Public Health Ontario reports first confirmed female case of monkeypox

Manitoba budget reveals province underspent on crucial departments related to justice, public safety

While concerns about homelessness and public safety continue to make headlines in Manitoba, the two government departments mainly responsible for addressing them came in under budget last year.

The 2025-26 public accounts, released Monday, show Housing, Addictions and Homelessness underspent its budget of $869 million by $18 million. Manitoba Justice underspent its budget of $994 million by $34 million.

The 247-page public accounts report attributes the underspending in justice mainly to “reduced impacts of contingency liabilities,” such as a court ruling or legal settlement.

The report did not explain how and why Housing, Addictions and Homelessness underspent its budget last year as the province addresses those critical issues.

Today’s horoscope

MOON ALERT: Caution. Avoid shopping (except food and gas) and important decisions from 3 a.m. until 10:55 p.m. After that, the moon moves from Aquarius into Pisces.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

There’s a moon alert all day so restrict spending to food and gas, and postpone important decisions. However, you are the artisan of the zodiac, and a moon alert is an excellent time for socializing and making art.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

Manitoba students able to opt out of classes with sensitive lessons on sex, drug use

Manitoba’s premier pledges to continue allowing parents to pull their kids from health class if content — be it related to human sexuality, substance use or otherwise — clashes with personal beliefs.

Wab Kinew said Tuesday the government’s overhaul of phys-ed and health curriculum in Manitoba schools won’t impact the ability for parents to opt-out of a lesson and deliver material as they see fit.

“As a parent, you are your child’s first and most important teacher and that will always be the case,” Kinew said, surrounded by hundreds of teenagers on the football field outside Kelvin High School during an announcement Tuesday.

More than 100 schools are taking part in a voluntary pilot project this fall. It’s the first systematic review of this curriculum in decades. The changes to kindergarten-to-Grade 12 courses will be mandated to all schools in September 2028.

Kinew, NDP rise to new heights in Free Press-Abacus Data poll; support for Khan, Tories falls further

Buoyed by a bump outside Winnipeg, support for Premier Wab Kinew’s NDP climbed to its highest level yet, while the Tories lost some ground.

Even dozen running for mayor as nomination deadline passes

It’s official — a dozen people are running to become Winnipeg’s next mayor.

The deadline to both register to run as a candidate in October’s municipal election and file nomination papers was 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The final list of mayoral candidates includes: incumbent Scott Gillingham, Kevin Klein, Brad Gross, Mazher Alam, Mike Vogiatzakis, Christopher Clacio, Umar Hayat, Don Woodstock, Joshua Pagdato, Johnny Calderon, Noah Redden, and Tracey Drexler.

A total of 17 had registered to run but several either withdrew or did not meet the requirements to continue. Those included: Zachary Uminski, Ed Ackerman, Gagandeep Bawa, Abdel-Kareem Chehadi and Joaquin Sandul.

Jets goaltender collects victory in first start for new team

He received the loudest ovation on the team before the puck had even been dropped, with chants of “Stuuuuu” ringing out inside Canada Life Centre during pre-game introductions.

And he heard the love time and time again — with each and every save, in fact — as the evening progressed.

Yes, the Stuart Skinner era is off to a strong start, as the new No. 1 man in net for the Winnipeg Jets made a great first impression on Monday in front of an announced crowd of 13,363.

Skinner stopped 31 of 32 shots he faced in a 3-1 pre-season victory for the Jets over a very young, inexperienced Colorado Avalanche squad.