Selkirk doctor says he never wanted to leave the community

Dr. Lamin Benshaban is temporarily working at the Leila Medical Clinic in Winnipeg. The Red River Medical Clinic, which he ran for the last five years in Selkirk, closed at the end of June but the doctor says he never wanted to leave the city.

By Austin Grabish

A Selkirk doctor, who abruptly closed his walk-in clinic’s doors in June, says he didn’t want to leave the city and is desperately looking for a way to come back.

Dr. Lamin Benshaban was the primary physician at the Red River Medical Clinic, which shut down suddenly on June 28.

Benshaban said he had to close his clinic because his lease with Towers Realty Group, which owns Selkirk Town Plaza, was up and mall management wouldn’t let him renew it, instead they offered him a chance to rent the space on a month-to-month to basis.

Benshaban said he declined, citing uncertainty as a concern, and in July started working at a clinic on Ellice Ave. in Winnipeg, before moving to the Leila Medical Clinic.

“I told them I can’t go for that space just after a month you ask me to move again, that doesn’t make any sense,” Benshaban said.

Benshaban is a father of four and lives in Winnipeg but insists he never wanted to leave Selkirk despite the daily commute.

“I’m still hoping to go back,” he said. 

“I felt I am connected to the people there and I have hard time to quit that clinic.”

Benshaban had worked at his Selkirk clinic for five years before it closed in June.

The clinic was technically a walk-in, but the majority of patients were regulars of Benshaban’s who couldn’t find a family doctor, he said.

The doctor estimates he would see 40 to 50 patients in his clinic on an average day.

He estimates the Red River Medical Clinic has at least 3,000 patient charts and some belong to longtime patients who were there before he took over the clinic in June 2010.

The files remain in Selkirk, but Benshaban admits he doesn’t have a timeframe of when he could be returning to the city.

“For the last two months I’ve been in a dilemma,” he said. “You don’t know what you have to do, because something happened without plan to do this move.”

Benshaban said Towers Realty offered him a different spot in the mall, but the estimated $40,000 in set up costs for him to move was too expensive.

Property manager Linda Muron said she couldn’t comment on the matter, because she didn’t handle the file. However, she did say leases and their length vary and depend on both the person coming forward and agents who handle the contracts.

“It just depends on what the individual wants and if the landlord and owner is prepared to accept it,” Muron said.

Benshaban said he is still exploring other options that would let him re-open in Selkirk, but warned if nothing happens soon he may not come back to the community.

“If it’s going to take too long, I’m not sure,” he said. “I’m going to establish patients here (in Winnipeg).”

Benshaban said he is welcoming patients in Winnipeg, in the meantime and can be reached at the Leila Clinic by phone at 204-953-2787. 

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition August 20 2015 p.11

Selkirk shelling out thousands to defend $25 parking tickets

RECORD PHOTO BY BRETT MITCHELL

A ticket for a parking violation sits on a vehicle on Manitoba Ave. in Selkirk Monday morning. The City of Selkirk is spending thousands on legal fees to defend $25 parking tickets it has issued.

By Austin Grabish

The City of Selkirk is spending thousands on legal fees to defend $25 parking tickets it has issued, but is still retaining a hefty amount of revenue from the fines.

Documents obtained by the Selkirk Record through a Freedom of Information request show the city spent a total of $7,127.20 on legal fees associated with defending the tickets over the last two years.

Despite the cost, the city still managed to pull in $25,100 from parking fines during 2013 and 2014, leaving the city with nearly $18,000 in revenue from the tickets.

The legal costs stem from fees the city incurs when a lawyer represents them in court and when the city receives legal advice on parking ticket related matters, the city’s CAO Duane Nicol said via email.

Currently, formal parking ticket challenges can only be made in a provincial court.

A ticketed driver can plead not guilty, or guilty with an explanation, and a provincial judge then determines if the person is guilty and what fine, if any, should be paid.

On July 15, at least two ticketed drivers pleaded guilty with an explanation in Selkirk traffic court.

Both offered explanations for why they violated parking rules, but were ultimately found guilty by a provincial judge.

The City of Selkirk’s legal counsel was asking for $200 fines to be upheld in each case, but the judge only ordered the original ticket amount of $25 to be paid, saying $200 was too outrageous for a parking ticket.

