The Wrap: Bettman on Jets, HSC safety, parents sentenced in child’s death and diaspora dining

Before meeting with members of the media Tuesday evening, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman sat down for a one-on-one chat with the Free Press and one of the main topics of conversation was the long-term health of the Winnipeg Jets franchise.

“This is a franchise in a place where hockey matters, where the Jets matter and the fact that there may be a blip on attendance for a whole variety of factors, the factors don’t matter.

“I believe in the strength of this market as an NHL market and I think it will correct itself — and I know that the Jets are working hard to make that a reality.”

In the wake of a stabbing last week, the head of the Manitoba Nurses Union is calling on the Health Sciences Centre to improve safety for patients and staff, possibly by installing weapons scanners or other technology.

An inner-city hospital in Ontario facing similar safety concerns deployed a weapons-detection scanner at its emergency entrances. Rather than a typical metal detector, the scanner uses artificial intelligence to identify items that might be a threat.

Legislative reporter Carol Sanders looks into the technology, which is getting “rave reviews” there.

Meanwhile, an employee at the Boundary Trails Health Centre, located between Winkler and Morden, told the Free Press a lot of nurses there are suffering burn-out which could jeopardize patient safety.

A Winnipeg toddler died after his parents left him in the care of his three siblings, the oldest of whom was nine, while they were out gambling.

The couple received a conditional sentence, which was recommended by both the Crown and defence. The judge described the parents as additional victims in the case.

Dean Pritchard reports from the courts.

Food has always been one of the simplest ways to be introduced to a culture, and nowhere is this more obvious than in our city.

Winnipeggers are spoiled for choice when it comes to sampling global flavours. Our large immigrant population affords us a multitude of options, from the ubiquitous butter chicken to the familiar chicken chow mein and comforting pho.

In more recent years, there’s been a proliferation of restaurants specializing in West African, East African and Caribbean cuisine.

AV Kitching surveys the scene.