Mosque attack in Nigeria’s north injures at least 24 people, including children

‘A new future’: city dentist Cholakis donates $2M to school of dental hygiene

Dental hygienist training in Manitoba is getting a big boost, after a major gift from a local dentist.

On Thursday, the dental hygiene school at the University of Manitoba’s Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry unveiled a new $2-million donation from Dr. Ernest Cholakis. It’s the largest gift the program has ever received, and in honour of the funding, the school will be named the Cholakis School of Dental Hygiene.

The gift was unveiled at a ceremony Thursday morning at the U of M’s Brodie Centre in the Health Sciences Centre complex. The benefactor and other dignitaries, including Premier Wab Kinew, were in attendance, as well as the three-year program’s current students.

Cholakis, who graduated from the U of M’s dentistry school in 1982, had high praise for the dental hygiene profession.

Winnipeg author relies on typewriter collection to punch out manuscripts

Local author Michael Clark has not only taken the words “keep at it” to heart, but repeated them so often that last year, his daughter, 29, suggested the pair get matching tattoos bearing the mantra before her wedding.

The words are inked to appear as though they were punched onto his forearm by a typewriter.

Clark has a thing for typewriters. The award-winning crime fiction author figures he has 50 or more stashed in various nooks and crannies of his St. Vital home.

“There’s a joke in the typewriter community: if you leave four typewriters in your car unlocked, when you come back there’ll be three more,” the 57-year-old says with a laugh.

Gerdau recycling workers on strike

Workers behind recycling operations for Selkirk’s steel mill walked off the job last week, calling for higher wages.

Unionized members voted to strike July 23, with a 92 per cent mandate. Months of bargaining hasn’t produced a new deal, said United Steelworkers Local 8740. The union represents 78 members striking at Gerdau AmeriSteel Manitoba Metals recycling plant.

“We’re not being recognized for the amount of work we’ve been doing,” Andrew Sealey, acting president of the local, said Thursday. “The mill is a sensational beast … We’ve got to feed her all the time, and she’s always hungry.”

The scrap metal inspected and unloaded at the recycling facility is used in steel mill operations.

Online fundraiser for ‘polite, modest farmer’ facing firearms charges sending message, neighbour says

Thousands of dollars have been raised to help cover the legal fees of a Manitoba man charged after he allegedly fired a gun at thieves during a theft on his farm in August.

Canada-U.S. trade relationship is broken, but the damage can — and will — be repaired

Canada needs to get serious about diversifying its trade beyond the United States. But at the same time, Canadians should expect relations with the U.S. to normalize after Donald Trump is no longer in the White House.

For generations, Canada-U.S. trade was considered almost a fact of geography. The two countries share the world’s longest undefended border, deeply integrated supply chains and a century of commercial relationships.

Canadian manufacturers depend on American customers. American manufacturers depend on Canadian suppliers. Energy, agriculture, automotive production and countless other industries operate across the border as though it barely exists.

That isn’t going to change dramatically, even in the midst of a bitter trade war unleashed by the U.S. president.

Snowbird replacements ‘extremely manoeuverable, powerful,’ RCAF commander says

GATINEAU - The Royal Canadian Air Force welcomed on Thursday the first two of its new trainer aircraft, the CT-157 Siskin II — the same planes that will replace the old Tutor jets flown by the Snowbirds aerial demonstration team.

The turboprop planes will soon be headed to 15 Wing Moose Jaw, where the air force eventually will station 19 of them to serve as its main training fleet.

Acquiring the Siskin II, also known as the Pilatus PC-21, is part of the RCAF's plan to modernize its fleets and overhaul its training.

RCAF Commander Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet said the modern aircraft are well suited both to aerial acrobatics and to preparing pilots for the more advanced aircraft the air force is bringing online.