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Through the lens

Looking back at some of our favourite photos of 2021

| Posted: 11:30 AM CST Friday, Dec. 31, 2021

As COVID-19 continued to make its mark on the world and here in Manitoba in 2021, life carried on albeit with precautions, and our Free Press photographers were there to capture some of those moments.

January 4 — Socially-distanced media watch the first Jets skate of the season through multiple layers of glass at the BellMTS Iceplex. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)
January 11 — Sign of the times at the Centennial Concert Hall.(Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)
January 12 — Team Canada skip Kerri Einarson curls on her homemade rink on Lake Winnipeg north of Gimli. Her father, Jeff Flett, made the rink so Einarson could practice for the upcoming Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary in February. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)
January 23 — People out enjoying the Assiniboine river trail, near the Osborne bridge, are reflected on the side of a warming hut. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)
February 3 — Sel Burrows sweeps his beloved home in Point Douglas that he shared with his late wife as he finishes packing and cleaning up during his move. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)
February 3 — Chief John Lane, Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service (WFPS) leaves after speaking to media to address reports of racism within the WFPS. (John Woods / WInnipeg Free Press)
February 25 — Linda-Beth Marr sits next to her dad, William Marr, as he sleeps in his bed which is part of a shared living space with Linda and her husband. Marr has booked a COVID-19 vaccination appointment for her 95-year-old dad, who is bed ridden and very frail, but says it will be a tough day for him when he goes. (Ruth Bonneville / WInnipeg Free Press)
March 3 — Long standing local taxidermist, David Baxter, retired the biz last year and is in the process of clearing out his remaining inventory including large polo bears. one of which he is wrapping and crating to head to Costa Rica. The business has been around for over 55 years and still operates with many original tools and office supplies like a typewriter, old cash register and phone. (Ruth Bonneville / WInnipeg Free Press)
March 15 — Al Simmons, who played every role in his upcoming performance of the Barber of Seville, as Figaro (performing to an empty street). (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)
March 22 — Murray Sinclair, who has received the vaccination, poses for a portrait on his property near St. Andrews. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)
April 12 — Artist Kai Chochinov was a student in Arts Infusion In The Digital Age at the University of Manitoba and is studying in the faculty of education. Chochinov contributed an artwork to a project called Covid-19: Anxiety In The Age Of The Anthropocene. His work, What Will Be Left looks at theatre. (John Woods / WInnipeg Free Press)
May 15 — A wall of WPS officers keep the Israeli and Palestinian protesters apart after tensions rose during a rally at memorial park in downtown Winnipeg Saturday afternoon. (Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press)
June 26 — Emby Blum-Payne sits on her front porch with her iPad online with her class as she finishes her final day of Grade 3 in remote learning. On this particular morning, Emby wasn't her usual chatty, energetic and rambunctious self. Instead, she mostly sat quietly by herself watching a movie. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press)
July 1 — Statues of Queen Victoria and Elizabeth were taken down at the Manitoba Legislative Building grounds after a march for children found in unmarked graves. Hundreds joined in two marches for the children that have been found on residential school properties throughout Canada. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)
July 2 — The statue of Queen Elizabeth II, on the east side of the Manitoba Legislative Building, lays on the ground after being toppled off its base on Canada Day. (Ruth Bonneville / Wiinnipeg Free Press)
July 6 — Tom Johnson, a cattle farmer, checks on a water dugout for his cattle on his farm near Oak Point north of Winnipeg. Johnson and other farmers north of Winnipeg are experiencing drought conditions. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)
July 6 – Triathlon Manitoba athletes run out to swim a lap during practice in Birds Hill Park. (Mike Sudoma / Winnipeg Free Press)
July 14 — Premier Brian Pallister walks into the PC caucus room at the Manitoba Legislative Building. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)
July 15 — Selkirk MLA Alan Lagimodiere Manitoba's new minister responsible for Indigenous affairs is confronted by Opposition leader Wab Kinew while making a statement to the press about residential schools. (Mike Deal / WInnipeg Free Press)
August 12 — Stephanie Scott, Executive Director at NCTR, is photographed wrapped in a shawl and a star blanket during a blessing at the future home of the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation in Winnipeg. (Alex Lupul / Winnipeg Free Press)
September 8 — Grade 1/2 students in teacher Arielle Garand’s class share what they did over the summer break on the first day of school at Glenelm Community School. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press)
September 29 — Retired military police Cpl. Melvin Swan served four years in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and seven years in the military police. Wearing his MP red beret with the military police branch badge depicting a Thunderbird, which also happens to be Swan's spirit name, Lone Thunder Bird. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)
October 4 — Anastasia, 5, sister of Eishia Hudson who was shot by police, holds a candle as people gather for a vigil and place candles around the Murdered and Missing Women and Girls (MMIWG) monument at the Forks during MMIWG day. (John Woods / Winniepg Free Press)
October 4 — Bev Jones sings an eagle song at a sacred fire at city hall in honour of a day of action and awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirited peoples. (Mikaela MacKenzie / WInnipeg Free Press)
October 19 — Theresa Jobse, left, lost her husband Alfred on September 3, 2021. Alfred spent his last 18 hours alone on his hospital bed and the family is traumatized from the experience. Cindy McKague, the youngest daughter, comforts her mother in their home. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press)
October 29 — The Centennial Flame on Memorial Boulevard has been lit to mark the beginning of Remembrance Day activities throughout Manitoba and appeared to devour the top of the Legislative Building. (Shannon VanRaes / Winnipeg Free Press)
November 2— Winnipeg Jets Executive Chairman & Governor Mark Chipman, right, listens in as General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff speaks to media regarding his role in the Chicago Blackhawks sexual abuse report. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)
November 6 — A person hurls their pumpkin from the second story of the Polo Park parkade Saturday morning as part of the Compost Manitoba Pumpkin Drop. The pumpkins are later composted or donated to local farms as feed for animals. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press)
November 14 — A couple of paddlers out enjoying the snow covered winter wonderland on the Assiniboine River. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)
November 20 — Bill Voulgaris feeds his racing pigeons at VV Loft. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)
December 15 — Fans pour beer in Winnipeg Blue Bombers player Rasheed Bailey’s mouth during a celebration for the recent Grey Cup victory at IG Field. (Jessica Lee / Winnipeg Free Press)

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