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SUPPLIED Starbuck School has been cheering on two alum who are part of Team Canada’s 2026 men’s hockey program at the Milan Cortina games.

Schools’ internet use spikes as students, teachers pull for Canadian — and local — athletes

Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

Manitoba schools broke a record as students and staff tuned in to cheer on athletes — and in some cases, alumni — at the Winter Olympics.

The organization that connects the province’s 37 public school divisions to the internet saw historic spikes in activity this week.

Bandwith usage more than doubled what’s typical on a weekday for the Manitoba Education, Research and Learning Information Networks when Canadian hockey teams competed in the medal rounds in Milan Cortina.

MERLIN revealed usage spiked to 71.25 gigabits per second during the gold-medal game for women’s hockey, which Canada lost 2-1 to the U.S. in overtime, on Thursday.

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Winnipeg couple among those in lockdown as violence erupts in Mexico

Erik Pindera 3 minute read Preview

Winnipeg couple among those in lockdown as violence erupts in Mexico

Erik Pindera 3 minute read Updated: 2:12 PM CST

Winnipeg residents Tracey Seida and Jerry Buckland are in lockdown in their vacation rental in Puerto Vallarta amid the Mexican military’s action against the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

“We’ve been watching the fires from our balcony,” Seida in a phone interview on Sunday from the popular vacation destination. “We’ve been listening to explosions all morning.”

Cartels commonly use roadblocks of burning vehicles to block military operations, the Associated Press reported on Sunday.

Seida and Buckland, a married couple, awoke Sunday with plans for a run on a path along the waterfront, near the downtown Puerto Vallarta neighbourhood where they’re staying. As they walked to the path, said Seida, they noticed the smoke from a large fire to their south.

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Updated: 2:12 PM CST
Winnipeg couple among those in lockdown as violence erupts in Mexico

Manitoba urges court to throw out First Nation’s moose-hunt lawsuit

Erik Pindera 3 minute read Preview

Manitoba urges court to throw out First Nation’s moose-hunt lawsuit

Erik Pindera 3 minute read 3:24 PM CST

The Manitoba government is arguing a northern First Nation’s lawsuit over moose hunting on its traditional territory should be tossed out of court.

Misipawistik Cree Nation filed its statement of claim in the Court of King’s Bench in September, arguing licensed moose hunting on its traditional lands northwest of Lake Winnipeg infringes on the community’s treaty rights to hunt moose for food amid dwindling populations of the big game animal.

But in a recently filed statement of defence, the province argues it has upheld its duties.

“Manitoba denies that there have been any unjustified infringements of Treaty No. 5, that it has failed to act honourably toward the plaintiff, or that any court intervention or other remedy is required,” reads the government court filing.

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3:24 PM CST

A moose grazes in a field of canola bordering the Trans-Canada Highway west of Brandon in this file photo. In a recently filed statement of defence, the province argues a First Nation’s moose-hunting lawsuit should be tossed out. (File)
A moose grazes in a field of canola bordering the Trans-Canada Highway west of Brandon in this file photo. In a recently filed statement of defence, the province argues a First Nation’s moose-hunting lawsuit should be tossed out. (File)

Man accused of assaulting child with baseball bat after assaulting bus passenger

Free Press staff 1 minute read Preview

Man accused of assaulting child with baseball bat after assaulting bus passenger

Free Press staff 1 minute read 3:16 PM CST

Winnipeg police arrested a man who is accused of randomly assaulting a child and a city bus passenger before attempting to steal a car on Saturday afternoon.

The suspect was riding a Winnipeg Transit bus at about 12:30 p.m. Feb. 21 when, unprovoked, he assaulted a 66-year-old man. The victim wasn’t hurt, and the bus driver kicked the suspect off the bus. The man then went into a retail store in the 3600 block of Portage Avenue, picked out a baseball bat and then hit a school-aged child in the upper body, knocking the child to the ground and continuing to hit the boy while he was on the ground. The child’s father fought off the suspect, who fled from the store.

The child was taken to hospital in stable condition and store staff contacted police.

The suspect then went to an auto collision repair centre in the 3500 block of Portage Avenue and stole a customer’s vehicle keys. Staff also contacted police. Officers arrived and quickly located a suspect.

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3:16 PM CST

A Winnipeg Police Service shoulder patch is seen in Winnipeg, Sept. 2, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski
A Winnipeg Police Service shoulder patch is seen in Winnipeg, Sept. 2, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski

‘Quintessential Canada’: Winnipeggers gather for gold-medal Olympic hockey game

Erik Pindera 4 minute read Preview

‘Quintessential Canada’: Winnipeggers gather for gold-medal Olympic hockey game

Erik Pindera 4 minute read Updated: 4:44 PM CST

It’s just after 8:30 a.m. on Sunday and the bar on the corner of River Avenue and Osborne Street is standing room only, as the mass here acts in near unison, groaning and cheering and slapping their tables together, more like a living, breathing thing than a beverage room.

