Winnipeg Free Press – Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada

Dynacare workers on strike across Manitoba over wage dispute

Erik Pindera 4 minute read Updated: 11:32 AM CDT

Dynacare laboratory technicians and technologists are on strike after contract negotiations with the private company stalled Friday, bringing operations at all Manitoba locations to a halt.

The company, which conducts blood and other medical tests at 22 outlets in Winnipeg, Brandon and surrounding communities, is deadlocked in contract negotiations with the union that represents its 350 workers.

Jason Linklater, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, spoke to reporters at a picket line at a Dynacare facility on McPhillips Street Tuesday morning, where dozens of workers held signs and urged motorists to honk in support of the strike.

Linklater said the union remains open to “substantive talks” with the company.

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Business

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with members of the media as he arrives at the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Carney warns of tough times ahead in national address as retaliatory tariffs kick in

Nick Murray, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Carney warns of tough times ahead in national address as retaliatory tariffs kick in

Nick Murray, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Updated: 11:24 AM CDT

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Mark Carney is warning Canadians the country's pivot away from the United States will "come at a cost" — but insists the alternative would be far worse.

In a national video address released Tuesday — hours after Canada's retaliatory tariffs kicked in — Carney discussed Canada's plan to respond to the U.S. trade war by striking new trade deals with other countries.

"We have everything we need to pivot and prosper," he said.

"That pivot will come at a cost. There's always a cost to action. But it doesn't come close to the cost of standing still."

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Updated: 11:24 AM CDT

Local

Affordable housing development in Winnipeg, Swan River gets boost

Joyanne Pursaga 1 minute read 10:27 AM CDT

A new government partnership will aim to speed up home construction in Winnipeg and Swan River, with a goal to produce at least 740 affordable housing units.

The Build Canada Homes partnership between the governments of Canada, Manitoba and Winnipeg will support the delivery of at least 820 housing units in Winnipeg and the western Manitoba community, a news release from the federal government said Tuesday.

Governments officials will provide more details at a news conference at Portage Place Tuesday morning.

Many of the units will be targeted to low-income people, the homeless, newcomers, veterans and Indigenous communities.

Local

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Residents and crews clean up damage on Campbell Street on Monday after a storm hit on Sunday evening.

Parts of River Heights hammered by storm

Melissa Martin 4 minute read Preview

Parts of River Heights hammered by storm

Melissa Martin 4 minute read Yesterday at 5:54 PM CDT

A powerful storm cut a swath of destruction through River Heights on Sunday, leaving much of the area without power.

Nobody was hurt in the storm.

By the time it subsided, parts of the quiet neighbourhood, especially Borebank and Lindsay streets between Grant and Taylor, had been ravaged: power lines downed, Manitoba Hydro poles toppled, trees splintered and crashed down on vehicles and homes.

In one case, a vehicle was flipped into a yard and sat under a partially downed tree. Shingles were stripped from roofs. Some residents described looking out during the storm and seeing power lines ablaze and the blue glow of electricity arcing over their backyards.

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Yesterday at 5:54 PM CDT

Local

ABIOLA ODUTOLA / THE BRANDON SUN
Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara (left) talks with Shared Health executive director for capital, Craig Doerksen, in the waiting area of the emergency department at Dauphin Regional Health Centre on Monday afternoon.

Dauphin ER reopening ‘monumental team effort’

Abiola Odutola 5 minute read Preview

Dauphin ER reopening ‘monumental team effort’

Abiola Odutola 5 minute read Yesterday at 9:55 PM CDT

DAUPHIN — The emergency department at Dauphin Regional Health Centre reopened Monday morning after a closure of just over two months, restoring 24-7 emergency services to Dauphin and surrounding communities.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara hailed the reopening as a major milestone.

“It’s been a monumental team effort to get to this point,” Asagwara told the Brandon Sun on Monday afternoon before embarking on a tour of the facility.

“We asked everyone to approach this as one team and that’s exactly what we’re seeing the results of now.”

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Yesterday at 9:55 PM CDT

Business

Members of the Israeli forces move on a street during a military raid in the West Bank town of Anata, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Canada to join European ban on Israeli settlement goods amid rising violence

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Canada to join European ban on Israeli settlement goods amid rising violence

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: 9:54 AM CDT

OTTAWA - Ottawa is joining European nations pledging to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Canada, the United Kingdom, France and other countries are accusing Israel of enabling settler violence and working to expand settlements that are widely understood to be illegal under international law.

In a joint statement, those countries say they "will bring forward national measures to ban trade in settlement goods" and are joining others condemning the Israeli government over the "rapidly deteriorating" situation for Palestinians.

The statement says Canada, France and the U.K. "will bring forward national measures to ban trade in settlement goods."

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Updated: 9:54 AM CDT

Opinion

All that glitters … could work here Editorial Updated: 7:34 AM CDT
The first day of school is a promise Ann Evangelista Updated: 6:30 AM CDT
Fund full-day kindergarten for all Catherine-Laura Dunnington and Molly McCracken Updated: 11:33 AM CDT

Local

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS A teachers desk in a classroom at R. F. Morrison School. See Maggie Macintosh story 210519 - Wednesday, May 19, 2021.

Enrolment up at alternative schools

Maggie Macintosh 5 minute read Preview

Enrolment up at alternative schools

Maggie Macintosh 5 minute read Yesterday at 10:02 AM CDT

Independent schools are preparing to welcome a record number of students as more families pay for faith-based instruction and secular alternatives.

The overwhelming majority of Manitoba children — 200,000 — are starting in the public school system this fall. Since 2000, the percentage of students enrolled elsewhere — in homeschools, funded and non-funded independent schools — has nearly doubled, to 12 per cent from seven per cent.

