sits in the Old Gum Tree”. That song 

was penned more than 75 years ago by 

Toorak teacher Marion Sinclair for a Girl 

Guides competition. Hay and Strykert and 

recording company EMI will how have to 

hand over 5% of royalties past and future to 

Kookaburra copyright holder Larrikin 

Music. An appeal is planned, no doubt. 

Cadel Evans of Australia, centre, rides on a cobblestone 

section during the third stage. Photo: AP. 

Cadel Evans in Tour de France 

[July 7, 2010] Australian Cadel Evans produced 

a brilliant ride over the cobblestones 

in Tuesday’s stage three of the Tour de 

France to move from 19th overall to third. 

Evans, a dual Tour runner-up in 2007 and 

2008, is now third overall at 39 seconds to 

Swiss race leader Fabian Cancellara (Saxo 

Bank) and well placed against his main general 

classification rivals. To keep up with the 

tour, visit www.letour.fr/indexus.html. 





Phone: (204) 275-7631 


frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Investors will pay management fees and expenses, may pay commissions or 

trailing commissions and may experience a gain or loss. ©2010 FMR LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part by any 

means without the prior written consent of Fidelity Investments is forbidden. 



4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca July 2010

newszealand 


The ENZARed kiwifruit. 


Red for summer 

[June 14, 2010] A shiny 

new kiwifruit, sporting 

a brilliant, sunburst red centre, is being 

released onto the market this week. The fruit 

has a striking red centre, exotic flavour and 

a creamy texture. It is the first major change 

to the fruit since the gold kiwi more than a 

decade ago. June 15 marks 51 years since the 

name “kiwifruit” was coined, and this week’s 

new fruit is designed to mark the occasion. 

Cool runnings. Photo: NZ Herald. 

Players bare all for true rugby 

test 

[June 21, 2010, Brisbane Times] The true 

mark of a man is in his swagger, according to 

Dunedin folk. And there is no better indication 

of this than rugby played in its purest 

form. Nude, that is. In honour of National 

Nude Day, the undefeated Nude Blacks 

defeated the Welsh Leeks before a 2,500strong 

crowd of rugby fans and curious 

tourists. On the field there is no shame and 

no inhibitions. In fact, there is nothing but 

men — and a football. According to the Kiwi 

skipper, “It’s all in the name of fun ... and 

good rugby.” 

Scam victims 

Debbie and 

Rachel Plank. 

Photo: Janna 

Dixon. 

Scammers 

creaming $447m off Kiwis yearly 

[June 20, 2010] Thousands of Kiwis are 

conned by scams each year, with 15% of the 

population having fallen victim to a scam 

over the internet or by other means, costing 

them money and causing emotional stress 

and embarrassment. Scammers often play 

on emotional heartstrings, fleecing their victims 

of huge sums of money through any 

means possible, with the financial loss to the 

country estimated at $447 million. So, watch 

out for dating websites, fake emails asking 

for personal and banking details, get rich 

schemes, chain letters and charity scams. 

“We would hope that nowadays most people 

would just hit delete.” Sound advice! 

The only giant pandas currently in the Southern 

Hemisphere are in the Adelaide Zoo. Photo: AP. 

Pandas for kiwi 

[Jun 29, 2010] Auckland Zoo may be party to 

a pandas-for-kiwi deal that the NZ Government 

hopes to broker with the Chinese Government. 

Pandas can only be rented at a cost 

of about $1.4 million a year for a 10-year contract, 

are expensive to keep, require at least 

three keepers, and can eat up to 40kg of 

bamboo shoots daily. “Clearly, there wouldn’t 

be any greater attraction in any zoo in the 

world more popular than giant pandas.” The 

idea to trade two pandas for two kiwi will be 

discussed in China next month. There are 

about 1,600 pandas in the wild, and more 

than 200 in captivity. 

One of the luxury 

homes available. 


Cup homes 

hit $20,000 

[Jul 5, 2010] Foreign rugby fans are paying 

up to $20,000 a week to rent Auckland 

homes for next year’s World Cup. Luxury 

homes in Remuera, Parnell, Herne Bay and 

St Marys Bay are being advertised for 

$20,000, with add-ons that include daily or 

weekly housekeeping, childcare services 



and pantry stocking, rides to and from airports 

and games, and tickets to some matches. 

Home prices range from $2,000 and up, 

with some of the $20,000 a week homes 

already rented out. If you are wanting to rent, 

visit luxuryrentals2011.co.nz. 

Main street of Gisborne desolate as locals avoid 

heavy rain. Photo: NZPA. 

Floodwaters trap East Coast 

residents 

[July 6, 2010] Flooded and impassable roads 

have trapped residents inland from Ruatoria 

as the Mata River washed away road access. 

Reports of “raging, vicious and dirty” floodwaters 

leaving a “great big hole where the 

council road used to be” were likely to 

increase as a further 17 hours of rain was 

expected to drop between 100mm and 

150mm in the ranges. The heaviest falls 

were recorded near the Raparapaririki Forest 

(inland from Ruatoria) where 220mm 

fell. “The district is now quite soaked to the 

north, with the land having reached saturation 

point.” 

Kiwi workers heading to 

work dressing more 

casually than in the past. 

Photo: Dean Purcell. 

Casual workplace attire 

[July 6, 2010] More than 80% of New Zealanders 

believe we are increasingly adopting a 

more casual approach to our workplace 

attire, but not everyone is happy with the 

changing look. “It certainly does not show 

any pride in their work ... “ and “It is sad to 

see the ... casual dress together with a very 

careless attitude” are typical reactions. 

Although different workplaces call for different 

types of attire, common sense suggests 

dressing appropriately and respectfully. 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 


For your viewing pleasure… 

Build up your summer viewing library with 

this great selection. 

Brand new BluRay — Spiderman 3 – $8 

Brand new DVDs – Australia, The Dark Knight, X- 

Men: The Last Stand, Superman Returns – $5 

each 

Pre-loved DVDs – Casino Royale, Juno, Pirates of 

the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl + the 

Lost Disc, Spiderman 3 — $3 each 

Audrey Hepburn fans — VHS collection — Roman 

Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and Sabrina. 

Never opened, yours for $5 

Clint Eastwood fans — “The Man with No Name” 

VHS Trilogy — A Fistful of Dollars, The Good, 

the Bad and the Ugly, and For a Few Dollars 

More — played once, yours for $5 

Irving Berlin fans — White Christmas Collector’s 

Edition to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of this 

holiday classic! VHS, CD of songs, brochure, 

photos, and copies of the script. Never opened, 

yours for $10 

Also, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining and The Who’s 

Tommy: the amazing journey (behind the scenes 

collector’s edition) — FREE to a good home! 

Contact Jenny at 228-9959 or words@jennygates.com. 

Win an iPad 

for your 

travels? 

Long-time advertisers 

in the Yarn, 

Downunder Travel 

are giving you an 

opportunity win 

an iPad. If you 

book in July to the 

South Pacific, SE 

Asia, or Africa, then you will automatically be 

entered into a draw for the new iPad by Apple 

– a perfect travelling companion! Details at: 

www.downunder-travel.com 

3-step blueberry 

cheesecake recipe 

2 pk 8 oz cream cheese 

1/2 c sugar 

1/4 tspn vanilla 

2 eggs 

1 9oz graham cracker crust 

1 can blueberry pie filling 





Ca l for 

bargains! 

Photo: vintagetriggy.files.wordpress.com 

Recipe: cheesecakerecipes.net 

Australia on Sale! USD$578 return 

Australia return CAD$979 

New Zealand direct return CAD$1,198 

Australia – Asia Combo return CAD$1,160 

Fiji – Kids Fly Free – Call for details 

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6 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca July 2010 

� 

tuckerbox . 

For all those who love cheesecake! This is such a delicious 

easy-to-make recipe — you can change the pie filling to 

whatever you like. Bon appétit ! 

- Lou Savisky and Helene DeKezel 

Mix cream cheese, sugar, vanilla until smooth and creamy. 

Add eggs and mix well. Pour into pie crust. Spoon 1/4 to 

1/3 of pie filling on top. Gently swirl with toothpick. Bake at 

350 degrees for 40 minutes or until centre is set. Cool to 

room temperature and then refrigerate. Serve topped with 

remaining pie filling. Enjoy!

commonwealth 


“Hey Charlie, the exam 

mark you gave me stinks.” 

How would you feel about your kids addressing 

their schoolteacher in the classroom by 

using his or her first name? Yes, that’s in primary 

and secondary schools. 

It’s being done in some New Zealand 

schools and is being met with strongly 

expressed views for and against. An example 

of those favouring the idea is Sandra McCallum, 

principal of Wellington’s Mount Cook 

School. 

Using Christian names changes the 

learning dynamic. “Instead of passively 

accepting what they are told, children are 

not overawed by authority and are more 

questioning,” she said. “The adage that children 

are there to be seen and not heard — 

that has changed.” 

One educator appalled with the idea is 

Victoria University anthropologist James 

Urry. He argues that removing the age-based 

hierarchy is empowering kids before they 

are ready. 

“The consequences of this in schools is a 

collapse of authority and a lack of respect 

which also extends beyond school,” he said. 

“Children are empowered often without the 

social skills to handle their empowerment. 

There has to be discipline. There has to be 

authority or it’s Lord of the Flies.” 

‘First name use’ is not all that new. Bryce 

Coleman, principal of Te Aro School said 

children had addressed staff by their Christian 

names at his school for more than 20 

years. “It makes the relationship with the 

children a lot more personable and less 

authoritarian which suits the philosophy of 

our school,” he said. 

Maori schools tend to embrace the formality 

of address by having pupils call their 

teachers “Matua” and “Whaea”, meaning 

uncle and auntie, respectively. It is a gentle 

way of instilling respect for elders and avoiding 

the dangers of familiarity, which could 

open the door to a loss of control. 

Canterbury College of Education associate 

dean Barry Brooker said it was “definitely” 

not an environment for new teachers in 

particular. 

“That’s not the way to start your interaction 

with a group of children,” he said. Dr 

Brooker said formal titles developed a 

demarcation between students and teachers 

and gave the teachers the authority needed 

to do their job properly. The use of first 

names put the relationship between teachers 

and students on a more equal footing, 

“and no matter what you think, it’s not an 

equal footing.” 

Dr Urry, whose wife is a primary school 

teacher, also refuted suggestions that first 

name use put teachers and students on a 

level footing. 

“How could you be equal with a sevenyear-old?” 

he said. 

The Education Ministry is standing clear 

of this one. It refused judgement saying it 

was a matter for individual schools. 

Photo: Prime Minister 

Julia Gillard. 

Photo: 

www.aph.gov.au. 

You’re out, 

she’s in! 

She’s Welshborn. 

She’s 48. 

She immigrated 

to Australia with her family as a five-yearold. 

Her family’s subsidized tickets from the 

U.K. in the 1960s, would classify them as 

“£10 poms”, a gently denigrating label of the 

time that faded as Brits obligingly filled the 

immigration pattern Australian policy was 

fighting for. 

And now Julia Gillard, 12 years an MP, is 

Australia’s Prime Minister, displacing last 

month the once popular favourite, Kevin 

Rudd, who tearfully resigned in a dust-up 

with the party. 

Federal policy in Australia allows a 

party’s MPs to vote their PM out of office if he 

or she grossly offends their expectations. In 

Rudd’s case, his tax policies were seen to 

guarantee the party defeat in the next election. 

NZ Prime Minister John Key spoke to Ms 

Gillard within hours of her appointment and 

passed on his congratulations. 

“Our relationship with Australia is a critical 

one and the most important with any 

country, and I look forward to working with 

Julia Gillard to advance that relationship,” he 

said. 

Minister Burke will continue to develop a 

national strategy to be released later in the 

year with this new direction. Ms Gillard said 

the Minister for Finance, Lindsay Tanner will 

remain in his current role until the election. 

Murray Burt is a retired editor with directorships 

in Commonwealth journalism, military 

institutes, human rights and Royal Society 

NGOs. 

Wanna Send send a a real card ‘live’ on greeting your card time in a -real any ‘live’ time envelope of with the a day real ‘live’ or night stamp on for it? less than $1.60 to 






What 

home 

do you 

or 

have 

when 

to lose? 

you 

Works 

are 

anywhere 

travelling. 

in the world, 

Learn 

including 

the 

Australia 

power 

and New 


Zealand. 






emember 


Movie recommendation 

The Hydesmiths heartily recommend this 

good family movie with a New Zealand 

theme. Rented from Movie Village, Her 

Majesty tells the story of a young New 

Zealander obsessed with Queen Elizabeth II. 

In an attempt to get the newly crowned 

Queen to visit her small cheese-making 

town, the youngster embarks upon a prolific 

letter-writing campaign to convince the 

Queen to visit during her upcoming tour of 

the country. Given the combination of the 

recent Royal visit in Winnipeg and two 

months of school holidays, this might be the 

perfect time to get the family together to see 

Her Majesty. 

NZ HC Blog 

New Zealand High Commissioner to Canada 

Andrew Needs has started a weekly blog — 

blogs.mfat.govt.nz/andrew-needs/ — so visit 

the blog and keep up with the developments 

at the High Commission and New 

Zealand/Canada issues and events. Comments 

are most welcome and may be posted 

directly onto the website. Thanks to Charles 

Wallis for the heads up. 

Crowded House 

If you’ll be elsewhere in Canada during July 

and August, you might like to know that 

Crowded House will be performing at several 

locations — although unfortunately, not 

Winnipeg. For more info, check out their 

website: crowdedhouse.com/shows/. 

Welcome! 

Aidan Fitt’s Nana, Dawn Fitt, is coming to 

Winnipeg in August to visit with son Lez and 

daughter-in-law Katrina. Dawn will be 

exploring North America at the time of the 

Goldeyes game, but hopefully we will get to 

meet her at the Dog Day Afternoon. Have a 

wonderful stay, Dawn! 



funnybusiness 

down under humour: courtesy Charlie Powell 

Shaft, driver or putter, you really don’t want this 

stuff on your equipment. Photo: Wikipedia 

A True Story 

A story in the NZ section of last month’s Yarn 

about the skinny dipper who was bitten on 

his privates by a Katipo spider reminded me 

of a similar incident during my golfing days. 

I was a member of Niakwa Country Club 

for many years, and on the front nine during 

one memorable game, untypically drove a 

ball into the rough. Searching for the errant 

missile, I did not realise there was poison 

ivy in the area, and must have picked up 

some on my hands. 

Passing the clubhouse, I went into the 

washroom to relieve myself. 

Without going into specifics, my eventual 

discomfort was the talk of the Club, particularly 

in the ladies’ locker room! 

Gordon Keatch 

stupidprison.com — oh, the things we mess up on 

scifiwire.com/2010/05/all-the-answers-and-quest.php – still LOST? 

www.fandango.com/movieblog/hundreddays – 100 days, 100 movies 

www.ntnews.com.au/article/2010/04/30/143611_entertainment.html 

– Waltzing Matilda Northern Territory Style 

www.woehr.de/en/projekte/budapest_m730/index.htm — new parking idea 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ July 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

August 2010 


August 


2 0 1 0 






Tickets $10, only 11 STILL AVAILABLE, so 

reserve your spot TODAY by calling Margaret 

at 237-1805. 


Dog Day Afternoon, 2:00 pm 

King’s Park 

For dog owners and non-dog owners alike. 

A fun, relaxing afternoon for all. 

SEPTEMBER 




Be sure to get in on the fun! 

OCTOBER 


Formal Dinner 

Billabong Australian Bar and Bistro 

A great night out for all! 

NOVEMBER 




Wanna be part of the Club executive for 

2010-2011? Here’s your chance! 

RSVP 



Join us on FACEBOOK 

[www.facebook.com/pages/ 


115975501754598] 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



Where will you be on Friday, August 13? 

Photo: www.destinationwinnipeg.ca. 

Have a ball and lots of fun! 

We are a lucky bunch. A first-class 

newsletter, member-supported 

potluck dinners, Club-sponsored 

events, an active and enthusiastic Executive, 

and a place to call home (Scandinavian Cultural 

Centre) for about half our meetings 

during the year. 

And on top of all that, we have two especially 

hardworking members of our Executive 

who regularly go the extra mile — literally. 

For the past almost two years, our social 

coordinator Margaret Munn has lined up a 

great calendar of events for all of us to enjoy. 

Ably assisted by her husband and secretary 

and our vice president, Peter Munn, she has 

organised lots of different things to do and 

then made sure they go off without a hitch. 

When the planned Riverboat Cruise had 

to be abandoned, Margaret arranged for us to 

go instead to a Goldeyes game. When we 

were looking for something different to do at 

our September club night, she came up with 

the ‘wacky games nite’. And when we needed 

a road quiz to make sure we had fun en route 

to Beausejour, she and Peter drove all the 

way out there and back the week before to 

find things along the way that would catch 

our collective eye. 

Of course, when we got to Beausejour, 

what a time we had! A whole bunch of DUCW 

members — human and canine alike — 

savouring the delicious treats and eats at the 

Beausejour Dairy Bar. It was the second time 

we had ventured to Beausejour, thanks to the 

invitation of two other members, Lou Savisky 

and Helene DeKezel, who were keen to welcome 

us. [pictures and details on page 3]By 

the way ... Coming up soon is yet another 

opportunity to support our business-owning 

members when we finally make our way to 

The Billabong for our annual formal dinner. 

So, when you see Margaret and Peter at 

the Goldeyes game (Friday, August 13) and 

the Dog Day Afternoon (Sunday, August 29), 

take a moment to say thanks. It would be a 

dull old time in the Club without them! 

Now sing it with me ... 

“Take me out to the ball game 

Take me out there to see 

The Goldeyes put everything on the field 

There’s nothing quite like it – up close and real 

Yip-pee! There’s still time for the ball game 

And you can get tickets today 

Just call Margaret and tell her 

that YES! you’ll be there 

At the old ball game!” 

Still a few tickets left. Don’t miss out. It’s 

going to be a brilliant day out! Friends and 

family are welcome to attend!!!!! 

Contact Margaret at 237-1805 TODAY 

and get in on the fun!

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

Talking to my 

brother in Burrumbuttock the other 

day, I gained an entirely new perspective 

on all this rain we’ve been having. 

Apparently, they, too, were experiencing 

buckets of the stuff — but no complaining 

down there. You see, after one of the longest 

droughts in a decade, they will take everything 

they can get, thank you very much. 

According to Steve, “I just drove past 

one dam that hasn’t seen any water for 

almost 10 years. It’s now full to the brim. 

Bloody fantastic!” Ah, now that would be a 

sight, even for a city slicker like me. 

Which, of course, is a great lead in to 

this month’s issue of the Yarn — full to the 

brim, and bloody fantastic! 

Pages 1 and 3 focus on past and upcoming 

events, page 2 has a message from our 

illustrious president, pages 4 and 5 have all 

the news from home, page 7 has Murray 

Burt’s thoughts on the Commonwealth, and 

page 8 has news about a past member. 

