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Manitoba And Saskatchewan Top Review On Protecting Caribou

Manitoba and Saskatchewan top a Canadian Parks and Wilderness
Society review of how provinces and territories are protecting
woodland caribou.

Manitoba has created a 900 sq. km protected area, while
Saskatchewan now requires new forest management plans to demonstrate
at least 65 per cent of caribou habitat will be kept undisturbed.

But even with the good news, the society's national director says
Canada's performance this year on caribou recovery has been spotty
at best.

Federal legislation requires provinces to have their protection
strategies and range plans in place by 2017, but the report suggests
only Saskatchewan is on track to meet that deadline.
 
Bokhari Not Saying How She'll Pay For Promises
 
Manitoba Liberal Leader Rana Bokhari has hinted her plan to pay
for tens of millions of dollars in promises contains some form of
spending efficiency within existing programs.

But in a year-end interview, Bokhari says her financial plan
won't be revealed until later when the time is appropriate for her
party.

Bokhari has made a series of promises in recent months, including
a $25 million annual sales tax rebate for municipalities, and
a phased-in elimination of the payroll tax which brings in $350
million annually.

Bokhari says the Liberal's approach is trying to spend smarter,
proactively, wiser for the future.
 
Manitoba Farmers Featured In Online Show
 
A new online reality show will give people across the country a
glimpse into the life of a western Manitoba farmer.

``Crop Kings'' is about five young cousins who have taken over
the their family's 6500 hectare farm south of Brandon.

Crews spent two weeks filming during the 2015 harvest season.

The six short episodes are at discovery.ca.
 
Star Wars Premiere Tonight In Los Angeles
 
Tonight is a big night for ``Star Wars'' fans.

This evening's world premiere of ``Star Wars; The Force Awakens''
will be held in Los Angeles.

A four-block section of Hollywood Boulevard has been closed to
traffic.

Many top stars will join hundreds of costumed fans at what could
be the largest Hollywood premiere ever.

The movie opens in theatres on Friday.

 

MacKenzie School Bus Drop Off Causing Confusion

Mountain View School Division says the new bus drop off area at MacKenzie Middle School is creating some confusion.

When the school bus's stop arm goes out, drivers know to stop and stay back, but Superintendent Donna Davidson says when the bus is in the drop off zone, you don't need to stop.
 
"In this case, the bus is not on the street. It's in a bus loading zone. There's a meridian dividing the bus loading zone from the street, so in those cases, the traffic does not have to stop."
 
Davidson also stresses that the bus drop off zone is not to be used by parents to pick up and drop off their kids.
 
Court Appearance For Fontaine's Accused Killer
 
A man accused of killing 15-year-old Tina Fontaine is scheduled
to appear in a Winnipeg court today.

Fifty-three-year-old Raymond Cormier was arrested last week in
Vancouver and is charged with the second-degree murder of the teen,
whose body was found wrapped in a bag in the Red River on August
17th, 2014.

Parole board documents suggest Cormier has a long history of
violent crime fuelled by drug addiction.

The parole board revoked Cormier's statutory release in 2012
after he had served time for robbery and noted he was a high risk to
reoffend.
 
Security At Health Sciences Centre Reach New Deal
 
A tentative contract deal has been reached for security staff at
Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre.

The agreement between the Manitoba Government and General
Employees' Union and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority still
needs to be ratified.

Union president Michelle Gawronsky says security employees are to
vote on the proposal today and tomorrow.

She says it will be back to the bargaining table if the deal
isn't approved. A strike date has been set for December 22nd.
 
Report Presented Today About Residential School System
 
Findings from a six-year investigation of Canada's residential
school system and the damage left behind will be presented in a
massive final report today in Ottawa.

And with that 11 kg report, Justice Murray Sinclair will
formally end the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and
leave its 94 recommendations to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to
work with.

