News briefs for Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Float plane pilot suffers rough landing in bog

10:51 AM

A pilot was shaken but unharmed after a rough landing outside an airport in northern Manitoba.

RCMP in Island Lake received a report of a downed plane near Red Sucker Lake airport, located roughly 535 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg near the Ontario border, at around 1 p.m. Sunday.

Two Mounties, along with a pilot from a private helicopter company, flew to the area and located the float plane, which had made an emergency landing in a bog.

The helicopter could not land because of the terrain but was able to hover long enough to rescue the 64-year-old pilot. He was the only occupant of the plane and not injured, police said.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has been notified, RCMP said.

Tories promise $1M in extra Winnipeg police funding annually

12:33 PM

The Progressive Conservatives promised to give Winnipeg police $1 million a year to expand its property crime unit, if the Tories are re-elected Oct. 3.

The PC candidate for Fort Whyte, Obby Khan, made the announcement on Tuesday morning at the campaign office of the candidate for Rossmere, Andrew Micklefield.

Khan said the million in funding would help create between 50 to 60 additional shifts for Winnipeg Police Service officers to work on property crime reports, but could not say whether those extra shifts would be weekly, monthly or within another timeframe.

Khan and Micklefield used the campaign announcement to throw barbs at the New Democratic Party, calling the NDP soft on crime.

Man charged in auto biz break-ins

2:20 PM

A man is facing break-and-enter charges in connection with 10 incidents at automotive businesses since July.

Three of the incidents were at the same business in the 600 block of Talbot Avenue, while two incidents happened at the same business in the 1100 block of Chevrier Boulevard. The other five incidents happened in the 2100 block of St Mary’s Road, the 700 block of Pembina Highway, the 1100 block of Manahan Avenue, the 500 block of Berry Street and the 1300 of Plessis Road.

The Plessis break-in happened Monday. A suspect forcibly entered the business and rummaged through vehicles at the site, the Winnipeg Police Service said.

A 28-year-old Winnipeg man was arrested and detained in custody.

PCs promise $5M spend on PTSD services for first responders

2:27 PM

The Progressive Conservatives promised to spend $5 million on one-time funding for post-traumatic stress disorder services for first responders if re-elected Oct. 3.

Waverley PC candidate Jon Reyes made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon at his campaign office.

He said the money would be administered to organizations to provide prevention, early intervention and treatment for police, firefighters and paramedics.

The PCs also promised to work with Manitoba Public Insurance to create a charity license plate to support the Manitoba Motorcycle Ride for Dad, which raises funds to battle prostate cancer.

Jets trim training-camp roster by six

3:37 PM

The Winnipeg Jets didn’t skate Tuesday but management still got some work in.

The NHL club made six cuts, releasing forward C.J., Suess and defencemen Jimmy Oligny and Simon Kubicek.

Oligny, the captain of the Manitoba Moose, signed a new deal with the American Hockey League in the summer and will get a heavy workload during what will be his sixth season with the team. Suess, meanwhile, returns to the Moose after spending a season in the San Jose Sharks’ minor-league system, while Kubicek will try to gain full-time work with Manitoba after splitting time with the team and the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL.

Meanwhile, goalie Domenic DiVincentiis and forwards Jacob Julie and Connor Levis were returned to their respective junior teams.

The Jets now have 28 forwards, 17 defencemen, and five goalies remaining at training camp.

Winnipeg, 2-0 in the preseason, hosts the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. Game time is 7 p.m.

Manitoba NDP pledge support for francophone community

4:34 PM

The Manitoba New Democratic Party pledged to bolster education support for the francophone community Tuesday, announcing millions in additional funding.

If victorious in the upcoming provincial election, the NDP would provide funding for French-language education at all levels and develop a strategy to train and recruit French teachers, party leader Wab Kinew said, speaking to reporters outside the historic St. Boniface Cathedral.

The promise includes $100,000 in salary funding to restore the assistant deputy minister in the Bureau de l’Éducation française and a $5 million capital investment in the Centre culturel franco-manitobain, the NDP said.

A portion of the provincial education budget would be reserved specifically for French teachers, and additional funding would be used to improve Info Santé phone line services.

14-year-old missing from Thompson likely in Winnipeg: Mounties

4:52 PM

Thompson RCMP are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing 14-year-old girl who is likely in Winnipeg.

The teen, Vera Lynn Flett, was reported missing to the Thompson RCMP detachment late on Saturday.

She’s 5-6 in height, with shoulder-length brown hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen in Thompson on Friday, but Mounties believe she’s now in the province’s capital.

RCMP say officers and the Bear Clan Patrol community group are searching for Flett in Thompson and in Winnipeg but haven’t yet found her.

Mounties are asking for anyone with information on her whereabouts to call the Thompson detachment at 204-677-6909 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.