Meanwhile, page 6 represents a bit of a 

bonus for us — a report by the Powells, our 

DUCW correspondents, who travelled far 

and wide to the sunflowery festivities in 

Altona. It’s a great piece, but be warned — it 

might inspire you to follow in their footsteps 

and check it out for yourself! 

And if it rains while you’re out there? 

Think yourself lucky, and tell yourself, “It’s 

bloody fantastic!” 

HELP! 

Global TV recently aired an investigative documentary 

called Revealed: No Country for Animals 

that provides more evidence that 

Canada falls behind other countries in protecting 

animals from cruelty and abuse. The 

documentary is heart-wrenching, but if we 

get politicians to watch it, they just might do 

something about the many issues facing 

Canada’s animals. Please become a voice for 

Canada’s voiceless by visiting WSPA’s website 

— www.wspa.ca/curbthecruelty — where you 

watch the documentary, and then send a letter 

to your MP to encourage them to watch the 

documentary and act for animals. 

Ed and Elaine Clairmont 

Until a few moments ago I was not 

sure what I should write about. The 

Club is in good shape and Club 

events are being attended in good numbers. 

Everyone had fun at the Dairy Bar trip, and 

we still have some tickets for the 

Goldeyes game, which will be a 

lot of fun, win or lose. Panda 

and Winston are looking forward 

to meeting their four-legged 

Club members at the dog 

day afternoon. 

Last week I was 

down in New Zealand 

again, seeing my mother 

who has just moved 

from the rest home she was 

in for the past three years to a much larger 

facility in Block House Bay (Auckland), 

which has a dementia unit along with a regular 

rest home plus hospital. The previous 

rest home was quite small and did not have 

the people or the facilities to cope. The 

move was not as troubling for her as I first 

thought it would be, and the place is very 

nice, the staff very caring, and she seems to 

have settled in well. 

I mention this because, even though my 

mother has been in a gentle decline over 

the last three years, it came as a bit of a 

shock to see her and know that the next 

time I see her she may not recognize me at 

all. She is very quiet and not really able to 

have a conversation as we used to over the 

years. She has trouble remembering people 

and what she did recently, but that is all 

part of the process of this very cruel disease. 

I have learned a lot about dementia 

over the past little while and would not 

wish it on anyone, friend or foe. 

Kerry and I are going down in October, 

and I will see how she has progressed and 

Delicious meat pies, 

flavoursome fruit pies, 

and lots more in store! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


if I am a lost memory or still part of her life. 

The point to this is if you have friends 

or family with this disease, you know what 

it is like. If you don’t, then talk to your parents, 

enjoy their company, and visit them as 

often as you can. I know it’s a long trip — 

trust me, I have done it six times in the last 

two years 

president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

and October 

is seven (not 

business 

class either). 

But you may just find that the time you 

spend with them now will become very 

special to you in future years. 

I know they can be very trying at 

times (been there, done that), but there may 

come a time when we are in the same boat, 

and then who will you look to for memories? 

It’s those day to day memories 

that will be there to 

keep them going. 

All the way on a Kiwi passport 

A Dutch court decision late last month, allows a 14 

year old to pursue her greatest wish — to solo-sail 

her 11.5 metre ketch around the world and be the 

youngest to do so. 

Laura Dekker was ready to do this last year 

at 13, but authorities intervened. Laura’s father 

Dick said she was ready. Her mother had some 

doubts, but has since given her approval. 

With that, Middelburg Family Court lifted the 

restraining guardianship order that would have 

allowed the Dutch Council For Child Protection to 

delay her departure for another year. The decision 

sends her on her way, with an August departure 

from Portugal. 

Laura is very familiar with an ocean environment. 

She was born in New Zealand waters when 

her parents were cruising the Pacific. Hence the 

NZ passport. She also sails with a Dutch passport. 

-- Murray Burt 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca August 2010

socialite 



Dairy Bar in Beausejour 

Rain, rain go away! As if the road quiz wasn’t 

enough, Mother Nature tossed in her own 

challenge. Congratulations to the 16 members 

and two dogs who braved the torrential 

downpour to successfully complete the 

course. Claiming 1st prize was Catherine 

and Ian Bowering, closely followed by Judy 

and Charlie Powell, and Lynley, Jason and 

Ryan Davidson. Nice to have Helene and Lou 

join us for the ice cream part of the day. 


There are lots of events coming up in the 

next few months, so be sure to grab your calendar 

and sharpen your pencil. 




Coming up rather soon is the Goldeyes baseball 

game. Tickets are ONLY $10.00, and for 

that price we will sit as a group, receive a 

free gift, and be acknowledged on the PA and 

the jumbotron. ONLY 11 TICKETS STILL 

AVAILABLE, so don’t miss out! Margaret will 

be perched atop one of the giant baseballs 

along Pioneer Avenue, close to the railroad 

tracks. Meet her there after 6:15 p.m. to 

pick up your tickets and free gift. If you 

arrive after 7:00 p.m. you can pick up your 

tickets at the ticket office. If you have forgotten 

to reserve them, it is not too late. Call 

Margaret at 237-1805 to order your tickets 

(and arrange prepayment) TODAY. 



King’s Park, 2:00 pm 

off University Crescent and King’s Drive, 

south Pembina 

Remember to treat your best friend to a day 

out in the park. All dog lovers and owners 

are invited to meet at King’s Park for an 

afternoon of playful fun. Don’t forget to bring 

a drink and snack for both you and your pet. 

If you don’t have a dog, come along anyway 

and share with someone. 

RSVP 




We’d drive many miles for a good... ice cream! Photos: Jenny Gates. 


Wacky Games Nite, 7:00 pm 


Coming this fall — yes, fall — is wacky games 

night for everyone who dares! The fun starts 

at 7:00, so come ready to laugh lots. More 

details to come, but expect to be entertained! 


Formal Dinner 

The Billabong Australian Bar and Bistro 

Our friends and fellow members, Billabong 

owners Owen Degen and Erin and Peter Keating, 

are hosting our formal dinner this year. 

Many of you have been waiting for this event 

to be held at The Billabong for a long time, so 




be sure to book your seat early. Dinners are to 

be preordered, with choices and more details 

announced in next month’s Yarn. 




Be sure to join fellow members at the Annual 

General Meeting as we look back and 

move forward. It is never too early to think 

about what position you would like to hold on 

the executive committee and get involved in 

running the Club. Apart from discussing all 

the DUCW business for the past year, this is 

a great opportunity to catch up with everyone. 

In yer face! 

Join us on Facebook and stay even more up to date with all things Aussie and Kiwi, 

including local events and news from home. Simply search for us and join in the 

fun, link from our website or use this direct link: 

www.facebook.com/pages/Down-Under-Club-of-Winnipeg/115975501754598 

Stop in for 

a bite! 







August 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 


An increasingly rare sight in suburbia. Photo: Nick Moir. 

Blues banished from backyard 

[July 13, 2010] Blue-tongue lizards were 

once the lords of Sydney’s backyards, but 

high-density development is banishing them 

to the city’s fringe. Wildlife groups are 

reporting that blue-tongues and other 

natives, such as the tawny frogmouth, are 

being pushed to the edge of the city by more 

intense development and higher human population 

density. “Even 10 years ago, so many 

backyards had a blue-tongue.” Healthy bluetongue 

populations survived in pockets of 

bushland, but “... urbanisation, loss of backyard 

habitat and predation from family pets” 

have taken their metropolitan toll. 

Here’s to your health. Photo: 

www.ausfoodnews.com.au. 

Australians 

booze less 

[July 12, 2010, 

www.ausfoodnews.com.au, 

courtesy Charlie Powell] A 

new report on the state of Australia’s health 

shows almost half of all Australians are taking 

action to reduce their drinking. Given 

that alcohol consumption contributes to the 

leading causes of disease in Australians, 

including heart disease, strokes and cancer, 

the ‘cut back’ is considered very positive. 

“Consumers deserve to know that there is 

very little protective effect for their physical 

health from drinking.” While only 1 in 10 

had quit alcohol altogether, most had at least 

reduced the number of drinks in one sitting 

or the number of times they go out to drink. 

Jodie Bruyn and 

Adele Mona Rose, 

Monaro Brock and 

Cai Monaro. Photo: 

Domino Postiglione 

Monaro mania leads to namecalling 

[July 16, 2010] Census data does not reveal 

how many Australians were conceived in a 

Holden Monaro, but at least three have been 

named after the much-loved Australian car, 

including Cai Monaro Bruyn, 4. Along with 

his sister — Adele Mona Rose: “It becomes 

Monaro if you say it quickly” — and youngest 

brother — Monaro Brock, named in the spirit 

of Holden Caulfield and Ford Prefect, and in 

honour of Holden driver Peter Brock — the 

siblings are proof positive of their parents 

passion for the iconic automobile. While 

their dad does have Monaro-themed tattoos, 

their mum does not: “I’m not that crazy.” 

Melita Corbin with sister 

Ruth, Jo Maguire, 

and mum Karen. 

Photo: CQ News. 

Melita spreads Aussie sunshine 

[July 16, 2010, Central Queensland News, 

courtesy Charlie Powell] Central Highlands 

Sunflower Queen Melita Corbin jetted off 

last week to the Sunflower Festival in Canada. 

Melita will spend two weeks touring 

nearby towns before joining in with festival 

preparations in Altona – Emerald’s sister 

city. “We will have dinners with the mayor 

and ... I’ll do a couple of speeches.” Melita 

will also visit the town of Melita that shares 

her name, and sit on the judging panel of the 

sunflower entrants competing for the title in 

Altona. “I have made Australiana placemats 

to give to our host families.” [See article on 

page 6] 

Freed ... platypus rescued 

after several 

hours trapped. Photo: 

Kate Geraghty. 

I love to go a wandering ... 

[July 20, 2010] A wandering duck-billed 

youngster stalled construction at the Penrith 

Sewage Treatment Plant yesterday when it 



holed up in a long pipe attached to a large 

open tank of treated water. In the rescue 

effort that lasted more than six hours, the 

pipe was gently flushed, and then National 

Parks and Wildlife Service rangers worked 

to corral the juvenile male in a net before he 

was whisked away to a vet, who gave him a 

clean bill of health. A platypus biologist said 

the animal was probably seeking a new 

home after leaving the place where it had 

been born. 

Kevin, the possum. 

Photo: Barry Alexander. 

Pitt Street 

possum stops 

monorail 

[July 22, 2010] A possum that was hit by a car 

in Sydney’s CBD caused the monorail to shut 

down when emergency services launched a 

rescue. The marsupial, nicknamed Kevin by 

its rescuers, was hit by a car in Pitt Street in 

the CBD last night before running up a tree 

at the junction with Bathurst Street. Fire 

Brigades officers used an aerial ladder from 

a truck to rescue the animal from a tree 

right next to the line. A crowd of about 100 

people gathered to watch the rescue: “It’s a 

lot of effort for just a little possum. The little 

blighter better survive after all this.” 

Celebrating ... Kylie Minogue is 

planning a cancer charity concert. 

Photo: Reuters 

Kylie planning 

cancer charity 

concert 

[July 18, 2010] Aussie pop princess Kylie 

Minogue is planning a star-studded charity 

fundraiser concert to mark the fifth anniversary 

of beating breast cancer. The concert 

will feature showbiz friends like Elton John, 

Robbie Williams and The Scissor Sisters in 

February to raise money for cancer charities. 

Minogue, 42, continues to raise awareness of 

the disease and the importance of early 

detection. “I know a lot of women went for 

screenings after my announcement. And a 

lot of people came up to me and said I saved 

them. Of course I didn’t — but it made them 

go and get checked.” 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 

4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca August 2010

newszealand 


Crowds gather to 

farewell Moko the dolphin. 

Photo: NZPA. 

Hundreds pay 

respects 

[July 16, 2010] 

About 400 people turned out to pay their last 

respects to Moko the dolphin at his funeral 

procession and memorial service in 

Whakatane today. The specially built blue 

casket, with a floral display and photos of 

Moko frolicking in the sea, travelled through 

town to the public memorial service that featured 

songs, poems and prayers. After a final 

trip around some of his former favourite local 

bays, he was buried at Matakana Island, 

where his body was found washed ashore on 

July 7. Moko had entertained — and in a few 

cases alarmed — people since 2007 with his 

antics from Mahia in northern Hawke’s Bay 

to Tauranga in the western Bay of Plenty. 

Hayden Allen shows off his 

new robotic legs. Photo: 

Greg Bowker. 

The $200,000 

bionic man 

[July 16, 2010] After five years in a wheelchair, 

Hayden Allen can now walk again 

thanks to a remarkable Kiwi invention. The 

West Auckland motorbike racer is one of the 

first seven people in the world to use a 

“robotic exoskeleton” called Rex — a pair of 

robotic legs that strap around the outside of 

your legs and move them for you. A small 

Albany company, Rex Bionics, has spent $10 

million developing the product over the past 

seven years and believes it could potentially 

benefit five million wheelchair users in 

Europe and the United States. The cost: 

$208,000. The result: priceless! 

Medals for biology quartet 

[July 19, 2010] A team of New Zealand secondary 

school science students have bagged 

two silver and two bronze medals at the 

International Biology Olympiad in Korea. 

Susan Sun and Geoffrey Hoggins of 

Christchurch and Yuanye Xu and Jack Zhou 

from Auckland returned from the competition 

that pitted the top four young biologists 

from 59 countries against each other in an 

intense round of practical assessments and 

theory examinations. Hoggins and Xu won 

silver medals, and Sun and Zhou bronze. 

Cam Ferguson. Photo / 

Wairarapa Times-Age. 

Kiwi claims 

world sheep 

shearing title 

[July 22, 2010] Central Hawke’s Bay shearer 

Cam Ferguson became an overnight star in 

sheep shearing when he beat fellow New 

Zealander and hot favourite David Fagan to 

win the world individual machines title in 

Wales. Less than a year ago, Ferguson, 26, 

from Waipawa, had won just three openclass 

titles, compared with the legendary 48year-old 

Fagan, who claimed his 602nd title 

when winning the Royal Welsh Show All- 

Nations title in a world championship warm- 












Phone: (204) 275-7631 

up on Monday. It was a big day for New 

Zealand, with Ferguson and Fagan also winning 

the teams final. 

Now, that’s a long ski! 

[July 23, 2010] New Zealander Jeremy Burfoot 

will straddle a jetski for up to 12 hours a 

day for four months as he 

makes his way on the 

watercraft from London to 

New Zealand. The 51-yearold 

airline pilot is tackling 

the 32,000-kilometre journey in an attempt 

to smash the world record for riding a personal 

watercraft. The attempt will weave 

around the world’s waterways, starting with 

the River Thames: “We’re going to try and 

find at least a beach (to stay) somewhere 

every night.” The journey intends to raise 

awareness about the dangers of skin cancer 

and how to prevent it. Nice! 

New Zealand cyclist Julian 

Dean. Photo: Getty Images. 

NZ’s greatest rider 

[July 26, 2010] Cycling legend Tino Tabak 

says Julian Dean is now the greatest New 

Zealand rider after notching three podium 

finishes in the 2010 Tour de France. Dean 

finished his sixth tour in style — third 

behind British sprint king Mark Cavendish 

and Italian Alessandro Petacchi: “He has 

basically set a new bench mark for New 

Zealand cyclists.” But it was not an easy Tour 

for Dean, who had to deal with a spectacular 

crash, being head butted, and being tackled 

off his bike by an over-zealous policeman 

who mistook him for an errant spectator. 








Melita and Altona’s Queen contestants; sunflowers; 

Savanna Spackman and Melita Corbin; Neubergthal 

house-barn. Photos: Judy and Charlie Powell. 

A funny thing happened on the 

way to the Magna Carta .... 

We were walking up the steps of the 

Legislative Building (‘Leg’) when 

our ears were struck by the sound 

of an Aussie accent. So we threw out a 

“G’day” and sure enough — Aussies from 

Emerald, Queensland. A brief conversation 

revealed that the Altona Sunflower Festival 

was happening on the coming weekend 

(24th July), so the sunflower queen from 

Emerald, Melita Corbin, with her sister Ruth 

and mum Karen, was here being shown the 

sights by her host, the Altona sunflower 

queen — hence the tour of the ‘Leg’. 

We had heard a few years back about the 

twinning of Emerald and Altona through 

their common agricultural fascination with 

sunflowers, and had wanted to highlight it to 

fellow DUCWers at some future time. So 

what better opportunity? We told the Corbins 

we would catch up with them in Altona on 

Saturday, then proceeded into our beautiful 

‘Leg’ to pay our respects to the venerable 

‘MC’ — pretty amazing document! 

Bright and early Saturday we were off 

down Pembina Highway with our bottles of 

water and camera. Arriving in Morris, it 

seemed they were expecting us — everyone 

was on their lawn chairs three deep down 

both sides of the main street. So we slowed 

down a bit and gave them a friendly wave. 

Not sure if the curious stares of disappointment 

were for us or our rusty old ’92 Buick? 

Anyway, no doubt the real Stampede parade 

soon to follow cheered them up. 

We arrived in Altona just before 10:00 

am and the same thing! The whole town was 

out in eager expectation of the parade that 

was due to begin any minute. 

Starting with a Russian Mennonite 

homestead in 1880, Altona is now a surprisingly 

large town with some major industry, 

e.g., Friesens Printing, and the Bunge canola 

and flax plant. Trying to stay true to their 

founding values, their homepage states: 

In this high-tech, impersonal age, it’s nice 

to know there’s a place where heart and soul 

still exist; a place where businesses still place 

the consumer before profit, quality before the 

bottom line. Altona is that place — a caring 

town that provides for the body as well as the 

soul, bringing with it a heritage rich in pioneer 

spirit and pride. 

Located in the sunny Pembina Valley of 

Manitoba, positioned in the centre of Canada 

and only five minutes from the US border, 

Altona is the perfect location to develop your 

business or establish your home. 

[www.townofaltona.com] 

Well, we certainly saw the community 

spirit in action — not just the volunteer effort 

that resulted in the parade of floats, vintage 

tractors, queen contestants, etc., that took an 

hour to pass, but also all the other events and 

behind-the-scenes activities that make a 3day 

festival so successful — for the 46th time! 

Karen Corbin remarked on how much more 

of a totally community event it was compared 

to Emerald’s. 





Ca l for 

bargains! 

Just as Melita and family were hosted 

here for two weeks and got to experience so 

much of friendly Manitoba — including a 

visit to her namesake town — she will, in 

turn, host Altona’s new queen during Emerald’s 

festival. 

After taking in the farmers’ market, the 

art gallery, sculpture and water garden, the 

queen contestant presentations and fashion 

parade, we drove the few kilometres on to 

the historical heritage Mennonite Street Village 

of Neubergthal and checked out one of 

the 100+ year-old house-barn buildings — a 

very practical idea for farming, at the time. 

