What’s happening today
Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press Files
Helping kids in crisis: The fight against street-level child sexual exploitation is getting a double boost: it was announced Tuesday the role of the Manitoba children’s advocate will expand to include thousands of children who will qualify for services for the first time; also, training sessions aimed at protecting children are running this week to bring together police, Child and Family Services agencies and non-profit Indigenous organizations. Larry Kusch and Katie May have stories. READ MORE
Ex-U of M student to be sentenced: A former University of Manitoba student convicted of aiding a terror plot in Afghanistan is scheduled to be sentenced today. A jury convicted Muhanad Al Farekh in a New York court last September of providing support to terrorists and other charges related to a 2009 explosion at a U.S. military base in Afghanistan.
Legislature resumes sitting: The provincial house will sit today at 1:30 and many eyes will be watching to see if former premier Greg Selinger makes a final farewell appearance. Selinger, who has said he will resign his St. Boniface seat today, decided to step down under pressure from NDP Leader Wab Kinew, after women came forward last month with accusations of sexual misconduct by former cabinet minister Stan Struthers while Selinger, and earlier Gary Doer, were premier. Larry Kusch and Nick Martin will be there.
Weather
Your forecast: The high will be -6 C today, although wind chill will make it feel like -25 in the morning. The overnight low will be -13.
In case you missed it
WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
Regulating restaurant patios: City council on Tuesday debated two separate items that would govern the behaviour of people on restaurant patios. A council committee defeated a bid to restrict the playing of loud music on outdoor patios, although Coun. Mike Pagtakhan says he will continue to try. Also, Winnipeg moved a step closer to banning smoking on such patios. Aldo Santin reports. READ MORE
Calling on Ottawa: Red River College is calling on the federal government to relax its deadline over the timing of completing a new downtown Innovation Centre. Ottawa wants the 100,000-square-foot centre to be completed by Nov. 30 of this year, and has tied its $41-million commitment to the project’s completion, a deadline the college says it’s unlikely to meet. RRC Paul Vogt said Manitoba’s lone federal cabinet minister, Jim Carr, has “given us hope that the federal government will see the importance of this project.” Larry Kusch reports. READ MORE
Around the water cooler
SUPPLIEDWinnipeg comedian Lara Rae.
Rants will abound: The Winnipeg chapter of Grands ‘n’ More is hosting an inaugural It’s OK to Rant! on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Park Theatre, collecting funds for orphans in sub-Saharan Africa. Anyone can rant by paying a $10 donation for three minutes, and there will also be celebrity ranters such as Lara Rae, Al Simmons, Sel Burrows, Shahina Siddiqui and Free Press humour columnist Doug Speirs. Speirs explains how he is readying his rant. READ MORE
Hat trick for Patrik Laine: Winnipeg Jets teenaged sniper Patrik Laine scored all three goals on Tuesday evening as Winnipeg beat New York Rangers 3-0. With 74 goals in his young career, Laine is nearing the list of other teenaged superstars in NHL history, such as Wayne Gretzky with 76 and Sidney Crosby with 75. Mike McIntyre is in New York. READ MORE
Trending now
#HappyBirthdayToronto: The Big Smoke turns 184 today.
On this date
On March 7, 1925: The Manitoba Free Press reported that Canadian miners were assured by government ministers that Canada’s mineral resources would be found to be the richest in the world; meanwhile, a miners’ strike in Nova Scotia continued in full force. Great Britain established a precedent under which its dominions, including Canada, Ireland, South Africa, and other countries, could appeal to the League of Nations in the event of disputes between them. READ MORE
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