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Minimum Wage Going Up Today

Minimum wage earners in all three Prairie provinces are getting a
pay hike.

Starting today, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are raising
the minimum wage employers must pay their workers.
 
Manitoba is increasing its minimum wage by 30 cents to $11
an hour.
 
In Saskatchewan, minimum wage is going up by 30 cents to $10.50
an hour.

The new minimum wage in Alberta will be $11.20 per hour, up from
$10.20, while the liquor server wage goes to $10.70 per hour from
$9.20.
 
U Of M Nursing Students Make Pledge About Providing Care
 
Nursing students from the University of Manitoba have staged a
march to the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.

Wearing orange shirts emblazoned with the words ``every child
matters,'' the students promised to provide culturally sensitive
care once they start on the job.

Aimee Craft, the centre's research director, says it's an
important gesture because nurses are on the front lines of health
care.

Craft says the pledge made Wednesday is important because nurses
have a lot of contact with indigenous people, but it hasn't always
been positive.
 
Party Leaders Prepare For French Debate Tomorrow
 
Conservative leader Stephen Harper is back in Quebec, getting
ready for tomorrow's final leaders' debate -- a French-language one
-- ahead of the October 19th election.

Harper was in Quebec City for a rally last night, where he touted
yesterday's news from StatsCan of a small 0.3 per cent growth in the
Gross Domestic Product in July.

His rivals from the NDP and Liberals raised questions yesterday
about the government's role in negotiations to secure a massive
Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which could be signed tomorrow
in Atlanta.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair says the Conservatives have no mandate
to sign such a deal three weeks before election day.
 
Canadian Federation Of Agriculture Hosts Ag Debate
 
The federal government's Temporary Foreign Workers program was a
key discussion point at an election debate hosted by the Canadian
Federation of Agriculture.

Conservative candidate Gerry Ritz says the program is needed to
provide enough farm workers.

But Green Party candidate Andrew West says his party would scrap
the program altogether.

Liberal candidate Mark Eyking says big improvements need to be
made to the program while Malcolm Allen of the NDP wants the
program expanded.
 
Trump Says He'd Send Back Syrian Refugees
 
US Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump says he
would send back Syrian refugees taken in by the US if he's elected
president.

The billionaire businessman told a rally in New Hampshire last
night that he's worried the refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria
could be disguised Islamic State militants -- so he says if he wins
the White House, they're ``going back.''

Millions of Syrians have been fleeing a civil war that has killed
250,000 people since March 2011.
 
Researchers Discover A Way To Potentially Prevent Asthma
 
Canadian researchers have discovered there may be a way to
prevent asthma in children.

A research team at the University of British Columbia says it's
found low levels of four types of ``good'' bacteria in their
gastrointestinal tracts, and believe replacing those microbes might
prevent the chronic airway-inflammation suffered by asthmatics.

The bugs are typically acquired by babies from the environment
and are critical for keeping us healthy.

The findings appeared yesterday in the journal ``Science
Translational Medicine.''

Details
Category: News

 

Local Candidates Debate Trans-Pacific Partnership

The Trans-Pacific Partnership has been coming up as an election
issue at some local candidate forums.

In the debate for the Manitoba riding of Dauphin-Swan
River-Neepawa last week, Conservative candidate Robert Sopuck
brought up some of the positive reaction to the trade deal from
agriculture groups.

Green Party candidate Kate Storey called the deal ridiculous,
saying Canadian products are in demand and that we -- quote -- don't
have to take our shirt off to push our products onto the foreign
market.

NDP candidate Laverne Lewycky said he spoke with a local dairy
farmer who is worried he will no longer be able to leave his farm to
his children under the agreement.
 
Canadians Turn Out For Advance Polls
 
Many Canadians took time out of their Thanksgiving weekend to
vote in advance of Monday's federal election.

Elections Canada says an estimated 767,000 people voted on
Sunday, bringing the turnout for the first three days of advance
polls to 2.4-million.

That's a 16 per cent increase over the number of votes cast in
three days of advance polling for the last election in 2011.

Numbers from yesterday's final day of advance voting are not yet
available.
 
Clean-Up Continues After Windy Weekend Across Prairies
 
The weekend wind warnings have passed, but the cleanup continues
after howling winds wreaked havoc on the Prairies.

SaskPower spokesman Jonathan Tremblay says trees falling on lines
caused outages for the Kenaston and Davidson areas, as well as in
Weyburn.

In Elie, Manitoba, the advance poll at the Elie Veterans Hall had
to be moved after strong winds on Sunday night blew the roof off.

According to Environment Canada gusts hit 120 km/h
in Swift Current.
 
Fahmy To Speak In Toronto This Morning
 
A Canadian journalist released from an Egyptian prison last month
will speak in Toronto this morning.

Mohamed Fahmy, a former Al-Jazeera English journalist detained
for nearly two years on terror-related charges, left Cairo last week
and quietly arrived in Toronto on Sunday.

