The Wrap: Father charged in Carman deaths, park fee changes afoot, and finding love at the ballet

A Manitoba father is charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the killings of his three young children, his common-law wife and her niece Sunday, in what is being described as an “unimaginable tragedy.”

Ryan Howard Manoakeesick, 29, was charged Monday, as friends identified the victims as his partner Amanda Clearwater, 30, their three kids — two-month-old Isabella, four-year-old Jayven and six-year-old Bethany — and Clearwater’s 17-year-old niece, Myah Gratton. They all lived in Carman, Man.

Chris Kitching and Tyler Searle report on what investigators believe happened, the criminal history of the suspect, and the impact of the loss rippling through the town of Carman.

Environment Minister Tracy Schmidt says the decision to outsource online sales of parks, fishing and hunting permits to Aspira in 2020 was unfortunate, as the province enters the final stretch of its contract with the Texas-based company.

The former Progressive Conservative government hired Aspira to handle the work in 2019; Manitobans have paid over $5 million in fees to the Texas-based company since the system launched in 2020.

The contract  is set to expire in April 2025, and Schmidt says the government is “committed to reviewing all of the options for how we can better administer the parks pass system in the best way possible for Manitobans.”

Many a couple has found love at the barre in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet studios over the years.

In advance of this week’s performances of Rudi van Dantzig’s Romeo & Juliet — a marquee RWB production and arguably one of the most romantic ballets in the company’s repertoire — the Free Press shares two RWB love stories that, unlike Shakespeare’s enduring tale of star-crossed lovers, have much happier ever afters.