The Wrap: Stefanson speaks, Gilhooly on Graham James lawsuit, what’s up with Kyle Walters, and a Jeanne’s… beer?

In her first press conference since before her party lost the Oct. 3 election when she announced she’d resign as leader, Progressive Conservative Leader Heather Stefanson said she is committed to staying on as leader until the party establishes new leadership rules expected to be ratified at its next annual general meeting early in the new year.

Stefanson couldn’t say if she will serve out her four-year term as the member for Tuxedo. She may quit if the PC party elects a new leader who does not have a seat in the Manitoba legislature, she said.

Greg Gilhooly is calling on the St. James-Assiniboine School Division to atone for its role in alleged abuse by notorious sex predator Graham James, a day after the Free Press reported a multi-million dollar lawsuit had been filed against James and the school division by another alleged victim.

Gilhooly has written extensively about the abuse he says he suffered at the hands of James while he played hockey as a teenager in St. James more than 40 years ago. He says one of those incidents of molestation took place in a school in the division, where James was a substitute teacher.

If it were up to Kyle Walters, he’d already have a contract signed for next season.

“I don’t know who would want to leave this organization,” Walters said Wednesday in Hamilton, where the Bombers are days away from competing in a fourth consecutive Grey Cup.

Walters, the man put in the position to build what’s become one of the finest teams in Bombers and CFL history, is on an expiring contract — and that’s been a hot topic during the week leading up to the CFL championship game.

Chuck MacKenzie, a retired St. James resident and home brewer for about 15 years, has developed a beer in honour of Jeanne’s legendary and famously divisive cookie-bottom log cake covered in icing and chocolate curls.