Manitoba is fortunate to have so many 

rural communities that are proudly maintaining 

their annual festivals. As well, we 

city folk are fortunate in that many of them 

are within coo-ee of Winnipeg. We enjoyed 

the opportunity to share the experience and 

country hospitality. Worth the trip! 

Charlie and Judy Powell 

Los Angeles to Sydney RETURN USD558! 

Kids Fly Free – Call for details 

Calgary to Australia RETURN CAD915! 

Direct Canada to New Zealand RETURN CAD1,198 

�� 

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6 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca August 2010 

� 

KEEP IN THE LOOP – 

JOIN OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE 

“I LOVE GOING DOWNUNDER”

commonwealth 


The uncertainty about a 

sure thing in Oz election 

You won’t need to wait long after reading this 

to know if Australia has elected its first 

woman as prime minister. 

A month before the August 21 election, 

Julia Gillard, 48, a Welsh-born immigrant 

(she migrated with her parents as a five year 

old) seemed to have it all going for her — 

despite emerging the loser in a very early 

National Press Club debate with her crusty 

opponent, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, 

that provided no knockout blow. 

However, since then, all the numbers 

seem to support her. A strong female following 

and the famous, though sometimes 

biased, Nine Network “worm” poll, gave her a 

63% to 37% advantage. 

On the campaign Ms Gillard promised — 

to have a budget surplus by 2013 (“before 

any major economy”); to cut corporate tax 

rates; to raise superannuation (national pension); 

to support small business and a 

national band network; to improve health 

care with more doctors and nurses; to 

reduce people smuggling; to create a national 

power grid; and to encourage energy-saving 

technologies. And, of course, every child 

will have a first-class education. 

By contrast, Abbott’s was a familiar strong, 

simple message — end waste; repay debt; stop 

new taxes; stop the boats (illegal immigration); 

and cut government borrowing. He 

accused the Gillard administration of “borrowing 

a million a day and wasting billions on the 

pink batts home insulation program.” 

“He’s just promising what I am already 

giving,” was the Gillard response. 

An Age-Nielsen poll had popular support 

at 54:16% on a two-party preference basis 

early this month. And Gillard was 21 points 

ahead of Abbott on a preferred prime minister 

basis, with a vote result at that time giving 

Labor 87 seats to Coalition’s 60. 

But as everyone knows, the real fun of 

politics is the surprises. Stay tuned. 

Antarctic “larder” ripe for raiding 

A scholar on Antarctic matters offered a serious 

warning to New Zealand last month, and 

it probably applies to Australia as well. 

Be prepared for squabbles over resources 

in the great southern continent. 

Denis Gibbs, who is completing a doctorate 

on the subject, said the potential for conflict 

around Antarctica should be a factor in 

the development of New Zealand’s defence 

strategies. He made his remarks at a two-day 

symposium in Christchurch last month to a 

high-powered audience that included social 

policy experts from China, the United States, 

Australia and Sweden. 

Gibbs said it was important to learn from 

the tensions building around the Arctic as 

nations view its huge resources, particularly 

oil and gas, and ponder how they can extract 

them. The new mood flies in the face of the 

resources exploitation virginity of Antarctica 

as espoused in the Antarctic Treaty, in place 

since 1959. The conference was organized by 

Canterbury University associate professor in 

political science, Anne-Marie Brady, who is a 

specialist on Chinese politics. 

Brady said the issues debated in China — 

which had dramatically increased its activities 

on the Ice — regarding the Arctic and 

Antarctic regions were quite different from 

those in Australia and New Zealand. 

“They’re talking a lot about potential 

exploitation of resources. That’s a taboo in 

New Zealand.” 

Gibbs said the Madrid Protocol, ratified 

in 1998, banned mineral exploitation in 

Antarctica until 2048. However, New Zealand 

could not wait until then to address pressure 

put on the continent, he said. “It’s a larder in 

waiting,” he added. 

Mu ray Burt is a retired editor with directorships 


institutes, human rights and Royal Society NGOs. 

For a Common Cause 

The Royal Commonwealth Society supports 

the Commonwealth, which is a unique institution 

with enormous potential for the good 

of humankind. Its present diversity enables 

it to make a special contribution to the 

modern world. Almost every race and religion, 

every type of national economy, many 

styles of government, and many political 

systems are represented among the over 

50 countries that constitute today’s Commonwealth 

of over one billion people. 

Membership is open to any citizen of 

Commonwealth member nations who undertakes 

to support the objectives set out in 

the Charter of the Society. The Society is 

non-political and non-sectarian. 

If you want to become a member of 

the Royal Commonwealth Society in Manitoba, 

visit www.rcs.ca/winnipeg or contact 

Murray Burt (pres.) at burt@mts.net or 

Betsy Burt (sec.) at betsyburt@mts.net . 

Great opportunity for all ages, and some 

particularly appealing opportunities for 

younger members and youth interest. Take 

part in the essay, photograph and video 

contests, which involve some quite attractive 

travel prizes — Ottawa, London, and, 

once a year, an exotic Commonwealth 

country for a youth gathering call Nkabom 

(it was in Kigali, Rwanda this year). 

Wanna Send send a a real card ‘live’ on greeting your card time in a -real any ‘live’ time envelope of with the a day real ‘live’ or night stamp on for it? less than $1.60 to 






What 

home 

do you 

or 

have 

when 

to lose? 

you 

Works 

are 

anywhere 

travelling. 

in the world, 

Learn 

including 

the 

Australia 

power 

and New 


Zealand. 






emember 


Above: Sylvia 

and Phil with 

his former inlaws 

(Betty’s 

family), who 

came to wish 

him and Sylvia 

every happiness 

on this special day — L to r: Reta Andrews, 

Treasure Waddell, Sylvia Munro-Smith, Philip 

Munro-Smith, Lisa Waddell. 

Right: Phil and Sylvia exchange their vows in the 

gazebo. Photos: Jacqueline Cassel-Vernon. 



Congrats! 

Introduced by Rob and Jacqueline Vernon 

just short on 3 years ago, Sylvia and Phil 

Munro-Smith were married in a beautiful 

ceremony at their new home in St. Andrews 

on Saturday. About 50 relatives and friends 

attended, including Sylvia’s two grown children 

Peter and Jessica, Peter’s fiance Hilary, 

Sylvia’s mother, and others. Chris Emery 

from cricket was groomsman, Jessica maid 

of honour, Peter walked Sylvia down the 

aisle, and I got to ‘roast’ the bride later. 

We had a casual BBQ supper, live music 

from Sylvia’s cousins, and a huge bonfire. 

When Rob and I left, the bride was 

belting out Patsy Cline tunes! A great 

time was had by all ... as the photos 

opposite show! 

60 years and counting! 

Congratulations to Jim and Peggy Tume 

on the occasion of their 60th Wedding 

Anniversary. Married on August 10, 1950, in 

Epping, Essex, England, they will be celebrating 

with family and friends at a local 

Perkins Restaurant. Peggy and daughter 

Yvonne are members of the DUCW. 

www.criterion.com/current/posts/1438-maddins-night-mayor — for Guy Maddin fans 

the-diplomat.com/australian-election-2010 — follow the Australian election 

www.goldeyes.com — find out more about Goldeyes Baseball 

www.wspa.ca — help stamp out animal cruelty! 

www.rcs.ca/winnipeg — Royal Commonwealth Society of Winnipeg 

foo 

r infoo 

rmation 

on 

qualifyy 

in 

g income 

levels. 

* Manitoba 

Hydro 

is 

a lice 

e nsee 


the 

Trademark 

and 

Official 

Mark. 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ August 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

September 2010 


September 


2 0 1 0 


SEPTEMBER 




Be sure to get in on the fun! 

OCTOBER 


Formal Dinner, 6:00 pm 



NOVEMBER 


Annual General Meeting, 

7:00 pm 




DECEMBER 

Sunday December 5 

Christmas Party, 4:00 pm 


Meet Santa and be part of the Christmas 

festivities! 

RSVP 




Santiago Silva and Adriana Damasceno 

Ray Serwylo 


[www.facebook.com/pages/ 


115975501754598] 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



A tale of two countries… 

When tragedy strikes, the feeling of 

helplessness is hard to describe, especially 

when we are so far from home. 

News of the recent earthquake and violent 

aftershocks in Christchurch and the 

Canterbury area still fill the pages of New 

Zealand’s main papers. The videos are disturbing, 

and visuals of the destruction are 

heartbreaking, as the photos show. 

That no one was killed has been 

described as a miracle and a relief, especially 

to those of our members who have family and 

friends in the area (see Lucia’s thoughts on 

page 2 and Murray’s comments on page 7). 

Aftershocks are still expected, and assistance 

has been quick to get to those in need. 

In true Kiwi spirit, locals interviewed shortly 

after the quakes asked the media to ignore 

the reports of looting, and focus instead on 

the many stories 

of people stepping 

up to help 

those in need. 

Earthquake damage 

on Avonside 

Drive. Photo: 

Mark Mitchell. 

Homebush Station homestead built 154 years ago. Photo: Mark Mitchell. 

A farm house outside Myrtleford, NSW. 

Photo: Tara Ashworth, Border Mail. 

Meanwhile, across the Tasman, the 

worst floods in a decade have 

afflicted the state of Victoria. Farmland 

is under water, livestock has been lost, 

towns threatened, residents evacuated, and 

levee banks are on the verge of breaking. 

While many are struggling to cope with the 

devastation, others welcomed the waters. 

More than 18 billion litres of water have 

boosted Melbourne’s catchments, filling 

them to almost 45% capacity. According to 

one person, “This water is an absolute gift, 

the flood we needed to have. The land is getting 

a badly needed drink.”

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

We complain 

about rain and traffic, going back 

to school and Monday mornings, 

but all that pales in importance when bad 

news reaches our ears from home. 

This month, two of our members — Terry 

Roberts and Liz Hydesmith — lost someone 

dear to them (see page 8) and several of our 

members — Lucia Barron, Murray Burt, Lynley 

Davidson, and I’m sure other of our Kiwi 

friends — were busy calling for or waiting 

on word that all was well in and around 

Christchurch (see pages 1, 2 and 7). Unfortunately, 

such things happen, but they seem 

considerably more painful and worrying 

when we are so far from home. 

Once again the Yarn is a’changing. For 

the next while, we have decided to drop the 

“funny business” column and replace it 

with “the tail end”, a place for our furry 

friends to have a say (see page 8). Sometimes, 

it will include info about fundraising 

and events, and other times photos and info 

of pets in need of adoption, as well as our 

furry friends and their story. As always, 

looking forward to your contributions. 

Otherwise, there is an update on past 

and future Club events (page 3), all the 

news from home (pages 4 and 5), a chance 

to get to know Luc and Alison Jean and family 

(page 6), a look at our Commonwealth 

(page 7), and several notices from our 

advertisers and supporters. 

Enjoy the read, and spare 

a thought for those in need of 

a kind word and perhaps a 

sympathetic ear. 

Stock up your freezer 

now with heat-and-eat 

meals for wintertime! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


Reflections on 

friends & family 

With Terry away in New Zealand, Lucia Barron 

has stepped in with some 

thoughts and reflections. 

Last year, I decided it 

was time to take an 

extended — operative 

word being extended — trip 

home to visit family and 

friends. So, on January 13, a 

lovely, sunny, -2º C Winnipeg 

winter day, I boarded 

the aircraft with thoughts of 

“Wow! Three months of summer vacation 

ahead.” 

It started well at Vancouver airport with 

a visit not only from an old high school 

friend — Kiwis are everywhere — but also 

DUCW member Colin Shields and his lovely 

wife Linda, who have resided in Surrey, BC, 

for a number of years. 

Once in New Zealand, I was able to fully 

enjoy the company of family and friends, 

and enjoy a few mini vacations in both 

islands — from cruising down the Avon 

River in Christchurch, to discovering that 

New Zealand really can lay claim to its own 

“mini” Niagara Falls in the South Island (a 

very picturesque version, albeit on a somewhat 

‘smaller’ scale than Canada), to 

“Flirtin’ with Bertie” in the wonderful Art 

Deco city of Napier. 

In light of the recent earthquakes in 

Christchurch, it is interesting that on this 

my first visit to the Napier Museum, there 

was an interesting exhibition of the devastating 

earthquake that city suffered through 

Top to bottom: Pat McGrath, his lovely friend 

Robyn, and sons Mat and Zane. Lucia with Melanie 

Vezey (our first Down Under Pavilion coordinator 

and active club member at the time), and Pat 

McGrath. Lucia with her sister Teresa at Niagara 

Falls, NZ. Photos: provided by Lucia Barron. 

in 1930. Our father owned a milk bar there 

at the time, but was fortunate to lose only 

his business and not his life. Now, some 80 

years later, parts of Christchurch and surrounding 

areas have been hit with the same 

force. 

I’m happy to say that all my family and 

friends are safe, most with minimal damage 

inside and out, although my youngest sister 

and her husband who live in the Darfield 

area — at the epicentre of the quake — did 

not fare as well. They are still without 

power and water, and are gradually cleaning 

up the interior of their lovely 100-yearold 

home, which apparently looked like a 

Greek restaurant gone mad with their traditional 

plate smashing at the end of the 

meal. On a positive note, they do still have 

two plates and cups intact, which survived 

because they were in the dishwasher! So 

many beautiful historic buildings have been 

damaged, it’s hard to imagine. 

I would like to take this opportunity to 

express my thanks for the concerned calls I 

received from Down Under Club members. 

Thank you. 

Lucia Barron 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca September 2010

socialite 



Goldeyes Game 

Rain seems to be a problem this year, with 

only eight members and their rain gear coming 

out to the Goldeyes baseball game at 

CanWest Global Park on Friday August 13. 

Thankfully, the rains stopped in time for the 

game, and the evening ended up providing a 

good opportunity for members to catch up 

and visit — even though the Goldeyes lost! 


And dark clouds and the threat of rain saw 

only six people and three canines come out 

to King’s Park on Sunday August 29. Karen, 

an Aussie visitor from Melbourne, turned up 

with a friend and a dog, but without a flag to 

guide them, and not having met anyone in 

the Club, wasn’t able to connect with Terry, 

Kerry, Winston and Panda, who were first on 

the scene. Karen’s suggestion of a flag to 

indicate a meeting location was a good idea 

that has been passed on to the executive. 





Be sure to come out this Saturday for the 

wacky games night. Guaranteed silliness 

and entertaining fun for everyone who 

dares! The fun starts at 7:00, so come ready 

to laugh lots. And heighten the laughs by 

wearing a funny hat. Snacks will be provided 

by the Club, and the bar will be manned by 

Club member David Denesovych! 



The Billabong Australian Bar and Bistro 

D-121 Osborne Street 

Our friends and fellow members, Billabong 

owners Owen Degen and Erin and Peter Keating, 

are hosting our formal dinner this year. 

Appetizers will be served at 6:00 p.m., with 

dinner at 6:30 p.m. Seating is limited for the 

dinner, and if you plan to attend, you MUST 

call Margaret (237-1805) before Monday October 

12 to reserve your place and pre-order 

your dinner. There are six (6) main choices for 

the night – prices do not include taxes: 

Prime Rib — horseradish and Dijon-crusted Manitoba 

prime rib of beef with a shitake mushroom 

and roasted onion reduction — $28; Pickerel — 

pan-fried Manitoba pickerel fillets with a chardon- 

nay, coconut and lemongrass beurre blanc — 

$21; Lamb Shank — braised New Zealand lamb 

shank in a black cherry and port wine reduction 

— $22.50; Portabella Mushroom — roasted 

marinated whole portabella mushroom filled with 

crispy fried tofu and a black bean, ginger and 

scallion sauce — $19; Chicken Parmesan — 

roasted eggplant and spinach stuffed chicken 

breast supreme, breaded in panko and parmesan 

reggiano, sitting on basil and herb french toast, 

with baked boccaccini and fireroasted plum tomato 

gravy — $18; Uluru Ribeye — broiled 10 oz 

AAA ribeye cooked perfectly to your liking and 

topped with an Australian peppercorn spiced jus 

served with panko-rusted potato wedges and 

accompanying garlic greens — $23 

foo 

r info 

ormation 

on 

qualifying 

income 

levels. 

Stop in for 

a bite! 




To facilitate preparation, everyone will 

have the same side dishes — roasted baby 

creamer potatoes with olive oil and garlic, 

and sauteed green beans with honey and 

almonds. There are NO substitutions. 

This is always a fabulous event for the 

Club, so be sure to reserve your spot TODAY. 


Annual General Meeting, 7:00 pm 


Join fellow members at the AGM as we look 

back and move forward. Is there a position 

you’d like to take on this year? Meeting will be 

followed up by a wine and cheese tasting. 







* Manitoba 

Hydr 

o i is 

a licensee 


the 

Trademark 

and 

Official 

Mark. 

September 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 


Renewing their 

vows at Ciaran 

Nagle Fitzpatrick 

Castle in 

Dublin. Photo: 

SMH. 

Bubbly, blogs and tweets 

[Aug 28, 2010] A side benefit of globetrotting 

around the world for six months and getting 

paid to test out the most romantic wedding 

and honeymoon destinations, is the opportunity 

to break the world record by renewing 

their vows 90 times. Aussie Denise Duffield- 

Thomas and husband Mark have gone from 

five-star villas in Zanzibar with their own 

butler to backpacking in Ireland and camping 

under the stars on a horseriding trip in 

the Jordanian desert. And in between glasses 

of bubbly, they write a daily blog, upload 

video diaries and pictures, tweet, Facebook, 

give interviews, and promote Ireland as a 

wedding and honeymoon destination. “Some 

days are really hectic.” No doubt! 

Patrick Jones and Meg Ulman with their creation 

at St Michael’s. Photo: Domino Postiglione. 

Edible art at church 

[Sept 1, 2010] A trio of artists are creating 

“an abundant edible landscape” in the 

grounds of St Michael’s Anglican Church. 

Aboriginal bush tucker and all manner of 

fruits and nuts, including peaches, almonds, 

guavas, chestnuts and strawberries are living 

artwork. Called Food Forest, it contributes 

to the Surry Hills community by 

providing healthy organic food and regular 

contributions to the church’s soup kitchen. 

“We see it as a symbol of something spiritual 

happening at St Michael’s.” 

(clockwise from above) Burrowing bettong, a possum, 

northern brown bandicoot and northern 

quoll. Photo: SMH. 

Mammals plunge into extinction 

[Sept 2, 2010] They might have thrived for 

millions of years in northern Australia, surviving 

ice ages, surging sea levels and 

human hunters, but many species of quolls, 

bandicoots, possums, marsupial rats, and 

the bettongs are unlikely to survive another 

decade or two. Wildlife surveys and direct 

observation suggest that mammal populations 

have dropped by an average of 75%. 

