News briefs for Monday, March 24, 2025

Deal reached to avert Southeast CFS strike

4:34 PM

A tentative deal has been reached to avert a strike at Southeast Child and Family Services.

“We are glad to see progress, and members will now vote on the offer and have the final say,” Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union president Kyle Ross said of negotiations that continued over the weekend and into Monday.

The MGEU said workers at two other agencies —  Métis Child, Family and Community Services and Michif Child and Family Services — were still set to go on strike at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. Southeast workers would also have gone on strike at that time if a deal had not been reached.

The MGEU previously said 170 Southeast workers have been without a contract since March 31, 2022, and that 220 and 110 workers at the Métis and Michif agencies have been without contracts since Jan. 31, 2023.

Man arrested with makeshift gun: police

4:10 PM

A man has been charged after someone was seen walking while holding a gun late Friday night.

Police were sent to the area of Portage Avenue and Maryland Street at 11 p.m. and arrested a man. Officers seized an improvised firearm, three rounds of .22-calibre ammunition, a .223-calibre rifle magazine, a meat cleaver, a crowbar and other break-in tools.

A 37-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with several offences. He was wanted on warrants for failing to comply with a probation order and uttering threats. He was detained in custody.

Two facing charges after North End investigation

4:02 PM

Two males are facing charges after police seized a sawed-off shotgun, cocaine, gun parts and a puppy as part of an investigation into the drug trade in the North End.

After launching the investigation earlier this month, officers went to a home on the 500 block of Alfred Street on Friday.

A suspect fled on a scooter. Via a drone, officers allegedly saw him discard property between two homes on the 500 block of Redwood Avenue before fleeing again. Officers arrested a suspect on the same block after a brief foot chase.

Police found a satchel containing nearly $7,000 in cash and a replica handgun.

Police, who obtained a warrant for the Alfred home, searched it and arrested another male. They found a sawed-off shotgun and a mastiff puppy, who was taken to a veterinarian because it appeared not to have been properly taken care of.

“The second suspect was transported to hospital in stable condition and treated for ingestion of an unknown substance,” the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Monday.

Police said officers obtained another search warrant for two attached suites at the same address and seized gun parts, ammunition and about $2,300 worth of cocaine.

A 22-year-old man is charged with several offences, while a 15-year-old boy faces similar charges. Both were detained in custody.

PC MLA resigns from legislature

3:52 PM

The PC MLA for Spruce Woods resigned on Monday.

“I must inform the house that the honourable member for Spruce Woods, Grant Jackson has resigned his seat in the house, effective immediately,” Speaker Tom Lindsey told the house on Monday afternoon. 

Grant Jackson, education critic for the official Opposition, was partway through his first term in office. Jackson worked in various political roles for the former Progressive Conservative government, as well as for Conservative MP Larry Maguire.

Maguire, who has represented Brandon-Souris since 2013, announced he would not be running for re-election in the riding after the writ drop over the weekend.

NDP doubles down on promise to provide health-care coverage to international students

2:50 PM

NDP doubles down on promise to provide health-care coverage to international students

Manitoba’s advanced education minister reaffirmed the NDP’s pledge to reinstate free health care for international students Monday.

Asked about whether the government will follow through on a 2023 campaign pledge during its first term, Advanced Education Minister Renée Cable said during question period that “the short answer is yes.”

“A mandate is four years. We are working diligently on this… It would’ve been a lot easier if there weren’t interruptions from the federal Liberals,” Cable told the chamber in response to a question from Liberal MLA Cindy Lamoureux.

The Tories stopped providing foreign students with health-care coverage in 2018.

Since the NDP campaigned on bringing it back, Ottawa has issued international student caps and new processes to accept students from overseas.

PCs call for ethics investigation into Kinew’s flights

2:27 PM

The Progressive Conservative caucus is calling for Manitoba’s ethics commissioner to launch an investigation into Premier Wab Kinew’s private air travel.

The request follows a CBC report that Kinew took a plane chartered by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to the 2023 and 2024 Grey Cup games without approval or public disclosure by the commissioner, as required by the Conflict of Interest Act.

“The rules are clear: the premier and his ministers are prohibited from accepting private air travel without prior approval and public disclosure,” PC caucus chairman and Riding Mountain MLA Greg Nesbitt said in a news release Monday afternoon.

“There is no indication Premier Kinew followed these basic legal requirements.”

Nesbitt filed the complaint.

“Most Manitobans in their wildest dreams would never be offered a private jet, let alone be able to afford one, to attend an event like the Grey Cup,” Wayne Ewasko, the PC interim leader, said in the release. “Premier Kinew isn’t above the rules. He needs to respect the law, and he needs to respect taxpayers.”

The Tories said Kinew billed taxpayers more than $1,500 for travel expenses while participating in an NDP provincial election campaign in British Columbia in September.

Jets’ Vilardi sidelined with upper-body injury

1:42 PM

The Winnipeg Jets will be without the services of top-line winger Gabriel Vilardi for the foreseeable future.