Nicol said the city sees the current expenses as reasonable and necessary given current provincial legislation that requires tickets be fought “formally” in court.

He said people have the right to challenge a ticket outside of the city’s own appeal process and added when the city gets proper legal advice and representation, it has a better chance of getting the fine paid.

Selkirk Mayor Larry Johannson said the cost of a lawyer is necessary because the city has to do its due diligence and make sure parking tickets get paid.

“If we didn’t do anything on it and just left it up to people’s good faith to come in and pay them, I really don’t think we would see very many parking tickets paid,” Johannson said.

Nicol said while the city is retaining revenue from the tickets, there are other costs to consider like the salary of a bylaw enforcement officer.

“The purpose of our enforcement activity is achieving public compliance with the by-law, not issuing tickets,” he said.

Parking tickets in Selkirk are $25 if paid within 11 days, they then rise to $50 if paid within 20 days, before finally going up to $200.

The tickets are placed on vehicles parked in no-parking zones, time-restricted areas, loading zones, and fire hydrants, for example.

After 30 days, an unpaid ticket is defaulted and can be handed over to a collection agency, and the city also has the authority to place a lien on a vehicle.

The city wasn’t able to provide the total number of parking tickets issued for both years and couldn’t say how many were contested in court, because it doesn’t track that information, Nicol said.

Breaking down the numbers...

• In 2014 the city spent $3,917.20 on legal costs associated with parking tickets and collected $12,900 from tickets that year in revenue.

• In 2013 the city spent $3,210 on legal fees associated with parking tickets and collected $12,200 from the tickets the same year.

- Information provided by the City of Selkirk

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition August 20 2015 p.2

Water drainage woes upset Lockport Road residents

St. Andrews resident Jim DeVries stands in front of a culvert on Lockport Road hidden behind sediment and untrimmed vegetation. He wants the RM of St. Andrews to clean out drains like this on the road to reduce overland flooding.

By Austin Grabish, The Selkirk Record

St. Andrews residents living on Lockport Road have complained about drainage issues and overland flooding for years, but now there’s renewed home something may finally be done about the issue.

A meeting organized by St. Andrews council on June 23 drew some 60 residents, who voiced their concerns over flooding and a lack of maintenance on their streets.

Residents from both Donald and Lockport Road attended the Rossdale Community hall for a meeting with St. Andrews council.

“It was an excellent meeting,” said Coun. Joy Sul.

Sul said drainage issues have plagued Lockport Road residents for decades.

“They have a big issue with overland flooding,” she said.

Resident Jim DeVries has been complaining to the RM of St. Andrews about drainage issues and overland flooding for the last decade.

His home is on higher property and hasn’t flooded, but his neighbours’ homes have, and just a few years ago, a pump had to be brought in to save his garage from flooding.

He said ditches on the road get anywhere from three – four feet of water every year from the snow melt, but the water doesn’t move as quickly as it could, because drains are plugged with sediment and vegetation like cattails, which then causes overland flooding. 

“It just fills up,” he said.

“The issue is the municipality has done nothing in this ditch to improve the drainage.”

The RM of St. Andrews has spent thousands on studies to determine what is best for the street in recent years.

A newspaper article from 2005 shows an estimated $1.4 million was to be spent over a five-year period by the province and RM of St. Andrews to address drainage issues on Lockport Road. 

Sul said this year alone there is $90,000 in total allocated in the RM’s budget for flood monitoring on the street. 

But she agrees with DeVries that better maintenance needs to happen on the street. 

“It would appear there’s been (a) lack of maintenance,” she said. 

She said the street and residents’ concerns about it have gone unanswered for too long.

“It’s not a question,” she said.

Sul said she plans on proposing a maintenance schedule for the road at council. 

The vow by Sul is relief for DeVries who feels his concerns about clogged drains and overland flooding have gone unanswered for years. 

“They just need to clean the crap out,” he said. 

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition July 23 2015 p.11

Councillor claims she's being excluded from meetings

Rookie St. Andrews councillor Joy Sul claims she has been excluded from municipal business relating to governance and personnel issues, matters that are dealt with by a committee she chairs.

By Austin Grabish, The Selkirk Record

Rookie St. Andrews councillor Joy Sul claims she is being excluded from municipal business relating to governance and personnel issues, matters that are dealt with by the very committee she chairs.

