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‘The fireman grabbed me… and pulled me out’

‘The fireman grabbed me… and pulled me out’

Survivor recounts horror of losing granddaughter, cousin; within four minutes, small West End fire became fatal inferno

Chris Kitching 5 minute read Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026

‘Thought it was the flu’: more sick after eating at hotel buffet

Kevin Rollason 2 minute read Friday, Feb. 6, 2026

More possible victims of a case of suspected food poisoning at a prominent hotel have come forward.

A provincial government spokeswoman said two more reports came in on Friday after an article was published in the Free Press.

It brings the official total to 17 people who have complained they got sick after eating at a buffet at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre at 1808 Wellington Ave., last weekend.

However, the Free Press heard from others who got sick but didn’t report it.

Mark Blinch / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES

Air Canada announced it halted flights to Cuba due to the ongoing shortage of aviation fuel on the island, saying current projections will exhaust the supply of commercial fuel by Feb. 10.

Mark Blinch / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES
                                Air Canada announced it halted flights to Cuba due to the ongoing shortage of aviation fuel on the island, saying current projections will exhaust the supply of commercial fuel by Feb. 10.

Manitobans in Cuba stay calm as airlines cancel trips owing to fuel shortage

Tyler Searle 5 minute read Preview

Manitobans in Cuba stay calm as airlines cancel trips owing to fuel shortage

Tyler Searle 5 minute read Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

As he basked in the sunshine in Varadero, Cuba, on Monday, it was hard for Manitoban Geof Langen to imagine anything might interrupt his vacation — but when news broke that Air Canada had cancelled international flights to the island nation, it gave him pause.

“It’s kind of been the talk of today amongst Canadians. We’re a pretty large group down here, and everyone right now seems pretty calm,” Langen said by phone.

“Mostly, we’re enjoying Cuba and the incredibly gracious and hospitable people and great weather. It hasn’t at this point brought a damper or a sense of concern, beyond just paying attention to what’s going on.”

Air Canada decided to suspend service to Cuba days after Langen arrived in Varadero aboard a WestJet flight late Saturday. He and his partner are staying at a resort with friends, and were expecting a third couple from Manitoba to join them on Monday.

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Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES

Taiv Inc. CEO Noah Palansky (left) and chief technology officer Jordan Davis.

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES
                                Taiv Inc. CEO Noah Palansky (left) and chief technology officer Jordan Davis.

Winnipeg-based tech firm Taiv closes US$13M growth round

Aaron Epp 3 minute read Preview

Winnipeg-based tech firm Taiv closes US$13M growth round

Aaron Epp 3 minute read Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026

Taiv Inc. may rely on AI, but there’s nothing artificial about the Winnipeg company’s progression.

The tech company has closed a US$13 million growth round fewer than nine months after raising US$10.5 million in series A financing.

The latest round is a combination of debt and equity, and brings the total capital raised to more than US$30 million. The company’s latest valuation is just under US$100 million, said Taiv co-founder and CEO Noah Palansky.

“This is really a growth round,” he said. “It’s about hiring people and really investing in our product. We want to make something that’s amazing.”

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Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS

Rebecca Schneider worked at the Health Sciences Centre between 2009 and 2014.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
                                Rebecca Schneider worked at the Health Sciences Centre between 2009 and 2014.

Health-care ‘frustration’ keeps Manitoba nurse away

Nicole Buffie 5 minute read Preview

Health-care ‘frustration’ keeps Manitoba nurse away

Nicole Buffie 5 minute read Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

A former Manitoba nurse working in Minnesota says despite political turmoil she won’t return home to practise due to the state of the province’s health-care system.

Rebecca Schneider has considered moving back to Manitoba since November 2024, when Donald Trump was re-elected.

As the U.S. has stepped up immigration enforcement raids to seek out undocumented immigrants, Schneider said she feels unsafe in her own city.

“I have felt more unsafe in the last month with all the (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity in Minneapolis than I ever felt during COVID, during the riots with George Floyd’s incident in 2020,” she told the Free Press, referencing the Black man murdered by a white police officer. “There’s areas of the city you just can’t go anymore.”

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Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

Opposition house leader Derek Johnson, right.

Opposition house leader Derek Johnson, right.

Health care at heart of spring session as MLAs head back to legislature

Carol Sanders 4 minute read Preview

Health care at heart of spring session as MLAs head back to legislature

Carol Sanders 4 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

Health care bills top the NDP government’s legislative agenda as MLAs return for the spring session Wednesday.

Premier Wab Kinew said Tuesday that a patient safety charter, nurse-to-patient ratios “and then ending mandatory overtime” are his government’s priorities.

“Those are the ones I really want to see,” Kinew told reporters Tuesday, echoing messages contained in November’s throne speech.

The Manitoba Nurses Union said it supports bills to strengthen health care but isn’t sure how and when they can be enforced.

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Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

SUPPLIED

Julie Regner loves to see Canadians tackle the slopes or après-ski at North Dakota’s Frost Fire Park.

SUPPLIED
                                Julie Regner loves to see Canadians tackle the slopes or après-ski at North Dakota’s Frost Fire Park.

Manitobans continue to draw line in sand, choose not to cross once-neighbourly line on land

Chris Kitching 6 minute read Preview

Manitobans continue to draw line in sand, choose not to cross once-neighbourly line on land

Chris Kitching 6 minute read Monday, Feb. 23, 2026

Julie Regner loves to see Canadians tackle the slopes or après-ski at North Dakota’s Frost Fire Park, which has drawn skiers and snowboarders across the border for decades.

While there hasn’t been an official tally of visitors this season, the park’s general manager doesn’t think she’s seeing as many Manitobans amid the steep decline in Canadians venturing south.

“I would say it’s maybe decreased some from last year. They’re definitely still coming down to ski,” Regner said from the park, which is close to Walhalla, just 10 kilometres south of the border.

“We just love having them come down. They’re super nice people.”

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Monday, Feb. 23, 2026

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