“Twenty years ago it would be a bonanza of 

native animals. Now ... it’s silent.” The causes 

of the population include changes in the 

size and frequency of fires in northern Australia, 

predation by feral cats, and the relentless 

advance of cane toads. “Indigenous 

people used to burn the country in a mosaic 

pattern early in the fire season, which provided 

the food and habitat for these mammals. 

As people have become displaced the 

fire regime has changed, and now you get 

really large fires at the height of the fire season.” 

Canola crop ready for harvest. Photo: Brendan 

Esposito. 

Fields of gold after drought 

[Sept 2, 2010] The drought is broken in NSW. 

And farmers are preparing to harvest their 

largest crop — a record $2.8 billion winter 

yield. Thanks to a wonderfully wet season, 



record plantings of wheat, canola, barley and 

chickpea are making up for the despair of 

the past decade. “At the moment it’s a golden 

situation for our farmers.” Only 7.1% of the 

state remains drought-declared. And while 

there are other challenges ahead — locusts, 

fungal diseases and waterlogging — they are 

less daunting than those posed by the 

lengthy drought. “People are beginning to 

see a future and are feeling a bit more buoyant 

and are feeling better than they have in 

years.” 

Chiefs and cherubs ... sandstone personalities 

scattered throughout Sydney. Photo: Peter Rae. 

History cast in stone 

[Sept 3, 2010] They’re the faces staring back 

at you from the street, carved from local 

sandstone, and gazing at passers-by for a 

century and a half. Many of Sydney’s grandest 

Victorian buildings, built in the late 

1800s, have faces sculpted into their stone 

facades portraying everyone from explorers 

and politicians to classical goddesses and 

working-class people. “You really have to 

hunt for them. Sydney still is, in many ways, 

[defined] by its grand sandstone buildings.” 

Never-ending story ends 

[Sept 7, 2010] After 17 days of indecision, key 

independents finally handed victory to 

Labor, with Julia Gillard still at the helm. 

However, seems two of them, Windsor and 

Oakenshott, have reserved the right to 

change their minds, which is rather an interesting 

position from which to move forward. 

The result of the actual election — which has 

already been forgotten by many — indicated 

that a change was wanted, but likely no one 

predicted the scenario that has been publicly 

battled since. One thing’s for sure — the 

times ahead will be worth watching. 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 

4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca September 2010

newszealand 


Miss New Zealand 

2010 Ria van 

Dyke. Photo: NZH. 

But she did 

look lovely! 

[Aug 19, 2010, 

stuff.co.nz] Miss Universe New Zealand Ria 

van Dyke chose traditional colours for her 

national costume at the Miss Universe 2010 

pageant, but her US-made black dress has 

left NZ officials “upset”. The gown was made 

by US designer Sherry Helen America, with 

only the headpiece and cuffs designed by 

local designer Natalie Chan. However, the 

national director for Miss Universe New 

Zealand was disappointed the dress itself 

was not made by a local designer. “It was not 

a national costume. It was just a black dress 

with bling bling on it.” Ouch! 

Public to get say on Hillary Ridge 

[Aug 26, 2010] New Zealanders can now have 

their say on whether the 

South Ridge of Aoraki 

Mount Cook should be 

renamed “Hillary Ridge” 

in honour of the late Sir 

Edmund Hillary. South 

Ridge would be the first alpine landmark to be 

named after the famous mountaineer who, 

with Harry Ayres, Mick Sullivan and Ruth 

Adams, made the first ascent of the ridge in 

1948. The family of Sir Ed have said they are 

delighted with the plan, and that he would 

have considered it a “great honour”. 

Marieke Venderbecken 

mimics a 

seal pup. Photo: 

Simon Baker. 

Playful seal 

pups turn on a show 

[Aug 30, 2010] Their antics are proving a 

huge hit, but a seal pup playground has 

become so popular, authorities are having to 

consider how to manage the welfare of the 

animals. Hundreds of fur seal pups are travelling 

from the South Island’s east coast up 

the Ohau Stream, about 30km north of Kaikoura, 

where they frolic under a waterfall, leap 

and dive through the water, and playfight. 

“We would ask people to respect the seals, 

give them space, don’t crowd them and 

ensure they have an escape route. And especially 

don’t attempt to touch or feed the pups.” 

Kiwis defending previous 

loss. Photo: Getty Images. 

Silver Ferns deshine 

Diamonds 

[Sept 2, 2010] After their first round loss, an 

outstanding all-round defensive effort, some 

superb midcourt drive and a deadly shooting 

circle combined to give New Zealand’s Silver 

Ferns a 59-40 win over Australia’s Diamonds 

in the second netball test. After a slow start, 

the Kiwis hit their stride, offering plenty of 

movement off the ball and forcing turnovers 

aplenty with superb full-court defensive 

pressure. The 19-goal win provides a huge 

confidence boost ahead of the Fern’s Commonwealth 

Games title defence in New 

Delhi next month. 

On a lighter note 

[Sept 7, 2010] As if they haven’t suffered 

enough, Cantabrians toiling to clean up after 

S a t u r d ay ’ s 

quake now 

face a potential 

shortage 

of Canterbury 

Draught beer. 

And the rest 

of the country 

faces running 

Cartoon: Rod Emmerson. 

out of a number 

of well-known brands, including Guinness, 

Beck’s and the Macs Craft range. The 

sole producer of the four popular labels, Lion 

Nathan’s Christchurch brewery, is likely to 

stay closed until the end of the week, 

although reserve stock around the country 

could be shifted to meet demand. 

The All Blacks celebrate 

victory. Photo: 

Getty Images. 

All Blacks 

clinch thrilling comeback victory 

[Sept 11, 2010] The All Blacks collected 

their record 10th successive win against 

the Wallabies in Sydney last night, but there 

was nothing automatic about this 23-22 victory. 

It took all the All Blacks resolve to 

retrieve the result after they trailed heavily 

going into the last quarter. But converted 

tries to captain Richie McCaw and looseforward 

colleague Kieran Read against a tiring 

Wallaby team claimed the victory and 

an unbeaten run in this season’s Tri- 

Nations campaign. 








mutual funds. 





Phone: (204) 275-7631 












Alison and 

Luc Jean 

Though neither Luc nor Alison come 

from Australia, they certainly have 

developed a lot of ties there. 

Luc was born and raised in St. Boniface, 

Manitoba, attending Louis Riel High School, 

and later Red River College Culinary Arts 

Program as a Chef’s Apprentice. After a few 

years at the Manitoba Club, he decided to 

widen his horizons and do some travelling — 

through Europe, especially southern France, 

London, Sweden, and later backpacking in 

the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore for 

three months. 

Alison is a Winnipegger and went to 

Miles Macdonell High School and then the 

University of Manitoba School of Medical 

Rehabilitation for Respiratory Therapy. She 

has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and represented 

Canada in 1998 for the World Cup in 

Germany where she met several Aussies. As 

a result, she did a Contiki tour of Oz from 

Darwin to Sydney. 

Previously, Alison and Luc met at Oktoberfest 

and eventually they became engaged. 

But Alison had a burning desire to go back to 

Oz again, so in 2004, off she went — without 



Notice is hereby given that 

the Annual General 

Meeting of members of the 

Down Under Club of 

Winnipeg, Inc. will be held 

on Friday November 26, 

2010, at the Scandinavian 

Cultural Centre at 764 Erin 

Street, Winnipeg. A full 

agenda will be included in 

the October issue of The 

Southern Yarn. For 

information on board 

positions, please contact 

Gordon Keatch at 832-4405. 

Luc! — settling in the Gold Coast area of 

Queensland, and working for two years as a 

Respiratory Scientist at John Flynn Medical 

Centre in Tugun. 

Luc and Alison kept in touch, and 

despite his initial inhibitions (about Oz), he 

took the plunge and moved there — a decision 

he now says he never regretted. 

On a quick trip back to Winnipeg, they 

were married on Canada Day, July 1, 2007, 

renewing their vows on the Gold Coast only 

a couple months after. 

Luc worked as a chef at the Charters Towers 

Restaurant at Jupiter’s Casino, and Alison 

worked at the hospital. Their daughter 

Amélie was born there. 





Ca l for 

bargains! 

About two years ago, Alison became 

pregnant with son Alexandre, so they decided 

to come back to Winnipeg, along with a 

cat they acquired in Australia! Luc now 

works at the Fairmont Hotel. 

Alison loved touch rugby, but unfortunately, 

there doesn’t seem to be much interest 

in it here! Luc prefers dodge ball. 

Google led them to the DUCW and they 

joined 18 months ago. They look forward to 

getting to know more members. 

The Jeans plan to go back to Brisbane in 

two years to attend a friend’s wedding as 

Australia will always have a place in their 

hearts. 

Gordon Keatch 

Canada to Australia RETURN CAD915! 

Canada to Australia WITH FREE STOPS IN ASIA CAD1,160! 

Canada to New Zealand RETURN CAD998! 

Bora Bora Pearl Resort STAY 3 / PAY 2 + FREE BREAKFAST 

�� 

�� 

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�� 

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�� 

6 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca September 2010 

� 



“I LOVE GOING DOWNUNDER”

commonwealth 


Delhi stoutly swallowing 

Games host jitters 

The effort has been enormous. The 

strain terrific. When New Delhi beat 

out Hamilton, Ontario, for the honour of 

conducting the 19th Commonwealth Games, 

it promised the best ever — better than Melbourne 

in 2006, better than …. Well, the 

hubris faded after comparison to the Beijing 

Olympics was made. But the work went on, 

albeit slowly and grumpily at first, racing 

toward the October 3-14 target date. 

The task was massive. Building and hosting 

will not leave much change out of $2 billion. 

The capital of the Commonwealth’s most 

populous nation (1.15 billion, a sixth of the 

people in the world) had more than event 

sites to build. There was also a lot of tidying 

up to do. Infrastructure, overt poverty in 

main highway shanty towns (100,000 were 

moved), begging, road building, flyways, railway 

tunnel boring, sewage systems, water 

lines, electric power, not to mention construction 

material and talent — all had to be 

addressed. That’s before all the planning 

and work needed to feed the scores of thousands 

expected to attend. 

When I was there in May, the pillars and 

railway base were in place for huge extensions 

of a very exciting public transit system. 

The best you could say is it was a magnificent 

engineering eyesore of hope. I understand 

from friends there now that hope has 

been met. Last year, two thirds of the work 

had not been done. Today, the squabbles over 

missed deadlines have faded. 

But this progress hasn’t kept the heat off 

Suresh Kalmadi, India’s boss of the project. 

Getting the job done has included battles 

over corruption, individual death threats, 

lawsuits, terrorism threats directed at athletes 

and guests, labour unhappiness, factional 

challenges, and, of course, the polls. 

These have fuelled grim apprehensions that 

the show might not be pulled off. But Kalmadi 

is a character of confidence. 

And by the time 71 teams roll into town, 

euphoria must reign. 

For those who know that the Commonwealth 

consists of 54 nations, the team 

count of 71 is explained by the fact that 

Britain is sliced into teams from Scotland, 

England, Wales, Northern Ireland, plus 

British dependencies like Guernsey, Jersey, 

and Isle of Man. Then you have to count the 

Pacific independencies such as Niue, 

Samoa, Norfolk Island, and even Tokolau — a 

first-time entrant. There are others. 

And there are 26 more stadiums for 

other events. 

My guess: India is going to be impressive 

and surprise the world. 

New Zealand’s morning of shake, 

rattle ’n roll 

Sleepy Christchurch, New Zealand’s second 

largest city with 400,000 people, awoke suddenly 

at 4:35 a.m. on Saturday September 4 

to a 7.4 Richter-scale earthquake 30 km to its 

west and 33 km down. 

But that was not all. Another 7.0 shock 

struck 30 km to the east at sea a few minutes 

later; thankfully, the shoreline was spared a 

tsunami. Still, there were dozens of smaller 

aftershocks contributing to the collapse, 

mud and mayhem. 

“It was quite an experience,” my son 

David said. “I had just got up to close a window, 

and wham!” 

In the darkness came the shakes, and he 

found himself pulling daughter Anika, 1½, 

one way out of the bed, against his wife, Lisa, 

who was pulling her the other way. “You 

could say there was confusion.” 

They were lucky in Spreydon. “Pictures 

crashed down. Our favourite pickle jar was 

smashed, our fridge and furniture did some 

strange walking,” he said. Everything else 

held. 

The city as a whole was lucky. No deaths 

reported in the first 24 hours, but there were 

two serious injuries treated and about 100 

needed care at hospitals. 

Alas, much of the central city was turned 

to rubble, with water and sewer pipes burst; 

roads, railways and bridges split, power out, 

and weeks of clearing and reconstruction to 

be done. The bill was put at about $2 billion. 

Barriers were up for days. 

National and city politicians talk grimly in 

terms of years and years of work to be done. 

New Zealand is not a stranger to earthquake 

tremors. About 14,000 are recorded a 

year. On the weekend of the big Sunday 

tremors, more than 30 quakes were registered 

over 36 hours, a lot of them on the Saturday. 

They were all round Christchurch and 

at a variety of depths and magnitude. Their 

character was such, as with most, that they 

were not strong enough to cause concern. 

In the countryside north of the city, phenomenons 

called “sand volcanoes” and 

“earth liquefaction” occurred as land underburden 

disappeared. In some cases buildings 

were partly swallowed. 

NZ straddles the ring of fire region that 

borders the Pacific, hence its volcanic character 

and tendency to experience the shakes. 

Australia learns to live with 

minority government 

The lesson you learn quickly when tossing 

off column predictions about election outcomes 

is that too often you must be blushingly 

prepared to be wrong, even when you are 

positive. 

Bear in mind that I wasn’t absolutely 

wrong in my last month’s prediction that it 

was a certainty Julia Gillard would shut Tony 

Abbott out of the PM’s office. I might as well 

have been, if I needed to secure my prognostication 

reputation (I don’t). 

While Ms Gillard (who was described as 

having “gillardined” her popular PM colleague 

to secure his job) was left presiding 

temporarily as a Labor caretaker over a hung 

parliament, with 70 seats matching Tony 

Abbott’s Liberal-National Party’s 70, the 

mail-in vote and minority seats in the 150seat 

House were still to be factored in. 

During the wait, Australia seemed to 

swing along beautifully without a government 

or politicians interfering. That will 

change — and that’s not just a political prediction. 


Commonwealth journalism, military institutes, 

human rights and Royal Society NGOs. 


emember 


Sincere condolences 

Our thoughts are with Terry Roberts and 

Kerry Nowicki on the recent loss of Terry’s 

mum, and to Liz, Eliza, Tannis and Brian 

Hydesmith on the loss of Liz’s dad. A very 

sad time for several of our members. 

Adjusting our clocks 

Folks in Australia and New Zealand will be 

turning their clocks forward on Sunday 

October 3, and we’ll be turning ours back 

one month later on Sunday November 7. 

Remember to adjust accordingly so you don’t 

wake anyone up in the middle of the night ... 

unless you really want to! 

Congratulations! 

Murray Burt will be launching his book: 

Winnipeg’s Ladies from Hell 

Wednesday September 29 at 7:00 pm 

Minto Armoury on St. Matthews Avenue 

In addition to the actual launch, you will 

have the chance to see young highlanders in 

action, rappelling from rafters and such, 

hear some good pipes and drums music, and 

share a cash bar tipple in the Warrants and 

Sergeants Mess. The launch and book are 

part of the regiment’s centenary celebrations. 

Books are on sale for $40 and Murray 

Burt will be present to inscribe them and 

chat about his opus. 

On the road to recovery 

Clifford Clairmont is doing much better after 

surgery to remove cancerous tumours. 

While he recoups at home, he encourages 

you to check out the new “The Tail End” column 

opposite. Feel free to email him and let 

him know what you think - info@downunderclub.mb.ca 



www.criterion.com/current/posts/1438maddins-night-mayor 

— for Guy Maddin fans 

gizmodo.com/5614047/ — the 10 most dangerous 

things you can do online 

www.winnipeglovehate.com — a photographic 

perspective 

www.expeditiontitanic.com — remember, 

explore and rediscover the Titanic 

www.tvguide.ca — check out what’s on 

thetailend 

that which wags our club 

Dolly, Charlie and Mystique are 

hoping to go home — or at 

least for a walk! 

Take the lead! 

The Purina Walk for Guide 

Dogs is coming up on Sunday 

September 26 at 11:00 a.m. at 

Bird’s Hill Park. Winnipeg 

Animal Services is looking for 

people to walk WAS dogs at the 

event — it’s kind of like renting a dog for the 

day for free! DUCW members are invited to 

walk their own dogs or take the lead on a 

WAS dog. It’s a win-win situation. Contact 

Lorna at WAS to reserve a pound puppy — 

phone 311, or visit www.petfinder.com/shelters/winnipegdogs.html 

Helping Stray and Feral Cats 

Craig Street Cats is a non-profit organisation 

currently feeding more than 300 cats in 

managed colonies throughout Wolseley, the 

west end, and St. Vital. To help with the cost 

of cat food, cat litter and vet bills, contact 

them at 223-6652 or cats@wolseleygirl.com, 

or visit http://cats.wolseleygirl.com 

Garage sale success! 

On Saturday and Sunday August 21 and 22, 

Elaine Clairmont and neighbour April Kehler 

raised $1,400+ at their very successful 

fundraising garage sale. Big thanks to April 

for the beautifully designed signs in the 

shape of a cat’s head, and thanks to everyone 

who dropped off items for the sale, including 

Nerman’s Books and Collectibles on Osborne 

that donated more than 400 books and magazines, 

and DUCW member Vince Maloney 

who donated a china cabinet and some other 

items. Every effort was made to raise as much 

money as possible, including selling Kool- 

Aid for 25 cents a glass. 

All proceeds from the sale were donated 

to Craig Street Cats. Leftover books went to 

the Friends of the Winnipeg Public Library, 

leftover clothes went to the Salvation Army, 

and two truckloads of stuff went to D’Arcy’s 

Thrift Store. Some people stopped by with 

donations, as well as cat food, cat litter and 

treats. Stuffed animals were a huge hit — one 

fellow from Africa bought a large number 

that he planned to send to Africa by container 

shipment, and an elderly woman bought a 

large number for Alzheimer’s patients. 

At the end of the day, one things was for 

sure — Winnipeggers are very generous. 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ September 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

October 2010 


October 


2 0 1 0 


OCTOBER 





NOVEMBER 






DECEMBER 


Christmas Party, 4:00 pm 



festivities! 


Joanna Gosling and Dennis Leclerc 

MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL 

The September issue of the Yarn included renewal 

forms for DUCW membership. Only current members 

whose membership is due to expire received 

the forms. Thanks to those who have already sent 

in their cheques — please send in yours ASAP so 

you can continue to receive all the benefits of 

membership. Remember — 2 year renewals are 

welcome and appreciated! Thank you! 

