What you need to know
JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILESThe lack of shock over former Manitoba NDP finance minister Stan Struthers’ inappropriate behaviour is no surprise.
‘People knew’: More allegations of unwanted touching and attempted groping by former NDP cabinet minister Stan Struthers emerged Thursday. Shannon VanRaes, a former press secretary, says Struthers tried to group her twice. Meanwhile, a former cabinet minister told the Free Press Struthers touched her without her permission. Kevin Rollason and Nick Martin report. READ MORE
Grand start to games: The 2018 Winter Olympics officially began in Pyeongchang, South Korea, when the opening ceremony started early this morning. Canada’s team entered the open-air stadium at about 6 a.m. CT, led by flag bearers and ice dance duo Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. READ MORE
Short shutdown: A shutdown of the U.S. federal government ended early this morning after about five and a half hours, with both houses of Congress voting to pass a $400-billion budget deal. The funding freeze was the second in three weeks. Before this year, there had only been one federal shutdown since 1996. READ MORE
Weather
Your forecast: Today will be sunny with a high of -13 C, wind at 30 km/h this morning, and a wind chill of -40 this morning and -29 in the afternoon.
In case you missed it
Indigenous Manitoba senator Murray Sinclair says he’s been regularly subjected to police traffic stops. (Adrian Wyld / The Canadian Press files)
Senator stopped by cops: Sen. Murray Sinclair has revealed a troubling history of traffic stops, raising the possibility he’s been the target of racial profiling. Manitoba’s first Indigenous judge made the comments during a Senate committee discussion about Bill C-46, which amends impaired-driving laws. Dylan Robertson reports. READ MORE
Around the water cooler
BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESSBlake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele at practice today at MTS Bell Place. Mark Scheifele may return to the Winnipeg Jets lineup Friday night.
Battle with the Blues: The Jets play the St. Louis Blues at 7 p.m. at Bell MTS Place. With centre Mark Scheifele likely returning to the home team’s lineup tonight, columnist Scott Campbell says Blake Wheeler should return to his natural right-wing spot. READ MORE
Misconduct now the norm: Columnist Dan Lett says the allegations against former NDP cabinet minister Stan Strutters are not surprising. “Any time you have an organization where alpha males hold most of the power, and where women are excluded from positions of authority, you are going to have acts of sexually inappropriate behaviour,” he writes. READ MORE
Trending now
MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILESManitoba Moose goaltender Eric Comrie has been called up to serve as backup to Connor Hellebuyck.
Eric Comrie: Manitoba Moose goalie Eric Comrie was called up Thursday afternoon to the Winnipeg Jets after Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson suffered a concussion after taking a deflected shot to the mask. Comrie will act as backup to Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Mike McIntyre reports. READ MORE
On this date
On Feb. 9, 1983: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that a judge dismissed claims by Alladin Enterprises, the makers of an electric “bug zapper” product, that University of Manitoba professor Dr. Michael Hamid and the university had induced them into a doomed commercial venture that had cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars; Alladin Enterprises had sought more than $500,000 in damages and lost investment. Residents were angered by anti-French graffiti in St. Boniface. Winnipeg’s spending on promotion for economic development was among the lowest in Canada, according to a poll of major Canadian cities. READ MORE
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