News briefs for Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Manitoba Public Insurance requests 2.38 per cent auto rate increase

4:41 PM

Manitoba Public Insurance has asked the Public Utilities Board for a 2.38 per cent increase to auto insurance rates next year to contend with forecasted claims costs, operating costs, and investment income.

MPI filed the application with the PUB Wednesday. In a news release, the Crown corporation said recent extreme weather in Manitoba did not influence the request for the 2027/28 insurance year.

Last year the PUB denied MPI’s 2.07 per cent rate increase, and authorized a 1.77 per cent increase, which translated to an, on average, increase of $21 to ratepayers.

Jets rounding out alumni game roster

12:03 PM

Talk about a blast from the past.

The Winnipeg Jets have added plenty of familiar faces as they round out the roster for the upcoming Alumni Game ahead of the Heritage Classic.

Former stars including Dustin Byfuglien, Blake Wheeler, Andrew Ladd, Bryan Little, Mathieu Perreualt, Paul Stastny and Chris Thorburn were previously announced.

Now, 15 new players have been added: Forwards Nik Antropov, Eric Fehr, Jim Slater, Cody Eakin, Sam Gagner, Tanner Glass, Tim Stapleton, Drew Stafford and Anthony Peluso; defencemen Toby Enstrom, Mark Stuart, Ron Hainsey, Derek Meech and Grant Clitsome; and goaltender Michael Hutchinson.

And back behind the bench will be original 2.0 coach Claude Noel.

The alumni game will take place on Oct. 24 at Canada Life Centre, with the former Jets taking on retired Montreal Canadiens players. The main event follows the next day at IG Field as the NHL lineups of the two Canadian clubs face off.

Winnipeg police now offering eagle feather to swear oaths

10:42 AM

The Winnipeg Police Service is now allowing members of the public and police officers to swear legal oaths with an eagle feather.

Eagle feathers are regarded as sacred items by Indigenous peoples, and when a person holds them, they’re expected to speak honestly, truthfully and with integrity, the police service said.

The option to use an eagle feather to swear an oath — done when making a sworn statement to police, for example — will carry the same weight as swearing an oath on the Bible or making an affirmation.

“The WPS is honoured to be able to provide this culturally meaningful option, and we do so with deep respect for Indigenous traditions and the communities we serve,” the service said in a news release on Wednesday.

The police service was given eight eagle feathers with the guidance and support of elder Mike Caulder, in partnership with Manitoba Conservation officials.

The feathers were prepared according to traditional protocols and are beaded with the colours of the medicine wheel and four nations, police said. Women participating in the Indigenous traditional program at the Behavioural Health Foundation, an addiction treatment facility in St. Norbert, did the beadwork.

Since 2019, Manitoba courts have offered the option of eagle feathers  when swearing an oath before giving testimony.

Woman charged in commercial building arson that caused more than $2M in damage

9:41 AM

Winnipeg police arrested a 30-year-old woman this week accused of causing more than $2-million in damage in an arson to a commercial building in late May.

Shortly after a 10 p.m. on May 31, a commercial building on the 1500 block of Seel Avenue, in an industrial area near McGillivray Boulevard and Waverley Street was lit ablaze. The fire caused about $1,750,000 in damage to the building itself and another $500,000 in damage to the goods inside. The blaze damaged two businesses, police said on Wednesday.

A short time earlier, the suspect broke into 2025 Chevrolet Silverado parked nearby on Fennell Street and stole items from it, police said.

On Sunday at about 11:30 a.m., patrol officers arrested Keishya Marie Fontaine, 30, on the 600 block of Furby Street for an unrelated matter, but soon came to believe she was involved in the arson and theft in May. They handed her over to major crimes investigators, who charged her with arson to property, mischief under $5,000 and theft under $5,000.

She was held in custody.