RSVP 



Advertise in The Southern Yarn. Contact Jenny 

(228-9959, info@downunderclub.mb.ca) for all the 

rates. Send your submission by email to 

info@downunderclub.mb.ca or mail to PO Box 

1655, Stn Main, Winnipeg MB R3C 2Z6. 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



Wacky Games fun (all L-R): Thibaut Lauwers, Catherine (partly hidden) and Ian Bowering, Gordon Keatch 

and Haig Elgar waiting for the next game. Inset: Cathy Zitzelsberger, Lori Blande, Judy and Charlie Powell 

in deep concentration. Also: Co-winners of the Wackiest Hat, Jenny Gates and Tyler Briggs. 

Why be a member of the DUCW? 

When I first arrived in Winnipeg, I 

never thought for a moment that I 

would join up with a bunch of 

other Aussies and Kiwis living here. 

But one day, while trying to find my way 

through the maze that is the TD Centre Concourse 

in the heart of the downtown, I ran 

into a Melbournian — Dennis Holmes. He 

detected my accent, and promptly invited me 

to his home for a barbeque. Over beer and 

burgers, he and Pat told me all about the 

DUCW, and shortly after, I became a member. 

During the next 16 years, I heard many 

stories about how and why people came here, 

and what they enjoy most about our Club. As 

you might expect, the usual suspects — the 

events, the newsletter, the camaraderie — are 

high on the list of ‘benefits of membership’, 

as well as the website (a very popular way for 

new members and visitors to contact us), the 

connections (we just love it when our High 

Commissioners and other dignitaries come 

to town), and even the discounts (thanks to 

The Billabong for the 20%-off Wednesdays for 

DUCW members). 

I must say that I agree with all of the 

above, but three other benefits also stand out. 

1. The dedicated and relentless hard 

work by the people on our executive. They 

organise a wide variety of fun and exciting 

events, track the membership, contribute 

content to the newsletter, pay the bills, and 

take care of all the business that keeps the 

Club up and running. 

2. The regular contributions to the 

newsletter by non-executive people — Gordon 

Keatch (getting to know), Murray Burt (commonwealth 

corner), and Elaine Clairmont 

(the tail end) — who go to a lot of effort to 

inform and entertain us with their words 

and stories. 

3. The Club is here when we need it, however 

we need it, even if it’s only to read The 

Southern Yarn. You don’t have to attend events 

or be actively involved, but we love it when you 

do. It keeps us strong and connected. 

Why be a member of the DUCW? Because 

the Club has something for everyone, and for a 

mere $10 per single and $20 per couple/family 

per year, it’s a great way to connect and to 

stay informed. So, renew your membership 

today — and take advantage of all this great 

Club has to offer, in any way you like. 

Hopefully we’ll see you at The Billabong 

on Saturday October 23! 


www.facebook.com/pages 

/Down-Under-Club-of- 

Winnipeg/115975501754598

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

Iam so looking forward to our not-so-formal 

Formal Dinner at The Billabong, 

coming up on October 23 (details on 

page 3). Big thanks in advance to owners 

and fellow DUCW members Erin and Peter 

Keating and Owen Degen for hosting us and 

providing us with a delicious menu. What a 

treat! 

Yes, the deadline has passed to RSVP to 

Margaret, but there still might be a few 

seats at the table if you are willing and able 

to come along. 

The Club certainly has provided us with 

some interesting events this year, including 

the Dog Day Afternoon and the Goldeyes 

Game, and sometimes it takes a while for 

new events to catch on. The Formal Dinner 

has been a hit, right from day one, so let’s 

make it another great night out. 

Until then, enjoy this issue of the 

newsletter. On page 3 are the events right 

through to the end of the year, pages 4 and 

5 have all the news from home, page 6 

offers us the chance to get to know Thibaut 

Lauwers, page 7 will tell about what’s going 

on in the Commonwealth, and page 8 says 

farewell to a friend and gives our pets a 

chance to speak. 

Enjoy the read, and enjoy the sunshine. 

It’s definitely an October to be relished! 

Stock up on beef, tourtière, 

chicken and steak pies. 

Simply delish! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


Sorry I missed last month’s Yarn, but I 

had to travel back home to my mum’s 

funeral. She died on September 6 at 

the rest home she resided in. She was 89, 

just a few weeks short of her 90th birthday. 

It was not unexpected, but still a tough 

thing to have happen. My 

consolation is she is now 

in a better place. I am very 

glad I went down in July to 

visit her as that was 

the last time I was 

to see her. 

This month 

Kerry and I are 

going down for a 

two-week holiday 

(arranged before all this happened) and 

plan on travelling around the North Island 

a bit. I may not be back there for a while, so 

I want to see some of the places I have not 

seen in many years. 

Panda’s thought’s 

Last weekend was very important for Manitoba 

animal rescues and Hull Haven Border-Collie 

Rescue through which Winston 

and I were both rescued. ‘Rescue Ink’ came 

to town. If you have never heard of them, 

they are a group of really big mean-looking 

biker guys out of New York with hearts of 

gold. They save dogs, cats and other animals 

needing help. They educate people on how 

to look after their animals, or if need be, rescue 

them and find them homes with caring 

people. They are the reason many puppy 

mills and dog fighting rings have been put 

out of business. Check out their web site 

www.rescueink.org and meet the guys of 

Rescue Ink and their mascot, Rebel. 

Kerry and Terry went to dinner with the 

guys, along with about 40 other people on 

Saturday night. Unfortunately we could not 

go — I don’t know why; we would have been 

on our best behaviour. They told us about it 

when they got home. ‘Scott the knife’ was at 

their table and he had some very interesting 

and entertaining stories about rescues they 

have done. Believe it or not, he has two 

sons, one is ‘Pocket 

knife’ and the 

second, you 

guessed it, ‘Butter 

knife’. Next time 

you see Kerry or Terry, ask them about the 

guys. I just wish we could have met them. 

Maybe next time. 

president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 




the Annual General 

Meeting of members of the 

Down Under Club of 

Winnipeg, Inc. will be held 

on Friday November 26, 

2010, at the Scandinavian 

Cultural Centre at 764 Erin 

Street, Winnipeg. See the 

full agenda on page 3, 

opposite. For information 

on board positions, please 

contact Gordon Keatch at 

832-4405. 

Citizens of Nowhere 

[CBC radio, courtesy of Brian Hydesmith] An interesting 

item on The Current on CBC last week discussed 

restrictions concerning passing on 

citizenship. Recent changes to Canadian law has 

created a scenario where children born overseas 

to Canadian parents who were themselves born 

overseas, could, in effect, be ‘stateless’ and 

unable to automatically acquire Canadian citizenship. 

Does anyone know if this applies under Australian 

law? Anyone interested in checking this out? 

Basically, it could mean that someone born in Australia 

but now a naturalized Canadian, can pass on 

Canadian citizenship to their kids, but if those kids 

then have a child while living outside Canada, that 

generation does not acquire citizenship. To make 

more sense of this, listen to the podcast at: 

www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/8980981 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca October 2010

socialite 


What happened … 



Nearly 20 members donned their craziest 

hat and tried out both mental and physical 

skills at the Wacky Games Night. Prizes 

were awarded. Ian Bowering won last place 

for Who Am I? (Don Cherry). Cathy Briggs 

was best at Ball in the Bucket Toss, and 

Judy Powell was tops at Mad Gabs. Tyler 

Briggs and Jenny Gates (‘hat’ courtesy Lori 

Blande) tied for first in the crazy hat contest. 

Anyone who would wear a purse on their 

head deserved a prize! 




The Billabong Australian Bar and Bistro, 

D-121 Osborne Street 

If you haven’t already done so, you still have 

a few days left to reserve your spot — preordering 

is a must. Please call Margaret at 

237-1805 to place your order TODAY. 

All the delicious menu details are in last 

month’s Yarn, or you can call for information. 




It’s that time again! Be sure to join fellow 

members at the Annual General Meeting as 

we look back and move forward. Is there a 

position you would like to try your hand at? 

How about social co-ordinator? It is never too 

early to think about what position you would 

like to hold on the executive committee and 

get involved in running the Club. Apart from 

discussing all the DUCW business for the 

past year, this is a great opportunity to catch 

up with everyone. Be sure to stay around for 

the opportunity to taste some very different 

cheeses and exotic wines. 

Agenda: Roll Call — Secretary’s Report — Committee 

Reports — Election of Officers — Other 

Business — Close of AGM 

Election: All Club members in good standing are 

eligible to put their names forward for any position 

on the Board: 

President; Vice President; Treasurer; 

Secretary; Social Coordinator; Membership; 

Media/Communications 

If anyone is interested in taking on any of these 

positions, contact Gordon Keatch at 832-4405, 

or attend the meeting and let your name stand. 


Children’s Christmas Party, 

4:00 pm 


December makes me think of only two 

things — being good, and Santa! The Children’s 

Christmas Party is a great time to 

tell the jolly old fellow himself how good 

you have been. His elves assure me that 

Santa will be there with gifts for all the children. 

So kids, bring your parents and tell 

them to bring their friends. It will be a wonderful 

night for everyone. A potluck dinner 

will follow. 

foo 

r infoo 

rmation 

on 

qualifying 

income 

levels. 

See you at 

‘the formal’ 




Tracking Talkinjeri 

Check out this article on Talkinjeri in the 

latest Australian Geographic. 

[courtesy Chris Brasher] 

www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal 

/aboriginal-river-dance.htm 

RSVP 










* Manitoba 

Hydro 

o i 

s a licensee 


the 

Trademark 

and 

Official 

Mark. 

October 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 


Aussie coffee top of the world 

[Sept 17, 2010, AFN, courtesy Charlie Powell] 

Australians are seen 

by the rest of the world 

as being without peer 

when it comes to 

skilled baristas and 

coffee knowledge, 

according to 2009 

Barista World Champion Gwilym Davies. 

“Australians are held in enormously high 

esteem around the world. Their coffee knowledge 

is second to none and they know what 

constitutes a great coffee.” Australia’s high 

calibre of training courses has meant the 

standard of a coffee is higher here compared 

to the rest of the world. [Photo: www.ausfood- 

news.com.au] 

NZ fur seal 

betting on 

Gold Coast 

[Sept 28, 2010] 

Marine experts 

are monitoring a 

wayward New Zealand fur seal seen in a Gold 

Coast creek. A team from Sea World has been 

keeping a close watch after efforts to capture 

it failed. It is hoped the seal, believed to be 

about two years old, will find its own way 

back to open water. “The animal appears to 

be quite healthy and in a reasonable condition.” 

People were urged not to seek out the 

animal. “What we don’t want is a whole lot of 

people going down there [to see the seal].” 








mutual funds. 


Artist Gali 

YalkayirriwuyGurruwirri. 

Photo: Glen 

McCurtayne. 

When next you visit Canberra ... 

[Oct 1, 2010] Eleven rooms of indigenous art 

in the new wing of the National Gallery are a 

must see on your next trip to Australia. 

Described as breathtaking, the project paid 

homage to Aboriginal and Islander Australians, 

with their elders running the show. 

In addition to dances and songs, the work on 

the walls was under the silent scrutiny of the 

painters, sculptors and photographers 

brought down from the north, in from the 

desert, and from the wilds of inner-city Sydney 

and Melbourne. At a cost of about $100 

million, the building and surrounding gardens 

are made of Mintaro slate, Queensland 

ironbark, South Australian granite, Kimberley 

green marble for the toilet walls, and 

Canberra grass. And there is more to come, 

so see it when you can. 

World Cyber Games 

gold medal winner 

Charlie Elliott. Photo: 

Lloyd Smith. 

Aussie school 

kid wins gold 

[Oct 4, 2010] A 16year-old 

Australian high school student has 

won a gold medal at the World Cyber Games 

in Los Angeles as part of the biggest ever 

haul for Australia at the global professional 

gaming tournament. Charlie Elliott, who is 

in year 10 at Kingsgrove High School in Sydney, 

flew to Los Angeles with his dad after a 

surprise win at the national finals. His game 

of choice is the mobile racing game Asphalt 

5. As well, the Australian team took bronze 

in the exhibition match for the shooter game 

Quake Wars. 

Show us your 

tentacles ... an 

octopus at 

Lizard Island. 

Photo: Dr. Julian 

Finn. 

250,000 

and 

counting 

[Oct 5, 2010] A 

decade -long 

exploration of the world’s oceans has 

revealed an “unanticipated riot” of creatures, 

including those that can survive without 

oxygen or light and at temperatures hot 

enough to melt lead. The historic first Census 

of Marine Life, completed by more than 

2,700 scientists from 80 countries including 

Australia, provides a global baseline against 

which the impact of natural and growing 

human threats can be measured in future. 

Observations made during more than 540 

sea expeditions increased the number of 

known marine species to about 250,000. 

About 20% of the ocean, however, has not 

been explored at all, and it is estimated that 

at least 750,000 species remain undiscovered. 





Phone: (204) 275-7631 








4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca October 2010

newszealand 


Bret and Jemaine with 

Lisa on the series return 

of The Simpsons. 

Kiwi duo makes 

Simpsons debut 

[Sept 28, 2010] Popular Kiwi comedy duo 

Flight of the Conchords have hit the big 

time. Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement 

were immortalised as yellow cartoon versions 

of themselves in the premier episode 

of season 22 of The Simpsons. In the episode 

— Elementary School Musical — Marge Simpson 

sends her daughter Lisa to a performing 

arts camp where counsellors, played by the 

Flight of the Conchords stars, inspire her to 

embrace creativity. 

Waitakere City Coat of 

Arms. Photo: Wikipedia. 

Smiles and tears 

as Waitakere 

bows out 

[Sept 29, 2010] Soft singing, sad smiles and 

a lot of tears signalled the end of Waitakere 

— the city — and the beginning of something 

different. More than 100 people and councillors 

gathered in West Auckland last night for 

the last Waitakere City Council meeting. The 

city’s last Mayor Bob Harvey acknowledged 

the hard work of all the councillors and 

council staff and the support of his family, 

and then thanked the community. Waitakere 

will become part of the Auckland Super City 

(www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/supercity). 

The quakes 

have residents 

back on edge. 

Photo: AP. 

Two more quakes 

[Oct 4, 2010] Canterbury residents were 

shaken awake by two big aftershocks east of 

Darfield, exactly one month after the devastating 

7.1 earthquake. “We could hear this 

one coming. It sounded like a train before it 

hit the back of the house.” The two aftershocks 

hit as Prime Minister John Key host- 

ed a black-tie extravaganza in Auckland to 

raise money for victims of the September 4 

quake. Although there were no immediate 

reports of any further damage, the quakes 

have put residents back on edge. “It scares 

the hell out of you. There’s nowhere to go, 

nothing you can do.” 

Ian Mune as Bounder 

in a scene from The 

Lord of the Rings. 

Photo: Roadshow 

Film Distributors. 

Not so Precioussss 

[Oct 4, 2010] A dispute between actors and 

Sir Peter Jackson over work on The Hobbit 

has led to possible intervention by the NZ 

Government. Progress appears to have diffused 

tensions that have seen Sir Peter warn 

his Hobbit production could be moved to 

another country. “I would be greatly concerned 

if the Hobbit movies weren’t made in 

New Zealand. This is a $3 billion industry, it 

employs a lot of people.” The New Zealand 

Actors’ Equity union yesterday said it was 

“hopeful” the spat could be resolved. 

Perfect acoustics at the St James. Photo: Steven 

McNicholl. 

Theatre’s golden age of film 

[Oct 6, 2010] Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey 

was 17 when he began handling film reels 

and doing odd jobs around the St James theatre. 

And now at 70, while touring it last 

month as part of Auckland City Council’s The 

Edge board, “I felt an overwhelming desire to 

bring this theatre back to life.” Mr Harvey 

has joined with politicians and actors 

(including Sam Neill, Sir Ian McKellen and 

Dame Judi Dench) in a campaign to save the 

historic building, which could be restored as 

the main ballet, theatre and opera venue. 



Auditions to find the next 

Milky Bar Kid. Photo: APN. 

Milkybar Kid 

search 

[Oct 7, 2010] Fifty-nine 

children have been 

shortlisted in a search 

for the Milkybar Kid, with 10 finalists to be 

announced next week. The children have 

been chosen from about 1,500 entries to be 

the new face of the chocolate bar, from auditions 

via video or in person. Judges will pick 

the winner on November 19 to star in a television 

commercial next year. 

Part of ‘Explaining 

Things’. 

Photo: thebigidea.co.nz. 

Lots of 

stuff wins big prize 

[Oct 8, 2010] A jumbled collection of posters, 

a bashed old barbecue table and chairs, 

YouTube clips, lamps and a paranoid handwritten 

note has won the Walters Prize, the 

richest contemporary art prize in the country. 

Auckland artist Dan Arps’ Explaining Things 

was awarded the $50,000 prize, which 

includes a New York residency, for his seemingly 

random installation of dumped domestic 

objects. Arts commentator Warwick 

Brown has described the installation as “displayed 

in an exceptionally casual manner”. 

New Auckland Supercity 

mayor Len Brown. Photo: 

Doug Sherring. 

Super Len to 

lead Supercity 

[Oct 10, 2010] Len 

Brown is the first mayor of the new Auckland 

Supercity. He addressed his cheering supporters 

on the southern slopes of One Tree 

Hill where Ngati Whatua o Orakei leaders 

Grant Hawke and Naida Glavish led him in a 

karakia, followed by a prayer by Catholic 

priest Terry Dibble, and a rousing rendition 

of Whakaaria Mai sung on the windswept 

hill. Amidst Brown’s many priorities, uniting 

the people is No 1. 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 




Thibaut 

Lauwers 

Thibaut grew up in Hasnon, an important 

village in northern France, not far 

from the Belgian border. Some WWI 

battles familiar to Canadians were fought in 

the area — Ypres and Vimy Ridge. 

Following high school, Thibaut made 

some life-altering decisions. He wanted to 

improve his English, and in 2000, chose to 

come to Canada. 

But why Winnipeg and not, say, Quebec? 

St. Boniface appeared more bilingual, yet 

still exposed him to English. He enrolled at 

St. Boniface College, taking business administration 

and sports sciences. For the past 

two years, he has worked at The Bay Men’s 

Store at Polo Park. 

In 1996, he travelled to Australia, spending 

much of his time in Victoria, visiting 

Melbourne, Ballarat and Warrnambool (surfing). 

His appetite whetted, Thibaut undertook 

a major, two-month trip down under in 2008. 

Taking the well-known Contiki bus tour 

from Cairns, he explored the Daintree Rainforest 

and Cape Tribulation before leaving 

for Sydney. On the way, there were several 

overnight stops, notably at Fraser and Whitsunday 

Islands. 

From Sydney, he went to Canberra, then 

flew to Auckland, NZ, covering the Bay of 

Plenty area, Rotorua, Lake Taupo and 

Wellington. He crossed to the South Island 

at Picton and went on to Christchurch, 

Queenstown, Lake Te Anau and Mt. Cook. 

Then back to Sydney via Palmerston North 

and Auckland. 

