Free Press Head Start for June 22

Good morning.

The federal Conservatives have served notice to propose a motion to instruct the House of Commons’ sergeant-at-arms to search the offices of the Public Health Agency of Canada and seize documents its president refuses to turn over. Iain Stewart stood at the bar in the House on Monday as the Speaker reprimanded him — a procedure that hadn’t been used on a non-MP in more than a century — for failing to hand over unredacted documents related to the firing of two scientists at Winnipeg’s National Microbiology Laboratory.

Nearly 70 per cent of Canadians think pandemic restrictions should remain in place as COVID-19 vaccinations continue. Another poll shared exclusively with the Free Press found more than half of adults in the Prairie provinces have lost sleep because of financial stress amid the pandemic.

Manitoba was given a C- in a report that grades the provinces on how they responded to a national conservation promise.

— Adam Treusch, assignment editor

What’s happening today

Paul Bernardo is shown in this courtroom sketch during Ontario court proceedings via video link in Napanee, Ont., on October 5, 2018. Teen killer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo is set for a parole hearing today. The designated dangerous offender, has been eligible for full parole for more than three years. Bernardo’s horrific crimes in the 1980s and early 1990s include for kidnapping, torturing and killing Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy near St. Catharines, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Greg Banning

Parole hearing for Bernardo: Murderer and serial rapist Paul Bernardo, one of Canada’s most infamous criminals, is scheduled for a parole hearing. Bernardo, who is designated as a dangerous offender, has been eligible for full parole for more than three years. READ MORE

Audits yield no charges against rich: Diane Lebouthillier, the minister of national revenue, will appear before a parliamentary committee to discuss the Canada Revenue Agency’s attempts to fight tax evasion and avoidance. Data show CRA investigations had not led to any charges being laid against ultra-rich residents since 2015 despite a huge increase in spending on the high-net-worth compliance program. The Canadian Press reports. READ MORE

GOP to block bill: The For the People Act, an elections and voting bill, is expected to be rejected in a key test vote in the U.S. Senate. The majority Democrats are well short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster and begin debate. The Associated Press reports. READ MORE

Spain partially pardons separatists: Spain’s cabinet has commuted the sentences of nine separatist Catalan politicians and activists. The Associated Press reports. READ MORE

Weather

Your forecast: Sunny for most of the day, with a high of 25 C and peak winds at 15 km/h beginning later this morning.

In case you missed it

JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSCandy Volk, the mother of Jennifer Dethmers, is comforted at a vigil in September 2020. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Guilty plea in fatal crash: Armand Chartrand pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of criminal negligence causing death in connection with the 2020 crash that killed Jennifer Dethmers and her infant son. Dean Pritchard reports. READ MORE

Tornado kills Quebec man: A man was killed when a tornado touched down in a suburb north of Montreal on Monday. READ MORE

On this date

On June 22, 2000: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that the University of Manitoba was set to make $5 million in cuts affecting jobs, programs, equipment and materials. After two weeks of non-stop rain, Winnipeg was drenched; Environment Canada said in the first three weeks of June the city had received almost double the average precipitation for the entire month: 152 mm compared with 84 mm. The mayor of Treherne blamed provincial Tories for the town’s hospital closing when nurses took vacation time.

Today’s front page

Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Winnipeg Free Press READ MORE

Head Start