Top news
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSCab driver Ron Yablonsky says despite providing an ‘essential service,’ taxi drivers in Winnipeg have suffered economically and are fearful of catching the virus.
Tough times for taxi drivers: With few fares other than outside hospitals, one cabbie says he’s lost as much as 70 per cent of his business amid the pandemic. Drivers the Free Press spoke with stressed their role as front-line workers. “It’s not safe, but we have no choice,” Malkeet Makkar said. “It’s our duty.” Cody Sellar reports. READ MORE
Drug’s deadly surge: Winnipeg has seen a sharp spike in opiate abuse amid the pandemic, Dan Lett reports. Manitoba is on pace to record more opiate-related deaths in 2020 than in the previous three years combined. READ MORE
Crime data gap: Statistics Canada has been trying for years to get Manitoba to properly report data on Indigenous people in its jails, as federal prisons do. Manitoba Justice Minister Cliff Cullen says he understands the issue is how the data is sent to Ottawa and that the Tory government intends to change that next year. Dylan Robertson reports. READ MORE
‘Repent of your actions’: An open letter from a group of clergy to Springs Church pastor Leon Fontaine calls on him to “publicly apologize for putting your individual right to worship ahead of the good of our community” by holding drive-in services. The services have stopped after a legal bid by the church failed Saturday. John Longhurst reports. READ MORE
Pallister creates problem: In his latest column, Tom Brodbeck says Premier Brian Pallister’s comments last week about Indigenous communities and COVID-19 vaccines are “ludicrous” and “another example of how ill-equipped Pallister is” amid a second wave of the virus. READ MORE
Weather
Your forecast: Mainly sunny with a high of 3 C, a daytime low of -6 C, wind chill as low as -13, and wind at 20 km/h from the south shifting to 15 km/h from the west later this morning.
What’s happening today
Disease diagnosed here: Four cases of trench fever were found this year in people who spent time in a Winnipeg homeless shelter. They are the only known cases to have occurred in Canada since the mid-1990s, infectious diseases specialist Dr. Carl Boodman said. Trench fever, which afflicted soldiers during the First World War, is transmitted through lice. The Canadian Press reports. READ MORE
COVID-19 crisis: Dr. Brent Roussin, the province’s chief public health officer, will announce the latest COVID-19 numbers at a news conference this afternoon. Manitoba reported 33 deaths from the disease this weekend, including a record 19 on Saturday. Ryan Thorpe reports. READ MORE
Meng case in court: Legal proceedings involving Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou will continue in Vancouver amid a report the U.S. Justice Department is discussing a deal in which it would drop its extradition request in return for an admission of wrongdoing. READ MORE
On this date
On Dec. 7, 1976: A report was tabled in the House of Commons that said the railways were losing money moving grain; Manitoba’s public housing head said the province is not pushing up city land costs with its new call proposal system; and some city officials believe prosection of bylaws is being stalled because provincial solicitors don’t have time to deal with the cases properly.
Today’s front page
Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Winnipeg Free Press READ MORE
|