After a week in Caringbah, south of 

Botany Bay, he started another adventure, 

this time to Alice Springs, walking around 

Uluru, on to Tennant Creek, Daly Waters, 

Katherine, Darwin and Kakadu National 

Park. He flew back to Winnipeg via Sydney. 

Wow! 

Thibaut’s work here at The Bay had an 

interesting side benefit during the Vancouver 

Olympics. Being a major sponsor, The 

Bay was allotted 100 spots for employees to 

be torch bearers, and Thibaut was one of 

those chosen. He had to write a text — which 

Jenny edited and got it right! Bearers were 

allowed to keep their torches, and Thibaut 

bought his to one of our meetings. 

Incidentally, another Club member, Lynley 

Davidson, was also a bearer. Not bad representation 

from a Club such as ours. 

Thibaut found out about the DUCW from 

the Internet. 

In his spare time, he enjoys soccer, longdistance 

running, cycling, golfing, alpine and 

cross-country skiing and playing didjeridoo. 

Thibaut takes trips back to France occasionally 

to visit his parents and two younger 

brothers. His father runs a second-genera- 





tion family business making packaging 

materials — cardboard boxes and the like. 

Every morning, Thibaut spreads some 

Vegemite on his toast, enjoys some Tim Tams 

from time to time, and puts on his RM 

Williams boots before going to work or out to 

dinner. VB and XXXX Castlemaine are 

among his drinking treats. 

Thibaut is looking at a career in banking. 

Here’s wishing him all the best. 

Gordon Keatch 

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“I LOVE GOING DOWNUNDER” 

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6 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca October 2010 

�

commonwealth 


Hey, biz-types, look to 

profits in Commonwealth 

Commonwealth businessmen enjoy a trade 

advantage of up to 50%, if they are smart 

enough to embrace it. 

Selling Commonwealth to hard-nosed 

business types and politicians is not an easy 

pitch in Winnipeg or Ottawa — indeed, aside 

from some almost invisible exceptions, it’s 

pretty much a non-starter for want of good 

numbers persuasion. 

These good numbers are now at hand, 

thanks to some new research pushed by Dr 

Danny Sriskandarajah, the feisty young 

director of the Royal Commonwealth Society. 

Research figures show that a Commonwealth 

country’s trade with another member 

is likely to be a third to a half more than with 

a non-member, even after taking into 

account other possible contributory factors, 

such as proximity, level of development, and 

language. 

Department of Foreign Affairs, please 

heed this. 

For the past 20 years, the importance of 

Commonwealth members to each other as 

sources of imports and destinations for 

exports has grown by around 25 to 30%. 

It’s always seemed odd that our corporations 

would muddle through exotic language 

translations to do business in a region 

where they have nearby traders with a significant 

cultural link with whom they could 

trade more easily in English. 

Think of these key findings: 

• Between them, Commonwealth countries 

traded around US$4 trillion worth of 

goods in 2008 (latest figure). 

• Intra-Commonwealth trade accounts for 

about one-sixth of total Commonwealth 

members’ trade, with an average for each 

member of around one third. 

• The share of intra-Commonwealth trade 

has grown steadily from around 12% in 

1990 to around 16% in 2008. 

• The Commonwealth dominates trade in 

some countries. For example, more than 

four fifths of Botswana’s and Namibia’s 

imports come from other Commonwealth 

countries; and more than 90% of the 

exports from St Vincent in the West Indies 

and Samoa in the South Pacific go to 

other Commonwealth countries. 

• The value of trade between pairs of Commonwealth 

member states is between 38 

and 50% higher than between pairs of 

countries where one or both are not Commonwealth 

members, controlling for 

other factors. 

Sriskandarajah says: “The Commonwealth 

may be best known for its Games, but 

it seems to be delivering some serious gains 

on the trade front. Though founded on 

shared political bonds, the Commonwealth’s 

future may lie in promoting economic ties.” 

Robert Alston, past master of the World 

Traders Co., says his company welcomes the 

opportunity to help to raise awareness of the 

benefits of trade among the members of the 

Commonwealth. 

Go for it you moneymakers. There are 53 

countries out there with a billion people 

ready to shop with you in English. 

South Africa media freedom on 

slippery slope 

Media and human rights groups are angered 

that South Africa’s reputation as a 24-carat 

democracy is under threat, and anxiety is 

spreading. 

The concern: declarations by President 

Jacob Zuma of laws to create a government 

tribunal and to limit media use of “information 

involving national security” — which is 

code, they say, for censorship. 

Reporters Without Borders says it would 

move South Africa a “dramatic step backwards” 

in the ranking of influential Commonwealth 

democracies. 

The African Congress is being pressed to 

introduce these sharp measures, such as formation 

of a government tribunal, to cope 

with a press accused of inaccurate and 

unfair reporting. 

Zuma says the two laws are needed to 

protect human rights. They will “strengthen, 

complement and support” existing ways 

journalists regulate themselves, he said. 

The dramatic shift in attitude to media is 

a serious drift for the country that until now, 

has set a great example in maintaining press 

freedom, formally and in practice. 

It sends a dangerous signal to the rest of 

Africa. Raymond Louw, one-time editor of 

the Rand Daily Mail, who led the media battle 

against the apartheid regime, is quoted 

as saying that the proposed new laws are 

“worse than anything under apartheid”. The 

bill calls for imprisonment of those who disclose 

information declared in the national 

interest. It is a muzzle on investigative 

reporting. 

Stories about scandals involving those in 

power regularly generate hyperbolic eyerolling 

headlines, sometimes not supported 

by the text it heralds. One typical piece said 

that a black empowerment deal meant to 

benefit “previously disadvantaged” South 

Africans under government guidelines, was 

enriching a company led by Zuma’s 28-yearold 

son, Duduzane, among others. 

It gave them a lucrative stake in the 

South African arm of steel giant, ArcelorMittal. 

It was “the most nauseating business 

deal in recent memory,” columnist Mondli 

Makhanya, wrote in The Sunday Times of 

Johannesburg. The legislation is seen as a 

way to dampen anti-new-establishment criticism. 

“Zealandia” bigger than Europe 

Did you ever, in your most fanciful moments 

in school in Australia or New Zealand, regard 

NZ as more than a small world country — 

proud of its smallness in relation to its 

accomplishments? That was our thing in my 

time. Biggest in rugby, perhaps. 

Rethink things. 

Roll forward a decade or two and open a 

Kiwi paper last month to see, and I quote: 

“Oil and gas industry leaders are united 

in calling for New Zealanders to start thinking 

of the country as a continent larger than 

Europe, with the same resource potential, 

even though 95 per cent of ‘Zealandia’ is 

underwater in the Exclusive Economic Zone.” 

Geologists down under are propounding 

this different take on things. 

“‘The challenge for the next decade is 

better understanding our offshore territory,’ 

said Mike Isaac, a senior geologist with the 

state-owned Institute of Geological and 

Nuclear Sciences. ‘We used to be a small 

country, but not anymore. The New Zealand 

continent is the size of the European Union, 

the North Sea, and a quarter of the Mediterranean. 

We have to change the way we think 

about our own country.’” 

All this popped out recently at the biennial 

Petroleum Conference in Auckland. 

Speaker after speaker expounded on the 

potential of the recently expanded EEZ. They 

cited it as the fourth largest in the world. 

As Resource Minister Gerry Brownlee 

put it, a potential resource of 800 trillion 

cubic feet of hydrates was “some of the most 

accessible in the world as they occur close to 

shore and in water depths from only 1,000 

metres,” far shallower than other deposits 

found in Indian, Mexican, Korean and Japanese 

waters. 

Anyone want to join me in trying to corner 

the NZ kufiya market — you know, the headgear 

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia wears? 


Commonwealth journalism, military institutes, 



emember 


Sincere condolences 

Our thoughts are with Neville Morton and 

family on the loss of his mum a few weeks 

ago. A continuing sad time for more of our 

members. 

Farewell 

friend 

Several members 

of the DUCW 

were on hand at 

the Masonic Temple 

on Corydon to 

say farewell to Ken 

Coad. A life member 

of the Club and 

a recent vice president 

on our executive, 

Ken’s life was 

paid great respects 

by his family and his 

Masonic friends. We laughed, smiled, and 

shed a few tears. Rest easy, friend. 

A Taste of the Commonwealth 

Wednesday October 27 – 

7:00 pm, Manitoba Liquor 

Control Board, Madison 

Square, opposite Polo Park 

Test your taste buds in a sip-and-savour 

experience on wines and spirits from all 

over the Commonwealth. Room size limits 

attendance to 20 paid-up members. Tickets 

go out on a first-to-phone RSVP that confirms 

your booking with your assurance the 

cheque — addressed to RCS, mailed C/o me, 

at 1801, 277 Wellington Cres, Winnipeg, MB, 

R3M 3V7 — is in the mail. Because alcohol is 

served, guests should think of alternatives to 

driving themselves home. Cost = $30 per 

person. 

A Time for Giving 

Wednesday December 1 – 5:30 

for 6:00 pm, Viscount Gort Hotel 

on Portage Avenue 

This event is the Society’s Christmas Supper, 

a chance to sup and socialize and perhaps 

listen to a Commonwealth relevant 

subject. It’s also a chance to make a seasonal 

contribution to help Winnipeg Harvest, so 

bring canned foods, non-perishables or baby 

food for the hamper. Cost = $40 per person. 

thetailend 


Pets looking for love 

Ed and Elaine Clairmont and Leon and I 

“borrowed” Smudge, Durango, Alpine and 

Aspen for the recent Purina Walk 

for Guide Dogs in Bird’s Hill Park. 

It was a beautiful sunny day for a 

5-km walk and the perfect opportunity 

to showcase a few dogs up 

for adoption. If you are looking 

to adopt either a dog or a cat, 

consider approaching Winnipeg 

Animal Services (311, 

www.petfinder.com/shelters/) 

and the Winnipeg Humane 

Society (982-2021, www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca). 

There are many beautiful animals 

there waiting to go 

home! 

Dog Whisperer in 

Winnipeg! 

Cesar Millan will be 

in Winnipeg at the 

MTS Centre on Sunday 

November 14 at 

7:30 p.m. Tickets 

range from $80.00 

to $137.25. The 

world-renowned 

dog behaviour specialist, 

known for his uncanny ability to 

walk large packs of dogs at a time, will share 

his special gift to help you keep your dogs 

balanced, calm and submissive. Get your 

tickets now, and see the world through your 

dog’s eyes. 

Feline fundraiser 

Rescue Siamese is having a bingo bowl. With 

multiple silent auction prizes, a 50/50 draw, 

and a money tree for raffle, tickets are going 

fast. Call Rescue Siamese at 255-6896 or email 

Shannon at shansycat@hotmail.com 

Saturday November 13, 

5:30 pm - 8:00 pm 

Dakota Bowling Lanes 

$15 per person (includes shoe 

rental and late lunch) 

Compiled by Elaine Clairmont 

and Jenny Gates 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ October 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

November 2010 


November 


2 0 1 0 


NOVEMBER 



AND Wine and Cheese Tasting 

7:00 pm 


Look back over a year of wonderful Club 

activities and events, and start laying the 

foundation for 2011! 

DECEMBER 


Children’s Christmas Party 

AND Potluck Dinner, 5:00 pm 



festivities! And be sure to bring enough food 

for yourselves and a bit extra. Main courses, 

salads and desserts all welcome! 

CHRISTMAS RSVP 

If your children are hoping to meet with Santa this 

year at our Children’s Christmas Party, please be 

sure to RSVP to social@downunderclub.mb.ca or 

237-1805. We want to be sure that Santa has a 

present for every child 12 and under! 

RENEW TODAY! 

Membership dues are now due! If you have not yet 

mailed your renewal, please do so as soon as 

possible so you can continue to receive all the 

benefits of membership. Only members in good 

standing can vote at the AGM, and only those paid 

up by December 31 will be included in the membership 

roster. Thanks to those who have already 

sent in their cheques — 2-year renewals are welcome 

and appreciated! 



/Down-Under-Club-of-Winnipeg 

/115975501754598] 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



The story of a disaster and tragedy beyond belief! 

Photo: www.firestorm.com. 

A meeting not to be missed! 

Yes, it’s time for the Annual General 

Meeting. An opportunity for everyone 

to come together to reflect on the year 

we’ve had and the year to come, to join in the 

camaraderie of fellow members and friends, 

to vote for or put your name forward for the 

incoming executive, and to say thanks for the 

outgoing executive’s very hard work on our 

behalf. 

All that is reason enough to come out on 

Friday November 26, but there is so much 

more to garner your interest. 

First up, Margaret and Peter Munn are 

organising a wonderful wine and cheese 

night. If you were there at last year’s event, it 

was a great night, with several wines and 

cheeses to sip and savour. This year’s line-up 

will showcase more delights for your palate, 

and will be a lot of fun for everyone. 

Secondly, we are welcoming a special 

guest with a strong connection to our fundraising 

efforts back in February 2009. Scott 

Samuels, from Onefocus Global, will talk to us 

about a new book on Australia’s worst natural 

disaster, the Victoria bushfires in February 

2009. Firestorm: Black Saturday’s Tragedy — 

www.firestormbook.com — is a graphic pictorial 

record that takes you through the conditions 

prior to the day, the horrific fires that destroyed 

both bush and townships alike, the amazing 

bravery of emergency services personnel, and 

the tragic aftermath. Accounts from eyewitnesses 

describe a fire like never seen before, a 

wild fire that outran every warning system. 

Which wines will be 

on the table for 

sampling? 

Scott and his team are currently promoting 

the book through fire halls across the 

country, and will have copies of the book for 

sale. 

DUCW members Vince Maloney (centre) and Elaine 

Clairmont (right) with friend April Kehler at the 

Rescue Ink Event at The Forks on October 9. 

And thirdly, you will have the opportunity 

to chat with Elaine Clairmont and Vince 

Maloney about how it was to meet the team 

from Rescue Ink. The popular animal rescue 

group from the US have a television program 

and are well known in animal rescue communities 

everywhere. Check out the picture 

above, and get more news about our fourlegged 

friends at “the tail end” of this issue! 

If you haven’t been able to attend any of 

our events this year, the AGM will be a great 

opportunity to catch up with everyone and 

see what’s in store for the DUCW in 2011. 

And you can also bring your membership 

fees along as well! 

Looking forward to seeing many of you 

there at the AGM on Friday November 26 at 

7:00 pm — for friends, wine and cheese, and 

a really great story!

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

Doesn’t feel like 

November. Doesn’t look like November. 

But the stores are already overrun 

with Christmas bits and pieces, so I’m 

guessing the end of the year is all but upon 

us. As the year winds down, I wanted to 

take a moment to say thanks. 

Thanks to our executive for their contributions 

to the Yarn this year. Thanks to our 

members who have submitted photos, stories 

and ideas. Thanks to our guest contributors 

Gordon Keatch and Murray Burt for 

their hard work in preparing monthly 

columns. Thanks to our advertisers — your 

support of this newsletter and our members 

is crucial and connects us with the wider 

community! 

And thanks to our readers — your membership 

allows this publication to exist and 

to reach out to everyone in our Club. Hopefully 

you have smiled, shared and enjoyed 

every word in these pages, participated in 

the events on offer, and benefitted from the 

opportunities promoted by our advertisers. 

This issue is jam packed with all the 

news from home (pp. 4 and 5), an opportunity 

to get to know Sid Roberts (p. 6), an 

update on goings on in the Commonwealth 

(p. 7), and lots of ways to help our fourlegged 

friends (p. 8). As well, there is information 

about an upcoming open house at 

the Legislative Building (p. 3). If you’ve 

never been, it’s a beautiful building stacked 

with history and fabulous architecture. 

On a personal note, I recently placed 

third in the District 64 Toastmasters 

Humorous Speech Contest. The speech 

titled “I Am Canadian” was a light-hearted 

poke at Canada from an Australian perspective. 

I was thrilled by the response and the 

feedback, and had a lot of fun throughout 

the entire contest. I will be delivering the 

speech again on Saturday January 22 at 

7:00 pm — if anyone is interested. 

Looking forward to seeing you all at the 

AGM and the Christmas Party! 

Can you believe the weather so far 

this month? I could take this until 

March. 

Hope we see you all at the AGM 

this month as a couple of positions 

are going to be vacated and we 

need some energetic people to 

help out with the ongoing activities 

of the Club. Remember that 

without the volunteers to keep things 

running, our Club would be much less 

active. So, let’s see you there giving the 

board support. 

We just came back from a very enjoyable 

holiday to New Zealand — most likely 

the last time I will be there for quite a while 

— and I must admit to finding something 

disturbing in God’s country. It was the 

Labour Day long weekend while we were 

there, and the death toll was seven over the 

three days. Now, that may not sound a big 

number compared to some places, but after 

driving around the North Island I discovered 

to my dismay the really bad habit 

adopted by a lot of Kiwi drivers — male, 

female, old and young. 

Tailgating is really prevalent to the 

point of downright dangerous. I’m surprised 

more people are not killed or injured 

due to this practice. The roads there are 

quite challenging at times, and to have 

someone sitting two feet off your tail at 80 

Tasty ideas for 

deliciously wonderful 

Christmas gifts! 



ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

km/h on a winding road can 

be annoying — even to a driver 

like me who has no trouble 

on these roads, having 

grown up driving them. 

Kerry does not enjoy some of the roads 

around New Zealand, being from the prairies 

where you can drive a hundred miles without 

a bend or a drop away of hundreds of feet 

with no guard rail. So, after being told a couple 

of times to slow down, I was trying very 

hard to drive slower than I normally would, 

but those drivers were still sitting on my 

bumper, with no hope of passing. 

My advice to those driving there? Watch 

your tail. There are passing lanes every few 

kilometres, so don’t despair and don’t let it 

get to you — at least not until you are without 

the Canadian passenger, then you can give it 

to them. (Just kidding, don’t write me letters.) 

By the way ... Panda’s still not talking to 

me because we left her and Winston at Ruff 

House Kennels while we were away. Maybe 

next month she will be talking to me again. 

CHRISTMAS PARTY AND POTLUCK DINNER 

The Christmas party on Sunday December 5 at 5:00 pm is a potluck event. Santa will be there 

to hand out gifts to all members’ children 12 and under, so make sure you contact us at 

social@downunderclub.mb.ca or 237-1805 to let us know the names and ages of children who 

are coming. We want to get the list to Santa’s elves in time, so please RSVP before NOVEMBER 

25. For the potluck dinner, please bring enough food for yourself and a bit extra. Salads, main 

courses, snacks and desserts are all welcome. 

2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca November 2010

socialite 


Note from our outgoing Social 

Coordinator, Margaret Munn ... 

