The Wrap: Kinew on Canada Day, AI, daycare inspection reports, police shooting inquest & summer spots
Plus: NHL free agency and the Winnipeg Jets

Manitoba’s first First Nations premier and minister for reconciliation has strong feelings about Canada Day.

Since returning from D-Day ceremonies in Normandy earlier this month, those feelings have been so strong that Premier Wab Kinew bought a Canadian flag that now flies in front of his home.

“The reason why I did that is because of the immense privilege and humility — that I get to serve as a part of our democracy, and in recognition of the people who paid the price of admission for us to be part of this thing,” Kinew said. He is urging others, particularly Indigenous youth, to do likewise.

The City of Winnipeg is piloting artificial intelligence to handle non-emergency calls to police and some 311 inquiries, which experts say must be done carefully with strict human oversight.

Efforts to speed up pothole patching and building permit approvals are also among six AI pilot projects revealed Friday in a bid to, among other things, reduce wait times, costs or pressure on staff.

“There are so many new tools of technology, including AI, that can provide an opportunity for the city to deliver better customer service to the citizens of Winnipeg,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “The goal is to enhance the services that citizens depend upon.”

Manitoba’s child-care inspection reports are no longer paper-based or kept in filing cabinets, but it would still take thousands of hours — and political will — for the province to make them public, the Free Press has found.

One expert said this suggests the province’s approach to record-keeping remains “archaic.” Meanwhile, the president of the Manitoba Child Care Association is calling on the provincial government to make the reports publicly available.

A judge has recommended Winnipeg police study less-lethal weapons used by other Canadian police forces, following an inquest into the fatal police shooting of a man with undiagnosed mental-health issues who was likely high on psychedelic mushrooms while he was in the midst of attacking his bloodied father with a knife.

Ah, summer.

Beaches, porches and the great outdoors. Hot days, glorious sunsets and lazy highway drives.

As we head into the July long weekend, we asked several Free Press writers to muse on a slice of a Manitoba summer, be it a destination, a distant memory or a sensory delight. It turns out we’re big fans of ice cream and rural movie joints.

The Winnipeg Jets have several pending unrestricted free agents as of July 1.

Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe tee up the free-agency frenzy by examining the roster’s current holes and what external options GM Kevin Cheveldayoff will have to fill then.