Free Press Head Start for Aug. 24

Good morning.

The provincial Tories will choose a new leader and premier on Oct. 30, the party’s executive decided at a meeting last night. The entry fee is $25,000. The Sept. 15 deadline to enter the race is only five days before the federal election, which could be a factor for anyone planning to run in both contests. In his latest column, Dan Lett says the only declared candidate is treating the leadership race like a palace coup. Earlier Monday, Premier Brian Pallister spoke publicly for the first time since he announced he would be stepping down before the next election.

A display home that struck a highway sign while being moved, and earlier led to a charge being laid after trees in its path were cut down in Charleswood, has finally reached its destination.

The man known as the Abbotsford Killer, whose brutal crime and brazen taunts terrorized the British Columbia city in the mid-1990s and made national headlines, has died in prison. Terry Driver attacked two teenage girls in October 1995, killing one. The survivor went into hiding with her family as the killer made threats and mocked police. He removed the headstone of victim Tanya Smith, put a message on it that included the words “She won’t be the last,” and left it on the hood of a radio station’s vehicle. Driver was arrested after his family recognized his voice on a recording released by police.

— Adam Treusch, assignment editor

What’s happening today

Dr. Brent Roussin at a news conference earlier this month. (Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Pandemic health restrictions: Manitoba health officials — who usually hold COVID-19 news conferences on Mondays — will hold another this morning to “discuss some of the public health restrictions and measures moving forward,” chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin said. Pallister will join Roussin at the 11:30 a.m. news conference on “COVID-19 vaccine initiatives.” Dr. Jazz Atwal will speak about the province’s pandemic modelling at 2 p.m. READ MORE

Federal election campaign: All three main party leaders are in Ontario. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make a Liberal announcement in Hamilton. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh will make an announcement on long-term care in Mississauga. Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole will make a morning announcement in Ottawa. The Canadian Press reports. READ MORE

Talking Taliban: Group of Seven leaders are holding a virtual meeting on the situation in Afghanistan. The G7 leaders met only two months ago, in their first in-person summit in two years. READ MORE

Games get underway: The Paralympic Games officially opened in Tokyo as Japan deals with record COVID-19 cases. READ MORE

Weather

Your forecast: Cloudy with rain beginning later this morning — 5 to 10 mm — and risk of a thunderstorm, with a high of 18 C and peak winds from the east at 20 km/h.

In case you missed it

Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole speaks to the media Monday, August 23, 2021 in Ottawa. Canadians will vote in a federal election Sept. 20th. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Telephone town hall: O’Toole held an election campaign event for Manitoba voters last night. Answering questions that were generally favourable to his party, he explained his plans for the economy and referred to the year he lived in Winnipeg while serving in the Air Force. Cody Sellar reports. READ MORE

Possible poisonings: Authorities in western Germany have launched an investigation into suspicions of attempted murder. Seven people received medical treatment after showing symptoms of poisoning at a university south of Frankfurt. READ MORE

Record deaths in Iran: Iran reported its highest single-day COVID-19 death toll of the pandemic Monday with 709, breaking a record set Sunday. The Associated Press reports. READ MORE

On this date

On Aug. 24, 1927: The Manitoba Free Press reported that flares spotted on the slope of Mauna Kea spurred hope of finding at least one of the planes that had gone missing over Hawaii as part of the Dole air race. In Winnipeg, 2,700 workers from the Maritimes arrived to help with Prairie harvests both in Manitoba and farther west. U.S. president Calvin Coolidge was said to favour Herber Hoover as the Republican candidate for the presidency.

Today’s front page

Get the full story: Read today’s e-edition of the Winnipeg Free Press READ MORE

Head Start