Sinclair released the recommendations in a damning preliminary
report in June -- and months later, Trudeau's Liberals won a
majority government, in part, on a pledge to reset Canada's
relationship with its indigenous peoples.

Trudeau will take part in today's ceremonial report release, and
has already committed to following up on at least one recommendation
-- to launch a national inquiry into the phenomenon of missing and
murdered aboriginal women.
 
Dollar Affecting Crop And Livestock Sectors
 
The lower Canadian dollar has had a major impact on the Canadian
crop and livestock sectors.

That's according to Farm Credit Canada economist Leigh Anderson.

Anderson says examples include a four per cent increase in
Ontario corn prices this year while US prices were down by 10 per
cent.

And while cattle and calf prices were up between 3 and 10 per
cent in the US this year, Canadian prices were up 20 per cent.

 

Young Manitoba Workers Getting More Protections

More protections are being put into place for young workers across Manitoba.

Safe Work Manitoba will be implementing their new Young Worker Injury Prevention Strategy over the next three years.
 
Chief Operating Officer Jamie Hall says workers aged 15-24 are more susceptible to being injured in the workplace.
 
"As we look at the workforce in Manitoba, there's certain vulnerable groups, and one of those groups is young workers. When they enter the workforce, they won't have the experience but may not have the same knowledge of the importance of keeping themselves safe on the job, so we identified them as a vulnerable group."
 
Hall says the strategy has 15 action items, including doing more safety presentations at schools and workplaces, and making sure young workers in construction sites are visibly identified.
 
Provincial Reactions To Truth And Reconciliation Report
 
Manitoba's aboriginal affairs minister says the release of the
final report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission marks a
big day for Canada, but says there is still plenty of work to be
done.

Eric Robinson says this is an opportunity for citizens, churches
and all levels of government to engage with indigenous peoples.

MKO Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson says it has been a long and
sometimes painful journey but she's glad everyone is finally
together, facing reality.

She says a lot of problems would start to be addressed if
Canadian society begins implementing the commission's 94
recommendations.
 
Feds And Province Provide Funding For Dairy Processing Facility
 
The governments of Canada and Manitoba will provide $2.5 million toward the construction of a modern dairy processing
facility in St. Boniface.

Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay and Manitoba
Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn made the announcement yesterday.

The new facility, owned by Parmalat Canada, will be built at the
St. Boniface Industrial Park Phase 2.

The decision to replace an aging building with a new facility in
a new location will allow the company to increase production with
modern equipment in a neighbourhood more suitable for its business.

Government funding will be used for energy and water-use reduction
equipment, waste-water treatment and new processing equipment.
 
Indigenous Affairs Minister Says Feds Committed To Shoal Lake Road
 
Canada's new indigenous affairs minister says an isolated reserve
under one of the country's longest boil-water advisories will get a
much-needed lifeline to the rest of the country.

Carolyn Bennett says the federal government is committed to
seeing an all-weather road built to connect the Shoal Lake 40 First
Nation to the mainland.

The reserve, on the Manitoba-Ontario boundary, was cut off a
century ago during construction of an aqueduct which carries fresh
water to Winnipeg.

The reserve has been under a boil-water advisory for 18 years.

Bennett says the Liberal government is committed to ending that
injustice, and a formal announcement is coming in the near future.

Parking Ban In Dauphin Tonight

The first parking ban of the season starts at 7 tonight in Dauphin.
 
Snow removal will take place in Zone 5, River Avenue, and 3rd Street Southwest.
 
Drivers will not be allowed to park in those areas while snow removal is ongoing. Once the streets are cleared, you can park as normal.
 
Vehicles and equipment parked in those areas during the parking ban may be ticketed or towed.
 
Province Changing Electoral System?
 
Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger is promising to examine a possible
overhaul of the province's electoral system.

Selinger says an all-party committee will consult the public on
electoral reform, to determine what changes, if any, might occur.

