News briefs for Monday, August 21, 2023

Gimli man, 85, dies in two-vehicle collision

10:28 AM

An 85-year-old man from Gimli died in a collision Sunday morning.

RCMP from the Gimli detachment were called to the two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Roads 130N and 20E in the Rural Municipality of Bifrost-Riverton at 11:40 a.m.

RCMP say the 85-year-old was driving westbound on Road 20E in a car when it collided with a pickup truck that a 45-year-old man from Arnes was driving south on Road 130N. The collision caused the pickup to roll multiple times before the two vehicles stopped in the west ditch.

The 85-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene, while the pickup driver was minorly hurt.

Local Mounties are still investigating the circumstances of the collision, RCMP say.

NDP promises to cut gas tax

10:54 AM

Cutting provincial gas tax to save 14 cents a litre is part of the Manitoba NDP’s election promise to make life more affordable.

On Monday, NDP leader Wab Kinew pledged to cut the provincial gas tax while inflation is high. If such a cut lasts six months, it would cost about $165 million. The NDP is promising to keep the gas tax cut in effect for roughly six to 12 months.

Kinew said he would also task the Public Utilities Board with regulating gas prices in the province, similar to the regulation in some Atlantic provinces.

Third flight of wildfire evacuees lands in Winnipeg

12:06 PM

A third flight of evacuees fleeing wildfires in the Northwest Territories arrived in Winnipeg early Monday morning.

There are now 51 evacuees from NWT staying in Winnipeg, with 43 staying in hotel accommodations. Two earlier flights arrived over the weekend.

A provincial spokesperson said over the weekend there were no additional flights scheduled past Sunday — but flights are being booked based on demand, they said Monday.

Collaros back practising

12:37 PM

Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros is back practising with the team on Monday.

Collaros missed Friday’s 19-18 road win over the Calgary Stampeders with a minor neck injury.

The Bombers (8-2) host the Montreal Alouettes (6-3) on Thursday at IG Field at 7:30 p.m.

RCMP seize slew of guns in Norway House firearm crackdown

1:02 PM

Norway House RCMP have seized nearly two dozen illegal guns and six machetes from people suspected to be affiliated with gangs in the last two weeks.

RCMP say the latest seizure came after officers executed a search warrant at a home in Kinosao Sipi Cree Nation, in the province’s north, on Saturday.

RCMP arrested four people and found a loaded handgun, two other firearms, a machete, ammunition and unspecified drugs.

A 34-year-old man, a 52-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy have been remanded into custody on firearms charges, while the fourth suspect, an 18-year-old woman, was released without charge.

Police use Taser on knife-wielding man

2:14 PM

Winnipeg police used a Taser on a man accused of wielding a large knife in a lane behind Magnus Avenue late Sunday.

Patrol officers were called about the armed man in the lane of the 1500 block of Magnus at about 11:40 p.m., police said.

Police found a man still holding the knife and appearing intoxicated. Police say the suspect “challenged” the officers and refused to comply with directions, so they used a Taser on him, among other methods, to arrest him.

The man was “violent and aggressive,” police said, and assaulted at least three officers.

A 33-year-old has been charged with two counts each of possession of a weapon and fail to comply with the condition of a release order, one count of resist a peace officer and three counts of assault a peace officer. He was detained in custody.