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Free Press Head Start for Oct. 30, 2025

Good morning.

As politicians debate proposed legislation to detain adults in the throes of a meth psychosis for up to 72 hours, Manitoba’s children’s advocate wants to know how minors will be treated.

“When they talk about Bill 48 with respect to detaining intoxicated people for 72 hours or so, there is no youth-specific need addressed in that bill,” Sherry Gott said Wednesday. Carol Sanders reports.

— David Fuller

 

 

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Your forecast

Mainly cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of showers. Wind from the south at 20 km/h becoming west 20 this morning. High 6 C. UV index 1 or low.

What’s happening today

Tonight at 7 p.m. at McNally Robinson’s Grant Park location, two Winnipeg educators launch the latest book in a series aimed at improving Indigenous education in the classroom.

Renewal: Indigenous Perspectives on Land-Based Education In and Beyond the Classroom is the second book in the Footbridge series from Winnipeg’s Portage & Main Press.

The editors of Renewal, educator/artist Katya Adamov Ferguson and Anishinaabe educator and curriculum developer Christine M’Lot, will be on hand for the launch.

Today’s must-read

Seven hundred people were living in 100 homeless camps in Winnipeg two months ago, says a report that outlines the protocol to remove the sites from many public spaces, including playgrounds and schools.

In September, city council voted to prohibit encampments from transit shelters, playgrounds, pools, spray pads, recreation facilities, schools, daycares, adult care facilities, medians, traffic islands, bridges, docks, piers, rail lines and rail crossings, as well as wherever the camps obstruct traffic or pose a “life safety issue.”

On Wednesday, the city released its policy and protocol to implement the new rules. Joyanne Pursaga has the story.

The question whether the city should allow encampments in a designated area was raised by a newcomer to Winnipeg, a homeless man coming from Toronto who is seeking work here. “(Winnipeg) should take a page from Vancouver or Halifax,” says Jonah, referencing cities that have allowed designated encampment spaces. Scott Billeck reports.

An encampment by a playground at Alexander Avenue and Lizzie Street.(Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files)

An encampment by a playground at Alexander Avenue and Lizzie Street.(Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files)

On the bright side

FortWhyte Alive’s new Buffalo Crossing visitor centre has thundered past nearly 1,000 submissions to win the prestigious Holcim Foundation Awards.

Opened in April, the 18,000-square-foot facility strong on mass timber and reclaimed materials is one of 20 designs across the world recognized by the awards for sustainable construction. Conrad Sweatman has more here.

The 18,000-square-foot Buffalo Crossing facility at FortWhyte Alive features mass timber and reclaimed materials. (Anthony Urso photo)

The 18,000-square-foot Buffalo Crossing facility at FortWhyte Alive features mass timber and reclaimed materials. (Anthony Urso photo)

On this date

On Oct. 30, 1965: The Winnipeg Free Press reported that the British prime minister Harold Wilson said the demand by African nationalist leaders that Britain attempt to solve all of Rhodesia’s constitutional problems with a military invasion was out. In Montreal, CNR shipments of wheat to the Lakehead had picked up to the point the railway was exceeding daily quotas set by the Canadian Wheat Board. Read the rest of this day’s paper here. Search our archives for more here.

Today’s front page

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

 
 

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Top news

Chris Kitching:

The road not taken: lowest number of Manitobans in three decades cross border at Pembina in July, August

Many Manitobans appeared to skip U.S. road trips over the summer as the number of southbound travellers hit at least a 30-year low — excluding COVID-19 pandemic years — at a major border crossing south of Winnipeg. Read More

 

Erik Pindera:

Festival du Voyageur denies responsibility for caterer’s losses after Fort Gibraltar platform collapse

Festival du Voyageur has denied it can be held legally responsible for the losses of a catering company, after the collapse of a platform at Fort Gibraltar temporarily shuttered the firm’s business. ... Read More

 

Maggie Macintosh:

Hundreds of teachers hired since NDP took office; ‘we need more,’ education minister says

Manitoba public schools have added 832 new funded teacher positions since a caucus filled with former educators won the 2023 election. Read More

 

Dean Pritchard:

Adult sentence for teen who killed three strangers at random

A man has been sentenced as an adult to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least seven years for killing three strangers in random attacks that took place within an hour. The man, now 1... Read More

 

Melissa Martin:

Students write next chapter in Free Press media literacy project

Manitoba educators and students have a new toolkit to help prepare youth to navigate the tumultuous media world. Read More

 
 
 

New in Sports

Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press:

One Win Away: Blue Jays defeat Dodgers 6-1 to take 3-2 lead in World Series

LOS ANGELES - Davis Schneider set the early tone on Wednesday night. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did his part too. The Toronto teammates made history by leading off a World Series game with back-to-back ... Read More

 

Mike McIntyre:

Kartusch, Nachtigall named province’s Golfers of the Year

Take a bow, Addison Kartusch. You too, Evan Nachtigall. Manitoba’s reigning women and men’s amateur golf champions capped off terrific seasons by being named the provincial Golfers of the Year duri... Read More

 

Ken Wiebe:

‘Obviously, you want to win that one’

Toews looking forward to early-season matchup against former club Read More

 

Mike McIntyre:

Putting enemy No. 1 for Cockerill this season

But Stony Mountain’s own likes his chances to get back to full-time status Read More

 
 

New in Arts and Entertainment

Fearful fictions

A selection of horror, dread and other terrifically creepy tales Read More

 

Holly Harris:

Galaxy of cello stars galvanize revived festival

The third International Cello Festival of Canada roared back to life with an embarrassment of riches Tuesday, as it officially launched a weeklong celebration of the perennially popular string instrument that runs through Saturday. Read More

 

What’s up: Celebrating Halloween

Free Press staff recommend things to do this week Read More

 

Eva Wasney:

Counting on fans for countdown to 60th Festival du Voyageur

Festival du Voyageur is seeking memories and memorabilia to help celebrate an upcoming milestone anniversary. Read More

 
 

New in Business

Aaron Epp:

Spooky season spending stays strong

Halloween-themed retailers, events, locations report solid level of engagement, enthusiasm amid economic uncertainty Read More

 

Kevin Rollason:

Developer scuttles plan to build apartment tower, puts Portage and Furby lot up for sale

Years-long plans to turn a vacant lot into one of the tallest new buildings outside of the downtown in decades will remain on the drawing board. Read More

 

Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press:

Zellers is set for another relaunch. Here’s what the new owners have in store

Zellers is making a comeback — again. The discount retailer that's died and been revived several times since its 1928 beginnings will get another relaunch Thursday at Londonderry Mall in Edmonton. ... Read More

 
 

Fresh opinions

Dan Lett:

NDP trying to solve the problem, Tories just want it to go away

This week, the opposition Progressive Conservatives tabled a series of amendments to a bill that would give the province the ability to hold people suffering from addictions for up to 72 hours at a detox facility to be established at 190 Disraeli Fwy., on the northern edge of the Exchange District. Read More

 

Editorial:

B.C. puts the brakes on power exploiters

Generating power and delivering it through a grid is an expensive process, and the way it all happens involves spreading the costs, and the benefits, across the entire rate base. You don’t pay for the entirety of a Keeyask hydro project: you pay your share, relative to the amount of electricity you use, spread out over years. Read More

 

Stephen Borys:

Forum Art Centre and the art of neighbourhood life

Most mornings when I step outside my door at Philips Square, I look across the street and see something that makes me quietly grateful to live where I do. It isn’t just the park or skyline view — it’s the steady rhythm of people coming and going through the doors of the Forum Art Centre at the corner of Eugenie Street and Taché Avenue. Read More

 
 

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