Sul made the claim at last Tuesday’s council meeting, and asked Mayor George Pike for clarification on what exactly her role with the committee is. 

She told council she had no committee report to present, yet again, and claimed to be excluded from recent maters related to the committee.

“It just seems like every meeting I’ll be saying no report,” she said. 

“I have been excluded from certain meetings.”

She cited the recent hiring of a mechanic as one example of her being kept in the dark. 

“I had no idea,” she said when referring to the new hire.

She added she was only informed a day before Tuesday’s meeting about an employee’s reclassification that was handled by another councillor. 

“I would very much appreciate to know if I am chair of this committee or not,” she said.

Pike told Sul she is indeed the chair of the committee and that particular issue was being addressed by Coun. Rob Hogg, because the matter related to the transportation department, which he is responsible for. 

“Some of the areas overlap,” Pike explained.

Pike said information relating to the new hire was discussed with all members of council at a regular meeting.

He added only two people applied for the job, and one lived out of town and couldn't make it to the interview when answering Sul’s question why she wasn't informed of the interview process. 

Sul pressed Pike as to why she wasn't informed or part of the interview. 

“My question is why am I not being advised of these meetings if this is what I’m chair of?” she said.

Pike said council took note of Sul’s concern and would be kept in the loop in the future. 

“We’ll make sure you're included,” he said. 

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition July 23 2015 p.10

History buffs to assess war memorabilia

Matthew Rothenberger, a Parks Canada interpretation co-ordinator,
dons a helmet, binoculars, and a Second World War soldier's uniform.

By Austin Grabish, The Selkirk Record

The stage is being set for stories behind First and Second World War relics tucked away in basements and attics to come alive this Sunday at Lower Fort Garry. 

Historians are going to be on site evaluating war memorabilia and family heirlooms as part of an event entitled ‘We’ll Meet Again.’

The history buffs won’t be giving the estimated financial value of items, but will rather tell the story behind the relics. 

“It’s simply to tell people the story behind the item that they bring in,” explains David Lavallee, a Parks Canada spokesperson. 

Lavallee said everyone is being encouraged to check attics for old war items like medals, pieces of uniforms, or soldiers’ badge’s, and bring them on Sunday to the Fort to learn about the item’s history. 

“We will have a team of experts who can look at the items and tell people the story behind them,” he said.

“Our people will be able to tell you about it.”

Sunday’s event is part of a broader effort by Parks Canada to commemorate both World Wars, and is being made possible due to partnerships with organizations like the Royal Canadian Artillery Museum.

“It’s a collaborative effort and we’re hoping to see a lot of people out there that day,” Lavallee said.

The event’s name ‘We Will Meet Again’ is borrowed from the famous 1939 British song by Dame Vera Lynn, which at the time resonated with many since so many soldiers didn’t get to meet their loved ones again after the war. 

Vintage military vehicles will be display on Sunday, and there will also be war-themed women’s fashion show, as well as live music from a jazz band that will perform war-dated tunes. 

“There’s lots of different stuff for people to enjoy even if they don’t have a family heirloom from either of the wars that they can bring in,” Lavallee said.

We’ll Meet Again takes place this Sunday at Lower Fort Garry from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

Regular admission fees to get into the fort apply. 

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition July 23 2015 p.7

Meet Eddie, the crime-fighting canine

“He’s my buddy. He’s like the best friend a person could ever have.”

Sgt. Kent MacInnis and his four-legged bomb-detecting dog Eddie are a new crime-fighting duo based in East St. Paul. 

By Austin Grabish, The Selkirk Record

A new crime-fighting duo has set up shop in East St. Paul, and the six-legged team has already been kept busy on their four paws and two feet. 

Eddie, a three-year-old German Shepherd, along with partner Sgt. Kent MacInnis, transferred from Dauphin to the RCMP’s East St. Paul detachment in June. 

The dog is one of eight crime-fighting canines Manitoba Mounties have on their roster, and is the police force’s only Manitoba-based dog that specializes in finding bombs.

His nose has been put to good use recently – responding to calls of potential explosives and locating a missing person, all since coming to East St. Paul. 