Fahmy met last night with Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and also
plans to meet with NDP Leader Tom Mulcair this week to highlight
what Ottawa can do to better protect fellow Canadians abroad.

He will attend a news conference today at Ryerson University.
 
Amnesty International Criticizing Kurdish Forces
 
Amnesty International is accusing US-backed Kurdish forces of
forcefully displacing thousands of Syrian civilians and demolishing
villages in northern Syria.

The human-rights group says often Kurdish forces are retaliating
against residents they believe are supporting the Islamic State
group.

Meanwhile, the US military has begun providing small arms to
Arab groups fighting the Islamic State group in northern Syria.

Military officials say an airdrop was conducted Sunday.
 
National Vetinary Technician Week Begins
 
The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association along with Registered
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians of Canada are celebrating
National Veterinary Technician Week.

The week celebrates the role registered veterinary technicians
and technologists play in the day-to-day function of veterinary
practices.

CVMA president Nicole Gallant says the week is an opportunity
to thank technicians and technologists for the support they give
all year long.

A number of provincial technicians associations are holding their
own events to highlight the profession this week.

Details
Category: News

 

Conservative Candidates Skipping Debates In Manitoba

Local Conservative candidates have skipped more than half of all
debates organized across Manitoba.

Since the campaign began, there have been at least 37 debates,
most organized by students, seniors, downtown advocates, unions,
chambers of commerce and others.

Conservative candidates have attended only 17, while the Green
Party, the NDP and the Liberals have attended every debate or forum
to which they've been invited.

The Conservatives argue there is little value in attending
debates, especially when they're organized by groups normally
opposed to the Harper government, such as unions, environmental
groups or poverty activists.
 
New Details In Winnipeg Beating Case
 
New details have emerged in the case of a Winnipeg woman who was
beaten to death, allegedly at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.

Selena Keeper, who was 20, died in hospital after suffering a
brutal assault in a home last Thursday.

Court records show Keeper had applied for a protection order
against her ex-boyfriend in May, but was denied because a justice of
the peace felt there was no imminent threat.

Keeper told the justice of the peace she had been routinely
kicked, punched and beaten by Ray William Everett, and feared the
violence would continue.
 
KAP President Calling For Changes To Rail Transportation System
 
As the Trans-Pacific Partnership sits in limbo between the
agreement and its ratification, Keystone Agricultural Producers
president Dan Mazier says the government needs to figure out
Canada's rail transportation problems.

Mazier says whoever is elected on October 19th has to take a long
look at the country's transportation industry.

Mazier says it's going to take time to fix Canada's rail
transportation system, but it's particularly important to Manitoba,
which is a land-locked province.

Looking at the deal overall, however, he says trade is usually
good for agriculture in Manitoba, but expresses some concern for
supply management.
 
Two Girls In Alberta Die After Farm Accident
 
A farm accident in central Alberta has claimed the lives of two
young girls and has a third fighting for her life in hospital.

Rocky Mountain House RCMP say the three girls -- reportedly
sisters -- were playing on a loaded truck of canola at a family farm
near Withrow last night when they became buried by the seeds and
began to suffocate.

Adults at the scene scrambled to pull them free and called for
emergency personnel, but two of the girls aged 11 and 13 died.

Another 11-year-old girl was flown to Stollery Children's
Hospital in Edmonton in critical condition.
 
Lac Megantic Settlement Cheques Out By Christmas Says Lawyer
 
A lawyer says cheques should begin arriving by mail by Christmas,
now that a Quebec judge has approved new terms for a
$450-million settlement fund for victims and creditors of the
2013 Lac-Megantic train disaster.

Patrice Benoit is the lawyer for the now-defunct American railway
company at the centre of the fiery oil-train disaster and says only
a few administrative issues remain -- but that ``everything is
settled.''

He says the roughly 25 companies that have agreed to contribute
to the fund will begin releasing the money within three weeks.
 
U.S. Democratic Hopefuls Square Off In Debate
 
In the US, the five candidates seeking the Democratic
presidential nomination took to the stage in Las Vegas last night
for their first debate.

Bernie Sanders called the Iraq war ``the worst foreign policy
blunder in the history'' of the country and said he would not
support sending American combat troops back to the Middle East to
fight terrorism.

Hillary Rodham Clinton said, ``Nobody does.''

The two frontrunners clashed over gun control and economic
policy.

Details
Category: News

 

Dauphin Village Mall Reduced To Rubble After Yesterday's Fire

Only a pile of rubble remains after yesterday's fire at the Dauphin Village Mall.
 
No injuries were reported in the blaze that started just after 1:00pm yesterday.
 
Fire Chief Cam Abrey says the fire spread quickly through the two roofs that were inside the building.
 
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but it is not considered suspicious.
 
