Pride and power in place

B.C. Conservative’s Lorne Doerkson sets out urgent priorities to govern

VANCOUVER - British Columbia's premier-designate Lorne Doerkson's long to-do list includes lowering taxes, while reviewing the provincial finances, working with Alberta and the federal government on the proposed Pacific Link pipeline and repealing Indigenous legislation.

Doerkson laid out his priorities at a news conference Sunday, just hours after his party was elected with about two-thirds of the province's 93 seats in the legislature.

He said he has spoken to the lieutenant-governor and named Kim Henderson, a former deputy to the premier to previous Liberal governments, to lead his transition team.

"We are going to do this properly, and we are going to do it with obviously some urgency," he said. "When this government is sworn in, it will be ready on Day 1, and it will hit the ground running."

Air force pays tribute to retiring CC-130H Hercules planes

Royal Canadian Air Force personnel in Winnipeg bid farewell Saturday to the military branch’s last remaining CC-130H Hercules planes — “workhorses” that crews flew in seemingly countless combat, rescue and transport operations.

The federal government is phasing out Canada’s fleet of CC-130H Hercules aircraft, which entered service in 1974, in favour of modern planes, including the CC-295 Kingfisher, which will be used for search-and-rescue operations out of 17 Wing Winnipeg as of November.

“It’s really part of our family and one of us. This was the backbone of a lot of things that we do here out of Winnipeg,” Col. Curtis Wright, commander of 17 Wing Winnipeg, said of the “mighty Herc” after a retirement ceremony and a flypast.

The 435 Transport Search and Rescue Squadron, based at 17 Wing Winnipeg, is the final RCAF unit to fly the CC-130H Hercules. Two Winnipeg-based planes are still being flown. They will be taken out of service Nov. 1 and Nov. 18, Wright said.

Is the student or the system falling short?

One night at bedtime, a 10-year-old looked at her mother with tears in her eyes and said, “Mom, I think I’m stupid.”

Connor Hellebuyck breaks silence after trade from Jets

It took until the very end of his introductory news conference Saturday — right around the 15-minute mark — before Connor Hellebuyck was finally asked the question that hockey fans back in Winnipeg were likely waiting for.

“Is there anything you’d like to say to Jets fans?” a reporter who covers Hellebuyck’s new team, the New Jersey Devils, put to him during the session held inside the Prudential Center in Newark.

A short pause followed.

“I mean, there’s a lot. There’s a lot that I need to say,” Hellebuyck began, no doubt raising plenty of eyebrows around here and the hockey world in general.

School division’s mental-health liaison helps students in crisis access help faster

A youth experiencing a mental-health crisis at a River East Transcona school was connected with specialized care within hours this fall, offering an early example of how a new partnership is helping students in distress.

After the teen made statements that raised safety concerns, school administrators contacted a newly appointed mental-health crisis liaison, who arrived within 30 minutes, assessed the situation and met with the student, their family and school staff.

By the end of the morning, the student was admitted to a crisis stabilization unit for several days, and arrangements were made for followup therapy.

The intervention was possible because of a pilot partnership between RETSD and The Link: Youth and Family Supports, which began at the start of the school year.

Memorable Jets debut for Mercer

It didn’t take Dawson Mercer long to find out what a friendly Manitoba reception looks — and sounds – like.

The newest member of the Winnipeg Jets was taken aback when the public address announcer singled him out on the walk to the ice at Princess Auto Stadium, prompting the crowd to provide a warm ovation for Mercer prior to the 2026 Heritage Classic game with the Montreal Canadiens.

“It kind of caught me off guard when I got introduced when I was walking out there, so that was pretty good to get that welcome,” said Mercer, who was acquired from the New Jersey Devils in Friday’s blockbuster deal for Connor Hellebuyck. “Having the Jets flyover was pretty sick. That was pretty memorable also.”

Although he was held off the scoresheet in Sunday’s 2-1 loss, Mercer made a favourable first impression, taking 20 shifts for 15:22 of ice time, recording two shots on goal and a blocked shot while skating alongside captain Adam Lowry and Isak Rosen (who scored the lone goal for the Jets).