It mirrors a similar commitment from Prime Minister Justin
Trudeau, and Selinger says Manitoba's review will be after the
federal one.

The committee would look at changing the first-past-the-post
system, which allows parties to form strong majority governments
with less than half the popular vote.
 
Trudeau Committed To Balanced Budget Promise
 
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his campaign promise to
balance the country's books in four years isn't going anywhere.

Trudeau told The Canadian Press yesterday that pledge is ``very''
cast in stone, though his Liberal government has recently pulled
back from a vow to keep annual deficits over the next two years
under $10-billion.

Last month, the Liberals said the books inherited from the
Conservatives and a weaker-than-expected economy will drive the
country billions of dollars deeper in the hole than it had
anticipated.

Trudeau believes his commitment to spend billions on
infrastructure and implement tax changes benefiting middle-income
earners will kickstart a struggling economy and create jobs.
 
Stock Market Up In Consecutive Days
 
The Toronto stock market surged by more than 200 points for a
second straight day as the US Federal Reserve did what many
analysts expected by raising interest rates for the first time since
the global financial crisis.

The Fed's decision to raise its key lending rate by a-quarter
point ends seven years of almost-zero rates and shows the central
bank's confidence in the recovering US economy.

The move gets part of the blame for yesterday's tumble of the
loonie to an 11-year low against the U-S dollar, to 72.54 cents US.

And benchmark U-S crude oil fell $1.83 to close at $35.52 US a
barrel.

It's trading another 50 cents lower electronically this morning.
 
Price Changes Coming For Dairy Products
 
The Canadian Dairy Commission has announced an increase in the
support price of butter and a reduction in the support price of skim
milk powder that will be effective February 1st.

The support price of butter will increase from $7.40 to $7.78.

The support price of skim milk powder will be reduced from $6.31 to $4.31 per kilogram.

The commission expects the adjustments to add up to an overall
revenue increase for dairy producers of approximately 2.2 per cent.

 

City Council Praising Refugee Initiative

An initiative to bring refugee families to Dauphin is being praised by Dauphin's city council.
 
It was a small council on Monday, but councillors and the mayor only had positive things to say to a delegation from the group heading the initiative.
 
Mayor Eric Irwin told CKDM after the meeting people are afraid for their lives and their families, and to be able to accommodate some of them is a wonderful thing to do.
 
"There are millions and millions of displaced people who have shattered lives, who if anyone of us were in their situation with their house blowing up and their families in danger every day and so on, we would be crying to get out and get somewhere else."
 
They won't know the make-up of the families coming until about mid-January, but each of three Dauphin churches is hoping to sponsor a family of about four or five people.
 
Pot Smoking Driver Case Ends In An Acquittal
 
One of the first cases in Manitoba of a driver being accused of
being impaired from smoking marijuana has ended in an acquittal.

Judge Cynthia Devine ruled that while she had no doubt Tyler
Manaigre smoked up before he got behind the wheel of his vehicle,
it's not clear his marijuana use had any significant impact on his
motor skills.

Court was told Manaigre was pulled over by RCMP Corporal Terry
Sundell in November 2013 because he was driving about 20 km/h below the speed limit. No other driving infractions were
recorded.

Manaigre admitted he had smoked about half a gram of pot that
night but said he felt like he was OK to drive. 
 
Road Finally Coming To Shoal Lake 40 Reserve
 
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says funding an all-weather road
for an isolated reserve is a good example of how the new federal
government is prepared to work with First Nations and other levels
of government.

Thirty million dollars will be spent by Ottawa, the Manitoba
government and the City of Winnipeg on the new road for the Shoal
Lake 40 First Nation on the Manitoba-Ontario boundary.

The reserve is home to 270 residents and has been under a
boil-water advisory for 18 years.

The former Conservative government refused to commit to help fund
construction of a road despite willingness by Manitoba and Winnipeg
to share the cost.
 