“If money was no object, we could fill dozens and dozens more classrooms with the demand for independent education,” said Andrew Micklefield, executive director of the Manitoba Federation of Independent Schools, who is a former Tory government house leader.

The King’s School, Dasmesh School, Springs Christian Academy, Beautiful Saviour Lutheran School, Steinbach Christian School and IQRA Islamic School have all either upscaled at some point over the last five years or are actively in the process of expanding their footprint.

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Yesterday at 10:02 AM CDT

Local

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS
Emma Caronte, a teacher-candidate at the University of Manitoba, was awarded an undergraduate research award to develop her new social studies unit on food history.

Education student designs lesson plans to take a bite out of food marketing

Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read Preview

Education student designs lesson plans to take a bite out of food marketing

Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read Yesterday at 5:22 PM CDT

Instead of apples, Emma Caronte is handing out lesson plans on local food history to Manitoba teachers this back-to-school season.

The undergraduate researcher spent her summer break creating a social studies unit that investigates food guide evolution, marketing tactics and how honey dill sauce became a pantry staple on the Prairies.

“I want students to develop a greater interest in food and what outside influences affect their choices and what we consider ‘healthy,’” said Caronte, a final-year education student at the University of Manitoba.

She is advertising her 112-page project as a user-friendly resource for classroom teachers and “a fun sub plan” targeted at Grade 6, 7, 8 and 9.

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Yesterday at 5:22 PM CDT

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Life & Style

SUPPLIED Christa Slatnik, left, and Cindy Sanchez are twin sisters who have organized the Ovarian Cancer Walk of Hope the last 23 years.

Feeding hope’s flame: Sisters support annual ovarian cancer event on mom’s behalf

Tiago Resko 3 minute read Preview

Feeding hope’s flame: Sisters support annual ovarian cancer event on mom’s behalf

Tiago Resko 3 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 7:42 PM CDT

When Christa Slatnik and Cindy Sanchez lost their mother to ovarian cancer in 2000, it was devastating.

But when the twin sisters got the opportunity to volunteer for Winnipeg’s first-ever Ovarian Cancer Walk of Hope in 2004, it allowed them to honour their mother and continue her legacy.

“Although losing her was the hardest thing we’ve ever gone through, especially when we were only 23 years old, to try to take such a negative thing and turn it around and help other people makes her loss feel like it’s improving the world by increasing awareness,” said Slatnik.

The walk of hope on Sept. 27 will mark 22 years of the sisters volunteering with Ovarian Cancer Canada to bring the walk of hope to Winnipeg.

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Updated: Yesterday at 7:42 PM CDT

Bomber Report

Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Dhel Duncan-Busby (18) catches the ball as Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Ridge Texada (26) and teammate Evan Holm (31) run to tackle during second half CFL action in Regina on Sunday, Sep. 6, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kayle Neis

Bombers close but not good enough

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Preview

Bombers close but not good enough

Ken Wiebe 7 minute read Yesterday at 5:15 PM CDT

REGINA — The stage was set for the type of season-altering moment that can lift a franchise in a way that is tough to fully quantify, yet easy to identify.

A six-play, 66-yard drive during the final 39 seconds of regulation time was capped by Zach Collaros finding Dorian Singer in the corner of the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown strike with no time left on the clock, momentarily silencing the largest crowd to witness a football game inside Mosaic Stadium on Sunday night in the 61st edition of the Labour Day Classic.

But the converted major had only helped the Winnipeg Blue Bombers tie the contest to force overtime.

Eight plays and a penalty for a time-clock violation later, the Blue Bombers were left to lament what might have been in what became a 32-26 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

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Yesterday at 5:15 PM CDT

Science & Technology

U of M study shows female entrepreneurs have it tough on dating market

Jen Zoratti 5 minute read Preview

U of M study shows female entrepreneurs have it tough on dating market

Jen Zoratti 5 minute read Yesterday at 10:00 AM CDT

Xiumei Li had a friend who had been on the dating scene for a while.

He’d been seeing an impressive woman, a startup founder building a successful business. She was a good conversationalist. She was interesting.

She sounded great. So why didn’t it work out?

Some gentle prodding revealed he was intimidated by her, but also felt that “there was a gap between what he expected for a partner versus what this female entrepreneur had to offer,” Li says.

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Yesterday at 10:00 AM CDT

Local

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Members of Manitoba’s Sikh community gather to to celebrate its annual Nagar Kirtan procession and festival.

‘We belong… and we are giving back”: Sikh celebration enlivens downtown Winnipeg

Melissa Martin 2 minute read Preview

‘We belong… and we are giving back”: Sikh celebration enlivens downtown Winnipeg

Melissa Martin 2 minute read Sunday, Sep. 6, 2026

Downtown Winnipeg came alive with vibrant sights, sounds, and scents on Sunday, as Manitoba’s Sikh community flocked to Memorial Park to celebrate its annual Nagar Kirtan procession and festival.

This year marked the 422nd anniversary of the completion of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture central to the Sikh faith. Shortly after 1 p.m., a palanquin bearing a copy of the scripture was led in parade through downtown Winnipeg, with musical accompaniment.

“This is a chance to tell the public and the whole community where we come from and who we are,” said volunteer Prabh Grewal shortly before the procession got underway. “In a community there are people from every race and every country, and our main objective is to have everybody live in peace and harmony together.”

Before, during, and after the procession, the park hummed with life. As many as 55,000 people converged on the site, with the majority dressed in festive traditional attire. Near the height of the day’s 30 C heat, families relaxed in patches of shade, enjoying plates of Punjabi cuisine dished out for free at dozens of tents sponsored by local businesses.

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Sunday, Sep. 6, 2026