Looking Back - 2008: Braden takes Canadian citizenship test

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Jessica Morton
Neepawa Banner & Press

80 years ago
Tuesday, April 5, 1938
Neepawa junior pucksters gained victories in two final hockey games here last week. Thursday night the Gladstone Midgets were turned back 6-2 and Friday night the Minnedosa Collegiate took the low end of the 3-2 score on heavy ice. The local Midgets were too strong for their opponents from the east and dominated them throughout the play. In the opening session Neepawa scored twice. J. Griffith and C. McAree taking the tallies. Arnold Poole chalked up the next one on a solo rush in the second stanza and before it ended Ken Munro and C. McAree combined to make another. Jackson and McAskill brought Gladstone out of the red in the final play while Willerton and Munro registered again for the homesters. Joe Griffith opened the scoring for Neepawa in the collegiate game when he picked up a pass form Jack Johnstone in front of the goal. A long shot from the blue line gave the scoring honours next to Bill Guinn in the middle period and Albert Sewell pushed another past Harrington in the last period.

70 years ago
Thursday, April 1, 1948
Norman Critchlow former proprietor of the Regent Bowling Hall announces that he is going to establish a factory in Neepawa for the manufacture of concrete and cinder building blocks, bricks and other concrete building materials. It is expected that this new addition to local industry will be in operation within the next month.

60 years ago
Tuesday, April 8, 1958
A highlight of the annual meeting of the Neepawa Men’s Curling Club Wednesday night was the presentation of the season’s awards. The miniature trophies emblematic of the Club Championship went to Earl Murray’s rink. The Neepawa Locker Plant trophy and miniatures this year went to Wayne Sparling’s foursome. Jack Boyle’s rink annexed the second prize in this competition, four two-month passes to the Roxy Theatre. In the Roxy theatre competition, Harold Ishenberg’s curlers won top prize, three-month passes to the Roxy and Russell Cathcart’s rink was in the runner-up spot to take the prize of two-month free passes.

50 years ago
Friday, April 5, 1968
A McCreary girl, Lois Cantin, has been invited to join the Canadian ski team to take part in the final international ski championship meet of the season this weekend at Heavenly Valley in California. Miss. Cantin has been skiing this winter under the Alberta colours at Banff and has been enjoying the top season.

40 years ago
Thursday, April 6, 1978
On March 27 the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Manitoba IOOF made his official visit to the Neepawa Odd Fellows Lodge No. 16. This occasion was quite unique since the Grand Master is one of our own members, Robert Newton, and the first Grand Master from this Lodge in 75 years. Grand Master Newton addressed the meeting outlining his program for the coming year. Noble Grand, Lloyd Reidle of Neepawa Lodge thanked Grand Master Newton for his message and wished him well in his coming year.

30 years ago
Tuesday, April 5, 1988
Local residents will get their first chance to meet Gary Doer in his capacity as leader of the New Democratic Party when he visits Neepawa on Friday, April 8. Doer will be appearing at the Neepawa Town and Country Drop-In Centre along with Ste. Rose NDP candidate Gerald Follows and Minnedosa NDP candidate Susan Proven at 10:00 a.m.

20 years ago
Monday, April 6, 1998
Four Neepawa residents - Remi Bouchard, Dorothy Henderson, Myrtle McKenzie and Evelyn Vivian - will be recognized at the third annual Manitoba Heritage Federation Inc. awards banquet. Bouchard will receive the Heritage Publication award, while Henderson will be presented with the President’s award. McKenzie is in line for the Regional Recognition award and Vivian will receive the Regional Volunteer award. The Heritage Publication award recognizes an individual or groups’ efforts in documenting local, regional or provincial history. The President’s award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the heritage community. The Regional Recognition award recognizes a nominee who has made an outstanding effort to preserve the province’s heritage, while the Regional Volunteer award is given to one individual from each of the province’s seven regions for outstanding dedication to the heritage community.

10 years ago
Monday, April 7, 2008
Neepawa’s Francis Braden is taking his citizenship test this Thursday. And if all goes well, he’ll be sworn in as a newly-minted Canadian citizen that afternoon. Braden, who was born in South Africa, but holds the British citizenship of his parents, said several factors contributed to his decision to take the oath. First off, he said he’d like to be able to vote. “I would like to take part in municipal, provincial and federal elections,” he said. As well, he said world events played a part in his decision. “Given the state of the world we live in, I felt it would be to my advantage to have a Canadian passport.” Not only that, but by being sworn in, Braden will share the same citizenship as his wife and two children. Braden, his wife K.D. and oldest child moved to Canada from the U.K. in 2001. The couples second child was born in Canada in 2003. Braden said although not having Canadian citizenship hasn’t hampered his efforts to find work, it’s time to put down permanent Canadian roots.