Together with MacInnis, the duo covers the entire Eastern region of Manitoba right up to the Ontario border. The two also respond to calls in Saskatchewan as needed.

“It’s a large service area,” said MacInnis, who is the non-commissioned officer in charge of eight police dogs in Manitoba. 

The dogs are all trained to track suspects, missing persons, search for evidence, and some like Eddie, can even make arrests. 

“They’re a vital tool in police work,” MacInnis said. 

Eddie takes all of his direction from MacInnis and is trained to detect threats against his partner.

He comes across as playful, but on just one command from MacInnis, Eddie will turn around and apprehend a suspect by biting if needed.

“Dad what do you want me to do,” MacInnis says his dog asks.

Eddie, 3, is the RCMP's only bomb detecting dog in Manitoba.

“When he comes out of his kennel he’s always trained to look to work.”

Eddie spends day-in and day-out with MacInnis and the two live together. “He’s my buddy. He’s like the best friend a person could ever have,” MacInnis said.

Yet, the dog isn’t a pet to MacInnis. “He is my partner.” 

“He’s always looking to work and that’s the distinction as opposed to a pet that can lay down and lay beside you on the couch. My dog will not do that,” he said. 

MacInnis said even during playtime outside the dog wants to work, and that’s the result of rigorous training he has undertaken since he was a pup.

Chosen because of his good health, learning ability, and drive to work, Eddie has had a successful first 15 months on the force since being sworn in last March. 

His success is credited in part to his former four-legged mentor Rev, who was MacInnis’ first police dog.

He was put down in 2013 after being badly injured in a car crash. MacInnis and Rev were left in critical condition after being T-boned near Saskatchewan while driving home to Manitoba from a conference in Edmonton. 

Eddie was in the car at the time of the crash, but survived. 

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition July 23 2015 p.14

Clinic closure leaves patients in limbo

RECORD PHOTO BY BRETT MITCHELL

The Red River Medical Clinic inside Selkirk Town Plaza abruptly shut its doors on June 28. 

By Austin Grabish, The Selkirk Record

A medical clinic in Selkirk has abruptly closed its doors leaving patients who depend on the care its sole doctor provided in limbo.

The Red River Medical Clinic shut down on June 28, and provincial health officials are not sure if it will re-open or what will happen to the clinic’s patients.

The walk-in clinic located in Selkirk Town Plaza appeared empty last Friday and had a sign on the door apologizing to patients. 

“We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,” the sign said. 

Dr. Lamin Benshaban runs the clinic and has had his practice in the mall since 2010. 

He was previously a doctor in Gimli, and news of his clinic’s closure wasn’t taken well by at least one of his patients.

St. Andrews resident Debbie Kars has diabetes, high blood pressure, and Shingles, and has been a regular patient of Benshaban’s for over three years. 

She said he told her shortly before the clinic closed he had no choice, but to shut down his practice because the space was being taken over by another tenant.

“I went to him and said ‘why are you closing where are you going?'” she said.

“I wanted to know what’s happening.”

Kars said the doctor has been instrumental in helping her manage her diabetes over the last of couple of years, and fears not having a regular doctor to now go to. 

“There’s a lot of people that are upset that he’s gone,” she said. 

Last Friday, a Manitoba Health spokesperson said the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority contacted the clinic about its closure, but had yet to receive any kind of response. 

The spokeswoman said the clinic is a fee-for-service practice meaning any physicians who work in it are under no contractual obligation to the RHA.

The spokeswoman said former patients of the walk-in clinic can go to the Selkirk QuickCare Clinic on Manitoba Avenue if they require care.

But the clinic is staffed only by nurse practitioners, and Kars said she would prefer to see a doctor for specialized care.

“I would rather have a doctor’s opinion not just a nurse’s opinion,” she said.

The Record reached the property manager of Selkirk Town Plaza briefly on the phone last Friday, but the manager wouldn’t get into details about the clinic’s closure or say if a new tenant was taking over the space. 

“I can’t comment on that,” she said. 

Kars said the clinic’s closure is another blow to a city already suffering from a doctor shortage.

“Selkirk does need doctors and we need them badly.”

“I feel like Selkirk has lost a good doctor.”

The Record was unable to reach Benshaban for comment.

 -- First published in the Selkirk Record print edition July 9 2015 p.3