Meat Company In Winkler Getting Money From Government
 
A family-owned meat processing company in Winkler, Manitoba, is
getting $250,000 from the federal government and the
Manitoba government.

Spenst Brothers Premium Meats currently produces and sells deli
meats, pizzas, buns, perogies, custom-cut and wrapped meats and
other products.

To meet consumer demand and food safety requirements, the company
is planning a $2 million expansion.

Government funding will support the purchase of more than one
million dollars of new equipment including packaging systems,
conveyors, ovens and cooling equipment.

Morning News for Saturday, December 19

 

Strong Support At Gilbert Plains/Grandview Ag Society Meeting

There is no shortage of ideas for next year's Gilbert Plains/Grandview Ag Society Fair and Rodeo.

About 60 people showed up to the ag society's board meeting last night to show their support for the annual event and the society itself.

There was concern that without more volunteers, board members, and ideas, the fair and rodeo may have to start cancelling some parts of the show. But after last night's meeting, Vice-president Murray Stoughton says it looks like the fair may even be added to.

"There's some really great ideas, (like) the sand and the straw pile, putting money or tokens in it for the kids; not a lot of cost involved in it and it seems to be a good idea to keep the kids entertained."

The prospect of a Homecoming 2016 in Gilbert Plains was discussed last night as well. The majority of people at the meeting said they supported the idea.

(((we have clarified/corrected the quote in the above story)))

RM Councillor Pleased With Work Of AMM

RM of Dauphin councillor Jack Bremner says he's glad that the AMM is doing work to help municipalities with regulations that are passed down onto them by the provincial government.
 
He says the regulations are creating extra costs for municipalities, and the AMM wants to see more funding given to municipalities to offset those costs.
 
"Stuff like certifying these dump operators is going to coast us $500, and they're making regulations without a corresponding amount of money given to the municipalities to offset the costs that are being passed on to us, so we'd like to see that done to have no regulation without corresponding funding."
 
Bremner says this would help keep their taxes down adding that ratepayers in the RM are their only source of tax revenue and it's not quote "a never ending source of money."
 
Details Emerge From Sexual Assaults In Winnipeg
 
Horrific details are emerging about the violent sexual assaults
of two young women in Winnipeg.

Twenty-one-year-old Justin Hudson has pleaded guilty to two
counts of aggravated sexual assault in attacks on a 16-year-old and
a 23-year-old a year ago.

The younger girl was beaten unconscious and sexually assaulted
before ending up in the Assiniboine River. She was also beaten with
a hammer and left to freeze to death.

When she was found by a passerby early the next morning, she had
a body temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

Court heard she went into cardiac arrest several times and police
thought she would not survive. But she did, and went one to become
an advocate for an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous
women.
 
Winnipeg Couple Honoured For WWII Service
 
A Winnipeg couple is being recognized for their service to Canada
and Great Britain in the Second World War.

Ninety-six-year-old Ian Wilson was part of the Royal Canadian Air
Forces' Spitfire Squadron, receiving the Legion of Honour, France's
highest national honour.

His 92-year-old wife, Betty, served for Great Britain from 1939
until 1945, earning her Majesty's Armed Forces Veterans Badge and a
war medal.

The pair was also each awarded with a Certificate of Recognition
signed by former prime minister Stephen Harper.

 

Arrest Made In Homicide In Duck Bay

An arrest has been made in the homicide death of a 45-year-old man from Duck Bay.
 
Charges for second degree murder are pending against 38-year-old Marvin Chartrand from The Pas.
 
Manitoba RCMP say he was arrested yesterday in Duck Bay without incident.
 
They are thanking the public and media for their help in the search.
 
Pallister Promises To Cut Cabinet Size
 
Manitoba Opposition Leader Brian Pallister has promised to cut
the size of the 19-member cabinet by one-third if he becomes
premier.

But Pallister is not ready to say which cabinet portfolios he
might cut if he wins the provincial election in April.

