Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.02.2012, Qupperneq 3

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Lögberg-Heimskringla • 1. febrúar 2012 • 3
News
Peter Bjornson will be teaming with Tammy Axelsson during the upcoming INL of NA convention, for a presentation on Rock Cairns –
connecting North America and Iceland.
Peter provided the following bio:
Elected in the June 2003 general election, Peter
Bjornson was appointed Minister of Education,
Citizenship and Youth by Premier Gary Doer on
November 4, 2003. Peter served as Education Minister
until November 3, 2009, when Premier Greg Selinger
appointed him Minister of Entrepreneurship, Training
and Trade. Always politically active, Peter was Senior
Stick of the Faculty of Education, 1989-90, President
of the Evergreen Teachers Association in 1995-96, and
served a term as councilor for the Town of Gimli from
1998 to 2002.
As a lifelong resident of the Gimli area, Peter ran
a successful business for 15 years which he began
at age 14, taught for thirteen years at his alma mater
in Gimli High School, and was actively involved
in a number of volunteer community organizations
including the Kinsmen Club of Gimli, the Gimli and
District Restitution and Reconciliation Youth justice
Committee, the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, and the
Gimli Youth Advisory Board.
As an educator Peter’s innovative teaching
methods, curiosity, and desire for excellence had
been recognized through numerous awards such as
the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, the Governor General’s
Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History
(2000 and 2003), and the Prime Minister’s Award in
2001.
During his tenure as Minister of Education,
Peter was privileged to bring in important legislation
including; the Appropriate Education Act, the School
Closure Moratorium, the Safe Schools Act, as well
as improvements to the Teacher Pension Act. Also
during his tenure the government moved forward on
several important education initiatives including; the
Aboriginal Academic Action Plan, Education for
Sustainable Development, Citizenship Education
initiatives, and compulsory Phys Ed for grades 11
and 12.
Peter and his wife Joanne reside north of Gimli and
have three school aged children.
Rock Cairns – connecting North America and Iceland
Peter Bjornson, MLA
Harold Jonasson, Conference Co-Chair
Brandon, MB
First Lutheran Church
580 Victor Street
Winnipeg R3G 1R2
204-772-7444
www.mts.net/~flcwin
Worship with us
Sundays 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Michael Kurtz
The Vatnabyggð Icelandic Club of Saskatchewan held its annual meeting
on January 8 in the Brick
Church in Wynyard. There
were no changes in the
executive, President Christie
Dalman, Secretary Lynda
Waite and Treasurer Karen
Olafson. Delegates for the
convention in Brandon were
also selected, members
deciding to send a full
carload – Christie and Diane
Dalman, Stella Stephanson,
and Joan Eyolfson Cadham
representing the club as well
as Lögberg-Heimskringla.
Karen Olafson was appointed
the new newsletter editor.
Þorrablót is slated for
Wynyard on April 14.
Besides covering routine
matters, the Club members
made several other decisions.
It was decided that the
club would no longer sponsor
an Icelandic golf tournament
in Wynyard. The tournament
was established in 1999 as
part of the official unveiling
of the pioneer monument
celebrations and became an
on-going Club event that, for
several years, drew significant
crowds of Icelandic golfers
from across the province and
beyond.
The club memberships
have been raised. A single
membership is now $12.00. A
family membership is $20.00.
The increases were necessary
to cover generally increasing
costs.
Upcoming events inc-
lude a visit, following the
Brandon convention, of W.D.
Valgardson, author of What the
Bear Said, who will do readings
at the Foam Lake and Wynyard
schools as well as a writers’
workshop during his visit to
Vatnabyggð.
Looking back, the Club
has said farewell to Shirley-
Ann Laxdal who moved to
Lloydminister. Shirley-Ann,
a long-time member, served a
term as president but was best
known for sending out cards
to mark achievements as well
as to mark times of illness
and bereavement, and as a
very successful seller of club
memberships.
On June 17, during the
Karlakórinn Jökull choir
concert, the Club honoured
Stella Stephanson for 30 years
of service to Vatnabyggð.
Besides serving as secretary
and a member of the Board of
Directors, Stella continues to
serve the Club in a multiplicity
of roles. Because Stella is
also an avid gardener, Club
members chose to present her
with a live rose bush rather
than a bouquet of roses.
The Vatnabyggð com-
munity has lost two valued
Icelanders. Bert Gillis was a
good friend of the club and a
proud Icelander. Bina Keyser
was known for her passion
for music. She was the senior
member of the popular trio,
Generations, with Audrey
Shepherd and Frances Blyth.
Vatnabyggð club looks forward and back
Christie Dalman
Wynyard, SK
Photo: joan eyolfson caDhaM
INL of NA Planning Committee recognizes sponsors
From left: Gloria Hill (Entertainment Chair), Don, Fred,
Lois and Cecilia Fjeldsted
The 2012 INL of NA Convention plan-ning committee
would like to recognize
one of our major sponsors,
Duram Place Apartments
(Fred, Cecilia, Don and
Lois Fjeldsted) from
Brandon, Manitoba.
This sponsorship
is made in memory of
their parents, Fridrik and
Jonina Fjeldsted. Fridrik
and Jonina were both
100% Icelandic and were
very very proud of their
Icelandic heritage. The
$1500.00 sponsorship will
be used for the Saturday,
May 5 luncheon.
During the June 17 celebrations, the Vatnabyggð Club
president, Christie Dalman, made a presentation to
long-time member, Stella
We Pack For Travel
Gimli Fish
596 Dufferin Ave • 204-589-3474
625 Pembina Hwy • 204-477-6831
1604 St Mary’s Rd • 204-256-3474
Winnipeg Manitoba
gimlifish@mts.net
Harðfiskur
Pickerel Fillets
Pickerel Cheeks