Gains made on physician shortage, but warning signs loom: Doctors Manitoba

A report by Doctors Manitoba shows significant improvement at reducing the physician shortage, but suggests retirements and high levels of burnout could put it at risk.

The organization that speaks for the province’s doctors says the number of physicians per 100,000 residents has climbed to 225 this year, a gain of 2.5 per cent from 2024. It moves the province closer to the national average of 241.

The annual “Physicians in Manitoba” report says Manitoba needs 246 additional doctors to meet the national average — that’s a decrease from a high of 445 two years ago, which it calls a significant improvement.

Both figures were compiled by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

Youth need addiction, mental health strategies: advocate

As politicians debate proposed legislation to detain adults in the throes of a meth psychosis for up to 72 hours, Manitoba’s children’s advocate wants to know how minors will be treated.

“When they talk about Bill 48 with respect to detaining intoxicated people for 72 hours or so, there is no youth-specific need addressed in that bill,” Sherry Gott said Wednesday.

The Protective Detention and Care of Intoxicated Persons Act would replace the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act, which allows for the 24-hour involuntary detention of people intoxicated by alcohol. It proposes 20 spaces for people to detox from the effects of drugs under medical supervision, but doesn’t say anything about youth.

The Manitoba Foster Parents Association echoed the advocate’s concern.

One Win Away: Blue Jays defeat Dodgers 6-1 to take 3-2 lead in World Series

LOS ANGELES - Davis Schneider set the early tone on Wednesday night. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did his part too.

The Toronto teammates made history by leading off a World Series game with back-to-back homers in Game 5 against the L.A. Dodgers. Rookie starter Trey Yesavage took care of the rest.

The right-hander was dominant as Toronto rolled to a 6-1 win to move one victory away from winning the Fall Classic for the first time since 1993.

Yesavage set a World Series rookie record with 12 strikeouts in just his eighth career big-league start.

New to Winnipeg, longtime homeless man calls for tent city

Spent nine and a half years living on the streets of Toronto, but came west because it became too unsafe

The road not taken: lowest number of Manitobans in three decades cross border at Pembina in July, August

Many Manitobans appeared to skip U.S. road trips over the summer as the number of southbound travellers hit at least a 30-year low — excluding COVID-19 pandemic years — at a major border crossing south of Winnipeg.

Adult sentence for teen who killed three strangers at random

A man has been sentenced as an adult to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least seven years for killing three strangers in random attacks that took place within an hour.

The man, now 19, pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts of second-degree murder for the Aug. 22, 2022, attacks on Danielle Dawn Ballantyne, 36, and Marvin William Felix, 54. He also pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the killing of Troy Baguley, 51.

He was 15 at the time of the killings.

The offender “has participated in three serious homicides… and the maximum available youth sentence would not be sufficient to hold him accountable,” Court of King’s Bench Justice Gerald Chartier said in court Wednesday. “These offences were all serious and extremely violent physical attacks on random strangers carried out in three separate instances in quick succession.”

Students write next chapter in Free Press media literacy project

Manitoba educators and students have a new toolkit to help prepare youth to navigate the tumultuous media world.

Developer scuttles plan to build apartment tower, puts Portage and Furby lot up for sale

Years-long plans to turn a vacant lot into one of the tallest new buildings outside of the downtown in decades will remain on the drawing board.

Hundreds of teachers hired since NDP took office; ‘we need more,’ education minister says

Manitoba public schools have added 832 new funded teacher positions since a caucus filled with former educators won the 2023 election.