The Wrap
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Airline complaints, fatal fire, ongoing power outage, vehicle break-ins, Olympic men’s hockey team
Plus: We look back at some of our best stories of 2025

Good evening.

Tomorrow is New Year’s Day. The Free Press does not publish a print edition, but you can catch up on the score for tonight’s Jets game and other breaking news on our website. This newsletter is taking New Year’s Day off and will return to your inbox on Friday.

Here’s a look at what our newsroom has been working on today:

 

'It's been almost two years'

Chris Kitching:

Complaints take flight

Winnipeggers up in arms as wait for compensation ruling stretches nearly two years amid airline regulator’s 88,000-case backlog Read More

 
 
 

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'We had 12 firefighters at the scene within eight minutes'

Malak Abas:

Fire chief defends response time to fatal Nassau Street blaze

Winnipeg’s fire chief is defending the emergency response to a fatal house fire on Nassau Street Monday after a union official predicted more tragedies unless the city increases firefighter numbers. On Wednesday, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Chief Christian Schmidt said while the full complement of vehicles arrived at the scene within 16 minutes, the first crew got to the burning home at 1:10 p.m., just six minutes after receiving the call. Read More

 
 

'We are in a life and death matter right now'

Scott Billeck:

‘Life and death’: Pimicikamak leaders plead for help as power outage reaches third day

Leaders of a northern First Nation have questioned why they are forced to plead for assistance following a power outage Sunday that triggered evacuations from their community. “We are in a life-and-death matter right now back home,” said an emotional Shirley Robinson, a councillor at Pimicikamak Cree Nation, as she sat next to Chief David Monias and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak Grand Chief Garrison Settee at a news conference Wednesday. Read More

 
 

'It's a crime of opportunity'

Erik Pindera:

‘Keep your car bare’

The scourge of theft from vehicles hits hard for many Winnipeggers Read More

 
 

'Heck of a hockey player'

Ken Wiebe:

Jets’ Morrissey joins two Manitobans on Team Canada

Josh Morrissey is getting another opportunity to represent his country. Only this time, it will be on the grandest stage. Read More

 
 
 

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Local

Maggie Macintosh: ‘Our language is alive’: U of W launches Anishinaabemowin degree program
Chris Kitching: Province pushes Ottawa for ‘swift’ response to request for military help from First Nation
Joyanne Pursaga: Alleged construction issues at city water plant cost $47M to fix
Nicole Buffie: St. James resident fumes over icy, bumpy streets after parking bans ignored
Malak Abas: Jail doors open at McCreary RCMP detachment turned vacation rental
Free Press staff: Dakota community club adds accessible ramps
Dean Pritchard: Woman imprisoned for catastrophic neglect that left son on ‘cusp of death’
Tyler Searle: Province slashes number of private nursing agencies filling vacant shifts at public facilities
Scott Billeck: Police investigate after swastika spray-painted at Kelvin High School
Erik Pindera: City records lowest number of homicides in more than two decades in 2025
 

Opinion

Tom Brodbeck: Manitobans have heard NDP promises; now they want results
Dan Lett: Feeling somewhat fresh, optimistic after washing off the stench of 2025
David McLaughlin: Resilience: Prime Minister Mark Carney’s favourite word
Maureen Scurfield: Longing for lasting love, not Christmas crushes
Dan Lett: Carney’s response a concern after Trump goes looting in South America
Peter McKenna: Is Trump channelling James Monroe?
Jerry Storie: Defending Canada’s notwithstanding clause
Editorial: Venezuela, in Donald Trump’s own words
Erna Buffie: Who calls the shots on city land use?
Deborah Schnitzer: Accepting a difficult gift in the face of overwhelming loss
 

Arts & Life

Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press: ‘Wrong Husband’ and ‘Blue Heron’ among TIFF’s picks for best Canadian films of 2025
Andrew Dalton And Jonathan Mattise, The Associated Press: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are officially divorced after 19 years of marriage
Jen Zoratti: Series continues to mine later-life feminine reality for laughs, insight
Georgia Nicols: Today’s horoscope
Eva Wasney: While difficult stories dominated news feeds, caring and community were everywhere this year
Reviewed by David Jón Fuller: Voices of resistance to dystopian forces coalesce in collection’s stories, essays
Elise Ryan, The Associated Press: A new Grammy category honors album covers, and the artists that make them
The Associated Press: The Golden Globes are this week. Here’s what to know about the first major show of awards season
AV Kitching: Family from the Democratic Republic of Congo navigates chilly firsts alongside IRCOM supports
Kevin Rollason: These stars shone their last in 2025
 

