Good morning!
Your forecast: You’re digging this mild December weather, aren’t you? Well, Environment Canada says very little will change this week. Today’s forecast calls for a mainly sunny day, with a south wind at 30 km/h and a daytime high of 3 C. The overnight low is -2 C. On Tuesday, look for a mix of sun and cloud and a high of 2 C, while Wednesday will be a grey day and 2 C. We could get some rain or snow Thursday as the temperature hits 2 C, Friday will be down to 0 C and then Saturday we’ll be down to -6 C with a good chance of flurries.
In case you missed it
John Woods / Winnipeg Free PressJessica Pennock is telling her story to spare other girls from falling prey to sexual predators. She wants to help at-risk children after she graduates from college.
A dark world: Jessica Pennock, a survivor of years in the world of sex trafficking as well as a suicide attempt, is telling her story to help prevent girls from getting sucked in by predators, such as the one who got her at age 15. Pennock is volunteering with the Joy Smith Foundation, which is going to junior high schools to teach students about predators’ tactics, how to avoid them and how to stay safe. Smith, who was a teacher for 23 years before she was an MP, has prepared course material in English and French that, she says, should be part of the curriculum in schools across Canada. READ MORE
North End court: Crown attorney Nancy Fazenda has filled the newly created position of North End community prosecutor and will lead the way in establishing Manitoba’s first court for restorative justice. The court will be located in an area of the city most affected by poverty and crime. Restorative looks at alternatives to jail time for some offenders and involves offenders taking responsibility for their actions, often by reconciling with their victims. Justice Minister Gord Mackintosh said it could take five years to get the court running. READ MORE
Gladue reports inadequate: Local defence lawyers say the reports they are receiving from Manitoba Probation Services for aboriginal offenders, known as Gladue reports, are not adequate. Despite increased training for the probation officers who write the reports, the Criminal Defence Lawyers Association of Manitoba says probation officers still have a lack of understanding of Gladue factors. Courts must consider the history and life experiences of all aboriginal offenders before sentencing, provisions in the Criminal Code known as Gladue factors. READ MORE
Up next
Welcoming newcomers: With up to 2,000 Syrian refugees expected to arrive in Manitoba this winter, the Elmwood Community Resource Centre is trying to prevent a repeat of what happened last January. That’s when a 17-year-old girl got lost on her way home from her first day of school in -33 C weather days after arriving in Canada from Ethiopia. Fortunately, she took shelter in an unoccupied building overnight and survived unharmed. Today, the Elmwood centre is hosting a cross-cultural community awareness forum on welcoming newcomers to Manitoba, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 180 Poplar Ave.
Bridge construction begins: Construction of the Ness Avenue Bridge over Sturgeon Creek begins today. As a result, Ness Avenue between School Road and Valley View Drive will be closed until October 2016. Traffic and transit will be re-routed. The project has a $14-million budget, and the existing culvert at Ness and Sturgeon will be replaced with a new, high-level bridge with a 75-year lifespan.
Around the water cooler
Brenda Frogg laughs while her favourite hockey legend Tie Domi signs his book for her at the Costco on McGillivray Boulevard Sunday afternoon. Domi was signing copies of his memoir, Shiftwork.
Domi drops gloves, literally: Tie Domi wants you to read his book… or else. All kidding aside, the former NHL enforcer and Winnipeg Jet (1992-95) pulls no punches in his new book Shiftwork. Domi was at Costco on McGillivray Boulevard on Sunday signing copies of his memoirs that recount his pro hockey life on and off the ice. READ MORE
Blackhawks down Jets: Speaking of on the ice, the Winnipeg Jets’ Central Division woes continued Sunday as the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks beat the visiting Jets 3-1. The defeat left the Jets 13-13-2, four points behind the Blackhawks, who improve to 14-9-4. Winnipeg is now just 3-8 against Central Division opponents. READ MORE
Trending now
Eric Jamison / Invision / The Associated PressNancy Sinatra, left, and Harry Connick Jr. perform during the Sinatra 100 – An All-Star Grammy Concert in Las Vegas.
Nancy Sinatra: Frank Sinatra’s daughter Nancy, 75, performed in a TV concert celebrating what would be her dad’s 100th birthday. She covered her Frank’s song “Somethin’ Stupid” with singer Harry Connick Jr. at the “Sinatra 100: An All-Star Grammy Concert” which aired on CBS Sunday.
#ReasonsWeAreNotFriends: While it may not do to dwell on the negative, perhaps a dose of honesty is what some relationships need. With observations ranging from the culinary (“You steal fries off my plate”) to the political (“You’re voting for Donald Trump”) to the ontological (“My parents said imaginary people don’t exist”), there may be a few surprised “friends” out there this morning.
On this date
On Dec. 7, 1989: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that a gunman had opened fire in Ecole Polytechnique in Montreal, yelling “You’re all a bunch of feminists” before killing 14 female students and then committing suicide. A Winnipeg woman with asthma died within 24 hours of enrolling in a medical drug study. Winnipeg mayor Bill Norrie said property taxes had been kept artificially low for the previous two years and it had been a mistake; he foresaw a ‘tough year’ ahead.
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