A collection of breaking news briefs filed on Thursday, May 21, 2026

RCMP catch Winnipeg speeder twice in an hour

4:33 PM

A Winnipeg motorist is facing a large fine after RCMP said he was caught speeding twice in less than an hour. 

ROSSBURN — A Russell man who has repeatedly threatened police, including writing that a Mountie is “going to find himself thrown through the wood chipper,” should serve two years in custody, a sentencing hearing was told Wednesday.

“The level of disrespect and contempt that he shows toward members of the community who are attempting to keep the rest of the community safe … is certainly eye-opening,” Crown attorney Ron Toews told Judge Donovan Dvorak in Rossburn provincial court.

Michael Man, 46, was convicted of uttering threats after a trial and later pleaded guilty to three additional counts.

“These are not spurious or impulsive utterances or acts. These are comments that are made after careful contemplation,” Toews said.

Manitoba RCMP are launching a new public-safety notification system with a pilot project in several communities in the province.

The new system, using software from technology company Rave Mobile Safety, will allow local RCMP detachments to send “timely and targeted” alerts via text message, email or automated phone calls to community members who sign up for the service.

The pilot is launching Thursday in Thompson, Norway House, Dauphin, Winnipegosis, Oakbank and Beausejour and Morris and Emerson. It’s expected to run for about three months while Mounties take feedback and evaluate the program.

RCMP say detachments will use the system to send out public-safety advisories, information on missing people, requests to the public for assistance, traffic and road-condition alerts, crime-prevention messages and other urgent information.

During a presentation held by the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, Tom Sparrow said his role — the first of its kind in the city and Canada — had begun in a “period of increasing infrastructure complexity and capital demand” in the Manitoba capital.