What’s happening today
RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSManitoba Premier, Brian Pallister was criticized after warning last week that a federal recommendation to prioritize Indigenous communities would put other Manitobans “at the back of the line” for the vaccine.
Vaccine rollout to be revealed: Premier Brian Pallister said his government will announce details today about who will get the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. A federal advisory body has suggested care home workers and residents should get the vaccine first. Dylan Robertson reports. READ MORE
Focus on economic forecast: The Bank of Canada is set to make an announcement about interest rates. With the key policy rate expected to remain at its low level, observers are wondering whether the earlier-than-expected arrival of COVID-19 vaccines will change the central bank’s economic forecast. The Canadian Press reports. READ MORE
COVID-19 crisis: Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief public health officer, will announce the latest COVID-19 numbers. The provincial government announced 13 deaths and the lowest new case numbers in more than two weeks on Tuesday. Danielle Da Silva reports. READ MORE
Weather
Your forecast: Sunny this morning and increasingly cloudy this afternoon, with a high of 5 C, a daytime low of -3 C, wind chill as low as -9 and wind from the west at 20 km/h this morning. The average high for today’s date is -8.3 C. A special weather statement from Environment Canada says snow mixed with freezing rain will begin tonight and continue early Thursday morning. READ MORE
In case you missed it
JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSJudith Anderson volunteers at the province’s COVID-19 call centre twice a week calling and checking in with people who are COVID-19 positive or are isolating.
Working the phones: The Free Press spoke with one of the dozens of volunteers making calls to check on people who have COVID-19 or are isolating after being in contact with someone who does. Retired professor Judith Anderson said she will help for as long as she is needed. “This is kind of like getting little hugs for me,” she said. “You’re helping the public and, in the end, the public is us.” Kevin Rollason reports. READ MORE
Siblings suffer another tragedy: Four brothers whose parents were killed in a highway crash 10 years ago are mourning the death of a fifth brother. Jarret Dubois, 24, died from complications of COVID-19 last week. Dubois, who was paralyzed from the waist down after the collision, is among the youngest Manitobans to die from COVID-19. Jason Bell reports. READ MORE
Religious items reinstated: The province announced Tuesday it is relaxing public health orders to allow drive-in faith services and the sale of seasonal decorations and religious items. The change will come too late for some Jewish families to buy candles before Hanukkah begins at sundown Thursday, Brenda Suderman reports. READ MORE
Man linked to Mathews sentenced: A Maryland man who was a member of a white supremacist group was sentenced to five years in prison for transporting and harbouring former military reservist Patrik Mathews, Mathews, a Manitoban who is accused of illegally sneaking into the U.S. and plotting violence, is facing charges in Maryland and Delaware. READ MORE
On this date
On Dec. 9, 1996: THe Winnipeg Free Press reported that four members of a family were killed in a car accident on Highway 59 Saturday afternoon; city hall was looking at a bill of about $10 million to change computer software to handle the move to the year 2000; and residents of Pinawa decided to throw themselves a gala Christmas party after worrying about the future of the Whiteshell laboratory.
Today’s front page
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