We have one planet, not much time

THE Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s latest Summary for Policy Makers doesn’t really tell us anything new. It is shorter and more focused, however, distilling the IPCC 6 report down into fewer words to make the situation much clearer.

Violent crime affects our sense of community

Canada is a vast land, but it can often feel very small. We are being inundated with stomach-churning stories of violent crime in our once-quiet, peaceable northern kingdom. It’s hard not to take notice.

The Han Dong story may be more complicated than it looks

For most of his three-plus years in Parliament, Han Dong has been one of the dozens of mostly anonymous backbench MPs. Given what’s happened over the last few weeks, the representative for Don Valley North probably would have preferred it remain that way. But now, after he was accused in a Global News story of betraying Canada (and two of its captive citizens) to the Chinese government — an allegation Dong has denied — his name will not soon be forgotten. As Evan Scrimshaw wrote on his Substack, “Either this story is true and the RCMP have protected a traitor, or Global just defamed an innocent man by trusting bad intelligence. May we not have the law’s delay.”

To read more of this story first reported by Canada’s National Observer, click here.

This content is made available to Winnipeg Free Press readers as part of an agreement with Canada’s National Observer that sees our two trusted news brands collaborate to better cover Canada. Questions about Observer content can be directed to dana@nationalobserver.com.

Providing pathways out of life of crime

IN A Tale of Two Sentences (Free Press, March 18) Dean Pritchard reports on the stories of two men who were facing similar criminal charges for weapons and drug offences. Both men were being supported by Morberg House, a residential recovery centre, and by all accounts had made great strides in moving forward in their lives.

Monopolies driving up food prices

ANYONE venturing out to the grocery store must admit, it’s torture.

Nature-positive motion could transform city

ON March 23, a historic motion was walked onto the floor of city council which, if passed, could significantly transform this city. Introduced by Daniel Mac Coun. Cindy Gilroy and seconded by St Vital Coun. Brian Mayes, the motion asks that Winnipeg sign on to the Montreal Pledge for Cities United in Action for Biodiversity.

Cuba seeks to strengthen relations with Mexico

When one examines the core drivers of Cuban foreign policy, one inevitably arrives at the following: protecting national independence and sovereignty, pragmatic realism and unrelenting counter-dependency. Add to that mix the key principle of Cuba’s vaunted humane internationalism or soft power.

Quiet pacifism inadequate response to war in Ukraine

I am a pacifist. To me there is no such thing as justified violence or just war, a belief nurtured not only by my Mennonite Christian heritage, but by ideals of what it means for everyone to imagine the possibility of living a truly human life.

Lecturer raised red flags, dodged vital questions

As Canada’s longest operating LGBTTQ+ community centre, Rainbow Resource Centre knows centring community voices is essential for nurturing safe spaces where people can thrive. When individuals not from our communities speak to LGBTTQ+ issues in ways that might incite harm, it is even more imperative to speak plainly and to be accountable for one’s words and actions.

Don’t confuse charter rights with academic freedom

On March 3, a public talk at the University of Winnipeg — and responses to it — raised important issues concerning academic freedom and harms to the trans community.

Takeaways from conflict-of-interest case

On March 13 a judge ruled that Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson failed to disclose the sale of three properties as required by conflict-of-interest (COI) legislation. However, the judge also concluded that under the current law, she could not impose a penalty because the failure was inadvertent.

Budget tax cuts a gift to the rich

The 2023 Manitoba budget released on March 7 announced almost $1 billion in revenue cuts. Despite claims about affordability for low- and middle-income households, most Manitoba families will not receive anything near the tax savings promoted by the province.

Keep Brandon University from meeting Laurentian’s fate

IN February 2021, Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ont., became the first Canadian public university to, for all intents and purposes, declare bankruptcy. It sought creditor protection and, in an unprecedented move, fired more than 100 tenured faculty and cancelled more than one-third of its programs, gutting the arts and humanities that are the core of a university.

We’re too quick to dismiss AI’s human side

THE AI chatbots recently revealed by OpenAI and Microsoft have been interesting. Much more interesting have been the reactions, particularly those triggered by Microsoft’s Bing chatbot, sometimes known as “Sydney.”

Auditor general’s comments cross line

I have written around 1,500 columns and op-eds over the past four decades. Many contained advice and suggestions directed toward the provincial government in power at the time each column was written, but only a few of those recommendations were ever implemented by those governments.

Auditor general’s request not part of the bargain

Professors are rarely at a loss for words.