He says some senior staff positions will be reduced, including
deputy ministers.

Premier Greg Selinger says a smaller cabinet would make it hard
for ministers to travel the province and consult groups they are
responsible for, such as school boards and municipal councils.
 
Truck Washing Requirements Extended
 
A producer group says the requirement for hog trucks and trailers
that enter Manitoba from the U.S. to be washed in the province has
been extended.

Manitoba Pork says the CFIA has agreed to keep the rule in
place until May 2nd, 2016, rather than relaxing it on January 13th
as originally planned.

Groups like Manitoba Pork and others in the province had argued that
allowing trucks to be washed in the U.S. before coming into Canada
could put their barns at risk for the PED virus.

Manitoba Pork says the CFIA has committed to discussing the
regulation at the federal-provincial agriculture ministers' meeting
in mid-January.
 
Group With Hudson Bay Rail Line Hopes To Finish Deal
 
A group that supports the route to Churchill is hoping a deal to
sell the Hudson Bay rail line and port as quickly as possible.

Hudson Bay Route Association president Sinclair Morrison says not
knowing who is going to own the facilities is creating doubt for
communities along the line.

He says there's been a lot of grain shipped through Churchill
over the years and they want to see it continue.

Denver-based OmniTrax, which owns the assets, says it has
accepted a letter of intent from First Nations communities to buy
the port and rail line.
 
Winnipeg Zoo Rated Top Brand In Province
 
A Winnipeg advertising agency says a study on Manitoba's top
brands found that the top brand in the province isn't the Jets --
it's the zoo.

Assiniboine Park Zoo has topped the first-ever McKim BrandWatch
poll, a market study by Probe Research of 30 of the highest-profile
local brands in the province.

McKim CEO Peter George says the zoo has done a phenomenal job
of saving orphaned polar bears,

He says it was a little surprising to see the zoo outpace the
city's NHL team, considering how little the zoo spends on
advertising for its Journey to Churchill and other exhibits.

 

IMCD Expanding Tree Nursery

The manager of the Intermountain Conservation District says they've experienced a growing demand for trees to be donated for the usage of shelter belts.
 
Jeff Thiele says this demand, combined with a donation of land to IMCD will lead to their tree nursery getting expanded.
 
He just this year alone, 1000 trees were donated to several local municipalities.
 
"They went to Winnipegosis, Ethelbert, Grandview, Gilbert Plains, the RM of Dauphin and also the City of Dauphin waste disposal site. A thousand trees went out from our nursery, and most of them were larger trees that were about 5'-6' tall."
 
Thiele says they hope to get to a point where they're moving out some of their smaller trees to plant shelter belts on local farms.
 
Strong Financial Report From Countryfest Community Cinema
 
The Countryfest Community Cinema is doing good business these days!
 
In October's annual financial report, the Cinema claimed a net income of over $45,000, with its total income being around $1 million.
 
The cinema will soon discontinue showing WWE Pay-Per-Views, but will be looking to add other special events, like live musical theatre and opera performances.
 
Another suggested idea for the cinema was to do things like an "Oscar Party", where guests would walk the red carpet into the theatre for the awards show.
 
Making Waves Marking International Day Of Persons With Disabilities
 
Today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
 
This year's theme is inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities.
 
Kelsy Michaleski, coordinator of Dauphin's Making Waves program, says that's what their organization stands for.
 
"It's an opportunity for children with disabilities to have, and to be a part of a program that provides them with social connections with other people, to work on their swimming skills and to get further knowledge about water safety and that sort of thing. So it really ties in to the theme this year about including people."
 
The Dauphin chapter of Making Waves started earlier this year. Michaleski says they're just wrapping up their fall session and they're already planning for their next, which will run Saturdays from January 9 to March 12.
 
Manitoba MPs Named Parliamentary Secretaries
 
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced the list of
parliamentary secretaries for the upcoming session of Parliament,
and two M-Ps from Winnipeg have made the cut.