Some of the businesses inside the mall include the Corrina's on Main resturant, a hair salon, and the head office and boutique for Canada's National Ukrainian Festival.
 
RM Getting Feedback On Water Pipeline
 
The RM of Dauphin is getting feedback on a water pipeline they're looking to have installed in the southwest part of the municipality.
 
The RM sent letters out to residents in the Keld area asking if they're interested in connecting to the proposed line, and Reeve Dennis Forbes says the responses they've received so far have been favourable.
 
"The deadline for that is this coming Friday, so we hope that more people will submit their desires. It was a question asking "would you like water?" We have to have numbers for how many would like to have the piped water, then we can work with Manitoba Water Services and obtain costs and so on."
 
Forbes says this is a project the RM has been working on for over a decade, and says it's "very gratifying" so see it coming close.
 
Emergency Experts Across North America Holding Conference In Winnipeg
 
A conference in Winnipeg is bringing together emergency experts
from across North America to exchange ideas on preventing and better
managing future disasters.

The conference includes speakers with experience from the Lac
Megantic train disaster, the Parliament Hill shooting and the
collapse of a mall roof in Elliot Lake, Ontario.

Conference chairman Don Brennan says they usually try to restrict
it to things that could happen in Manitoba, and he says all of those
things could.

Along with keynote speakers, the conference will also feature
sessions that touch on responding and communicating in a crisis.
 
Party Leaders On Campaign Trail Today
 
All three major party leaders will campaign today in the key
battleground of Quebec where an orange wave swept the province in
the 2011 election, giving the New Democrats 59 seats and Official
Opposition status for the first time.

NDP Leader Tom Mulcair will begin his campaign day in the
Lac-Saint-Jean riding of Denis Lebel, the Conservatives' Quebec
lieutenant.

Conservative Leader Stephen Harper will visit Trois-Rivieres,
Drummondville and Thetford Mines, while Liberal Leader Justin
Trudeau will start off in the new riding of Ahuntsic-Cartierville.

Green party Leader Elizabeth May will campaign in Guelph,
Ontario.
 
Ukraine Likely To Join UN Security Council
 
Some fireworks are likely at today's UN Security Council meeting
in New York when Ukraine joins the UN's most powerful body.

Permanent member Russia is an arch opponent of the addition.

Besides Ukraine, there are four other uncontested candidates for
non-permanent members -- Egypt, Japan, Senegal and Uruguay.

And with a two-thirds approval by the 193 UN member states,
their election is virtually assured.
 
Saskatchewan Town Changes Slogan
 
The northern Saskatchewan town of Tisdale is ditching its slogan,
Land of Rape and Honey.

Tisdale has used the slogan for nearly 60 years, but a survey
found a majority of the 3200 residents wanted to drop the
catchphrase.

Rape refers to rapeseed, a bright-yellow plant that was a
precursor to modern canola and was a key crop in the area.

But some were concerned the name offended people who thought it
meant sexual assault.

Details
Category: News

 

Federal Election Today

Election day is finally here.
 
Polls open in Manitoba at 8:30 this morning and they close at 8:30 tonight.
 
In order to vote today, you need to offer proof of both your identity and your address --
so a government ID card that shows both, such as a driver's
licence, will be all you'll need.

But if you've only got a passport or health card, you'll also
need a piece of mail showing your address.
 
There are five candidates in the riding of Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa. They are: Conservative Robert Sopuck, NDP Laverne Lewycky, Green Kate Storey, Liberal Ray Piche, and Independent Inky Mark.
 
Grey Cup Tour To Hit Dauphin
 
The Grey Cup will be on it's way to Dauphin.
 
With Winnipeg hosting the Grey Cup game this year, the trophy will be going on a tour of Manitoba communities on the Via Rail line before arriving in Winnipeg.
 
It will be in Flin Flon and The Pas today, followed by stops in Snow Lake, Thompson and Churchill later this week.
 
The trophy will be in Dauphin on October 26, before going to Winnipeg for the Grey Cup Festival kick-off at the provincial legislature.
 
The Grey Cup game will be on November 29, at Investors Group Field in Winnipeg.
 
True North Fixing Sight Lines At MTS Centre
 
Seats in the upper bowl of Winnipeg's MTS Centre are getting a
six centimetre height boost to improve obstructed sight lines.

New seating was added to the face of the upper bowl over the
summer, but True North Sports and Entertainment spokesman Scott
Brown says the organization didn't have a full appreciation of the
impact it would have on upper-bowl sight lines until it was
completed.

In total, 6500 seats will be raised.

A review of the access and railings for the seats has also been
started, and Brown says True North is looking into other longer-term
solutions.
 
Nurses Union Concerned About Passing Rates For Test
 
The Manitoba Nurses Union and the Winnipeg Regional Health
Authority are both concerned about a drop in pass rates for a new
American-supplied test for Canadian nursing grads.

Critics say the new test is rife with Americanisms and fails to
reflect the scope of Canada's four-year nursing programs.

