The Wrap: Police shooting, premier apologizes, legislature returns, firefighters sued, GM Canada visit
Plus: Playful belugas bring joy and healing to Hudson Bay

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew apologized to defence lawyers today, after he was slammed for his decision to oust an MLA from the NDP caucus because his former law partner represents convicted sex offender Peter Nygard.

The premier said the expulsion of Fort Garry MLA Mark Wasyliw was justified but apologized to Gerri Wiebe — Wasyliw’s former law partner — and defence lawyers.

The apology came on the first day of the fall legislature sitting, which further highlighted the split between the NDP caucus and Wasyliw.

The Opposition Progressive Conservatives ceded some of their time in Question Period so that Wasyliw could have an opportunity to fire questions at his former colleagues.

The River East Transcona School Division’s insurance company is accusing firefighters of doing a shoddy job of putting out a 2022 blaze that broke out at an elementary school and was rekindled multiple times after the initial 911 response.

The lawsuit’s statement of claim indicates that the fire at Westview School in 2022 was rekindled “on at least two occasions” and firefighters were called back to the scene, and  contends that additional losses and damages were caused by the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service’s “negligence.”

Education reporter Maggie Macintosh looks at the case.

The president of General Motors Canada is in town. Kristian Aquilina will be visiting a nickel mine in Thompson tomorrow, followed by meetings with Premier Wab Kinew and business leaders on Friday.

The company is building an electric vehicle supply chain across North America; producing batteries for electric vehicles involves metals including nickel, lithium and cobalt — all of which Manitoba has within its borders.

The northern town of Churchill, pulled out of economic doldrums by polar bear tourism, faces the prospect of a dwindling number of bears because of climate change.

So it is counting on another white beast, the beluga, to come to the rescue and entice summer tourists — if the sea mammals can also survive the changes to this gateway to the Arctic.