Winnipeg North MP Kevin Lamoureux has been named parliamentary
secretary to the leader of the government in the House of Commons
Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid is the Parliamentary Secretary to
the minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

The House of Commons reconvenes today with a throne speech
scheduled for tomorrow.

 

CN And CP Exceed Grain Revenue Entitlements

The Canadian Transportation Agency says the country's two main
railways have exceeded their Western grain revenue entitlements for
the 2014-2015 crop year and must repay those sums along with
penalties.

According to the transportation agency, Canadian National
Railway's grain revenue of more than $745-million was nearly
seven million above its entitlement.

Canadian Pacific Railway received more than $2 million
above its revenue entitlement of more than 724-million.

The agency says CN and CP have 30 days to repay the excess
amounts plus a five per cent penalty. The money will go to the
Western Grains Research Foundation, a farmer financed and directed
organization set up to fund research to benefit Prairie farmers.
 
Three Manitoba Women On Top 30 For 2015
 
A trio of Manitoba women have made Chatelaine magazine's list of
the top 30 women of the year in Canada.

MKO Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson was selected for putting a
female face to indigenous leadership.

Winnipeg's Jodie Layne, a sex educator at Nine Circles, helped
create safe spaces for women in several businesses around the city.

Also on the list was a young aboriginal teenager who was brutally
attacked in Winnipeg and left for dead. The girl, whose name is
under a publication ban, has taken up public speaking to draw
attention to violence aimed at aboriginal women.
 
Recycling Numbers Up In Manitoba
 
A new report suggests Manitobans are doing a better job of
recycling their beverage containers.

The Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association report says
Winnipeg saw a 40 per cent reduction in drink bottle litter in 2015.

Numbers are down in many other parts of the province too.

The recycling group puts out the blue ``Recycle Everywhere''
bins.
 
Grocery Bills Expected To Increase
 
If a trip to the grocery store seems expensive now, just wait
till 2016.

Executives from grocery chains have warned there's no immediate
relief in sight from increased food costs and a sinking loonie that
have led to higher prices, and researchers suggest consumers will
have to deal with more sticker shock in the year ahead.

The University of Guelph's Food Institute estimates the average
Canadian household spent an additional $325 on food this
year. On top of that, consumers should expect an additional annual
increase of about $345 in 2016.

Since 81 per cent of all vegetables and fruit consumed in Canada
are imported, they are highly vulnerable to currency fluctuations.

They are pegged to increase in price by four to 4.5 per cent in the
new year.

 

Manitoba Mothers Can Donate Their Breast Milk

Manitoba moms now have the opportunity to donate their breast milk to kids in need.

The St. Vital Birth Centre in Winnipeg now has a drop off centre for breast milk, and the milk will then be sent to the Northern Stars Mothers Milk Bank in Calgary for pasteurization.

Manitoba Health Minister Sharon Blady says premature births can lead to the mother not being able to produce breast milk right away, and that breast milk can help sick infants in ways formula can't.
 
Manitobans outside Winnipeg can still make donations by contacting Northern Stars Mothers Milk Bank, at 403-475-6455, or by visiting their website, NorthernStarMilkBank.ca.
 
Province Ends Legislature Session
 
The fall sitting of the Manitoba legislature has ended with
several of the government's proposed laws yet to be passed and with
an election campaign coming in the spring.

Bills that would give the province's children's advocate more
powers, make aboriginal history part of the school curriculum and
give First Nations communities more of a say in child welfare were
introduced in the final days of the sitting and remain on the table.

Premier Greg Selinger also laid out environmental promises that
will serve as key in the NDP's campaign for the election set for
April 19th.

They include a promise to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by
one-third in the next 15 years.
 
Feds To Deliver Throne Speech Today
 
The Trudeau government's throne speech that will be read today is
almost certain to touch on income taxes, a major plank in the
Liberals' election platform.