But Katherine Stansfield of the College of Registered Nurses of
Manitoba says American cultural or jurisdictional biases that may
have crept into the exam were removed.

Nursing graduates can work as nurses before they write the
entry-to-practice exam, but if they fail it twice, they lose their
licence to practise until they pass it.
 
FCC Says Weaker Dollar Should Make Canadian Products More Affordable
 
Farm Credit Canada's chief economist says a weaker Canadian
dollar should make Canadian products more affordable for US buyers.

But J.P. Gervais points out the currency of our competitors has
also lost value against the U.S. dollar, potentially hurting our
competitiveness in the American market.

In the short term, Gervais says domestic Canadian prices should
be supported by the weaker Canadian dollar.

He says world economic jitters __- especially what's going on in
China __- will also have an impact on Canadian agricultural exports.
 
Goosebumps Tops Weekend Box Office
 
``Goosebumps'' scared off its competition to claim top spot at
the North American box office this weekend.

The family-friendly horror starring Jack Black earned an
estimated $23.5-million.

That beat ``The Martian'' by a hair, bumping Ridley Scott's space
adventure to second place.

Details
Category: News

 

Backlog Of Manitobans Waiting To See Adoption Records

Manitobans who have waited decades for their adoption information
are being forced to wait even longer, a situation the province's
Family Services minister says is unacceptable.

Kerri Irvin-Ross says provincial officials knew there would be a
big demand when the province unsealed 75 years of adoption records
in June, but they underestimated how many people would apply.

The change allows adult adoptees to find out the identities of
their birth parents and vice versa, with both parties having the
opportunity to file a disclosure veto protecting their identities.

Irvin-Ross says two more staff members will be added immediately
to help reduce the backlog.
 
Zebra Mussels Increasing In Manitoba
 
The Manitoba government says monitoring has shown a significant
increase in the number of zebra mussels in Lake Winnipeg and the Red
River.

A Conservation and Water Stewardship news release says the
province, boaters and the public have been finding significant
numbers of zebra mussels on boats along beaches and on
infrastructure such as swimming buoys, docks and ladders.

The freshwater mussels, which are not native to western Canada,
clog pipes at water treatment plants and can also increase algae
blooms in lakes, which can kill fish and wildlife.

Experts say they pose a serious threat to commercial and
recreational fishing industries.
 
French Language Debate Tonight
 
Four federal party leaders square off tonight, in what may be
their last high-profile opportunity to influence Quebec voters.

The French language debate in Montreal comes amid recent polls
suggesting New Democrat support in the province is loosening.

One issue certain to produce a spirited debate is religious
accommodation and the wearing of niqabs during citizenship
ceremonies.

There is broad support in Quebec for the Conservative and Bloc
Quebecois position that women wearing the niqab should be forced to
remove it when swearing the oath.
 
At Least Nine Dead After Oregon Shooting
 
A 26-year-old man walked into a writing class at a community
college in rural Oregon on Thursday and opened fire, killing at
least nine people.

One witness said the attacker demanded to know students' religion
before shooting them.

A government official who spoke on condition of anonymity
identified the shooter as Chris Harper Mercer.

The gunman died following a shootout with police.
 
Ukrainian Peace Talks Being Revived
 
Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to meet with the leaders
of Ukraine, France and Germany, in a revived push to bring peace to
eastern Ukraine.

The long-awaited summit in Paris today is being overshadowed by
international concerns about Russia's military intervention in Syria
this week.

A senior French diplomat expressed guarded optimism about the
talks, which are expected to address more autonomy for eastern
regions and withdrawing weapons.
 
"Chase The Ace" Jackpot At $1 Million
 
A small town in Cape Breton is bracing for thousands of visitors,
as a ``Chase the Ace'' fundraiser draws to a close with a
million-dollar jackpot on the line.

RCMP say about 25,000 people are expected to descend on
Inverness on Saturday.

The town is home to 1300 people.

RCMP Inspector Barry Pitcher says emergency access lanes have
been designated, and a police helicopter will be back in the air
this weekend.

Details
Category: News

Sopuck Now Opposition MP In Liberal Majority

Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa will be represented by the same Member of Parliament its had since 2010, but Canada has a new Prime Minister. 

The Liberals won a majority last night, while Conservative Robert Sopuck won handily in this riding. 

He says it was a tough fight, and even though their party didn't win, they're going to be a strong opposition.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to Ottawa and holding the new Liberal government to account. I also want to congratulate my opponents, it was a tough fight, they worked very hard and anybody who puts themselves forward for public office deserves a lot of credit."

Sopuck won 46.4 per cent of the vote in Dauphin-Swan River Neepawa with 19,229 votes. Liberal Ray Piche came in second with 12,193 votes.
 
Election results still need to be validated.
 
Several Weekend Incidents For Dauphin Fire Department
 
It was a busy weekend for the Dauphin Fire Department.
 