Sports

Mike McIntyre: Winnipegger Stone honoured to get Olympic call
Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press: NASCAR commissioner Steve Phelps resigns after inflammatory texts revealed in trial
David Brandt, The Associated Press: NFL playoff guide: How to watch, betting favorites and some of the top storylines
Joshua Frey-Sam: Bombers release Kolankowski, re-sign Schmekel; Jackson signs with Stamps
Thomas Friesen: Peterson rink wins Manitoba to earn spot in Scotties Tournament of Hearts
Taylor Allen: Grand Slam of Curling returns to Manitoba Tuesday with Players’ Championship
Mike McIntyre: Jets look to climb out of league’s basement during homestand
Mike McIntyre: Jets GM continues to preach patience despite club’s basement status
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press: ‘It sucks’: Canada falls to Czechia in medal round for third straight world juniors
Pat Graham, The Associated Press: A brand new Olympic sport, ski mountaineering, will debut at the Milan Cortina Games
 

Business

Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press: Stock markets in Canada, U.S. reach new highs amid continued focus on Venezuela
Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press: Alberta launches website for potential new West Coast oil pipeline
Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press: Air Transat pilots approve new contract that locks in big gains
Michael Liedtke, The Associated Press: Trump Mobile’s golden phone remains nowhere to be found
Malak Abas: Check out the renovated Langside Grocery
Aaron Epp: Manitoba premium simulator company real slice of Golf Haven
Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press: Canadian, U.S. markets rise after raid on Venezuela as oil market comes into focus
Nicole Buffie: Downtown restaurant owners hit by serial arsonist plan to reopen with better security
Aaron Epp: Flicks Cinema enters sixth decade as Stonewall amenity with new energy, new ownership
Aaron Epp: The Forks Market to serve up second helping of Sharecuterie
 

Canada

The Canadian Press: B.C. lawsuit alleges 3 former Denny’s employees stole thousands in tips
Craig Lord, The Canadian Press: Canada co-signs pact to help secure Ukraine after an eventual peace deal
Nono Shen, The Canadian Press: ‘Would you dare take it?’: Critics fear B.C. is deregulating Chinese medicine
David Baxter, The Canadian Press: Carney says Freeland’s resignation is ‘consistent’ with taking Ukraine adviser role
The Canadian Press, The Canadian Press: Carney meets with Danish PM as U.S. ramps up talk of taking over Greenland
Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press: Five ways U.S. intervention in Venezuela could affect Canada
Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press: Doctors fear CDC vaccine recommendation changes will fuel vaccine hesitancy in Canada
The Canadian Press: Quebec Superior Court approves class action against Ticketmaster over service fees
The Canadian Press: Man appears in court in connection with shootout involving police in Nunavik
Craig Lord, The Canadian Press: Carney arrives in Paris for talks with Ukraine’s allies about security guarantees
 

World

Olivia Diaz, The Associated Press: Spanberger says she’s still digesting significance of becoming 1st woman elected Virginia governor
The Associated Press: CIA turncoat Aldrich Ames, who sold US secrets to the Soviets, dies in prison at 84
The Associated Press: Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Ronald Reagan, dies at 80
Leah Willingham And Michael Casey, The Associated Press: Shooter who killed Brown students and MIT professor planned attack for years, DOJ says
Juan Pablo Arraez And Matias Delacroix, The Associated Press: Behind the photo: How a woman running from US bombs in Venezuela captured the night’s fear and chaos
Josh Funk, The Associated Press: Alaska Airlines pilot who safely landed plane after panel blew out says Boeing unfairly blamed him
Julia Frankel And Abby Sewell, The Associated Press: Israel clears final hurdle to start settlement construction that would cut the West Bank in two
Regina Garcia Cano, Aamer Madhani And Megan Janetsky, The Associated Press: Trump says US to get 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil from Venezuela at market price
Geoff Mulvihill And Moriah Balingit, The Associated Press: Trump administration says it’s withholding social safety net money from 5 states over fraud concerns
Rebecca Santana And Mike Balsamo, The Associated Press: Homeland Security plans 2,000 officers in Minnesota for its ‘largest immigration operation ever’
 

Try our Year-End News Quiz!

Test your news savvy with 12 questions about local events in 2025.

2025: The Year In News Quiz

Twelve questions — one per month — about the news in 2025. Take the quiz

 
 
 

One last thing...

As 2026 approaches, we’re looking back at some of the best Free Press writing in 2025.

Churchill hosts Canada’s northernmost deepwater port, where ship traffic has ebbed and flowed for nearly 100 years. It’s the last stop on a famous rail line that cuts through ice, forest, permafrost, tundra, muskeg and craton, all the way up from Winnipeg.

In April, Conrad Sweatman looked at role the town of 1,000 could play as a global trade hub, opening access to markets at a time when trade relations with our southern neighbours are going south.

 

Conrad Sweatman:

From discarded depot to important port?

As defence of Arctic sovereignty re-emerges amid shifting trade alliances, Churchill could play a key role globally with its deepwater seaport Read More

 
 

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