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Free Press Head Start for April 15, 2026

Good morning.

Black Bear Rescue Manitoba is offering a $10,000 reward in relation to the shooting of a mother black bear that resulted in three cubs being orphaned. Morgan Modjeski has the story.

Minutes after he was arrested for sexually assaulting an Indigenous woman in his home, a Winnipeg man facing deportation boasted to police that Canadian laws didn’t apply to him and threatened to drive the victim to the edge of the city and leave her to freeze. Dean Pritchard reports.

A four-year-old boy is in stable condition in hospital after being pulled out of a creek by his mother near the family’s home southeast of Winkler. Scott Billeck has more here.

— David Fuller

 

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Your forecast

Mainly sunny, with wind from the south at 20 km/h increasing to 40 gusting to 60 this morning. High 18 C. UV index 5 or moderate. A special weather statement is in effect as a late season winter storm is poised to impact southern Manitoba beginning overnight Wednesday night through Thursday.


The Manitoba government warned Tuesday Peguis First Nation will likely need to be evacuated owing to the severe risk of flooding and it called on public servants to help.

“It’s a bit of an all-hands-on-deck situation,” Lisa Naylor, minister of transportation and infrastructure, said Tuesday. Read the full story here.

Transportation and infrastructure minister Lisa Naylor said an evacuation of Peguis First Nation is likely. (Mikaela MacKenize / Free Press files)

Transportation and infrastructure minister Lisa Naylor said an evacuation of Peguis First Nation is likely. (Mikaela MacKenize / Free Press files)

What’s happening today

📚 The Wild & Wonderful Words reading series returns to Sookram’s Brewing Co. (479-B Warsaw St.), hosted as always by author (and Free Press reviewer) Sheldon Birnie, and will feature Catherine Hunter, M.M. Deluca, Sean Trinder and Sarah Higgins reading selections from their writing. The readings kick off at 7 p.m.

Today’s must-read

What began as a quiet departure has rapidly snowballed into a tangled web of contradictions for the Manitoba government.

The controversy around the dismissal of the province’s original independent commissioner of teacher professional conduct deepened Tuesday, as Bobbi Taillefer released her side of the story behind her sudden exit.

Taillefer, who publicly left the role last week after the Free Press revealed she was working remotely from Florida, broke her silence in a written statement that directly challenges the narrative put forward by Premier Wab Kinew. Jeff Hamilton has the story.

Manitoba’s former commissioner of teacher professional conduct, Bobbi Taillefer.(Ruth Bonneville / Free Press files)

Manitoba’s former commissioner of teacher professional conduct, Bobbi Taillefer.(Ruth Bonneville / Free Press files)

On the bright side

Canadian picture book author-illustrator Jon Klassen has won the 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, presented annually by the Swedish Arts Council and considered one of the richest literary prizes in the world.

The award — named after the late Swedish children’s author and is presented to “a person or organization for their outstanding contribution to children’s and young adult literature” — is worth five million Swedish krona, or about $749,000.

Klassen was born in Winnipeg, grew up in Niagara Falls, Ont., and now lives in Los Angeles. Read the full story here.

Jon Klassen (Supplied)

Jon Klassen (Supplied)

On this date

On April 15, 1941: The Winnipeg Free Press reported in Greece, German attacks on the British-held right flank of the Allied line were repulsed but the Nazis were advancing on the left after taking Phlorina. A severe earthquake hit Mexico City. In Manitoba, rising waters on the Red and Assiniboine rivers led to flooding basements in St. James.

Today’s front page

Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Free Press.

 
 

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Top news

The Associated Press:

The Latest: US blockade of Iranian ports ‘fully implemented’ as Trump says war is near end

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday claimed that China has agreed not to provide weapons to Iran as reports circulate that Beijing has considered transferring arms. China’s Foreign Minis... Read More

 

Malak Abas:

City staff get jump on spring homeless camp inspections

The city has ramped up its enforcement of homeless camps during the first spring since it banned them in many public spaces, including near schools and playgrounds. “As we move into the springtime,... Read More

 

Kevin Rollason:

Matriarch of Richardson family dies at 99

Awarded Order of Canada in 2003 for philanthropic endeavours Read More

 

Chris Kitching:

Holocaust survivors, family members mark solemn day by remembering not to forget

Rob Berkowits carries a black and white photo in his wallet — of his father, Alex, and fellow prisoners in a Nazi Germany concentration camp — as a constant reminder the challenges in his life are small. Read More

 

Joyanne Pursaga:

Caspian’s invoice requests raised police HQ subcontractor’s suspicions, inquiry told

“I’ve been in this business for (about 50) years and I’ve had hard contractors to deal with but something like this doesn’t happen,” says contractor Read More

 
 
 

New in Sports

Mike McIntyre:

Comrie keeps it close for Jets

Fall to Mammoth in final road game Read More

 

Taylor Allen:

No rust on Team Kurz

Capped off undefeated week by capturing provincial mixed curling crown Read More

 
 

New in Arts and Entertainment

Ben Waldman:

Tour de force

Story of first women to cycle around the world a freewheeling, perilous trek Read More

 

Randall King:

Unique distribution model benefits local filmmaker’s found-footage flick

Sneaking into Winnipeg’s Scotiabank Polo Park cinema last weekend like a cunning, silent demon, the low-budget horror film Hunting Matthew Nichols managed to succeed, reaping more than double its budget throughout North America thanks in large part to actor-director Markian Tarasiuk. Read More

 

Conrad Sweatman:

Fest’s films inspire dialogue about space, community

Architecture + Design Film Festival surely boasts some of Winnipeg’s sleekest festival branding. Read More

 
 

New in Business

Gabrielle Piché:

Promoting province on Parliament Hill

‘Exciting and opportune moment’: Manitoba delegation pitches Port of Churchill, CentrePort Canada advantages Read More

 
 

Craig Lord, The Canadian Press:

Liberals plan to suspend federal fuel excise tax until Labour Day

OTTAWA - The federal Liberals say suspending some taxes on fuel is a "responsible" way to tame prices at the pumps, while the Conservatives accuse the government of taking half-measures as the Iran wa... Read More

 
 

Fresh opinions

Tom Brodbeck:

NDP’s bold campaign promise is one it alone cannot keep

The Manitoba NDP made an ambitious promise during the 2023 provincial election: end chronic homelessness within two terms of government. It was bold, compassionate and politically popular. It is al... Read More

 

Editorial:

Pierre Poilievre’s latest bad day

As expected, the Tories went zero for three in Monday’s federal byelections, meaning that the federal Liberals, through a combination of byelection wins and floor-crossings, have managed to turn their minority government into a clear majority. Read More

 

Peter McKenna:

Free trade in South America: not without issues

Will Canada feel the warmth from its South American friends? Well, at least the easy part is over. The real work begins this month. Read More

 
 

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