Fire Chief Cam Abrey says the DFD was called out to seven incidents that occurred between Thursday night and Monday morning.
 
There were some minor incidents involving smoke in residences and sprinkler system malfunctions at a senior's complex and a south end business.
 
There was an ATV accident that took place on Sunday morning that sent one person to hospital, and a two vehicle collision yesterday in Dauphin that had only minor injuries.
 
Report Makes Numerous Recommendations For Lake Winnipeg
 
A massive new report on Lake Winnipeg says the province must
permanently protect remaining wetlands, try and restore others, and
study erosion of the shoreline.

The report also calls on provincial officials to make sure
they're studying the environmental impact before granting licences
for Manitoba Hydro projects.

In all, the 200-page report by the Clean Environment Commission
makes more than 30 recommendations.

It concludes that Manitoba Hydro regulation of the lake has
reduced the extent of flooding that would have been experienced
during the heavy precipitation years of the last two decades.
 
Declining Bee Populations In US Getting Help
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will help farmers in six
states improve food sources for honeybees on private lands as
populations continue to fall.

The USDA announced last week that it has made $4 million in financial assistance available for farmers, ranchers and
forest landowners in Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North and South
Dakota and Wisconsin.

Between June and September, those states provide a home to more
than 70 per cent of the commercially managed honeybees in the
country.

Researchers with the Center for Research on Globalization
estimate that about 30 per cent of all honeybee colonies in the last
10 years have disappeared. They attribute the decline to pesticide
use, habitat destruction, climate change and parasites.
 
Pistorius Released From Prison
 
Former Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius has been released from
prison and placed under house arrest to serve the rest of his
five-year sentence for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on
Valentine's Day 2013.

Pistorius was acquitted of murder last year, but prosecutors have
appealed the trial verdict of culpable homicide, or manslaughter.

They will seek a murder conviction again at South Africa's
Supreme Court on November 3rd.

Details
Category: News

 

KAP President Looking Forward To Working With Liberal Government

Keystone Agricultural Producers president Dan Mazier says he
looks forward to a new approach by the incoming Liberals on
discussion about agriculture policy and framework.

He says Canada is facing workforce issues in many sectors of
agriculture, noting there are more than one thousand vacant jobs in
the meat-processing sector alone.

Mazier says he's glad the Liberals have said they'll look at the
Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council's plan for addressing
labour in agriculture.

Mazier says regardless of which party is in power, Keystone can
and will work with anyone, under the guidance of the Canadian
Federation of Agriculture.
 
Farm Groups React To Election
 
Several farm organizations that have backed Conservative policies
over the last several years say they are now looking forward to
working with the Liberals.

The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is pleased with
the Liberals' tentative support of the Trans Pacific Partnership
agreement, and president Levi Wood says he likes their stance on
improving grain transportation.

Norm Hall, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of
Saskatchewan, says if the agriculture minister ends up being from
the east, he doesn't have a problem with that.

Hall says it will be important for farm organizations and
opposition Conservative MPs to keep the new Liberal government's
feet to the fire when it comes the various agricultural issues.
 
Trudeau Promising To Work With Civil Servants
 
Justin Trudeau used his first news conference as prime-minister
designate to deliver a message to civil servants, many of whom have
complained of being ignored and muzzled by the Harper government
during its decade in power.

He promised to run a Liberal government ``that listens to, works
with, and respects the public service,'' including scientists.

Trudeau also told the parliamentary press gallery, long shunned
by the Harper Conservatives, that he intends to run a more open,
media-friendly shop.

As for his plans on the world stage, Trudeau said he's committed
to attending the UN climate change conference with the premiers in
Paris at the end of November, and hopes to attend next month's G20
summit in Turkey and a meeting of leaders of Pacific Rim countries
in the Philippines.
 
Halloween Costume Creating Controversy In Winnipeg
 
A debate has begun in Winnipeg over a new Caitlyn Jenner costume
on sale in the city for Halloween this year.

Transgender advocate Shandi Strong says she's worried it could be
offensive if worn by men who want to mock the reality TV star and
former Olympian.

U.S.-based Spirit Halloween says it chose to produce the costume
to celebrate Jenner's courage and says they consider her a
superhero.

The costume consists of a long red wig and a cream-coloured
corset, the same outfit Jenner wore on the cover of Vanity Fair
magazine earlier this year. The company lists the costume as being
for adult women.
 
Earthquake Hits Eastern Ontario
 
Some eastern Ontario residents felt the earth move Tuesday night.

A minor earthquake was felt in the Ottawa Valley area shortly
after 7:30pm Eastern Time.

Natural Resources Canada says the quake had a magnitude of 3.6
and was centred seven kilometres west southwest of Pembroke.

No injuries or damage has been reported.

