Head Start
Winnipeg Free Press Logo
 

Free Press Head Start for May 8, 2026

Good morning.

A 74-year-old convicted killer from Manitoba, who is among Canada’s longest-serving prisoners, is getting a chance at freedom after more than 50 years. Erik Pindera has the story.

She’s been in and out of jail for more than three years after placing hundreds of bogus calls to crisis lines and emergency services and costing the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in wasted resources. On Thursday, the 73-year-old woman was back in jail as she appeared by video before the same judge who had sentenced her to custody just four months ago. Dean Pritchard reports.

Premier Wab Kinew has asked Speaker Tom Lindsey to reverse his decision to ban MLAs from calling each other five words — “bigot,” “homophobe,” “racist,” “misogynist” or “transphobe” — while in the chamber of the legislature. Chris Kitching has more here.

— David Fuller

 

 

Advertisement

Iced drink with lime on a wooden surface beside the Savour Manitoba magazine cover.
 

Your forecast

Clearing this morning. Wind becoming northwest at 30 km/h early this afternoon. High 13 C. UV index 5 or moderate.

What’s happening today

🎸 Catch The Bonaduces at the West End Cultural Centre, 586 Ellice Ave., tonight at 8 p.m. alongside Winnipeg folk-punk artist Greg Rekus and grunge-pop outfit Mise en Scene. Tickets $25 to $30, available online.

The Bonaduces (John Woods / Free Press files)

The Bonaduces (John Woods / Free Press files)

Today’s must-read

Canada’s vast landscape, which boasts 20 per cent of the world’s freshwater, a quarter of global wetlands and 28 per cent of its boreal forests, is critical to its economy. Natural resource industries — forests, farms, fisheries, mining and oil and gas — together make up approximately seven per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product.

Tension exists between expanding these industrialized sectors and protecting the ecosystems on which they depend.

In Manitoba, some worry protecting the Seal River Watershed, which spans more than 50,000 square kilometres in the province’s north, will hinder opportunities in mineral resources and hydro.

An aerial view of some of the forest that borders the Nelson River northeast of Gillam. (Tim Smith for The Narwhal)

An aerial view of some of the forest that borders the Nelson River northeast of Gillam. (Tim Smith for The Narwhal)

These tensions make it easy to frame nature as the antithesis of economic activity, if it’s always put in opposition to projects that are described as growing Canada’s wealth, sovereignty and security.

But a growing chorus of economic and policy leaders, alongside conservation groups, are making the case for nature to be seen as a critical financial asset — not a barrier, but another opportunity for economic growth. Julia-Simone Rutgers has the story.

On the bright side

Three Winnipeg restaurants have made it into the annual Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list.

Mandel Hitzer’s Deer + Almond and Emily Butcher’s Nola, both which appeared last year, retained their spots but dropped down in placing. New opening Peacock by Ed Lam and Esther Lo — which replaced the pair’s much-loved sushi restaurant Yujiro in February — was 68th on the list. AV Kitching has more here.

Nola owner Emily Butcher (John Woods / Free Press files)

Nola owner Emily Butcher (John Woods / Free Press files)

On this date

On May 8, 1974: The Winnipeg Free Press reported in Washington, D.C., White House lawyer James St. Clair told a U.S. district judge that president Richard Nixon would turn over no more tapes regarding the Watergate political espionage scandal. In Ottawa, the Trudeau government would face Parliament in what appeared certain defeat on its budget, which would set the stage for a July 8 federal election.

Today’s front page

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

 
 

Advertisement

Savour Manitoba Spring issue cover featuring colourful mixed drinks on a table.
 

Top news

Scott Billeck:

The thousand-yard stares of Winnipeg’s drug crisis

Exhausted outreach workers add ‘paramedic’ to their list of duties as ODs spike Read More

 

Nicole Buffie:

Agape Table expansion underscores surging food demand

Food banks and non-profit organizations across Manitoba are expanding their spaces to meet record demand for food. Agape Table showed off its new 10,500-square foot home at 350 Furby St. Thursday, ... Read More

 

Gabrielle Piché:

Manitoba declares public health emergency over HIV rising rates

Cases more than three times higher than rest of Canada Read More

 

Carol Sanders:

Proposed law to drop PST from food set for rough ride in legislature

The NDP’s budget bill, which will remove the PST on additional food items sold at grocery and convenience stores starting July 1, was introduced in the legislature Thursday. Read More

 

Tyler Searle:

Body pulled from West End drug house after fire; owner was in process of evicting tenants

The owner of a troubled rental property on Langside Street was stunned to learn that a fire ripped through the home Thursday morning, killing at least one person. The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Servic... Read More

 
 
 

New in Sports

Taylor Allen:

Thorne has a backup plan

Bombers job could mess with plans to host Super Bowl MVP Read More

 

Joshua Frey-Sam:

‘Always stay ready’

Sea Bears’ Warren prepared for second stint in CEBL that tips off against former team Read More

 

Mike McIntyre:

‘A shock and a surprise’

Sportswriter Campbell gets call to Manitoba Golf Hall Read More

 

Ken Wiebe:

‘Just excited to get the puck dropped’

Moose ready for Game 4 showdown against Griffins Read More

 
 

New in Arts and Entertainment

Conrad Sweatman:

Consummate clarinetist

Esteemed musician’s performance will cap WSO season finale Read More

 

Jen Zoratti:

Novel’s narrative built on memory’s fallible foundation

We like to think we remember things exactly as they happened, exactly as they were. But memories can be slippery. They can be fragmented. Can they ever really be relied upon? Winnipeg author M.C. J... Read More

 

Conrad Sweatman:

Larry Desrochers wins Manitoba Arts Award of Distinction

Local arts leader Larry Desrochers takes home the prestigious 2026 Manitoba Arts Award of Distinction. The Manitoba Arts Council, which presents the $30,000 award annually to a distinguished Manito... Read More

 
 

New in Business

Joyanne Pursaga:

Developers selling some land slated for delayed ‘complete community’ near Polo Park

Plans for 84-acre development north of the major shopping mall included apartment towers, retail space and parks Read More

 

Free Press staff:

NFI Group net earnings up in Q1 on similar revenue

NFI Group Inc. has reported a 40.8 per cent increase in gross profit in its first quarter, compared to a year earlier. Read More

 
 

Fresh opinions

Editorial:

Housing the homeless safely, for all

It’s clear that finding homes for the homeless is not as simple as saying, “Here’s a homeless person, here’s a vacant apartment, match the two of them up and voila! One less person who is homeless.” Read More

 

Kyle Volpi Hiebert:

The transatlantic divide deepens

The bond that’s anchored the global order for eight decades is unravelling. Europe and the U.S. have together shaped the international system since the Second World War ended. Now, their shared pursuit of common interests seems relegated to history. Read More

 

Ken Gangler:

Seal River needs wide input

I would like to add my comments to the recent op-ed, Conservation shouldn’t come at the cost of access by Carly Deacon, May 5. My operation, Gangler’s North Seal River Lodge, is the largest tourism/lodge operator in the proposed Seal River Watershed. Read More

 
 

Share:

     
 

Download our News Break app