In the coming days, the government is expected to take steps to
trim taxes for middle-income earners, while raising them for those
earning more than 200-thousand dollars a year.

Amid speculation the speech will be short and to-the-point, Prime
Minister Trudeau says the document will be ``efficient.''

This sitting of Parliament will last about a week.
 
Elk Shortage In Minnesota
 
Wildlife managers say Minnesota could use a few more good elk.

The call came as the managers kicked off a series of public
meetings on a draft plan that calls for growing the small wild elk
population in far northwestern Minnesota and increasing its range a
bit.

Elk were once native to most of Minnesota but were nearly wiped
out by the early 1900s due to overhunting and conversion of native
prairies to farmland.

The state now has about 130 elk in three herds.

One herd roams north of Grygla, another one moves between
northeastern Kittson County and Manitoba, and the other herd lives
in central Kittson County near Lancaster.
Morning News for Saturday, December 5

 

Selinger Promoting Port Of Churchill

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger has been promoting the Port of
Churchill while in Paris attending the UN conference on climate
change.

Selinger is working to convince ports operating in Normandy about
the possibilities of bring forestry products over from Canada
through the northern Manitoba port.

The amount of grain moving through the port has plummeted.

Selinger says with climate change helping to extend the Arctic
shipping season, there are opportunities there for Churchill.
 
Trudeau Pledges Support For Survivors Of Domestic Violence
 
Justin Trudeau is pledging legislation to provide greater support
for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and has
restated his commitment to launch an inquiry into missing and
murdered aboriginal women.

The prime minister made the promises yesterday in Montreal as he
marked the 26th anniversary of massacre at the University of
Montreal's engineering school.

Trudeau said, ``We all have an important role to play in stopping
violence against women and girls, and in denouncing misogyny in all
its forms.''

It was 26 years ago yesterday that 14 women were shot to death at
the Ecole Polytechnique by a gunman who ranted that feminists had
ruined his life.
 
California Workers Returning To Work After Shooting
 
Thousands of employees of San Bernardino County will be returning
to work today, five days after a county restaurant inspector and his
wife opened fire on a gathering of his co-workers at a holiday
party.

But staff at the county's Environmental Health Services division,
scene of the shootings that left 14 dead and 21 wounded, will be off
at least one more week.

The husband-and-wife terrorists were killed in a shootout with
police.

Investigators say the wife had posted on Facebook her allegiance
to the Islamic State group.
 
Winter Clothes In CN Park
 
Those in need of winter clothes may just need to "Chase the Chill".

The Dauphin Senior Centre and the Hero Club are knitting scarves and sweaters, and leaving them around CN Park for anyone who needs it.

Chase the Chill Organizer Leanne Marceniuk they give clothes this way so no one has to ask a charity for help.

"It's a different way of doing it without somebody having to go to a certain organization to get them. You don't have to go and ask for something, you can just walk through the park and help yourself."

Anyone looking to help out with knitting for Chase the Chill can drop off items at the Dauphin Senior Centre.

Beef And Pork Sectors Welcoming WTO Ruling On COOL

Canada's beef and pork sectors are welcoming a World Trade
Organization ruling that allows Canada and Mexico to impose one
billion dollars in annual tariffs on US products.

The decision comes in a long-running saga focused on how the US
labels packaged steaks and other meats.

Canada had been expecting yesterday's favourable decision because the
WTO ruled in May that the American labelling -- known as COOL --
violated its international trade obligations.

The WTO had found that the American rules-of-origin labelling
provisions left Canadian and Mexican meat products at a
disadvantage.
 
Report Released On Helicopter Crash That Killed Manitoba Scientist
 
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada says a lack of visual
cues to judge altitude probably caused the crash of a Canadian Coast
Guard helicopter that killed three people in 2013, including a
Manitoba scientist.

The helicopter had been stationed on the icebreaker Amundsen,
which was sailing through M'Clure Strait in the western Arctic as
part of a regular program of scientific study.