Details
Category: News

 

One Year Anniversary Of Parliament Hill Shooting

It was one year ago today that a gunman killed Corporal Nathan
Cirillo as he stood guard at the National War Memorial and then
stormed Parliament's Centre Block, where he was shot and killed by
authorities.

But although one year has passed since the attack, an expert on
the shootings says Canadians are still very much in the dark about
what happened that day.

University of Ottawa professor Wesley Wark says it's troubling
that there hasn't been a full airing of the details of the attack,
nor of the hit-and-run killing of a soldier in Quebec two days
earlier.

Today, a service will be held at the war memorial to honour
Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, and to mark the bravery
of first responders, which included civilians.
 
Countdown Begins To Provincial Election
 
With the 11-week-long federal election campaign finally finished,
the Manitoba Conservatives are pushing to start the provincial
election campaign as soon as possible.

Tory Leader Brian Pallister says Manitobans are itching to get a
new, more forward-looking government. The provincial vote is set for
April 29th, but Pallister says he doesn't trust the governing NDP
and Premier Greg Selinger to keep his word.

Government deputy House leader James Allum says the government
has no plans to alter the April 29th date.
 
Killarney Man Charged With Animal Care Offences
 
Testifying at the trial of a Manitoba farmer accused of starving
his cattle, an animal protection officer says he arrived at the
accused's farm to find animals wasting away.

Terry Whiting says even the bulls __ which typically spend their
time standing around and eating and face no competition for food __
were too thin.

Martin E. Holweger of Killarney, Manitoba, is charged with 13
offences under the Animal Care Act.

He's accused of failing to provide an adequate source of food and
water for all of them.
 
Trial Of Murdered Transgender Continues In Winnipeg
 
A former social worker says a transgender sex-trade worker slain
in September 2004 had a lot of problems in the years before her
death.

Barbara Dalman testified yesterday at the second-degree murder
trial of Theodore Herntier, who is accused in the death of David
Joseph Boulanger, also known as Divas B.

Under cross-examination from Herntier's defence lawyer, Dalman
testified the 28-year-old missed appointments, didn't show up to
pick up some welfare cheques and was evicted from apartments.

She also had problems with drugs and alcohol and spent time in
the provincial Remand Centre. Justice Rick Saull pressed the defence
twice on the relevance of the questioning but allowed it.
 
Good Harvest For Corn Producers
 
The owner of a seed company at Ste. Anne in Manitoba says corn
producers are enjoying a good harvest in the southeast.

Marc Hutlet says yields per bushel are up. He says crops that had
a lot of water are still doing 100 bushels per acre.

He adds the quality is also good. Hutlet estimates the corn
harvest is over half finished and, weather permitting, it should be
completed in the next week or so.

As for the overall harvest this year, he says farmers should be
pretty happy with the crops they took off.
 
Countryfest Artists Being Announced This Morning
 
The first group of artists for the 2016 edition of Dauphin's Countryfest are going to be announced this morning.
 
Countryfest will run from June 30 to July 3 next year, that's 251 days until the gates open for those keeping count.
 
Public ticket sales for Countryfest will start on November 2.

Details
Category: News

 

Environmental Group Expressing Concern Over Lake Winnipeg

An environmental group is warning that the zebra mussel
infestation in Lake Winnipeg could be the start of a bigger issue.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada says the lake needs help,
warning that more problems could be on the way.

Conservation scientist Dan Kraus says he's afraid people could
think that because of the current infestation, there's no point in
protecting against other potential invaders.

Kraus says there are roughly 15 invasive species in Lake Winnipeg
right now, but points out there are more than 200 invasive species
in the Great Lakes. He says there is still an opportunity at this
point to protect Lake Winnipeg.
 
Pastor From Gretna Facing Voyeurism And Child Porn Charges
 
New voyeurism and child porn charges are being laid against a
former Manitoba pastor.

The 35-year-old man from Gretna, Manitoba, was arrested by Carman
RCMP this week and faces five counts of voyeurism as well as
accessing and possessing child pornography.

He was originally arrested last year for similar charges.

That investigation goes back to the summer of 2012 when two girls
came across a cell phone in a washroom at Moose Lake Provincial Park
and found pictures of themselves on it.
 
More People Dropping Out Of Conservative Leadership Race
 
More names have been crossed off the list of those mentioned as
possible successors to Stephen Harper as leader of the federal
Conservative party.

Jean Charest, a former Liberal premier of Quebec, says he's not
interested.

Charest is a former Progressive Conservative MP who in the late
1980s and early '90s served in the cabinet of then-prime minister
Brian Mulroney.

Charest ran for the party's leadership in 1993, but lost to Kim
Campbell.

Mark Mulroney, a Toronto businessman and one of Brian Mulroney's
sons, says he has no intention of running.
 
No Signs Of H5N2 From Ducks In Minnesota
 
Tests on more than 750 ducks shot by Minnesota hunters this fall
have turned up no signs of the kind of bird flu that devastated the
Midwest poultry industry earlier this year.