As this will be my last report in the Yarn, I 

would like to thank all those who have 

helped out on numerous occasions and 

made my job a lot easier. Margaret 


Formal Dinner 

All I can say about the dinner at the Billabong 

Bar and Bistro is YUMMMMM! A total 

of 29 people attended, and those I spoke with 

all said they enjoyed the food and the 

evening. If you didn’t attend, you missed out 

on some great food. A big round of applause 

for Monica and Matt Black who drove in from 

Swan River just for the dinner and then 

headed home again. Thank you also to The 

Billabong for their generous donation of a 

gift certificate for a door prize, and to others 

who also donated prizes. Door prize winners 

were: Elaine Clairmont, Sam and Betty 

Singer, Leon Badali, Manny Calisto, John 

Wirtanen, Marie Little and Margaret 

Munn. 

What’s coming up .... 

Social Coordinator 

Margaret Munn 

draws some prizes 

at last month’s 

Formal Dinner 



AND Wine and Cheese, 7:00 pm 


It’s time for the long-awaited and muchanticipated 

AGM followed by a wine and 

cheese tasting. We will try not to have 

any “horse ****” tasting wine this year. Circle 

Friday November 26th on your calendar 

and come join us for a fantastic night of chatter, 

reflection and sampling, and maybe even 

get yourself a spot on the executive! 

RSVP 

If you are attending any of our events, please 

remember to let Margaret (237-1805) know 

so we can accommodate everyone. 


Children’s Christmas Party 

AND Potluck Dinner 

5:00 pm (new time!) 


Looking forward to seeing you all at the Children’s 

Christmas Party. Please note the time 

change. It is never too early to write your letter 

to Santa or you can call Margaret — 237- 

1805 — before November 25 with the names 

and ages of children who will be attending. 





Christmas Market and Café 

11:00 am to 3:00 pm 


It’s the Scandinavian Cultural Centre’s major 

fundraiser for the year. Admission is FREE. 

Enjoy imported Scandinavian food and candy, 

home baking, and craft and gift items. The 

café will be serving Scandinavian delicacies. 

DUCW members who would like to donate 

baking to the home-baking table are invited 

to drop items off on Friday December 3 

between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm and Saturday 

afternoon until 4:00 pm, or Sunday morning. 

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Grassroots News 

DUCW 

The Voice 

5 X 4 

‘tis the season 







November 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

newsfromOz 


“Splash” by Tomas Misura. Photo: Edwina Pickles. 

Gentle giants rule in a sea of 

ideas 

[Oct 29, 2010] The Bondi-to-Tamarama coast 

has been transformed into a playground for 

giants as humungous feet, sunglasses, piano 

keys, a chicken, a tube of paint, and even a 

cheese grater were unveiled yesterday for 

Australia’s most popular outdoor sculpture 

show. Contrast and the unexpected are hallmarks 

of the 14th annual show, which features 

109 sculptures ranging from Easter 

Island-style statues drumming on their bulbous 

bellies (by the NSW artist Steve Croquett) 

to a tank made of filing cabinets 

(Edward Horne, NSW) and alien-like totem 

poles (Jennifer Orchard, NSW). 

Aussie surfer makes history 

[Nov 2, 2010] Australia’s Stephanie Gilmore 

has become the first female surfer to ever 

win four world titles from as many attempts 












Phone: (204) 275-7631 






at the Rip Curl Pro 

Search event in 

Puerto Rico. The 

22 year old didn’t 

have it all her own 

way against determined 

Hawaiian 

Melanie Bartels, 

but did enough to 

clinch the title. As 

she made it back 

Stephanie Gilmore. AP Photo 

off the sand clutching an Australian flag, 

Gilmore was overwhelmed by emotion. “Not 

even in my wildest dreams did I think I could 

win consecutively like this.” 

The first pictures of the new calf. Photo: Bobby-Jo 

Vial. 

Sydney’s jumbo joy ... again! 

[Nov 2, 2010] Taronga Zoo’s two male elephant 

calves have a new sister to play with. The 120kg 

calf was nursing within 90 minutes of 

birth and standing unassisted within three 

hours. The new calf’s mother is Pak Boon and 

her father is the zoo’s bull, Gung, and the 

entire family seem to be doing very well. Pak 

Boon was assisted in the birth by a team of 

vets and keepers, as well as other elephants 

in the enclosure. “The Taronga herd is now 

quite experienced and managed the process 

very successfully.” The calf is the fifth born 

under the Australian Conservation Management 

Plan for these endangered elephants. 

“In just four years since the self-sustaining 

regional breeding group was established at 

Taronga and Melbourne Zoos, the herd has 

increased in size by 50 per cent.” 

Gerald Mosse on Americain approaching the finishing 

line. Photo: Pat Scala. 

Smooch smackdown! 

[Nov 3, 2010] Two hours after the running of 

the Melbourne Cup, winning jockey Gerald 

Mosse had come down from one of his finest 

moments in racing to confront stewards over 

a small infraction of the rules. Mosse said he 

couldn’t get over how the Australian public 

embraced a horse race ... and then learned it 

was an offence to make a celebratory gesture 

before the winning post. He promptly apologised 

for gesturing a kiss to the 110,000strong 

at Flemington, adding “I really 

wanted to thank them for coming.” Mosse 

was fined $300. 


4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca November 2010

newszealand 


Harvard Uni farms Kiwi ‘campus’ 

[Oct 6, 2010, TheCattleSite News Desk, courtesy 

Charlie Powell] Harvard University’s 

endowment fund has “moo-ved” ahead with 

a $20.7 million investment in a giant dairy 

farm in New Zealand about 1,400 km south 

of Auckland. Ownership of the 4,000-acre 

dairy farm with 6,000 cows was the result of 

a liquidation-sale transaction, one of several 

designed to take advantage of depressed 

sales prices brought on by the recent global 

recession. Such purchases are not unusual; 

pension funds have been known to snap up 

entire forests as investments during tough 

times. Interesting .... 

Kids from 

East Tamaki 

Primary. 

Photo: AFN. 

From 

garden 

to table 

[Oct 21, 2010, 

Australian Food News, courtesy Charlie Powell] 

Pupils at three New Zealand primary 

schools are getting their hands dirty in their 

flourishing school garden with the Garden 

to Table Trust Programme. They learn how to 

grow and harvest fresh fruit and vegetables, 

and then cook up a storm in their school 

kitchen, creating meals out of their freshly 

harvested produce. Inspired by Australia’s 

Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, 

students have experienced changes in 

attitudes, knowledge, skills and confidence 

in relation to cooking and gardening. 

The All Blacks’ haka is recognised by rugby fans 

the world over. Photo: Greg Bowker. 

Fans decide future of haka 

[Nov 2, 2010] A kiwi branding expert is calling 

for countries opposed to the All Black’s 

haka to ask their fans to decide if they want 

to see it. Responding to scathing criticism 

that opposition was growing about the once 

loved “theatrical affair”, Dr Mike Lee 

believed anti-haka feeling was due largely to 

New Zealand’s preciousness around how 

other countries responded to it. One journalist 

described the pre-match ritual as a “selfimportant 

bore and instrument of the worst 

kind of sporting arrogance”, but experts 

doubted fans would get on board with that 

sentiment. 

Anthony 

Prince poses 

with ill-gotten 

booty. Photo: 

NZH. 

NZ’s 

dumbest bank robber tells all 

[Nov 9, 2010] A New Zealander who took part 

in one of the most idiotic bank robberies in 

US history is out of prison, and telling all 

about his stupidity — in his new book, Bank 

Robbery for Beginners. Anthony Prince, 25, 

spent four years locked up for the March 

2005 US$132,000 robbery in Vail, Colorado, 

in which he and his Aussie accomplice held 

two female staff at gunpoint. They were 

caught because they held up their local bank, 

wore name tags, photographed themselves 

with the loot, tried to use the money to buy 

getaway air tickets, and Prince’s accomplice 

spoke with an Aussie accent. “It’s the first 

thing people talk about — Dumb and Dumber. 

But I’ve come to terms with it ... Obviously it’s 

a stupid thing that I did and I deserve it.” 






the Annual General Meeting 

of members of the Down 

Under Club of Winnipeg, Inc., 

will be held on Friday 

November 26, 2010, 7:00 pm, 

at the Scandinavian Cultural 

Centre at 764 Erin Street, 

Winnipeg. See the full agenda 

on page 3 of the October issue 

of The Southern Yarn. For 

information on board 

positions, please contact 

Gordon Keatch at 832-4405. 

Global ATM Alliance 

Scotiabank is proud to be a founding member 

of the Global ATM Alliance, along with 

Bank of America, a few European banks and 

Westpac — Westpac is the only member of 

the Alliance currently in Australia and New 

Zealand. 

Look for ATMs that belong to the member 

banks of the Global ATM Alliance, and avoid 

paying surcharges or international access fees 

on your account from more than 35,000 cash 

machines in 40+ countries. The standard International 

ATM Access Fee (charged to customers 

who access their accounts via ATMs 

outside of Canada) is waived by Scotiabank if 

customers use their ScotiaCard® or Scotiabank 

VISA at participating ATMs, and machinelevel 

surcharges will also be waived for all 

ScotiaCard and Scotiabank VISA transactions. 

Account level transaction charges still apply in 

any case. 

Confirm this information before you travel or 

open an account at Scotiabank. More details: 

www.scotiabank.com/cda/content/0,1608,CID 

8040_LIDen,00.html 

[courtesy Charles Wallis] 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 

November 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 5



Sid Roberts 

Sid was born in Christchurch, New 

Zealand, but grew up in Rangiora, a 

few miles north. His father was a 

builder, and when Sid was a baby, the family 

moved to Western Australia for about five 

years. At times, the work took them from 

Perth to Port Hedland. Returning to NZ, Sid 

finished high school in Rangiora and joined 

the Army at age 17, spending three years in 

the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering 

Corps. 

After that, he started some serious travelling 

— back to Perth for a year, working in a 

bar (great job for Sid!), and then two years in 

England, generally in construction, including 

erecting large marquees for weddings, 

etc. 

Returning to NZ for a while, it was then 

back to Perth and a year spent travelling and 

working all around Oz by car to Port Hedland, 

Darwin, Katherine, Cairns and Sydney, 

ending up in Melbourne. 

In January 1991, he came to Winnipeg, 

doing cabinetry and millwork with various 

companies, and is now manager of Winwood 

Millworks on Wall Street. 

Sid is a rugby and cricket enthusiast. In 

Canada Post Mailing Dates 

Wanna send cards and presents to Australia and 

New Zealand for Christmas this year? We’ve already 

missed the surface mail cutoff date, but there are 

other ways to get messages to loved ones back 

home. Here are the deadlines for mailing: 

November 29 

for holiday cards sent by letter-post 

December 6 

for holiday packages by Xpresspost (Fast) 

December 16 

for holiday packages by Priority Worldwide (Rush) 

Remember you can create quick, lovely cards that 

will be mailed in Australia or NZ directly. Call Lori 

at 488 – 1336 or www.sendoutcards.com/40160 

1998, he made the Canadian Rugby Training 

Squad for the 1999 World Cup and went to 

their camps in Vancouver. He went with 

Canada to the Dubai 7s in 1998 where Canada 

was beaten by Fiji in the quarter finals, 

who went on to win the event. Sid’s team 

here has won nine 1st Division titles and he 

is now a coach / part-time player with the 

Winnipeg Wasps. He plays cricket in the 

summer at Assiniboine Park and indoor 

cricket in the winter at the Burton Cum- 

We ARE your 

South Pacific 

Experts! 

mings Arena with the Taverners Cricket 

Club. 

Sid has an 18-year-old daughter from a 

previous marriage. Kira has finished high 

school and is planning a three-month trip to 

NZ and Oz before returning to Winnipeg. 

Sid is a long-time DUCW member, and 

was introduced by past president Pat 

McGrath. 

— Gordon Keatch 

Canada to Brisbane RETURN CAD915! 


Hop around Australia Aussie Pass CAD1,199 FROM CANADA! 

What’s on your Bucket List? Golfing on the Whitsundays, or Snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef 

Check out our Bucket List at downunder-travel.com 

Ca l for 

bargains! 

Kira and her dad, long-time DUCW member Sid Roberts. 



“I LOVE GOING DOWNUNDER” 

�� 

�� 

�� 

More than 

�� 

40 years’ 

�� 

South Pacific 

�� 

experience 

�� 

6 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca November 2010 

�

commonwealth 


Muscle group adopts 

tougher line on rogue 

states 

Silence is not an option. Something 

must be said and done about nations 

that flout human rights and cheat in 

their use of tax and aid money. Suddenly 

there’s room for a spark of optimism. 

Expect the Commonwealth to shed its 

passivity toward members with wayward 

tendencies in the next few months. There’ll 

be stiffer spines at Marlborough House in 

the near future and a shrinking of its 

mamby pamby, don’t-rock-the-boat era. Prepare 

to hear hard talk about those member 

nations that fail to abide by Commonwealth 

values — democracy, the rule of law, and 

human rights. 

To name a few: Gambia, Pakistan, Uganda, 

Sierra Leone, Fiji, and Rwanda (our 

newest member, and allow me to say I told 

you so). 

I got that signal first from CHOGM in 

Trinidad. I hear it again in a release recently 

from the new Eminent Persons Group (EPG). 

It has served notice it will be calling for the 

Commonwealth to take a harder line, speak 

critically and publicly, and to act with 

greater authority on serious or persistent violations 

of the values than make the Commonwealth 

distinctive. 

Of course, the EPG’s advice will have to 

be acted on by the Ministerial Action Group, 

which dictates censure or expulsion. But the 

Marlborough House HQ tone is sounding 

impatient with radical Commonwealth governments 

whose membership in the club 

will have to be seriously weighed. 

“We want the Commonwealth to continue 

to be a powerful voice with moral authority, 

speaking out on major issues, but it 

needs the tools to do it,” said the EPG’s 

Chairman, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi of 

Malaysia. “EPG is committed to sharpening 

the impact, strengthening the networks and 

raising the profile of the Commonwealth 

association.” 

Eleven countries currently are represented 

on the Eminent Persons Group: 

Malaysia, Ghana, Jamaica, Pakistan, Uganda, 

Australia, Mozambique, the United Kingdom, 

Guyana, Kiribata and Canada. 

Our man, a relatively recent appointment, 

is the feisty upper chamber member, 

Senator Hugh Segal. We want him to talk to 

the RCS in Winnipeg in the coming year. 

Key issues discussed by the EPG at its 

London meeting last month clearly signals a 

tougher attitude ahead. They include: 

• framing a Charter to strengthen commitment 

to Commonwealth values and reset 

its direction 

• giving the Secretary-General greater 

clout to speak out on breaches of Commonwealth 

values 

• strengthening the role of the Commonwealth 

Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) as 

the guardian of the Commonwealth’s fundamental 

values with power to urge expulsion 

• increasing the transparency of institutions 

committed to shared Commonwealth 

objectives 

Having a baby? 

• the need to address HIV/AIDS as a 

health, HR and economic priority 

• empowering small states to strengthen 

their economic capacity and resilience 

• encouraging initiatives to unlock the 

potential of the young people of the Commonwealth 

• strengthen the credibility of national 

elections 

• reinforcing the capacity of the Secretariat 

to meet its mandates. 

It’s good talk. The job now is to see that 

it happens. 

Mu ray Burt is a retired editor with directorships 

in Commonwealth journalism, military institutes, 


Healthy Baby community programs provide support to pregnant 

women, new parents and their babies 

Being pregnant and having a baby changes your life. It can be an exciting and 

challenging time, especially for new parents. That’s why the Healthy Baby community 

programs were developed. 

Healthy Baby community programs are friendly, informal programs that provide you with 

support, information and resources before and after you have your baby. 

At a Healthy Baby group, you can: 

• Learn about your pregnancy and your baby’s development 

• Get parenting support and infant development information 

• Learn about healthy nutrition and healthy lifestyle options 

• Connect with other parents 

The Manitoba Prenatal Benefit will: 

• Provide you with a monthly cheque if your net family 

income is less than $32,000 a year 

• Help you buy healthy foods that provide good nutrition 

for you and your growing baby 

For more information 

To learn more about the Healthy Baby program or to 

find out about locations of Healthy Baby groups, 

please call: 

945-1301 (in Winnipeg) 

1-888-848-0140 (outside Winnipeg) 

www.manitoba.ca/healthychild 

or contact your local public health office. 

November 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 7 

Having a Baby ad

emember 


Sorry for your loss 

Sincere condolences to Brian Pound and 

Shannon Abs and family on the recent loss 

of Brian’s dad. Our thoughts are with you all 

at this very difficult time. 

Congrats ... 

…to Brad Tyler-West for his appointment at 

the Legacy Bowes Group as a senior human 

resource consultant. Brad’s 22 years of experience 

in training and development, diversity 

management, human resources and 

communications will certainly prove to be a 

great asset to that company. We wish him all 

the best! 

A Time for Giving 

Wednesday December 1 

5:30 for 6:00 pm 

Viscount Gort Hotel on Portage Avenue 

This event is the Royal Commonwealth Society’s 

Christmas Supper, a chance to sup and 

socialize and perhaps listen to a Commonwealth 

relevant subject. It’s also a chance to 

make a seasonal contribution to help Winnipeg 

Harvest, so bring canned foods, nonperishables 

or baby food for the hamper. Cost 

= $40 per person. 

Christmas Gifts and the Winnipeg 

Humane Society (WHS) 

1. Shop after hours at St. Vital Mall — Sunday 

November 21. Win door prizes for yourself or 

someone else. Tickets are $5 and only available 

through the WHS. For more information, visit 

www.stvitalcentre.com/sales_and_events/st_vital_ 

centre_presents_behind_closed_doors/ 

2. WHS Paws for Thought Winter Break-out Online 

Auction — on now! Be quick — auction closes 

Thursday, November 18 at 6 pm. All packages 

generously donated to support the animals and 

their care. Bid today at www.digitalrelay.ca 

/donationrelay/whs/2009Auction/index.php 

3. November is Adopt a Senior Pet month. Bongo 

(see above, right) is a 7-year-old Husky X (one of 

the Gull Lake dogs) that would love a home for 

Christmas. Find out more at the WHS (982-2021). 

4. Cookies and Crafts for Critters! Combine your 

baking and crafting with your love of animals. 

Drop off baked goods or homemade crafts for 

Paws for the Season Bake Sale — Sunday, 

December 5 from noon to 5 pm at the WHS. 

Contact Angela at 988-8811 or 

angelab@winnipeghumanesociety.ca 

thetailend 


Bongo would 

love a forever 

home, 

and many 

other dogs 

and cats 

would welcome 

a temporary one! 

Open your hearts and your home! 

Why fostering a dog or a cat helps everyone 

Foster families are very important to shelters/rescues 

for many reasons: 

Sometimes shelters are 100% full and 

need help to open up space for the new 

dogs/cats coming in. 

Some dogs/cats are just not ready to be 

adopted. They may have some medical issues 

or behavioral problems, or they may just 

need a break from the shelter. 

