Skor Shortbread

Pointing fingers at Tories three years after election tiresome, accomplishes nothing

There is a point in every government’s life when blaming the previous government stops being an explanation and starts becoming an excuse.

For Manitoba’s NDP government, that point has arrived.

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe was asked last week about a grievance filed by Crown attorneys over excessive workloads and a government attempt to keep a report documenting those workloads out of an upcoming arbitration hearing.

Wiebe said he couldn’t discuss the arbitration case.

Letters, Sept. 8

I recently read Manitoba Hydro’s integrated resource plan (IRP) and the independent review by Daymark Energy. I’m no expert, but it seems clear that Hydro’s plan to add three new gas combustion turbines to the Brandon power station is going to cost Manitobans a lot more than we bargained for.

All quiet on the Hellebuyck front

Pull up a chair, folks, as we address the elephant in the room. Or, to be more precise, the decorated goaltender who is not in the room. Or on the ice. Or even in the city.

Not surprisingly, the Connor Hellebuyck situation took centre stage Tuesday as members of the Winnipeg Jets held their first media session following an informal, pre-training camp skate.

“We’re definitely going to get asked about it. That’s no chirp to anybody. I think that’s just the reality of the situation,” admitted veteran defenceman Dylan DeMelo, who took part in an hour-long practice at Hockey For All Centre that involved nearly every member of the organization.

With one very notable exception, of course.

Manitoba doctor denies working to revive Carberry ER in response to recruitment lawsuit

A Manitoba doctor has denied he was working as a recruiter after an Ontario doctor accused him of misleading him about a position at the Carberry hospital.

Dr. Klevis Iliriani, who worked at the hospital in Carberry from May to August 2024, filed his statement of claim in Court of King’s Bench earlier this year.

Iliriani, who lives in an Ottawa suburb, has alleged recruiters negligently misrepresented the job at the Carberry hospital and breached the terms of his contract, which resulted in less pay than promised.

His court filing names defendants Dr. Dave Maharajh and Barry Banek as the recruiters.

Wearing the Maple Leaf lived up to the hype for DeMelo

When Dylan DeMelo stepped into the dressing room and saw his name and number on the back of a Team Canada namebar, that’s when things really sunk in.

The Winnipeg Jets defenceman was already excited about the prospect of suiting up for his country in an international event for the first time of his career at the age of 33 before he even got overseas for the 2026 IIHF men’s world hockey championship, but the experience definitely lived up to the advance billing.

“It was kind of like a dream come true feeling,” DeMelo said on Tuesday after the Jets held a captain’s skate. “I never had that chance ever. For me, it was super cool.

“It was an amazing experience and it just gave you a boost of confidence coming into the year.”

Hydro crews working to restore power to about 1,500 people after Sunday storm

About 1,500 people were still without electricity Tuesday afternoon as Manitoba Hydro crews continued working to clear downed trees and repair power lines following a fast-moving, violent and destructive storm that tore through a chunk of south River Heights Sunday evening.

Many of those residents are not expected to have power restored until sometime Wednesday, Hydro said.

City firefighters will be going door-to-door to check on people dealing with extended power outages.

“Starting this morning, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service firefighters will be going door-to-door in affected areas to check on residents who have been without power since the storm and whose outage may reach 72 hours in length,” a news release sent out by the city Tuesday morning said.