Wildlife agencies are testing wild waterfowl to see if ducks and
geese flying south for the winter are carrying highly pathogenic
forms of avian influenza such as H5N2, which could provide an
early warning if the disease returns.

Scientists believe that wild birds, primarily ducks, are the main
carriers of the dangerous H5 bird flu viruses that began showing up
in North America last November.

Wild waterfowl don't normally get sick from these viruses, but
they're deadly to domestic poultry. Bird flu cost producers more
than 48 million chickens and turkeys before the outbreak ended with
the onset of warm weather in June.
 
Category 5 Hurricane Approaching Mexico
 
What forecasters call a potentially catastrophic Category-Five
hurricane is churning in the eastern Pacific as it takes aim at
Mexico's southwest coast.

Patricia has winds of almost 325 km/h, which is
stronger than Hurricane Katrina was when it devastated New Orleans
10 years ago.

Forecasters predict the eye of Patricia will make landfall by
tonight near the resort of Puerto Vallarta or the port of Manzanillo.

Dozens of municipalities in the region have declared a state of
emergency.
 
Telecom Bills Rising Says CRTC
 
How much are you paying for such telecom services as phone,
wireless, cable, satellite, and Internet?

According to the CRTC, last year's telecom bill for the
average Canadian household was $203 a month -- up six per
cent from the year before.

The country's telecom regulator says the increase was driven by
spending on wireless and Internet packages amid the growing
popularity of Netflix and other video streaming services.

Details
Category: News

 

Zebra Mussels Spread To North Basin Of Lake Winnipeg

Manitoba Conservation and Water Stewardship has discovered a
presence of zebra mussels in the north basin of Lake Winnipeg.

The agency says 24 samples were collected during the fall
monitoring program. From those samples, one zebra mussel larvae was
found southeast of George Island.

Zebra mussels are now present in Lake Winnipeg, the Manitoba
portion of the Red River, and Cedar Lake immediately west of Grand
Rapids.

The province is reminding people that is is illegal to possess or
transport zebra mussels and say properly cleaning boats taken out of
infested waters is crucial.
 
Patricia Makes Landfall In Mexico
 
Patricia is on the verge of being downgraded to a tropical storm
after roaring ashore last night on Mexico's southwest coast as a
frightening Category-Five hurricane with winds of 270 km/h.

The winds have since weakened to 120 km/h, minimum
hurricane strength.

The storm is dumping up to 200 mm of rain on central and
northern Mexico, where flooding and mudslides are expected.

Forecasters predict Patricia will be downgraded to a tropical
depression this afternoon.
 
Charges Laid Against Man Leaving Gun In Taxi
 
Officers have laid charges against a man they believe left a
loaded gun in a Winnipeg cab last winter.

Winnipeg police have charged 23-year-old Mathew Kenneth Ellison
with numerous firearms related offences.

Police allege Ellison got into a taxi on February 1st and left
the loaded gun behind when he got out.

Earlier this week, they released a photo and asked the public for
help identifying the suspect.
 
Prime Minister's Residence Needs Repairs
 
Prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau is taking a few days to
decide if his family might delay moving into 24 Sussex Drive so
long-overdue repairs can be done.

Seven years ago, a report by then-auditor-general Sheila Fraser
said the prime minister's official residence was in urgent need of
repairs, including work on the outdated plumbing, electrical,
heating, and air conditioning systems.

The building is almost 150-years old, and hasn't had any major
upgrades in more than 50 years.
 
Support Among NDP For Mulcair To Remain Leader
 
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair held a teleconference yesterday with his
43 re-elected and newly elected MPs.

Insiders say there was general support for his decision to remain
as party leader.

Mulcair also asked the party to form a committee to examine why
the NDP elected about 60 fewer members last Monday than it did in
the 2011 election.

Details
Category: News

 

Teenager Dies In Crash West Of Winnipeg

A 17-year-old who was driving a car that crashed head-on with a
pickup truck west of Winnipeg has died.

RCMP say the car was heading south on Highway 13 south of Elm
Creek yesterday morning when it hit the truck going the other way.

The teen was pronounced dead at the scene, while an 18-year-old
who was driving the truck was taken to hospital with
non-life-threatening injuries.

Police say they don't think alcohol played a role in the crash.
 
Homeless Count Taking Place In Winnipeg
 
Hundreds of volunteers will hit the streets of Winnipeg tonight
and tomorrow to survey the city's homeless.

A spokeswoman for the project says statistics on homelessness in
the city are usually based on estimates from shelters.

The volunteers will head to the city's three shelters tonight and
ask people to take part in the survey.

The next day they will move on to 40 locations where homeless
people gather to eat, visit and seek shelter.
 
Scientists Report Breakthrough That Could Help ALS Patients
 
Scientists at Dalhousie Medical School are reporting a
breakthrough that could someday help ALS patients.

