Winnipeg is Enright's kind of town

Robert Enright, the well-respected contributing editor (and founder) of Border Crossings magazine from Winnipeg, was asked to give his view of a recent Globe and Mail article that was, to put it mildly, critical of his city. For those who may have missed it, among other things, he said:

"[Winnipeg is] a city that cuts two ways; you love it most of the time and you're infuriated by it some of the time. But it breeds a fierce loyalty and once it's had you, you're had for good, whether you stay or not."

Enright, who has lived in Winnipeg since 1972, praises the city for having "the most vital arts community" in the country, for having a strong sense of community, for the "urban romanticism" of its Exchange District, for its wonderful, blue-sky summers and for nearby Gimli, the largest Icelandic community outside of Reykyavik. He slams the city for the "sinful omission" of local art buyers to buy local work, its inner city problem, particularly that many of the disenfranchised are aboriginals, and for its failure to make it downtown inner city living affordable.

Read more here.