Kameron Mirza has been holding court at the bar top at this location of the Leopold’s Tavern chain since 5:30 a.m., well over an hour before the puck dropped for the gold-medal Olympic showdown between the Canadian and American men’s teams at 7:10 a.m. local time; he’s four shots of liquor and four beers in as he beckons strangers to order another with him, as the eyes of the dozens packed in the room stay fixed on the half-dozen television screens that play the game on CBC.

“I came here because this is where the party’s at, to represent Canada,” said 61-year-old Mirza, who was born in England but moved to Canada at age 12. “It’s good against evil.”

The bar shouts in unison as the Canadian boys move the puck closer to the net.

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Updated: 4:44 PM CST

BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS

Winnipeggers Nick Steiner, 29, (left) and Amit Manocha, 29, react to Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck making an incredible paddle save to keep game tied at 1-1.
BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS Winnipeggers Nick Steiner, 29, (left) and Amit Manocha, 29, react to Team USA goaltender Connor Hellebuyck making an incredible paddle save to keep game tied at 1-1.

Winnipeggers rise up in support of Cuba

Aaron Epp 3 minute read Preview

Winnipeggers rise up in support of Cuba

Aaron Epp 3 minute read Yesterday at 6:20 PM CST

Tears streamed down Tim Gordienko’s face Saturday afternoon as he spoke about the people of Cuba.

“The people are so genuine — genuinely friendly,” he told a reporter. “We’re like the same people, like brethren. It’s not fair, what (the United States is) doing to these people.”

Holding a sign that said, “Trump: Hands off Cuba,” Gordienko was one of the approximately 60 people who gathered outside the U.S. Consulate in Winnipeg, close to Portage and Main.

Organized by the Manitoba-Cuba Solidarity Committee, the event was one of several held across the country bringing awareness to Cuba’s plight and calling on the Canadian government to help the Caribbean country.

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Yesterday at 6:20 PM CST

AARON EPP / FREE PRESS

Diane Zack, coordinator of the Manitoba-Cuba Solidarity Committee, has travelled to Cuba approximately 30 times in the last three decades.
AARON EPP / FREE PRESS Diane Zack, coordinator of the Manitoba-Cuba Solidarity Committee, has travelled to Cuba approximately 30 times in the last three decades.

News briefs for Sunday, February 22, 2026

2 minute read Updated: 3:18 PM CST

A collection of breaking news briefs filed on Sunday, February 22, 2026

Six arrested in home invasion

2:43 PM

Six people have been arrested in a home invasion on Magnus Avenue.

Norway House files suit against Hydro, governments over Lake Winnipeg

Erik Pindera 4 minute read Preview

Norway House files suit against Hydro, governments over Lake Winnipeg

Erik Pindera 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 9:42 AM CST

Norway House Cree Nation is suing Manitoba Hydro and the provincial and federal governments over how the public utility manipulates the level of Lake Winnipeg.

It’s the latest litigation launched by a First Nation in relation to Hydro’s regulation of the outflow of the lake into the Nelson River, which it has done since the mid-1970s.

Norway House filed its claim in the Court of King’s Bench on Thursday. It alleges Hydro and the Manitoba government have misrepresented the severity and scope of the adverse effects to the community caused by the regulation operation and the construction of a channel from Lake Winnipeg to Playgreen Lake.

The community, which is about 460 kilometres north of Winnipeg, near the northern shore of Lake Winnipeg, hired engineering firm DHI Water and Environments Inc. to conduct a scientific assessment of the effects of the regulation project.

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Updated: Yesterday at 9:42 AM CST

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS

‘I am bound and determined to get what is rightfully ours, and this has nothing to do with money,’ said Norway House Chief Larson Anderson.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS ‘I am bound and determined to get what is rightfully ours, and this has nothing to do with money,’ said Norway House Chief Larson Anderson.
RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Dr. Joss Reimer will provide advice to the health minister, work with governments and agencies and speak to Canadians about health issues.

Manitoba COVID response team member named Canada’s chief public health officer

Dr. Joss Reimer named Canada’s next top doc

Gabrielle Piché 4 minute read Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

Manitoba bolsters fight against extortion

Scott Billeck 4 minute read Preview

Manitoba bolsters fight against extortion

Scott Billeck 4 minute read Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

The Manitoba government is providing $100,000 to the Punjabi Chamber of Commerce to combat escalating incidents of extortion.

“We’ve heard clearly from the community that extortion is not just a financial crime,” Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said Friday before a summit with members of the Punjabi community.

“It creates fear, real fear, and real impact and destabilizes daily life for so many. Our goal is to ensure the community voices, help guide the solutions that we’re developing as government.”

Wiebe said the funding will bolster efforts by the Punjabi chamber to equip business owners with anti-extortion resources, including a hotline, where victims and witnesses can report incidents.

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Friday, Feb. 20, 2026

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said the funding will bolster efforts by the Punjabi chamber to equip business owners with anti-extortion resources
RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said the funding will bolster efforts by the Punjabi chamber to equip business owners with anti-extortion resources

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