Province issues reminder about free birth control policy

Maple leaf love: Albertans vote strongly to stay in Canada

EDMONTON - O Canada, Alberta is staying put.

In a historic referendum Monday, voters marked their ballots in overwhelming numbers to remain in the country that made Alberta a province 121 years ago.

In early returns, about 76 per cent of Albertans said yes to Confederation, while 24 per cent said they wanted the province to hold a second, binding referendum on leaving.

Both Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney lauded the result.

Winnipeg soldiers help search and rescue efforts in Wainwright

Eleven military search and rescue technicians from Winnipeg were deployed to Wainwright, Alta. following a fire that killed four military members and injured 39 others during a live-fire training exercise Saturday.

It was the largest mobilization of SAR Techs, elite primary-care paramedics in the Royal Canadian Air Force, in recent memory, a military spokesperson told the Free Press.

Every search and rescue technician available from 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron, located at 17 Wing Winnipeg — even those off duty — were sent to Wainwright.

The technicians, who have special training to jump from aircraft into extreme environments, parachuted onto the scene from a CC-130H Hercules airplane to provide care for those injured in the fast-moving grass fire that engulfed a training area at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright.

Grifols plasma collection centre reopens after temporary shutdown

A Grifols plasma donation centre in south Winnipeg reopened Tuesday as part of the company’s phased return of operations, while a second location remains closed after its licence was suspended.

The Spain-based company has faced scrutiny after two people died following donations at Grifols’ sites on Taylor Avenue and Innovation Drive. The latter location is open again.

Health Canada suspended the Taylor location’s licence Sept. 23, saying the company failed to effectively implement corrective and preventive actions, and did not demonstrate that the centre has an effective quality management system.

Grifols voluntarily closed all of its clinics, including those in Winnipeg, in August. The Innovation Drive location’s licence was not suspended.

Winnipeg: Home of IG’s past and future

Shortly after IG Wealth Management was established in Canada, our founders chose Winnipeg as the home of our young, ambitious company.

Surprising announcement opens door slightly for accountability in police HQ saga

Early Monday afternoon, it looked as if former Mayor Sam Katz, former chief administrative officer Phil Sheegl and contractor Armik Babakhanians were going to finally and successfully escape the long arm of the law for their roles in the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters scandal.

Klein says union’s attack ads are ‘dirty politics’

Mayoral candidate Kevin Klein said attack ads from Winnipeg’s largest union are an example of “dirty politics” and verge on United States-style campaigning.

The pamphlets, signed by the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500, show a United States flag draped behind Klein, with text stating he has sided with “the broader alt-right political movement” and defends the U.S.

“As Canadians we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard. This is not the politics that we have experienced in the City of Winnipeg. This is not the type of politics we want to experience in Canada,” he said during a Tuesday news conference at his campaign headquarters.

He called on incumbent candidate Scott Gillingham to denounce the ads and reject the union’s campaign support.