Facebook resistance to paying for news links ‘deeply irresponsible’: Trudeau

Dynacare strike set to begin before hearing into essential services agreement

Hundreds of Dynacare lab employees are expected to hit the picket line Tuesday, hours before a labour board hearing to determine whether they are essential workers.

Klein put on defensive as mayoral run made official

Kevin Klein faced a barrage of attacks from the city’s incumbent mayor and largest union as he officially entered Winnipeg’s mayoral race Thursday.

While the former city councillor and Progressive Conservative cabinet minister was registering to run at city hall, Mayor Scott Gillingham’s team sent out a news release noting Klein was one of two councillors to vote against pursuing legal action against participants in the Winnipeg police headquarters scandal.

Shortly after, Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500 accused Klein of blaming Canada for its ongoing trade war with the U.S. and called him an “unfit” candidate who would “bend a knee to American interests” in a news release of its own.

Klein defended himself outside city hall after putting in his papers.

‘Quite a journey’: dozens move into transitional housing downtown

Dozens of residents have moved into transitional housing units in a former university building in downtown Winnipeg.

Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith said 42 residents have moved into suites on the third and fourth floors of a seven-storey building previously owned by Providence University College and Theological Seminary. There will be space for as many as 118 people who were in encampments or otherwise homeless.

The remaining units under renovation are expected to be ready and occupied in the coming weeks, Smith said.

“This has been two years in the making,” the minister said at a media event with residents, staff, neighbours and supporters. The building cost the province $24.4 million to purchase and renovate.

Expect intense back-to-back clash from Bombers, Riders

REGINA — You know that longstanding notion that the CFL season truly starts around Labour Day?

Well, you won’t have to wait very long to see if it rings true for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, as they’re set to engage in a two-game series with the Saskatchewan Roughriders that could have serious ramifications in the West Division standings, beginning with Sunday’s battle at Mosaic Stadium.

Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea isn’t a proponent of the adage, believing it would diminish the importance of the effort and preparation required for the 11 games before the calendar flipped to September.

He doesn’t even want to look ahead to next weekend, when the home-and-home series returns to Winnipeg for the Banjo Bowl.

Insurance money spent, family waits for provincial flood aid

Three months after a once-in-a-lifetime rainstorm battered her home and caused extensive flooding, J’aime Killbery is still picking up the pieces while she waits for financial relief from the provincial government.

Killbery lives in Balmoral, north of Stonewall, in the rural municipality of Rockwood, one of the communities hardest-hit by the June 9 deluge. The RM declared a state of emergency after a record-breaking 250 mm of rainfall caused sewer backups and overland flooding.

The damage to the family home was immense. Their fully finished basement was destroyed by sewage water, meaning the walls and flooring needed to be ripped out and replaced.

While family is handling some repairs themselves to cut costs, every repair is expensive, Killbery said.

Shared Health urges surgical patients to get tests ASAP as Dynacare strike looms

Shared Health issued an urgent call Friday to surgical patients who require bloodwork to get it done before Dynacare stops collecting blood on noon Saturday — three days before lab workers are set to go on strike.

The company, which conducts blood tests at 22 outlets in Winnipeg, Brandon and surrounding communities, is locked in a contract battle with the union that represents its 350 workers.

Health officials warned that any disruption would significantly impair the health-care system.

Shared Health said Friday its officials, as well as regional health authorities, CancerCare Manitoba and the government have been working together to prepare for the walkout.