Jets head coach Scott Arniel officially listed Vilardi as week-to-week with an upper-body injury, noting that he sustained the injury in Sunday’s 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

Arniel didn’t specify when the injury occurred, though he said it had nothing to do with the puck to the ear he took from Sabres defenceman Bowen Byram in the first period.

Vilardi is having an outstanding season for the Jets, producing career-highs of 27 goals, 34 assists and 61 points through 71 games.

Not only is Vilardi a key cog on the Jets’ top line with Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, he’s a critical component of the league’s top-ranked power play.

Arniel said that versatile winger Alex Iafallo will jump up to replace Vilardi at even strength and with the man advantage on Tuesday when the Jets face the Washington Capitals in a battle between the top two teams in the chase for the Presidents’ Trophy.

Woman killed in rollover crash

11:46 AM

A woman was killed when her vehicle rolled in a single-vehicle crash in southeastern Manitoba on Saturday.

Emerson RCMP were sent to the site on Provincial Road 201, near Sundown Road, at about 10:50 a.m.

Police said Monday the vehicle went off the road, hit some trees and rolled.

The 47-year-old driver, who was not wearing her seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators believe the driver was headed west on 201 at a high rate of speed when the incident happened early that morning.

Korn is coming to Winnipeg

11:42 AM

Korn is coming to Canada. Actually, make that ‘Kanada.’

The pioneering American nu-metal band is bringing its Korn: Kanada 2025 tour to eight cities across the country this fall, including Winnipeg’s Canada Life Centre on Sept. 25.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 28 at Livenation.com, with presales starting Tuesday.

Korn, fronted by Jonathan Davis, celebrated the 30th anniversary of its self-titled, genre-establishing debut studio album in 2024. 

New MMF child-care centre

11:36 AM

A child-care centre linked to the Manitoba Métis Federation has opened in the Rural Municipality of St. Andrews.

Infinity Women Secretariat, an affiliate of the MMF, hosted a grand opening for Little Infinity Child Care Centre on Monday.

The facility is the eighth such centre under the administration of the MMF’s early learning and child-care department.

IIU investigating arrest-related injuries

11:19 AM

The province’s police watchdog is investigating after a man was found to have multiple facial fractures after he was arrested.

The incident happened in Lake St. Martin First Nation at about 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Gypsumville RCMP went there to arrest a man wanted on a warrant for domestic violence and found a vehicle in a ditch and a man fleeing on foot, police said in a news release Monday. He ran into a home, where police used a Taser on him and arrested him. He was assessed by  emergency medical services at the Gypsumville detachment, transported to Ashern’s hospital and then moved to Health Sciences Centre.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba asked witnesses or anyone with information or video relevant to the incident to call the IIU toll-free at 1-844-667-6060.

Man arrested with sawed-off shotgun

11:06 AM

Police arrested a man with a loaded sawed-off shotgun in an apartment complex early Sunday.

Officers were at the building investigating an unrelated disturbance when they came across a man in the stairwell of the complex on the 300 block of Kennedy Street at about 4:30 a.m. The officers, who knew the man was legally prohibited from frequenting the spot, searched him and found the gun and a crowbar, Winnipeg police said Monday.

A 43-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with weapons offences and four counts of failing to comply with conditions of a release order.

Taxi blocking traffic leads to arrest

11:00 AM

A wanted man was found to have a loaded handgun and cocaine on him after officers stopped a taxi blocking traffic, police say.

Officers spotted the taxi on the 200 block of Boyd Avenue at about 11:30 p.m. Friday and found one of the passengers was wanted on a warrant. After arresting him, police said they found cash, a loaded Glock and about $3,500 worth of cocaine on him.

A 20-year-old man has been charged and was detained in custody.

Pair assaulted in random attack downtown

10:54 AM

Three men were arrested after two people were assaulted by strangers while walking downtown Sunday night.

Police were sent to the 200 block of Hargrave Street at about 7:15 p.m. and found the injured victims — a 24-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man. Officers arrested three suspects nearby.

Police learned three suspects approached the victims as they walked southbound on Hargrave from Graham Avenue, and a “verbal confrontation” ensued. The victims tried to distance themselves from the three suspects, who assaulted the woman and then the man as he tried to intervene, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Monday.

The suspects continued the attack as the victims were knocked to the ground, then fled on foot before officers arrived, police said.

The victims did not seek medical attention, the WPS said.

Two men, ages 26 and 27, face two counts each of assault and were released on undertakings. A 31-year-old man was detained under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act.

Murder charged laid after domestic assault

10:42 AM

A Winnipeg man is charged with second-degree murder after a woman was killed in a domestic-related assault.

Police were sent to a home on the 1000 block of Selkirk Avenue at about 3:10 a.m.  Saturday and found a woman who had suffered severe injuries.

Officers gave her emergency medical care, including CPR. She was transported to hospital in critical condition and died of her injuries.

The Winnipeg Police Service has identified the victim as Stephanie Anderson-Paupanekis, a 33-year-0ld Norway House First Nation member who had been living in the city since 2024.

Police, with help from the canine unit, found and arrested a man nearby.

Jason Matthew Keam, a 40-year-old Norway House member, was charged and detained in custody.