In pictures: Kinew, cabinet sworn in at The Leaf By: Photos by Mikaela MacKenzie, Mike Deal and John Woods Posted: 1:25 PM CDT Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 Last Modified: 5:16 PM CDT Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 Updates

Confusion part of syllabus as MITT winds down operations

More than 500 students are trying to complete their courses before the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology permanently closes.

Manpreet Singh, who is set to graduate from the electrical applications program in the fall, said finishing his studies is a confusing and anxiety-inducing process despite the promise it would go smoothly.

“Nobody has a clear image,” he said.

Officials said in January the post-secondary institute was no longer financially viable because of the federal government’s decision to cut the number of international students allowed to study in Canada. Nineteen of its programs are being absorbed by Red River College Polytech, which is taking over the institute’s campuses in south Winnipeg.

Hot topic: mayor considers max temp for rental properties

Mayor Scott Gillingham says he’s open to exploring a call to set a maximum temperature for indoor rental units.

“I think we should be looking at that, as far as what the specifics would be … (In) our overall body of work, recently, we have been addressing the heat and making sure people have places to get out from under the heat,” said Gillingham.

Tenant and environmental groups have called for a maximum indoor rental unit heat limit that doesn’t exceed 26 C. A city bylaw does require landlords to maintain a minimum daytime temperature of 21 C during cold weather.

Gillingham noted the city has added 24-7 safe spaces, extended spray pad hours, opened libraries as cooling spaces and added drinking water stations to provide relief on very hot days.

Manitoba workplaces becoming increasingly violent

A middle school student file documenting more than 40 violent outbursts in a single year.

A gun kept under the pillow of a home-care patient who has dementia.

A drug-fuelled rage during which a man suffering from a contagious disease spat on and wrapped his hands around the throat of a first responder.

These are among the hazards that front-line employees in health care, education and other public sector positions are navigating when they clock in for a shift.

Would-be mayors respond to extreme heat

With Winnipeg in the midst of an intense heat wave, the city has yet to introduce maximum heat legislation for rental housing.

In 2023, the Free Press and the Narwhal reported on calls by tenants and environmental advocates to enact a law that would require indoor temperatures in rental units not exceed 26 C. It would be similar to how Winnipeg landlords, under the city’s neighbourhood livability bylaw, must maintain a minimum daytime temperature of 21 C during cold weather.

On Sunday, the Free Press emailed all nine registered mayoral candidates asking for their policy plans to tackle the dangers of extreme heat, and specifically, whether they would support a change to the city’s bylaw to create heat protections for renters.

Eight candidates responded, and of them, six — Noah Redden, Don Woodstock, Mazher Alam, Christopher Clacio, Michael Vogiatzakis and Umar Hayat — said they would support (or support exploring) a bylaw amendment to establish a maximum indoor temperature threshold.

Poilievre can only smile and nod after Carney’s chess move

Mark Carney may still be relatively new to elected politics, but he’s proving to be a remarkably quick study in the art of political chess.

Former Manitoba MP Inky Mark charged with firearms offences; more than 400 weapons seized from home

A former member of Parliament from Manitoba has been charged after a stockpile of ammunition and firearms — including an antique cannon — and $300,000 in cash were seized from a Dauphin home last week.

Manitoba RCMP charged Inky Mark, 78, with a dozen firearms-related charges, including firearms trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime, unsafe storage and careless use of a firearm.

In total, RCMP seized 439 firearms from Mark’s property, Mounties said at a news conference Monday morning.

It is expected to take investigators weeks to sort through the arsenal and determine how many of the weapons were legally possessed, but police have already identified three guns that are believed to have been illegally trafficked, and one that had a tampered serial number, RCMP Cpl. Barry Kirby said.