Lead investigator Jean-Marc Ledoux says it's hard to say what
could have been done to prevent the accident. But the report notes
the search and rescue operation was delayed because the Amundsen's
crew was inadequately trained to use the system that tracks flights.

Klaus Hochheim, a veteran University of Manitoba Arctic
scientist, was one of those killed in the crash.
 
Government To Unveil Plans For Missing And Murdered Women Inquiry
 
The Liberal government is expected give some details today on how
it will prepare for the party's long-promised inquiry to examine the
phenomenon of missing and murdered aboriginal women across Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will speak with aboriginal leaders
in Gatineau, Quebec about the Liberal plan, which is expected to
last up to two years and cost $40-million.

Opposition parties want to know the inquiry's mandate and who
will sit on it.

Interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose said she supports the
inquiry -- a stark contrast from her predecessor, Stephen Harper,
who frequently rebuffed demands for further study, feeling the
matter was best left to police.
 
Dollar Sinks To Lowest Levels Since 2004
 
Plunging oil prices helped dragged the Toronto stock market down
by 2.3 per cent yesterday and our dollar fell to its lowest level
against the US buck since June 2004.

Toronto's TSX index tumbled 315 points after oil closed in New
York at $37.65 US a barrel -- a six-year low.

Traders sold oil futures following OPEC's decision last week to
maintain production levels, which has left the world awash in oil.

Our dollar reacted by losing three-quarters of a cent yesterday
to close at 74-cents US.

It's down another 16 basis points in overseas trading this
morning.

 

Province Unveils Co-Ordination Centre For Syrian Refugees

Preparations continue to roll out ahead of the influx of Syrian
refugees coming into Manitoba.

Yesterday, the province unveiled its co-ordination centre in a
Broadway Avenue office building which is home to the provinces'
Emergency Measures Organization.

The office is normally used for emergencies such as flooding, but
is now made up of staff from various government departments and
immigration agencies.

The province is expecting 2,000 Syrian refugees in the coming
months with the bulk of new Canadians expected in the new year.
 
Cattlemen's Association Calling On US To Scrap COOL After WTO Ruling
 
The Canadian Cattlemen's Association is calling on the United
States to scrap its country-of-origin meat labelling system
following a World Trade Organization ruling.

The decision lets Canada impose one-billion dollars in annual
tariffs on U.S. products.

John Masswohl with the CCA says senior U.S. politicans have
already indicated a willingness to repeal the legislation to avoid
the tariffs.

He says some of them are worried and they should be, as he says
Canada is not bluffing.
 
Duffy Returns To Stand In Ottawa
 
Senator Mike Duffy will return to the stand today at his Ottawa
trial on fraud, bribery and breach-of-trust charges.

He's waited eight months to get his story on record, regarding
allegations he improperly expensed some housing and travel claims to
the Senate.

Duffy's lawyer guided him through his early testimony, in which
he talked about his childhood growing up on Prince Edward Island,
his years working as a journalist, his multiple health woes and his
eventual entry into Parliament's upper chamber.

Duffy testified that when prime minister Stephen Harper asked him
to be a senator in 2008, Duffy suggested he represent Ontario
instead of PEI since he only owned a cottage there.

But he said Harper refused and wanted him to sit for PEI.
 
Grey Cup 50/50 Finally Claimed
 
The 50/50 prize from the Grey Cup has finally been claimed by a retired mechanic from LaSalle.
 
According to reports, Charles Ritchot has claimed the prize of $178,748.
 
Ritchot says he actually threw out his ticket, only to bring it out of the garbage after a misprint on the Blue Bombers website.
 
He heard the number announced during the game, but didn't claim the prize right away, wanting to surprise his wife the next morning, but when he checked the Blue Bombers website, they had a different number listed as the winner.
 
Proceeds from the draw will support amateur football and community programs in Manitoba.