Foster families can spread the word and 

help get their dog/cat adopted soone! You 

can tell co-workers, friends and acquaintances, 

take the dogs with you to sporting 

events, meet people on walks and many 

more places they will get noticed. 

Foster families provide the shelters with 

valuable information that they can pass on to 

the new adopters. The feedback they get 

helps the shelter find the right family for 

these guys and gals. 

By fostering an animal, you allow another 

animal to go up for adoption, so you are 

saving two lives instead of just one. Here is 

a short list of some of the rescues that need 

foster homes: 

Winnipeg Animal Services 

1057 Logan Avenue, Ph: 311 

Manitoba German Shepherd Dog Rescue 

Contact: Barb Nemshon at bnemshon@mts.net 

Manitoba Great Pyrenees Rescue 

Contact: Sonia Chrest-Christ at schrist@mts.net 

Hull’s Haven Border Collie Rescue 

Contact: Sally Hull at hullshaven@yahoo.ca 

Quagga Stray Cat Rescue 

970 St. Mary’s Road, Ph: 237-1958 

Rescue Siamese 

960 St. Mary’s Road, Contact: Krista at 

rescue_siamese@hotmail.com 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 



Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



Margaret Munn 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



8 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca pattern: http://newmediadesign.wordpress.com/tag/maori-design/ November 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Southern 

The 

Yarn 

December 2010 


December 


2 0 1 0 


JANUARY/FEBRUARY 

Saturday February 5 


Chili Cook-off and potluck 


Celebrate our national days with fellow DUCW 

members and friends. 

MARCH 

Bingo Bowling 

APRIL 

ANZAC Day 

YOUR NEW EXECUTIVE FOR 

2011 

President — Terry Roberts 

Vice President — Peter Munn 

Treasurer — Peter Debenham 

Secretary — Margaret Munn 

Membership — Lori Blande 

Media/Communications — Jenny Gates 

Social Coordinator — VACANT 

LAST CALL FOR RENEWALS 

This is the last call for membership renewals. If 

you have not yet renewed, please do so ASAP to 

continue receiving all the benefits of membership. 

Only those paid up by December 31 will be included 

in the membership roster. Thanks to those who 

have already sent in their cheques. Two-year 

renewals are welcome and appreciated! 



/Down-Under-Club-of-Winnipeg 

/115975501754598] 




telephone: 1-204-832-4405 



Merry Christmas to all! 

Hard to believe that it’s December 

already, even with all the snow on 

the ground! But one way we know for 

sure that Christmas is just around the corner 

is when (a) pet photos with Santa start to 

appear in our emails (thanks, Elaine), and 

(b) the Down Under Club of Winnipeg holds 

its annual Children’s Christmas Party for 

kids of all ages! 

This year’s party held on Sunday December 

5 was brilliant! The 25 adults and 9 kids 

who attended totally immersed themselves 

in the festiveness of the season, which got off 

to a great start with music and games and 

lots of surprises in the toy box. Gordon 

Keatch was so excited about the party that he 

arrived an hour early, and it wasn’t long 

before others arrived to keep him company. 

With Charlie Powell in charge of the bar, 

and Margaret Munn, Kerry Nowicki and Judy 

Powell organising the main and dessert 

offerings brought by members, we were 

guaranteed a tasty selection of food and 

drinks. However, the younger kids were only 

focused on one thing — Santa’s much-anticipated 

arrival! 

And, of course, he did not disappoint, 

bringing a full sack of gifts and loads of good 

Check out our 

Christmas party 

photos on page 4, 

plus more in our 

online version of 

The Southern Yarn. 

Clifford Clairmont muzzles up 

to Santa during the City of 

Winnipeg Animal Services 

Agency’s Pet Photos with 

Santa event. Proceeds 

go directly to their 

Dog Adoption Program 

cheer. Santa greeted each child and allowed 

lots of time for photos and gift giving. Once 

again, his selection of presents was spot on, 

and everyone really enjoyed their new toy or 

treasured keepsake! 

Thanks to Santa’s elves for all their work 

helping make Santa’s visit a huge success 

for Aidan, Ryan, Kalvin and Zaemia, Peter 

and Southerly, Grace, Eliza and Tannis! 

There were many other highlights of the 

night. We met up with new members Santiago 

Silva and Adriana Damasceno, who appreciated 

our warm and friendly welcome. We 

also met up again with Katrina’s parents, Del 

and Lucy Epp. And Liz Hydesmith took Jenny 

Gates on an ‘orange and apple juice shopping 

trip’ en route to picking up Eliza from 

water polo — and they came back with an 

extra child, Eliza’s friend, Miranda, to join in 

the fun. It was Miranda’s first downunder 

Christmas experience, and by all accounts, 

she had a great time! 

If you weren’t able to make it this year, 

there is always next year. And in the meantime, 

the DUCW executive would like to wish 

all our members a joyous Christmas and a 

festive holiday season, as well as a fun and 

fabulous new year!

editorially 

yours 

Jenny Gates 

If I’ve shovelled once, I’ve shovelled a 

dozen times already — and I’m so happy 

about that, it makes me smile every time 

I see a flake make its way from heaven to 

earth. Okay, I know some of you think I’m 

stark staring mad, but it’s beautiful out 

there and I’m also revelling in the exercise 

it provides. 

Unfortunately, it’s also serving a little 

bit as consolation. I tried really hard to will 

myself to Oz this year by clicking my heels 

three times, but couldn’t quite make it 

work. So if you can’t go down under when 

you want to, you may as well enjoy the shovelling, 

right? 

This is the last issue of the Yarn for 

2010, but it’s still packed with loads of great 

stuff. The report about the Children’s 

Christmas Party is on page 1, and there are 

lots of photos from the event on page 4. 

Page 3 has updates on the AGM and some 

info about the upcoming Australia Day / 

Waitangi Day event that will be held in 

early February. Page 5 has some news from 

the Commonwealth (thanks, Murray), and 

there is a beautiful yet heart-wrenching 

tribute to the lost miners in New Zealand 

(thanks, Lucia) on page 6. 

The January issue will be back at full 8page 

strength with more news from home, 

as well as another opportunity to meet 

some of the members of the Club, courtesy 

of Gordon Keatch. 

On behalf of all of us on the newsletter 

committee — Brian Hydesmith, Gordon 

Keatch, Peter Debenham, Lori Blande and 

your truly — we wish you happy Christmas, 

happy holidays, and happiness galore in the 

new year! 

As most of you know, we had our AGM 

last week and it was one of our lowest 

turnouts ever that I can remember. 

It is unfortunate to see so many 

members are not concerned about the 

running of the Club or the future growth 

of the Down Under Club. It reminds me 

of other organizations I have been associated 

with over the years where a small 

number of volunteers manage to keep the 

club or organization going, even though 

sometimes it seems to be a losing course. 

This year we have no social coordinator 

as no one stood for the position. The other 

positions — president, vice president, secretary, 

treasurer, membership and communications 

– were filled by those tried and true 

members who have been around helping 

out in the club for quite a few years. 

Without a social coordinator this year, 

Gift your family 

and friends 

the taste of an 

Aussie Christmas! 

Weekend brunch 10 to 2 

Christmas treats from 


Fa la la la la, la la la la! 


ph. 231-0221; fax: 231-5450 


president’s 

ramblings 

Terry Roberts 

we will be cutting 

back on some the 

events in 2011. We 

will still have the 

main events that the club 

is known for, but they may be toned down. 

If anyone wishes to step forward to fill the 

position or is willing to organise an event 

during the year, let us know and we will 

make sure you have all the support you 

need to get it done. 

Welcome to the new/old board members 

and we look forward 

to 2011 being as 

good if not better than 

2010. 




Visit our NEW website www.billabongbarandbistro.com 

for hours, menus, events, and our community involvement. 


2 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca December 2010

socialite 



Photos, top to bottom: Kerry 

Nowicki, Ed Clairmont, Lori 

Blande, David Denesovych, and 

duelling-didg players, Thibaut 

Lauwers and Gerry Gordon. 

Annual General 

Meeting 

The 13 people who were able to 

make it to the meeting enjoyed a 

rip-roaring, fun-filled evening. 

The business of the Club was 

taken care of, followed by 

reports from our executive 

and the election of a mix of 

regular and ‘new’ faces. Sincere 

thanks to those who 

were on board last year, and 

those who have stepped up 

for 2011. Our special guests, 

Scott Samuels and Steve 

Cornell, gave a brief presentation on the 

Firestorm book — and then sold 10 copies to 

our members. The coup de grace for the 









mutual funds. 

evening was the delicious 

spread of wine and 

cheese organised by Margaret 

and Peter Munn. 

Official winners of the wine 

tasting were Lori Blande, 

Jenny Gates and Thibaut 

Lauwers, with Elaine Clairmont, 

Terry Roberts and 

Cathy Zitzselsberger also 

claiming some of the great 

prizes. Fabulous! 

Children’s Christmas 

Party 

See the full write up on 

page 1. 

Christmas Market 

and Café 

Held prior to the 

Christmas Party, 

the market and 

café was a 

fundraiser for the 

Scandinavian Cultural 

Centre. 

Those who attended 

from the Club 

were treated to all sorts of eats and treats, as 

well as a variety of crafty cultural pickings. 

Big thanks to the folks at the Centre for 

allowing us to continue using their upstairs 

space for our meetings and events. 

What’s coming up .... 

Saturday February 5, 2011 


Chili Cook-off and potluck 


Details will be published in the January 

issue of the Yarn, but to ensure everyone 

knows well in advance, our annual bake-off 

item will be CHILI – perfect for a cold, February 

night! 

WANTED: Social Coordinator 

Like to organise fun events? Step up as the 

DUCW’s social coordinator. For more info, 

contact social@downunderclub.mb.ca or 

228-9959. 

RSVP 

If you are attending any of our events, please 

remember to contact Jenny (228-9959 or 

social@downunderclub.mb.ca) so we can be 

sure to accommodate everyone. 




Call Terry 229-6642 or 663-6549 






Phone: (204) 275-7631 









December 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 3

Wrapping up a great year 

It was all fun and games at the Christmas 

party. The food was great and Santa was in 

fine form again. Be sure to check out the 

online version of The Southern Yarn for all the 

kids and family pictures with Santa! Prints can 

be ordered for just $1 each or we’ll email you 

the images. Hydesmith photos. 

Season’s Greetings 

It is the time of year when Manitobans traditionally 

gather with family, friends, and neighbours to 

celebrate the holiday season. 

Customs and cultures may differ from one home to 

another, but each practice reflects the universallyvalued 

themes of peace and goodwill. We are very 

privileged to live in a province where diversity is 

respected and encouraged and people are free to 

celebrate as they choose. 

As you honour the season, we extend our best 

wishes. We hope you and your loved ones will find 

yourselves surrounded by comfort and joy, 

now and throughout 

the coming year. 

Greg Selinger 

Premier 

Flor Marcelino 

Minister responsible 

for Multiculturalism 

4 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca December 2010 

Éditique docket 4384 

DUCW (Southern Yarn)

commonwealth 


Uganda reporters face 

violent intimidation and 

death by politicos 

Government wants to put a muzzle on 

its critics in Uganda. As a result, 

media people are being roughed up 

and killed. It’s a crude attempt to intimidate 

them against carrying stories critical of the 

ruling party. Paul Kiggundu, a radio 

reporter, was brutalized and killed by a mob 

while working on a story last month. 

Three days later, journalist Dickson Sentongo 

of Radio Prime was beaten to death on 

his way to work. “Unless media violence 

stops and journalists are allowed to do their 

work freely, next year’s general elections will 

not be free and fair,” a visiting 28-nation 

member International Freedom of Expression 

(IFEX) group reported in a joint letter 

that will be used to lobby the candidates. 

IFEX’s HR Network for journalists says 

more than 30 journalists reported harassment 

or abuse at the hands of state organs or 

mobs in the first half of 2010 alone. Usually, 

the crimes were committed with impunity, 

with police connected to 12 cases. Eight others 

were linked to the state, political or paramilitary 

groups. 

A sexist solution to divert 

exuberant young studs 

The New Zealand Department of Conservation 

is playing a sexist card to control troublesome 

young studs at the beach. An 

attractive young female is in play in an effort 

to keep boisterous teenagers from slumping 

on tents and chasing cars this summer. The 

troublemakers? Half a dozen teenage male 

sea lions cavorting at Curio Bay in the South 

Island. 

The experimental solution is a dummy. A 

young female sea lion, which is, in fact, a 

stuffed dummy. Deftly handled, she draws 

the over-sexed young males away from 

campgrounds and beaches where they have 

been playing havoc with holidaymakers’ 

tents by collapsing and dozing on them, 

chasing campers, and attacking the tires of 

their cars. 

Well, boys will be boys — or stroppy 

teenagers — but it won’t take these boys long 

to realize the difference between a teaser 

and the real thing. 

Tonga gets its first peopleelected 

Prime Minister 

Absolute rule by a monarch and his royal 

family is out. Rule by an elected prime minister 

and parliament is in. The one-time 

school teacher turned revolutionary, Akilisi 

Pohiva, has become Tonga’s first popularly 

elected prime minister. His Friendly Islands 

Democratic Party won by a landslide, and the 

kingdom’s 100,000 commoners will have 17 

seats in the 26-seat parliament to face down 

the nine seats won by a noble opposition. 

Until the elections, Tonga had been run by a 

near-absolute monarch supported by a 30strong 

clique of nobles. 

South Africa legislation targets 

media 

Things are getting nasty in South Africa. 

There has been a rollback of democratic 

freedoms and many elements of civil society 

are alarmed. The fears of 1994 are being 

stoked again. 

Examples of arrest and intimidation are 

rife. Journalists are easy targets. 

Sunday Times journalist Mzilikazi wa 

Afrika was arrested by a posse of policemen 

in very intimidating circumstances. The 

charge was that he possessed a letter, supposedly 

a forgery, announcing the resignation 

of the premier of Mpumalanaga 

province. If you wonder why he was targeted, 

the journo recently wrote a story questioning 

the police chief’s decision to lease a 

building to house the top brass of the police 

at a sum of 500 million rand for ten years. 

Independent media groups are also 

under threat over protection of information 

and tribunals, which will sit in judgement of 

the truth of media material — the government’s 

truth. Breaches, as perceived by the 

authorities, will draw draconian jail time 

ranging from a minimum of three to 25 

years. 

The national interest, as defined in the 

proposed legislation, embraces very broad 

categories. You could be trapped by writing 

about “all matters relating to the advancement 

of public good”, protection of trade 

secrets of state organs including “profits, 

losses or expenditures of any person” and 

the “pursuit of justice, democracy, economic 

growth, free trade, a stable monetary system 

and sound international relations”. 

That leaves christenings, weddings and 

tea parties safe for persistent journalists to 

cover. 

The Press Council says that the gains 

made in the anti-apartheid struggle setting 

up a non-racial democratic South Africa in 

1995 “are in danger of being eroded”. 

Murray Burt is a retired editor with directorships 


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December 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn 5

emember 


Congrats ... 

... to DUCW member Jason Davidson and all 

at Direct Focus for taking home the most 

awards in the province and fourth across 

Canada at the Canadian Agri-Marketing 

Association awards, held recently at the Fort 

Garry Hotel. Direct’s six awards included 

Best of Show and two certificates of merit. 

Nice work, everyone! 

Kudos ... 

to DUCW member 

and contributor to 

C o m m o n w e a l t h 

Place, Murray Burt 

on the launch of his 

new book, Winnipeg’s 

Ladies from 

Hell. 

thetailend 


Remember your furry friends at Christmas 

and in the year ahead. 

1. Donate to one of many rescue shelters — 

Winnipeg Humane Society, Craig Street 

Cats, Hull’s Haven, D’Arcy’s A.R.C., Winnipeg 

Pet Rescue Shelter, and Animal Services 

Agency, to name only a few. 

2. Support the Manitoba Veterinary Medical 

Association’s second annual “This season is 

FUR everyone” campaign. Visit 

www.mvma.ca and find out where to donate 

tins and bags of dog and cat food. 

3. Give canines you know and love something 

to keep them warm, cosy and fashionable. 

Black Baron Kingdom (at Hip Pooch, 

807 Corydon Ave) recycles people clothes 

into eco-friendly apparel for your pooch, with 

profits going to one of 10 animal-welfare 

charities. 

In memory of those lost ... 

[courtesy Lucia Barron] 

THE MEN OF PIKE 

By Sean Plunket 

They came from near and far away 

The men of Pike to work that day 

The afternoon shift way down deep 

Beneath the mountains oh so steep 

A long way in but further out 

The afternoon shift sets about 

A job not flash but hard and trying 

A job that holds the risk of dying 

From seventeen to sixty two 

They start their shift to see it through 

For one his first, for all their last 

How could they know there’d be a blast? 

For all at once no siren whining 

Suddenly the worst in mining 

Dust and rubble fill the air 

A loader driver thrown clear 

Just one other finds the light 

The rest are hidden from our sight 

And so we learn as news is spread 

The news that mining families dread 

It’s up at Pike there’s an explosion 

Faces drop and hearts are frozen 

Who, how many, where and why 

Will they make it – will they die 

Fathers, husbands, brothers, sons 

Coasters, Kiwis, Aussies, Poms 

Mates and friends who we are seeking 

Methane gas from coal seams leaking 

Vents exploded, phones unheeded 

Level heads and strength are needed 

The world above unites as one 

To bring the missing to the sun 

Rescue teams are standing by 

As holes are drilled and experts try 

To find a way that’s safe and sound 

To rescue those beneath the ground 

Could robots work where men are mortal 

To pierce the dangers of that portal 

But alas all effort fails 

The darkness of the mine prevails 

A second blast of rock and thunder 

Hope and prayers are rent asunder 

A nation weeps and Coasters mourn 

Pike falls silent, dark, forlorn 

A hole remains within the ground 

Devoid of joy, of life, of sound 

Another hole within the heart 

Of those forever set apart 

From those they loved who went to toil 

Digging coal beneath the soil 

Those who gave their lives that day 

To work a shift for honest pay 

They wait at rest within their mine 

The men of Pike, the Twenty Nine. 


President: 

Terry Roberts 


Peter Munn 

Secretary: 

Margaret Munn 


Jenny Gates 

Treasurer: 



VACANT 

Membership: 

Lori Blande 





Phone: 1-204-228-9959 


























1-204-832-4405 



6 The Southern Yarn • www.downunderclub.mb.ca December 2010 

DO 

UN 

CL 

Win 

Man

Down 

Under Club 

Christmas 

2010 

December 2010 www.downunderclub.mb.ca • The Southern Yarn • e-page 7


If you would like prints, or a higher quality copy version of any of these photos sent to you 

via email, please contact photo@hydesmith.com and tell them which photo, and we’ll send 

you a good quality version so you can get it printed. 4x6 prints are $1 each, if you pick 

them up at the lab. Larger prints are a bit more. Email for details.

2010 - Down Under Club of Winnipeg Inc.

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