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A former Parkland resident and former Manitoba PC cabinet minister has won the Conservative nomination to run in the upcoming federal election in Winnipeg South.
Janice Morley-Lecomte, who grew up in the Cayer area and attended school in Ste. Rose, will run against Liberal cabinet minister Terry Duguid in the next federal election, which could happen as early as this spring.
Between 2016 and 2023, Morley-Lecomte served two terms as the Progressive Conservative MLA for the Winnipeg constituency of Seine River, also spending eight months in the cabinet as the Minister of Mental Health and Community Wellness in the short-lived Heather Stefanson government.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
RCMP say they have removed between 50- to 70-thousand-dollars worth of drugs from the streets after a pair of recent drug busts at the Richardson International Airport in Winnipeg.
Members of the Manitoba Integrated Law Enforcement Team and Roving Traffic Units conducted the seizure, first stopping a passenger who was en route to Gods Lake Narrows.
They say 49 grams of meth was seized from 32-year-old Kenneth Ross of Gods Lake Narrows, who was arrested and charged with one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Then three days later, they searched another passenger - this time a woman headed for Gods River, and seized 67 grams of cocaine and 56 grams of meth following a search.
Forty-year-old Tanya Okemow faces two counts of possession for a purpose of trafficking.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Canada Post is looking to make some changes to recoup financial losses.
In a move that has been criticized as "risky and Ineffective," Canada Post is raising the cost of stamps by 25 percent.
Canada Post expects to generate approximately $80 million in additional annual gross revenue in 2025 from this new measure, but that hardly covers the $3 billion the corporation has lost since 2018.
It says that higher delivery costs, paired with a growing Canadian population have contributed to its financial stress.
A stamp purchased in a sheet will now cost $1.24, rather than the previous 99 cents.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
A 47-year-old man from Bacon Ridge is facing a slew of charges after he was arrested over the weekend.
On Saturday at about 10:00 a.m., officers from the Ste. Rose Detachment responded to a report of a possible impaired driver on Highway 5 near Ste. Rose who was stuck in a ditch. Before officers arrived, the vehicle was able to get out of the ditch and continued driving. Officers learned that the vehicle was heading to the Ebb and Flow First Nation and while officers located the vehicle, the suspect did not stop and the officer did not pursue.
Shortly later, the vehicle was located in a driveway in Bacon Ridge. When officers arrived, the man exited the home and pointed a handgun at the officer before going back inside. He was then arrested without incident and the weapon was an air pistol.
Michael Houle is charged with; Pointing a Firearm, Possession of Weapon for Dangerous Purpose, Operate a Conveyance while Over 80mg%, Impaired Operation of a Conveyance, Flight from Police, Dangerous Operation of a Vehicle, Resist Arrest, Obstruct Police Officer, and Fail to Comply with an Undertaking.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
A new art display has opened at the Watson Art Centre.
"His name is Tengnamoe and he is a Filipino artist, and all of his artwork is spray painted," according to Cam Bennett from the Watson. "I took a quick picture the other day of a Beatles piece that he has and it is really cool. I think most of the art is for sale as well and quite reasonably priced so I would encourage people to drop into the Watson and have a look at that."
Bennett adds Tengnamoe will also be in town this Saturday for a special open house.
"Saturday from 5 until 7 pm, there will be a bit of an open house (at the Watson). We will have the bar open and the artist will be there to tell us how he makes this fantastic spray paint artwork."
The show is on display until late February.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Manitoba Land Stewards are hosting a town hall meeting this Wednesday in Erickson to discuss the Parks Canada Ecological Corridor Program, and how it affects the public.
Landowners, homeowners, cottage owners, business people, and outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to attend the meeting, which will also include speakers from the Manitoba Wildlife Federation.
The meeting is set for 7 pm at the Erickson Legion.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
Manitoba's Independent Investigation Unit is investigating the use of a police dog by Manitoba First Nations Police Service during an investigation in Sandy Bay, which led to injuries for an adult male.
The incident occurred last Thursday at about 6 am when police attempted to stop a vehicle involved in an earlier incident.
The car slid into the ditch and a man fled on foot to a nearby mobile home.
While inside, police say he brandished a weapon and threatened to shoot officers.
As he was taken into custody, the suspect is said to have lunged at officers with an object, which led to a police dog being deployed, biting the suspect. The suspect was taken to Portage Hospital with injuries, which also triggered the automatic investigation by IIU.
Any witnesses are asked to contact the IIU at 1-844-667-6060
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
The Parkland Chamber of Commerce Lunch and Learn series is returning in 2025.
The first Lunch and Learn will take place on January 21st, and Chamber Executive Director Stephen Chychota will go over some of the highlights.
"We are going to go through a bit of a highlight reel and see where the Chamber has been over the past few months and where we are going to go. But we also want to give a platform to some groups in the area and give them an opportunity to shed some light on what they have been doing and what is to be expected for their future. So a little panel discussion type of thing and some good highlights. "
The Chamber will also be announcing the destination for their 2025 International trip at this luncheon.
It will take place at Aspen Lodge at the Parkland Rec Complex.
More info can be found on the chamber's website.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
The race for a new liberal Leader Now has a timeline, after Trudeau announced his departure from the role of Prime Minister.
In a press release, the party says a new leader will be picked on March 9. Leadership contestants must also declare by Jan. 23 and will be required to pay an entrance fee of $350,000, giving potential candidates limited time to fundraise.
current candidates include former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, and former B.C. premier Christy Clark.
other possible choices include cabinet ministers Melanie Joly, Francois-Philippe Champagne, Jonathan Wilkinson and Steven MacKinnon
Whoever wins the leadership will have just two weeks in their new job before the House of Commons is set to return on March 24.
The new leader could also quickly face a general election, as opposition parties have signaled they will move to bring down the Liberal government at the first opportunity.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
Seniors, caregivers, and community members of Gilbert Plains are encouraged to attend a meeting regarding Senior Housing in the Parkland community.
The municipality of Gilbert Plains and SML Construction are joining forces to host the meeting on Tuesday from 1-3 at the EMS Building on Main Street.
Discussion will include updates and future plans for senior housing in Gilbert Plains.
There will also be an opportunity for those in attendance to ask questions and provide feedback.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
More information has become available after a cybersecurity attack stole Student data from PowerSchool, a program used in multiple Manitoba schools.
Students' names, dates of birth, home phone numbers, gender, and sibling information may have been stolen during the cyber incident.
PowerSchool hired a firm known as "CrowdStrike" to negotiate with the Ransomware Hackers, and have paid a fee to ensure the data has been deleted.
The province notes that 80 percent of school divisions in Manitoba have likely been impacted by the data breach.
According to Education Minister Tracy Schmidt, 28 out of 37 Manitoba school divisions are currently using or are in the process of converting to PowerSchool.
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- Contributed by Michael Brossart