Using light and genetics, they have bypassed the nervous system
to activate unresponsive muscles in mice.

If they can successfully make this work on humans it would help
people with ALS, who suffer from a progressive degeneration of the
nerve cells that control movement.
 
General Motors Facing Strike In U.S.
 
General Motors in the US is facing a possible strike by about
50-thousand workers represented by the United Auto Workers.

The union is threatening a walkout if there's no tentative
contract by midnight Eastern tonight.

Contract talks continue in Detroit, where one of the major issues
is GM's goal of cutting labour costs to bring them more in line
with foreign automakers with plants in the US.
 
Record Number Of Migrants Enter Croatia
 
Croatia set a single-day record for the number of migrants
crossing into the country.

The Interior Ministry reports 11,500 migrants entered
Croatia yesterday.

Migrants trying to reach Germany or Scandinavia started moving
through Croatia in mid-September after Hungary put up a barbed-wire
fence along its border with Serbia.
 
Harvard Honours Jimmy Fallon
 
Jimmy Fallon was honoured last night at Harvard University in the
Boston suburb of Cambridge, where the ``Tonight Show'' host was
given an award for excellence in humour.

Fallon was crowned ``Emperor of Comedy'' and paraded through
Harvard Square in a Roman chariot.

Previous recipients include Jay Leno, John Cleese, and Robin
Williams.

Details
Category: News

 

Post Office Near Yorkton Broken Into

Thieves have ransacked the Canada Post office in a
small Saskatchewan town for what the postmaster says is the first
time in decades.

Residents of Rhein, east of Yorkton, woke up Friday morning to
find their post office smashed and mail stolen.

Postmaster Cheryl Nagy says the perpetrators stole all the
packages they could, then discarded the unwanted ones along the
highway.

Nagy says the last time the post office was broken into was more
than 50 years ago when thieves stole the post office safe.

Unable to get the safe open, she says they dumped it in Lake of
the Prairies that runs along the Saskatchewan-Manitoba boundary,
where it was recovered.

Nagy says RCMP have been notified about the new theft and the
post office will do inventory and contact patrons to find out what
mail is missing.

Copyright Activists Calling For Protection Under TPP

Copyright activists are calling on prime minister-designate
Justin Trudeau to ensure Canada's copyright regime is protected
under a massive new trade deal reached earlier this month.

A major part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership concerns aligning
copyright laws in the 12 Pacific Rim nations involved.

Details have yet to be made public, but the website Wikileaks
recently released what it claimed was the intellectual property
chapter of the deal.

The digital-rights advocacy group OpenMedia warns the way we use
the Internet would change dramatically under the trade deal.

It says Canadians could face lawsuits, fines or worse for ripping
the latest Justin Bieber CD or uploading an animated GIF of Jose
Bautista's bat-flip.

Trudeau has said he supports free trade, but has promised he'll
examine the TPP closely. 
 
Investigation Underway Into Boat Sinking
 
The Transportation Safety Board has been called in to investigate
the deadly sinking of a whale-watching boat off western Vancouver
Island.

The Leviathan ll was carrying 24 passengers and three crew
members when it sent out a mayday yesterday afternoon while sailing
off the tourist town of Tofino.

After an hours-long search by dozens of Coast Guard and civilian
boats, five people were confirmed dead, 21 were rescued and
hospitalized, and one person remains missing.

Local First Nation member Joe Martin said weather conditions were
clear and sunny at the time.
 
Survey Examining Barriers To Women In Agriculture
 
A survey is being done to examine possible barriers to women
advancing to leadership roles in Canadian agriculture.

It's part of a three year research project called ``Supporting
the Advancement of Women in Agriculture.''

The project is being conducted by the Canadian Agricultural Human
Resource Council.

The survey is online, takes about 15 minutes to complete, and is
open to both women and men.
 
Auto Workers Union And General Motors Avert Strike
 
A strike has been averted -- at least for now -- by 53,000
General Motors employees in the US.

The United Auto Workers union and the Detroit-based automaker
have reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract.

The UAW had set a deadline of late last night to reach a deal,
or walk off the job.

Local union leaders will meet in Detroit Wednesday to vote on
whether to send the pact to a membership vote.
 
Winners From MTV Europe Music Awards
 
Justin Bieber scored big at the MTV Europe Music Awards in
Milan, Italy last night and had his fans in a frenzy as he performed
his new single ``What Do You Mean?''

Of six nominations, the Canadian pop star won five trophies --
for best male performer, best collaboration, best look, best fans,
and best worldwide act - North America category.

Taylor Swift, who led all artists with nine nods, took just one
prize -- best song, for ``Bad Blood.''

Host Ed Sheeran won for best live act and best world stage, while
Rihanna won best female performer, Nicki Minaj took best hip hop,
and One Direction took best pop group.

Best video went to Macklemore * Ryan Lewis for ``Downtown.''